MLB News

In one of their bigger moves this winter, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired long-time Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe this offseason. Lowe has struggled to consistently stay healthy throughout his career, as he's reached 600 plate appearances just once in eight big league seasons. However, he was productive in 2025, hitting .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Another reason for the lefty-swinging Lowe's low plate appearance totals is his career splits against same-handed pitching, which has caused him to lose playing time in the past. Across 695 career plate appearances against lefties, Lowe owns a .695 OPS with a 32.4% strikeout rate. Now in Pittsburgh, Lowe may be given more of an opportunity to play against lefties, which could help his counting stats, but may cause his overall batting average to suffer. Still, with an average draft position of pick 172, Lowe could outperform his draft-day cost in a true everyday role with the Pirates.

After an injury-marred 2024 campaign, Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl bounced back and re-established himself as his team's everyday leadoff hitter in 2025. Across 685 plate appearances, the 30-year-old hit .261/.364/.378 with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. Friedl increased his walk rate to a career-best 11.8%, which helped him stay in the leadoff spot and allowed him to set his career-high in runs scored. However, Friedl's speed fell off considerably from his banner year in 2023, when he recorded 27 stolen bases in just 138 games. Friedl's underlying batted ball metrics also indicate that his power ceiling is minimal. He posted a single-season-worst 2.7% barrel rate in 2025, and his 3.3% career mark is not much better. As long as Friedl remains in the leadoff spot in Cincinnati, he offers a safe fantasy floor as a compiler. However, his lack of power means he will need to have a resurgent season in the speed department to provide much surplus value from his current average draft position of pick 257.

Across 560 plate appearances in 2025, Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott hit .257/.328/.391 with 13 home runs, 66 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases. Stott looked like a potential future star in 2023, when he hit .280 with 15 home runs and 31 stolen bases. However, the 28-year-old has settled in a level a notch below what he showed in that banner year, as he's hit .251 and averaged 12 home runs over the last two seasons. With a 9.6% walk rate and 16.3% strikeout rate in 2025, Stott has quality plate skills that provide him with a high floor. However, he owns just a 4.4% career barrel rate and made hard contact just 29.5% of the time in 2025, so his power upside is limited. Perhaps most worryingly for his fantasy profile, the lefty-swinging Stott owns a .666 OPS in 529 career plate appearances against left-handed pitching and has lost some playing time against same-handed starters over the past two years. The Phillies have a quality right-handed infielder in Edmundo Sosa on their bench, which could mean Stott functions as a platoon bat once again in 2026. The lost playing time hurts Stott's ability to compile counting stats, which is his main appeal to fantasy managers. His speed gives him a safe floor, but Stott's fantasy upside has a firm ceiling.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada has confirmed that shortstop Jeremy Pena will be the team's leadoff hitter in 2026, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Pena took over as the team's primary leadoff hitter in 2025 and delivered his best season since his breakout rookie year in 2022. Across 543 plate appearances, the 28-year-old slashed .304/.363/.477 with 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 68 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. Pena missed time due to injury in 2025, but he should be able to push 700 plate appearances in 2026 if he can remain healthy and produce well enough to remain in the leadoff spot in the Houston lineup. Pena may sacrifice some RBI opportunities while batting first, but he should score plenty of runs with Astros sluggers Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve behind him.

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said that outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. will move back into the team's leadoff spot in 2026, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Acuna Jr. batted third in 46 games in 2025, compared to 43 batting first. However, for his career, he's spent significantly more time leading off. Acuna Jr. has seen over 3,000 career plate appearances as a leadoff hitter, including all 735 of his plate appearances in his MVP season in 2023. From a fantasy perspective, Acuna Jr. may see fewer chances to rack up RBI from the number one slot in the batting order. However, he will be among the league leaders in plate appearances if he can stay healthy, and should have a chance to score a boatload of runs. In Acuna Jr.'s last full healthy season in 2023, he hit .337/.416/.596 with 41 home runs, 106 RBI, 149 runs scored, and 73 stolen bases.

