March 18, 2026
The New York Yankees announced on Wednesday that left-hander
Max Fried will take the hill for Opening Day next Wednesday on the road against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Fried is the easy choice for the Yankees to kick off the 2026 season with both
Gerrit Cole (elbow) and
Carlos Rodon (elbow) rehabbing elbow injuries. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw was excellent in his first year in the Bronx in 2025, earning his third career All-Star selection while leading the league in wins (19). Fried also had a 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 189:51 K:BB in 195 1/3 innings over his 32 starts during the regular season. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder is the ace of the Yankees' staff and should be treated as a low-end No. 1 fantasy starting pitcher going into his second season in pinstripes. It was only Fried's third time in nine MLB seasons that he reached 30 starts, and he has still never gone over 200 innings or 200 strikeouts. Fantasy managers should be starting him with confidence next week.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Yankees
March 18, 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks will not announce an official closer to begin the 2026 regular season, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. "You'll probably figure it out as I'm doing it," manager Torey Lovullo said on Wednesday when asked about the team's closing role.
Justin Martinez (elbow) and
A.J. Puk (elbow) will both begin the season on the injured list, so the D-backs will most likely go with a closer-by-committee situation to begin the 2026 season. Martinez had Tommy John surgery last June and probably won't be available in Arizona until the second half of the year. Puk is also rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and probably won't be ready to make his debut until right around the All-Star break. Because of his experience alone, veteran
Paul Sewald (86 career saves) might be the favorite for save chances early on, but
Taylor Clarke and
Ryan Thompson could also get opportunities. It's not an ideal situation to be chasing in fantasy unless you're desperate for saves in deeper leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
March 18, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Wednesday that they optioned right-hander
River Ryan to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Even with left-hander
Blake Snell (shoulder) not expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season next week, Ryan will start the year on the farm. The 27-year-old had Tommy John surgery in August of 2024 and didn't pitch at all for the Dodgers last year. The Dodgers chose to ignore his 1.86 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and four walks in his 9 2/3 innings in spring training in favor of giving him a softer runway in the minors to return from his right-elbow injury. The former 11th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2021 made his big-league debut in L.A. in 2024 and looked good, allowing just three earned runs with 18 K's and nine walks in 20 1/3 innings in four starts. L.A.'s starting rotation won't be easy to crack, but Ryan should make starts again for the Dodgers at some point in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
March 18, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll hit his first home run of the spring in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Chicago Cubs, a shot to left-center field off right-hander
Edward Cabrera, reports Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. The homer had a 105.5 mph exit velocity. Carroll also hit a line drive to right field earlier in the game that came off his bat at 106.6 mph. The 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year has only been the designated hitter for Arizona since returning from surgery on a broken hamate bone in his right hand, but he's expected to be cleared to play the field soon, and he should be ready to go for Opening Day late next week. Fantasy managers should like what they saw from Carroll on Wednesday at the plate as far as his pop goes following hand surgery. With the ability to contribute across all fantasy categories in a hitter-friendly home ballpark, Carroll is a top-25 overall fantasy player in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
March 18, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of infielder/outfielder
Santiago Espinal on Wednesday, the team announced. He has earned a spot on the big-league roster to open the 2026 season after hitting .412 (14-for-34) with two home runs, three doubles, 13 RBI, 12 runs scored, and a stolen base in 14 Cactus League games in spring training. The 31-year-old figures to be in a platoon role at second base to begin the year with
Hyeseong Kim since
Tommy Edman (ankle) could miss the first month of the season. The Dominican was an All-Star back in 2022 with the Toronto Blue Jays, when he hit .267/.322/.370 with seven homers and 51 RBI in 135 games. It's a surprising development for him to make L.A.'s roster after he failed to hit a home run in 114 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2025. Espinal has some talent with the bat, but his path to regular playing time in Hollywood is a difficult one.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
March 18, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers left-hander
Kyle Harrison (finger) left his Cactus League outing on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning at 59 pitches due to a blister on his left index finger, according to Brewers reporter Sophia Minnaert. Before leaving, the 24-year-old southpaw allowed four runs (one earned) while striking out three in 2 2/3 innings of work. It's unclear at this point if Harrison's injury will keep him from being ready for the start of the 2026 regular season late next week. Harrison started last year with the San Francisco Giants before eventually being sent to the Boston Red Sox in the
Rafael Devers trade. He was slightly better in Boston to close out the year and finished with a 4.04 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 38:14 K:BB in only 35 2/3 big-league innings over 11 outings (six starts). Fantasy managers should probably only consider him as a late-round flier with strikeout upside in 15-plus team leagues. If he doesn't win a rotation spot out of spring training, Harrison will likely be a swingman for the Brewers if he's healthy.
