Merrill Kelly "Optimistic" About Being Ready by Opening Day

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) received cortisone and lidocaine shots in his back last week and was able to play catch on Sunday without issue, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Gilbert reports that Kelly is "optimistic" he will be able to "pitch at the backend" of Arizona's rotation to start the season. The […]

Can Gabriel Moreno Put Together a Fully Healthy Season in 2026?

Throughout his big-league career to this point, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has had a difficult time staying on the field. Over the past two seasons, groin and finger injuries have limited the 26-year-old to just 660 plate appearances. However, when healthy, Moreno has proven himself to be a productive player. Across 309 plate appearances […]

Mark Vientos May Be Limited to Part-Time Role in New York

New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos posted a breakout season in 2024, slugging 27 home runs in 454 plate appearances and carving out a role in the middle of the Mets lineup. However, the 26-year-old came crashing back down to earth in 2025, slashing .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs, 61 RBI, 44 runs scored, […]

Can Noah Cameron Repeat His Breakout 2025 Season?

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Noah Cameron burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2025, recording a 9-7 record with a 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts across 138 1/3 innings pitched (24 starts). Cameron's ability to rack up whiffs left something to be desired for fantasy managers, as he posted just a […]

Justin Steele "Full-Go" on Throwing, Still Eyeing May or June Return

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) has been cleared for "full go" on throwing and is eyeing a return to the big-league mound in either May or June, per Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Steele is making his way back from elbow surgery, which ended his 2025 campaign last April. In 2024, Steele pitched […]

Bounceback Hitters: Fantasy Baseball ADP Values for Hitters (2026)

As someone who lives in New England, dealing with snowstorm after snowstorm this winter, it's heartwarming to have spring training baseball back in our lives and fantasy baseball drafts to take part in. And with the start of spring training, certain players who had down seasons in 2025 now have a fresh start with their […]

10 High-Impact Fantasy Baseball Prospect Risers, Sleepers: Breakout Rookies for 2026

Targeting high-end prospects in the final rounds of your draft can provide your fantasy team with a massive spark throughout the season. Last summer, managers saw top prospects like Nolan McLean, Noah Cameron, Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz, and Jacob Wilson all make a massive impact during their rookie seasons. In this piece, we will spotlight […]

Deeper Starting Pitcher Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - Undrafted Players and Late-Round Picks (2026)

Fantasy managers can bank on undrafted pitchers coming out of nowhere to post outstanding seasons, but identifying who will do so is challenging. Standard roto leagues draft 336 players, so anyone with an NFBC average draft position (ADP) of 337 or higher is considered "undrafted" for this article. Naturally, individual drafts may vary. You can […]

4 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Breakouts to Target in Drafts (2026)

The term "breakout" gets thrown around a lot, I know. And it's always important to put it in context. For the sake of this article, it's going to refer to pitchers with relatively little MLB experience who could be ready to make a big impact for fantasy teams in 2026. These pitchers check as many […]

Relief Pitcher Fantasy Baseball Breakouts - Undervalued Closers and Saves (2026)

Navigating saves is often the most difficult part of fantasy baseball. While there are players who are near locks to earn 30+ saves, like Edwin Diaz and Mason Miller, managers will have to pay a hefty price to acquire their services and take a hit at other positions. When you invest in an early-round closer, […]

Samuel Basallo is Returning on Sunday

Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (abdomen) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Boston Red Sox. Basallo was forced to make an early exit during Thursday's game due to abdominal discomfort. He received a few days off to rest and is ready to return behind the plate on […]

Cardinals Sign Oliver Marmol to Two-Year Extension

The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a two-year extension with manager Oliver Marmol on Sunday. This new deal begins after this season and includes the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Marmol also has a club option for the 2029 campaign. This will give Marmol the comfort to manage this team during the rebuild without fear […]

Thomas White is Diagnosed with Oblique Strain

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Thomas White (oblique) will see his Spring Training come to an end after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 right oblique strain. White will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks, which means we won't see him again in camp. The 21-year-old is arguably the top prospect in the Marlins' farm system right […]

Carmen Mlodzinski to Compete for Starting Rotation Spot

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski will compete for a starting rotation spot during Spring Training. He worked as a starter to begin the 2025 season, but ultimately shifted to the bullpen. Mlodzinski posted a 6.58 ERA, a .330 batting average against and an .858 OPS in six starts in March and April. He was demoted […]

Jacob Melton is Returning on Sunday

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jacob Melton (thumb) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Atlanta Braves. Melton was scratched from Thursday's lineup due to left thumb soreness. He received a few days off to rest and is now ready to play again. He's currently competing for a spot […]

2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers and Saves: Bullpen Draft Strategies and Later-Round Targets

