Everything that happens in and around MLB has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy baseball perspective. From lineup changes to minor league call-ups to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy baseball.
Our fantasy baseball buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around MLB.
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10-day pitching forecaster | 10-day hitting forecaster
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
A pair of Monday injury transactions have impacted Week 2 fantasy lineups — one of them expected, one much less so.
The New York Mets placed Soto, the No. 5 overall scorer last season and No. 3 player selected overall (on average) during the preseason, on the 10-day IL due to the right calf strain he suffered while running the bases on Friday. It was a move his fantasy managers feared would be coming after he missed both of the Mets’ subsequent weekend games in San Francisco.
It’s unclear how long exactly Soto will be sidelined beyond the 10-day minimum, but the current expectation is that the injury will keep him out 2-3 weeks. Of greater concern is the potential for lingering effects and a possibly more conservative approach on the basepaths following his return for a player who was more aggressive stealing bases in 2025 than he had ever been previously in his career.
Soto stole a NL-leading 38 bases last year, more than he had totaled in the previous four years combined, but he had not yet even attempted a stolen base in eight regular-season games after being caught on his only spring attempt. To surmise that he might now be more of a mid-to-low teens base stealer over the course of 2026 isn’t unfair, but there’s otherwise no reason to downgrade him from his preseason fantasy valuation.
The Mets will likely use Jared Young against right-handers in left field during Soto’s absence, making Young a worthwhile matchup option in larger (think 15-team-mixed and deeper) leagues for those games, and a rotation of players including Young, Ronny Mauricio and Carson Benge against lefties. They’ll also merely slide everyone else up a spot in the lineup, meaning Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco move up to second and third in the order. Still, Soto’s absence also takes the overall offense backwards a clear step.
Cubs rotation very much in flux
In an “out of left field” injury transaction, the Chicago Cubs placed Boyd, who struck out 10 Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, on the 15-day IL as a result of a left biceps strain. The team didn’t indicate that it would be a lengthy absence for last year’s SP18 in terms of scoring. However, his injury comes at a highly inconvenient time with Cade Horton (forearm) also on the sidelines.
Javier Assad will assume Boyd’s rotation spot on Tuesday, with Colin Rea being the favorite to step in for Horton on Wednesday, although the team could dabble with Ben Brown as a starting pitcher considering the thinning of their starting options. Brown struggled in the second half of Chicago’s Sunday doubleheader (2 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB), but he has both the elite curveball and prospect pedigree to warrant a pickup (even if only as a stash) in any league larger than a 12-team standard — an upgrade from this morning’s recommendation to add him in 15-team-plus and NL-only leagues.
April 6: Kodai Senga could be for real
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
I’ll admit it, I took no shares of the New York Mets‘ starter thanks to too many concerns about his shaky control, injury history and what was a big drop in fastball velocity last season. Senga has looked quite good in his first two starts, however, throwing a 96.7-mph average fastball that’s two full ticks over his 2025 number and one over 2023. Plus, his signature “ghost fork” has generated seven of his 16 total strikeouts and a 53.3% whiff rate.
Senga brings no guarantee of complete health over 162 games, but his returns thus far are intriguing enough to warrant universally adding him for however long this hot spell lasts.
For more waiver wire advice for the upcoming week, check out the full article here.
April 6: Monday morning’s news to know
By Todd Zola
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The Tampa Bay Rays‘ long-awaited return to Tropicana Field highlights today’s slate as the club finally plays its home opener at 4:10 p.m. ET against the Chicago Cubs. The Rays are the last club to play at home, because MLB wanted to give extra time to ensure the refurbished venue would be ready. It is, and so are the Rays. A dozen more evening contests ensue.
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Mike Trout left yesterday’s game in the eighth inning after being hit in the left hand by a fastball, but X-rays came back negative, so he has seemingly avoided an extended IL stint. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with a contusion. However, his availability for tonight’s home date with the Atlanta Braves is uncertain.
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New player eligibility: With 10 games played at a new position during the current season, Bo Bichette of the New York Mets is now eligible to start at third base (in addition to shortstop). Luis Arraez of the San Francisco Giants is now eligible to start at second base (in addition to first base).
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Addison Barger hurt both of his ankles while awkwardly crossing first base yesterday. Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider is optimistic the injuries aren’t serious and hopes Barger will be available tonight when the club entertains the Los Angeles Angels.
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Masyn Winn missed his second straight game on Sunday due to a tight left hamstring. Thomas Saggese has been filling in at shortstop. Winn did complete his usual pregame routine yesterday, so there is optimism he’ll be in the lineup tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals open a road set with the Washington Nationals.
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Casey Schmitt of the Giants missed his third consecutive game yesterday due to back soreness. Rafael Devers played first base for the first time this season, with Jerar Encarnacion serving as the team’s DH.
