January 27, 2026

Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown broke out as an All-Star in 2025 in his fourth year in the big leagues, going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA (3.14 FIP), 1.02 WHIP, and 206:57 K:BB in 31 starts over 185 1/3 innings pitched. The 27-year-old was essentially Houston's ace. The former fifth-round selection out of Wayne State has come a long way since he had a 5.09 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 155 2/3 innings in 2023 in his first year in the big leagues. Brown reached the illustrious 200-strikeout mark for the first time in his career, and opposing hitters batted a tick over .200 against him. Brown has the arsenal (six pitches) to keep batters off balance and continue to be successful in 2026, but fantasy managers shouldn't necessarily expect another ERA under 3.00. Keeping the ball in the yard was a big reason for his success last year, as he allowed just 0.8 home runs per nine innings. RotoBaller has Brown ranked as the No. 8 starting pitcher.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

January 27, 2026

Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez has won the World Series in both of his seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was much better in his first year in Hollywood, slashing .272/.339/.501 with an .840 OPS, career-high 33 home runs, 99 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and 84 runs scored in 154 regular-season games. Last year in 134 regular-season games, Hernandez hit .247/.284/.454 with just a .738 OPS, 25 home runs, 89 RBI, 65 runs scored, and five steals. The 33-year-old Dominican outfielder had a career-best 24.6% strikeout rate, but also a career-worst 4.8% walk rate. His power was down in 2025, but Hernandez's batted-ball metrics weren't far off from his strong 2025 campaign with L.A. Fantasy managers should know that Hernandez has hit at least 20 homers in each of the last seven full seasons. Hitting in the middle of the best lineup in baseball gives Hernandez a pretty safe floor, while he has 30-homer, 100-RBI upside. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 31 fantasy outfielder.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

January 27, 2026

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber led the league and set a new career high with 56 home runs in 2025 in his fourth season with the Phils. He also had a league- and career-high 132 RBI while slashing .240/.365/.563 with a career-best .928 OPS, career-high 111 runs scored, and career-best 10 stolen bases in 162 games. The 32-year-old left-handed slugger is strictly a DH, though, and his high strikeout totals will ensure that his batting average will remain low. He finished last year third in walks (108), and he was the runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in the National League MVP voting. Schwarber has had 100-plus RBI in each of the last three years. The fact that Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies is a huge plus for his fantasy outlook going into the 2026 campaign, where he'll remain an elite power threat and run producer. RotoBaller has Schwarber ranked as the No. 23 overall player.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

January 27, 2026

New York Yankees infielder Marco Luciano has been designated for assignment by the organization on Tuesday. Luciano didn't even last a week on the team before getting kicked off the 40-man roster. The Yankees needed to make room for recently acquired pitcher Don Hamel, so Luciano was the odd man out. Since the end of the 2025 season, Luciano has been on the Giants, Pirates, Orioles, and Yankees. The 24-year-old is a former top prospect, but hasn't put it together at the MLB level. During parts of two seasons, Luciano is slashing .217/.286/.304 with three RBI in 41 games. He posted an ugly slash line in the minors last season, but blasted 23 home runs with 85 walks at Triple-A Sacramento. Luciano should hopefully land somewhere to at least compete for a spot during Spring Training.--Andy Webb
Source: New York Yankees

January 27, 2026

Right-handed power-hitting first baseman Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency on a five-year, $155 million contract. The New York Mets decided not to bring him back after a very successful 2025 season in Queens, in which he hit .272/.347/.524 with an .871 OPS, 38 home runs, a league-leading 41 doubles, 87 runs scored, and 126 RBI in 162 games played. The 31-year-old played in all 162 regular-season games for the second year in a row. While Camden Yards hasn't been the most hitter-friendly park in the American League East, we don't think Alonso will have any issues driving in plenty of runs in the middle of the O's lineup. In the last four regular seasons, only Aaron Judge has driven in more runs than Alonso. The Polar Bear is ranked just inside the top-25 overall players by RotoBaller, and he's the No. 3 first baseman, behind only Nick Kurtz and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

January 27, 2026

The New York Yankees have reportedly expressed interest in re-signing free-agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. It seems that the Bronx Bombers are open to a reunion with the veteran slugger. During his lone season in the Bronx, Goldschmidt slashed .274/.328/.403 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 146 games in 2025. The Yankees are seeking a platoon partner for Ben Rice, so Goldschmidt does make sense for them. The power dropoff from Goldschmidt is concerning, as his 10 long balls are the third-fewest during his 15-year career. The 38-year-old still posted a solid slash line and is a viable option at first base. It would likely be a short, one-year deal, so it's unlikely to be a bad investment if the Yankees decide to go that route.--Andy Webb
Source: SNY

January 27, 2026

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez got off to another slow start in 2025 and was hitting just over .207 at the end of April, but the 25-year-old Dominican eventually figured things out, tying a career-high with 32 home runs while adding 95 RBI, 106 runs scored, and 30 stolen bases in a league-high 710 plate appearances over 160 regular-season games. The three-time All-Star and former American League Rookie of the Year has been a 20-homer, 20-steal player in all four of his big-league seasons, with two of them being 30-30 campaigns. He's the youngest player in MLB history with four 20-20 seasons. On top of J-Rod's strong 2025 season, he had a career-low 24.1% strikeout rate. There aren't many better power/speed options to target in the late-first, early-second round of fantasy baseball drafts than Rodriguez.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball

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