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Retired left-hander Clayton Kershaw will suit up one last time for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, USA Baseball announced on Thursday. After winning back-to-back World Series titles, Kershaw, an 11-time All-Star, three-time National League Cy Young winner, and 2014 NL MVP, will ride off into the sunset after representing his country. It will be Kershaw's first time taking part in the WBC after he had to withdraw from the 2023 edition due to insurance issues. "I learned a long time ago, you just want to be a part of great things, and this team seems like a really fun, awesome group," the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer said. Kershaw was an all-time great in his 18 big-league seasons, also winning five ERA titles and becoming the fourth lefty to join the 3,000-strikeout club. The Dodgers legend just wants to be an insurance option for Team USA's pitching staff and most likely won't be on the mound much.

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The Colorado Rockies agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with free-agent utility man Willi Castro on Thursday, sources told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Castro, a 28-year-old switch-hitter from Puerto Rico, will be looking to bounce back in 2026 after a rough year with the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs in 2025. In 120 total games last season, he hit .226/.313/.366 with a .679 OPS, 11 home runs, 33 RBI, 58 runs, and 10 stolen bases. After being traded to the Cubs, Castro went 17-for-100 (.170) with a homer, eight walks, and 27 strikeouts in 34 regular-season games. He can play pretty much all over the diamond, which should give him a path to regular playing time in Colorado this year. Castro should also bounce back offensively at hitter-friendly Coors Field, but he remains a glove-first asset that won't be much more than bench depth in deeper fantasy baseball leagues in 2026.

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According to Jessee Rogers of ESPN, Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw could see time in the outfield during the upcoming season. Last week, the Cubs signed free agent third baseman Alex Bregman to a massive five-year contract, which will likely block Shaw out of a starting role in the infield with Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Michael Busch slated to cover second base, shortstop, and first base, respectively. However, the team's President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer, expressed that the team could get creative to find Shaw at-bats, especially in the outfield. Shaw made his MLB debut at the beginning of the 2025 season and struggled, posting a low .226/.295/.394 line across 126 gams. However, he did hit 13 home runs and swipe 17 bags. Managers should monitor Shaw's usage during spring training. While the Cubs' outfield is currently crowded as well, Shaw could take on a super-utility role, which could earn him close to every-day at-bats. For now, he is best left for deeper 15+ team redraft leagues given his unknown role.

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According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, top free agent Kyle Tucker could make his decision on Thursday. Heyman noted that the three primary suitors for the superstar are the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Heyman noted that while there are other suitors, if one of them were to sign Tucker, it would come as a major surprise. Tucker spent the 2024 season in Chicago with the Cubs after beginning his MLB career with the Houston Astros. Despite dealing with a lingering calf injury during the second half of the 2025 campaign, Tucker still finished the campaign holding a .266/.377/.464 line with 22 long balls and 25 stolen bases. Under the hood, Tucker generated a .372 xwOBA, suggesting he is primed for an even more productive 2026. Given his ability to draw walks at an elite 14.6% rate and make high-quality contact, Tucker carries high-end OF1 upside in all formats heading into 2026.

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The Seattle Mariners have expressed interest in bolstering their bullpen and have been linked to St. Louis Cardinals reliever JoJo Romero. The Cardinals are currently in the midst of a "re-tool" as they shipped off starting third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks this week and have also been shopping infielder Brendan Donovan. According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, the Mariners are among the teams that have shown interest in Romero. Last summer, Romero was quite effective in the St. Louis bullpen, logging 61 innings to the tune of a 2.07 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He tallied just 55 punchouts but was a go-to option in high-leverage situations as he earned 24 holds and eight saves. While Romero would not contend for saves in Seattle as Andres Munoz is slated to remain the closer, he could find value in deeper holds leagues, operating as the primary left-hander in setup situations.

