Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) is officially on the team's roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Bichette will be available to Toronto for the first time this postseason and for the first time in seven weeks due to a sprained PCL in his left knee that he suffered in early September. The All-Star is not expected to play shortstop during the World Series, though, which means that he will either serve as the designated hitter (which will push George Springer to the outfield) or play second base. The 27-year-old was one of the best hitters in baseball this year, slashing .311/.357/.483 with an .840 OPS, 18 home runs, 94 RBI, and 78 runs in 582 at-bats. Toronto will need all the help it can get on offense to keep up with the Dodgers, but there's no guarantee Bichette will be in the same form he was over seven weeks ago.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Foul Territory on Thursday that right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) could have a chance to be ready for Opening Day in 2026, and that they aren't expecting Wheeler to have any setbacks during his recovery this offseason from thoracic outlet surgery. "We're hopeful it'll [his return] be on the front end, which would even get him ready for Opening Day, but right now he's doing very good," Dombrowski said. Wheeler's 2025 campaign ended early because of a blood-clot issue in his right shoulder that required surgery, but he could be ready to go early next year. Before the unique injury, the 35-year-old veteran hurler went 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts in 149 2/3 innings pitched over 24 starts. Wheeler has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the league since 2021, but there will be more risk than ever with him in 2026.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw will be on the team's World Series roster, according to manager Dave Roberts. Kershaw, who has made just one relief appearance in the playoffs this year in the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, will continue to be available out of the team's bullpen. The 37-year-old future first-ballot Hall of Famer didn't fare well in that one appearance, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits (two homers) while walking three and striking out none in two innings of work. Kershaw already announced that this year will be the last of his Hall of Fame career. Although the three-time Cy Young winner and former MVP hasn't been a part of the team's postseason success this October, he was solid in his 23 outings (22 starts) for the Blue during the regular season, going 11-2 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 84:35 K:BB in 112 2/3 innings.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin (elbow) battled elbow irritation at the end of the 2025 season and will have arthroscopic debridement surgery on Oct. 30, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Durbin is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training in February, according to the team. The 25-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2021 out of Washington University in St. Louis made his big-league debut this year with Milwaukee and settled in as their starting third baseman pretty quickly. He ended up playing in 136 regular-season games and slashed .256/.334/.387 with a .721 OPS, 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 506 trips to the plate. Durbin should be ready for the start of the regular season as long as he doesn't have a setback with his elbow in spring training.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers right-handers Logan Henderson (elbow) and Trevor Megill (elbow), and left-hander DL Hall (oblique) were all deemed fully recovered by season's end, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Right-hander Quinn Priester (wrist), who dealt with right-wrist soreness late in the year, is also headed for a normal offseason and is expected to be fully healthy for Opening Day in 2026. Henderson was shut down in early August due to a flexor strain in his right elbow, but he should be ready for the start of next season. He only threw 25 1/3 innings over five starts before getting hurt, but when available, he was money, posting a 1.79 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 33 strikeouts and eight walks. As long as he doesn't have a setback with his forearm in spring training, Henderson figures to have a good shot at winning a starting rotation spot for the Brew Crew.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick (knee) underwent imaging on his troublesome left knee after the Brewers were knocked out of the National League Championship Series, but the imaging came back "unremarkable," according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Frelick is thus expected to have a "normal offseason." The 25-year-old battled soreness in his left knee for much of the 2025 season after initially injuring it in May, but he managed to play in 142 regular-season games and had his best year in the big leagues in his third season. Frelick finished the regular season with a strong .288 batting average (152-for-528) with career-highs in home runs (12), RBI (63), runs scored (76), and stolen bases (19). Unfortunately for the Brewers, Frelick's 2025 numbers could easily figure to be his ceiling going forward.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer is "very" capable of playing the outfield, if needed, in the upcoming World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to manager John Schneider. The skipper prefers not to take players out of their comfort zone, but Schneider sounds confident that Springer can play the outfield, if needed. It has been a month since Springer played in the outfield, and he also suffered a knee injury in the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners, but it sounds as though the Jays will consider the veteran in the outfield if shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) is put on the World Series roster but has to be limited to DH duties. Along with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Springer has been an offensive hero for Toronto all year, hitting 32 home runs in the regular season and posting a .929 OPS with four dingers in the postseason.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (finger) will visit with a hand specialist next week for a "potential correction" of his fractured left middle finger, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Contreras suffered a fractured finger way back in May but played through the injury. The 27-year-old Venezuelan backstop took a slight step back offensively in 2025, and it was likely due to his fractured finger. In 150 games played for the first-place Brewers, he hit .260/.355/.399 with a .754 OPS, 17 home runs, 76 RBI, 89 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 659 plate appearances. Contreras was still one of the better-hitting catchers in the league, but he wasn't as good as his 23-homer season in 2024. Even if Contreras needs to have his injured finger fixed via surgery this offseason, he should be ready to go for Opening Day in 2026.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) will face live pitching on Thursday, according to manager John Schneider. Bichette has also been taking ground balls, running, and hitting over the last few days. Schneider said there's "still a few more boxes to check," and "we're kind of coming right down to the wire with it" in terms of his availability for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which starts on Friday night in Toronto. If Bichette is included on the World Series roster, the skipper said that starting him at designated hitter, shortstop, or second base is all on the table. For what it's worth, Scheider said that Bichette "looked more than comfortable" when he played second in the minors. If Bichette is active and serves as the DH, it would require George Springer to play the outfield. Getting Bichette back in the lineup would be a huge boost to Toronto's lineup, although there could be plenty of rust since he hasn't played in a big-league game since early September.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage will become the second-youngest pitcher ever to toe the rubber in Game 1 of a World Series when he starts on Friday night at the Rogers Centre against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yesavage will be making just his seventh start in the major leagues in the first game of the Fall Classic -- he made three during the regular season for Toronto and three so far in the postseason. The 22-year-old allowed five earned runs on 13 hits (no homers) while walking seven and fanning 16 in 14 innings in his three regular-season starts (two against Tampa and one versus the Royals). He has allowed seven earned runs in his three postseason starts over 15 innings, but he has walked seven and struck out 22 against the Yankees and two times out versus the Mariners. Yesavage has a lot of swing-and-miss stuff, but it will prove to be a huge challenge matching lefty Blake Snell, who has been lights-out for L.A. in October.

