Every team's projected 2025 Opening Day lineup, rotation
The 2025 Major League Baseball season is upon us at long last. Though the Hot Stove flame still flickers while teams look to tweak their roster as Spring Training gets underway, the foundations and expectations for most squads are set.
With help from MLB.com's 30 beat writers, here's how each team's lineup and rotation figures to stack up come Opening Day.
Jump to: AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
BLUE JAYS
Lineup
1. Bo Bichette, SS
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B
3. Anthony Santander, RF
4. George Springer, LF
5. Daulton Varsho, CF
6. Andrés Giménez, 2B
7. Alejandro Kirk, C
8. Will Wagner, DH
9. Ernie Clement, 3B
So much depends on whether Varsho (right shoulder) is ready for Opening Day and Will Wagner will need regular at-bats somehow, but with the Santander signing alone, the Blue Jays have strengthened their lineup.
Rotation
1. José Berríos, RHP
2. Kevin Gausman, RHP
3. Chris Bassitt, RHP
4. Max Scherzer, RHP
5. Bowden Francis, RHP
This is a fine-looking group, especially with Yariel Rodríguez ready to step in when needed, and Scherzer's signing adds a fascinating dynamic to a group that was already leaning on savvy veterans. -- Keegan Matheson
ORIOLES
Lineup
1. Gunnar Henderson, SS
2. Jordan Westburg, 3B
3. Adley Rutschman, C
4. Colton Cowser, RF
5. Tyler O'Neill, LF
6. Ryan O'Hearn, DH
7. Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
8. Jackson Holliday, 2B
9. Cedric Mullins, CF
Gunnar Henderson's Opening Day status is in question due to a mild right intercostal strain. If the 23-year-old begins the year on the injured list, either Jordan Westburg or Jackson Holliday would likely slide over to shortstop, with Ram¨®n Ur¨ªas then getting the start at second or third.
Rotation
1. Zach Eflin, RHP
2. Charlie Morton, RHP
3. Dean Kremer, RHP
4. Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP
5. Cade Povich, LHP
Grayson Rodriguez will open the season on the injured list due to soreness in his right triceps/discomfort near the back of his right elbow. Albert Su¨¢rez should make the team, but he could still be heading for the bullpen because of the strong spring performance by Povich, who would give the O's a lefty in their rotation. -- Jake Rill
RAYS
Lineup
1. Yandy Díaz, 1B
2. Brandon Lowe, 2B
3. Junior Caminero, 3B
4. Josh Lowe, RF
5. Christopher Morel, LF
6. Jonathan Aranda, DH
7. Danny Jansen, C
8. Jonny DeLuca, CF
9. Taylor Walls, SS
This lineup looks a lot like the one that the Rays finished last season with, aside from the addition of Jansen and DeLuca replacing Jose Siri in center field, as free-agent addition Ha-Seong Kim (right shoulder surgery) will start the season on the IL.
Rotation
1. Shane McClanahan, LHP
2. Drew Rasmussen, RHP
3. Ryan Pepiot, RHP
4. Shane Baz, RHP
5. Taj Bradley, RHP
This is tough to predict, because the Rays will enter the spring with six top starters (these five, plus Zack Littell) competing for five spots. Most likely, health and availability will determine which starter gets squeezed out to begin the season; nearly all of them have previous injuries or potential workload limitations to consider. -- Adam Berry
RED SOX
Lineup
1. Jarren Duran, LF
2. Alex Bregman, 3B
3. Rafael Devers, DH
4. Triston Casas, 1B
5. Trevor Story, SS
6. Connor Wong, C
7. David Hamilton, 2B
8. Rob Refsnyder, RF
9. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
With Bregman¡¯s big right-handed bat added to the mix, there are questions about how the infield will align and if Rafael Devers will be moved to DH. Manager Alex Cora said those issues will be sorted during Spring Training, but Boston¡¯s lineup looks loaded.
