March 17, 2026

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller will be available to pitch on Tuesday night against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final, manager Mark DeRosa told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Despite throwing 22 pitches on Sunday in his save against the Dominican Republic in the semifinals, the hard-throwing right-hander will be available out of the bullpen on Tuesday. If Miller gets into Tuesday's game, it will be his third time pitching in the last five days. The 27-year-old former third-round pick in 2021 out of Gardner-Webb University is one of the most dominant closers in the game and will be the first reliever off the board in most fantasy formats. Miller has a ridiculous 13.8 K/9 and 39.5% strikeout rate in his three years in the big leagues in 160 innings pitched. Only two of his 22 saves last year came after the Padres acquired him in a blockbuster trade for the A's, but Miller's fantasy stock is way up in 2026 now that he's SD's unquestioned ninth-inning arm.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo

March 17, 2026

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (knee) has been diagnosed with a strained PCL in his knee, according to Bruce Levine of the Marquee Sports Network. As of now, it's unclear if Suzuki will go on the injured list to begin the 2026 regular season. Suzuki underwent an MRI exam after injuring his knee while playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic on Saturday against Venezuela, and the 31-year-old has been shut down from baseball activities since. Thankfully, Suzuki isn't dealing with any torn ligaments in his knee, which could have ended his 2026 season. However, with Opening Day coming up in less than two weeks, we'd bet on the Cubs putting Suzuki on the injured list to begin the year. In the meantime, Matt Shaw and Michael Conforto will likely platoon for Chicago in right field. The injury makes Suzuki a bit riskier in fantasy baseball drafts for managers looking for power. Suzuki had a career-best 32 home runs and 103 RBI in 151 regular-season games for the Cubbies last year in his fourth year in the big leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Bruce Levine

March 17, 2026

Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton, who was in contention to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, has been optioned to minor-league camp and will begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Durham, according to Ryan Bass. Melton is considered a key piece of the team's future and is expected to be up in the majors at some point in 2026. The Rays acquired Melton in the offseason from the Houston Astros in a three-team trade. The 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2022 out of Oregon State made his major-league debut in Houston last year and struggled to a .157/.234/.186 slash line, no homers, seven RBI, seven stolen bases, six walks, and 29 strikeouts in 78 plate appearances over only 32 games for the Astros. Melton might be a platoon bat when he eventually reaches Tampa this year, but he's an intriguing stash in dynasty/keeper leagues for his plus speed and developing power stroke. He's listed as Tampa's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Ryan Bass

March 17, 2026

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop prospect Carson Williams, who was in contention to make the Opening Day roster, has been optioned to minor-league camp and will start the 2026 season at Triple-A Durham, according to Ryan Bass. Williams is a key piece of the Rays' future and is expected to be up in the major leagues at some point in 2026. The 22-year-old former 28th overall pick in 2021 looked overmatched in his first taste of big-league pitching in just 32 games, going 17-for-99 (.172) with five homers, 12 RBI, six walks, and 44 strikeouts in 106 plate appearances. He has looked much better in Grapefruit League action this spring, going 8-for-22 (.364) with two RBI, a run, one stolen base, one walk, and five strikeouts in 11 games played. Per MLB Pipeline, Williams is Tampa's No. 1 prospect. He has clear 20/20 upside at a premium position, making him a must-stash in all dynasty/keeper leagues, and even some deeper mixed and AL-only leagues in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Ryan Bass

March 17, 2026

Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (wrist) is returning to the starting lineup in the Cactus League game on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Neto sprained his left wrist while sliding into home in a spring training game over the weekend, but fortunately, it wasn't a serious injury. The Angels announced on Tuesday morning that they'd push his return back to Wednesday, but they have reversed course and will have him play on Tuesday against Chicago. As long as Neto doesn't have a setback with his wrist in his return to game action on Tuesday, he'll be ready to roll for Opening Day against the division-rival Houston Astros on the road on March 26. For fantasy baseball purposes, Neto is ranked as the No. 5 player at shortstop at RotoBaller because of his power/speed upside. The former first-rounder (13th overall) in 2022 out of Campbell University had his second career 20-20 season in 2025 and is certainly capable of hitting 30 homers and stealing 30 bases.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger

