MLB Player News

It’s presumably a major-league deal for Marte, pending a physical. He heads to Kansas City as a right-handed complement for right fielder Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen at DH. He won’t syphon off enough playing time to make a significant fantasy impact but he represents a decent insurance policy in case either former top prospect struggles this season. The 37-year-old veteran outfielder spent the past four years with the Mets and slashed .270/.335/.410 with nine homers and seven steals in 98 games this past season in a part-time role.

Musgrove will make his first appearance of the spring in the exhibition against the WBC team. The 33-year-old is coming off Tommy John surgery, and while there’s some risk with his profile, there’s enough reward for fantasy consideration.

It sounds like this is just a precautionary issue for Winn, and soreness like this is a common occurence in the early portion of Grapefruit and Cactus League action. JJ Wetherholt got the nod at shortstop in Winn’s action. Don’t be surprised if he’s back in the lineup in the coming days, but the Cardinals will take the necessary precautions during exhibition season.

The good news is Dana is feeling better now, and the right-hander will throw a bullpen Tuesday. He’s battling for one of the final spots in the rotation, and because he has options left, there’s a strong chance he’ll open 2026 in Salt Lake barring an outstanding Cactus League run.

Nimmo is fine, he’s just someone who prefers to be brought along slowly. The 32-year-old will be at the top of the lineup for Texas in 2026.

Walcott is the big name here, and the infielder had no shot of making the Opening Day roster even before his internal brace surgery last week that will keep him out for most — if not all — of the 2026 season. He is one of the best prospects in the sport, however, and it’d be a mistake for fantasy managers to not continue to roster him in keeper formats.

Scherzer still hasn’t officially signed, but that’s expected to be finalized by Tuesday. He played catch Monday in full uniform, and the Blue Jays will work to get the future Hall of Famer ready to go before the start of the regular season. Scherzer struggled for most of 2026, but his pedigree makes him at least worth monitoring; especially since he’ll be playing for one of the better American League teams in the Blue Jays.

Verlander threw a simulated two-inning start Sunday, and the 43-year-old will get back on the bump for “real” against the Red Sox. While his age adds extra volatility, Verlander showed enough in 2025 to suggest he’s worthy of late-round consideration in deeper leagues.

Acuña was removed from Wednesday’s game against the Reds with a facial laceration. The 23-year-old was held out a little under a week, but as expected, he’s good to go with plenty of time to get prepared for his regular season.

Hentges underwent surgery on his shoulder in the offseason, and isn’t ready for game action. The 29-year-old is a candidate to start the year on the injured list, but there’s enough time for the southpaw to get enough appearances to avoid that trip.

Stowers was able to swing the bat 30 times Sunday, and he also played catch. The 28-year-old has a mild right hamstring strain, and is expected to miss a couple of weeks. He should be ready to roll by Opening Day, but it’s a situation to monitor.