April 8, 2026
Cleveland Guardians top infield prospect
Travis Bazzana is quickly approaching his MLB debut. The former first overall pick battled injuries during the 2025 campaign but was very effective when on the field. He spent 51 games with Double-A, where he posted a .256/.364/.426 slash line with 12 doubles, five home runs, and nine stolen bases. He then moved up to Triple-A Columbus, where he continued to make steady progress, posting a .225/.420/.438 line with a .858 OPS. During this 26-game stint, the former Oregon State standout launched four home runs. He was sent back to Columbus to open the 2026 season and has held a .231/.333/.385 line with two doubles and two stolen bases over a short nine-game stint. With shortstop
Gabriel Arias (hamstring) recently shifted to the 10-day injured list, a strong stretch could push Bazzana to the majors much sooner than expected. For now, he is a top stash option for those in deeper 12+ team formats with N/A spots.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 8, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter
Marcell Ozuna will start Wednesday's series finale against the San Diego Padres on the bench again, according to MLB.com. Outfielder
Ryan O'Hearn is serving as the designated hitter and will bat cleanup for the Bucs against Padres right-hander
Michael King. The 35-year-old Ozuna is really struggling at the plate in his first year in the Steel City, going 2-for-31 (.065) with four walks and eight strikeouts in eight games played. It's the third time in four games that Ozuna has started on the bench for the Pirates. Ozuna isn't striking out all that much, but he's making alarmingly weak contact so far in his 14th MLB season. It's still early, but fantasy managers might already be panicking about Ozuna in his new digs.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
San Francisco Giants first base prospect
Bryce Eldridge remains a high-priority hitting prospect to stash. Eldridge was in serious contention to break camp with the MLB roster but ultimately fell short in the competition for the first base/DH job. However, given that Eldridge reached the majors last season and played at a high level in the minor leagues, he should be in the mix to return to San Francisco very early in the 2026 campaign. Through his first 10 games at Triple-A this season, Eldridge has held a .250/.438/.333 line with a .771 OPS. While he has yet to go deep, he has tallied three doubles while holding a 16:9 K:BB. In 2025, Eldridge launched 25 home runs over 104 MiLB contests while posting an .843 OPS. Currently, the Giants are relying on
Casey Schmitt at first base, but he has posted a modest .739 OPS through nine games. Given Eldridge's high-power skill set, he should be viewed as a top stash candidate as he would possess nearly 20-HR as soon as he earns the call.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 8, 2026
The Seattle Mariners announced on Wednesday that they placed outfielder
Victor Robles (pectoral) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 7) with a right-pectoral strain and selected the contract of infielder/outfielder
Connor Joe from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move. Robles apparently injured himself in the game on Monday against the Texas Rangers. The 28-year-old Dominican began the 2026 season in a reserve outfield role for the M's, playing in five games while going 3-for-13 (.231) with an RBI and a stolen base. Joe will be the Mariners' fourth outfielder for as long as Robles is sidelined with his injury. Robles, once a top prospect for the Washington Nationals, never really panned out. He had a career-high 17 home runs in his first full season in D.C. in 2019, but he hasn't come anywhere close to that kind of production since. Speed is Robles' greatest asset in deep fantasy leagues, but playing time will likely continue to be an issue.
