Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is serving as the designated hitter and is batting leadoff for Monday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize, according to MLB.com. Buxton is still the DH after returning on Sunday after missing Saturday's game due to a forearm contusion that he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Friday. The 32-year-old two-time All-Star hit second in eight of the team's first nine games this year and will now be tried atop the batting order against a pitcher he's very familiar with. Buxton is hitting .350 with a 1.100 OPS, two home runs, and four RBI in 20 career at-bats versus Mize. His fantasy managers will hope it will get him going at the plate in the early portion of the 2026 season, as Buxton enters Monday's action with a .133/.182/.233 slash line with no homers, an RBI, two runs, one walk, and 10 strikeouts in his first eight games played.

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Detroit Tigers rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle is making the start at the 6 and will bat leadoff for Monday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins and right-hander Joe Ryan at Target Field, per MLB.com. Infielder Colt Keith will drop to third in the batting order. McGonigle, a 21-year-old former first-rounder, came into the 2026 season as the No. 2 overall prospect in all of baseball, and so far, he has delivered after impressing enough in spring training to make the Opening Day roster. He went 10-for-33 (.303) with three doubles, a triple, five RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and five strikeouts in his first nine major-league contests. McGonigle has proven to be mature beyond his years and should now be rostered in all fantasy leagues as a regular for Detroit. All signs point to the infield phenom hitting near the top of Detroit's batting order for many years to come.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that they recalled right-hander Brandon Young from Triple-A Norfolk to start Monday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Left-hander Dietrich Enns (foot) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 4) in a corresponding move. Young is making the spot start in place of Zach Eflin (elbow). The 27-year-old has the potential to be a sleeper two-start pitcher this week for fantasy managers in two good matchups against the White Sox and San Francisco Giants. Young made 12 starts for the O's in his first major-league season in 2025 and went 1-7 with a 6.24 ERA (5.35 FIP) and 1.54 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and 22 walks in 57 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed only one earned run with four strikeouts and no walks in five innings in his lone start for Norfolk this year before being called up to Baltimore.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (hand) is not in the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener in Anaheim against the visiting Atlanta Braves, per MLB.com. Trout had an injury scare in Sunday's series finale against the Seattle Mariners on Easter Sunday, but thankfully, X-rays came back negative, and he's only dealing with a left-hand contusion. It sounds like Trout, who has been on the injured list frequently in recent seasons, dodged a bullet and will avoid an early-season trip to the IL. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday to see if he's back in action at Angels Stadium against Atlanta. Bryce Teodosio is starting in center field on Monday and will hit eighth against Braves All-Star left-hander Chris Sale. Fantasy managers will want to avoid Teodosio in DFS with Sale on the bump. Trout has cooled off a bit at the plate after starting strong during opening week with a pair of home runs and stolen bases.

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Seattle Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan (groin) is starting at third base and batting leadoff for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Texas Rangers and right-hander Jacob deGrom at Globe Life Field, according to MLB.com. A left-groin injury kept Donovan from playing in the final two games of the series versus the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend, but the 29-year-old is back now in a tough matchup against deGrom, whom he's gone hitless against in three career at-bats. With Donovan back in the fold for Seattle, Leo Rivas is moving from third back to shortstop. Donovan's fantasy managers will hope that he can pick up where he left off in the early going in 2026 in his first year with the M's. He has so far gone 10-for-27 (.370) with two home runs, four RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base in eight games. Donovan was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his last year with the Cardinals, but he has a limited fantasy ceiling with modest power and speed.

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The Houston Astros announced on Monday that they reinstated infielder Isaac Paredes from the bereavement list. Paredes missed the entire weekend series with the Athletics, but he's back with the squad now. However, the 27-year-old is not in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies and right-hander Ryan Feltner. Veteran Carlos Correa will start at the hot corner and will bat cleanup for the Astros. Paredes has gone 5-for-22 (.227) with four doubles, five RBI, and four runs scored in his first six games played this year, but his playing time figures to be sporadic now that Jeremy Pena appears to have completely recovered from a fractured finger that he suffered in March while preparing for the World Baseball Classic. He was a second-time All-Star in 2025 in Houston, when he hit 20 homers in 102 games, but unless he's traded this year, there will be limited upside as he tries to find at-bats in a crowded Houston infield.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (elbow) will begin a throwing progression this week, according to Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan. It's notable progress for Westburg, who won't be eligible to make his 2026 season debut until late May after he was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right UCL sprain before the start of the regular season. The 27-year-old was on track to be a regular for the O's at third base this year before he suffered the elbow injury in spring training. Westburg was an All-Star in just his second year in the majors in 2024, slashing .264/.312/.481 with 18 home runs, 63 RBI, 57 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 107 games. He had another 17 long balls and 41 RBI in 85 games in 2025, and he's a worthy corner-infield stash in deep-mixed fantasy leagues while he recovers. Coby Mayo should continue to be Baltimore's starting third baseman with Westburg sidelined. Westburg is rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect Trey Yesavage (shoulder) will make another minor-league rehab start on Thursday with Single-A Dunedin after throwing 44 pitches in his last rehab start, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. Matheson speculates that Yesavage will be a rehab start or two away from returning to Toronto's starting rotation if he's able to build on his pitch count from last time out this Thursday. The 22-year-old is recovering from a minor right-shoulder impingement that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 season. He looked good for Dunedin last Friday, giving up a run with four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings pitched. Barring a setback, Yesavage will come off the IL before Jose Berrios (elbow), Shane Bieber (elbow, forearm), and Cody Ponce (knee). Yesavage is one of the brightest young pitching prospects in the game and has high-strikeout upside, but the Blue Jays are going to ease him back in and manage his innings in his first full MLB season.

