From The Sports Desk: Play ball! It’s opening day

It’s opening day in baseball.

It’s opening day in baseball. The grass is green, the birds are chirping, and your favorite team is going to win the pennant. We have a full day of baseball starting at 1:15 p.m. ET with the Pirates vs. the Mets on Peacock. Below, we dive into some storylines to watch this year.

Later tonight, the Sweet 16 tips off, so we identified some key players who could tilt the matchups in their teams’ favor. Busy sports day — we’ve got you covered below, and, as always, check NBC News for more coverage.

New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., on Feb. 27, 2026.Sam Navarro / Imagn ImagesWe’re following lots of storylines this season, but you know where we need to start.

Can the Dodgers three-peat?: This offseason, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman landed two of the biggest free agents in outfielder Kyle Tucker and pitcher Edwin Díaz. All eyes are on a Dodgers three-peat, which would equal the New York Yankees’ feat from 1998 to 2000 and firmly put the franchise in dynasty territory.

Can Ohtani four-peat as MVP?: Shohei Ohtani will be pulling double duty for a full season (both pitching and hitting) for the first time since 2023, and Friedman has said he’s on a “mission” as a pitcher. Ohtani has never won a Cy Young Award. He’s also chasing his fourth straight MVP. Only Barry Bonds (2001-04) has accomplished that.