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  • Tristan Beck RP | SF

    Giants' Tristan Beck: Picks up win in exhibition

    Beck picked up the win in Monday's 10-2 exhibition victory over Sultanes de Monterrey, striking out two across one scoreless inning.

    Beck entered in the third inning and threw nine of his 13 pitches for strikes in San Francisco's penultimate spring game. The right-hander is a candidate to begin the season in the bullpen, and the Giants have one more exhibition game against the Sultanes before Wednesday's Opening Day matchup against the Yankees. Beck appeared in 31 outings (one start) last season, recording a 4.61 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 41:16 K:BB while allowing seven long balls across 56.2 innings.

  • Reynaldo Lopez RP | ATL

    Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Velocity up after mechanical tweak

    Lopez's velocity returned in a bullpen session Tuesday following a mechanical adjustment, Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

    Lopez pointed to mechanical problems as the reason he averaged just 89.2 mph with his four-seamer in his final Grapefruit League start against the Twins. It appears he's fixed the issue and regained some pep on the fastball, though it's unclear just how much harder Lopez was throwing in Tuesday's bullpen session. The righty averaged 95.5 mph with his four-seamer during his last full season in 2024, and it would be a big ask for him to get back to that level after shoulder surgery. Lopez is scheduled to make his season debut Saturday against the Royals, and fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his radar-gun readings in that outing.

  • Joel Payamps RP | ATL

    Braves' Joel Payamps: Appears ticketed for middle relief

    Payamps gave up a hit over two scoreless innings of relief in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. He struck out two without walking a batter.

    The right-hander has had a strong spring, posting a 0.00 ERA and 7:1 K:BB over 6.2 innings. Payamps fell apart in 2025 for the Brewers before getting waived late in the season and winding up in Atlanta, but over the two prior seasons he'd recorded a 2.78 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 in 129.2 innings. He'll try to regain that form while beginning the 2026 campaign in a middle-relief role for Atlanta.

  • Victor Vodnik RP | COL

    Rockies' Victor Vodnik: Favorite to close for Rockies

    Vodnik struck out the only batter he faced to notch a save in Monday's exhibition game against the Tigers.

    Vodnik struggled in Cactus League action, coughing up eight runs on 11 hits with a 5:5 K:BB over 4.2 innings. However, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer indicated Monday that Vodnik could be first in line to serve as closer, noting of the 26-year-old's save that "we're gonna see a lot of that this year late in the game," per Steve Stockmar of MLB.com. Juan Mejia also looms as a late-inning option for Colorado, but 2025 saves leader Seth Halvorsen is not expected to make the Opening Day roster. Vodnik notched 10 saves for the Rockies last season, posting a 3.02 ERA and 49:26 K:BB over 50.2 frames along the way. While Vodnik looks like the favorite to close games in Colorado, it's a bullpen situation fantasy managers should probably avoid.

  • Kevin Ginkel RP | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Kevin Ginkel: Role clarified

    Ginkel will be one of two right-handed relievers that will be counted on to get lefty hitters out, Michael Reynolds of MLB.com reports. Juan Morillo is the other.

    As it stands a few days before Opening Day, the Diamondbacks bullpen is made up of all right-handers. As such, Ginkel and Morillo are charged with getting tough lefties out. Ginkel's career splits are neutral (.312 OBP vs. RHH, .311 vs. LHH), but he fared better against lefties than righties in 2025, when he had a 90 OPS+ against them compared to 137 OPS+ when facing righties. Being designated to such a role, in which he could be needed for a high-leverage situation in the seventh or eighth innings, could impact his save opportunities. Arizona doesn't have a set closer, and Ginkel is expected to be part of a committee that also includes Paul Sewald and Ryan Thompson.

  • Brandyn Garcia RP | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Brandyn Garcia: Opening 2026 at Triple-A

    Arizona optioned Garcia to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

    With the move now official, the Diamondbacks will begin the 2026 campaign without a lefty in their bullpen. Garcia struggled to find the strike zone during his spring training appearances, as shown by seven walks in 6.1 innings. He'll need to shift his focus to pounding the zone at Triple-A if he wants to earn a place on the big-league roster.

  • Jason Adam RP | SD

    Padres' Jason Adam: Will start season on IL

    Padres manager Craig Stammen said Monday that Adam (quadriceps) will begin the season on the injured list, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

    Coming back from surgery last September to repair a ruptured left quadriceps tendon, Adam has retired all six batters he's faced this spring. However, Stammen said Monday that the club has "got to be smart" with Adam, who should make his season debut "sometime in April, most likely." Once deemed ready, Adam is slated to fill a setup role in front of closer Mason Miller.

  • Cionel Perez RP | WAS

    Nationals' Cionel Perez: Officially added to roster

    The Nationals selected Perez's contract from Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

    Perez was in Nats camp as a non-roster invitee and earned a spot on the Opening Day roster after permitted just one run with a 5:1 K:BB over six Grapefruit League frames. The 29-year-old will be the most experienced reliever on the Washington roster, which could give him a chance to see high-leverage innings.

  • Paxton Schultz RP | WAS

    Nationals' Paxton Schultz: Officially placed on 15-day IL

    The Nationals placed Schultz on the 15-day injured list Monday due to right elbow inflammation.

    Schultz didn't pitch in a Grapefruit League game after Feb. 28 due to his elbow injury, which is severe enough for him to open the season on the injured list. The earliest he can be activated from the IL is early April, but the Nationals have not indicated when the 28-year-old right-hander will embark on a rehab assignment.

  • Paxton Schultz RP | WAS

    Nationals' Paxton Schultz: Headed for IL

    Schultz has been contending with right elbow discomfort of late and is expected to be placed on the injured list prior to Thursday's season opener versus the Cubs, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

    The elbow injury explains why Schultz hadn't made any Grapefruit League appearances since Feb. 28. Schultz had been enjoying a strong spring prior to missing time with the injury, but with a trip to the shelf on tap to begin the season, he'll likely be eased back in as a low-leverage reliever once he's deemed ready to make his 2026 debut. The Nationals haven't provided a timeline for when Schultz might be ready to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment.

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