Friday’s action features an eight-game slate in MLB, and here are three pitchers you should consider in fantasy baseball as part of your DFS slates. There will be several aces on the mound and six teams making their 2026 season debuts.
Why You Should Trust Sandy Alcantara and Fade Kyle Freeland in Rockies vs. Marlins
Sandy Alcantara couldn’t have asked for a better matchup to open the 2026 season, as he’ll get the ball at home against a Rockies team that scored the second-fewest runs (597, 3.69 per game) in 2025. Alcantara’s numbers from last season were far from ideal, as he compiled a 5.36 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP across 31 starts and 174.2 innings.
That said, it’s worth noting that he was much better in the second half of the season. Solely after the All-Star break, the hard-throwing righty had a 3.33 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, and although the strikeouts were down (7.6 K/9), he didn’t walk many batters either (2.2 BB/9). If he can build off the upward trajectory he had in the second half of 2025, he should be just fine here in what promises to be a favorable matchup.
On the other hand, stay as far away as you can from Kyle Freeland in this matchup. Even though there’s a strong narrative about Colorado pitchers pitching worse at home than on the road due to Coors Field’s altitude and hitting-friendly conditions, it’s worth noting that Freeland posted a worse FIP on the road (4.51) than at home (3.76) in 2025.
After posting a 4.98 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP across 162.2 innings last season, and knowing the Rockies aren’t a team that stands out either on defense or offense, don’t expect Freeland to go out and dominate an up-and-coming Marlins team. You could easily expect the opposite, thus making him a largely unattractive fantasy option across all formats.
What to Expect from Framber Valdez in His Detroit Tigers Debut
Valdez was one of the most sought-after pitchers in free agency over the winter, and he ended up being one of the last big-name players to sign a deal after agreeing to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers in the early days of February. Valdez should be a popular pitcher on Friday’s slate even if he’s facing the Padres, who have one of the most dangerous lineups in the National League.
Valdez has made at least 28 regular-season starts in each of the last four years while posting a 3.21 ERA over that stretch, so he’s certainly an attractive option. He’s probably rostered in every league if you didn’t draft him in standard fantasy formats, but in DFS, he’s certainly worth the risk as he’s likely to be one of the most expensive pitchers across every slate.
Why You Should Back Emmet Sheehan in Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers
Sheehan doesn’t need to be great to open the season with a win, as the Dodgers have arguably the best lineup in all of baseball and scored eight runs on Opening Day against Arizona in the series opener. Sheehan might ride the Dodgers’ offense to open his campaign with a win, and the fact that few Diamondbacks players have previous at-bats at the MLB level against him could serve to his advantage.
Don’t expect Sheehan to go deep into the game, but he should give the Dodgers at least five quality innings before making way for the bullpen. He’s not one of the first pitchers you should target, but he’s certainly one to watch after he was named part of the rotation on a regular basis.
His 2025 numbers were impressive as well. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 2.82 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 89 strikeouts over 73.1 innings in 15 appearances, including 12 starts, in the regular season.
Leave a Reply