April 8, 2026
Athletics relief pitcher
Mark Leiter Jr. came on in the eighth inning to help secure a win for his club on Tuesday, but allowed four runs on four hits instead, including a go-ahead three-run home run to
Amed Rosario, resulting in a 5-3 loss to the Yankees. It was the second blown save of the season for the right-hander, who has now allowed at least one hit in all five of his appearances this season, with 10 hits and a walk in his 4 1/3 innings pitched thus far (2.54 WHIP). Although the 35-year-old owns the only save of the season of any A's reliever, he may be hard to trust with the next opportunity to close down a game. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on who that next opportunity goes to, as another bullpen option could emerge as the favorite for saves if they can prove capable of shutting the door on the opponent.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
April 8, 2026
New York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said he's happy with where his top five starters are at early in the 2026 season, so left-hander
Sean Manaea will remain in the bullpen for now, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The Mets will not move to a six-man starting rotation this week, as they had previously indicated they might. Manaea has looked good in his two appearances out of the Mets' bullpen early on this year, but his fantasy value is basically shot unless he can get back into New York's rotation at some point in 2026. The veteran left-hander has allowed just one earned run on five hits (one homer) while walking four and striking out four in five innings pitched. He had a late-career resurgence in 2024 in his first year in Queens with a 3.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 184:63 K:BB in 32 starts (181 2/3 innings), but the injury bug bit him in 2025, and he made just 12 starts. Manaea's velocity was noticeably down in spring training, and it remains to be seen if he can ever regain his 2024 form.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
April 8, 2026
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher
Justin Topa picked up his first save of the season in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Tigers. The right-hander came on with one out in the ninth and coaxed a pair of groundouts to end the game, but did walk a batter in between the two outs, so it wasn't exactly a clean save. Nevertheless, it should put him on the fantasy radar for managers desperate for saves. The 35-year-old was saddled with the loss his last time out after allowing three runs (two earned) in an extra-innings loss to Tampa Bay, but including Tuesday's effort, he hasn't allowed a run in five of his last six appearances and didn't allow a single hit in four of them. Still, with just five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings pitched this season and a career K/9 of 7.78, he doesn't profile as the prototypical closer and may not get many more save chances this season. The 6-foot-4 hurler recorded four holds, four saves, and blew four saves for Minnesota in 2025 in 60 innings of relief (54 appearances).
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
April 8, 2026
Texas Rangers third baseman
Josh Jung remains sidelined for Wednesday's contest against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, per MLB.com.
Ezequiel Duran will start at third base and is batting ninth for the Rangers against Mariners right-hander
Bryan Woo. It's the third time in the last four games that Jung will start on the bench, with manager Skip Schumaker saying on Tuesday that Jung is "a little banged up." The 28-year-old has been banged up for much of his young career in the big leagues, although he still offers plenty of power upside from the right side of the plate when he's on the diamond. The former eighth overall pick in 2019 out of Texas Tech has not looked great offensively to begin his fifth year in the majors, going 6-for-32 (.188) with no homers, an RBI, one walk, and nine strikeouts in nine contests. Jung is still Texas' primary option at third, but his slow start and more injury issues should have fantasy managers a little worried.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
Houston Astros third baseman
Carlos Correa (illness) has been sick since Tuesday, which is why he's absent from the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
Isaac Paredes will start at the hot corner and will bat cleanup against Rockies right-hander
Michael Lorenzen. Correa is back at the ballpark and did a light pre-game workout, but it's unclear if he'll be available off the bench. The Astros have a day off on Thursday, so hopefully Correa will be feeling good enough to return to the starting nine for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Paredes won't be a bad DFS play on Wednesday at hitter-friendly Coors Field in the cleanup spot. In five career at-bats against Lorenzen, Paredes is hitting .200 with a solo home run. In his first 11 games this year, Correa has gone 11-for-42 (.262) with a homer, nine RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
April 8, 2026
Kansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (hand) was hit on the left hand by a comebacker against the Cleveland Guardians during his start on Wednesday and was removed early, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Ragans initially stayed in the game after a lengthy visit from a trainer, but he was eventually pulled after facing five batters. His final line on the day was three earned runs allowed on two hits while walking one and striking out two in just two-thirds of an inning. The Royals will most likely send Ragans for X-rays to rule out any broken bones in his left hand. Fantasy managers will want to check back on the 28-year-old southpaw's status, but even if he avoids any structural damage in his throwing hand, Ragans might need to skip his next turn in KC's starting rotation. The former first-rounder was a first-time All-Star in 2024 but made only 13 starts in 2025 due to injuries. Ragans has plenty of bounce-back potential this year, but he'll need to stay healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
April 8, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-hander
Alek Manoah (finger) has progressed to throwing bullpen sessions with all of his pitches at the team's spring training complex in Arizona, according to MLB.com. Manoah's right middle fingernail fell off after a March 17 start in spring training, which forced him to the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 season. He should be ready to come off the IL at some point this month, but the Angels could have him begin the year at Triple-A Salt Lake after he struggled mightily in spring training, allowing 16 earned runs on 23 hits (five homers) while walking 14 and striking out 13. The former 11th overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 out of West Virginia was an All-Star in 2022 in his second year in the big leagues and finished third in the American League Cy Young voting that year, but he completely fell apart after that and flamed out in Toronto. The Angels took a chance on Manoah this offseason, but there are no guarantees he'll get another extended run as a starter in the majors if his control problems persist.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) thinks he'll be throwing off a mound within a week after opening the 2026 season on the 15-day injured list with a right-shoulder strain, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. Rodriguez was also dealing with what manager Kurt Suzuki called "dead arm" during spring training. Rodriguez has been throwing up to 150 feet and thinks he'll throw his first bullpen session within the next week. He will also join the team on their road trip to Cincinnati and New York to continue his throwing program. With all that said, the former Orioles top prospect is still "likely weeks away" from making his debut with the Angels in the starting rotation. "The arm is definitely getting strong quick," Rodriguez said. "When I feel like I'm ready to throw the ball as hard as I want to throw it, that'll let me know. But with how I've been progressing the last week to two weeks, it's really given me a lot of confidence."
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
April 8, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever
Kirby Yates (knee) faced hitters on Tuesday for the first time since landing on the 15-day injured list with left-knee inflammation on March 22, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Yates said he threw 26 pitches on Tuesday, and the session went well. He's now hoping that the next step will be to start a minor-league rehab assignment, but he'll talk with the coaching and training staff on Wednesday. The 39-year-old veteran had a rough 2025 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he has a 3.36 career ERA and 98 saves in 11 big-league seasons, so his experience will be a big boost to the Angels' bullpen. Yates was a preseason candidate to close with both
Ben Joyce (shoulder) and
Robert Stephenson (elbow) sidelined, but
Jordan Romano has fared well as the Halos' closer so far to begin the 2026 season with no runs allowed and four saves in five innings. At the very least, though, Yates could be a nice source of holds as a late-inning, high-leverage bullpen arm for the Angels when he makes his season debut.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
April 8, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman
Alec Bohm (groin) is back at third base and will hit cleanup for the Phillies on Wednesday against the hosting San Francisco Giants and right-hander
Tyler Mahle, according to MLB.com. Bohm will only end up missing one game due to minor groin tightness. The right-handed hitter is off to a slow start at the plate in 2026, but he does have eight RBI in 10 games played. Bohm has gone 8-for-39 (.205) with a homer, a double, three runs scored, four walks, and five strikeouts. The 29-year-old former third overall pick in 2018 out of Wichita State has disappointed fantasy managers with his power output -- just one 20-homer season in six seasons -- but he will continue to have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs in the middle of a potent Phillies batting order. Despite the lack of power, Bohm has kept his fantasy value afloat with high averages and plenty of run production as an everyday player in Philly. He has never faced Mahle in his career.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 8, 2026
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect
Payton Tolle is coming off a dominant outing at Triple-A and is quickly entering must-stash territory. Facing Triple-A St. Paul, the southpaw logged six innings of two-run ball (one earned run) with four hits and just one walk. He struck out seven hitters. This was a strong bounce-back outing compared to his Triple-A season debut when he allowed four runs over four innings against Syracuse, with six punchouts. Tolle was unable to crack the Opening Day rotation but is nearing a return to the majors much sooner than expected. The Red Sox recently placed
Johan Oviedo (elbow) on the 15-day injured list, and their current No. 4 starter, Bryan Bello, has posted a hefty 9.00 ERA over his first two outings of the season. If Tolle turns in another dominant showing at Triple-A, he could be in the mix to add some much-needed depth to this rotation. The hard-throwing lefty possesses elite strikeout upside and should be viewed as a top pitching prospect to stash in all formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 8, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect
Ryan Waldschmidt is continuing to see his value as a stash candidate increase in Week 2 of the fantasy baseball season. This week, the Diamondbacks shifted outfielder
Jordan Lawlar (wrist) to the 60-day injured list. Lawlar now joins
Pavin Smith (elbow) and
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (elbow) of Arizona outfielders on the shelf. Waldschmidt, the 31st overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, was in serious contention to break camp with the MLB roster but fell just short in the competition. He was instead optioned to Triple-A Reno to begin the 2026 regular season. Through his first 10 games at the level, Waldschmidt has held a .237/.396/.395 line with four doubles, one triple, no home runs, and a solid 14:10 K:BB. If Arizona continues to find inconsistent production in their injured outfield, Waldschmidt will likely earn the call to the big leagues. Given that he hit 18 home runs and stole 29 bags over 134 MiLB games last season, he is a top stash option in deeper five-outfielder leagues.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 8, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer (forearm) is scheduled to make his next start on Sunday in the series finale against the Minnesota Twins, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Scherzer has been dealing with right-forearm tendinitis and pitched through it in his most recent outing on Monday, April 6, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he allowed two earned runs while walking one and striking out two in just two innings pitched. The Blue Jays pulled Scherzer early as a precaution, but there was never much concern that the future Hall of Famer would have to miss his next start. It's good news for Toronto's injury-ravaged starting rotation early in 2026, but it doesn't mean that fantasy managers should trust Scherzer in starting lineups on Sunday, even in a plus matchup against the Twins. Scherzer has had trouble staying healthy towards the end of his career, and he's no longer the dominant ace he once was.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet.ca - Arden Zwelling
