Liam Hendriks Signs Minors Deal With Twins

Free-agent right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks signed a minor-league deal with the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Hendriks, a three-time All-Star, has only made 19 relief appearances since the start of the 2023 season due to injuries. The 37-year-old veteran […]

Eric Lauer Loses Arbitration Hearing Against Toronto

Left-hander Eric Lauer lost his salary arbitration hearing against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Lauer will earn $4.4 million in 2026 instead of the $5.75 million he filed for. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw stepped up for Toronto in a swing role in 2025 after pitching in Korea […]

Hunter Strickland Throws a Bullpen on Wednesday

Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland (shoulder) threw a bullpen session at spring training on Wednesday, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Strickland was shut down for the rest of the season in early July of last year due to a right-shoulder strain, but the veteran reliever appears to be healthy going into the […]

Orion Kerkering Suffers a Grade 1 Hamstring Strain

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering (hamstring) has a Grade 1 hamstring strain, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Kerkering is "a little behind" as spring training gets underway. While this is certainly a situation worth monitoring, it doesn't sound like Kerkering's injury is too serious, and he should be ready for Opening Day […]

Robert Garcia, Chris Martin the Front-Runners for Saves in Texas

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that relievers Robert Garcia and Chris Martin are the front-runners to receive most of the save chances to start the 2026 season, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Alexis Diaz could be another option to close out games, but the Rangers want to see how he performs in […]

John King, Marlins Agree to One-Year Deal

Free-agent left-handed reliever John King and the Miami Marlins agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on Wednesday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 31-year-old southpaw was non-tendered by the St. Louis Cardinals in November and will join the Fish on a fully guaranteed big-league deal. King appeared in 51 games out of the […]

Mason Miller Officially Named Padres Closer

San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen officially announced on Wednesday that right-handed reliever Mason Miller will be the team's closer in 2026, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. It formally ends any speculation that Miller would transition to a starting role with the Friars. The hard-throwing 27-year-old starred in a late-inning setup role in SD […]

Dodgers Re-Sign Evan Phillips

The Los Angeles Dodgers have re-signed veteran reliever Evan Phillips (elbow) to a one-year, $6.5 million contract, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. In a corresponding move, catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment. Phillips is coming off Tommy John surgery and is not expected to pitch until July. He made just seven appearances prior […]

Daniel Palencia is the Cubs Closer

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia is his closer, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Palencia said he learned to be more calm and confident after some failures last year, but overall, he was great at the back end of Chicago's bullpen. The 26-year-old Venezuelan had a career-best […]

Bryan Abreu to Open the Season in Closer Role?

There's a chance that Houston Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) will be forced to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, which would open the door for right-handed reliever Bryan Abreu to begin the campaign as the team's primary closer. Hader experienced "arm soreness" before his fourth bullpen session of the winter, […]

Josh Hader Dealing With "Bicep Inflammation," Opening Day in Doubt

According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (biceps) underwent imaging that revealed inflammation in his biceps. Earlier in the offseason, Hader dealt with "arm soreness" as well. While the veteran is expected to resume a throwing program later on Wednesday, his status for Opening Day is "in flux." Managers […]

Ty Madden Expected to be Cleared for Spring Training

Detroit Tigers right-handed pitching prospect Ty Madden (shoulder) is expected to be a full-go ahead of spring training. Madden suffered a strained rotator cuff last spring and was unable to pitch the next campaign. However, following a successful offseason, the 25-year-old appears to be trending in the right direction ahead of the 2026 campaign. In […]

Yimi Garcia Has Been Throwing, Might be Ready for Opening Day

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia (right elbow) has been "feeling good and throwing for numerous weeks now," manager John Schneider told Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Garcia underwent surgery to clean up scar tissue in his right elbow last September, and he also dealt with an ankle sprain last season. Schneider wouldn't officially commit to […]

Ricky Tiedemann Will be Stretched Out to Multiple Innings

Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitcher Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) will be stretched out to multiple innings during spring training, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Tiedemann is coming off Tommy John surgery, and while the Jays will stretch him out during the coming weeks, he won't be in a bulk role for the entire season. The […]

Jeff Hoffman Not the Everyday Closer in Toronto?

