MLB News

Los Angeles Angels infielder Kyren Paris has made the Opening Day roster. Paris has appeared in just 36 MLB contests over the past two seasons. During this brief taste, the 23-year-old has posted an underwhelming .110/.214/.165 slash line with one home run and an 11:34 BB:K. However, Paris was one of their top bats during spring training. Across 24 games, Paris went 18-for-45 with six doubles and two long balls. He held a 4:14 BB:K and swiped four bags. Last summer, he spent most of the campaign in the minor leagues, split between Double and Triple-A, where he posted a .167/.254/.278 line. At the Triple-A level, the former second-round pick posted a modest .209/.287/.360. Even though he has not produced consistently in the major leagues, he is worth monitoring in AL-only formats as he made significant progress this spring.

Right-handed pitcher Juan Nunez is returning to the Baltimore Orioles. The Padres selected Nunez in the Rule 5 draft back in November. However, during camp, Nunez allowed two runs across six innings of work while striking out five batters and was unable to make the major league roster. Fantasy managers should expect Nunez to likely open the season at the lower levels of the Baltimore system. Last season, the 24-year-old logged 29 1/3 innings at the High-A level and held a solid 2.45 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. He tallied 38 punchouts and allowed 10 free passes. This was a nice improvement compared to the 3.99 ERA and 1.45 WHIP across 49 2/3 innings he posted across his first taste of High-A during the 2023 season. Dynasty managers should expect Nunez to open the season at High-A and could push for his Double-A debut later in the summer.

Tampa Bay Rays right-handed pitching prospect Yoniel Curet (undisclosed) was placed on the 60-day injured list at Double-A. Curet likely suffered this injury during spring training and will now be several months away from returning to the bump. He logged only two innings during camp and tallied one punchout while allowing one run. Curet is ranked as the No. 14 best prospect in the system on MLB.com. Last season, the 22-year-old opened the campaign at the High-A level and logged 93 1/3 innings with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He tallied 122 punchouts while serving up 49 free passes. He was then promoted to Double-A, where he tallied 37 punchouts across just 25 2/3 innings. He posted an impressive 1.75 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. When he is cleared to return, he will likely begin his season at Double-A.

Left-handed pitcher Jose Quijada has been designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels. Quijada was competing for a spot in the bullpen but fell short. During camp, the southpaw posted a high 13.50 ERA with a 2.45 WHIP across seven 1/3 innings. He tallied six punchouts and served up five free passes. Last summer, Quijada logged 19 1/3 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen and posted a 3.26 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP. He tallied 24 punchouts and served up walks at a high 20.2 percent rate. However, he did generate an impressive .214 xBA. Across 128 career innings in the major leagues, the southpaw has posted a 4.64 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP. While the 29-year-old has flashed high strikeout upside in the past, he has been unable to enjoy similar production over the previous year. If he can return to form at Triple-A, he may push for a return to the big leagues.

The Los Angeles Angels have designated left-handed pitcher Angel Perdomo for assignment. The Angels acquired Perdomo from Atlanta in exchange for cash considerations earlier in March. However, he will now be placed on waivers and will likely begin his season at the Triple-A level. Last season, Perdomo was unable to pitch due to Tommy John surgery. In 2023, the southpaw spent his time in the majors in Pittsburgh and logged 29 innings to the tune of a 3.72 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Across this stint, he held an 11:44 BB:K and generated an impressive 2.75 xERA. Earlier in that season, he posted a similar 3.18 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP across 22 2/3 innings with Triple-A Indianapolis. Fantasy managers should expect Perdomo to contend to return to the majors later in the season if he performs well at Triple-A.

