Los Angeles Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (arm) is dealing with some arm soreness in camp, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Manager Kurt Suzuki called it dead arm, and there's still a chance he'll be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season next week if his arm feels better in the coming days. The Angels will continue to monitor him, but this could turn into an injured-list situation for Rodriguez. It's not what Angels fans want to hear from a pitcher who missed all of the 2025 season in Baltimore due to late and elbow issues, but the good news is that Rodriguez still played catch in spring training on Thursday, and the Angels genuinely don't believe it's anything serious. Still, it's a situation that could cause him to miss the start of his first year in Anaheim. The former 11th overall pick by the O's in 2018 was once the top pitching prospect in baseball, and he's shown high-end upside at times. He showed improvement in Year 2 in 2024, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 130:36 K:BB in 20 starts before injuries shut him down. Rodriguez is a high-risk, high-reward late-round flier who has a 4.97 ERA with 12 strikeouts and 10 walks in 12 2/3 Cactus League innings this year.

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Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith (forearm) is at first base and is batting third for Thursday's Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox. Smith is back after missing some time with a minor forearm injury, so he'll be ready to go for Opening Day a week from now. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter is expected to be on the strong side of a platoon between first base and designated hitter for the Snakes in 2026. The former seventh overall pick in 2017 out of the University of Virginia hit .258/.362/.434 with a .797 OPS, eight home runs, 28 RBI, 36 runs scored, and two steals in 87 games played in 2025 in his sixth year with the D-backs. Smith played in only eight games after July 5 due to two injuries in the second half of the season. He has decent power from the left side, but his high strikeout rate and limited playing time limit his fantasy appeal to a late-round bench stash in deep-mixed leagues.

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Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (shoulder) is back at third base and will bat third in the team's Cactus League game on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals, according to MLB.com. Ramirez left the spring training game last Sunday with shoulder inflammation, but the 33-year-old veteran is back and should have no issues being ready to go for Opening Day next week. He's gone 7-for-30 (.233) with two home runs, nine RBI, three runs scored, and three stolen bases in 13 Cactus League games this spring. J-Ram is a seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger who has been one of the best all-around hitters for the last eight seasons. He's ranked as the No. 6 overall player in fantasy baseball as he heads into his 14th MLB season. Not only is Ramirez durable, but he provides across all fantasy categories. He hit .283/.360/.503 with an .863 OPS, 30 homers, 85 RBI, 103 runs, and a career-high 44 stolen bases in 2025. Ramirez has hit 30-plus homers in three of the last five seasons and has 40-plus steals in each of the last two years. The dude does it all.

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New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation, manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "He's healthy, and the stuff is in line with where it needs to be. I don't put a lot of stock in numbers in spring," Boone said. Weathers beat out right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange for the final spot in New York's rotation to begin the year despite allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 15 hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 12 in 9 1/3 innings of work in the Grapefruit League. The 26-year-old southpaw will have some runway to be a sleeper and matchup-based streamer until injured starters Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Carlos Rodon (elbow) are ready to make their season debuts. Injuries have limited Weathers' fantasy upside, but increased velocity this spring has many hopeful that he'll be fantasy relevant in his first year in the Bronx.

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The San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday that right-hander Hayden Birdsong (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery next week and will miss the entire 2026 season, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Fantasy managers will obviously want to avoid Birdsong everywhere in single-year leagues, and the 24-year-old's development will now be paused for at least a year for those in dynasty/keeper leagues. An MRI exam that Birdsong had on Sunday showed a Grade 2 forearm strain and a UCL sprain, and rather than go the rest-and-rehab route, the Giants have decided that Birdsong will go under the knife. Not only will he miss all of this year, but he probably won't be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign, either. The former sixth-round pick in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois has gone 9-10 with a 4.77 ERA (4.81 FIP), 1.44 WHIP, and 156:80 K:BB in 137 2/3 innings over 37 appearances (26 starts) since debuting in the big leagues with San Fran in 2024.

