February 17, 2026
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell told Bruce Levine that third baseman
Matt Shaw is "definitely going to be getting a lot of time in the outfield" in 2026. When the Cubs face a left-handed pitcher, the expectation is that Shaw will be in right field, with
Seiya Suzuki moving to designated hitter. After struggling with regular playing time at third base in his first taste of the big leagues in 2025, the 24-year-old Shaw figures to be in more of a utility role in Year 2. He hit just .226/.295/.394 with a .690 OPS, 13 home runs, 44 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 126 regular-season games over 437 plate appearances. After a demotion to Triple-A, Shaw rebounded at the plate for a bit before finishing cold in the postseason. The addition of
Alex Bregman will make it tougher on Shaw's development, but he showed enough power/speed promise last year to be worth a late-round corner-infield investment in 2026 fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Marquee Sports Network - Bruce Levine
February 17, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts named infielders
Hyeseong Kim,
Miguel Rojas, and
Alex Freeland as some options to play second base with
Tommy Edman (ankle) set to open the season on the injured list, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Roberts said that Kim and Freeland are basically competing for the same role. With depth in center field limited behind
Andy Pages, Kim should also see time at the position in spring training. Kim, 27, didn't display much power (three homers), but he handled himself well at the plate in a utility role in 2025 in his first year in the United States, slashing .280/.314/.385 with a .699 OPS, 17 home runs, 19 runs scored, and 13 steals in 71 regular-season games. He also had a 30.6% strikeout rate and just a 4.2% walk rate, although his high contact rate in Japan suggests those numbers could improve as he gets used to major-league pitching. Kim could see a boost in his NL-only fantasy value if he wins the second base job, but he's primarily useful for his speed on the basepaths with limited pop.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Sonja Chen
February 17, 2026
Atlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley is coming off two injury-shortened seasons, but he's feeling good going into the 2026 campaign and is hoping to return to the 30-homer mark, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. "If I don't hit 30-plus homers and drive in 90-100 runs, I kind of feel like it's a wash of a season," Riley said. He's one of only three Braves legends -- Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and An
Druw Jones -- to have three 30-homer, 90-RBI seasons at 26 or younger. The 28-year-old had sports hernia surgery last August and was limited to 102 games, slashing .260/.309/.428 with a .737 OPS, 16 home runs, 54 RBI, and 54 runs in 447 plate appearances. Riley hit three straight opposite-field homers in batting practice on Monday and could be ready to bounce back this year. His price has dropped in fantasy, but Riley still can be a top-30 overall player in a strong Braves lineup if he can stay healthy all year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
February 17, 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks don't have a clear idea of who their closer will be in 2026, but manager Torey Lovullo mentioned relievers
Paul Sewald,
Kevin Ginkel, and
Ryan Thompson as potential options in the ninth inning, according to Alex D'Agostino of Sports Illustrated. Sewald was the team's closer in 2023 as they made a run to the World Series, and Ginkel and Thompson were the only incumbent veterans heading into camp before Arizona brought Sewald back. Lovullo wants a defined closer, if possible, and he's stated his preference for having that arm repeatedly. The skipper also said he will consider "migrating" any young arm capable of doing so into a high-leverage role with both
Justin Martinez and
A.J. Puk starting the year on the injured list. None of Arizona's current options are great, so it seems more likely that the D-backs enter 2026 with a closer-by-committee situation. It's a situation that fantasy managers should avoid, if possible.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Alex D'Agostino
February 17, 2026
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince reports that Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Bryan Reynolds will return to a full-time role in left field this year, with
Ryan O'Hearn playing in right field. Reynolds didn't play left field at all last year, but he has twice as many innings there (3,062 1/3) in his career than he has in right (1,402). The 31-year-old veteran has four straight seasons in which his defensive run value was in the negative, and the worst of those (minus-12) was in 2024 in his last year in left field. Reynolds implemented a pre-pitch "tennis hop" that helped him with his reaction time in 2025, though, and he's hoping that will help him as he returns to left field. The Bucs are taking some defensive risks this year in order to try to score more runs. The two-time All-Star had his worst statistical season offensively in 2025, hitting .245/.318/.402 with a .720 OPS, 16 homers, 73 RBI, 68 runs, and three steals in 154 games. Reynolds struck out more and hit more ground balls, although a better lineup around him could lead to a rebound. Fantasy managers may not want to expect Reynolds to return to his peak production, but he should make for a nice fourth or fifth outfielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony Castrovince
