Luisangel Acuna Searching for More Power With Mechanical Tweak

Chicago White Sox infielder/outfielder Luisangel Acuna has made swing tweaks this offseason to "stay loaded in his back leg more" to "allow him to elevate the ball for consistent power," according to James Fegan of Sox Machine. Acuna, 23, is trying to make the move to center field and carve out a regular role in […]

Kris Bryant Unable to Resume Baseball Activities

Colorado Rockies first baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant (back) said the pain in his back hasn't allowed him to start baseball activities this spring, but he continues to consult with doctors and trainers to see what can get him back to playing, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Bryant is not retiring and will stick with his […]

Seiya Suzuki to DH Against Lefties

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki is expected to serve as the designated hitter in 2026 when the team faces a left-handed pitcher, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Moises Ballesteros will operate as the Cubs' primary DH when the team faces right-handers, but Suzuki will get a break from the outfield and serve […]

Matt Shaw Could be in Platoon in Right Field

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell told Bruce Levine that third baseman Matt Shaw is "definitely going to be getting a lot of time in the outfield" in 2026. When the Cubs face a left-handed pitcher, the expectation is that Shaw will be in right field, with Seiya Suzuki moving to designated hitter. After struggling with […]

Hyeseong Kim Competing for Second Base Job

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts named infielders Hyeseong Kim, Miguel Rojas, and Alex Freeland as some options to play second base with Tommy Edman (ankle) set to open the season on the injured list, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Roberts said that Kim and Freeland are basically competing for the same role. With […]

Austin Riley Looking to Return to 30-Homer Mark

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley is coming off two injury-shortened seasons, but he's feeling good going into the 2026 campaign and is hoping to return to the 30-homer mark, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. "If I don't hit 30-plus homers and drive in 90-100 runs, I kind of feel like it's a wash […]

Paul Sewald, Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson Could All See Save Chances

The Arizona Diamondbacks don't have a clear idea of who their closer will be in 2026, but manager Torey Lovullo mentioned relievers Paul Sewald, Kevin Ginkel, and Ryan Thompson as potential options in the ninth inning, according to Alex D'Agostino of Sports Illustrated. Sewald was the team's closer in 2023 as they made a run […]

Bryan Reynolds Will Return to Left Field in 2026

MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince reports that Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds will return to a full-time role in left field this year, with Ryan O'Hearn playing in right field. Reynolds didn't play left field at all last year, but he has twice as many innings there (3,062 1/3) in his career than he has in right […]

Braves Add Dominic Smith on Minor-League Deal

The Atlanta Braves signed free-agent infielder Dominic Smith to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The left-handed-hitting Smith has played with three different teams since the start of the 2024 season, spending last year with the San Francisco Giants. […]

Colton Gordon Not Expected to Make Opening Day Roster

Houston Astros left-hander Colton Gordon will make the start for the team in their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, according to manager Joe Espada. However, Gordon is not expected to make the Opening Day roster, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. The 27-year-old southpaw made his major-league debut last […]

Mets to Slow-Play Luis Robert Jr. Early in Grapefruit League Schedule

The New York Mets will not be playing outfielder Luis Robert Jr. in Grapefruit League games out of the gate in an effort to keep him healthy, according to Laura Albanese of Newsday. The Mets will work on strengthening Robert's lower body first, but the new outfielder is healthy in camp, according to manager Carlos […]

Janson Junk Wearing a Walking Boot After Rolling Ankle

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk (right ankle) was seen wearing a walking boot after rolling his right ankle on Tuesday, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The boot is reportedly just a precaution, but his injury is serious enough to keep him out of Wednesday's scheduled pitch design session. Junk sustained the injury […]

Brett Baty Will Ease Into Action After Tweaking Hamstring

New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring during offseason workouts "about two weeks ago" and will ease into spring training, manager Carlos Mendoza told Mike Puma of the New York Post. Baty had the best season of his young career while taking on a full-time role in 2025. Across 130 games, […]

Gavin Stone and River Ryan Throw a Bullpen on Tuesday

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitchers Gavin Stone (shoulder) and River Ryan (elbow) each threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Stone is working his way back from a shoulder injury that he suffered in September 2024. He missed all of last season while recovering from surgery, and this latest update […]

