Richie Palacios Fantasy Stats

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Richie Palacios will see reps at third base during spring training, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Palacios has mostly played the outfield in the major leagues, but he's also seen time at second base. The 28-year-old should be the backup option behind Gavin Lux at the keystone in 2026, but he'll increase his versatility in camp this year by getting some experience at the hot corner. Palacios, a former third-rounder by the Cleveland Guardians in 2018 out of Towson University, missed most of the 2025 campaign (17 games played) due to a broken right ring finger and a sprained knee. The Rays are willing to give him more playing time to see what he can do after he hit .223/.346/.318 with a .664 OPS, five home runs, 21 RBI, 46 runs, and 19 steals in 92 games in 2024. Palacios has plenty of plate discipline and speed, so if he's playing regularly, he could be a nice late-round sleeper in deeper fantasy leagues in 2026.

Per the team, the Tampa Bay Rays have transferred outfielder Richie Palacios (knee) to the 60-day injured list. It's nothing more than a procedural move for Tampa Bay, which clears a spot on the 40-man roster for newly acquired right-handed pitcher Bryan Baker. Palacios was recently pulled off his minor-league rehab assignment while dealing with intermittent soreness in his sprained right knee, but has since resumed baseball activities and will hopefully be ready to start another rehab stint following the All-Star break. The 28-year-old has taken just four at-bats for the Rays in 2025 since picking up the injury in mid-April, and is currently still set for a Jul. 24 return.