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According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Blue Jays have not closed the door on a potential reunion with top free-agent infielder Bo Bichette. Throughout the winter, Bichette has been linked to several suitors and has even drawn significant interest from certain clubs such as the Philadelphia Phillies. Even though the Blue Jays appear to be pivoting away from Bichette, they have still kept the door open to re-signing their former infielder. Bichette has spent his entire seven-year MLB career with Toronto. In 2025, Bichette turned in a massive bounce-back season after struggling in 2024. Across 139 games, the 27-year-old posted an elite .311/.357/.483 line with 18 home runs and four stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a strong .353 xwOBA with an elite .295 xBA. If Bichette were to return to Toronto, he would continue to hold high-end value at the shortstop position despite his lack of speed, as he possesses elite contact skills with high-end counting stats.

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The New York Mets have officially sent top free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker a contract proposal with four years in length. As reported earlier this week, the Mets were considering increasing their offer to Tucker to four years. Mike Puma of The New York Post reported on Wednesday that the Mets have finally added an additional year to their proposal in hopes of acquiring the star outfielder. The 28-year-old has been linked to numerous clubs during the winter, including the Mets, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. After opting not to re-sign Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, it appears the Mets are actively pursuing Tucker to bolster their starting lineup. Last season in Chicago, Tucker had a bit of a down year but still held a strong .266/.377/.464 line with an .841 OPS, 22 home runs, and 25 stolen bases. If he were to sign with the Mets, Tucker would carry elite OF1 upside in all formats, batting alongside high-end hitters such as Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor.

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The Minnesota Twins have designated catcher/first baseman Mickey Gasper for assignment. This transaction opened a spot on the roster for infielder Vidal Brujan, whom the team claimed off waivers from the Braves earlier this week. Gasper spent the 2025 campaign with the Twins after making his MLB debut in 2024 with the Boston Red Sox. Last summer, Gasper appeared in 45 games with the Twins and posted a .158/.257/.232 line with a low .489 OPS. He hit just two home runs and held a 20:10 K:BB. Through 117 career games with Triple-A, Gasper has posted a .303/.406/.512 line with an eye-catching .918 OPS. Given his success at the top level of the minor leagues, the 30-year-old could draw interest on waivers.

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Miami Marlins top pitching prospect Thomas White could make a case to push for an earlier-than-expected MLB debut. The Miami Marlins have traded two of their current starting pitchers this past week, which will open the door for their budding prospects to compete for a job in spring training. The Marlins shipped Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs in return for top outfield prospect Owen Caissie and then moved left-hander Ryan Weathers to the Yankees in return for several hitting prospects. While Robby Snelling appears to be a favorite to claim one of the openings as he finished this season pitching at a high level with Triple-A, managers should also monitor White, the team's top arm. MLB.com's No. 22-ranked prospect logged 89 2/3 innings last season, spent primarily with High-A and Double-A before earning a brief stint at Triple-A. Through these innings, White held a stellar 2.31 ERA, 1.18 WHIP with a 145:51 K:BB. If White can turn in a dominant spring training, the left-hander could make a case to begin the 2026 season in Miami or join the Marlins relatively early in the first half.

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New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge is a name to closely monitor during spring training. As reported by Sam Dykstra of MLB.com, Benge is in the mix to win a starting job in the outfield out of spring training. Following the departure of Brandon Nimmo, Benge could make a strong case in spring training to claim the open role in the outfield. Currently, the Mets are slated to put Tyrone Taylor in center field and Juan Soto in right field. While they have been linked to free agents like Kyle Tucker, as of now, a corner outfield position appears to be open for the taking. Last season, Benge opened the campaign with High-A but was able to end the season with Triple-A. Across 116 total games, the No. 21-ranked prospect in the sport posted a .281/.385/.472 line with an .857 OPS. Managers should closely monitor Benge's production in the spring, as he could be a top late-round target in drafts if he can claim the open role in the outfield.

