March 18, 2026
The Washington Nationals announced on Wednesday that they optioned first baseman/designated hitter
Abimelec Ortiz to Triple-A Rochester. The left-handed slugger had spent his entire career in the Texas organization before being acquired this offseason in the
MacKenzie Gore trade. He showed well in his first taste of Triple-A pitching in 2025, slashing .283/.388/.565 with nine home runs and a 12.7 percent walk rate in 41 games there. The 24-year-old was just 3-for-22 (.136) in Cactus League play, though, and will have to continue his development with the team's Triple-A affiliate. It's possible the Nats' 24th-ranked prospect debuts later this season, but for now, he's off the fantasy radar.
--Jarod RuppSource: Nationals Communications
March 18, 2026
On Wednesday, Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect
Andrew Painter made what is likely his final spring appearance before the regular season gets underway, twirling four innings of one-hit ball against the Braves, allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out three. The Phils' top pitching prospect had a bumpy outing his last time out (three earned runs), but Wednesday's performance made it three scoreless appearances out of four this spring with an 8:2 K:BB in a total of 11 2/3 innings of work. The 6-foot-7 hurler is expected to be the team's fifth starter once the regular season begins, and if he lives up to the former hype, the right-hander could remain there for the rest of the season. The former first-rounder struggled to a 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and a 13.7 percent K-BB% in 106 2/3 innings at Triple-A in 2025, his first time pitching in minor league regular-season games since 2022 after elbow problems and eventually Tommy John surgery cost him all of 2023 and 2024. Most fantasy managers may want to wait and see before rostering the tall right-hander, but proactive managers in deeper leagues with available bench space may consider stashing him in the event his spring success carries over into the regular season.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
March 18, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher
Matthew Liberatore will get the nod as the team's Opening Day starter in 2026, taking on the Tampa Bay Rays at home on Thursday, March 26. The left-hander was second on the team in wins, quality starts, and strikeouts last season behind
Sonny Gray, who is no longer with the club, so Liberatore will assume the role of ace of the staff. The 6-foot-5 southpaw recorded a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 122 strikeouts in 151 2/2 innings pitched last season, which doesn't really move the needle much for fantasy. The former first-rounder has looked good so far this spring, though, as he's allowed three earned runs in 10 innings of work (2.70 ERA) while registering a 1.00 WHIP and an impressive 14:1 K:BB in his three starts, so perhaps he's ready to take a step forward in 2026. The 26-year-old is going undrafted in most fantasy leagues, owning an ADP of 359, right around his RotoBaller ranking of 341 overall.
--Jarod RuppSource: St. Louis Cardinals
March 18, 2026
New York Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (elbow) made his first Grapefruit League start of 2026 on Wednesday against the Red Sox, and although the one-inning outing was short, it was encouraging. The veteran threw only 10 pitches, but his fastball averaged 97.1 mph and topped out at 98.7 mph; for reference, the right-hander's fastball averaged 96.7 mph in his last full season of 2023. The six-time All-Star made just 17 starts in 2024 and then missed all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal brace. Despite Wednesday's appearance, the expectation still is that the 6-foot-4 hurler will begin the regular season on the 60-day injured list, and so he will not be ready to return to the mound in the regular season until sometime in late May or early June. Fantasy managers hoping he will return to form in 2026 can grab the two-time Cy Young winner at the end of most drafts with an ADP of 249, right around his RotoBaller rank of 234 overall.