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Luke Keaschall started at second base during a spring training game on Tuesday. This was the first time Keaschall got the start at second base since undergoing Tommy John surgery last August. Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll noted that he will "DH some" and he will "play second some." However, as the season progresses, the team hopes to bring him back to the outfield. Last summer, Keaschall began the campaign with High-A before moving up to Double-A. Across 44 games with High-A, Keaschall posted a stellar .335/.457/.544 slash line. During his first 58 games at the Double-A level, the 22-year-old posted a strong .281/.393/.439 line. Dynasty managers should expect the Arizona state product to begin the campaign at the Double-A level.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Bubic had a solid final spring start in Tuesday's 3-1 win against the Rangers. Bubic pitched five innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts on 81 pitches. The 27-year-old had an excellent 2024 season out of the bullpen and earned the fifth rotation spot for the Royals this spring, going 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 IP. The spring statline doesn't instill a ton of confidence, but Bubic did have some fantasy appeal as a prospect several seasons ago and showed his skills last season. He may be worth keeping an eye on for fantasy managers in deep leagues to start the season. He will also be eligible as a relief pitcher, giving him some added appeal in points leagues.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy left one final positive impression in Tuesday's 4-3 exhibition loss to the Giants, going 1-for-4 with a solo home run. The 25-year-old clubbed a Jordan Hicks breaking ball over the center-field wall for his first long ball of the spring. Malloy ended the spring with a strong .309 batting average, five walks, and 12 strikeouts in 55 at-bats. He was not as impressive in his first big-league season in 2024, slashing .203/.291/.366 with eight HR and 21 RBI in 230 plate appearances. He is still competing for one of the final Opening Day roster spots for the Tigers. Even if he were to make the team, fantasy managers may want to see if he can carry his spring success into the regular season before trusting him.

Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Jackson Jobe allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five batters over four innings of work in Tuesday's 4-3 exhibition loss to the Giants. Jobe finishes the spring with a 3.86 ERA and a 6:13 BB:K over 16 1/3 IP, earning him a spot in the Tigers' starting rotation to open the 2025 season. The former first-rounder will likely take on the Mariners in Seattle for his first MLB start. Although he's yet to show it in his brief time in the majors, the righty carried a 27.0 percent strikeout rate in the minors, so there is solid strikeout potential here. The 22-year-old is available at the end of drafts for those who have yet to make their selections, however, it should be noted that he currently only carries relief pitcher (RP) eligibility on Yahoo.

The Houston Astros announced Tuesday that they unconditionally released first baseman Jon Singleton after he cleared waivers, per the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara. The 33-year-old saw 405 plate appearances with the Astros in 2024, slashing .234/.321/.386 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI. However, he slashed just .171/.239/.195 in 46 Grapefruit League plate appearances. Singleton will now need to look elsewhere for another opportunity to latch on with an organization, although all 29 other clubs did have an opportunity to claim Singleton during his waiver process and declined to do so.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) will seek a second opinion on his sore elbow after visiting with doctors, per the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara. The 28-year-old had Tommy John surgery in May of 2023 and has encountered multiple setbacks in his recovery. He was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session last Thursday, but was shut down. The various setbacks, coupled with the desire to see multiple doctors, may indicate even more missed time to come for Garcia. Fantasy managers should wait until definitive news comes out, but they should not plan on factoring Garcia into their roster plans.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that second baseman Brendan Rodgers earned the final spot on the major-league roster, per the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara. The 28-year-old signed a minor-league deal with the Astros this offseason and put forth a mediocre spring offensively, slashing .233/.250/.349 with no home runs and eight RBI in 44 plate appearances. Rodgers put together solid batting averages during his time with the Rockies, but he was never able to take advantage of his power potential at Coors Field. He will likely have to compete with Mauricio Dubon for playing time at second base with Jose Altuve moving to left field. Despite making the big-league roster, Rodgers is only worth a fantasy look in deep leagues at this time.

Atlanta Braves infield prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. (wrist) has been placed on the 10-day injured list. Alvarez injured his wrist at the end of February, and it wasn't thought that he would be out of action for very long, but it appears to be taking longer than expected. The former 2022 fifth-round draft pick has ascended quickly through the minors due to his excellent contact skills and ability to draw walks. The right-handed hitter owns a career 16.6 percent strikeout rate in the minors and a 14.2 percent walk rate to go along with a .284/.399/.396 slash line over 1114 plate appearances (258 games). From June 14 through July 21 last season (26 games), Alvarez hit .346 with six home runs, six doubles, and five stolen bases, prompting a call-up to the big league club. The debut did not last long after going 3-for-30 (.100) over his first eight games. With Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley healthy, there's no need to rush him back to the majors, but he can handle shortstop as well, so we'll see how much longer the Braves deal with Orlando Arcia's offensive ineffectiveness. When the 22-year-old gets the call again this season, he would be worth a bench stash in deeper leagues in the event he puts it together in the majors in his second go-round.

