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Left-hander Kris Bubic won his salary arbitration hearing against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Bubic will earn $6.15 million in 2026 after the team filed at $5.15 million. Bubic broke out in 2025 in his sixth year in the big leagues to earn his first All-Star nod, but his season was cut short due to a rotator-cuff strain. In his 20 starts, the 28-year-old southpaw went 8-7 with a career-low 2.55 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with a career-high 116 strikeouts and 39 walks in 116 1/3 innings pitched. The good news is that Bubic is already throwing bullpens in spring training, so he should be ready for the start of the 2026 season. The former first-rounder has looked pretty darn good the last two years with ERAs under 3.00, but his arm just couldn't hold up to the increase in workload in 2025. He has kept hitters off balance with a diverse arsenal. Don't forget about him as rotation depth late in fantasy drafts.

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Left-hander Eric Lauer lost his salary arbitration hearing against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Lauer will earn $4.4 million in 2026 instead of the $5.75 million he filed for. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw stepped up for Toronto in a swing role in 2025 after pitching in Korea in 2024, as he posted a career-best 3.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 102 strikeouts and 26 walks in 104 2/3 innings over 28 appearances (15 starts). Lauer added some velocity last year and showed a little bit better control. The problem for his 2026 fantasy value is that he'll likely be relegated to a long-relief bullpen role after the offseason addition of starting pitcher Dylan Cease. In his seven-year big-league career, Lauer has a 4.13 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 22.3% strikeout rate for three different teams. Lauer is strictly an arm to roster in AL-only leagues.

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Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (shoulder) told Foul Territory on Wednesday that he's "feeling healthy, feeling ready to go," according to Jason Burke of Sports Illustrated. Gelof is very excited for the upcoming season and will be reporting to spring training on Friday. The 26-year-old is expected to be a full-go in camp after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. He didn't make his season debut until early July after recovering from a fractured right wrist and a stress reaction in his ribs, and then he was shut down in the final month with a dislocated left shoulder. In between, Gelof hit an ugly .174/.230/.272 with two home runs, seven RBI, seven walks, and 46 K's in 30 games (101 plate appearances). Gelof looks to be healthy after having surgery on his shoulder, but he'll need to stay healthy and beat out Darrell Hernaiz for playing time at the keystone. Making contact has been an issue for the former second-rounder, as he led the league in strikeouts with 188 in 547 plate appearances in 2024.

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Kansas City Royals left-hander Bailey Falter (biceps) was able to throw a bullpen session at spring training on Wednesday, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Falter missed the final five weeks of last season due to a left-biceps contusion, but he made a couple of minor-league rehab starts in late September and appears to be fully healthy as he heads into his first full season with the Royals. The 28-year-old southpaw opened the 2025 campaign with the Pittsburgh Pirates and had a 3.73 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with a 70:39 K:BB in 113 1/3 innings over 22 starts before joining the Royals in the second half. Falter only appeared in four games (two starts) with KC to close out the year, allowing 15 earned runs in just 12 innings. Depending on the health of the rest of the Royals' starting options, Falter appears ticketed for a long-relief role to open the 2026 campaign. Fantasy managers can ignore him in mixed formats.

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San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt (wrist) will continue his hitting progression for one more week before he'll be cleared for all baseball activities, according to MLB.com. Schmitt is a little behind in spring training after having surgery to remove the carpal boss in his left wrist with Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Dec. 2. The 26-year-old is primarily a middle infielder, but he filled in at the hot corner in San Fran for a bit last year when Matt Chapman was out due to injuries. Schmitt slashed a very modest .237/.305/.401 with a .706 OPS, a career-high 12 home runs, 40 RBI, and 34 runs scored in a career-high 95 games played (348 plate appearances). His batted-ball metrics are merely average, and Schmitt doesn't make enough consistent contact to carry a high average if he falls into more playing time around the infield. In a utility role, Schmitt can be ignored in mixed fantasy leagues in 2026.

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Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland (shoulder) threw a bullpen session at spring training on Wednesday, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Strickland was shut down for the rest of the season in early July of last year due to a right-shoulder strain, but the veteran reliever appears to be healthy going into the 2026 campaign. Even though Kenley Jansen is no longer in town, the 37-year-old veteran is not a lock to win an Opening Day bullpen job with the Halos out of camp. Before his shoulder injury last year, Strickland held a 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, one save, 14 strikeouts, and 10 walks in 22 innings out of the bullpen. If Strickland pitches well this spring and begins the season with the Angels, he'll only be worth a look in deeper fantasy leagues that reward points for holds.

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Veteran catcher Jacob Stallings has retired from playing baseball and is joining the Pittsburgh Pirates' front office as a baseball operations specialist, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Stallings split the first half of the 2025 season with the Rockies and Orioles, but he elected free agency at the end of July in lieu of being sent outright to Triple-A. He slashed just .134/.195/.168 with a 31% strikeout rate and -7 wRC+ last year, and his defense also took a step backward as he posted -1.4 FRM and -5 FRV. Overall, he finishes his 577-game MLB career with 33 home runs, 77 wRC+, 0.5 FRM, and 9 FRV. The University of North Carolina product will now make the jump to a front office role with the Pirates, who drafted him in 2012 and rostered him through 2021.

