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The Final Six: An Early Look at Spring Bench Battles

Twenty-six is the number of counties in the Republic of Ireland, the number of bones in a normal human foot and ankle, and, newly this year, the number of players on an active MLB roster.

For those who missed the news, this coming season roster sizes from Opening Day through Aug. 31 increase from 25 to 26. The 40-man active roster for September will be eliminated, and from Sept. 1 through the end of the regular season all clubs will carry 28 players.

That means roster slot battles will feature an extra wrinkle as clubs across the league decide how best to leverage their newfound flexibility.