Eight brand new events like Hello Kitty® Day, Friends® Day and Golf Day join returning favorites like
Night OUT, Pups in the Park, Cat-urday and more 

Whether you like golf or Hello Kitty®, binge-watch Friends® re-runs, or simply love to take your pup everywhere you go, the Washington Nationals have a date on the calendar just for you. The Nationals’ 2025 season schedule is highlighted by more than 50 special ticket events, complementing the promotional schedule released in December. This year’s special events include the return of fan-favorites like Night OUT and Ladies Night; season-long series like College Days and heritage days; games dedicated to our furry friends, including Cat-urday presented by Temptations and Pups in the Park presented by PEDIGREE Foundation; kid-friendly events like Youth Baseball & Softball Days presented by Inova Sports Medicine; and events new to Nationals Park. Special tickets are limited; for more information and to purchase, visit nats.com/Special.

Eight brand new events, including Hello Kitty® Day, Friends® Day and Golf Day, join the slate of returning favorites.

· On Tuesday, April 8, fans are invited to enjoy Hello Kitty® Day at Nationals Park alongside fellow red bow-wearers… After all, you can never have too many friends! Fans with a special ticket will receive an exclusive Hello Kitty® light-up figurine.

· The Nationals will bring the Central Perk vibes to the ballpark on Tuesday, May 6, with the first-ever Friends® Day at Nationals Park. So, grab your closest friends – whether they want good eats at the concessions like Joey, to go shopping at the team store like Rachel, or to get their head in the game like Ross – and head over to Nationals Park for a 6:45 p.m. matchup versus the Guardians. Fans with a special ticket will receive an exclusive Screech and Teddy “Pivot!” bobblehead.

There will be no Max Scherzer reunion in D.C. this season, an idea that sounded good in theory but probably never had much serious chance of coming to fruition.

Scherzer, after waiting out a prolonged Hot Stove League in search of a job, finally found a new home Thursday, reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Blue Jays. It’s the right-hander’s lowest annual salary since 2013, when he was a 28-year-old in Detroit still trying to prove himself one of the game’s best pitchers.

The market for Scherzer wasn’t nearly as robust as he and agent Scott Boras probably hoped, but they had several factors working against them. Scherzer turns 41 in July. And he’s coming off an injury plagued season with the Rangers that saw him make only nine starts while compiling an un-Scherzer-like 3.95 ERA.

If the hope was to create a bidding war among multiple contending clubs interested in a three-time Cy Young Award winner’s production and leadership, it never fully materialized. Scherzer remained unsigned deep into January and earlier this week needed to hold a personal showcase in front of scouts from several teams to drum up interest and prove he’s healthy again.

The Blue Jays, who spent much of the winter missing out on a number of top-tier free agents to big-market clubs, finally came through and inked Scherzer to a deal that’s relatively modest by his standards.

We’ve been waiting all winter for the reliever market to heat up. Finally, with two weeks to go before pitchers and catchers report across Florida and Arizona, we’re starting to see action.

Just not by the Nationals. Yet.

Over the course of 24 hours Tuesday through Wednesday, six prominent late-inning relievers either signed as free agents or were traded to new clubs. The list includes bona fide closers like Carlos Estevez (two years, $22 million with Royals), Kirby Yates (one year, $13 million with Dodgers) and Ryan Pressly (one year, $14 million with Cubs) and noted setup men Taylor Rogers (one year, $12 million with Reds), Tommy Kahnle (one year, $7.75 million with Tigers) and Ryne Stanek (one year, $4.5 million with Mets).

It often just takes one move to trigger an avalanche, and it does appear that’s what is now happening with the reliever market. The next question: Will the Nats dive in themselves?

We’ve noted several times how much the Nationals bullpen is lacking in proven arms after losing Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey, Dylan Floro, Robert Garcia and Jacob Barnes from last year’s group. So far, they’ve added only one experienced reliever in Jorge Lopez (one year, $3 million) to go along with holdover Derek Law. Young left-hander Jose A. Ferrer figures to be a prominent member of the group, and Rule 5 draft pick Evan Reifert figures to get a serious look this spring as the club decides whether to put him on the Opening Day roster or offer him back to the Rays.

Good morning, everyone. Did you know we are now officially two weeks away from the start of spring training? That's right, pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach in exactly 14 days, with position players set to arrive five days after that. The time has almost come.

