NL-LABR 2026: LIMA with a wrinkle

NL LABR came at me fast this year. My plan was to spend $65-70 on pitching and load up the bats with $17-20/per across the board. Unfortunately, many other teams had the same plan, so had to adjust mid-flight.

The first pitcher on the board ended up being Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes (RHP, PIT) who I had valued at a whopping $54 for 2026 in this format. I was never going to spend $54—my budget says “cross him off” before the bidding even started. But he stalled at $34 and I am ever mindful of the old gaming advice of “take the larger profit on big names early while everyone is still settling in” and this was it. I went $35, crickets after that, and I was off to a roaring start, the proud owner of a shiny Skenes, ready to blow up this league. 

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But reality set in quick, as those extra dollars kept getting me outbid over and over on offense. I am pretty good at staying disciplined but soon I ran out of useful offense players. Here is what I got:

ss	Trea Turner (SS, PHI)	$29
mi	Geraldo Perdomo (MI, ARI)	$21
of	Teoscar Hernández (OF, LA)	$19
2b	Brandon Lowe (2B, PIT)	$16
ut	Jorge Polanco (UT, NYM)	$16
of	Adolis García (OF, PHI)	$15
1b	Sal Stewart (1B, CIN)	$15
of	Jurickson Profar (suspended for all 2026)	$14
	(8 players for $145)
	still needed C, C, 3B, CI, OF, OF and eight pitchers

I will stop right here for a moment because two days after the auction, Jurickson Profar (OF, ATL) took a 162-game suspension and in a deep league like this, that kind of smack in the mouth before half of spring training is over hurts. I did not know I would need outfield depth out of the gate when in the auction, but you always want contingencies and I tried to find some. More on that later.

So I had Skenes and I had a reasonable core of bats (understand that this is not mixed--this is a deep league and the totals you need for this are far lower but the options for replacements are far few and in-between). I also had only $80 and needed an entire pitching staff to go with my 6 more bats.

My next chunk of players were just grabbing from what the table gave me. Which was not much at all, since most teams were also fighting for bats in the exact same way, spending about the same money. If there is one thing you must do at an auction like this, it is zig when they zag and spend your money differently from the table. This year, I did not really do that, and it was compounded my new bestie, Paul Skenes. Here is what I got:

rp	Ryan Walker (RP, SF)	$13
of	Harrison Bader (OF, SF)	$11
sp	Sean Manaea (SP, NYM)	$10
3b	Nolan Arenado (3B, ARI)	$10
c	Freddy Fermin (C, SD)	$8
c	Harry Ford (C, WAS)	$7
sp	Brady Singer (SP, CIN)	$5
of	Gavin Sheets (SD, OF)	$4
	(now at 17 players for $248)
	still needed a CI and five pitchers

I mean, that was a rough stretch. Ryan Walker (RHP, SF) needs to be better than he was in 2025. Harrison Bader (OF, SF) needs to stay healthy. Sean Manaea (RHP, NYM) needs to stay healthy. Nolan Arenado (3B, ARI) needs to find the Fountain of Youth. Freddy Fermin (C, SD) and Harry Ford (C, WAS) need to play regularly. Brady Singer (RHP, CIN) needs to avoid the HR in Cincinnati. Gavin Sheets (OF, SD) was at least cheap--and should get eligibility at 1B, which I will need since I have $1 for corner infield. I also have Jorge Polanco (2B, NYM) at UT, so he should be a 1B/2B in short order and I can use him—which is especially important now that Profar is out all year.

But honestly, meh. This is ok, not great. And just $12 for five pitchers and a CI. While non-sexy players are great for driving a little profit, it was hard sledding in this auction even for that. If this bunch can hold to their projections collectively, it should be ok. Should. But that is a big ask. Just gotta keep punching.

