February 10, 2026
New York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (hand) is set to be evaluated on Wednesday for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, according to president of baseball operations David Stearns. The 5x All-Star may need surgery, and if he does, it typically comes with a six-week recovery timeline. The Mets are still optimistic that, even if surgery is needed, the 32-year-old would be ready in time for Opening Day on March 26. Despite a prolonged two-month downturn in midseason of last year, the switch-hitter finished with a strong .267-31-86-117-31 stat line with a .350 wOBA and 129 wRC+. That type of multi-category production has made him expensive in early 2026 fantasy drafts, going around pick 16, but with no less than a 120 wRC+ and no less than 152 games played over the last four seasons, the price is justified so long as he's ready to go when the season begins.
--Jarod RuppSource: Jorge Castillo
February 10, 2026
Free-agent pitcher
Justin Verlander agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, $11 million of which is deferred. The veteran pitcher spent 2025 with the Giants, going 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and a 12.8 percent K-BB% in 152 innings pitched. Although it was an improvement on an injury-marred 2024, the three-time Cy Young award winner would be hard to trust for fantasy, with a high SIERA (4.44) and low strikeout rates (8.11 K/9) last season. The switch from pitcher-friendly Oracle Park to Comerica Park doesn't do him any favors either. The soon-to-be-43-year-old is going undrafted in most 2026 fantasy leagues, although there are probably riskier options at the end of deep-league drafts if managers want to roll the dice to see if a return to the place where he broke into the majors brings about some sort of revival.
--Jarod RuppSource: Jon Heyman
February 10, 2026
Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said that
Coby Mayo's focus will be at first base in spring training, but that the coaching staff will also talk to him about the possibility of additional positional focus, such as the corner outfield, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. The 24-year-old could also see time at third base, a position he played coming up in the farm system. Most of Mayo's playing time in 2025 came at first base, but the Orioles signed
Pete Alonso in the offseason, and
Samuel Basallo and
Ryan Mountcastle are also options there. Mayo became an everyday player in Baltimore in the final two months of last season and finished with a .217/.299/.388 slash line, .687 OPS, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, 30 runs, and three steals in 85 games. He hit the ball hard (34.5% hard-hit rate), but he also struck out over 30% of the time. Playing time could be an issue in Baltimore if Mayo struggles at the plate. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 46 fantasy first baseman.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
February 10, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever
Ben Joyce (shoulder) is playing catch at spring training, but manager Kurt Suzuki said it's too early to tell if Joyce will be ready for Opening Day, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The Angels are taking it day by day with Joyce for now. The hard-throwing 25-year-old missed most of last season after having surgery to fix the labrum in his right shoulder. He appeared in only five games, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out one in 4 1/3 innings. There are plenty of question marks for the back end of the Angels' bullpen going into the 2026 season with
Kenley Jansen no longer around. Right now,
Robert Stephenson,
Drew Pomeranz, and
Kirby Yates are set to work in a closer committee, but Joyce will be involved as well, depending on his health.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
February 10, 2026
Boston Red Sox infielder
Kristian Campbell will primarily work in the outfield during spring training, according to manager Alex Cora. In addition to outfield work, Campbell will work one-on-one with infield coach Jose Flores at both second and third base. The addition of work at third is new, but Campbell played there minimally in the minors. The vast majority of Campbell's playing time in his first year in the majors in 2025 came at second base, but he also saw a handful of starts in left and center field. A move to the outfield is now possible after the acquisition of infielder
Caleb Durbin. Some combination of Durbin and
Marcelo Mayer should handle third and second base regularly in 2026, pushing Campbell to the outfield. The problem with that is Boston already has a crowded outfield picture with
Jarren Duran,
Roman Anthony,
Ceddanne Rafaela, and
Wilyer Abreu. A trade could be coming for the BoSox this spring.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
