MLB News

Iván Herrera • C • Cardinals

Ivan Herrera is Making Progress

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (knee) is reportedly feeling improved and is making good progress, according to Derrick Goold. Herrera has been held out of action for over a week due to a lingering knee issue. He was being eased into action originally due to offseason elbow surgery. With that being said, Herrera has only made seven plate appearances thus far this spring. The organization plans to have Herrera get behind the plate in game action before the end of Spring Training. It sounds like the Cardinals are confident that Herrera will be ready for the beginning of the season. It wouldn't be shocking if Herrera does see time at designated hitter until he's ready to be behind the plate full-time again. The 25-year-old brings enough upside with the bat to rank slightly outside the top 10 fantasy catchers to begin the 2026 season.

6 hours ago

Orion Kerkering • RP • Phillies

Orion Kerkering Could Make Spring Debut on Tuesday

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering (hamstring) threw a successful live batting practice session on Tuesday. Afterwards, Kerkering told reporters he expects to pitch in Tuesday's Grapefruit contest against the Minnesota Twins. Kerkering has been held out of game action this spring while dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. The right-hander is hopeful to pitch in three Spring Training contests before Opening Day. Kerkering posted a 3.30 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 65/27 K/BB ratio across 60 innings of work in 2025. He's likely going to operate as one of the primary setup relievers for closer Jhoan Duran.

6 hours ago

Corbin Burnes • SP • Diamondbacks

Corbin Burnes Throws Bullpen Session

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (elbow) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Friday. This was the first time that Burnes has thrown a bullpen session since undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. It sounds like everything went well, but Burnes still has a long road to full recovery. The plan is for Burnes to throw two bullpen sessions a week, and he's aiming to return around the 2026 All-Star break. When healthy, Burnes is a stud, but it's difficult to know what kind of pitcher we're going to get after major elbow surgery. He'll likely be eased back into action once he does return, so fantasy managers probably won't get a ton of value out of Burnes this season.

6 hours ago

Zach Neto • SS • Angels

Zach Neto is Removed After Suffering Hand Injury

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (hand) was removed from Saturday's Cactus League matchup against the Seattle Mariners. Neto was pulled out of the game in the seventh inning due to a hand injury he suffered while sliding at home plate. Angels' manager Kurt Suzuki said Neto will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. This could be a significant blow to fantasy managers if Neto lands on the injured list to start the season. Neto is a clear top-10 fantasy shortstop heading into 2026, so hopefully it's only a day-to-day type of issue. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update after the testing is done.

6 hours ago

Brennen Davis • CF • Mariners

Brennen Davis Removed Early on Saturday

Seattle Mariners outfielder Brennen Davis (illness, hamstring) was removed early during Saturday's Cactus League matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. Davis appears to have tweaked something while swinging the bat. He was moving gingerly to first base before being removed from the contest. According to Ryan Divish, Davis was likely dehydrated from the heat. Regardless of the reason, it sounds lIke Davis is going to be fine moving forward. He has done a nice job at the plate this spring as he looks to earn a spot on the 26-man roster. This spring, Davis is 12-for-34 with four home runs and six RBI, but he'll need to keep it up if he wants to crack the Opening Day roster.

7 hours ago

Mike Vasil • RP • White Sox

Mike Vasil Exits with a Trainer on Saturday

Chicago White Sox right-handed pitcher Mike Vasil (elbow) exited with a trainer during the middle of his Cactus League start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. According to an announcement from the team, Vasil is experiencing right elbow soreness and will undergo additional evaluation. At the time of his departure, he had gone 3.2 scoreless innings with two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Vasil has been in the mix for a rotation spot this spring, making two relief appearances and two starts. That follows a similar trend from the 2025 regular season, in which the right-hander threw 101 innings across three starts and 44 bullpen outings. He typically offers long relief, and this new injury may impact his quest to make the White Sox' rotation out of camp. Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde are currently projected to earn regular-season starts over Sean Newcomb, who was confirmed as a reliever this weekend, and the injured Vasil.

