Didier Fuentes has been recalled by the Atlanta Braves and will start Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals. Ian Hamilton has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. (Source: Atlanta Braves on X)
Fantasy Impact: The talk of the spring for the Braves, Fuentes has been recalled to start Wednesday's game. He went 3-0 with a 0.66 ERA and allowed only two hits and one walk, while striking out 18, in 13.2 innings during the spring. The 21-year-old righthander made the Braves' Opening Day roster and appeared in one relief outing, allowing one run in four innings, before getting sent down to Triple-A Gwinnett to get additional work. Fuentes posted a 2.16 ERA at Gwinnett, allowing only eight hits while striking out 20 in 16.2 innings. Martin Perez was the originally-scheduled starter for the Braves on Wednesday, and it's unclear if he will be pushed back a day or will head to the bullpen. Spencer Strider (oblique) is also scheduled to rejoin the rotation soon, so a lot of decisions for the Braves will lean on how well Fuentes performs Wednesday.
Mon, Apr 20th 6:18pm EDT
By Ari Koslow
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz is slated to undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow and is expected to miss close to three months. (Source: Alden Gonzalez on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: It is a tough blow for Diaz and the Dodgers. It is also another elite closer down with an injury. Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia should see more save opportunities.
Kevin McGonigle has agreed to an eight-year, $150 million contract extension with the Detroit Tigers Wednesday the club announced. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: McGonigle is now locked in through the 2034 season with the club, as the former top prospect has exceeded expectations to begin his rookie campaign. The infielder has posted a .909 OPS with 12 runs scored, one home run, one stolen base, and eight RBI through 17 games while offering manager AJ Hinch another franchise cornerstone in a Detroit lineup in need of more impactful production after a slow start to the 2026 season.
Isaac Collins is not in the starting lineup for the Kansas City Royals Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. (Source: MLB Daily Lineups)
Fantasy Impact: Michael Massey is replacing Collins in the lineup, playing left field and batting eighth.
Shane Smith was optioned down to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday. (Source: Jesse Rogers on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Even though Smith did manage to keep the Orioles off the board in Tuesday's outing, he issued five free passes to the 19 total batters he faced over 3 2/3 innings. The Opening Day starter for the White Sox, Smith's second big-league season has gotten off to a rough start. The 26-year-old righty has allowed 12 hits and nine walks en route to a 10.80 ERA through 8 1/3 innings. Smith similarly struggled during Spring Training, and he will now try to get some issues worked out in the minors.
Konnor Griffin and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed on a nine-year extension that will keep the teenager in Pittsburgh through the 2034 season. The deal is reportedly worth $140 million with incentives making the contract as high as $150 million. (Source: Jason Mackey on X)
Fantasy Impact: It's a record-breaking deal in Pittsburgh as the 19-year-old signed the most lucrative contract in franchise history, surpassing Bryan Reynolds' $106.75 million deal in 2023. The consensus top prospect in all of baseball, Griffin was selected ninth overall by the Pirates in the 2024 MLB Draft. The young shortstop played one season in the minors and batted .333 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases combined in Single-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, and Double-A Altoona. He then hit four home runs during the spring, but was sent to Triple-A Indianapolis to open the 2026 season. He didn't last long there as he hit .438 (7-for-16) with three doubles and three stolen bases before getting called up. Griffin doubled in his first major league at bat, then went on an 0-for-14 skid before recording two hits in Tuesday's win over the Padres. He is 3-for-17 (.176) with three RBI and a 2:4 BB:K ratio through his first five big league games. He will now serve as the cornerstone of a Pirates' franchise, looking to make a return to relevancy, for nearly the next decade.
The New York Mets placed Juan Soto on the 10-day IL (retroactive to April 4) with a right calf strain. (Source: New York Mets)
Fantasy Impact: Obviously, a blow to fantasy managers who were enjoying a scorching hot start to the season for the Mets outfielder. According to the press release, the recovery time for this injury is typically two to three weeks. Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A, though Tyrone Taylor will most likely join the starting lineup. Managers should look elsewhere for a temporary fill-in.
Patrick Corbin signed a one-year contract with the Blue Jays on Friday. (Source: Robert Murray on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Corbin's deal will pay him $1 million for the 2026 season. The veteran lefty will build up in the minors, beginning at Low-A Dunedin, before presumably joining the Blue Jays at some point down the road. Corbin logged 155 1/3 innings for the Rangers last year, turning in a 4.40 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 19.8 K%.
Jordan Lawlar will be out for the next six to eight weeks due to a fractured right wrist. (Source: Nick Piecoro on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: What a tough blow for Lawlar, as the rookie was finally receiving his first extended opportunity at the show and smacked his first career home run Thursday night. A pitch later struck Lawlar on his right wrist, and a follow-up CT scan on Friday revealed the fracture. Adrian Del Castillo has been called up by the Diamondbacks to take Lawlar's place on the roster.
