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Boston Red Sox infielder Brendan Rodgers (shoulder) will have an MRI exam on his shoulder on Thursday after he was forced to leave early from Wednesday's spring training game after attempting to make a diving catch. Manager Alex Cora said, "We don't know what's going on, so we'll have more in the upcoming days." Rodgers was in camp on a minor-league contract, but he seemed to have a good chance of making the Opening Day roster if Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) is unable to recover from his injury in time. If Rodgers is also out or not at 100%, the Sox could turn to Andruw Monasterio in a utility role off the bench. Monasterio was acquired in the trade that brought Caleb Durbin to Boston from Milwaukee and has impressed in spring training so far.

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The Detroit Tigers signed free-agent left-hander Colin Poche to a minor-league deal on Wednesday. Poche spent most of last year in the Mets' minor league system, going 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA and 6.12 FIP in 18 2/3 innings at Triple-A Syracuse. He started the season with the Nationals, posting an ugly 11.42 ERA and 6.48 FIP in 8 2/3 innings across 13 games in March and April. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw missed 2020 and 2021 due to Tommy John surgery, but he showed some promise as a lefty out of the bullpen after recovering from the injury, producing a 3.27 ERA (4.16 FIP), a 1.13 WHIP, 10 saves, 158 strikeouts, and 59 walks over 156 2/3 relief frames in three seasons with the Rays. He'll provide some left-handed depth in the bullpen for the Tigers coming into the season and will likely start the season in Triple-A. While he has bounce-back potential, he is not on the fantasy radar for now.

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Free-agent right-hander Max Scherzer agreed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $3 million contract on Wednesday night, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The deal includes $10 million in incentives that start at 65 innings pitched and full no-trade protection. Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star, but Father Time is catching up with him at 41 years old (42 in July). In his 18th big-league season last year with Toronto, he battled injuries and went 5-5 with a career-worst 5.19 ERA (4.99 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 82 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 85 innings over 17 regular-season starts. Scherzer was better in the postseason, and he could wind up in the starting rotation to begin the 2026 campaign with Shane Bieber (forearm) starting on the injured list. He's no longer Mr. Reliable, and his issues with the long ball will probably persist at Rogers Centre.

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Free-agent outfielder Randal Grichuk is signing a minor-league deal that includes a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training on Wednesday night with the New York Yankees, according to Jack Curry of YES Network. Grichuk could see plenty of at-bats against left-handed hitters with a heavy left-handed-hitting outfield. Earning a spot on the Opening Day roster won't be guaranteed to the 34-year-old veteran, though, especially after a rough year in 2025. Grichuk played in 113 combined games with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals in 2025, slashing an ugly .228/.273/.401 with a .674 OPS, nine home runs, 27 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 293 plate appearances. The 12-year veteran and former first-rounder will merely be a cheap source of power as a part-time player in AL-only leagues if he ends up on the Yankees' bench.

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New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler (back, lat) faced hitters for the first time on Wednesday since being sidelined earlier in camp with left lat/mid-back discomfort, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Schlittler threw 25 pitches in his live batting practice session. Manager Aaron Boone said Schlittler "should be ready for the beginning of the season," but he probably won't be "fully built up in terms of stamina." "I'll take 70 pitches of Cam Schlittler," Boone said. "Especially with some of the off-days you have, even if you're in a piggyback situation for a time or two, sign me up for that." It sounds like the 25-year-old will open the year in the starting rotation, although he'll have a lower fantasy ceiling with an inning limit. The former seventh-rounder impressed in his first 14 MLB starts (73 innings) in his rookie year with an ERA under 3.00 and with 84 K's. Fantasy managers should expect at least a little bit of regression in 2026, but there's a lot to like long-term about Schlittler's profile.

