April 14, 2026
Washington Nationals right-hander
Miles Mikolas will work as a bulk reliever behind opener
PJ Poulin on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports.
Mitchell Parker will also be available out of the bullpen for the Nats. Mikolas could be in danger of moving to a bullpen role exclusively if he doesn't start improving soon in his first year in D.C. The 37-year-old veteran has a 12.41 ERA and 2.35 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and seven walks in 12 1/3 innings in his first three starts for Washington this year. He leads the league in earned runs allowed (17) and home runs allowed (five) as well, so nothing has been going his way early on. Mikolas has never been a high-strikeout arm, so he already doesn't have much fantasy baseball appeal. The left-handed Poulin has a league-high nine appearances (one start) so far this year, recording a 4.00 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with six punchouts and seven walks in nine innings pitched. Avoid him as a DFS streamer.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
April 14, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-hander
Spencer Strider (oblique) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A Rome on Thursday, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Strider is scheduled to throw 45 to 50 pitches in his first rehab outing this week, and he'll be working with catcher
Sean Murphy (hip), who is also on a rehab assignment of his own as he looks to get back to the big-league club for his 2026 season debut. The 27-year-old Strider suffered an oblique strain towards the end of spring training, which forced him to the 15-day injured list to begin the regular season. He will need another rehab start in the minors beyond Thursday's outing, but if he avoids any setbacks, he could rejoin Atlanta's starting rotation before the end of April. Strider was a first-time All-Star and was fourth in the National League Cy Young voting in 2023, when he led the league with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts in 32 starts. He pitched in only two games in 2024, though, before undergoing right-elbow surgery. Last year, Strider's strikeout rate dropped significantly, and he struggled with a fall-off in velocity as well. There are plenty of concerns about his ability to ever rediscover his pre-injury form, making him a risk/reward starting pitcher stash in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
April 14, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Tuesday that outfielder
Jackson Chourio's (hand) estimated return date has been pushed back to early May, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg. Chourio has yet to play in 2026 due to a fractured left hand that he suffered back in early March. The 22-year-old has been healing, but he still has yet to resume hitting, so he has plenty of boxes to check before he's activated from the 10-day injured list for his season debut. Chourio will need a likely lengthy minor-league rehab assignment as the last step before the Brewers clear him to return to the big leagues. Fantasy managers need to hang onto Chourio everywhere despite his slow recovery from a hand fracture. When he returns, the hope is that he doesn't lose any of his power from the right side of the plate. The Venezuelan outfielder is one of the top young power/speed threats in fantasy baseball after clubbing 42 home runs and stealing 43 bases in 279 games in his first two years in the big leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
April 14, 2026
According to the Milwaukee Brewers, outfielder/designated hitter
Christian Yelich's (groin) initial timeline to return from his groin injury is in mid-to-late May, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The 34-year-old veteran and former MVP suffered a strained left groin on Sunday and is expected to be out anywhere from four to six weeks. It's a tough break for the Brewers and fantasy managers alike early in the 2026 season. In the meantime, veteran catcher
Gary Sanchez will get more opportunities to serve as Milwaukee's primary DH going forward.
Blake Perkins is another player who could benefit from more playing time with Yelich out for an extended period of time. Yelich needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats while he recovers. The former first-rounder in 2010 is a three-time All-Star, and he was hitting .314 (16-for-51) with a homer, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 15 games at the time of his injury over the weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
April 14, 2026
Baltimore Orioles second baseman
Jackson Holliday (wrist) was recalled from his minor-league rehab assignment and has been shut down for a few days due to mild right-wrist soreness, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. This helps explain why the O's said earlier this week that they didn't expect him to return from the 10-day injured list this week to make his 2026 season debut. The 22-year-old former first overall pick originally had surgery on the same hand in mid-February after he was diagnosed with a broken hamate bone. Holliday has been slow to recover, and he was hitting just .167 with 12 strikeouts and three walks in 11 minor-league rehab games with Triple-A Norfolk before his recent setback. The good news is that Holliday's wrist injury isn't considered serious, so he could still make his season debut before the end of April. Fantasy managers need to continue stashing him in all formats.
