February 12, 2026
Cincinnati Reds first baseman
Sal Stewart won the "best shape of his life" contest for the team in December, as he had already dropped 26 pounds from his listed 6-foot-1, 224-pound frame, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Stewart is confident that he'll still have plenty of power despite playing at a lighter weight, and he has a clear path to regular playing time between first base and designated hitter with
Spencer Steer primarily playing left field. The 22-year-old looked much more athletic in the offseason after trimming down, and he'll be looking to build on his first 18 games in the big leagues last year, when he hit .255 (14-for-55) with five home runs, eight RBI, and 11 runs scored. Stewart is a particularly intriguing dynasty/keeper asset because of his ability to hit for power while also maintaining solid hard-hit and strikeout rates.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Sheldon
February 12, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed first baseman
Keston Hiura to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He spent 2025 with the Colorado Rockies, primarily playing at Triple-A. The former first-round pick debuted with a .938 OPS in 2019, but his offensive metrics in the majors have been severely underwhelming ever since then. He went 4-for-18 with zero walks and seven strikeouts in the majors last year, but he fared much better at the Triple-A level with a .272/.369/.507 slash line, 21 home runs, a 10.6% walk rate, a 26.7% strikeout rate, and 107 wRC+. Hiura has shifted to first base full-time at this point in his career. The Dodgers are seemingly taking a low-risk opportunity on Hiura because of his average defense and intriguing display of power in the minors last year.
Freddie Freeman is locked into a starting role, but there could be a 26-man roster spot for Hiura if the Dodgers want to carry a backup first baseman.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
February 12, 2026
Free agent outfielder
Nick Castellanos is drawing "a lot of interest" after being released by the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Castellanos was cut loose after Philadelphia failed to find a trade partner. While none of the other 29 teams were willing to trade for Castellanos, Heyman notes that many of those organizations were waiting for him to be released. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Trading for Castellanos could have cost teams a prospect, and they would have had to pay a portion of the remaining money on his contract. By letting him hit free agency, he'll simply cost the league minimum without requiring trade compensation. However, teams will now have to compete for his services; we won't see a bidding war, but Heyman's report indicates that the veteran outfielder will get to pick from multiple suitors. Across 147 games in 2025, Castellanos slashed .250/.294/.400 with 17 home runs, a 5.4% walk rate, a 22.6% strikeout rate, and 90 wRC+. He posted negative fWAR with his bat and glove, and he also finished the year with -12 OAA and -12 FRV in the outfield. At this point in his career, the 33-year-old projects best as a part-time designated hitter, and he'd benefit from playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
February 12, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher
Hunter Dobbins (knee) is not participating in fielding or running drills as spring training gets underway, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It was recently reported that Dobbins didn't have a timetable for his return to the mound, and the fact that he's being held out of key camp drills isn't a very encouraging sign. There's still more than a month until Opening Day, so Dobbins has time to recover and compete for a spot in the rotation. However, he's presumably on the outside looking in as pitchers and catchers ramp up. Dobbins, who was acquired from Boston in exchange for
Willson Contreras during the offseason, tore his knee ligament last year. He made 13 appearances (11 starts) prior to his injury, posting a 3.87 FIP, 6.64 K/9, and 2.51 BB/9.
Kyle Leahy projects as the Cardinals' No. 5 starter for the duration of Dobbins' absence.
--Andersen PickardSource: Derrick Goold
February 12, 2026
The Colorado Rockies have placed reliever
Jeff Criswell (elbow) on the 60-day injured list. Criswell underwent Tommy John surgery last year and hasn't pitched since his rookie season in 2024. Across 19.2 innings of relief work as a rookie, he posted 12.36 K/9, 4.12 BB/9, and 1.83 HR/9. He managed to escape with a 2.75 ERA, but his 5.06 xERA suggests he got quite lucky. The right-hander's timetable is a bit murky, and today's transaction confirms he'll miss at least the first few weeks of the regular season, if not more. Newcomers
RJ Petit and
Keegan Thompson could fill Criswell's void until he's able to return.