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Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports that a decision is coming on Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger (ankles), who left Sunday's game early against the Chicago White Sox with discomfort in both of his ankles. "We'll probably figure it out today, just to see what he can or can't do," said manager John Schneider. Barger has been walking with a limp since being pulled early, and he's not in Monday's starting lineup at the Rogers Centre in a World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Schneider said on Monday that the 26-year-old is "trending in the right direction," but the team isn't ruling out a stint on the injured list. If Barger is forced to the 10-day IL, infielder Tyler Fitzgerald could take his place on the active roster after Toronto recently acquired him in a trade with the San Francisco Giants. It's been a rough go in 2026 so far for Barger, who was a postseason hero for the Jays, as he has just one hit in 23 plate appearances with two RBI, three walks, and six strikeouts in his first eight games played.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick (side) is back in the starting lineup on Monday, playing right field and batting seventh against the hosting Boston Red Sox and right-hander Brayan Bello at Fenway Park, according to MLB.com. The 25-year-old injured his left side during a doubleheader on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals and was then held out of the series finale on Sunday. He's back in action now, though, and will look to get going at the plate in 2026. Frelick, a first-rounder in 2021 out of Boston College, has gone 5-for-26 (.192) early on for the Brew Crew in eight games played with a homer, two RBI, and three runs scored. He has faced Bello only twice in his career and has two hits. Frelick has minimal power, but he can be useful as outfield depth in fantasy baseball leagues for his speed and counting stats as a lineup regular in Milwaukee.

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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) will have left-thumb surgery on Tuesday, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Kirk is having surgery on his thumb after fracturing it and being placed on the 10-day injured list. It's unclear exactly how long the Blue Jays' starting catcher will be sidelined, but he will most likely miss at least the rest of April. Check back for more details on his surgery and a potential timetable for a return in 2026. The 27-year-old Mexican backstop only played in five games for Toronto before suffering the injury, going 3-for-20 (.150) with a homer and two RBI. With Kirk sidelined, the Jays will continue to move forward with Tyler Heineman splitting playing time behind the dish with Brandon Valenzuela. Kirk is only rostered in 39% of current Yahoo leagues after his early-season injury.

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The New York Mets recalled infielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday after they placed star outfielder Juan Soto (calf) on the 10-day injured list due to a right-calf strain. Mauricio has plenty of tools and versatility, but he's so far just been a tease for fantasy managers stashing him in dynasty/keeper leagues. The 25-year-old Dominican missed all of the 2024 season due to injury and then disappointed in 61 games for the Mets in 2025, slashing only .226/.293/.369 with a .663 OPS, six home runs, 10 RBI, 19 runs, and four stolen bases in 184 plate appearances. Mauricio hits the ball extremely hard when he makes good contact, and he's extremely athletic, but it remains to be seen if he'll get extended run as a starter in Queens this year. Even with Soto going on the IL, Mauricio likely won't be much more than a utility bat for the Mets early on in 2026. He was hitting .273 (9-for-33) with a homer, three RBI, and three steals in eight games for Syracuse before his call-up.

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (calf) has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 4. According to an announcement from the team, he has been diagnosed with a right calf strain, which typically has a return-to-play timeline of two to three weeks. Soto was off to an unsurprisingly strong start this season, slashing .355/.412/.516 with one home run and five RBI across eight games. He's one of the best pure hitters in baseball, producing at least 143 wRC+ in each of his nine MLB campaigns so far. The 27-year-old ranks as the #2 outfielder in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings, so managers will be excited for his return to action later this month. In the meantime, we expect Jared Young and Brett Baty to handle more outfield reps in his absence.