One of the hardest positions to navigate in fantasy baseball drafts is the closer position. Managers have to decide whether they are willing to go all in on the saves category or wait until the middle-to-late rounds to secure those saves. That makes choosing the right time to select a closer one of the toughest […]

5 Shortstop Fantasy Baseball Breakout Candidates (2026)

Shortstop is one of fantasy baseball's glamor positions. It's stocked with big-name superstars who go early in fantasy drafts and provide big-time production in multiple categories. The position is also a pretty deep one, with plenty of quality sleepers going later in drafts as depth pieces or potential breakout candidates with high upside. Whether you […]

10 League-Winning Hitters: Fantasy Baseball High Upside Draft Targets and Values

It's that time of year again. It's time to dive into my 10 league-winning hitters for 2026 fantasy baseball leagues. The goal here is to nail a hitter who provides significant profit at their current cost. It doesn't have to be someone who goes super late in drafts. It just has to be someone who […]

Exit Velocity Standouts (EV50) - Power Hitters On The Rise for Fantasy Baseball (2026)

We have so many advanced stats available on Baseball Savant, allowing us to dive deeper beyond average exit velocity. We're using Exit Velocity 50 (EV50), which Baseball Savant defines as the average of the hardest 50 percent of a player's batted balls, giving us a somewhat reliable metric for averaging exit velocity on flyballs and line […]

Keston Hiura Exits After Getting Hit by Pitch

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Keston Hiura (hand) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's Cactus League matchup against the Chicago Cubs. Hiura exited immediately after taking a 97-mph sinker off his hand during the fifth inning of Saturday's contest. The severity of the injury is unknown, but Hiura is likely going to at […]

Leo De Vries Exits Early on Saturday

Athletics shortstop Leo De Vries (illness) was removed early during Saturday's Spring Training contest against the San Francisco Giants. De Vries was pulled out of the game due to illness, which was likely dehydration. Luckily, this sounds like something minor that shouldn't keep De Vries sidelined for long. The expectation is that he'll be back […]

Kyle Stowers is Dealing with Minor Hamstring Strain

Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) underwent imaging after being scratched ahead of Saturday's game. The MRI has revealed that Stowers has suffered a minor hamstring strain. This sounds like a good diagnosis as far as hamstring injuries go. The Marlins expect Stowers to miss 1-2 weeks of action. Barring any setbacks, Stowers should be […]

Cody Bellinger Dealing With Back Injury

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (back) is dealing with a back injury that could sideline him for a few days. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Bellinger's back went out on him. This is a similar issue to what Bellinger dealt with early last season. The Yankees aren't going to take any risks this early […]

Corbin Carroll Likely to be Ready for Opening Day

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (wrist) is likely going to be ready for Opening Day. On Saturday, D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said he wouldn't be surprised if Carroll was back for the season opener. Carroll is currently recovering from a broken hamate bone in his wrist that he suffered earlier this month. It's hard to […]

Royals Agree With Starling Marte

The Kansas City Royals agreed to an undisclosed deal with free-agent outfielder Starling Marte on Saturday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal is pending a physical. Marte is heading into his 15th season in the big leagues and shouldn't be expected to see regular playing time in Kansas City. At best, he'll […]

Rafael Devers Being Shut Down for 2-4 Days With Hamstring Tightness

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) is being withheld from all activity for the next two to four days due to left-hamstring tightness, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. The Giants scratched Devers from the Cactus League game on Friday, and now they will hold him out for […]

Ronald Acuna Jr. Hits Grand Slam in Grapefruit League Game

Atlanta Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. looked to be in midseason form in Friday's Grapefruit League win over the Boston Red Sox, going 2-for-3 with a grand slam, three runs scored, two stolen bases, a walk, and a strikeout. The grand slam was Acuna's first spring homer, and it came in the third inning […]

JJ Wetherholt Homers for First Spring Hit

St. Louis Cardinals infield prospect JJ Wetherholt homered for his first spring training hit in Friday's Grapefruit League game versus the New York Mets. Per MLB Pipeline, Wetherhold is the No. 5 prospect going into the 2026 season. The home run he hit on Friday traveled 422 feet and had a 105.4 mph exit velocity. […]

Bryce Miller Shut Down for Five Days With Side Soreness

Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (side) has been battling soreness in his left side in camp, and an MRI exam showed inflammation, according to Shannon Drayer. Miller, who has dealt with this same issue in the past, had a platelet-rich plasma injection and is being shut down for five days. Drayer adds that it's "very […]

Spencer Strider's Diminished Velocity a Cause for Concern?

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider pitched two innings against the Baltimore Orioles in his 2026 Spring Training debut on Saturday, allowing two hits and an earned run while striking out two and walking none. The 27-year-old averaged just 92.7 mph on his fastball in the first inning, which could be viewed as a bit […]