March 27, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman
Pavin Smith (elbow) is back in the starting lineup after taking batting practice for Friday's contest on the road against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Emmet Sheehan, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Smith will serve as the team's designated hitter and will bat fifth after he missed the Opening Day loss on Thursday due to elbow soreness. An MRI exam on the 30-year-old left-handed hitter came back negative, allowing him to return to action. Smith is entering his seventh MLB season and has only had double-digit home runs once, back in 2021, when he had 11 homers and 49 RBI in 145 games played. That year was also the only time in six seasons that Smith has played in over 100 games. In 2026, he will compete for playing time between first base and designated hitter, and he's likely to continue to sit against lefties, which will keep his fantasy ceiling limited. Smith has never faced Sheehan in his MLB career.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
March 27, 2026
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Tanner Bibee (shoulder) said he is "doing better" on Friday and threw weighted balls after being pulled from his Opening Day start on Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners with right-shoulder inflammation, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. Manager
Stephen Vogt noted that the team is proceeding day to day with Bibee to give him "every chance" to make his next scheduled start. It remains to be seen if Bibee will actually make his next start, but at the very least, the 27-year-old should be able to avoid a trip to the injured list to begin the 2026 campaign. Bibee took a no-decision in Seattle on Thursday night, allowing three solo home runs, walking two, and striking out seven in five innings before being pulled with his shoulder injury. If Bibee misses a start or two, the most likely candidate to replace him in Cleveland's starting rotation is left-hander
Logan Allen.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
March 27, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez (arm) has been playing catch in Houston, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day injured list going into his first regular season with the Angels with an official designation of right-shoulder inflammation, but the team is calling it a case of dead arm. The 26-year-old's injury isn't considered serious, so barring a setback, he could make his Angels debut in 2026 before the end of April. Until he's able to rejoin the Angels' starting rotation,
Ryan Johnson will fill in. Rodriguez came up through the Baltimore Orioles' system as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball before making his MLB debut in 2023. He didn't pitch at all in 2025 in his final season in Baltimore due to elbow and lat issues, but he had a 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 259:78 K:BB in 43 starts (238 2/3 innings pitched) his first two years in the Show. Rodriguez is worth stashing in mixed leagues because of the upside still in his arm, but durability has become a major question mark.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
March 27, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever
Kirby Yates (knee) continues to play catch and said he will throw a bullpen session "sooner than later," according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Yates landed on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 season due to left-knee inflammation, but the 39-year-old veteran might not miss a ton of time early on. With
Ben Joyce (shoulder) and
Robert Stephenson (elbow) also on the shelf, right-hander
Jordan Romano picked up his first save of the year in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Opening Day. Veteran left-hander
Drew Pomeranz could also be in the mix for save opportunities with Yates, Joyce, and Stephenson out. Yates will probably be the first of the trio of injured relievers to return to the Halos, and when he does, it's anyone's guess as to how first-year manager Kurt Suzuki will divvy up save situations. Given the current climate of the Angels' bullpen, Romano deserves a waiver-wire pickup if he's available and you're scrounging for saves already.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
March 27, 2026
Chicago Cubs second baseman
Nico Hoerner's six-year deal has been finalized on Friday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN, and he'll make $141 million. It's the fourth-largest contract ever for a second baseman and will lock up the 28-year-old into the 2030s. Hoerner isn't a big power guy at the keystone, but he plays excellent defense, runs well, and makes plenty of contact at the plate in Chicago. Before Hoerner got his big deal, the Cubs also locked up young All-Star outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong to a six-year deal earlier this week. Hoerner, a former first-round pick in 2018 out of Stanford, had a career-high of 10 home runs back in 2022, and he has only 36 long balls over his eight big-league seasons. But since becoming a full-time starter at second base in 2022, he has hit .284/.339/.389 with 232 RBI, 333 runs scored, and 123 stolen bases in 592 regular-season games played. Fantasy managers can count on him to get on base, hit for a high average, and score plenty of runs.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
March 27, 2026
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder
Jac Caglianone, who is on the bench on Opening Day on Friday against the Atlanta Braves and left-hander
Chris Sale, will make starts against left-handed pitchers this year, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Sale is one of the most dominant lefty arms in baseball, though, so the Royals will protect him on Friday and put veteran
Starling Marte in right field. Caglianone struggled in his first taste of major-league pitching in 2025, hitting only .157/.237/.295 with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 18 walks, and 52 strikeouts in 232 plate appearances over 62 games played. He looked better in spring training, though, and the Royals are going to put more on his plate in 2026 in his first full year in the majors. The good news is that the 23-year-old former two-way star didn't have a major problem with strikeouts in his first exposure to the big leagues. However, he'll need to make more consistent contact, and it's not out of the question that he'll return to the minors if he struggles again early on. Long-term, Cags has high-end power potential, and he could have dual eligibility at first base and in the outfield.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
March 27, 2026
Houston Astros left-handed closer
Josh Hader (biceps) threw a bullpen session on Friday, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Hader entered spring training in February with a biceps injury, and he also missed time in 2025 with a shoulder injury, so the veteran closer comes into 2026 with more risk than ever. While the 31-year-old six-time All-Star is throwing, the Astros are not going to rush him, and they hope that he's able to start facing live hitters by the end of April. That means that Hader is unlikely to make his season debut for the Astros and fantasy managers until sometime in May. In the meantime,
Bryan Abreu will be the team's primary ninth-inning closer, boosting his fantasy baseball appeal across all formats. When healthy last year, Hader was still dominant, posting a 2.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings pitched. The nine-year veteran has a total of 227 saves in 512 1/3 innings pitched in the big leagues. He should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
March 27, 2026
Miami Marlins first baseman/outfielder
Christopher Morel (oblique) was scratched from the Opening Day lineup on Friday against the visiting Colorado Rockies due to a left-oblique strain, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid.
Connor Norby will replace him at first base, and
Owen Caissie will serve as the designated hitter against Rockies left-hander
Kyle Freeland. For now, we'll consider Morel to be day-to-day, but oblique injuries can be tricky, so nobody should be surprised if he eventually lands on the 10-day injured list. The 26-year-old Dominican has plenty of power -- he has 74 home runs in four major-league seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays -- but he also has 538 strikeouts in 1,770 plate appearances. In 105 games in 2025 with the Rays, Morel hit .219/.289/.396 with 11 homers, 33 RBI, seven stolen bases, 25 walks, and 109 K's in 305 plate appearances. A return to the 20-homer mark is easily attainable with enough volume in Miami, but he'll really hurt your average with all of his whiffs.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
March 27, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Jose Berrios (elbow) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session in camp on Friday, manager John Schneider told Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Berrios is on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 regular season after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow last week. The Blue Jays are hoping that the 31-year-old can continue to pitch through it, but the problem is that he hasn't appeared in a spring training game in three weeks, so he needs to build his arm back up. The veteran Puerto Rican doesn't have a timetable for when he might make his season debut in Toronto, but barring a setback, it could be possible for him to rejoin the Blue Jays before the end of April. Berrios went 9-5 in 2025 in his fourth full season with the Jays, recording a 4.17 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 138:56 K:BB in 166 innings pitched. Since the start of the 2019 season, Berrios has more innings on his arm than any other pitcher, and all the tread on his tires appears to be catching up with him. Don't be surprised if Toronto moves him into a long-relief role sooner than later in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
March 27, 2026
Houston Astros infielder/outfielder
Brice Matthews will make his 2026 debut on Friday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Yusei Kikuchi at Daikin Park. Per MLB.com, Matthews is starting in center field and will bat ninth in the lineup. With Matthews in the lineup,
Jake Meyers will retreat to the bench against a left-hander. The 24-year-old prospect is expected to serve in a super-utility role for the Astros to begin the year after he saw playing time in center field, left field, and second base during spring training. The former 28th overall pick in 2023 hit .250 (9-for-36) with an .817 OPS, a homer, 10 RBI, six runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 16 Grapefruit League games this spring. Matthews went just 7-for-42 (.167) in a small 13-game sample size in his MLB debut in 2025 with two walks and 20 strikeouts, but he's a high-upside rookie who possesses plus speed and above-average raw power.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 27, 2026