8 hours ago

Romy Gonzalez • 1B • Red Sox

Romy Gonzalez Aiming to Return in Late May

Boston Red Sox infielder Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) said that he hopes to return in late May after undergoing surgery earlier this week, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Gonzalez noted that the surgery was a clean-up procedure, and so he doesn't expect to miss more than the minimum 60 days associated with his injured list placement. The veteran infielder specialized in hitting left-handed pitching last year, so his absence through the first two months will be felt, especially since the team no longer has Rob Refsnyder, a fellow slugger against left-handed pitching. Gonzalez primarily played first base in 2025, but his injury creates more of a general void on the right side of the infield now that Boston has Willson Contreras at first base and no clear answer at second base.

8 hours ago

Sean Newcomb • RP • White Sox

Sean Newcomb to Open 2026 Season in Bullpen

Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Newcomb will open the regular season in the bullpen, manager Will Venable told Kyle Williams of The Chicago Sun-Times. Newcomb has produced mixed results this spring. His 9.00 K/9, 2.45 BB/9, and 47.2% ground ball rate are impressive, but the same can't be said about his 1.64 HR/9 and 5.11 FIP. While Newcomb has experience starting and relieving, this decision shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Only five of his 48 appearances last year were starts, and he hasn't made more than five starts in a single season since 2018. Newcomb's placement in the bullpen should lead to Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde making the White Sox' Opening Day starting rotation. Pitching prospects Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz will likely open the year in Triple-A.

8 hours ago

Gabriel Moreno • C • Diamondbacks

Gabriel Moreno's Tests Show No Structural Damage

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno's (elbow) medical tests revealed only inflammation and no structural damage, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Lovullo said that Moreno should be ready for Opening Day. The young had been scratched Friday night with forearm tightness, and while any sort of ailment is concerning, fans and fantasy managers should feel relieved that he doesn't have any structural damage in his elbow. Moreno, 26, has dealt with some durability concerns throughout his young career, but he did post an encouraging .285/.353/.433 slash line with nine home runs, a 9.4% walk rate, a 17.2% strikeout rate, and 117 wRC+ last year. Because he's not a lock to play a full complement of games, he ranks as the #17 catcher in RotoBaller's updated fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

9 hours ago

Joe Ryan • SP • Twins

Joe Ryan Won't Pitch in the World Baseball Classic

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic, a club official told MLB.com's Matthew Leach. The decision is not injury-related. Rather, the move reflects the fact that the USA coaching staff wasn't planning to use him as a starter, and they preferred a reliever to give them short-length relief outings. Leach explains that the decision was "probably not quite as black and white" as simply rostering a reliever over a starter, but that fans should rest assured Ryan is healthy and the team would have supported his choice to pitch in the WBC. Returning to Twins camp should give him the opportunity to make one or two more starts before Opening Day. He remains the #21 starter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

9 hours ago

Brice Matthews • SS • Astros

Brice Matthews to Play Some Left Field on Saturday

Houston Astros second baseman Brice Matthews "will get some run in left field" during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the New York Mets, manager Joe Espada told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. It's a very interesting development since Matthews has almost exclusively played the infield since being selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft. He has just 64.2 total innings in center field (all in the minors) and has never played a professional inning in left field. Matthews went just 7-for-42 in the majors last year and had 118 wRC+ in Triple-A, so it's unclear whether this introduction to a new position is the Astros' way of getting his bat into the lineup or just an effort to increase his defensive versatility. You could also argue that we shouldn't read too much into one spring training lineup, so it'll be important to see if Matthews playing the outfield becomes a trend or is just a one-time occurrence.

9 hours ago

Connor Norby • 3B • Marlins

Connor Norby Set to Start at Third Base for Marlins?

