MLB Player News

Bote opened the scoring in the contest as he crushed a two-run shot off of left-hander JP Sears in the second inning, giving the Dodgers a lead they would never relinquish. Bote tacked on an RBI single in the sixth inning, finishing the afternoon 2-for-3. Unfortunately for him, given how crowded the Dodgers’ infield mix is, he’s likely to open the year at Triple-A Oklahoma City regardless of how well he performs in Cactus League play.

The 32-year-old southpaw made 12 starts for the Rockies in 2025, compiling a cringe-inducing 7.49 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and a 34/17 K/BB ratio across 57 2/3 innings. He’ll add organizational pitching depth for the Rangers and should continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.

Steele has been throwing since October, but this was the first time that he was able to get up on the mound and do so. Barring any setbacks, he remains on track to return at some point during the first half of the 2026 season.

The 26-year-old hurler spent the first seven years of his minor league career in the Royals’ organization. He missed the entire 2025 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery but is now back to full health and has looked very sharp in bullpen sessions. He makes for a nice depth addition for the White Sox.

The 27-year-old former top prospect elected free agency from the Orioles back in November after slashing a meager .203/.278/.336 with six home runs and three stolen bases in 265 plate appearances. While another change of scenery may be just what he needs to get his career back on track, Carlson can be ignored for fantasy purposes at this stage.

The 39-year-old franchise staple took to social media on Saturday to express his frustration with the Pirates, noting that if this is going to be his last season, he would have liked to participate in Fanfest and go out on his terms with a proper farewell tour. It sounds like the radio silence from the Pirates could mean that they’re ready to move on, though an invite to the team’s FanFest still would have been a nice way for him to say goodbye to the fans one final time.

The 33-year-old infielder hasn’t played in the big leagues since the 2023 season and spent the 2025 campaign in the Mexican League. Over parts of eight major league seasons, Alberto slashed .269/.292/.381 with 22 homers, 137 RBI, 12 stolen bases and a 182/36 K/BB ratio across 1477 plate appearances. Best of luck to Alberto in the next stage of his life.

We thought Kimbrel might sign with one of the closer-less teams if he opted to continue his career, but that’s not the case here. The 37-year-old showed especially diminished velocity at the beginning of last year after signing with the Braves, but he did get it back some later on and wound up a 2.45 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 11 innings with the Astros at the end of the year. One of the most successful relievers of all-time, Kimbrel has racked up 440 saves, putting him fifth on the career list. His 159 ERA+ is the 10th-best figure for anyone with 500 career innings since 1900.

It didn’t take Taylor long to find a new home after being removed from Seattle’s 40-man roster earlier this week. The 27-year-old’s defensive versatility and speed make it easy to envision a super utility bench role with the Padres but he’ll have to beat out in-house alternatives like Mason McCoy and Bryce Johnson in spring training to have any shot at cracking the Opening Day roster.

Stewart has reportedly lost over 20 pounds this offseason and is expected to focus primarily on playing first base this spring with defensive stalwart Ke’Bryan Hayes occupying the hot corner in Cincinnati. The 22-year-old power-hitting prospect has a chance to be an immediate four-category impact fantasy producer after slashing a robust .309/.383/.524 with 20 homers and 17 steals in 494 plate appearances between Double-A Dayton and Triple-A Louisville last season. He’ll compete with incumbent Spencer Steer for the starting job at first base but there’s a clear path to everyday at-bats at DH after the Reds jettisoned Gavin Lux earlier this month. Stewart projects as an immediate 20-homer, 10-steal threat, which makes him an intriguing late-round selection in fantasy drafts this spring. He’s a top-20 overall prospect for dynasty purposes.

Baltimore’s newly-minted skipper added that he’s eager to work with the former top prospect this spring to get him back on track. Kjerstad missed the final two months of last season at Triple-A Norfolk with an undisclosed medical issue. The positive news is that he’s made a full recovery and will be a full-go at the outset of spring training. The 26-year-old former second-overall pick has faded from fantasy relevance in recent years but a clean bill of health and a different manager could help revive his career. His most likely path to regular at-bats involves prying playing time away from top prospects Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo in a hybrid role between right field and DH. He’s a name to watch in spring training, especially in deeper mixed leagues.