Spring Coaching video games are practically right here – issues kick off Friday at 1:05 pm EST with the Yankees throwing a few big-time pitching prospects in opposition to the new-look Orioles, whereas a bunch of different groups will both be dealing with off in opposition to native schools in exhibition video games or kicking off their very own Grapefruit or Cactus League motion. Both method, we’re about to have actual (or, largely actual) baseball to look at and analyze in just some quick days.
However after all, Spring Coaching is not nearly what occurs on the sphere. For Fantasy gamers, it is simply as a lot about what occurs in locker rooms and artificially lit hallways throughout Florida and Arizona. That is the place we study accidents, enjoying time developments, and all the things else we actually care about for Spring Coaching. This text might be your one-stop store to all the things you have to know from spring, and within the coming days, we’ll be trying on the largest questions and storylines from each workforce, plus a bit information to what truly issues throughout the spring.
However we have already had some necessary headlines crop up within the first week or so since gamers reported, and with our current concentrate on place previews, it has been robust to meet up with them. So we’re hitting pause on the place previews for a number of days to be sure you’re prepared for the video games which are about to kick off.
At present, which means catching up on some key information that has already come out, beginning, sadly, with some vital damage updates:
Pablo Lopez has a torn UCL
Lopez handled a forearm damage late final season and could not even make it by means of his first mound work of the spring with out exiting with forearm soreness. An MRI revealed a torn UCL, and whereas the plan of action has not but been decided, Twins basic supervisor Jeremy Zoll acknowledged that “surgical procedure may be very a lot on the desk.”
Whether or not that finally ends up being a full Tommy John reconstruction of the UCL or the comparatively much less severe Inside Brace process – or, as has develop into more and more widespread lately, each in a hybrid process – stays to be seen. That willpower could not come till Lopez truly has the surgical procedure, as is usually the case, however both method, he is nearly definitely taking a look at lacking everything of the 2026 season.
Which is an enormous bummer for Lopez, who overcame early-career shoulder accidents to throw 180-plus innings in every of the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons. He’ll be 31 the subsequent time we see him on the mound, and he’ll be coming off a significant elbow surgical procedure. He might nonetheless be prepared for the beginning of the 2027 season, and it isn’t like we’ve not seen gamers of their 30s thrive coming off elbow reconstruction lately. However it’s a misplaced season of Lopez’s prime, and there is not any assure he’ll be again to his pre-injury type by then.
The Twins do have some depth of their rotation, although it’s little confirmed. Lopez’s damage would seemingly open up a spot for an open competitors to happen, with the likeliest candidates to take that open rotation spot being Zebby Matthews, David Festa, and Mick Abel. All three have proven flashes on the MLB degree, however none has emerged as a dependable choice but.
My finest guess can be on Matthews taking the job – he has proven the power to rack up robust strikeout numbers and keep away from walks, however has been held again by poor outcomes on balls in play. These outcomes had been earned, as Matthews provides up a bunch of arduous contact, however that is additionally the a part of a pitcher’s sport that tends to fluctuate probably the most from one yr to the subsequent. If he fixes that concern, Matthews nonetheless has some breakout potential. If not, they will cycle by means of their choices, with Kendrys Rojas, Connor Prielipp, and Andrew Morris looming as choices within the higher minors.
Blake Snell is not throwing off a mound but
Snell is not on time because the workforce tries to handle lingering soreness and fatigue from final yr’s World Sequence run. He has been restricted to enjoying catch off the aspect, however supervisor Dave Roberts admitted within the early days of camp that he would not know when Snell is more likely to be prepared for the season.
“He is enjoying catch,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned of Snell. “He is throwing. As soon as he will get off the mound, throws a pen, and faces some hitters, we are going to know extra. However clearly, he isn’t there proper now. So till he will get off the mound, I simply actually do not know.”
Snell is predicted to throw a bullpen session quickly, although even that hasn’t been decided but. It isn’t clear if Snell is at present coping with an damage, however the workforce is taking each precaution to attempt to maintain him wholesome in 2026. Which highlights an inherent concern with each Dodgers pitcher that got here to fruition in 2025: It is a workforce that solely actually cares about October. In his first season with the workforce, Snell solely threw 61.1 regular-season innings as a consequence of a shoulder damage, however he was wholesome and efficient for the postseason as they went on to win a World Sequence, so no one thought-about it a disappointing season.
Clearly, the Dodgers cannot get 60 innings from all of their starters – they nonetheless must get by means of the season and make the playoffs. However they’ve greater than sufficient to get by means of the common season with out pushing anybody past their consolation zone, and having their finest gamers wholesome for October is de facto all they care about.
Therefore, the shortage of concern from the Dodgers camp about their $180 million pitcher probably not being prepared for Opening Day. Snell figures to be restricted no less than early on within the season, and given his monitor document, even which may not be sufficient to maintain him wholesome for a full season – he has solely topped 130 innings twice in 9 full MLB seasons. The upside when he is on the mound is perhaps value chasing, however I would like an even bigger low cost than his ~100 ADP within the month of February permits.
Hurston Waldrep may want elbow surgical procedure
The Braves already misplaced Spencer Schwellenbach to elbow surgical procedure, and it seems like Waldrep is perhaps following him to the surgeon’s desk. Waldrep will see Dr. Keith Meister after feeling soreness in his elbow throughout his first stay batting follow session of the spring.
