The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who To Consider Dropping for Fantasy Baseball (Week 2)

April 5, 2026

The Cut List for Week 2 of 2026. Jamie Steed analyzes potential fantasy baseball busts, overvalued players, and injured players who you may want to consider dropping.

Welcome back to a new season of The Cut List as we head into Week 2 of the 2026 season. For every add, there is usually also a drop. For those who are not familiar, this is our weekly article looking at players whom fantasy managers might be considering cutting from their teams and struggling players who need a closer look.

We'll look at players who are worth monitoring for replacing and someone on the hot seat who should be held on to... for now. The season is still in its infancy, so now isn't the time to do anything drastic. As the year progresses, there will be stronger cases to drop underperforming players.

If there's ever someone you want me to take a look at, drop their name in the Reddit comments, the RotoBaller Discord chat rooms, or reach out to me on X (@Baseball_Jimbo). Maybe you'll see them included next week. All stats and rostered rates (taken from Yahoo!) reflect when this piece was written.

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Introduction

Those of you experienced Cut List readers will know I'm a strong advocate for not making knee-jerk reactions. A bad week or two shouldn't be a reason to push the panic button and dump someone, especially this early in the season.

It's players who might not have the role we expected for them in drafts that might be worth dropping. Maybe a hitter who has found themselves in a platoon. Or a reliever who was expected to be in the mix for saves, finding themselves not considered for high-leverage work.

While we shouldn't put much stock into a player's numbers after barely a week of baseball, we should still be monitoring things. There may still be an upgrade available on waivers. You may get a trade offer from someone trying to buy low, but they will still inadvertently overpay.

The important thing is to follow the news. Track the intel. There's no better way to do that than via the RotoBaller app.

Regular Cut List readers will also notice a slight change to this year's format. Gone are the "Worth Dropping and Replacing' and 'Hold For Now' sections. Instead, we'll be covering more players who are struggling and offering a verdict on their fantasy outlook.

We'll still be putting someone on the Hot Seat every week. We'll still have our Reader Requests section, which looks at the most popular names you asked about from the previous week. Without further ado, let's get into the first full Cut List of 2026.

Pitchers

Nathan Eovaldi - SP, Texas Rangers - 91% rostered

It's been a tough start for Eovaldi. After giving up five earned runs (4 2/3 innings) against the Phillies to open the season, Eovaldi allowed six earned runs in four innings against the Orioles on Wednesday. That's left Eovaldi with an 11.42 ERA and two losses already.

However, there isn't much to get overly worried about. Even factoring in such a small sample, Eovaldi's numbers aren't of concern. He has a 3.62 xFIP and 3.27 SIERA with a .481 BABIP. The three home runs are the only notable issue, which will also correct over time.

If we look at each start individually, there should be little to scare you off Eovaldi for the rest of the season. His first start against Philadelphia saw Eovaldi generate 14 whiffs (32% Whiff%) with similar pitch velocities to 2025.

Eovaldi's second start against the Orioles was similar, with 13 whiffs (30% Whiff%) and near identical pitch velocities. The two homers off Eovaldi were hit by left-handed hitters. So was the home run against the Phillies. That's something the veteran is likely to sort out in his upcoming starts.

Verdict: Nothing to worry about. The home run pace will slow, and Eovaldi will benefit from his home ballpark when he next starts at home. Hold in all formats.

Emilio Pagan - RP, Cincinnati Reds - 89% rostered

It's been an eventful start to 2026 for Pagan. His first outing saw Pagan blow a save, allowing a Wilyer Abreu solo home run to tie the game. He bounced back the next day, working around a double and an intentional walk to record his first save of the season.

Things then really unraveled this past Wednesday. Pagan entered the game in the ninth inning with the Reds down by a run against the Pirates. When he walked off the mound, the Reds trailed by five runs. Pagan gave up a home run, hit a batter, and had a wild pitch.

