New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) had surgery on Wednesday to remove loose bodies and to shave down a bone spur in his left elbow and will not throw for eight weeks, according to manager Aaron Boone. The skipper added that it "probably delays him" to start the 2026 regular season. So the Yankees will be without both Rodon and right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) to begin next season. The good news is that both Rodon and Cole could return before the end of April, barring setbacks in their recoveries. The 32-year-old made his third career All-Star appearance (and first in pinstripes) in 2025 by winning a career-high 18 games and posting a 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 203:73 K:BB in 33 starts. However, fantasy managers will be skeptical about Rodon heading into 2026 after his surgical procedure on his elbow. Still, Rodon has back-to-back seasons with an ERA under 4.00 in the Bronx after posting a 6.85 ERA in 2023 in his first year in New York.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman will start Game 5 of the American League Championship Series in Seattle against the Mariners on Friday, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Right-handed rookie Trey Yesavage could be available out of the bullpen in a long-relief role if Gausman struggles early. In the Game 1 loss to the Mariners, Gausman pitched well, allowing two earned runs on three hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out five in 5 2/3 innings. He picked up the win in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees, giving up just one run while walking two and striking out three in 5 2/3 innings, so he has been reliable for Toronto so far this postseason. In his only other start in 2025 against Seattle back on May 9, Gausman picked up a win, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking none and striking out three in 5 1/3 innings of work.

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Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller will make the start in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday in Seattle against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to manager Dan Wilson. Right-hander Bryan Woo will be available out of the bullpen if Miller needs help early on. The Mariners will be hoping for a repeat of Miller's Game 1 performance, when he allowed only one run in six innings on short rest for a win. This time, the 27-year-old will be on regular rest while going up against Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman. Miller dealt with injuries in the regular season and made only 18 starts, but he's been better in two postseason starts. In a no-decision in Game 4 of the AL Division Series against the Tigers, he gave up two earned runs with no walks and two K's in 4 1/3 frames. Miller faced Toronto just once in the regular season on May 11 and was hit hard, surrendering seven earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking two and fanning three in five innings.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Thursday that they removed outfielder Anthony Santander (back) from their American League Championship Series roster due to a back injury. Santander will be replaced on the roster by outfielder Joey Loperfido. The 30-year-old Santander was scratched from the lineup for Game 2 of the ALCS on Monday with a back injury, but he was able to return to start in Game 3 on Wednesday. However, Santander apparently had a setback that will officially end his 2025 season. If Toronto advances to the World Series, he will be ineligible to play. The Venezuelan outfielder was a big free-agent addition by Toronto last offseason, but he failed to live up to expectations in 2025 after he hit a career-high 44 home runs in 2024 with the Orioles. Santander was injured for most of the year and finished the regular season with a disappointing .175/.271/.294 slash line, .565 OPS, and only six home runs in 54 games. In five postseason games, he went 3-for-15 with two RBI, a run, and five K's.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hamstring) aggravated a balky right hamstring mid at-bat in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was pulled in the seventh inning, according to Jeff Passon of ESPN. Chourio injured his hamstring in Game 1 of the series. He was replaced by Blake Perkins after going 0-for-4 at the plate. With Milwaukee now down three games to none in the best-of-seven series and with their 21-year-old leadoff hitter injured again, things aren't looking good. According to manager Pat Murphy, Chourio was having "continual cramps" in his hamstring and was receiving IV treatment. It remains to be seen if Chourio will be available for Game 4 of the series in L.A. on Friday as the Brewers look to avoid elimination. Going into Thursday's game, Chourio had gone 8-for-25 (.320) with two homers, two doubles, eight RBI, and three runs scored in seven postseason games this October.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (elbow) will not need surgery on his right elbow this offseason after undergoing an MRI exam, according to manager Aaron Boone. "He'll take some time off and continue to do strengthening things and rehab stuff," Boone said. Judge had a flexor strain in his throwing arm in late July and spent 10 days on the injured list. When the 33-year-old two-time MVP returned, he was limited to designated hitter duties for a month. He eventually returned to everyday duties in right field in the Bronx and should have a pretty normal offseason, barring a setback over the winter. Boone expects Judge to open the 2026 campaign as the team's starting right fielder. Judge had 50-plus homers for the second straight year in 2025 and led the league in runs (137), WAR (9.7), walks (124), average (.331), on-base percentage (.457), slugging (.688), OPS (1.144), and total bases (372) in 152 games played.