UPDATE: Manager Pat Murphy said he doesn't expect Harrison's schedule to be changed by more than a day because of his blister issue.--Keith HernandezSource: Sophia Minnaert
March 18, 2026
Cincinnati Reds right-hander
Brady Singer (finger) left his Cactus League outing on Wednesday with a blister, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Before being pulled, Singer threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings against the Colorado Rockies with two hits allowed, a walk, and three strikeouts. It's unclear if the 29-year-old's blister injury will prevent him from making his first start of the 2026 regular season, which is scheduled to come on March 29 against the Boston Red Sox. In his first full year in Cincy after being acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Royals, the former 18th overall pick from Florida in 2018 went 14-12 with a 4.03 ERA (3.98 FIP), 1.24 WHIP, and 163:60 K:BB in 169 2/3 innings over 32 starts. Singer pitches in a very hitter-friendly home ballpark and has a modest 22.1% strikeout rate in his six big-league seasons, so he relies heavily on his sinker to keep the ball out of the air. In shallow mixed leagues, fantasy managers should be able to find better upside pitching targets late in drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
March 18, 2026
Detroit Tigers shortstop prospect
Kevin McGonigle is staying in big-league camp on Wednesday rather than playing in the spring breakout game, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. "Their focus is in big-league camp and continuing trying to make an impression, state their case to be part of our puzzle," manager A.J. Hinch said. With just over a week to go until Opening Day next week, McGonigle remains in the Tigers' big-league camp in spring training. The former first-rounder has hit .242 (8-for-33) with two home runs, six RBI, eight runs scored, two stolen bases, and a 7:10 K:BB in 44 plate appearances over 16 Grapefruit League games, and he continues to play well beyond his years. Even if Detroit decides to have the 21-year-old start in the minors, it shouldn't be long before he's contending for starting duties at the 6 in Detroit. McGonigle needs to be stashed in all redraft formats and should already be rostered in dynasty leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
March 18, 2026
Kansas City Royals outfielder
Isaac Collins (back, side) is serving as the designated hitter and batting leadoff in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Texas Rangers. It will be Collins' first spring training game since March 10 while recovering from back and left-side tightness. Barring a setback, Collins should be ready for Opening Day at the end of next week. In six Cactus League games before his injury, the 28-year-old switch-hitter went 2-for-18 (.111) with two walks and nine strikeouts in 20 plate appearances. Collins hit .263/.368/.411 with a .779 OPS, nine home runs, 54 RBI, 56 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 130 games over 441 plate appearances in his first full big-league season in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers. In deep-mixed and OBP leagues, Collins is a decent late-round flier with some speed and modest power. He will most likely be in some sort of platoon role in his first year in KC.
