February 1, 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates were reportedly making a big push for free-agent third baseman
Eugenio Suarez. According to Jason Mackey, the Pirates offered Suarez the same AAV ($15 million) as the Cincinnati Reds. Ultimately, Suarez decided to go to the Reds due to familiarity with the organization and a better ballpark fit. This is the second big-time slugger the Pirates have struck out on this offseason. They also made a significant offer to
Kyle Schwarber, but he decided to return to the Philadelphia Phillies. It's unclear where the Pirates will go now that Suarez has signed elsewhere. The Pirates may pivot to
Marcell Ozuna,
Rhys Hoskins, or maybe a reunion with
Andrew McCutchen.
--Andy WebbSource: Jason Mackey
February 1, 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly interested in signing free-agent first baseman
Carlos Santana. According to John Gambadoro, the D-Backs have expressed interest in Santana, but there's no deal in place right now. The 39-year-old would be a strong veteran presence and leader to any organization, but it's unclear how much baseball he has left in the tank. Last season, Santana slashed .219/.308/.325 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI, and seven steals in 124 games between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago Cubs. The D-Backs are likely committed to
Pavin Smith at first base to begin the season. It's unclear if the D-Backs want to carry Santana on the bench, given he's basically limited to first base and designated hitter. Regardless, his days of being a consistent fantasy option are likely behind him.
--Andy WebbSource: John Gambadoro
February 1, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free-agent starting pitcher
Cole Irvin to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Irvin spent the 2025 season in Korea playing for the Doosan Bears. He registered a 4.48 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and a 128/79 K/BB ratio across 28 starts. The number of walks is concerning, but maybe the Dodgers can help get him back on track. Irvin wasn't having a ton of success before going to Korea. He posted a 5.11 ERA in 29 games (16 starts) with the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins in 2024. This looks like a move to add pitching depth, so we'll see if Irvin can make the team.
--Andy WebbSource: Jon Heyman
February 1, 2026
The Los Angeles Angels have signed outfielder
Jose Siri to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Siri is looking to bounce back in 2026 after being limited to 16 games last season due to a fractured tibia. The Angels will give Siri a chance in camp, and he'll earn $1.6 million if he's able to make the team. Siri posted back-to-back productive seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays before his injury-riddled 2025 season. His mix of power and speed could make him an interesting late-round fantasy option, assuming he makes the 26-man roster.
--Andy WebbSource: Jon Heyman
February 1, 2026
The Cincinnati Reds have signed free-agent third baseman
Eugenio Suarez to a one-year deal on Sunday. They've agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal, which includes a mutual option for the 2027 season. Suarez heads back to Cincinnati after playing for the Reds from 2015-2021. It's a bit shocking that it took this long for Suarez to sign, given his offensive numbers from last season. He slashed .228/.298/.526 with 49 home runs and 118 RBI in 159 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. The expectation is that Suarez will spend most of his time at designated hitter.
Ke'Bryan Hayes is a much better defender, so he'll likely continue playing every day at the hot corner. The addition of Suarez is bad news for
Sal Stewart, who will likely see a reduced role now. Fantasy managers know what to expect from Suarez at this point. He'll strike out nearly 200 times and post an ugly slash line, but will hit for a ton of power.
--Andy WebbSource: Jeff Passan
February 1, 2026
After two seasons as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, veteran starting pitcher
Sonny Gray was acquired by the Boston Red Sox in late November. With Boston, the 36-year-old looks locked in as the team's number three starter behind ace
Garrett Crochet and fellow offseason acquisition
Ranger Suarez. Across 180 2/3 innings (32 starts) with St. Louis in 2025, Gray posted a 14-8 record with a 4.28 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 201 strikeouts. While Gray's ERA represented his worst mark since 2018, he still recorded strong numbers under the hood with a 21.6% K-BB rate. Gray's 5% walk rate was the best mark of his career, so he could be in for a better overall line if his opponent batting average on balls in play of .329 regresses closer to his career mark of .288. Gray should also be in a good position to rack up wins while pitching in front of a strong Boston lineup. As long as he stays healthy, Gray profiles as a solid fantasy SP3 for 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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
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