March 30, 2026
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Samuel Basallo is not in the starting lineup for the series opener on Monday at Camden Yards against the visiting Texas Rangers, according to MLB.com.
Adley Rutschman is behind the plate and will bat cleanup for the O's against right-hander
Jack Leiter. Outfielder
Tyler O'Neill is the designated hitter and will hit out of the five-hole. The 21-year-old Basallo will get his first day off of the 2026 season after he started in each of the first three games of the year versus the Minnesota Twins. Basallo went 2-for-10 in the first three games with two walks and four strikeouts at the dish. Young outfielder
Dylan Beavers is also making a start on Monday with O'Neill at DH, getting the nod in right field and batting sixth. Basallo should be back in the starting lineup for fantasy managers for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday night.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 30, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers are on the verge of finalizing an eight-year deal for just more than $50 million with 21-year-old prized shortstop prospect
Cooper Pratt, who had not played above Double-A until this year, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The deal will include two option years for roughly $15 million per season. Per MLB Pipeline, Pratt is considered the Brewers' No. 4 prospect. Pratt isn't considered a top-10 prospect at the shortstop position going into the 2026 season, but he could be up in the big leagues sooner than later after this massive deal for an unproven commodity. Milwaukee did something similar with outfielder
Jackson Chourio before he even had stepped foot on a major-league field. Pratt hit .238/.343/.348 with eight home runs and 31 steals in 120 games with Double-A Biloxi last year. He can run and has 15-20 homer power eventually at the next level. Pratt has come up in the system as a shortstop, but his future in Milwaukee might be at the hot corner, with top prospect
Jesus Made considered the future of the franchise at the 6.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA Today Sports - Bob Nightengale
March 30, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired outfielder
Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants on Monday in exchange for cash considerations, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants also acquired right-hander
Dylan Smith from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash considerations and designated
Tyler Fitzgerald in a corresponding move. Matos will head to the National League Central after he was designated for assignment last week. The 24-year-old will help give the Brewers some additional outfield depth early in the season with
Jackson Chourio (hand) on the injured list. The Venezuelan outfielder has yet to click as a former top prospect in the big leagues, as he sports a .231/.281/.369 with a .650 OPS, 15 home runs, 61 RBI, 64 runs, and seven steals in 178 games played over three MLB seasons. It's worth noting that he's out of minor-league options. Matos has always made decent contact, but the power just hasn't manifested itself in the big leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
March 30, 2026
Baltimore Orioles right-handed pitcher
Andrew Kittredge (shoulder inflammation) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday, according to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Kittredge opened the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list, but he previously told reporters that he didn't expect to miss too much time. Indeed, he'll return to the mound for his rehab assignment on April 1 and could possibly be activated as soon as he's eligible to return on April 6. With that said, he's eligible to remain on rehab assignment through the end of April. The veteran reliever is looking to build off an impressive 2025 campaign in which he posted a 3.06 FIP with 10.9 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. He's capable of pitching in high-leverage scenarios in the later innings. He projects best as an eighth-inning setup option before the Orioles turn to closer
Ryan Helsley, who recorded two saves in the Orioles' opening series.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jacob Calvin Meyer
March 30, 2026
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Nick Lodolo (finger) will pitch in a minor-league rehab game on Thursday, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19. He'll make his appearance with the Reds' Low-A affiliate in Daytona, and if all goes well, he'll be activated from the injured list to start a game when the Reds are in Florida to take on the Miami Marlins. Lodolo opened the regular season on the 15-day injured list due to a blister on his left index finger, but the fact that he'll return in the first or second week of April after requiring just one rehab outing is a good sign. He's looking to build off a strong 2025 season in which he made 29 appearances with a 3.66 xFIP, 8.96 K/9, 1.78 BB/9, and 42.6% ground ball rate. The 28-year-old southpaw currently ranks #41 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Charlie Goldsmith
March 30, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher
Brandon Sproat allowed seven earned runs, six hits, and four walks in his 2026 regular-season debut on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox. In his first career start as a Brewer, Sproat was roughed up, but he managed to escape with the no-decision as Milwaukee's bats came alive late in the game and dropped a six-spot in the eighth inning to take the lead (and win). Still, it was a frustrating outing for the young right-hander following an offseason trade from the New York Mets. His ground ball rate was down (albeit over a small sample size), and his control problems came out of nowhere. The lone bright spot from his outing was the fact that his fastball velocity jumped from 96.5 mph in 2025 to 98.6 mph in 2026. Sproat ranks #90 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026, but he'll need to bounce back in his next outing to prove Sunday's poor performance was a fluke.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 30, 2026
Colorado Rockies outfielder
Brenton Doyle is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Leadoff hitter
Jake McCarthy will patrol center field in his absence. Doyle has been off to a woeful start offensively, going 0-for-11 with one walk, one stolen base, and two strikeouts. His .168 xBA suggests he's been only a little unlucky. Doyle has always been someone whose glove offers more value than his bat, but a three-game hitless streak is still concerning. He'll get the day off Monday to reset as the Rockies face off against Blue Jays right-handed pitcher
Cody Ponce. If this is just a day off rather than a pure benching, he should get back into the lineup on Tuesday against veteran righty
Max Scherzer.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 30, 2026
Cincinnati Reds outfielder
Noelvi Marte is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Marte started each of the first three games of the season, but he was slumping at the plate with a 0-for-6 line and four strikeouts. Given his slow start offensively, we're not surprised to see him get the day off against Pirates right-hander
Braxton Ashcraft. It's too early to panic on Marte, though, as he's fully capable of returning to his 2025 form (14 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 101 wRC+). Perhaps the day off will allow him to reset and turn things around after a small sample size of disappointing results. There's still plenty of upside in the 24-year-old, who ranks #39 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
--Andersen PickardSource: MLB.com
March 30, 2026
The Miami Marlins are sending first base prospect
Deyvison De Los Santos back to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. It will make room for recently acquired infielder
Leo Jimenez. With De Los Santos back in the minors,
Connor Norby should play a lot of first base until
Christopher Morel (oblique) returns from the 10-day injured list. The 22-year-old De Los Santos went 1-for-2 with a double in a cup of coffee with the Fish to begin the 2026 regular season, but the Marlins would like to get him more development on the farm. De Los Santos adds very little defensively, so he's going to need to hit to find his way into the lineup at the big-league level consistently. That may be asking a lot for a player that had a below-average 85 wRC+ last year in the minors. The good news is that De Los Santos showed more plate discipline and made more contact, but his quality of contact left plenty to be desired. For the time being, De Los Santos is merely a stash candidate in dynasty formats for his raw power at the plate.