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Bubba Chandler has seen his fantasy stock rise following his strong conclusion to the season, as he appears poised for a breakout campaign in 2026. Chandler made his MLB debut with the Pirates in late August of 2025. Through his first 31 1/3 innings in the big leagues, the right-hander posted a modest 4.01 ERA with a stellar 0.93 WHIP. However, his ERA is significantly inflated due to the nine-run outing on September 7. Removing this one fluke outing, the 23-year-old would have instead carried a dominant 1.57 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 28:1 K:BB across 28 2/3 innings in the big leagues. While Chandler struggled at times at Triple-A before his promotion, once he reached Pittsburgh, the top prospect looked like his typical self. Seeing that he showed elite command and above-average strikeout upside, Chandler could enjoy an impressive first full season in the big leagues and is worth viewing as an SP3/SP4 with upside.

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Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo could see nearly every day at-bats with the Orioles to open the 2026 season. The top catching prospect in the sport and the overall No. 7-ranked per MLB Pipeline, made his long-awaited MLB debut in August of the 2025 season. Through his first 31 games in Baltimore, Bassalo showed some growing pains, posting a .165/.229/.330 line with a modest .559 OPS. He hit four home runs but carried a 30:6 K:BB. Through 70 games with Triple-A Norfolk, Basallo posted an impressive .270/.377/.589 line with 17 doubles and 23 home runs. During his brief stint with the Orioles last season, Basallo logged 22 games behind the dish with seven at DH and two at first base. With Pete Alonso now on the roster, Basallo will likely only rotate between catcher and DH. Managers should expect Basallo to open the campaign, rotating with Adley Rutschman behind the dish and at DH, given his usage last summer. However, if Basallo sees these struggles continue, he could lose DH at-bats to Tyler O'Neill or Ryan Mountcastle.

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Kansas City Royals catching prospect Carter Jensen made his MLB debut late in the 2025 season and immediately flashed high upside. With the Royals, Jensen posted a .300/.391/.550 line with six doubles, three home runs, and a 12:9 K:BB across a 20-game stint. Under the hood, the No. 1-ranked prospect in the system per MLB.com generated a remarkable .447 xwOBA, .336 xBA, and a .633 xSLG, suggesting he was not only making contact with the ball. but was flashing high raw power. Earlier in 2025, Jensen began the season with Double-A but needed only 68 games to earn the call to Triple-A. Through 43 games with the top level of the Kansas City system, Jensen held a .288/.404/.647 line with 14 home runs. In 2026, Jensen is expected to split the job with Salvador Perez behind the dish and likely shift to the DH spot on his off days from catching. In his brief stint last summer, he logged 10 games behind the dish and nine at DH. If he continues to perform at this level, Jensen has the upside to be an everyday player and carry high-end sleeper appeal at the catching position.

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Top Texas Rangers prospect Sebastian Walcott is expected to make a strong push to join Triple-A at the start of the 2026 regular season. Last summer, the No. 6-ranked prospect in all of baseball (according to MLB Pipeline) spent the entire campaign with Double-A Frisco and was able to hold his own, suggesting he is ready for a promotion. Across 125 contests, the infielder posted a .255/.355/.386 slash line with 19 doubles, 13 home runs, and an eye-catching 32 stolen bases. He held a 108:70 K: BB and scored 71 runs. In 2024, Walcott spent most of his time with High-A and held a similar .261/.342/.443 line before earning a brief five-game taste of Double-A. If the 19-year-old can join Triple-A Round Rock early in the campaign, he could push for a second-half MLB debut. He is worth closely monitoring in all dynasty leagues and deeper redraft leagues, as he could be in the mix to debut in the back half of the regular season.

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The Minnesota Twins have claimed utility man Vidal Brujan off waivers from the Atlanta Braves, designating catcher/utility man Mickey Gasper for assignment as the corresponding move. Brujan, who will turn 28 in February, has already appeared for five different MLB teams across five seasons in the big leagues. Across 94 plate appearances split between the Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Baltimore Orioles in 2025, Brujan posted a .253/.305/.310 slash line with zero home runs, eight RBI, 14 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Brujan's main appeal at this point in his career is defensive versatility, as he spent time at every position other than first base and catcher this past season. If he's able to stick on the Twins roster, Brujan is likely headed for a bench role. Neither Brujan nor Gasper, who has a career .133 batting average across 133 big-league plate appearances, projects to carry much fantasy value in 2026.

