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The plan is for Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) to serve as the designated hitter in the team's Cactus League game on Wednesday against the Athletics, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year has healed quickly from surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his right hand in early February. Barring a setback once Carroll returns to game action, he should be ready for Opening Day later this month. It's great news for the Diamondbacks and fantasy managers who took Carroll as a top-10 fantasy outfielder already in drafts. The former 16th overall pick in 2019 is a two-time All-Star and contributes across all categories in fantasy. Carroll has led the league in triples in each of the last three years and was a 30-30 man in 2025 for the first time in his career.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki is expected to open his second year in the big leagues in 2026 as a starting pitcher, per Jack Vita of the Los Angeles Times. "I don't see a world in which Roki Sasaki doesn't [open the season] as a starter," manager Dave Roberts said. Sasaki only appeared in 10 games (eight starts) in his first big-league season in 2025 during the regular season, allowing 18 earned runs on 30 hits (six homers) while walking 22 and striking out 28 in 36 1/3 innings pitched. The 24-year-old Japanese hurler then made nine appearances in the postseason as the Dodgers' closer, giving up just one earned run while recording three saves in 10 2/3 frames. He hasn't looked great in his two Cactus League starts, allowing seven earned runs while walking five and striking out five in 3 1/3 innings. Control continues to be the biggest issue for Sasaki, who could eventually be moved back to a bullpen role in 2026 when lefty Blake Snell (shoulder) makes his season debut.

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Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (forearm) was hit on his right forearm by a pitch during a simulated game in camp on Tuesday and left early with a trainer for treatment, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. It's unclear right now how serious Torkelson's injury is or if it will prevent him from being ready on Opening Day later this month. The 26-year-old former first overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State hit 31 home runs for the second time in his career last season after clubbing only 10 long balls in 2024, and he added 78 RBI and 82 runs scored in 155 games played while slashing .240/.333/.456 in 649 plate appearances. There's always going to be swing and miss in Torkelson's game, but he cut back slightly on his whiffs in 2025 and showed more plate discipline. Fantasy managers should look at Tork as a power asset later in drafts as corner-infield depth.

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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora stopped short of making it official but "strongly indicated" on Tuesday morning that infielder Caleb Durbin will be the team's starting third baseman on Opening Day later this month, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive.com. The Red Sox will most likely go with Durbin at the hot corner after they were unable to re-sign Alex Bregman in free agency in the winter. The 26-year-old Durbin played third base with the Milwaukee Brewers last year in his MLB debut, too, while finishing with a .256/.334/.387 slash line, .721 OPS, 11 homers, 53 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 136 total regular-season games. Durbin finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. He displayed great plate discipline, but fantasy managers should be concerned about his 4.0% barrel rate, 26.9% hard-hit rate, and 85.2 mph average exit velocity. Durbin doesn't have the high-end power to be more than a backup third base option in mixed fantasy leagues.

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The Detroit Tigers placed right-hander Troy Melton (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Tuesday with elbow inflammation despite no rehab setback, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. The move means that the earliest Melton can return in 2026 is on May 25. The 25-year-old has yet to resume throwing since suffering a right-elbow strain early in spring training last month. It's a big setback for the young pitcher after he looked good in his big-league debut for Detroit last year. Melton went 3-2 on the mound with a 2.76 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 36 strikeouts, and 15 walks in a small sample size of 45 2/3 innings over 16 outings (four starts). He showed even more upside as a key arm for the Tigers in the offseason, even if his strikeout rate from the minors didn't carry over. The expectation was that Melton would get a shot at a full-time starting role this year, but those plans could be changing because of his elbow injury.

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Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (calf) has a "low-grade" calf strain, manager Matt Quatraro told MLB.com's Anne Rogers on Tuesday morning. Massey tweaked it on a play in Cactus League action against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday, and it didn't improve, so the team had it checked out. He'll be out of game action for "hopefully just about a week." As long as the 27-year-old isn't out beyond a week, he'll still have a chance to be ready for Opening Day in late March. Massey isn't on the fantasy map in mixed leagues going into the 2026 campaign as more of a utility player for the Royals. The former fourth-rounder in 2019 played in only 77 games last year due to ankle, back, and wrist injuries for KC and slashed .244/.268/.313 with a career-worst .581 OPS, three home runs, 20 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 277 plate appearances.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) will likely start hitting in minor-league games in spring training this weekend, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Lowe can rack up at-bats in minor-league games, so the Angels are currently expecting him to be ready for Opening Day in late March. More oblique issues this spring have limited the left-handed slugger to only three Cactus League games as he gets ready for his first season in Anaheim in 2026. Lowe was a former 13th overall selection in 2016, but he just hasn't panned out in five major-league seasons, hitting .250/.306/.414 with a .721 OPS, 43 home runs, 170 RBI, 188 runs scored, and 79 stolen bases in 403 games played. He does have two 20-homer seasons and plenty of speed, but his recurring oblique injuries make him hard to trust as outfield depth in fantasy in mixed leagues. RotoBaller currently has Lowe ranked as the No. 67 fantasy outfielder.

