March 24, 2026
With
Luis Garcia Jr. moving to first base full-time in 2026, Washington Nationals infielder
Nasim Nunez is locked in as the team's starting second baseman to begin the year, according to MLB.com's Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie. Nunez is a former Rule 5 draft pick who has never seen consistent playing time. The 25-year-old former second-round pick by the Miami Marlins in 2019 is a switch-hitter who has played in 90 games the last two years in D.C., slashing .238/.329/.343 with a .672 OPS, four home runs, 14 RBI, 27 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 170 total plate appearances. In 89 innings played at the keystone in 2025, Nunez didn't commit a single error, and he even made seven starts at second and six at shortstop during spring training. He may not be an upgrade over Garcia offensively at second base, but he certainly will be with his glove. If anything, Nunez could be an asset in NL-only fantasy leagues as a depth middle infielder for his speed.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie
March 24, 2026
Colorado Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer confirmed on Tuesday that the team optioned right-handed reliever
Seth Halvorsen to Triple-A Albuquerque, according to Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette. The move means that right-hander
Victor Vodnik will most likely open the 2026 season as the favorite for saves in the Rockies' bullpen. Halvorsen led Colorado in 2025 with a career-high 11 saves in just his second major-league season, but he also had an ugly 4.99 ERA (5.20 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 21 walks in 39 2/3 relief appearances. Things snowballed for him in spring training, as he allowed 12 earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking 12 and striking out only four in five innings pitched in Cactus League action. Halvorsen will surely get another shot at high-leverage work in Denver at some point in 2026, but for now, fantasy managers in single-year leagues can avoid him. In fact, steering clear of the Rockies' bullpen in fantasy leagues is a good strategy in general.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Denver Gazette - Kevin Henry
March 24, 2026
The Miami Marlins, who are dealing with a rash of injuries to their outfielders, are signing free-agent outfielder
Austin Slater to an undisclosed one-year big-league deal on Tuesday, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. Slater became a free agent last week after opting out of his deal with the Detroit Tigers. The 33-year-old veteran will give the Fish plenty of experience, a trusted glove in the outfield for late in games, and a solid bat against left-handed pitchers. He spent the 2025 season (his ninth in the big leagues) with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees, hitting just .216/.270/.372 with a .642 OPS, five home runs, 13 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 65 games played.
Kyle Stowers (hamstring) and
Esteury Ruiz (oblique) won't be ready for Opening Day, perhaps giving Slater an opening to serve on the short side of a platoon in Miami early on. Slater has a .787 OPS with 30 of his 45 career home runs against southpaws in over 1,000 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
March 24, 2026
MLB.com reports that New York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (hand), who is recovering from a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, is likely to be ready for Opening Day on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lindor made his Grapefruit League debut in spring training on March 15, which was 4 1/2 weeks after he had hand surgery on Feb. 11, and he's scheduled to play in each of the team's last two spring training games. Fantasy managers should be stoked that Lindor is on track for Opening Day, but he'll be greeted with a very difficult matchup in Game 1 on Thursday against reigning National League Cy Young winner
Paul Skenes. Coming off a hand injury against one of the most dominant pitchers in the game will have fantasy managers in DFS avoiding the five-time All-Star if he's in the starting lineup, as expected. Overall, Lindor is one of the best shortstops in the game on one of the best teams in baseball. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 4 shortstop, behind only
Bobby Witt Jr.,
Gunnar Henderson, and
Elly De La Cruz.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 24, 2026
New York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw 17 of his 26 pitches for strikes in 1 2/3 innings on Tuesday in his second outing of spring training, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Cole threw a scoreless frame in his spring debut last week against the Boston Red Sox as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery with an internal brace that he had last March. The 35-year-old veteran and former American League Cy Young winner will not be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season this week, but the Yankees are hoping he can make his return by late May. He only threw 10 pitches in his first outing, but he managed to top out at 98.7 mph on the radar gun, signaling that things are going pretty well in his rehab. Cole can be a difference-maker for fantasy pitching staffs when healthy, but he'll be a much riskier commodity in 2026 after missing all of last year. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 65 fantasy starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA Today Sports - Bob Nightengale
