April 9, 2026
San Diego Padres outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. has established himself as one of the better players in all of baseball in recent seasons, making his third All-Star game and finishing eighth in the National League MVP vote in 2025. However, the 27-year-old is off to a slow start to his 2026 campaign. Through his first 53 plate appearances, Tatis Jr. is hitting .196/.283/.261 with zero home runs, four RBI, six runs scored, and three stolen bases. He's struck out in 28.3% of his plate appearances, which would be his worst mark over a full season since his rookie year in 2019. Still, a look under the hood at Tatis Jr.'s underlying hitting metrics should allay concerns for fantasy managers. He's posted an elite 68.8% hard-hit rate, meaning his lack of power can be ascribed to his average launch angle of 2.7 degrees. Once Tatis Jr.'s launch angle drifts back towards his career average of 10.1 degrees, his .261 slugging percentage should skyrocket. Tatis Jr.'s batting average is at risk without some improvement in his strikeout rate, but he remains an elite power/speed threat for fantasy managers despite the slow start.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
New York Mets pitching prospect
Jonah Tong made his third start of the season on Wednesday for Triple-A Syracuse, allowing two earned runs on one hit and two walks while striking out seven in five innings of work. He also hit one batter. The right-hander threw 83 pitches in the outing (53 of them for strikes) and, at that pitch count, should be ready to return to the majors whenever the need arises for the Mets. The team's second-ranked prospect had an uneven debut in the majors last year, allowing one run or less in two starts but four or more in the other three; however, he was able to maintain his strikeout-per-inning rate with 22 punchouts in 18 2/3 innings pitched. Through three starts for Syracuse, the 22-year-old has looked good in two of them, while the other was a dud, but if he can get on a roll, the former seventh-rounder should get the call to the big leagues again within the next couple of months. There is strikeout upside here if managers in deeper leagues are looking for a stash option, but others may want to take a wait-and-see approach before rostering him.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 9, 2026
Across his first 18 innings (three starts) in 2026, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has recorded a 2-1 record with a 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has allowed just two walks on the season, and his overall line remains excellent. However, Yamamoto is not generating his usual level of swing-and-miss so far, as his 20.9% strikeout rate is down from the 29.4% rate he posted in 2025. Yamamoto threw 211 innings between the regular season and postseason in 2025, so his ability to sustain high-level production coming off a significant workload will be something for fantasy managers to monitor throughout this year. Still, Yamamoto's average fastball velocity early in the year is 95.8 mph, right in line with where he's been over his first two MLB seasons. He remains an elite starting pitcher option for fantasy managers in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Across 51 plate appearances so far in 2026, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is hitting .268/.412/.366 with one home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. The 27-year-old currently boasts a career-best 17.8% walk rate while striking out in just 9.8% of his plate appearances. However, Guerrero Jr. has yet to get his power stroke going. With an average launch angle of 3.7 degrees, Guerrero Jr. is pounding the ball into the ground at a 52.8% rate. The lack of lift has been a problem for Guerrero Jr. at previous points in his career, as he's hit 26 home runs or fewer in two out of the last three seasons despite consistently posting elite batted-ball metrics. Still, Guerrero Jr. owns elite plate skills and should see his counting stats rise once Toronto comes out of its team-wide offensive funk. He remains an elite first base option for fantasy managers despite the relatively slow start.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect
Didier Fuentes was a bit erratic in his second start for Triple-A Gwinnett, but overall turned in another impressive outing. The Braves' third-ranked prospect allowed two hits, four walks, and he hit a batter, but yielded no runs and struck out eight in six innings of work. Through two starts, the right-hander has yet to allow a run and owns a 15:5 K:BB in 9 2/3 innings pitched. With the Braves' rotation depleted by injury in 2025, the 6-foot Colombian had a four-start debut with the team last season and has already made one relief appearance with the big league club in 2026, but was sent to Triple-A to get stretched out as a starter, as the rotation is again very much in need of help. The 20-year-old could be back in the majors soon if he continues to pitch well, and his strikeout upside should make him a viable stash option in deeper leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 9, 2026
Through his first three starts of 2026, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher
Bryan Woo has posted a 1.50 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with 17 strikeouts across 18 innings pitched. While Woo's numbers are excellent, the 26-year-old has yet to record his first win of the season due to a distinct lack of run support. Seattle has scored just six runs combined over Woo's three appearances. Woo established himself as one of the best young arms in baseball in 2025 by recording a 15-7 record with a 2.94 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 198 strikeouts across 186 2/3 innings (30 starts). His trademark excellent control has been on display so far in 2026, as he's allowed just four walks and has yet to surrender a home run. Early on, Woo looks ready to repeat his ace-level production from 2025. His next start is scheduled for Tuesday in San Diego against the Padres.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Josue De Paula's bat woke up in a big way on Wednesday for Double-A Tulsa, going 4-for-5 with his first home run of the season and five RBI. The Dodgers' top-ranked prospect is now 8-for-22 (.364) through five games and has shown the patient approach that has been evident throughout his minor league career with more walks (four) than strikeouts (three) thus far. The 20-year-old has also been active on the basepaths in the early going, with two steals so far, and he was also caught stealing twice. The 6-foot-3 slugger spent nearly all of 2025 at High-A, slashing .263/.406/.421 with 12 home runs, 32 steals, and an impressive 81:86 BB:K in 98 games there. MLB's No. 12 prospect could make quick work of Double-A if he continues to perform and should see time at Triple-A this year. With his talent and trajectory, he could even be in the mix for a late-season debut, but he is not a stash candidate in redraft leagues at the moment. The youngster has the makings of a future star and could have a big fantasy impact in 2027.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 9, 2026
Athletics designated hitter/outfielder
Brent Rooker (side) was forced to exit his team's Thursday matchup against the New York Yankees in the first inning after pulling up gingerly during a swing. While it's not yet entirely clear what Rooker's exact injury is, he was holding his side/oblique area as he went down the stairs of the Athletics dugout. Entering play on Thursday, Rooker was hitting .150/.250/.300 with two home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases across his first 48 plate appearances of 2026. The 31-year-old has established himself as one of the better right-handed power hitters in baseball in recent years, slugging 99 home runs over the past three seasons combined. Athletics outfielder
Lawrence Butler entered the game for Rooker on Thursday, and right-handed hitting utility man
Andy Ibanez could be in line for more playing time if Rooker is sidelined for an extended stretch.
--Will BradySource: Athletics on NBC Sports California
April 9, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Griffin Conine (knee) left Thursday's game early against the visiting Cincinnati Reds with left-knee discomfort, according to the Marlins' broadcast. Conine injured his left knee while attempting to make a diving catch in left field in the top of the sixth inning and got up gimpy before eventually walking off the field under his own power with a trainer. We should know more about the severity of his injury following the game. Before getting hurt, Conine was hitless in his two at-bats. He was replaced in left field by
Heriberto Hernandez. Conine came into Thursday's game hitting .300 (6-for-20) in his first 10 games in 2026 with two home runs, four RBI, six runs scored, two stolen bases, two walks, and six strikeouts. The 28-year-old has been relatively healthy in his professional career before suffering a shoulder subluxation in 2025 that required surgery. He played in just 54 games in the majors in his first two seasons with the Fish, hitting five home runs and driving in 20 in 175 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
April 9, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers (hamstring) will officially begin his minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Jacksonville, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Stowers will then take Saturday off before returning to action with the Jumbo Shrimp on Sunday. The left-handed-hitting outfielder started the 2026 season on the 10-day injured list due to a right-hamstring strain that he suffered in spring training in March. The 28-year-old former second-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles out of Stanford in 2019 should be rostered in all fantasy leagues while he recovers from his hamstring injury. In an effort to keep Stowers healthy, the Marlins are considering using him as a first baseman, and he could see action there during his rehab assignment. Stowers was Miami's lone All-Star representative in 2025 and hit an impressive .288/.368/.544 with a .912 OPS, 25 home runs, 73 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five steals in 457 plate appearances. If Stowers can avoid further injuries, he has clear 30-homer power from the left side.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
April 9, 2026
Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers is not in the team's starting lineup in the Bronx on Thursday against the New York Yankees, according to MLB.com.
