Extra Innings by Joe Boesch

Baseball is here, and the sound of "Playball" will be heard by the ears of fans of the game. The Yankees and Giants kicked off the start of the baseball season in San Francisco, with the Yankees winning 7-0. What a game and a start to the season! From the game yesterday, you can order a Topps Now keepsake card to commemorate the start of the season. The verbiage on the back of the card says: The San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees were both in the prime-time spotlight, with streaming giant Netflix hosting the 2026 MLB opener. Just before the first pitch, fans at Oracle Park and McCovey Cove saw a flurry of drones showcasing the U.S. flag during the singing of the National Anthem. The Yankees went on to defeat the Giants, 7-0. Until then, see you at the park. — Joe Boesch 

Finally, Opening Day is here, and spring is upon us. Today we see the return of baseball, our America's Pastime. Everything the game stands for will come to light, from the yelling of "Play Ball" to the crack of the bat. Now we will embrace those late summer nights listening to the game on the radio and cheering on our favorite team and player. To the announcers calling the play-by-play and the beat writers pounding their story out to appear on, one and in print with their byline. This is what baseball is all about. Baseball is back! As the saying goes, "I live for this!" Today we all live again: the baseball fan, scribe, player, and the kids. Baseball returns! Hallelujah! Until then, see you at the park! — Joe Boesch 

Available today beginning at 1:00 p.m. (EST) is the Topps Now 2026 Road to Opening Day. If you like the Topps Now series of cards, you will like this special set. According to the Topps website: The 2026 Topps NOW® Road to Opening Day program features team sets from all 30 MLB® clubs – and brand new for 2026 – an Autograph Collector's Box! Look for on-card autographs numbered to 99 or less and dual autographs limited to 5 copies or less! Since 2017, Topps NOW® has started up each Major League Baseball season with Road to Opening Day. These collectible team sets feature top stars and rookies, along with new talent acquired over the offseason – signaling that Opening Day is just around the corner! Visit the Topps website for more details at https: //www.topps.com/pages/topps-now-road-to-opening-day So get ready for Opening Day and remember it with a Topps Now card. Until then, see you at the park. — Joe Boesch 

Venezuela wins it in grand fashion against the United States, 3-2. With the WBC over, now the MLB season can begin and Spring Training can finish up for all the teams, with many managers breathing a sigh of relief that they didn't lose a player to injury in the classic. Ok, I'm off my soapbox, and with that, head over to the Topps website and get your Team Venezuela cards or any other cards that are available within a limited time period. Here's the saying on the back of Venezuela's card when they clinched to enter their first WBC Classic: Every Team Venezuela fan has every reason to be excited after seeing their squad reach the first World Baseball Classic final in team history. Thanks to clutch hits by Eugenio Suárez, Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Luis Arraez, Venezuela edged out Italy in a 4-2 win. Venezuela will meet Team USA in what's sure to be a must-watch event to crown the 2026 champion. Until then, see you back at Spring Training. — Joe Boesch 

Team USA had one mission in mind: to make it to the WBC finals, and they accomplished that. From Aaron Judge to Paul Skenes to the whole team, they meshed as one and played some great ball. Two of the heroes are Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony, who have their own Topps Now card. The story on the back of their card tells it all: Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony will forever be tied for providing the offense Team USA needed in their 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic. Down 1-0 in the fourth inning, Henderson blasted a 95-mph fastball to right-center field to tie things up. Two at-bats later, Anthony smacked a go-ahead shot for what proved to be enough to reach the World Baseball Classic final. I will be showcasing all Topps Now cards throughout the MLB season; the cards tell unique stories from each game. So, until then, enjoy the WBC. — Joe Boesch 

Team Italy is making their name heard in the WBC; besides making a good cup of espresso, they are also playing great baseball and showing the world that. With all the fanfare, they also have another WBC special Topps Now card offered. With that, here's the verbiage on the back: Team Italy's perfect run during the 2026 World Baseball Classic continued with their 8-6 win over Puerto Rico. Thanks to a four-run opening frame, the Italians never looked back and reached the semifinals for the first time in tournament history. "I heard that after the last out, the people there were screaming in Italian," Italy Manager Francisco Cervelli said. Until then, see you at the WBC. Oh, by the way, one large espresso to go, please! — Joe Boesch 

For the first time in World Baseball Classic history, Team Canada advanced past the first round and will look to go even further in the tournament. For advancing, they now have their own Topps Now card. The verbiage on the back of their card about their accomplishment says: Team Canada fans have plenty of reason to smile, securing the top seed in Pool A with their 7-2 win over Cuba. Thanks to Cal Quantrill's five shutout innings and Owen Caissie and Otto Lopez combining for four RBI, Canada is headed to the quarterfinals for the first time in World Baseball Classic history. "I'm very excited about it," Canada Manager Ernie Whitt said. Until then, see you at the WBC! — Joe Boesch