April 4, 2026
Athletics first baseman
Nick Kurtz is back in the leadoff spot on Saturday against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander
Tatsuya Imai, according to MLB.com. It's the fifth time in the team's first seven games that Kurtz has hit leadoff. It's a curious lineup positioning for the left-handed slugger, who is an elite source of power for fantasy managers in his first full major-league season. It will also be interesting to see how long manager Mark Kotsay sticks with Kurtz in the top spot in the batting order if he continues to struggle at the plate early on in 2026. Through his first six games, Kurtz has gone 1-for-21 (.048) with no homers, no RBI, three runs scored, five walks, and 13 strikeouts in 26 plate appearances. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about Kurtz's slow start just yet. The former Wake Forest star was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025, when he slashed an impressive .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, and 86 RBI in just 117 games played for the A's.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
San Diego Padres center fielder
Jackson Merrill is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Switch-hitter
Bryce Johnson will start in his place, batting ninth and playing center field. It's been an ugly start to the year for Merrill, who is slashing just .185/241/333 with one home run, a 20.7% strikeout rate, and 68 wRC+ through seven games. Merrill had a quiet season by his standards last year, but now, he'd be thrilled to return to his 2025 form. The Padres will hope that Saturday's day off gives Merrill a chance to rest and reset. After all, it's a long season, and Merrill still has plenty of time to bounce back after a slow start. He ranks #18 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder
Teoscar Hernandez is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals.
Alex Call will start in his place, batting ninth and playing left field. Hernandez had started the Dodgers' previous seven games, so this is his first day off this season. The veteran outfielder has continued to find success putting the ball in play, slashing .320/.320/.360 with two RBI so far. With that being said, he's still searching for his first home run of the year, and he owns a dismal 0% walk rate and 36% strikeout rate (albeit over a small sample size). As a result, he has produced 94 wRC+, which is his first below-league-average mark since his rookie campaign in 2016. It's a long season, and Hernandez will have plenty of opportunities to tap into some more power after he takes Saturday to rest.
--Andersen PickardSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio (hand) has been running and throwing as part of his rehab program, and he has also been standing in and watching pitches on the Trajekt machine, manager Pat Murphy told Todd Rosiak of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Additionally, Murphy noted that Chourio will be re-evaluated on Friday, when he undergoes his next scan. The young outfielder has been sidelined since Opening Day, when he was scratched hours before first pitch and placed on the 10-day injured list. He's a key piece of the Brewers' short-term and long-term plans for success, and he's looking to build off an impressive 2025 campaign in which he slashed .270/.308/.463 with 21 home runs, 21 steals, and 111 wRC+. The Brewers have opted to play
Brandon Lockridge in left field during Chourio's absence, allowing them to keep
Christian Yelich in the designated hitter spot.
--Andersen PickardSource: Todd Rosiak
April 4, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Kutter Crawford (wrist) will face live hitters in a simulated game at Fenway Park next week, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Following the sim game, Crawford will be sent to one of the Red Sox' minor league affiliates to begin his rehab assignment. The veteran right-hander missed all of last season with a knee injury, and he's now working his way back from offseason wrist surgery. He last pitched in 2024, making 33 starts with a 3.85 xERA, 8.58 K/9, and 2.50 BB/9. Crawford is still at least a couple of weeks away from returning to the majors, but it will be interesting to see his role when he does return. The Red Sox have a filled-out rotation at the moment.
Garrett Crochet,
Ranger Suarez, and
Sonny Gray are locks to stay in the rotation.
