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RosterResource Chat - 3/19/26
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AvatarJason Martinez
2:02
7 days until Opening Day (6 days until SFG vs NYY)!!! Another fun offseason is almost in the books. Thanks to everyone who has participated in these chats. We enjoy it.

If you're not already familiar, you can keep close track of each team's final roster competitions with our Opening Day tracker (as well as many other RR features). I'd recommend the "not on projected roster/still in camp" filter.

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/opening-day-tracker?status=n...

Here we go ...
ER
2:02
Should Blackburn or Yarbs start as the 5 while Gil works out the kinks in AAA?
AvatarJon Becker
2:05
I could definitely see this, and not just because Gil has been inconsistent with both performance and velocity this spring.

Moving Blackburn or Yarbrough to the rotation until Gil's back on track (or Rodón is back, whichever comes first) opens up a spot in the bullpen. Right now, with Gil in the rotation, they've got six spots filled, so two for:

Cade Winquest (R5, can't be optioned)
Osvaldo Bido (out of options)
Jake Bird
Brent Headrick
Yerry de los Santos

I don't think they'll try to force Bido onto the roster just because he can't be optioned, but moving Yarbrough to the rotation would allow them to squeeze Winquest, Bird, and Headrick on the roster.
Rob A
2:05
Hey there - thanks for the chat and all the good work! I saw a report that the Twins will use V Caritini as the DH1 (as you also have it) so I’m wondering if you see a path to him exceeding your 400 PA projection?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:08
A few factors to consider. He's a steady bat who could hit in the middle of the lineup and can either catch, DH, or play 1B. So he should be a valuable player for the Twins and will be in the lineup on close to a regular basis as long as they are competitive. But once they're not, Caratini becomes either a trade candidate (as a backup on a contender) or not a priority to play as much so the Twins can get a closer look at their younger group of players.

Best-case for Caratini getting closer to 500-550 PA is that the Twins are better than expected and he just plays 4-5 days per week for the majority of the season.
Oaktown Blues
2:08
Will Zack Gelof make the team out of ST, and if so where does he get ABs?
AvatarJon Becker
2:10
Not implausible that he'd get a platoon OF/superutility spot over Colby Thomas or Carlos Cortes since he's getting time in CF this spring, but he's only gotten into six games and my best guess is that he's going to end up a little too far behind in game reps to end up on the roster. But he's back in the field after shoulder surgery quicker than we thought he could be and has struck out way less in his limited ST time, so it's very possible he works his way back into being a big part of the roster.
John
2:10
Biggest spring movers in terms of playing time projection / fantasy value? Maybe Coby mayo?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:13
Off the top of my head, it's probably Owen Caissie since he had very little path to playing time before the trade. Harry Ford's value is probably higher after his trade because there is a path to him being a regular catcher with the Nats. But he was locked in as the Mariners' backup catcher to start the season so his projected PA didn't go up that much.

Mayo went from almost no PA to close to 200 PA with a path to stick in the majors if he performs well. But if Westburg returns to healh and can play 3B without any issues, Mayo could be out of the mix again. Especially if he doesn't hit in April/May.
Atlanta Fan
2:13
Who has more innings this year: Ritchie or Fuentes
DP
2:13
Didier really made his case - what are the factors working against him breaking camp with the big club?
AvatarJon Becker
2:16
I'll answer these two in tandem. I think considering how good Fuentes' spring has been and adding in the fact that he's already on the 40-man, he'll have more MLB innings this year. But the Braves have a very inflexible pitching staff in terms of who can be optioned. Between SP5 and the last two bullpen spots, you have to pick three of (* = out of options):

Bryce Elder*
Dylan Dodd
José Suárez*
Fuentes
Ian Hamilton* (could also be ILed since he was behind with some nebulous "discomfort")
Martín Pérez (NRI, can opt out)

Right now we've got Elder for the rotation and Dodd and Suárez in the bullpen, but perhaps Fuentes gets SP5 and Elder ends up in the bullpen? Two long-reliever types in a bullpen isn't really sustainable, though.
Erick
2:16
parker messick is not currently projected in the guard's rotation. when do you think he makes his first start of the year there?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:19
At the moment, it looks like Allen vs Messick for one rotation spot to begin the season. For what it's worth, I have Messick with 23 projected GS and Cantillo/Allen with 21 each. So it's just a matter of how they distribute the starts throughout the season. Cantillo is out of options and I don't think he's going to be in the bullpen early on, unless it's a hybrid long-reliever/spot starter role. Allen was in the WBC and then had a rough outing when he returned. Messick doesn't have an official appearance since 3/9 but haven't heard anything about an injury.