Austin Wynns will do the catching for left-hander
Jeffrey Springs and will bat seventh against Yankees left-hander
Ryan Weathers. Langeliers has been among the hottest hitters in baseball in the first couple of weeks of the season, as he enters play on Thursday with a .289/.333/.644 slash line, .978 OPS, five home runs, eight RBI, and seven runs scored in 45 at-bats. The 28-year-old backstop is tied for the major-league lead with his five home runs. Langeliers has had at least 22 home runs in each of the last three seasons, culminating in a career-high 31 long balls in 123 games in 2025. He has elite power at the weak catching position, making him a high-end starting fantasy backstop in a hitter-friendly home environment in Sacramento. Wynns has appeared in only three games this year and is 1-for-6 at the plate.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 9, 2026
New York Yankees left-hander
Carlos Rodon (elbow) threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session on Wednesday, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. However, the next step has yet to be determined for Rodon as he completes his recovery from offseason surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw also had a recent setback with his hamstring, but it wasn't a serious injury, and it hasn't really affected his elbow rehab too much. The next step for Rodon will be to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. It's unclear how many starts the Yankees want him to make on the farm before clearing him to rejoin the big-league starting rotation, but fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect him to debut in pinstripes until sometime in May. The three-time All-Star certainly has durability concerns, but he is coming off his best year with the Yanks in 2025, when he had a 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 203:73 K:BB in 195 1/3 innings over a career-high 33 starts. Rodon should not be available on the waiver wire in any fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
April 9, 2026
New York Yankees first baseman
Ben Rice is batting fifth for the team on Thursday against the visiting Athletics and left-hander
Jeffrey Springs, according to MLB.com. The Yankees said that Rice is going to face lefties more in 2026 after he broke out at the plate last year. The 27-year-old former 12th-rounder in 2021 out of Dartmouth College slashed .255/.337/.499 with an .836 OPS, 26 home runs, 65 RBI, and 74 runs scored in 138 games in 2025 in his first full season in the big leagues. In his first 10 games in 2026, Rice has gone 11-for-33 (.333) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and 11 runs scored. Rice currently leads the league in on-base percentage (.500), slugging (.727), and OPS (1.227) in 44 plate appearances. He hit .208 (22-for-106) with seven of his 26 home runs last year against lefties. Rice has never faced Springs in his career and should be faded in DFS against the southpaw.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 9, 2026
New York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to face hitters in Hudson Valley on Sunday, manager Aaron Boone told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole is going to start his minor-league rehab assignment this weekend after getting into a few spring training games last month and throwing live batting practice last Friday. The 35-year-old former Cy Young winner is recovering from Tommy John surgery that kept him out for all of last season. He threw 2 2/3 innings in Grapefruit League action and will be eased back into New York's starting rotation when he's activated from the injured list. Barring any setbacks, Cole probably won't make his 2026 season debut until mid- to late-May. Still, fantasy managers need to keep him stashed in an IL spot until then because of his ability to carry a rotation when healthy. Expectations should be tempered as he comes off TJ surgery, but Cole's upside is undeniable when he's in top form.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
April 9, 2026
Colorado Rockies right-hander
Jimmy Herget is scheduled to serve as the team's opener for Thursday's series opener at Petco Park against the division-rival San Diego Padres, according to the team. Herget is likely to only pitch an inning or two on Thursday, so he won't be a recommended fantasy streamer in any format. Right-hander
Chase Dollander figures to see the bulk of the innings in this one after Herget leaves the game. The 32-year-old Herget will hope to keep up the strong work early in the 2026 season, as he's allowed just an earned run on four hits while walking none and striking out six with a save in six innings out of the bullpen. Dollander, 24, comes into Thursday's contest with a 5.40 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 11 punchouts and three walks in 8 1/3 frames over two relief appearances. Neither Herget nor Dollander will be popular streaming options for fantasy managers against a Padres team that is starting to swing the bats better.
--Keith HernandezSource: Rockies Club Information
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