February 10, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-hander
Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow)is dealing with right-elbow inflammation at the start of spring training, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The Braves are just hoping that Schwellenbach is dealing with bone spurs, but he's going to miss significant time and will begin the 2026 regular season on the 60-day injured list. The 25-year-old was already a question mark to be ready for this season after suffering a small fracture in his right elbow at the end of June. It's an ominous sign that he's still having right-elbow issues this spring. With it now official that Schwellenbach won't be in the Opening Day rotation, it should lock in right-hander
Hurston Waldrep for a rotation spot to begin the year. Pitching prospect
JR Ritchie is another arm to watch for a rotation spot if either
Reynaldo Lopez or
Grant Holmes aren't ready in time.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
February 10, 2026
Texas Rangers right-hander
Kumar Rocker will compete for the final spot in the team's Opening Day starting rotation this spring, according to MLB.com's Kennedi Landry. The 2022 first-rounder had a less-than-stellar first full year in the majors in 2025, going 4-5 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 56 strikeouts and 23 walks in 64 1/3 innings over 14 starts. Rocker was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Aug. 1 and was shut down for the rest of the year shortly after that to refine his mechanics and work on his delivery. General manager Ross Fenstermaker thinks Rocker is in a "really good spot" going into the 2026 season, though, and he'll primarily be competing with
Jacob Latz for the No. 5 and final rotation spot. Given his draft pedigree (former 10th overall pick), the 26-year-old will get another shot this year, but if he continues to struggle against lefties, he could be relegated to a bullpen role.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
February 10, 2026
Despite the offseason acquisition of left-hander
MacKenzie Gore, Texas Rangers right-hander
Jack Leiter is likely locked into a starting rotation spot in Texas as he enters his second full big-league season, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Along with Leiter and Gore, the Rangers' Opening Day rotation will consist of
Jacob deGrom,
Nathan Eovaldi, and
Kumar Rocker. Leiter, 25, improved as the year went on in 2025 and finished with a 10-10 record, 3.86 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 148:67 K:BB in 151 2/3 innings over 29 starts for the Rangers. While there were some ugly outings for the former second overall pick, it was mostly a successful season in his first full year in the big leagues. Walks are still the biggest issue for Leiter, but he made strides in that area in the second half. If he can display better control on the mound, Leiter could be in for a breakout campaign at a low cost in fantasy baseball drafts. He's currently ranked as the No. 74 starting pitcher at RotoBaller.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
February 10, 2026
The Athletic's Dan Hayes writes that Minnesota Twins infielder
Brooks Lee is the "leader to start at shortstop" this year, but he needs to "show improved mobility and find more consistency with his bat." Lee has good hands and a steady arm, but he was below-average as both a hitter and defender in his second year in the big leagues in 2025. The 24-year-old switch-hitter and former eighth overall pick slashed just .236/.285/.370 with a .654 OPS, 16 home runs, 64 RBI, 50 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 139 games last year. With no sure options behind Lee at the position now that
Carlos Correa is gone, the Twins could be in a serious bind if Lee doesn't show improvement in 2026.
Ryan Kreidler and
Orlando Arcia are the top internal options behind Lee. The good news for Lee is that he made contact 81.1% of the time and showed decent power, but he had just a 28% hard-hit rate and doesn't have much speed.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
February 10, 2026
A Boston Red Sox source indicated a preference for infielder
Marcelo Mayer at third base over second base, but that was before the team acquired infielder
Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. It's unclear whether Durbin's play at third last year will bump Mayer to second, but McCaffrey writes that wherever Durbin plays, Mayer "will man the other spot." We'll get a better idea of Boston's plans based on where Mayer and Durbin are positioned during their spring training drills. Mayer, 23, struggled in his first year in the big leagues in 2025, hitting .228/.272/.402 with a .674 OPS, four home runs, 10 RBI, eight walks, and 41 strikeouts in 136 plate appearances over 44 games. With
Alex Bregman and
David Hamilton gone, the former first-rounder should see more playing time in 2026. He'll need to lower his strikeout rate, but at the very least, he should be on the strong side of a platoon at either second or third base in Boston.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
February 10, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed reliever
A.J. Puk (elbow) said he would "love" to be back by early May, but that's unlikely to happen, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Puk does expect to be back before July, though. Meanwhile, fellow high-leverage reliever
Justin Martinez (elbow) is targeting a late-August return in 2026. Puk, 30, underwent an internal-brace procedure on his left elbow last June, which isn't as serious as Tommy John surgery. Barring a setback, Puk should return before the All-Star break and get a shot at save chances before Martinez makes his season debut. Before his elbow injury in 2025, Puk had a 3.38 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, four saves, 12 strikeouts, and two walks in just eight innings out of the bullpen. The 6-foot-7 hurler has lots of upside as a high-leverage reliever, but durability issues make him a question mark in fantasy baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
February 10, 2026
Atlanta Braves infielder
Nacho Alvarez Jr. was seen working out with the catchers at spring training on Tuesday, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. It's unclear if Alvarez is changing positions entirely or just adding some versatility, but Bowman writes that it "makes a lot of sense." The Braves already have
Drake Baldwin,
Sean Murphy (hip), and
Sandy Leon at catcher, and they just signed
Jonah Heim to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. Alvarez is blocked at the hot corner by
Austin Riley as long as he's healthy, though, so the 22-year-old is probably just trying to gain some versatility going into the 2026 season. Alvarez hit .234/.296/.330 with a .626 OPS, only two home runs, and 15 RBI in 58 games played for the Braves in 2025 in his second year in the majors. He doesn't have much power for a third baseman, and he's likely to operate in more of a utility role in Atlanta this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
February 10, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Corbin Burnes (elbow) said that he hopes to rejoin the team's starting rotation around the All-Star break as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Burnes is also expecting to throw off a mound before the end of spring training as he continues to recover from TJ surgery that he had last June. The 31-year-old four-time All-Star and former National League Cy Young winner made the All-Star team from 2021 to 2024 but then made only 11 starts for Arizona in 2025 due to his right-elbow injury. When on the mound, though, he was his usual dominant self, posting a 2.66 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 63 strikeouts and 26 walks in 64 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers shouldn't just expect Burnes to return around the All-Star break and be his former dominant self right away.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
February 10, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed reliever
Justin Martinez (elbow) said he's tentatively targeting an August return from elbow surgery, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Martinez is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had last June, although he did start a throwing program in the middle of last month. The 24-year-old Dominican hurler broke out in 2024 with a 2.48 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, eight saves, 91 K's, and 36 walks in 72 2/3 innings for the Snakes and was their primary closer last year before injuring his right elbow. Martinez had a 4.11 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, five saves, 22 K's, and 12 walks in 15 1/3 innings in 2025 before he was shut down. Until Martinez and left-hander
A.J. Puk (elbow) return in 2026,
Kevin Ginkel could get the majority of save opportunities in the desert, with
Ryan Thompson and
Kade Strowd potentially also in the mix for saves.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
February 10, 2026
Houston Astros starting pitchers
Lance McCullers Jr. and
Spencer Arrighetti have the inside track on claiming starting rotation spots to open the season, but it's expected to be a top spring training battle to watch. The Astros are going with a six-man rotation to accommodate
Tatsuya Imai's arrival from Japan and a busy early-season schedule.
