Fantasy baseball lineup advice for Sunday: Add Jack Leiter before matchup with Reds

ESPN FantasyApr 4, 2026, 05:00 PM ET
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Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions. All fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.

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.

Other resources: RP depth chart | Start new league
ESPN's 2026 Draft Guide | Betting notes for Sunday

STARTING PITCHERS FOR SUNDAY

Pitchers are ranked in order of their Forecaster/Daily Notes projected fantasy points (FPTS), using ESPN's standard scoring system (2 points per win, minus-2 per loss, 3 per inning, 1 per K, minus-1 apiece per hit or walk allowed, minus-2 per earned run allowed).

T: The pitcher's handedness. OPP: Opposing team. RST%: The pitcher's roster percentage in ESPN leagues. W%: The individual starting pitcher's win probability using ESPN projections. IP: Projected innings pitched. H+BB: Projected hits plus walks allowed. ER: Projected earned runs allowed. K: Projected strikeouts.

If a team is planning on using an "opener" to start their game, but will rely on a "bulk pitcher" to follow him on the mound after 1-2 innings, the bulk pitcher is listed and indicated with an asterisk.

FPTS	Pitcher	T	Opp	Rst%	W%	IP	H+BB	ER	K
12.7	Max Fried	L	MIA	99.7%	40%	5.9	7.2	2.2	6.2
10.8	Logan Webb	R	NYM	98.8%	32%	6.1	7.8	2.6	5.7
10.8	Shota Imanaga	L	@CLE, Gm. 2	76.8%	35%	5.5	6.7	2.5	5.9
10.6	Luis Castillo	R	@LAA	94.0%	42%	5.7	7.1	2.8	5.7
9.5	Edward Cabrera	R	@CLE, Gm. 1	64.8%	33%	5.2	6.8	2.4	5.4
9.3	Kodai Senga	R	@SF	40.3%	32%	5.3	7.0	2.3	5.0
9.0	Foster Griffin	L	LAD	1.1%	18%	4.8	5.7	2.0	4.5
8.9	Chris Bassitt	R	@PIT	11.7%	35%	5.7	7.9	2.9	5.3
8.7	Parker Messick	L	CHC, Gm. 2	20.0%	27%	5.4	7.4	2.8	5.5
8.5	Davis Martin	R	TOR	1.1%	32%	5.4	7.1	2.7	4.5
8.3	Kris Bubic	L	MIL	62.5%	31%	5.4	7.4	2.8	5.0
8.1	Brandon Pfaadt	R	ATL	7.0%	30%	5.5	7.3	3.0	5.0
8.1	Roki Sasaki	R	@WSH	34.8%	23%	4.8	6.2	2.3	4.6
7.9	Nick Martinez	R	@MIN	7.3%	29%	5.3	7.0	2.8	4.5
7.6	Simeon Woods Richardson	R	TB	1.8%	26%	4.8	6.5	2.4	4.4
7.6	Ranger Suarez	L	SD	78.1%	31%	5.5	7.7	3.2	5.2
7.3	Jacob Lopez	L	HOU	1.8%	29%	5.0	7.2	2.8	5.2
7.3	Jack Leiter	R	CIN	32.1%	28%	5.0	7.2	2.9	5.1
7.2	Chris Paddack	R	@NYY	0.5%	25%	5.2	7.0	2.9	4.6
6.7	Eric Lauer	L	@CWS	19.8%	18%	4.8	6.8	2.8	4.9
6.6	Lance McCullers Jr.	R	@ATH	36.0%	19%	4.6	6.8	2.6	5.0
6.6	Slade Cecconi	R	CHC, Gm. 1	3.0%	23%	5.1	7.0	3.0	4.5
6.5	Keider Montero	R	STL	1.4%	26%	5.0	7.0	2.7	4.1
6.5	Chase Burns	R	@TEX	89.7%	14%	4.5	6.3	2.6	4.8
6.5	Martin Perez	L	@ARI	0.5%	28%	5.1	7.3	2.8	4.1
6.4	Braxton Ashcraft	R	BAL	12.1%	18%	4.6	6.5	2.5	4.3
6.2	Kyle Leahy	R	@DET	3.0%	27%	5.1	7.3	3.1	4.6
5.7	Kyle Harrison	L	@KC	11.5%	25%	4.9	7.4	3.1	4.7
4.2	Ryan Johnson	R	SEA	0.3%	14%	4.7	7.4	3.2	4.3
3.8	Walker Buehler	R	@BOS	1.9%	25%	4.8	7.7	3.6	4.2
-1.6	Tomoyuki Sugano	R	PHI	0.8%	21%	4.7	8.2	5.8	4.0
-3.3	Taijuan Walker	R	@COL	1.4%	20%	4.7	8.7	6.2	3.9

Pitchers to stream on Sunday

If Jack Leiter's first start is any indication, the Texas Rangers' righty is poised to build on last season's breakthrough. He opened the year with a quality start, allowing just two runs while walking one and striking out eight over six innings. His second start is a home affair against a Cincinnati Reds offense sporting a below-average wOBA and an above-average strikeout rate.
Parker Messick catches a break due to Sunday's weather in northeast Ohio expected to be chilly, with game-time temperatures in the 40s, when the Cleveland Guardians host the Chicago Cubs in an interleague affair. Messick kept the mighty Dodgers in check in his 2026 debut and will now face another solid lineup, but it should be under favorable pitching conditions.
Nick Martinez and the Tampa Bay Rays must focus for one more game before their long-awaited return to Tropicana Field. The right-hander will enjoy a favorable setting on the road in chilly Minneapolis against the Minnesota Twins. He relies more on command and control than swing-and-miss, but Martinez will face a lineup with a high strikeout rate.
Chris Bassitt had a rough debut for the Baltimore Orioles, yielding four runs on six hits and three walks with only three strikeouts at home against the Texas Rangers. He'll seek to rebound on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates and their revamped lineup. The hosts added Ryan O'Hearn, Brandon Lowe, Marcell Ozuna and rookie Konnor Griffin, but there are still holes for a veteran like Bassitt to navigate.

Hitters to stream on Sunday

So far this weekend, the focus has been on the visiting Philadelphia Phillies hitters for their road set with the Colorado Rockies. They're still in play in the Sunday finale, but so is the home team's lineup with Taijuan Walker on the mound for the guests. With a rostership of 80.1%, Hunter Goodman is the only Rockies batter not available in at least 85% of ESPN leagues. Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle, Willi Castro, TJ Rumfield, Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy are all in play.
The Arizona Diamondbacks will miss Jordan Lawlar's bat for the next two months as he's out with a fractured wrist, but his teammates should be able to have a productive game against Martin Perez in their series finale against the Atlanta Braves in the desert. Gabriel Moreno, Nolan Arenado, Carlos Santana and Jose Fernandez lead the way.