MLB.com's Christina De Nicola has Connor Norby projected as the Miami Marlins' starting third baseman for the start of the 2026 regular season. Graham Pauley (elbow) was expected to compete for starting third base duties with Norby in spring training, but Pauley remains in a no-throw status due to an elbow injury and has been relegated to the designated-hitter role in Grapefruit League games. Norby "will need to continue improving on defense" and "showing better plate discipline," but as of right now, he appears to have a leg up on playing time at the hot corner in Miami to begin the 2026 season. The 25-year-old Norby needs to make more contact at the plate to keep the third base job. He's hit .276 (8-for-29) with a home run, three RBI, three runs scored, no walks, and 11 strikeouts in 11 Grapefruit League games. In deeper leagues, Norby is certainly worth a late-round flier for his moderate power/speed upside.

11 hours ago

Edwin Uceta • RP • Rays

Edwin Uceta Throws Bullpen on Saturday

Tampa Bay Rays right-handed reliever Edwin Uceta (shoulder) threw a bullpen session in camp on Saturday morning, the first time he has thrown off a mound since receiving a cortisone shot for shoulder inflammation in mid-February, according to John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays haven't officially ruled Uceta out for Opening Day in late March, but he's still likely to begin the year on the injured list due to his injury setback this spring. With the 28-year-old likely to be ready, it sets up the Rays for a closer-by-committee approach, which is expected to feature Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger, and Bryan Baker. Despite his shoulder injury, the 28-year-old Uceta is an intriguing stash candidate in fantasy baseball leagues as a high-leverage relief arm. The Dominican hurler had a 1.51 ERA in 2024 and was one of just five relievers in baseball in 2025 to strike out over 100 batters in 76 innings of work for Tampa.

12 hours ago

Hyeseong Kim • 2B • Dodgers

Hyeseong Kim Expected to Return to Spring Lineup on Sunday

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim (hand) is expected to be back in the Cactus League lineup on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, manager Dave Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Kim injured his left hand on March 8 against Australia while playing for Team Korea in the World Baseball Classic. It's not considered a serious injury, though, and all signs point to Kim being fine for Opening Day with the Dodgers later this month, barring a setback. The 27-year-old South Korean native ended up playing in 71 games for L.A. in the regular season in 2025 in his first year in the big leagues, slashing .280/.314/.385 with a .699 OPS, three home runs, 17 RBI, 19 runs, and 13 stolen bases in 170 plate appearances. Kim's power and playing time will be limited as a utility player for the Blue, and he'll mostly be valuable in deeper fantasy leagues for his speed on the base paths while offering eligibility at second base, shortstop, and center field. Tommy Edman's ankle injury will give him a better path to at-bats early on in 2026.

12 hours ago

Christian Moore • 2B • Angels

Angels Option Christian Moore to Minor-League Camp

The Los Angeles Angels optioned second baseman Christian Moore to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, per an announcement from the team. The 23-year-old Moore is considered one of the team's top prospects, but he hit just .175 across 43 plate appearances in Cactus League action and will start the 2026 season in the Minors. After starting the 2025 season in Double-A, Moore made his MLB debut in mid-June and hit .198/.284/.370 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, 20 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 184 plate appearances (53 games). While Moore walked at an impressive 10.3% rate, he also struck out at an unsustainably poor 33.7% clip. Swing-and-miss was an issue for Moore in the Minors as well, as he posted a 29% strikeout rate across 138 plate appearances at Triple-A. With Moore being optioned, Adam Frazier, Vaughn Grissom (hand), and Oswald Peraza appear to be battling for the Opening Day second base job. Moore could easily work his way back to the big leagues in 2026, but he will have to prove himself at Triple-A to begin the year.

