Evan Carter Sitting Against Lefty on Opening Day

Texas Rangers left-handed-hitting outfielder Evan Carter will take a seat on the bench on Thursday for the team's Opening Day contest against the Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander Cristopher Sanchez at Citizens Bank Park, according to MLB.com. Wyatt Langford is moving to center, while Sam Haggerty will make the start in left field and bat ninth […]

Chandler Simpson Absent From Opening Day Lineup

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson will start Opening Day on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals on the bench, according to MLB.com. The Rays will roll with Ryan Vilade (batting second) in left field, Cedric Mullins (batting eighth) in center field, and Jonny DeLuca (batting sixth) in right field against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore. […]

Justin Crawford Batting Ninth in MLB Debut on Thursday

Philadelphia Phillies rookie outfielder Justin Crawford is starting in center field and batting ninth for the Phillies in his major-league debut on Thursday on Opening Day against the visiting Texas Rangers and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, according to MLB.com. Crawford earned a spot on the team's Opening Day roster after hitting .250 (13-for-52) with no homers, […]

Miguel Andujar the DH and Batting Fifth on Opening Day

San Diego Padres outfielder Miguel Andujar is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth for the Padres on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander Tarik Skubal, according to MLB.com. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups will want to avoid Andujar against the reigning American League Cy Young winner. In […]

Matt Wallner Starting Against a Lefty on Opening Day

Minnesota Twins left-handed-hitting outfielder Matt Wallner is in right field and is batting fifth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles and left-hander Trevor Rogers at Camden Yards, according to MLB.com. At least to begin the season, the Twins plan to play Wallner every day, even though he has just a .641 OPS […]

Taylor Ward in Leadoff Spot in Orioles Debut

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward is starting in left field and will bat in the leadoff spot in his debut with the team on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Minnesota Twins and right-hander Joe Ryan, according to MLB.com. In his career against Ryan, Ward is hitless in six at-bats with an RBI. At […]

Luisangel Acuna Gets Nod in Center Field on Opening Day

Chicago White Sox outfielder Luisangel Acuna is starting in center field and is batting ninth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Jacob Misiorowski at American Family Field, according to MLB.com. Acuna joined the Pale Hose this offseason and will operate as the club's regular center fielder to begin the 2026 […]

Dylan Beavers Not in Opening Day Lineup

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Dylan Beavers (knee, quadriceps) is out of the team's Opening Day lineup on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. Tyler O'Neill is starting in right field and will hit sixth for the O's against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. Beavers isn't quite ready to make his 2026 debut after sitting out of action […]

Mets Sign Tommy Pham to a Minor-League Deal

The New York Mets have signed outfielder Tommy Pham to a minor-league contract, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com. Pham remained a free agent throughout all of spring training, which means he hasn't played in a game since September 28, 2025, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He'll presumably need to ramp back up before he reports […]

Matt Shaw Makes Outfield Debut on Opening Day

Chicago Cubs infielder Matt Shaw will bat ninth and play right field during Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field. Between the minors and majors, Shaw has never played the outfield in a regular-season contest. However, he did spend 50 innings in right field and 14 innings in center field during […]

Jake Bauers Starting in Left Field on Opening Day

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jake Bauers will bat fifth and play left field during Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Chicago White Sox. Bauers wasn't projected to start, but he ended up getting into the lineup after starting left fielder Jackson Chourio (hand) was placed on the injured list just hours before first pitch. With Chourio […]

Christian Yelich Expected to Play the Outfield

Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich is expected to handle more appearances in the outfield as the 2026 season gets underway. After the team placed Jackson Chourio (hand) on the 10-day injured list, manager Pat Murphy said, "[Yelich] wants to play the outfield, and I think he will." This was widely expected as soon as […]

Carson Benge Batting Eighth in MLB Debut

New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge is batting eighth and playing right field as he makes his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day. Benge, the Mets' first-round pick in 2024, ascended from High-A to Triple-A last year, and now, he's opening the 2026 season in the majors. He earned the start after […]

Jackson Chourio Placed on Injured List with Fractured Hand

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left hand, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. He is expected to miss two to four weeks. This is crushing news for the Brewers, just hours before their Opening Day contest against the Chicago White Sox. Chourio was […]

Updated Waiver Wire Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Pickups Include Chase DeLauter, Jordan Romano, Kodai Senga, Sal Stewart, Cam Smith, Jack Leiter

Opening Day has finally arrived! Most fantasy baseball leagues have drafted, but it's never too early to start reviewing the waiver wire. At RotoBaller HQ, we kick off our mid-week waiver wire series for leagues that allow daily moves with our updated mid-week fantasy baseball waiver rankings for Week 1 -- March 25  through March […]

