March 31, 2026
Athletics first baseman
Nick Kurtz hit leadoff for the team in the first four games of the 2026 season, but with Atlanta Braves left-hander
Jose Suarez on the mound on Tuesday, Kurtz will drop down to third in the batting order, per MLB.com. The power-hitting left-hander looked amazing in his MLB debut with the A's last year, hitting .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, and 90 runs scored in 489 plate appearances over 117 games played. The former fourth overall pick out of Wake Forest in 2024 is off to a slot start in 2026, though, going 1-for-13 with three runs scored, a stolen base, four walks, and eight strikeouts in four games played. Kurtz really struggled against southpaws in his rookie season, going 27-for-137 (.197) against them with nine of his 36 homers and a .685 OPS. With Kurtz dropping to third in the lineup, shortstop
Jacob Wilson will jump up to the leadoff spot against a lefty on Tuesday at Truist Park.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 31, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Cody Ponce (knee) has been diagnosed with a right ACL sprain after having to be carted off the field in his 2026 season debut on Monday night against the Colorado Rockies, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. More doctors will review Ponce's MRI results to see if there's a full tear for the final diagnosis. Manager John Schneider said the team is "holding onto" hope that he can pitch again this year, but regardless, he's going to miss "significant time." It's a tough break for the 31-year-old veteran, who was making his first start back in the big leagues on Monday since 2021 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Before leaving with his knee injury, Ponce allowed an earned run while walking one and striking out three in 2 1/3 innings of work. He'll likely be placed on the 15-day injured list in the coming days, adding further stress to an already thinned-out Blue Jays starting rotation early on in 2026.
UPDATE: Ponce was officially placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday.--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
March 31, 2026
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on Foul Territory on Tuesday that the odds of shortstop
Gunnar Henderson signing a long-term contract extension with the Baltimore Orioles are likely "extremely low." Henderson is represented by super-agent Scott Boras, which means he's unlikely to agree to an under-market deal for the sake of long-term stability. As Rosenthal notes, Boras prefers to see his clients reach the open market so that they can sell their services to the highest bidder. If the 24-year-old reaches the open market, he'll be one of the top players available in free agency. Henderson was a first-time All-Star in 2024 and had a monster season, slashing .281/.364/.529 with an .893 OPS, 37 home runs, 92 RBI, 118 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in 719 plate appearances over 159 regular-season games. He came back down to Earth in 2025 with a .274/.349/.438 slash line, 17 homers, 68 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in 154 games, but he's still one of the premier shortstops in the league in his prime. We wouldn't be surprised if Henderson posts his first 30-30 season in 2026 if he stays healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
March 31, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Tuesday that they optioned catching prospect
Jeferson Quero back to Triple-A Nashville and selected the contract of outfielder
Luis Matos to the active roster in a corresponding move. The Brewers acquired Matos, a former top prospect, from the Giants in a minor trade on Monday. Milwaukee temporarily called up their top catching prospect late last week after first baseman
Andrew Vaughn (hand) landed on the 10-day injured list, but Quero only saw two plate appearances, walking and grounding out. Quero is already one of the best defensive catching prospects in baseball, but he'll head back to the farm for more seasoning with the bat after missing extended time in recent seasons due to a shoulder injury in the minors. For now, the Brewers will move forward with starter
William Contreras and backup
Gary Sanchez at catcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Brewers
March 31, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman
Andrew Vaughn (hand) had surgery on Monday for the fractured hamate bone in his left hand and will begin post-operation rehab on Tuesday, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Vaughn is expected to return in the middle of May, barring a setback. The Brewers placed Vaughn on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. With Vaughn sidelined for the first month-plus of the 2026 regular season,
Jake Bauers and
Gary Sanchez figure to split playing time at first base for the Brew Crew. If you haven't already done so in deeper fantasy leagues, Bauers is worth considering as a short-term boost for bench depth with more playing time. In his first four games, he's gone 4-for-15 (.267) with a home run, three RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Vaughn, a former third overall pick in 2019 by the White Sox out of Cal, will be hoping he can pick up where he left off last year in Milwaukee (.308 average with nine homers and 46 RBI in 64 games) when he returns from his hand injury in May.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
March 31, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera is behind the dish to catch right-hander
Andre Pallante for Tuesday's matchup against the visiting New York Mets and right-hander
