February 11, 2026
New York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said that
Bo Bichette and
Jorge Polanco will likely bat third and fourth, respectively. Presumably, that alignment is contingent on
Francisco Lindor (hand) being ready for opening day. Bichette was the Mets' biggest addition of the offseason. The former Blue Jays shortstop will likely shift to third base in New York when Lindor is healthy. He's a dependable contributor with the bat in his hands, slashing .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 134 wRC+ across 139 games in 2025. Polanco is also a new addition for the Mets after inking a free agent contract in December. He spent the last two years in Seattle, primarily slotting in as the Mariners' second baseman or designated hitter. He slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs and 132 wRC+ last season. He typically led off for the Mariners, but he did make 21 cleanup appearances with a suboptimal .615 OPS in the fourth slot.
--Andersen PickardSource: Anthony DiComo
February 11, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers have signed free-agent catcher
Gary Sanchez to a one-year, $1.75 million contract, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Sanchez most recently appeared with Milwaukee in 2024, but he spent last season with the Baltimore Orioles. Across 30 games in 2025, the veteran backstop slashed .231/.297/.418 with a 4.0% walk rate, 26.7% strikeout rate, and 100 wRC+. His defense took a step backward as he posted -2.6 FRM and -5 FRV behind the dish. Despite the subpar metrics, he's a solid depth addition for the Brewers, who needed another catcher. He'll join a depth chart that also includes
William Contreras and
Jeferson Quero. Sanchez might have an early jump on the backup catcher competition over Quero, who hasn't made his MLB debut yet.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
February 11, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease said that he's working to add a changeup this spring, and he is preaching consistency as a main component of his 2026 outlook, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Cease joined the Jays this offseason after two seasons with the Padres. Across 32 starts last year, he posted 11.52 K/9, 3.80 BB/9, a 36.6% ground ball rate, and a 3.56 FIP. It's interesting that Cease is looking for more consistency, especially after making at least 32 starts in each of the last five seasons. He presumably means more consistency on the process and results side, but there's still a ton to like about the underlying metrics. His fastball jumped to 97.1 mph last year, and his slider graded out at 115 on FanGraphs' Stuff+ model. It will be interesting to see what his new changeup looks like; he has thrown one in the past, but it accounted for just 1% of his pitch usage over the last two seasons.
--Andersen PickardSource: Keegan Matheson
February 11, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers have re-signed veteran reliever
Evan Phillips (elbow) to a one-year, $6.5 million contract, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. In a corresponding move, catcher
Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment. Phillips is coming off Tommy John surgery and is not expected to pitch until July. He made just seven appearances prior to injury last season, allowing zero earned runs with six strikeouts and a pair of walks. He posted a 2.08 FIP, but it came over such a small sample size that we should really pay closer attention to his 3.28 FIP from 2024. The 31-year-old is a very effective right-hander with a track record of posting high K/BB and ground ball rates. He won't be a closer in the Dodgers' deep bullpen, but he does have plenty of experience in save situations and can be trusted in high-leverage scenarios.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jeff Passan
February 11, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies infield prospect
Aidan Miller will take most of his spring training reps at shortstop and third base, according to manager Rob Thomson. He may also play some second base. However, the skipper shut down any chance of him playing left field. Miller was a first-round pick out of high school in 2023, and a meteoric rise through the minors resulted in him playing eight games at Triple-A last year. Between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, he slashed .264/.392/.433 with 14 home runs, 59 stolen bases, a 15.6% walk rate, a 23.4% strikeout rate, and 137 wRC+. It seems like he'll probably open 2026 at Triple-A, but his minor league statistics and his impending spring training workload both indicate that he should make his MLB debut in the very near future. He's already generating buzz in fantasy baseball circles, ranking as the #40 shortstop in RotoBaller's latest draft rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tim Kelly
February 11, 2026
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell expects a bigger workload for right-hander
Cade Horton in 2026 after a successful rookie campaign in which he went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 97:33 K:BB in 118 innings over 23 appearances (22 starts) during the regular season. "He dominated the league last year. Now it's do it again and do it over a full season, workload increased," Counsell said. The 24-year-old left his final regular-season start with a right-rib fracture and wasn't available for the Wild-Card round or Division Series in the playoffs, but all indications are that he had a normal offseason and is ready to roll this spring. Horton finished second in voting for National League Rookie of the Year in 2025. He'll have a secure spot in Chicago's rotation, but regression could be coming after he disappointed with a 20.4% strikeout rate. Horton is RotoBaller's No. 57 fantasy starting pitcher in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: WGN News - Josh Frydman
February 11, 2026
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. said on Wednesday after launching a ball just shy of the scoreboard in batting practice at spring training that he's "healthy now." Acuna recovered from a second torn ACL in his knee last year but was limited to 412 plate appearances and 95 games played in his eighth year in the big leagues. The five-time All-Star and former MVP hit .290/.417/.518 with a .935 OPS, 21 home runs, 42 RBI, 74 runs scored, and nine stolen bases, signaling that a huge 2026 could be in store if he is indeed fully healthy. Perhaps the 28-year-old will run more this year as well. Acuna's talent is hard to match around the league, but fantasy managers must remember that he has only played 100 games in a season twice in the last five years due to injuries. His elite contributions across all categories make him a top-10 overall fantasy asset, though.