Rotation
1. Garrett Crochet, LHP
2. Tanner Houck, RHP
3. Walker Buehler, RHP
4. Richard Fitts, RHP
5. Lucas Giolito, RHP
Blossoming ace Crochet (acquired through trade) and veteran Buehler should help the rotation take a big leap, as should the return of Lucas Giolito, who missed all of last season recovering from a right UCL repair and is slated to start the fifth game of the season, per Cora. With Brayan Bello set to open the season on the injured list, Fitts is the candidate most likely to step in. -- Ian Browne
YANKEES
Lineup
1. Austin Wells, C
2. Aaron Judge, RF
3. Cody Bellinger, CF
4. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
5. Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B
6. Jasson Domínguez, LF
7. Ben Rice, DH
8. Anthony Volpe, SS
9. Oswaldo Cabrera, 3B
The Yankees have played more than 18,000 games in their history, and they've never had a catcher bat leadoff. That could change this coming season, as manager Aaron Boone said he is seriously entertaining Wells as a table-setter, citing his on-base potential.
Rotation
1. Max Fried, LHP
2. Marcus Stroman, RHP
3. Carlos Rodón, LHP
4. Will Warren, RHP
5. Clarke Schmidt, RHP
The Bombers' pitching depth has been slammed this spring, with Gerrit Cole out for the 2025 season because of Tommy John surgery and AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil lost for at least three months to a right lat strain. Good thing they signed Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal as part of their post-Juan Soto pivot. -- Bryan Hoch
AL CENTRAL
GUARDIANS
Lineup
1. Steven Kwan, LF
2. Kyle Manzardo, DH
3. Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez, 3B
4. Carlos Santana, 1B
5. Lane Thomas, CF
6. Will Brennan, RF
7. Bo Naylor, C
8. Gabriel Arias, 2B
9. Brayan Rocchio, SS
The second base job is a continuing storyline, and Arias and Guardians No. 10 prospect Juan Brito are among those in the mix. Arias is out of Minor League options and has big league experience, which gives him an edge in this projection. Meanwhile, whether Brennan or Jhonkensy Noel start in right field would depend on Kansas City¡¯s starting pitcher.
Rotation
1. Tanner Bibee, RHP
2. Luis Ortiz, RHP
3. Gavin Williams, RHP
4. Ben Lively, RHP
5. Triston McKenzie, RHP
The fifth spot in the rotation is a continued storyline this spring as McKenzie (who¡¯s out of Minor League options) looks to return to form after his tough 2024 season. Other Guardians pitchers stretching out include Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, Slade Cecconi and Doug Nikhazy -- who has also made a big impression in Cactus League play. -- Tim Stebbins
ROYALS
Lineup
1. Jonathan India, 2B
2. Bobby Witt Jr., SS
3. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
4. Salvador Perez, C
5. MJ Melendez, LF
6. Hunter Renfroe, RF
7. Michael Massey, DH
8. Maikel Garcia, 3B
9. Kyle Isbel, CF
The Royals got a big boost to the top of their lineup when they acquired India, who will slot in as the leadoff hitter and share second-base duties with Massey, with the potential for either/both to go to left field or third base if they can show the ability to do so in spring.
Rotation
1. Cole Ragans, LHP
2. Seth Lugo, RHP
3. Michael Wacha, RHP
4. Michael Lorenzen, RHP
5. Kris Bubic, LHP
The fifth spot of the rotation will be a competition, with Bubic competing with Daniel Lynch IV, while Alec Marsh (right shoulder soreness) and Kyle Wright (right hamstring strain) are dealing with early injuries this spring. Whoever doesn¡¯t win that spot has the potential to help out in the bullpen. -- Anne Rogers
TIGERS
Lineup
1. Parker Meadows, CF
2. Gleyber Torres, 2B
3. Riley Greene, LF
4. Kerry Carpenter, DH
5. Colt Keith, 1B
6. Jace Jung, 3B
7. Wenceel P¨¦rez, RF
8. Javier Báez, SS
9. Jake Rogers, C
With Matt Vierling out for Opening Day with a right rotator cuff muscle strain and Parker Meadows questionable with a nerve issue in his upper right arm, Detroit¡¯s lineup becomes a little trickier at the top. The switch-hitting P¨¦rez could see a jump in playing time in Vierling¡¯s absence.