Pagan bounced back with a clean save on Friday. He followed that up with another save yesterday, although it wasn't exactly clean. After walking the first batter, Pagan got a double play. He then allowed another walk and a single before recording the final out and lowering his ERA to 8.44.

A concern is that Pagan's fastball velocity is 1.8 MPH down on 2025. In yesterday's outing, it averaged 93.3 MPH, which is 2.5 MPH down on last year's average. It's still early, and Pagan can continue to build up his velocity. But it's been a mini roller-coaster start to 2026.

Verdict: It's still too early to drop Pagan. Especially as he's clearly the closer in the Reds bullpen. It might be prudent to pick up Tony Santillan as a handcuff, especially if you roster Pagan. Santillan hasn't allowed a run yet this year (five innings) and had a 2.44 ERA in 2025 (73 2/3 innings). 

Carlos Estevez - RP, Kansas City Royals - 74% rostered

Estevez was the most faded closer in drafts this year. That's after he led the league in saves (42) last season. There were plenty of things going against Estevez, including Kauffman Stadium being made more hitter-friendly. Estevez's 4.95 xFIP and 4.43 SIERA last year suggested we'd see regression in 2026.

Then came spring. Estevez allowed three home runs in five innings, and his velocity was way down. Estevez's first appearance in the regular season couldn't have gone any worse. He entered last Saturday's game with a two-run lead to protect against the Braves.

The Braves leveled the scores, with two walks and three singles. Then Estevez gave up a walk-off grand slam to Dominic Smith. His fastball velocity averaged 91.2 MPH. Last year, it averaged 95.9 MPH. Estevez did take a comebacker off his foot, which has landed him on the IL (injured list). But that wasn't the cause of his struggles.

Verdict: Estevez going on the IL is something of a blessing for fantasy managers. You can stick him in an IL spot and hope he is able to build up some velocity while rehabbing. If he can do that, Esetvez might get back into the closer role. If you don't have an IL spot, he can be dropped.

Ryne Nelson - SP/RP, Arizona Diamondbacks - 70% rostered

Many starting pitchers had worse starts to their season than Nelson. He's sporting a 5.79 ERA after two outings (9 1/3 innings), having faced the Dodgers and Braves. His start against the Braves might not look too bad, with two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. But it's been a real struggle so far.

Nelson actually got tagged for seven runs in his start against the Braves, with five being unearned. It was his second start of issuing three free passes and allowing a pair of home runs. Nelson's 15.0% BB% will come down, but his control has been lacking in the early going.

Nelson has thrown 66 balls and 97 strikes (40.5% ball rate). Last year, Nelson had a 34.6% ball rate.

The lack of strikeouts suppresses Nelson's fantasy value. Last year's 3.39 ERA was set to regress, given he had a 4.05 xFIP and 4.07 SIERA. Nelson is due to face the Mets, then the Orioles (both on the road) in his next two starts. Things might not get better soon.

Verdict: Nelson's lack of strikeouts makes him more of a deeper league option. If you drafted him, you're not dropping Nelson after facing two tough opponents. You will need to keep in mind that when Merrill Kelly returns from the IL, someone is losing their rotation spot. It could be Nelson.

Griffin Jax - RP, Tampa Bay Rays - 47% rostered

Jax wasn't locked in as the Rays' closer entering the season. He's done nothing to strengthen his case for closing games. He started the season with two blown saves in his first two appearances. A 1-2-3 inning on Monday, in the seventh inning of a tie-game, looked to get Jax back on track. Then came Wednesday.

Jax started the eighth inning of a tie game. He failed to record an out, gave up three hits and a walk, before eventually being charged for five runs (three earned). It was his second loss of the season, twice the number of strikeouts Jax has recorded.

Jax hasn't been the only struggler in the Rays' bullpen. They collectively have a league-worst 9.24 ERA, and four Rays relievers have a double-digit ERA. They will look to continue with their matchup-based approach and hope they perform better as a unit.

