MLB News

Across 70 innings split between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies in 2025, Phillies closer Jhoan Duran recorded a 7-6 record with a 2.06 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 80 strikeouts, and 32 saves. Despite making 26 fewer appearances with Philadelphia than Minnesota, Duran recorded the same number of saves (16) with both teams. Heading into 2026, the 28-year-old is locked in as the Phillies' closer and could be in line for his most productive MLB season from a saves perspective. While Minnesota often deployed Duran in high-leverage spots outside of the ninth inning, Philadelphia used him as a traditional closer. Duran owns a career K-BB rate of 23.6% and also does a tremendous job of limiting the long ball, as he's allowed a HR/9 of just 0.67 across 254 1/3 career innings. He profiles as an elite closer option for fantasy managers heading into 2026.

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge is being sent to minor-league camp on Thursday, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Officially, Eldridge was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento despite having an .830 OPS with six RBI and eight runs scored in his 19 Cactus League games this spring. The 21-year-old left-handed slugger also struck out in 19 of his 40 at-bats, so he clearly has some stuff to work on down on the farm to start the 2026 regular season. He'll play first base at Sacramento, but Eldridge will probably be more of a full-time designated hitter whenever he reaches the majors with Rafael Devers entrenched at first. Eldridge got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last year in 10 games, going 3-for-28 (.107) with no homers, four RBI, seven walks, and 13 strikeouts. He had 25 homers in 102 minor-league games before that, but he also dealt with wrist and hamstring injuries that caused him to miss time. Eldridge is a big power bat with a low floor in 2026 because of his inexperience and high whiff rate. Long-term, though, he's a nice power bat to keep stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues who could get extended run in the Show this year if he stays healthy.

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga finished his spring with seven straight scoreless innings in the Grapefruit League, striking out nine and walking one over that stretch, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Senga topped out at 97.3 mph in his outing on Thursday and has been up to 99 mph in the Grapefruit League. The 33-year-old Japanese hurler was an All-Star in 2023 in his first year in the big leagues with an ERA under 3.00 and 202 strikeouts, but he hasn't been quite as good since then, and he's only made a total of 23 starts for the Mets over the last two years due to injuries. Senga was off to a fantastic start in 2025 before injuring his hamstring, struggling upon his return, and being sent to the minors at the end of the year. He looks motivated this spring and has likely secured a spot in the starting rotation going into the 2026 season. Because he ended the year in Triple-A in 2025, Senga could come at a value in fantasy drafts this weekend, although his ADP has been on the rise due to his strong spring. There's a lot to like about Senga and his high-strikeout upside at a reduced cost.

Athletics right-hander Luis Severino will make the Opening Day start for the team this year in Toronto at the Rogers Centre against the Blue Jays next Friday, March 27, manager Mark Kotsay told Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. It will be Severino's second straight Opening Day assignment with the A's and the third of his career. Severino's fantasy stock is on the decline after he went 8-11 with a 4.54 ERA (4.11 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with 124 strikeouts, and 50 walks in 162 2/3 innings over 29 starts in his first year in Sacramento. At home at Sutter Health Park, Severino went 2-9 with a 6.01 ERA, really struggling to keep the ball in the yard at the hitter-friendly band box. The 32-year-old Dominican isn't a bad pitcher -- he's made two All-Star teams -- but his upside is limited in a tough pitching environment as he gets closer to the end of his career. He's been more volatile than ever for fantasy managers the last three years of his career, and he's fallen to the No. 139-ranked starting pitcher at RotoBaller. In DFS, we wouldn't recommend Severino on the road against the reigning American League-champion Blue Jays.