Rotation
1. Tarik Skubal, LHP
2. Jack Flaherty, RHP
3. Reese Olson, RHP
4. Jackson Jobe, RHP
5. Casey Mize, RHP
Alex Cobb's right hip inflammation takes him out of play for the start of the season, setting up a battle for the final two spots. -- Jason Beck
TWINS
Lineup
1. Matt Wallner, RF
2. Carlos Correa, SS
3. Byron Buxton, CF
4. Trevor Larnach, LF
5. Royce Lewis, 3B
6. Jose Miranda, DH
7. Brooks Lee, 2B
8. Ty France, 1B
9. Ryan Jeffers, C
These are probably the nine players most likely to take the field, but there are multiple other combinations of players, positions and orders that manager Rocco Baldelli could use.
Rotation
1. Pablo López, RHP
2. Bailey Ober, RHP
3. Joe Ryan, RHP
4. Chris Paddack, RHP
5. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP
Assuming everyone is healthy, this is a deep and talented group, with some talented youngsters waiting in the wings. -- Matthew Leach
WHITE SOX
Lineup
1. Chase Meidroth, SS
2. Josh Rojas, 2B
3. Luis Robert Jr., CF
4. Andrew Vaughn, 1B
5. Miguel Vargas, 3B
6. Mike Tauchman, RF
7. Lenyn Sosa, DH
8. Korey Lee, C
9. Michael A. Taylor, LF
Austin Slater provides a right-handed-hitting outfield option against a left-handed starter for the Angels, if the team chooses to go that direction. Robert should continue to draw trade interest during Spring Training, and Andrew Benintendi will likely miss Opening Day after a pitch fractured his hand on Feb. 27.
Rotation
1. Jonathan Cannon, RHP
2. Davis Martin, RHP
3. Martín Pérez, LHP
4. Sean Burke, RHP
5. Shane Smith, RHP
Drew Thorpe eventually will be part of this front five. But the right-hander suffered offseason setbacks recovering from Sept. 7 surgery to shave down a bone spur in his right elbow and won¡¯t be ready at the start of the season. -- Scott Merkin
AL WEST
ANGELS
Lineup
1. Taylor Ward, LF
2. Luis Rengifo, 2B
3. Mike Trout, RF
4. Jorge Soler, DH
5. Nolan Schanuel, 1B
6. Logan O'Hoppe, C
7. Jo Adell, CF
8. Yoán Moncada, 3B
9. Kevin Newman, SS
With Trout moving to right, the Angels will use a combination of Adell, Mickey Moniak and Ward in center, although Ward is the club¡¯s primary left fielder. Soler is the club¡¯s main option at DH but will also see time in both corner outfield spots. Shortstop Zach Neto is expected to open the season on the injured list after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder in November.
Rotation
1. Tyler Anderson, LHP
2. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP
3. José Soriano, RHP
4. Kyle Hendricks, RHP
5. Jack Kochanowicz, RHP
Anderson and Kikuchi are the top candidates to start Opening Day, while the fifth spot is up for grabs, with Kochanowicz and lefty Reid Detmers as the top two candidates. -- Rhett Bollinger
ASTROS
Lineup
1. Jose Altuve, LF
2. Isaac Paredes, 3B
3. Yordan Alvarez, DH
4. Christian Walker, 1B
5. Yainer Diaz, C
6. Jeremy Peña, SS
7. Chas McCormick, RF
8. Mauricio Dubón, 2B
9. Jake Meyers, CF
The big question is whether Altuve will start the season in left field or his natural position of second base, but no matter where he plays on defense, the first six spots in Houston¡¯s lineup are solid.
Rotation
1. Framber Valdez, LHP
2. Hunter Brown, RHP
3. Ronel Blanco, RHP
4. Spencer Arrighetti, RHP
5. Hayden Wesneski, RHP
Valdez and Brown are an elite 1-2 combination at the top of the rotation and Blanco and Arrighetti were workhorses last year, but there¡¯s some depth concerns with newcomer Wesneski penciled into the fifth spot. -- Brian McTaggart
ATHLETICS
Lineup
1. Lawrence Butler, RF
2. Brent Rooker, LF
3. JJ Bleday, CF
4. Shea Langeliers, C
5. Tyler Soderstrom, 1B
6. Miguel Andujar, DH
7. Zack Gelof, 2B
8. Gio Urshela, 3B
9. Jacob Wilson, SS
With Rooker now fully recovered from his right forearm injury, the DH spot will likely see somewhat of a rotation between Rooker, Andujar and Seth Brown.