To answer your question, though, I think the Guardians will roll with a 6-man rotation occasionally and will do so by mid-April.
Doc Estes
2:19
Just saw your comment about two long reliever types in the bull pen not being sustainable.  What do the Cubs do with Rea and Assad both projected for the pen?
AvatarJon Becker
2:21
Good point. I think with Rea and Assad we've seen enough of a stuff uptick in shorter bursts where you'd be fine with throwing them for a higher-leverage inning if needed. Not sure we'd get the same with Suárez and Elder but I like to say that Opening Day rosters are just one of 162, and there's nothing precluding the Braves from deciding to go north with as many of the OOO guys as possible and then pivot pretty quickly.
Johnny5Alive
2:22
What do the Mets do with Vientos?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:23
He's out of options so he's going to be on the team. If they were going to trade him, it would've been earlier in the offseason and not now with his trade value not likely to be great after his terrible spring. I think he'll play vs LHP and possibly in some favorable matchups vs RHP. The good news is that they're not entering the season with Vientos being an integral part of the regular lineup.
Brian
2:23
Why wouldn’t Milwaukee start megill to build value to trade. Why are we assuming uribe is the guy.
AvatarJon Becker
2:25
I doubt teams who would want Megill now or at the deadline or at any point before he's a free agent at the end of next season are going to care too much about what role he's pitching in at the time and his raw save totals. If he had never closed, sure — I think there's value in wanting to see if he has "the closer mentality" — but he's got experience there. In fact, I think the willingness to do whatever probably increases his value.
Tim
2:25
Even assuming Casas comes back at full health on time, there doesn’t appear to be a clear path back onto the MLB roster without an extended injury (Wong could play 1st in a pinch). Is he just hoping for a trade at this point?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:27
I'm sure the focus for Casas and the Red Sox is getting him back to full health before either is thinking about what happens later in the season. At that point, if things haven't changed -- still no path to MLB playing time and Casas is healthy and productive in AAA - there would be a good chance that he is traded either by the deadline or in the offseason. But his trade value isn't going up until he's back on the field and putting up good numbers again.
JamesStirling
2:27
Who will have better stats at the end of the season, Taylor Ward or Mike Trout and who will have more saves Estevez or Dominguez?
AvatarJon Becker
2:28
I'll say better rate stats for Trout, better counting stats for Ward. Just can't count on Trout to stay healthy and even if he is there'll be days off worked in, I'm sure.

As for saves, I'm starting to get pretty concerned with Estévez's lack of velo (he averaged 88 yesterday), and I don't think it's something we can assume is just going to flip on like a switch right when the season starts. So I'll say Domínguez there.
ACC
2:29
Your feelings on Carson Williams staying long term with Rays. You think he can do 20 hr/20 sb upside ?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:32
His struggles in 2025 were the reason he wasn't going to be the starting SS on Opening Day. Too much pressure early on. But Walls' injury opens up the door for him to be the starter now with a chance to keep the job. If he gets 600+ PA, there's no doubt he can go 20/20. But there might be too much swing-and-miss for him to be consistent enough for to keep the job. At least in 2026. And Ben Williamson might be legit competition for the SS job.
Espresso
2:32
Will Konnor make the team and can you see him staying up all year ? Batting high or low in order?
AvatarJon Becker
2:33
I don't see him making the team at this point unless they agree to an extension before the season starts. He really had to force the issue, and he's had some nice moments but isn't lighting the Grapefruit League on fire by any means. Once he's up — extension or not — he's the type of guy you want to be up for good, not a guy you rush and have him end up back in Triple-A.
matty25
2:34
You have Leo Jimenez starting in AAA, but he’s out of options, meaning he’d have to clear waivers. Do the Jays really risk that? They could option Lukes instead, but that feels dirty given he was hitting 2nd in the World Series.
AvatarJason Martinez
2:35
I guess we'll find out soon how much the Jays value Jimenez. Good chance he makes it thru waivers if he doesn't make the team. And, if not, the Jays can find similar players to stash in AAA for infield depth. Lukes was such an important part of the 2025 team. Would be insulting to send him back to AAA.
Legalese
2:36
When a player (LaGrange) is not even on the 40 man roster, will he be: reassigned/demoted/optioned or just quietly leaves? Does a 26 man roster (Jasson) lose his 26 man spot, and retain his 40 man spot? Thank you.
AvatarJon Becker
2:37
Love a good nomenclature question. Players not on the 40-man are reassigned when they don't make the roster out of spring training and then (in most cases) head over to minor league camp, though in some cases they're invited to stay in MLB camp even if they're not going to make the team. Someone like Jasson would be optioned to the minors and keep his 40-man spot.
miacono
2:37
Who will get the most PA @ 1B in Colorado?
AvatarJason Martinez
2:40
Still a TBD and it hasn't changed too much from my early offseason assessment, which was Johnston/Crim platoon to start the season. Rumfield gets a chance as the "vs RHP" at some point. If someone like Amador, Ritter, or Karros force their way into the starting lineup, Edouard Julien would also get a lot of 1B starts. And then, if Charlie Condon has a big season in the upper minors, he could be the starting 1B by season's end.

Only thing that has changed with 1 week to go is that Rumfield/Johnston is a very close competition and it could go either way.

Current projected playing time ... https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/opening-day-tracker?status=n...
GBS42
2:41
Do you expect Eldridge to make the Opening Day roster for SF, and how many games at 1B do you think he'll play this season?
AvatarJon Becker
2:43
I'd be very surprised if he didn't. He's still striking out a lot but that might just be part of his game, and otherwise he's done everything they could have asked from him so far. Right now we've got a vast majority of his playing time at DH, with 84 PA (20ish games) at 1B.
Max
2:43
The battle between Mick Abel and Zebby Matthews for that 5th MIN rotation spot seems tough. Abel has looked great and Zebby still has options, but it still feels like the org may go for the guy who's been there longer. What confidence level do you have in predicting Abel gets that spot? Thanks for doing this and all your work!
AvatarJason Martinez
2:47
Both have been in the majors. Both struggled. But since Zebby is a homegrown guy, I gave him a slight edge throughout the offseason. But that's not enough to hold off a guy who has been nearly perfect in ST (13.1 IP, 2 ER, BB, 17 K) when Zebby hasn't been very good this spring. Still unsettled but Abel is clearly winning the competition based on ST numbers.
Max
2:47
Eloy Jimenez has been a nice surprise in ST, but I can't see how TOR would get him on the roster. What's your best guess about what they do?
AvatarJon Becker
2:48
I just saw a couple days ago that he doesn't have an opt out at the end of spring training and also told Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet that he's willing to go to Triple-A, so I think he made that decision a lot easier for the Jays, frankly. Would be a really inelegant roster fit for right now and it's probably a relief to the Jays that they don't have to risk him opting out and going elsewhere.
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