The Colorado Rockies announced on Thursday that they reassigned infielder/outfielder Charlie Condon to minor-league camp. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as the expectation all along was that Condon would open the 2026 campaign in the minors, most likely at Double-A. The 22-year-old former third overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Georgia had a strong spring training showing, hitting .389 (14-for-36) with three home runs, nine RBI, six runs scored, four walks, and eight strikeouts in 19 Cactus League games. He hit .268/.376/.444 with an .820 OPS, 14 home runs, 58 RBI, and 59 runs scored in 99 games over three minor-league levels in 2025. The Rockies definitely have some playing time up for grabs at the first base position, which looks to be Condon's long-term home in Colorado. If Condon continues to swing a hot bat down on the farm to begin the 2026 season, he'll most likely be in Denver by the summer. He's an intriguing power-hitting first base option to stash in dynasty/keeper leagues for the time being.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Henderson made his major-league debut with the Brew Crew last year and looked great, allowing only five earned runs on 17 hits (three homers) while walking eight and striking out 33 in 25 1/3 innings over his five starts. It's a disappointment that he won't be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation after allowing an earned run on two hits with no walks and one strikeout in four Cactus League innings this spring. The good news for fantasy managers that decide to stash Henderson in deep-mixed and NL-only leagues is that he'll probably be one of the first to be called up from the minors if a big-league starting-rotation spot is needed. Henderson has a history with elbow issues, but when healthy, he makes for a deep-league sleeper who has a nasty changeup.

The Seattle Mariners announced on Thursday that right-hander Logan Gilbert will make the start on Opening Day next Thursday, March 26, against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. It will be Gilbert's second straight Opening Day assignment. The 28-year-old went 6-6 with a 3.44 ERA (3.35 FIP) and 1.03 WHIP with 173 strikeouts and 31 walks in 131 innings over his 25 starts in 2025 in his fifth year in the big leagues with the M's. He was a first-time All-Star in 2024, when he had a nice 3.23 ERA, league-leading 0.89 WHIP, and a career-high 220 strikeouts in a league-high 208 2/3 innings over 33 starts. Gilbert's 2025 season might have looked much better had he not dealt with a flexor strain in his right elbow that caused him to miss over a month of action. Despite dealing with arm issues last year, Gilbert had a career-high 32.3% strikeout rate, and he has one of the highest floors of any high-end fantasy starter. RotoBaller has Gilbert ranked as the No. 6 fantasy starting pitcher in 2026.

Los Angeles Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (arm) is dealing with some arm soreness in camp, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Manager Kurt Suzuki called it dead arm, and there's still a chance he'll be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season next week if his arm feels better in the coming days. The Angels will continue to monitor him, but this could turn into an injured-list situation for Rodriguez. It's not what Angels fans want to hear from a pitcher who missed all of the 2025 season in Baltimore due to late and elbow issues, but the good news is that Rodriguez still played catch in spring training on Thursday, and the Angels genuinely don't believe it's anything serious. Still, it's a situation that could cause him to miss the start of his first year in Anaheim. The former 11th overall pick by the O's in 2018 was once the top pitching prospect in baseball, and he's shown high-end upside at times. He showed improvement in Year 2 in 2024, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 130:36 K:BB in 20 starts before injuries shut him down. Rodriguez is a high-risk, high-reward late-round flier who has a 4.97 ERA with 12 strikeouts and 10 walks in 12 2/3 Cactus League innings this year.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith (forearm) is at first base and is batting third for Thursday's Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox. Smith is back after missing some time with a minor forearm injury, so he'll be ready to go for Opening Day a week from now. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter is expected to be on the strong side of a platoon between first base and designated hitter for the Snakes in 2026. The former seventh overall pick in 2017 out of the University of Virginia hit .258/.362/.434 with a .797 OPS, eight home runs, 28 RBI, 36 runs scored, and two steals in 87 games played in 2025 in his sixth year with the D-backs. Smith played in only eight games after July 5 due to two injuries in the second half of the season. He has decent power from the left side, but his high strikeout rate and limited playing time limit his fantasy appeal to a late-round bench stash in deep-mixed leagues.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (shoulder) is back at third base and will bat third in the team's Cactus League game on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals, according to MLB.com. Ramirez left the spring training game last Sunday with shoulder inflammation, but the 33-year-old veteran is back and should have no issues being ready to go for Opening Day next week. He's gone 7-for-30 (.233) with two home runs, nine RBI, three runs scored, and three stolen bases in 13 Cactus League games this spring. J-Ram is a seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger who has been one of the best all-around hitters for the last eight seasons. He's ranked as the No. 6 overall player in fantasy baseball as he heads into his 14th MLB season. Not only is Ramirez durable, but he provides across all fantasy categories. He hit .283/.360/.503 with an .863 OPS, 30 homers, 85 RBI, 103 runs, and a career-high 44 stolen bases in 2025. Ramirez has hit 30-plus homers in three of the last five seasons and has 40-plus steals in each of the last two years. The dude does it all.

