MLB Player News

Isbel will sit out his fourth straight contest on Tuesday night due to ongoing mild hamstring tightness. It’ll be Drew Waters drawing another start in center field in his absence.

The run came on a homer by Ramon Urias. Myers isn’t likely to break camp as a starter with the Mets, but he could be a valuable multi-inning reliever for New York in 2026. Even if he starts, his fantasy upside is limited because of his own limitations with missing bats.

Liberatore didn’t give up a hit until his final inning. He walked one and struck out five while generating seven swings and misses before exiting. He finishes the Grapefruit League with a 1.80 ERA, and he whiffed 12 over his final two starts. The former top prospect will be the Opening Day hurler for St. Louis in 2026, and there’s at least a smidgen of fantasy upside in Liberatore’s left arm.

Well of course he is. Sale will get the nod against Kansas City to open the year after an impressive — but injury-shortened — 2025 campaign that saw him forge a 2.58 ERA and 165/32 K/BB over his 21 starts. Sale is still very relevant from a fantasy perspective, but managers need to be prepared for a workload that won’t rival the top arms in 2026.

The placement on unpaid leave comes after the Guardians came to an agreement with the MLBPA. Both Clase and Ortiz are currently being investigated on gambling charges related to a schame to manipulate bets on pitches thrown in games. ""This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz,” a statement from Major League Baseball read. “MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since alerting federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and will have no further comment until its investigation has been completed.”

Johnson and Kochanowicz will be a part of the Angels’ roster, but their roles are yet to be defined. It’s worth noting that Alek Manoah has a fingernail issue and Grayson Rodriguez is currently experiencing a “dead arm” phase, so it’s feasible those two are the replacements for those arms. Johnson was a disaster in his MLB action in 2025, but there’s considerable upside in his right arm. Kochanowicz offers no fantasy upside.

Holiday will also take part in live BP Friday. The 22-year-old continues to make steady progress from his hamate bone surgery, and while it seems very likely that the former first-overall pick will open the year on the injured list, there’s a chance he’ll be available in the early portion of the campaign. A breakout season for Holliday is well within reach, even with the missed time.

Bibee gets the nod after going 12-11 with a 4.24 ERA in 2025 for the Guardians and helping Cleveland secure a postseason berth. He’s a solid if unspectacular fantasy option for 2026, and it’s worth noting that first start will come in the cool Seattle weather in a pitcher-friendly park.

Rutledge, 26, is one of two former first-round picks who was optioned Friday, with the other being Dylan Crews. Rutledge will likely be an up-and-down arm for the Nats in 2026.

Crews seemed very likely to not only make the Nationals out of spring training coming into Grapefruit League action, but to be a part of the lineup. He’s looked horrendous in Florida, however, and the 24-year-old will begin the year in Rochester. There’s still upside in his bat in the long-term, but fantasy managers can safely ignore Crews to begin 2026.

All four players were signed to minor-league contracts with invites to spring training, and all four will be given a chance to play elsewhere rather than reassigned to minor-league camp. Wade has the most MLB success for the four, and his ability to hit left-handed pitching makes him likely to find a new landing spot relatively quickly.