March 26, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Chandler Simpson will start Opening Day on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals on the bench, according to MLB.com. The Rays will roll with
Ryan Vilade (batting second) in left field,
Cedric Mullins (batting eighth) in center field, and
Jonny DeLuca (batting sixth) in right field against Cardinals left-hander
Matthew Liberatore. Simpson, 25, bats from the left side and will have to wait to make his first start in 2026. In his first year in the big leagues in 2025, Simpson hit .299 (32-for-107) against southpaws, as opposed to a .293 (9-for-307) average versus righties. The former second-rounder in 2022 slashed an impressive .295/.326/.345 with a .671 OPS, no homers, 26 RBI, 53 runs scored, and 44 stolen bases in his first 109 big-league games. He gives fantasy managers virtually zero power, and when he is in the lineup, he'll likely be down at the bottom of the order, limiting his counting-stat upside. Still, Simpson is useful in all leagues for his elite speed in Tampa.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Chicago White Sox catcher
Kyle Teel (hamstring) was seen getting in some pre-game work on Thursday before the team's Opening Day contest in Milwaukee against the Brewers, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Teel was placed on the 10-day injured list to start the 2026 season due to a Grade 2 right-hamstring strain that he suffered in mid-March while playing for Italy during the World Baseball Classic. The White Sox expect the 24-year-old backstop to return in four to six weeks. When healthy, Teel should serve as the Pale Hose's primary catcher in 2026, sharing time with
Edgar Quero behind the dish. Until Teel can make his season debut, the White Sox will roll with Quero and
Reese McGuire at the position. Teel doesn't have a crazy-high power ceiling, but he's proven he can get on base frequently, and he even has above-average wheels for a catcher. The former 14th overall pick in 2023 out of Virginia by the Red Sox hit .273/.375/.411 with a .786 OPS, eight homers, and 35 RBI in his first 78 major-league games in Chicago in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
March 26, 2026
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said on Thursday that infielder
Isaac Paredes will move around at several different positions in 2026, according to Astros beat writer Javier Gonzalez. "He'll get a lot of at-bats. The plan is for him to play 3B, 1B, 2B, and DH," Brown said. Paredes is starting at the hot corner and will bat third on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and right-hander
Jose Soriano with
Jeremy Pena (finger) out of the lineup.
Carlos Correa is moving to shortstop. The 27-year-old will essentially rotate around the infield when players need a day off or when injuries strike, so Paredes won't be guaranteed regular playing time throughout the year. He was limited to 102 games in 2025 in his first year in Houston due to a serious hamstring injury, but he still managed to reach the 20-homer mark for the third time in his six MLB seasons. Fantasy managers should view Paredes as a mid-tier third baseman, but to reach his true ceiling, he'll likely need an injury to open up more consistent playing time in Houston.
--Keith HernandezSource: Javier Gonzalez
March 26, 2026
The Houston Astros are hoping that left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) will be facing hitters "by mid-April," general manager Dana Brown told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Hader is starting the 2026 season on the 15-day injured list due to left-biceps tendinitis that he dealt with this spring. The good news is that the veteran southpaw has been throwing off the mound since earlier this month. However, with Hader being a couple of weeks out from potentially facing live hitters, fantasy managers might want to expect his 2026 debut to come in early May, at the earliest. Hader should not be floating around on any waiver wires to begin the year, but fantasy managers holding him might not get him back as early as they anticipated, and it remains to be seen if he'll be his normal dominant self when he returns after also dealing with shoulder issues in 2025. In the meantime,
Bryan Abreu figures to get the majority of save opportunities in Houston.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 26, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies rookie outfielder
Justin Crawford is starting in center field and batting ninth for the Phillies in his major-league debut on Thursday on Opening Day against the visiting Texas Rangers and right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi, according to MLB.com. Crawford earned a spot on the team's Opening Day roster after hitting .250 (13-for-52) with no homers, two RBI, 10 runs scored, three steals, two walks, and 12 strikeouts in 18 Grapefruit League games. The 22-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2022 has the opportunity to become the team's long-term option in center field after slashing .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and 46 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025. There's very little pop to be had here, and Crawford's counting stats might leave a lot to be desired while hitting at the bottom of the batting order, but his plus-plus speed should play as long as he's in the Phillies' lineup regularly.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