Verdict: Jax will need to improve if he is to get high-leverage work as part of the mix-and-match approach. The good news for Jax is that the Rays still don't have a reliable option in the bullpen. He's worth holding in deeper leagues or those that count holds until he can get some ninth-inning work. 

Hitters

Bo Bichette - 3B/SS, New York Mets - 97% rostered

You're not dropping Bichette. Just because Mets fans booed him doesn't mean he's done. The reason I include Bichette is to remind people not to drop their early-round picks after a week. Also, we need to consider some intangibles, even when they're not quantifiable.

Not only is Bichette having to adapt to a new team, new city, and new country, but he's also learning a new position. Bichette had never played a Major League game at third base before moving to the Mets. He's having to learn while still performing at the highest level.

We can't attribute a stat to those things. That doesn't mean they should be ignored. Patience is still key. Bichette had his best game as a Met on Friday, going 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI, and two runs. He went 2-for-5 yesterday, so Bichette looks to be building up some form at the plate at least.

Verdict: Bichette is still someone you should be rostering in all formats. He's starting to improve at the plate. As long as the third base learning doesn't interfere with his hitting too much, he'll get more comfortable with his new surroundings and new position on the diamond.

Josh Naylor - 1B, Seattle Mariners - 96% rostered

Naylor has gotten off to one of the worst starts among all hitters. After eight games, he is hitting .114/.205/.114. Naylor is yet to have an extra base hit and hasn't crossed home plate yet. Despite the struggles, you're not dropping him any time soon.

Naylor has a .236 xBA (expected batting average), so he shouldn't be struggling as much as his slash line suggests. As well as some misfortune in a small sample, Naylor has been more aggressive at the plate this year. The below (from BaseballSavant.com) is Naylor's 'Swing Take Profile' from 2025.

Compare that to this year's 'Swing Take Profile', and we can see how much more Naylor is swinging the bat. He currently has a 60.7% Swing%. That's a career-high and considerably higher than his career 51.6% Swing% before this season.

The big question mark around Naylor entering 2026 was how much he'd run. Naylor stole 19 bases in 54 games after being traded to Seattle last year. He hasn't gotten on base enough for us to know if that was a complete outlier or if the Mariners will greenlight Naylor as frequently this year.

Verdict: Naylor is to be held in all leagues. We still don't know what to expect from a stolen base standpoint. But Naylor's slash line will improve, and he will likely show more patience and be more selective at the plate as the month rolls on. 

Ceddanne Rafaela - 2B/OF, Boston Red Sox - 86% rostered

Rafaela's start to 2026 has been solid, especially compared to many others. After eight games, he's hitting .280/.308/.400 with one home run, three RBI, three runs, and no stolen bases. The issue for Rafaela is his position in the lineup. He's started six games in the nine-spot, and once he hit seventh.

Rafaela also struggled in the second half of 2025. While his season numbers were impressive, we can see how a good first half carried his fantasy status throughout the season.

It was a similar story in 2024, when Rafaela hit four home runs in the second half after hitting 11 homers in the first half. His overall 2024 numbers were also similar to 2025. That at least gives us a decent baseline for what to expect from Rafaela in 2026.

Over the course of a season, a number nine hitter will get around 140 fewer plate appearances than the leadoff hitter. They get ~70 fewer than the number five hitter. Rafaela went 2-for-3 in yesterday's contest. A few more performances like that and he may work himself up the batting lineup.

Verdict: Rafaela hitting ninth for the Red Sox will suppress his value. He's a glove-first outfielder with a decent bat, so Rafaela isn't a lock to be rostered in shallow leagues given the lack of volume. Especially if you only play three or four outfielders. 

Matt McLain - 2B, Cincinnati Reds - 71% rostered

It's still early, and McLain can turn things around. He should also act as a reminder that a good spring does not translate into regular-season success. McLain hit .509/.559/.981 with seven homers in 59 plate appearances during Spring Training.

