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.

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.

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.

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.