February 17, 2026
The Atlanta Braves signed free-agent infielder
Dominic Smith to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The left-handed-hitting Smith has played with three different teams since the start of the 2024 season, spending last year with the San Francisco Giants. The 30-year-old former first-rounder by the New York Mets in 2013 hit .284/.333/417 with a .750 OPS, five home runs, 33 RBI, 26 runs scored, and two steals in 63 games (225 plate appearances). Smith has some experience in left field in his nine-year MLB career, but he hasn't played anywhere besides first base since 2021. He'll give the Braves some veteran depth behind
Matt Olson, and Smith will likely begin the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Gwinnett. Smith remains off the fantasy radar in all leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Chad Bishop
February 17, 2026
Houston Astros left-hander
Colton Gordon will make the start for the team in their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, according to manager Joe Espada. However, Gordon is not expected to make the Opening Day roster, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. The 27-year-old southpaw made his major-league debut last year and went 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA (5.37 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 19 walks in 20 outings (14 starts) over 86 innings. Gordon worked the second-most innings last season among pitchers the team returns this spring, and he should be an option for Houston's rotation later this year. The former eighth-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Central Florida had an excellent 5% walk rate, but he only struck out 19% of the hitters he faced and was mostly unremarkable. Gordon's fantasy value will be limited as a soft-tosser.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
February 17, 2026
The New York Mets will not be playing outfielder
Luis Robert Jr. in Grapefruit League games out of the gate in an effort to keep him healthy, according to Laura Albanese of Newsday. The Mets will work on strengthening Robert's lower body first, but the new outfielder is healthy in camp, according to manager
Carlos Mendoza. The 28-year-old has a history of missing time in his career due to lower-body injuries, so the Mets are going to play it safe early on. The Cuban outfielder has hit the 100-game mark in each of the last three seasons, but he's played over 140 games in his career just once in his six MLB seasons. In 110 games in 2025 in his final season with the Chicago White Sox, Robert slashed .223/.297/.364 with a .661 OPS, 14 homers, 53 RBI, 52 runs, and a career-high 33 stolen bases. There is still power/speed upside with Robert if you're willing to take the injury risk. Playing in New York with a better team also makes his upside more enticing. He's RotoBaller's No. 27 fantasy outfielder as their everyday center fielder.
--Keith HernandezSource: Newsday - Laura Albanese
February 17, 2026
Miami Marlins starting pitcher
Janson Junk (right ankle) was seen wearing a walking boot after rolling his right ankle on Tuesday, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The boot is reportedly just a precaution, but his injury is serious enough to keep him out of Wednesday's scheduled pitch design session. Junk sustained the injury during warmups, and while initial tests came back negative, he's scheduled to be examined by a doctor on Wednesday. An injury is a tough break for the 30-year-old as he competes for a spot in Miami's season-opening rotation. He made 21 appearances (16 starts) in the majors last year, posting an impressive 3.14 FIP with 6.30 K/9, 1.06 BB/9, and 0.65 HR/9. Evidently, he pitches to contact, which can have mixed results but seemed to work pretty well for him in 2025. It's too early to tell whether he'll end up in the rotation or bullpen, but either way, he can be avoided in fantasy baseball given his low strikeout rate and lack of save opportunities.
--Andersen PickardSource: Christina De Nicola
February 17, 2026
New York Mets third baseman
Brett Baty (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring during offseason workouts "about two weeks ago" and will ease into spring training, manager
Carlos Mendoza told Mike Puma of the New York Post. Baty had the best season of his young career while taking on a full-time role in 2025. Across 130 games, he slashed .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs, a 7.6% walk rate, a 25.0% strikeout rate, and 111 wRC+. He spent most of his defensive innings at third base (2 OAA and 1 FRV), but he carved out a significant chunk of time at second base (-1 OAA and -2 FRV), too. At this point, it's unclear whether Baty will be ready for Opening Day. Coming into spring camp behind schedule is far from ideal, but he does still have a full month to recover. Baty projects as the Mets' designated hitter in 2026, but he could start the year at third base if he's healthy, if
Francisco Lindor (hand) isn't ready, and if
Bo Bichette has to temporarily shift over to shortstop. That's a lot of hypotheticals, of course, and none of it will matter if Baty isn't ready to go.
