Even though a single Spring Training game has yet to be played, we’ve received a ton of injury-related news. Some of it has been good, while some of it has not. Nonetheless, injury news does provide fantasy baseball players with an opportunity to take advantage.
Schewellenbach & Waldrep
Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both have elbow problems, which highly complicate their fantasy status for 2026. Schwellenbach had surgery to remove bone spurs this week. Waldrep, meanwhile, will undergo surgery to clean up loose bodies in his elbow.
The former would have easily been in the top 200 — and likely, top 100 — had he been healthy this season. Schwellenbach has been a fantasy behemoth since arriving in the Majors in 2024, as the right-hander struck out 235 in 234.1 IP, posted a sub-3.30 ERA, and has a career WHIP of 1.01.
Waldrep’s situation was a little different. The right-hander ranked #172 in our initial top 200, on the heels of what was a fantastic final few weeks last season. The right-hander figured things out thanks to leveraging a cutter he did not have in his rookie season, giving him a good primary fastball to work with after his four-seam fastball (5.9% Whiff%) did not miss many at-bats in 2024 at the MLB level.
Whether Waldrep was going to make the Braves’ Opening Day roster was a question to be asked. Even though Waldrep posted a sub-3.00 ERA and struck out 55 over 56 innings, Atlanta has pitchers who don’t have options left, like Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz. Waldrep does, although that point is moot given he’ll start on the 60-day IL.
Manager Walt Weiss stated that he wasn’t sure whether either would pitch in the Majors this season. Nonetheless, Schwellenbach is worth a waiver stash for now. But as far as drafting is concerned, neither should be in the picture for now, unless it’s a final-round longshot pick.
Pablo Lopez
This is why, unless it’s unavoidable, scheduling drafts for February is a bad idea.
Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez suffered a UCL tear and may undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2026 season before it even started.
For those who drafted Lopez already, there’s no sugar-coating the news. Those who haven’t dodged a bullet, as Lopez was a prime bounce-back candidate for 2026.
On an aside, it’ll make things interesting for the Twins’ rotation in 2026. Joe Ryan lines up to be the ace, while Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, and Simeon Woods Richardson were likely rotation locks. Minnesota has some other young pitchers, including Mick Abel, who could benefit from the injury.
Zack Wheeler
There was some good news early on in the spring, as the Phillies stated that Zack Wheeler won’t be far behind the big club when the team moves north for Opening Day.
Since 2020, Wheeler has been one of the best starting pitchers in fantasy. Hence, why he is a top 150 player.
Rodon & Cole
Like the Phillies, Yankees fans received good news regarding Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole. Both are progressing well. Manager Aaron Boone stated that the two have progressed well and could pitch this spring in Grapefruit League games.
Rodon had surgery to shave down a bone spur and remove loose bodies, not as significant as Cole’s UCL reconstruction surgery. But since Cole is nearly 12 months removed from his surgery, he could be back in short order after Opening Day.
Both have significant upside, as the two are former 200-strikeout pitchers who could provide major value for those who are smart.
Unlike Schwellenbach and Waldrep, both Cole and Rodon have clearer paths to the rotation, simply because those two are months removed from their respective surgeries. Plan on grabbing one late if you can.
Check out more of our fantasy coverage, including a look at the top rookie hitters to watch for 2026.