Benny Montgomery got the surge going with a three-run double. Julio Carreras added an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch, and Jake Rice (0-1) proceeded to hit Zac Veen with a pitch with the bases loaded.

Brenton Doyle hit a fourth-inning grand slam for the Rockies, who then squandered a 5-1 lead before rallying. Veen tied the game at 6-6 with a seventh-inning double. Dugan Darnell (1-0) pitched a spotless eighth to earn the win.

Ildemaro Vargas hit a two-run home run and Tristin English had two RBI singles for the D-backs.

Yankees 4, Rays 0

Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run double in his first at-bat in a New York uniform as the hosts blanked Tampa Bay in Tampa, Fla.

Jasson Dominguez and Brendan Jones added RBIs while eight pitchers scattered eight hits and struck out 11. Starter Marcus Stroman (1-0), who expressed opposition to the possibility of coming out of the Yankees' bullpen this season, yielded two hits and struck out one in one inning of work.

Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson each finished with two hits for the Rays. Joey Krehbiel (0-1) gave up Goldschmidt's two-run hit. Goldschmidt joined the Yankees from the St. Louis Cardinals via free agency.

Cubs 7, Dodgers 3

Miguel Amaya had a two-run homer among his two hits and two runs as host Chicago defeated Los Angeles in Mesa, Ariz.

Starter Jordan Wicks threw two scoreless innings before Caleb Kilian (1-0) scattered a run and five hits over the next 1 2/3 frames. The Cubs prevailed despite being out-hit 13-11.

Tony Gonsolin struck out two batters in one inning as the Dodgers' starter before Luis Garcia (0-1) took the loss due to a three-run third. Chris Okey hit a two-run shot in the seventh to soften the margin.

Royals 5, Rangers 2

Tyler Gentry bashed the tiebreaking three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth as Kansas City fended off visiting Texas in Surprise, Ariz.

Gentry's hit made a winner out of Austin Cox (1-0), who blew a save in the top half of the inning by giving up a tying two-run double to Trevor Hauver. The Rangers' Nolan Hoffman (0-1) took the loss after allowing three earned runs on Gentry's blast.

Royals third baseman Nick Loftin had two hits, including a two-run single in the second that provided the only scoring until the eighth.

Padres 5, Mariners 2

Manny Machado homered 428 feet to center in his first at-bat of the spring to put two runs on the board and send San Diego on its way to victory over visiting Seattle in Peoria, Ariz.

Machado's bomb was followed in the first inning by Oscar Gonzalez's RBI double. Gavin Sheets and Eguy Rosario later added RBI doubles. Starter Ryan Bergert (1-0) pitched a perfect first inning.

Samad Taylor hit a solo shot in the ninth for the Mariners. Starter Jhonathan Diaz (0-1) went two innings and yielded three runs on three hits and a walk.

Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner declared "well-groomed beards" would be permitted in declaring an end to the franchise's longstanding policy that allowed mustaches but not beards or unruly sideburns.

"In recent weeks I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees -- spanning several eras -- to elicit their perspectives on our longstanding facial hair and grooming policy, and I appreciate their earnest and varied feedback," Steinbrenner said Friday morning in a statement. "These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years.

"... It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy."

The previous policy on player appearance included the length of players' hair and came about in 1976. When George Steinbrenner died in 2010, his daughter and Yankees managing partner Jennifer insisted the team's rule not be changed.

There is at least one current Yankees player who appreciates the razor relief. New closer Devin Williams reported to Tampa with the goatee look he's had for several years. When the topic of the facial hair policy came up, he was coy and said only "we'll see" when pressed on his plans for altering his appearance.

Dodgers' Bobby Miller better after liner to head

Los Angeles right-hander Bobby Miller had a residual headache but no fracture or significant bruising a day after being struck in the head by a 106-mph comebacker, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Miller is in concussion protocol with no specific timetable on a return.

Facing the Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch in the third inning Thursday's spring training opener, Miller couldn't get his glove up in time to avoid taking Busch's drive off his right temple and immediately went to the ground, clutching his face and head.