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins (ankle) is "tracking well," according to general manager Jeremy Zoll. The Twins' GM stated that MLB's No. 3 overall prospect has been working on the back fields, and although Jenkins may not be assigned to an Opening Day roster, they do expect him to participate in games in the not-too-distant future. The 20-year-old is expected to begin the season at Double-A Wichita which is where he finished last season. The left-handed slugger slashed .283/.394/.450 between Single-A and High-A in 2024, but went just 4-for-25 (.160) during his six-game audition at Double-A. Still, the former first-round draft pick has one of the best hit tools in the minors and should make his way to Triple-A by season's end. Redraft managers may want to consider stashing him later in the season if it looks like he could make his debut; otherwise, expect the 20-year-old to have an impact on the 2026 campaign and beyond.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Valente Bellozo has made the team's Opening Day roster, per manager Clayton McCullough, locking down the final rotation spot. The Marlins are dealing with a rash of pitcher injuries again, with Ryan Weathers (forearm) and Edward Cabrera (blister) both expected to begin the season on the injured list, so after being optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville on March 14, the right-hander will instead get another shot to prove himself. The 5-foot-10 hurler got a taste of the majors last year, making 13 starts and posting a 3.67 ERA (5.73 FIP), 1.31 WHIP, and a 7.8 percent K-BB% across 68 2/3 innings of work. Bellozo recorded a gaudy 9.45 ERA this spring after allowing 14 earned runs on 19 hits and five walks while striking out 13 batters in 13 1/3 frames. Unless in desperate need of pitching help, most redraft managers may want to see the Mexican pitcher have some success before rostering him.

Houston Astros infielder Zach Dezenzo has made the team's Opening Day roster, according to manager Joe Espada. Houston's fifth-ranked prospect made his major league debut for the club last season, slashing .242/.277/.371 with a pair of home runs in 65 plate appearances, even making the postseason roster, although the Astros will want to see improvement on the 33.8 percent strikeout he owned during his short stint. The 6-foot-5 slugger performed better this spring, slashing .391/.440/.630 with two home runs and a stolen base in 50 plate appearances with a 28.0 percent strikeout rate. The 24-year-old earns a bench spot for the big league club, with first baseman Christian Walker and third baseman Isaac Paredes blocking his path to playing time at his primary positions. There is potential for big power numbers if he were to get an opportunity for regular at-bats, but without a full-time role, his fantasy relevance is limited to extremely deep and AL-only leagues.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Marc Church has made the Opening Day roster, according to manager Bruce Bochy. Church made one appearance with the Rangers last season, but he has put together decent numbers in the minor leagues. Bochy mentioned that Church could be a possible closing option for the Rangers this season. The Rangers are unlikely going to hand the 23-year-old the closer role right out of the gate. That means, Chris Martin and Luke Jackson figure to get a majority of the saves to start the season, but Church should work in a high-leverage role. He's a name to keep in mind in case the other options don't work out in the ninth inning role.

Boston Red Sox left-handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman will operate as the primary closer to begin the season, according to manager Alex Cora. As expected, Chapman has won the closer competition in Boston, but he could pitch in different spots as well. Cora confirmed that Chapman could pitch in the seventh or eighth inning if the matchup is right. If that happens, Liam Hendriks or Justin Slaten could see the occasion save chance. For now, fantasy managers should expect Chapman to get the bulk of the save chances in Boston to start the season.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester next week. The veteran right-hander is working his way back from a left hamstring strain that he suffered earlier in camp. The expectation is that Giolito will need a few rehab starts before he's ready to rejoin the Red Sox rotation. It's unclear what kind of fantasy value Giolito is going to offer considering he hasn't pitched since 2023. During that season, Giolito posted a 4.88 ERA with a league-leading 41 home runs allowed. The absence of Giolito should mean that Richard Fitts gets a longer look in the rotation to begin the season.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Matt Vierling (shoulder) has progressed to hitting soft toss in the batting cage. It's worth noting that Vierling is also doing defensive drills and conditioning daily. It's a step in the right direction for Vierling who is working his way back from a shoulder strain. The organization is hopeful to get Vierling back by the end of April. That would be great for the Tigers who are quickly running out of options in the outfield due to injuries. The Tigers are already without Wenceel Perez (back) and Parker Meadows (arm) to begin the season.