San Diego Padres outfielder
Miguel Andujar is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth for the Padres on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander
Tarik Skubal, according to MLB.com. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups will want to avoid Andujar against the reigning American League Cy Young winner. In just two career at-bats against Skubal, Andujar is hitless. At least against lefties, Andujar will be San Diego's primary DH, with veteran
Nick Castellanos starting on the bench on Opening Day. The 31-year-old Dominican has an .807 career OPS against lefties, as opposed to a .734 OPS against right-handers. Andujar hit just .220 (11-for-50) with three home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 19 Cactus League games this spring. He brings some pop from the right side, but he hasn't done much in the power department in his nine-year MLB career outside of crushing 27 long balls back in 2018 with the Yankees in just his second MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Detroit Tigers shortstop prospect
Kevin McGonigle is starting at third base and will bat sixth in his major-league debut on Thursday on Opening Day at Petco Park in San Diego against Padres right-hander
Nick Pivetta, according to MLB.com. The 21-year-old impressed the Tigers enough to win an Opening Day roster spot, but his first start in the big leagues will come at the hot corner instead of at the 6, with
Javier Baez starting at short. The former first-rounder in 2023 hit .250 (11-for-44) with an .888 OPS, two home runs, six RBI, eight runs scored, and two stolen bases in 20 Grapefruit League games in spring training. McGonigle is mature beyond his years, is a complete hitter, and has an excellent command of the strike zone despite his age. He slashed .305/.408/.583 with a .991 OPS, 19 homers, 80 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 88 games at three minor-league levels in 2025. McGonigle's power and speed are developing, but there's no question he is one of the best pure-hitting prospects in the majors in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Minnesota Twins left-handed-hitting outfielder
Matt Wallner is in right field and is batting fifth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles and left-hander
Trevor Rogers at Camden Yards, according to MLB.com. At least to begin the season, the Twins plan to play Wallner every day, even though he has just a .641 OPS in his career against southpaws. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups should probably avoid the 28-year-old, who has never faced Rogers. Wallner had a solid spring training showing, batting .333 (16-for-48) with three home runs, four doubles, six RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 18 Grapefruit League games for the Twins. If Wallner can continue to improve against lefties like he did last season (.790 OPS) and reduce his strikeout rate, there's no reason why he won't continue to play regularly in Minnesota. Last year in a career-high 104 games, he slashed .202/.311/.464 with 22 homers, 40 RBI, 47 runs, and four steals in 392 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Cincinnati Reds infielder
Sal Stewart is starting at first base and is batting cleanup for the Reds on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Boston Red Sox and left-hander
Garrett Crochet, per MLB.com. Stewart has never faced Crochet in his career and will make for a tough sell in DFS lineups against one of the more dominant lefty arms in the game. Long-term, though, the 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 is a rising young power bat in fantasy baseball in the heart of what should be a pretty productive lineup. Stewart posted a 1.042 OPS, .327/.450/.592 slash line, three home runs, eight RBI, 11 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 20 Cactus League games for the Reds this spring and has breakout potential in Cincy in his first full MLB season as a regular. In 18 games in his big-league debut in 2025, Stewart went 14-for-55 (.255) with five long balls and eight RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Baltimore Orioles outfielder
Taylor Ward is starting in left field and will bat in the leadoff spot in his debut with the team on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Minnesota Twins and right-hander
Joe Ryan, according to MLB.com. In his career against Ryan, Ward is hitless in six at-bats with an RBI. At least until second baseman
