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The Athletics have made a long-term extension offer to American League Rookie of the Year first baseman Nick Kurtz, two sources told Joel Sherman of the New York Post. There's no word on whether the two sides will actually get something done this spring, but the team has done pre-arbitration extensions with outfielder Lawrence Butler, first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom, and shortstop Jacob Wilson. Going into his second MLB season, Kurtz is already the top-ranked fantasy first baseman at RotoBaller after hitting .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, and 90 runs scored in 489 plate appearances in 117 games in 2025. The most impressive feat is the fact that he almost hit .300 despite striking out 30% of the time. Fantasy managers should expect regression with his average if he continues to whiff at that rate, but Kurtz's power upside from the left side is already elite, especially at one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the league.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is playing in left field in the Cactus League game on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, and the Angels are going to move him around in all three outfield spots this spring to "see what works best," according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Trout wants to return to center field, where he feels most comfortable, but that might not be in the Angels' best interest if they want to keep the aging outfielder healthy for the entire season. The 34-year-old three-time MVP, 11-time All-Star, and nine-time Silver Slugger winner started as the team's right fielder in 2025 before eventually becoming the full-time designated hitter after suffering a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee in late April. Trout will eventually be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he's past his prime now and has durability issues. At the right price, though, Trout still has plenty of fantasy value after hitting 26 homers last year. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 45 fantasy outfielder.

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Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that left-hander Shane McClanahan (triceps) did well in throwing "two innings" of live batting practice on Thursday in camp, and he's scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut next Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The 28-year-old southpaw and two-time All-Star is currently the No. 69-ranked fantasy starting pitcher at RotoBaller, but his 2026 value will continue to rise if he proves he's fully healthy in spring training action. McClanahan last pitched in the big leagues in 2023, so there is obviously a lot of risk in rostering a pitcher that will surely have some workload restrictions this year, at least early on. He's a risk/reward fantasy selection who could struggle to return to his pre-injury form. McClanahan had Tommy John surgery in 2023 and then suffered a freak nerve injury to his triceps that kept him from pitching at all last year.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle (wrist), who was scratched from Wednesday's Cactus League lineup due to left-wrist soreness, said he underwent imaging on his wrist, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The results haven't come back yet. The Rockies announced that the move to scratch Doyle was precautionary, but we'll have a better idea of whether his status for Opening Day will be in question when the MRI results are released. If Doyle were to miss any time to begin the 2026 regular season, Jake McCarthy would most likely slide over to center field in Denver. Doyle, 27, broke out with 23 homers and 30 stolen bases in 149 games in his sophomore season in 2024, only to regress last year with a .233/.274/.376 slash line, .651 OPS, 15 homers, 57 RBI, 57 runs, and 18 steals in 138 games. Doyle's batted-ball metrics show that he was a bit unlucky last year, so if fully healthy, a rebound could be in store.

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San Diego Padres left-hander Yuki Matsui (groin) has officially been ruled out for next month's World Baseball Classic with Team Japan, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Matsui is recovering from a left-groin strain that he suffered in a recent live batting practice session in camp with the Padres. He has resumed playing catch, but he hasn't thrown off a mound, and his status for Opening Day in late March is also in question. In his two seasons in San Diego since coming over from Japan, Matsui has a 3.86 ERA in 125 appearances out of the bullpen. He resides in one of the best bullpens in baseball, but as more of a middle-inning arm, he has limited fantasy value. "Right now, I'm just continuing the throwing progression, getting intensities and distances of [playing] catch back up," Matsui said. "Once it's good enough, then I'll start throwing off the mound. But as to when, we don't know yet. We're not sure yet [about Opening Day]."