March 17, 2026

The Colorado Rockies announced on Tuesday that left-hander Kyle Freeland will make the start on Opening Day on March 27 against the Miami Marlins on the road. It will be Freeland's fifth career Opening Day start. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw had a league-high 17 losses in 2025 in his ninth big-league season, also posting a 4.98 ERA (4.18 FIP), 1.42 WHIP, and 124:38 K: BB in 162 2/3 innings over 31 starts for Colorado. It's hard to trust many Rockies starting pitchers at one of the most hitter-friendly home fields in baseball in Coors Field. But Freeland was actually worse away from home last year, and with a career ERA of 4.54 in 1,260 1/3 innings in the majors with the Rockies, only fantasy managers in NL-only leagues should be rostering Freeland in 2026. He's the No. 222-ranked starting pitcher for fantasy purposes at RotoBaller. His Opening Day matchup in Miami isn't a bad one, though, which will make him a cheap DFS sleeper for those willing to roll the dice.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Colorado Rockies

March 17, 2026

The Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday that right-hander Jose Soriano will take the ball on Opening Day this year on March 26 against the Houston Astros on the road. Soriano will make his first career Opening Day start after he went 10-11 with a career-high 4.26 ERA (3.73 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 152 strikeouts and 78 walks in 169 innings over his 31 starts in 2025. The 27-year-old Dominican has elite velocity and gets plenty of ground balls, but he's been extremely inconsistent in his three years in the big leagues, making him primarily a late-round flier for starting-pitching depth in mixed fantasy leagues. Soriano has a 22.1% career strikeout rate and a concerning 10.6% walk rate as well. Control issues are the biggest reason why he's mainly a matchup-based streamer in DFS. Soriano has had a rough go in Cactus League action in spring training, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out 10 in 8 2/3 innings over his three starts.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Los Angeles Angels

March 17, 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Edward Florentino broke in with the team as a 17-year-old playing in the Dominican Summer League in 2024, then dominated the Florida Complex League in 2025 to the tune of a .347 batting average, six home runs, and a 1.085 OPS in 29 games before earning a promotion to Single-A. The Pirates' fourth-ranked prospect showed off his power stroke there, belting 10 more home runs in 54 games for Bradenton as an 18-year-old, while also drawing walks at a 13.9 percent rate. The 6-foot-3 slugger could spend much of the 2026 season at High-A, and with a strong showing, he could see at-bats at Double-A by season's end. The 19-year-old is still likely a couple of years away from the majors, but has the tools to make for an intriguing fantasy asset in dynasty leagues, so interested managers should keep an eye on his progress in the upcoming campaign.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com

March 17, 2026

Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect Chase DeLauter is looking comfortable at the plate this spring, collecting at least one hit in seven of the nine games he's played, going 10-for-25 (.400) with three doubles, a home run, and a 2:2 BB:K. The Guardians' second-ranked prospect is expected to break camp as the team's everyday right fielder and could be set up for a big year at the plate. The former first-round draft pick owns highly-rated hit and power tools, and has registered a .302/.384/.504 slash line with 20 home runs in 138 career minor league games. His problem, though, has been staying healthy, playing in no more than 57 games in a single season to date. With his health issues finally behind him, the team felt comfortable enough in allowing the youngster to make his big league debut in the postseason last year, so it shows the confidence they have in his abilities. Slated to bat sixth in the order in 2026, the left-handed slugger could live up to his first-round pedigree and return value on his ADP of 198 overall.--Jarod Rupp
Source: ESPN

March 17, 2026

Seattle Mariners shortstop prospect Colt Emerson remains in camp with the team with just over a week until the regular season begins. It's a near certainty that Emerson will debut with the club in 2026, but it's trending toward being sooner rather than later. Ambuguity around the health of J.P Crawford's ailing shoulder could be factoring into why Emerson remains in camp. Although the Mariners have stated that the concern level is "very low" with Crawford, he last played in a Cactus League game on March 11 and is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres despite imaging coming back clean after visiting Dr. Keith Meister in Texas. Emerson is 9-for-36 (.250) in spring training, although four of those hits have come in his last three contests, with one of them being his lone home run of the spring. Crawford's shoulder is a situation to monitor because it could mean a spot on the Opening Day roster for Emerson, and if that is the case, the 20-year-old could quickly become fantasy-relevant, as he owns one of the best hit tools in the minors, and he also has plenty of speed and should grow into more power. Last season, the former first-rounder put together a .285-16-78-82-14 line in 130 games across three levels of the minor leagues. If he does not make the Opening Day roster, he's a top stash candidate in deeper leagues for whenever he does end up debuting.--Jarod Rupp
Source: ESPN