--Jarod RuppSource: Bryan Hoch
March 18, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that right-hander
Roki Sasaki will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation despite his struggles in spring training, according to Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times. Sasaki has been a roller coaster in Cactus League action this year, and it continued in his latest outing on Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals, when he allowed three runs on four hits, four walks, and five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings pitched. He has shown progress with his newly-added cutter, but overall, Sasaki has been underwhelming this spring. When left-hander
Blake Snell (shoulder) eventually makes his 2026 season debut, Sasaki may end up back in the bullpen, where he was thriving last fall to close out the season. Struggles with command have been the biggest issue for the 24-year-old Japanese hurler, making him a boom/bust fantasy option in 2026. In 36 1/3 innings in his MLB debut in the regular season last year, Sasaki had a 4.46 ERA with 28 K's and 22 walks in 10 outings (eight starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: The Los Angeles Times - Jack Harris
March 18, 2026
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) said he played six innings on a back field in a minor-league game on Tuesday and got some outfield work in as well, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Lowe recently returned to Cactus League action for the Halos in a designated-hitter role after initially injuring his oblique in late February. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has a history of oblique injuries, so it makes sense for the Angels to err on the side of caution with the regular season starting late next week. Lowe, a former first-rounder in 2016 by the Tampa Bay Rays, was once a promising power/speed threat before injuries slowed him down. He had a 20-homer campaign in 2023 and also stole 32 bags that year and drove in 83 runs. Lowe has had two straight disappointing seasons since then, hitting a combined .230/.292/.378 with 21 homers, 74 RBI, and 43 stolen bases. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues can still dream on that potential, but he must stay healthy and will be battling for playing time in Anaheim.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
March 18, 2026
Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder
Tyler Freeman (back) was scratched from Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds with lower-back tightness, according to the team.
Cole Carrigg will take over for the Rockies in center field. Freeman should be considered day-to-day for now. The 26-year-old former second-rounder by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017 played in 110 games in 2025 in his first year in Colorado and looked good, slashing .281/.354/.361 with a career-best .715 OPS, two home runs, 31 RBI, 50 runs scored, and a career-high 18 stolen bases in 428 plate appearances. Freeman makes a lot of contact and has some speed, but his lack of power doesn't make him all that exciting in fantasy, even at hitter-friendly Coors Field. If healthy this year, he's expected to be in more of a super-utility role as well, which will limit his playing time.
--Keith HernandezSource: Rockies Club Information
March 18, 2026
Miami Marlins infielder/outfielder
Christopher Morel is expected to open the year as the team's primary starting first baseman, barring a "dramatic change of heart" by the team, a source told Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. It's good news for Morel's fantasy baseball value in deeper leagues entering his first year in Miami, but just remember that there is a lot of volatility and swing-and-miss here. The 26-year-old right-handed hitter is a career .222 hitter in four big-league seasons with 538 strikeouts in 1,770 plate appearances. In 105 games last year with the Tampa Bay Rays, Morel hit .219/.289/.396 with a .684 OPS, 11 home runs, 33 RBI, 37 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. He's also gone 5-for-37 (.135) with no homers, 13 K's, and three walks in spring training. Morel has some power from the right side, but if he continues to struggle offensively, the Marlins will give other players opportunities at first base in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Miami Herald - Barry Jackson
March 18, 2026
The Washington Nationals announced on Wednesday that they optioned catching prospect
Harry Ford to Triple-A Rochester. To begin the 2026 season,
Keibert Ruiz and
Drew Millas will be the Nationals' catchers. Ford could have an opportunity to overtake Ruiz as the Nats' primary catcher sooner than later in 2026, but for now, the 23-year-old will begin in the minor leagues after going 3-for-14 (.214) with no homers, two RBI, a stolen base, three walks, and seven strikeouts in seven Grapefruit League games this spring. Per MLB Pipeline, Ford is considered Washington's No. 3 prospect, and he's also considered the No. 9 catching prospect in all of baseball. The trade to D.C. over the winter from Seattle did wonders for Ford's dynasty/keeper value, although some patience might be required. Ford has excellent plate discipline, on-base skills, and above-average power for a catcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: Nationals Communications
March 18, 2026
Los Angeles Angels infielder
Vaughn Grissom (hand) received a cortisone shot in his left hand on Tuesday, and he's unsure if he'll have to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Grissom hurt his hand during a Cactus League game last week against the Chicago White Sox. The 25-year-old former 11th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2019 played all of last year at Triple-A Worcester in the Boston Red Sox's system, slashing .270/.342/.441 with a .783 OPS, 13 home runs, 48 RBI, 69 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 96 games played. He looked good in limited action in the big leagues in his first two seasons in 2022 and 2023 with the Atlanta Braves, but injuries have cost him opportunities, and he batted under .200 in 31 games for the BoSox in 2024. Grissom's hand injury doesn't help his chances of making the Opening Day roster as a utility player for the Halos in 2026. You can ignore Grissom outside of deep AL-only and keeper leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