Miami Marlins infielder Christopher Morel is feeling more comfortable at first base, according to Christina De Nicola. Morel got his first taste at first base during Saturday's Grapefruit League contest against the New York Mets. He received praise from manager Clayton McCullough following Saturday's win. Morel signed a one-year deal with the Marlins during the offseason. In December, Morel began practicing at first base five times a week. This is the first time that Morel has played first base during his professional career, but he appears happy to make the switch in positions. He'll likely need to be more consistent with the bat if he wants to play every day in 2026. Last season, Morel slashed .219/.289/.396 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI in 105 games with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Marlins do have a handful of other options to play first base if Morel fizzles out, but he appears to be getting a fair shot at earning the job in camp.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (hernia) is set to make his Spring Training debut versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Walls underwent sports hernia surgery in September, but appears to be fully healthy now. The 29-year-old figures to begin the season as the starting shortstop with Carson Williams waiting in the wings. Last season, Walls slashed .220/.280/.319 with four home runs, 38 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 101 games. Walls is a below-average hitter, but makes up for it with his elite fielding ability. The Rays will likely stick with Walls to begin the season due to his defensive ability, but his struggles as a hitter make him a shaky fantasy option.

Chicago White Sox infielder Lenyn Sosa is unlikely to have a defensive home to begin the 2026 season. According to Mark Gonzales, Sosa could be on the roster bubble due to the fact that he doesn't have a starting spot on the roster. Last season, Sosa played 99 games at second base, while playing 42 contests at first base. He also saw a few games at third base, but is mostly being used at two positions. Chase Meidroth should have second base locked down, and Murataka Murakami figures to push Sosa out of a role at first base. The White Sox could use Sosa at third base, but they seem committed to playing Miguel Vargas there full-time. Sosa isn't exactly a reliable defender, so his bat will likely need to carry him to a roster spot. Last season, Sosa slashed .264/.293/.434 with a career-high 22 home runs and 75 RBI in 140 games. The 26-year-old is unlikely to have consistent fantasy value if he does end up in a bench role in 2026.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (back) appears to have avoided a significant injury after being scratched ahead of his scheduled start on Saturday. An MRI has revealed that Ryan is dealing with back inflammation, which seems like a minor issue. There is no word on when Ryan will be able to take the mound again. The assumption is that Ryan is day-to-day and should be back to throwing off the mound soon. This is overall good news for the Twins who have already lost Pablo Lopez (elbow) for the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. They'll need to lean on Ryan as the ace of the rotation after posting a stellar campaign in 2025. If healthy, Ryan should be viewed as a top-20 starting pitcher heading into the regular season.

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg (elbow) will begin the 2026 campaign on the injured list. Westburg is dealing with a partially torn UCL and will be sidelined through April. The 27-year-old is uncertain about his timetable and when he'll be able to get back to playing baseball. Westburg won't have Tommy John surgery and instead will opt for platelet-rich plasma injections. The Orioles are hopeful the PRP injections will be enough to solve the problem. This is basically going to be a waiting game to see how Westburg responds to the injections. He is going to be out through April and it wouldn't be shocking to see Westburg miss more time than that. In the meantime, Coby Mayo figures to see the bulk of the playing time at third base, while Blaze Alexander could be mixed in as well.

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tyler Samaniego (back) wasn't able to make his scheduled appearance during Saturday's Grapefruit game versus the Minnesota Twins. According to manager Alex Cora, Samaniego is currently viewed as day-to-day with back tightness. Cora said that Samaniego should be able to pitch again in a few days. The 27-year-old posted a 3.99 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 44/11 K/BB ratio across 30 appearances in the minors with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. He'll attempt to make the big league roster in camp, but will likely head to Triple-A to begin the season. Samaniego should have a decent chance at making his big league debut sometime during the 2026 season.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (back) progressed to throwing a bullpen session on Saturday. Schlittler has thrown two bullpen sessions and should progress to facing live hitters soon. Schlittler has been slowly ramping up activities after missing time early in camp due to back inflammation. He hasn't experienced any setbacks and should get back up to full speed soon. The 25-year-old is coming off a strong rookie campaign in 2025. He registered a 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and an 84/31 K/BB ratio across 14 starts with the Yankees.

Texas Rangers infielder Cody Freeman (back) is going to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks after being diagnosed with a lower back fracture, according to Kennedi Landry. Rangers' manager Skip Schumaker told reporters that Freeman will be shut down for at least a month before starting baseball activities. The 25-year-old was expected to claim a bench spot to open the season, but that doesn't seem to be possible now. Freeman slashed .228/.258/342 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 36 games with the Rangers last season. He put together impressive numbers at Triple-A Round Rock in 2025. Freeman appears to be ready for the next level, so hopefully he'll be able to get healthy and help the Rangers at some point in 2026.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert is scheduled to make his Spring Training debut versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. It's still early in camp, which means Gilbert will likely only face a handful of batters. Reliever Jose A. Ferrer is also scheduled to pitch on Monday, but the rest of the arms are unknown at the moment. Gilbert posted a strong 2025 campaign but was limited to 25 starts due to injuries. During that time, Gilbert posted a 3.44 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 173/31 K/BB ratio across 131.0 innings of work. He is one of the most consistent arms in the Mariners' rotation. The 28-year-old should be a trustworthy fantasy option heading into the 2026 campaign.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Jonathon Long (elbow) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's Cactus League matchup versus the Texas Rangers. Long suffered a left elbow sprain while attempting to make a catch at first base. The timetable for his injury is unknown right now, but Long is expected to miss some time. The expectation is that Long will make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. Last season, Long slashed .305/.404/.479 with 20 home runs and 91 RBI in 140 games at Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs have Michael Busch at first base, but Long could become a platoon partner at first base at some point. The 24-year-old figures to begin the season at Triple-A, but figures to see action in Chicago this season.