Nico Hoerner has agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Cubs. (Source: Jesse Rogers on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The deal is still pending a physical, but this will put to bed any rumblings of the Cubs potentially trading Hoerner any time soon. The two-time Gold Glove winner, who hit .297 with 29 steals and 89 runs scored in 2025, was the subject of some rumors over the offseason, as he was previously set to become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
Jackson Chourio (hand) has been placed on the 10-day injured list by the Milwaukee Brewers the club announced. (Source: Milwaukee Brewers on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Chourio suffered the hand injury while competing in the World Baseball Classic, with an estimate of being sidelined for at least 2-to-4 weeks for the Brewers. In a corresponding move, Blake Perkins was recalled from Triple-A Nashville.
Carson Benge has made the Mets' Opening Day roster and is expected to start in right field. (Source: Mike Puma on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Benge, the Mets' No. 2 prospect per MLB.com, has had a terrific spring, posting an .874 OPS across 46 plate appearances. The first-round pick from 2024 hit .281 with 15 homers and 22 steals over 116 games between three different minor-league levels last year. He will likely start off near the bottom of the Mets' batting order, but he could move up quick if he hits the ground running.
Spencer Strider will reportedly start the season on the injured list with an oblique strain. (Source: Mark Bowman on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Strider is not opening the season on the IL with an arm injury. It is unclear what his timetable will be, but he'll likely be sidelined into the end of April. Didier Fuentes could join the Braves rotation as a result.
Merrill Kelly (back) will begin the regular season on the IL. (Source: Alex Weiner on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Kelly has been limited to only two appearances this spring due to back pain, with the first of those not coming until March 13. The plan is for the veteran righty to continue working up to full strength in the early portion of the season. After being traded to Texas at last year's July deadline, Kelly returned to the Diamondbacks on a free-agent deal this past December. Brandon Pfaadt and Michael Soroka will begin the season in the Arizona rotation.
Righthander Walker Buehler has made the Padres' Opening Day roster according to multiple reports. Buehler was signed to a minor league deal by San Diego in February and was a non-roster invitee to spring training. (Source: FOX Sports: MLB on X)
Fantasy Impact: Buehler started three games for the Padres this spring and went 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings. He allowed four runs on ten his, walked four, and struck out 13. The 31-year-old has not been the same his second Tommy John surgery back in August of 2022, which forced him to miss all of 2023. In his last two seasons, Buehler has gone 11-13 with a 5.10 ERA in 42 appearances (40 starts). In his first six seasons, the righthander went 46-16 with a 3.02 ERA in 115 games (106 starts). Buehler should be penciled in as the fifth starter to open the season and, while it's a great chapter to Buehler's comeback, there's no need to run to the wire just yet.
Sun, Mar 15th 9:17pm EDT
By David Leisering
Jose Ramirez (shoulder) left in the fourth inning of Cleveland's spring training game against the Athletics with left shoulder inflammation according to Guardians' manager, Stephen Vogt. Ramirez is considered day-to-day for now. (Source: MLB Trade Rumors on X)
Fantasy Impact: Ramirez apparently suffered the ailment sliding into third base during the second inning of Sunday's game. He remained in the game before he was pinch hit for by Carter Kieboom in the fourth. Ramirez has played 13 seasons, all with Cleveland, and could be destined for Cooperstown when all is said and done. He's a seven-time All-Star and has finished in the top five in AL MVP voting six times. It's entirely possible that this is a minor hiccup and he'll return in a couple of days. However, given what Ramirez means to the Guardians, the organization will use extreme caution before returning him to game action. Expect an update on Ramirez in the next day or two.
Sat, Mar 14th 11:09pm EDT
By David Leisering
Seiya Suzuki (knee) exited early from Saturday night's World Baseball Classic quarterfinal against Venezuela with right knee discomfort. He came up limping after being thrown out attempting to steal second base in the first inning. (Source: Bob Nightengale on X)
Fantasy Impact: Suzuki was able to walk off the field under his own power, but he had a noticeable limp and struggled getting down the stairs of the dugout. This would obviously be a big blow for both Team Japan and the Chicago Cubs if the injury proves to be serious. He was 3-for-9 with two home runs and six walks in five games for Japan during the World Baseball Classic. The winner of the Japan-Venezuela game would play Italy on Monday in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Suzuki hit .245 with 32 home runs for the Cubs as their primary designated hitter last season. The regular season opens in less than two weeks, so stay tuned for the forthcoming medical update.
Josh Hader (biceps) will begin the regular season on the IL. (Source: Matt Kawahara on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Hader has been progressing from bicep inflammation in his pitching arm, and his most recent bullpen session reportedly went well. Still, the six-time All-Star will simply need time beyond Opening Day to fully build up his arm before being ready to take the mound for the Astros. Bryan Abreu will likely take on closing duties until Hader returns.
Max Scherzer returns to Blue Jays on a one-year deal. (Source: Shi Davidi on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Scherzer was expected to ultimately return to Toronto, but recent speculation suggested that the 41-year-old might not sign until after Opening Day. Scherzer's new deal includes incentives that pickup at the 65-inning mark. The future Hall of Famer made 20 starts between the regular season and playoffs last year, working 99 1/3 innings in total.
Pablo Lopez (elbow) will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery for the Minnesota Twins according to Aaron Gleeman. (Source: Aaron Gleeman on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Lopez entered the spring looking to lead a Minnesota pitching staff counting on the right-hander to be one of the few stable options for new manager Derek Shelton. Joe Ryan likely moves up to the No. 1 spot in an underwhelming Twins rotation entering the regular season.
