February 19, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy signed a new three-year contract on Thursday that includes a club option for the 2029 season, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Murphy is well-deserving of the extension after winning back-to-back National League Manager of the Year awards. The 67-year-old skipper had big shoes to fill when he replaced Craig Counsell two years ago, but he has more than exceeded expectations. Before being named the manager in Milwaukee, Murphy was the bench coach for Counsell from 2016 to 2023. He became the first Brewers manager to win Manager of the Year in 2024. The Brew Crew set a franchise record with 97 wins last year and a third straight division crown despite being under .500 in the final week of May. In his two years as manager of the Brewers, the team has gone 190-134 during the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
February 19, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Shane Bieber (forearm) is making progress in camp, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. "Biebs isn't that far behind. Biebs is feeling good. He's out to [throwing at] 120 feet. Hopefully, in the next week to two weeks, he's getting off the mound and starting his progression," manager John Schneider said. It's good news for Bieber, but the Blue Jays already said that the 30-year-old veteran will begin the 2026 season on the injured list as he recovers from right-forearm fatigue. Bieber is expected to start throwing bullpen sessions within the next two weeks. Barring a setback as he ramps up, it might not be long before he's able to make his 2026 debut in his first full season in Toronto. He didn't debut last year until late August while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he went 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 37 K's in his seven regular-season starts. Bieber was a Cy Young winner in the shortened 2020 season and has a track record of being an ace, but fantasy managers can't realistically expect him to return to those levels. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 95 starting pitcher in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
February 19, 2026
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on Thursday that left-hander
Shota Imanaga is throwing his fastball harder this spring, which is mostly a "product of his hamstring being healthy," according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Counsell thinks Imanaga's hamstring injury last year "created some bad mechanical issues while the pitcher compensated for the injury." The 32-year-old Japanese southpaw was an All-Star in his first year in the U.S. in 2024, going 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 174:28 K:BB in 29 starts (173 1/3 innings). Imanaga carried that over into the first half in 2025, posting a 2.65 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 12 starts before the All-Star break. After a hamstring injury caused him to miss two months, his ERA jumped ot 4.70 with a 1.04 WHIP in the second half. He was even worse in a small sample size in the playoffs, but now back to full health, Imanaga is a clear bounce-back candidate in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Marquee Sports Network - Bruce Levine
February 19, 2026
San Francisco Giants left-hander
Carson Whisenhunt was consistently hitting 96-97 mph during his simulated game in camp on Thursday, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. Whisenhunt's average fastball velocity last year was at 92.6 mph, so it's a notable development early in spring training as he heads into his second major-league season. The 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2022 out of East Carolina University made five starts in his big-league debut in 2025 and allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in 23 1/3 innings (5.01) ERA while walking 12 and striking out 16. Whisenhunt will most likely start the 2026 season at Triple-A Sacramento to continue his development. Command and control were both issues in his small sample size with the Giants last year. His future in the big leagues could be in the bullpen if those issues don't improve.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Jose Mercury News - Justice delos Santos
February 19, 2026
Kansas City Royals outfielder
Lane Thomas (foot) said on Thursday that he's fully healthy this spring after he had surgery to fix plantar fasciitis in his right foot last September, according to Sports Radio 810. Thomas was a total bust for the Cleveland Guardians last year due to injuries. He was limited to only 39 regular-season games and hit .160/.246/.272 with a .518 OPS, four home runs, 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 142 plate appearances in his seventh year in the majors. Despite the lost season, the 30-year-old veteran could see most of the playing time in left field for the Royals in 2026 after signing a one-year, $5.25 million deal in December. The previous two seasons with the Washington Nationals and Guardians, Thomas hit .255/.312/.439 with a .751 OPS, 43 homers, 149 RBI, and 52 steals in 286 games, so there is bounce-back potential if he's fully healthy. At the very least, he could be a sneaky waiver-wire pickup for his speed.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Radio 810
February 19, 2026
San Diego Padres right-hander
Randy Vasquez has an "inside track" to one of the final starting rotation spots in San Diego to begin the 2026 season despite the recent additions of
German Marquez and
Walker Buehler, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell.
