Angel Martinez (2B/OF-CLE) went 2-5 with an RBI and run scored as he hit leadoff in Detroit on Monday. The 24 year-old switch-hitter has been a pleasant surprise in the early going of the 2026 campaign as he's now batting .270 with 9 HR, 25 RBI, 23 R, and 8 SB (in 10 attempts) through 162 PA. He's aggressive at the dish as he doesn't walk often (3.5%) and chases frequently (39%), but his in-zone contact rate is high (93.5%). He's squared up some baseballs (10.5% barrel) but otherwise his Statcast profile is unexciting as it includes a 37% hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of 88.5 mph. But the bottom line is that he's produced so far this year and 162 PA isn't a tiny sample size. Especially since he's been installed atop the lineup, he's worth adding and starting wherever he's still available.
Matt McLain (2B-CIN) went 1-4 with a SB and run scored as he batted leadoff against the Phillies on Monday. The 26 year-old started the season ice cold but has picked things up a bit as of late and is now hitting .220 with 5 HR, 19 RBI, 20 R, and 7 SB (in 9 attempts) through 195 PA. Encouragingly, his strikeout rate is down to 22.5% after it came in at 29% a year ago and his walk rate is up to a career high 12.5% (was 9.5 last season). McLain's in-zone contact rate is up to 85.5% (82.5% last season), but his quality of contact has been poorer as Statcast shows a 36% hard-hit rate (down from 40.5%), 7.5% barrel (same), and average exit velocity of 88 mph (89). After an ice-cold stretch, he's heated up since May 6, hitting .324 with 3 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R, and 1 SB in 44 PA during that span entering Monday's action. He's worth considering if you have a marginal player at the keystone as McLain offers solid power and speed at the expense of average.
Max Meyer (SP-MIA) was sharp against the Braves on Monday as he spun 6 innings of shutout ball in which he scattered 3 hits and 2 walks while recording 6 punchouts on 97 pitches (62 strikes). The 27 year-old righty is finally healthy and the results have been impressive so far as he's registered a 2.85 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, and 3.51 xFIP through his first 10 starts (53.2 IP) of the season. Meyer's swinging-strike rate is up to a career high 14.5% even as he's getting more hitters to chase (34% in 2026, 29% career) and the opposition's in-zone contact rate is down to a career low at 70%. One notable change is that Meyer is leaning on his elite 89-mph slider more than ever before (54%). He'll look for similar results against the visiting Mets this weekend.
Trevor Rogers (SP-BAL) was chased after only 3.2 rough IP against the Rays as he surrendered 8 runs (7 ER) on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. The 28 year-old LHP kept the ball in the yard as he tossed 60 of his 88 offerings for strikes in the outing. Rogers benefited from good luck last season (3.64 xFIP against a 1.81 ERA) but his luck has reversed so far this year as he now owns a 6.87 ERA, 7.8 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, and 4.59 xFIP through 38 IP (8 starts). While a .352 BABIP and 58% strand rate are certainly inflating his ERA, Rogers hasn't helped himself as his BB/9 is up significantly from last year's 2.4. He's missing bats with an identical 12.5% swinging-strike rate from a year ago, but the opposition's in-zone contact rate is up a bit from 81% to 84.5%. Encouragingly, he's yielding a lot less loud contact as Statcast shows a 34.5% hard-hit rate (48.5% in 2025), 7.5% barrel (same as last year), and average exit velocity of 89 mph (89.5). All things considered, Rogers seems likely to benefit from some correction to the mean, but the sagging control remains a red flag. He'll look to right the ship against the visiting Tigers on Sunday.
Roki Sasaki (SP-LAD) may be turning a corner as his performance on Sunday represented his single best outing in the majors. Across a career-high 7 IP, the 24 year-old righty allowed just 1 run on 4 hits and no walks while recording 8 punchouts on 91 pitches (69 strikes). His 5.09 ERA, 8.6 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9 through his first 8 starts (40.2 IP) of the year aren't exactly exciting, but his 4.35 xFIP indicates that he's run into some poor luck in the form of an 18.5% HR/FB in particular while it's encouraging to see his velocity tick upward across the board, with his fastball up to 97 mph (96 last season), his splitter up to 90 mph (85), and his slider up to 86 mph (82); he's also introduced a forkball that's sat at 85 mph so far this year. Encouragingly, Sasaki's swinging-strike rate is up to 12.5% so far in 2026 from just 8.5% last season while he's getting the opposition to chase more often (up to 31.5% from 22.5%) and their in-zone contact rate is down to 84.5% from 91.5%. It's a small sample size, but since the calendar has turned to May, Sasaki has compiled a 3.50 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, and 3.53 xFIP in 3 starts (18 IP). The improved control is especially encouraging, but it's also worth noting that he's tempered the homers during that span, with his HR/FB down to 10.5% (23.5% before) and his HR/FB is down to 1 (from 2.8 before). Sasaki has got to do more to secure the confidence of fantasy owners, but this is a good start.
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