MLB Baseball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 17, 2026, 10:30 PM ET
Spring Training Pitching Returns & Injury Setbacks
The comeback narratives for two of Major League Baseball's premier arms are set to advance this week, though the White Sox suffered a significant setback. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is slated to toss his first spring training live game on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, marking a critical checkpoint in his return to the mound following his offseason elbow procedure. Concurrently, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will also make his initial 2024 spring appearance, the first live action for the former Cy Young winner since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. However, the outlook dimmed for Chicago's pitching corps when right-hander Mike Vasil was diagnosed with a season-ending elbow injury after exiting a Saturday start, confirming he requires Tommy John surgery. Meanwhile, in roster depth moves, veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle reportedly agreed to a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox, providing organizational depth to their bullpen options.
World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals Action
Action concluded in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, with Venezuela securing a dramatic victory over Italy to advance to their first-ever semifinal appearance in the tournament’s history. The Venezuelan squad rallied from an early deficit to dispatch the Italians, setting up a highly anticipated clash against Team USA. That contest proved decisive, as Team Venezuela padded their lead en route to an 8-5 victory over the heavily favored U.S. club in the Miami quarterfinals. Following the elimination, Japanese national manager Hirokazu Ibata announced his resignation, stating he would step down from the post immediately after the team's loss to Venezuela in the same quarterfinal round.
Fantasy Baseball Outlook
For those to the regular season and beyond, the final iteration of ESPN’s 2026 head-to-head points mock draft results are now available, offering a comprehensive look at round-by-round selections and the resulting roster compositions for the ten participating teams.