The Daily Briefing — Tuesday, March 24
By Morgan Davis · Tue Mar 24 2026
Wetherholt Makes Cardinals Opening Day Roster JJ Wetherholt just skipped the entire Triple-A queue. On Monday, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom announced the 23-year-old has made the St. Louis Opening Day roster, meaning he will bat leadoff and play second base when the Cardinals host the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon. Wetherholt had one of the most polished bats entering the 2024 draft and his pro debut did nothing but reinforce that.. The left-handed hitting middle infielder compiled a .304/.418/.487 slash line with 19 home runs across 138 games in his climb from Low-A through Triple-A last year. His 14.5% walk rate nearly matched his strikeout rate, showing the bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline that make transitions to better competition , and he backed it up this spring with a .226/.390/.419 line in Grapefruit League action. His eight walks against five strikeouts tells you all you need to know about his approach: the kid does not chase. Cardinals observers openly wondered if he was already the best hitter on the roster. What makes this even more significant is the role; Wetherholt is not getting a bench seat. He is getting a regular lineup spot at the position where elite shortstop Masyn Winn (21 Outs Above Average in 2025) has locked down one side of the diamond. This up-the-middle duo could form one of the most defensively sound young combinations in baseball if Wetherholt holds up his end. The organization is projecting him as a potential .300 hitter with 20-20 upside given his speed and contact skills. For a player who was the seventh overall pick just a couple of years ago, this feels overdue. For a franchise betting he is ready now, it feels like a statement. Quick Hits Carson Benge makes the Mets' Opening Day roster . The 23-year-old outfield prospect earned his spot as New York 's starting right fielder after posting a .366/.435/.439 spring slash with elite contact rates (91.5% zone contact at the 89th percentile). Benge will bat ninth and play alongside Juan Soto in left and Luis Robert Jr. in center. He debuts against the Pirates and reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes . Connelly Early breaks camp with the Red Sox . After posting a 1.59 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 17 spring innings, the hard-throwing lefty secured a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster. He appears headed for a bullpen role initially, though the Red Sox left the door slightly open for him to start the third game of the season if workload management demands it. Andrew Painter enters the Phillies rotation . The 22-year-old right-hander who missed the entire 2023 and 2024 seasons after Tommy John surgery has officially been slotted as Philadelphia's fifth starter. He will make his highly anticipated major league debut on March 31 against the Nationals, capping a remarkable comeback that no one thought would happen this fast. Payton Tolle gets sent down despite strong camp . The Red Sox optioned their No. 1 prospect to minor league camp after the hard-throwing lefty posted a 2.53 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 10 and two-thirds spring innings. Tolle will open the season in Triple-A with Early winning the battle for the available spot, though this feels like a timing issue more than a talent question. Yankees and Nationals complete trade . New York dealt infielder Jorbit Vivas to Washington in exchange for right-handed pitcher Sean Paul Liñan . Vivas, who was out of minor league options and had no clear path in the Bronx, will back up Nasim Nuñez and Brady House for the Nationals. Liñan, a 21-year-old Colombian righty with one of the game's best changeups according to scouts, joins the Yankees' prospect infrastructure and slots in at No. 18 on their prospect list. Konnor Griffin heads to Triple-A Indianapolis after spring struggles . The Pittsburgh Pirates reassigned the top overall prospect to minor league camp, a decision manager Don Kelly called extremely difficult but necessary. Griffin batted just .171 with 13 strikeouts in 41 at-bats during spring play, though he did homer four times. Pirates leadership made clear this is about development breathing room, not doubt in his ceiling. The door remains open for discussions about a long-term extension. Travis Bazzana sent to Triple-A Columbus instead of majors . The Guardians informed their 23-year-old second base prospect he will not make the Opening Day roster, ending weeks of speculation. Bazzana showed flashes this spring, including a 2-for-4 performance with a home run, but the organization wants him getting everyday at-bats at Triple-A before the call comes. Manager Stephen Vogt told him simply: go play, go stay ready. Trey Yesavage placed on injured list with shoulder impingement . The Blue Jays' star young right-hander will begin the season on the shelf after reporting right shoulder impingement issues to spring training. Toronto had been intentionally cautious with Yesavage's workload after he pitched in the World Series as a rookie last year, but this development forces an earlier return to the injured list than anticipated. His next scheduled appearance is March 25, though a regular season debut remains uncertain. Stat of the Day Connelly Early's 16 strikeouts against just five walks in 17 spring innings. That ratio, combined with a 1.59 ERA, painted a picture of a prospect who had figured something out. For a young pitcher trying to secure a roster spot on a team that added Sonny Gray , Ranger Suárez , and Garrett Crochet , those kinds of clean numbers do not lie. The Red Sox clearly believed Early had done enough to earn his chance in the bullpen, where he can develop without the pressure of a permanent fifth-starter role.