--Andersen PickardSource: Colorado Rockies
February 12, 2026
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher
Ryan Walker believes he found a mechanical fix during the offseason that should improve his command in 2026, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. The reliever struggled with slider command last year, forcing him to rely on his sinker. He locked down 17 saves, but he also had six blown saves with a 4.11 ERA, up from his 1.91 ERA in 2023. Now that he has more command of his breaking ball, he won't need to fill up the zone with as many sinkers. He believes the mechanical fix will help him compete for the closer role. "I'm coming in with the mentality of earning that spot," Walker told Pavlovic. "I'm not here to sit around and be like, 'Oh, I just want a job.' I'm coming in with the full mentality of I'm going to earn this role, and it's going to be good." RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings reflect Walker's bid to earn more save situations in Tony Vitello's bullpen, as he currently ranks #21 among relievers.
--Andersen PickardSource: Alex Pavlovic
February 12, 2026
New York Yankees starting pitcher
Carlos Rodon (elbow) has thrown five to six bullpens and expects to throw another one on Saturday, according to Meredith Marakovits of YES Network. Rodon has been sidelined since October after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies and to shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. He also had two rounds of platelet-rich plasma therapy to speed up his healing and recovery process. We originally heard that Rodon was on track to return in May, and this latest update suggests that he's either on schedule or ahead of schedule. That's great news for the Yankees, who are also without
Gerrit Cole (elbow) until the summer. Rodon was effective when healthy last year, posting a 3.78 FIP, 9.4 K/9, and 3.4 K/9 across 33 starts (195.1 innings). He ranks as the #59 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest 2026 fantasy baseball draft rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: Meredith Marakovits
February 12, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher
Trevor Megill functioned as his team's primary closer in 2025, recording a 2.49 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 60 strikeouts, six wins, and 30 saves across 47 innings pitched. The 32-year-old has largely been a standout reliever since joining Milwaukee in 2023, recording 162 strikeouts and 51 saves across 128 innings (129 games). However, Brewers right-hander
Abner Uribe established himself as a dominant high-leverage option in 2025, posting a 3-2 record with a 1.67 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 90 strikeouts, and seven saves across 75 1/3 innings pitched. Heading into 2026, it appears as though Milwaukee could choose to deploy both Megill and Uribe in the ninth inning, operating without a single traditional closer. With a current average draft position of pick 120, Megill is typically coming off the board somewhere around RP10. Fantasy managers may be wise to avoid Megill at that cost, as he will be hard-pressed to return number one closer value if he consistently loses out on saves to Uribe.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander and manager Kevin Cash said the team intends to work with a closer-by-committee approach in 2026, per Evan Closky of 10 Tampa Bay News. Using multiple relievers in the ninth inning is something Cash has done with regularity in previous years, although veteran right-hander
Pete Fairbanks logged 27 saves for Tampa Bay in 2025. However, Fairbanks signed with the Miami Marlins in free agency this past winter, and it does not appear as though the Rays intend to name a single successor for the closer role. Right-handers
Edwin Uceta and
Griffin Jax, as well as lefty
Garrett Cleavinger, could be the most likely high-leverage relief candidates in Tampa Bay. Uceta racked up 103 strikeouts across 76 innings pitched for the Rays in 2025, while Jax recorded 10 saves for the Minnesota Twins in 2024. Cleavinger has eight saves over the past two seasons with Tampa Bay and might be the best lefty option Cash has at his disposal. Fantasy managers may see value from multiple different pieces of the Rays bullpen throughout 2026, but likely should not expect one dominant source of saves in Tampa Bay.
--Will BradySource: 10 Tampa Bay News - Evan Closky
February 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays beat writer Evan Closky of 10 Tampa Bay News reports that he expects Rays outfielder
Jacob Melton to start the 2026 season in Triple-A, based on comments by Rays manager Kevin Cash and President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander on Thursday. Tampa Bay acquired Melton from the Houston Astros in December as part of a three-team trade that saw the Rays send out second baseman
Brandon Lowe, outfielder
Jake Mangum, and relief pitcher
Mason Montgomery. The 25-year-old Melton got his first taste of big-league action in 2025, slashing .157/.234/.186 with zero home runs, seven RBI, seven runs scored, and seven stolen bases across 70 plate appearances with the Astros. His Triple-A numbers were significantly better, as he posted a .945 OPS with 12 stolen bases across 150 plate appearances. However, it appears as though interested fantasy managers may have to wait on Melton's arrival in Tampa Bay. If Melton does indeed begin the year in the Minors, the Rays will likely deploy a combination of
Cedric Mullins,
Jake Fraley,
Chandler Simpson,
Jonny DeLuca, and
Justyn-Henry Malloy in their outfield spots.
