MLB Player News

Assad was excellent during his brief run in Chicago’s starting rotation, but has struggled to work deep into games of late, pitching beyond the fifth inning just once in his last three outings. He’s been shifted back to a relief role with veteran Marcus Stroman, who is taking the ball on Saturday against the Rockies, returning to the Cubs’ starting rotation mix.

That’s in a best-case scenario. Minter is scheduled to throw his first live BP session today. The veteran lefty reliever is recovering from a torn lat muscle he suffered last May.

Lavender missed the 2025 season while recovering from an internal brace procedure. He has thrown just seven innings since 2023, and will look to get back on the horse in (likely) Syracuse or Binghamton.

He has no timeline for his return. Kittredge was set to be one of the main options in the pen ahead of closer Ryan Helsley this season, but this shut down sounds likely to land him on IL. More hold opportunities will funnel down to Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano.

It pushes back the expected timeline back a little from our last update, where AJ Cassavell noted that Canning was expected to start the year on IL but “might not be there very long.” Canning is still working on getting his change-of-direction back so he can field the position well, but is full-go when pitching.

Bautista, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff, told reporters his arm feels good and that he’s still hoping to pitch later in the season. Ryan Helsley will be getting the save opportunities for the Orioles in 2026.

Soto finished 2-for-4 with three RBI in the lopsided contest. While the United States and Japan enter the World Baseball Classic as the consensus favorites, overlooking the Dominican Republic would be a mistake. Their lineup isn’t just formidable — it’s the kind of relentless, star-laden construction that can tilt a short tournament in a matter of innings. In an event where momentum compounds quickly, they have more than enough firepower to be the last team standing when the hardware is handed out. Soto put the metaphorical exclamation point on a five-run fourth inning, which also included homers by Manny Machado and Junior Caminero, by taking lefty reliever Brant Hurter deep to right-center field for a gargantuan round-tripper. The Dominican Republic kicks off the international tournament on Friday in Miami with a pool play matchup against Nicaragua.

McGonigle took Dominican Republic starter Luis Severino deep with a no-doubter to right field in the opening frame before adding a two-run single his next time up. He also drew a walk, reaching base safely in all four of his plate appearances. The 21-year-old top prospect’s blend of bat-to-ball precision and repeatable hard contact represents the kind of combination that feels less like projection and more like inevitability. When a hitter controls the zone and squares baseballs with consistency, the transition tends to be smoother than expected. If that foundation holds, McGonigle won’t need a long runway to matter for fantasy purposes — he’ll just arrive and start producing. This is the type of performance that goes a long way to securing his spot on Detroit’s season-opening roster.

Caminero made a statement with an epic performance in Santo Domingo, recording four hits with stratospheric exit velocities over 107 mph. His fourth-inning homer to right field capped a five-run frame that also included big flies from Juan Soto and Manny Machado. The 22-year-old rising fantasy star is the type of power hitter that is immune to most park factors and shouldn’t face too much pullback with the transition back to Tropicana Field this season, which has historically graded out as one of the more pitcher-friendly environments in the game.

Severino predicably struggled in his Athletics debut last year while pitching in extremely hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park, finishing with a bloated 4.54 ERA – 4.59 xERA – 1.30 WHIP and 124/50 K/BB ratio across 162 2/3 innings. He can be safely left on the waiver wire at the outset of the season in most fantasy leagues.

According to a league statement, Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance. The full-season suspension will cost him the entire 2026 campaign, including the postseason. It’s the second consecutive year that he’s received a PED-related suspension since his age-31 breakthrough campaign with the Padres back in 2024. His absence momentarily frees up the DH spot in Atlanta and the front office could use his $15 million salary to either fortify their starting rotation or beef up their lineup with a veteran slugger in free agency or trade acquisition.