MLB Player News

Blanco’s surgery also included a repair of the flexor tendon in his right forearm. The 31-year-old righty is facing a long road back. Fantasy managers shouldn’t anticipate him returning until the late stages of the 2026 season, even in a best-case scenario.

“I would concede it’s in [Dominguez’s] best interest to be getting everyday reps,” Cashman said. “We’ll just have to wait and see how the spring shakes out, who’s standing, and then we’ll make the appropriate decisions when we have our meetings close to the end of camp.” With Trent Grishham and Cody Bellinger back, there’s no clear path to Dominguez playing every day with Giancarlo Stanton a lock to be the designated hitter. There’s still big-time upside in Dominguez’s profile, but it may not be on display much in 2026.

Two year minor-league contracts are not common, but they make more sense when you consider that Means is going to likely miss all of the 2026 season after rupturing his Achilles in December. The 32-year-old will have a chance to help Kansas City’s rotation in 2027 assuming there are no major setbacks in his recovery.

It is an MLB deal, so it does appear that Rengifo will open the 2026 season on the Brew Crew roster Rengifo was not good in 2026 with an ugly .622 OPS over 541 at-bats in 2025 with the Angels, but he’s a switch-hitter who offers versatility with the ability to play pretty much anywhere but catcher. It’s hard to see a ton of playing time for Rengifo to open 2026, so even with some power and speed potential, it’s difficult to justify him as a fantasy option

This would seem to be a no-brainer, but it’s nice to hear. Alvarez went back to his old batting stance after his demotion last year and then returned to the Mets to slash .276/.360/.561 with eight home runs and a 25 percent strikeout rate in 40 games to finish the season. Alvarez is just 24 years old and also came into camp 10 pounds lighter this season. He has had terrible luck with hand injuries over the last few years, but there could be a major buying opportunity here in fantasy baseball leagues.

Wick spent the last two years with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, posting a 1.75 ERA in 87 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery and will likely not pitch until 2027. The 33-year-old has a 3.82 ERA in 146 MLB innings, mostly with the Cubs.

The Rangers claimed Kent off waivers from the Cardinals back in January, but he will now be placed back on waivers so the team can open up a spot for Jordan Montgomery. Of course, Montgomery will soon be placed on the 60-day IL, which will open up a roster spot in Texas yet again.

This deal was reported on Wednesday and is now official. Montgomery is targeting a return around the All-Star break as he looks to re-establish his value after a rough stretch with the Diamondbacks.

When Bello debuted with Boston, his changeup was arguably his best pitch. In the years since, he has spent a lot of time trying to find the release and movement on his slider, and his changeup has suffered. This spring, Bello wanted to change the grip on his changeup and has begun taking notes from new teammate Ranger Suarez. He’s also working to bring back the curveball he had early in his career, which would deepen an arsenal that includes a four-seamer, sinker, cutter, sweeper/slider and changeup. The additions of a sinker and cutter have helped Bello induce weak contact and keep his ratios low. Perhaps the curve or changeup could help bring the strikeouts that would lead to a breakout season.

Gurriel had ACL surgery in September so Opening Day would be about a six-month recovery. It shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s an unrealistic return date, but there have been social media posts stating that it’s his goal, so it’s worth mentioning. The Diamondbacks will have a couple outfield spots to fill on opening day, which could be good news for Jordan Lawlar’s chances to finally crack the roster.

Westburg also mentioned that he “doesn’t know how it happened.” He just woke up sore and went to the team to get an MRI on his oblique. While it’s not currently expected to be a long-term absence, Westburg has been snake-bitten by injuries during his brief MLB tenure, so it’s not a great sign that he’s already hurt. His injuries make him a bit of a risky bet in fantasy baseball leagues but one that’s still worth taking if you don’t expect a full season of playing time.