Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Logan Henderson will draw the start during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals. Henderson was called up as the 27th player for this twin-billing. The 24-year-old posted promising numbers during his time with the Brewers last season. He registered a 1.78 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 33/8 K/BB ratio across five starts. Henderson recorded five strikeouts over three innings of work during his first appearance with Triple-A Nashville this season. He's not expected to pitch deep into this game with Brandon Sproat following him out of the bullpen. Henderson has good long-term upside, but isn't an ideal streaming option for Saturday's slate.

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San Francisco Giants infielder Tyler Fitzgerald has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations. Fitzgerald was recently designed for assignment by the Giants, but quickly found a new home in Toronto. The 28-year-old provides solid depth given his defensive versatility. Fitzgerald posted a breakout campaign in 2024 with a .280/.334/.497 slash line with 15 home runs and 17 stolen bases. He struggled to find any consistency with the bat last season, but is worthy of slashing in this low-risk move. He figures to play in Triple-A Buffalo until he's needed on the big league roster.

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Seattle Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan (leg) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Donovan is being held out of this game after exiting Friday's contest due to leg discomfort. The Mariners haven't given a clear timetable on Donovan's return, but hopefully it'll be a short absence. While he's out, Luke Raley will take over in the leadoff spot, while Leo Rivas covers third base against right-hander Jack Kochanowicz on Saturday. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of first pitch on Sunday for another update on Donovan.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. This doesn't come as a shock after Buxton exited early during Friday's game after getting hit by a pitch on the forearm. The X-rays came back negative, but the Twins are going to play it safe with Buxton. Twins' manager Derek Shelton believes that Buxton will be back in the starting lineup within the next few days. On Saturday, James Outman will patrol center field and bat ninth versus left-hander Steven Matz. Fantasy managers will need to check back on Sunday for another update on Buxton.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell was the team's offense in a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with a home run, five RBI, and two strikeouts. Mitchell had a two-run double in the first inning and a three-run homer in the third inning to drive in all of the team's runs. The former UCLA star is off to a fine start in 2026, going 6-for-18 (.333) with a home run, 10 RBI, and three stolen bases. The 27-year-old has always had tantalizing power/speed upside after Milwaukee took him with the 20th overall pick in 2020, but he has never been able to reach his true potential due to injuries. Mitchell made his MLB debut in 2022 but has never played in more than 69 games in his four seasons. If he can stay healthy in 2026, fantasy managers would be sitting pretty. In 146 regular-season games, Mitchell has hit .336/.431/.766 with 13 homers, 45 RBI, and 26 stolen bases in 461 plate appearances.

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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (back) left Saturday's game early against the Washington Nationals in the first inning with right lower-back pain, according to the team. Betts walked and scored in the first inning before being replaced on defense in the bottom of the first inning in D.C. It's unclear how serious of an injury this is for Betts, so until we have further details, fantasy managers should consider him to be day-to-day. Expect the Dodgers to send Betts in for tests on his back. Veteran Miguel Rojas took over for Betts on Saturday at shortstop and would likely see most of the starts at the position for the Blue going forward if it's an injury that keeps Betts out for an extended period of time. The 33-year-old eight-time All-Star and former MVP was off to a slow start offensively going into Saturday's game, hitting .179 (5-for-28) with two home runs and seven RBI in the first seven games of the 2026 season. Hopefully, this is nothing serious for Betts, but even if it's minor, fantasy managers should probably expect him to sit out Sunday's series finale against the Nats.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz is back in the leadoff spot on Saturday against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander Tatsuya Imai, according to MLB.com. It's the fifth time in the team's first seven games that Kurtz has hit leadoff. It's a curious lineup positioning for the left-handed slugger, who is an elite source of power for fantasy managers in his first full major-league season. It will also be interesting to see how long manager Mark Kotsay sticks with Kurtz in the top spot in the batting order if he continues to struggle at the plate early on in 2026. Through his first six games, Kurtz has gone 1-for-21 (.048) with no homers, no RBI, three runs scored, five walks, and 13 strikeouts in 26 plate appearances. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about Kurtz's slow start just yet. The former Wake Forest star was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025, when he slashed an impressive .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, and 86 RBI in just 117 games played for the A's.