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New York Yankees right-hander Will Warren got his spring training off to a strong start in Tuesday's Grapefruit League victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Warren picked up the win by allowing an earned run on four hits while walking none and striking out four in 2 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old threw 36 of his 49 pitches for strikes in the outing. In his first full season in the big leagues in the Bronx last year, Warren went 9-8 with a 4.44 ERA (4.07 FIP) and 1.37 WHIP with 171 strikeouts and 65 walks in 33 starts over 162 1/3 innings pitched. He should be a lock to start the year in the Yankees' starting rotation with Gerrit Cole (elbow), Carlos Rodon (elbow), and Clarke Schmidt (elbow) all starting on the injured list. Warren led all MLB rookies in strikeouts. To take the next step, Warren will need to fool hitters more regularly with his secondary pitches and lower his walk rate. Going into his second full season, RotoBaller has him ranked just inside the top 100 overall players.

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Cincinnati Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott made his Cactus League debut in spring training on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals and allowed two hits (one homer) and two earned runs while walking none and striking out two in his two innings of work. The 26-year-old southpaw was pleased with his outing, which was marred by a two-run homer allowed to infielder Josh Rojas. Abbott was delayed a bit last spring while recovering from a left-shoulder injury that landed him on the injured list to begin the 2025 campaign. He looked amazing in his first nine starts last year, recording a 1.51 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while going 5-0, but he hit a rough patch down the stretch to finish with a 2.87 ERA, which was in the top 10 among qualified starters. Abbott's 22.2% strikeout rate in his three MLB seasons leaves plenty to be desired, but he appears headed in the right direction and makes for a decent depth option late in fantasy drafts.

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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin (foot) left Wednesday's Grapefruit League game in the sixth inning after he was hit in the foot with a pitch, according to DK Pittsburgh Sports. Griffin stayed in the game to run the bases, but he didn't come out to play the field in the seventh inning. It doesn't appear to be a very serious injury, though, as Griffin said, "I'm good." Pittsburgh might give the 19-year-old a day or two off in camp to rest his foot, but it doesn't sound like anything that will prohibit the young infielder from winning the Opening Day starting shortstop gig. Griffin has played in only 21 minor-league games beyond High-A, but his power/speed upside might be too much for the Pirates to pass up to begin the 2026 season, which is why they're considering signing him to a long-term extension before he has even set foot on a big-league diamond in a regular-season game. His draft stock will continue to improve in all fantasy formats if he continues to play well in spring training.

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Top prospect Konnor Griffin and the Pittsburgh Pirates are open to a long-term contract extension, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 19-year-old is the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball going into the 2026 season, and he appears to be the favorite this spring to open the 2026 regular season as Pittsburgh's starting shortstop. He hit two homers in a Grapefruit League game against the Boston Red Sox already in spring training. Griffin has played in only 21 minor-league games above High-A, so fantasy managers in all formats would be wise to expect some growing pains if he breaks camp with the big-league roster. With positive reports coming out of camp, Griffin's ADP continues to rise. He should be rostered in all fantasy formats, and he's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 19 shortstop in fantasy because of his elite power/speed upside at a premium position.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee) is holding out hope that he'll be ready to play by Opening Day in late March, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. "I still have a couple benchmarks like sliding and running bases that I haven't tackled yet that I want to feel perfectly comfortable going into a game having done multiple times and recovered from, and then over the weeks felt like I've developed that skill again. But my health right now is in a really good place compared to where it's been in the past," Casas said. A torn patellar tendon limited Casas to 29 games in 2025, and he's likely to either begin this season on the injured list or at Triple-A Worcester as he works his way back to 100%. And when the 26-year-old left-handed slugger is ready, he won't be the primary first baseman after Boston acquired Willson Contreras in a trade this offseason. Casas' fantasy baseball stock has dropped considerably.

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Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo confirmed on Wednesday that veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly (back) will not start on Opening Day due to a back injury he picked up in camp, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The good news is that Kelly's MRI results haven't shown any structural damage, so he could have a minimal stay on the injured list to begin the 2026 regular season. With Kelly now unable to be ready for the start of the year, right-hander Michael Soroka could round out the Snakes' Opening Day rotation in Arizona. Kelly features a diverse arsenal and has plenty of experience in the big leagues, but his lack of putaway stuff already made him a low-ceiling starting pitcher for fantasy purposes, and his back injury now make his even less attractive as rotation depth in mixed leagues in 2026.