So far in the regular season, McLain is hitting .267/.389/.300 after eight games. Decent enough, but he's only got one extra-base hit to his name, and that was a double. It's too early to dump McLain, especially given the dearth of options at the second base position.

McLain should act as a reminder that spring numbers are just that... spring numbers.

Verdict: McLain has walked five times but also struck out nine times. After missing the entire 2024 season, McLain showed some promise last year, and as long as he stays healthy, he should still be a solid option at a weak position. I'd still roster him in all formats. Just temper expectations.

Noelvi Marte - 3B/OF, Cincinnati Reds - 56% rostered

Marte's inclusion is down to the lack of a regular starting role. While Rafaela hitting ninth isn't ideal for his fantasy value, at least he's playing every day. Marte has begun the season in a platoon. On the weak side. Marte is largely splitting time with Will Benson in right field.

The only way Marte will get regular playing time is by hitting well. So far, he's hitless. Marte has started the season 0-for-12. Even with Benson as his rival for regular at-bats, Marte isn't putting up much of a competition at the position.

Verdict: Marte won't be hitless forever. He'll turn things around over time. But his role is the main obstacle and one I'm not sure Marte will clear. He's worth hanging onto in deeper leagues. Even then, you should be looking for potential replacements. Don't be afraid to make the move if a better option presents itself.

On the Hot Seat

Emmet Sheehan - SP, Los Angeles Dodgers - 91% rostered

Many in the fantasy baseball universe (including me) had high hopes for Sheehan this year. After posting a 2.82 ERA in 2025 (73 1/3 innings), Sheehan was being drafted as a top-40 starting pitcher. He hasn't started the season as one.

After two starts, Sheehan has an 8.00 ERA (nine innings). He's struck out eight batters and walked five. Neither start has been particularly encouraging. His first, against the Diamondbacks, saw a familiar issue rear its head. Sheehan's fastball velocity dropped significantly as the game went on.

It was a problem last year, but one that Sheehan managed to navigate. In truth, against the Diamondback, Sheehan got knocked around throughout the 3 1/3 innings he lasted. After striking out the side in the first inning, he gave up a run in the second and third innings.

He then left runners on second and third base in the fourth inning before being withdrawn. His last fastball was 91.2 MPH, and both inherited runners scored. The first fastball Sheehan threw in the game was 95.7 MPH.

In his second start of the season against the Nationals on Friday, it was a different type of outing. Sheehan gave up three runs in the first inning (courtesy of a CJ Abrams home run) before settling down. He completed 5 2/3 innings and only allowed one more run.

But Sheehan only struck out two batters and walked three. What was noticeable was Sheehan's fastball velocity. The first one he threw was 94.4 MPH. The last one he threw was 93.5 MPH. Sheehan's fastball averaged 93.8 MPH throughout the game.

Whether Sheehan deliberately tried to ensure his fastball velocity was consistent throughout the start remains to be seen. It may have just been some adrenaline in his first appearance, which wore off. It may have been something mechanical that caused the drop in velocity.

Whatever the issue, Sheehan's results haven't been good so far. It is only two starts, and he does have a 4.55 xFIP and 4.81 SIERA. Neither is particularly good, but both are considerably better than his ERA. Sheehan will be interesting to monitor over the next couple of weeks.

Verdict: It's still too early to panic. The Dodgers do have plenty of starting pitcher options when everyone is healthy. For now, there's no reason to believe Sheehan's role is in jeopardy. He's lined up to face the Rangers, Mets, and Giants in his next three outings. We'll know more after that. 

Reader Requests

As this is the first full Cut List of the season, there are no reader requests. From next week, we will be continuing this section throughout the season, so make sure you get your requests in if there is a specific player you're unsure about holding onto or not.

You can submit the names of players you'd like to be featured in the Reddit comments of this article. Or by contacting me on X (@Baseball_Jimbo). You can also reach out via the RotoBaller Discord chat rooms. The most commonly requested names will be included here next week.

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