--Will BradySource: 10 Tampa Bay News - Evan Closky
February 12, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays beat writer Evan Closky of 10 Tampa Bay News reports that he expects Rays shortstop
Carson Williams to start the 2026 season in Triple-A, based on comments by Rays manager Kevin Cash and President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander on Thursday. A 2021 first-round pick, Williams made his Major League debut in late August 2025. However, the 22-year-old struggled mightily in 106 plate appearances, hitting .172/.219/.354 with five home runs, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Williams struck out in 41.5% of his big-league plate appearances, which is only marginally worse than the 34.1% strikeout rate he posted across 451 plate appearances last season at Triple-A. If Williams does indeed open the season in the Minors,
Taylor Walls would likely open the year as Tampa Bay's starting shortstop. Walls is known as one of the best defenders in the game, but has hit .195 with 22 total home runs across over 1,500 MLB plate appearances.
--Will BradySource: 10 Tampa Bay News - Evan Closky
February 12, 2026
Despite being utilized mostly in a reserve role, New York Yankees utility man
Jose Caballero has emerged as one of MLB's most prolific base-stealers in recent years. Across 126 games split between the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, Caballero stole 49 bases, his second straight season with at least 44 steals. With Yankees shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) expected to start the year on the injured list due to offseason shoulder surgery, Caballero appears ticketed for an everyday role in New York early on in 2026. The 29-year-old should not be expected to provide much fantasy value with his bat, as he hit .236/.339/.347 with five home runs, 36 RBI, and 52 runs scored across 370 plate appearances in 2025. However, with everyday playing time, Caballero could be a game-changing source of speed for fantasy managers. With a current average draft position of pick 222, Caballero could be a multi-position eligible sleeper to target, particularly in the early part of the season.
--Will BradySource: rotoballer
February 12, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll (hand) is already working out with a cast on his right (non-throwing) hand after he had surgery to fix a broken hamate bone on Wednesday, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. "I'm not surprised. That's how he's wired. He had surgery yesterday morning, and 24 hours later, he's out there working. It's who he is. There's a process, and there's a plan for him," manager Torey Lovullo said. A timetable for Carroll's return is unclear right now, but the D-backs are hoping that he'll be ready to go around Opening Day at the end of March. In the meantime,
Jordan Lawlar could see playing time in center field for Arizona, with
Alek Thomas moving to right field. Carroll's injury certainly drops his fantasy value going into upcoming drafts, but fantasy managers should still consider him a top-25 player since he might not have to miss much time.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
February 12, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that outfielder
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) won't be ready for Opening Day in 2026, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. "He said Opening Day to me yesterday when I saw him. That's how good he's feeling. It is not gonna be Opening Day, I can assure you that. Where that is, we don't know yet," Lovullo said. Gurriel, 32, tore his right ACL late in the 2025 season and had surgery in September, which means he will most likely miss at least the first couple of months of the 2026 campaign. Before his season-ending injury, the Cuban outfielder hit .248/.295/.418 with a .713 OPS, 19 home runs, 80 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 500 at-bats. He was on pace to set career marks across the board before his injury, but now fantasy managers in mixed leagues can ignore him since he could miss most of the first half.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
February 12, 2026
The Philadelphia Phillies are releasing veteran outfielder
Nick Castellanos, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. The Phillies were unable to swing a trade for Castellanos, who is owed $20 million in 2026, so they ultimately decided to dump him and eat the money. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star should latch on elsewhere before the start of the 2026 season, but it's hard to envision him being a standout fantasy asset. Castellanos regressed even more in 2025 in his fourth and final season in Philly, slashing .250/.294/.400 with a .694 OPS, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, 72 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 147 games played. He was still useful for his counting stats because of the volume as a regular in one of the best lineups in baseball, but he lost his everyday role halfway through the year. Castellanos' hard-hit rate continues to fall each year, and he's among the worst defensive outfielders in the game. Wherever he lands, it will likely be in a platoon role.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
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