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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April 26: Sunday morning’s news to know
By Todd Zola
Saturday’s postponement in Queens is being made up today as part of a single-admission doubleheader between the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies. The slate gets underway at 1:35 p.m. ET with a pair of games. The Sunday night affair features the Los Angeles Angels at the Kansas City Royals at 7:20 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy will bring the lineup card to home plate before today’s rubber game with the Baltimore Orioles. It’s uncertain whether Roman Anthony will be available after missing the last four games with a back issue. It will be interesting to learn how Tracy constructs the lineup after former manager Alex Cora continually tinkered with the order.
Geraldo Perdomo left Game 1 of the Mexico City Series in the seventh inning with a sprained ankle. Ildemaro Vargas took over at shortstop, with Tim Tawa covering first base. Perdomo’s status for today’s finale between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres is unclear.
The Tampa Bay Rays will use Griffin Jax to open today’s game with the Minnesota Twins, with Jesse Scholtens serving as the primary pitcher. Scholtens struggled in the first inning in his last outing, so the club hopes using him in bulk relief will get the team off to a good start. Jax will throw an inning or two against his former team, so maybe the adrenaline will help get him back on track.
The Chicago White Sox are also going the opener route, with lefty Bryan Hudson handling the first inning, then passing the baton to righty Sean Burke. Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera will be forced to make a decision since he shakes up the top of the lineup depending on whether a righty or lefty is on the hill.
Max Muncy started yesterday’s game despite dealing with an illness. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled Muncy in the fourth inning and replaced him with Santiago Espinal. Muncy’s availability for today’s rubber game in Chavez Ravine against the Chicago Cubs is unclear.
April 25: Saturday morning’s news to know
By Todd Zola
The likelihood of late afternoon rain has moved the start of the second game of the series between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox to an early 12:05 p.m. start. 13 more games are staggered throughout the afternoon and early evening, with the final three contests getting underway at 7:15 p.m. ET. There would have been 14, but the scheduled matchup between the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies was postponed. It will be made up as part of a single admission doubleheader tomorrow.
Roman Anthony missed his third straight game last night with a tight upper back. While the club hopes he can return to action this weekend, it’s expected to be cold and clammy — weather not conducive to that sort of injury.
The first game of the Mexico City Series begins at 6:05 p.m. ET, featuring the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks. German Marquez and Zac Gallen are the scheduled starters, with the Diamondbacks serving as the home team. The game will be played at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú, which is situated almost 7,300 feet above sea level (more than 2,000 feet higher than Coors Field). Expect a high-scoring game.
The Cincinnati Reds will be without Eugenio Suarez for at least 10 days, as he was placed on the IL with a low-grade oblique strain. The severity of the injury isn’t clear, but the club is hopeful that Suárez won’t be out for an extended period. Last night’s hero, Nathaniel Lowe, is expected to garner much of the action as DH. He filled in Friday evening and went 2-for-5 with a pair of homers, including a two-run game winner to walk off the Detroit Tigers in an exciting back-and-forth game.
Those patiently waiting for Ivan Herrera to appear in 10 games at catcher can stop checking the box score, as he played his tenth game behind the plate last night and thus qualifies as a catcher in ESPN leagues. Herrera is hitting .233/.391/.378, so his low average is a drag in standard category leagues, but his high on-base rate is a boon for points-league scoring.
The Kansas City Royals were without Maikel Garcia in last night’s 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, as he was held out of the lineup after experiencing an elbow cramp on Wednesday. The move was precautionary, with the hope he returns to the lineup today. He’s off to a modest start, but his underlying metrics suggest he’s underperforming his expected level, so better days lie ahead.
April 24: Forecaster findings for Friday
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
After an eventful past seven days for MLB — a Monday morning game, games in Mexico, etc. — fantasy baseball’s Week 5 returns to more standard-fare scheduling. All 30 teams are scheduled for at least six games and the week kicks off at 6:10 p.m. ET, giving us a maximum amount of time to set our weekly (and daily) lineups.
