January 27, 2026

New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette has decided not to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Bichette was going to play for Brazil, but has decided to back out of the tourney. Instead, Bichette wants to focus on preparing for the upcoming 2026 season with his new team. The 27-year-old has represented Brazil in the past, and is eligible to do so because his mother was born in Brazil. Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets during the offseason. It's understandable that he doesn't want to risk an injury and will shift his focus to helping the Mets win this season.--Andy Webb
Source: sprotsnet.ca

January 27, 2026

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed free-agent relief pitcher Cam Booser to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. Booser took a significant step backward during the 2025 season. In 2024, Booser registered a 3.38 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 43/16 K/BB ratio across 43 games with the Boston Red Sox. The 33-year-old headed to the Chicago White Sox last season and completely fell apart. Booser finished with a 5.52 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and a 35/19 K/BB ratio in 39 games with the South Siders. The biggest problem was the home run ball, as Booser allowed eight long balls in 31.0 innings of work last season. It's a low-risk move by the Rays, who do have a good history of turning around players coming off down seasons. He'll likely serve as middle relief with little to no fantasy value, assuming he makes the team.--Andy Webb
Source: Marc Topkin

January 27, 2026

The Seattle Mariners have acquired catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations. Pereda has found a new home after being designated for assignment by the Twins on Friday. The Twins removed Pereda from their 40-man roster to make room for Victor Caratini. The expectation is that Pereda will compete for the backup gig during Spring Training. He slashed .246/.325/.333 with four RBI across 28 games with the Athletics and Twins last season. The 29-year-old posted strong numbers in Triple-A and deserves a shot to earn a 26-man roster spot. Even if he makes the roster, Pereda isn't going to play very often with Cal Raleigh playing almost every game.--Andy Webb
Source: Seattle Mariners

January 27, 2026

In his first full MLB season in 2024, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz put his upside on display, slashing .259/.339/.471 with an .809 OPS, 25 home runs, 76 RBI, 105 runs scored, and a league-high 67 stolen bases in 160 games played. It wasn't all great, though, as he also led the league with 218 strikeouts. The 24-year-old switch-hitting Dominican hit a career-high .264 in 2025, but he took a step back in the power department (22 home runs) and in steals (37) over 162 games. De La Cruz really struggled down the stretch and went through a 74-game stretch in which he hit just one home run. A lingering quad injury that he played through for most of the year might be to blame. There's no denying De La Cruz's elite athleticism, especially on the base paths, and RotoBaller still considers him a top-15 overall fantasy player going into his fourth year with the Reds.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

January 27, 2026

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander (back, shoulder) was one of the biggest fantasy baseball busts in 2025. In his final year with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, Santander was a first-time All-Star and hit .235/.308/.506 with an .814 OPS and career-highs in home runs (44) and RBI (102) in 155 games played. The 31-year-old Venezuelan switch-hitter was limited to 194 at-bats in his first year in Toronto due to a shoulder subluxation and a lower-back injury that lingered. He played in just 54 games and hit .175 (34-for-194) with six homers and 18 RBI. Santander is apparently healthy with just a few weeks until spring training, and he's in the right environment for a bounce-back in 2026. His fantasy value has dropped considerably, though, and he also lost outfield eligibility in most formats. To keep him healthy, Toronto could keep him mostly at DH. RotoBaller has Santander ranked as the No. 54 fantasy outfielder.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

January 27, 2026

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero enjoyed a massive breakout campaign in 2025, and he should remain a top fantasy option at third base in 2026. Caminero occupied an everyday role at the hot corner last year, and he delivered enormous contributions with the bat in his hands. Across 154 games, he slashed .264/.311/.535 with 45 homers, 110 RBI, and 129 wRC+. He cut down his strikeout rate to a career-low 19.1%, which is an acceptable rate for a power hitter of Caminero's caliber. He finished the year with 22.5 fWAR at the plate and -0.4 fWAR in the field. His defense wasn't spectacular, but he played well enough that the Rays are able to justify playing him every day to get his terrific bat in the lineup. As it stands, he's the #2 third baseman in RotoBaller's fantasy baseball draft rankings, trailing only Jose Ramirez at the position.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

