Orioles Acquire Blaze Alexander From Diamondbacks: The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring infielder Blaze Alexander from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday in exchange for pitchers Kade Strowd and Wellington Aracena, and infielder Jose Mejia, a source told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Alexander will head to the American League after slashing .237/.322/.366 with a .688 OPS, 10 home runs, 49 RBI, 50 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 135 games in his first two major-league seasons in Arizona. The 26-year-old former 11th-round pick in 2018 will most likely serve in a bench role in his new home in Baltimore, which will be a downgrade in fantasy with a less clear path to playing time. The 26-year-old is under team control through the 2030 season. Alexander saw most of the playing time in the second half last year at third base after the D-backs traded Eugenio Suarez, but with Alexander now gone, it could be Jordan Lawlar's spot to lose. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:43:50
Brendan Donovan Expected to Mostly Play 3B in Seattle: MLB.com's Daniel Kramer writes that Seattle Mariners utility man Brendan Donovan, who was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this week in a three-team trade, will play all over the field based on matchups, according to sources familiar with the club's thinking. The 2025 All-Star is expected to enter spring training as the primary third baseman, but it could change based on positional competitions, specifically among infielders Cole Young and Colt Emerson, Seattle's first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Donovan's presence as an option all around the infield could benefit both Young and Emerson long term and take pressure off them to perform right away in 2026. Donovan, who had an .853 OPS against righties and a .614 OPS against lefties last year, won't be in a platoon. In addition to playing every day, Donovan will be the M's leadoff hitter. The 29-year-old rarely strikes out (13% K rate in 2025), but his lack of power and speed severely limit his fantasy appeal in mixed leagues. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:32:48
Royals Re-Sign Luke Maile to Minor-League Deal: The Kansas City Royals announced on Thursday that they re-signed catcher Luke Maile to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major-league spring training. Maile will return to KC after appearing in 25 games for the Royals last season, going 11-for-45 (.244) at the plate with a home run, six RBI, six runs scored, one stolen base, seven walks, and 16 strikeouts in 54 plate appearances. The 34-year-old veteran backstop has 10 years of major-league experience, but he's expected to begin the 2026 campaign as catching depth at Triple-A Omaha behind Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen. In his 10 years in the majors with six different organizations, Maile has slashed just .209/.277/.320 with a .597 OPS, 22 home runs, and 119 RBI in 458 games played. Maile has never appeared in more than 76 games in a single season. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:59:33
No Setbacks for Corbin Burnes, Aiming for July Return: Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Corbin Burnes (elbow) has not had any setbacks during his rehab from Tommy John surgery, and the Diamondbacks' ace is still aiming to return in July of this year. "We put an aggressive timeline on it from the get-go. We were looking at the 12 1/2, 13-month mark. We're still on pace with that," Burnes said. It's the same timeline that the 31-year-old veteran gave back in late September, but it's still good news that he's on track after having right-elbow reconstruction in June of 2025. The four-time All-Star signed a six-year, $210 million contract with Arizona in December of 2024 but ended up only making 11 starts in his first year in the desert, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 63:26 K:BB in 64 1/3 innings. Before the injury, Burnes was one of the most consistent high-end starters in baseball over the previous five seasons. Fantasy managers can stash Burnes in an IL spot in 2026 in hopes of him being an ace in the second half, but expectations should be tempered as well. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:26:47
Angel Genao Ready to Rebound in 2026?: Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Angel Genao, who is ranked No. 33 on Keith Law's top-100 prospect list for 2026, had a lost year in 2025 due to a sprained right shoulder that he suffered in spring training. Genao still managed to play in 85 games between the Arizona Complex League and Double-A Akron, but he didn't look like his 2024 self and often "seemed hesitant to swing at full speed." Overall, the 21-year-old switch-hitting Dominican slashed .263/.332/.382 with a .715 OPS, five home runs, 42 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 373 plate appearances. Law believes that second base is more likely for Genao in the long-term, but shortstop is not off the table given his strong defense at the 6. Genao showed more full extension on his swings in the Dominican Winter League and could very well bounce back in 2026. Law has Genao as an above-average regular somewhere in the middle infield in Cleveland whenever he makes the jump to the big leagues. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:13:44
Marcelo Mayer Expected to See More At-Bats Against Lefties: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said at Fenway Fest last month that he "envisions more playing time against lefties" for infielder Marcelo Mayer, which indicates more of a full-time role instead of a platoon, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. The departure of Alex Bregman in free agency left a gaping hole at third base this offseason. Mayer is expected to see most of the playing time at the hot corner, although it's unclear how Wednesday's addition of Isiah Kiner-Falefa will change the dynamic. Boston also has infielders Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton, and Nick Sogard in the mix, as well as Nate Eaton and Kristian Campbell. The 23-year-old Mayer, who hits left-handed, only had 27 plate appearances against southpaws in 2025 and posted an ugly .416 OPS against them. Mayer struggled in his rookie campaign, striking out 30% of the time while walking at a 5.9% clip. If he struggles against lefties, Kiner-Falefa could take over the short side of a platoon at third in Beantown. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:05:31
Zac Gallen Targeted by the Orioles?: Free-agent starting pitcher Zac Gallen is one of the few impact starting pitchers left on the market after Framber Valdez signed with the Tigers on Wednesday, and that fact could lead to more focus on Gallen from the Orioles, who were considered one of the main teams in the mix for Valdez. Like Valdez, Gallen rejected a qualifying offer, which could be complicating his market, but now that Framber is no longer an option, the O's could turn to Gallen. They need an arm for the top of their rotation that seems stuffed with middle-of-the-rotation arms like Shane Baz, Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, and Cade Povich. Gallen struggled early in 2025 but looked better in the second half, finishing with a 4.83 ERA, 4.50 FIP, and 175 strikeouts in 192 innings. The 30-year-old has won at least 12 games in each of the last four seasons, and he'll look to return to his ace form wherever he ends up landing. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:56:36
Brice Turang Brings Big Upside at a Thin Position: Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang is a perfect example of a post-hype breakthrough. He was considered a top prospect early in his career but took longer than some other players to develop. He had a breakthrough last season, though, hitting .288 with 18 homers, 24 stolen bases, and a .346 wOBA. His blend of power and speed from the top of the lineup made the former first-round pick one of the best second basemen on the board last season, and he's still undervalued in many formats, according to his ADP. Even if his batting average and power regress a little bit, the lefty should remain in a key spot in Milwaukee's lineup, and his speed gives him even more ways to help your fantasy team. The 26-year-old is definitely worth a look as you look for solutions at 2B, which doesn't have many elite options on the board. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:45:39
Zac Gallen Open to Returning to the Diamondbacks?: Free-agent starting pitcher Zac Gallen has drawn interest this offseason from the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles, but the veteran righty remains open to a return to the Arizona Diamondbacks as well. He said in an interview on Fox10 Phoenix, "I think people understand what Phoenix means to me...For us to be here would be awesome." The 30-year-old remains one of the top available starting pitchers, especially now that Framber Valdez landed with the Tigers. Last year, Gallen's numbers dropped off, even though he still logged 192 innings with a 4.83 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and just 175 strikeouts. He looked better late in the season, and he could try to return to Arizona to re-establish his value on a short-term deal. He would provide nice depth for the D-backs' rotation that currently has the re-signed Merrill Kelly, Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, and free agent signee Michael Soroka slotted into the rotation. Managers should expect Gallen to hold mid-end SP4/SP5 upside in 2026, given his inconsistencies last season, but keep an eye on where he lands since his environment will play a big factor in his production. - as of Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:16:32