March 12, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani threw a four-inning live batting practice session on Thursday against Samurai Japan hitters during a workout ahead of the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal against Venezuela on Saturday, according to David Adler of MLB.com. Ohtani threw 59 pitches during the workout and had seven strikeouts while facing 18 batters. It's part of the 31-year-old four-time MVP's process to be ready to pitch for the Dodgers when the regular season starts on March 26. He is only serving as a hitter in the WBC for Japan, though, and will not pitch in the tourney. The Dodgers are being cautious with Ohtani after he returned in 2025 from right-elbow surgery and then pitched through a long postseason in the fall. Ohtani is expected to be a full-time starter for L.A. for all of 2026, but he could have limited pitch counts early on. Despite a potential overall innings limit, Ohtani offers elite starting pitching upside in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - David Adler
March 12, 2026
Chicago Cubs right-hander
Edward Cabrera has been throwing his four-seam fastball around 30% of the time in spring training as he heads into his first season with the Cubs, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Cabrera used the fastball oly 13% of the time in 2025 with the Miami Marlins, reducing its usage from 27.7% in 2024. "I want to see how they play off each other. If there are opportunities for us to help him play up the fastball by using it in certain situations or following certain sequences, then I want to try to help him find that," pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. Cabrera has a signature changeup that he throws often, but the Cubs want him to use his heater more to make both offerings more effective. The 27-year-old's fantasy stock is on the rise in 2026 with a better team after he had a 3.53 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 137 2/3 innings for the Fish in 2025. Cabrera offers plenty of upside as a No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jordan Bastian
March 12, 2026
The Boston Red Sox announced on Thursday that infielder/outfielder
Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) had a successful left-shoulder arthroscopic debridement on Thursday. The procedure was performed by Dr. Jeffrey R. Dugas in Alabama. The Red Sox also placed Gonzalez on the 60-day injured list on Thursday, which means he will miss at least the first two months of the 2026 season. The 29-year-old had yet to make an appearance in spring training due to shoulder inflammation. In his second year in Boston in 2025, Gonzalez only had 341 plate appearances, but he was effective, slashing .305/.343/.483 with an .826 OPS, career-high nine home runs, 53 RBI, and six stolen bases in 96 games played. Gonzalez's batted-ball metrics backed up the strong season. His 2026 fantasy value obviously takes a hit because of his shoulder injury, but when back to full health, Gonzalez figures to compete for a platoon role in Beantown, primarily as a lefty killer.
--Keith HernandezSource: Boston Red Sox
March 12, 2026
New York Mets left-hander
Sean Manaea doesn't have an explanation for his lower velocity in spring training -- it was in the 89-90 mph range on Thursday -- but he's not concerned about it at this point, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Manaea said he will ideally get up to 92-93 mph once the adrenaline of the regular season hits. The 34-year-old veteran southpaw allowed three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out four in 2 2/3 innings in his Grapefruit League start on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Manaea isn't the only pitcher dealing with lower velocity in spring training, and it's not always something to be concerned with. To bounce back in 2026 for the Mets, Manaea needs to stay healthy. He battled elbow and oblique injuries last year and struggled to a 5.64 ERA after having a late-career breakout in 2024. Manaea is a risk/reward late-round target for fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
March 12, 2026
Houston Astros right-hander
Mike Burrows has been nearly unhittable in Grapefruit League action in spring training, throwing 12 2/3 scoreless innings in four outings. Burrows has struck out 15 batters, walked six, and given up only six hits after throwing 77 pitches over four innings of work on Thursday night. The Astros acquired the 26-year-old in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates in December, and so far, it's looking like it could be a steal for the Astros. Burrows made one relief appearance for Pittsburgh in 2024 but saw his first extended run in the majors last year, posting a 3.94 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 31 walks in 96 innings over 23 outings (19 starts). He has added a two-seam fastball to help neutralize right-handed hitters and has breakout potential as a high-strikeout arm. Particularly in dynasty/keeper formats, Burrows is becoming more attractive as a late-round dart throw by the day.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 12, 2026
Chicago White Sox utility man