That said, there's still a real sense the Nationals' offseason isn't over yet. There are moves that still need to be made, especially in the bullpen. Whether that happens before or after Feb. 12 remains to be seen, but it feels safe to say more additions are coming at some point.

In the meantime, let's talk about what the Nats have done so far this winter, speculate what might still happen and look ahead to what's in store in February and March down in Florida. As always, submit your questions in the comments section below, then check back throughout the morning for my responses ...

In an alternate universe, Josiah Gray and Cade Cavalli would be very much in the Nationals’ Opening Day plans right now, the two right-handers probably joining MacKenzie Gore to fill out the top three slots in the club’s 2025 rotation.

That’s how things were supposed to go. Gray was the team’s Opening Day starter last year after earning an All-Star selection the prior year. Cavalli was on track to make his long-awaited return from March 2023 Tommy John surgery sometime around June 2024 and finally realize his full potential.

In the real universe we all occupy, neither figures to be on the 26-man roster come March 27. Gray, we already know, will miss most of the season while recovering from his Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure. Cavalli, though reportedly healthy now, still needs to prove he can pitch every five days and have some success in the minors before the Nationals are likely to include him in their big league rotation.

It's clear the organization has prepared to proceed without either. They’ve signed three free agent starters this winter in Michael Soroka, Trevor Williams and Shinnosuke Osagawara, and while none of them is viewed as a frontline starter, all are healthy and are supposed to be part of the staff entering the new season. They also have Gore and Jake Irvin as holdovers, plus young left-handers DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker trying to hold onto the rotation spots they held for much of last season.

So what does that mean for Gray and Cavalli, both in the short- and long-term?

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with outfielder DYLAN CARLSON on a one-year major league contract for the 2025 season.

Carlson, 26, slashed .209/.287/.277 (49-for-235) with seven doubles, three home runs, 19 runs scored, 25 RBI, 22 walks, five hit-by-pitches, and two stolen bases in 96 games between the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays in 2024. He opened the year on 10-day Injured List recovering from a left acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprain before being reinstated by St. Louis on May 5. Carlson was acquired by the Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Shawn Armstrong on July 30, 2024. In 39 day games last season, he slashed .263/.327/.305 (25-for-95) compared to a .171/.261/.257 (24-for-140) slash line in 57 night games.

In five big league seasons between the two clubs, Carlson has batted .237/.317/.376 (365-for-1538) with 83 doubles, 10 triples, 37 home runs, 192 runs scored, 175 RBI, 158 walks (3 IBB), 30 hit-by-pitches, and 13 stolen bases in 484 games. Carlson, a switch-hitter, is a lifetime .285/.361/.431 (123-for-432) hitter versus left-handed pitchers compared to a .219/.300/.355 (242-for-1106) hitter against righties. He has appeared in the Postseason three times with St. Louis (2020-22) and his six Wild Card Series games trail only Yadier Molina (7) for the most among Cardinals players. In 2021, he finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting and set the Cardinals single-season records for rookie switch-hitters with 53 extra-base hits, 237 total bases, 31 doubles, 65 RBI, and 57 walks. Carlson was originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round (No. 33 overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Elk Grove (CA) High School.

To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder JACOB AMAYA has been designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

The club today announced that long-time Orioles outfielder ADAM JONES officially returns to the organization as a Special Advisor to the General Manager and Community Ambassador.

In this role, Jones will advise Executive Vice President & General Manager MIKE ELIAS on various matters and serve as a resource for the rest of the Baseball Operations department and Orioles major and minor league players.

Jones will continue to have an impact on the Baltimore community, participating in several club-sponsored community service projects including with the club’s adopt-a-school partnership with Harlem Park Elementary Middle School, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), and the Challenger League. Through a myriad of events and opportunities, he will interact with Birdland Members, Corporate Partners, fans, and members of the front office as a representative of the club. Jones will mark the beginning of this role when he joins the Orioles in Sarasota to serve as a guest coach this Spring Training.

“I am grateful for the Orioles relationships I have formed since my retirement, which have led us to this exciting partnership. Having the opportunity to be around the game that I love, while also learning the operations side of baseball from one of the best General Managers is truly an honor. I am happy to be a resource for the Orioles organization and will offer everything I’ve learned from past experience to help the team succeed,” shared Jones. “Baltimore has always meant so much to me, and this unique role will allow me to continue giving back to the community I love. This is a special opportunity and I’m eager to embrace it fully.”

