Fantasy Baseball News

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said on Wednesday that Jordan Lawlar is likely to start the season in centerfield if he proves he can handle it during spring training. (Source: Alex Weiner on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said last week that Jordan Lawlar would see the majority of his spring work in the outfield, and manager Torey Lovullo said on Wednesday that it will likely be in centerfield. With Blaze Alexander gone and Corbin Carroll (hand) undergoing surgery on Wednesday, putting him at risk of missing the start of the season, Lawlar is in line for an everyday role if he has a solid spring.

Bryce Eldridge took fly balls in left field in camp on Wednesday, saying it was San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello’s idea. (Source: Alex Pavlovic on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Vitello wants Eldridge to get reps in the outfield, given the Giants’ crowded infield situation. Eldridge played some outfield in the minors, and getting more comfortable there could allow him to see more playing time during the regular season.

Dylan Cease told reporters on Wednesday that he will work on adding a changeup to his arsenal during spring training. (Source: Keegan Matheson on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays this offseason and is wasting no time looking for ways to improve. He said the changeup will primarily help against left-handed hitters. Last year with the San Diego Padres, Cease posted a 4.55 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 168 innings.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed on Wednesday that Hunter Brown will be the club's opening day starter. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Brown will make his first career Opening Day start after Framber Valdez, who joined the Detroit Tigers this offseason, handled the assignment the previous four years for Houston. Brown posted a stellar 2.43 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 206 strikeouts across 185.1 innings last season. The Astros open the season March 26 against the Los Angeles Angels.

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday that Bo Bichette will likely bat third in the lineup, hitting behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. (Source: Mike Puma on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets this offseason and is expected to hit in the heart of the order. He finished 2025 with a .311/.357/.483 slash line across 139 games. While he has played shortstop throughout his career, he is expected to open the season as the team’s third baseman. However, Francisco Lindor (hand) is scheduled to undergo surgery, so Bichette could slide to shortstop if Lindor is forced to miss the start of the season.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed on Wednesday that Daniel Palencia will be the team's closer to open the season. (Source: Jesse Rogers on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Palencia broke out in 2025, posting a 2.91 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 16 walks across 52.2 innings. He converted 22 of 25 save opportunities and will handle ninth-inning duties to open the season. He is typically the 18th relief pitcher off the board in fantasy drafts, offering solid value, especially pitching on a team that won 92 games in 2025.

Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said on Tuesday that Alek Manoah will need to prove he’s healthy and earn his way into the starting rotation. (Source: Rhett Bollinger on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Manoah underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and logged 38.2 innings in the minors in 2025, posting a 3.96 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 35 strikeouts. A former All-Star in 2022, when he recorded a career-best 2.24 ERA across 196.2 innings, Manoah will look to reclaim a spot in the rotation and rediscover that form. The Angels have two openings in the rotation available, with Manoah primarily competing against Drew Pomeranz, Caden Dana and Grayson Rodriguez.

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly in talks with free-agent utility man Juan Yepez. (Source: Eric Treuden on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Yepez, 27, didn't appear in the big leagues in 2025. He also struggled at Triple-A where he hit just .222 with four homers and a .605 OPS in 62 games.

Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement will mainly play second base in 2026, as per manager John Schneider. (Source: Ben Nicholson-Smith on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Clement played all over the infield in 2025, logging the most innings at third base. However, with the departure of Bo Bichette combined with Andres Gimenez's full-time move to shortstop, Clement will man the keystone for the reigning AL champion Blue Jays this season.

The Philadelphia Phillies are heavily shopping outfielder Nick Castellanos ahead of spring training. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: According to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the club is "doing everything we can to make a move by [Monday]." Feb. 16 is scheduled as the team's first full workout as pitchers and catchers begin to report to spring training this week. The 33-year-old endured his worst MLB season in 2025, hitting .250 with 17 home runs and a .694 OPS while grading out as arguably the worst defensive outfielder in the league.

Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Elias said on Tuesday that Coby Mayo’s primary focus will be first base, though he will also get reps at other positions during spring training. (Source: Jake Rill on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: While Elias did not specify which positions, he said it’s something he plans to discuss with Mayo and the coaching staff. Third base is a likely option, as Mayo has played 15 career games there, and the corner outfield could also be a natural fit. The 24-year-old hit .217/.299/.388 with 11 home runs in 85 games last season.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said on Tuesday that Kristian Campbell will primarily play in the outfield this season. (Source: Gabrielle Starr on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Campbell was the Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day second baseman in 2025 but is expected to primarily play the outfield in 2026. Manager Alex Cora noted that the infield shouldn’t be completely ruled out, saying “you never know what can happen,” but added that all of Campbell’s work during spring training will be in the outfield. Regular playing time or a spot on the Opening Day roster is not guaranteed, as the team also has Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Masataka Yoshida. Campbell finished last season with a .223/.319/.345 slash line across 67 games.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa said on Tuesday that he will serve in a super-utility role for the Boston Red Sox this season. (Source: Gabrielle Starr on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Kiner-Falefa, a 2020 Gold Glove winner, has played every position in his career except first base. He gives the Red Sox significant defensive versatility and said he’s excited to join an organization where utility players like Brock Holt and Rob Refsnyder have found success. Kiner-Falefa hit .262/.297/.334 with 15 stolen bases across 431 at-bats in 2025.

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Tuesday that Juan Soto will play left field this season. (Source: Abbey Mastracco on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Soto played 157 games in right field and served as the designated hitter three times in 2025, but is expected to shift to left field in 2026. He began his career in left and logged 154 games there with the San Diego Padres in 2023, so the transition should be fairly seamless for the 27-year-old. Stearns mentioned Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez as potential candidates to open the season in right field for the Mets in 2026.

Graham Pauley could start the season platooning at third base with Connor Norby. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Pauley stepped in for Connor Norby at third base in 2025 while Norby dealt with multiple injuries. Pauley ended up playing 62 games, finishing with a .224/.311/.366 slash line and excelling defensively, recording six outs above average, tied for fifth-most among MLB third basemen. The right-handed-hitting Norby and left-handed-hitting Pauley could form a platoon if neither distinguishes himself during spring training or early in the season.

Connor Norby could start the season platooning at third base with Graham Pauley. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Norby is coming off a frustrating 2025 season, limited to 88 games due to injuries and finishing with a .251/.300/.389 slash line. The right-handed-hitting Norby and left-handed-hitting Pauley could form a platoon if neither stands out during spring training or early in the season. Norby is also expected to get some outfield reps this spring, which could boost his playing time if injuries start to mount.

Indicted Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has now been accused of throwing suspicious pitches to benefit bettors in 48 games over the span of two years. The 48 games is far more staggering than the nine games listed in the initial indictment back in November. (Source: David Purdum on X)

Fantasy Impact: With the number of games increasing more than five times the initial indictment, it is becoming more and more likely that Clase has thrown his last pitch. Not only that, but Clase - and fellow co-conspirator Luis Ortiz - could face as much as 20 years in federal prison if convicted of the top charges. Clase has now been accused of manipulating "at least 250 pitches" in the last court proceedings. Clase appeared in 197 games between 2023 and 2025 before he was placed on non-disciplinary leave by MLB. If the allegations are true, he would have doctored his performance in roughly a quarter of his outings. The former three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year was on the fourth year of his five-year contract with Cleveland. The trial is set for May 4.

Blake Snell could open the season on the injured list due to a lingering shoulder issue. (Source: Jack Harris)

Fantasy Impact: Snell pitched well to end last season into the Dodgers World Series run. He is continuing to battle a shoulder injury into the offseason. It does not sound like he is expected to much too much time if he does open the season on the IL.

The latest Framber Valdez news has the Pittsburgh Pirates in hot pursuit of the free agent lefthander according to multiple sources. (Source: Ken Rosenthal on X)

Fantasy Impact: The Pirates have been linked to a number of big free agent names this offseason but, more often than not, have fallen short in their pursuits. Add Valdez, who has spent his entire eight-year career with Houston, to the list. Valdez has gone 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA in 188 career outings with the Astros and would form an outstanding 1-2 punch with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, Paul Skenes if the Pirates are successful in landing the southpaw. With rumors surrounding Valdez picking up, it appears that the top free-agent pitcher left on the market may finding a landing spot soon.

The Pirates have expressed interest in free agent Marcell Ozuna. (Source: Katie Woo)

Fantasy Impact: The market has remained fairly quiet for Ozuna. He should sign with a team soon with spring training around the corner.