--Keith HernandezSource: Kansas City Royals
March 18, 2026
Detroit Tigers catcher
Jake Rogers (concussion) has suffered a mild concussion after being struck in the face by his own bat while working in the batting cages, per MLB.com's Jason Beck. Beck reports that Rogers received stitches but that Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the team expects him to be fine by Opening Day. Across 142 plate appearances in 2025, Rogers slashed .187/.277/.333 with three home runs, 19 RBI, and 14 runs scored. The 30-year-old posted an impressive 10.6% walk rate in 2025 and owns a double-digit barrel rate for his career, but he's also struck out at a 32.1% clip across nearly 1,100 MLB plate appearances. Once healthy, Rogers is expected to serve as Detroit's backup catcher behind
Dillon Dingler. If Rogers ends up missing time to open the season, veteran backstop
Tomas Nido could be the favorite to break camp with the team.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Jason Beck
March 18, 2026
Once considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball, Washington Nationals outfielder
Dylan Crews has struggled to be a consistently productive player early in his MLB career. Across 322 plate appearances in 2025, Crews hit .208/.280/.352 with 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 43 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases. At just 24 years old, Crews still has plenty of time to develop into a quality big-leaguer. Crews also has the benefit of playing for. a rebuilding Nationals' squad that should give him plenty of runway for everyday playing time. However, Crews posted an uninspiring 38.7% hard-hit rate in 2025, and it's worth noting that he owns a .634 OPS across 454 career MLB plate appearances. He has the potential for five-category fantasy production if it all comes together, but Crews has yet to prove he can handle big-league pitching and comes with a fair degree of downside risk heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 18, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Logan Henderson (elbow) is scheduled to pitch two or three innings in a game on Friday, per Brewers beat writer Sophia Minnaert. Henderson experienced some elbow soreness in early March but seems to have avoided a major injury. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut in 2025 and dominated in a small sample size, recording a 3-0 record with a 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts across 25 1/3 innings (five starts). Henderson's spring injury setback likely means he will open the season in the Minors as he builds up to a full starter's workload. Milwaukee also has a stockpile of MLB-quality pitching depth, which could delay Henderson's return to the big leagues even further. However, the young right-hander should be able to force his way to the Majors sooner rather than later if he can stay healthy and pitches as he did in 2025.
--Will BradySource: Sophia Minnaert
March 18, 2026
The Miami Marlins announced on Wednesday that they reassigned left-handed pitching prospect
Robby Snelling to minor-league camp. Snelling, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, just couldn't win an Opening Day roster spot out of spring training while competing with left-hander
Braxton Garrett and right-hander
Janson Junk for the final two starting rotation spots. The 22-year-old southpaw will have to wait to make his major-league debut, but he doesn't have a ton left to prove down on the farm, so fantasy managers should expect him in the big leagues in 2026 sooner than later. Snelling had a 7.56 ERA in Grapefruit League play over four outings (8 1/3 innings), but he did strike out 13 batters while walking four. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has a high floor with a fastball that showed more velocity in 2025. Snelling also features a slider, sweeper, and changeup. Stash him in dynasty/keeper leagues as a potential mid-rotation starter.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Marlins
March 18, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Quinn Priester (wrist) is slated to throw a bullpen on Saturday and is targeting an April return to the big-league mound, per Brewers beat writer Sophia Minnaert. Priester is battling a nerve issue that has caused issues in his right wrist, but the team is hopeful he will be able to avoid surgery. The 25-year-old was a breakout success in 157 1/3 innings for Milwaukee in 2025, posting a 13-3 record with a 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 132 strikeouts. Priester's subpar 20.2% strikeout rate limits his fantasy appeal, but the young right-hander has demonstrated he can be a productive pitcher against MLB hitters and should have a spot in the Brewers' rotation once he returns from injury. With Priester sidelined to open the year, left-hander
Kyle Harrison and right-hander
Brandon Sproat appear likely to open the season in Milwaukee's rotation.
--Will BradySource: Sophia Minnaert
March 18, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect
Jesus Made earned an invitation to big league camp this spring after cruising through three levels of the minor leagues last year with a .285/.379/.413 slash line, nine home runs, and 47 steals in 115 games, finishing the year in Double-A as an 18-year-old. The Dominican slugger was reassigned to minor-league camp earlier this month, and although a 2026 debut with the Brewers is unlikely, it isn't out of the question. The soon-to-be-19-year-old has some of the highest-rated hit, power, and speed tools (fielding, too) in the minors and has risen to MLB's No. 3 prospect overall. The 6-foot-1 phenom will likely begin the year at Double-A, and even if a 2026 MLB debut ends up not being in the cards, he's likely to have an impact in 2027, so keen fantasy managers would be wise to keep tabs on his progress this year.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
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