RADIO
Michael Harris II Continues to Heat Up With Two-Homer Game on Wednesday
Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II has been seeing the ball well of late, and that continued in Wednesday's 8-6 win over the division-rival Washington Nationals in D.C. Harris led the charge by going 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI to raise his season average to .296 and his OPS to .880. In his last 10 games, Harris is slashing .412/.459/.882 with five home runs, nine RBI, and a stolen base in 37 plate appearances. There aren't many hitters in baseball more locked in than Harris right now. Wednesday's performance was Harris' seventh multi-homer game of his career. The 25-year-old third-rounder in 2019 can be streaky and inconsistent for fantasy managers, but he had his first career 20-20 season in 2025, and he can still be plenty valuable in all leagues for his power/speed skills in a strong Braves lineup. Harris has stolen exactly 20 bases in three of his four full major-league seasons. While he's on fire at the dish, keep him locked into your starting fantasy lineups everywhere.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Francisco Lindor Leaves Wednesday's Game Early With Calf Tightness
The New York Mets announced that shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) was removed from Wednesday's game early against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field with left-calf tightness. Lindor's injury came on the same day that the Mets reinstated star outfielder Juan Soto (calf) from the 10-day injured list. The 32-year-old veteran did go 2-for-2 before he injured his calf while running the bases in the fourth inning. The Mets will have Lindor undergo an MRI exam on Thursday, so we should have a better idea of how much time he'll miss at that point. Like most of the Mets' hitters early on in 2026, Lindor has struggled at the plate in the first month-plus of the season. He entered Wednesday's game batting .209 (19-for-91) with two home runs, four RBI, 13 runs scored, and two stolen bases, but one of his homers came on Tuesday night. If Lindor's calf injury is serious enough to send him to the IL, Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien would both be options to move to the 6 for the Mets.
Source: New York Mets
Source: New York Mets
David Bednar Working Around Frequent Traffic on the Bases Early in 2026
Through his first 9 2/3 innings (10 games) of 2026, New York Yankees closer David Bednar has pitched to a 3.72 ERA and 1.76 WHIP with 13 strikeouts and six saves. While the 31-year-old has blown just one save and does not appear to be in any danger of losing the ninth-inning role for the Yankees, Bednar has not been particularly sharp. His 10.9% walk rate is the worst mark of his career, and his average fastball velocity is down from 97.1 mph to 95.9 mph. Some of Bednar's struggles can be chalked up to his .429 opponent batting average on balls in play, which seems likely to regress closer to his career mark of .296 over a larger sample. Still, it's worth noting that Bednar is allowing more contact this season and is also allowing a 61.5% ground ball rate, both of which could result in an elevated opponent BABIP. Before 2026, Bednar had never allowed a ground ball rate higher than 44.1% over the course of a full season. Bednar remains a quality closer option for fantasy managers, but his unorthodox early-season production could be worth monitoring.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eugenio Suarez's Slow Start to 2026 a Sign of Age-Related Decline?
Fresh off a 49-homer campaign in 2025, veteran third baseman/designated hitter Eugenio Suarez agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Cincinnati Reds before the 2026 season. The 34-year-old hasn't quite gotten his power bat working through his first 100 plate appearances this year, as he's hitting .231/.300/.363 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and 10 runs scored. Suarez's barrel rate is down from 14.3% to 8.6%, while his hard-hit rate currently sits at a career-worst 20.7%. Suarez has a long history as both a prodigious and streaky power hitter, so it's too early for fantasy managers to panic. He also has the benefit of playing his home games in the hitter-friendly environment of Cincinnati, so he could easily get hot as the weather starts to heat up. Still, signs of age-related regression for Suarez are worth monitoring as he enters his mid-thirties. The Reds also have several potentially capable corner infield/designated hitter options, so Suarez could eventually start to lose some playing time if his production remains merely middling.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Griffin Jax Remains Difficult to Trust Amidst Prolonged Struggles
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Griffin Jax got off to a disastrous start to the 2026 season, allowing five earned runs across his first four outings (two innings pitched). The 31-year-old has stabilized his numbers to some degree since then, posting scoreless outings in five out of his last seven appearances. Still, Jax owns an 8.00 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP across nine innings pitched on the year. Jax's strikeout rate is down from 35% to 22.7%, while his 15.9% walk rate is more than double his 7.4% rate from 2025. The Rays' closer job remains largely up for grabs with the news that reliever Edwin Uceta (shoulder) experienced a setback in his recovery from a shoulder injury. Jax could eventually work his way back into the ninth-inning mix, but his early-season struggles make him very difficult for fantasy managers to rely on with any degree of confidence.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Didier Fuentes Being Demoted to Triple-A After Disastrous Outing
Atlanta Braves right-hander Didier Fuentes was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to make his first MLB start against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. However, the 20-year-old struggled against the Nats, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in just three innings of work. After the game, Atlanta announced that Fuentes is being sent back down to Triple-A, with Braves pitching prospect JR Ritchie taking his place on the roster. On the bright side, Fuentes showed off his swing-and-miss stuff by recording seven strikeouts against Washington. The young flamethrower will almost certainly get another chance to crack the Atlanta rotation at some point in 2026. Still, for now, it appears as though the organization wants him to continue to refine his arsenal in the minors. Fuentes will regain waiver-wire appeal if and when he gets called back up, but he can probably be cut in the majority of redraft formats.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Kenley Jansen Earns Sixth Save on Wednesday, Re-Emerging as a High-End Closer?
Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen picked up his sixth save of 2026 on Wednesday in his team's 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Jansen allowed two walks and a hit but worked around the traffic in a scoreless ninth inning. The 38-year-old is off to a strong start to his first season in Detroit, as he's worked to a 1.35 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with eight strikeouts and six saves across his first eight appearances (6 2/3 innings). Jansen may not be able to bring the same level of dominance he once did at his peak, but the veteran right-hander has proven that he is still capable of consistently recording high-leverage outs. As long as he can stay healthy, Jansen should continue to be a reliable source of saves for fantasy managers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jo Adell Sacrificing Power for Contact Early in 2026?
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell was one of the breakout success stories of the 2025 season, hitting 37 home runs in 573 plate appearances. Through his first 112 plate appearances of 2026, the 27-year-old is hitting .269/.313/.375 with three home runs, 15 RBI, 12 runs scored, and one stolen base. Adell's power hasn't quite been where it was in 2025, as his barrel rate is down from 17.2% to 5.1%. Adell may be sacrificing power for contact, as he's also cut his strikeout rate from 26.4% to 19.6%. While Adell would be able to hit for both power and average in an ideal world, fantasy managers would likely prefer him to rediscover his 30-homer form. If he can get back to hitting the long ball consistently while holding some of his contact gains, Adell could put together his most complete MLB season to date.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
JR Ritchie Earns Promotion, Will Make MLB Debut on Thursday
The Atlanta Braves are promoting right-handed pitching prospect JR Ritchie to the MLB roster to start Thursday's contest against the Washington Nationals in his MLB debut. In a corresponding move, the Braves are demoting fellow prospect Didier Fuentes to Triple-A. Ritchie is considered the team's No. 2-ranked prospect on MLB.com and the overall No. 81 in the sport. Ritchie has enjoyed a dominant start to the Triple-A season and is being rewarded with an early promotion. Through his first five starts of the season, the right-hander has logged 27 1/3 innings to the tune of a stellar 0.99 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. During this stretch, Ritchie has struck out 28 hitters and served up 13 free passes. Last summer, the right-hander spent time in High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A and posted a 2.64 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 140 games. Given the elite upside he has flashed at Triple-A, Ritchie carries solid streaming upside facing the Nationals.
Source: Mark Bowman
Source: Mark Bowman
Enyel De Los Santos Picks Up Third Save, the Clear-Cut Closer in Houston?
Houston Astros right-hander Enyel De Los Santos could be emerging as the preferred closer in Houston while left-handed reliever Josh Hader (biceps) remains on the 15-day injured list. De Los Santos picked up his third save of the 2026 season in Wednesday's 2-0 shutout win over the hosting Cleveland Guardians, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out one in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Bryan Abreu failed with his season-opening chance to be the Astros' primary closer, and Bryan King has also received an opportunity, but right now, the Astros' preferred choice in the ninth inning appears to be De Los Santos. The 30-year-old has a 3.86 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with eight strikeouts and three walks in his 9 1/3 innings out of the bullpen so far this year. The back end of Houston's bullpen is pretty fluid at the moment, so although De Los Santos' fantasy value is on the rise, it may not last. He's currently rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Coby Mayo Hits Another Long Ball, Worthy of Speculative Pickup?
