February 1, 2026
After breaking out as a solid regular in 2024, Chicago Cubs first baseman
Michael Busch took his game to another level in 2025. Across 592 plate appearances, the 28-year-old posted a .261/.343/.523 slash line with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 78 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Busch slashed his strikeout rate from 28.6% in 2024 to 23.5% in 2025 while boosting his barrel rate from 11.2% to 17.1%. If there's one negative in the lefty-swinging Busch's profile, it's his lopsided platoon splits. Across 95 plate appearances against left-handed pitching in 2025, Busch hit .207/.274/.368 with a 27.4% strikeout rate. Chicago signed right-handed hitting first baseman
Tyler Austin over the offseason, so Busch appears likely to lose playing time against lefties for a second straight season. Still, Busch was able to rack up counting stats in the potent Cubs lineup even while being platooned in 2025. He's a legit power bat whose current average draft position of pick 112 could be a value selection for fantasy managers in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 1, 2026
The Boston Red Sox are acquiring right-handed pitching prospect Gage Ziehl from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for right-handed pitchers
Jordan Hicks and
David Sandlin, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Cotillo reports that Boston's main motivation in the deal is getting off a portion of the money still owed to Hicks, who will make $25 million over the next two seasons. The Red Sox acquired Hicks from the San Francisco Giants as part of the return for infielder
Rafael Devers in last year's midseason blockbuster. However, Hicks struggled to an 8.20 ERA across 21 appearances for Boston last season and also missed time with a shoulder injury. Ziehl is a 22-year-old right-hander who was initially selected by the New York Yankees in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He reached Double-A with New York in 2025, but spent all of his time in the White Sox system at High-A Winston-Salem after Chicago acquired him from the Yankees last July. Ziehl appears unlikely to factor for Boston in 2026.
--Will BradySource: MassLive - Chris Cotillo
February 1, 2026
The Chicago White Sox are set to acquire right-handed pitcher
Jordan Hicks and right-handed pitching prospect
David Sandlin from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Gage Ziehl, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Cotillo characterizes the trade as a "salary move" for Boston, as the White Sox are reportedly absorbing the majority of the money still owed to Hicks. Boston acquired Hicks from the San Francisco Giants as part of the return for infielder
Rafael Devers in the middle of the 2025 season. Hicks has worked as both a starter and a reliever in his career to this point, so he gives Chicago some innings-eating versatility. However, the 29-year-old struggled across 67 1/3 innings split between Boston and San Francisco in 2025, posting a 6.95 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts. Sandlin is a 24-year-old pitching prospect who split the 2025 season between Boston's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates. Across 106 innings pitched (32 games) in the Minors last year, he posted a 9-6 record with a 4.50 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 107 strikeouts. Sandlin has experience as both a starter and a reliever in his pro career, so he profiles as a versatile depth piece for Chicago.
--Will BradySource: MassLive - Chris Cotillo
February 1, 2026
Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher
Chase Burns got his first taste of the big leagues in 2025, posting a 0-3 record with a 4.57 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings pitched (13 games, eight starts). Burns worked as a starter for his first eight appearances with Cincinnati before suffering an elbow injury that caused him to miss just over a month. Upon his return in early September, Burns worked out of the bullpen and aided Cincinnati's late-season playoff push. Entering 2026, the 23-year-old appears ticketed for a spot in the starting rotation. While his surface-level numbers as a rookie don't jump off the page, Burns's elite 35.6% strikeout rate is indicative of his significant upside. Opponents also hit .360 against Burns, which is a number that could easily regress in 2026. Given his age and considerable strikeout upside, Burns profiles as a borderline fantasy SP2 heading into his second MLB season.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 1, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop
Geraldo Perdomo had the best season of his young career in 2025, enjoying a .290/.389/.462 slash line with 20 home runs, 27 stolen bases, more walks than strikeouts, and a 138 wRC+. He ascended into an everyday role, playing 161 games while posting positive fWAR on both sides of the ball. Perdomo's 20 homers represent a solid power output for a 200-pound shortstop. Meanwhile, his 27 steals and 13.1% walk rate are very exciting for both the Diamondbacks and the 26-year-old's fantasy managers. However, the ZiPS and Steamer projections have Perdomo due for a little regression next season. Both projection systems expect him to record around a dozen homers and around 20 stolen bases in 2026. As it stands, he ranks as the #10 shortstop in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 1, 2026
Kansas City Royals shortstop
Bobby Witt Jr. finished with 23 homers last season, knocking him out of the 30-30 club for the first time since his rookie campaign in 2022. The 30-30 club comprises players who hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases. Witt was a member of the prestigious group in 2023 and 2024, totaling 62 homers and 80 steals across those two years. He had enough steals (38) to qualify last season, too, but his power output fell short. Still, he slashed an impressive .295/.351/.501 with 130 wRC+. He kept his walk rate at a solid 7.1%, but his strikeout rate soared to 18.2%, the worst mark since his rookie season. Hitting fewer homers and striking out more is not an ideal combination, so managers will hope that Witt can fix one or both issues in 2026. As it stands, he ranks as the #1 shortstop in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 1, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains one of the best hitters in baseball, but his power output declined in 2025. Now, fantasy managers are hoping that he can boost his power numbers higher in 2026. Guerrero finished last season with a .292/.381/.467 slash line, a .384 xwOBA, and 137 wRC+. He walked 11.9% of the time, setting his highest rate since 2021. However, he also launched just 23 homers, his lowest mark since the shortened 2020 season. Meanwhile, his 3.38% home run rate was his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2019. As Mitch Bannon of The Athletic documented last July, Guerrero is looking to find his "A-Swing," an ideal swing and launch angle that punishes pitches the best. If he can find that swing, he has the potential to return to his 2021 form, when he hit 48 homers over 161 games. For now, Guerrero ranks as the #2 first baseman in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings, trailing only
Nick Kurtz at the position.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 1, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher
River Ryan (elbow) said that he has gained 30 pounds as part of his rehab from Tommy John surgery, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Ryan has been sidelined since 2024, when he made 12 starts between the majors and minors. We don't have official confirmation that he'll be ready for Opening Day in 2026, but the team previously said that he'll go through a normal build-up process during spring training. Barring any setbacks during that process, he should be ready to handle a full workload by the season opener. During his first and only taste of big-league action in 2024, Ryan allowed just three earned runs over 20.1 innings (four starts), pitching to a 3.36 FIP with 7.97 K/9, 3.98 BB/9, and a 50% ground ball rate. There's not really a spot for him in the Dodgers' projected six-man rotation, but he should be the first player called upon when a current starter suffers an injury.
