The Arizona Diamondbacks reassigned outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt to minor-league camp on Sunday, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The D-backs were seriously considering having Waldschmidt make their Opening Day roster due to injuries to Corbin Carroll (hand) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) in their outfield. The 23-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 out of Kentucky will start at Triple-A Reno in 2026, but if he's playing well early on, an early-season promotion to the Show could be in order. In nine Cactus League games in spring training, Waldschmidt has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with a homer, five RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in 30 plate appearances. Waldschmidt hit .289/.419/.473 with an .892 OPS, 18 homers, 78 RBI, 114 runs, and 29 steals in 134 games with High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo last year. He could become Arizona's starting center fielder by season's end, and his power/speed combination makes him a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues.

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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal could continue pitching with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic tournament. The original plan was for Skubal to pitch against Great Britain and then return to the Tigers camp. After Saturday's start, Skubal expressed interest in continuing to pitch with Team USA after feeling great emotion when pitching for his home country. Skubal would need approval from both his agent and the Tigers organization to continue playing in the WBC. It would be a huge boost for Team USA if the superstar southpaw is allowed to continue pitching with the team.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Nelson Velazquez appears to have a legitimate chance at landing a spot on the 26-man roster. The Cardinals are looking for an option in left field with Lars Nootbaar (heels) still sidelined. Nootbaar is still recovering from surgery on his heels, so it doesn't sound like he'll be ready for Opening Day. Velazquez has looked good at the plate during his six Grapefruit League games. He's looking to rebound after posting a .200/.274/.366 slash line with eight home runs and 27 RBI in 64 games with the Kansas City Royals last season. He joined the Cardinals as a non-roster invitee, so they'd need to drop someone off the 40-man roster to keep Velazquez for Opening Day. Nathan Church and Thomas Saggese are also competing for the starting left field gig. The Cardinals lineup could use a slugger from the right side, such as Velazquez, but we'll see if he can earn the spot.

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Team Venezuela manager Omar Lopez said that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) is "ready" and should be back in the lineup for the World Baseball Classic contest against Nicaragua on Monday, according to Kevin Barral of FishOnFirst.com. A left-hand injury has caused Chourio to miss Venezuela's first two games of the WBC, but it's not a serious injury, and he'll be back in action next week after injuring his hand in an exhibition game last Wednesday when he was hit by a pitch. The 21-year-old will be ready for Opening Day at the end of this month and will look to continue improving as one of the league's best young outfielders after slashing .272/.317/.463 with a .781 OPS, 52 home runs, 157 RBI, 168 runs scored, and 43 stolen bases in 1,162 plate appearances over his first 279 regular-season games. Chourio is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 8 overall fantasy outfielder going into the 2026 season.

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Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Porter Hodge (elbow) will begin the 2026 season on the injured list, according to manager Craig Counsell. Hodge has been diagnosed with a right flexor tendon strain and will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks. That decision will end Hodge's chances of making the 26-man roster to start the season. Before the injury, Hodge wasn't helping himself with seven walks and yielding seven earned runs in two innings of Cactus League play. The 25-year-old posted excellent rookie numbers in 2024, but couldn't get anyone out last season. He was once viewed as a possible closing option in Chicago, but Daniel Palencia has run away with that job.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) is "fine" after he was removed from Friday's World Baseball Classic game for Team USA against Brazil after being hit by a pitch on his right forearm in the fifth inning, according to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa. X-rays came back negative on Buxton's arm. He initially stayed in the game in the WBC opener on Friday before being replaced in the outfield by Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. It's great news for the injury-prone two-time All-Star and for the Twins, with the start of the 2026 regular season less than three weeks away. It's also great news for Team USA, which is without Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) due to a fractured hamate bone that required surgery last month. Buxton didn't start in Saturday's win over Great Britain, but he's not expected to miss much time.

