I have a friend named David who lives in Southern California. He’s a lifelong Dodgers fan, so it’s been a good run for him. He knows my New England roots, and how I pull for all the Boston-area teams (in addition to my adopted Michigan teams).

A few days ago, David dropped the text.

What’s wrong with the Red Sox?

Of course, I played it all down. It’s early. MLB is only a couple of weeks into the season, the equivalent of one week of NFL play. Nobody has separated in the American League yet. Most of the records look the same. A few guys aren’t hitting for Boston yet, but they’ll hit.

And then Monday happens. Red Sox at Twins. And Garrett Crochet, ace, first-round fantasy pick, has this line:

1.2 IP, 9 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 2 HR

This wasn’t the 1927 Yankees (or the 2026 Yankees) doing it to Crochet. This is an ordinary Minnesota lineup. Victor Caratini and Ryan Kreidler hammered home runs off the Boston ace. These aren’t guys on the fantasy radar, although I guess you could consider Caratini in a deeper pool if two catchers are required. We should also note the quick start of Josh Bell (two RBI), who’s carrying a .900 OPS for the year. With three homers and 14 RBI, Bell has chased up to 37% rostered in Yahoo leagues.

Crochet’s velocity was down a tick, nothing alarming. Zero strikeouts is a concern, but it’s hard to know if this start means anything. Crochet admitted his command hasn’t been sharp this month. Both Crochet and Boston manager Alex Cora said there’s not an injury at play.

There’s no fantasy-actionable item here. I’d still start Crochet this weekend against the Tigers. He had a 3.27 ERA before Monday’s game, a little raised but nothing crazy. And everyone had the odd game where they don’t have it. Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes didn’t make it out of the first inning for his opening day start. We shrug. We move along. (Skenes has won his last three starts, including Monday’s turn against Washington.)

Minnesota’s explosion was part of the best MLB offensive day of the year. Scoring has been down for a few weeks, but the runs were flowing Monday, the homers were flying. We saw 144 runs scored and 37 homers over 10 games, and as my friend Joe Sheehan pointed out in his Newsletter, the league OPS jumped from .693 to .701 in one day (that’s a lot, kids). Sometimes some warm weather goes a long way.

The Boston lineup could use some warm weather, and maybe a hanging slider or two. Helium pick Roman Anthony is still walking a bunch, but he’s only batting .211. Chad Durbin was moved up the lineup despite a .135 average. Jarren Duran is batting .196, Trevor Story .188 (one walk, 22 strikeouts). I’m not worried about Anthony and Duran, and I still think Durbin might be useful. The Story start does have me concerned (don’t tell my front-running L.A. friend).

Grisham lifts Yanks to end losing streak

New York’s thrilling comeback win over the Angels might have some fantasy signal. Trent Grisham was the late-game hero with two home runs, despite not starting. He’s been a screaming buy-low all season, a .167 average and .354 slugging that’s been comically unlucky (Statcast data suggests a .251 average and .482 slugging). Grisham’s roster tag is 43% in Yahoo leagues; maybe take up the case.

New York’s rally came against Los Angeles closer Jordan Romano, who entered the night with three saves and a spotless ERA. Five batters later, he had a blown save and a 5.40 ERA attached to his name. Romano had two walks and a wild pitch in this bumpy ride, in addition to the Grisham homer. Given that Romano is closing in part because other teammates are currently hurt — it’s a temp-to-perm situation — his next appearance takes on some fantasy intrigue.

Put Jeremiah Jackson on your radar after grand slam

Another temp-to-perm guy could be Baltimore’s Jeremiah Jackson. He clocked a couple of homers in Monday’s keg tapper against Arizona, giving him three homers in three games. He’s batting .318 and slugging .545 for the Orioles, good stuff over 44 at-bats.

Jackson Holliday (hand) isn’t ready to come back yet, so Jackson will get some extra time to prove his worth. The Orioles are using him at second base; Yahoo managers can plug Jackson at second, third or the outfield. The recent hot stretch has moved him up to 9% rostered in Yahoo.

Matz looking like a good streamer this week

Later this week, I’ll have a scouting screen on Tampa Bay veteran lefty Steven Matz. He has a 3.94 ERA through three turns, but he’s pitched better than that. His FIP settles in at 3.00, and his WHIP is under 1.00. We always like to say, when ERA and WHIP tell different stories, trust the WHIP.

Matz draws the White Sox on Thursday, which explains why he was liberally added the last day or so. He’s still ready to go in about 83% of Yahoo leagues, and he qualifies at both the SP and RP slots. Keep an open mind here.

