Brusdar Graterol Making Good Progress, Drops 15 Pounds: Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) said that his shoulder has felt good for a couple of weeks, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. He is expected to start throwing bullpen sessions next week, and he also said that he's dropped 15 pounds over the last year. Graterol feels good physically, and he's expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training in just a couple of weeks. The 27-year-old did not pitch for the Dodgers at all last season after having labrum surgery in November of 2024. In his last full season in 2023, Graterol was excellent, posting a 1.20 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, a career-high seven saves, 48 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 67 1/3 innings. He won't be on the fantasy radar in most leagues entering the 2026 campaign, but if he stays healthy, he could return to a high-leverage setup role and attract interest in leagues that count holds. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:24:30
Shohei Ohtani Will be Ready to Pitch to Start the 2026 Season: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani said he will be ready to pitch from the start of the 2026 regular season, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. When asked about his workload for Team Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, Ohtani said that it will be up to "how my body feels." No matter what, he will be fully ready to serve as the designated hitter in the WBC. The 31-year-old, who has been named MVP in three of the last four seasons, is a living legend for the Dodgers and has helped them win back-to-back World Series in his first two years with the team. Ohtani is much more valuable in fantasy baseball as a hitter, but his value is on the rise as a pitcher, especially since he is in line for a full season on the mound. He made only 14 starts for L.A. on the mound in 2025, posting a 2.87 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 62:9 K:BB in 47 innings. Ohtani could have his innings monitored early on in 2026, but if he stays healthy all year, he should be a high-end rotation arm for fantasy managers. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:19:30
Being Ready for Opening Day is "Possible" for Tommy Edman: Los Angeles Dodgers infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman (ankle) said he had his walking boot removed from his right ankle 2 1/2 weeks ago after having surgery in November, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. It's "possible" that Edman will be ready for Opening Day in late March, but he isn't going to rush back. The 30-year-old switch-hitter almost certainly won't be ready for the start of spring training in a few weeks, and it's unlikely that the Dodgers will push him to be ready for Opening Day. For fantasy purposes, Edman doesn't move the needle all that much and is ranked as the No. 29 fantasy 2B by RotoBaller this year. He played in only 97 games in his second season with the Blue in 2025, hitting .225/.274/.382 with a career-worst .655 OPS, 13 homers, 49 RBI, and 49 runs. His ankle was an issue for most of the year, but even when healthy, he's not much of a power source and has only nine steals in the last two seasons after swiping at least 27 bags the previous three campaigns. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:09:41
Kyle Bradish Healthy Entering 2026, Primed for Breakout Season?: After undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2024, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish missed the remainder of the 2024 season and the first four-plus months of 2025. However, the 29-year-old was able to finish the 2025 season on the mound, returning in late August and posting a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 47 strikeouts across 32 innings (six starts). While Bradish's elite 37.3% strikeout rate over a small sample in 2025 may not be sustainable over the course of a full season, it demonstrates his swing-and-miss upside. He recorded strong numbers in his last full campaign in 2023, logging a 12-7 record with a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 168 strikeouts across 168 2/3 innings (30 starts). Entering 2026, Bradish appears to be fully healthy and should be locked in at the top of the Baltimore rotation. He still carries some health risk, but his strong finish after returning in 2025 should help ease those concerns. Bradish profiles as a solid fantasy SP2 with upside heading into 2026. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 14:00:32
Jeremy Pena Back to Full Health, Ready to Build on Encouraging 2025: Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena missed time in 2025 due to both rib and oblique issues. However, around the injuries, the 28-year-old elevated his game to a new level. Across 543 plate appearances, Pena posted a .304/.363/.477 slash line with 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 68 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. He boosted his hard-hit rate to a career-best 42.9% and was on pace to steal 25 bases over 155 games. Heading into 2026, Pena should be locked in to an everyday role at the top of the Astros lineup. While his batting average may regress closer to his career mark of .271, Pena should rack up counting stats and has a chance to provide average to above-average production across all five traditional rotisserie scoring categories. He profiles as a top-10 fantasy shortstop in 2026, and with a current average draft position of pick 93, Pena could be a value selection for fantasy managers. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:44:37
Can Aroldis Chapman Repeat Resurgent 2025 Season?: After bouncing around the league for a few years without a stable ninth-inning role, Boston Red Sox left-hander Aroldis Chapman re-established himself as one of the best closers in baseball in 2025. Across 61 1/3 innings pitched (67 games), the 37-year-old posted a 5-3 record with a 1.17 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 85 strikeouts, and 32 saves. Chapman has always been a whiff machine, and he struck out batters at an excellent 37.3% clip in 2025. The biggest change in his profile this past season was control: After recording walk rates of at least 14.5% for four consecutive seasons, Chapman walked just 6.6% of the batters he faced last year. The Red Sox signed Chapman to a one-year contract extension with a vesting option for 2027 last September, so he appears to be locked in as the team's closer for 2026. If Chapman can post another season with even a single-digit walk rate in 2026, there's no reason to think he can't be one of the game's elite closers for a second straight season. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:33:36
Nick Kurtz Carries High-End Power Upside Heading into 2026: After getting promoted to the big leagues in late April, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz showed elite power potential on his way to winning the 2025 American League Rookie of the Year award. Across 489 MLB plate appearances, the 22-year-old posted a .290/.383/.619 slash line with 36 home runs, 86 RBI, 90 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Kurtz's underlying power metrics support his dominance, as he posted an 18.3% barrel rate and 50.9% hard-hit rate. If there's one area of concern for Kurtz, it's swing-and-miss. He struck out in 30.9% of his plate appearances as a rookie, which could indicate some batting average regression is coming for him in 2026. However, Kurtz profiles as a classic left-handed slugger who has a chance to be among the MLB leaders in home runs and RBI. He also gets the benefit of playing his 2026 home games in a minor-league ballpark in Sacramento with an Athletics lineup that finished sixth in the American League in runs scored in 2025. Kurtz should be one of the first few first basemen off the board in fantasy drafts over the next few months. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:21:39
Austin Hays Agrees With White Sox on One-Year Deal: Free-agent outfielder Austin Hays and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a one-year, $6 million contract on Saturday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. Hays should have a regular path to playing time in Chicago in 2026, especially after the team traded Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets this offseason. The 30-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2025 with the Cincinnati Reds, when he slashed .266/.315/.453 with a .768 OPS, 15 home runs, 64 RBI, 60 runs scored, and a career-high seven stolen bases in 103 games and 416 plate appearances. Hays went on the injured list three separate times with calf, hamstring, and foot injuries, and he also missed some time in the final month with back spasms. Chicago is a good landing spot as far as playing time goes, and he should hit in the middle of the order, but durability is an issue for an outfielder with moderate power. - as of Sat, 31 Jan 2026 10:44:48