MLB Home Run Player Prop Bets Today: Best Hitter HR Props (3/26/2026)

Welcome Back, RotoBallers! It is Opening Day! I'm so glad to be back writing MLB content again. Last year was extremely fun, and I'm excited to have another fun season. We had multiple big days last season filled with big wins! Let's hope we can crush the season and start with an Opening Day winner! […]

Hitter Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups - Nick Mariano's Picks After The Draft

Welcome to our hitter fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups after the draft! You can see our pitcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups as well. The beginning of the 2026 major league season is is here, which means our focus is shifting from draft day to the precious waiver wire. Those who have already drafted are […]

2026 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: Eric Cross' Top 25 Rookies for Drafts (March Updates)

We're now officially in the heart of fantasy baseball draft season, with Opening Day approaching quickly. Regardless of what format you play in, high-upside rookies are always going to be intriguing. Grabbing the next prospect to ascend to star or superstar status is always rewarding and can be a part of your fantasy team's success. […]

Heliot Ramos Hitting Sixth For Giants on Opening Night

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos is starting in left field and batting sixth for the Giants on Opening night at Oracle Park on Wednesday against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Max Fried, according to MLB.com. It's a tough matchup, and many DFS managers won't feel comfortable pulling the trigger on Ramos in […]

MLB DFS Picks for 3/26/26: Daily Fantasy Baseball Strategy and Tips For FanDuel, DraftKings

Opening Day is finally here after a long wait, and it feels like Christmas for us in the baseball community. For those who don't know me, I am Casey Wilson and have been leading our MLB DFS team here at RotoBaller for the last three seasons. I am very grateful to be back representing an […]

Jerar Encarnacion Not in Opening Day Lineup Against Yankees

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnacion is not in the team's starting lineup on Opening Day on Wednesday evening at Oracle Park against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Max Fried, according to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. Rafael Devers is serving as the Giants' designated hitter, with infielder Casey Schmitt making […]

Lars Nootbaar Will Begin the Season on 60-Day Injured List

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (heels) was placed on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. This means the left-handed hitter will be out until at least late May as he recovers from offseason surgery to both of his heels. The team was hoping to avoid a 60-day IL stint, but instead, Nathan Church, Thomas […]

Dylan Beavers "Feels Ready to Go" for Opening Day

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Dylan Beavers (knee) said he "peeled back" on activity that irritated his right knee/quadriceps and has been receiving treatment, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Beavers had a full work day on Tuesday, including running the bases, and "feels ready to go" for Opening Day on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. […]

Zach Cole Optioned to Triple-A

The Houston Astros optioned outfield prospect Zach Cole to Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Cole loses out on the final roster spot for Opening Day to infield prospect Brice Matthews. The 25-year-old hit just .200 (8-for-40) with two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, five stolen bases, […]

Brice Matthews Makes Opening Day Roster

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews has made the team's Opening Day roster, according to The Athletic's Chandler Rome. Matthews did so by hitting .250 (9-for-36) with a home run, 10 RBI, six runs scored, nine walks, and 13 strikeouts in 45 plate appearances and 16 games played this spring. The 24-year-old former first-rounder in […]

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to Play in Minor-League Games

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) will play in minor-league games soon as a designated hitter, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Gurriel has taken part in defensive drills and shagging, but he has yet to play the outfield in a game this spring. He's getting close to playing on defense, though. "Defensively […]

Key Spring Training News for Fantasy Baseball Drafts: Hot/Cold Players, Injury Concerns

Spring training is winding down, and the first game that actually counts is tomorrow as the Giants and Yankees open up the regular season! How much do we read into spring training results? The old joke is that if a player that you're high on has a good spring, then the results matter. If they […]

7 Fantasy Baseball Bold Predictions - Jarod Rupp's 2026 Picks

As spring training wraps up and the last fantasy drafts of the 2026 MLB season take place, let's have a little fun with some bold predictions! Now, these are bold predictions, which, by their nature, are long shots. However, I'll make the case for each, and even if they don't come fully true, perhaps they […]

8 Prospect Fantasy Baseball Breakouts, Stashes

Targeting high-end prospects in the final rounds of your draft is the key to building a successful fantasy baseball roster. Last season, several prospects such as Nolan McLean, Cam Schlittler, and Nick Kurtz became high-end assets as soon as they earned the call to the majors. In this piece, we will spotlight eight prospects that […]

MLB Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First Before Opening Day [2026]

With spring training in the books and Opening Day just hours away, it's time to update our power rankings. Who is emerging as an early-season World Series? Who has fallen down our rankings after spring training? Let's dive in!Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources: Fantasy baseball draft kit […]