January 28, 2026
The Washington Nationals have claimed shortstop
Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the New York Mets. Cheng will now land with his third team of the offseason after being designated for assignment by the Mets last week. The 24-year-old figures to offer organizational depth and is hopeful for a bounce-back season in 2026. Last season, Cheng slashed .207/.305/.267 with 36 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 110 games in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system. He'll look to earn a bench role with the Nats during Spring Training.
--Andy WebbSource: Washington Nationals
January 28, 2026
Colorado Rockies outfielder
Yanquiel Fernandez has been designated for assignment by the organization on Wednesday. It's surprising to see Fernandez booted off the roster, given he's only 23 years old. He did struggle during his 52 games in the big leagues last season, but Fernandez still has promising upside. He slashed .284/.347/.502 with 13 home runs and 39 RBI across 64 games in Triple-A Albuquerque last season. Given the upside here, it wouldn't be shocking if multiple teams put in a waiver claim on Fernandez. His fantasy value will be dependent on where he goes and if he makes another team's 26-man roster.
--Andy WebbSource: Francys Romero
January 28, 2026
The Los Angeles Angels have claimed relief pitcher
Kaleb Ort off waivers from the New York Yankees. Ort was designated for assignment by the Yankees last week. He'll now head to Los Angeles, which will be his third team since the end of the regular season. At best, Ort will likely be used as a middle reliever, assuming he makes the Halos' 40-man roster. Last season, Ort posted a 4.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 49/27 K/BB ratio across 49 games with the Houston Astros. Ort is unlikely to have much fantasy value, even if he does make the final roster.
--Andy WebbSource: New York Yankees
January 28, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that outfielder
Aaron Judge's right elbow is "doing really well" as he ramps up his throwing in preparation for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "He looks great," Boone said. The 33-year-old was sent to the injured list last year with a flexor strain in his elbow, and it limited him to designated hitter duties for a while after he returned. Judge returned to the outfield in September and avoided surgery, so he should be good to play the outfield to begin the 2026 regular season. Judge is the best hitter in baseball and has been the American League MVP in three of the last four years. He's the No. 2 overall fantasy player for a reason, as he's clubbed over 50 homers in three out of the last four seasons. Judge had 53 long balls and led the league in 2025 in WAR (9.7), runs (137), walks (124), batting average (.331), on-base percentage (.457), slugging percentage (.688), OPS (1.144), and total bases (372) in 152 regular-season contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
January 28, 2026
New York Yankees shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) is "working his tail off" as he rehabs from offseason left-shoulder surgery, according to general manager Brian Cashman. There's no updated return timetable on Volpe, but the Yankees said earlier this offseason that they don't expect Volpe to make his 2026 debut until after April, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. The 24-year-old shortstop's fantasy stock has definitely taken a hit going into 2026 after having surgery for a shoulder injury that he suffered in the first half of last season. RotoBaller has Volpe ranked as the No. 34 fantasy shortstop after he hit .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs, 72 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 153 games in 2025. Volpe will be much cheaper in fantasy drafts this year because of his shoulder surgery, and it could take him a while to regain his power stroke in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
January 28, 2026
The Atlanta Braves brought back right-handed closer
Raisel Iglesias on a one-year, $16 million deal for the 2026 campaign, but they also added high-leverage reliever
Robert Suarez in free agency. The Braves are saying that Iglesias will begin the year as their primary closer, but should Iglesias get injured or stumble, Suarez could take over quickly after leading baseball with 40 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2025. Suarez has 76 saves in the last two seasons, so he's plenty capable of handling the role in his new digs. The 36-year-old Iglesias didn't look like himself early in 2025, but he bounced back with an ERA under 2.00 and a 0.83 WHIP since the start of June. Iglesias had a league-best 16 saves over the final two months and was nearly unhittable during that time. He definitely still has the stuff to be a successful fantasy closer, but Suarez's presence has made him around the 12th fantasy closer off the board in drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
January 28, 2026
Because he missed almost the entire second half of the 2025 season due to a left rotator-cuff strain, Kansas City Royals left-hander
Kris Bubic (shoulder) is the No. 62-ranked starting fantasy pitcher at RotoBaller going into 2026. It's unclear if Bubic will be ready for the start of the regular season, but he was cleared to start throwing in November. Before his shoulder injury last year, the 28-year-old southpaw was in the midst of a breakout campaign, going 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 116:39 K:BB in 20 starts over 116 innings pitched. Bubic only threw 30 1/3 innings in relief for KC in 2024, and his arm simply couldn't handle the volume increase. He doesn't have high-end velocity, but Bubic makes up for it with a diverse arsenal and excellent location that he uses to keep hitters off balance. If he's ready for the start of the 2026 season, Bubic could be a nice late-round value pick in fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
January 28, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers signed free-agent catcher
Reese McGuire to a minor-league contract on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. McGuire will stay in the National League Central in 2026 after slashing .226/.245/.444 with a .688 OPS, career-high nine home runs, and 24 RBI in 44 games with the Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old backstop hasn't exactly panned out in his eight big-league seasons after the Pittsburgh Pirates took him in the first round (14th overall) back in 2013 out of high school. In 399 career games at the major-league level, the left-handed hitter has a .248/.293/.374 slash line with 25 homers, 106 RBI, and 110 runs scored. McGuire should be expected to serve as Milwaukee's backup catcher behind All-Star
William Contreras, giving him little fantasy appeal.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
January 28, 2026
The New York Yankees acquired right-handed reliever
Angel Chivilli from the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in exchange for minor-leaguer
T.J. Rumfield, according to Jack Curry of YES Network. It's a minor move that doesn't really move the needle at all in fantasy baseball. Chivilli, 23, has some raw talent as a potential future high-leverage reliever, but he wasn't very successful in two MLB seasons in Colorado the last two years. Chivilli has a 6.18 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, one save, 71 strikeouts, and 33 walks in 90 1/3 total innings of relief. Getting out of the thin air in Denver is definitely a plus for Chivilli, and now the Yankees will hope to get the most out of his right arm. He does a good job keeping the ball on the ground while also ranking in the 88th percentile in fastball velocity. Both Chivilli's slider and changeup generate plenty of whiffs.