Nick Pivetta,
Michael King, and
Joe Musgrove are locks. Vasquez, 27, likely earned himself a rotation spot to begin the year with his solid 2025 showing, in which he went 6-7 with a 3.84 ERA (4.85 FIP) and 1.32 WHIP with a career-high 78 strikeouts and 52 walks in 133 2/3 innings over 28 appearances (26 starts). While Vasquez was a solid back-of-the-rotation arm for the Friars, fantasy managers in deeper leagues should expect some regression due to his 5.51 xFIP and 5.44 SIERA. His 4.6% K-BB% was the third-lowest mark in the league among pitchers with at least 130 innings. Vasquez is outside of RotoBaller's top-100 starting pitchers in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
February 19, 2026
Boston Red Sox right-hander
Kutter Crawford (knee, wrist, illness) is in the mix for the No. 5 starting rotation spot to begin the 2026 season, but MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo also reports that he "could start the year on the injured list." Crawford is behind the other starting candidates at spring training and has not faced hitters yet, and a bout with the flu delayed his progress early in camp as he works his way back from knee and wrist injuries that cost him the entire 2025 season. The 29-year-old led the team with 33 starts two years ago and was an All-Star candidate after having a 2.89 ERA in his first 11 starts. Crawford finished the 2024 campaign with a 4.36 ERA, 175 strikeouts, and 51 walks over 183 2/3 innings. Especially since he's behind due to the injuries he dealt with last year, Crawford is off the fantasy radar in single-year leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
February 19, 2026
Baltimore Orioles corner infielder
Coby Mayo could see more opportunities at third base in Baltimore if infielder
Jordan Westburg (elbow, oblique) is forced to miss time due to injuries to begin the 2026 season, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Westburg is unable to perform baseball activities in camp right now and could be forced to the injured list to begin the year, making Mayo the starting third baseman for the O's. The 24-year-old came up through the system as a third baseman, but the O's moved him across the diamond to first last year.
Pete Alonso is now locked in at first base, so Mayo could make the move back across the infield. Through his first 102 games played in the big leagues, Mayo has struggled at the plate, slashing .201/.285/.349 with a .634 OPS, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, and a 31.2% strikeout rate. There's hope that Mayo's strong finish to last season can carry over, but he's going to need to make more contact to find his way into Baltimore's lineup regularly.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
February 19, 2026
Chicago White Sox manager
Will Venable said that right-hander
Seranthony Dominguez will be the team's closer to begin the 2026 season, according to James Fegan of Sox Machine. The White Sox signed Dominguez to a two-year, $20 million contract last month. The 31-year-old veteran has only 40 career saves in seven big-league seasons with three different teams, with 16 of them coming in his first major-league season in 2018 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Dominguez struck out 30.3% of the hitters he faced and had an opponent's expected batting average of just .200, partly because of a new split-finger fastball that he introduced. In a career-high 62 2/3 innings pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, he held a 3.16 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, two saves, 20 holds, 79 strikeouts, and 36 walks. Dominguez's splitter is nasty and regularly generates whiffs, but a career-high 13.8% walk rate is worrisome, and he's unlikely to see a ton of save chances on one of the worst teams in baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sox Machine - James Fegan
February 19, 2026
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Gavin Williams took another step last year, reaching personal bests across the board in ERA (3.06), strikeouts (173), innings (167 2/3), and starts (31). After the All-Star break, Williams had a 2.18 ERA over 12 starts, which tied him with
Tarik Skubal for first among qualified American League starters. In the first few months of 2025, he threw less than six innings in eight of his 11 starts, logging a 4.27 ERA with 32 walks in 52 2/3 frames. According to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins, a subtle mechanical adjustment that Williams made on June 16 was the catalyst for his excellent finish. The 26-year-old raised the position of his hands from resting at the belt to his chest, to create a longer arm path so he could better locate his pitches. Williams also added a sinker last year, although he only threw it 6.6% of the time. The adjustment helped Williams throw more strikes, but he still led the majors with 83 walks. Going into 2026, Williams is an anchor in Cleveland's starting rotation and is a high-end No. 4 starting pitcher in fantasy with upside for more if he continues to lower his walk rate.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
February 19, 2026
Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitching prospect
Rhett Lowder is in the mix for the team's No. 5 starting rotation spot this spring, competing with
Chase Burns,
Brandon Williamson, and
Julian Aguiar, and so far, he has looked good, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Lowder has faced hitters twice in live batting practice sessions and has looked "very polished," according to manager Terry Francona. "He's gross," a Reds hitter said of Lowder. The 23-year-old former seventh overall pick in 2023 out of Wake Forest missed all of last season with forearm and oblique injuries, but he had a normal offseason and looks primed and ready to return to the big leagues as a key part of the back end of Cincy's rotation. Lowder made his major-league debut in 2024 and made six starts, allowing only four earned runs while fanning 22 and walking 14 in 30 2/3 innings. He should already be stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues, and he could quickly emerge as a streamer on the redraft radar if he earns a rotation spot.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Sheldon
February 19, 2026
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that corner infielder
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hamstring) could get into Cactus League games at the beginning of next week, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Encarnacion-Strand came to spring training a bit behind the other position players due to a minor hamstring injury that he suffered in January, but it doesn't appear to be anything that will keep the 26-year-old from being ready to go for Opening Day in late March.