Miller posted to X on Thursday night, writing, "Thank you to everyone who has reached out. Really means a lot. Scary moment I'm good! All praise to the man above ... can't wait to get back on the mound."

Reds not keen on spring ABS trial

Reds manager Terry Francona plans to opt out of elective participation in the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge trial during spring training but is willing to let Cincinnati's minor league players accustomed to the procedure use challenges.

ABS affords pitchers, hitters and catchers an immediate objection to a ball-strike call. MLB has not yet fully adopted the system, which has been used in the minor leagues. A trial involving 13 spring training ballparks began Thursday.

"I'm OK with seeing our younger kids do it because they've done it," Francona said. "It's not a strategy for (the MLB teams), so why work on it? I don't want to make a farce of anything, but we're here getting ready for a season and that's not helping us get ready."

Tigers' Akil Baddoo has hand surgery

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo will miss the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery to repair a broken right hand.

Baddoo had his hamate bone operated on Thursday, according to Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. Baddoo had been bothered by hand and wrist soreness since the start of spring training.

Baddoo, 26, batted just .137 with two home runs and five RBIs in 31 games last season. He was designated for assignment over the winer, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. He is at spring training as a non-roster invite.

Other news and notes

Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga, the team's Opening Day starter on March 18 against the Dodgers in Japan, threw 39 pitches in a simulated game and had five strikeouts. ... Highly regarded New York Yankees pitching prospect Chase Hampton underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the 2025 season. ... Veteran outfielder Manuel Margot signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that includes an invitation to big league camp, according to multiple outlets. ... The Chicago White Sox signed veteran right-hander Mike Clevinger to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league camp.

Facing the Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch in the top of the third inning in Thursday's spring training opener in Phoenix, Miller couldn't get his glove up in time to avoid taking Busch's drive off his right temple and immediately went to the ground, clutching his face and head.

He was able to get on one knee while being tended to by the training staff before leaving the field on his own. Miller remained in the dugout until the inning ended, then walked to the clubhouse sporting a large welt on the right side of his forehead.

The 25-year-old, who is a candidate for the fifth spot in the Dodgers' rotation, was put in concussion protocol.

"He feels very confident that he can kind of pick up his throwing program soon," Roberts said Friday. "But he's just got to keep going through the concussion protocol just to make sure that we stay on the right track."

Miller burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, finishing 11-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 22 starts, but was limited to 13 starts in 2024 due to injuries and inconsistency and finished 2-4 with an 8.52 ERA. The Dodgers' first-round pick in the 2020 draft didn't pitch in the playoffs for the 2024 World Series champions.

Miller posted to X on Thursday night, writing, "Thank you to everyone who has reached out. Really means a lot. Scary moment I'm good! All praise to the man above ... can't wait to get back on the mound."

Roberts didn't specify a timeline for Miller's return to action but appeared optimistic Friday.

"He said in his words, ‘I have a hard head.' He was certainly in good spirits," Roberts said.

Baddoo had his hamate bone operated on Thursday, according to Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. Baddoo had been bothered by hand and wrist soreness since the start of spring training.

Baddoo, 26, batted just .137 with two home runs and five RBIs in 31 games last season. He initially joined the Tigers in 2021.

In December, Detroit designated Baddoo for assignment. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. He is at spring training as a non-roster invite.

Overall, Baddoo has a .226 career average with 28 homers and 103 RBIs in 340 career games over four seasons with the Tigers.

"I'm OK with seeing our younger kids do it because they've done it," Francona said. "It's not a strategy for (the MLB teams), so why work on it? I don't want to make a farce of anything, but we're here getting ready for a season and that's not helping us get ready."

ABS was used for the first time at Camelback Ranch in Thursday's spring training opener between the Dodgers and Cubs.

Manager Alex Cora said the move is a precaution after Anthony was hit by a pitch in the right elbow on Thursday, and he might be back after sitting out Boston's spring training exhibition opener against Northeastern.