Kodai Senga, according to MLB.com. Herrera is off to a cold start offensively, going 2-for-17 (.118) with a double, two RBI, and one strikeout in four games played, but the main takeaway is that he's already had two starts at catcher, so he should quickly regain catcher eligibility for fantasy managers. The 25-year-old native of Panama hit a strong .284/.373/.464 with an .837 OPS, 19 home runs, 66 RBI, 54 runs scored, and even eight stolen bases in 452 plate appearances in 107 games in 2025 in his first full year in the majors, but he didn't play at all on defense in the second half due to injuries. Durability is a real concern for the Cardinals catcher, but Herrera's solid contact rate and batted-ball metrics make him an intriguing catching option in fantasy leagues as long as he can stay on the field. He has never faced Senga in his career.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 31, 2026
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect
Max Clark is getting his first taste of Triple-A this year, and although he's just 2-for-10 (.200) to begin the season, the Tigers' second-ranked prospect has walked four times compared to just one strikeout, and has stolen one base in each of his first three games played for Toledo thus far. The former third-overall draft pick split time between High-A and Double-A last season, registering a .271/.403/.432 slash line with 14 home runs and 19 steals in 111 games. The left-handed slugger has shown better-than-average strikeout and walk rates throughout his time in the minors and could be in store for a big season at Triple-A. The 21-year-old has the potential to be a multi-category producer for fantasy and should be long stashed away in dynasty leagues, however, with a chance for a late-season call-up, he should also be on the redraft radar.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
March 31, 2026
New York Yankees pitching prospect
Carlos Lagrange made his season debut at Triple-A on Sunday, allowing one earned run on four hits and no walks while striking out three in four innings of work. The Yankees' top pitching prospect began 2025 at High-A and moved up to Double-A after just eight starts, where his ERA improved, but his walk rate jumped. All in all, the right-hander posted a 3.53 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 21.1 percent K-BB% in 24 appearances (23 starts). His 168 strikeouts were the third-most in all the minors, collecting them all in just 120 innings pitched. The 22-year-old even got a taste of big league camp this spring, striking out 17 batters in 16 1/3 IP, and could be in line for an early-season call-up if he continues to perform. The 6-foot-7 hurler has a fastball that can touch 103 mph and sits in the high 90s, and if he's going to be in the majors sooner rather than later, fantasy managers in redraft leagues may want to consider stashing the flamethrower for his strikeout upside.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
March 31, 2026
Seattle Mariners pitching prospect
Ryan Sloan will begin the year at Double-A Arkansas. The Mariners' third-ranked prospect spent most of 2025 at Single-A, where he pitched to a 3.44 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 21.8 percent K-BB%, which earned him three starts at High-A late in the season before an eye procedure ended his campaign somewhat prematurely. The 6-foot-5 hurler is now fully recovered and has looked good this spring by all accounts, although he logged just one inning in the Cactus League. The former second-rounder has a fastball that sits in the upper 90s along with two strong secondary offerings: a changeup and slider. There is projectability in his large frame, and he could make quick work of Double-A, likely making it to Triple-A by the end of the year. Although he should move fast through the organization, he's still just 20 years old, so a 2027 debut is more likely. The right-hander has the makings of a frontline starter and should be stashed away in dynasty leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
March 31, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
James Tibbs III is off to a great start to the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 8-for-13 (.615) with six of his eight hits going for extra bases (three doubles, one triple, two home runs). The Dodgers' 11th-ranked prospect looked good in the Cactus League as well, hitting .313 with four home runs, and could be setting himself up for a debut in the big leagues this year. The left-handed slugger was passed around from San Francisco to Boston to Los Angeles last year as a trade chip, but perhaps is starting to emerge as a high-end bat in a loaded Dodgers farm system. The former 13th-overall draft pick hit 20 home runs in all last year across 123 games with a slightly better-than-average strikeout rate of 21.4 percent and a strong walk rate of 16.0 percent while adding 10 steals. The 23-year-old is a player to keep an eye on in both dynasty and redraft formats.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
March 31, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Quinn Priester (wrist) is scheduled to throw a 20-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday before heading to Arizona during the team's road trip to keep building up his arm, according to Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic. Priester is still looking at going on a minor-league rehab assignment in early April, barring a setback. The 25-year-old was forced to the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 regular season due to symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome in his right wrist, but thankfully, he has avoided the need for surgery. Priester didn't pitch at all during spring training, so he has a ways to go before potentially making his season debut with the Brew Crew. The former first-rounder in 2019 by the Pittsburgh Pirates went 13-3 with a career-best 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 132:50 K:BB in a career-high 157 1/3 innings in Milwaukee last year, but he's trending as an extremely risky fantasy arm right now who could need surgery down the road if his symptoms return.
