MLB Player News

The Mets are busy “Remembering Some Guys” today. Cabrera, 35, batted .280/.313/.399 with seven home runs over 397 plate appearances for the Pirates last season and wasn’t in spring training with a team this spring. He’s still capable of hitting for average, but otherwise doesn’t offer much upside. Still, the Mets are going all-in on roster depth today, so there are certainly worse options.

Márquez augments San Diego’s rotation depth as a reliable back-end stabilizer and innings-eater after spending the first decade of his career with the division-rival Rockies. The 30-year-old workhorse struggled to an unsightly 6.70 ERA — 5.77 xERA — 1.71 WHIP and 83/48 K/BB ratio across 126 1/3 innings during his return from Tommy John surgery last season. Getting out of Coors Field’s high-octane offensive environment is undoubtedly a positive development, but his lackluster strikeout rate keeps him off fantasy managers’ radar screens until further notice.

Rice was shut down from hitting after sleeping on his neck wrong earlier this week. It sounds like a relatively minor physical issue but fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status. The soon-to-be 27-year-old slugger has emerged as one of the more polarizing hitters in the fantasy landscape as he’s gone off the board 54th overall, on average, in NFBC drafts since February 1.

Bubic is working his way back from last year’s rotator cuff strain that shortened his breakout campaign to just 20 starts, finishing with a pristine 2.55 ERA — 3.17 xERA — 1.18 WHIP and 116/39 K/BB ratio over 116 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old southpaw carries some durability question marks but will be a top-50 range starting pitcher in fantasy drafts this spring.

It’s a tad early for such declarations but fantasy managers will take it. Kelly ostensibly gets the nod for next month’s lid-lifter against the Dodgers over Zac Gallen, who agreed to return to the desert on a one-year pact earlier this weekend. The 37-year-old veteran posted a sparkling 3.52 ERA — 4.15 xERA — 1.11 WHIP and 167/48 K/BB ratio across 184 innings last year between the Diamondbacks and Rangers.

It’s a rare loss for a player in the salary arbitration process this offseason after Faucher filed at $2.05 million. The 30-year-old high-leverage arm lost any semblance of fantasy appeal when the Marlins signed veteran stopper Pete Fairbanks to a one-year pact earlier this offseason. He’ll operate in a setup role, which technically gives him some value in holds leagues.

Roupp appears on track for a normal spring training after suffering a season-ending bone bruise in his left knee last August. The 27-year-old righty is vying for one of the final spots in San Francisco’s rotation this spring after posting a serviceable 3.80 ERA — 4.25 xERA — 1.48 and 102/45 K/BB ratio across 106 2/3 innings over 22 starts last year. He’ll need to beat out prospects Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell and swingman Hayden Birdsong to lock up a rotation spot. There’s some appeal in deeper mixed leagues and NL-only formats.

The deal is now official. Sánchez returns to Milwaukee following a one-year detour in Baltimore where injuries limited him to just 30 games. The 33-year-old backstop’s time as a fantasy-relevant option are clearly over, but he provides the Brewers with a reliable veteran backup behind ironman starter William Contreras.

Holmes was sitting in the mid-90’s with his fastball during his latest early-spring throwing session, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos confirmed earlier this week that the 29-year-old, who is working his way back from a partial UCL tear in his right elbow, will have a spot in the club’s season-opening rotation. He’s a worthwhile late-round dart throw in deeper mixed leagues, especially if Atlanta opts against putting a governor on his workload.

The deal is now official. Sewald, who spent time with Arizona from 2023-2024, fortifies Arizona’s bullpen depth after being limited to just 22 relief appearances between the Guardians and Tigers last year. The 35-year-old former closer could potentially factor into the Diamondbacks’ ninth-inning mix with a strong spring, but it’s a murky situation that fantasy managers should avoid outside of NL-only formats.

Martinez will miss at least the first half of the upcoming season while recovering from last year’s Tommy John surgery. The hard-throwing 24-year-old former closer should return to Arizona’s high-leverage mix at some point in August, barring any setbacks. The procedural move frees up a spot on the club’s 40-man roster for veteran hurler Paul Sewald.