March 28, 2026
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect
Chase DeLauter is now up to three home runs on the year after just the first two games of the season after he homered again in the team's 5-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. DeLauter, batting in the two-hole for Cleveland, went 1-for-4 on the night with a solo home run and a strikeout. In his first two games of the 2026 season, the 24-year-old left-handed slugger has gone 4-for-9 with three home runs (all solo jobs). It's been nice to see from the former 16th overall pick in 2022 out of James Madison University in his first taste of major-league pitching. He also looked good at the plate this spring, batting .459/.535/.838 with a 1.373 OPS, three homers, five doubles, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, six walks, and four strikeouts in 14 Cactus League games. Durability has been an issue for DeLauter in the minors, but for now, fantasy managers need to swoop him up where he's available, as he's looking like a potential early favorite for American League Rookie of the Year if he can stay on the field for Cleveland.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 28, 2026
Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever
Jordan Romano is emerging as the team's primary closer with all of
Kirby Yates (knee),
Ben Joyce (shoulder), and
Robert Stephenson (elbow) on the injured list to begin the 2026 season. Romano picked up his first save of the year in Thursday's 3-0 Opening Day win over the Houston Astros, and although it wasn't a save situation, he pitched in the ninth inning for a second straight day in Friday's 6-2 victory. He had a clean inning of work to finish off the victory, striking out two batters. Romano had a rough couple of seasons the last few years, but he topped out at 95.7 mph on Friday and is looking more like the version of himself that had 36 saves in back-to-back years with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022 and 2023. Veteran left-hander
Drew Pomeranz could also see some save chances for the Halos early in the year with the back end of the bullpen banged up, but for now, Romano is the arm to roster for fantasy managers in need of saves.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 28, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera (knee) will bat second and play catcher for Saturday's contest against the Tampa Bay Rays. Herrera was the designated hitter for the Cardinals' regular-season opener on Thursday, but it appears that he's now healthy enough to get back into the defensive alignment. The 25-year-old is looking to build off a breakout 2025 campaign in which he slashed .284/.373/.464 with 19 home runs, 66 RBI, a 9.5% walk rate, an 18.6% strikeout rate, and 137 wRC+. He went 0-for-4 on Opening Day, but it's far too early to panic. He still has tremendous upside given his production at the plate and near-league-average defense. As it stands, he ranks #10 among catchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: MLB.com
March 28, 2026
Miami Marlins first baseman
Christopher Morel (oblique) has been placed on the injured list, according to Craig Mish of SportsGrid. In a corresponding move, first baseman
Deyvison De Los Santos was recalled from Triple-A. Morel has yet to make his 2026 regular-season debut, as he was scratched from the Opening Day lineup on Friday with a left oblique strain. The 26-year-old is coming off a lackluster year with the Rays in which he slashed .219/.289/.396 with an 8.2% walk rate, a 35.7% strikeout rate, and 90 wRC+ across 105 games in the majors. While Morel primarily played left field last year, he's the Marlins' projected first baseman for 2026. De Los Santos and
Liam Hicks should fill in at first base for the duration of his IL stint.
--Andersen PickardSource: Craig Mish
March 28, 2026
Houston Astros relief pitcher
Bennett Sousa (oblique) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He was placed on the injured list but is not expected to miss more than the minimum 15 days. Sousa was a key part of the Astros' bullpen in 2025, posting a 2.72 FIP with 10.48 K/9, 2.66 BB/9, and 0.71 HR/9 over 50.2 innings of work. He also recorded four saves. Sousa didn't pitch in a 2026 regular-season game before landing on the IL, but he did throw three innings of one-run ball in spring training. Without consistent save opportunities, Sousa isn't on the fantasy radar. Still, Astros fans will patiently await his return to the bullpen, given how well he pitched last year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Chandler Rome
March 28, 2026
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Jackson Jobe (elbow) is expected to play catch from 120 feet on three different occasions this upcoming week, according to Evan Petzold of Detroit Free Press. The former No. 3 pick is making decent progress as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He still has a long road ahead of him, though, as the Tigers previously said they hoped he could return in September. Jobe logged 10 starts before landing on the injured list last year. He had a 4.22 ERA, 5.18 FIP, 7.16 K/9, 4.96 BB/9, and 1.29 HR/9. This was a somewhat uninspiring stat line for the right-hander, given that he didn't rack up strikeouts, he struggled with walks, and he was unable to induce much weak contact (43.2% ground ball rate). Still, Jobe is an exciting arm with impressive velocity, so the Tigers would love to get him back just in time for the postseason.
--Andersen PickardSource: Evan Petzold
March 28, 2026
The San Diego Padres have signed veteran relief pitcher
Jose Leclerc to a minor league contract, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The 32-year-old hasn't pitched since last April, when he suffered a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery. Presumably now fully healthy, Leclerc will offer bullpen depth in the minor leagues. His veteran experience and track record make him a strong candidate for a promotion to the majors at some point this season. Across nine innings before his injury last year, the right-hander allowed six earned runs with five walks, eight strikeouts, and three home runs. He fared better over a larger sample size in 2024 with the Rangers, pitching to a 3.66 xFIP with 12.02 K/9, 4.32 BB/9, and 0.95 HR/9.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
March 28, 2026
The Boston Red Sox have re-signed infielder
Brendan Rodgers (shoulder) to a two-year minor league contract, according to Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com. Rodgers had been in camp with the Red Sox, but he was released this past week following shoulder surgery. Now, he's back in the organization on a new deal that will allow him to rehab in 2026 before returning as a healthy depth option in 2027. It's a low-risk move that could give the Red Sox a potential bench middle infielder next year. Rodgers hasn't been a productive hitter since 2024, which was his final year with the Rockies. However, he continues to offer a right-handed bat, veteran experience, solid glovework, and defensive versatility.
