March 8, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (back) was able to throw a successful live batting practice session on Sunday. According to Steve Gilbert, Kelly felt good during the session and everything went well. The next step will likely be Kelly throwing a bullpen session before getting into game action. Barring any setbacks, Kelly should be ready in time for Opening Day. In 2025, Kelly posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 167/48 K/BB ratio across 32 starts. The 37-year-old pitched well last season, but a regression is possible given his age. If healthy, Kelly could be an interesting late-round option, but he's unlikely to surpass last year's numbers.
--Andy WebbSource: Steve Gilbert
March 8, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays infielder
Gavin Lux (upper body) is expected to make his Spring Training debut on Tuesday. The team has been vague about Lux so far, but they've been holding him out due to body soreness. He'll take some live at-bats on Sunday and will get into game action on Tuesday. Barring any setbacks, Lux should be ready to go for Opening Day. Lux was traded to the Rays in a three-team deal in January. He figures to get regular playing time at second base with
Brandon Lowe no longer on the team. Last season, Lux slashed .269/.350/.374 with five home runs, 53 RBI, and one steal in 127 games. The 28-year-old is unlikely to offer much fantasy value given his lack of power and speed.
--Andy WebbSource: Marc Topkin
March 8, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Cedric Mullins (back) has been kept out of the lineup lately due to a lingering back issue. Mullins is reportedly feeling better and was able to resume baseball activities. Rays' manager Kevin Cash said that Mullins is improving, but he isn't going to play for a little bit. The Rays aren't going to take any chances early in camp, so they'll let Mullins get 100 percent healthy. This shouldn't be something that impacts his status for Opening Day. Mullins is looking to bounce back after a fairly disappointing season in 2025. He slashed .216/.297/.391 with 17 home runs, 59 RBI, and 22 stolen bases in 122 games with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets last season. The 31-year-old can still help fantasy managers with a little bit of pop and his speed upside.
--Andy WebbSource: Marc Topkin
March 8, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman
Yandy Diaz (hand) has been unable to play most of this past week due to injury. According to Marc Topkin, Diaz has been out since Tuesday due to left-hand soreness. Rays' manager Kevin Cash said that Diaz is fine and he'll get a few more days off before returning to the lineup. It's Spring Training, so teams are almost always going to be extremely cautious with even minor issues. This doesn't sound like something that is going to impact Diaz for much longer. Diaz is coming off an excellent season where he slashed .300/.366/.482 with 25 home runs and 83 RBI in 150 games. There will likely be a regression in his power numbers with the move away from Steinbrenner Field. Fantasy managers should still be able to count on Diaz as a reliable bat.
--Andy WebbSource: Marc Topkin
March 8, 2026
Free-agent right-hander
Zack Littell and the Washington Nationals agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Sunday, sources told Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. Littell pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds in 2025, going a combined 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA (4.88 FIP), 1.10 WHIP, and 130:32 K:BB in a career-high 186 2/3 innings over his 32 starts. It remains to be seen how built up the 30-year-old is with less than three weeks until Opening Day at the end of March, but Littell figures to be locked into a starting rotation spot in D.C. after the club traded away
MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers in the offseason. Littell had the lowest walk rate (4.2%) among qualified starting pitchers, but he only struck out 17.1% of the batters he faced. Without high-end velocity and a lot of swing-and-miss stuff, the home run ball has been an issue for Littell. The fantasy upside here is limited.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kiley McDaniel
March 8, 2026
Seattle Mariners right-hander
Bryce Miller (oblique, side) will go through a touch-and-feel bullpen session in camp on Sunday, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. It will be Miller's first time on a mound since he received a platelet-rich plasma injection last weekend. He has been throwing off flat ground the last few days. The 27-year-old can't afford any other setbacks if he wants to be ready for Opening Day later this month. Miller's 2025 season was derailed by elbow issues that landed him on the injured list two separate times. The former fourth-rounder in 2021 out of Texas A&M never recovered, going 4-6 with a career-worst 5.68 ERA (5.17 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 74 strikeouts and 34 walks in 90 1/3 innings pitched over a career-low 18 starts. There's bounce-back potential for Miller if he's healthy in 2026, but in addition to his oblique/side issue, he could eventually need a procedure for a bone spur in his elbow.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
March 7, 2026
Boston Red Sox infielder
Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) will be evaluated on Tuesday to determine if he'll need to undergo surgery. Gonzalez hasn't participated in any baseball activities this spring due to left shoulder inflammation. This is something that continues to hinder Gonzalez, which could require surgery as the only solution. Gonzalez was already a long shot for Opening Day, but now he's looking at being on the shelf much longer. Last season, Gonzalez slashed .305/.343/.483 with nine home runs and 53 RBI in 96 games with the Red Sox. If he misses significant time,
Kristian Campbell and
Andruw Monasterio are candidates to see more at-bats to start the season.
--Andy WebbSource: Rob Bradford
March 7, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Kyle Tucker (personal) is expected to rejoin the organization on Sunday. Tucker has been away from the team for a little under a week while his wife gave birth to their first child. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tucker is expected to serve as the designated hitter on Sunday. He figures to return to the outfield in a few days once he gets his conditioning back up. The 2026 season will mark Tucker's first year with the Dodgers after signing a four-year deal over the offseason. He's hopeful to improve offensively after posting a "down year" in terms of his superstar numbers in 2025. Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 134 games with the Chicago Cubs last season. He should be considered a top 10 fantasy hitter heading into the 2026 campaign.
