New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that first baseman/catcher Ben Rice and outfielder Trent Grisham, who are both out of the starting lineup on Friday against San Francisco Giants lefty Robbie Ray, will see playing time against southpaws in 2026, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "A lot of it has to do with the first three series, the first nine games -- this (Robbie Ray) is probably the only lefty we're going to see," Boone said. Rice, 27, broke out in 2025 in his first full year in the big leagues and earned more exposure to lefties, hitting .255/.337/.499 with an .836 OPS, 26 home runs, 65 RBI, and 74 runs scored in 530 plate appearances over 138 games played. Against left-handers, Rice went 22-for-106 (.208) with seven of his home runs on the season. The 27-year-old lefty slugger also has catcher eligibility. Rice's fantasy arrow is firmly pointing up in 2026. He went 1-for-4 on Opening night on Wednesday in the win over the Giants.

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Right-hander Shane Baz and the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $68 million contract extension on Friday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 26-year-old was acquired in a trade this winter from the Tampa Bay Rays and is set for a big payday after his first fully healthy season in 2025. Baz went 10-12 for the Rays last year with a 4.87 ERA (4.37 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, and 176:64 K:BB in 166 1/3 innings over his 31 starts. The former first-rounder (12th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 had thrown a previous career high of 79 1/3 major-league innings in 2024. He looked good this spring, allowing three earned runs with four walks and 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings over three Grapefruit League starts, and his first regular-season start is scheduled to come this Sunday versus the Minnesota Twins. Baz is looking to take the next step as a more consistent starter in Baltimore in 2026. He had 13 outings of two or fewer runs allowed in 2025, and he'll be in a more pitcher-friendly park in Camden Yards.

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Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies will bat in the three-hole for the Braves on Opening Day on Friday against the visiting Kansas City Royals and left-hander Cole Ragans at Truist Park, according to MLB.com. This is definitely notable after Albies only had seven of his 157 plate appearances in 2025 out of the No. 3 spot in the batting order. Overall, the three-time All-Star hit .240/.306/.365 with a career-worst .671 OPS, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 74 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 667 plate appearances over 157 games played. The 29-year-old switch-hitting second baseman was much better against lefties from the right side of the plate in 2025, going 49-for-177 (.277) against them, but with only four of his 16 total home runs. The Braves could have Albies hitting elsewhere against righties in 2026, but for now, he's in the heart of Atlanta's order on Opening Day as he looks to bounce back in his 10th year in the big leagues. Albies is hitless in just one career at-bat against Ragans.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (finger) will bat leadoff in his 2026 season debut on Friday at Daikin Park against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, according to MLB.com. Pena wasn't in the lineup in Thursday's Opening Day loss to the Halos after fracturing his finger back on March 4, but he was thankfully able to avoid the injured list to begin the year and will return to the lineup for Game 2. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues will want to get him back into their starting lineups. In 12 career at-bats against Kikuchi, Pena has hit .333 with a 1.135 OPS and a solo home run. With Pena back in the fold in Houston, Carlos Correa will shift back to third base, with Isaac Paredes moving to designated hitter and the three-hole on Friday. Left-handed slugger Yordan Alvarez will move out of the DH spot and into left field.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat out of the two-hole on Opening Day on Friday against the visiting Kansas City Royals and left-hander Cole Ragans at Truist Park, per MLB.com. At least until catcher Sean Murphy (hip) returns, the Braves plan to use Baldwin at DH and Jonah Heim behind the plate against left-handed pitchers. The 24-year-old Baldwin was named National League Rookie of the Year in 2025 after slashing .274/.341/.469 with an .810 OPS, 19 home runs, 80 RBI, and 56 runs scored in 446 plate appearances and 124 games. Baldwin had an impressive .299/.358/.460 slash line with an .818 OPS against left-handed pitchers last year, although only four of his 19 home runs came against them. There is plenty of counting-stat upside with Baldwin, who should be in the lineup regularly, even when Murphy returns. After what he showed last year, Baldwin should be considered a top-10 fantasy backstop.