Brooks Baldwin (elbow) had imaging done on his right elbow that revealed inflammation, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. While it's not entirely clear what the issue is for Baldwin, it appears as though he could be at risk of missing Opening Day. Across 328 plate appearances for Chicago in 2025, Baldwin slashed .240/.290/.407 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases. The 25-year-old's main appeal is his versatility, as he has spent time at every defensive position other than first base, catcher, and pitcher. If Baldwin misses time, recently acquired utility man
Luisangel Acuna (eye) could see a more prominent role in the early portion of the season for the White Sox.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
March 12, 2026
Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers took his game to new heights in 2025, hitting .277/.325/.536 with 31 home runs, 72 RBI, 73 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across 523 plate appearances. The 28-year-old had already established himself as one of the better power-hitting catchers in the two years prior, hitting 51 combined home runs between 2023 and 2024. He emerged as a more complete hitter last season by dropping his strikeout rate to 19.7%, a significant improvement from his career average of 26.1%. Langeliers sacrificed a bit of hard contact for the improvement, as his barrel rate dropped from 12.8% to 11%. However, the Athletics' move to Sacramento and the extremely hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park helped offset any negatives for Langeliers. He also should be locked into a prime position in the heart of an improving Athletics lineup, helping him rack up counting stats. Even if Langeliers' batting average regresses a bit towards his career norm in 2026, he should still profile as one of the best hitters at his position for fantasy managers.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
In his first full season with the Seattle Mariners in 2025, outfielder
Randy Arozarena hit .238/.334/.426 with 27 home runs, 76 RBI, 95 runs scored, and 31 stolen bases across 709 plate appearances. Heading into 2026, Arozarena is locked into a max-playing time role in the heart of the Seattle order and should be highly motivated to put together his best season, as he will hit free agency next winter. The main hole in Arozarena's profile from a fantasy perspective remains batting average. The 31-year-old has posted strikeout rates north of 26% in each of the last two seasons and has hit .236 across 948 plate appearances with Seattle. Still, Arozarena posted excellent hard-hit (50.6%) and barrel (11.5%) rates in 2025, and he's recorded at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in five consecutive seasons. As long as he continues to stay healthy, Arozarena looks like a good bet to be a power/speed asset for fantasy managers once again in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
All in all, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher
George Kirby has been one of MLB's most consistent right-handers since making his MLB debut in 2022. However, the 28-year-old had his first taste of real adversity in 2025. Kirby opened the year on the Injured List due to a shoulder issue that ultimately delayed his season debut until late May. Upon his return, Kirby pitched to a 10-8 record with a 4.21 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts in 126 innings (23 starts). Kirby's strikeout rate soared to a career-best 26.1%, but he also allowed the highest opponent hard-hit rate (43.9%) of his career. Still, there's plenty of reason to think Kirby can regain his top-end form in 2026. While his walk rate spiked from 3.0% in 2024 to 5.5% in 2025, Kirby remains one of baseball's best command artists and could easily return to his career WHIP mark of 1.11. If he can hold some of the strikeout gains he made in 2025 while seeing a bit more batted ball luck, Kirby could post an ace-level season for fantasy managers.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman
Freddie Freeman put together another rock-solid season in 2025, slashing .295/.367/.502 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI, 81 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 627 plate appearances. Under the hood, the 36-year-old is finally starting to show some signs of slowing down. Freeman's 20.4% strikeout rate in 2025 was his worst since 2016, and his 9.6% walk rate was his worst since 2011. However, Freeman has played through nagging injuries for much of the past two seasons and is reportedly feeling the best he's felt in a while going into 2026. He also boosted his barrel rate back to 10.4% in 2025 after it had dipped to a career low of 9.1% in 2024. Fantasy managers may not be able to count on peak Freeman anymore, but the veteran lefty remains one of MLB's best pure hitters and should continue to rack up counting stats in the heart of the excellent Dodgers' lineup.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Across 131 appearances for the Cincinnati Reds between 2023 and 2024, Texas Rangers relief pitcher