From RotoBaller

The plan is for the Detroit Tigers to promote their top prospect, shortstop Kevin McGonigle, next season, and the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold writes that a "midsummer promotion makes the most sense." The 21-year-old hasn't played above Double-A Erie in the minors, but he's coming soon, and fantasy managers need to take notice. "I expect the players that posted dominant years in Double-A to factor into our big-league team next year," president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. McGonigle ranks second overall on MLB Pipeline's top-100 list going into next season. While nothing is official yet, McGonigle is expected to be in big-league camp during spring training after hitting .305 with 19 home runs, 59 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 88 games with Erie and High-A West Michigan in 2025. At Erie, McGonigle hit .254 with 12 homers, 33 walks, and 26 K's in 46 games, posting a .919 OPS. The Tigers are in win-now mode, so as long as McGonigle is performing in the minors early in 2026, he should make his big-league debut sooner rather than later.

From RotoBaller

The Athletic's Jim Bowden writes that Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran's name "keeps coming up in trade rumors," and it now "sounds like the Red Sox will move on from him this winter." Boston must envision their future outfield as Wilyer Abreu in right field, Ceddanne Rafaela in center field, and Roman Anthony in left. Duran has plenty of appeal, as he slashed .256/.332/.442 and led the league in triples for the second straight season while posting 4.6 bWAR in 2025. He was more productive in 2024, though, leading the league with 48 doubles and 14 triples and also hitting 21 home runs and stealing 34 bases. Making Duran more attractive is the fact that he's controllable through the 2028 campaign, so Boston is going to have a high asking price for him. Bowden lists the Phillies, Dodgers, Tigers, Guardians, and Rangers as teams that would love to acquire him.

From RotoBaller

Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports that "there is expected to be runway" for top Mariners infield prospect Colt Emerson to "win an opening-day job going into 2026." In 2025, Emerson played 90 games with High-A Everett, 34 games with Double-A Arkansas, and six games with Triple-A Tacoma. He slashed .285/.383/.458 with 16 home runs, 78 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 600 plate appearances spread across the three levels. Emerson will not turn 21 years old until July 2026. He's a natural shortstop, but Jude speculates that Emerson's best path to a starting job in Seattle may be at third base. Eugenio Suarez served as Seattle's third baseman down the stretch of 2025, but he is now a free agent. Despite his limited experience at the highest levels of the Minors, it appears Emerson could crack the Mariners 2026 opening day roster if he performs in Spring Training.

