February 13, 2026
New York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) said he's still targeting a June return, give or take some days, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole said his estimated timeline of 14 to 18 months hasn't changed since his Tommy John surgery with an internal brace in March of last year, so that could get him back at some point in May "on the earlier side." Manager Aaron Boone said on Wednesday that the 35-year-old former Cy Young winner could pitch in Grapefruit League games at the end of camp if he keeps progressing. Cole has been throwing since last August and should progress to live batting practice in a couple of weeks. The six-time All-Star will be a wild card in 2026 for both the Yankees and fantasy managers. Expecting him to immediately return to ace form wouldn't be wise. RotoBaller has Cole ranked as the No. 87 starting pitcher this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
February 13, 2026
The Cincinnati Reds are signing free-agent first baseman
Nathaniel Lowe to an undisclosed non-roster deal on Friday, sources told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Lowe joins the Reds on a minor-league deal and will compete for an Opening Day roster spot in spring training after hitting a disappointing .228/.307/.381 in 153 regular-season games last year with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox. However, the 30-year-old veteran slugger did manage to clear the fences 18 times while driving in 84 runs and scoring 64 times. Even if Lowe performs well in Cactus League games, he'll be hard-pressed for regular playing time in Cincinnati in 2026 as long as both
Eugenio Suarez and
Sal Stewart are healthy. Suarez and Stewart are projected to split time at first base and designated hitter for the Reds. Lowe will provide Cincy with more pop from the left side without a clear path to regular playing time.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
February 13, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani could pitch in a Cactus League game in spring training, and that it's "still in the air," according to Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation. Ohtani was recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had in September of 2023 and didn't make his season debut as a pitcher for the Dodgers until mid-June of 2025. The 31-year-old Japanese hurler ended up making 14 regular-season starts (47 innings) and posted a strong 2.87 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 62 strikeouts and only nine walks. His workload was expanded in the postseason, and although he might be babied this spring as a pitcher, he's fully expected to be part of the Opening Day starting rotation as a pitcher. Ohtani's fantasy ceiling is much higher as a hitter, but he's not too shabby as a pitcher either, and is RotoBaller's No. 32 starting pitcher in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Dodgers Nation - Doug McKain
February 13, 2026
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that starting pitcher
Rhett Lowder "pitches like a vet," according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19. "It's very obvious," Francona added. "It jumps out. He knows what he's doing." That's high praise for the 23-year-old amid competition for the fifth starter spot in the Reds' rotation. Lowder pitched just 9.1 innings in the minors last season due to a right forearm strain and left oblique strain. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2024, when he tossed 30.2 innings across six starts. During his limited taste of action as a rookie, he posted a 1.17 ERA and 3.10 FIP with 6.46 K/9, 4.11 BB/9, and no home runs.
Chase Burns is the early favorite to make Cincinnati's rotation, but Lowder,
Chase Petty, and
Brandon Williamson (elbow) are also heavily in the mix as spring camp gets underway.
--Andersen PickardSource: Charlie Goldsmith
February 13, 2026
Free-agent outfielder
Chris Taylor re-signed with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday on a minor-league deal and is present at major-league spring training, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Taylor should have a decent shot at winning an Opening Day roster spot, but in a bench role. The 35-year-old veteran right-handed hitter will give the Halos the flexibility to play all over the diamond, but he doesn't appear to have much left in the tank after hitting a combined .186/.256/.301 with a career-worst .557 OPS, two home runs, 12 RBI, five walks, and 42 strikeouts in 125 plate appearances over 58 games with the Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers last year. Taylor hit .179 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 90 plate appearances in Anaheim in 2025. He has a career 29.3% strikeout rate and will be well off the fantasy radar in mixed leagues in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
February 13, 2026
Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said "there is hope" that shortstop
Ha-Seong Kim (right middle finger) will be able to return by early May. The middle infielder underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger nearly four weeks ago. He reportedly suffered the injury after slipping on ice and falling. Splitting 2025 between the Rays and Braves, he slashed .234/.304/.345 with five home runs, six stolen bases, an 8.4% walk rate, a 20.4% strikeout rate, and 82 wRC+. He mostly played at shortstop, but he also made five appearances at second base. In total, he posted -3 OAA and -1 FRV in the infield. Upon his return, he'll offer a solid bench bat behind middle infielders
Ozzie Albies and
Mauricio Dubon.
--Andersen PickardSource: Mark Bowman
February 13, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Patrick Sandoval (elbow) threw a live bullpen session on Friday, according to a video posted by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Sandoval is heading into the second year of a two-year deal with the Red Sox that allowed him to rehab from Tommy John surgery with the organization. He hasn't pitched since 2024 with the Angels, but he's competing for the fifth spot in the Red Sox' rotation as camp gets underway. Across 16 starts in 2024, he went 2-8 with a 3.87 FIP, 9.15 K/9, 3.95 BB/9, and a 45% ground ball rate. Sandoval is on the 40-man roster, but the same can be said about other pitchers competing for rotation spots, including
Johan Oviedo and
Connelly Early.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jen McCaffrey
February 13, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher
Adrian Del Castillo (left calf) "has been off to the side" and is absent from several catching drills as spring training gets underway, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The 26-year-old is dealing with a left calf issue and will be delayed in his return to drills. Manager Torey Lovullo confirmed that Del Castillo will resume catching once he's healthy, as the team isn't considering a position switch for the young backstop. He spent 28 games at designated hitter and five at catcher last year, posting 0.2 FRM and 1 FRV behind the dish at the big league level in 2025. Holding the bat in his hands, he slashed .242/.290/.392 with four home runs, a 6.1% walk rate, a 35.9% strikeout rate, and 87 wRC+. Del Castillo is not a lock to make the 26-man roster, since the Snakes already have
Gabriel Moreno and
James McCann atop their depth chart.
