MLB Player News

Profar said Sunday that he's operating with no restrictions entering spring training after undergoing sports hernia surgery in November, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Though he wasn't known to be nursing an injury heading into the offseason, Profar said that he first began to feel discomfort in his core in September. He proceeded to play through the issue but then felt the discomfort crop up again early in his offseason workouts before opting for a procedure. According to Profar, he required six weeks of recovery time following surgery, but he's back to full health heading into his second season with Atlanta. Despite missing 80 games last season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in late March, Profar was one of Atlanta's more productive bats when available, slashing .245/.353/.434 with 14 home runs and and nine steals across 371 plate appearances. The 32-year-old made all but one of his 80 starts in left field in 2025, but he's expected to serve as Atlanta's primary designated hitter to begin the upcoming season after the team added Mike Yastrzemski in free agency this winter.

Tolle plans to mix in more secondary offerings to complement his fastball during the upcoming season, Christoper Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Over his 16.1 regular-season innings in the big leagues last season, Tolle's fastball averaged 96.7 miles per hour with a perceived speed of 98.7 mph due to extension and ride. The heater can be a weapon for the young left-hander, but opponents were able to hit the pitch in 2025, going 13-for-46 (.283 average) against it with a .565 slugging percentage. That's likely due to Tolle's heavy reliance on the offering, which he threw 64.1 percent of the time. Tolle feels his changeup -- which he threw just 6.9 percent of the time -- can be featured more often in 2026. Though Tolle will be given the chance to compete for the fifth spot in Boston's Opening Day rotation this spring, the fact that the 23-year-old has minor-league options remaining could work against him. Along with Tolle, Kutter Crawford, Connelly Early, Johan Oviedo and Patrick Sandoval are vying for back-end rotation spots.

Valera enters spring training under no restrictions and will compete for a spot on the 26-man roster, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Valera's previous three springs were marred by injuries, with two of them impacted by offseason rehab. He's had a normal offseason this year, and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt hopes to see the outfielder in a spring training game for the first time since he was named Cleveland's skipper prior to the 2024 season. Valera made his MLB debut in 2025, posting a .220/.333/.415 slash line with two home runs, five RBI and a 13:7 K:BB ratio over 16 contests down the stretch and into the postseason. He regularly started against right-handers and was often used as the No. 2 hitter. "He can manage an at-bat," Vogt said. "He makes great swing decisions. He's got power. He's just a good, good hitter." The 25-year-old will compete with current prospects Chase DeLauter and CJ Kayfus for a spot in the outfield/DH mix.

Benintendi anticipates focusing on getting on base rather than hitting for power in 2026, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Benintendi has hit 20 home runs in consecutive seasons, but he's gotten on base at just a .289 and .307 clip during those two campaigns. He explained that he felt added pressure to deliver power based on the lack of pop elsewhere in the White Sox's lineup, something that is expected to change in 2026 with Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami a part of the everyday starting nine. Benintendi shed weight this offseason to take pressure off his Achilles, after suffering an injury in July that nagged him for the rest of the 2025 season.

Feltner feels 100 percent healthy after dealing with back and shoulder injuries in 2025, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

Feltner was limited to only six starts due to a combination of injuries, but he spent his offseason in Florida, working out for six hours most days to improve his durability. His regimen included some traditional strength work, but he also worked with a personal trainer to better understand his movements and the strain placed on his body while on the mound. The Rockies have added several veterans to their pitching staff this offseason, but Feltner should still be a strong candidate to contribute if he can remain healthy.

Davis studied the biomechanics of his swing this offseason and has made adjustments to both his stance and swing, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Davis has reversed his scouting report as a prospect early in his big-league career, as he is now struggling as a hitter but becoming a solid defensive option at catcher. He acknowledged that he lost his rhythm at the plate and was not close to reaching an answer by solely watching film and working in the batting cage, so he worked with hitting coach Matt Hague to change his stance this offseason. Davis is reportedly more upright and no longer rests the bat on his shoulder, with the goal being to improve against high-spin and high-velocity pitches. While the Pirates remain optimistic about Davis' ability to develop as a hitter, the reality remains that he has hit just .181/.262/.294 across 660 plate appearances in the majors.

Garcia has impressed manager Don Kelly during fielding drills early in spring training, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Garcia has been a fairly well-regarded prospect due to his strong potential to hit for power, and he has displayed that ability during live batting practice early on in camp. However, with a retooled lineup, the Pirates' defensive outlook in the outfield has become a concern, so Garcia's abilities with the glove could be the key factor in his ability to earn playing time this season. He is competing for a roster spot this spring, with Jake Mangum being one of his primary competitors.

The Orioles aren't going to push Bautista (shoulder) to pitch in 2026, per MLB.com.

The hard-throwing right-hander is progressing well from right shoulder surgery in August of 2025 to repair a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum, but Baltimore has no intentions to rush Bautista back into the fray. His throwing progression will be worth monitoring, but the expectation remains that Bautista won't be much of a fantasy factor in 2026, if at all. Ryan Helsley signed a two-year contract with the O's in November and is all set to start the new season with a big opportunity to bounce back as the club's top closer, after limping to a 7.20 ERA through 20 regular-season innings with the Mets to finish last year.

Garcia is a candidate to bat in the cleanup spot this season, per Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The departure of Nick Castellanos, who was the club's primary cleanup batter a year ago, this offseason further increases Garcia's chances of beginning the new campaign as Philadelphia's No. 4 hitter. Garcia is lined up as the Phillies' top right fielder this spring, but he's turned in a sub-.700 OPS in consecutive seasons with the Rangers and enters 2026 as a late-round gamble in most fantasy leagues. That said, the prospect of batting behind All-Stars Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper offers Garcia plenty of upside for run production.

DeLuca (hamstring/quad) is likely to see regular at-bats against left-handed pitching this season, per John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times.

DeLuca stands out as one of Tampa Bay's few right-handed-hitting outfielders, considering the club's primary options consist of as lefty-hitters Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley. DeLuca ended the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list due to a right quadriceps strain, so he'll need to prove he's healthy during spring training before the Rays trust him to handle this role. The 27-year-old posted a promising .812 OPS with six stolen bases through 59 regular-season plate appearances amidst an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, and it doesn't sound like he'll open the new year in a spot for everyday action.