Anthony was slated to hit leadoff and play left field with Boston's "Big Three" prospects in the top three spots in the batting order. Second baseman Kristian Campbell and shortstop Marcelo Mayer remained in the lineup Friday.

"He's sore," Cora said, 20 minutes after Anthony arrived to take batting practice.

The No. 2 prospect in baseball, Anthony was replaced by Trayce Thompson. A spring training non-roster invitee, Thompson has played seven seasons with five teams prior to joining the Red Sox.

Anthony, 20, was a second-round pick in the 2022 draft. Baseball Prospectus ranks him first among all MLB prospects with Major League Baseball Pipeline and Baseball America ranking Anthony second.

In parts of three minor league seasons, he has a combined .284 batting average with 32 home runs, 141 RBIs and 38 stolen bases in 245 games.

Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner declared "well groomed beards" would be permitted in declaring an end to the franchise's longstanding policy that allowed mustaches but not beards or unruly sideburns.

"In recent weeks I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees - spanning several eras - to elicit their perspectives on our longstanding facial hair and grooming policy, and I appreciate their earnest and varied feedback," Steinbrenner said Friday morning in a statement. "These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years. Ultimately the final decision rests with me, and after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward. It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy."

The policy on player appearance includes the length of their mane -- stating "hair cannot touch the uniform collar" -- and came about in 1976. When George Steinbrenner died in 2010, his daughter and Yankees managing partner, Jennifer, insisted the team's rule not be changed.

A generational shift that came too late for infamously shaggy stars such as Johnny Damon and Randy Johnson takes effect immediately.

Ironic timing or part of a plan as Steinbrenner claimed, there is at least one current Yankees player who appreciates the razor relief. New closer Devin Williams reported to Tampa with the goatee look he's had for several years. When the topic of the facial hair policy came up, Williams was coy and said only "we'll see" when pressed on his plans for altering his appearance.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent a memo to clubs that was obtained by The Athletic, in which he confirmed ESPN had asked the league to "reduce the amount (ESPN) pay for MLB content over the remainder of the term." Their current deal was for seven years worth $550 million annually, and featured Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby and wild-card games. But Apple and Roku have since negotiated slimmer packages of games for less cash.

MLB did not want to renegotiate, and the league felt ESPN wasn't doing enough to promote baseball on its platforms.

"Furthermore, we have not been pleased with the minimal coverage that MLB has received on ESPN's platforms over the past several years outside of the actual live game coverage," Manfred wrote in part.

"While ESPN has stated they would like to continue to have MLB on their platform, particularly in light of the upcoming launch of their DTC product, we do not think its beneficial for us to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform. In order to best position MLB to optimize our rights going in to our next deal cycle, we believe it is not prudent to devalue our rights with an existing partner but rather to have our marquee regular season games, Home Run Derby and Wild Card playoff round on a new broadcast and/or streaming platform."

ESPN released a statement Thursday night confirming the mutual opt-out.

"We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with Major League Baseball and proud of how ESPN's coverage super-serves fans," the statement said. "In making this decision, we applied the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has built ESPN's industry-leading live events portfolio as we continue to grow our audience across linear, digital and social platforms. As we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025."

MLB's other main broadcast partner on linear TV is Fox. Comcast (NBC) and Paramount (CBS) may have interest in working with the league, while Amazon and Netflix are potential streamers to join Apple and Roku as Manfred eyes a larger streaming package for 2028.

It is expected to be a one-year, $5 million deal with incentives, per ESPN.

The 33-year-old left-hander owns a career 4.45 ERA across 11 seasons. During the 2024 campaign, he recorded a 4.28 ERA, 1.250 WHIP, and 159 strikeouts across 32 appearances for the Texas Rangers. He threw 160 innings, which was his biggest workload since 2018.

Last season, he ranked in the 86th percentile in offspeed run value. His changeup was particularly effective, being credited with a run value of +4.

Heaney represents the Pirates' most significant offseason addition to date. His $5 million total contract value is tied for their highest mark this offseason with returning designated hitter Andrew McCutchen.

Heaney will add a veteran presence to a starting rotation headlined by reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes.