“Adam was a tremendous representative of the Orioles on and off the field while he was a player,” said Elias. “We are excited to formally welcome him back to our team, and we look forward to utilizing his experience, expertise, and perspective to help the franchise achieve sustained excellence.”

Why did it take 20 years for the Nationals to sign their first free agent from Asia?

“That market is a market that is built on relationships,” general manager Mike Rizzo said. “You can’t go down there and just pick and choose a guy you want to scout and try and sign him. That market, I dabbled in it when I was with Arizona a few times. And here, we’ve tried at several Asian players. And it’s just … you’re always on the outside looking in, because you don’t have the network there, the groundwork there, that you need to have to create these relationships.”

The Nats finally broke through Friday when they signed Shinnosuke Ogasawara to a two-year, $3.5 million deal (plus a $700,000 posting fee to the Chunichi Dragons). The Japanese left-hander thus became the first free agent to ink a deal with this franchise directly from Asia, a long-awaited development some thought might never come to fruition.

Three Asian-born players have appeared in games for the Nationals over the last two decades, but all joined the club after playing professionally for other major league organizations.

Japan’s Tomo Ohka originally signed with the Red Sox in 2001 before getting traded to the Expos in 2004 for Ugueth Urbina and ultimately making nine starts for the Nats in 2005.

Shinnosuke Ogasawara isn’t the first Japanese player Mike Rizzo has scouted, or even attempted to sign. The Nationals have been trying to make inroads in Asia for years but, according to Rizzo, had been unsuccessful at building the kind of meaningful relationships needed to seal the deal.

How did they finally break through and get Ogasawara to agree to a two-year, $3.5 million contract, the club’s first acquisition of a free agent from Asia? Thanks to the combination of the 27-year-old left-hander’s status and availability, and the fact Rizzo and the Nats did in this case have an established relationship with his agents.

“With this particular player, we liked the skillset,” Rizzo said. “We liked (that) the age fits our timeline, that type of thing. And in this particular case, we did have a relationship with the agency. And that made us more attractive for him to choose us, rather than some other team this time.”

Ogasawara is represented by WME Sports, including agent Bryan Minniti, who just so happened to be Rizzo’s assistant general manager with the Nationals from 2010-14. Thanks to that connection, the Nats were able to get through the front door, meet with Ogasawara and pitch him on the idea of coming to Washington.

Part of that pitch was the promise of a shot at making an Opening Day rotation that suddenly looks more crowded than most expected. The Nationals have already signed veteran free agents Michael Soroka and Trevor Williams this winter, with each right-hander saying he expects to start for the team. They join holdovers MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin, plus promising young lefties DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker. And with 2020 first-round pick Cade Cavalli potentially ready to return from injury at some point, and 2024 Opening Day starter Josiah Gray targeting a return from elbow surgery before season’s end, club officials are likely to have some decisions to make this spring.

Friday’s signing of Shinnosuke Ogasawara truly came out of left field. Not only because the Nationals had never signed a free agent out of Japan (or any other Asian country). But because they didn’t seem to be in the market for another starting pitcher, at least not one who wouldn’t instantly slot into the front of the rotation, as opposed to the back.

Ogasawara, by all indications, does not project to be a frontline starter in the major leagues. He figures to get a shot to earn the fourth or fifth starter job coming out of spring training. But there’s also reasonable speculation his chances of long-term success here will increase if he becomes a reliever.

The Nats didn’t give the 27-year-old left-hander a guaranteed, two-year deal worth a reported $3.5 million, though, if they didn’t expect him to be part of the Opening Day pitching staff. And Ogasawara, whose 45-day negotiating window was set to expire Friday if he didn’t sign with any major league club, likely chose Washington because of the opportunity he’ll get here that perhaps he wasn’t guaranteed to get elsewhere.

We’re scheduled to hear from general manager Mike Rizzo this afternoon, so hopefully we’ll get a better idea then what exactly the club’s plans for Ogasawara are. But if he truly is given a chance to make the rotation, he’s going to join a crowded group of arms competing for only a couple of open spots.