--Keith HernandezSource: Mariners PR
April 8, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot (hip) threw a bullpen session on March 23 and received an injection on March 25. He also threw another bullpen on Tuesday and will progress to facing hitters in live batting practice. Pepiot will likely go on a minor-league rehab assignment before coming off the 15-day injured list, per MLB.com. The Rays placed him on the IL on March 22 with right-hip inflammation. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, Pepiot could rejoin Tampa's starting rotation before the end of April. Until the 28-year-old can return, right-hander
Joe Boyle should remain in the Rays' rotation. Pepiot should be stashed in most fantasy baseball leagues until he can make his 2026 season debut. In his second year in Tampa in 2025, he went 11-12 with a career-high 3.86 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 167:61 K:BB in 167 2/3 innings over a career-high 31 starts. He's currently rostered in 89% of Yahoo leagues despite his hip injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander
Hunter Dobbins (knee) allowed just an earned run on five hits while walking one and striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings pitched in a minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. He threw 62 of his 91 pitches for strikes. Dobbins was not ready to make his Cardinals debut to start the 2026 season while recovering from ACL surgery, but after throwing 91 pitches on Tuesday, he should be close to being activated from the 15-day injured list. So far on his rehab assignment, Dobbins has given up four runs with three walks and 10 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings pitched. When cleared, Dobbins should immediately join St. Louis' starting rotation in the big leagues. The 26-year-old isn't a dominant arm and had a modest 17.6% strikeout rate with the Red Sox in his big-league debut in 2025, which will limit his fantasy appeal to mainly deep-mixed and NL-only leagues when he joins the Red Birds.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
April 8, 2026
Boston Red Sox right-hander
Johan Oviedo (elbow) has a flexor strain in his right elbow and is being shut down for six weeks, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. For now, Oviedo will undergo surgery, but he's obviously facing an extended absence and may not be an option again for Boston's starting rotation until the second half of the season. Expect the team to shift him from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL soon. The 28-year-old Cuban hurler only made one appearance out of the bullpen for Boston this year before his injury, allowing four earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out three in 3 2/3 innings pitched. In addition to concerns about his control on the mound, Oviedo has also had plenty of durability questions, and his latest injury only exacerbates that. If Oviedo can avoid going under the knife in 2026, don't be surprised if he's brought back as a long reliever or swing man for the Red Sox later this season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
April 8, 2026
Cleveland Guardians shortstop
Gabriel Arias (hamstring) is expected to miss four to eight weeks after being diagnosed with a moderate-grade left-hamstring strain, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The Guardians placed Arias on the 10-day injured list, but he'll be out well beyond that and might not rejoin the team until around mid-May. The slick-fielding infielder injured his hamstring running out a double in Monday's loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Brayan Rocchio has shifted over to the 6 from second base, opening up playing time at the keystone in Cleveland for rookie
Juan Brito and Daniel Schneeman in a platoon. Brito had two hits in his first MLB game on Tuesday, but Schneeman is expected to see the strong side of the platoon against right-handed pitchers. Arias has hit .200 (6-for-30) with two home runs, four RBI, and two runs scored in his first 10 games of 2026. The light-hitting middle infielder only has 27 home runs in five MLB seasons, so he's not exactly a big fantasy asset.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
April 8, 2026
X-rays came back negative on Philadelphia Phillies catcher
J.T. Realmuto's foot on Wednesday night, but he will take a seat for Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
Rafael Marchan will do the catching for right-hander Aaron Mahle and will face Giants right-hander
Tyler Mahle. The 35-year-old Realmuto was pulled from the game in the second inning on Tuesday after he was hit in the right foot by a foul tip while catching in the first inning. The Phillies have a day off on Friday, so Realmuto may be back behind the plate for the Phillies for Friday's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The three-time All-Star has gone 6-for-25 (.240) in the early going in 2026 with a home run, an RBI, four runs scored, five walks, and six strikeouts in nine games played. Check back on Realmuto's status on Friday and consider him day-to-day for now. Marchan has never faced Mahle in his career and should be avoided in DFS, likely hitting ninth for the Phils on Wednesday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Todd Zolecki
April 8, 2026
The Cincinnati Reds announced on Wednesday that they have designated infielder