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The Toronto Blue Jays will monitor starting pitcher Trey Yesavage's workload this season, according to general manager Ross Atkins. Yesavage made his MLB debut last season, ultimately accruing 139.2 innings between the minors and majors (including the postseason). This was a pretty hefty innings total for the young right-hander, especially since 2025 was his first season playing pro baseball. He didn't log any game action in the months after being drafted in 2024. While it may seem like Toronto rushed him to the majors, the results speak for themselves. The right-hander logged 11.9 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 between the regular season and postseason, accruing a 51.9% ground ball rate and 3.19 FIP. It's important to note that Atkins said Yesavage's workload will be "monitored," which means the Jays are keeping close tabs on his usage but might not necessarily restrict his innings.

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Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering (hamstring) has a Grade 1 hamstring strain, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Kerkering is "a little behind" as spring training gets underway. While this is certainly a situation worth monitoring, it doesn't sound like Kerkering's injury is too serious, and he should be ready for Opening Day if he doesn't experience any setbacks. The 24-year-old fell out of the closer-by-committee group when Philadelphia acquired Jhoan Duran last year, but he still posted a solid 3.82 FIP with 9.75 K/9, 4.05 BB/9, and a 42% ground ball rate across 69 appearances (60.0 innings). However, without many save opportunities in his future, he's not a very appealing option in fantasy baseball drafts.

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Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck (elbow) will resume throwing next week in hopes of being ready to rejoin the pitching staff in September, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Houck hasn't pitched in the majors since last May, when he suffered a right flexor pronator strain. He suffered a setback while rehabbing in the minors, and he ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery in August. The right-hander didn't pitch very well when healthy, as he allowed 39 earned runs over 43.2 innings (nine starts). His strikeout rate dropped to a career-low 6.60 K/9 while his home run rate ballooned to 2.06 HR/9. Presumably, the Red Sox hope that his struggles were related to his injury and that he can get back on track when healthy later this year. However, with September as his target return, Houck still has a long recovery ahead of him.

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Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story could bat second after manager Alex Cora said that he "earned the right" to hit at the top of the order, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Story's 2025 season was refreshing, as he improved his production at the plate while staying healthy for 157 games. He ultimately slashed .263/.308/.433 with 25 home runs, 31 stolen bases, a 5.0% walk rate, a 26.9% strikeout rate, and 101 wRC+. Last year represented his best power surge since 2019, but his walk rate dropped to a new career-low, and he continued to struggle with strikeouts. That's not great for a prospective No. 2 hitter, but Cora seems committed to putting the veteran infielder near the top of the lineup. Cotillo speculates that Roman Anthony could lead off, followed by Story in the No. 2 hole.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is projected to bat leadoff and rotate between right field and designated hitter this season, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Specifically, Cotillo posted on X that manager Alex Cora "seems to like Anthony leading off." The talented outfielder made his presence felt right away upon debuting last year. Over 71 games in the majors, he slashed .292/.396/.463 with eight home runs, a 13.2% walk rate, a 27.7% strikeout rate, and 140 wRC+. More than 42% of his at-bats came out of the leadoff spot last year, and he ultimately posted a 1.003 OPS in the No. 1 hole. He is a talented, pure hitter with the ability to tap into additional power as his career progresses. He was also solid defensively with 6 OAA and 4 FRV between left field and right field last year. We expect him to play more left and less right in 2026, with Ceddanne Rafaela in center field and Wilyer Abreu in right.

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Updating a previous report, the Philadelphia Phillies have told outfielder Nick Castellanos not to report to the team's spring training complex this week, league sources told Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Castellanos doesn't even have a locker in the team's spring training clubhouse, and a resolution -- either through a trade or release -- is expected to come in the next two days. The declining 33-year-old outfielder is scheduled to make $20 million this year in the final year of the five-year, $100 million contract he signed with the team back in March of 2022, but the Phillies are ready to move on. Castellanos slashed a very mediocre .250/.294/.400 with a .694 OPS, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, 72 runs scored, and four steals in 547 regular-season at-bats in 2025. His hard-hit rate has fallen for three straight seasons, and on top of his declining offensive profile, he's one of the worst defensive outfielders.

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The Washington Nationals are signing free-agent right-hander Miles Mikolas to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday, sources told Jake Mintz of Yahoo Sports. Mikolas will head to the National League East after going 8-11 with a 4.84 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 100:37 K:BB in 156 1/3 innings over 31 starts in 2025 in his final season with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 37-year-old veteran is tied for the second-most starts in the majors over the last four seasons, so he'll bring durability to the Nationals' starting rotation in 2026. Mikolas should have a spot in the Opening Day starting rotation waiting for him in D.C., especially after the team traded left-hander MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers in the offseason. He has made at least 30 starts in each of the last four seasons while compiling a 4.51 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 16.8% strikeout rate, and 4.6% walk rate. Mikolas should only be a target in NL-only leagues.

