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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Washington Nationals right-hander Clayton Beeter picked up his first save of 2026 on Sunday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning without allowing a base runner in his team's 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Beeter was used in the eighth inning of Washington's 10-4 win over Chicago on Thursday, so he may not be the team's strict closer at this point in the year. However, it's obviously worth noting that the 27-year-old was the man on the mound for the Nationals' first save opportunity of 2026. Washington acquired Beeter from the New York Yankees at the 2025 trade deadline. In his first extended run of MLB action in Washington, the hard-throwing right-hander recorded a 2.49 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and one save across 21 2/3 innings. Beeter also allowed 14 walks and posted an 18.4% walk rate across 27 2/3 minor league innings in 2025, making control a major red flag in his profile. Still, Beeter could be a cheap source of saves for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.

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Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich provided one of the more thrilling moments of the opening weekend of the season on Sunday, coming off the bench to hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning of his team's 9-7 win over the Chicago White Sox. The 34-year-old is off to a hot start to the year, having recorded six hits in 10 at-bats while logging a homer, five RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base. However, it's worth noting that Yelich was not in the starting lineup in just the third game of the season for Milwaukee on Sunday. The team chose to shift star catcher William Contreras to designated hitter in a day game after night game situation. Even with regular starting outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) currently on the injured list, Yelich has not yet been trusted to start a game in the field. Yelich has an extensive track record of back injuries, so Milwaukee could simply be looking to ease him into the regular season. When he's on the field, Yelich looks capable of providing excellent five-category production. Still, his playing time is something for fantasy managers to monitor in the early portion of 2026.

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Washington Nationals outfielder Joey Wiemer is off to a scorching start to the 2026 season, recording two home runs and four RBI in his first eight plate appearances of the year. The 27-year-old right-handed hitter currently appears limited to a short-side platoon role, as he was out of the starting lineup for his team's matchup against Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton on Saturday. Still, Wiemer could force his way into everyday playing time in short order if he continues to rake. Wiemer logged just 61 MLB plate appearances in 2025 as a member of the Miami Marlins, hitting .236/.279/.436 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and seven runs scored. He struck out in 37.7% of his plate appearances and owns a career strikeout rate of 29.2% across 507 career trips to the plate in the big leagues. However, he's yet to strike out this season, albeit in a very small sample size. Wiemer could easily regress to career norms over a more extended run of playing time, but he could be a player for deep-league fantasy managers to monitor early in 2026.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai struggled in his MLB debut on Sunday, allowing three hits, four walks, and four earned runs while striking out four over 2 2/3 innings in his team's 9-7 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Imai comes to the Astros after a lengthy professional career in Japan, where he largely logged excellent results. Across 163 2/3 innings (24 starts) for the Seibu Lions in 2025, Imai posted a 10-5 record with a 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 178 strikeouts. While Imai lowered his walk rate to 7% in 2025, he posted double-digit walk rates in each of his first six professional seasons from 2018 through 2023. If his first start in the big leagues is any indication, command and control could be an issue for Imai in 2026. It's too early for fantasy managers to panic after just one start, but Imai will obviously need to pitch better in the weeks to come. His next outing is currently scheduled for Saturday in Sacramento against the Athletics.

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore picked up the win in his first start of 2026 on Sunday, pitching 5 1/3 innings and recording seven strikeouts while allowing two hits, three walks, and two earned runs in his team's 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Across 159 2/3 innings (30 starts) for the Washington Nationals in 2025, Gore recorded a 5-15 record with a 4.17 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 185 strikeouts. Generating swing-and-miss has never been an issue for the 27-year-old, as he owns a 25.6% strikeout rate for his career and posted a 27.2% strikeout rate in 2025. However, Gore has never posted a WHIP below 1.35 thanks to his 9.7% career walk rate and .323 career opponent batting average on balls in play. Allowing three walks in 5 1/3 innings on Sunday won't allay concerns about Gore's command, but it's still encouraging to see him pitch well against a tough Phillies lineup. Gore has the stuff to be a breakout candidate in 2026 if he can put it all together.

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Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman picked up his first save of the 2026 season on Sunday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts in his team's 5-2 win over the Athletics. The steady outing is a welcome sign for fantasy managers after Hoffman blew his first save chance of the year on Friday, allowing a game-tying solo home run to Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers. Hoffman is coming off an up-and-down season with the Blue Jays in 2025. The 33-year-old recorded 33 saves and a 29.3% strikeout rate, but he also pitched to an elevated 4.37 ERA thanks to his 1.99 HR/9. Hoffman still appears to be secure in the closer role in Toronto for the time being, but he may not have the longest leash, particularly if his home run issues persist.

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Milwaukee Brewers closer Trevor Megill struck out two batters while pitching a scoreless ninth inning and earning the save during Sunday's win over the Chicago White Sox. Megill did allow a hit along the way, but otherwise, he escaped unblemished. His fastball velocity was sitting around 99 mph, and he threw strikes at a phenomenal 73.3% rate. There had previously been some speculation that Abner Uribe could steal the closer role from Megill. While Uribe has also looked fantastic so far (1.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 K), it seems like Megill has a leg up on the competition for save opportunities. He's appropriately ranked as the #14 reliever in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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The Atlanta Braves have optioned right-handed pitching prospect Didier Fuentes to Triple-A Gwinnett. This is the corresponding move to make space on the 26-man roster after Atlanta selected the contract of left-handed starter Martin Perez. Fuentes was effective in his lone relief pitching appearance during the Braves' opening series. He tossed four innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one run on two hits and one walk. He also struck out four batters. At first, the decision to option Fuentes after such a strong outing may come as a surprise. However, it's consistent with the Braves' plan for building up Fuentes into a major league starter. It was previously reported that Fuentes would open the year in the majors as a reliever before returning to Triple-A to be stretched out as a starter. He'll presumably join Gwinnett's rotation, and we wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the majors (as a starter) after just a few Triple-A outings.

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