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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin is starting at the 6 and will hit sixth in his second major-league game on Saturday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Shane Baz, according to MLB.com. In his MLB debut in Pittsburgh's 5-4 win over Baltimore on Friday, Griffin was batting out of the seventh spot in the lineup, and he went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, run scored, walk, and a strikeout. The 19-year-old phenom will be bumped up one spot in the batting order in his second career game, and he could quickly be moved to the top third of the order if he plays well in the early going in 2026. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 didn't look like a first-year pro in 2025 in three minor-league stops, hitting a combined .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases in 122 games played. Griffin can do it all for fantasy managers and needs to be rostered in all formats now that he's in the big leagues to stay.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals. Alex Call will start in his place, batting ninth and playing left field. Hernandez had started the Dodgers' previous seven games, so this is his first day off this season. The veteran outfielder has continued to find success putting the ball in play, slashing .320/.320/.360 with two RBI so far. With that being said, he's still searching for his first home run of the year, and he owns a dismal 0% walk rate and 36% strikeout rate (albeit over a small sample size). As a result, he has produced 94 wRC+, which is his first below-league-average mark since his rookie campaign in 2016. It's a long season, and Hernandez will have plenty of opportunities to tap into some more power after he takes Saturday to rest.

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San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Switch-hitter Bryce Johnson will start in his place, batting ninth and playing center field. It's been an ugly start to the year for Merrill, who is slashing just .185/241/333 with one home run, a 20.7% strikeout rate, and 68 wRC+ through seven games. Merrill had a quiet season by his standards last year, but now, he'd be thrilled to return to his 2025 form. The Padres will hope that Saturday's day off gives Merrill a chance to rest and reset. After all, it's a long season, and Merrill still has plenty of time to bounce back after a slow start. He ranks #18 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

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Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (wrist) will face live hitters in a simulated game at Fenway Park next week, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Following the sim game, Crawford will be sent to one of the Red Sox' minor league affiliates to begin his rehab assignment. The veteran right-hander missed all of last season with a knee injury, and he's now working his way back from offseason wrist surgery. He last pitched in 2024, making 33 starts with a 3.85 xERA, 8.58 K/9, and 2.50 BB/9. Crawford is still at least a couple of weeks away from returning to the majors, but it will be interesting to see his role when he does return. The Red Sox have a filled-out rotation at the moment. Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, and Sonny Gray are locks to stay in the rotation. Connelly Early has pitched well enough to remain a starter, and it's unclear if Boston would be willing to bump Brayan Bello out of the rotation this early in the year.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) has been running and throwing as part of his rehab program, and he has also been standing in and watching pitches on the Trajekt machine, manager Pat Murphy told Todd Rosiak of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Additionally, Murphy noted that Chourio will be re-evaluated on Friday, when he undergoes his next scan. The young outfielder has been sidelined since Opening Day, when he was scratched hours before first pitch and placed on the 10-day injured list. He's a key piece of the Brewers' short-term and long-term plans for success, and he's looking to build off an impressive 2025 campaign in which he slashed .270/.308/.463 with 21 home runs, 21 steals, and 111 wRC+. The Brewers have opted to play Brandon Lockridge in left field during Chourio's absence, allowing them to keep Christian Yelich in the designated hitter spot.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee, ribs) will start a hitting progression again on Monday, manager Alex Cora told Ari Alexander of WHDH. Casas had been swinging a bat at the end of March, but he suffered a setback this past week and had to temporarily pause his rehab. The setback was actually a new rib injury, and was fortunately not related to the left patellar tendon rupture he suffered last May. The new injury will nevertheless delay his return to the majors, but the fact that he's going to restart his hitting progression in the next few days is a good sign. Casas is looking to bounce back after posting a subpar .182/.277/.303 slash line with a 24.1% strikeout rate and 56 wRC+ through 29 games early last season. Willson Contreras remains the Red Sox' everyday first baseman for now, with Andruw Monasterio presumably available to play the position in an emergency.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (left hip) has been placed on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation. The move is retroactive to April 1, meaning Verlander will be eligible to return as soon as April 16. The 22-year MLB veteran has made just one start this season, allowing five runs, two walks, and one strikeout through 3.1 innings of work. Despite being 43 years old, injuries haven't become an overly common theme for Verlander yet, as he made 29 starts last year. Tigers fans will hope that he returns after the minimum 15 days to offer Detroit an effective No. 4 starter. Keider Montero has been recalled from Triple-A and will presumably make at least a couple of starts in Verlander's absence.