--Andersen PickardSource: Alex Weiner
February 13, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Brayan Bello has been throwing a curveball as spring training gets underway, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Bello threw five curveballs back in 2022, but he hasn't used the pitch since then. Now, it's back in his arsenal, adding a sixth pitch to his deep mix. Teammate
Sonny Gray said Bello's arsenal is "gross," and manager Alex Cora credited the young pitcher for consistently developing ever since his debut season in 2022. The 26-year-old posted a career-best 3.35 ERA last year, but his FIP was a bit higher at 4.19. He continued to induce weak contact with a 49.8% ground ball rate and 0.86 HR/9. Bello projects as Boston's No. 4 starter behind
Garrett Crochet,
Ranger Suarez, and Gray.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jen McCaffrey
February 13, 2026
Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos confirmed that right-hander
Grant Holmes (elbow) will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation, according to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Holmes dealt with a partially torn UCL in his right elbow late last season and missed the final two months, but he was able to avoid surgery and is now ready to rock for the start of the 2026 campaign. The 29-year-old went 4-9 with a 3.99 ERA (4.40 FIP) and 1.34 WHIP with 123 strikeouts and 54 walks in 115 innings over 22 appearances (21 starts) before his elbow injury in his second year in the big leagues. Holmes will have a starting role to begin the year, but he'll be a major injury risk and a good bet to regress if his walk rate is anywhere near what it was in 2025 (11%). Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should avoid Holmes.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 13, 2026
Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos confirmed that right-hander
Reynaldo Lopez (elbow) will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation, according to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lopez is healthy after having arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder last year that limited him to just one start. The 32-year-old Dominican was a first-time All-Star for the Braves in 2024 as he transitioned back to a starting role, posting a 1.99 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 148 strikeouts and 42 walks in 135 2/3 innings over 26 outings (25 starts). It was the first time that he went over 70 innings since 2019, and his 3.44 xFIP suggested he was a bit fortunate to have the numbers he did. The Braves will treat Lopez as a starter to begin the season, but he may end up back in the bullpen by the end of 2026. At the very least, fantasy managers should expect regression from his 2024 numbers.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
February 13, 2026
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder
Jesus Sanchez from the Houston Astros on Friday in exchange for outfielder
Joey Loperfido, general manager Dana Brown told The Athletic's Chandler Rome. It was a money-saving move for the Astros, with Sanchez owed $6.8 million in 2026, while Loperfido is making the league minimum. The move to acquire Sanchez will give Toronto more outfield depth, with
Anthony Santander (shoulder) potentially missing the entire season. The 28-year-old was traded to Houston from the Miami Marlins last year, and he hit just .199/.269/.342 down the stretch (48 games) with four home runs and 12 RBI. Sanchez's production was underwhelming despite a 43.4% hard-hit rate, 11.1% barrel rate, and 91.3 mph average exit velocity. He'll have a positive hitting environment in Toronto, but Sanchez might be ticketed for a platoon role in left field with the Jays. The acquisition of Sanchez is bad news for the lefty-hitting
Nathan Lukes.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
February 13, 2026
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown commented on Friday, "We're not done yet," after completing the trade with the Blue Jays that brought outfielder
Joey Loperfido back to the organization that drafted him. The Astros have been in talks with multiple teams about possibly trading corner infielder
Isaac Paredes, who appears to be the odd man out in terms of regular at-bats, with
Carlos Correa expected to man third and
Christian Walker at first. Paredes had a good year in 2025 for the Astros despite missing significant time due to injury, blasting 20 home runs in just 102 games with a .353 wOBA and 128 wRC+. He looks like a decent value in drafts right now, currently ranked at 181 at RotoBaller, while the 26-year-old has an NFBC ADP of 193. Keep an eye out for news, as his landing spot could have a positive (Boston) or negative (Pittsburgh) impact on his fantasy value.
--Jarod RuppSource: Chandler Rome
February 13, 2026
Outfielder
Joey Loperfido was sent from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Houston Astros on Friday in exchange for outfielder
Jesus Sanchez. Loperfido heads back to the team that drafted him back in 2021 and the team he debuted with in 2024. In 122 career games in the big leagues, the former seventh-round draft pick has slashed .248/.297/.392, but has some big power that could prove fantasy-worthy if he gets regular at-bats, although he'll likely begin the season in a platoon role. Sanchez has even bigger power, with 93rd-percentile bat speed, which produced the longest home run of the 2024 season, a 480-foot blast that came off the bat at 116.4 mph. The 28-year-old has some base-stealing ability, too, swiping 13 in 134 games last season, but the left-handed slugger struggles versus left-handed pitching (career .181 AVG), so he will likely be relegated to a platoon role early in the year as well. Without regular at-bats, neither player is draftable in most fantasy formats.
--Jarod RuppSource: Ben Nicholson-Smith
February 13, 2026
Chicago White Sox first baseman
Munetaka Murakami is expected to get some run at third base over the course of the season, per manager
Will Venable. Chicago's skipper stated that the Japanese slugger will play mostly first base, though, as the complementary pieces around him fit better that way. The 26-year-old's main position over the last few seasons has been the hot corner while playing for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), however, he played mostly first base during his first two years in the NPB (2019-20). He's eligible for both positions in Yahoo! leagues. The left-handed slugger is known for some big power that also comes with a lot of swing and miss, so he represents a high-risk, high-reward lottery ticket toward the end of 2026 fantasy drafts. Murakami is currently ranked 222 overall in RotoBaller's latest rankings, right around his NFBC ADP of 220.
--Jarod RuppSource: Scott Merkin
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