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Kansas City Royals catching prospect Carter Jensen is serving as the team's designated hitter and is batting ninth in the order on Friday on Opening Day against the Atlanta Braves and left-hander Chris Sale, according to MLB.com. Jensen, 22, impressed in a 20-game cup of coffee in KC in 2025 in his MLB debut, going 18-for-60 (.300) with three home runs, 13 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 69 plate appearances. Jensen went just 9-for-42 (.214) during spring training, though, adding three homers, eight RBI, seven runs, one stolen base, four walks, and 11 strikeouts in 15 Cactus League games. He's expected to split catching duties in 2026 in his first full year in the majors with veteran Salvador Perez while also seeing at-bats at DH for the Royals. Don't overlook the fact that Jensen could be playing every day for the Royals this year. DFS managers will want to avoid him on Opening Day in the nine-hole against Sale, though.

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Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto will bat seventh in the Jays' lineup on Opening Day on Friday at the Rogers Centre against the visiting Athletics and right-hander Luis Severino, per MLB.com. The Blue Jays signed Okamoto over the winter to a four-year, $60 million contract to lock him in as their primary third baseman in 2026. The 29-year-old right-handed-hitting infielder looked good at the plate in eight Grapefruit League games this spring, going 6-for-19 (.316) with a homer, three doubles, four RBI, four runs scored, three walks, and four strikeouts in a small sample size. Okamoto was limited to 69 games in Japan last year due to an elbow injury, but if healthy, he has the opportunity to be a consistent power bat for fantasy managers at hitter-friendly Rogers Centre. Fantasy managers who have him rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues will be hoping for a similar career arc as the Cubs' Seiya Suzuki.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz is batting leadoff for the A's on Opening Day on Friday on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman, per MLB.com. Kurtz is already considered one of the best hitters on the team after debuting in 2025 and looking like a seasoned veteran with a .290/.383/.619 slash line, 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, and 90 runs scored in 489 plate appearances over 117 games played. The A's want to get Kurtz as many at-bats as possible per game, although he's likely to be down in the batting order when the team faces a left-handed pitcher. Kurtz hitting leadoff regularly will get him more at-bats for his fantasy managers, too, although it will take away plenty of RBI opportunities from the left-handed slugger. He's an elite power bat and entered 2026 as RotoBaller's top-ranked fantasy first baseman. The 23-year-old had one hit in two at-bats against Gausman last year.

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Miami Marlins veteran outfielder Austin Slater is starting in right field and is batting leadoff for the Fish on Friday on Opening Day against the visiting Colorado Rockies and left-hander Kyle Freeland, according to MLB.com. The Marlins signed Slater just last week after they knew that All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) would start the year on the injured list. At least to begin the 2026 season, the 33-year-old Slater will serve on the short side of a platoon in right field for Miami. On Friday, he'll be a DFS sleeper with plenty of previous experience against Freeland. He has hit .289 against him in his career with a .796 OPS, a home run, and four RBI. Thirty of Slater's 45 career home runs have come against southpaws, and he sports a career .787 OPS against them, as opposed to a .640 OPS against right-handed arms.

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New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes made the transition from high-leverage reliever to starting pitcher in his first season with the team in 2025. Across 165 2/3 innings (33 appearances, 31 starts), Holmes recorded a 12-8 record with a 3.53 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts. Holmes' trademark power sinker transferred over to the starting rotation, as he logged a 55.8% ground ball rate. However, the 33-year-old's average fastball velocity dropped from 97.5 mph in 2024 to 93.5 mph in 2025, and he posted a subpar 18.2% strikeout rate. Given how much contact he allows in combination with his middling 9.3% walk rate, Holmes may always be a negative in the WHIP category for fantasy managers. Still, he showed an ability to eat innings in 2025 and owns a career HR/9 of 0.61, which could help him consistently beat his ERA projections. If Holmes can take a marginal step forward with his strikeout rate in 2026, he could be a useful depth arm for fantasy managers.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak (finger) has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained right ring finger, per Rockies beat writer Thomas Harding. Catcher Braxton Fulford has been recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take Moniak's place on the Rockies' active roster. Moniak had a breakout season in his first year with Colorado in 2025, hitting .270/.306/.518 with 24 home runs, 68 RBI, 62 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across 461 plate appearances. He lowered his strikeout rate to a career-low 23.9% while posting a career-high 13.5% barrel rate. The 27-year-old lefty swinger was expected to fill a big-side platoon role as both a corner outfielder and designated hitter in 2026, but his start to the season will be delayed by this finger issue. Rockies outfielders Jake McCarthy and Jordan Beck are likely more secure in their playing time in Moniak's absence, while first baseman/outfielder Troy Johnston and utility man Ryan Ritter could both see an uptick in at-bats. The promotion of Fulford could also indicate that the Rockies plan to give star catcher Hunter Goodman more reps at designated hitter while Moniak is sidelined.