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Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young (wrist) started swinging in camp on Tuesday, according to Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. Young is still considered day-to-day with a right-wrist contusion, with the Nationals' goal of making sure he's 100% healthy for Opening Day later this month. The 26-year-old has only been able to play in one Grapefruit League game so far this spring because of his wrist injury. In his third MLB season with the Nats last year, Young played in 120 games (364 plate appearances) and hit .231/.296/.287 with a career-worst .583 OPS, only two home runs, 31 RBI, 34 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases. The former seventh-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Florida is a speedster on the base paths -- he stole a career-high 33 bags in 2024 -- and is excellent on defense, but his lack of power and unclear playing time situation put him outside of RotoBaller's top-100 fantasy outfielders going into the 2026 season.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) is taking another step in his recovery from hamate-bone surgery in camp on Tuesday and is fielding ground balls with other Mets infielders, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Nothing is set in stone as far as Lindor's availability for Opening Day at the end of this month, but there remains optimism in the organization that the 32-year-old veteran All-Star will be ready to go. The fact that he has also progressed to hitting in the batting cage is definitely a good sign. The five-time Puerto Rican All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner is still one of the better fantasy options at the shortstop position despite his hand injury, and RotoBaller has him ranked at No. 5 at the position. Lindor had his second 30-30 season in the last three years in 2025, slashing .267/.346/.466 with an .811 OPS, 86 RBI, and 117 runs scored in a league-high 732 plate appearances.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (forearm) continues to throw on flat ground in camp, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. All of the reports on Bieber's throwing program in spring training have been good, but there's still no timetable for when he'll get up on a mound. The 30-year-old former American League Cy Young winner made his return from Tommy John surgery last year but then dealt with right-forearm fatigue late in the year as the Blue Jays made a run to the World Series. The two-time All-Star pitched well in his seven regular-season starts, allowing 16 earned runs on 34 hits (eight homers) while walking seven and striking out 37 in 40 1/3 innings. Bieber made five appearances (four starts) in the postseason, allowing nine runs (eight earned) while walking six and fanning 18 in 18 2/3 frames. He has already been ruled out for Opening Day, making him a tough sell in shallow mixed leagues as starting rotation depth.

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Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) resumed throwing in camp on Tuesday, per Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. Once one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, Tiedemann is now just trying to stay healthy after missing all of last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. He was shut down late last month after feeling soreness in his surgically repaired left arm, but he has been cleared to resume throwing. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper formats can still dream on the former third-rounder's upside at the next level, but the bottom line is that he needs to prove he can stay on the mound for an extended period of time first. It's unclear if Tiedemann will be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, but even if he is, he'll almost certainly begin the year at Triple-A Buffalo for more seasoning.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday in the outfield against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The Marlins have been cautious with their lone All-Star representative from a year ago, but barring a setback once he starts playing in games, Stowers should be ready for Opening Day at the end of the month. It's good news that he's not being eased back in as the designated hitter. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger broke out in his first full year with the Fish in 2025, hitting .288/.368/.544 with a .912 OPS, 25 home runs, 73 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 457 plate appearances over 117 games played. Stowers squares the ball up regularly, which bodes well for his future in dynasty/keeper leagues, but durability is definitely a concern. Draft him as a No. 3 fantasy outfielder with upside.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (finger) has still been able to do infield work in camp despite dealing with a fractured right ring finger that knocked him out of playing in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The 28-year-old's status for Opening Day later this month will depend on how he progresses over the next couple of weeks. If Pena begins the year on the injured list, Carlos Correa will shift over to shortstop, allowing Isaac Paredes to play third base. Nick Allen would be another option to start at the 6 with Pena injured. The injury doesn't appear to be very serious, but it does make Pena a little less attractive as a low-end starting fantasy shortstop going into 2026. Pena was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his fourth year in the league, slashing .304/.363/.477 with an .840 OPS, 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 68 runs, and 20 steals in his 125 games played.