Every Monday, I’ll be re-ranking my top-250 players for fantasy baseball moving forward. Use it to scout out trades and pickups or to self-scout your own roster. You can still also draft another team, so consider this a fresh sheet to work off.

Here are some of the risers and fallers from this week’s list. You’ll find my full rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings at the end of this story.

Risers

Oneil Cruz, OF, Pirates and Elly De La Cruz, SS, Reds

I’m going to link these guys this week because they’ve been linked most of their careers. Similar names, enormous shortstops, NL Central kids on the rise. A few years ago, it was the hot thing to pick your preference among these rising stars.

Of course, life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans. Oneil Cruz has moved off shortstop (and he’s not much of an outfielder, either) and had some speed bumps to his career. Elly’s push has been cleaner, though we were worried when his pop disappeared in the second half last year (four homers, .363 slugging).

Both players are off to glorious starts this spring. Oneil Cruz has been the top hitter in 5x5 formats so far (.339, five homers, six steals) and his Baseball Savant hard-hit sliders are too good to be true, a wave of Hawaiian Punch red. Pittsburgh also has an improved offense, standing a respectable 11th in runs scored.

Moving slightly west, Elly’s pop has returned and he’s also running liberally (five steals); he’s also showing more potential in batting average, as he develops a more discerning eye at the plate. The Cruz/De La Cruz party we signed up for two years ago is finally here in 2026.

Michael Soroka, SP, Diamondbacks

My podcast mate Michael Salfino gave us a great rule of thumb many years ago, basically positing that anytime a pitcher struck out 10 batters in a game, it was probably worth a pickup on spec, no matter the context. I suspect that rule is even more applicable today, with starters working shorter. Soroka has a past pedigree and is finally healthy again. He’s also given us two 10-whiff games, so he checks the Salfino box twice.

Mason Miller, RP, Padres

Normally I’m against relief pitchers winning major awards because they simply don’t work enough. Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley were legitimate Hall of Famers, but when they won MVP Awards in their day, it never made sense.

Miller won’t be in the MVP chase, but maybe a Cy Young push would be justified. He’s struck out 19 of the 24 batters he has faced this season, and since he joined the Padres last year, it’s been one long game of Wiffle Ball: 0.46 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 64 strikeouts (just 11 walks) over 30.2 innings. Unfair.

I don’t like to chase relievers early in my drafts because of their high volatility, but having the most dominant stopper in the game is also an enormous advantage. My FOMO with Miller is off the charts these days.

Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals

Another reminder that player development is not always linear. Walker is aiming to lift the ball this year, and several of his home runs have been dented, too. He doesn’t turn 24 until the end of May. This is a plane taking off.

Colt Keith, Utility, Tigers

In the effort to celebrate the Kevin McGonigle emergence (and I’m there for it), let’s not forget about Keith, the former key prospect who’s now setting into his age-24 season. His .340/.375/.472 start is validated by a hard-hit tag of 95% and the ability to spit on borderline pitches just outside the zone. The homers haven’t come yet, but they’re likely to arrive.

Fallers

Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners

A repeat of 2025 was never a realistic thing. Perhaps the 2023 haul (.232/.306/.456, 30 homers) should have been our target all along. One thing that keeps Raleigh’s moving-forward rank somewhat afloat, it hasn’t been a great opening month for catchers.

Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Tigers

I didn’t move him down that much, given that the bad-luck signs are flashing (his expected average is .245, his expected slugging is .427). But the Tigers have a deeper lineup this year and Torkelson might spend the entire season in the bottom half.

Holding steady

Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners

I get that he’s not producing like a first-round pick, but we have to be mindful of his career track. Rodríguez generally doesn’t hit in April (.640 career OPS), but things gradually come around after that. And his second-half OPS is 140 points higher, something to be mindful of if you’re in a trading league.

Scott Pianowski’s updated rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings (as of April 13):

Winning fantasy baseball managers are always looking to turn over the bottom portion of their rosters, and it’s convenient when those pickups lead us to easily digestible angles. It’s lovely when we can find a hitter in friendly Colorado, or a pitcher in roomy Seattle. If we find a hitter tied to a deep lineup, or a reliever already closing games, the ticket is easy to write.

But sometimes the targets are not so obvious, and it’s also possible we might need to consider pickups who have an obvious flaw or detracting factor. I’ll look at a few of those players today, and try to see if it’s worth swimming against the stream.

Jeffrey Springs, SP, Athletics (18% rostered)

The nomad Athletics are set for another season in Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park, a stadium that significantly increases offense. So I fully understand anyone who tiptoes around this pitching staff, or ignores it completely.

But I’ve always been interested in Springs, who looked like a breakout star with Tampa Bay back in 2023. Springs was unhittable in his first three turns that year (0.56 ERA, 0.50 WHIP) but suffered an ulnar injury. He eventually needed Tommy John surgery, and he’s been off the fantasy radar since. He wasn’t useful in fantasy last year (4.11/1.21).

But I can’t ignore what Springs has done through three starts this year: two wins, 1.47 ERA, 0.76 WHIP. He’s done it while navigating a gauntlet of difficult matchups — working against the Blue Jays, Astros and Yankees. Thursday’s turn was in New York, with Springs taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. If you can stop that lineup, you certainly have my attention.

In some leagues, you might look to add Springs but view him as a matchup-dependent starter. That would make next week at home against the Rangers a borderline call (the game is in Sacramento), with the following week against the White Sox more appealing. Bottom line, Springs was once viewed as a high-upside pitcher and he’s almost three years removed from his elbow surgery. The timing could be right for a breakout. He’s rostered in just 18% of Yahoo leagues.

Liam Hicks, C, Marlins (54%)

Hicks doesn’t play every day for the Marlins — a run of lefty opponents kept him mostly on the bench this week — but he’s locked in for the righty matchups. The schedule finally comes around over the next two weeks, with Miami drawing just two lefties in the next 12 games. Hicks will see time at catcher, time at first base and perhaps even at designated hitter.

Hicks also might be overlooked because he was never a rated prospect and he didn’t reach the majors until his age-26 season last year. But his minor-league profile has always been interesting: .274/.405/.374, with the occasional stolen base. An OBP that lofty gets our attention, and fantasy managers appreciate a catcher-eligible player who isn't always burdened by actual catching.

The production so far speaks for itself: .314/.390/.600, with three homers. He’s only struck out three times, and contact kings are generally good fantasy targets. Hicks recently crept over the 50% line for Yahoo leagues (taking him off the board for some of our standard pickup pieces), but this is a good reminder for the medium and shallower mixed pools.

Owen Caissie, OF, Marlins (25%)

While Hicks was never a buzzy prospect, Caissie was validated by the scouts. Although he never cracked the top 40 in any of the three primary scouting sheets, he was consistently ranked in the 45-70 range over the last three seasons. The Marlins prioritized Caissie when they assembled the Edward Cabrera trade with the Cubs over the winter.

Like Hicks, Caissie is a left-handed hitter who Miami is shielding from opposing southpaws. It’s a short-term move that probably doesn’t make sense long-term, given Caissie’s pedigree and upside. Miami should give the 23-year-old a chance to develop and learn, to make mistakes and hopefully improve. Today’s win isn’t as important as a higher ceiling for tomorrow.

But even if Caissie is limited to platoon life, at least it’s the strong side of a platoon. As we mentioned above, Miami’s schedule is filled with right-handed opponents the next two weeks. Caissie’s .324/.385/.618 slash line speaks for itself, and he has the potential to be a 20-homer, 10-steal player over the full season, even if the platooning never stops. If you’re open-minded to the case, Caissie is ready to go in about three-quarters of Yahoo leagues.

Eric Sabrowski, RP, Guardians (17%)

It’s maybe a week or two early for one of my favorite early-season cheat codes in the bullpen, but we’ll jump the line slightly just to squeeze Sabrowski in here. He’s become a trusted member of the Cleveland bullpen, and he’s widely available in Yahoo leagues (currently tagged at 17%).

The modern shape of baseball continues to take innings away from starting pitchers, instead relying on deep bullpens to navigate the final 40-50% of a ballgame most nights. This results in more wins filtered into relief spots, and it allows non-closing relievers to hold more value than before.

Sabrowski doesn’t have a win yet this year, but he’s consistently pitching in the seventh and eighth innings when the Guardians have a lead. This has turned into a bunch of holds (five so far) and might lead to the occasional save when Cade Smith isn't available.

Sabrowski’s 29.1 innings last year were a success (1.84 ERA), mostly because of an elite strikeout rate, offsetting control problems. This year, he’s bumped the strikeout rate into elite territory while cutting the walk rate nearly in half. If he can maintain that pace, we’re looking at a wipeout reliever — valuable no matter what the role is.

The cheat code is simple with relievers: follow the K/BB ratio, and don't get tripped up by name recognition.  

Later this month, I want you to sort all relief pitchers by walks and strikeouts, and consider adding a few who have elite K/BB ratios. It doesn’t matter if these are pitchers you know, and it doesn’t even matter if these relievers are getting save chances. It helps if these options are tied to competitive teams, as Sabrowski is. You can consistently land useful pitching help at the lowest acquisition cost.