The San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday that right-hander Hayden Birdsong (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery next week and will miss the entire 2026 season, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Fantasy managers will obviously want to avoid Birdsong everywhere in single-year leagues, and the 24-year-old's development will now be paused for at least a year for those in dynasty/keeper leagues. An MRI exam that Birdsong had on Sunday showed a Grade 2 forearm strain and a UCL sprain, and rather than go the rest-and-rehab route, the Giants have decided that Birdsong will go under the knife. Not only will he miss all of this year, but he probably won't be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign, either. The former sixth-round pick in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois has gone 9-10 with a 4.77 ERA (4.81 FIP), 1.44 WHIP, and 156:80 K:BB in 137 2/3 innings over 37 appearances (26 starts) since debuting in the big leagues with San Fran in 2024.

New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation, manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "He's healthy, and the stuff is in line with where it needs to be. I don't put a lot of stock in numbers in spring," Boone said. Weathers beat out right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange for the final spot in New York's rotation to begin the year despite allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 15 hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 12 in 9 1/3 innings of work in the Grapefruit League. The 26-year-old southpaw will have some runway to be a sleeper and matchup-based streamer until injured starters Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Carlos Rodon (elbow) are ready to make their season debuts. Injuries have limited Weathers' fantasy upside, but increased velocity this spring has many hopeful that he'll be fantasy relevant in his first year in the Bronx.

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (forearm) is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat fifth in Thursday's Cactus League game versus the Chicago White Sox. Moreno will return after missing a few spring training games due to tightness in his right forearm, which mostly affected him while throwing the baseball. The 26-year-old starting backstop should be fine for Opening Day next week. He'll be hoping to get some more timing down before the start of the 2026 regular season, as he's gone just 5-for-28 (.179) with a homer, three RBI, one walk, and six strikeouts in nine Cactus League games played. Injuries have been an issue for Moreno in his four years in the big leagues, as he's only played over 100 games once, back in his second year in the league and first with Arizona in 2023. Moreno slashed .285/.353/.433 with a career-high .786 OPS, nine homers, and 40 RBI in 83 games in 2025. Treat Moreno as a low-end No. 1 catcher/high-end No. 2 option in upcoming fantasy drafts.

The New York Yankees reassigned right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange to minor-league camp on Thursday, manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Lagrange made it a difficult decision for the Yankees after he turned heads in Grapefruit League play, allowing an earned run with three walks and nine strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings of work in his three spring training appearances with the big-league squad. Per MLB Pipeline, he's the team's No. 2 prospect going into this year, behind only George Lombard Jr. Lagrange is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, and as you might expect, he has a fastball that gets into the low-100s on the radar gun. In addition to his elite heater, Lagrange features three swing-and-miss secondary pitches. The Dominican hurler has the upside to be a high-end starter in the big leagues, but a little more polish in the minors with his mechanics might be needed. We fully expect Lagrange to be in play for starts in the Bronx in 2026.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will throw in a minor-league game at Carpenter Complex on Monday, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. It will be Wheeler's first appearance in a game this spring, and the 35-year-old veteran is expected to be limited to 40 pitches. Wheeler will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, but he's made enough progress in spring training that the club is optimistic that he will make his season debut in April. His season was cut short in 2025 after dealing with a blood clot and later being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which required surgery. It's tough to predict how pitchers will return from a unique procedure like that, which makes Wheeler much riskier in fantasy leagues this year. However, Wheeler has looked great during his rehab, and he was among the most consistent fantasy aces in the game before his injury last year. In his six years in Philly, Wheeler has a 2.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 1,094:220 K:BB in 979 innings. He has risen up draft boards this spring and is now ranked as RotoBaller's No. 28 fantasy starting pitcher.

