{"id":551271,"date":"2026-03-28T23:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T23:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/551271\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T23:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T23:01:13","slug":"fantasy-baseball-lineup-advice-for-sunday-astros-imai-to-make-debut-against-angels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/551271\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantasy baseball lineup advice for Sunday: Astros&#8217; Imai to make debut against Angels"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/fantasy\/baseball\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">fantasy baseball<\/a> lineup decisions. All fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/fantasy\/baseball\/story\/_\/id\/43425955\/espn-playbook-inning-1-draft-kit-advice-how-play-fantasy-baseball\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">standard scoring<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, as well as any breaking news that might impact today&#8217;s MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/fantasy\/baseball\/story\/_\/id\/48297021\/espn-fantasy-baseball-buzz-injuries-promotions-demotions-trades-prospects-lineup-changes-mlb-news-analysis-2026\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">fantasy baseball buzz<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Other resources: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/fantasy\/baseball\/flb\/story?page=REcloserorgchart&amp;addata=flb_mainnav_closers\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RP depth chart<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/fantasy.espn.com\/baseball\/welcome?addata=flb_2025_context\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Start new league<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/fantasy\/baseball\/story\/_\/id\/47683716\/espn-mlb-2026-fantasy-baseball-draft-guide-rankings-analysis-projections-cheat-sheets\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ESPN&#8217;s 2026 Draft Guide<\/a> | Betting notes for Sunday<\/p>\n<p>Pitchers to stream on Sunday<\/p>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"6f46a916-482d-3d3d-b32c-aee2790c71bb\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/5330833\/tatsuya-imai\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tatsuya Imai<\/a> is set to make his major league debut when the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"00a3015f-09ec-1b03-52af-656f5e0a18d5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/hou\/houston-astros\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Houston Astros<\/a> face the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"053868c7-8bff-5edb-3cb6-f5490f33ef99\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/laa\/los-angeles-angels\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Los Angeles Angels<\/a> at home. Imai spent eight years with the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball before heading overseas. He&#8217;s 5-foot-11 and throws with an unusual low-slot delivery that generates arm-side run on his fastball and change-up, complementing the glove-side run on his slider. He benefits from a deceptive delivery and a strong repertoire.<\/p>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"f8e374bd-6292-ad17-87d2-b80650a25588\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/39639\/shane-baz\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Shane Baz<\/a>&#8216;s debut with the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"9ca473b8-e73e-a33d-8ea0-b4d160be4be7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/bal\/baltimore-orioles\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Baltimore Orioles<\/a> comes a couple of days after signing a five-year, $68 million contract extension. Concerns about his durability kept his rostership below 50% during draft season, but it won&#8217;t be long before enough fantasy managers add him to their rosters to push him over the streaming threshold. His Orioles debut is against the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"a6e97b3f-4244-98be-79a2-f4b33f3365e6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/min\/minnesota-twins\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Minnesota Twins<\/a> in Camden Yards. Baz is coming off a down season where he posted a 5.90 ERA at home for the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"f8a579c6-08b9-7584-141d-317d0645763b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/tb\/tampa-bay-rays\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tampa Bay Rays<\/a>, as opposed to a 3.86 road mark. Baz should perform much better in his home starts than he did last season in Geroge Steinbrenner Field.<\/p>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"9b0db57e-d125-3c8c-9ae7-6db40a2ebba0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/4621041\/brandon-sproat\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brandon Sproat<\/a> beat out Logan Henderson for the last spot in the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"4750d73d-d92e-b390-758c-2c7b44a810db\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/mil\/milwaukee-brewers\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> rotation, made available with Quinn Priester opening the season on the IL with wrist soreness stemming from a mild case of thoracic outlet syndrome. Sproat was acquired from the Mew York Mets as part of the package for <a data-player-guid=\"aa1cac72-2915-387f-9e32-4b2f84f52b1d\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/39825\/freddy-peralta\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Freddy Peralta<\/a>. The 25-year-old right-hander features a two-seam fastball, sweeper, changeup and curve. He&#8217;s not as dominant as teammate <a data-player-guid=\"0ea828df-ab12-3e43-8900-dee0563e68d4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/5080761\/jacob-misiorowski\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jacob Misiorowski<\/a>, but Sproat has the stuff to take advantage of the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"8f4800c6-3c05-b3d5-8186-9750cd72a3c2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/chw\/chicago-white-sox\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chicago White Sox<\/a> lineup that struck out 20 times on Opening Day.<\/p>\n<p>Pitchers to avoid on Sunday<\/p>\n<p>The <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"4fa2cf46-09fc-255f-74a1-2a8857b0e671\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/tex\/texas-rangers\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Texas Rangers<\/a> acquired <a data-player-guid=\"5f496806-d3fa-4226-e557-dc945eda4f3a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/39636\/mackenzie-gore\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MacKenzie Gore<\/a> from the <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"ff1e263a-f6a6-93c3-1373-418623652ff0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/phi\/philadelphia-phillies\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Philadelphia Phillies<\/a> to add some youth to their veteran pitching staff. The 27-year-old southpaw is expected to learn from veterans <a data-player-guid=\"f17ac700-ad8b-0057-ed5b-a5199e7bad9a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/32796\/jacob-degrom\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jacob deGrom<\/a> and <a data-player-guid=\"bc065790-2066-e309-34d6-0f331a33cd9d\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/31174\/nathan-eovaldi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nathan Eovaldi<\/a>, a pair of elite starters who can help Gore improve his below-average control. However, the transformation will likely need more than spring training to manifest, and Gore&#8217;s debut comes on the road against a familiar foe, the formidable Philadelphia Phillies.<\/p>\n<p>Hitters to stream on Sunday<\/p>\n<p>Look for a lot of teams to use Sunday to get their reserves some action. This is a common practice, regardless, but even more so early the season when managers want to keep their bench layers sharp after playing a lot in spring training. Orioles catcher <a data-player-guid=\"c3360e52-4767-37c3-87ee-9099493f6bf6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/4917646\/samuel-basallo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Samuel Basallo<\/a> has already been featured in this space, but he&#8217;s likely to be in the lineup with <a data-player-guid=\"25354e87-3cf5-3650-b422-28728ce00a01\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/player\/_\/id\/3107919\/bailey-ober\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bailey Ober<\/a> on the hill for the Twins. Ober pitched through a hip injury last season, displaying a drop in velocity and declining command and control. Despite working with a hip specialist over the winter, Ober still hasn&#8217;t reverted to his old form.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":551272,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[363,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-551271","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-mlb","9":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/551272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=551271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=551271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}