February 10, 2026
The Colorado Rockies reached an undisclosed one-year deal with veteran free-agent right-hander
Tomoyuki Sugano on Tuesday, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. After 12 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Sugano went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and 36 walks in 157 innings over 30 starts with the Baltimore Orioles in 2025 in his first year in the United States. The 36-year-old hurler led the league with 33 home runs allowed, and that's likely going to continue to be an issue with his move to hitter-friendly Coors Field. In addition to allowing way too many home runs, Sugano also had a weak 15.7% strikeout rate. He doesn't miss many bats, which is going to cause problems for him in Denver. The one thing that Sugano does very well is control the baseball, but that probably won't be enough to make him fantasy relevent in Colorado.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Thomas Harding
February 10, 2026
Free-agent talks for right-handed starter
Zac Gallen are starting to heat up with spring training workouts underway across the league, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Gallen is the best remaining free agent on the market, and the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks are the teams showing the most interest in the 30-year-old veteran. He picked a bad time to post a career-worst 4.83 ERA (4.50 FIP) in his walk year in 2025 with Arizona, going 13-15 with a 1.26 WHIP, 175 strikeouts, and 66 walks in 192 frames over his 33 starts. Gallen's career-high ERA was fueled by a career-worst 1.5 HR/9 mark. His strikeout rate also dropped to a career-worst 21.5% in 2025. His fantasy stock is obviously down (No. 65 starting pitcher at RotoBaller), but a rebound could come if he were to go to a place like San Diego.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
February 10, 2026
Free-agent right-hander
Aaron Civale and the Athletics agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal on Tuesday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 30-year-old will add a veteran arm to an A's team with postseason aspirations in 2026. He can make an additional $1.5 million this year through incentives. Civale spent the 2025 campaign pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs, going 4-9 with a 4.85 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 88:33 K:BB in 102 innings over 23 appearances (18 starts). With the move to Sacramento, he should be a lock to open the season in the starting rotation for the A's. Civale struggled with home runs as a starter with both the Brewers and White Sox last year, and things won't be any easier in his new home ballpark, which was one of the most hitter-friendly environments in baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
February 10, 2026
San Francisco Giants first base prospect
Bryce Eldridge (wrist) said he's a full-go for spring training after having left-wrist surgery in October of last year to remove a bone spur, according to Justice delos Santos of MLB.com. Eldridge initially injured his wrist in spring training last year and played through the injury for several months before eventually being shut down. The 21-year-old former 16th overall pick in 2023 hit a combined .260/.333/.510 with an .843 OPS, 25 home runs, and 84 RBI in 102 games at three-minor league levels last year despite playing through his wrist injury. During a brief MLB debut, the left-handed hitter went just 3-for-28 (.107) with no homers, seven walks, and 13 strikeouts. Between first base and designated hitter, Eldridge should be a regular for the Giants in 2026, and his plus raw power makes him attractive in all fantasy leagues. Eldridge is RotoBaller's No. 37 first baseman.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Justice delos Santos
February 10, 2026
San Diego Padres manager
Craig Stammen said that
Gavin Sheets is currently the team's No. 1 option at first base, according to Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Sheets was a big success for the Friars last year in his first season with the team, but he split his time between left field (64 games) and designated hitter (63 games). The 29-year-old left-handed slugger hit .252/.317/.429 with a .746 OPS, career-high 19 home runs, 71 RBI, 57 runs scored, and two steals in 145 regular-season games. Sheets came up as a first baseman in the minors, though, so it's not like he doesn't have some experience at the position.
Jake Cronenworth,
Will Wagner, and
Sung-Mun Song are other options to play first base in SD now that
Luis Arraez is in San Francisco. Most of Sheets' damage came against right-handed pitchers, but he'll be a decent option for power as corner-infield depth in fantasy, and gaining first base eligibility will be a bonus.
