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
March 7, 2026
The Houston Astros are signing free-agent catcher
Christian Vazquez to a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league camp on Saturday, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Vazquez played in Houston for part of the 2022 campaign and will now return to the Astros as catching depth behind
Yainer Diaz in 2026. The 35-year-old veteran hit just .189/.271/.274 with a .545 OPS, three home runs, 14 RBI, and 14 runs scored in 214 plate appearances over 65 games played last year for the Minnesota Twins. Vazquez is a career .250/.299/.367 hitter in his 11 big-league seasons and has 71 home runs in 993 regular-season games. He will report to Astros camp after playing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Puerto Rico. With a limited offensive profile and in a backup role, fantasy managers can avoid Vazquez in the vast majority of leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
March 7, 2026
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton (elbow) was removed from Friday's World Baseball Classic game early against Brazil after being hit by a pitch on his elbow in the fifth inning, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Team USA replaced Buxton in center field with Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong. The severity of Buxton's elbow injury is unclear, and it remains to be seen if the 32-year-old veteran will be able to play in the next game in the tournament. Before leaving, Buxton had gone 0-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored in a game that Team USA won in a 15-5 blowout. Before joining Team USA for the WBC, Buxton had gone 3-for-13 (.231) with two RBI and a stolen base in six Grapefruit League games. Buxton was named an All-Star in 2025 for the second time in his career and had a career-high 35 homers, 83 RBI, and 24 stolen bases as he managed to stay healthy for 126 games. His lengthy injury history makes him a risk/reward No. 2 fantasy outfielder, though.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 7, 2026
Baltimore Orioles second baseman
Jackson Holliday (hand) is hitting off a tee and took 40 swings in camp on Saturday, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Holliday said his hand feels good. He will hit flips on Sunday and could progress to batting practice in a week. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter is recovering from hamate-bone surgery in his hand and is expected to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list. However, as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks, Holliday should have a minimum IL stay and be ready to make his season debut in early April after initially having surgery on his hand on Feb. 12. The former first overall pick in 2022 showed improvement in Year 2 in 2025, slashing .242/.314/.375 with a .690 OPS, 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 70 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 649 plate appearances. It was encouraging that he cut his strikeout rate considerably. Fantasy managers are now hoping he can take another step forward in 2026. RotoBaller has Holliday ranked just inside the top 15 fantasy second basemen.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
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