In the end game, I am pretty comfortable with $12 for six players, especially when five are pitchers. I have been here before. I like to chase upside here, and if someone doesn't work out, I am ruthless in-season with cut and replace. My first swings:

rp	Paul Sewald (RP, ARI)	$4
sp	Robby Snelling (SP, MIA)	$3
sp	Landen Roupp (SP, SF)	$2
sp	River Ryan (SP, LA)	$1
rp	Aaron Ashby (RP, MIL)	$1
ci	Carlos Santana(!) (CI, ARI)	$1
	(all $ spent)
	six reserves to go

I don't hate this grouping for the money spent. Paul Sewald (RHP, ARI) just might end up closing for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His velo is up, and you know the Dbacks don't really want to use Kevin Ginkel (RHP, ARI) as a closer. He has tried it before; it never works out. Ryan Thompson (RHP, ARI)? Dude throws slop. I am hopeful for my $4. It is not impossible, though, that Sewald just gets cut. In that case, I'll do the same.

Robby Snelling (LHP, MIA) is likely to begin 2026 in the minors for the Miami Marlins. But I like what he did in 2025 and I think he will be up in May, if not before. I can grab a fill-in until then. Similarly, Landen Roupp (RHP, SF) is going to be in the rotation for the San Francisco Giants. He could be at least as good as Singer; maybe better. Need the innings and just want the ERA/WHIP under control. River Ryan (RHP, LA) is back and displaying his nasty stuff this spring. Yes, I want that. He doesn't have a set role yet, but this is one pitcher that I think can earn his way onto the Los Angeles Dodgers in a meaningful role.

My last player in the auction was Carlos Santana (1B, ARI). I have no idea if he has anything left in the tank, but the Arizona Diamondbacks are going to find out. If not, I will be able to move Gavin Sheets or Jorge Polanco to CI quickly enough and find someone else for OF or UT.

And that gets me to the six-man reserve list. LABR has some quirky rules based mainly on how stats were compiled and roster moves were made in the 1980s and early 1990s. The active players have to be active or cut. They cannot be reserved. The only players who can go back and forth are the six-reserve players. So these selections are key, even though there is slim pickings for these dart throws. I selected 14th of 15 on top of that problem (it is a snake draft). Here is who I got:

res	Nathan Church (OF, STL)
res	Troy Johnston (1B/OF, COL)
res	Calvin Faucher (RP, MIA)
res	Juan Mejia (RP, COL)
res	Joel Peguero (RP, SF)
res	Connor Phillips (RP, CIN)

It is my hope that Nathan Church (OF, STL) will win at least a part-time role with the St. Louis Cardinals out of spring training. If he does, he will slot in for Profar. If not, I will need to spend FAAB before the season even starts trying to find an OF. Troy Johnston (1B/OF, COL) may get a reserve role with the Colorado Rockies, but this is not really a big upside play. This is an “I need depth at CI” play. Let's see if he gives me any. 

After that, it was darts at relievers--which is what I love to do. Pete Fairbanks (RHP, MIA) is the Miami Marlins closer right now, but he is going to have to stay healthy and throw strikes to stay there. Otherwise it will be Plan B—Calvin Faucher (RHP, MIA). The Colorado Rockies pen is a mixed bag but I believe Juan Mejia (RHP, COL) has the best skill set in that pen and could emerge as a closer at some point. It may not be great ERA/WHIP overall, but saves are saves and they are always in demand. I have Ryan Walker and took Joel Peguero (RHP, SF) as a bit of insurance behind Walker, if he falters as he did in 2025. And I closed it out with Cincinnati Reds reliever Connor Phillips (RHP, CIN) who I think is overqualified to be a reliever and could work out really well if he finds a set leverage role in that pen. 

There is a lot of “hope”, “if” and “maybe” with this team, but that is what happens sometimes in NL-only. If I can sort out the offense (starting with Profar's slot), this team can contend. If not, it will be a long summer.

Find me on BlueSky @dougdennis.bsky.social or in the weekly bullpen column here on Baseball HQ.

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