--Andersen PickardSource: Mike Puma
February 17, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitchers
Gavin Stone (shoulder) and
River Ryan (elbow) each threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Stone is working his way back from a shoulder injury that he suffered in September 2024. He missed all of last season while recovering from surgery, and this latest update indicates that he's inching closer to making his return. Across 25 starts in 2024, Stone posted a 4.01 FIP with 7.44 K/9, 2.37 BB/9, and a 44.2% ground ball rate. Ryan has also been sidelined since the second half of the 2024 season when he underwent Tommy John surgery. 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. The Dodgers can't have both Stone and Ryan in their Opening Day six-man rotation; at best, there will be room for one of them, and that's only if
Blake Snell (left shoulder) isn't ready for the start of the season.
--Andersen PickardSource: Sonja Chen
February 17, 2026
Los Angeles Angels relief pitchers
Ben Joyce (shoulder) and
Robert Stephenson (elbow) each threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Prior to Tuesday's session, neither pitcher had thrown off the mound this spring. Joyce is working his way back from a torn labrum, which required surgery in May 2025. During his last healthy season in 2024, he posted a 2.08 ERA with 8.57 K/9, 3.63 BB/9, and 0.26 HR/9. The right-hander is capable of hitting 102 mph with his fastball, offering the Angels an effective leverage arm out of the bullpen. Stephenson's injury luck has been even worse. He missed all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, and shortly after his return in May 2025, he was shut down again with a stretched nerve in his biceps. He returned for 10 outings in the fall before being placed back on the injured list with elbow inflammation. He logged just 10 innings last year, posting a 2.70 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. These numbers fall a bit lower than his career averages, and it remains to be seen how much his effectiveness has changed amid all of his injury problems.
--Andersen PickardSource: Rhett Bollinger
February 17, 2026
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher
Justin Steele (elbow) is targeting a May or June return to the majors, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Steele has sidelined since undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery last April, but he resumed throwing less than one month ago. He's not ready to face live batters yet, but he has built up to throwing 30-pitch bullpens. He has thrown sliders in his last two bullpens and will begin throwing other secondary offerings soon, too. Steele was the ace of the Cubs' staff when he was fully healthy in 2024, putting together a 2.74 xERA with 9.02 K/9, 2.47 BB/9, and a 44.8% ground ball rate. It's unclear which rotation spot he'll slot into upon his return, as the Cubs' five current projected starters all had sub-3.75 ERAs last year. His track record should guarantee him an impact spot in the rotation, but the Cubs' depth will allow them to be patient so they won't have to rush him back.
--Andersen PickardSource: Maddie Lee
February 17, 2026
New York Yankees shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) said on Monday that an April return is "definitely" possible, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Volpe underwent surgery to fix a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder last October. Initially, he was expected to return in May, but he has already started his hitting progression with dry swings, and it now sounds like there's a chance that his return could be moved up a little bit. Before he's cleared to play, though, Volpe will need to hit a few benchmarks. First, he'll need to do tee work and soft toss. Then, he'll have to show that he can dive on his shoulder. That final task is likely still a few weeks out, but nevertheless, it's encouraging that he's making progress and could be ahead of schedule. Volpe had 19 homers and 18 steals last season, and he ranks as RotoBaller's #25 shortstop for fantasy baseball in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Gary Phillips
February 17, 2026
When asked if he expects two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani to be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation as a pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, "I do." Ohtani will not pitch at all for Team Japan during the upcoming World Baseball Classic, so he probably will be on a strict innings limit to begin the 2026 season, but he'll be in the Dodgers' rotation. The 31-year-old four-time MVP and five-time All-Star didn't make his season debut on the mound for L.A. until mid-June after recovering from Tommy John surgery he had in September of 2023, and he was slowly eased into the rotation. Ohtani made 14 starts (47 innings) during the regular season and had a 2.87 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 62:9 K:BB. The leash was lengthened in the postseason, as he made four starts and threw 20 1/3 frames, striking out 28 and walking seven. Fantasy managers should anticipate a limited workload early on, but the expectation is that he'll be a full two-way player in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett
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