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Across 151 2/3 innings (29 starts) in 2025, Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter pitched to a 10-10 record with a 3.86 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 148 strikeouts. While the former top prospect established himself as a back-end rotation piece in Texas, his season-long K-BB% of 12.5% does not jump off the page. However, Leiter finished the 2025 season significantly stronger than he started it. After the All-Star break, the 25-year-old pitched to a 3.28 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 79 strikeouts across 71 1/3 innings. Command remains a red flag in Leiter's profile, as he's recorded a walk rate below 10% just once across his four professional seasons. Still, if he can re-produce the 26.3% strikeout rate he recorded in the second half of 2025 over a full season in 2026, Leiter could easily emerge as a very valuable fantasy starting pitcher. Entering the year, Leiter profiles as a fantasy SP5 with upside.

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Across 166 1/3 innings (31 starts) for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, starting pitcher Shane Baz recorded a 10-12 record with a 4.87 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 176 strikeouts. Baz was traded to the Baltimore Orioles over the offseason, and he's currently penciled into a mid-rotation role in Baltimore. While Baz's ERA and WHIP were both inflated in 2025, there's reason to believe he may have gotten a bit unlucky. He had the misfortune of pitching his home games in a minor league park last season, which helped contribute to his elevated 1.42 HR/9. Baz allowed 18 home runs across 82 1/3 innings at home, compared to just eight home runs in 84 innings on the road. If Baz can hold his 24.8% strikeout rate while doing a better job limiting the long ball, he could easily see his ERA regress closer to his 2025 xERA of 3.86. Baz also performed well in Spring Training for Baltimore, allowing just three earned runs and four walks while striking out 14 across 10 1/3 innings. He profiles as a fantasy SP4/5 with upside entering 2026.

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After signing a two-year deal with the team over the offseason, Colorado Rockies utility man Willi Castro is expected to serve as the team's primary third baseman to open 2026. Across 454 plate appearances split between the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs in 2025, Castro hit .226/.316/.366 with 11 home runs, 33 RBI, 58 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. The 28-year-old's main appeal is his positional versatility, as he's logged significant time at every position on the diamond other than first base, catcher and pitcher. With a career 5.9% barrel rate and 33.2% hard-hit rate, Castro is unlikely to provide more than 10-15 homer power for fantasy managers. However, he's just two years removed from stealing 33 bases as a member of the Twins in 2023. If Castro can hold everyday playing time while playing his home games in the hitter-friendly environment of Coors Field, he could be a useful multi-positional eligible depth piece for fantasy managers in 2026.

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The New York Yankees signed free-agent right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) to a two-year minor-league deal on Friday, a source told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Garcia is currently rehabbing after having the second Tommy John surgery of his career last October. His base salary for the 2027 season would be $2.25 million with another $750,000 in possible performance bonuses. The 29-year-old Venezuelan hurler also missed all of the 2024 season due to injury. Garcia entered the league in 2020 with the Houston Astros and has gone 29-19 with a 3.60 ERA (3.82 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, 25.3% strikeout rate, and a 7.7% walk rate in 359 2/3 innings over 71 appearances (65 starts) in the majors in five seasons with the Astros. He only made two starts in 2025 before being shut down. The Yankees are hoping that Garcia can be an option for their starting rotation in 2027 after he recovers from right-elbow surgery.