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New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) will be delayed to start the 2026 season after recently having surgery to fix a partially torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, according to Deesha Thosar of FOX Sports. The Yankees are expecting Volpe to start hitting at the start of February, but he will not be allowed to dive on his surgically repaired shoulder until around April. While Volpe finished just one home run and two stolen bases shy of his second 20-20 season in his third year in the big leagues, he wasn't the same offensively after injuring his left shoulder in early May. The good news is that the 24-year-old will be back in May in a worst-case scenario, so he shouldn't have to miss too much time to begin 2026. Until Volpe is ready, expect the speedy Jose Caballero to start at the 6 for the Yankees. When Volpe is ready to return, he'll be firmly in the mix to take over at shortstop in the Bronx.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that right-hander Clarke Schmidt (elbow) could be an option in the second half of next season, according to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner. Schmidt will miss the first half of the 2026 campaign after having an internal brace procedure on his right elbow on July 11. The 29-year-old hurler has been a solid rotation piece for the Yankees over the last two seasons, but he also hasn't been reliable due to multiple injuries. He had a 2.85 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 16 starts in 2024 before going 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA (3.95 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and 30 walks in 14 starts this past season. Schmidt had a career-high 149 K's and 46 walks in 33 outings (32 starts) for the Bombers back in 2023. He will not be on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues next spring, and it remains to be seen how much he'll be able to contribute to New York's rotation after the All-Star break.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) will not be ready for Opening Day in 2026, although the hope is that he will be ready soon after, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Cole underwent Tommy John surgery that included an internal-brace procedure on his right elbow back in March, so it's not a surprise that he won't be ready for the start of next regular season. The good news is that the Yankees shouldn't have to wait long for the ace to make his debut, barring a setback in his recovery. The 35-year-old former American League Cy Young winner has already resumed throwing on flat ground. Cole made only 17 starts for the Yankees in 2024 due to injuries and was unable to pitch at all in 2025, so it's understandable for fantasy managers to wonder if he can return to his Cy Young form in 2026.

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New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones has put himself "in the conversation" to be an everyday big-leaguer in 2026, according to general manager Brian Cashman. Jones is definitely on the rise and has an exciting blend of power and speed for fantasy managers, but it might be hard for the Yankees to fit the 24-year-old left-handed slugger in their big-league lineup regularly, barring injuries. Jones is listed as the No. 99 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. Standing at a hulking 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, he's a hulking physical specimen with elite power/speed upside. He hit .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs and 29 stolen bases in 2025 with Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which was great, but it also came with a strikeout rate of 35.4%. The swing and miss in his game is concerning and could be exposed even more in the majors, but it's not often this kind of power/speed upside comes along.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander (back) is returning to the starting lineup ahead of Game 3 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Santander is back in the mix after being scratched ahead of Game 2 due to back tightness. Luckily, Santander will only miss that contest and is back for an important must-win Game 3. So far this postseason, Santander is 3-for-13 with two RBI in four games. The Jays are hopeful to get more out of his bat here. That being said, Santander has been bumped up to the cleanup spot and he'll cover right field versus right-hander George Kirby on Wednesday.

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Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said that right-hander Cade Horton (ribs) would have been on the roster if the team had advanced to the National League Championship Series, and the expectation is that he will have a "relatively normal offseason," according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. "Given how much of a competitor he is, I was sad for him that he didn't get to pitch in the postseason. I know that's going to be his No. 1 goal going forward," Hoyer said. The 24-year-old suffered a right-rib fracture late in September and was not available for either the wild-card series against the San Diego Padres or the NL Division Series versus the Milwaukee Brewers. The former seventh overall pick out of Oklahoma back in 2022 really impressed in his first 23 big-league outings (22 starts) for the Cubs in 2025, posting a strong 2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 97 K's in 118 innings. Horton is going to be a popular starting pitching target with upside in fantasy drafts next spring.

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The Cleveland Guardians re-signed catcher Austin Hedges to a one-year, $4 million deal on Tuesday that includes $500,000 in incentives, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Hedges is not on the fantasy radar at all as a zero with the bat in his hands, but the 33-year-old veteran is a strong defensive catcher and will return to serve as Bo Naylor's backup in 2026. Hedges will head into his third year in Cleveland after hitting .157/.229/.251 with a rough .480 OPS, seven home runs, six doubles, 25 RBI, 25 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 134 games over the past two seasons. The former second-round pick has a .185/.244/.313 career slash line, .556 OPS, and 74 long balls in 820 regular-season games across his 11 big-league seasons. Avoid him in fantasy, even in deep two-catcher formats.