Alexis Diaz racked up 65 saves and 141 strikeouts. However, things came unraveled for the 29-year-old in 2025. Across 17 2/3 innings split between the Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves, Diaz pitched to an 8.15 ERA and 1.53 WHIP while recording nearly as many walks (12) as strikeouts (17). Coming off the brutal season, the Rangers signed Diaz to a one-year contract this past offseason. The right-hander obviously has a lot to prove to get his MLB career back on track. However, Diaz could have a golden opportunity to emerge as the team's primary ninth-inning option if he can rediscover his prior form. Left-hander
Robert Garcia currently looks like the favorite to be the closer in Texas, but he owns just nine career saves and has never recorded a WHIP below 1.19. If Diaz pitches well early in 2026, he may end up being a sneaky saves candidate for fantasy managers to target.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 12, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Blake Snell (shoulder) threw a bullpen session in camp on Thursday, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Manager Dave Roberts said before the bullpen that Snell is basically at the beginning of a spring training progression, which puts him, at minimum, "about six weeks away from being fully ramped up." The 33-year-old veteran southpaw threw 15 pitches during his bullpen on Thursday, and they were low-intensity fastballs at less than 90 mph. It was the first time that the two-time Cy Young winner has thrown off a mound this spring. After admitting that his left shoulder was exhausted after helping carry the team to a second straight World Series title last fall, the Dodgers are slow-playing Snell to make sure he'll last for the entire 2026 season. Shoulder inflammation cost him four months in 2025, so fantasy managers who invest in Snell this year will be hoping he only misses the first month of action. He's a durability risk, but Snell's strikeout upside makes him a worthwhile starting-pitcher stash in upcoming fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Sonja Chen
March 12, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Quinn Prister (shoulder) will start the 2026 season on the injured list, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Priester visited with a vascular specialist in Dallas, and manager Pat Murphy said the diagnosis is a nerve issue" in the thoracic outlet syndrome family." The good news for Priester is that his condition is believed to be treatable without surgery. The 25-year-old was able to throw lightly in camp on Thursday and is scheduled for a bullpen session on March 21. How much time Priester misses to begin the 2026 regular season is to be determined and will depend on how his arm responds when he resumes throwing bullpen sessions. McCalvy writes that at the moment, "everyone is optimistic about avoiding surgery." Even though he has avoided surgery for now, Priester is a tough sell late in fantasy drafts now after his breakout 2025 season in which he went 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 132:50 K:BB in 157 1/3 innings over 29 outings (24 starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
March 12, 2026
Colorado Rockies corner-infield prospect
Charlie Condon has turned heads in Cactus League play this spring, as he entered Thursday with a .414/.471/.828 slash line with a 1.298 OPS, three home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, six runs scored, three walks, and six strikeouts in 34 plate appearances over 15 games played. Condon is the club's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, behind only shortstop Ethan Holliday. The 22-year-old former third overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Georgia hit .268/.376/.444 with an .820 OPS, 14 home runs, 58 runs scored, and 59 runs scored while posting a 112:52 K: BB in 433 plate appearances last year across three minor-league levels. He has made some noise this spring as he competes for playing time at first base to begin the 2026 season in Colorado, but Condon is expected to start the year in the minors. Condon has struggled to get to his raw power due to injuries and some swing-and-miss issues, but he's not worth giving up on yet, especially with hitter-friendly Coors Field waiting for him when he gets to the big leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baseball Reference
March 12, 2026
The New York Yankees announced that they reassigned infield prospect
George Lombard Jr. to minor-league camp following their Grapefruit League game on Thursday. Lombard got off to a strong start at the plate in big-league spring training, but he had slowed down of late and will open the 2026 campaign most likely at Double-A for more development. Per MLB Pipeline, Lombard is considered the Yankees' top prospect going into this year, and he ranks as the No. 32 overall prospect in all of baseball. Even with
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) set to miss the beginning of the season, the Yankees want to get Lombard more action in the minor leagues before he potentially makes his major-league debut in 2026. Lombard hit only .235/.367/.381 with a .748 OPS, nine home runs, 49 RBI, 90 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases in 132 games at High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2025. He has a high baseball IQ and intriguing long-term power potential, but Lombard must first improve at making contact with the baseball at the plate.
--Keith HernandezSource: Yankees PR Department
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