Cubs first baseman Michael Bush and Workman had two hits apiece to lead Chicago's offensive barrage highlighted by a six-run third inning. Bush was credited with a single when he roped a liner straight back up the middle, hitting Dodgers right-hander Bobby Miller on the crown of his cap.

Miller fell to the ground one step in front of the mound. Bush froze in the batter's box briefly. Miller remained on one knee feeling the top of his head as third baseman Max Muncy and Dodgers' trainers rushed to the mound. He exited the game under his own power.

The exit velocity of the batted ball was estimated at 106 mph.

Muncy said Miller was OK and offered a self-deprecating joke about hanging the curveball to Bush when trainers asked him questions. Manager Dave Roberts said Miller would be under concussion protocol.

Workman, a Rule 5 draft pick from the Tigers, is a competitor for the Cubs' third base job. The lefty lifted a home run over the 380-foot sign in left field and made a sparkling play to start an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the first.

Dodgers left fielder Eddie Rosario provided a brief cushion with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second. Rosario connected on an 0-2 pitch and parked it in the picnic blankets to the first-base side of the batter's eye in center field against Cubs right-hander Cody Poteet.

Poteet successfully won the first player-initiated challenge using the Automated Ball-Strike System, tapping the top of his cap to signal he wanted a review of home plate umpire Tony Randazzo's call on a 1-0 pitch to Muncy. Randazzo ruled the pitch low and ball one, but the instant review shown on the Camelback Ranch video board using Statcast ball-tracking technology was actually a 95 mph fastball in the bottom of the zone. The count flipped to 0-2, and Poteet fanned Muncy on five pitches.

Poteet also allowed a double to catcher Hunter Feduccia, walked two and threw 40 pitches to nine batters.

Monstrous outfielder Ivan Brethowr tacked on a three-run shot to left field in the eighth inning to build on the Cubs' 9-3 lead. Brethrowr, listed at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, was a seventh-round pick in 2024.

The Diamondbacks designated Martinez, 30, for assignment on Monday when they agreed to terms with right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman to a one-year contract.

Martinez has pitched parts of four seasons for the Houston Astros (2021-24), including a career-high 44 games in relief last season when he went 3-2 with one save, a 3.59 ERA, 18 walks and 36 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings.

He is a career 6-6 with two saves, a 3.93 ERA, 54 walks and 122 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings in 111 relief appearances.

The Astros waived him and the Diamondbacks claimed him on Nov. 4.

A candidate for the fifth spot in the Dodgers' rotation, Miller remained in the dugout until the inning ended, then walked to the clubhouse sporting a large welt on the right side of his forehead. He'll likely undergo concussion tests to determine the extent of any potential injury.

Miller, who turns 26 on April 5, burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, finishing 11-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 22 starts, but was limited to 13 starts in 2024 due to injuries and inconsistency and finished 2-4 with an 8.52 ERA. The Dodgers' first-round pick in the 2020 draft didn't pitch in the playoffs for the 2024 World Series champions.

While the team did not provide details on Sauerbeck's passing, Pittsburgh Baseball Now said he suffered a fatal heart attack in his Florida home on Tuesday.

"The Pirates family mourns the passing of Scott Sauerbeck," the team wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Scott played for the Bucs from 1999-2003 and shares the club record for most games pitched by a LHP in one season. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time."

Sauerbeck was selected by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 1994 MLB amateur draft from Miami (Ohio). He made his debut five years later with the Pirates, with whom he posted a 19-15 record with five saves and a 3.56 ERA in 341 career games.

Sauerbeck was traded to the Boston Red Sox during the 2003 season before continuing his career with the Cleveland franchise (2005-06) and Oakland Athletics (2016). He was 20-17 with five saves and a 3.82 ERA in 471 career relief appearances.

He wanted to keep wearing No. 22, but Mets third baseman Brett Baty already had those digits.

Soto thanked Baty for switching to No. 7 with a surprise on Thursday, gifting him a 2025 Chevy Tahoe at the team's spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The SUV's rear window was painted with "Thanks for No. 22," and even had a big red ribbon on the hood like in television commercials.

