March 3, 2026
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in the last year, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Profar becomes the sixth player in MLB history to receive a 162-game suspension for PED use, and he will forfeit the entirety of his $15 million salary and be ineligible for the 2026 postseason. He also won't be allowed to play for the Netherlands in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Profar was suspended 80 games on March 31 of last year for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that can encourage testosterone production. After his return in July of 2025, Profar hit .245/.353/.434 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI while playing left field in Atlanta. Profar was set to mostly be a DH in 2026, but now that he's out for the year, the Braves could use catcher
Drake Baldwin more in that spot once
Sean Murphy (hip) returns from injury. Fantasy managers will obviously want to remove Profar from their draft boards.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
March 3, 2026
The Miami Marlins announced on Tuesday that they reassigned left-handed pitching prospect
Thomas White (oblique) to minor-league camp. White was already not expected to open the 2026 regular season in Miami's big-league starting rotation, and that was confirmed when the 21-year-old was diagnosed with a strained oblique muscle in spring training. White will most likely start the year at Triple-A Jacksonville, but he could be one of the first options for an open rotation spot in Miami this year. In three minor-league stops last year, White was impressive, going 4-3 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 145 strikeouts and 51 walks in 89 2/3 innings over 21 starts. The 6-foot-5 southpaw needs to improve his control, like many young pitchers, but if he does, White has top-of-the-rotation potential at the big-league level.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Marlins
March 3, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer said he'll be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season and is completely past his thumb issues, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. "I feel good. I feel healthy. I just want to pitch," Scherzer said. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer signed a one-year, $3 million deal to return to Toronto last week, and he confirmed he'll make his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner missed three months last year with thumb issues and had a career-worst 5.19 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 82 strikeouts in 85 innings over 17 starts during the regular season. Scherzer had a 3.77 ERA with 11 K's and six walks in 14 1/3 innings over three playoff starts. Scherzer is no longer the dominant pitcher he was in his prime, and he's hard to recommend in mixed leagues with durability concerns in a hitter-friendly home ballpark.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
March 3, 2026
New York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (hand) played catch on Monday in camp, and the hope is he's able to take batting practice on Wednesday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman writes that it "seems like a good sign" for the notoriously quick-healing Lindor to reach his goal of being ready to play on Opening Day. The 32-year-old All-Star will do defensive drills and other baseball activities on Tuesday as he works his way back from hamate bone surgery. If Lindor isn't quite ready for Opening Day at the end of this month, he should miss minimal time going into April, barring a setback. The Puerto Rican veteran has reached the 30-homer mark in each of the last three seasons and has 30-plus steals in two of the last three years, making him a clear top-10 fantasy shortstop on one of the best teams in baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
March 3, 2026
Houston Astros starting pitcher
Mike Burrows landed with his new team as part of a three-team swap this offseason, and the team sees him as an "upside play" who can jump into their rotation right away. The Astros saw an opportunity to adjust his pitch mix a little bit and add in a two-seam fastball. The early returns have been very positive for Burrows, who has pitched five scoreless innings in his first two Grapefruit League outings, striking out six with two walks and two hits allowed. He went 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA, 4.00 FIP, and 97 strikeouts in 97 MLB innings with the Pirates last year, but the Astros could help unlock even stronger results from the 26-year-old righty this season. He's going at the end of drafts in most formats but is worth considering as a deep-league sleeper with considerable upside. The team has several starting pitching options to consider for the rotation, but they are high on Burrows, who seems to be on his way to earning a spot in the Opening Day rotation. At his extremely low ADP, Burrows is bursting with sleeper potential.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet can be a first-round pick in almost all fantasy baseball formats, and is the No. 10 overall player in RotoBaller's rankings coming into the year. He's the second-highest starting pitcher on the board behind only
Tarik Skubal. Crochet put up dazzling numbers last year with a 2.59 ERA, 2.89 FIP, and 1.03 WHIP over 205 1/3 IP in 32 starts. It was his second straight season with 32 starts, and he set a new career-high in innings and strikeouts. He also looked strong in the postseason with an 11-strikeout outing against the Yankees. While pitching his home games at Fenway Park did lead to a few more homers, he continued to limit damage by holding opponents to a .216 batting average and allowing a career-low 37.3% hard-hit rate. Crochet will look to build on that success in 2026 and can serve as the ace of your fantasy staff, just like he will for the Red Sox this year.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize finally had a healthy season in 2025, and the No. 1 overall pick from the 2018 MLB Draft had his best season in the majors. He went 14-6 in his 28 starts with a 3.87 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 3.89 FIP, while totaling 139 strikeouts over 149 innings. Mize doesn't pick up enough strikeouts to be an elite starting option, but he should open the season as the Tigers' fifth starter behind
Tarik Skubal,
Framber Valdez,
Jack Flaherty, and
Justin Verlander. With a good lineup behind him, he can be a solid source of wins, ERA, and innings if he stays healthy again this season, which will be his last year before becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. He is currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 104 starting pitcher, but his ADP (average draft position) has him even lower than that, so if you need a late-round depth option to help round out your staff, Mize has a high floor with enough upside to make him a good value consideration, especially if you have high-strikeout, high-risk options elsewhere in your rotation.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Washington Nationals outfielder
