February 27, 2026
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Shane Baz looked good in his Grapefruit League debut with the team on Friday, allowing no runs and no hits while walking two and striking out four in 2 1/3 innings pitched, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Baz threw 25 of his 39 pitches for strikes during the outing and retired seven of the nine batters he faced, including each of the final five. He generated eight whiffs, and his four-seam fastball maxed out at 98.6 mph. It was an impressive debut for the former Rays pitcher. Baz struggled in his final season in Tampa in 2025, particularly at home at Steinbrenner Field, and he finished with a 10-12 record, 4.87 ERA (4.37 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, a career-high 176 strikeouts, and 64 walks in 166 1/3 innings over 31 starts. If Baz can become more consistent in Baltimore -- the move to a more pitcher-friendly venue should help -- he can become a nice back-end rotation piece for fantasy managers in mixed leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
February 27, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander
Blake Snell (shoulder) has been making progress in his throwing progression in camp, but he's been limited to flat-ground work so far, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Roberts acknowledged that, given the calendar, it will be "hard" for Snell to be ready for Opening Day at the end of March. Although the 33-year-old two-time Cy Young winner finished last season healthy and as a World Series champion, he admitted that he was gassed after missing four months due to left-shoulder issues during the regular season. Snell isn't dealing with a shoulder injury this spring, but the Dodgers are slow-playing so that he can be healthy for the entire 2026 campaign. He most likely will not be part of L.A.'s Opening Day starting rotation, and when he does debut in April, he will probably be on an inning limit. It might make Snell more of a value pick in upcoming drafts. He's still worthy of a SP3 spot for his strikeout upside on the best team in baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: The California Post - Jack Harris
February 27, 2026
Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that shortstop
Corey Seager (illness) was scratched from Friday's Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox because he's feeling under the weather, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Seager will be down for a couple of days or so. The 31-year-old veteran and five-time All-Star fell short of the 30-homer mark in 2025 to break a streak of three straight seasons with 30 homers. He once again missed considerable time due to injury and finished with a .271/.373/.487 slash line, .860 OPS, 21 home runs, 50 RBI, 61 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 445 plate appearances over 102 games played. Seager definitely has the skills to return to the 30-homer mark in Texas in 2026, but durability concerns are real, dropping him to No. 13 in RotoBaller's fantasy shortstop rankings.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
February 27, 2026
Cincinnati Reds shortstop
Elly De La Cruz is fully healthy this spring, which is evident by the way the ball is bouncing off his bat in spring training and by the way he's gliding around the bases, according to Charlie Goldsmith. "I've always been healthy," De La Cruz said. "It feels good to be healthy. That's for everybody. Everybody wants to be healthy to be able to play every day. I'm excited. I feel proud of my work. I put a lot of work in the offseason. It feels good to see it working." He has five hits in his first nine Cactus League at-bats, which includes three doubles, a triple, and a homer. It appears the 24-year-old's work in the offseason to get stronger is already paying off at the plate. De La Cruz battled a significant quad injury in the second half of 2025 and went into a prolonged slump where he didn't homer over a 74-game stretch. The Dominican was still an All-Star and stole 37 bases and hit 22 home runs, but it was a drop from his 2024 numbers. With better health this year, De La Cruz could easily end up being the most valuable fantasy shortstop in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Charlie Goldsmith
February 27, 2026
Kansas City Royals right-handed pitcher
Stephen Kolek (oblique) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1-plus left oblique strain and will be shut down for the next week or so, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Kolek's timeline for a recovery will depend on how he responds to rest and recovery, putting his availability for Opening Day in late March very much up in the air. The 28-year-old's injury definitely hurts his chances of winning a spot in the starting rotation to begin the 2026 regular season. Kolek ended up making 19 starts with the Royals and San Diego Padres last year while going 5-7 with a 3.51 ERA (3.82 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, and 77:31 K:BB in 112 2/3 innings pitched. He started the year off with an impressive 14 1/3 straight scoreless innings and even threw a shutout at Coors Field before posting a 5.10 ERA in 12 starts. Kolek is a ground-ball artist with limited strikeout upside, limiting his fantasy appeal to AL-only leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