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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) will be evaluated by a specialist on Monday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. The specialist will provide a clear timeline for Kirk's return and advise whether he needs surgery. At a minimum, he'll miss 10 days after being placed on the injured list. Kirk suffered both a dislocation and a fracture in his thumb, the former of which has been repaired. He's off to a quiet start this season, slashing just .150/.227/.350 with one home run, two RBI, two walks, and two strikeouts through five games. He has continued to offer positive value on defense, though, amassing 0.4 framing runs so far. Tyler Heineman will step in as the Jays' primary backstop, and Brandon Valenzuela has been called up to occupy the No. 2 catcher role until Kirk is able to return.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) was hit hard in his minor-league rehab start on Friday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowing five earned runs on four hits (one home run) while walking two and striking out only one in three innings pitched. Wheeler looked much better in his first rehab start last Saturday, in which he struck out three in three scoreless innings. The 35-year-old veteran threw 26 of his 49 pitches for strikes on Friday night, with his fastball averaging 92.7 mph. It wasn't the best Wheeler has looked, but the main takeaway for the Phillies and fantasy managers is that Wheeler didn't have a setback. He will likely need another rehab start, but he remains on track to make his 2026 season debut in April. The three-time All-Star had surgery last year for thoracic outlet syndrome, but he has progressed nicely in his rehab this spring and should be stashed in all fantasy formats. There's more risk than ever, but Wheeler could be a difference-maker as a potential fantasy ace if he can return to his pre-injury levels.

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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (hip) is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game on the road in Detroit against the Tigers, according to MLB.com. Winn was forced from Friday's game against the Tigers early due to left-hip tightness that he said originated from when he was taking batting practice earlier this week. It doesn't appear to be a very serious injury for the 24-year-old, though, so it's possible that Winn could return to the starting lineup for the Red Birds for Sunday's series finale. With Winn out on Saturday, Thomas Saggese will start at the 6 and will hit sixth against Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty. Saggese has never faced Flaherty in his young MLB career. Winn's hip injury will make it more difficult for the shortstop to get out of his early-season, small-sample-size slump, as he's started the 2026 season by going 5-for-28 (.179) with two doubles, an RBI, a steal, two walks, and five strikeouts in seven games played. Check back on Sunday to see if Winn is feeling good enough to return to action.

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Detroit Tigers infielder Colt Keith is back in the starting lineup on Saturday, starting at third base and batting leadoff against the St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Dustin May, according to MLB.com. Keith was given a rest day on Friday against St. Louis, but he'll be back in the leadoff spot for Detroit for the third time in the last four games. The 24-year-old former fifth-round pick in 2020 has been setting the table nicely for the Tigers early on in 2026, going 8-for-22 (.364) with four doubles, two RBI, four runs scored, two walks, and six strikeouts. With Keith back in the lineup, rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle will slide from leadoff to the two-hole on Saturday. Keith's fantasy stock is up after the strong start, especially with outfielder Kerry Carpenter off to a slow start at the plate, making it unlikely that Carpenter takes the leadoff spot from Keith anytime soon. Keith has reached base safely in all six of his games so far this year.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (back) is getting much closer to being activated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut in the majors. Kelly looked great in his minor-league rehab start on Friday with Triple-A Reno, tossing five scoreless innings while giving up two hits, walking two, and striking out two batters. The 37-year-old veteran threw 40 of his 72 pitches for strikes in his first rehab outing after landing on the IL to begin the regular season due to a back injury that he picked up during spring training. It's unclear if the D-backs will want him to make another start in the minors, but if he does, it will likely be his last before rejoining the team's starting rotation. Kelly is no spring chicken anymore, but when healthy, he can eat innings for the Snakes and fantasy managers. However, the upside is limited in fantasy with a below-average career strikeout rate of 22%.

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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin didn't do anything dramatic in his major-league debut on Friday in the 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, but he still helped fantasy managers who started him in his first game. Griffin went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double, RBI, run scored, strikeout, and a walk while hitting seventh in Pittsburgh's batting order. His double and RBI came in his first big-league plate appearance. The 19-year-old phenom didn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, but the Pirates didn't wait long to bring the talented youngster up to the big leagues. Griffin is mature beyond his years, both physically and skills-wise, making him a potential once-in-a-generation-type player for the Bucs and for fantasy managers. He should play regularly from here on out and should be rostered in all fantasy leagues as a potential game-changer in all categories. Griffin should move up the Pirates' batting order eventually.

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