Jose Soriano of the Los Angeles Angels continues his sizzling start with a Tuesday road assignment against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Soriano is the first modern-era pitcher to allow no more than one run across his first six starts of a season. His 0.24 ERA is the lowest through six starts (minimum 30 innings) since earned runs became official in both leagues in 1913. He will be facing a White Sox offense that, entering play on Friday, ranked 20th in runs per game (4.16), 26th in strikeout rate (24.5%) and has scored a league-leading 55% of its runs via the home run.
Soriano isn’t the only hot-starting pitcher scheduled to work on Tuesday. Across town, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers faces the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium, hoping to extend his streak of four consecutive quality starts to begin the season. Ohtani, the fourth Dodger to pitch 20-plus innings while allowing no more than one earned run (Wheezer Dell, 1916; Fernando Valenzuela, 1981 and ’85; Kenta Maeda, 2016), will face a Marlins team that has hit much better at home (.333 wOBA) than on the road (.294) thus far this season.
The New York Mets, who snapped a 12-game losing streak on Wednesday, continue the softest portion of their entire 2026 schedule. From April 21 through May 6, a stretch of 15 games in 16 days, the Mets play nothing but teams that rank among the bottom seven in terms of World Series championship odds. Week 5 brings a pair of opponents in the Washington Nationals (home series) and Angels (road) with the worst and fourth-worst odds. With Juan Soto now back in action for the Mets, they could be set up for a much more productive week offensively.
*Make sure to check all of the Forecaster projections before setting your Week 5 lineups.
April 24: Friday’s news to know
By Todd Zola
All 14 of today’s games are in the evening. The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres have the day off as they prepare for their two-game series this weekend in Mexico City.
The Chicago Cubs, winners of nine in a row, will likely be without interim closer Caleb Thielbar after he left yesterday’s contest with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Three pitches earlier, he had surrendered a game-tying home run on a day when the heat and wind had Wrigley Field playing small. If Thielbar has to miss time, Ben Brown is the top candidate to replace the injured Daniel Palencia, although Phil Maton (sore knee) could be back soon as he’s beginning a rehab stint.
The Washington Nationals will reportedly promote Riley Cornelio from Triple-A Rochester. The 25-year-old right-hander isn’t a top prospect, but he’s off to a strong start in the minors, posting a 2.45 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over four starts, spanning 18⅓ innings. He has struck out 27 with four walks. The velocity on his four-seam fastball is up over 4 mph, and he’s using it more. He’s likely ticketed for the bullpen, but with Jake Irvin and Miles Mikolas struggling, Cornelio could get a shot in the rotation.
Tanner Scott collected the first save for the Los Angeles Dodgers since Edwin Diaz was placed on the 15-day IL. Scott is expected to share closing duties with fellow southpaw Alex Vesia. Both were equally rested, but it was Scott getting the call after Tyler Glasnow held the San Francisco Giants scoreless for eight stanzas.
The Boston Red Sox were without Roman Anthony for the second straight game last night as they were swept at home by the New York Yankees. Afterward, Anthony indicated that his sore back was feeling better and that he hopes to return to the lineup Friday when the club opens a road set with the Baltimore Orioles. Anthony will likely be in the 3-hole upon his return with Jarren Duran taking over in the leadoff spot.
The Red Sox had been slated to face Dean Kremer Friday night, but he was scratched and placed on the 15-day IL due to a strained right quad. Brandon Young was summoned from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the open roster spot and take Kremer’s spot in the rotation.
Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse Thursday and is expected to be the primary shortstop for the New York Mets while Francisco Lindor convalesces on the 10-day IL. Lindor is expected to be out until at least mid-May.
Michael Harris II left Thursday’s game due to a tight left quad. He appeared to suffer the injury heading into third base during a four-run top of the seventh inning. He was removed with the Atlanta Braves leading the Nationals 6-2, with the move deemed precautionary. Through April 6, Harris was batting .209/.227/.302, but a torrid stretch lifted him to .318/.356/.565. Eli White is the leading candidate to fill in if Harris misses action.
Source:
www.espn.com