March 6, 2026

Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Logan Henderson has been quite sharp in his first two appearances in spring training and remains in a prime position to begin the regular season in the starting rotation. Over his first four innings of work, Henderson has allowed just two runs (one earned) while posting a strong 0.50 WHIP. He has only struck out one batter but has yet to allow a free pass. Henderson made his MLB debut last summer and looked very comfortable in Milwaukee, tossing 25 1/3 innings to the tune of a 1.78 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. He struck out 33 hitters and allowed free passes at a solid 8.1% rate. While Henderson has yet to be officially named to the rotation, he appears to be in a great position to slot in as the No. 4/No. 5 option, especially with Brandon Woodruff (lat) in danger of missing the start of the season.--Andy Smith
Source: MLB.com

March 6, 2026

Miami Marlins left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling was sharp in relief on Thursday afternoon, tossing three scoreless frames with one hit and one walk. He struck out six. The prospect entered the contest after Sandy Alcantara got the starting nod and logged three innings himself. This was a nice bounce-back outing for Snelling as he allowed five runs (four earned) in his most recent outing on February 27 against the Phillies. Overall, Snelling has tossed 5 1/3 innings this spring and allowed four earned runs with a 1.69 WHIP. Last summer, the left-hander looked quite comfortable during his first taste of Triple-A, tossing 63 2/3 innings to the tune of a 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and an 81:17 K:BB. While Snelling appears to be on the outside of the current five-man rotation, he is still a top stash option in deeper 12+ team leagues, as he should earn the call to Miami early in the first half.--Andy Smith
Source: MLB.com

March 6, 2026

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge has looked quite strong during his first taste of spring training and is carrying some solid momentum into his first full MLB season. Through nine games in camp, the team's top hitting prospect has posted a .263/.391/.579 slash line with three doubles, a home run, and a 7:3 K:BB. Last summer, the Giants provided the slugging first baseman with a short 10-game stint in San Francisco, and he struggled, posting a low .107 AVG with a .476 OPS. However, during this small taste, Eldridge generated a new. 362 xwOBA, suggesting his results should have been far more impressive. Through 66 games at Triple-A, Eldridge held a .249/.322/.514 line with 18 lone balls. The former 16th overall pick is a strong selection in the final rounds as a deep-league corner infielder, as he should see nearly every day at-bats sharing first base and the DH spot with Rafael Devers.--Andy Smith
Source: MLB.com

March 6, 2026

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Dylan Beavers has continued to hold his own through the opening weeks of spring training. Over his first six games of camp, the team's No. 2-ranked prospect (according to MLB.com) has hit .250/.294/.563 line with an .857 OPS. During this stretch, Beavers has tallied three doubles with a triple. However, he has struck out seven times and only drawn one walk. Beavers is competing for an everyday role in a crowded Baltimore outfield that welcomed Taylor Ward in the offseason. Last summer, Beavers had a brief 35-game stint in the majors, during which he hit for a.227/.375/.400 line with five doubles and four long balls. At Triple-A, Beavers hit 18 home runs and swiped 23 bags, suggesting he could hold a solid five-category upside in a full-time position. He is a viable late-round sleeper candidate if he can carve out everyday at-bats in the starting nine.--Andy Smith
Source: MLB.com

March 6, 2026

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns has contended to flash immense upside throughout the early part of spring training, but has still struggled to command his pitches. Over his first 4 1/3 innings of work, the hard-throwing right-hander has walked five batters while striking out seven. He has surrendered only one run and held a modest 1.62 WHIP. Last summer, Burns made his MLB debut and had a similar outcome, posting an elite 35.6% K% but carrying a 4.57 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. However, under the hood, Burns generated a much lower 3.48 xERA with a .218 xBA, suggesting he may have gotten a bit unlucky during his first stint in the majors. Managers should continue to monitor his progress in camp, as his short-term upside could take a hit if he continues on this trajectory. Nonetheless, the former No. 2 overall pick is a prime breakout candidate in 2026, given his expected workload and immense strikeout potential.--Andy Smith
Source: MLB.com

