Each NL team's biggest question during spring training

With spring training underway, we look at the biggest question facing each National League club as preparations begin for the 2026 MLB season.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Where does Jordan Lawlar fit?

Lawlar was supposed to be a future star and franchise cornerstone after the D-Backs selected him sixth overall in the 2021 draft as a shortstop coming out of high school. However, he's yet to find his footing in the majors, slashing .182/.257/.288 with zero homers and five RBIs over 42 games since debuting in 2023. With no immediate path to playing time in the infield due to the presence of Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, and the newly acquired Nolan Arenado, the 23-year-old spent the offseason learning how to play outfield. Arizona needs to find a way to get Lawlar consistent at-bats one way or another.

Atlanta Braves: What version of Spencer Strider will we see?

Last season, Strider's on-field production and Statcast numbers took a massive dip in his first year back following a second elbow surgery. His 4.53 FIP and 9.4 K/9 both regressed compared to his 2.85 FIP and MLB-high 281 strikeouts in 2023 when he finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting. The good news for the Braves is that the right-hander, who made his 2025 debut in April, will get a full spring to build up and find his rhythm. Pitchers tend to struggle with consistency during their first campaign following a major elbow procedure, so Atlanta is hoping to see a much different version of Strider coming out of camp.

Chicago Cubs: Where does Matt Shaw fit following Alex Bregman's arrival?

What a difference a year makes. Shaw entered camp last spring with a clear path to win the starting third base job. He did just that and proceeded to hit 13 homers with 44 RBIs and a .690 OPS in 126 games during an up-and-down rookie season that saw him finish as a Gold Glove finalist. This year, things have changed dramatically for the 24-year-old, with newcomer Bregman now occupying the hot corner for the foreseeable future. As a result, Shaw will transition to a utility role that includes platooning in right field despite him having limited outfield experience.

Cincinnati Reds: Will it be Chase Burns or Rhett Lowder in rotation?

The battle for the last spot in the Reds' rotation will be one of the most intriguing around baseball this spring. Burns, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, is the favorite after posting a 2.65 FIP with 13.9 K/9 across 43 1/3 innings (eight starts) following his June debut. However, Lowder could make things interesting with a strong camp. The seventh overall selection from the 2023 draft is healthy again after battling injuries last season. He turned heads upon arriving in the majors in 2024, recording a 1.17 ERA without allowing a homer over 30 2/3 innings (six starts).

Colorado Rockies: Can Charlie Condon surprise and make Opening Day roster?

The Rockies aren't likely to waste a year of Condon's service time by promoting him to the majors before he plays in Triple-A. Yet, Colorado desperately needs an injection of talent to speed up a prolonged rebuild. Condon, whom the Rockies selected with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, is the type of high-end prospect who could provide hope to a team - and a fan base - coming off a franchise-worst 119-loss campaign. The 22-year-old hit 14 homers and had an .820 OPS in 99 games over three minor-league levels in 2025. Even if he doesn't make the big-league roster out of camp, Condon could still find his way to the majors at some point in 2026.

Los Angeles Dodgers: How will Roki Sasaki look moving back to rotation?

Sasaki's rookie year can probably be described as a disappointment. He stabilized the Dodgers' bullpen by transitioning to a closer in the playoffs en route to helping the team win a title but did so after struggling as a starter during an injury-plagued regular season. It's safe to say fans expected a lot more from MLB's top international prospect for 2025, considering all the hype that came out of Japan. Now, the 24-year-old has another chance to prove he can start while being sheltered in a loaded rotation. Adding a reliable third pitch will be crucial to his success, as he leaned heavily on a fastball-splitter combination last season.

Miami Marlins: Is Owen Caissie ready for the majors?

Caissie will be given every opportunity to begin the season as the Marlins' starting right fielder. The key piece going back to Miami in January's Edward Cabrera trade, Caissie put up big power numbers in the minors before his August debut, which turned out to be a brief promotion. He went deep 22 times and posted a .937 OPS across 99 games in Triple-A in 2025. However, the 23-year-old will have to find a way to overcome the swing-and-miss element of his game; he struck out at a 27.9% clip in the minors last season and added 11 strikeouts in 26 at-bats in the majors.