From RotoBaller

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reports that the Cleveland Guardians will not allow closer Emmanuel Clase to pitch in the Venezuelan winter league. Clase is one of the subjects of an ongoing gambling investigation by Major League Baseball. He was placed on paid leave by the Guardians in July, and there's been speculation that he may never pitch in the big leagues again once the investigation concludes. Clase appeared in 48 games during the 2025 season, pitching to a 3.23 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and 24 saves. From 2022-2024, Clase recorded 133 saves and made three consecutive All-Star teams. If Clase is not a member of the Guardians in 2026, right-hander Cade Smith could open the season as the team's closer.

From RotoBaller

New York Mets All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor (elbow) recently had a right-elbow debridement surgery, but he's expected to be ready for spring training in February, according to the team. Lindor also had a cleanup procedure on his throwing elbow after the 2023 campaign to remove bone spurs. He should be completely fine for the start of the 2026 regular season and will enter the year as one of the premier fantasy options at the shortstop position. The Puerto Rican infielder hit only .267 (172-for-644) in a league-high 732 plate appearances during the regular season, but he still managed to reach the 30-homer mark for the third straight season in New York and the sixth time in his career. Lindor added 86 RBI, 117 runs scored, and a career-high 31 stolen bases. Fantasy managers definitely can't complain about a 31-31 season.

From RotoBaller

Veteran free-agent catcher Austin Nola signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday that includes a major-league invitation to spring training camp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Nola broke into the big leagues in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners before joining the San Diego Padres in 2020. He hit a career-best 10 homers as a rookie in Seattle and also batted a combined .258 with six home runs and 69 RBI in two seasons for the Padres in 2021 and 2022 before slashing a putrid .146/.260/.192 in just 52 games in 2023. He did not play at all in the big leagues in 2024 and managed to surface for only 14 games for the Colorado Rockies this past season, going 7-for-38 (.184) with one RBI. The 35-year-old veteran will most likely open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Gwinnett, where he'll offer the Braves depth at the position.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee) continues to make steady progress as he recovers from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee that ended his season early. The 25-year-old remains on schedule in his rehab and expects to be ready for spring training. There had been speculation about whether Casas would be available for Opening Day, but recent updates suggest optimism from both the player and the team. Before the injury, Casas slashed .182/.277/.303 in 29 games. The Red Sox hope to have their promising young first baseman healthy to anchor the lineup in 2026.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Ty France (oblique) participated in the team's intrasquad game on Thursday as he works back from left oblique inflammation. The 31-year-old was acquired from the Minnesota Twins midway through the 2025 regular season but has yet to make an impact during Toronto's deep postseason run. France has been sidelined since September 22 but is considered day-to-day and could return for the upcoming World Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before the injury, France slashed .277/.320/.372 over 37 games with the Blue Jays and will look to contribute in any way possible if he is cleared.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joey Loperfido replaced Anthony Santander (back) ahead of Game 4 of the ALCS and will look to make an impact in the upcoming World Series. The young outfielder has primarily been used as a pinch-runner and late-game substitute, recording just one at-bat this postseason. After joining Toronto from the Houston Astros in 2024, Loperfido impressed in limited regular-season action this year, slashing .333/.379/.500 over 41 games. With his raw talent and versatility, Loperfido will look to make the most of his opportunities as the Blue Jays pursue their first World Series title in over three decades.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement is quickly becoming one of the most underrated contributors in the team's historic postseason run. The 29-year-old has carried over his strong regular season, hitting an astounding .429 with a 1.063 OPS through 42 at-bats. Clement has recorded 18 hits and delivered six multi-hit performances across 11 games, establishing himself as the team's everyday third baseman. His elite contact skills and Gold Glove-caliber defense have made him a steady force on both sides of the ball. During the regular season, Clement slashed .277/.313/.711, marking the most productive full season of his career.

From RotoBaller