Buster Olney joins every Monday throughout the 2026 MLB season with ESPN insider insights. This episode covers the early drama around the Automated Ball-Strike system (ABS) and umpire calls, Tony Vitello’s jump to MLB manager in San Francisco, the Braves’ lineup and platoon strategies with Baldwin and Murphy, rising star Mike Yastrzemski’s base-running and IQ, standout rookies like Kevin McGonigal, Sal Stewart, and Murakami, plus the ongoing dominance of veteran pitchers Verlander, Scherzer, DeGrom, and Díaz. He also discusses team adjustments, small details that matter, and key storylines for the first month of the season.

The Atlanta Braves’ Drake Baldwin (30) is shaping up to be an every day player. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)




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