Christian Encarnacion-Strand for assignment. Encarnacion-Strand didn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, and now he's off the 40-man roster entirely. The 26-year-old former fourth-rounder by the Minnesota Twins in 2021 out of Oklahoma State was an intriguing corner-infield power bat when he first arrived in the big leagues in Cincy in 2023. Encarnacion-Strand hit .270/.328/.477 with an .805 OPS, 13 home runs, and 37 RBI in 63 games in his rookie season, but he played in only 65 combined games with the Reds the last two years due to injury and hit only .199/.227/.337 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 260 plate appearances. There's a good chance that another club will take a chance on CES's power, but his dynasty/keeper stock is obviously on life support at this point.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cincinnati Reds
April 8, 2026
Boston Red Sox infielder
Marcelo Mayer is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander
Shane Drohan at Fenway Park, according to MLB.com.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa will draw the start at second base for the BoSox and will hit ninth in the series finale. Mayer, 23, is taking on a bigger role in 2026 in his first full year in the big leagues, but Boston will shield him from some left-handers even though he's already homered off a southpaw this year. In the early going, the former first-rounder has gone 5-for-29 (.172) with a homer, three doubles, three RBI, five runs scored, two walks, and 11 strikeouts in 33 plate appearances over 11 games. Kiner-Falefa has never faced Drohan in his career and will be a weak DFS option on Wednesday in the nine-hole for Boston. The utility man is still searching for his first hit of the year after going hitless with two strikeouts in his first eight plate appearances over four games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman
Brice Turang (ankle, foot) remains out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, per MLB.com. It's the second straight game that Turang has missed due to an ankle/foot injury. With an off day coming on Thursday, hopefully Turang will be back in there for Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals in Milwaukee.
David Hamilton will start at the keystone on Wednesday and will bat eighth in the order against Red Sox right-hander
Sonny Gray. Hamilton has never faced Gray and will be a poor DFS choice as a light-hitting middle infielder near the bottom of the Brewers' batting order. Turang has gotten off to a nice start in 2026, going 10-for-37 (.270) with a home run, four doubles, a triple, seven RBI, 10 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his first 10 games. When active, Turang is a must-start for fantasy managers. Consider him day-to-day for now and check back on Friday to see if he's ready to return.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they signed infield prospect
Konnor Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension that runs through the 2034 season. Griffin came into 2026 as the consensus top prospect in baseball, but he didn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. It didn't take the 19-year-old long to get the call-up to the big leagues, though, and he'll be the team's starting shortstop going forward. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 has gotten off to a slow start at the plate in his first five MLB games, but he did have two hits in the team's 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Griffin has gone 3-for-17 (.176) with a double, three RBI, two runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. He'll get the day off in the series finale on Wednesday against the Friars after inking a nine-year extension. Griffin's contract is the largest in Pirates history. While Griffin may get off to a slow start, he has all the tools to be a perennial All-Star before long.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
April 8, 2026
The Chicago White Sox optioned right-hander
Shane Smith to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday and selected the contract of left-hander
Tyler Schweitzer from Charlotte in a corresponding move. Things have unraveled quickly for Smith early in the 2026 season. In his first three starts, he allowed 12 runs (10 earned) on 12 hits (one homer) while walking nine and striking out 11 in 8 1/3 innings pitched. Although he was the team's Opening Day starter, he'll be sent to the farm to work out some of his issues. Fantasy managers are hoping that Smith is back in Chicago sooner rather than later. For now,
Jonathan Cannon could take Smith's starting rotation spot. Smith, 26, was a first-time All-Star in 2025 as a rookie, going 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA (4.10 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 145 strikeouts and 58 walks in 146 1/3 innings over 29 starts. So far, Smith is already off to the dreaded sophomore slump, but there is plenty of time to turn things around.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago White Sox
April 8, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Jacob Misiorowski delivered another dominant outing on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox, allowing three runs on two hits and four walks while striking out 10. Misiorowski was charged with the loss, but he continues to show electric stuff that can overpower hitters. The 24-year-old holds a 3.31 ERA and leads MLB with 28 strikeouts in 16 ⅓ innings pitched. As the young phenom continues to develop, he should improve his consistency and command. Misiorowski has already flashed top-tier upside and is trending toward becoming one of the most dominant arms in the league.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
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