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Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (forearm) is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat fifth in Thursday's Cactus League game versus the Chicago White Sox. Moreno will return after missing a few spring training games due to tightness in his right forearm, which mostly affected him while throwing the baseball. The 26-year-old starting backstop should be fine for Opening Day next week. He'll be hoping to get some more timing down before the start of the 2026 regular season, as he's gone just 5-for-28 (.179) with a homer, three RBI, one walk, and six strikeouts in nine Cactus League games played. Injuries have been an issue for Moreno in his four years in the big leagues, as he's only played over 100 games once, back in his second year in the league and first with Arizona in 2023. Moreno slashed .285/.353/.433 with a career-high .786 OPS, nine homers, and 40 RBI in 83 games in 2025. Treat Moreno as a low-end No. 1 catcher/high-end No. 2 option in upcoming fantasy drafts.

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The New York Yankees reassigned right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange to minor-league camp on Thursday, manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Lagrange made it a difficult decision for the Yankees after he turned heads in Grapefruit League play, allowing an earned run with three walks and nine strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings of work in his three spring training appearances with the big-league squad. Per MLB Pipeline, he's the team's No. 2 prospect going into this year, behind only George Lombard Jr. Lagrange is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, and as you might expect, he has a fastball that gets into the low-100s on the radar gun. In addition to his elite heater, Lagrange features three swing-and-miss secondary pitches. The Dominican hurler has the upside to be a high-end starter in the big leagues, but a little more polish in the minors with his mechanics might be needed. We fully expect Lagrange to be in play for starts in the Bronx in 2026.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will throw in a minor-league game at Carpenter Complex on Monday, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. It will be Wheeler's first appearance in a game this spring, and the 35-year-old veteran is expected to be limited to 40 pitches. Wheeler will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, but he's made enough progress in spring training that the club is optimistic that he will make his season debut in April. His season was cut short in 2025 after dealing with a blood clot and later being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which required surgery. It's tough to predict how pitchers will return from a unique procedure like that, which makes Wheeler much riskier in fantasy leagues this year. However, Wheeler has looked great during his rehab, and he was among the most consistent fantasy aces in the game before his injury last year. In his six years in Philly, Wheeler has a 2.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 1,094:220 K:BB in 979 innings. He has risen up draft boards this spring and is now ranked as RotoBaller's No. 28 fantasy starting pitcher.

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After another roster cutdown by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin remains in big-league camp and is one step closer to making the 2026 Opening Day roster. If the Pirates go with the best player at the shortstop position this spring, it would be Griffin, a 19-year-old phenom who is trying to be the first teenager in the big leagues since Juan Soto. The former ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft made it look easy in three minor-league levels in 2025 in his first professional season, hitting .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases in 122 total games (563 plate appearances) with Single-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, and Double-A Altoona. With an advanced approach at the plate, impressive strength, and high-end power/speed abilities, Griffin has the makings of a once-in-a-generation player that could really make a difference in his first MLB season without any experience at Triple-A. All signs are pointing to Kriffin being on the Opening Day roster, and he'll certainly have an impact in all fantasy baseball formats in 2026.

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Arizona Diamondbacks infield prospect Tommy Troy impressed during his first taste of big-league camp this year, going 12-for-32 (.375) with eight singles and four doubles. The D-backs' fourth-ranked prospect wasn't necessarily expected to make the Opening Day roster, however, his performance reinforced the success he saw in 2025. The former first-round draft pick began the 2025 campaign at Double-A, and after 87 games there, he earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he was just as effective over 38 games. In all, the right-handed slugger produced a .289/.382/.451 slash line with 15 home runs, 24 steals, and better-than-average strikeout (16.9 percent) and walk rates (11.5 percent). The 24-year-old could be called up for his MLB debut around midseason, and at an offensively-challenged position like second base, Troy could be an interesting waiver wire addition whenever he gets the chance in Arizona.