Jeremiah Jackson has been seeing most of the playing time at the keystone in Baltimore with Holliday sidelined, and he had a career day on Monday with two home runs and five RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
April 14, 2026
Kansas City Royals general manager and president of baseball operations JJ Piccolo said that right-handed reliever
Carlos Estevez (foot) is hoping to start a minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha in the next five days, according to Cody Tapp of 96.5 The Fan. Estevez looked pretty bad early in the 2026 season and saw his velocity drop before he was hit in the left foot by a comebacker. The 33-year-old veteran was a second-time All-Star in 2025 and had a league-high 42 saves in 66 innings pitched, but he had allowed six earned runs with two walks and no strikeouts in just one-third of an inning in his only performance for KC this year before going on the 15-day injured list. The Royals probably aren't in any rush to put Estevez back in high-leverage situations in the back of their bullpen when he's completely healthy, especially since
Lucas Erceg has gone a perfect 5-for-5 in save chances as the team's closer since Estevez went on the IL.
--Keith HernandezSource: 96.5 The Fan - Cody Tapp
April 14, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays first base prospect
Xavier Isaac belted his first home run of the 2026 campaign this past Sunday for Double-A Montgomery, and also legged out a triple in the 2-for-5 effort. The Rays' 13th-ranked prospect was just 1-for-12 (.083) heading into the contest. Just being on the baseball field at all has been an accomplishment in itself after the 6-foot-3 slugger's 2025 season was cut short in July after he required surgery to remove a brain tumor. The 22-year-old is now fully recovered, and hopefully Sunday's performance is the beginning of a hot stretch. The left-handed hitter will need to get the strikeouts under control if he's going to get to Triple-A, though, as he currently owns a 45.8 percent strikeout rate thus far (27.8 career K%). Isaac has big-time raw power that would make him an intriguing fantasy asset should he get the call to the majors, but a 2027 debut is looking more likely at this time.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 14, 2026
Chicago White Sox outfield prospect
Braden Montgomery belted a pair of home runs on Sunday at Double-A Birmingham, breaking a 3-for-26 (.115) slump. Chicago's top-ranked prospect hit a home run in his first game of the season, but went into a seven-game slump immediately after, and hopefully Sunday's two-home run effort is a sign he's about to break out of that funk. Despite the poor hitting results, the switch-hitter has been getting on base with a strong 18.6 percent walk rate thus far, a trait he displayed throughout 2025. The former first-round draft pick climbed from Single-A to Double-A in 2025, hitting well at each stop and producing a .270/.360/.444 slash line with 12 home runs, 14 steals, and an 11.0 percent walk rate in 121 games overall. The 22-year-old could see a late-season call-up, but before that, he'll need to keep hitting and earn a promotion to Triple-A, so, for now, he is not a stash candidate in redraft leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 14, 2026
Athletics shortstop prospect
Leo De Vries is looking quite comfortable at Double-A Midland to start 2026, currently riding a six-game hit streak, with two three-hit performances in his last two contests. It's pushed his season-long slash line to .333/.429/.528 with two home runs, two steals, and a strong 6:8 BB:K. The switch-hitter was the headliner in the trade package that brought
Mason Miller to San Diego in 2025, and he hit markedly better once he joined the A's organization, slashing .276/.351/.538 with seven home runs in 36 games between the Athletics' High-A and Double-A affiliates. Already MLB's No. 4 overall prospect, he should be in the top two once
Konnor Griffin and
Kevin McGonigle graduate, and should see time at Triple-A in short order if he continues to hit like this. Despite being just 19 years old, the switch-hitter has a good shot to make his MLB debut this year and as one of the most talented prospects in the game with above-average hit, power, and run tools, the Dominican should also be an impactful fantasy asset that should be stashed away in redraft leagues once his debut date becomes clearer.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 14, 2026
Boston Red Sox infield prospect
Franklin Arias is off to a scorching start at Double-A Portland, producing four multi-hit performances in his first six games, going 10-for-17 (.588) with two doubles and a 2:2 BB:K. He has even been hit by a pitch twice, giving him a remarkable .636 on-base percentage. Boston's second-ranked prospect earned two promotions last year, finishing the season with a 10-game stint at Double-A, and tallying a .278/.335/.388 slash line overall with eight home runs, 12 steals, and a low 10.1 percent strikeout rate in 116 games. The 20-year-old is a hit-over-power prospect and doesn't have a ton of speed, but could grow into a 15-ish home run player and can be an opportunistic base-stealer who should see time at Triple-A in the coming months. The right-handed slugger's ability to put the bat on the ball could earn him a big league debut late in the season, especially on his current trajectory, and could be worthy of consideration for a roster spot in deeper leagues whenever he gets that call.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 14, 2026