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Brendan Donovan missed his second straight game yesterday due to a sore groin. Leo Rivas filled in at third base again. Donovan’s imaging showed no damage, so the Seattle Mariners are hopeful he’ll be back in the lineup sometime during their early-week road series with the Texas Rangers.
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Hunter Brown was slated to pitch the opener of the Houston Astros game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, but he was placed on the 15-day IL due to a strained right shoulder. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out. Cody Bolton will start tonight’s road affair in his stead.
April 5: Sunday morning’s news to know
By Todd Zola
Saturday featured the first doubleheader of the season, and it took only 24 hours for another after yesterday’s Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Guardians interleague affair was postponed until today. The 16-game docket gets started at 1:10 p.m. ET with the opener of the single-admission doubleheader.
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The final game of the day pits the Detroit Tigers against the St. Louis Cardinals in Motown. Justin Verlander was scheduled to start for the Tigers, but he was placed on the 15-day IL yesterday due to left hip inflammation. Keider Montero was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to take the hill in Verlander’s stead. Masyn Winn could be back for the Cardinals after missing yesterday’s tilt with left hip tightness. Thomas Saggese took his spot at shortstop in the 11-6 loss to the Tigers.
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Sal Frelick is considered day-to-day after he left the nightcap between the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals with an oblique strain. He has been experiencing soreness in the area and is expected to undergo testing to determine the extent of the injury. Brandon Lockridge came in for Frelick and is the likely candidate for the Brewers to lean on if Frelick misses today’s finale.
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Brendan Donovan was on the bench for the Seattle Mariners‘ Saturday 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. He stumbled over first base on Friday night, but imaging came back clean. Even so, the club played it safe with Leo Rivas handling the hot corner. Donovan’s status today is unclear.
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Mookie Betts left last night’s game with a sore back, with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicating that Betts underwent imaging and is expected to miss at least today’s road affair with the Washington Nationals. Miguel Rojas took over at shortstop and is expected to be in today’s lineup. (Update: The Dodgers have placed Betts on the IL with a strained oblique.)
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Juan Soto missed yesterday’s New York Mets‘ 9-0 shutout over the San Francisco Giants. He was diagnosed with a minor right calf strain and is considered day-to-day. The club is hopeful that Soto can avoid an IL visit. Yesterday was just the eighth game he’s missed since 2022.
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The Minnesota Twins held Byron Buxton out of yesterday’s 7-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays after he was hit on the forearm by a pitch on Friday. He was reportedly available off the bench, so Buxton might be back in the lineup today.
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Alejandro Kirk was placed on the 10-day IL after suffering a fractured left thumb due to being hit with a foul tip. He’s scheduled for evaluation tomorrow, at which time it will be determined if surgery is necessary. Tyler Heineman will serve as the Toronto Blue Jays‘ primary catcher, with Brandon Valenzuela called up from Triple-A Buffalo to be the backup.
April 3: Forecaster Friday update
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
With most teams having completed two full rotation turns over the season’s first week and a half, it’s the aces who lead the two-start pitcher list for fantasy’s Week 2.
Opening Day starters Sandy Alcantara, Tanner Bibee, Zac Gallen, Freddy Peralta, Kevin Gausman, Logan Gilbert, Nick Pivetta, Joe Ryan, Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal all project for two-start weeks and dominate the weekly pitching rankings.
To see those pitcher rankings, along with all of Week 2’s ratings, scheduling quirks and pitcher projections, go right here. For all projections and ratings for the next 10 days, go here for pitchers and here for hitters. These are updated at least daily all season.
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Among Week 2’s schedule highlights: First, a rematch of last year’s World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, as the teams play a three-game series at Toronto’s Rogers Centre from Monday to Wednesday. We’re likely to see both Game 7 starters, Max Scherzer for the Blue Jays (projected for Monday) and Shohei Ohtani (Wednesday) for the Dodgers, as well as the winning pitcher from that game, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Tuesday), on the mound during the series. Unfortunately, as the Dodgers are planning to give Ohtani 6-7 days of rest between starts in the season’s early weeks — though without any pitch-count restrictions within each turn — the right-hander doesn’t project to align for his first two-start week of 2026.
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Next, the Tampa Bay Rays return to Tropicana Field for the first time since Sept. 22, 2024, as the team played at George M. Steinbrenner Field while their traditional home was undergoing repairs following the damage it suffered during Hurricane Milton. From 2022 to 2024 (per Statcast), Tropicana Field was ranked as the second-most pitcher friendly venue overall for runs scored and expected wOBA on batted balls, fifth most for hits and 13th most for home runs. Taking 2025 data alone — which granted doesn’t provide a complete park-factor perspective — Steinbrenner Field ranked as the eighth-best hitting venue overall and for runs scored, fifth for hits, seventh for home runs and 11th in xwOBA on batted balls.
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Ryan Pepiot (hip, 15-day IL) could return to action as soon as the Rays’ Monday home opener against the Chicago Cubs, having resumed throwing during the March 28-29 weekend and becoming eligible for activation on that date.
