Struggling Starters-April 26, 2026
Kyle Harrison-Brewers-SP
Kyle Harrison went 6 IP and gave up 0 ER on 1 H, 1 BB, and 12 K’s against the Pirates. He was dominant in this one, locating his fastball at the top of the zone. Harrison has a 2.28 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 23.2 IP. He has struck out 31% of batters with an 8% walk rate. Harrison is showing the best stuff (105 Stuff+) of his career, which is not a huge surprise given the effectiveness of the Brewers organization in getting the most out of their pitchers. His 3.16 xFIP suggests a breakout for the 24-year-old.
Kyle Bradish-Orioles-SP
Kyle Bradish went 5 IP and gave up 3 ER on 4 H, 4 BB, and 3 K’s against the Red Sox. Kyle Bradish has had a rough start to 2026, posting a 4.20 ERA and 1.73 WHIP across 30 IP. His strikeout rate has dropped to 23%, while his walk rate has increased to 13%, leading to a lower 10% K-BB%. He has also been hurt by a high .376 BABIP, which has inflated his WHIP. His 4.08 SIERA suggests he has pitched below his previous level. Bradish made his living off his sinker/slider profile, but neither pitch has performed well this year. This is despite throwing his slider 37% of the time (+5%). He has the track record to bounce back, but the early results are concerning, and until he gets his slider back, it is going to be much of the same.
Aaron Nola-Phillies-SP
Aaron Nola went 4.2 IP and gave up 6 ER on 7 H, 3 BB, and 6 K’s against the Braves. Nola has struggled in 2026, posting a 6.03 ERA and 1.56 WHIP across 31.1 IP. His strikeout rate (25% K) remains strong, but an elevated 9% walk rate has hurt his overall effectiveness. Nola has also been impacted by poor luck with a .349 BABIP, though his 3.69 SIERA suggests he has pitched better than his ERA. The home run issues (1.72 HR/9) continue to be a concern. Context matters here because it looks like a case of being unlucky, but Nola is coming off the worst year of his career (6.01 ERA and 1.35 WHIP). His issues with home runs slowly crept up in recent years and coincide with decreased velocity and control. The underlying skills point towards a rebound, but the pure stuff and recent track record make this hard to invest in.
Taylor Ward-Orioles-OF
Taylor Ward was 0-3 with a walk against the Red Sox. Ward has stayed hot over the past week, hitting .435 with 1 HR in 30 PA. For the season, he is slashing .312 with strong on-base skills (16% BB and 14% K). The concern is, where has the power gone? He has completely changed his approach. Ward is not swinging out of the zone (14% O-swing) but has become very passive (career low 32% swing%). He is not hitting the ball hard (5% Barrels), which is why the power has disappeared. The .312 AVG is great, but fantasy owners drafted him for the power (.228 AVG with 36 HR in 2025). Ward needs to adjust to marry the two approaches together. Unfortunately, this is hard to do in the middle of the season.
Michael Harris II-Braves-OF
Michael Harris II was 0-3 with 2 K’s against the Phillies. Harris II has been on an absolute tear over the past week, hitting .542 with 3 HR and 12 RBI in 26 PA. On the season, he is hitting .323 with 6 HR, 11 R, 20 RBI, and 2 SB, backed by elite contact quality (18% Barrels and 57% HardHit). The biggest concern remains the aggressive approach (41% O-Swing), but he is making enough contact (17% K) for it to work. His .338 BABIP is reasonable given the quality of contact. Harris is locked in right now and is in a great spot to begin the year.
This is just a small sample our daily analysis, join our member area for tools that will help you win your fantasy championship. Click here for details: Click here to register: