Slow Starts: Fantasy Baseball Hitters to Hold, Bench or Drop

It's still very early in the MLB regular season, but several hitters are off to slow starts. I wanted to discuss several struggling hitters and how to approach them from a fantasy baseball perspective.

I have several hitters to discuss, so let's get right to it. I'll keep the focus on bigger fantasy assets.

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Kerry Carpenter - Detroit Tigers

Carpenter is rostered in 56% of fantasy baseball leagues at the moment. He was closer to 65% at the start of the season.

In four games, Carpenter has just one hit, a single. He has two walks, a run scored and 10 strikeouts already.

Carpenter strikes out a good amount, but usually power numbers offset the negative points. It hasn't happened yet for Carpenter, but I'm not ready to fully bail on him yet.

He is a better deep-league asset, and that's especially the case now. If he starts hitting for power, he'll become a standard league asset. For now, skip him in standard leagues, as there's plenty of other fantasy outfielders to try instead.

Kyle Manzardo - Cleveland Guardians

Manzardo is sitting at 28% owned today. He was over 30% to start the season.

In five games, he's posted just two hits, both singles. He has an RBI, no runs scored, a walk and 10 strikeouts.

He is similar to Carpenter in that he hits for a lot of power, but strikes out a good amount. Manzardo is a pretty solid fantasy asset when he's going well, but he isn't right now.

That makes Manzardo a better deep-league asset for the time being. Don't bail on him for good, but there's more than enough first basemen to try over him right now.

Brent Rooker - Athletics

Rooker is rostered in all fantasy leagues, like he was to start the year and should be all of the 2026 season.

Rooker has just three hits over four games and 17 plate appearances - all of them are singles. He has an RBI, no runs scored or walks and eight strikeouts.

Rooker is more than a power threat, but he hasn't done much well early on. It's something to monitor, but nothing to freak out over.

Keep rostering him in all leagues and expect him to get rolling soon.

Willy Adames - San Francisco Giants

Adames is down to 90% rostered. He was close to 100% at the start of the season.

In four games, he's posted two hits - you guessed it, both singles. Adames has no RBIs or runs scored. He also hasn't walked, and he's struck out six times.

He struggled in his first year with San Fran, and things aren't looking good to open 2026. Adames is droppable in some standard leagues, and if he doesn't get rolling soon, he'll be dropped in even more leagues.

Noelvi Marte - Cincinnati Reds

Marte is already down to 57% owned, after starting the year over 80%.

Marte has been one of the bigger draft busts in the early going. He's played in three games, but only gotten six plate appearances. He has no hits or walks, while striking out four times.

He was pulled for a pinch hitter once and benched another game, so things are not looking good for him. There's a lot of season left, and things can change in a hurry, but for now, Marte's outlook is really low.

Drop him in standard leagues for now, and maybe skip him in all leagues until he gets going.

Oneil Cruz - Pittsburgh Pirates

Cruz sits near 90% rostered after being over 95% at the start of the regular season.

Cruz has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the early going. Not only has he been bad in the field, but he's struggled at the plate.

He has two hits (both singles) over four games. Cruz has one walk and two runs scored, but also eight strikeouts.

He struggled mightily in 2025, and has started slower in 2025. I thought he was overrated coming into the year, so I'm not too surprised by his poor performance so far. He'll improve, but he's still not worth a roster spot in nearly as many leagues.

Drop him in more standard leagues, while considering benching him in others until he gets things going a bit.

Bo Bichette - Toronto Blue Jays

Bichette sits at 98% owned. He too was near 100% at the start of the year.

Bichette's first season in New York has started slow. He has two hits (both singles) and no walks over four games. Bichette has a run scored and three RBIs, but eight strikeouts as well.

Bichette was a breakout candidate in my eyes, and while his slow start is something to monitor, I'm not overly concerned with things yet.

Keep rostering him in all leagues, just maybe bench him for a little bit. He'll get things going here soon.

Wyatt Langford - Texas Rangers

Langford is sitting at 97% rostered right now. He was closer to 100% at the start of the year.

In four games, Langford has two singles for his lone hits. He hasn't walked or drove in a run, while scoring once and striking out five times.

He's flashed some upside in his career, but hasn't put it all together yet. Langford is a decent power and speed threat for fantasy, but his average has lacked.

He is not worth fantasy ownership in all leagues, and he should at least be benched in a good amount of leagues. Keep tabs on him, but be expecting a bit more in the games to come.

Cal Raleigh - Seattle Mariners

Raleigh is owned in all fantasy leagues, but the borderline first-round pick has started off slow.

Raleigh has a double among his three hits across five games. He has three walks, two RBIs, no runs scored, a stolen base and 11 strikeouts so far.

His fantasy value comes in his power and OBP, but neither of those are there yet. It's too early to be concerned, but after a breakout year in 2025, some are wondering if he's going to regress to his career averages in 2026.