April 8, 2026
Seattle Mariners shortstop prospect
Colt Emerson remains a high-end stash option despite suffering a minor foot injury. Earlier this week, Emerson took a foul ball off his foot (on April 4) but fortunately avoided a major injury. The top prospect underwent X-rays, all of which came back negative. He returned to game action on April 7 and quickly found his footing, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases. Overall, through eight games with Triple-A Tacoma this season, Emerson has held a dominant .310/.355/.483 slash line with two doubles, one home run, and two stolen bases. Last summer, Emerson spent most of his time with High-A and Double-A before earning a short six-game stint in Triple-A. Given that Emerson recently inked a massive eight-year, $95 million contract with the Mariners and was promoted to the 40-man roster, his MLB debut is quickly approaching. Due to his five-category skill set, he holds high-end stash upside in all 12-team leagues in Week 2 of the fantasy season.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 8, 2026
Miami Marlins left-handed pitching prospect
Robby Snelling turned in a strong bounce-back effort in his second start of the Triple-A regular season and remains a high-end stash target in all standard leagues. On April 3, Snelling was sharp against Triple-A Sugar Land, tossing four innings of three-run ball with an impressive seven punchouts. This was a nice showing compared to the three strikeouts he totaled over four innings in his season debut against Rochester. The 22-year-old fell just short of the starting rotation in spring training but remains on the verge of earning the call to Miami. Last summer, Snelling looked quite comfortable in his first taste of Triple-A, holding an elite 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and an 88:17 K:BB over 63 2/3 innings. Given that
Chris Paddack has struggled in the early going of the season, Snelling could contend for an early MLB promotion and remains a high-end prospect to stash.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
April 8, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitching prospect
Robert Gasser (biceps, triceps) hasn't thrown since Opening Day at Triple-A Nashville on March 27 because he's dealing with muscle soreness in his bicep/tricep, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gasser has been building back up slowly and will throw a side session at some point this week. The good news is that the 26-year-old should be able to avoid a stint on the seven-day minor-league injured list. The team's No. 17 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, should make starts for the Brewers at some point in 2026 after looking good in seven starts at the big-league level in the last two seasons. Gasser has a 2.67 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and five walks in 33 2/3 innings pitched for the Brewers. If healthy and in Milwaukee's starting rotation, Gasser has the upside to become a high-end streaming option for fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
April 8, 2026
Baltimore Orioles left-hander
Cade Povich will join the team's starting rotation for a turn and will start in the series finale on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Povich pitched 5 2/3 innings of relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks. The 25-year-old southpaw had a 5.20 ERA (4.43 FIP) in 192 innings in his first two major-league seasons over 38 appearances (36 starts) for the O's, so he has plenty still to prove at the big-league level. But he'll have a good matchup on Sunday in his first start in 2026, and Povich could be tasked with additional starts for the O's if he pitches well this weekend. Povich had a strikeout rate over 30% in the minors, but none of his pitches are particularly overpowering.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
April 8, 2026
Texas Rangers right-hander
Jacob deGrom (knee) expects to make his next start on his normal turn in the starting rotation, according to Jeff Wilson of All City DLLS. deGrom said that his right knee, which has no structural damage, feels much better on Wednesday. The Rangers pulled deGrom from his last outing early on Monday against the Seattle Mariners as a precaution due to discomfort in his right knee, but testing showed no structural damage, and he's expected to make his next scheduled start this weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's great news for the Rangers and for fantasy managers, especially since the 37-year-old veteran has had a tough time staying healthy later in his career. The five-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young winner has a 3.72 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with 13 strikeouts and one walk in 9 2/3 innings in his first two starts of 2026. He's typically a must-start in fantasy lineups, but managers will want to think twice before deploying him against L.A. while coming off an injury scare.
--Keith HernandezSource: All City DLLS - Jeff Wilson
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
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