March 5, 2026

San Diego Padres infielder Sung-Mun Song (oblique) was pulled from Thursday's Cactus League game early against the Seattle Mariners with tightness in his right oblique, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. It's the same oblique that Song injured in the offseason, but manager Craig Stammen said his exit on Thursday was "precautionary." For now, the 29-year-old South Korean is day-to-day, but his availability for Opening Day in late March could be in question if his oblique continues to be an issue. Going into his first year in the big leagues in the U.S., Song figures to be a utility infielder for the Friars. Most of Song's production in the KBO in Korea came recently, with him hitting .315/.387/.530 with a .917 OPS, career-high 26 home runs, 90 RBI, 103 runs scored, and 25 steals in 144 games in 2025. Song has a nice combination of power and contact, but playing time will be limited, and fantasy managers in deeper leagues should expect an adjustment to the velocity of MLB pitching.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell

March 5, 2026

Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider touched 96.7 mph twice on the radar gun during his Grapefruit League outing on Thursday, and his four-seam fastball averaged 95 mph, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The late life on Strider's pitches was there, and he got a swhiff on five of the 12 sliders that he threw against the Toronto Blue Jays. Strider allowed two earned runs on two hits while walking one and striking out four in his 2 1/3 innings of work. It's good news after the 27-year-old averaged 93.1 mph with his fastball in his spring debut on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles. Strider wasn't too worried about the radar gun, though, and it's encouraging that his velocity was back up this week. He averaged 98.2 mph in his first two MLB seasons before struggling in 2025 with a 4.45 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 9.4 K/9 in his return from elbow reconstruction last year. Strider may never recapture his pre-injury form, but a rebound in 2026 is possible while being another year removed from surgery. Expect to see his ADP rise this spring if his velocity slowly comes back. Right now, he's ranked as the No. 26 fantasy starting pitcher at RotoBaller.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman

March 5, 2026

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (finger) has been diagnosed with a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger, according to the team, and he'll be re-evaluated in two weeks, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Pena and the Astros were downplaying the severity of the injury that occurred on Wednesday while playing for Team Dominican Republic, when a ground ball took a bad hop and hit him in the finger. The 28-year-old will now miss the World Baseball Classic, and there's a chance he'll be forced to miss the start of the 2026 regular season as well, depending on how he recovers in the next couple of weeks. If Pena is forced to the injured list, Carlos Correa would slide over to shortstop, and Isaac Paredes would fill in at third base in Houston. Fantasy managers might be a little more hesitant to take Pena as a low-end starting shortstop in fantasy drafts now.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara

March 5, 2026

Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith has emerged as an elite source of saves in 2026, now sitting as the fourth-highest ranked reliever for the upcoming 2026 fantasy season at RotoBaller, just ahead of Andres Munoz, who registered 38 saves for Seattle a season ago. The right-hander has had a phenomenal first two seasons in the big leagues, amassing 103 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings as a reliever in 2024 with a 1.91 ERA and 0.90 WHIP, then followed it up with 104 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings with a 2.93 ERA (1.95 FIP) and 1.00 WHIP in 2025 while racking up 16 saves for the Guardians, 13 of which came after August 5 on the heels of the suspension of former closer Emmanuel Clase. Stepping in as the full-time closer in 2026, the 6-foot-5 Smith brings a 96.4 average fastball velocity with a 95th percentile whiff rate and 97th percentile strikeout rate to the role, on a team that won 88 games in '25 and should compete for a division crown once again. He won't be cheap on draft day, but with no indications of a slowdown on the horizon, the 26-year-old is rightfully not only one of the top relievers for fantasy, but he's also one of the top pitchers for fantasy regardless of role (starter or reliever).--Jarod Rupp
Source: ESPN

March 5, 2026

Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards was removed from Thursday's Grapefruit League game with left calf tightness. The diminutive infielder was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a stolen base before his removal in the fourth inning. The severity of the injury is not yet clear, but for a player whose speed could be his greatest fantasy asset, it is certainly a situation to monitor. The 26-year-old swiped 27 bags last season and 31 the year before, and had already recorded three steals through five spring games this year. The switch-hitter makes a ton of contact, registering an 89.2 percent contact rate last season with a low 14.2 percent strikeout rate, which should continue to help buoy his batting average, which came in at .283 in 2025, but there is little power to speak of, thus limiting his fantasy appeal. Still, he's fairly priced in drafts, going around pick 175, and he offers positional versatility with 2B and SS eligibility, so managers in need of steals should consider him there, so long as Thursday's injury proves to be minor.--Jarod Rupp
Source: Christina De Nicola

