March 21, 2026
The Baltimore Orioles optioned starting pitcher
Dean Kremer to minor league camp on Saturday, per Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com. Kremer's demotion comes as a bit of a surprise, as the 30-year-old has made 106 starts over the past four seasons for Baltimore and was expected to open 2026 at the back end of the team's rotation. However, veteran right-hander
Zach Eflin has turned heads with his performance in Spring Training and may have bumped Kremer off the roster. Across 171 2/3 innings (29 starts) in 2025, Kremer recorded an 11-10 record with a 4.19 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 142 strikeouts. Given his experience and track record of reasonable effectiveness, Kremer will almost certainly get another shot in the big leagues at some point this season. However, his fantasy value is built on his ability to eat innings, so his stock is obviously following this news.
--Will BradySource: BaltimoreBaseball.com - Rich Dubroff
March 21, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin survived the team's latest round of cuts from its MLB roster, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. With less than a week remaining before the team's opener on Thursday against the New York Mets, Griffin breaking camp with the big-league club is starting to look more and more likely. The 19-year-old is widely considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball, and he dominated minor league pitching to a .333/.415/.527 slash line with 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases across 563 plate appearances in 2025. However, Griffin did not reach Triple-A and has just 98 Double-A plate appearances to his name. If he opens 2026 as the starting shortstop in Pittsburgh, he'll likely experience some early-season growing pains as he adjusts to big-league pitching. Still, Griffin carries sky-high upside with the potential to deliver five-category production for fantasy managers as soon as this season.
--Will BradySource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
March 21, 2026
Cleveland Guardians left-hander
Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Allen lost out on a job battle for the final spot in the Cleveland rotation to Guardians prospect
Parker Messick. The 27-year-old Allen threw 156 2/3 innings (29 starts) for the Guardians in 2025, posting an 8-11 record with a 4.25 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 122 strikeouts. Allen has made 73 starts over the past three seasons for Cleveland, so he represents trusted pitching depth who will likely be the first option to rejoin the rotation if one of the Guardians current starters goes down with an injury. However, Allen owns an uninspiring 19.5% strikeout rate and an inflated 1.44 WHIP across 379 1/3 career big-league innings. Even if he eventually makes it back to Cleveland this season, his fantasy appeal is limited.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Zack Meisel
March 21, 2026
Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect
Parker Messick will open the season with the big-league club and in the starting rotation, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Messick made his MLB debut in 2025 and pitched well in a seven-start sample, recording a 3-1 record with a 2.72 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts across 39 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old lefty logged just a 23% strikeout rate in his first taste of the big leagues, but he logged a significantly more impressive 29.1% strikeout rate across 98 2/3 innings at Triple-A in 2025. Now that he officially has a rotation spot in Cleveland locked down, Messick has late-round sleeper appeal and could shoot up draft boards in the final few days before the start of the 2026 season.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Zack Meisel
March 21, 2026
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher
Grant Holmes had his 2025 season cut short after he suffered a partially torn UCL in his elbow in late July. However, the 29-year-old opted against surgery and is reportedly fully healthy and ready to go heading into 2026. Before getting injured last season, Holmes pitched to a 4-9 record with a 3.99 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 123 strikeouts across 115 innings (21 starts). Command was an issue for the right-hander, as he logged an inflated 11% walk rate. However, Holmes showed an ability to miss bats with a 25% strikeout rate, and he's logged 16 strikeouts across 12 1/3 innings so far this spring. With Braves starters
Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) and
Hurston Waldrep (elbow) both going down in Spring Training with elbow injuries, Holmes should be locked into a spot in the Atlanta rotation. Holmes carries significant injury risk himself, but he could be a quality late-round source of strikeouts for fantasy managers to target in drafts heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 21, 2026
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) will swing a bat for the second straight day on Saturday, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Pena's status for Opening Day remains up in the air as he works his way back from a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger. However, it appears as though the 28-year-old is progressing well and may not be far off from returning to game action, even if he is not on the field for Houston's opener against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. Pena is coming off an excellent 2025 season in which he hit .304/.363/.477 with 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 68 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases across 543 plate appearances. Once healthy, he will be locked into an everyday role at the top of the Astros' lineup. Should Pena miss time, Houston would likely shift third baseman