Houston Astros outfielder
Yordan Alvarez, who was in the designated hitter spot on Opening Day on Thursday, will shift to left field on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Yusei Kikuchi, according to MLB.com. With shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) back,
Carlos Correa is shifting to third base, pushing
Isaac Paredes to DH. Alvarez will bat out of the two-hole. Despite the lefty-on-lefty matchup for Alvarez in Game 2 of the regular season, he should be left in all starting fantasy lineups, as he's hit .357 against Kikuchi in his career with a 1.143 OPS, three home runs, and nine RBI in 28 at-bats. The 28-year-old Cuban went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in Thursday's 3-0 loss, but he had what looked to be a no-doubt home run taken away from him when the ball hit the rafters at Daikin Park. Alvarez is a three-time All-Star who had established himself as one of the best all-around hitters in baseball before being limited to only 48 games due to injury in 2025. He could see plenty of time in left field this year (if he's healthy) if the Astros want to keep Paredes' bat in the lineup.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 27, 2026
Right-hander
Shane Baz and the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $68 million contract extension on Friday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 26-year-old was acquired in a trade this winter from the Tampa Bay Rays and is set for a big payday after his first fully healthy season in 2025. Baz went 10-12 for the Rays last year with a 4.87 ERA (4.37 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, and 176:64 K:BB in 166 1/3 innings over his 31 starts. The former first-rounder (12th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 had thrown a previous career high of 79 1/3 major-league innings in 2024. He looked good this spring, allowing three earned runs with four walks and 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings over three Grapefruit League starts, and his first regular-season start is scheduled to come this Sunday versus the Minnesota Twins. Baz is looking to take the next step as a more consistent starter in Baltimore in 2026. He had 13 outings of two or fewer runs allowed in 2025, and he'll be in a more pitcher-friendly park in Camden Yards.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
March 27, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that first baseman/catcher
Ben Rice and outfielder
Trent Grisham, who are both out of the starting lineup on Friday against San Francisco Giants lefty
Robbie Ray, will see playing time against southpaws in 2026, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "A lot of it has to do with the first three series, the first nine games -- this (Robbie Ray) is probably the only lefty we're going to see," Boone said. Rice, 27, broke out in 2025 in his first full year in the big leagues and earned more exposure to lefties, hitting .255/.337/.499 with an .836 OPS, 26 home runs, 65 RBI, and 74 runs scored in 530 plate appearances over 138 games played. Against left-handers, Rice went 22-for-106 (.208) with seven of his home runs on the season. The 27-year-old lefty slugger also has catcher eligibility. Rice's fantasy arrow is firmly pointing up in 2026. He went 1-for-4 on Opening night on Wednesday in the win over the Giants.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
March 27, 2026
Houston Astros shortstop
Jeremy Pena (finger) will bat leadoff in his 2026 season debut on Friday at Daikin Park against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Yusei Kikuchi, according to MLB.com. Pena wasn't in the lineup in Thursday's Opening Day loss to the Halos after fracturing his finger back on March 4, but he was thankfully able to avoid the injured list to begin the year and will return to the lineup for Game 2. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues will want to get him back into their starting lineups. In 12 career at-bats against Kikuchi, Pena has hit .333 with a 1.135 OPS and a solo home run. With Pena back in the fold in Houston,
Carlos Correa will shift back to third base, with
Isaac Paredes moving to designated hitter and the three-hole on Friday. Left-handed slugger
Yordan Alvarez will move out of the DH spot and into left field.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 27, 2026
Atlanta Braves second baseman
Ozzie Albies will bat in the three-hole for the Braves on Opening Day on Friday against the visiting Kansas City Royals and left-hander
Cole Ragans at Truist Park, according to MLB.com. This is definitely notable after Albies only had seven of his 157 plate appearances in 2025 out of the No. 3 spot in the batting order. Overall, the three-time All-Star hit .240/.306/.365 with a career-worst .671 OPS, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 74 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 667 plate appearances over 157 games played. The 29-year-old switch-hitting second baseman was much better against lefties from the right side of the plate in 2025, going 49-for-177 (.277) against them, but with only four of his 16 total home runs. The Braves could have Albies hitting elsewhere against righties in 2026, but for now, he's in the heart of Atlanta's order on Opening Day as he looks to bounce back in his 10th year in the big leagues. Albies is hitless in just one career at-bat against Ragans.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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