Connelly Early has pitched well enough to remain a starter, and it's unclear if Boston would be willing to bump
Brayan Bello out of the rotation this early in the year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Chris Cotillo
April 4, 2026
Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (knee, ribs) will start a hitting progression again on Monday, manager Alex Cora told Ari Alexander of WHDH. Casas had been swinging a bat at the end of March, but he suffered a setback this past week and had to temporarily pause his rehab. The setback was actually a new rib injury, and was fortunately not related to the left patellar tendon rupture he suffered last May. The new injury will nevertheless delay his return to the majors, but the fact that he's going to restart his hitting progression in the next few days is a good sign. Casas is looking to bounce back after posting a subpar .182/.277/.303 slash line with a 24.1% strikeout rate and 56 wRC+ through 29 games early last season.
Willson Contreras remains the Red Sox' everyday first baseman for now, with
Andruw Monasterio presumably available to play the position in an emergency.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ari Alexander
April 4, 2026
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Justin Verlander (hip) has been placed on the 15-day injured list with left-hip inflammation. The move is retroactive to April 1, meaning Verlander will be eligible to return as soon as April 16. The 22-year MLB veteran has made just one start this season, allowing five runs, two walks, and one strikeout through 3.1 innings of work. Despite being 43 years old, injuries haven't become an overly common theme for Verlander yet, as he made 29 starts last year. Tigers fans will hope that he returns after the minimum 15 days to offer Detroit an effective No. 4 starter.
Keider Montero has been recalled from Triple-A and will presumably make at least a couple of starts in Verlander's absence.
--Andersen PickardSource: Detroit Tigers
April 4, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays catcher
Alejandro Kirk (thumb) will be evaluated by a specialist on Monday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. The specialist will provide a clear timeline for Kirk's return and advise whether he needs surgery. At a minimum, he'll miss 10 days after being placed on the injured list. Kirk suffered both a dislocation and a fracture in his thumb, the former of which has been repaired. He's off to a quiet start this season, slashing just .150/.227/.350 with one home run, two RBI, two walks, and two strikeouts through five games. He has continued to offer positive value on defense, though, amassing 0.4 framing runs so far.
Tyler Heineman will step in as the Jays' primary backstop, and
Brandon Valenzuela has been called up to occupy the No. 2 catcher role until Kirk is able to return.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ben Nicholson-Smith
April 4, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) was hit hard in his minor-league rehab start on Friday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowing five earned runs on four hits (one home run) while walking two and striking out only one in three innings pitched. Wheeler looked much better in his first rehab start last Saturday, in which he struck out three in three scoreless innings. The 35-year-old veteran threw 26 of his 49 pitches for strikes on Friday night, with his fastball averaging 92.7 mph. It wasn't the best Wheeler has looked, but the main takeaway for the Phillies and fantasy managers is that Wheeler didn't have a setback. He will likely need another rehab start, but he remains on track to make his 2026 season debut in April. The three-time All-Star had surgery last year for thoracic outlet syndrome, but he has progressed nicely in his rehab this spring and should be stashed in all fantasy formats. There's more risk than ever, but Wheeler could be a difference-maker as a potential fantasy ace if he can return to his pre-injury levels.