After another roster cutdown by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin remains in big-league camp and is one step closer to making the 2026 Opening Day roster. If the Pirates go with the best player at the shortstop position this spring, it would be Griffin, a 19-year-old phenom who is trying to be the first teenager in the big leagues since Juan Soto. The former ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft made it look easy in three minor-league levels in 2025 in his first professional season, hitting .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases in 122 total games (563 plate appearances) with Single-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, and Double-A Altoona. With an advanced approach at the plate, impressive strength, and high-end power/speed abilities, Griffin has the makings of a once-in-a-generation player that could really make a difference in his first MLB season without any experience at Triple-A. All signs are pointing to Kriffin being on the Opening Day roster, and he'll certainly have an impact in all fantasy baseball formats in 2026.

The New York Mets announced on Thursday that they optioned infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse. Mauricio's only real chance to be on the Opening Day roster was if shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) wasn't ready after having hamate-bone surgery last month. The offseason additions of Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette make it more difficult for the 24-year-old to find a significant role on the infield in the Big Apple in 2026. Mauricio will bide his time in the minors to begin the year before hopefully getting the call eventually to serve as additional infield depth at the major-league level. He swung the bat well in Grapefruit League play, hitting .313/.389/.531 with five RBI, three runs, and two stolen bases in 13 games played. The Dominican infielder missed all of 2024 after having surgery on his knee and then hit .226/.293/.369 with six homers, 10 RBI, 19 runs, and four steals in 61 games played in 2025. While being buried in a crowded infield picture with the Mets, Mauricio is really only a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues, but even there, his star is fading quickly.

Arizona Diamondbacks infield prospect Tommy Troy impressed during his first taste of big-league camp this year, going 12-for-32 (.375) with eight singles and four doubles. The D-backs' fourth-ranked prospect wasn't necessarily expected to make the Opening Day roster, however, his performance reinforced the success he saw in 2025. The former first-round draft pick began the 2025 campaign at Double-A, and after 87 games there, he earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he was just as effective over 38 games. In all, the right-handed slugger produced a .289/.382/.451 slash line with 15 home runs, 24 steals, and better-than-average strikeout (16.9 percent) and walk rates (11.5 percent). The 24-year-old could be called up for his MLB debut around midseason, and at an offensively-challenged position like second base, Troy could be an interesting waiver wire addition whenever he gets the chance in Arizona.

Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Noah Schultz was reassigned to minor league camp earlier this month after making a pair of Cactus League appearances. The former first-round draft pick showed well in his limited action, offering glimpses of his strikeout potential with five punchouts in 4 1/3 innings pitched while walking none. The 6-foot-10 hurler earned a promotion to Triple-A in midseason last year, but struggled to a 9.37 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, and an 11.7 percent K-BB% in five starts with Charlotte before being shut down with knee tendinitis. That is where the southpaw is expected to start 2026, and with the knee issue behind him, he'll look to get on a roll early and work toward a major league debut later this year, perhaps even before the All-Star break. The 22-year-old's large frame and strikeout potential give him the look of a worthy stash candidate in deep redraft leagues; otherwise, managers in shallower formats should keep an eye on his progress as Chicago's top-ranked pitching prospect could offer fantasy-rotation reinforcement once he's called up.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday that right-hander Paul Skenes will start on Opening Day on Thursday, March 26, on the road at Citi Field against the New York Mets. It's not the easiest of opening matchups, but fantasy managers should never be benching the mighty Skenes. The 23-year-old former first overall pick out of LSU in 2023 made a quick rise to the big leagues and has quickly established himself as one of the most dominant arms in the game in just two MLB seasons. He's been an All-Star in both of his big-league campaigns, won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2024, and the first of likely many Cy Young awards in 2025. Skenes has gone 21-13 with a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 386:74 K:BB in 320 2/3 innings over his 55 starts for the Bucs. He looked great pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and will look to get his year started on the right foot in New York next week.