Still shaking off changing hemispheres after returning from the Tokyo Series on Thursday, most of the Cubs’ regulars got Friday off when the club returned to Cactus League play.

For the Diamondbacks, Thursday’s Opening Day against the Cubs at Chase Field is a chance to put the disappointing end to 2024 when they missed the postseason due to a three-team tiebreaker behind them and start fresh.

Coverage includes audio and video clips, interviews, statistics, schedules and exclusive stories.

MLB Morning Lineup Podcast · Episode.

With Spring Training reaching the home stretch, teams are beginning the process of finalizing their Opening Day rosters.

Follow MLB results with FREE live box scores, starting probable pitchers today, strikezone info, and Statcast data for Padres vs. Cubs at Sloan Park.

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter.

It’s very much that time of year again, which is to say that it’s time to prepare ourselves for the 2025 baseball season the same way we’ve done it for the last few years – by breaking down the 30 teams into a handful of nebulously defined tiers.