12 hours ago

Charlie Condon • LF • Rockies

Charlie Condon Unlikely to Make Rockies Opening Day Roster

Top Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon is unlikely to make the team's Opening Day roster, per Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. The number three overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Condon has absolutely raked so far in 2026 Spring Training action. Across 37 plate appearances in the Cactus League, the 22-year-old is hitting .419/.486/.806 with three home runs, nine RBI, and six runs scored. Condon also posted strong numbers across 433 plate appearances split between High-A and Double-A in 2025, slashing .268/.376/.444 with 14 home runs, 58 RBI, 59 runs scored, and two stolen bases. However, he's yet to reach Triple-A, and there's little incentive for the rebuilding Rockies to force him onto the Major League roster early in 2026. Swing-and-miss is also a potential red flag in Condon's profile, as he struck out in 28.3% of his Double-A plate appearances in 2025. Still, if Condon gets off to a hot start in the Minors, he could make his MLB debut sooner rather than later. He's unquestionably a player worth monitoring for redraft fantasy managers heading into 2026.

12 hours ago

Zack Wheeler • SP • Phillies

Zack Wheeler Throws First Live BP Session on Saturday

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (shoulder) threw his first live batting practice session of the spring on Saturday, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Zolecki reports that Wheeler is "zooming towards an April return" from the thoracic outlet surgery he underwent last September. The 35-year-old was his usual dominant self before getting injured in 2025, posting a 10-5 record with a 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts across 149 2/3 innings (24 starts). Wheeler will start the 2026 season on the Injured List, but it sounds as though the veteran right-hander will be able to make his first appearance of the season before the end of April. Wheeler profiles as a fantasy SP1 when healthy, and his ADP will likely continue to rise in drafts leading up to Opening Day, barring any injury setbacks. UPDATE: Wheeler said he was more "in sync" on the mound on Saturday, with his fastball reaching 93 mph. He averaged 95.9 mph with his fastball before his injury in 2025.

13 hours ago

Robert Stephenson • RP • Angels

"Concern of Further Damage" to Robert Stephenson's UCL

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Robert Stephenson (shoulder, elbow) said there is "concern of further damage to his UCL," per Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group. Fletcher reports that Stephenson is meeting with renowned specialist Dr. Keith Meister in hopes of "finding a solution that would allow him to pitch this year." It's potentially devastating news for Stephenson, who missed all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery and pitched just 10 innings in 2025 as he battled thoracic outlet syndrome and nerve issues in his shoulder. If healthy, Stephenson might have been a dark-horse saves candidate in the Angels bullpen. Without him, veterans Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano, and Drew Pomeranz look like the favorites for the ninth-inning role in Los Angeles to open 2026.

13 hours ago

Josh Lowe • RF • Angels

Josh Lowe Returns to Angels Spring Lineup on Saturday

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) is back in the lineup at designated hitter for his team's Spring Training matchup against the Seattle Mariners. Lowe has managed just seven plate appearances this spring as he battles nagging oblique issues, but it appears as though he will have a chance to ramp up and be ready for Opening Day. Lowe is no stranger to oblique problems and injury issues in general, as he's reached 500 plate appearances just once in the last three years. The 28-year-old is looking to get his MLB career back on track after he struggled to a .220/.283/.366 line across 435 plate appearances with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025. However, Lowe collected 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases even in a down year, and he profiles an intriguing power/speed threat for fantasy managers if he can ever get a run of extended health.

13 hours ago

Matt McLain • 2B • Reds

Matt McLain Delivering Elite Production in Spring Training

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain has been tearing the cover off the baseball this spring. Easily the most productive player in the Cactus League, McLain owns a .543/.600/1.057 slash line with five home runs, 12 RBI, a 12.5% walk rate, a 10.0% strikeout rate, and 314 wRC+ through 147 spring contests. While it's dangerous to put much stock into spring training stats, these results offer fantasy managers plenty of reasons to be optimistic about McLain in 2026. He's due for a much-needed bounce-back year after posting 77 wRC+ with 15 homers and 18 steals in 2025. McLain has a very firm grasp on the starting second base job, so it's not like this stretch of hot performances will impact his role for the upcoming season. Still, it should offer more confidence to the Reds' coaching staff, fans, and fantasy managers. As it stands, McLain projects as the Reds' No. 2 hitter and ranks ninth among second basemen in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

13 hours ago

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