January 27, 2026

Houston Astros infielder Carlos Correa will not participate in the World Baseball Classic, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The Puerto Rico native made the decision due to a lack of insurance coverage and a conversation with owner Jim Crane. Crane informed Correa of his uninsured status on Tuesday. "Jim called me and told me that he wants me to focus on the team and spring training," Correa said. "Obviously, he traded for me to win a championship here, and we had too many injuries as a team [in 2025]." Without insurance coverage on his contract, Correa would lose his $31 million salary if he were to suffer an injury during the WBC and miss the 2026 MLB season. The veteran infielder expressed frustration and noted that he had already begun facing live pitching in preparation to play for Team Puerto Rico. "I also understand the business side of things, and that's too big of a risk to take, to play with no insurance," Correa said. According to Rome, second baseman Jose Altuve also lacks insurance coverage on his contract, which is why he opted out of playing for Venezuela in the WBC earlier this week. Both Correa and Altuve, along with all WBC players on 40-man rosters, were evaluated by an independent insurer who was jointly appointed by MLB and the MLBPA. Correa is coming off a 2.6-WAR season split between the Twins and Astros. He slashed .276/.332/.402 with 13 home runs and 106 wRC+ across 144 games.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Chandler Rome

January 27, 2026

Philadelphia Phillies closer Jhoan Duran has already made 23 appearances with the organization, but now, he's getting ready for his first spring training as a Phillie. Duran was dealt from Minnesota to Philadelphia ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, and he instantly boosted his fantasy value by moving from a seller to a contender. With the Phillies, Duran immediately picked up more save opportunities. In fact, he had more save opportunities in 23 games with the Phillies than he did in 49 games with the Twins. He remained just as effective after the change of scenery, finishing the year with a 2.35 FIP, 10.29 K/9, 2.44 BB/9, a 65% ground ball rate, and a career-high 32 saves. He continued to effectively rack up strikeouts, limit walks, and minimize loud contact, which is a rare combination. The 28-year-old has cemented himself as one of the best closers in baseball, and in doing so, he has continuously elevated his fantasy stock. He ranks as the #3 relief pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

January 27, 2026

The Minnesota Twins have hinted that second baseman Luke Keaschall could make some appearances in the outfield during the 2026 season, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Keaschall was used solely at second base last season, largely because it was his first MLB campaign and he was coming back from Tommy John surgery. Now, though, he's 16 months removed from the operation and "feels much more confident in his arm strength and being smoother with his throwing actions than he was during the 2025 season," Hayes writes. A 2023 second-round pick out of Arizona State, Keaschall wasted no time making an impact at the plate during his debut season. He played in 49 games before injuring his thumb last year, slashing .302/.382/.445 with a 9.2% walk rate, a 14% strikeout rate, 134 wRC+, and 14 stolen bases. Given that he was one of the few bright spots of the Twins' 2025 season and is now fully healthy, he should work his way into the lineup on a near-everyday basis in 2026, even if he moves around defensively. He currently ranks as the #7 second baseman in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Dan Hayes

January 27, 2026

Minnesota Twins executive chair Tom Pohlad told fans at the team's TwinsFest event that he expects the organization to make at least one more bullpen move before the regular season begins. "We know that we have to continue to improve the bullpen," Pohlad said, noting that the Twins' front office has a history of making late roster moves in February. While it's unclear which free agent relievers the Twins will pursue, they did create some additional flexibility with the signing of lefty Taylor Rogers earlier this offseason. Having Rogers on the staff gives the Twins a premium southpaw, which means any subsequent moves probably won't be limited by player handedness. Furthermore, with Rogers in tow, the Twins might feel less compelled to spend big on a top-tier bullpen arm and instead settle for a more affordable depth piece. Excluding Rogers, who should be the Twins' closer, the average service time of each pitcher in Minnesota's projected bullpen (via FanGraphs) is just 1.56 years. It wouldn't hurt for the Twins to bring in another arm with more MLB experience before spring training gets underway.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Bobby Nightengale