--Keith HernandezSource: YES Network - Jack Curry
January 28, 2026
Texas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter said that he wants to steal 30 bases during the 2026 MLB season. Carter told Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News that he has something to prove this year, and reaching the 30-steal mark is one of his goals. Back spasms and a right wrist fracture limited the former second-round pick to just eight games after August 1st last season, so contributing consistently and staying healthy will be key for his fantasy value in 2026. He finished his third MLB campaign with a .247/.336/.392 slash line, five home runs, 14 stolen bases, an 8.6% walk rate, an 18.6% strikeout rate, and 107 wRC+ across 63 games. Carter hasn't stolen 30 bases in a single campaign since being drafted, but he did tally at least 26 in each of his first three minor league seasons, so that's a reasonable goal. As it stands, he ranks as the #84 outfielder in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Shawn McFarland
January 28, 2026
The Minnesota Twins have acquired right-handed pitching prospect Jace Kaminska (elbow) and cash considerations from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for infielder
Edouard Julien and reliever
Pierson Ohl. The Rockies originally selected Kaminska as a 10th-round pick out of Nebraska in 2023. He flashed upside early in his minor league career before missing all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. Across 17 games (16 starts) at Single-A in 2024, he posted a 2.78 ERA and 3.13 FIP with 10.72 K/9, 1.24 BB/9, 0.62 HR/9, and a 45% ground ball rate. The 24-year-old has an average four-pitch repertoire, but his command and control should keep him in the mix for a starting role long-term. Realistically, he could pitch as high as Double-A in 2026, if he's healthy.
--Andersen PickardSource: Aaron Gleeman
January 28, 2026
The Colorado Rockies have acquired right-handed pitcher
Pierson Ohl and infielder
Edouard Julien from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Jace Kaminska and cash considerations. Ohl is a 26-year-old reliever who was designated for assignment recently. He had a strong collegiate career at Grand Canyon University, which prompted the Twins to select him in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut last year and ultimately pitched to a 3.99 xFIP across 30 innings (11 relief appearances and three starts). He posted solid 8.1 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 rates, but there's some concern about the quality of contact after he posted 1.5 HR/9 and a 34.7% ground ball rate in 2025. It's fair to wonder how that profile will play at Coors Field, which is incredibly unfriendly to fly-ball pitchers. At the very least, though, he offers bullpen depth for a Rockies organization that has been relatively quiet this offseason.
--Andersen PickardSource: Colorado Rockies
January 28, 2026
The Colorado Rockies have acquired infielder
Edouard Julien and right-handed pitcher
Pierson Ohl from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Jace Kaminska and cash considerations. Julien made just 64 appearances in the majors last year, but he got back above the Mendoza line by slashing .220/.309/.324 with a 10.6% walk rate, 29.3% strikeout rate, and 81 wRC+. He posted negative fWAR at the plate and in the field, and he primarily played first or second base when he wasn't designated hitting. He combined for -7 OAA on the right side of the infield. The 26-year-old has zero options remaining, so Colorado will now be pressured to keep him on their 40-man and 26-man rosters. Despite his subpar metrics, Julien represents a potential short-term upgrade over depth infielders
Ryan Ritter,
Adael Amador, and
Blaine Crim, all of whom possess fewer than 0.15 years of service time.
--Andersen PickardSource: Dan Hayes
January 28, 2026
The Atlanta Braves have shown interest in free-agent right-handed pitchers
Lucas Giolito and
Chris Bassitt, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Giolito hit the open market after a season in Boston, and because he doesn't carry a qualifying offer, the Braves wouldn't have to forfeit a draft selection for signing him. He tossed 145 innings across 26 starts in 2025, posting a 3.41 ERA, 7.51 K/9, and 3.48 BB/9. The 31-year-old's 4.59 xFIP suggests he may have gotten lucky at times last season, but the results were enough to keep Giolito entrenched in the No. 2 starter role behind
Garrett Crochet. If he joins the Braves, he'd slot in behind a different Cy Young candidate southpaw in
Chris Sale. Bassitt also found success in the AL East last year, pitching to a 3.84 xFIP with 8.77 K/9, 2.75 BB/9, and a 46.5% ground ball rate with the Blue Jays. He'll be 37 by Opening Day, so he's a bit older than Giolito, but he offers consistency after making at least 30 starts in each of the last four seasons. As it currently stands,
Spencer Schwellenbach and
Spencer Strider are in line to pitch after Sale in the Braves' rotation.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
January 28, 2026
The Chicago Cubs have signed veteran reliever
Trent Thornton to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Thornton most recently appeared in the majors with Toronto last season, pitching to a 4.74 FIP across 33 appearances (42.1 innings). He limited walks but allowed a decent amount of contact with 6.80 K/9 and 1.28 HR/9. Pitch-tracking data indicate that Thornton threw seven different pitches in 2025, adding a splitter to his repertoire for the first time in his career. However, the slider/sweeper remains his best offering with 103 Stuff+, according to FanGraphs' model. The 32-year-old right-hander is working his way back from a torn Achilles, and it's currently unclear whether his recovery timetable will allow him to compete for a spot in the Cubs' Opening Day bullpen.
--Andersen PickardSource: Bruce Levine
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