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Colorado Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle (wrist) was scratched from Wednesday's Cactus League contest against the Chicago Cubs with left-wrist inflammation, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The Rockies are saying it's precautionary and not from a recent hit-by-pitch. Although it doesn't sound like a serious injury, it's not what the 27-year-old wants to deal with as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing third year in the big leagues. Doyle broke out in 2024 with a .260/.317/.446 slash line, .764 OPS, 23 home runs, 72 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 30 steals in 149 games, but he regressed to a .233/.274/.376 slash line, .651 OPS, 15 homers, 57 RBI, 57 runs, and 18 stolen bases in 138 games played in 2025. If he can stay healthy, though, fantasy managers should look at him as a value pick this year. Doyle's batted-ball metrics (44.6% hard-hit rate, 10.8% barrel rate, and 89.9 mph average exit velocity) point to a rebound.

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Chicago White Sox infielder/outfielder Luisangel Acuna (eye) left Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds with a cut above his left eyebrow, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Acuna is being evaluated for sutures. The 23-year-old was injured in the fourth inning while attempting to steal a base. As long as he doesn't also have a concussion, Acuna should be fine to return to baseball activities in a day or two. The younger brother of Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., hit .248/.299/.341 with a .640 OPS, three home runs, 14 RBI, 36 runs, and 16 stolen bases in 109 games with the New York Mets in his first two MLB seasons. Acuna has a path to become Chicago's Opening Day center fielder, but on one of the worst teams in baseball with limited power, he's only really a late-round target for his speed in AL-only leagues.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander River Ryan (elbow) made his return from Tommy John surgery on Wednesday in Cactus League action by retiring two of the three batters he faced against the Arizona Diamondbacks, including a strikeout of third baseman Nolan Arenado, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Ryan hit 98 mph with his fastball and showed six different pitches overall. Harris writes that Ryan is battling for a potential Opening Day rotation spot in camp. The 27-year-old former 11th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2021 out of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke has only four major-league starts under his belt when he debuted with the Dodgers in 2024. The former position player has enough upside to be worth stashing in NL-only leagues. In his four starts in 2024, Ryan had an impressive 1.33 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 18:9 K:BB in 20 1/3 innings with a 50% ground-ball rate.

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Texas Rangers left-handed relief pitcher Robert Garcia established himself as a quality late-game option in his first season with the team in 2025. Across 64 innings (71 games), the 29-year-old posted a 4-8 record with a 2.95 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 68 strikeouts, and nine saves. Garcia's peripheral numbers actually got worse relative to his 2024 output with the Washington Nationals, as his strikeout rate dropped from 29.9% to 25.3% while his walk rate rose from 6.4% to 8.2%. Still, Garcia finished the year tied for the Rangers' team lead in saves with right-handers Shawn Armstrong and Luke Jackson, neither of whom is still with Texas. Heading into 2026, Garcia and veteran Chris Martin are reportedly the favorites for save chances, with former Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz lurking as a dark horse candidate. Martin has never recorded more than four saves in a single season, and Diaz pitched to an 8.15 ERA in 2025, so Garcia could easily emerge as the preferred ninth-inning option in Texas. With a current average draft position of pick 307, Garcia profiles as an under-the-radar potential source of saves for fantasy managers heading into 2026.