March 24, 2026
Cincinnati Reds left-hander
Nick Lodolo (finger) played light catch in camp on Tuesday for "maybe 15-20 throws," according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Lodolo said he doesn't know what the plan will be going into Opening Day on Thursday, and that the team is "working on it." He said the blister issue on his finger was OK, but didn't "sound particularly enthused." Beginning the 2026 regular season on the injured list is still in play for Lodolo as he recovers from a blister on his left index finger that forced him from his Cactus League outing on Sunday. If the 28-year-old does start in the IL, he will hopefully only miss a short amount of time to begin the year. If Lodolo begins the year in Cincy's Opening Day starting rotation, his first start of the year will be a risky one for fantasy managers this Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. With high-end strikeout upside, the former TCU standout is a must-roster pitcher in all fantasy formats in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Gordon Wittenmyer
March 24, 2026
MLB.com's Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie write that Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. "all but cemented" himself as the team's starting first baseman this spring, even though he hit just .128 (5-for-39) with a homer, three RBI, one steal, one walk, and nine strikeouts in 14 Grapefruit League games. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter will shift from second base to first in D.C. in 2026. Garcia will still see some reps at the keystone, but he's expected to be Washington's primary first baseman this year, with
Nasim Nunez taking over at second. Garcia also dipped offensively from 2024 to 2025, slashing .252/.289/.412 with a .701 OPS, 16 home runs, 66 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 526 plate appearances over 139 games. The Nationals and fantasy managers alike will hope that Garcia's move to first base will put less on him defensively and help him bounce back at the plate. The ceiling isn't high here, and 2024 might have been his peak, but Garcia will gain first-base eligibility and could bounce back slightly in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie
March 24, 2026
Colorado Rockies outfielder/first baseman
Tyler Freeman (back) will start the 2026 regular season on the 10-day injured list due to lower-back inflammation, according to Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette. Freeman dealt with back issues this spring, and the setback he had last week means he won't be ready for Opening Day this week. The 26-year-old's back injury isn't considered very serious, though, so the hope is that he has a minimal stay on the IL and makes his season debut early in April. Freeman, a former second-round pick in 2017 by the Cleveland Guardians, played in 110 games in his first year in Denver in 2025 and hit an impressive .281 (106-for-377) with two homers, 31 RBI, 50 runs, and 18 stolen bases in 428 plate appearances. He's a contact over power-oriented hitter, limiting his fantasy appeal to mostly NL-only leagues as a utility man in Colorado once he's healthy. In addition to having limited power, Freeman probably won't be of much help away from hitter-friendly Coors Field, either.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Denver Gazette - Kevin Henry
March 24, 2026
The Detroit Tigers optioned infield prospect
Jace Jung to Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday, according to the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. For now, Jung will operate as third base depth for the Tigers in the minors. The 25-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2022 out of Texas Tech has played in 55 total big-league games with the Tigers in the last two years and has hit just .190 (24-for-126) with no homers, six RBI, 22 runs, no steals, 22 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 149 plate appearances. He looked pretty bad at the plate in his first stint with Detroit in 2025 before finishing in a better spot with the lumber. Issues making contact at the plate have been a big concern for Jung, the younger brother of Rangers third baseman
Josh Jung. He will need to make some notable improvements with the Mud Hens at Triple-A before getting a shot in the majors again in 2026. Jung is a hold in dynasty/keeper leagues right now, with many managers likely considering selling low on him.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
March 24, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect
Bubba Chandler appears set to open the season in the team's starting rotation, though no official confirmation has been made yet by the team. Right now, RosterResource projects the Pirates' top-ranked pitching prospect as the team's No. 3 starter. The right-hander didn't have the cleanest of springs, but looked sharp his last time out, allowing just one run on one hit while striking out eight batters and walking only one over five innings of work. The 6-foot-3 hurler finished 2025 on a high note as well, allowing just two earned runs over his final three starts while recording a pristine 19:0 K:BB in 16 2/3 innings pitched. Hopefully he can carry that momentum into 2026, and if he can, then the 23-year-old could end up as a real value pick in fantasy drafts, currently going around pick No. 160, whereas RotoBaller ranks him at 145 overall.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