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New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) underwent surgery to fix a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder on Tuesday, according to Joel Sherman and Greg Joyce of the New York Post. Although Volpe ended up coming one home run shy of his second 20-homer season in 153 regular-season games in 2025, his shoulder injury likely contributed to him hitting a disappointing .212 (114-for-539). The 24-year-old initially injured his left shoulder while diving for a ball on defense in early May. It was impressive that Volpe never landed on the injured list due to the injury, but he had setbacks along the way. Volpe should be recovered in time to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, although his timeline in spring training could be affected. He had a .786 OPS before injuring his shoulder on May 3 and a .628 OPS the rest of the season.

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The Texas Rangers' top prospect, shortstop Sebastian Walcott (arm), has been shut down in the Arizona Fall League due to arm fatigue, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. The Rangers plan to have Walcott rest and be evaluated in a few days. In the one game that Walcott played in at the AFL, he went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double. As long as nothing serious is wrong with his arm, Walcott should be good to go for the start of spring training early next year. The 19-year-old spent the entire 2025 season at Double-A Frisco and hit .255/.355/.386 with a .741 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 124 games for the Rough Riders. There's a lot to like about Walcott's profile. The 6-foot-4 infielder has produced high-end exit velocities, has great bat-to-ball skills, and lots of raw power at the plate at a premium position. He's the heir apparent to Corey Seager in Texas, but he could also be moved to third base or a corner-infield spot, if necessary.

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According to a source, Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase will never pitch again in Major League Baseball again, with the gambling evidence found against him being irrefutable, according to Hector Gomez. The same can be said about fellow Guardians hurler Luis L. Ortiz. Clase and Ortiz were placed on "non-disciplinary paid leave" in July due to an ongoing gambling investigation. Neither pitcher played again for Cleveland the rest of the year, and a decision has also been made to keep both Clase and Ortiz from playing winter ball in their native Dominican Republic. Nothing is official yet, but this will be a big storyline to follow in the offseason. If it's true, it would be a massive blow to the Guardians' organization, as Clase has been one of the most dominant relief pitchers in baseball over the last few years. The three-time All-Star led baseball in saves for three consecutive years from 2022-24.

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Veteran third baseman Alex Bregman will opt out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox this winter, according to sources. While a return to Boston would be a logical fit in 2026, Bregman could have an extra suitor or two after a strong season in Beantown in 2025, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Bregman had a career-best 44.4% hard-hit rate with the BoSox while slashing .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI in 114 games played. He missed time with a quadriceps injury, though, and wasn't the same hitter after returning in the second half. At Bregman's age, injuries are going to remain a concern going forward, but his batted-ball skills and plate discipline have aged nicely. After another strong season, the three-time All-Star should be able to score a multi-year deal in free agency if he indeed opts out of his current deal after the World Series ends.

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Blue Jays manager John Schneider announced that veteran right-hander Max Scherzer will start Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday. The 41-year-old did not pitch in the ALDS against the Yankees, but with Toronto struggling to contain Seattle's offense, the club will turn to the seasoned ace in hopes of swinging the series back in their favor. Scherzer, a two-time World Series champion, owns a 3.78 career postseason ERA across 30 appearances. Despite battling inconsistency and posting a 5.19 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over 17 starts in 2025, the Blue Jays hope playoff intensity will help him recapture his dominant form.

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Oakland Athletics third baseman Brett Harris underwent successful surgery on his left thumb on Tuesday. If his recovery stays on track, the 27-year-old is expected to be ready for spring training and compete for the starting third base job on the rebuilding club. Harris showed promise during a limited 2025 campaign, slashing .274/.349/.342 over 32 games. Known for his glove, Harris could play a key role in the Athletics' infield next season. With a healthy return and continued development at the plate, the opportunity is there to secure the hot corner moving forward.

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Chicago Cubs rookie outfielder Owen Caissie (concussion) is reportedly symptom-free after suffering a concussion in a September 13 loss to the Rays. The 23-year-old returned to full baseball activities before the end of the season and is now focused on a productive offseason. Caissie's rookie campaign was brief, as he appeared in only 12 games and slashed .192/.222/.346. Ranked as the No. 47 overall prospect, he remains one of Chicago's most promising young talents. With his health restored, Caissie will look to secure a regular role and make a major impact in 2026.

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