"It's all yours," Soto, 26, told Baty in a video of the presentation posted on the Mets' social media accounts. "You can drive it and everything."

Baty, 25, hugged and thanked Soto.

"I really appreciate the number," Soto told Baty in the video. "It's the first one I ever wore."

The exchange follows a history in professional sports of star players rewarding a new teammate for giving up his jersey number. For example, when superstar Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023, he delivered a new Porsche to pitcher Joe Kelly and his wife, Ashley, for giving up No. 17.

Soto batted .288 last year with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs and an American League-leading 128 runs scored in 157 regular-season games in his lone season with the New York Yankees. He also batted .327 with four homers and nine RBIs in 14 playoff games in helping the Yankees reach the World Series against the eventual champion Dodgers.

For his career, Soto is a .285 hitter with 201 homers, 592 RBIs, a .532 slugging percentage and a .421 on-base percentage which leads all active major leaguers. He has played 936 regular-season games for the Washington Nationals (2018-22) -- winning the World Series in 2019 -- San Diego Padres (2022-23) and Yankees.

The Mets selected Baty 12th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. He batted .229 last season with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 50 games. He is a career .215 hitter with 15 homers and 55 RBIs in 169 games over parts of three seasons (2022-24). He is due to earn a reported $800,000 in 2025.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the team for Boone, who is entering his eighth year as manager of the Yankees.

The Yankees exercised the 2025 club option on his contract on Nov. 8.

Boone, 51, is 603-429 since taking over in 2018 and has reached the playoffs six times in seven seasons. In 2024, New York captured its first American League pennant since 2009 and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in the World Series.

Boone is the third Yankees manager to make the playoffs in six of his first seven seasons with the club, joining Casey Stengel (also six of first seven) and Joe Torre (each of first 12).

New York had the best record in the American League last season at 94-68 and won the AL East for the third time in Boone's tenure (2019 and 2022).

Boone was named the 33rd manager in Yankees history on Dec. 4, 2017.

Hampton left the team's spring training facility in Tampa, Fla., after feeling discomfort during a bullpen session last Friday. Boone said that the right-hander has "something going on" in his UCL, and the Yankees' skipper is waiting to get more information about the injury.

"We'll see what we have here, but just having an uneven season last year with some injuries, I know he's pretty bummed about that," Boone said.

The 23-year-old Hampton, New York's No. 2 pitching prospect according to MLB Pipeline, made only seven minor league starts in 2024 due to a right flexor strain and a lower-body injury. He made it as far as Double-A, where he took the mound twice for the Somerset Patriots.

Last season with Somerset, Hampton logged 5 2/3 innings. He didn't allow any runs, struck out four and never came away with a decision.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Yankees in 2022, Hampton has gone 4-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 27 starts in the minors.

New York begins its spring-training schedule on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Terms were not released by the team but The Washington Post said it's worth $3 million.

"His fastball's up in the mid-to-upper 90s, his slider's really, really effective," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "We've got to get him in the zone. The biggest key is the walks. But we feel like we can help him and he can do that. He's not afraid, I can tell you that right now."

To make room for Sims on the 40-man roster, the Nationals transferred right-hander Mason Thompson to the 60-day injured list. Thompson had Tommy John surgery in March 2024.

Sims, 30, went 1-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 58 relief appearances last year for Cincinnati and Boston, which acquired him at the trade deadline in July.

Sims is 22-19 with a 4.50 ERA and 12 saves in 245 career games (14 starts) with Atlanta (2017-18), Reds (2018-24) and Red Sox.

Imanaga is expected to oppose countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers in the first of a two-game set labeled the Tokyo Series.

"It's a great honor," Imanaga said on Wednesday of the nod, communicated through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. "I have to say, though, that the reason that the Japanese players are getting a lot of attention is because of all the players in the past that came before us who created this path for all the Japanese players. We are walking on their history. I want to say thank you to all of them. And I'm very excited."

