Across his first 77 plate appearances of 2026, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is hitting .234/.351/.406 with three home runs, six RBI, and nine runs scored. Fresh off a 45-homer season as a 21-year-old in 2025, Caminero hasn't been quite as dynamic early on this year. Still, Caminero's 19.5% strikeout rate is right in line with the 19.1% mark he posted last season. Opposing pitchers are being extra cautious this year with Caminero, as his 15.6% walk rate is nearly 10 percentage points higher than his 6.3% rate from 2025. Caminero has consistently shown the ability to make hard contact throughout his MLB career to this point, which should help him regain his power stroke over a larger sample size of at-bats. Fantasy managers should be patient with Caminero through the early portion of the season.

Across his first 85 plate appearances of 2026, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is hitting .247/.341/.384 with one home run, five RBI, six runs scored, and four stolen bases. While Acuna Jr. hasn't quite gotten his power stroke going yet, his 16.4% barrel rate suggests that it's only a matter of time before his fly balls start leaving the yard with more regularity. Acuna Jr.'s four stolen bases are also a positive sign for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old recorded just nine steals in 95 games while returning from a torn ACL in 2025, but the early push in 2026 could be a sign he has more confidence in his surgically repaired knee. While Acuna Jr.'s top-line numbers haven't been quite what fantasy managers might have hoped for so far, it's too early to panic.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Friday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. The return to live game action represents a big step in Cole's recovery from Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. Across 95 innings (17 starts) in 2024, Cole posted an 8-5 record with a 3.41 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts. The 35-year-old should not be expected to be the pitcher he once was at his peak, but Cole still carries clear fantasy upside once healthy. Given the long layoff, Cole will almost certainly need to make multiple rehab starts in the minor leagues. Still, he could be tracking towards an MLB return in May, barring any setbacks.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp has gotten off to a strong start to his 2026 season. Across 16 2/3 innings pitched (three starts), the 27-year-old owns a 2-1 record with a 3.24 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts. Roupp emerged as a capable option for the Giants in 2025, recording a 3.80 ERA across 106 2/3 innings (22 starts). However, he posted an underwhelming 21.4% strikeout rate and a brutal 1.48 WHIP. Early in 2026, Roupp has upped his strikeout rate to 26.1% and has issued just five walks. If his current strand rate of 57.9% regresses closer to his career mark of 71.6%, Roupp could actually be in line to improve on his current 3.24 ERA. Based on the improvements he has shown so far this season, Roupp could be an intriguing target on the waiver wire for fantasy managers. His next start is scheduled for Thursday in Cincinnati against the Reds.