MLB Player News

It’s that time of the year where teams are trying to whittle down their rosters in advance of Opening Day. Hutchison has been dealing with some left oblique tightness this spring, but he was always a longshot to crack the Opening Day roster anyways. He’ll likely start the season as additional rotation depth at Triple-A Buffalo, but should see some action with the big league club before the 2023 campaign is said and done.

The dynamic 21-year-old infielder slashed a blistering .362/.500/.710 with five homers, 19 RBI and three stolen bases in 69 at-bats over 19 games. He paced the league in total bases (49) while finishing second in runs scored (22) and tied for second in home runs (5) and extra-base hits (12). With little left to prove in the minor leagues, the only question that remains is whether McGonigle will crack the Tigers’ Opening Day lineup in 2026 or if he’ll have to wait for an early season promotion.

It’s no secret that the Blue Jays are looking to bolster the back end of their bullpen after Jeff Hoffman coughed up the lead in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers. Díaz is one of the top options available and though he’ll command top dollar on the open market, that isn’t going to scare the Blue Jays away. The 31-year-old hurler posted a brilliant 1.63 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and a 98/21 K/BB ratio over 66 1/3 innings while saving 28 games for the Mets during the 2025 season.

The 42-year-old hurler is back on the open market after one season with the Giants in which he compiled a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 137/52 K/BB ratio over 152 innings. He finished the season strong though after battling through injuries early in the year and looks poised for a rebound in 2026. With goals of pitching until he reaches 300 career victories, look for Verlander to prioritize winning when choosing his next destination. The Giants have expressed interest in bringing him back while a return to the Tigers could also be mutually beneficial as well.

Sherman notes that several clubs are interested in shifting the 30-year-old hurler back to the rotation, while others are content with keeping him as a high-leverage bullpen arm. For fantasy purposes, unless he’s going to serve as a closer, it would be a boon to his value if he’s moved back to the rotation. Keller posted an outstanding 2.07 ERA and a 75/22 K/BB ratio across 69 2/3 innings for the Cubs during the 2025 campaign. The Cubs have already expressed interest in bringing him back for 2026, though they’re likely to face ample competition for his services on the open market.

It seems likely that with the Cardinals heading into a rebuild, that they’ll look to move the versatile 28-year-old, who has two years remaining on his contract. Goold also notes that the Dodgers and Yankees had interest in dealing for him at the trade deadline in 2025 and could circle back again this offseason. It’s looking increasingly likely that Donovan could be donning a new uniform on Opening Day in 2026.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise as the White Sox are stocked behind the plate with Kyle Teel entrenched as their starter, so there has been speculation that they could deal from a position of strength and flip Quero to improve their roster elsewhere. The 22-year-old backstop did a nice job in his rookie campaign, slashing .268/.333/.356 with five homers and 36 RBI in 403 plate appearances. He’s under team control through the 2031 season.

The 26-year-old hurler spent the 2025 campaign in the Red Sox’ organization where he registered a 3.03 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 72/44 K/BB ratio over 59 1/3 innings in 34 appearances. He’ll add bullpen depth in the upper minors for the Yankees.

One of the fastest rising prospects in the dynasty landscape last season, Duno possesses an extremely rare combination of elite raw power and athleticism, which was on full display in this contest where he belted a pair of gargantuan homers that traveled more than 450 feet as part of a three-homer explosion. The 19-year-old backstop posted a 25 percent barrel rate last year at Low-A Dayton, finishing with a .948 OPS and 18 homers in 113 games. He has a good eye at the plate but needs to improve his contact skills to reach his lofty ceiling. He’s clearly one of the best catching prospects in baseball, even though he’s still a hyperspace jump from the majors.

A pair of the most exciting young outfielders in the game will join team captain Aaron Judge along with Cal Raleigh and Paul Skenes for the upcoming international tournament next spring. Carroll notched his first Silver Slugger Award this past season when he compiled an .883 OPS with a career-high 31 homers and 32 steals in 143 games. Meanwhile, PCA blossomed into an overnight sensation for the Cubs, registering an extremely impressive 31-homer, 35-steal campaign.

Acuña made plenty of noise this past season in his return from another major knee injury, slashing .290/.417/.518 with 21 homers and nine steals over 95 games after rejoining Atlanta in late May from a torn ACL. The dynamic 27-year-old power/speed threat has now undergone two ACL surgeries in his career, yet his elite athleticism and production remain intact. He projects as a first-round pick in all fantasy drafts next spring.