Milwaukee Brewers: Who plays third base?

When the Brewers traded Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox, manager Pat Murphy became faced with a tough decision regarding the open spot at third base. Luis Rengifo, Joey Ortiz, Jett Williams, and David Hamilton are all options to be Milwaukee's starter come Opening Day. Rengifo's experience likely makes him the front-runner, but Ortiz was an elite defender at third in 2024. Williams, an unproven rookie, and Hamilton, who has a career 79 OPS+ and just one game of experience at third, seem like long shots, but that could change if one of them has a strong spring.

New York Mets: How well can Bo Bichette transition to new position?

Bichette, whom the Mets brought in to be their full-time third baseman, has played zero innings there throughout his career. The 27-year-old said he's excited about learning a new position, but defense has never been his strong suit (minus-19 career defensive runs saved at shortstop). That's concerning for a team trying to avoid back-to-back playoff absences. Bichette's arm strength (36th percentile last season) and frequency of errors (fourth most in the majors since 2019) are also red flags, even if president of baseball operations David Stearns likes the idea of playing four shortstops in the infield.

Philadelphia Phillies: Can the Phillies resurrect Adolis García?

The Phillies released Nick Castellanos, clearing a path for García to be the everyday right fielder. Philadelphia is banking on the 32-year-old rediscovering his 2023 form in which he was an All-Star and ALCS MVP. At his best, García is capable of 30 homers and 100 RBIs. At his worst, he remains a solid defender and a league-average hitter with power. It's a worthwhile gamble for Dave Dombrowski, considering García's modest $10-million salary.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Can Konnor Griffin, Bubba Chandler make Opening Day roster?

The biggest storylines from Pirates camp involve the futures of two of the league's top prospects. Konnor Griffin, 19, and Bubba Chandler, 23, are competing for spots on the Opening Day roster and have legitimate shots of making the team. Chandler showed flashes of his eye-catching stuff during a seven-game stint with the big-league club last season. Griffin, meanwhile, has already received praise from Paul Skenes, who thinks MLB's No. 1 prospect can help the Pirates win a lot of games this year after the youngster made easy work of the minor leagues in 2025.

San Diego Padres: How will Joe Musgrove look coming off Tommy John surgery?

The Padres enter the season with a number of uncertainties in their rotation, and one of them is Musgrove, who's returning from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander has been a valuable member of the Padres' rotation when healthy, authoring a 3.20 ERA in 98 appearances since 2021, but durability was already a concern before the surgery. If Musgrove runs into health issues again, San Diego's lack of impactful rotation depth could result in its season going down the tubes.

San Francisco Giants: How will Luis Arraez-Rafael Devers pairing look defensively?

The left side of the Giants' infield should be strong defensively, thanks to the pairing of Matt Chapman and Willy Adames, but the other side of the diamond is concerning. Devers will try his hand at first base on a regular basis for the first time in his career, and while he looked solid at the position last season, he's not on the team for his glove. Next to Devers is Arraez, who hasn't regularly played second base in two years and wasn't much of a defender when he did get significant reps there (minus-6 career defensive runs saved).

St. Louis Cardinals: How far away is JJ Wetherholt?

The rebuilding Cardinals have vacancies at second and third base after trading Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado. In the early days of camp, Wetherholt has been taking reps at second, where he appeared in 20 minor-league games last season. With his stiffest competition coming from José Fermín and Thomas Saggese, MLB's No. 5-ranked prospect looks destined to occupy an Opening Day roster spot if his spring goes well. But even if he doesn't make the team immediately, Wetherholt, who crushed minor-league pitching in 2025, will be on the big-league roster in the near future.

Washington Nationals: What do they have in Dylan Crews?

Since the Nationals picked Crews one spot after Skenes in the 2023 draft, their front office has been waiting for the selection to pay off. Crews is a solid defender, but he owns a paltry .211/.282/.352 career slash line and finished near the bottom of the league in wRC+ and on-base percentage among hitters with 300 plate appearances last season. The 23-year-old will be given the opportunity to open the season as Washington's starting right fielder, but he'll need to show something with the bat. Otherwise, it will be hard to argue that the team didn't make a colossal error drafting him ahead of players such as Wyatt Langford and Jacob Wilson.