--Andy WebbSource: Fabian Ardaya
March 7, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Brandon Woodruff (lat) made his spring debut against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. The right-hander had a delayed start to camp while nursing a lat strain. Woodruff looked solid on the mound as he tossed two scoreless innings on Saturday. When talking with reporters, Woodruff said that the goal remains to be ready for Opening Day. He continued by saying that being healthy for September and October is something he wants to be part of this season. It sounds like Woodruff wants to be ready for the beginning of the season, but acknowledged he needs to stay healthy for a potential postseason run. The 33-year-old carries a higher risk for fantasy managers due to injury concerns. When healthy, Woodruff has looked great, but age regression and his injury history could drop his draft stock.
--Andy WebbSource: Adam McCalvy
March 7, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Orion Kerkering (hamstring) was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Saturday. As expected, Kerkering took the mound for his third throwing session since suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Barring any setbacks, Kerkering is likely to begin facing hitters after this session. The expectation is that he'll be ready for Opening Day with plenty of time to build up ahead of the regular season. Last year, Kerkering registered a 3.30 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 65/27 K/BB ratio across 60 innings of work. He's expected to operate as one of the primary setup options for closer
Jhoan Duran.
--Andy WebbSource: Charlotte Varnes
March 7, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Chandler Simpson (hamstring) hasn't played since Wednesday, but fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried right now. On Saturday, manager Kevin Cash said that the team is being overly cautious with Simpson. It sounds like the speedy outfielder is dealing with left hamstring tightness. The Rays don't want to push Simpson too hard and have him make the injury worse. For now, Simpson should be considered day-to-day. The 25-year-old doesn't appear to be in jeopardy of missing Opening Day. Last season, Simpson slashed .295/.326/.345 with 26 RBI and 44 stolen bases in 106 games. Simpson is a great source for steals, but he doesn't offer a ton of upside outside of that.
--Andy WebbSource: Marc Topkin
March 7, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers announced that right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (lat) is making his first Cactus League start on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. Woodruff missed all of the 2024 season while recovering from right-shoulder surgery, and he didn't make his 2025 debut until early July due to a few injury setbacks. The 33-year-old veteran then ended last season on the injured list with a right-lat strain. When on the mound for the Brew Crew last year, Woodruff was solid, going 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 83 strikeouts, and only 14 walks in 64 2/3 frames over 12 starts in the regular season. The Brewers haven't officially said that Woodruff will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation, and if he is, fantasy managers should expect a short leash as he's eased back in. He was still successful last year with diminished velocity, but Woodruff is much more of a risk due to injury concerns. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 46 fantasy starting pitcher in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Brewers
March 7, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) felt "strong" while throwing off the mound in camp on Saturday morning, according to Grace Del Pizzo. "So far, so good," Wheeler said. The 35-year-old veteran is progressing on schedule after having venous thoracic outlet surgery last year. Wheeler will start the 2026 regular season on the injured list, but there's a chance he won't miss a ton of time to begin the year. The three-time All-Star has been one of the most reliable fantasy aces in recent years with the Phillies, but he heads into this season as a big-time question mark after undergoing surgery for an issue that many pitchers have struggled to come back from. Before his injury in 2025, Wheeler had a 2.71 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 195:33 K: BB in 149 2/3 innings over 24 starts. There has been more optimism surrounding Wheeler of late as he ramps up his throwing program, but he'll be a risk/reward No. 3 fantasy starting pitcher in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Grece Del Pizzo
March 7, 2026
Houston Astros infielder
Carlos Correa (neck), who was scratched from the Grapefruit League lineup on Friday with a neck injury, will start at shortstop on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The 31-year-old's neck injury is not serious, and he's day-to-day for now. With regular shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) up in the air to be ready for Opening Day in late March due to a fractured finger, the Astros are going to give Correa some reps at the 6. In the event Pena starts the year on the injured list, Correa would slide over to shortstop, opening up playing time for
Isaac Paredes at third. The Minnesota Twins shipped Correa back to Houston last year, and he immediately improved his production in Houston, hitting .290/.355/.430 with six homers and 21 RBI in 51 games. Fantasy managers will be hoping that a full season back with the 'Stros will help Correa return to the 20-homer mark, but durability is a major concern.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
March 7, 2026
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Gavin Williams had another solid Cactus League outing on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits while walking none and striking out five in 3 2/3 innings of work. Williams threw 41 of his 56 pitches for strikes and didn't allow a walk for the second straight appearance. That's a big deal, since the 26-year-old led the league with 83 walks in 167 2/3 innings a season ago. Williams went 12-5 last year with a career-best 3.06 ERA (4.39 FIP) and 1.27 WHIP with 83 free passes and a career-high 173 punchouts over his 31 starts. So far this spring, Williams has issued just one walk in eight innings. If he's able to improve his control in 2026, Williams could take another step forward as a more reliable mid-rotation starter for fantasy managers. Williams' strong finish to the 2025 campaign gives hope for more going forward.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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