Hunter Brown, Imai,
Mike Burrows, and
Cristian Javier are almost guaranteed to be in the rotation, with Arrighetti, McCullers,
Ryan Weiss,
Jason Alexander,
Nate Pearson,
Colton Gordon, and
AJ Blubaugh all in the mix for the other spots. Arrighetti and McCullers have the most MLB experience, and Pearson is still returning from a "cleanup" on his elbow. While the competition will be exciting to watch this spring, the depth is outstanding for the Astros since they've dealt with so many starting pitcher injuries in the last few seasons.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Chandler Rome
February 10, 2026
Atlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy (hip) is still without a timeline for his return, but he is progressing through his recovery and will start running at the Braves' spring training workouts on Tuesday. Murphy suffered a labrum tear in his hip that ended his 2025 season in early September after he hit just .199 with 16 homers and a .309 wOBA in 94 games. Murphy is expected to back up
Drake Baldwin once he's ready to return, but it looks like that will most likely be after the start of the season, sometime in May. A firmer timeline will likely be established as his recovery continues throughout spring training.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Chad Bishop
February 10, 2026
Free-agent catcher
Jonah Heim has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Atlanta Braves, and he could begin the year as the team's backup behind
Drake Baldwin since
Sean Murphy (hip) is not expected to be ready for Opening Day. The 30-year-old switch-hitting catcher spent the first six seasons of his MLB career in the AL West, starting with the Athletics in 2020 and spending the last five seasons with the Rangers. He hit a career-high 18 homers in 2023 when he hit .258 with a .324 wOBA. Over the last two years, his numbers have declined, and in 2025, he hit just .213 in 124 games with 11 homers and a .266 wOBA. Heim has good career splits against lefties and could get most of his at-bats on that side of the splits with Baldwin and Murphy both batting from the left side. Since he does bring a little pop from behind the plate and could earn playing time with a strong spring, he's a deep-league option to watch this spring with his new team.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Mark Bowman
February 10, 2026
Free-agent pitcher
Konnor Pilkington has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Detroit Tigers that includes an invitation to spring training. Pilkington came up with Cleveland in 2022 and 2023, and he made 11 starts in 2022, posting a 3.88 ERA and 4.49 FIP across 58 innings in 15 games. He spent 2025 in the Nationals' system and returned to the majors for 32 games in the second half of the season. He had an unremarkable 4.45 ERA and 5.96 FIP, while totaling 34 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. This offseason, he was designated for assignment and chose free agency after passing through waivers unclaimed. Pilkington could push his way into consideration for a roster spot with a strong spring, but it's more likely that he starts the season at Triple-A and is called up when the team needs depth mid-season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Jon Heyman
February 10, 2026
Free agent outfielder
Nick Senzel re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and will be a non-roster invitee to Major League spring training for the two-time World Series champions. Senzel was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft but hasn't been able to get regular playing time in the majors. He has played 451 career games for the Reds, Nationals, and White Sox with a career slash line of .232/.299/.363. Last year was the first year he hadn't played in the majors since 2018, as he spent the season in Double-A and Triple-A for the Dodgers. In his 99 minor-league games last year, he hit .252 with 12 homers, eight stolen bases, and a .337 wOBA. The 30-year-old will provide organizational depth and injury insurance for the Dodgers, but he isn't likely to make a significant fantasy impact unless he has a monster spring training.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Fabian Ardaya
February 9, 2026
Free-agent right-handed reliever
Hunter Strickland (shoulder) re-signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Strickland only appeared in 19 games for the Halos in 2025 and missed the entire second half with a right-shoulder strain. Before his injury, the 37-year-old veteran was decent with a 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, one save, 14 strikeouts, and 10 walks in 22 innings out of the bullpen. Going into his 12th MLB season, and third straight in Anaheim, Strickland won't really be on the fantasy radar as an aging reliever who will most likely occupy a middle-relief role. It's unclear if Strickland will be ready for the start of spring training. In the last two years with the Angels, Strickland has a weak 18.4% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate in his 95 1/3 innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
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