April 14, 2026
San Diego Padres outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. is starting in right field and will bat in the two-hole for the Friars for Tuesday's series opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners and right-hander
Bryan Woo at Petco Park, according to MLB.com. The Padres moved Tatis to second base in the last two games of the four-game series against the Colorado Rockies over the weekend, and he went 5-for-9 at the plate with a double, an RBI, and a stolen base in those two games to break out of a little early-season funk as a hitter. The 27-year-old Dominican All-Star is hitting .242 (15-for-62) on the season with six RBI, six runs scored, and four stolen bases in 16 games played. Tatis is still searching for his first home run of the season. If he were to play enough games at the keystone to pick up second base eligibility, it would make Tatis more valuable to fantasy managers. He'll look to keep it up offensively on Tuesday against Woo, whom he's hitting .333 against with a 1.333 OPS, two home runs, and two RBI against in nine career at-bats.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 14, 2026
Imaging on Houston Astros right-hander
Tatsuya Imai's right arm came back clean and "positive," according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The Astros will try to increase his arm strength before Imai resumes throwing. The 27-year-old is definitely struggling in his adjustment from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball. The Astros placed him on the 15-day injured list on Monday with right-arm fatigue just three starts into his career in the big leagues. And in his first three starts (8 2/3 innings), Imai has struggled, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits while walking 11 and striking out 13. It's certainly not what fantasy managers were envisioning for Imai to begin his Astros tenure in 2026. The good news, though, is that Imai isn't dealing with any structural damage, and it's still early in his first year in MLB. Don't expect a quick return to Houston's starting rotation, though, as the Astros look to build up his arm strength, which will take time.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
April 14, 2026
Texas Rangers outfielder
Wyatt Langford (quad) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Athletics. Langford is returning after missing the last three games due to a minor quad issue. Luckily, Langford was able to avoid a trip to the Injured List and only missed a few contests. The Rangers will ease him back into action by placing him at designated hitter against southpaw
Jeffrey Springs on Tuesday. It has been a slow start to the season for Langford, but hopefully he can turn it around now that he's fully healthy. Fantasy managers should make sure to get him active in their lineups ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 14, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman
Ketel Marte (back) is a late scratch from Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Marte was pulled out of the lineup minutes before first pitch. There should be another update on his status following Tuesday's game, but for now, his injury is being called lower back tightness. Fantasy managers should consider Marte as day-to-day until another update is provided.
Ildemaro Vargas will take over at second base and bat in the leadoff spot against left-hander
Trevor Rogers.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 14, 2026
San Diego Padres starting pitcher
Nick Pivetta (elbow) was placed on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to April 13. Pivetta will head to the shelf after being lifted from Sunday's start against the Colorado Rockies due to elbow stiffness. The Padres are calling the injury right elbow inflammation, but he'll likely undergo further testing to determine the severity of the issue. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Alek Jacob has been recalled from Triple-A El Paso. Jacob should provide bullpen depth with
Matt Waldron set to replace Pivetta in the rotation. Waldron hasn't pitched this season, but is scheduled to start against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. The 29-year-old should be viewed as a risky streaming choice for that one.
--Andy WebbSource: San Diego Padres
April 14, 2026
Detroit Tigers infielder
Colt Keith (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Kansas City Royals. Fantasy managers don't need to panic as this appears to be a rare rest day for Keith. The Tigers will opt to go with
Javier Baez at shortstop and
Kevin McGonigle at the hot corner with tough lefty
Cole Ragans on the mound for Kansas City. The expectation is that Keith will be back in the lineup on Wednesday. Keith has been great with the bat, slashing .340/.375/.472 through 15 games this season.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 14, 2026
San Francisco Giants outfielder
Harrison Bader (hamstring) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Bader has been dealing with a lingering hamstring issue since Spring Training. It's unclear if he tweaked it recently or if this is just a routine maintenance day. The ongoing hamstring injury could explain his slow start to the season. Bader is slashing .115/.145/.192 through 15 games this season. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation in case Bader does end up on the Injured List.
Jared Oliva will cover center field and bat ninth versus right-hander
Brady Singer on Tuesday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 14, 2026
Houston Astros first baseman
Christian Walker (leg) is in the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Walker appears to be back to 100 percent after missing a game over the weekend due to a leg issue. Since returning to the lineup, Walker is 0-for-6 over the last two games. He'll bat fifth and cover first base ahead of Tuesday's contest. Walker has struggled with only five hits in his last seven games. Fantasy managers in season-long formats can get him active, but Walker won't be an ideal DFS option for Tuesday's slate.