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Miami Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks has officially been placed on the paternity list. This move was widely expected after the Marlins shifted Fairbanks to the opener role on Sunday so that he could leave the team and join his family sooner. He was roughed up during that spot start, allowing three earned runs, three hits, and one walk over one inning of work. It was an abnormally poor outing for the veteran right-hander, who had not allowed a run over his three previous innings this season. The implosion can be chalked up to Fairbanks' role change, as he hadn't previously started a game since 2020 with the Rays. We know that Fairbanks is still capable of being a shutdown closer, as he amassed five strikeouts, one hit, zero walks, and two saves prior to Sunday. Once he comes back from the paternity list, he'll return to the closer role, offering tremendous upside while handing high-leverage innings and save opportunities. He ranks #13 among relievers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (left hand) has rejoined the team and said that his surgery "went great," according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Vaughn, who suffered a broken left hamate bone on Opening Day, has resumed activities not involving his hand and said that the original timetable of four to six weeks remains the goal for his return. Vaughn was a key difference maker for the Brewers last season, and they're hoping he can provide a similar impact when he's healthy enough to play in a month or so. In 64 big-league games after being traded from the White Sox to the Brewers last year, he slashed .308/.375/.493 with nine home runs, 46 RBI, a 9.4% walk rate, and a 14.6% strikeout rate. Gary Sanchez and Jake Bauers have been platooning at first base in his absence.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (shoulder) threw bullpen sessions on Friday and Sunday, and he will progress to facing live hitters this week, manager Dave Roberts told Adrian Medina of Roundtable Sports. Snell hasn't pitched in an MLB game since the World Series last November due to left shoulder fatigue, but it sounds like he's getting closer to a return. Although he was limited to just 61.1 innings over 11 starts last year, he was effective when healthy, posting a 2.69 FIP with 10.57 K/9 and 3.82 BB/9. The Dodgers have no reason to rush Snell back, especially given the dominant state of their rotation at the moment. When he's activated from the injured list, he'll join a unit that already includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Emmet Sheehan. Snell currently ranks #65 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (right forearm) continues to undergo imaging as the team evaluates his injury, general manager Carter Hawkins told 104.3 The Score. "We're wishing the best for him, but again, not how we wanted to start the season by any means," Hawkins said. It's a relatively pessimistic tone as the Cubs brace for the full results of his tests to come back. The right-hander was spectacular with a 2.67 ERA and 2.94 K/BB last year, and he had allowed just two earned runs through 7.1 innings (two starts) to open the 2026 season before landing on the injured list. Horton ranks #36 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings. The Cubs' rotation is hurting at the moment, with Horton, Matthew Boyd (biceps), Jordan Wicks (elbow), and Justin Steele (elbow) all on the injured list.

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The Chicago Cubs are placing left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps) on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a left-biceps strain, according to Taylor McGregor of Watch Marquee Sports. Right-hander Javier Assad will be recalled from Triple-A Iowa to make the start on Tuesday on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays. With Justin Steele (elbow), Cade Horton (forearm), and now Boyd on the IL, the Cubs are dangerously thin in their starting rotation early on in 2026. Going forward, both Assad and Colin Rea could be making starts for the Cubbies. An All-Star for the first time in his career in 2025 in his first year in Chicago, Boyd had gotten off to a rough start in 2026 in his first two outings before going on the IL, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out 17 in 9 1/3 innings pitched. The 35-year-old veteran allowed six runs in his season debut, but he bounced back nicely against the Angels with 10 K's in 5 2/3 innings.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak put on a show against his former team, the Philadelphia Phillies, in Sunday's 4-1 victory at Coors Field. Moniak finished the day 2-for-4 with two solo home runs and a strikeout. Both of Moniak's long balls came against veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker, who allowed a total of three homers on the day. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter began the 2026 regular season on the 10-day injured list due to a finger injury, but he's back now and is looking for an encore after a career year in Colorado in 2025. The former first overall pick by the Phillies in 2016 hit .270/.306/.518 with an .824 OPS, 24 home runs, 68 RBI, 62 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his 135 games last year in his first year with the Rockies. In his first three games in 2026, he's gone 3-for-9 with the two home runs. At least at hitter-friendly Coors Field, Moniak can be a nice depth outfielder in fantasy baseball who will play regularly against right-handed pitching.

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Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker had a day on Sunday in the 12-10 win over the visiting Houston Astros. Rooker was a beast at the plate in the series finale, going 2-for-4 with two home runs, six RBI, one walk, and one strikeout. It was nice to see from Rooker's fantasy managers, as he came into Sunday's Easter contest 4-for-30 with an RBI, three walks, and 14 strikeouts to start the 2026 season. He had a two-run and three-run homer while also adding a sacrifice fly. Rooker's three-run shot was the game-winner in the bottom of the 10th inning. Fantasy managers are hoping that the big performance on Sunday will lead to more production from the 31-year-old veteran right-handed slugger. Rooker was an All-Star for the second time in his career in 2025, when he hit .262/.335/.479 with an .814 OPS, 30 home runs, 89 RBI, 92 runs, and six steals in 162 games played. He has at least 30 homers in each of the last three years, providing plenty of pop in a hitter-friendly home ballpark for fantasy managers.

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