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The New York Daily News' Gary Phillips reports that New York Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange is scheduled to make his debut at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday for the RailRiders. Lagrange, who is considered the team's No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was named the Yankees' most outstanding rookie during spring training. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out 17 batters while walking six in 16 1/3 innings pitched in five Grapefruit League appearances (two starts). The hard-throwing Dominican is one of the better pitching stashes in dynasty/keeper leagues. The 6-foot-7, 248-pounder had a 3.53 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 168 strikeouts and 62 walks in 120 innings over 24 outings (23 starts) with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2025. Lagrange had an impressive 31% strikeout rate but also a concerning 14.9% walk rate. If Lagrange cannot improve his control, he could be ticketed for a high-leverage bullpen role in the Bronx by the 2027 season.

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New York Yankees left-handed-hitting first baseman/catcher Ben Rice will take a seat on Friday at Oracle Park against the San Francisco Giants with left-hander Robbie Ray on the mound, according to MLB.com. Rice will give way to right-handed-hitting Paul Goldschmidt, who is starting at first base and batting leadoff for the Yanks. Rice, who broke out in 2025 with 26 home runs and 65 RBI in 138 games played, is expected to play more against lefties in 2026, but he'll start on the bench in this one. In his young MLB career, Rice has a .683 OPS against left-handers as opposed to an .809 OPS versus righty pitchers. He went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Wednesday night's Opening Day win over San Fran. Goldschmidt, a former National League MVP, has seen a decline in his production in recent years, but the 38-year-old veteran did have an impressive .981 OPS with seven of his 10 homers against southpaws last year. He's gone hitless in five career at-bats against Ray.

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Kansas City Royals left-handed-hitting outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone will start on the bench for the team's Opening Day game on Friday against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park with left-hander Chris Sale on the mound. The Royals aren't going to have Caglianone face one of the nastiest left-handers in the game to begin his first full season in the big leagues, especially after the left-handed power bat struggled mightily in his first taste of major-league pitching in 62 games in 2025. The former sixth overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida did hit seven games in 232 plate appearances, but he also struck out 52 times and hit just .157 (33-for-210). Things looked better in spring training, though, as Cags went 7-for-23 (.304) in a small sample size with a homer, four RBI, six walks, and seven strikeouts in 10 Cactus League games. He's expected to be on the strong side of a platoon against righties in right field for KC in 2026. Veteran Starling Marte is in right on Friday and will hit sixth against Sale. Marte has hit .286 with a .572 in just seven career at-bats versus Sale.

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San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) is still feeling something in his left hamstring, which is why he's serving as the designated hitter again on Friday at Oracle Park against the visiting New York Yankees, according to John Shea of The San Francisco Standard. Manager Tony Vitello said that Devers could play first if necessary. "Still a little bit of a feeling in there," Vitello said. Devers is the DH and is batting third on Friday against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, while infielder Casey Schmitt will make another start at first base and bat seventh for the Gigantes. The 29-year-old Devers dealt with a balky hammy in late February during spring training, but it's obviously not a very serious injury since he remains in the starting lineup. Devers went 1-for-4 in the 7-0 Opening Day loss to New York on Wednesday night. Fantasy managers will want to keep him in their lineups as the Giants try for their first win of the 2026 season.

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Outfielder Jason Heyward officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on Friday on MLB Network. Heyward played 16 years in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and Houston Astros. The 36-year-old helped the Chicago Cubs win the World Series in 2016 and was also named to an All-Star team with the Braves in his rookie season in 2010, when he hit .277/.393/.456 with an .849 OPS, 18 home runs, 72 RBI, 83 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 142 games. Heyward was perhaps most known for his glove in right field, winning five Gold Glove in his career. He hit a career-high 27 home runs and stole 21 bases in his third season with the Braves in 2012. Heyward finishes his successful career with a .255/.336/.408 slash line, 186 home runs, 730 RBI, and 125 stolen bases in 1,824 regular-season games. He played in 34 games for the Padres in his final MLB season in 2025.

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