--Andersen PickardSource: Fabian Ardaya
February 1, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani has decided that he will not pitch in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, according to manager Dave Roberts. Ohtani will still play for Team Japan, slotting into the lineup as their designated hitter. Roberts said that the Dodgers would have been open to Ohtani pitching, but that won't happen because he is only going to be covered by the league's third-party injury insurance as a hitter and not as a pitcher. Less strain on Ohtani's arm might work out better for Los Angeles in the long run, anyway. The 31-year-old didn't throw a pitch in 2024 due to elbow surgery, and he was limited to just 47 innings on the mound across 14 starts. He was as dominant as ever, pitching to a 1.90 FIP with 11.87 K/9, 1.72 BB/9, 0.57 HR/9, and a 41.4% ground ball rate. He said that he will be healthy to start the 2026 season, making him the consensus 1.01 pick in fantasy baseball draft rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
January 31, 2026
The Boston Red Sox have signed catcher
Matt Thaiss to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. Thaiss figures to compete for the backup catching gig in camp. The 30-year-old slashed .218/.349/.288 with one home run and 16 RBI in 60 games between the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays last season. Thaiss is a former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels during the 2016 draft. He has been given multiple chances at the big league level, but has never been a consistent hitter. He'll likely serve as organizational depth to begin the season.
--Andy WebbSource: Chris Cotillo
January 31, 2026
San Diego Padres outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. recently admitted that his offensive struggles were mainly mechanical last season. He feels that he's made the correct adjustments and that the 2026 season will be special for him. Tatis says his head is in the right place and his best seasons are ahead of him. On paper, Tatis really didn't struggle during the 2025 season. He slashed .268/.368/.446 with 25 home runs, 71 RBI, and 32 steals in 155 games. He produced a 5.9 WAR, so if that's a down year, then fantasy managers should be excited to see what Tatis can do in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: 97.3 The Fan
January 31, 2026
San Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill said that he's feeling more comfortable heading into his third season. He continued by saying the experience as helped, and he has developed a lot of mental strength. Merrill played in 156 games during his rookie campaign, but spent a ton of time on the injured list during his sophomore season. The 22-year-old made three trips to the injured list during the 2025 season, which led to only 115 games played. It sounds like Merrill is going to be better prepared physically for the challenges of playing a 162-game season. When healthy, Merrill is a stud, so hopefully the Padres can keep him on the field in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: Annie Heilbrunn
January 31, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to keep right-hander
Ben Casparius in a relief role this upcoming season. Recently, Casparius told Fabian Ardaya that he anticipates coming into camp as a relief pitcher. The right-hander pitched in multiple roles last season, but figures to serve mainly as a reliever in 2026. Last season, Casparius finished with a 4.64 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and a 71/21 K/BB ratio in 46 games (three starts) with the Dodgers. Casparius also registered two saves and finished six games as well. The versatility of the 26-year-old is a great thing to have, as not every team has those kinds of pitchers. Unfortunately, Casparius will have limited fantasy value if he's strictly used as a middle reliever.
--Andy WebbSource: Fabian Ardaya
January 31, 2026
The San Francisco Giants have signed infielder
Luis Arraez to a one-year deal on Saturday. The two sides have agreed on a one-year deal worth $12 million for the upcoming 2026 season. It sounds like the plan is for Arraez to play full-time at second base. Last season, Arraez mainly played first base with the San Diego Padres. Arraez could potentially move to first base or designated hitter if
Bryce Eldridge struggles and needs to be sent down. The addition of Arraez is going to reduce the playing time of
Casey Schmitt, who was expected to play second base to begin the season. In 2025, Arraez slashed .292/.327/.392 with eight home runs, 61 RBI, and 11 steals in 154 games with the Padres. The 28-year-old is an excellent contact hitter who doesn't strikeout much, but the Giants won't get much power or speed from him.
--Andy WebbSource: Jorge Castillo
January 31, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Blake Snell said his shoulder continued to bother him through the World Series last fall, but it wasn't anything that required more than physical therapy and rest, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Snell will be slow-played this spring. "That's the plan," Snell said when asked if he would be ready for Opening Day in late March. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw only made 11 starts in 2025 in his first year with the Dodgers after missing four months with left-shoulder inflammation. He acknowledged that he was exhausted after making five starts and a relief appearance in the postseason last fall, which makes him a risk/reward No. 2 fantasy baseball starter entering his second year in Hollywood. Snell has high-end strikeout upside (career 11.2 K/9), but durability is a concern, as he's made 30 starts just twice in his 10 big-league campaigns. RotoBaller has Snell ranked as the No. 16 starting pitcher in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
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