Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton

MLB opener

Who N.Y.Yankees at San Francisco

When: Tonight, 8:05

TV: NETFLIX

Pitching matchup: Yankees LHP Max Fried vs. Giants RHP Logan Webb

TAMPA, Fla. — Kevin Cash isn’t worried that manager ejections will become a relic of baseball’s past just because robot umpires have arrived to settle some debates.

“You only get two challenges, right? That can come up in the first inning,” the Tampa Bay Rays manager said.

Manager tantrums at umpires have long delighted fans: the Yankees’ Billy Martin kicking and throwing dirt on Dale Scott in 1988, Cincinnati’s Lou Piniella heaving first base into right field in anger at Dutch Rennert in 1990 and the Orioles’ Earl Weaver going face to face with Bill Haller in 1980, each profanely calling the other a liar.

But Major League Baseball has given managers less to gripe about in the past two decades. Video reviews began for home run calls in August 2008 and were widely expanded to many decisions for the 2014 season. The Automated Ball-Strike System starts this year to allow challenges to human strike zone calls, dubbed robot umpires.

“Manager ejections have been down for a while now because of the replay system,” said Hall of Famer Jim Leyland, a three-time Manager of the Year tossed 73 times over 22 seasons. “I really like the ABS. I think it’s going to be great for the game.”

Last year, 61.5% of ejections among players, managers and coaches (99 of 161) were related to ball/strike calls, according to MLB, up slightly from 60.3% (114 of 189) in 2024. The figure included what MLB counted as inappropriate comments and conduct, and throwing equipment in protest.

“I’m in favor of anything that allows our technology to play in this game,” Cash said. “We have so much of it. Why not use it?”

Each team gets two challenges per game, and a club keeps its challenge if successful. A team out of challenges gets an additional one in each extra inning.

“You’re going to take out the argument of balls and strikes initially,” Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “I think the challenge is going to be after the challenges go away, how managers are and what they do? But I do think that there is going to be probably less general complaining about balls and strikes in the early going.”

No Lodolo

MILWAUKEE — Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo will open the season on the injured list as he recovers from a blister on his left index finger.

The 28-year-old Lodolo had thrown just 10 pitches in his last Cactus League start on Sunday before the blister caused his exit. He also dealt with blister issues on that finger each of the last two seasons.

His injury means the Reds will open the season without two members of their preferred starting rotation. Hunter Greene underwent elbow surgery two weeks ago and could miss up to the first four months of the season.

Cubs like PCA

CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong has agreed to a $115 million, six-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, establishing the All-Star center fielder as one of the franchise’s core players.

The contract starts in 2027. Crow-Armstrong, who turns 24 on Wednesday, is coming off a breakout performance. He hit .247 with 31 homers, 95 RBIs and 35 steals last season, helping the Cubs earn an NL wild card for the team’s first playoff appearance since 2020.

That was different

ARLINGTON, Texas — The mound visit Carter Baumler received from Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wasn’t to take the rookie right-hander out of his last spring training game.

The manager instead went out to tell Baumler he made the opening day roster.

Baumler retired the first two Kansas City Royals batters in the fifth inning Monday night before Schumaker came out of the dugout. The 24-year-old reliever thought he was being taken out of the game.

Baumler allowed one unearned run and struck out 10 over 9• innings in eight spring training games. He has never pitched above the Double-A level.