José Fernandez Launches Two Home Runs – Fantasy Hitting Recap 3/31/26

Jose Fernandez (ARI): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

Fernandez, 22, slashed .272/.321/.454 with a 98 wRC+ in Double-A just a season ago. He impressed during camp, slashing .280/.308/.840 with a 181 wRC+ and monster .534 xwOBA in 26 plate appearances, and played one game at the Triple-A level this season, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He was promptly promoted to the show after Pavin Smith hit the injured list, and made a huge impression in his major league debut yesterday.

Fernandez notched his first career major league hit in the second inning, making soft contact (73.2 EV / .070 xBA) but utilizing elite 30.2 feet-per-second sprint speed. For reference, that would place second in all of major league baseball, ahead of teammate Corbin Carroll (29.7 FT/second) and just 0.3 FT/sec behind 80-grade speed demon Chandler Simpson.

Fernandez then proceeded to launch a 104.2 EV home run, traveling 408 FT on elite 79 mph bat speed. It was gone in 30 of 30 ballparks. The magic happened later in the game, where Fernandez — facing Kenley Jansen in a clutch situation in the eighth inning — smoked a go-ahead, 101.6 EV / 409 FT 3-run home run that would go on to win the game in front of Arizona’s fans at home.

I don’t think Fernandez himself could’ve scripted a better debut performance.

Let’s see how the other hitters did Tuesday:

Oneil Cruz (PIT): 3-4, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.

By now, we all know Cruz comes with his fair share of electric high-highs and low-lows. Yesterday was an astronomical high, launching multiple 108+ EV / 400+ FT home runs. His 111.1 EV / 444 FT (longest batted ball event yesterday) longball off Brandon Williamson in the fourth inning was a thing of beauty… he later followed that up with a 108.1 EV / 403 FT. Both homers were gone in 30 of 30 parks. Oh, and did I mention he also singled (92.8 EV) in the second inning?

Willy Adames (SFG): 4-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Adames entered 2026 ready to bounce back with the Giants after his 108 wRC+ campaign last season, and he’s been solid thus far. While the 30-year-old infielder had gotten off to a mild start, he certainly put that behind him and absolutely torched the competition, tallying four hits (including two for extra bases) and producing top-tier exit velocities. His 96 EV home run, 96.1 EV double, and 100.4 EV single all registered as HHs, plus he was able to add an 82.9 EV (.920 xBA) double off Jeremiah Estrada in the eighth inning.

Danny Jansen (TEX): 3-5, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI.

Jansen, a career 100 wRC+ hitter through nine major league seasons, has gone 4-for-13 (.308) and posted a 166 wRC+ with the Rangers through three games. He smoked three hard-hit balls yesterday: a 94.3 EV double, a 104.1 EV home run (traveling 409 FT — the longest hit ball in his game), and a 107.3 EV single. Jansen’s success in 2026 has been fueled by a 56% HH rate and 96.2 average exit velo.

Yordan Alvarez (HOU): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.

Yordan… again? Alvarez is a top-three hitter in baseball when healthy (I’ll die on this hill), and he’s demonstrated he’s very much in playing condition during Houston’s series at home against Boston. Yesterday, the 28-year-old went nuclear once again, launching a 110.9 EV longball soaring 418 FT (3rd longest batted ball event on 3/31). Alvarez also added a 106.7 EV double (.940 xBA) that would’ve been a home run in 26 of 30 ballparks. He owns a 288 wRC+ on the year.

Max Muncy (LAD): 2-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB.

Muncy, now in his age-35 campaign, has gotten off to a phenomenal start for the Dodgers, slashing .364/.533/.636 with a 230 wRC+. Muncy smoked a 108.1 EV home run off Kolby Allard and later in the game tallied an 86.9 EV single off Matt Festa. His 410 FT home run marked the longest batted ball event of the game.

Griffin Conine (MIA): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Conine put together an electric performance against the White Sox, smashing a 105.2 EV single and 107.3 EV home run (gone in 30/30 parks). The 28-year-old currently owns a diabolical 1.255 OPS and 247 wRC+ through five games. Conine boasts a sub-1% rostership rate on Yahoo, but that’s bound to change if he continues to produce.

Jung Hoo Lee (SFG): 3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI.

Lee entered play yesterday off to a brutal start, going just 1-for-13 (.077) through his first four games. The Korean star was able to break out of his slump and smack three hits against the Padres — a double off Germán Márquez and Kyle Hart, plus a single off David Morgan — helping the Giants notch their second win in 2026.

Taylor Ward (BAL): 4-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI.

The 32-year-old Ward, one of Baltimore’s biggest additions this offseason, had what may be his breakout game in a new uniform. The veteran outfielder entered play last night going just 2-for-15 (.133) to start the year. That all changed, however, after Ward demolished two hard-hit singles off Jacob deGrom (90.4 and 105.3 EVs, respectively), tallied a dinky single off Jacob Junis, and later smoked a 106.7 EV double against premier late-inning reliever, Chris Martin. O’s fans could get used to this from Ward…

Ben Rice (NYY): 2-2, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB.

Rice, much like the Yankees offense, excelled against the Mariners last night, even against a really tough matchup in Logan Gilbert. In addition to the two walks Rice drew, he was also able to smack a 97.5 EV double off Gilbert and a 100.2 EV single against reliever Cole Wilcox. Rice, 27, now owns a dazzling .971 OPS, 188 wRC+, and an even K/BB ratio (3 apiece, good for an 18% clip) through four games in 2026.

Daylen Lile (WSN): 3-4, 2B.

Lile, 23, entered the 2026 season as perhaps my favorite breakout candidate to draft in fantasy leagues. So much so, I own him in all six of the leagues that I’m participating in this season — including two dynasties. The sweet-swinging lefty slashed .299/.347/.498 with a 132 wRC+ through 91 games last season, striking out at a sub-20% clip and racking up extra-base hits. His eleven total triples ranked T-4th in all of MLB last season despite finishing with nearly half the amount of plate appearances the competition in front of him had. Lile entered play yesterday already 9-for-22 (.409) with three doubles and continued to dominate the competition against a division rival, smacking three consecutive hits to start the game — two knocks off Andrew Painter and one against Tanner Banks.

Featured image by Aaron Polcare (@abeardoesart on Bluesky and X) and adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)