--Keith HernandezSource: San Diego Union-Tribune - Annie Heilbrunn
February 10, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-hander
Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow)is dealing with right-elbow inflammation at the start of spring training, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The Braves are just hoping that Schwellenbach is dealing with bone spurs, but he's going to miss significant time and will begin the 2026 regular season on the 60-day injured list. The 25-year-old was already a question mark to be ready for this season after suffering a small fracture in his right elbow at the end of June. It's an ominous sign that he's still having right-elbow issues this spring. With it now official that Schwellenbach won't be in the Opening Day rotation, it should lock in right-hander
Hurston Waldrep for a rotation spot to begin the year. Pitching prospect
JR Ritchie is another arm to watch for a rotation spot if either
Reynaldo Lopez or
Grant Holmes aren't ready in time.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
February 10, 2026
Texas Rangers right-hander
Kumar Rocker will compete for the final spot in the team's Opening Day starting rotation this spring, according to MLB.com's Kennedi Landry. The 2022 first-rounder had a less-than-stellar first full year in the majors in 2025, going 4-5 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 56 strikeouts and 23 walks in 64 1/3 innings over 14 starts. Rocker was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Aug. 1 and was shut down for the rest of the year shortly after that to refine his mechanics and work on his delivery. General manager Ross Fenstermaker thinks Rocker is in a "really good spot" going into the 2026 season, though, and he'll primarily be competing with
Jacob Latz for the No. 5 and final rotation spot. Given his draft pedigree (former 10th overall pick), the 26-year-old will get another shot this year, but if he continues to struggle against lefties, he could be relegated to a bullpen role.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
February 10, 2026
Despite the offseason acquisition of left-hander
MacKenzie Gore, Texas Rangers right-hander
Jack Leiter is likely locked into a starting rotation spot in Texas as he enters his second full big-league season, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Along with Leiter and Gore, the Rangers' Opening Day rotation will consist of
Jacob deGrom,
Nathan Eovaldi, and
Kumar Rocker. Leiter, 25, improved as the year went on in 2025 and finished with a 10-10 record, 3.86 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 148:67 K:BB in 151 2/3 innings over 29 starts for the Rangers. While there were some ugly outings for the former second overall pick, it was mostly a successful season in his first full year in the big leagues. Walks are still the biggest issue for Leiter, but he made strides in that area in the second half. If he can display better control on the mound, Leiter could be in for a breakout campaign at a low cost in fantasy baseball drafts. He's currently ranked as the No. 74 starting pitcher at RotoBaller.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
February 10, 2026
The Athletic's Dan Hayes writes that Minnesota Twins infielder
Brooks Lee is the "leader to start at shortstop" this year, but he needs to "show improved mobility and find more consistency with his bat." Lee has good hands and a steady arm, but he was below-average as both a hitter and defender in his second year in the big leagues in 2025. The 24-year-old switch-hitter and former eighth overall pick slashed just .236/.285/.370 with a .654 OPS, 16 home runs, 64 RBI, 50 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 139 games last year. With no sure options behind Lee at the position now that
Carlos Correa is gone, the Twins could be in a serious bind if Lee doesn't show improvement in 2026.
Ryan Kreidler and
Orlando Arcia are the top internal options behind Lee. The good news for Lee is that he made contact 81.1% of the time and showed decent power, but he had just a 28% hard-hit rate and doesn't have much speed.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
February 10, 2026
A Boston Red Sox source indicated a preference for infielder
Marcelo Mayer at third base over second base, but that was before the team acquired infielder
Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. It's unclear whether Durbin's play at third last year will bump Mayer to second, but McCaffrey writes that wherever Durbin plays, Mayer "will man the other spot." We'll get a better idea of Boston's plans based on where Mayer and Durbin are positioned during their spring training drills. Mayer, 23, struggled in his first year in the big leagues in 2025, hitting .228/.272/.402 with a .674 OPS, four home runs, 10 RBI, eight walks, and 41 strikeouts in 136 plate appearances over 44 games. With
Alex Bregman and
David Hamilton gone, the former first-rounder should see more playing time in 2026. He'll need to lower his strikeout rate, but at the very least, he should be on the strong side of a platoon at either second or third base in Boston.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
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