March 24, 2026
Detroit Tigers outfielder
Wenceel Perez will open the 2026 season at Triple-A Toledo, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Perez is the odd man out for the Opening Day roster after infield prospect
Kevin McGonigle made the team out of spring training. With the 26-year-old starting the season on the farm, fantasy managers should expect
Matt Vierling to see most of the playing time in right field in Detroit to begin the year. Perez, a switch-hitter, didn't help his cause in spring training by hitting .158 (6-for-38) with no homers, three RBI, four runs, two stolen bases, three walks, and 12 strikeouts in 16 Grapefruit League games. The Dominican outfielder will be up with Detroit eventually after hitting .244/.308/.430 with a .738 OPS, 13 home runs, 43 RBI, 47 runs, and eight steals in 100 games in 2025 in his second year in the majors. When he returns to the big leagues, expect Perez to be in some sort of a platoon in the outfield, limiting his fantasy appeal in redraft leagues to deep-mixed and AL-only affairs.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
March 24, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop prospect
Aidan Miller (back) likely won't be ready for Opening Day at Triple-A Lehigh Valley due to an ongoing back issue. The Phils' top-ranked prospect dealt with a back injury late last year that prevented him from participating in the Arizona Fall League, and it has lingered into 2026, resulting in Miller being unable to play in any Grapefruit League games before being reassigned to minor league camp in mid March. Unfortunately, the organization has not yet provided a timetable for his return, so it's not clear when he's expected to make his 2026 debut. The 21-year-old could make his major league debut later this year if he gets going at Triple-A once he returns, and will be a top stash candidate once healthy.
--Jarod RuppSource: Charlotte Varnes - The Athletic
March 24, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that second baseman
Ketel Marte was scratched from Tuesday's exhibition game against the Cleveland Guardians due to soreness, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. There is "no concern" about Marte's status for Opening Day on Thursday.
Ildemaro Vargas is starting at the keystone on Tuesday against Cleveland with Marte sitting out. The 32-year-old Dominican is the second-ranked fantasy second baseman at RotoBaller, behind only the Yankees'
Jazz Chisholm Jr. In a hitter-friendly home environment in Phoenix, the three-time All-Star has at least 25 home runs in each of the last three years while recording at least 72 RBI as well. Marte's 145 wRC+ led all qualified players at second base in 2025 for the second straight year. Additionally, he has hit .283 over the last three seasons for the D-backs. It doesn't get much better than Marte at the second base position in MLB.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
March 24, 2026
Houston Astros outfield prospect
Kevin Alvarez will begin the season with Single-A Fayetteville, per Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. The Astros' top-ranked prospect was part of the 2025 international signing class and performed well in the Dominican Summer League last year as a 17-year-old, recording a .301/.419/.455 slash line with a 23:19 BB:K in 47 games there. The team clearly feels he is advanced enough to skip over playing rookie ball with the club's Florida Complex League affiliate, so he'll begin at Single-A instead. The 18-year-old possesses good contact ability along with projectable power in his 6-foot-3 frame, and it will be interesting to see how he fares stateside. Regardless, he's not expected to debut in the majors for a few years, but he could quickly become a desirable dynasty asset if he continues to live up to his top-prospect billing.
--Jarod RuppSource: Francys Romero
March 24, 2026
Athletics pitching prospect
Jamie Arnold will begin the season at Double-A, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. The Athletics' first-round pick in the 2025 Draft (11th overall) did not debut professionally last season after being selected, so this will be his first taste of pro ball. The left-hander was invited to big league camp this spring, but pitched just three innings in the Cactus League, although he did manage to rack up four strikeouts during that time. The 6-foot-1 hurler struck out 33.9 percent of batters faced in his final year at Florida State while walking just 7.7 percent. The Athletics' second-ranked prospect is already 22 years old, so if he shows well at Double-A, a quick call to Triple-A could be in the cards this season, and a September debut would not be out of the question. He's a name to remember later this year, and could be part of the A's rotation in 2027.
--Jarod RuppSource: Martin Gallegos
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