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo hit his second home run of the season, going 1-for-4 with three RBI and a strikeout in the team's 8-6 victory over the hosting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in the series finale. Mayo entered the game on Wednesday with a .158 batting average (9-for-57) with eight walks and 18 strikeouts in 19 games played to start the 2026 campaign. The former fourth-rounder's numbers still don't stand out much in the first couple of weeks of the season, but he might be worth a speculative look in deeper fantasy leagues with a regular role at the hot corner in Baltimore with Jordan Westburg (elbow) out for the foreseeable future. Mayo has yet to really break out in his first 122 major-league games since debuting in 2024, but his power upside remains intriguing if he can stay healthy and earn regular playing time. In Yahoo leagues, Mayo is widely available and is only rostered right now in 2% of leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Maikel Garcia Expects to Play on Friday
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (elbow) said that he felt pain in his right elbow during his second at-bat in Wednesday's loss to the Baltimore Orioles, according to Pete Grathoff of The Kansas City Star. Garcia stayed in the game for a few more innings before eventually hitting the showers early. He was feeling better after the 8-6 loss and expects to play in Friday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Nick Loftin replaced Garcia at the hot corner to close out Wednesday's game. The Royals have an off day on Thursday, which will give the 26-year-old Garcia a bit more time to rest up. The Venezuelan infielder went 0-for-3 at the plate against the O's in the series finale before leaving the game, and he came into Wednesday's action hitting .274 (26-for-95) with two home runs, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 24 games played. Garcia was a first-time All-Star in 2025 with a career-high 16 long balls and 74 RBI in 160 games played.
Source: The Kansas City Star - Pete Grathoff
Source: The Kansas City Star - Pete Grathoff
Brandon Lowe Back From Knee Injury on Wednesday
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (knee) and first baseman Spencer Horwitz (neck) are both in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game in Texas against the Rangers and right-hander Jack Leiter, according to MLB.com. Lowe is starting at second base and batting second, while Horwitz is at first and batting seventh against Leiter. The left-handed-hitting Lowe didn't play in Tuesday's loss to the Rangers due to left-knee discomfort, and Horwitz was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to neck discomfort. Neither injury proved to be very serious. The 31-year-old Lowe has gotten off to a pretty nice start in 2026 in his first year in Pittsburgh, slashing .267/.375/.600 with a .975 OPS, seven long balls, 18 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 19 games across 88 plate appearances. For a second baseman in fantasy, he provides a nice power floor that comes with durability concerns. Both Lowe and Horwitz are batting .500 in just two career at-bats apiece against Leiter.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jung Hoo Lee Back in Action on Wednesday
San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (leg) is starting in right field and is batting sixth on Wednesday against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander Shohei Ohtani, according to MLB.com. Lee was pulled from Tuesday's series-opening win against L.A. in the sixth inning with a left-leg injury that he suffered while sliding into home plate. The injury turned out not to be very serious, though, and he's back in action a day later. The 27-year-old Japanese native hasn't been much of a fantasy asset in his two-plus years in the big leagues and played in only 37 games in his rookie campaign in 2024 due to injury. He's currently slashing .259/.311/.370 with a homer, nine RBI, and eight runs scored in 23 games played so far in 2026, but he's heating up of late with six multi-hit performances in his last 10 games while going 15-for-39 (.385) with a homer, four RBI, and three runs scored over that span. Lee is only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues because of his limited power/speed profile.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Payton Tolle Likely to Pitch for Red Sox on Thursday
The Boston Red Sox remain "very likely" to pitch left-hander Payton Tolle in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival New York Yankees, sources told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Manager Alex Cora has declined to officially name a starter for Thursday's game and said that Eduardo Rivera is another candidate to start. The 23-year-old Tolle was skipped in the starting rotation at Triple-A Worcester over the weekend and is believed to be a strong candidate to take the rotation spot of right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring), who landed on the 15-day injured list after getting injured in his start on Monday. If Tolle doesn't start on Thursday against New York, he could make his 2026 debut this weekend against the Baltimore Orioles. Tolle had an ERA over 6.00 with 19 strikeouts and eight walks in 16 1/3 innings in a small sample size in his MLB debut in 2025, but he's one of the more intriguing young pitching prospects in the game and is worth a stash right now in deep-mixed leagues. The former second-rounder is only rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues currently.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