March 17, 2026

Kansas City Royals catching prospect Carter Jensen appears poised to break camp as the team's designated hitter for 2026, while also likely to spell veteran Salvador Perez behind the plate on occassion. The Royals' top-ranked prospect surged through the upper levels of the minor leagues last year, culminating with an impressive 20-game debut in the majors in which he slashed .300/.391/.550 with three home runs and a 9:12 BB:K. The left-handed slugger has looked solid again this spring, going 8-for-30 (.267) with three home runs in 10 games. While the 22-year-old may see some regression from the 2025 numbers over the course of a 162-game season, the contact ability and power are real, as is his ability to draw walks, owning a career 15.2 percent walk rate in the minors. The former third-round draft pick is the 15th catcher going off the board in fantasy drafts (ADP 199), but could easily find himself finishing within the top 12 at the position by season's end, and he currently owns the fourth-best odds for AL Rookie of the Year at +700 (FanDuel), not far behind the leader, Kazuma Okamoto, who is at +460.--Jarod Rupp
Source: ESPN

March 17, 2026

New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge remains on track to make the team's Opening Day roster. The Mets optioned outfielder MJ Melendez to Triple-A on Tuesday, clearing away some of Benge's competition for the role of right fielder. The Mets' top offensive prospect has continued to put together a strong spring, now 13-for-32 (.406) with a 3:5 BB:K while adding one stolen base. The former first-rounder produced a .281-15-73-87-22 line in 116 games across three levels of the minor leagues last year, and although he might have initially appeared ticketed to start 2026 with Triple-A, the departure of Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto's move to left field opened a hole in right field. With just over a week before the regular season begins, the 23-year-old is in the driver's seat for the job, and with a solid power/speed combo, the left-handed slugger is worth a look at the end of drafts, currently with an ADP of 345 overall since the beginning of March.--Jarod Rupp
Source: Mike Puma

March 17, 2026

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (wrist) did some defensive drills, hit off a tee, and then took batting practice on the field in camp on Monday with no apparent issues, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Neto was planning to return to a minor-league game on the back fields on Tuesday, but the Angels have decided to have him wait a day. Instead, Neto is expected to play in a big-league game on Wednesday. It looked like Neto suffered a serious left-wrist injury on a head-first slide in a Cactus League game on Saturday, but he appears to have dodged a bullet and should be ready for Opening Day at the end of the month, barring a setback once he returns to game action. The 25-year-old is one of the rising stars at the shortstop position and is ranked by RotoBaller as the No. 5 fantasy shortstop after he clubbed a career-high 26 home runs and drove in 62 runs with 26 stolen bases in 554 plate appearances in 2025 in his second full season in the big leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher

March 17, 2026

Updated a previous report, the timeline for New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) has not changed, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. It was reported on Tuesday that Cole will make his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox and throw one inning. It will be the 35-year-old veteran's first time pitching in a game since he had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March. Cole is the Yankees' ace when healthy, but he didn't pitch at all last season, making him more of a question mark for fantasy managers in 2026. He will start the regular season on the 60-day injured list, meaning he won't make his season debut in pinstripes until late May or early June. The six-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner might not return to his pre-injury form until 2027, so fantasy managers must practice patience with him in 2026 if they stash him. RotoBaller has Cole ranked as the No. 65 fantasy starting pitcher this year.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner

March 17, 2026

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he'd be comfortable having third baseman Ryan McMahon play shortstop if today were a regular-season game, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. McMahon will open the 2026 season as the team's regular third baseman, but apparently, the 31-year-old veteran will also operate as the backup shortstop behind Jose Caballeros with regular shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) starting the year on the injured list. McMahon, a first-time All-Star in 2024, was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the Yankees in 2025, but he struggled all around at the plate last season. Overall, he slashed .214/.312/.381 with a .693 OPS, and he hit .208/.308/.333 with a .641 OPS, four home runs, 18 RBI, 21 walks, and 62 strikeouts in 54 games (185 plate appearances) in the regular season in the Bronx. McMahon's stock is obviously down after his poor 2025 performance, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 37 fantasy third baseman. If the mechanical changes he made in the offseason work out, McMahon will be an excellent late-round value pick in deeper fantasy leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner