March 8, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Nelson Velazquez appears to have a legitimate chance at landing a spot on the 26-man roster. The Cardinals are looking for an option in left field with
Lars Nootbaar (heels) still sidelined. Nootbaar is still recovering from surgery on his heels, so it doesn't sound like he'll be ready for Opening Day. Velazquez has looked good at the plate during his six Grapefruit League games. He's looking to rebound after posting a .200/.274/.366 slash line with eight home runs and 27 RBI in 64 games with the Kansas City Royals last season. He joined the Cardinals as a non-roster invitee, so they'd need to drop someone off the 40-man roster to keep Velazquez for Opening Day.
Nathan Church and
Thomas Saggese are also competing for the starting left field gig. The Cardinals lineup could use a slugger from the right side, such as Velazquez, but we'll see if he can earn the spot.
--Andy WebbSource: Derrick Goold
March 8, 2026
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher
Porter Hodge (elbow) will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, according to manager Craig Counsell. Hodge has been diagnosed with a right flexor tendon strain and will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks. That decision will end Hodge's chances of making the 26-man roster to start the season. Before the injury, Hodge wasn't helping himself with seven walks and yielding seven earned runs in two innings of Cactus League play. The 25-year-old posted excellent rookie numbers in 2024, but couldn't get anyone out last season. He was once viewed as a possible closing option in Chicago, but
Daniel Palencia has run away with that job.
--Andy WebbSource: ESPN
March 8, 2026
Team Venezuela manager Omar Lopez said that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio (hand) is "ready" and should be back in the lineup for the World Baseball Classic contest against Nicaragua on Monday, according to Kevin Barral of FishOnFirst.com. A left-hand injury has caused Chourio to miss Venezuela's first two games of the WBC, but it's not a serious injury, and he'll be back in action next week after injuring his hand in an exhibition game last Wednesday when he was hit by a pitch. The 21-year-old will be ready for Opening Day at the end of this month and will look to continue improving as one of the league's best young outfielders after slashing .272/.317/.463 with a .781 OPS, 52 home runs, 157 RBI, 168 runs scored, and 43 stolen bases in 1,162 plate appearances over his first 279 regular-season games. Chourio is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 8 overall fantasy outfielder going into the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Fish on First - Kevin Barral
March 8, 2026
The Texas Rangers have claimed outfielder
Dairon Blanco off waivers from the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Blanco quickly finds a new home after being designated for assignment by the Royals earlier in the week. Blanco figures to have a legitimate shot at claiming a 26-man roster spot. The 32-year-old is a solid contact hitter with elite speed. Blanco has recorded 59 steals over parts of four seasons with the Royals. He could be a potential platoon option in the outfield, but his fantasy value will be dependent on his playing time.
--Andy WebbSource: Kansas City Royals
March 8, 2026
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton (forearm) is "fine" after he was removed from Friday's World Baseball Classic game for Team USA against Brazil after being hit by a pitch on his right forearm in the fifth inning, according to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa. X-rays came back negative on Buxton's arm. He initially stayed in the game in the WBC opener on Friday before being replaced in the outfield by Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong. It's great news for the injury-prone two-time All-Star and for the Twins, with the start of the 2026 regular season less than three weeks away. It's also great news for Team USA, which is without Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll (hand) due to a fractured hamate bone that required surgery last month. Buxton didn't start in Saturday's win over Great Britain, but he's not expected to miss much time.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Ryan Kelapire
March 8, 2026
Texas Rangers catcher
Kyle Higashioka (back) is expected to return to the lineup on Monday, according to manager Skip Schumaker. Higashioka has been sidelined since being scratched from Saturday's lineup due to back spasms. Luckily, it sounds like a minor issue that is only going to sideline Higashioka for a few days. The expectation is that Higashioka will split up the playing time behind the plate with
Danny Jansen. Last season, Higashioka slashed .241/.291/.403 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI across 94 games. The fact that he's going to be in a platoon situation doesn't bode well for his everyday fantasy value.
--Andy WebbSource: Evan Grant
March 8, 2026
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Andrew Abbott has been named the Opening Day starter, according to manager Terry Francona. This will be the first Opening Day assignment for Abbott, who earned it as a consolation prize. Normally, ace
Hunter Greene (elbow) would get the Opening Day nod. Unfortunately, Greene is dealing with an elbow injury and won't be able to make that start. Abbott posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 149/43 K/BB ratio across 29 starts with the Reds last season. His current ADP sits at 208, which feels like a steal given his success last season. Abbott has the potential to be a top 45-50 starting pitcher in the league.
--Andy WebbSource: Cincinnati Reds
March 8, 2026
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher
Shane Smith will get the honor of taking the ball on Opening Day. According to Scott Merkin, Smith will get the nod to begin the regular season. The selection of Smith makes it five consecutive seasons that the White Sox have started a different pitcher on Opening Day. The 25-year-old is deserving of the honor after posting a strong rookie campaign in 2025. He registered a 3.81 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 145/58 K/BB ratio across 29 starts. His overall numbers don't scream ace pitcher, but Smith can be a capable big league arm. It's unlikely that he'll rack up a ton of wins on the South Side, which won't help his fantasy value. His current ADP is sitting around 260-270 range, which seems fair. He could be a decent depth option for fantasy managers with potential to get better.
--Andy WebbSource: Scott Merkin
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
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