Ben Joyce, Robert Stephenson Both Start Throwing Bullpens

Los Angeles Angels relief pitchers Ben Joyce (shoulder) and Robert Stephenson (elbow) each threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Prior to Tuesday's session, neither pitcher had thrown off the mound this spring. Joyce is working his way back from a torn labrum, which required surgery in May 2025. During […]

Justin Steele Targeting May or June Return

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) is targeting a May or June return to the majors, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Steele has sidelined since undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery last April, but he resumed throwing less than one month ago. He's not ready to face live batters yet, but he has […]

Anthony Volpe Could Return in April

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) said on Monday that an April return is "definitely" possible, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Volpe underwent surgery to fix a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder last October. Initially, he was expected to return in May, but he has already started […]

Shohei Ohtani Expected to be in Opening Day Starting Rotation

When asked if he expects two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation as a pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, "I do." Ohtani will not pitch at all for Team Japan during the upcoming World Baseball Classic, so he probably will be on a […]

Tony Clark Resigns as MLBPA Director Due to Inappropriate Relationship

Updating a previous report, Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark resigned from his position on Tuesday after an internal investigation revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, who had been hired by the union in 2023, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 53-year-old is stepping down just months before the […]

Jake Bennett an Early Standout, Being Stretched Out as Starter

MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo writes that Boston Red Sox left-hander Jake Bennett has been an early camp standout for the team. The Red Sox want to keep him stretched out this spring, so he won't be a candidate to be in the Opening Day bullpen. "I don't foresee us, outside of strict necessity, wanting to shorten […]

Tony Clark Expected to Resign as MLBPA Executive Director

Former MLB player Tony Clark is expected to resign from his position as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, according to Evan Drellich, Ken Rosenthal, and Andy McCullough of The Athletic. The union will now be scrambling to find a leader heading into a lengthy labor dispute this winter. According to Los […]

Gerrit Cole Throws Another Bullpen, Progressing Well in Recovery

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw another bullpen session in camp on Tuesday, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March and missed all of the 2025 season, but the 35-year-old former Cy Young winner has been throwing since August […]

Pablo Lopez has Torn Elbow Ligament, "Surgery on the Table"

Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL, and "surgery is very much on the table," according to general manager Jeremy Zoll. If surgery is needed, Lopez would miss the entire season, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. Lopez is seeking a second opinion, but in all likelihood, he's […]

Brett Baty to Work in Super-Utility Role This Year?

New York Mets infielder Brett Baty could be in line to play a super-utility role for the team in 2026. Baty was working at second base in camp on Tuesday after spending time at first base on Monday, according to Metsmerized. He's expected to work all over the diamond in spring training this year, and […]

Hurston Waldrep May Need Surgery

If Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep (elbow) needs surgery on his right elbow, the assumption is that he would need roughly three months to recover, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. If Waldrep avoids going under the knife, he might just need at least three weeks of rest. It all depends on what […]

Riley O'Brien Dealing With Calf Soreness

St. Louis Cardinals right-handed reliever Riley O'Brien (calf) is dealing with some calf soreness in camp, according to Jeff Jones of The Belleville News. The Cardinals are now discussing what it means for O'Brien's participation in this year's World Baseball Classic for Team South Korea. The 31-year-old will be in the mix for saves in […]

Jack Leiter Looking to Build on Solid Second Half

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter appears to have secured the fourth spot in the Rangers' rotation coming into the season, behind a strong trio of Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and recently-acquired MacKenzie Gore. Leiter finished his first full season in the majors 10-10 in 29 starts for Texas last year, racking up 148 strikeouts […]

Kyle Manzardo Can Be a Great Late-Round Power Source

Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo is ready to build on last year's success and came into spring training with a new look and new approach. The 25-year-old lefty bulked up this offseason, adding about 15 pounds coming into spring training. In 2025, he hit .234 in his first full season in the majors, exactly […]

Dylan Crews Ready to Rebound After a Rough Rookie Season?

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews was one of the top prospects in baseball coming into last season, but he had underwhelming rookie numbers. He's ready to turn the page and have a much better sophomore campaign, saying, "I think all of us have to forget about everything that's happened in the past. It's a clean […]

Ryan Walker to Start the Season as Giants Closer?

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker is likely to get the first shot at being the team's primary closer, even after a down year in 2025. Walker took over closing duties in 2024 and was excellent on his way to a 1.91 ERA and 2.52 FIP in 80 innings across 76 appearances. In 2025, […]