--Andersen PickardSource: Chris Hatfield
March 28, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Emmet Sheehan "had issues maintaining his stuff and command in spring," according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The right-hander saw his velocity and stuff get worse deeper into games, and the team reportedly attributed it to "some mechanical stuff he was working through." The struggle to maintain velocity and stuff didn't stop at the end of spring training, though. Rather, the issue persisted into Sheehan's 2026 regular-season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. His fastball averaged 95.5 mph in the first inning, but that number dropped below 94.0 mph in the second and third innings, and it fell to 92.8 mph in the fourth. Sheehan still struck out six batters over 3.1 innings of work, but he was also roughed up to the tune of four runs, five hits, and two walks. The Dodgers and the right-hander will now have to continue working on fixing the mechanical issue before his next scheduled start on Friday, April 3, against the Washington Nationals.
--Andersen PickardSource: Fabian Ardaya
March 28, 2026
According to Kevin Barral of Fish on First, the Miami Marlins are promoting first base prospect
Deyvison De Los Santos to the major-league roster. De Los Santos began the 2026 campaign with Triple-A Jacksonville but needed just one game before earning his first call to the big leagues. On Friday night in Jacksonville's season opener, De Los Santos went 2-for-4 with a home run. Earlier on Friday, the Marlins scratched first baseman
Christopher Morel (oblique) from the starting nine. Given that the Marlins promoted their top first base prospect, Morel could be in danger of missing time on the injured list. In 2025, De Los Santos spent nearly his entire season with Triple-A and held a .241/.311/.363 line with 11 doubles and 12 home runs. For now, he is worth adding in deeper 12+ team leagues as a speculative source for power at the corner infield spot.
--Andy SmithSource: Kevin Barral
March 27, 2026
Los Angeles Angels future Hall of Fame outfielder
Mike Trout was at it again in Game 2 of the regular season in Friday's 6-2 win on the road against the Houston Astros. Trout went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk, and he's now 4-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, four walks, and a stolen base through the season's first two games. The 34-year-old has looked like vintage Mike Trout in the early going, but fantasy managers are probably cautiously optimistic after all the time he has missed in recent seasons due to injuries. The three-time MVP and 11-time All-Star has played over 100 games only twice in the last five seasons due to various injuries, which have also curbed his stolen-base numbers (14 steals since the start of 2021). Trout hit only .232 in 130 games in 2025, but he managed to club 26 home runs in 556 plate appearances. If he can stay healthy, Trout could end up being a steal for fantasy managers, especially if he runs more than he has in the last five years.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 27, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed closer
Jeff Hoffman, who famously blew the save in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers last fall, blew his first save opportunity of the 2026 season as well on Opening Day on Friday against the Athletics. Hoffman entered in the top of the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead and allowed a solo shot to catcher
Shea Langeliers, his second of the day, to even the score. Luckily for the veteran right-hander, the Blue Jays scored in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off and give Hoffman his first win of the season. In his inning of work, the 33-year-old struck out four batters (one reached on a wild pitch). Hoffman should have a longer leash at the back end of the Blue Jays' bullpen early this season with
Yimi Garcia (elbow) on the injured list, but if he continues to struggle, either Garcia or
Louis Varland could get some closing opportunities for Toronto. Hoffman had a career-high 33 saves in 2025, but he also had a shaky 4.37 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 68 regular-season innings. It's just one blown save, but more struggles could quickly put him on the hot seat as the Jays' closer in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 27, 2026
Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers flexed his muscles in the 3-2 Opening Day loss to the hosting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, going 3-for-4 with two solo home runs and a strikeout at Rogers Centre. Langeliers was the A's only source of offense on a night where Toronto right-hander
Kevin Gausman was nearly unhittable. Gausman only gave up one hit (the homer to Langeliers) and struck out 11 in six innings. Langeliers hit his second home run of the day in the top of the ninth inning off closer
Jeff Hoffman to tie the game at two apiece, but the Blue Jays came through in the bottom half of the ninth frame to walk it off. The 28-year-old backstop hit .277/.325/.536 with a career-high .861 OPS, 31 home runs, 72 RBI, 73 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 523 plate appearances and 123 games in 2025. Langeliers has 82 home runs in his three full MLB seasons and has high-end power for the weak catching position. Coming into the 2026 campaign, Langeliers was an easy top-five fantasy catcher. His two-homer game on Opening Day is further proof.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
March 27, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Kevin Gausman didn't end up picking up his first win of the 2026 season in the team's 3-2 Opening Day win over the Athletics on Friday, but he was a beast nevertheless for his fantasy managers in his first start of the year. Gausman was in midseason form, allowing just one earned run on a solo home run to catcher
Shea Langeliers while walking none and striking out 11 in six innings of work. The 35-year-old was nearly perfect in his 2026 debut and struck out seven of the first 10 batters he faced. His signature sinker was on point and dipping under A's hitters' bats all night. Despite not having high-end velocity for a starting pitcher, Gausman continues to be effective as an ace for the Blue Jays. The two-time All-Star will be a must-start for fantasy managers in his second game of the season next week against the Colorado Rockies at home, where he'll have a pretty good shot to pick up his first win of 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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
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