--Keith HernandezSource: SportsGrid - Craig Mish
March 30, 2026
Baltimore Orioles corner infielder
Coby Mayo spent the offseason hitting sliders, curveballs, and changeups "at their most extreme movement profiles" off a pitching machine in an effort to help him square the baseball up more frequently, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Mayo is Baltimore's everyday third baseman to begin the 2026 season with
Jordan Westburg (elbow) likely out through April. In 2025, Mayo whiffed on 43.8% of the breaking balls that he swung at. Although he's gone just 2-for-9 in the early going in the first three games of the 2026 season, Mayo has two walks and two strikeouts and is already squaring the ball up more frequently. In 85 games for the O's last year, Mayo slashed .217/.299/.388 with a .687 OPS, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, and 30 runs scored in 294 plate appearances. With more consistent playing time at third base early on this year, Mayo will have an opportunity to become a post-hype breakout in Baltimore.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
March 30, 2026
The re-trial of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop
Wander Franco, which was scheduled to start on Monday in the Dominican Republic, has been delayed again and is now set to take place from May 13 to 15, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Franco was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic back in June of last year and received a suspended two-year prison sentence. The 25-year-old could be subject to further discipline under MLB's domestic-violence, sexual-assault, and child-abuse policies. Franco remains on the restricted list and will be unlikely to obtain a visa to ever return to play for the Rays or another big-league club in the future. A once-promising MLB career has been thrown away due to poor personal choices by Franco. In Tampa, youngster
Carson Williams has taken over the shortstop job early in 2026 with
Taylor Walls (oblique) on the 10-day injured list.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
March 30, 2026
Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever
Carlos Estevez (ankle) is still in a walking boot on Monday, and the team will see how he feels, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Estevez probably won't be available to pitch to begin the week, but with an off day on Tuesday, the Royals will determine if he needs to go on the injured list. The 33-year-old veteran took a line drive off his left ankle when he allowed a whopping six runs in a blown save on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, and he wasn't available to pitch in the series finale in Atlanta on Sunday. With Estevez out,
Lucas Erceg picked up the save for KC in the 4-1 win. Even if Estevez was available on Sunday, manager Matt Quatraro hinted that the Royals want to use the struggling reliever in lower-leverage situations going forward. Estevez could certainly be used in save situations again in 2026, but right now, he's firmly on the closer hot seat, and fantasy managers need to scoop up Erceg wherever they can. An IL stint seems likely for Estevez, mainly so that he can figure out a way to get his velocity back up.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
March 30, 2026
New York Mets third baseman
Bo Bichette didn't take long to hear the boo-birds coming his way during his opening weekend with his new team, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. It wasn't all bad for Bichette in the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he did strike out multiple times per game and carries an early 53.3% strikeout rate in 15 plate appearances. Bichette acknowledged that he's feeling the pressure after signing a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets in the offseason. To begin the 2026 season, he went 1-for-14 with an RBI, run scored, and eight strikeouts. "We can talk about it being early, but I need to figure some things out," Bichette said. "I've done it before. Just different circumstances." Fantasy managers shouldn't be overly concerned just yet, especially since Bichette is also transitioning on defense from the move from shortstop to the hot corner in Queens.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
March 30, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Dylan Cease looked amazing in his first start with Toronto over the weekend, striking out 12 hitters in 5 1/3 innings (one run allowed) versus the Athletics. His 12 K's were a franchise record for a Blue Jays starter in their debut. Per The Athletic's Mitch Bannon, Cease's goal this spring was to incorporate a new changeup, mostly against left-handed hitters, to complement his fastball/slider mix. The new changeup is faster than Cease's previous version and has more arm-side movement. "I'm going to keep fine-tuning it," Cease said. "Trying to find a little more consistency with command, but I like where it's at." The new changeup isn't an excellent pitch, but it could keep hitters more off balance and generate weak contact, especially late in games. Fantasy managers won't argue with the results in Cease's 2026 debut in his new digs. He threw eight changeups against the A's and got eight whiffs.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
March 30, 2026
The Atlanta Braves don't expect right-hander
Spencer Strider (oblique) to be out for too long to begin the 2026 season after he was placed on the 15-day injured list with a Grade 1 left-oblique strain before Opening Day, according to Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com. Catcher
Sean Murphy missed almost two months two years ago with the same injury, but president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos doesn't think Strider's injury is nearly as severe. Strider's oblique injury is being described as "minor" compared to Murphy's. Still, injury issues are piling up for Strider, who also missed most of 2024 while recovering from surgery to fix a torn UCL in his right elbow. He then suffered a right-hamstring strain when he returned that year. The 27-year-old hurler had a left-oblique strain in 2022 and missed around a month. He's eligible to return as early as April 6. Fantasy managers are wondering what version of Strider they'll get, but most fantasy analysts are skeptical after Strider displayed diminished velocity in spring training.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Thomas Harrigan
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