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The New York Mets announced on Thursday that they optioned infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse. Mauricio's only real chance to be on the Opening Day roster was if shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) wasn't ready after having hamate-bone surgery last month. The offseason additions of Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette make it more difficult for the 24-year-old to find a significant role on the infield in the Big Apple in 2026. Mauricio will bide his time in the minors to begin the year before hopefully getting the call eventually to serve as additional infield depth at the major-league level. He swung the bat well in Grapefruit League play, hitting .313/.389/.531 with five RBI, three runs, and two stolen bases in 13 games played. The Dominican infielder missed all of 2024 after having surgery on his knee and then hit .226/.293/.369 with six homers, 10 RBI, 19 runs, and four steals in 61 games played in 2025. While being buried in a crowded infield picture with the Mets, Mauricio is really only a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues, but even there, his star is fading quickly.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday that right-hander Paul Skenes will start on Opening Day on Thursday, March 26, on the road at Citi Field against the New York Mets. It's not the easiest of opening matchups, but fantasy managers should never be benching the mighty Skenes. The 23-year-old former first overall pick out of LSU in 2023 made a quick rise to the big leagues and has quickly established himself as one of the most dominant arms in the game in just two MLB seasons. He's been an All-Star in both of his big-league campaigns, won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2024, and the first of likely many Cy Young awards in 2025. Skenes has gone 21-13 with a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 386:74 K:BB in 320 2/3 innings over his 55 starts for the Bucs. He looked great pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and will look to get his year started on the right foot in New York next week.

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Cleveland Guardians first baseman/outfielder CJ Kayfus has been competing for a spot on the team's big league roster this spring, but could be the odd man out when it comes to final roster cuts. The left-handed slugger played some first base down the stretch for the Guardians in 2025, but with the team's signing of Rhys Hoskins, who is currently projected to be the starter there, outfield may be the only path to playing time for Kayfus. It may come down to the health of outfielder George Valera's calf, who has not played in a spring game since March 9. If Valera, who only began running activities on Tuesday, isn't ready to go for Opening Day, Kayfus could end up being the starting right fielder when the regular season begins. The former third-round draft pick collected 15 extra-base hits during his 44-game debut last year, hitting .220 with a .415 SLG. While he may be a decent source of power, a history of high strikeout rates (27.5 percent in '25) may limit his fantasy potential. Until the 24-year-old is confirmed to be on the big league roster and is producing at the plate, he's best left to the waiver wire in all but the deepest of leagues.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt will begin the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Reno, according to Sam Dykstra of MLB.com. The D-backs' top-ranked prospect was invited to big league camp this year and held his own, going 10-for-39 (.256) with a home run, a stolen base, and producing some eye-opening exit velocities on his batted balls. The former first-round draft pick impressed in 2025, playing half of the season at High-A and the other half at Double-A with strong results at both stops, culminating in a .289/.419/.473 slash line with 18 home runs and 29 steals in 134 games. The 23-year-old could make his major league debut early this season if he hits the ground running in Reno, and with an intriguing contact/power/speed skillset, the right-handed slugger could become one of the higher-priority stash candidates in deeper leagues early on.