Daylen Lile was one of the few bright spots in a rough season for the team last year, and the 23-year-old lefty brings a ton of upside based on his ADP (average draft position) in fantasy drafts coming into his second season in the majors. He closed out last year with NL Player of the Month honors in September, and in his 91 games as a rookie, Lile hit .299 with 35 extra-base hits, including nine home runs, 15 doubles, and a club rookie record with 11 triples. Lile added eight stolen bases (in 14 attempts), 51 runs scored, 41 RBI, and finished with a 132 wRC+, .199 ISO, and .360 wOBA. He finished in the 100th percentile of qualified hitters in both xBA and LA Sweet-Spot%, showing his results were definitely not fluky. This year, he should occupy a premium spot in the batting order and bring his well-balanced skillset to a great run-producing spot in a rising young lineup. Lile's excellent contact skills give him a high floor to go with a very high ceiling, and if he carries over his momentum from the end of last season, he will be a great late-round addition.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
March 3, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Andrew Painter had a dominant first start of spring training and looks like he will be on the team's Opening Day roster, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Painter threw two perfect innings against the Yankees on Sunday against the Yankees, throwing 20 pitches and getting a strikeout against
Jasson Dominguez. The former top prospect struggled to a 5.40 ERA and 4.90 FIP in Triple-A last year, but he was able to throw 118 minor-league innings, a huge accomplishment after missing 2023 and 2024 with Tommy John surgery. If he continues to put together a strong spring, he will likely open the year in the rotation, and he could keep that spot over
Taijuan Walker after
Zack Wheeler's return if he can deliver on his elite potential.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Jon Morosi
March 3, 2026
New York Yankees designated hitter
Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) is set to see his first action of Spring Training on Tuesday when the Yankees face off against Panama. He will bat fourth as the designated hitter as he begins his ramp-up to Opening Day. Stanton is still dealing with tennis elbow issues in both arms, but his goal is to be ready for a full season despite the issue. Last season, Stanton didn't play his first game until June 16 due to the problem, but he was effective once he debuted, hitting 24 homers in 77 games with a .273 batting average, .321 ISO, and .395 wOBA. If he plays a full season while managing his injury, he brings good power potential, although his health will definitely be something to monitor leading up to the start of the season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Bryan Hoch
March 2, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer is with the team at camp and threw a side session in full uniform on Monday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Scherzer could make his Grapefruit League debut as early as this Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Toronto last week to return for a 19th major-league season. The eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner could be ready to open the year in the team's starting rotation despite signing late this spring. Scherzer will always be a bulldog, but Father Time is catching up with him. He went 5-5 with a career-high 5.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 82:23 K:BB in 85 innings over 17 regular-season starts. Not only is Scherzer no longer dominant on the mound, but durability is a major concern. Scherzer could be a matchup-based streamer in the right matchups, but he's outside RotoBaller's top-100 starting pitcher rankings.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet.ca - Ben Nicholson-Smith
March 2, 2026
Chicago White Sox outfielder
Andrew Benintendi (side) took swings in camp on Sunday and planned to do so again on Monday, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Benintendi said he would be playing if it were the regular season, but there is no reason to rush things on March 2. He is expected to be back in Grapefruit League action after Wednesday's off day. The 31-year-old veteran has been out since being scratched from Friday's spring game with right-side soreness, but he should be ready for Opening Day later this month, barring a setback. Benintendi has quietly hit 20 home runs in each of the last two seasons, but that is pretty much his ceiling, and he hasn't offered much else on one of the worst teams in baseball. He's outside of RotoBaller's top-100 outfield rankings despite being Chicago's starting left fielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
March 2, 2026
San Diego Padres shortstop
Xander Bogaerts is the leading candidate to hit leadoff for the team this season, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. Bogaerts has been the team's most common leadoff hitter so far in Cactus League play and appears to be the club's top choice to fill the No. 1 role this year, with outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. moving to the third or fourth spot in the batting order. The 33-year-old veteran's plate skills are declining, but a move to the top of the lineup will definitely help him get more plate appearances and perhaps rack up some more counting stats, at least in runs scored. Second baseman
Jake Cronenworth is another candidate for manager
Craig Stammen to hit leadoff this year. Bogaerts hit 11 homers for the second straight year in 2025 and also had a career-best 20 steals, but he was mostly underwhelming. A move to the leadoff spot will make him slightly more attractive as middle-infield depth with middling power and speed.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
March 2, 2026
San Diego Padres All-Star outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to hit either third or fourth in the team's batting order this year, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Tatis primarily hit leadoff for the Friars in 2025, so this is a notable development as he enters his seventh year in the big leagues. Shortstop
Xander Bogaerts is expected to move to the leadoff role this season. The 27-year-old Tatis will have more RBI opportunities in the heart of the order, but he'll also have fewer plate appearances and will most likely score fewer runs. Tatis hit .268/.368/.446 with an .814 OPS, 25 home runs, 71 RBI, 111 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 691 plate appearances over 155 regular-season games. He's probably not going to return to the 40-homer mark as he did before his PED suspension, but he remains a solid power/speed asset as a top-10 fantasy outfielder, especially if he can continue to show the improved plate discipline he had in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
March 2, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers (hamstring) took 30 swings and played catch in camp on Sunday, according to Christina De Nicola. Stowers will take some live at-bats in the next few days and will also start a running progression soon as he continues to recover from a mild right-hamstring strain. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter is expected to be back in Grapefruit League action in one to two weeks, and he should be ready for Opening Day at the end of the month, barring a setback. Stowers is a rising fantasy outfielder -- he's ranked at No. 33 at RotoBaller -- after a breakout 2025 campaign in his first full season in Miami. He was the team's lone All-Star representative and finished his fourth MLB season with a .288/.368/.544 slash line, .912 OPS, 25 homers, 73 RBI, 61 runs, and five stolen bases in 457 plate appearances and 117 games. Stowers' batted-ball metrics are promising, but injuries could be an issue.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
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