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The Texas Rangers have claimed outfielder Dairon Blanco off waivers from the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Blanco quickly finds a new home after being designated for assignment by the Royals earlier in the week. Blanco figures to have a legitimate shot at claiming a 26-man roster spot. The 32-year-old is a solid contact hitter with elite speed. Blanco has recorded 59 steals over parts of four seasons with the Royals. He could be a potential platoon option in the outfield, but his fantasy value will be dependent on his playing time.

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Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (back) is expected to return to the lineup on Monday, according to manager Skip Schumaker. Higashioka has been sidelined since being scratched from Saturday's lineup due to back spasms. Luckily, it sounds like a minor issue that is only going to sideline Higashioka for a few days. The expectation is that Higashioka will split up the playing time behind the plate with Danny Jansen. Last season, Higashioka slashed .241/.291/.403 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI across 94 games. The fact that he's going to be in a platoon situation doesn't bode well for his everyday fantasy value.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott has been named the Opening Day starter, according to manager Terry Francona. This will be the first Opening Day assignment for Abbott, who earned it as a consolation prize. Normally, ace Hunter Greene (elbow) would get the Opening Day nod. Unfortunately, Greene is dealing with an elbow injury and won't be able to make that start. Abbott posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 149/43 K/BB ratio across 29 starts with the Reds last season. His current ADP sits at 208, which feels like a steal given his success last season. Abbott has the potential to be a top 45-50 starting pitcher in the league.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) was able to throw a successful live batting practice session on Sunday. According to Steve Gilbert, Kelly felt good during the session and everything went well. The next step will likely be Kelly throwing a bullpen session before getting into game action. Barring any setbacks, Kelly should be ready in time for Opening Day. In 2025, Kelly posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 167/48 K/BB ratio across 32 starts. The 37-year-old pitched well last season, but a regression is possible given his age. If healthy, Kelly could be an interesting late-round option, but he's unlikely to surpass last year's numbers.

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Tampa Bay Rays infielder Gavin Lux (upper body) is expected to make his Spring Training debut on Tuesday. The team has been vague about Lux so far, but they've been holding him out due to body soreness. He'll take some live at-bats on Sunday and will get into game action on Tuesday. Barring any setbacks, Lux should be ready to go for Opening Day. Lux was traded to the Rays in a three-team deal in January. He figures to get regular playing time at second base with Brandon Lowe no longer on the team. Last season, Lux slashed .269/.350/.374 with five home runs, 53 RBI, and one steal in 127 games. The 28-year-old is unlikely to offer much fantasy value given his lack of power and speed.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Cedric Mullins (back) has been kept out of the lineup lately due to a lingering back issue. Mullins is reportedly feeling better and was able to resume baseball activities. Rays' manager Kevin Cash said that Mullins is improving, but he isn't going to play for a little bit. The Rays aren't going to take any chances early in camp, so they'll let Mullins get 100 percent healthy. This shouldn't be something that impacts his status for Opening Day. Mullins is looking to bounce back after a fairly disappointing season in 2025. He slashed .216/.297/.391 with 17 home runs, 59 RBI, and 22 stolen bases in 122 games with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets last season. The 31-year-old can still help fantasy managers with a little bit of pop and his speed upside.

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Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (hand) has been unable to play most of this past week due to injury. According to Marc Topkin, Diaz has been out since Tuesday due to left-hand soreness. Rays' manager Kevin Cash said that Diaz is fine and he'll get a few more days off before returning to the lineup. It's Spring Training, so teams are almost always going to be extremely cautious with even minor issues. This doesn't sound like something that is going to impact Diaz for much longer. Diaz is coming off an excellent season where he slashed .300/.366/.482 with 25 home runs and 83 RBI in 150 games. There will likely be a regression in his power numbers with the move away from Steinbrenner Field. Fantasy managers should still be able to count on Diaz as a reliable bat.