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Boston Red Sox second baseman Brendan Rodgers (shoulder) was forced to leave early from his team's Spring Training game on Wednesday after landing awkwardly while attempting to make a diving catch. The team has said that Rodgers is dealing with "right shoulder pain," per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Healey notes that Rodgers has already had surgery on both shoulders earlier in his career, so any potential shoulder ailment is particularly noteworthy. After spending his first six MLB seasons with the Colorado Rockies, Rodgers struggled in a part-time role with the Houston Astros in 2025. Across 128 plate appearances with Houston, the 29-year-old hit .191/.266/.278 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored. Rodgers' strikeout rate skyrocketed to a career-worst 35.9%, although he did post an impressive 14.3% barrel rate. Boston signed Rodgers to a Minor League contract in early February, and the veteran was expected to compete for a utility job in Spring Training. If this shoulder injury keeps him out of action for an extended stretch, Rodgers may have a hard time breaking camp with the Red Sox.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter (lower body) was scratched from the lineup for his team's Spring Training game on Wednesday due to lower body soreness, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The 25-year-old DeLauter is considered one of the best prospects in the Guardians' system and is expected to compete for a starting role in the team's outfield during Spring Training. DeLauter saw his first taste of big-league action in the 2025 postseason, recording one hit in seven plate appearances against the Detroit Tigers. While it does not appear as though DeLauter has suffered a specific injury, any potential health questions for him should cause fantasy managers to raise their eyebrows. DeLauter has never logged more than 242 plate appearances across three Minor League seasons. He's fractured his left foot twice and missed time in 2025 due to both core muscle surgery and a right hamate bone fracture. If he's slowed down in Spring Training by injury, DeLauter's chances of making Cleveland's Opening Day roster could be in jeopardy.

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Across 544 plate appearances split between the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres in 2025, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn posted a .281/.366/.437 slash line with 17 home runs, 63 RBI, 67 runs scored, and three stolen bases. O'Hearn's solid season landed him a two-year deal with the Pirates, where he could lock down an everyday spot in the middle of an improved batting order. The lefty-swinging O'Hearn owns a career .642 OPS against same-handed pitching, which has largely limited him to a platoon role for most of his career. However, the 32-year-old made significant strides against southpaws in 2025, hitting .278/.358/.474 in 109 plate appearances. The Pirates reportedly plan to play him primarily in right field this season, but O'Hearn's ability to work in at multiple positions gives him a few avenues to regular playing time. O'Hearn's fantasy production may not jump off the page in any one area, but as a steady compiler who could see a career high in plate appearances in 2026, he has value in deep leagues.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober had a season to forget in 2025. Across 146 1/3 innings (27 starts), the 30-year-old posted a 6-9 record with a 5.10 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 120 strikeouts. Ober's strikeout rate plummeted from 26.9% in 2024 to 19.2% in 2025, and he allowed a whopping 1.85 HR/9. On the plus side, Ober's control continues to be a major asset. He allowed just a 5% walk rate in 2025 and owns a career walk rate of 5.3%. If Ober can push back up closer to his 24% career strikeout rate in 2026, he could be in line for a bounce-back season. Coming into 2025, Ober had posted two straight 140-plus inning seasons with a WHIP of 1.07 or lower, so he has the potential to be a real asset in the category for fantasy managers. Ober should also hold a secure spot in the Minnesota rotation, particularly after the Twins lost starter Pablo Lopez (elbow) to Tommy John surgery earlier this month. With a current average draft position of pick 296, Ober may end up being a value selection for fantasy managers in 2026.

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Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that right-hander Troy Melton (arm) is dealing with some arm soreness in camp, which is why he hasn't gotten a Grapefruit League start yet in spring training, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. The Tigers are giving Melton some time for the soreness to subside. For now, it's something to monitor with the 25-year-old, who will most likely be ticketed to start the 2026 season at Triple-A Toledo, even if he's fully healthy. The former fourth-rounder in 2022 out of San Diego State University made his major-league debut last year and handled himself nicely, going 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA (4.60 FIP) and 1.01 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 15 walks in 45 2/3 frames over 16 appearances (four starts). His strikeout rate wasn't very impressive (20%), but he was a key arm in the playoffs and should get a look as more of a full-time starter if/when he's back in Detroit in 2026.

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