Merrifield bounced around the NL East last season with the Phillies and Braves while his batting average took a nosedive. After hitting .272 in his last full year with the Blue Jays in 2023, the 36-year-old batted .199 in 95 games with Philadelphia, then improved to .248 over 42 games in Atlanta.

A computerized system that calls balls and strikes is being tested during Major League Baseball spring training exhibition games starting Thursday after four years of experiments in the minor leagues.

Major League Baseball this week will begin testing an automated system that will keep count of balls and strikes. The tests will take place during spring training and could be rolled into regular season play in 2026.

Given their looming trip to Japan, the Dodgers and Cubs are working under a different Spring Training schedule than the rest of baseball. That is why the clubs are taking the field at Camelback Ranch on Thursday afternoon,

The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their title defense in Tokyo, Japan on March 18th, but first they will tune-up in Arizona for Spring Training 2025. Their preseason officially kicks off against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday,

The Dodgers are scheduled to begin spring training play Thursday against the Chicago Cubs at their Camelback Ranch training facility in Glendale, Arizona, but without Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.