Opening Day Standouts to Add in Fantasy Baseball Today

MLB Opening Day is always a blast, and there's a ton of performances to go over. I've hit on a few of them in my waiver wire story today, but wanted to point out a few others in this article.

We will focus on players not owned in all fantasy leagues. Let's get right to it!

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Hitters

Brandon Lowe - Pittsburgh Pirates

Lowe is rostered in about 80% of fantasy leagues right now. That's up from about 75% just a couple days ago.

A lot of that has to do with Lowe popping two home runs on Opening Day against the Mets. Lowe drove in three runs across his four plate appearances.

Lowe hit second and played second base for Pittsburgh on Opening Day. If he plays regularly and hits second, I love his fantasy outlook. He hit before Oneil Cruz and had Bryan Reynolds, Marcell Ozuna and Ryan O'Hearn follow him.

Lowe was already a good deep-league fantasy asset, and after Opening Day, he looks like he could be a good standard league asset. Consider adding him today, or be ready to scoop him up if he continues to deliver at the plate. We'll see if Lowe can emerge as a daily fantasy asset in Pittsburgh.

Dominic Canzone - Seattle Mariners

Canzone is only rostered in 13% of fantasy leagues right now. He was around 7% a couple days ago, so a big performance on Opening Day is what has Canzone on the rise.

Across four plate appearances, Canzone also had two hits, both of which were home runs. They were both solo shots. 

Canzone was the designated hitter for Seattle on Opening Day. He hit seventh.

Seattle has a very good team, but Canzone is not one of the premier hitters in that lineup. Being in a good lineup means that anyone can be a good fantasy asset any day, especially if they have some pop to spare.

Canzone hit .300 across 82 games last year, but he only had 11 home runs. He is 28 years old, so he could just be entering his prime, but I wouldn't be expecting him to emerge as an everyday fantasy asset.

He's definitely worth watching after the first game he had though. And he is worth adding in some deeper leagues immediately, just in case he keeps delivering. 

Sal Frelick - Milwaukee Brewers

Frelick is rostered in 58% of fantasy leagues right now. He was at 49% earlier in the week.

Frelick was a part of the Brewers' 14-run outburst on Opening Day.. He had five plate appearances, popping a two-run homer and walking twice on the day.

Frelick started in right field and hit sixth for Milwaukee. That could be his regular spot, even when Jackson Chourio returns from his injury.

He's coming off a year in which he hit .288 over 142 games. Yet, Frelick is underappreciated heading into 2026.

He doesn't hit for a ton of power, but has added muscle, and it showed in the first game of the year. The big thing with Frelick is a high average/OBP and low strikeout marks, which makes him a good fantasy asset.

Consider adding Frelick today, but definitely make that move in deeper leagues. I think Frelick is worth adding in some standard leagues, and could be a daily starter in 2026.

Joey Wiemer - Washington Nationals

Wiemer isn't owned in any fantasy leagues at this point, but that could change in a hurry. 

Wiemer got four plate appearances, and he reached base all four times. He homered among his three hits and also walked once. Wiemer scored two runs in the team's win over the Cubs.

Wiemer was the team's starter in right field, and he hit fifth. If that continues, that's a decent spot for a fantasy hitter to be in.

Wiemer hasn't had a ton of big league success since making his debut in 2023, but Washington might give him an opportunity to finally break out a bit. Dylan Crews is in the minor leagues, so Wiemer will have to keep producing to keep the talented prospect in the minors.

Anyways, Wiemer could be worth adding in some fantasy leagues for the time being. He just is a deep-league fantasy asset, so consider picking him up if you are in a really deep league.

Keep an eye on him and be ready to add him in more deeper leagues if he keeps playing daily and producing a bit.

Pitchers

Jose Soriano - Los Angeles Angels

Soriano is rostered in 57% of fantasy leagues right now. He was down around 40% a week ago, but rose before his Opening Day start.

Soriano faced a good Astros' lineup, but shut them out over six innings. He allowed two hits and four walks, but struck out seven to work out of any trouble.

He's looking for a bounceback season after posting a 4.26 ERA in 2025. Soriano had ERAs between 3.42-3.64 the two years before that.

Maybe Opening Day was a sign of a better year to come for Soriano, so I get adding him today. He's definitely worth deep-league adds today, and even some standard league pickups. I'd still treat him more as a streamer in those leagues, but if he keeps delivering, be ready to hold Soriano in all leagues.

Ryan Helsley - Baltimore Orioles

Helsley is owned in about 90% of leagues, so I'll make this quick since only a few of you can add him today.

He's the new Baltimore closer, and he delivered in the team's first game. Helsley earned the save and struck out three of the four batters he faced, allowing a hit to the other.

Baltimore should be a good team, and Helsley has some fantasy success in his past, so he's a must-own fantasy reliever already.