Carlos Correa over to his natural position at short and insert veteran infielder Issac Paredes into an everyday role at third base.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 21, 2026
New York Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga burst onto the scene in his first MLB season in 2023, recording a 2.98 ERA with 202 strikeouts across 166 1/3 innings pitched. However, the 33-year-old has pitched just 118 2/3 innings in the two seasons since then, missing time with shoulder, calf, and hamstring injuries. Senga was still reasonably effective when on the mound in 2025, recording a 7-6 record with a 3.02, 1.31 WHIP, and 109 strikeouts across 22 starts. Still, he struggled with command (11.2% walk rate), and his strikeout rate dipped to 22.6%, a far cry from the 29.1% mark he posted in 2023. This spring, Senga has avoided health issues and may be showing signs of a return to his peak form. The right-hander reportedly touched 99 mph with his fastball and finished the spring with a seven-inning scoreless streak. If Senga can stay on the mound, he may be an undervalued source of late-round strikeouts for fantasy managers heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 21, 2026
Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said that starting pitcher
Zach Eflin has "checked every box" with his performance in Spring Training to this point, per Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Eflin dominated the New York Yankees in his most recent Spring Training start on Friday, striking out seven batters over 5 1/3 scoreless innings. The 31-year-old battled injuries and ineffectiveness in 2025, posting a 5.93 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 50 strikeouts across 71 1/3 innings (14 starts) for Baltimore. Still, the Orioles re-signed him to a one-year, $10 million contract, and Eflin looks to have assured himself a spot in the starting rotation with his performance this Spring. With a career strikeout rate of 20.5%, Eflin is unlikely to be a reliable source of whiffs for fantasy managers. However, he's very good at limiting walks and posted three consecutive seasons with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower from 2022 through 2024. If he can stay healthy in 2026, Eflin could emerge as a solid innings-eater who is currently undervalued in fantasy drafts.
--Will BradySource: The Baltimore Sun - Jacob Calvin Meyer
March 21, 2026
Detroit Tigers second baseman
Gleyber Torres (back) has been scratched from the team's lineup for its Saturday matchup against the New York Yankees due to lower-back tightness, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. While the team could just be playing it safe, it's not a great sign that Torres is dealing with an ailment this close to Opening Day. The 29-year-old logged 628 plate appearances with the Tigers in 2025, hitting .256/.358/.387 with 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 79 runs scored, and four stolen bases. However, Torres' production dropped off in the second half of the year, as he logged a .659 OPS in the second half while playing through an injury that required sports hernia surgery after Detroit was eliminated from the postseason. Even if Torres can avoid missing time with this back issue, his performance could be something for fantasy managers to closely monitor early in 2026. Should Torres require a stint on the Injured List,
Javier Baez and
Zach McKinstry could be the favorites to cover second base, and top infield prospect
Kevin McGonigle could be assured of an Opening Day roster spot.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
March 21, 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks signed right-handed reliever
Paul Sewald to a low-cost, one-year deal this past winter. The 35-year-old posted middling results across 19 2/3 innings split between the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers in 2025, pitching to a 4.58 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 20 strikeouts. However, Sewald has a history with the Diamondbacks, recording 29 saves across 62 appearances with the team in 2023 and 2024. With top Arizona relievers
Justin Martinez (elbow) and
A.J. Puk (elbow) both set to open 2026 on the Injured List, Sewald may be the favorite to begin the season as the team's primary closer. While Diamondbacks right-handers
Ryan Thompson and
Kevin Ginkel have also been mentioned as options to work the ninth inning, neither has as much closer experience as Sewald. If Sewald can pitch well enough to hold on to the job, he could be a sleeper saves candidate that is currently undervalued in fantasy drafts.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 21, 2026
Baltimore Orioles outfielder
Heston Kjerstad (hamstring) is dealing with a right-hamstring strain, manager Craig Albernaz told Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Kjerstad injured his hamstring on Thursday and will receive imaging in Baltimore on Sunday. With outfield prospect
