Cleveland Guardians infielder Brayan Rocchio is projected to open the 2026 regular season next week as the team's starter at second base, according to Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal. Rocchio, who was previously the team's regular shortstop, will form a double-play combination with shortstop Gabriel Arias. The 25-year-old switch-hitting Venezuelan has never hit much in the big leagues and doesn't really have notable speed, either, so it's unlikely he'll suddenly become a fantasy asset in mixed leagues in 2026 despite a strong finish to last year and a strong spring training. Rocchio came into Friday hitting .313 (10-for-32) with a homer, four RBI, three runs, and two steals in 12 Cactus League games. In his three big-league seasons, he's slashed just .222/.293/.327 with a .620 OPS, 13 homers, 88 RBI, 93 runs, and 18 stolen bases in 281 total games. If Rocchio falls into a deep slump at some point during the year, his job could be in danger at the keystone in Cleveland.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta had the best season of his career in 2025, but an ugly start to spring training has raised some questions about his reliability going forward. While it's dangerous to put too much stock into spring performances due to matchup and sample size factors, fantasy managers are starting to notice that Pivetta has surrendered seven runs, 11 hits, and five walks over eight innings (three starts) this spring. He has allowed two home runs along the way, and he has a modest six strikeouts to his name. Extrapolated over a regular season, these numbers would represent major regression from his 2025 stat line, which included a 3.49 FIP, 9.41 K/9, 2.48 BB/9, and 1.09 HR/9. We'd expect his 2026 stats to look more like the 2025 season than 2026 spring training, but managers should still temper expectations slightly, especially since the idea of Pivetta regressing was mentioned quite often throughout the offseason. As it stands, the veteran ranks #24 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray will open the 2026 season as the No. 2 option in the rotation, manager Alex Cora told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. While it initially seemed like Boston would roll out Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suarez as its first two starters, Cora is inserting Gray between them to open the year with a staggered pattern of lefty, righty, lefty. While this decision is driven by handedness, that's not to say that Gray isn't deserving of a spot in the front half of the rotation. He posted an impressive 3.07 xFIP with 10.01 K/9 and 1.89 BB/9 in the Cardinals' rotation last year, and he now joins a revamped pitching staff in Boston. Cora's announcement puts Gray in line to make his Red Sox regular-season debut on Saturday, March 28, against one of his former teams, the Cincinnati Reds.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (back) is feeling "better" after exiting Thursday's spring training contest with back tightness, manager Carlos Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alvarez is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday if he's still feeling good at that point. All in all, it appears the Mets avoided any serious injury news with their primary backstop. He dealt with four different injuries in 2025 alone, so New York's brass and fanbase will be glad to hear that this latest ailment isn't too concerning. Having Alvarez available is key for the Mets, both at the plate and in the field. He slashed .256/.339/.447 with 11 home runs and 124 wRC+ last year, and he has 9.0 career FRV despite finishing with -6.0 last year. He currently ranks as the #12 catcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.