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Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, as well as any breaking news that might impact today's MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest fantasy baseball buzz.
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ESPN's 2026 Draft Guide | Betting notes for Tuesday
Pitchers to stream on Tuesday
Jameson Taillon is limited to home starts, especially early in the season when Wrigley Field plays big with the cooler temperatures and the wind blowing in. The Chicago Cubs host the Los Angeles Angels, and though Mike Trout has seemingly found the fountain of youth and Zach Neto is an under-the-radar star, the visitors' lineup isn't daunting.
There was a chance that the Toronto Blue Jays would ease Max Scherzer into action early in the season, but with injuries to Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber, the future Hall of Famer opens the season in the rotation and draws a favorable matchup at home against the Colorado Rockies. Scherzer threw 75 pitches in his final Grapefruit League effort, finishing the spring with 13â…” scoreless innings, though he fanned only nine and issued four walks during that span.
With Braxton Garrett continuing to recover from internal brace surgery with Triple-A Jacksonville, Janson Junk opens the season in the Miami Marlins' rotation. He sports a modest strikeout rate but exhibits solid command and control, limiting walks and home runs. His first start of the year is a juicy matchup at home against the Chicago White Sox. The visitors are gradually improving, but most of the upgrades are on the pitching side; the lineup is still one of the least productive in the league.
For much of the spring, the San Diego Padres were quiet, appearing to head into the season with holes in their rotation. As they have done for the past few years, the club swooped in late, signing Walker Buehler, Griffin Canning and German Marquez. Though it would have been intriguing to see how Marquez would have fared outside of Coors Field in his prime, the 31-year-old righty still has gas left in the tank. His first start for the Padres is in Petco Park against the struggling San Francisco Giants.
Tuesday is a great day for streaming, as most clubs are starting their fourth or fifth starters. It won't take long for the matchups to be more evenly distributed. The last pitcher highlighted today is making his long-awaited major league debut, with Andrew Painter taking the mound at home when the Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals. Painter was one of the top pitching prospects in the league before his development was hindered because of injuries. He's healthy now and will face perhaps the weakest offense in the league in his first outing.
Pitchers to avoid Tuesday
In his season debut, Tanner Bibee was warming up to pitch the sixth inning when he alerted the dugout that his shoulder didn't feel right. He left the game and was diagnosed with shoulder inflammation. Even after completing a weekend bullpen session without issues, this is already enough to be leery of the right-hander. However, a road date with the Los Angeles Dodgers seals it; there are safer options, especially during Tuesday's streamer-friendly slate.
Hitters to stream Tuesday
Granted, his expected ERA was better, but Andre Pallante's 5.31 ERA ranked fourth highest among qualified starters. The St. Louis Cardinals have some young pitching in the pipeline, but for now, he'll continue to eat innings. He's at home against a Mets lineup that features several lefty swingers available in most ESPN leagues. Jorge Polanco is a switch-hitter who has been batting cleanup. Brett Baty has emerged as the regular first baseman, while rookie Carson Benge didn't wait long to hit his first major league home run.