Rotation
1. Luis Severino, RHP
2. JP Sears, LHP
3. Osvaldo Bido, RHP
4. Jeffrey Springs, LHP
5. Joey Estes, RHP
Severino is the heavy favorite to take the mound come Opening Day, while the fifth spot will be decided by a spring competition that includes Estes, Mitch Spence, J.T. Ginn and Hogan Harris. -- Mart¨ªn Gallegos
MARINERS
Lineup
1. Victor Robles, RF
2. Julio Rodríguez, CF
3. Cal Raleigh, C
4. Randy Arozarena, LF
5. Luke Raley, 1B
6. Mitch Garver, DH
7. Jorge Polanco, 3B
8. Dylan Moore, 2B
9. J.P. Crawford, SS
The Mariners didn't make many, if any, significant offensive additions, with the return of Polanco, coming off a down year, being the most notable.
Rotation
1. Luis Castillo, RHP
2. Logan Gilbert, RHP
3. Bryce Miller, RHP
4. Bryan Woo, RHP
5. Emerson Hancock, RHP
George Kirby has been shut down with right shoulder inflammation and is likely to open the season on the injured list. This opens a spot for Hancock, who posted a 4.75 ERA in 12 starts last season. -- Daniel Kramer
RANGERS
Lineup
1. Marcus Semien, 2B
2. Corey Seager, SS
3. Wyatt Langford, LF
4. Adolis García, RF
5. Joc Pederson, DH
6. Josh Jung, 3B
7. Jake Burger, 1B
8. Jonah Heim, C
9. Evan Carter, CF
The Rangers' outfield spots are up for grabs, specifically the center-field spot between Leody Taveras and a recently healthy Carter. That being said, the club has flipped Nathaniel Lowe for Burger at first base and added a designated hitter in Pederson, giving the lineup some much-needed pop.
Rotation
1. Jacob deGrom, RHP
2. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP
3. Jon Gray, RHP
4. Cody Bradford, LHP
5. Tyler Mahle, RHP
Rookie pitchers and former Vanderbilt teammates Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter will be waiting in the wings as depth options, but when everybody¡¯s healthy, those five veterans are likely to open the season in the rotation. -- Kennedi Landry
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
BRAVES
Lineup
1. Jurickson Profar, LF
2. Austin Riley, 3B
3. Matt Olson, 1B
4. Marcell Ozuna, DH
5. Ozzie Albies, 2B
6. Michael Harris II, CF
7. Drake Baldwin, C
8. Jarred Kelenic, RF
9. Orlando Arcia, SS
Profar¡¯s power and plate discipline should adequately fill the leadoff spot until this powerful lineup is bolstered by the return of Ronald Acuña Jr., who could miss approximately six weeks while recovering from left knee surgery.
Rotation
1. Chris Sale, LHP
2. Reynaldo López, RHP
3. Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP
4. Grant Holmes, RHP
5. Ian Anderson, RHP
Last year¡¯s preseason Cy Young Award favorite Spencer Strider could return in late April to join a rotation that includes the eventual winner (Sale), and two of this year¡¯s dark-horse Cy Young candidates (L¨®pez and Schwellenbach). -- Mark Bowman
MARLINS
Lineup
1. Xavier Edwards, SS
2. Connor Norby, 3B
3. Jonah Bride, DH
4. Jesús Sánchez, RF
5. Derek Hill, CF
6. Matt Mervis, 1B
7. Otto Lopez, 2B
8. Kyle Stowers, LF
9. Nick Fortes, C
There is only one certainty when it comes to the offensive side of things for Miami: tablesetter Edwards will lead off after batting .328 with 31 steals in 70 games.