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Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports that the Seattle Mariners "remain interested" in acquiring Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner. With the Cubs' recent addition of third baseman Alex Bregman, Chicago could be looking to shuffle pieces around in its infield, and Hoerner will reach free agency at the end of the 2026 season. Across 156 games for the Cubs in 2025, Hoerner posted a .297/.345/.394 slash line with seven home runs, 61 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases. The 28-year-old is widely considered one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball and has logged at least 640 plate appearances in three straight seasons. Seattle currently has Cole Young penciled in as its opening day second baseman, who posted a .607 OPS across 257 plate appearances in 2025. Jude also reports that the Mariners have strong interest in St. Louis Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan, so it appears that the team is actively seeking infield upgrades.

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The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reports that "at least one person with the Red Sox suggested this week that there's still an opportunity to trade from the outfield group," and that outfielder Jarren Duran "remains a likely trade candidate." Boston has at least four capable outfielders currently on the roster between Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela. While the Red Sox could simply prioritize outfield depth and keep all four, the team's needs elsewhere on the roster could necessitate a trade. Across 696 plate appearances with Boston in 2025, Duran posted a .256/.332/.442 slash line with 16 home runs, 84 RBI, 86 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases. He's entering his age-29 season and will remain under team control through 2028. A Duran trade could potentially provide a playing time boost for Abreu, Rafaela, and Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida.

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The Boston Red Sox "quietly shopped" starting pitcher Brayan Bello earlier in the offseason, per Ken Rosenthal and Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. While Bello remains a member of the Red Sox for the time being, Boston's recent big-money agreement with lefty starter Ranger Suarez could lead to renewed willingness to trade from their starting pitching depth. Across 166 2/3 innings (29 starts) for the Red Sox in 2025, Bello posted an 11-9 record with a 3.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 124 strikeouts. Bello, who turns 27 years old in May, is locked up on a team-friendly extension through at least the 2029 season. He would almost certainly generate interest on the trade market, and the presence of young arms such as Connelly Early and Payton Tolle in Boston could lead the team to move Bello in pursuit of a bat.

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MLB Network Radio's Jim Duquette said on Wednesday that from what he can tell, it's likely the New York Mets have "gone to a fourth year" for free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker. Reports surfaced on Tuesday that the Mets were willing to offer Tucker a short-term contract with an average annual value of $50 million, but they might have added a year after it was announced that the Toronto Blue Jays had extended a long-term deal to Tucker. The Los Angeles Dodgers were seen as suitors for Tucker earlier this offseason, but right now, the Mets and Blue Jays are getting into a bidding war, which means he's unlikely to go to the Dodgers. Regardless of where the 28-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger goes, he will most likely be a top-20 position player in fantasy baseball, even considering his durability questions. The Mets would love to add some more middle-of-the-order lineup protection for lefty slugger Juan Soto and shortstop Francisco Lindor after losing Pete Alonso in free agency.

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Free-agent left-hander Ranger Suarez agreed to a five-year deal worth $130 million with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The Red Sox were bound to make another big move after losing third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency to the Chicago Cubs. Suarez, 30, will now join ace lefty Garrett Crochet at the top of Boston's starting rotation going into the 2026 season. Boston also acquired veteran righty Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this offseason to boost their starting rotation. Suarez isn't a big strikeout guy (career 22.1% strikeout rate) and has never reached the 200-inning mark in eight big-league seasons. However, the crafty southpaw has been lights-out in the playoffs with a 1.48 ERA in 42 2/3 innings, and he holds a strong 3.38 career ERA with a 1.27 WHIP, 705 K's, and 240 walks in 762 frames. Suarez might have the track record of a high-end starter, but he's a solid, command-driven ground-ball artist.

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