Westburg Will BRB From PRP On His ARM

Jordan Westburg is dealing with a partially torn UCL. “Don’t worry,” a fantasy baseball ‘pert once said, “There’s a few mid-level 2nd basemen and 3rd basemen to draft.” Another fantasy baseball ‘pert said, “There’s no fretting but fretting itself,” he said misquoting FDR like he was a 1950’s Southern woman. Now, that guy who is me, is over here looking at Blaze Alexander. What have ye wrought?! “It’s JUST BLAZE,” said like a rap ad lib, “Is not good with the bat, so now what, Sherlock?” If your name’s not Sherlock, ignore. There’s been an ungodly number of early injuries to hitters this year, right? There’s always pitcher injuries. Sorry, just facts here. But this many early hitter injuries? Come on, Fantasy Baseball Overlord, cut us some slack! So, the Orioles said Westburg would miss at least April, and hold off on Tommy John surgery for now, opting for PRP injections. Um, yeah, sure. I moved Westburg down in the 2nd basemen rankings and 3rd basemen rankings, and moved Coby Mayo up in the 1st basemen rankings. I didn’t bother with JUST BLAZE. I don’t think he gets more than 300 ABs and they won’t be good 300 ABs. Though, I do like saying JUST BLAZE! Anyway, here’s what else I saw this offseason for 2026 fantasy baseball:

PSYCHE! Before the recap, just wanted to say my top 500 and all my 2026 fantasy baseball rankings are updated as soon as possible. Also, Rudy’s War Room is updated multiple times per day, and in-season subscriptions are open for business. Buy a subscription and save a cowboy. Anyway II, the roundup:

Nick Castellanos – Released by the Phils. Aw, too bad, so sad. Any hoo! I moved Justin Crawford up into the top 80 outfielders. Admittedly, I’ve been champing at the bit to move up Crawford for months. So much so, I made a point of learning it was champing and not chomping. I kinda wanna move him up even more. Not evermore, I ain’t Edgar Allan Poe. But about Justin, I do be Raven! As for Castellanos, he was picked up by the Padres, which is great for him since San Diego is closer to the home of Modelo, Corona and other imported beers. I’m tempted to leave Castellanos off the rankings, because I don’t know what his playing time is like in San Diego, and he’s been so bad of late, but I left him in the top 100 outfielders.

Rhys Hoskins – Signed with the Guards. No one loves a prospblock like the Guardians. Connoisseurs of halting service time. A savant of cheapness. Hoskins will likely push Kayfus to the minors for a few months, which makes Rhys’s pieces of playing time ET (Extra Terrible). Updated in the 1st basemen rankings.

Luis Rengifo – Signed by the Brewers. Ugh, the one place where he will actually get at-bats. Why ugh, prematurely balding man and women who love them? I’ll tell ya! Because I always get suckered into liking Rengifo and if he has at-bats…[being drawn into the Rengifo vortex] Help! It’s happening again! He was updated in the 2nd basemen rankings.

Zac Gallen – Re-signed with the DBacks. That always seemed to be the way this was headed. Makes you wonder if any other team really sees Gallen for who he is. [envisioning another team looking at Gallen] “Is that a banana?” Wow, yeah, so clearly they don’t know what to do with him. So, Gallen’s got some issues under the hood: Strikeout rate plummeting; walk rate above three per nine; xFIP at 4.12; ERA at 4.83; giving up a ton of homers; hmm, maybe he’d be better as a banana. The “good” thing, and those quotes were necessary, is that his price is fairly cheap and he throws 190-ish IP and should be young enough to still fix whatever broke last year, because in prior years he was still fine. His velocity was okay too. If the price isn’t this cheap, though, I’m not interested. Updated in top 60 starters.

Nathaniel Lowe – Signed with, who else, the Reds. They really have an addiction to cornermen. It’s incredibly troubling. Is there a 12 step program for them? Maybe they can make amends to Christian Encarnacion-Strand? This better not prospblock Sal Stewart.

Shane Bieber – Will start the year on the IL and is dealing with a forearm issue that is lingering from last year. Ridiculous to think I’m drafting him, so he was removed from the top 60 starters and pitchers pairing tool. Sorry if you drafted him in the two weeks between me twisting my own arm to like him and now.

Tommy Edman – Behind on his recovery from ankle surgery. Aw, Tommy Sadman. Any hoo! 2nd basemen rankings were updated with Hyeseong Kim upped.

Hurston Waldrep – Elbow soreness and they found loose bodies. That’s what happens when David Caruso is your doctor. [whips off sunglasses] This starter is…unappetizing. He was removed from the top 100 starters.

Pablo Lopez – Had Tommy John surgery after they found significant tearing of his UCL and he was removed from the top 60 starters. In his blurb, that I wrote back in December, I said I didn’t believe the Twins’ President when he said Lopez was healthy. I know I’m not a genie, because I don’t live inside a lamp. I’m not a psychic, because I don’t have millions of dollars from past lottery wins. So, how did I know this and the Twins weren’t able to send Lopez for elbow surgery roughly seven months ago to speed up his recovery timetable? I honestly have no idea. I feel like there could be a job for me in MLB where I just go around and say, “No, don’t rehab him, send him for surgery.” I’m the No Rehab Guy. On my LinkedIn profile, it’s Grey Albright, NRG, and I’m dressed like I’m at a rave. I don’t have a medical license, and I don’t even fully understand what anything inside the body does. A liver? I haven’t the faintest, but I can tell a team when to send a guy for surgery.

Joe Ryan – Dealing with lower back inflammation. So, not good, but not moving him yet in the rankings, because there’s time for him to get right in the back and be fine by Opening Day, but will need to see some throwing in the next few days and–well, I know the Twins don’t have a LF, SS, DH or 3rd thru 5th starter, but do they have a trainer?

Edwin Uceta – Dealing with shoulder inflammation. Rays don’t have a closer, and Uceta was a big part of that. I’ve updated the Rays’ pen in the top 500, taking Uceta from 2nd to 3rd most likely to get saves in a pen where no one will be.

Ramon Urias – Signed with the Cards. From Urias’s time on the Orioles, he has listed on his LinkedIn page, “Prospblock.” Pretty sure the Cards will find a reason to not begin the year with Wetherholt and it rhymes with Ramon Uranus. A great name for a proctologist, by the way.

Jesus Sanchez – Traded to the Jays. Wonder if MLB GMs start trade discussions now, “So, you know this player is a switch hitter, right? He’s gonna cost you.” Then they laugh for five mins until finally, “Okay let’s get serious.” If you don’t get the joke, google Chris Getz and Luisangel. So, Sanchez goes from one platoon situation to another and takes over for Nathan Lukes as the strong side of the left field situation, after they lost Santander. Don’t think it changes much of anything for him. Jays lose a Santa and gain a Jesus. He’s in the top 100 outfielders.

Joey Loperfido – Traded back to the Astros. This feels like one of those deals where you give your son your Ratt vinyl album, Round and Round, and he holds the album to his ear because he doesn’t understand how albums work, then he uses it as a placemat to roll his weed, so you’re like, “Forget it! I’m taking it back! You don’t know wonderful!” Astros knew how to use Loperfido, but Jays never did. Don’t expect a ton here, but he becomes worthwhile in deeper leagues, and was added to the rankings. By the way, Astros’ outfield is hideous. Jake Meyers, Zach Cole, Joey Loperfido? That sounds like two NBC 2000’s sitcom actors and a late night host. “How ya doin’?” “Not so well!” Loperfido is now in the top 100 outfielders.