Jackson Holliday returns from his hand injury, the 32-year-old Ward will be Baltimore's preferred option at the top of the lineup in the early going. He'll give the O's plenty of thump from the right side in the outfield in his first year with the club after cracking a career-high 36 homers and driving in 103 in 663 plate appearances over 157 games played in 2025 in his final season with the Los Angeles Angels. He will look to keep things going at the plate after a strong spring showing, batting .281 (9-for-32) with a homer, three RBI, seven runs scored, and two steals in 13 Grapefruit League contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers infielder
David Hamilton is making the start at third base and will bat seventh for the Brewers on Opening Day on Thursday at home against the visiting Chicago White Sox and right-hander
Shane Smith, according to MLB.com. Hamilton will get the nod at the hot corner for Game 1 of 162 over
Luis Rengifo. The 28-year-old is primarily an option in NL-only leagues for his speed on the basepaths. Hamilton has very little power (14 home runs in 204 big-league games). In his three seasons with the BoSox, he hit .222/.283/.359 with a weak .642 OPS, 14 long balls, 47 RBI, 76 runs scored, and 57 stolen bases in 550 plate appearances. Playing time should be easier to come by now that he's in Milwaukee, but still, Hamilton could become more of a utility infielder by season's end if the Brew Crew opt for offense over defense at third base.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Chicago White Sox outfielder
Luisangel Acuna is starting in center field and is batting ninth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Jacob Misiorowski at American Family Field, according to MLB.com. Acuna joined the Pale Hose this offseason and will operate as the club's regular center fielder to begin the 2026 season. The 24-year-old Venezuelan began his career as an infielder before being shifted to the outfield this spring in Chicago. In 95 games with the New York Mets in 2024, he slashed .234/.293/.274 with a .567 OPS, no homers, eight RBI, 30 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 193 plate appearances. Acuna, the younger brother of Braves superstar
Ronald Acuna Jr., made some adjustments with his swing mechanics to try to generate more power going forward, but fantasy managers in deeper leagues should only really be counting on his speed on the basepaths.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
New York Mets infielder
Jorge Polanco is starting at first base and batting cleanup for the Mets in Thursday's Opening Day contest against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander
Paul Skenes, according to MLB.com. The matchup for DFS purposes against the reigning National League Cy Young winner isn't a great one for DFS for Polanco, but if he hits in the four-hole regularly this year behind
Francisco Lindor,
Juan Soto, and
Bo Bichette, he will have plenty of RBI opportunities as he splits time between first base and designated hitter in his first year in Queens. In his career against Skenes, Polanco has a hit in four at-bats. The 32-year-old Dominican switch-hitter will be looking to carry over his strong spring numbers to the regular season, as he went 9-for-29 (.310) with two home runs, four RBI, and six runs scored in 11 Grapefruit League contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 26, 2026
Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect
Dylan Beavers (knee, quadriceps) is out of the team's Opening Day lineup on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins.
Tyler O'Neill is starting in right field and will hit sixth for the O's against Twins right-hander
Joe Ryan. Beavers isn't quite ready to make his 2026 debut after sitting out of action the last week with tightness in his right knee and quadriceps muscle. He managed to avoid the injured list, though, so he could be back in Baltimore's starting lineup any day now. It won't be a strict platoon in right field this year, but Beavers and O'Neill are expected to share time at the position. The 24-year-old Beavers, who hits from the left side, made his big-league debut last year and went 25-for-110 (.227) with four home runs and 14 RBI in 137 plate appearances and 35 games played. He has 20/20 potential and could force his way into more playing time if he can get past his injury and get off to a hot start at the plate in his first full MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Orioles
March 26, 2026
Boston Red Sox infielder
Marcelo Mayer is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Cincinnati Reds. While manager Alex Cora previously said Mayer made the roster as Boston's starting second baseman, it appears that he won't be getting many at-bats against left-handed pitching. The Red Sox face left-hander
Andrew Abbott on Thursday, and Cora has decided to start right-handed-hitting infielder
Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base over Mayer. It's not the flashiest decision, but it makes sense. Mayer had a rough rookie season at the plate, posting a .416 OPS, a 37% strikeout rate, and 6 wRC+ against left-handed pitching (27 plate appearances). He could come off the bench if the Reds bring in a right-handed reliever, and we expect him to start at second base on Saturday against right-hander
Brady Singer.
--Andersen PickardSource: Chris Cotillo
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