--Keith HernandezSource: Brewer Fanatic - Jack Stern
March 31, 2026
Seattle Mariners pitching prospect
Kade Anderson will begin the 2026 campaign at Double-A Arkansas. Seattle's selection at third overall in last year's Draft did not pitch in regular-season games last year, but did get an invite to big league camp this spring, striking out nine batters in seven innings pitched. If all goes well, the southpaw could see time at Triple-A later this year and could be in the mix for a September debut in the majors. The 6-foot-2 hurler has a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup in his repertoire, and with Seattle's penchant for developing pitchers, he's expected to be a quick mover through the system. The 21-year-old, who is already MLB's No. 19 prospect overall, should be on dynasty managers' radar if not already stashed away.
--Jarod RuppSource: Daniel Kramer
March 31, 2026
Houston Astros infield/outfield prospect
Brice Matthews went 1-for-4 in Monday's 8-1 win over the Red Sox. His lone hit was a 434-foot solo blast off of left-hander
Ranger Suarez that came off the bat at 111.1 mph. The right-handed hitter is now 2-for-9 (.222) on the young season, his other hit being a double, so there is certainly some pop in his bat, although he also owns a 0:6 BB:K, so there is some swing-and-miss, too. Houston's fourth-ranked prospect debuted in the majors in 2025 and saw similar results, belting four home runs in 13 games with a .167 average and 42.6 percent K%. Still, fantasy managers in need of some power could consider picking up the 24-year-old, as he also offers some stolen base potential, having swiped 41 bags at Triple-A last year. The former first-rounder has been used as more of a platoon option to start the year, but if he were to find his way into regular at-bats, more home runs and steals could follow, so managers in deeper leagues would be wise to keep an eye on him as he could become a solid waiver add.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
March 31, 2026
Houston Astros right-hander
Lance McCullers Jr. is fully healthy to begin the 2026 season and was dominant in his first start of the year in an 8-1 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Monday evening. McCullers allowed just one earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out nine in seven innings of work for his first victory. The 32-year-old veteran was in complete control and induced 17 swings and misses. It was the first time that McCullers went seven innings in a game since 2022. Arm injuries have derailed the former first-rounder's career in Houston in recent seasons, but he was an All-Star in 2017, and his strikeout upside and strong ground-ball rate could quickly make him attractive off the waiver wire in fantasy leagues if he keeps this up. McCullers' next scheduled outing won't be an easy one against a power A's lineup. He's currently rostered in just 10% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 31, 2026
Atlanta Braves left-hander
Jose Suarez will get the nod to start on Tuesday against the visiting Athletics instead of veteran left-hander
Martin Perez, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Suarez, 28, will be making his 2026 debut as the current fill-in for the Braves' starting rotation in place of the injured
Spencer Strider (oblique). The Venezuelan southpaw has started 62 of the 106 games he's appeared in over his seven major-league seasons. Suarez went 2-0 in 2025 with a nice 1.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, but only in 19 1/3 innings in seven outings (one start) for the Braves. In his lone start last year, Suarez looked great, giving up just two runs in seven innings while striking out nine against the Washington Nationals. Fantasy managers probably shouldn't be expecting anything that dominant, especially early in the season in what could just be a one-and-done spot start for Suarez.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Chad Bishop
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