Barring a trade – which, of course, you can never rule out – the Nationals will go into spring training with MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin assured of starting jobs, based on their performances last season. That now leaves five others, in theory, competing for three more spots in the rotation.

For the first time in club history, the Nationals have signed a player directly from Asia, announcing today a two-year deal with Japanese left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara.

Ogasawara was an All-Star for the Chunichi Dragons in 2023 and posted a 3.12 ERA over 144 1/3 innings last season, his ninth in Nippon Professional Baseball. The 27-year-old is not known for high strikeout totals (only 82 last season) but has proven to be an extreme strike-thrower and groundball specialist, issuing only 22 walks while allowing only nine homers.

Financial terms of the contract weren’t immediately clear, but it is a major league deal, putting Ogasawara on the Nationals’ 40-man roster. To clear space for him, the club designated left-hander Joe La Sorsa for assignment.

Though he was not as highly touted as some other recent Japanese pitchers, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, both high-profile additions by the Dodgers, Ogasawara did draw interest from a number of major league franchises. The posting deadline to sign him was today, adding some urgency to the Nats’ pursuit. Had he not signed with anyone by the end of the day, he would have gone back to the Dragons for another season.

It remains to be seen how the Nationals intend to utilize Ogasawara. Though he's been starter throughout his career in Japan, American scouting reports have suggested he could be more effective as a reliever if he can’t make it as a back-of-the-rotation arm. The team has already signed two free agents this winter, Michael Soroka and Trevor Williams, who were under the impression they’ll be starting to begin the season. MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin are locks to lead the staff after their performances in 2024. Young lefties DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker should also be in the mix this spring.

The names aren’t quite as notable as a year ago, when several of the top prospects in baseball made their spring training debuts for the Nationals, but this year’s crop of non-roster invitees does include some intriguing young players who figure to be part of the organization’s future (some sooner than others).

The Nats announced 17 players not currently on the 40-man roster who will participate in major league camp beginning next month, headlined by third baseman Brady House, catcher Caleb Lomavita and pitcher Jarlin Susana.

This will be House’s second spring with the big leaguers, but the 21-year-old’s first real opportunity to show the organization he’s close to big-league-ready. The Nationals’ 2021 first round pick got a token look last spring before heading to Double-A Harrisburg. He finished the season at Triple-A Rochester, batting .241 with 19 homers and 66 RBIs in 129 combined games between the two affiliates.

Team officials haven’t definitively said if House has a chance to make the Opening Day roster, but they also haven’t acquired any starting third base candidates this winter. For now, the alternatives to House are Jose Tena, Trey Lipscomb and veteran utilityman Amed Rosario.

House won’t be the only third base prospect in camp. He’ll be joined in West Palm Beach, Fla., by 2023 second round pick Yohandy Morales (who also plays first base) and Cayden Wallace (who was acquired from the Royals last summer for reliever Hunter Harvey) and could be close to big-league ready himself.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• RHP Roansy Contreras claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees

The Washington Nationals announced their 2025 Spring Training non-roster invitees on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

RHP: Daison Acosta, Joan Adon, Marquis Grissom Jr., Clay Helvey, Brad Lord, Jack Sinclair, Tyler Stuart, Jarlin Susana

LHP: Konnor Pilkington

C: Andrew Knizner, Caleb Lomavita, Max Romero Jr.

INF: Brady House, Yohandy Morales, Cayden Wallace

Yesterday, we looked at the Nationals’ projected position players and tried to decide if they figure to get better, worse or the same production from each spot this year as they got last year. While the overall outlook for a top-tier lineup doesn’t exactly look great, it does appear to be better in most spots, including a few key positions.

Now, what about the pitching staff? It’s probably not fair to run this exercise yet, because there are still several significant holes to fill in the bullpen. But we don’t know when (or if) that will happen for certain, so all we can do is evaluate the state of things in their current form.

What’s the outlook? Is the 2025 Nats pitching staff likely to be better, worse or the same as it was in 2024? …

NO. 1 STARTER: Slightly better, maybe much better
We don’t know at this point who the Opening Day starter will be, but let’s say it’s MacKenzie Gore. He had the lowest ERA (3.91) and the most strikeouts (181) on the staff last season while also tying for the team lead in wins (10). Is that as good as the left-hander is going to get? The feeling here is no. Gore has long been touted as a frontline big league starter, and while we’ve seen stretches of that from him, we’re still waiting for him to put it all together over a full year. Here’s why he may be ready to make that leap: While he was excellent in his 10 wins last season (1.98 ERA), he was considerably better in his 12 losses (5.37 ERA) than he was the previous year (7.71 ERA). We know Gore is outstanding when he’s at his best. The key for him now is to just be OK when he’s not at his best, not letting starts blow up on him. He showed improvement in that area last season, and there’s reason to believe he can continue to get better this season.

