April 9, 2026
Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that outfielder
Kyle Stowers (hamstring) is close to beginning a minor-league rehab assignment, and he could be playing in games on the farm as soon as this weekend, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. The 28-year-old was a Gold Glove finalist in left field last year in his breakout campaign with the Fish, but McCullough also said on Wednesday that the Marlins will consider using him at first base this year, and we could see him play the position on his rehab assignment. It could be a way to keep Stowers healthy the rest of the season after he suffered a hamstring strain in spring training that caused him to open the 2026 season on the 10-day injured list.
Christopher Morel (oblique) is also on the IL, so Stowers could be an immediate option at first if he returns before Morel. Stowers, a first-time All-Star in 2025, hit 25 homers and drove in 73 in 117 games in Miami in 2025 and needs to be stashed in all fantasy leagues while we wait for him to make his 2026 debut.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
April 9, 2026
Detroit Tigers rookie infielder
Kevin McGonigle is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's game in Minnesota against the division-rival Twins, according to MLB.com. It will be the first day off of the season for McGonigle, who has looked like a seasoned veteran in his first 12 games. McGonigle is hitting .292 (14-for-48) in the early going with five doubles, a triple, seven RBI, seven runs scored, a stolen base, six walks, and seven strikeouts in 54 plate appearances.
Javier Baez will start at shortstop on Thursday and will hit seventh for the Tigers against Twins right-hander
Mick Abel. McGonigle's power might be slower to develop than the rest of his skills now that he's in the big leagues, but his hot start and regular role make him attractive in all fantasy formats in his rookie campaign. Baez has never faced Abel in his career and will make for a low-upside DFS play near the bottom of Detroit's batting order.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 9, 2026
The Toronto Blue Jays are hopeful that outfielder/third baseman
Addison Barger (ankle) will need the minimum of 10 days on the injured list after spraining his left ankle running out a ground ball in Chicago, according to MLB.com. Toronto placed Barger on the IL on Tuesday. The 26-year-old might benefit from a little time off early in the season, as he had gotten off to a very slow start at the plate before injuring his ankle. In eight games, he has just one hit (a double) in 23 plate appearances with two RBI, a run scored, three walks, and six strikeouts. Barger hit .243/.301/.454 with 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 135 regular-season games in 2025 in his first full season in the majors before becoming a postseason hero in the team's run to the World Series last fall. It's still very early in 2026, but Barger's fantasy stock is trending down after his slow start and then his ankle injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 9, 2026
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold believes that St. Louis Cardinals right-handed reliever
George Soriano could be considered for high-leverage work at the back of the team's bullpen going forward. Soriano set down all six batters he faced (three strikeouts) in the last two innings on Tuesday to earn his first win over the Washington Nationals in the team's extra-inning victory. The 27-year-old Dominican is in his first year with the Cardinals after posting a 5.95 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, three saves, 117 strikeouts, and 55 walks in 118 innings pitched for the Miami Marlins in his first three major-league seasons.
Riley O'Brien is locked in as St. Louis' closer, but don't be surprised if Soriano starts seeing more high-leverage setup work for the Red Birds alongside
JoJo Romero and
Ryne Stanek. Soriano has allowed two earned runs while walking three and striking out three so far in his six innings of work out of the bullpen in St. Louis. He's a name to monitor in holds leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
April 9, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies infield prospect
Aidan Miller (back), who is on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Lehigh Valley to begin the year, has started to swing a bat, but there remains no timetable for his return, per MLB.com. Miller, who is the Phillies' top prospect and No. 21 overall in baseball per MLB Pipeline, is dealing with a sore lower back. The Phillies are going to play it safe with the 21-year-old shortstop. The former 27th overall pick in 2023 hit .259/.382/.427 with an .810 OPS, 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 74 runs scored, and 52 stolen bases in 108 games played for Double-A Reading in 2025. Once Miller gets healthy, he'll have a shot to eventually replace
Alec Bohm at the hot corner in the major leagues, and he offers fantasy managers a more intriguing power/speed profile. He's a quality defensive shortstop prospect, but he's blocked at the major-league level by
Trea Turner. Miller is a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues in 2026 while he rehabs his back injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 9, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-hander
Spencer Strider (oblique) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, and the next step for him will be live batting practice before going out on a minor-league rehab assignment, according to MLB.com. Strider landed on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 regular season due to a left-oblique strain, but he's expected to make his season debut for the Braves before the end of April, barring a setback once he goes on a rehab assignment. The 27-year-old had built up to 61 pitches in spring training last month before injuring his oblique, so he might only need one or two rehab starts before he's cleared to rejoin Atlanta's starting rotation. Strider was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and led the league with 20 wins, but he pitched in only two games last year and ended up having an internal-brace procedure. He's worth stashing in all fantasy leagues while he makes his way back, but decreased velocity this spring has many people skeptical that Strider can regain his pre-injury form.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 9, 2026
Cincinnati Reds left-hander
Nick Lodolo (finger) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Manager Terry Francona said how aggressive Lodolo gets will be determined by how he's feeling. Lodolo began the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list due to another blister issue, and he was forced from his minor-league rehab start last week with a setback of the blister on his left index finger. If the talented southpaw can cut it loose on Thursday, he could be cleared to make another rehab start in the minors. The 28-year-old alumnus of TCU doesn't have a firm timetable to return, but if his bullpen session goes well, he could make his season debut in Cincy's starting rotation before the end of April. Regardless of how long it takes Lodolo to get back to the big leagues, he should be stashed in an IL spot in fantasy leagues for his high-end strikeout upside. In four big-league seasons, Lodolo has struck out 26.2% of the batters he's faced.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