Imanaga was named to the National League All-Star team in his first year in the big leagues last season. He finished 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 starts for the Cubs and was a top-five finisher in the NL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year voting.

"They're (probably) starting Yamamoto. We're starting Shota," Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. "I think the fan interest -- world-wide fan interest -- is going to be off the charts. I think it's an awesome thing, just for the game of baseball."

Manager Dave Roberts of the Dodgers watched closely as Yamamoto threw his latest bullpen session on Wednesday, then named him the starter for the spring training opener against the Cubs on Thursday.

Roberts said Yamamoto is "considerably ahead of where he was last year" in his first MLB season, which also began with a start in Japan. He was pulled after one inning and gave up five earned runs, taking the loss against the Padres.

National League MVP Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers is one of several Japanese stars on the rosters of the two teams. In addition to Imanaga, the Cubs feature outfielder Seiya Suzuki and Los Angeles signed Roki Sasaki, one of the top free agents on the market in the offseason. Roberts said last week he will likely use Sasaki in the second game of the series in Tokyo.

Suzuki, who lamented declining youth baseball participation in Japan, said he was at Tokyo Dome as a 9-year-old when Hideki Matsui hit a home run for the Yankees in the opening series of the 2004 season.

Financial terms were not released by the club but MLB.com reported it's a $2 million deal.

To make room on their 40-man roster, the Rockies designated utility infielder Aaron Schunk for assignment.

Alexander, 35, went 1-3 with a 2.56 ERA in 45 relief appearances last season for the Oakland A's. He missed time with a ribcage injury and shoulder tendinitis.

Alexander is 20-15 with a 3.20 ERA in 328 career games (13 starts) for four teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers (2018-21).

Schunk, 27, made his major league debut last June and batted .234 with two home runs, seven RBIs and 14 runs in 39 games last season. Schunk appeared in 16 games at second base, 13 at third base and another four at shortstop.

And he has huge shoes to fill for the second time.

He approved a move to first base, where the Cardinals are trying to fill the void created by Paul Goldschmidt's departure. Contreras jumped from division rival Chicago to take over for the retiring Yadier Molina in 2023.

"It feels totally different, but I do like feeling like I have more time to do other stuff, and I'm not so rushed," Contreras said of being freed of time-consuming catching elements, from studying individual hitters on video to memorizing scouting reports and situational data on every batter.

To be ready for a greater run-producing role in the St. Louis lineup, Contreras remade his physique as he enters his third season since joining the Cardinals as a free agent. He last played first base in 2019 with the Cubs -- just two games -- and showed up early to Jupiter, Fla., to get extra reps with infield coach Stubby Clapp.

"He's been working hard at it," Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said of Contreras, who rotated taking grounders at first with converted outfielder Alec Burleson on Tuesday.

The longtime catcher tipped the scales at 247 pounds, around 12 to 15 pounds over his previous reporting weight and 35 pounds above younger brother William Contreras' listed 212 with the Brewers.

"I was joking with my brother and I said, 'I'm going to hit 62 [home runs] this year,'" Willson Contreras, 32, said.

Contreras, 32, won't talk about his actual home run goals, but he doesn't mind sharing he wants to be in the lineup every day. He's accustomed to picking the ball out of the dirt, and Clapp said the converted catcher's footwork is better around the bag than some might have expected. Contreras, re-energized despite the restructured lineup, is also listening for naysayers.

"I've seen (what people) say about my defense at first base, or this and that," Contreras said. "But people are gonna say whatever they're gonna say. I don't give a (expletive). I'm the one here doing my work -- putting in my stuff -- and I know what I'm able to do."

Contreras has never hit more than 24 home runs in a season. Goldschmidt hit 22 last season and 25 in 2023, but was over 30 seven times from 2013-22.

Sidelined multiple games when J.D. Martinez fractured his left forearm on a swing and when he suffered a fractured right finger when hit by a pitch thrown by Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez, Contreras played 84 games in 2024 and hit 15 home runs.

"I feel relaxed, I feel confident," Contreras said.