Each week in MLB is its own story — full of surprises, both positive and negative — and fantasy managers must decide what to believe and what not to believe moving forward. Perhaps we can help. If any of these thoughts come true… don’t be surprised!
Don’t be surprised … if San Diego Padres RHP Mason Miller is the best pitcher in fantasy baseball this season
It sure wouldn’t be bold to say Miller is the top reliever, would it? So, let’s shoot for the stars here. It’s going to take some major statistical doing, but Miller, who entered Wednesday having permitted nary an earned run over his past 29⅔ innings (dating back to last August), isn’t merely shining in run prevention. He has faced 27 hitters this season, permitting a Luis Arraez single, a Spencer Torkelson walk — and that’s it! Miller has fanned 20 out of 27 hitters, or 74.1%. No other relief pitcher has whiffed more than 45%.
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There is no precedent for any relief pitcher — at least this century, with lowered innings as compared to the likes of Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter — to finish ahead of every starting pitcher in fantasy points or roto/categories formats. Baltimore Orioles LHP Zack Britton famously posted a 0.54 ERA and 47 saves in 2016, but he finished second among relievers to Kenley Jansen and ninth among pitchers (credit Tristan H. Cockcroft for the research). Seattle Mariners RHP Edwin Diaz was the No. 5 pitcher in 2018 when he saved 57 wins with a 1.96 ERA. Mariano Rivera never finished first among pitchers in fantasy. Eric Gagne, even as he won the NL Cy Young award in 2003, didn’t do it, either.
However, baseball was different in 2003, when 44 pitchers reached 200 IP and five won 20 games. Last season, only three pitchers eclipsed 200 innings, and nobody won 20 games. This drop in volume opens the door for a truly dominant reliever to slide into the top spot. If Miller continues to remain spotless (or close to it) in the runs department over 60-or-so innings, that is a really big deal. If he continues to fan 70% of hitters, well, that is also a really big (and unprecedented) deal, as Miller is pacing toward 150-plus strikeouts. Only 43 pitchers fanned 150 last year! Miller is unreal. Perhaps he can even win a few games and surpass 40 saves, too.
Ultimately, there’s a long way to go, but it’s fair that we are seeing baseball analysts discuss Miller as a legitimate contender to challenge top starters such as Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Paul Skenes for the NL Cy Young award. Focus bigger, fantasy managers! I would not trade Skenes or Detroit Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal for Miller straight up (nor for probably 8-10 other starters for now), but this is making us think. Only Los Angeles Angels RHP Jose Soriano ranks better on the Player Rater among pitchers and a mere five starters have more fantasy points. Perhaps Miller really can achieve this.
Don’t be surprised … if Padres OF Fernando Tatis Jr. earns second base eligibility soon
Perhaps you have not paid much attention to early eligibility trends, but Tatis started a pair of games at second base recently and, depending on your league rules, he may have already qualified at the new position or may soon do so. This is potentially big news! Second base isn’t exactly loaded with fantasy talent these days — certainly not like shortstop or outfield.
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Seven shortstops were easy top-100 picks in ESPN ADP and 20 outfielders were. At second base, there is Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte and then … questions. Chicago Cubs star Nico Hoerner is a nice player, but he offers little power. Houston Astros veteran Jose Altuve is old and trending down. Did you reach for Atlanta Braves 2B Ozzie Albies in drafts? Many probably did, sensing they couldn’t wait too long for competency.
Tatis is a legit top-10 fantasy option, regardless of format and, since the Padres do not employ a legit backup middle infielder on the active roster, the organization moved 2B Jake Cronenworth to SS for a few games when Xander Bogaerts needed a rest. Tatis, a former SS, moved to 2B. This might occur more often and, to be clear, fantasy managers will want to take advantage of this if/when Tatis adds eligibility, because it is far easier to find a free-agent outfielder to add to teams, especially in ESPN leagues when we need only three of them active. Thank you, Padres.
As for other eligibility thoughts, we knew St. Louis Cardinals rookie SS JJ Wetherholt would play 2B, and he is now eligible there in ESPN formats. Tigers rookie SS Kevin McGonigle has been playing 3B. Hey, we may never know when it will help, but adding eligibility in-season can be a big deal. New York Mets SS Bo Bichette and Mariners 2B Brendan Donovan are eligible at 3B now, too. For those needing catching help, Cardinals DH Ivan Herrera and Padres DH Luis Campusano (and potentially Cleveland Guardians DH David Fry) will play their 10th games behind the plate soon. This matters!
Don’t be surprised … if Washington Nationals SS CJ Abrams delivers a 30-100-30 season
Yes, you read that right. Abrams, a relatively skinny shortstop, has never hit more than 20 home runs or knocked in more than 65 runs in any of his three full-time seasons. Yet, three weeks into 2026, we are already predicting these monster numbers? Things have changed!
Abrams often looked like he was trying to hit for power in prior seasons, doing so at the expense of plate discipline and, really, game situation. Still, he wasn’t a power hitter. Abrams has been incredibly consistent for the past three seasons, with between 18-20 HR, 60-65 RBI and similar batting averages and metrics such as contact rate, strikeout rate and more. He also was far better in the first half of seasons (.791 OPS) compared to the second half (.649 OPS).
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This version of Abrams, through 16 games, is hitting .356/.426/.695 with six home runs, 19 RBI and four stolen bases — with a raised 8.8% walk rate, a lowered 14.7% strikeout rate, more contact and Barrels, more fly balls, far fewer ground balls, a decreased chase rate and a significantly higher launch angle rate. In short, Abrams, for years a leadoff hitter who stole myriad bases and went outside his perceived skill set aiming for power, is now hitting in the middle of the lineup (with OF James Wood leading off). After extensive offseason work with hitting coaches to adjust his strategy, this new combination of mechanics and discipline is working. We hope he can keep it going.
It feels wild to even think about a player like Abrams, heretofore known for speed and some frustrating on- and off-field transgressions, becoming a legit power hitter, right? A 30-100 season isn’t terribly rare (14 hitters did it in 2025), nor is a 30-30 campaign (seven instances last year). A 30-100-30 season, however, is rare. It has been achieved just 45 times in history, although six times in the past three years, with Mets OF Juan Soto, Los Angeles Dodgers unicorn Shohei Ohtani, Guardians 3B Jose Ramirez, Kansas City Royals SS Bobby Witt Jr., Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr. and Mariners OF Julio Rodriguez all doing so. Few questioned if those players had big-time power. We’re not questioning it with Abrams anymore.
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