Seattle Mariners pitching prospect
Kade Anderson has hit the ground running at Double-A Arkansas in 2026, having yet to allow a run in two starts thus far, yielding five hits and three walks while striking out 17 batters in nine innings pitched. The 21-year-old did not pitch professionally in 2025 after being drafted, but this type of dominance is certainly what the Mariners were envisioning when they selected him third overall in last year's Draft. Because of his age and experience in college, the southpaw could ascend the Seattle system quickly, and while he's not a must-stash in redraft leagues yet, fantasy managers should keep an eye on his progress, as once he gets to Triple-A later this year, he'll be one call away from the majors; he'd then be a top stash candidate for managers looking for pitching help.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 14, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Seth Hernandez was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 Draft, but he did not pitch professionally at all last year after being drafted. The 6-foot-4 hurler made his highly anticipated debut this season at Single-A Bradenton and has been impressive through two starts, allowing just one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out 15 in seven innings of work. Known for a fastball that can touch triple-digits and three solid secondary pitches (changeup, slider, curve), the right-hander has already become the organization's top pitching prospect and looks like he'll make quick work of Single-A. The product out of Corona High School in California may be a year or two away from the big leagues, but he should get a chance to test his mettle at High-A in the coming weeks. Currently ranked as MLB's No. 26 prospect overall (No. 3 right-handed pitcher), dynasty managers should have the 19-year-old stashed away, as he has the makings of the next big pitching prospect who should one day be a front-of-the-rotation starter.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 14, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder/designated hitter
Christian Yelich (groin) has been placed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday due to a left-groin strain, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. In a corresponding move, the Brewers called up infielder/outfielder
Greg Jones from the minors. The 34-year-old veteran was removed from Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals early due to what was initially called left-hamstring tightness. The Brewers weren't expecting good news going into this week on the former MVP, and now he'll miss at least the next 10 days. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Yelich's stay on the IL is short, but given his lengthy injury history and reputation as a slow healer, we wouldn't be surprised if the Brewers don't rush him back. Yelich needs to be held in all fantasy formats while he recovers. He is hitting .314 (16-for-51) in a small sample size of 15 games with a homer, 10 RBI, and three steals. Outfielder
Blake Perkins could be the biggest beneficiary of playing time at DH for the Brew Crew going forward with Yelich out.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
April 14, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates manager
Don Kelly said the team is looking at the end of May or the beginning of June for right-hander
Jared Jones' (elbow) potential return this year. Jones was in the Pirates' clubhouse on Monday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen at PNC Park on Tuesday. General manager Ben Cherington said that Jones used all of his pitches in his most recent bullpen session on April 6, so the 24-year-old is definitely making progress from UCL surgery. Jones opened the 2026 campaign on the 60-day injured list, which means he's not eligible to make his season debut until late May. He has been throwing off a mound for two months now, so Jones should be close to being cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The former second-rounder in 2020 had a 4.14 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 132 K's and 39 walks in 121 2/3 innings over 22 starts in his rookie year in 2024, but he missed all of last season due to his elbow injury. There's a lot to like about his long-term fantasy profile in Pittsburgh, even if the Bucs plan to ease him in when he returns this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Dominic Campbell
April 14, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said on Monday that right-hander
Brandon Pfaadt will move to the bullpen to make room for the return of veteran right-hander
Merrill Kelly (back), who will come off the 15-day injured list to make his first start of the year on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic. Pfaadt is the odd man out of Arizona's starting rotation for the time being with Kelly returning. The 27-year-old former fifth-round pick in 2020 out of Bellarmine University has really struggled to open his fourth year in the big leagues, going 0-1 with a 5.94 ERA (5.47 FIP) and 1.38 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and six walks in 16 2/3 innings over his three starts for the Snakes. Pfaadt will almost certainly return to the D-backs' starting rotation at some point in 2026, but obviously, this news really hurts his fantasy value in all formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Arizona Republic - Jose M. Romero
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