February 27, 2026
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Samuel Basallo (abdomen) said he's "feeling good" after being checked by the medical team on Thursday, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Basallo felt "cramping" as part of the discomfort that he felt while tagging a runner out at home plate in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Detroit Tigers. The good news is that it's not a serious injury, and he won't go for additional testing. Basallo thinks he'd be ready to play this weekend, but it's up to the team. "Everything is good," Basallo said through an interpreter. The 21-year-old backstop appears to have dodged a bullet and should be ready for the start of his first full season in the big leagues, and he's expected to play regularly behind the dish against right-handers. Basallo is one of the more intriguing up-and-coming young catchers with plenty of power upside. Target him as a high-end No. 2 catcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
February 27, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin (foot) is back in the Grapefruit League lineup on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, starting at shortstop and hitting eighth. Griffin was hit by a pitch on his foot in Wednesday's spring training contest and was removed as a precaution. The 19-year-old No. 1 overall prospect in baseball said after the game on Wednesday that he was fine. Despite still being a teenager and having played only 21 games above High-A in the minors, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal says that he's "trending toward" being the Pirates' Opening Day shortstop. Griffin has lived up to all the hype so far this spring and clubbed two home runs in the spring training game on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox. All aspects of his game are polished well beyond his years, and his power/speed upside is through the roof. Griffin has all the makings of a future superstar and perennial All-Star.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
February 27, 2026
Detroit Tigers right-hander
Troy Melton (elbow) saw a doctor and was recommended to rest for an extended period of time, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. It means that Melton is unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season at the end of March. The 25-year-old hadn't pitched in a game this spring due to a right-elbow strain. Melton was sharp in his first 16 major-league outings (four starts) for the Tigers last year, delivering a 2.76 ERA (4.60 FIP) and 1.01 WHIP with 36 strikeouts, and 15 walks in 45 2/3 innings, and he was also a key piece for Detroit in the postseason. He'll now begin the 2026 campaign on the injured list, though, and it's unclear exactly when he might be an option to help the big-league pitching staff. Melton is a promising young arm in the Tigers' system, but he's likely to face workload restrictions.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit News - Chris McCosky
February 27, 2026
Minnesota Twins third baseman
Royce Lewis' (side) MRI exam came back clean after he was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with tightness in his side, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The 26-year-old is being considered day-to-day for now and will likely be held out of spring training games for a couple of days as a precaution. Injuries have been an issue for the former first overall pick, as last year was the first time in his four major-league seasons that he played in over 100 games. Lewis hit .237/.283/.388 with a .671 OPS, 13 home runs, 52 RBI, 36 runs scored, and a career-high 12 stolen bases in 403 plate appearances. He played in 70 combined games in his first two seasons and has already suffered two torn ACLs. Lewis is injury-prone and streaky as a hitter, but when he's dialed in, he can be an elite power hitter for fantasy managers at third base.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
February 27, 2026
San Diego Padres starting pitcher
Joe Musgrove (elbow) was sharp in a simulated game early this week and is making a strong case to debut in spring training sometime next week. Musgrove is working his way back from Tommy John surgery but is slated to be a full-go for the start of the regular season. In this simulated game, Musgrove reached 95 MPH with his fastball and located his sinker and slider "very well." Earlier in the offseason, reports suggested that Musgrove would not face any major inning restriction, which is a great sign for his fantasy outlook. In 2024, Musgrove held a 3.8 ERA with a modest 1.17 WHIP. However, from 2021 through 2023, Musgrove held a strong 3.09 ERA with a dominant 1.09 WHIP. The 33-year-old carries solid sleeper appeal in all formats as he should take on a large role in the San Diego rotation.