NO. 2 STARTER: Same, maybe better
Jake Irvin was one of the most positive developments of the 2024 season, with 10 wins, 187 2/3 innings pitched and a strong 1.199 WHIP. Like Gore, he was really good when he was at his best (1.61 ERA in wins, 2.59 ERA in no-decisions) but really bad when he wasn’t at his best (8.28 ERA in 14 losses). Can he reduce the number of those bad starts, or at least pitch a bit better in those games? If he can, Irvin has a chance to be better overall this season. Even if he doesn’t, he can be a solid workhorse for this team.

The expanded menu features 11 items $5 or less

The Orioles today, along with their hospitality partner Brick & Whistle, operated by Levy, and beverage partner Coca-Cola Consolidated, announced their new Birdland Value Menu, which will be offered throughout the ballpark in 2025. The menu will feature more than 12 items, including adult beverages.

“Our fans are the heart and soul of this organization. By offering more affordable food and beverage options, we are directly reflecting our commitment to them,” said CATIE GRIGGS, President of Business Operations for the Orioles. “We want Oriole Park at Camden Yards to be a welcoming place where all fans can feel at home and have a great time. We believe these changes will greatly enhance the overall fan experience, allowing everyone to create the experience that best fits their needs.”

Fans will be able to purchase the items at various locations throughout Oriole Park, including along the main concourse and in the Upper Deck. In addition to food items like hot dogs, pretzel bites, and nachos, the Birdland Value Menu will also feature a refillable soda cup that can be used at new fan-facing Coca-Cola fountain machines located in the concourses, select beers, non-alcoholic beers, and seltzers. Fans will still be permitted to bring in outside food and beverage, in accordance with the Orioles gameday guidelines, which can be found at Orioles.com/Guide.

The Orioles continue to make it a priority to make Oriole Park one of the most family friendly ballparks throughout Major League Baseball. With tickets available for as low as $15, their Kids Cheer Free Program, sponsored by Baltimore Area Chick-fil-A Restaurants, and the addition of the Birdland Value Menu, a family of four can enjoy an Orioles game for less than $100.

Spring training, believe it or not, starts three weeks from today when pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach, Fla. It’s hard to believe that, because it feels like the Nationals still have plenty of work to do between now and then, with a roster that still includes several glaring holes.

Maybe there are moves to come between now and Feb. 12. Or maybe there are moves to come after camp begins, as we’ve seen in several recent years. Regardless, we’re close enough now to start looking at the roster as currently constructed and wonder how it will compare with the one we saw in 2024.

The Nats’ goal – every team’s goal, for that matter – is to field a better team this season than last season. That can be accomplished through additions from the outside. It can also be accomplished by improvement from within. In this case, the Nationals are going to need both to come true if they want to make a necessary leap from back-to-back, 71-win seasons and approach (or even surpass) the coveted 81-win mark.

Are they positioned to pull that off? Let’s go position by position, determining if they should be better, worse or the same at each spot in 2025 …

CATCHER: Slightly better
The Nationals didn’t get nearly enough last season out of their catchers, who combined to bat .229 with a .269 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 63 RBIs. Keibert Ruiz, of course, was the primary culprit because he played the most games. But Riley Adams was a big disappointment as well, and Drew Millas didn’t show a whole lot when he got his opportunities after Adams was demoted to Triple-A. The Nats need improvement all around here, and it almost certainly has to come from within. Ruiz remains the No. 1 catcher, and there will be real pressure on him to be better in every way. You’d like to believe that’s more likely than a repeat performance from 2024.

You don’t go into this annual exercise planning to vote for a certain number of players. I’ve been a Hall of Fame voter for 15 years now, and the number of candidates who got a check mark next to their names has wildly varied in that time. I’ve voted for the maximum 10 players before (and probably would’ve voted for an 11th at least once if allowed). I’ve voted for seven players before. I’ve voted for five players before. I’ve voted for three players before.