--Andy WebbSource: Houston Astros
April 14, 2026
Houston Astros left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) threw live batting practice at Daikin Park on Tuesday, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Hader was sitting at 91 to 93 mph on the radar gun on Tuesday while throwing 20 pitches. He has been sidelined since early in spring training with left-biceps tendinitis, so he still has some boxes to check before he's cleared to make his 2026 season debut in Houston. The 32-year-old veteran and six-time All-Star still needs to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, but barring any setbacks once he's pitching in games, he could rejoin the big-league bullpen before the end of April. The Astros could really use Hader back at the end of games, too, as their bullpen has been scuffling without him. Hader is more risky than ever as a fantasy closer this year coming off his biceps injury -- he also had shoulder issues late last year -- and he will most likely be eased back in when he comes off the IL. He should still be stashed in all fantasy leagues, though, and he proved last year that he's still plenty dominant when he's healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
April 14, 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced on Tuesday that they placed catcher
Gabriel Moreno (oblique) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 11) with a strained left oblique and selected the contract of catcher
Aramis Garcia from Triple-A Reno in a corresponding move. Garcia will serve as the No. 3 backstop option in Arizona behind
James McCann and
Adrian Del Castillo with Moreno sidelined. Moreno left the team's game early last Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies with what the team was initially calling lower-back tightness. The 26-year-old will be eligible to return from the IL on April 21, but because he's dealing with an oblique injury, Moreno likely won't make it back to the big leagues until May. McCann is doing the catching for right-hander
Merrill Kelly on Tuesday and will bat seventh in the lineup. Moreno can't seem to stay healthy, playing in over 100 games just once in his first four years in the majors. In 13 games this year before going on the IL, he had gone 11-for-40 (.275) with no homers, five RBI, and six runs scored in 45 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
April 14, 2026
Kansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (thumb) has been cleared to make his next start on Tuesday against the division-rival Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, according to MLB.com. Ragans left his previous start early against the Cleveland Guardians last week when he was hit by a comebacker on his thumb in the first inning, but thankfully, it didn't turn out to be a serious injury. The 28-year-old former first-rounder in 2016 is 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and 15:6 K:BB in 10 2/3 innings over his first three starts in 2026, and it won't get any easier in his fourth outing on Tuesday night against the Tigers. Ragans' pitch count isn't expected to be limited at all on Tuesday, but he'll certainly be riskier in fantasy baseball lineups in his first start after his thumb injury against a strong lineup. Ragans can bounce back in 2026 if he can stay healthy, as he's just one year removed from striking out 223 batters with a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts in 2024, when he was a first-time All-Star.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 14, 2026
San Francisco Giants infielder
Luis Arraez (wrist) is back at second base and is batting second for the Giants in Tuesday's contest against the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander
Brady Singer at Great American Ballpark, according to MLB.com. Arraez suffered a wrist contusion when he collided with Orioles rookie outfielder
Dylan Beavers on Saturday, which caused him to miss Sunday's series finale. After an off day on Monday, the veteran left-handed hitter is ready to return, and he'll be greeted by a familiar pitcher. The 29-year-old Venezuelan is hitting .421 with a .924 OPS and a home run in 19 career at-bats against Singer, so it's a good matchup for him to return to following a minor injury. The three-time All-Star and three-time batting champion puts bat to ball often with one of the shortest swings in the big leagues, but he lacks any kind of game-changing power or speed. In his first 15 games with the Gigantes in 2026, Arraez is hitting a cool .304 (17-for-56) with no homers, six RBI, six runs scored, and two steals in 63 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 14, 2026
The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are among two of the teams eyeing free-agent right-hander
Lucas Giolito early in the 2026 season, league sources told The Athletic. The Cubs' pitching depth is already decimated by injuries, with left-hander
Matthew Boyd (biceps) on the injured list and right-hander
Cade Horton (elbow) out for the entire season. High-leverage relievers
Phil Maton (knee) and
Hunter Harvey (triceps) are also sidelined. The Padres' interest in Giolito could be complicated by the final stages of the team's ongoing sale process. However, the Padres might have more urgency to acquire a player like Giolito after right-hander
Nick Pivetta was forced to leave his last start with right-elbow stiffness. The Cubs project Giolito, 31, as more of a back-of-the-rotation starter, and it's unclear exactly when he'd be ready to pitch in a major-league game after missing all of spring training and part of April. The former first-rounder said recently that he's throwing around 75 pitches in his bullpen sessions. He went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts for Boston last year and declined a $19 million mutual option after last season to become a free agent. He's been met with an extremely cold market.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney, Kein Rosenthal, Dennis Lin, and Sahadev Sharma
April 14, 2026
New York Yankees second baseman
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the team's starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the visiting Los Angeles Angels with left-hander
Reid Detmers on the mound, according to MLB.com. First baseman
Ben Rice will also take a seat for the second straight day against a lefty.
Cody Bellinger will also start on the bench for the Yanks.
Amed Rosario is at second base in place of Chisholm and will bat third for the Yankees against Detmers. The 30-year-old Rosario has only played in 10 games so far in 2026 as a bench option, but he's gone .308 (8-for-26) with two home runs, six RBI, and two runs scored in his 29 plate appearances. Rosario has some experience against Detmers, too, hitting .462 with a 1.115 OPS and a home run against him in 13 career at-bats. The Yankees are hoping a day off will get Chisholm right, as the 28-year-old has gone just 11-for-61 (.180) in his 16 games with no homers. Chisholm does have six stolen bases in 65 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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
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