--Andy SmithSource: Kevin Acee
February 27, 2026
Colorado Rockies left-handed pitcher
Kyle Freeland (back) completed a successful bullpen session this week and could make his spring training debut as early as this coming week. The southpaw has been dealing with a minor back injury, but appears to be progressing quite well. Managers should continue to monitor his status, but he does not appear to be in danger of missing the start of the regular season. Last summer, Freeland logged 163 2/3 innings with the Rockies and held a 4.98 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP. He struck out only 124 batters but had solid command of his pitches, allowing walks at a 5.4% rate. When healthy, Freeland figures to serve as the No.1 option in the Colorado rotation. Given his minimal strikeout upside and high ratios, Freeland only holds value as a low-end streamer in deeper 15-team leagues in favorable matchups.
--Andy SmithSource: Thomas Harding
February 27, 2026
Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder
Willi Castro is expected to be aggressive on the basepaths during the 2026 season. Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta noted that Castro's skill as a baserunner was one of the first qualities they took note of when they signed him to a two-year deal this offseason. While Castro only swiped 10 bags last season and 14 the year prior, he did total a season-high 33 stolen bases back in 2023, showing the raw skill he possesses as a baserunner. The Rockies have expressed interest in being aggressive on the bases this season, and adding Castro to their lineup suggests it will be a major focus for them in 2026. Castro is slated to be their everyday second baseman but could also see time in the outfield. Playing in a hitter's paradise at Coors Field, Castro possesses sneaky power and speed upside as a late-round option in category formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Thomas Harding
February 27, 2026
New York Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (elbow) is set to face live hitters again on Friday. According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the 35-year-old will face
Aaron Judge,
Trent Grisham, and
Giancarlo Stanton in the live inning. Cole has progressed quite well during the early stages of camp and is making a strong case to return to the mound early into the 2026 season. Cole was unable to pitch during the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure in March of 2025. However, Cole has looked quite sharp in his previous bullpen session and remains in the mix to return early within the first half. In 2024, Cole logged 95 innings with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. However, in the previous season, Cole took home the AL Cy Young Award after striking out 222 hitters with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He remains a prime stash option in the opening month as he could hold high-end SP2 upside as soon as he returns.
--Andy SmithSource: Bryan Hoch
February 27, 2026
Athletics right-handed pitcher
Gunnar Hoglund (knee) is set to see a doctor regarding a knee injury he suffered earlier in camp, according to Marin Gallegos of MLB.com. The 26-year-old has not been on the mound since last May after undergoing season-ending hip surgery. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears Hoglund could be in danger of missing time to begin the 2026 season. In 2025, Hoglund made his MLB debut and posted a 6.40 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP over his first 32 1/3 innings with the Athletics. In this stint, Hoglund struck out only 23 hitters. At Triple-A, Hoglund found much more success, posting a 2.43 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, with a 30:7 K:BB over a short 29 2/3 inning stint. When cleared to return, Hoglund should be in the mix to see spot starts in the rotation or operate in a long relief role in the bullpen.
--Andy SmithSource: Martin Gallegos
February 27, 2026
Athletics left-handed starting pitcher
Jacob Lopez (elbow) has been throwing live batting practice this week and is tentatively lined up to make his spring training debut on March 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 27-year-old has been on the shelf since being placed on the 15-day injured list last August with a shoulder strain. However, the southpaw has progressed well and appears to be on track to be a full-go to begin the season. With the Athletics last summer, Lopez logged a career-high 92 2/3 innings with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He struck out 113 hitters but posted a modest 9.3% BB rate. Under the hood, Lopez generated a strong 3.64 xERA with a .211 xBA, suggesting he should see some positive regression in 2026. He carries some sleeper appeal in deeper leagues given his underlying metrics and above-average strikeout upside.
--Andy SmithSource: Martin Gallegos
RADIO
