MLB Player News

Keaschall has been a full participant this spring without any limitations after undergoing thumb surgery last October that prematurely ended his impressive rookie campaign. The 23-year-old former top prospect offers an appealing fantasy blend of bat-to-ball skills, emerging over-the-fence power, and speed, and he’s in line to open the year as Minnesota’s everyday option at the keystone. He’ll be a popular mid-round pick in all fantasy drafts this spring.

As expected, Hernández will miss the start of the season with his elbow injury, although the Dodgers didn’t disclose the specifics of the knock. The 34-year-old will be eligible to return off the injured list near the end of April, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready.

Hancock breezed through the first inning, but struggled to locate in the second frame. The 26-year-old held his own in 2025 while filling in for a host of injured Seattle starters, but is all-but-assuredly ticketed for the bullpen or a trip to Tacoma to begin the 2026 campaign.

Birdsong gave up an RBI single to Patrick Wisdsom, but the big blow was a Miles Mastrobuoni dinger with the bases loaded before he exited. It’s just spring training, but Birdsong is trying to win one of the final spots in the rotation. The results have to be much better if that’s going to happen.

Murphy has worked exclusively in relief in the majors, but the 27-year-old could get stretched out either as a potential starting option or a multi-inning bullpen arm. While he’s been effective as a reliever, fantasy managers should look elsewhere even if he did somehow get a starting gig.

The results aren’t ideal, but the big thing is Perkins was able to get on the mound. The 26-year-old missed the end of the year with a shoulder strain, and if healthy, he has a chance to be one of the backend starters for the A’s to open 2026.

After an incredible Freshman campaign, Petry’s numbers got a little worse each season at South Carolina; his OPS went from 1.204 in 2023 to 1.110 in 2024 to 1.027 last year. Everyone expects him to keep hitting for power, but batting average is going to be a question mark, and though he’s primarily an outfielder for now, first base would likely suit him better. He should split 2026 between Low-A and High-A.

The run scored in the second because Eder failed to cover first on a hot shot bobbled by Abimelec Ortiz. Eder also caught a break in the first, when Zach Cole was thrown out trying to tag up from second on a fly to right. On the mound, though, Eder looked pretty good today. He topped out at 96.4 mph and averaged 94.1 mph with his fastball, which was up one mph from last year. He’s not a part of the Nationals’ projected rotation, but there should be plenty of opportunity if he gets off to a nice start.

Leandro Pineda caught Whitcomb’s sixth-inning fly to left that otherwise would have gotten just over the wall. The 27-year-old Whitcomb has hit 85 homers and stolen 62 bases in the high minors over the last three years, but he’s collected just 78 major league plate appearances to date and hit .178/.231/.260. Things don’t seem likely to get any better for him in Houston this year, though an Isaac Paredes trade would crack the door open for him at least a little.

Rodríguez and Ryan O’Hearn both hit wind-aided three-run homers off Dietrich Enns in a sixth-run fifth inning. Rodríguez’s would have been a routine flyout most days, but he was due for some good luck in his first game appearance since June 6. The former top prospect has been unable to put together a full season since 2022, and he’ll probably have to enjoy some success in Triple-A at the beginning of the year in order to earn another shot. If he could stay healthy, he might still have the most upside of the Pirates’ catchers.

Kremer walked three in a row to begin the second and then got three straight groundouts, with the first two scoring runs. Kremer hasn’t typically had much on the line in spring training, but his status is a little bit up in the air now, as the Orioles have six starters for five spots. The situation will probably resolve itself without Kremer being forced to the pen, but he doesn’t have his usual margin for error and he has gotten off to bad starts two of the last three years.