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Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that right-hander Brandon Woodruff (lat) "is in a good spot" physically and has been throwing bullpen sessions, but his ramp-up this spring will be monitored closely, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "This is a time of year when people are very vulnerable, so you have to be mindful of that. A guy with an injury history, even more so," Murphy said. Woodruff missed the entire 2024 season after having capsule repair surgery on his right shoulder, and a right-lat strain kept him out at the tail end of last season, so the Brewers aren't going to take any chances with their ace. The 33-year-old didn't make his 2025 debut until July, but he pitched well in his 12 starts, going 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 0.91 WHIP with 83 K's and 14 walks in 64 2/3 innings. Woodruff showed diminished velocity last year, though, making him a risk/reward No. 3 fantasy starter.

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Free-agent left-handed reliever John King and the Miami Marlins agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on Wednesday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 31-year-old southpaw was non-tendered by the St. Louis Cardinals in November and will join the Fish on a fully guaranteed big-league deal. King appeared in 51 games out of the bullpen in St. Louis last year, posting a 4.66 ERA and 1.63 WHIP with 28 strikeouts and 14 walks over 48 1/3 innings pitched. He will most likely fill a middle-relief role in South Beach, leaving him virtually no fantasy upside. The former 10th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2017 out of the University of Houston has a career 3.80 ERA (4.04 FIP), 1.39 WHIP, 15.1% strikeout rate, and 6.2% walk rate in his six major-league seasons. King has never picked up a save in his career and is unlikely to do so in 2026.

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Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that relievers Robert Garcia and Chris Martin are the front-runners to receive most of the save chances to start the 2026 season, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Alexis Diaz could be another option to close out games, but the Rangers want to see how he performs in spring training games first. Garcia, 29, went 4-8 in 2025 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, the first nine saves of his career, 68 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 64 relief innings. Shawn Armstrong and Luke Jackson tied Garcia for the team lead in saves last year, but both Armstrong and Jackson are gone, potentially giving Garcia the leg up as the Rangers' primary closer this year. Martin, 39, had a nice 2.98 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, two saves, and a 43:8 K:BB in 42 1/3 frames for Texas last season. This has the makings of a committee approach, so fantasy managers shouldn't invest too much into either Garcia or Martin.

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San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen officially announced on Wednesday that right-handed reliever Mason Miller will be the team's closer in 2026, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. It formally ends any speculation that Miller would transition to a starting role with the Friars. The hard-throwing 27-year-old starred in a late-inning setup role in SD in the second half of last season after he was acquired from the Athletics in a blockbuster summer deal. He was always the obvious choice to succeed two-time All-Star closer Robert Suarez, who signed with the Braves in free agency. In 22 outings with the Padres in 2025, Miller had a microscopic 0.77 ERA and struck out a ridiculous 45 of the 83 batters he faced. Miller struck out eight of the nine Cubs hitters he faced in two appearances in the playoffs and tied the postseason record with eight straight K's. Pitching for what should be a competitive Padres team, Miller is in play as the best fantasy closer in baseball.

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New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) will have surgery on his right hamate bone on Wednesday, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. The Mets announced on Tuesday that surgery was a possibility for Lindor, and he'll now go under the knife and miss significant time this spring. The 32-year-old is expected to face a six-week rehab period. The Mets are optimistic that the five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner will be ready for Opening Day at the end of March, but nothing is guaranteed right now. With Lindor out, the Mets will most likely move new infielder Bo Bichette to the 6, with Brett Baty handling most of the work at third base. Lindor's injury news definitely makes him a more volatile draft pick in fantasy this year, but RotoBaller still has him ranked as the No. 6 shortstop after his second 30-30 season in 2025.

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San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge took fly balls in left field at spring training on Wednesday, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Manager Tony Vitello wants to get Eldridge work in the outfield just in case. The 21-year-old played some outfield in the minors after getting drafted, so it's not completely foreign to him. However, he only played 26 games in right field back in 2023 in the Arizona Complex League and at Single-A San Jose. Adding some positional versatility for Eldridge makes sense, considering he'll mostly be rotating between first base and designated hitter in 2026 with Rafael Devers. The 6-foot-7 left-handed slugger has recovered from left-wrist surgery to remove bone spurs at the end of last year, and he'll provide immense power in the Bay Area. Eldridge didn't hit a homer in 10 games in his MLB debut last September, but he displayed his power stroke with an .843 OPS and 25 homers in 102 minor-league games before that. Strikeouts are a part of his profile, but the power is real, and he should add first base eligibility in 2026.

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