March 18, 2026
Cleveland Guardians outfielder/designated hitter
George Valera (calf) has been sidelined by a mild left-calf strain in camp, and there is some question as to whether he'll be ready for Opening Day later this month, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. He has been throwing and hitting, and on Tuesday, he did some running. Valera "appears to be trending in the right direction," and the team is "hopeful he could return to game action in the coming days." However, the Guardians "won't rush him" for the sake of putting him on their Opening Day roster. Valera's long-term health is the top priority. It's tough timing for the 25-year-old's injury, as he was hitting .292 (7-for-24) with a homer, four RBI, and four runs scored in 10 Cactus League games before his injury and looked to be on track to break camp with the big-league team. It's now sounding more likely that he'll start either on the injured list or at Triple-A Columbus. In his major-league debut in 2025, Valera went 9-for-41 (.220) with two homers, five RBI, and a 13:7 K:BB in 16 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
March 18, 2026
The St. Louis Cardinals optioned right-hander
Richard Fitts to Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday, according to MLB.com. Pitchers
Kyle Leahy and
Andre Pallante have earned the final two spots in the Cardinals' Opening Day starting rotation. St. Louis will have Fitts, 26, get some more seasoning in the minor leagues, but he'll surely be counted on to make starts in 2026 in his first year with the Red Birds. St. Louis acquired Fitts in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in the offseason after he went 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA (5.80 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with 40 strikeouts and 16 walks in 45 innings over 11 outings (10 starts) in 2025. He continued to be very hittable in three Grapefruit League starts, allowing six earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out nine in 9 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues can ignore Fitts for now, especially because of his injury history and a low career strikeout rate. He's probably only worth rostering in NL-only leagues as pitching depth.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 18, 2026
San Francisco Giants right-hander
Hayden Birdsong (elbow) told the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser that he saw Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion on the UCL/flexor tendon/forearm strain in his right arm. Birdsong still hasn't decided whether he will try to rehab or undergo surgery. If he were to undergo surgery, he wouldn't be able to return until around midseason in 2027. The 24-year-old was diagnosed with a UCL sprain and Grade 2 forearm strain after having an MRI exam on Sunday. Either way, he is going to open the 2026 season on the injured list, and it might be a while before we see him back on a mound, even if he opts not to have surgery. Until we know more, fantasy managers in upcoming redraft leagues should avoid Birdsong. The former sixth-rounder in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois has appeared in 37 big-league games (26 starts) over the last two years and has a 4.77 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 25.4% strikeout rate, and 13.1% walk rate in 137 2/3 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
March 18, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that left-hander
Eric Lauer is "firmly in the mix to be in the rotation," according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The team's management of young right-hander
Trey Yesavage is the "big remaining variable," and Lauer is "right on that line" now that right-hander
Jose Berrios (elbow) won't be ready for Opening Day. If Yesavage begins the year on the big-league roster, the Blue Jays could use a combination of Yesavage and Lauer for the final rotation spot early on. Lauer, 30, pitched very well in 2025 in his first year with the team, going 9-2 with a career-best 3.18 ERA (3.85 FIP), 1.11 WHIP, and 102:26 K:BB in 104 2/3 innings over his 28 appearances (15 starts) during the regular season.
Shane Bieber (forearm) will also begin the year on the IL, so things are opening up for Lauer to have some deep-league appeal early on in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
March 18, 2026
Cleveland Guardians catcher
Bo Naylor hit under .200 with a career-high 14 home runs, 47 RBI, and 46 runs scored in 123 games in his second full season in the big leagues in 2025. However, he went from a leg kick to a toe tap in August of last year, and in September, he was one of the team's top hitters. "I think Bo's just scratching the surface of the hitter he can be," manager
Stephen Vogt said. "Everybody develops at a different clip. I think he's putting himself into a position to have a big breakout year." He hit .174/.278/.360 with a 12.4% walk rate and 24.8% strikeout rate in 91 games before he changed to a toe tap. In 19 games in September, Naylor hit .290/.324/.548 with a 5.8% walk rate, 18.8% strikeout rate, a 136 wRC+, and a 48.1% hard-hit rate. He also hit .353 (6-for-17) with a homer in four games for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Naylor has hit just .205/.286/.384 with a .670 OPS in his 318 major-league games in Cleveland, but if his mechanical change continues to provide results early in 2026, fantasy managers will take notice and grab him off the waiver wire.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
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