Friday's Spring Training action witnessed a flurry of impressive performances and surprising outcomes across Major League Baseball. From power-hitting displays to promising pitching debuts, teams are fine-tuning their rosters and strategies ahead of the regular season. The Atlanta Braves delivered a particularly dominant offensive showing, while several other clubs showcased their potential in competitive matchups.
In North Port, Florida, the Atlanta Braves staged an overwhelming victory against the Boston Red Sox, securing a 15-8 win. Mike Yastrzemski, whose Hall of Fame grandfather Carl Yastrzemski famously played for the Red Sox, was a standout performer, smashing two home runs in the second and fourth innings. This brought his spring training total to three homers in just four games. Complementing his effort, Ronald Acuna Jr. contributed a grand slam, and Matt Olson added another home run, all part of an explosive 11-run third inning that put the Braves comfortably ahead with a 13-3 lead. While Braves pitcher Chris Sale conceded three runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings, he still outperformed Red Sox starter Brayan Bello, who surrendered five runs in two innings. The Red Sox saw home runs from Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Marcelo Mayer, Nathan Hickey, and Tyler McDonough.
Elsewhere in Florida, the New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 17-5 in Fort Myers. Spencer Jones led the Yankees' offense with three RBIs and two runs, including his third home run of the spring. The Yankees established an early 8-1 lead in the second inning with home runs from Jasson Dominguez and J.C. Escarra. Luis Gil earned the win for New York, allowing only one run over 2 1/3 innings. For the Twins, Eric Wagaman and Trevor Larnach hit home runs, with Minnesota adding four runs in the final two innings.
The Pittsburgh Pirates secured a 6-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Bradenton, Florida, despite an impressive debut by Orioles pitcher Shane Baz. Acquired from Tampa Bay in December, Baz pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings, striking out four and walking two. Pirates starter Mitch Keller also had a strong outing, striking out four over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Termarr Johnson's two-run single in a five-run seventh inning sealed the win for Pittsburgh.
In another close contest, the Tampa Bay Rays narrowly beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 in Port Charlotte, Florida. Cedric Mullins, in his unofficial debut for the Rays after signing in the offseason, hit a home run and tallied a pair of early RBIs. Junior Caminero contributed a two-run single in the first inning, and Ryan Vilade's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning proved to be the game-winner. The Blue Jays mounted a late comeback with a four-run eighth inning, tying the game at 5, but ultimately fell short.
The New York Mets dominated the St. Louis Cardinals with a 14-3 win in Jupiter, Florida. MJ Melendez was a key offensive force for the Mets, hitting home runs in consecutive innings and driving in four runs. A.J. Ewing also had a productive day with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBIs. Freddy Peralta pitched three shutout innings for the Mets, while Cardinals' prospect Quinn Mathews allowed just one run on one hit over 2 2/3 innings. St. Louis' top prospect, shortstop JJ Wetherholt, hit his first spring training home run.
The Philadelphia Phillies, in a split-squad game, defeated the Miami Marlins 10-2 in Clearwater, Florida. Trea Turner and Adolis Garcia each contributed two hits to the Phillies' 14-hit total. The team recorded six doubles and scored four runs in the first inning, providing veteran pitcher Aaron Nola with an early cushion in his first start. Marlins prospect Robby Snelling struggled, giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. The Marlins' runs came from RBI singles by Heriberto Hernandez and Griffin Conine.
In another split-squad game, the Detroit Tigers powered past the Philadelphia Phillies 16-8 in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers exploded for 11 runs in the sixth inning, pulling away from Philadelphia. Catcher Tomas Nido had two hits and three RBIs during the extended inning, following Javier Baez's first spring home run in the fourth. Jack Flaherty struck out four and allowed one run on one hit over two innings in his second start. Christian Cairo led the Phillies with two hits and two RBIs.
The Colorado Rockies secured a 3-2 walk-off victory against the San Diego Padres in Scottsdale, Arizona. Zac Veen hit his second walk-off home run of spring training, a highlight for the 24-year-old who made headlines for gaining 43 pounds to enhance his power. Hunter Goodman also added a solo home run for Colorado, which collectively struck out 12 Padres batters. Tanner Gordon started for the Rockies with two scoreless innings. The Padres' scores came from a Manny Machado sacrifice fly and a Samad Taylor one-run single. Randy Vasquez had a strong outing for the Padres, pitching 2 2/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts.
In other action, the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago White Sox (split squad) 5-2 in Phoenix. Luis Rengifo's two RBIs, including a solo home run, propelled the Brewers to victory. Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, and William Contreras each drove in a run. White Sox pitcher Sean Burke allowed two runs and tallied two strikeouts in his three-inning start. The Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Guardians 8-6 in Mesa, Arizona, with Dansby Swanson driving in three runs, including a two-run homer. Edward Cabrera made an impressive debut for the Cubs, pitching two perfect innings with three strikeouts. The Kansas City Royals edged out the Oakland Athletics 7-6 in Surprise, Arizona. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a three-run homer for the Royals, and Nick Loftin's two-run double in the seventh proved to be the game-winner. Max Muncy and Jacob Wilson homered for the A's. Finally, the San Francisco Giants dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers 12-4 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Victor Bericoto hit a three-run home run, part of a 14-hit offensive onslaught. Robbie Ray allowed a hit and a run in two innings for the Giants. Yoshinobu Yamamoto had an uncharacteristic start for the Dodgers, allowing five hits and two runs over three innings.
Across the various venues, Friday's spring training games offered a compelling glimpse into the upcoming baseball season, featuring both offensive fireworks and pitching prowess, as teams continue their preparations for competitive play.