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Houston Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) threw around 15 pitches in his first bullpen session of the spring on Tuesday, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "Speed is there, fastball is there, action is there, synched up. All positives," Hader said. However, when asked about whether he'll be ready for Opening Day later this month, he said, "We'll see." The 31-year-old hard-throwing southpaw entered spring training last month with left-biceps inflammation and also ended the year on the injured list in 2025 with a left-shoulder strain. It makes Hader a lot more risky as a top-shelf closer in fantasy baseball entering the 2026 season, and it also makes late-inning setup man Bryan Abreu worthy of a late-round flier for saves speculators in case Hader isn't ready for the start of the season. When healthy last year, Hader was still dominant, posting a 2.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 76 strikeouts, and 28 saves in 52 2/3 innings pitched.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene (elbow) is expected to be sidelined for the next 14 to 16 weeks to remove bone chips and loose bodies in his right elbow. This will keep the team's ace sidelined through at least July. The hard-throwing right-hander underwent an MRI due to an elbow issue last week and will now face an extended absence. While he avoided a season-ending injury, he may only pitch in the second half. Last season, Greene logged only 107 2/3 innings due to groin issues, but was highly effective when on the bump. During this stint, the former top prospect held a 2.76 ERA with a stellar 0.94 WHIP. He struck out hitters at a 31.4% rate, placing him in the 93rd percentile among qualified pitchers. He also generated a strong 3.05 xERA with a .202 xBA. Given his current timeline, Greene's ADP is sure to continue to drop, as he was viewed as a borderline top-12 SP for most of the offseason. Greene now projects to carry high-end stash upside for most of the first half of the 2026 season.

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The New York Mets announced on Tuesday that they optioned right-hander Jonah Tong to Triple-A Syracuse. Tong will most likely be back in the big leagues with the Mets at some point in 2026, but for now, he'll get some more seasoning in the minors to begin the year. The 22-year-old gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings in his lone Grapefruit League start this spring. The Canadian hurler and former seventh-round pick in 2022 also struggled in his major-league debut last season, posting a 7.71 ERA and 1.77 WHIP with 22 strikeouts and nine walks in 18 2/3 innings over his first five starts for the Mets. It shouldn't take away from how great he was in the minors in 2025, as he posted a 1.43 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 179 strikeouts, and a 52.9% ground-ball rate in 22 starts at Double-A and Triple-A. Tong will eventually be locked into a starting rotation spot for the Mets down the road, but there are durability questions because of his small stature of 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (elbow) is dealing with an injury that doesn't give him a clear timetable to return, and as a result, his draft stock has plummeted over the last few weeks. Westburg is the No. 22 second baseman and the No. 22 third baseman in RotoBaller's rankings, but the floor has dropped out of his ADP, so he could end up being a late-round value if he falls far enough. Last year, Westburg hit .265 in his 85 games with 17 homers and a .332 wOBA. His averages were on par with his breakout 2024 season, and his power ticked up while his stolen bases were slightly down as he battled injury. He'll need to prove he's healthy and earn playing time back, since prospect Coby Mayo will likely fill in at the hot corner until he returns. Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson could also end up in the mix at third base, giving Westburg an uncertain path to playing time in addition to his injury risk. He's high-risk, but his ADP is dropping low enough that he could be worth a flier if you can get him late enough as a bench piece.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale is fully recovered from his rib injury last year and is ready to roll for another season with the Braves. He signed an extension before spring training that will keep him with the Braves for at least 2027 and includes a team option for 2028. The 36-year-old lefty has revitalized his career with the Braves after injuries marred the end of his time in Boston. In the last two seasons, Sale has gone 25-8 in 50 starts with a 2.46 ERA, 2.33 FIP, and 11.6 K/9. Sale has allowed four runs in 7 2/3 innings in spring training, but he is expected to be atop the Braves' rotation when the season opens. He's the No. 9 pitcher in RotoBaller's rankings, and he can be a solid anchor for your rotation after the elite options are off the board. In standard-sized mixed leagues, he's an outstanding second starting pitcher and a low-end first starting pitcher.

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Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo took a huge leap in 2025, and his offense caught up with his excellent defense during his age-25 season. Perdomo posted an impressive .290/.389/.462 slash line with 20 home runs, 27 stolen bases, more walks than strikeouts, and a 370 wOBA. He played 161 of Arizona's 162 games and posted career highs in every major category. He had never hit more than six homers in a season, but hit 20 in 2025, and he had never had more than 16 stolen bases before swiping 27 bags last year. He took a huge step forward and became a key part of the D-backs' lineup. He's currently the No. 10 shortstop in RotoBaller's rankings and can be a strong mixed-league option if he continues last year's success. Most projections are calling for a little regression after his massive breakout, but he still is a solid starter to snag after the elite producers at the position are off the board.

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New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez has been sliding in fantasy baseball drafts with uncertainty about his position and playing time in the Yankees' lineup. Dominguez is ranked as the No. 76 outfielder in the RotoBaller rankings, and his ADP is getting close to lining up with that ranking after dropping throughout the spring. Dominguez has been doing his part on the field, with a big spring training so far. He is hitting .296 in his first nine Grapefruit League games with a home run, seven RBI, a stolen base, and improved outfield defense. He could end up being a great value if he claims an everyday role after his stock drops, but he's still going a little early compared to other options around his same ranking. The biggest concern with Dominguez is the squeeze for outfield playing time in the Bronx.

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