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It gets worse. Oviedo’s velocity was down over two mph on every one of his pitches, and his four-seam fastball averaged just 92.9 mph, which is significantly down from the near 96 mph mark he’s shown all spring. He also allowed eight hard-hit baseballs in this one and a 96.1 mph average exit velocity. As of now, there is no indication that the 28-year-old is dealing with any injury, and he mentioned after the game that his execution was “off” as he continues to work on new pitches, including his cutter. Considering Oviedo has minor league options left, this was not a great time for a poor outing and could open the door for Connelly Early to steal the final rotation spot.

Ober sat 89.6 mph on his fastball, which is down from last season but up from the 88.8 mph mark he had in his last outing. Still, it didn’t much matter. He allowed ten hard-hit baseballs on the day while walking three and striking out three. It’s impossible to recommend him in fantasy leagues right now.

Matz threw 66 percent of his pitches for strikes and had a 25.7 percent whiff rate on the day. The Rays seem to have been tweaking his slider, which Matz is now throwing over three mph slower with far more drop than last season. It seems to be a pitch that could add some whiffs against left-handed hitters while his changeup will be a featured pitch against righties. The 34-year-old has not allowed a run on 11 spring innings this season while giving up just six hits and striking out eight. He’s probably worth a late-round dart throw in deeper formats.

Wheeler will open the season on the injured list to continue building up his pitch count and stamina in advance of his season debut, which is likely to come before the end of April.
The 35-year-old veteran fantasy ace will likely require a handful of rehab outings before he’s ready to rejoin Philadelphia’s rotation. He’s a top 25-30 range fantasy starter in remaining drafts this spring. His absence gives top prospect Andrew Painter some additional runway to prove he belongs at the highest level following a strong performance in spring training.

It’s official. Wetherholt will make his highly-anticipated big-league debut against the Rays on Thursday at Busch Stadium. The 23-year-old top prospect will open the regular season as the Cardinals starting second baseman and figures to bat near the top of the lineup. He projects as an immediate five-category impact fantasy contributor after batting .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 109 games in the upper minors last season.

Rocker gets the nod to open the season in Texas’ rotation with Jacob Latz heading to the bullpen. It qualifies as a bit of a surprise considering how inconsistent the former top prospect was in his opportunities with the Rangers last year. The 26-year-old has turned in an impressive spring with a 4.26 ERA and 14/3 K/BB ratio across 12 2/3 innings of work. He’s talented enough to make a fantasy impact, especially in deeper mixed leagues, but there’s enough evidence to suggest a wait-and-see approach in shallower formats.

Peña hasn’t been officially ruled out for Houston’s season-opener later this week. The 28-year-old shortstop traveled with the club to Daikin Park for Monday night’s exhibition against Triple-A Sugar Land where he’ll take on-field batting practice. He’s made steady progress in his recovery from a fractured right finger and could be ready for Opening Day. The Astros are unlikely to make a final decision on his status until later this week.

McCutchen earns a spot on Texas’ season-opening roster as a bench bat after hitting a blistering .444 (8-for-18) with three doubles in seven Cactus League contests this spring after signing a minor league pact earlier this month. The 39-year-old longtime Pirates icon will kick off his 18th season in the majors later this week, splitting time with Joc Pederson at DH for the Rangers.

It seemed to be tracking this way, but now we know for sure. Benge, the 16th-ranked prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, went 15-for-41 (.366) this spring with five runs scored, five RBI, and one steal. Only two of his hits went for extra bases, and he had just a 31 percent hard-hit rate in a small sample, so fantasy managers shouldn’t expect a ton of power production from Benge, but he has shown a good understanding of the strike zone and has the speed to steal double-digit bases. It remains to be seen how much he’ll play against left-handed pitching, so it’s not the most fantasy-friendly skillset for 2026 only, but he’ll be a regular starter in a good lineup, and that’s worth a gamble in the later rounds of drafts.

We already knew that Suzuki would not be ready for Opening Day, but now the Cubs have decided to hold him out for longer. There isn’t any new information, and there was no setback or increased level of concern; the Cubs are simply being cautious with Suzuki at the start of the season. Matt Shaw figures to be the regular starter in right field until Suzuki comes back, and is worth adding in most league types given how well he played after the All-Star Break last year. How well Shaw plays and how soon Suzuki comes back could impact the playing time for Moises Ballesteros. If Shaw hits, and the Cubs want to bring Suzuki back as a designated hitter to not stress his knee, that could mean Ballesteros would lose his spot as a regular in the starting lineup.