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Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Connelly Early made his final case for an Opening Day roster spot on Wednesday, tossing five shutout innings against the Yankees in his fifth Grapefruit League appearance, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out seven. He was also charged with a wild pitch and hit a batter in the outing. Despite the latter results of the performance, Boston's third-ranked prospect has impressed this spring, allowing three earned runs in 17 innings of work (1.59 ERA) while recording a 0.94 WHIP and a 16:5 K:BB. The left-hander made his MLB debut in 2025 and saw similar success, posting a 2.33 ERA (2.35 xFIP) and a 1.09 WHIP with a 29:4 K:BB over 19 1/3 innings pitched. The competition for Boston's fifth starter role has been stiff, with LHP Payton Tolle and offseason acquisition RHP Johan Oviedo both showing well this spring, too, and it remains to be seen who will win the job. Oviedo may have the slightest of edges in the race, and may get the nod simply due to his MLB experience compared to the other two, but whether it is on Opening Day or sometime later, Early will be pitching with the big league club this season and is a worthy stash candidate in the meantime. For managers who haven't drafted yet, the 6-foot-3 southpaw can be had at the end of most fantasy drafts with an ADP around 300, but could certainly outproduce that if he gets a chance early on in 2026.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani looked to be in midseason form when he made his Cactus League pitching debut on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Ohtani allowed just one hit, walked two, and struck out four in 4 1/3 scoreless innings. His fastball touched 99 mph on the radar gun, and he threw 34 of his 61 pitches for strikes. "The stuff was really good. It's going to get more crisp as he gets out there and gets regular pitching," manager Dave Roberts said. It was an even more impressive performance for the four-time MVP, considering temperatures pushed 100 degrees at Camelback Ranch. It was Ohtani's first time on the mound in a competitive setting since Game 7 of the World Series against Toronto on Nov. 1. The Dodgers plan on Ohtani being a part of their rotation all year, although his innings will be limited early on. He returned to pitching midway through the 2025 season after recovering from elbow surgery, and he had a 2.87 ERA in 14 regular-season starts before going 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA in the playoffs. The 31-year-old Japanese star has high-end SP1 upside overall in 2026 as a pitcher.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar will miss the entire 2026 season after his appeal of a positive performance-enhancing drug test was resolved, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Profar will serve a 162-game suspension for testing positive a second time and will be ineligible to play in the postseason if the Braves qualify. Atlanta gave the 33-year-old veteran a three-year, $42 million contract in January of 2025 after his career year in 2024 with the San Diego Padres, when he slashed .280/.380/.459 with an .839 OPS, 24 home runs, 85 RBI, 94 runs scored, and 10 steals in 158 regular-season games. He was suspended for 80 games last year and finished with a .245 average, 14 homers, 49 RBI, 56 runs, and nine steals in 80 games played. With Profar now out for the entire 2026 season, the Braves figure to open the year with a platoon in left field between Mike Yastrzemski and Eli White.

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Caleb Durbin will be the Boston Red Sox's starting third baseman on Opening Day this year, manager Alex Cora confirmed. The Red Sox acquired Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers just before spring training, and now he will fill in at the hot corner after the team failed to re-sign Alex Bregman in the offseason. The 25-year-old has been sharing time at third this spring with Marcelo Mayer, who is the leading candidate to start the year at second base. Durbin has been impressive on both sides of the ball during Grapefruit League play, hitting .394 with seven RBI and three stolen bases in 33 at-bats through Tuesday. He hit .256 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI in 2025 in Milwaukee and finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting. With a locked-in starting role and a better offensive environment at Fenway Park, Durbin is a nice late-round target in fantasy leagues that should provide a solid batting average floor and the potential for 20 stolen bases. He's ranked as the No. 16 third baseman at RotoBaller.

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After spending the first seven seasons of his MLB career with the New York Mets, power-hitting first baseman Pete Alonso signed a five-year contract this past winter with the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old slugger has long been one of the most reliable sluggers in baseball, recording at least 34 home runs in every year of his career outside of the shortened 2020 season. Alonso has also been exceptionally durable throughout his time in the big leagues, recording at least 630 plate appearances in five consecutive campaigns. Across 709 trips to the plate with the Mets in 2025, Alonso slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs, 126 RBI, 87 runs scored, and one stolen base. Alonso has experienced fluctuations in his batting average over the course of his career, hitting .240 in 2024 and .217 in 2023. Still, he's kept his strikeout rate under 25% in five consecutive seasons and might be the most bankable source of power and run production in all of fantasy baseball. Alonso profiles as an elite first base option for fantasy managers heading into 2026.

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After spending the first eight seasons of his MLB career with the Houston Astros, starting pitcher Framber Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers over the winter. The 32-year-old established himself as one of the most reliable southpaws in baseball during his time with Houston. Dating back to 2022, Valdez has recorded four consecutive seasons with at least 176 innings pitched, 169 strikeouts, and an ERA under 3.70. Across 192 innings (31 starts) in 2025, Valdez posted a 13-11 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 187 strikeouts. The veteran routinely posts one of the highest ground ball rates among MLB starters, which helps him limit home runs but can lead to a slightly elevated WHIP. Valdez also relies on workload volume to rack up strikeouts, as he posted a middling 23.3% strikeout rate in 2025. Still, Valdez has established a bankable production floor and will also now be making his home starts in a pitcher-friendly environment in Detroit. Valdez profiles as a steady fantasy SP2 heading into 2026.

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