Ke'Bryan Hayes is now locked in as the team's starting third baseman, while
Eugenio Suarez,
Sal Stewart, and Spencer Stewart should all rotate between first base and designated hitter in 2026, making it likely that Encarnacion-Strand will be on the outside looking in for an Opening Day roster spot. CEH has notable power, but he chases outside the zone too much. The former fourth-rounder hit just .208/.234/.377 with a .610 OPS in 36 big-league games in 2025 and finished the year in the minors.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
February 19, 2026
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that designated hitter/catcher
Moises Ballesteros should be in camp by Saturday or Sunday, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Ballesteros is making his way through Colombia with visa issues.
Miguel Amaya and
Carson Kelly are expected to split the catching duties in 2026, with Ballesteros serving as the team's primary DH against right-handed pitchers. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter made his major-league debut with the Cubs last year and appeared in only 20 games, going 17-for-57 (.298) with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored. The fact that Ballesteros might not regain catching eligibility in fantasy is a major drawback, but his bat will play, and he could have 20-25-homer upside at the major-league level. At Triple-A Iowa in 2025, he slashed .316/.385/.473 with 13 home runs and just a 13.2% strikeout rate in 114 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Marquee Sports Network - Bruce Levine
February 19, 2026
After signing in free agency on a modest two-year contract, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher
Matthew Boyd entered 2025 profiling as a quality depth arm but little more. The 35-year-old instead delivered a career season, posting a 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 154 strikeouts across 179 2/3 innings pitched (31 starts). Still, a look under the hood at Boyd could reveal that he's a prime regression candidate in 2026. Across 68 innings after the All-Star break, Boyd posted a 4.63 ERA. Additionally, with a below-average 21.4% strikeout rate, Boyd is unlikely to provide significant help to fantasy managers in the strikeout category. The veteran lefty also remains a significant health risk, as 2025 was his first time throwing more than 78 2/3 innings in a season since 2019. Boyd has a spot in the Cubs' rotation, which gives him a chance to rack up wins as long as he can stay on the mound. However, fantasy managers may want to price in some regression back to career norms and health risk before targeting him in drafts.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 19, 2026
In 2024, while pitching for the Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher
Griffin Jax emerged as one of the best high-leverage arms in baseball. Jax's performance declined in 2025, as he finished the year with a 4.23 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts across 66 innings split between Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Still, Jax posted an elite 35% strikeout rate, and his ERA improved to a more manageable 3.60 across 23 appearances with the Rays after being acquired mid-season. Heading into 2026, Jax appears to be competing with right-hander
Edwin Uceta and left-hander
Garrett Cleavinger for the closer job in Tampa Bay. Rays manager Kevin Cash is known for using multiple relievers in the ninth inning, so the most likely scenario is that Jax will not see 100% of the team's save opportunities. However, given his ability to rack up strikeouts, he could be a useful relief option for fantasy managers even if he remains in a part-time closer role. With a current average draft position of pick 233, Jax could ultimately end up providing significant value for managers in the middle rounds of drafts.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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