--Keith HernandezSource: milb.com
April 4, 2026
Detroit Tigers infielder
Colt Keith is back in the starting lineup on Saturday, starting at third base and batting leadoff against the St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander
Dustin May, according to MLB.com. Keith was given a rest day on Friday against St. Louis, but he'll be back in the leadoff spot for Detroit for the third time in the last four games. The 24-year-old former fifth-round pick in 2020 has been setting the table nicely for the Tigers early on in 2026, going 8-for-22 (.364) with four doubles, two RBI, four runs scored, two walks, and six strikeouts. With Keith back in the lineup, rookie infielder
Kevin McGonigle will slide from leadoff to the two-hole on Saturday. Keith's fantasy stock is up after the strong start, especially with outfielder
Kerry Carpenter off to a slow start at the plate, making it unlikely that Carpenter takes the leadoff spot from Keith anytime soon. Keith has reached base safely in all six of his games so far this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn (hip) is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game on the road in Detroit against the Tigers, according to MLB.com. Winn was forced from Friday's game against the Tigers early due to left-hip tightness that he said originated from when he was taking batting practice earlier this week. It doesn't appear to be a very serious injury for the 24-year-old, though, so it's possible that Winn could return to the starting lineup for the Red Birds for Sunday's series finale. With Winn out on Saturday,
Thomas Saggese will start at the 6 and will hit sixth against Tigers right-hander
Jack Flaherty. Saggese has never faced Flaherty in his young MLB career. Winn's hip injury will make it more difficult for the shortstop to get out of his early-season, small-sample-size slump, as he's started the 2026 season by going 5-for-28 (.179) with two doubles, an RBI, a steal, two walks, and five strikeouts in seven games played. Check back on Sunday to see if Winn is feeling good enough to return to action.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Merrill Kelly (back) is getting much closer to being activated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut in the majors. Kelly looked great in his minor-league rehab start on Friday with Triple-A Reno, tossing five scoreless innings while giving up two hits, walking two, and striking out two batters. The 37-year-old veteran threw 40 of his 72 pitches for strikes in his first rehab outing after landing on the IL to begin the regular season due to a back injury that he picked up during spring training. It's unclear if the D-backs will want him to make another start in the minors, but if he does, it will likely be his last before rejoining the team's starting rotation. Kelly is no spring chicken anymore, but when healthy, he can eat innings for the Snakes and fantasy managers. However, the upside is limited in fantasy with a below-average career strikeout rate of 22%.
--Keith HernandezSource: milb.com
April 4, 2026
Right-hander
Jedixson Paez has cleared waivers and has been returned to the Boston Red Sox, according to the Chicago White Sox, reports Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Paez was a Rule 5 selection by the White Sox, but the experiment ended quickly after Paez allowed six earned runs on four hits (two home runs) while walking three and striking out none in three relief innings to begin his big-league career. The 22-year-old had never pitched above High-A in the minors before debuting with the White Sox early this year, so he will definitely benefit from some more seasoning on the farm back in the Red Sox's organization. Paez looked good in just 19 1/3 innings with High-A Greenville in 2025 while dealing with a calf injury, posting a 2.79 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 23:3 K:BB. There's still hope for Paez long-term, as he has displayed a nice combination of strikeout upside and control. He's just probably not quite ready to retire hitters consistently at the major-league level.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
April 4, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin didn't do anything dramatic in his major-league debut on Friday in the 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, but he still helped fantasy managers who started him in his first game. Griffin went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double, RBI, run scored, strikeout, and a walk while hitting seventh in Pittsburgh's batting order. His double and RBI came in his first big-league plate appearance. The 19-year-old phenom didn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, but the Pirates didn't wait long to bring the talented youngster up to the big leagues. Griffin is mature beyond his years, both physically and skills-wise, making him a potential once-in-a-generation-type player for the Bucs and for fantasy managers. He should play regularly from here on out and should be rostered in all fantasy leagues as a potential game-changer in all categories. Griffin should move up the Pirates' batting order eventually.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect
Trey Yesavage (shoulder) made a minor-league rehab start on Friday with Single-A Dunedin and allowed an earned run on a solo home run while walking one and striking out three in 2 2/3 innings of work. This was Yesavage's first start in a game this spring after he was held back in spring training and then placed on the 15-day injured list before the start of the 2026 season due to a right-shoulder impingement. The 22-year-old's injury isn't considered serious, but it gives the Blue Jays another reason to handle him with utmost caution early on in his first full big-league season. Yesavage made it up to the big leagues in a hurry last year after he was taken 20th overall out of East Carolina in 2024. Yesavage showed good velocity on Friday while throwing 44 pitches, and he should make his season debut well before both
Jose Berrios (elbow) and
Shane Bieber (elbow). Despite the high-end upside Yesavage brings for fantasy managers, he may not reach his true ceiling until later this year as the team tries to manage his innings early in his MLB career.
--Keith HernandezSource: milb.com
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