We had a fully loaded 15-game slate in fantasy baseball on Friday, April 3.
Why the Cubs Should Be Worried About Cade Horton
Cade Horton enjoyed an excellent debut with the Cubs this season, but things quickly went sour in his second start. He was removed from the game against the Guardians in the second inning with a forearm injury and didn’t return. Chicago quickly placed the star hurler on the injured list, and he’s bound to miss at least a few starts depending on the severity of the injury.
Not only did the Cubs lose on Friday, dropping their record to a disappointing 3-4, but now they’re without Horton and Justin Steele (elbow) in their rotation. The Cubs have one of the best offenses in the majors on paper, but in order to be successful in the NL Central, they also need their pitching to be at its best. That’s why Horton’s injury is troublesome.
Angel Stadium Has Been the Ultimate Pitcher’s Paradise
Before the start of the 2026 MLB season, Angel Stadium was considered one of the most pitcher-friendly parks, leading to several hurlers having extra consideration when pitching in that venue due to the favorable conditions. Friday’s game between the Mariners and Angels was the latest example of that, as Bryan Woo and Reid Detmers engaged in a marquee pitching duel.
Woo pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk while fanning six, whereas Detmers delivered 6.2 scoreless frames, albeit allowing three hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Whenever you’re looking to stream pitchers, seeing who will get the ball at Angel Stadium merits some extra attention. You could find a streaming pitcher who might deliver an excellent performance simply because of the favorable pitching environment.
Chase DeLauter and Konnor Griffin Are the Real Deal
The 2026 MLB season has been characterized by the big impact rookie players have had, both in real life and in fantasy, and Friday wasn’t the exception. We’ll stop to analyze two players: Chase DeLauter and Konnor Griffin, who made their presence felt for the Guardians and Pirates, respectively. DeLauter went yard in the win over the Cubs and is now up to five long balls on the campaign, leading the majors alongside Shea Langeliers of the Athletics.
The full stat line is impressive, as DeLauter is hitting .346/.370/.923 with a 1.293 OPS, five homers, eight RBI and six runs scored in 27 plate appearances, although some regression will inevitably come.
As for Griffin, the game’s top prospect debuted with the Pirates on Friday and delivered an RBI double in his first at-bat. Griffin went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk in Friday’s 5-4 win over the Orioles. He’s the future of the Pirates’ franchise and needed just one game to show how impactful he can be.
Who Were the Top-Scoring Fantasy Baseball Players on Friday, April 3?
When it comes to hitters, Aaron Judge led the way with a homer, two hits, three RBI and two runs scored against the Marlins, as the memories of his four-strikeout performance on Opening Night against the Giants seem to be long gone. Francisco Alvarez (2-for-5, two solo home runs) went yard twice as the Mets topped the Giants at Oracle Park, and Tristan Gray went yard and also had five RBI as the Twins defeated the Rays, 10-4.
Lawrence Butler also stood out for the A’s against the Astros, delivering a homer, three hits, four RBI and two runs scored. Last but not least, there’s Shohei Ohtani, who finally hit his first homer of the season in the Dodgers’ rout of the Nationals on Friday.
In terms of pitchers, several players topped the 25-point threshold. Jeffrey Springs delivered six innings of one-run ball for the Athletics, allowing two hits, an earned run and a walk while fanning seven. Aaron Nola thrived at Coors Field and struck out nine on 6.1 innings of one-run ball, although he did allow five hits.
We already mentioned Bryan Woo’s strong outing against the Angels, and Framber Valdez also stands out. In only his second start with the Tigers, he delivered six scoreless innings, fanning five while allowing three hits and two walks.
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