When asked about right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he's "100 percent confident if he's closing most games," according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. General manager Ross Atkins said in November that the Blue Jays weren't committed to using Hoffman as their primary closer in 2026 after he struggled in […]

Ben Joyce Playing Catch, Uncertain for Opening Day

Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Ben Joyce (shoulder) is playing catch at spring training, but manager Kurt Suzuki said it's too early to tell if Joyce will be ready for Opening Day, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The Angels are taking it day by day with Joyce for now. The hard-throwing 25-year-old missed most […]

A.J. Puk Expects to be Back Before July

Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed reliever A.J. Puk (elbow) said he would "love" to be back by early May, but that's unlikely to happen, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Puk does expect to be back before July, though. Meanwhile, fellow high-leverage reliever Justin Martinez (elbow) is targeting a late-August return in 2026. Puk, 30, underwent […]

Justin Martinez Tentatively Targeting an August Return

Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (elbow) said he's tentatively targeting an August return from elbow surgery, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Martinez is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had last June, although he did start a throwing program in the middle of last month. The 24-year-old Dominican hurler broke […]

NFBC Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 600 (2026)

Baseball offseason is heating up, and with spring training around the corner, we have updated our MLB rankings and will continue to do so until Opening Day. Today, we are focused on best ball leagues, and below you'll find our MLB team's 2026 NFBC Fantasy Baseball Rankings for NFBC Best Ball leagues. These NFBC best ball […]

OBP Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 750 Players for On-Base Percentage Leagues (2026)

The thick of the 2026 fantasy baseball offseason is finally here. At RotoBaller, we continue generate fantasy baseball rankings for all types of formats to help prepare you for your upcoming drafts. Today, we focus on on-base percentage formats with our 2026 OBP Fantasy Baseball Rankings for on-base percentage (OBP) leagues. These OBP rankings include […]

Hunter Strickland Re-Signs With Angels on Minors Deal

Free-agent right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland (shoulder) re-signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Strickland only appeared in 19 games for the Halos in 2025 and missed the entire second half with a right-shoulder strain. Before his injury, the 37-year-old veteran was decent […]

Colin Rea on the Outside Looking in for Rotation Spot

MLB.com's Jordan Bastian lists the Chicago Cubs' current starting rotation as Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Cade Horton. That leaves Colin Rea, Javier Assad, Ben Brown, and Jordan Wicks as depth behind that group. Justin Steele (elbow) is expected to make his season debut in the first half of the season, […]

Emilio Pagan Will be Slow-Played in Spring Training

The Cincinnati Reds plan to slow-play right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan in spring training this year. Both relievers are healthy in 2026, but they won't pitch in spring training games right away after pitching in so many high-stress situations in 2025, according to Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer. The Reds don't plan […]

Ben Casparius Building Up as Starting Pitcher

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Ben Casparius said over the weekend that he is preparing himself as a starting pitcher entering spring training this year, according to Steve Webb of DodgersBeat.com. Casparius had an up-and-down first full season in the big leagues with the Dodgers last year, appearing in 46 games (three starts) while throwing 77 […]

Josh Hader Throwing Lightly on Flat Ground

Houston Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader (shoulder) has been throwing lightly and on flat ground as spring training begins for the Astros, according to Buster Olney of ESPN. Hader and the Astros hope to learn more about where he stands in his preparation for the 2026 season in the middle of this week. The 31-year-old […]

Andrew Saalfrank Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed reliever Andrew Saalfrank (shoulder) posted a photo of himself on Monday on his Instagram account and announced that he underwent shoulder surgery, according to Alex D'Agostino of Sports Illustrated. MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that Saalfrank will miss the entire 2026 season. The 28-year-old southpaw was a key bullpen piece during the team's […]

Nick Martinez Agrees to One-Year Deal With Rays

Free-agent pitcher Nick Martinez and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a one-year deal on Monday, pending a physical. The contract is for $13 million and includes a mutual option for 2027. Martinez had an up-and-down season last year, going 11-14 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. However, he fared much better as a […]

Updated Closers, Relief Pitcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Points Leagues (February Updates)

There is a vast difference in ranking relief pitchers in points leagues versus roto leagues. In traditional 5x5 roto leagues, saves can be scarce, and fantasy managers might take the plunge to draft a top closer, while in point formats, the first reliever ranked is 40th overall.  With starting pitching being a premium, starters with […]

10 Sleeper Hitters and Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball (2026)

The term "sleeper" has become a bit overused in fantasy sports, and baseball is no different. Too often, I see players who go earlier in drafts classified as a sleeper, but you won't find that in this article. I'm digging deeper to bring you my fantasy baseball sleepers. In this article, you will find a […]

JB's Bullpen Method Strategy for 2026: Making FrankenAces Out of Relief Pitchers

Six years ago, our beloved JB Branson published an article breaking down his favorite successful fantasy baseball strategy. The Bullpen Method is a lifestyle that reflects the importance of balance on a fantasy team. That turned into an annual Bullpen Method article, with the 2023 version nominated for the FSWA's Baseball Article Of The Year […]