The Minnesota Twins announced that right-hander Joe Ryan (back) was scratched from his start in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Boston Red Sox due to lower-back tightness on his right side, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. We'll have a better idea of the severity of Ryan's back injury in a day or two, but hopefully it's nothing serious enough to put him on the injured list to start the 2026 season, especially after the Twins already lost ace Pablo Lopez (elbow) for the season due to Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old finally stayed healthy through the 2025 season and made 30 starts, going 13-10 with a career-best 3.42 ERA (3.74 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, and a 194:39 K:BB in a career-high 171 innings pitched. Despite not lighting up the radar gun, Ryan induces plenty of whiffs and has excellent control. As long as his back injury doesn't jeopardize the start of his 2026 season, Ryan should be viewed as a top-20 fantasy starting pitcher.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly's (back) live batting practice session in camp on Saturday was scratched due to mid-back tightness, and he will undergo testing in the next 24 hours, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. It's an ominous sign for a 37-year-old veteran, but we'll know more about the severity of his injury soon. Kelly began the 2025 campaign in Arizona before being traded to the Texas Rangers to close out the season. He was better with the D-backs in 22 starts, posting a 3.22 ERA (3.58 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 121 K's and 38 walks in 128 2/3 innings. In Texas, he had a 4.23 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 46:10 K:BB in 10 starts. Kelly knows how to command the baseball, but he lacks a ton of fantasy upside because of his lack of strikeout upside, and home runs have also been an issue. Depending on the severity of his back injury, he could fall off the radar in mixed fantasy leagues entirely entering the 2026 regular season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, a source told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Suwinski could be back on waivers before the start of the 2026 regular season, as he's out of minor-league options and is likely to face an uphill battle to make the Dodgers' Opening Day roster out of spring training. The 27-year-old center fielder has hit under .200 in his four big-league seasons in Pittsburgh and slashed just .147/.281/.253 with a career-worst .534 OPS, three home runs, 10 RBI, 15 runs scored, seven steals, and 57 strikeouts in 178 plate appearances over a career-low 59 games in 2025. Suwinski has decent plate discipline, but he has simply been overmatched by big-league pitchers, especially the last two seasons. If he sticks around with the Dodgers, he'll provide minor-league outfield depth at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Once a former top prospect with the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn was demoted to Triple-A while still with the White Sox organization in the middle of 2025. A mid-season trade to Milwaukee provided the 27-year-old with a second chance, and he took advantage of the opportunity. Across 254 plate appearances with the Brewers, Vaughn hit .308/.375/.493 with nine home runs, 46 RBI, and 26 runs scored. With a career 46.5% hard-hit rate, Vaughn has always carried intriguing underlying numbers, so the change of scenery may have been all he needed to unlock his potential. Heading into 2026, Vaughn should have a chance to lock down the starting first base job in Milwaukee. While he's not a speed threat, Vaughn has the chance to provide fantasy managers with four-category production and comes at a reasonable average draft position of pick 284.

After emerging as a high-level fantasy contributor in 2024, Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle came crashing back down to Earth in 2025. Across 538 plate appearances, the 27-year-old hit .233/.274/.376 with 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases. With a career 28.1% strikeout rate and a questionable eye at the plate, Doyle carries significant batting average risk for fantasy managers. However, he remains an intriguing power/speed threat even after his down year in 2025. Doyle's barrel rate rose from 10.5% in 2024 to 10.8% in 2025, and his hard-hit rate jumped from 41.1% to 44.6%. He also has the benefit of playing his home games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, which could help his batting average on balls in play improve from the .289 mark he posted in 2025. While the Rockies once again project to be one of the worst teams in baseball, Doyle's excellent defense in center field should keep him in the lineup every day and help him rack up counting stats. With an average draft position of pick 157, Doyle could be a buy-low candidate for fantasy managers to target heading into 2026.