April 9, 2026
The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday that they have reinstated right-handed reliever
Pete Fairbanks from the paternity list and have optioned right-hander
Ryan Gusto to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. Fairbanks has been away from the team since Monday for the birth of his child, but he's back now and should immediately return to closing duties for the Fish. With Fairbanks away this week,
Anthony Bender picked up a save on Sunday, and
Michael Petersen notched a save on Wednesday. Fairbanks has allowed three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out six in his first four innings in 2026 in his first season in South Beach, but he also has two saves in his four appearances. Fantasy managers will want to lock him back into their starting lineups now that he's off the paternity list. If Fairbanks stays healthy, he's a candidate to reach 30 saves for the first time in his career.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Marlins
April 9, 2026
Kansas City Royals shortstop
Bobby Witt Jr. is off to a slow start to the season by his lofty standards from the last few seasons. After hitting 20+ homers in each of his first four seasons with a career .357 wOBA, Witt has no homers and just a .298 wOBA in his first 12 games this season. He's hitting a decent .273 but only has one extra-base hit. When he has reached base, he's been very aggressive and is a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts. His power shortage is concerning, although his hard-hit rate is actually up to 60%, and his average exit velocity is up to 95.2 miles per hour. He's hitting the ball well, but so far, he's not getting the results we've come to expect from the superstar over the last few seasons. If you invested an early pick or a big auction number in Witt, wait for him to come around if possible. He makes a good buy-low candidate if his manager in your league is ready to hit the panic button early in the season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Washington Nationals outfielder
James Wood has connected on four homers in his first dozen games this season, and he's hitting the ball well despite a .216 batting average. He has cut down on his strikeout rate a bit from last season and has an improved .294 ISO and .370 wOBA. Wood has a 54.5% hard-hit rate and an impressive 21.2% barrel rate so far this year, and his low batting average seems to be mostly bad BABIP luck (.241). Wood has 11 runs scored and 10 RBI in his first 12 games and should continue to be at the heart of the Nationals' run production. The hulking 23-year-old still has room for improvement and continues to deliver strong power and run production numbers. He continues to be a top outfield option in all fantasy formats.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
New York Mets outfielder
Carson Benge homered on Opening Day but has had a hard time since then. In his first 11 games of the season, Benge is only 4-for-37 (.108) with three singles to go with that home run. He has contributed four stolen bases, but he has also struck out 12 times for a 28.6% K%. He hasn't had a barrel since that Opening Day dinger, and his hard-hit rate is only 44%. Benge still has speed and plenty of long-term potential, so if you can hold him in deep leagues, I still like his potential to turn things around later in the year. However, in shallow leagues with plenty of strong pickups available on the waiver wire, it may be time to move on from Benge and look to pick him back up later if he gets going.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Colorado Rockies outfielder
Brenton Doyle has gotten off to a very slow start to the 2026 season. The 27-year-old righty is hitting just .139 (5-for-36) through his first 12 games with no home runs, one double, and 15 strikeouts. His 38.5% K% is up over ten percentage points from last season, and his hard-hit rate has slipped to 42.9% with a 0.0% barrel rate. Doyle does have two stolen bases, but he is not putting the ball in play enough to take full advantage of his speed. With his home games at Coors Field, Doyle will always have the potential to go on a hot streak and be fantasy relevant for a stretch. Still, given his current struggles, he's definitely droppable for now in shallow leagues where waiver-wire options are starting the season in much better form.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Cincinnati Reds shortstop
Elly De La Cruz is coming off back-to-back seasons with 20+ homers and 30+ stolen bases, and he is well on his way to another big season of both power and speed. Through 12 games, he has three homers and three stolen bases, which puts him on pace for over 40 homers and 40 stolen bases. While he may not quite reach those numbers, he remains an elite option at shortstop with those big contributions, even though his .234 batting average leaves lots of room for improvement. His hard-hit rate is up this season, though, so his low average seems mostly due to bad BABIP luck. If his average rises, he'll have even more chances to run and rack up more stolen bases as the season goes on. If he stays healthy, De La Cruz seems on track for another huge season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet was one of the first pitchers off the board in most fantasy baseball drafts, and so far this season, he has looked every bit the ace managers were hoping for. In his three starts, Crochet is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA, 2.60 FIP, and 22 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings. He started the year with six shutout innings in a win over the Reds, got touched up a bit in Houston, but then settled back in to help the Red Sox beat the Brew Crew on Thursday with 6 1/3 strong innings. He has at least seven strikeouts in each start, and is performing like a top-of-the-rotation arm through his first three starts. He'll face the Twins on Monday in Minnesota and would seem to be lined up for a two-start week next week. He's one of the most reliable starting pitchers available and can continue to anchor your rotation in fantasy baseball.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
April 9, 2026
Baltimore Orioles shortstop
Gunnar Henderson has gotten off to a fast start to the season, with four homers in his first 12 games. Henderson is hitting .245 (12-for-49) with three doubles, four homers, six walks, and a stolen base for a .394 wOBA and .306 ISO. Last year, his ISO was just .165 in 154 games with a .339 wOBA. The 24-year-old is clearly healthy and settled into the middle of the Orioles lineup and will continue to be one of the top shortstops in fantasy baseball. Henderson's hard-hit rate is actually a little lower than last year in the early going this season, but his barrel rate is up, which is resulting in the increased power production. Continue to start him in all formats.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
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