Rotation
1. Sandy Alcantara, RHP
2. Ryan Weathers, LHP
3. Edward Cabrera, RHP
4. Cal Quantrill, RHP
5. Max Meyer, RHP
Alcantara is the Opening Day starter, but manager Clayton McCullough has yet to announce the order after him. Meyer appears to have won a starting job since Valente Bellozo has been piggybacking of late and prospect Adam Mazur was optioned. -- Christina De Nicola
METS
Lineup
1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Pete Alonso, 1B
4. Brandon Nimmo, LF
5. Mark Vientos, 3B
6. Jesse Winker, DH
7. Jeff McNeil, 2B
8. Tyrone Taylor, CF
9. Luis Torrens, C
Alonso¡¯s return sure does deepen this group, doesn¡¯t it? There won¡¯t be many wrong answers for manager Carlos Mendoza in terms of constructing the top half of the lineup, though the absence of Francisco Alvarez for the first month or so of the season will weaken the lower half, which should include Starling Marte (designated hitter) and Jose Siri (center field) on a frequent basis.
Rotation
1. Kodai Senga, RHP
2. Clay Holmes, RHP
3. David Peterson, LHP
4. Griffin Canning, RHP
5. Tylor Megill, RHP
With Sean Manaea (right oblique strain) and Frankie Montas (high-grade lat strain) sidelined to start the season, Canning, Megill and Paul Blackburn are the candidates to fill the last two rotation spots. Megill has an accessible Minor League option, which hurts his chances, but the Mets will carry the top two arms from that trio. -- Anthony DiComo
NATIONALS
Lineup
1. CJ Abrams, SS
2. Dylan Crews, RF
3. James Wood, LF
4. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B
5. Josh Bell, DH
6. Luis García Jr., 2B
7. Keibert Ruiz, C
8. Paul DeJong, 3B
9. Jacob Young, CF
The Nationals, who hit the fewest home runs in the NL last year, added offensive power this winter with Lowe and Bell to hit in the middle of the lineup behind the young top of the order that features Crews and Wood playing in their first full Major League seasons.
Rotation
1. MacKenzie Gore, LHP
2. Jake Irvin, RHP
3. Michael Soroka, RHP
4. Mitchell Parker, LHP
5. Trevor Williams, RHP
The Nationals¡¯ starting depth is deep this season -- in addition to the five pitchers listed above, DJ Herz and Shinnosuke Ogasawara are also in the mix for a spot in the rotation, but they have options for Triple-A. -- Jessica Camerato
PHILLIES
Lineup
1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Bryce Harper, 1B
3. Alec Bohm, 3B
4. Kyle Schwarber, DH
5. Nick Castellanos, RF
6. Max Kepler, LF
7. J.T. Realmuto, C
8. Bryson Stott, 2B
9. Brandon Marsh, CF
Rob Thomson is considering a change to the lineup. If Schwarber isn¡¯t leading off, it¡¯s going to be Turner. But Thomson has had both hit leadoff this spring so it¡¯s not set in stone.
Rotation
1. Zack Wheeler, RHP
2. Jesús Luzardo, LHP
3. Aaron Nola, RHP
4. Cristopher Sánchez, LHP
5. Ranger Suárez, LHP
No surprise that Wheeler will start Opening Day. But starting Luzardo in Game 2 and S¨¢nchez in Game 4 splits up the two hard-throwing lefties. It also allows S¨¢nchez to start the home opener. -- Todd Zolecki
NL CENTRAL
BREWERS
Lineup
1. Brice Turang, 2B
2. Jackson Chourio, LF
3. Christian Yelich, DH
4. William Contreras, C
5. Garrett Mitchell, CF
6. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
7. Sal Frelick, RF
8. Joey Ortiz, SS
9. Oliver Dunn, 3B
Chourio may see some time in the leadoff hole this season against lefties, and he could also man some center when Mitchell or Frelick are not stationed there.