It’s never been about the final number of check marks. It’s always been about the individual case of each player on the ballot, which some years has produced only a few yes votes and other years has produced a lot.

Suffice it to say, I didn’t enter the voting process this year planning to only select two candidates. I had a hunch the number would be relatively low, but I didn’t expect it to be this low. When I finished the process and realized I only selected two players, I didn’t feel great about it. I decided to re-examine several of my no votes and see if I could come up with a valid reason to change my mind. In the end, I did not.

This evening’s announcement, though, that three players were elected to the Hall of Fame by receiving at least 75 percent support from 394 voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America will cause me to do some real soul searching over the next 12 months. While I’ve admittedly held a higher Cooperstown standard than many of my colleagues for a long time now, I’ve never felt badly about that before. But I may need to reconsider that standard now.

Ichiro Suzuki, Billy Wagner and CC Sabathia all were elected to the Hall of Fame tonight, and I only voted for two of them. That’s great for them, troubling for me.

The Baltimore Orioles today announced that MARK FINE will join the organization as the Chief Marketing Officer, and KAMAAL JONES as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel. Fine will lead the marketing, communications, and creative content departments, while Jones will lead all in-house legal and compliance operations for the club.

“We are thrilled to have Mark and Kamaal join our organization as we continue to expand and elevate our front office,” shared CATIE GRIGGS, Orioles President of Business Operations. “Both Mark and Kamaal are proven leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will provide our organization with tremendous guidance, innovative ideas, and a passion for the opportunities ahead.”

"I am deeply honored to be joining the Orioles, a team that has always held a special place in my heart as a Baltimore native,” shared Fine. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with one of the most passionate fan bases in sports, build on the Orioles' rich legacy, and create innovative, fan-first experiences that bring our community closer to the game we all love."

“As a lifelong Marylander, I have vivid childhood memories of Orioles games at Memorial Stadium and the iconic Camden Yards. I couldn’t be more thrilled to now join such a legendary organization,” shared Jones. “This is an exciting time for the team and its passionate fans, with terrific play on the field and a potentially transformative vision for Camden Yards and its Baltimore home.”

Fine has served as the Chief Marketing Officer for Professional Bull Riders (PBR), the largest bull riding organization in the world, since August 2023. There he oversaw all aspects of marketing including live events, content, and digital, and was a contributor to parent company Endeavor’s broader network of sports and entertainment properties, working out of UFC’s corporate headquarters in Las Vegas.

It was an eventful holiday weekend. Well, not for the Nationals, who were quiet. But there was no shortage of news elsewhere, in the baseball world, in both the professional and collegiate football world and of course in the world in general.

And if you can stomach any more, there’s going to be significant baseball news later today. It’s Hall of Fame election day, when we find out which former players earned enough support from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to secure enshrinement in Cooperstown this summer.

As always, I’ll publish my ballot and explainer column after the official announcement at 6 p.m. Eastern. But to whet your appetite for what’s to come – or if you simply haven’t had a chance to pay much attention leading into tonight’s announcement – here’s a quick primer on the 2025 ballot and what to watch for this evening …

* HOW CLOSE TO 100 PERCENT DOES ICHIRO GET?
The most obvious, slam-dunk candidate on this year’s ballot is Ichiro Suzuki, who should have no trouble getting elected in his first attempt. The only real question is if the Japanese hitting machine gets unanimous support, or something really close to it. Who wouldn’t vote for Ichiro? Perhaps someone who holds it against him that his major league career didn’t begin until 27 (even though he still surpassed 3,000 hits with the late start following his time at home in Japan). But there can’t be too many holdouts. Mariano Rivera remains the only player ever elected with 100 percent support. Maybe Ichiro joins him tonight?

* DOES WAGNER FINALLY GET OVER THE HUMP?
Billy Wagner appears on the BBWAA ballot for the 10th time. He’s not allowed to appear an 11th time. Way back in 2016, he received only 10.5 percent support. By 2024, he was all the way up to 73.8 percent, a mere 1.2 percent shy. It would be an awfully cruel twist to get that close and then still come up short in his 10th and final attempt. Voting history suggests that won’t happen. Pretty much everyone who gets that close eventually gets over the hump. But it’ll still make for a high-stress afternoon for Wagner as he awaits that long-awaited call.