Sunday featured a loaded 15-game slate in the 2026 MLB season. Here are the three main takeaways from Sunday’s action from a fantasy baseball perspective.
Why Jose Soriano Is Dominating 2026 Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy managers and experts continue to wait for Soriano to have a bad outing, and the Los Angeles Angels hurler continues to surprise with dominant numbers game after game. He moved to 4-0 with a minuscule 0.33 ERA across four starts after another gem Sunday, as he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out 10.
This was the third straight start in which Soriano fanned at least 10. The 27-year-old right-hander has extended an impressive opening to the campaign that has him among the top pitchers in fantasy to open the year.
Soriano ranks first in strikeouts (31), third in WHIP (0.67), and second in batting average allowed to opposing hitters (.103), so it’s not as if he’s thriving in just one category. Granted, his .145 BABIP is unsustainable and should regress to the mean as the season progresses, but right now, opposing hitters have had significant problems making any sort of contact with Soriano’s offerings.
His 10.33 K/9 paints an accurate picture of how dominant he’s been, although some regression is expected there. Until it happens, though, Soriano should remain a must-start pitcher across all formats. He’s delivering first-round fantasy value after his first four outings this season.
How Taj Bradley Became a Top-15 Fantasy Baseball Pitcher This Season
I’m pretty sure no one, and I mean no one, had Taj Bradley as one of the best pitchers in the majors in the early stages of the 2026 season. Even though four starts are not enough of a sample size to draw meaningful conclusions, Bradley has exactly been that: one of the best pitchers in the majors this season.
After tossing five innings of one-run ball in Sunday’s win over the Toronto Blue Jays, Bradley improved his record to 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA and 1.21 WHIP through 21.2 innings. Pitching deep into games has been a bit of an issue for the Tampa Bay Rays starter, who has pitched five or fewer frames twice, but the numbers are there for everyone to see.
His 1.25 ERA ranks ninth, although it’s second among starters with at least four starts, only behind Soriano’s 0.33. Bradley also ranks third in strikeouts with 29 in 21.2 frames, sitting behind Soriano (31) and Cam Schilitter (30).
If you haven’t picked up Bradley in your season-long formats, go ahead and grab him off the wire. He should remain a reliable source of production in DFS formats as well, even if there’s some regression coming at some point.
Oneil Cruz Is Realizing His Potential in 2026
Cruz posted up-and-down numbers in the 2025 season, tallying 20 homers and 38 steals but also hitting .200 with a .676 OPS. It looked as if he was ticketed to have another down season in 2026, but it’s been the complete opposite.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Cruz has been one of the best hitters in the majors in the early stages of the 2026 season. He’s coming off an impressive series against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, where his contributions were vital to see the Pittsburgh Pirates win two of three games at Wrigley Field.
Cruz went 6-for-11 over the weekend, racking up a homer, a double, two runs scored, five stolen bases, and a 4:3 K:BB across 14 plate appearances. It’s been an impressive start to the season for Cruz, who’s slashing .339/.400/.644 with five homers, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, six steals, five walks, and 20 strikeouts across 65 plate appearances.
There’s some major regression expected due to a .441 BABIP and .305 ISO, but his power and speed combo is just too good to ignore, regardless of the format you’re playing. Cruz has stepped up to expectations, and while two weeks is too early to make season-long projections, he seems poised to have career-best numbers in several categories if he’s able to keep this up.
Highest-Scoring Fantasy Baseball Players on Sunday, April 12
Among hitters, Brice Turang (Milwaukee Brewers) and Brandon Lowe (Pittsburgh Pirates) were the highest-scoring players on Sunday’s slate after both went yard twice against the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs, respectively. Ty France (three hits, three runs, solo homer), Colson Montgomery (two hits, home run, two RBI, two runs scored), and Willson Contreras (four hits, home run, three RBI) also posted impressive numbers across the board.
On the pitching side, it’s no surprise to see Soriano as the top-performing hurler. However, several other pitchers had noteworthy performances. Drew Rasmussen struck out seven and tossed six scoreless innings in a win over the New York Yankees, while Logan Gilbert allowed just one run while fanning seven over seven innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Houston Astros. Tarik Skubal (6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) and Cade Povich (6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K) also surpassed the 25-point mark in standard scoring.
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