Dylan Beavers (quadriceps) also dealing with an injury, Baltimore's deep group of outfielders is quickly thinning out ahead of Opening Day next week. Even if the 27-year-old Kjerstad's hamstring injury isn't serious, he may be forced to open the 2026 campaign on the injured list. He hit just .195 (8-for-41) with two home runs, four RBI, four runs scored, one walk, and 11 strikeouts in 13 Grapefruit League games and might not have made the team's Opening Day roster, even if he was healthy. The former second overall pick in 2020 out of Arkansas has been a first-round bust so far, hitting .218/.284/.365 with 10 homers, 36 RBI, and an 88:18 K:BB in 106 games over his three seasons in Baltimore. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues may be starting to lose patience.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Sun - Jacob Calvin Meyer
March 21, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Lars Nootbaar (heel) has started his running progression this weekend as the team prepares to leave their spring training headquarters in Florida in preparation for the start of the regular season next week. Nootbaar will officially open the season on the injured list, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 28-year-old had offseason surgery on deformities in both of his heels, and there's no timetable for when he'll be ready to make his 2026 season debut. His injury has opened the door for
Nathan Church to win a spot on the Opening Day roster in St. Louis' outfield. Nootbaar, an eighth-round pick in 2018 out of USC, has teased fantasy managers with his potential, but he just has never been able to put together a full season and continues to suffer setback after injury setback. In a career-high 135 games in 2025, he disappointed with a .234/.325/.361 slash line, a career-low .686 OPS, 13 homers, 48 RBI, 68 runs, and four steals. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues should take their chances on someone else as a bench stash.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
March 21, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect
Didier Fuentes has made the team's Opening Day roster at 20 years old and will be part of their bullpen, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Fuentes earned the spot by throwing nine shutout innings with no hits allowed, no walks, and 17 strikeouts in three outings in the Grapefruit League. The Colombian hurler will open in Atlanta's bullpen, but don't be surprised if he eventually makes starts for the Braves in 2026, given all the injuries to the likes of
Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow),
Hurston Waldrep (elbow),
AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow), and
Joey Wentz (knee). Per MLB Pipeline, Fuentes is the team's No. 3 prospect. He struggled in his big-league debut in 2025, allowing 20 earned runs on 23 hits (six homers) while walking six and striking out 12 in 13 innings over four starts. Fuentes has a high-90s fastball with deception, giving him plenty of swing-and-miss potential. His secondary pitches are a work in progress. Fuentes is an arm to keep an eye on in mixed leagues going into the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
March 21, 2026
Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect
Dylan Beavers (quadriceps) has had some tightness in his right quadriceps muscle, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. The issue has caused soreness in his knee. Beavers is feeling better on Saturday and hopes to be ready for Opening Day next week. It's the first time he has experienced this, so he's not 100% sure he'll be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. As a precaution, the Orioles scratched the 24-year-old from the Grapefruit League lineup on Friday. If anything, the O's will exercise caution with their young outfielder, so don't be surprised if he starts on the injured list or in the minors. The former 33rd overall pick in 2022 out of Cal Berkeley made his major-league debut in 2025 and went 25-for-110 (.227) with four home runs, 14 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 137 plate appearances. Beavers has clear 20-20 potential at the next level as a regular, but the Orioles have a crowded outfield picture, and Beavers will most likely be in some sort of platoon initially.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
March 21, 2026
New York Mets veteran left-hander
Sean Manaea has not been included on the team's Opening Day starting rotation, according to Anthony DiComo. The Mets will roll with
Freddy Peralta,
David Peterson,
Nolan McLean,
Clay Holmes, and
Kodai Senga as their starting five to kick things off in 2026. Manaea will piggyback off one of the starters the first time through the rotation. The 34-year-old southpaw has displayed diminished velocity this spring, although Manaea has downplayed it. In his three Grapefruit League starts, Manaea has allowed four earned runs on seven hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out nine in 9 2/3 innings of work. He had a late-career resurgence in 2024 in his first year in New York with a 3.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 184:63 K:BB in 32 starts, but injuries and inconsistency returned last year, when he went 2-4 with a career-worst 5.64 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 75:12 K:BB in only 60 2/3 frames. Without a rotation spot to begin the year, Manaea becomes more of a high-risk, low-reward late-round flier for rotation depth in fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
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