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The Athletic's Dan Hayes reports that the Minnesota Twins were pleased to learn on Wednesday that right-hander Pablo Lopez's (elbow) surgery to fix a "significant" tear in the UCL of his right elbow was "less invasive" than a standard Tommy John surgery. Dr. Keith Meister was able to use an elbow graft from Lopez's 2014 TJ surgery to add an internal brace. The Twins are now "optimistic" about Lopez's chances of returning closer to the start of the 2027 season. The 29-year-old will have an MRI exam in roughly five months, at which point we should have a better idea of when he might be able to return to pitching. Fantasy managers should have already taken Lopez off their draft boards for the 2026 season. All things considered, it's good news for Lopez, but a second major right-elbow surgery means that he'll be more of a gamble as the Twins' ace next year.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki allowed three runs, three hits, and two walks in 1 1/3 innings in his Cactus League debut on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It wasn't a good start to spring action for Sasaki, who is trying to win a starting rotation spot going into his second MLB season. The Japanese hurler had a 4.46 ERA (5.80 FIP) and 1.43 WHIP with 28 strikeouts and 22 walks in 36 1/3 innings over 10 appearances (eight starts) during the regular season last year before becoming a key piece at the back end of L.A.'s bullpen during their run to a second straight World Series championship. Sasaki struck out three on Wednesday, but he threw only 17 of his 36 pitches for strikes. His fastball topped out at 98.6 mph. Manager Dave Roberts thought Sasaki was overthrowing, but he's not too worried after just one spring outing. The 24-year-old's upside is intriguing, but until he figures out his control issues, he'll be a wild card in fantasy.

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Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez will make his Grapefruit League debut next week, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Alvarez is fully healthy this spring, but the Astros are easing him into game action after he was limited to only 48 games in 2025 due to injuries. The three-time All-Star is also expected to primarily serve as the DH for the Astros in 2026 as a way for the team to try to keep him healthy all year. Before ankle and hand injuries slowed him down last year, Alvarez had four straight 30-homer seasons as one of the best all-around hitters in the game. The left-handed Cuban slugger finished 2025 with a .273/.367/.430 slash line, .797 OPS, six home runs, 27 RBI, and 17 runs scored in his 165 at-bats. Alvarez's injuries last year have dropped his ADP in fantasy drafts, potentially making him a discount, but durability concerns are more of a concern than ever.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) is working through significant injuries to both his elbows as he prepares for spring training. He said that even a full offseason of rest has not helped his tennis elbow issues that have plagued both arms since 2024. He said, "I can't open a bottle. I can't open a bag of chips ... a bag of anything. That's the way it is." He is planning to play through the issue, though, and his goal remains to play the full season. The Yankees have taken it slow with Stanton in spring training, but they are hoping that he is ready to go for Opening Day, even though he has not yet made his Grapefruit League debut. Last season, he didn't play his first game until June 16, but he hit 24 homers in 77 games with a .273 batting average, .321 ISO, and .395 wOBA. Even while dealing with the issues, he offers good power potential as long as he stays in the lineup.

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Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (biceps) is playing catch from the mound, but he has not had a bullpen session yet. Manager Joe Espada said there isn't a schedule yet for Hader to throw a bullpen, which keeps him without a timetable to return. It seems unlikely that Hader will be able to get back to full speed before Opening Day at this point, since Houston is sure to be cautious with the 31-year-old lefty. If Hader is not ready for Opening Day in late March, setup man Bryan Abreu will most likely fill in as the Astros' closer to start the season. Both Abreu and Hader have been excellent when healthy, and Abreu will be a nice option while Hader is out. Hader can still be a dominant force when he returns, although his increased injury risk is causing him to slide in fantasy baseball drafts this preseason.

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Miami Marlins relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks can be a solid source of saves at his current ADP, which has him as about the 19th closer off of preseason draft boards. The 32-year-old righty posted a 2.83 ERA and 3.63 FIP in a career-high 60 1/3 innings last season with the Rays. He has at least 23 saves in each of the last three years in Tampa and has been a strong closer when healthy. He should have a firm grasp on the Marlins' closer job coming into the season, after signing a one-year, $13 million contract this offseason. Fairbanks has already appeared in a spring training game, throwing a hitless inning with two strikeouts against the Astros on Wednesday. He could get a slightly more stable role in Miami, so there's good upside available in snagging Fairbanks at his current price.

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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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