Rotation
1. Freddy Peralta, RHP
2. Nestor Cortes, LHP
3. Tobias Myers, RHP
4. Aaron Civale, RHP
5. Aaron Ashby, LHP
At some point, the Brewers hope to add former ace Brandon Woodruff to this mix, but he first must complete his comeback from right shoulder surgery in October 2023. -- Adam McCalvy
CARDINALS
Lineup
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Willson Contreras, 1B
3. Lars Nootbaar, LF
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Brendan Donovan, 2B
6. Iván Herrera, C
7. Nolan Gorman, DH
8. Jordan Walker, RF
9. Victor Scott II, CF
In the event Arenado gets traded -- something that could be a pertinent topic all season -- Gorman would slide over to third and Donovan would play primarily at second base. A Cardinals team that struggled with runners in scoring position might be temped to move Nootbaar into center to get more offense in the lineup. Similarly, Pedro Pag¨¦s is the much better defensive option behind the plate, but the Cardinals are hopeful that Herrera makes strides in controlling the running game because of his much higher ceiling offensively. Alec Burleson needs to play four to five days a week because of his bat, and he¡¯ll split time at first base and DH. Bounce-back seasons from Walker and Gorman are big keys for the Cards offensively.
Rotation
1. Sonny Gray, RHP
2. Andre Pallante, RHP
3. Erick Fedde, RHP
4. Steven Matz, LHP
5. Miles Mikolas, RHP
The Cards are again right-handed heavy in their rotation, so Matz gets the nod over blossoming right-hander Michael McGreevy to open the season. St. Louis thinks it really found something in Pallante, a reliever-turned-starter who limited foes to three earned runs or fewer in 15 out of 20 starts last season. Can Mikolas and Matz bounce back after consecutive down years? -- John Denton
CUBS
Lineup
1. Ian Happ, LF
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Seiya Suzuki, DH
4. Michael Busch, 1B
5. Dansby Swanson, SS
6. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
7. Jon Berti, 2B
8. Matt Shaw, 3B
9. Miguel Amaya, C
With Nico Hoerner (October surgery on right forearm) not in the plans for the Tokyo Series (March 18-19), Berti would be the leading candidate as a temporary option at second. Veteran Justin Turner will get some time at first base, too. Amaya and veteran catcher Carson Kelly will have a timeshare behind the plate.
Rotation
1. Shota Imanaga, LHP
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP
3. Justin Steele, LHP
4. Matthew Boyd, LHP
5. Colin Rea, RHP
With Javier Assad (left oblique) slowed at the start of camp, free-agent addition Colin Rea is the front-runner for the fifth spot. Younger options like Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks will also be in the running. -- Jordan Bastian
PIRATES
Lineup
1. Andrew McCutchen, DH
2. Bryan Reynolds, RF
3. Oneil Cruz, CF
4. Joey Bart, C
5. Nick Gonzales, 2B
6. Jared Triolo, 1B
7. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
8. Tommy Pham, LF
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
Health is going to be key for the bottom half of the lineup, whether it's Hayes staying on the field or getting first baseman Spencer Horwitz back sooner rather than later.
Rotation
1. Paul Skenes, RHP
2. Mitch Keller, RHP
3. Jared Jones, RHP
4. Andrew Heaney, LHP
5. Bailey Falter, LHP
The Pirates may have the best mix of upside and depth in their starting rotation, especially with top 100 prospects Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington waiting in the wings. -- Alex Stumpf
REDS
Lineup
1. Matt McLain, 2B
2. Elly De La Cruz, SS
3. Tyler Stephenson, C
4. Spencer Steer, 1B
5. Jeimer Candelario, DH
6. TJ Friedl, CF
7. Gavin Lux 3B
8. Austin Hays, LF
9. Jake Fraley, RF
Both corner infield spots are viewed as open, which means Christian Encarnacion-Strand or Noelvi Marte could find their way into the lineup with a strong camp.
Rotation
1. Hunter Greene, RHP
2. Brady Singer, RHP
3. Nick Martinez, RHP
4. Nick Lodolo, LHP
5. Rhett Lowder, RHP
This is a challenging prediction because Cincinnati is entering camp with eight starters in the mix, and multiple pitchers who contributed to the rotation last season could be on the outside looking in. Andrew Abbott's name is the most difficult to omit among this group, but he shouldn't be counted out. -- Mark Sheldon
NL WEST
D-BACKS
Lineup
1. Corbin Carroll, RF
2. Ketel Marte, 2B
3. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., LF
4. Josh Naylor, 1B
5. Eugenio Suárez, 3B
6. Gabriel Moreno, C
7. Pavin Smith / Randal Grichuk, DH
8. Jake McCarthy, CF
9. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
The Diamondbacks will mix-and-match at DH once again this year, with Smith and Grichuk the likely duo. McCarthy and Alek Thomas figure to battle it out in Spring Training for the starting center-field job.
