MLB Player News

Madrigal left Sunday’s game against the Nationals in the first inning after he slipped while charging a ground ball that deflected off the pitcher. He’s scheduled to undergo further testing to confirm the severity of the injury. Madrigal might have the inside track on the Mets’ backup infielder job, but now that’s up in the air.

After a solid 2024 season in a hybrid role for the Angels, Fulmer regressed in 2025, pitching to a 5.83 ERA and 26/11 K/BB ratio in 29 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He seems like a long shot to break camp with the Pirates.

Pauley has not yet appeared in a spring training game, and now we know why. The 25-year-old is battling Connor Norby for at-bats at third base, and this will undoubtedly have him starting from behind.

This is another step in the right direction following his hamate bone surgery. Holliday has stated that he’s hoping for a mid-April return, and that feels likely at this point. Most of the hitters who undergo hamate bone surgery can return to about 80-85 percent of their past production in short order. The aspect that takes the longest to come back is power, so fantasy managers shouldn’t be expecting any kind of power improvement from the 22-year-old this eason.

Walls was scratched from the lineup on Sunday with oblique tightness, but it doesn’t appear to be a major issue. Cash said that he hopes to have Walls back in the lineup by the end of the week. While Walls is not a fantasy-friendly player, the Rays love his defense, which always makes him a threat to steal at-bats from guys like Carson Williams.

Estrada was a popular bounceback candidate heading into last season when he signed with the Rockies, but he was limited to 39 games because of injury and hit .253/.285/.370. However, he did have three straight seasons with at least a .260 average and two straight seasons with at least 14 home runs and 21 steals before injuries impacted his 2024 and 2025 seasons. There is a chance he could play his way into a spot if Jackson Holliday (wrist) is sidelined to start the season.

No word yet on whether it’s a guaranteed contract or a minor league deal. Conforto was a big disappointment for the Dodgers last year, but his exit velocity numbers weren’t so bad. With the Cubs, he’s a potential fallback to Moisés Ballesteros in the DH role or possibly a fourth outfielder ahead of Chas McCormick or Matt Shaw. Considering that the rest of the Cubs’ potential bench guys are right-handed hitters, his left-handed bat might come in handy.

Dickerson has just eight homers since being drafted in the eighth round in 2023, so that’s a big day for him. The 24-year-old shortstop hit .221/.342/.290 during a 2025 season spent mostly in Double-A. He’s a fine defender and he can work a walk, but his ceiling is probably as a short-term injury replacement in the majors.

Sanchez, who last pitched in the majors in 2022, is getting a chance with the Royals here because of his success in the Dominican Winter League, but he didn’t show much today. His 33 pitches produced just one missed swing, and seven of the eight balls in play against him were hard hit, including a William Contreras double that would have been a homer in 19 MLB parks.

Bauers is battling Garrett Mitchell and Blake Perkins for playing time against right-handers in the Brewers outfield. Of course, he’d be in pretty good shape there if the battle was mostly about offense, but he’s a mediocre defensive left fielder going up against two plus center fielders. The Brewers can play Jackson Chourio in center if they want, but they’re probably rooting for Mitchell to step up. Bauers’ better path to playing time would be if Andrew Vaughn disappoints, setting up a potential platoon at first base.

Kavadas doubled in a run in the sixth and singled home another an inning later. The 26-year-old was designated for assignment in September, but he chose to stuck around the Los Angeles organization, and he could be a bench helper for the Angels by the end of 2026.