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Free-agent right-hander Zack Littell and the Washington Nationals agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Sunday, sources told Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. Littell pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds in 2025, going a combined 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA (4.88 FIP), 1.10 WHIP, and 130:32 K:BB in a career-high 186 2/3 innings over his 32 starts. It remains to be seen how built up the 30-year-old is with less than three weeks until Opening Day at the end of March, but Littell figures to be locked into a starting rotation spot in D.C. after the club traded away MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers in the offseason. Littell had the lowest walk rate (4.2%) among qualified starting pitchers, but he only struck out 17.1% of the batters he faced. Without high-end velocity and a lot of swing-and-miss stuff, the home run ball has been an issue for Littell. The fantasy upside here is limited.

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Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (oblique, side) will go through a touch-and-feel bullpen session in camp on Sunday, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. It will be Miller's first time on a mound since he received a platelet-rich plasma injection last weekend. He has been throwing off flat ground the last few days. The 27-year-old can't afford any other setbacks if he wants to be ready for Opening Day later this month. Miller's 2025 season was derailed by elbow issues that landed him on the injured list two separate times. The former fourth-rounder in 2021 out of Texas A&M never recovered, going 4-6 with a career-worst 5.68 ERA (5.17 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 74 strikeouts and 34 walks in 90 1/3 innings pitched over a career-low 18 starts. There's bounce-back potential for Miller if he's healthy in 2026, but in addition to his oblique/side issue, he could eventually need a procedure for a bone spur in his elbow.

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Boston Red Sox infielder Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) will be evaluated on Tuesday to determine if he'll need to undergo surgery. Gonzalez hasn't participated in any baseball activities this spring due to left shoulder inflammation. This is something that continues to hinder Gonzalez, which could require surgery as the only solution. Gonzalez was already a long shot for Opening Day, but now he's looking at being on the shelf much longer. Last season, Gonzalez slashed .305/.343/.483 with nine home runs and 53 RBI in 96 games with the Red Sox. If he misses significant time, Kristian Campbell and Andruw Monasterio are candidates to see more at-bats to start the season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker (personal) is expected to rejoin the organization on Sunday. Tucker has been away from the team for a little under a week while his wife gave birth to their first child. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tucker is expected to serve as the designated hitter on Sunday. He figures to return to the outfield in a few days once he gets his conditioning back up. The 2026 season will mark Tucker's first year with the Dodgers after signing a four-year deal over the offseason. He's hopeful to improve offensively after posting a "down year" in terms of his superstar numbers in 2025. Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 134 games with the Chicago Cubs last season. He should be considered a top 10 fantasy hitter heading into the 2026 campaign.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (lat) made his spring debut against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. The right-hander had a delayed start to camp while nursing a lat strain. Woodruff looked solid on the mound as he tossed two scoreless innings on Saturday. When talking with reporters, Woodruff said that the goal remains to be ready for Opening Day. He continued by saying that being healthy for September and October is something he wants to be part of this season. It sounds like Woodruff wants to be ready for the beginning of the season, but acknowledged he needs to stay healthy for a potential postseason run. The 33-year-old carries a higher risk for fantasy managers due to injury concerns. When healthy, Woodruff has looked great, but age regression and his injury history could drop his draft stock.

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Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering (hamstring) was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Saturday. As expected, Kerkering took the mound for his third throwing session since suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Barring any setbacks, Kerkering is likely to begin facing hitters after this session. The expectation is that he'll be ready for Opening Day with plenty of time to build up ahead of the regular season. Last year, Kerkering registered a 3.30 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 65/27 K/BB ratio across 60 innings of work. He's expected to operate as one of the primary setup options for closer Jhoan Duran.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson (hamstring) hasn't played since Wednesday, but fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried right now. On Saturday, manager Kevin Cash said that the team is being overly cautious with Simpson. It sounds like the speedy outfielder is dealing with left hamstring tightness. The Rays don't want to push Simpson too hard and have him make the injury worse. For now, Simpson should be considered day-to-day. The 25-year-old doesn't appear to be in jeopardy of missing Opening Day. Last season, Simpson slashed .295/.326/.345 with 26 RBI and 44 stolen bases in 106 games. Simpson is a great source for steals, but he doesn't offer a ton of upside outside of that.

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