Rotation
1. Corbin Burnes, RHP
2. Zac Gallen, RHP
3. Merrill Kelly, RHP
4. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP
5. Brandon Pfaadt, RHP
How the Diamondbacks sort through having seven starters, including Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery, will be one of the most-watched storylines of the spring. -- Steve Gilbert
DODGERS
Lineup
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, SS
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Teoscar Hernández, RF
5. Max Muncy, 3B
6. Will Smith, C
7. Michael Conforto, LF
8. Tommy Edman, 2B
9. Andy Pages, CF
Even with a couple of new faces in the mix, this lineup should not look very different from last year's starting nine, led by the Dodgers' three MVPs at the top.
Rotation
1. Blake Snell, LHP
2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP
3. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
4. Roki Sasaki, RHP
5. Tony Gonsolin, RHP
Snell and Sasaki are the high-profile additions to this deep group, which should also add Ohtani sometime in May when the Dodgers stretch out to a six-man rotation. The fifth spot is likely up for grabs between Gonsolin and Dustin May, who will both get plenty of opportunities to earn it this spring. -- Sonja Chen
GIANTS
Lineup
1. LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B
2. Willy Adames, SS
3. Jung Hoo Lee, CF
4. Matt Chapman, 3B
5. Heliot Ramos, LF
6. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
7. Tyler Fitzgerald, 2B
8. Wilmer Flores, DH
9. Patrick Bailey, C
Adames should add some much-needed punch after joining the club on a seven-year, $182 million deal, but the Giants are also hoping to get a major boost from the return of Lee, who missed most of his rookie season after suffering a season-ending left shoulder injury last May.
Rotation
1. Logan Webb, RHP
2. Justin Verlander, RHP
3. Robbie Ray, LHP
4. Jordan Hicks, RHP
5. Kyle Harrison, LHP
After losing Blake Snell to the Dodgers, the Giants will be counting on two other former Cy Young winners -- Ray and Verlander -- to stay healthy and provide stability behind the ultra-durable Webb. -- Maria Guardado
PADRES
Lineup
1. Luis Arraez, 1B
2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Jackson Merrill, CF
5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
6. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
7. Connor Joe, DH
8. Jason Heyward, LF
9. Elias Díaz, C
The Padres landed Joe and Heyward in early February, planning to platoon them in left field. As such, they¡¯re looking for one more bat -- whether external or internal -- to emerge as a DH option.
Rotation
1. Dylan Cease, RHP
2. Michael King, RHP
3. Yu Darvish, RHP
4. Nick Pivetta, RHP
5. Randy Vásquez, RHP
Pivetta¡¯s deal, which is pending a physical, gives the Padres clarity in their rotation race: It's a handful of pitchers vying for one spot at the back end -- including V¨¢squez, Matt Waldron, Kyle Hart and Stephen Kolek. -- AJ Cassavell
ROCKIES
Lineup
1. Brenton Doyle, CF
2. Thairo Estrada, 2B
3. Ezequiel Tovar, SS
4. Kris Bryant, RF
5. Ryan McMahon, 3B
6. Nolan Jones, LF
7. Michael Toglia, 1B
8. Jordan Beck, DH
9. Jacob Stallings, C
To correct an offense that has been startlingly poor considering that Coors Field is home, the Rockies need the top of the lineup to provide patience and speed, Bryant to provide a semblance of what he did in the past with the Cubs, and younger players throughout to continue their growth.
Rotation
1. Kyle Freeland, LHP
2. Ryan Feltner, RHP
3. Austin Gomber, LHP
4. Germán Márquez, RHP
5. Antonio Senzatela, RHP
Freeland, M¨¢rquez and Senzatela have started postseason games for this club, but they and others must regain health and production -- or else a group of prospects (led by righty Chase Dollander, MLB's No. 25 prospect) -- will usher in the next attempt for the Rockies to build a rotation that can sustain winning. -- Thomas Harding