March 5, 2026

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar started off Cactus League action with a bang, belting two home runs in his first two games and going 4-for-6 with a walk during that time. Since then, he's gone 0-for-6 over the next three games, but the former first-rounder has also drawn five walks over that stretch, so he's continued to get on base. Set to be the team's everyday center fielder, it should be exciting to see how the organization's former top prospect can perform in 2026 with regular playing time. The right-handed slugger got only sporadic starts during his two stints in the majors last season, but was phenomenal during his time at Triple-A, producing a .313/.403/.564 slash line with 11 home runs and 20 steals in 63 games. The drawback is that he was limited by injury yet again, missing nearly two months with a hamstring strain after playing just 14 games in 2024 between Double and Triple-A due to multiple injuries that included an injury to a hamstring and a reaggravation of it. Once he becomes OF eligible on Yahoo!, it will make him that much more versatile and appealing for fantasy. There is 15/15 likelihood here with 20/20 upside, and he'll cost next to nothing in drafts, if he even gets drafted at all. Remember, this is a player that Arizona thought enough of to allow him to debut in the majors at 20 years old back in 2023.--Jarod Rupp
Source: ESPN

March 5, 2026

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish had Tommy John surgery in June of 2024 and finally made his long-awaited return to the mound last August. The right-hander was superb in the six starts that he tallied, posting a 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and an elite 29.4 percent K-BB%. In 30 starts back in 2023, the former fourth-rounder pitched to a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 18.5 percent K-BB%, then logged a 2.75 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 23.3 percent K-BB% in his eight starts in 2024, so last year's success appeared to be a continuation of that stretch of dominance. Fantasy managers are hoping the 6-foot-3 hurler can replicate that success in 2026, and he's mostly looked the part through two spring starts. Although he's yielded four runs on seven hits, the New Mexico State product has walked just one while striking out seven in five innings of work. The hype has potentially driven his ADP of 81 into overvalued territory for someone who's made just 14 starts over the last two years and who could be on an innings limit in 2026, however, there is upside as well if he can make around 25 starts and log 150 innings, as fantasy managers would gladly roster a pitcher at that price who can provide 160 strikeouts while chipping in some wins, lowering ERA, and lowering WHIP along the way.--Jarod Rupp
Source: Baseball Reference

March 5, 2026

Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson (shoulder) will face live hitters in camp for the first time this spring on Friday, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. It's a big step for Stephenson, who still believes that he'll be ready for Opening Day later this month. The 33-year-old veteran missed all of the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and made only 12 appearances for the Halos last year due to thoracic outlet syndrome and nerve issues in his shoulder. Stephenson had a 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 10:3 K:BB in his 10 innings a year ago. The Angels don't have a set closer going into the 2026 regular season, so there's a chance Stephenson could rack up some save opportunities if he's healthy. However, he has only three career saves, making Kirby Yates and Ben Joyce (shoulder) more likely candidates for ninth-inning work.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger

March 5, 2026

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) continued his hitting progression in camp on Wednesday and took swings for the first time since his hamate bone surgery three weeks ago, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. There's still time for Lindor to be ready for Opening Day later this month, but nothing is guaranteed. The good news is that if Lindor isn't ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, he shouldn't be too far behind in making his season debut. If the 32-year-old five-time All-Star starts on the injured list, Vidal Brujan might be the favorite to make starts at the 6 in Queens in Lindor's absence for a bit. Lindor had his third straight season of 30-plus home runs in 2025 and also reached the 30-steal mark for the second time in the last three seasons. Despite potentially not being ready for Opening Day this year, fantasy managers should still treat him as a top-five shortstop.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand

March 5, 2026

Houston Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) will throw off a mound early next week, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. It will be the first time that Hader has thrown off a mound in camp after reporting to spring training this year with left-biceps inflammation. The 31-year-old veteran has only been throwing off flat ground so far. Fantasy managers must remember that Hader also missed the last seven weeks of the 2025 season due to a left-shoulder strain, so the hard-throwing six-time All-Star is entering the 2026 season as a risk/reward fantasy closer. Even if he doesn't suffer any setbacks going forward, there's a good chance Hader won't be ready for Opening Day, which would open the door for Bryan Abreu to serve as Houston's closer early on. When healthy last year, Hader was still his dominant self, posting a 2.05 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with 76 strikeouts and 28 saves for the Astros.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart