The 2026 baseball season has just begun, and numerous newcomers are already distinguishing themselves. Andrew Painter is the latest addition to this impressive group.
Painter represents another player whose initial high expectations waned. He was considered a top-ten prospect by most evaluators heading into 2023, but a series of elbow issues culminating in Tommy John surgery sidelined him for two seasons. Although he managed to play a complete season last year, his performance was unremarkable, posting a 5.26 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP across 26 starts. It’s understandable if you overlooked Painter during fantasy drafts.
Painter secured a spot in Philadelphia’s starting rotation after a respectable spring training, despite only pitching 11.2 innings (yielding 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and striking out 8). His true impact was demonstrated on Tuesday during his MLB debut, as he effectively limited the Nationals over 5.1 innings (allowing 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and striking out 8). His fastball showed impressive velocity, reaching 98.7 mph, and his breaking pitches were dynamic. It’s evident why Painter is projected to become a top-tier starting pitcher in the future, assuming he remains healthy.
Unsurprisingly, the fantasy baseball community has recognized his potential. Painter’s ownership percentage surged to 42% following his victory on Tuesday, making him a worthwhile addition even in less competitive leagues, with his next start scheduled in San Francisco.
Shohei Ohtani Makes Mound Comeback
Considering Shohei Ohtani’s unparalleled offensive prowess, it can sometimes be overlooked that he is also a formidable pitcher. Ohtani showcased his pitching excellence against Cleveland on Tuesday, yielding only one hit across six shutout innings. He issued three walks, recorded six strikeouts, and threw a total of 87 pitches.
A review of baseball’s top pitchers since the start of 2021 reveals Ohtani prominently featured among the leaders. For pitchers logging at least 400 innings, he holds the fifth position in strikeout rate, eleventh in WHIP, and third in ERA. In an imagined scenario where Ohtani focused solely on pitching, he would undoubtedly be a strong candidate for the Cy Young award in any season he remained healthy.
It remains to be seen how extensively the Dodgers will utilize Ohtani as a pitcher this season. He notably did not pitch in 2024, and his appearances last year were restricted to 47 regular-season innings. The Angels previously allowed Ohtani a greater pitching workload, with three seasons ranging from 132 to 166 innings. However, those periods also saw him experience physical injuries.
Given the Dodgers’ robust pitching depth and their strong likelihood of reaching the playoffs, I anticipate Ohtani’s pitching innings will be capped around 110-130. Nevertheless, fantasy managers with Ohtani as a pitcher would probably be content with such a workload.
New Diamondbacks Player Establishing His Presence
Due to injuries, newcomer José Fernández has been integrated into the Arizona lineup. It appears Fernández intends to secure a permanent spot. He launched two home runs on Tuesday, helping the Diamondbacks defeat the Tigers, notably hitting a go-ahead blast against Kenley Jansen. This performance was part of a three-hit game, resulting in four RBIs.
Glimpses of this power were evident in spring training—three home runs and an .840 slugging percentage. Fernández also amassed 17 home runs and 12 stolen bases over 122 games last year while progressing through the minor leagues. Occasionally, his batting approach has been overly ambitious, leading to struggles with strikeouts throughout much of his professional career. However, he is still only 22 years old, indicating considerable room for development.
Should you wish to explore Fernández’s potential value, he is available for acquisition in 93% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.
Paul Sewald Appears to Be Arizona’s Go-To Closer
Although Fernández contributed to the Diamondbacks taking the lead on Tuesday, Paul Sewald ultimately secured the victory by striking out all three batters in the ninth inning. Sewald has now recorded two saves in consecutive days, solidifying his role as Arizona’s primary closer. I find it surprising that the fantasy market has been slow to embrace Sewald, as he is owned in only about a third of Yahoo leagues. Securing the ninth inning role is often the most significant challenge for fantasy closers.
Sal Stewart Silently Impressing in Cincinnati
During my upcoming update to the Rest-of-Season rankings next Monday, Sal Stewart will see a deserved increase in his evaluation. The Cincinnati newcomer has demonstrated strong performance in the season’s opening week, accumulating nine hits in sixteen at-bats, including two home runs. His advanced hitting statistics indicate powerful contact, and the Reds have consistently placed him in the cleanup spot.
Stewart provided clear indications of his potential throughout spring training, achieving a .327 batting average, a .450 on-base percentage, and a .592 slugging percentage, along with three home runs and four stolen bases. Furthermore, he recorded 11 walks versus nine strikeouts, a highly favorable ratio suggesting he is a strong acquisition target. His stellar performance last year was evident, where he posted a .306/.377/.473 slash line in the minors (20 homers, 17 steals) and added five home runs in 18 games for Cincinnati. I anticipate placing Stewart within my top 150 rankings going forward, a decision I will carefully consider over the coming days.
