Royals Agree With Starling Marte: The Kansas City Royals agreed to an undisclosed deal with free-agent outfielder Starling Marte on Saturday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal is pending a physical. Marte is heading into his 15th season in the big leagues and shouldn't be expected to see regular playing time in Kansas City. At best, he'll serve as an outfield/designated-hitter option off the bench against left-handed pitchers. The 37-year-old two-time All-Star hit a solid .270/.335/.410 with a .745 OPS in 98 games with the New York Mets last year, but it came with only nine home runs, 34 RBI, 37 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 329 plate appearances. Volume definitely isn't going to be there for Marte, even if he stays healthy. Marte hasn't played in over 100 games since 2022, when he was an All-Star for the second time in his career. Speed has always been Marte's biggest tool for fantasy managers, but he hasn't stolen over 30 bags since 2021. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:41:47
Ronald Acuna Jr. Hits Grand Slam in Grapefruit League Game: Atlanta Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. looked to be in midseason form in Friday's Grapefruit League win over the Boston Red Sox, going 2-for-3 with a grand slam, three runs scored, two stolen bases, a walk, and a strikeout. The grand slam was Acuna's first spring homer, and it came in the third inning off minor-league pitcher Steven Brooks. The 28-year-old has already torn the ACL in his knee twice, but he's still worth the risk in all fantasy baseball drafts in the first round as a top-10 overall player. The Venezuelan outfielder hit .290/.417/.518 with a .935 OPS, 21 home runs, 42 RBI, 74 runs, and nine stolen bases in 95 games played last year. The five-time All-Star and former MVP hit 40 home runs, drove in over 100 runs, and stole 73 bases in 2023, and if he starts to run more again in 2026, he'll be worth every penny if he stays healthy. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:24:42
Bryce Miller Shut Down for Five Days With Side Soreness: Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (side) has been battling soreness in his left side in camp, and an MRI exam showed inflammation, according to Shannon Drayer. Miller, who has dealt with this same issue in the past, had a platelet-rich plasma injection and is being shut down for five days. Drayer adds that it's "very precautionary." If it were the regular season, Miller "probably wouldn't have reported the soreness." The 27-year-old reported soreness after his Cactus League outing on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians. As long as Miller doesn't have any further setbacks with his side, he still has a chance to be ready for Opening Day in late March. Miller went on the injured list two separate times in 2025 due to elbow issues and made a career-low 18 starts, posting a career-worst 5.68 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 74:34 K:BB in 90 1/3 innings. It's possible that he could eventually need surgery for the bone spur in his right elbow, making Miller a risk/reward late-round consideration in 2026 drafts for rotation depth. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:11:49
Spencer Strider's Diminished Velocity a Cause for Concern?: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider pitched two innings against the Baltimore Orioles in his 2026 Spring Training debut on Saturday, allowing two hits and an earned run while striking out two and walking none. The 27-year-old averaged just 92.7 mph on his fastball in the first inning, which could be viewed as a bit of a red flag. However, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that Strider is looking to "pace himself" this spring, and that he's more focused on regaining fastball shape than velocity at this point. Strider was one of the most dominant pitchers in MLB from 2022 to 2023, recording 485 strikeouts across 318 1/3 innings. However, elbow surgery knocked him out for almost all of 2024 and delayed his start to 2025. Upon his return last season, Strider struggled to regain his previous form and pitched to a 4.45 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 125 1/3 innings (23 starts). At his best, Strider relies heavily on a dominant fastball/slider combination, so his ability to regain velocity over the course of the spring will be something for fantasy managers to monitor closely. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:03:29
Can Xander Bogaerts Play a Fully Healthy Season in 2026?: Entering his age-33 season, San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts is not the player he once was at his peak. However, the veteran was still a useful hitter when healthy in 2025, hitting .263/.328/.391 with 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases across 552 plate appearances. Bogaerts is also locked into everyday playing time at or near the top of the top-heavy Padres' lineup, which could help him rack up counting stats. However, Bogaerts has not posted a barrel rate north of 7.0% since 2021, so his ability to consistently hit for power and drive in runs is limited. Injuries are also starting to take their toll. Bogaerts has missed at least 25 games in each of the past two seasons while battling shoulder and foot ailments. The durability question marks are particularly damaging for a player of Bogaerts' profile, as his path to fantasy production relies on his ability to be a compiler across the counting categories. Bogaerts checks in as RotoBaller's 26th-ranked shortstop heading into 2026. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:52:14
Can Jordan Beck Be a 20/20 Outfielder in 2026?: Across 588 plate appearances in 2025, Colorado Rockies outfielder Jordan Beck posted a .258/.317/.416 slash line with 16 home runs, 53 RBI, 62 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases. The 24-year-old recorded a concerningly high 29.2% strikeout rate, particularly considering that his 9.5% barrel rate and 38.4% hard-hit rate indicate that he carries middling power potential. However, playing his home games at Coors Field helped Beck to a .351 batting average on balls in play, which could keep him from being a drain on the batting average category for fantasy managers. As a right-handed hitter, Beck should also be a fixture in the middle of the Colorado lineup on an everyday basis as the team tries to figure out whether he should be one of the building blocks of the next competitive Rockies' team. With another year of MLB experience, Beck could work his way into being a 20-homer, 20-steal outfielder that fantasy managers can plug into their lineup and feel comfortable in, particularly when Colorado has a stretch of consecutive home games. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:42:34
Otto Lopez Profiles as a Projectable Middle-Infield Option in 2026: Miami Marlins shortstop/second baseman Otto Lopez emerged as a solid everyday regular in 2025, hitting .246/.305/.368 with 15 home runs, 77 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases across 594 plate appearances. Lopez also posted excellent defensive metrics while playing both middle infield spots, which should keep his playing time in Miami secure even if he runs into some offensive struggles. With just a 6.2% career barrel rate and 38.5% career hard-hit rate, Lopez is unlikely to be a significant power source for fantasy managers. However, he struck out in just 13.8% of his plate appearances in 2025, and may have gotten a bit unlucky with a .264 batting average on balls in play. Lopez hit .270 with 20 stolen bases in 434 plate appearances in 2024, so he could carry some upside in both the batting average and speed categories. As a multi-position eligible player who should be a max-volume player in the Marlins' lineup, Lopez profiles as a useful depth piece for fantasy managers in 2026. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:32:34
Josh Lowe Still Bothered by Oblique: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) has been shut down for a few days because of his oblique, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. It's an injury that has bothered Lowe for the past two years. Manager Kurt Suzuki said the team is "going to give him a few more days to be cautious." The 28-year-old missed time with the Tampa Bay Rays each of the last two seasons due to oblique injuries, so it's not a great sign that he's still bothered by it this spring. The former 13th overall pick in 2016 has never been able to reach his full potential in the big leagues due to injuries, but if he can stay healthy, he's an outfielder sleeper in deeper fantasy leagues because of his power/speed upside. Lowe will need to stay healthy and figure out a way to improve against left-handers, though. He has yet to play in more than 135 games in a season, and he hit .220/.283/.366 with a .650 OPS, 11 home runs, 40 RBI, 56 runs, and 18 steals in 108 games in Tampa last year. - as of Sat, 28 Feb 2026 11:49:29