--Keith HernandezSource: Alison Mastrangelo
February 11, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone expects designated hitter/outfielder
Giancarlo Stanton and his elbows to be "good to go" when he arrives at spring training, according to the New York Daily News' Gary Phillips. Boone typically slow-plays getting the oft-injured Stanton into games in camp, which should especially be the case this spring after the 36-year-old veteran had his 2025 season debut delayed until mid-June due to serious tennis elbow in both of his arms. Reports surfaced last week that Stanton's elbows will need to be managed again this year, but as of right now, everything looks good. He only played in 77 regular-season games last year, but he had a strong .273/.350/.594 slash line, .944 OPS, 24 home runs, and 66 RBI. Injuries seem inevitable with the right-handed slugger, as are plenty of strikeouts, but the power remains.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 11, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) could start throwing live batting practice in a couple of weeks and might graduate to Grapefruit League action by the end of spring training, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March and didn't pitch at all in 2025. The 35-year-old veteran and former American League Cy Young winner has been throwing since last August, though, and he could be ready to make his 2026 debut in late May or early June, barring setbacks along the way. Cole, a six-time All-Star, will obviously be a pretty big injury risk for fantasy managers this year, especially since his stuff was down in 2024 before he was sidelined. It's a pretty big stretch to expect Cole to immediately recapture his 2023 form when he returns from a long layoff this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 11, 2026
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever
Daniel Palencia is his closer, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Palencia said he learned to be more calm and confident after some failures last year, but overall, he was great at the back end of Chicago's bullpen. The 26-year-old Venezuelan had a career-best 2.91 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 22 saves, 61 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in the regular season. Palencia lost the closing role to
Brad Keller late last year after dealing with a shoulder injury, but Keller is now gone, and Palencia has a chance to take a step forward in 2026. He was able to break out last year by dropping his walk rate from 13.8% his first two MLB seasons to 7.4% last year. Palencia is one of the hardest-throwing relievers in the game with nasty stuff, but he'll need to throw strikes to stave off regression.
--Keith HernandezSource: 670 The Score - Bruce Levine
February 11, 2026
Despite the return of first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal, New York Yankees first baseman/catcher
Ben Rice should see the majority of playing time at first base in 2026, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "I think Benny's going to definitely be planning to get the bulk of the playing time over there. And I'm definitely fine with whatever role they need me to [do]," Goldschmidt said. The Yankees said early in the offseason that Rice would play "a lot" against left-handed pitchers, but the return of Goldy complicates things at first base. Goldschmidt had a .981 OPS against southpaws in 2025, so he should play often at first in those situations. Rice, meanwhile, could give
Austin Wells a break behind the dish against lefties. As long as Rice swings the bat like he did last year (26 home runs in 138 regular-season games), fantasy managers shouldn't have to worry about his playing time. Rice is a top-10 fantasy first baseman at RotoBaller.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 11, 2026
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Zach Eflin (back) is a full-go in spring training and will have a normal camp, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Eflin missed the final two months of last season after having a lumbar microdiscectomy on Aug. 18. After re-signing on a one-year, $10 million deal last October, the 31-year-old veteran hurler should have a spot in the back of Baltimore's starting rotation. Eflin's greatest strength is his ability to pepper the strike zone, as his 4.2% walk rate last year was in the 98th percentile. The former first-rounder doesn't do anything that well outside of throwing strikes, though, and he had a rough 5.93 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 14 starts in 2025 while striking out only 50 and walking 13 in 71 1/3 innings pitched. With durability concerns to boot, Eflin has very limited fantasy upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
February 11, 2026
There's a chance that Houston Astros left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) will be forced to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, which would open the door for right-handed reliever
Bryan Abreu to begin the campaign as the team's primary closer. Hader experienced "arm soreness" before his fourth bullpen session of the winter, and imaging showed "bicep inflammation." The veteran closer will resume his throwing program on Wednesday, but Hader's status for Opening Day is now in question. The 28-year-old Abreu was one of just five relievers to record 100 strikeouts in 2025, and he did it for the third straight year. The 28-year-old Dominican added a 2.28 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a career-best seven saves in 70 relief appearances in 2025. If Hader should miss any time at all, Abreu's stock would increase dramatically.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
February 11, 2026
Baltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg (oblique) is dealing with a strained oblique and will be slow-played to start spring training, according to Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. President of baseball operations Mike Elias said he doesn't expect Westburg to play in Grapefruit League games right away, but he's not currently in jeopardy of missing Opening Day in late March. It's something to watch for the 26-year-old this spring. Baltimore's starting infield is a bit banged up early on, with starting second baseman
Jackson Holliday (hand) set to open the regular season on the injured list with a broken hamate bone. Westburg missed extended stretches in 2025 due to injury as well, first with a hamstring injury, and then due to a right-ankle sprain. When healthy, he makes enough contact and has enough power to be a worthy corner-infield bat. Westburg should be a lock for 20 homers if he can stay healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Sun - Matt Weyrich
February 11, 2026
Houston Astros right-hander
Hunter Brown has been named the team's Opening Day starter, manager Joe Espada told The Athletic's Chandler Rome. After a breakout 2025 campaign, Brown will be a must-start for fantasy managers in his Opening Day nod in a plus matchup against the Los Angeles Angels at home. The 27-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2019 out of Wayne State finished third in the American League Cy Young voting last year after going 12-9 with a career-best 2.43 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 206:57 K:BB in 185 1/3 innings pitched over 31 starts for the Astros. Brown was able to hold opponents to a .201 batting average with a six-pitch mix. He has a high floor because of his ability to neutralize both righties and lefties. Brown might struggle to improve on his 2025 numbers, but going into 2026 fantasy drafts, he should be considered a top-12 starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
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