An preliminary MRI did not present structural harm, so the damage sounds much like Schwellenbach’s, with Waldrep coping with unfastened our bodies in his elbow. Typically, pitchers can pitch by means of that sort of concern, however the threat there may be it will probably result in each poor efficiency, lingering ache, and finally, additional harm that requires extra in depth surgical procedure to restore.
At this level, it appears like Waldrep may very well be heading for the same end result to Schwellenbach: Arthroscopic surgical procedure to wash up the elbow, with a timetable that might see him again on the mound in about three months. That might see each again on the mound by mid-Could in a best-case situation, although anytime we’re speaking a few pitcher’s elbow, assuming the “best-case situation” is a simple approach to steer your self flawed. Each may very well be again after lacking a number of months, however any sort of setback might restart the entire rehab course of – or worse. Schwellenbach is simply within the late-round dialogue for drafts, whereas Waldrep, who’s each much less of a positive factor as a pitcher and fewer assured of a job when wholesome, needs to be left just for leagues with a number of IL spots to play with.
Edwin Uceta is coping with a “cranky” shoulder
The Rays entered spring with an anticipated battle between Uceta and Griffin Jax for the nearer’s position, however that battle is already up within the air. Uceta wasn’t cleared to pitch for the Dominican Republic within the World Baseball Traditional because of the damage, although proper now it’s largely being mentioned as a precautionary transfer.
“It was a tough resolution, but it surely’s a call that needed to be made for me to prepare for the season,” Uceta mentioned by means of interpreter Kevin Vera. “Clearly very upset that I am unable to characterize my nation, but it surely’s a call that we needed to make for the beginning of the season.”
Uceta was working within the Dominican Republic throughout the offseason and began to expertise discomfort after taking per week off to attend his arbitration listening to. He had been enjoying catch throughout camp earlier than taking a number of days off, and at this level, it would not sound just like the workforce is just too involved about him being prepared for Opening Day.
However given how shut the competitors between him and Jax is predicted to be, any edge for one is an enormous deal. And Jax now seemingly has an edge, no less than early in camp. Each might be high-end closers for Fantasy, and I would nonetheless count on each to determine into the workforce’s plans. But when I had been anticipating one thing like a 50-50 cut up, I might lean extra in direction of a 60-40 cut up in Jax’s favor proper now. We would look again in two weeks and see no unwell results for Uceta that might even the rating, however proper now, Jax needs to be the primary reliever within the Rays bullpen taken in most drafts.
5 enjoying time/place battle updates
- Sal Stewart is specializing in 1B in camp – Stewart cut up his time between third and first base final season within the majors and has performed second within the minors, but it surely looks as if his slide down the positional spectrum is coming early in his profession – which is ok, because the Reds have wonderful defensive choices at second and third and Stewart in all probability would not have the arm for the recent nook, anyway. Coming off a .907 OPS throughout Double-A and Triple-A and a stint within the majors the place he greater than held his personal whereas flashing plus energy, Stewart ought to have the bat to deal with first base. There are some delicate enjoying time considerations right here, but when he lives as much as his upside, he’ll pressure the Reds to maintain him within the lineup. He stays an important draft goal outdoors the highest 200 in ADP.
- JJ Wetherholt is specializing in 2B – With Masyn Winn locked in as one of many highest defensive shortstops in baseball, Wetherholt at all times appeared more likely to transfer to both his left or proper, and left it’s. Wetherholt figures to be excellent at second base, and he would not appear to have a lot left to show within the minors. He performed 47 video games at Triple-A in 2025, hitting .314/.416/.562 with practically as many walks (28) as strikeouts (33). He has 20-20 upside with the potential for batting common and needs to be a fairly secure guess for enjoying time on a rebuilding Cardinals aspect, making Wetherholt a worthy decide contained in the top-200 on Draft Day.
- Alec Bohm is the likeliest cleanup choice for the Phillies – Bohm made the All-Star sport in 2024, however has been underwhelming since. Nonetheless, he has method for RBI, and hitting behind Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper can be an important spot for him to get again to the 90-plus vary he was at in 2023 and 2024. Bohm’s ADP is all the way down to 259.9, making him a fairly engaging late-round various at third base. On the very least, you need to get a fairly good batting common and a bunch of RBI from him.
- Brandon Nimmo appears more likely to lead off for the Rangers – Nimmo primarily hit fourth or fifth for the Mets final season, however his transfer to Texas will even see him transferring to the highest of the order. That’ll trigger a drag on his RBI numbers, however hitting forward of Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager needs to be nice for his run scoring alternatives, and Nimmo’s on-base abilities will match nicely on the high of the lineup. I’m wondering if he might even see a bit bump in stolen bases whereas setting the desk, which might assist make up for a possible drop in energy manufacturing with Globe Life Area representing a downgrade in house park from Citi Area.
- Marcelo Mayer is beginning out at 2B He primarily performed shortstop developing by means of the minors and third base as a rookie, however with the acquisition of Caleb Durbin, the Crimson Sox are taking a look at Mayer at second this spring. He platooned as a rookie and will accomplish that once more in 2026, although Romy Gonzalez‘s spring has been delayed by a shoulder concern, which could open up a possibility for Mayer to play day-after-day early on. He is a sleeper to bear in mind at both third or second, the 2 weakest positions for Fantasy.
