MLB Baseball 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 17, 2026, 5:30 PM ET
American League Pitching Updates
The Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is scheduled for his first spring training appearance following his recovery from Tommy John surgery, marking a major milestone in his return timetable for the American League East contenders. Conversely, the White Sox confirmed RHP Mike Vasil will undergo season-ending Tommy John procedure after experiencing elbow soreness during Saturday's exhibition start, immediately sidelining the prospect for the entire 2024 campaign. These developments frame sharply contrasting outlooks for two divisional rivals heading into the regular season schedule.
Fantasy Baseball Outlook
As player evaluations continue, fantasy baseball managers finalized their 2026 projections during ESPN's final head-to-head points mock draft, showcasing round-by-round selections and the resulting roster allocations for the ten simulated teams. This exercise provides prospective insight into player valuations ahead of upcoming drafts, even if the specific results are for a future season cycle.