January 27, 2026

The Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday that they claimed right-hander Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Miami Marlins. Bido has been tossed around by five different teams so far this offseason after spending the last two seasons with the Athletics, where he posted a combined 4.78 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with one save, 131 strikeouts, and 61 walks in 143 innings over 42 appearances (19 starts). The 30-year-old had an ugly 5.87 ERA and 1.61 WHIP with a weak 18.7% strikeout rate last season. If Bido makes the Angels' roster out of spring training, he'll most likely be used in a low-leverage relief role while also being an option to make spot starts in the starting rotation. He has a career 5.07 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with a 20.9% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers can avoid Bido everywhere if he's on the Halos' Opening Day roster.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Angels PR

January 27, 2026

Free-agent starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez has agreed to a minor-league deal with the Royals after an impressive showing in the Dominican Winter League. Sanchez compiled a 1.55 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 9 walks in 46 1/3 innings to earn the Pitcher of the Year award in that league. Sanchez hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022, but he was an All-Star in 2016, going 15-2 with a 3.00 ERA. In 2022 and 2023, he spent time with the Nationals, Twins, and Diamondbacks before returning to the Blue Jays to pitch in Triple-A in 2024. The former top-prospect struggled at Triple-A Buffalo, giving up a 7.92 ERA in 61 1/3 innings. After re-emerging with his dominant work this winter, he'll get a shot to earn a spot in the Royals rotation as he continues to author his comeback story. He has been plagued by health issues, but if he's 100% and ready to go, he could be a SP worth watching in AL-only leagues. His strikeout numbers are strong enough that he could be a good streaming or DFS option to monitor as well if he earns a spot going into the season.--Zach Thompson
Source: Robert Murray

January 27, 2026

Free-agent outfielder Nelson Velazquez has reached an agreement with the St. Louis Cardinals on a minor-league deal that includes an invite to spring training. Last year, Velázquez played 51 games in Triple-A for the Royals and Pirates, hitting .234 with 11 homers, 31 RBI, and a .334 wOBA. The 27-year-old righty showed some power potential while slashing .212/.286/.433 with 31 homers in 615 plate appearances for the Cubs and Royals from 2022-24. He played in the Dominican and Puerto Rican Winter Leagues and showed enough upside to earn his opportunity to earn a spot in St. Louis as a right-handed platoon option. He's an option to monitor in Spring Training, but he doesn't have to be on your fantasy radar yet in most formats.--Zach Thompson
Source: MLB.com

January 27, 2026

Free-agent infielder/outfielder Dylan Moore has had conversations with the Boston Red Sox, which makes sense since the team still has a ways to go before finalizing its infield setup for 2026. After Alex Bregman departed via free agency, the team has potential openings at 2B and 3B, with youngsters Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell potentially ready to step in, but both coming with serious question marks as well. While the team could still try to add a bigger, more established name at either spot, the 33-year-old Moore is a utilityman who brings good defense at multiple positions and a little speed and power with double-digit homers in each of the last two seasons. However, he hit only .201 in each of those two years and had a .280 wOBA in 106 games with the Mariners and Rangers last season.--Zach Thompson
Source: Chris Cotillo

January 27, 2026

Free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt does not have a contract for 2026, but the 38-year-old is still planning to play in the upcoming season. After eight seasons in Arizona and six in St. Louis, he spent last year with the Yankees. His power production dropped, and he hit only 10 homers in 146 games, with 45 RBI, a .129 ISO, and a .316 wOBA. He did still hit for a good average at .274, but that was supported by a .325 BABIP that is like unsustainable. At this stage of his career, he could be a nice platoon option, and last year he hit .336 with seven homers and a .412 wOBA against lefties. He could also be a solid veteran presence for a young team, but there hasn't been much buzz about where he could land this offseason, with the Mets as the only team tied to him by earlier reporting this offseason.--Zach Thompson
Source: Jon Morosi