Bounce-Back Pitchers for 2026 Fantasy Baseball

Looking back on 2025 (or any season), nothing ever goes exactly as planned. We draft players with the hope that their upside and track record lead to a successful output. However, sometimes, through no fault of their own, players just don’t live up to the standards we believed they would achieve. The good news is that the following season is when we can get some discounts heading into drafts.

Bounce-back hitters have already been covered, but there is a major difference between them and pitchers. In essence, the injury risk involved with taking pitchers is massive. Thinking about it, throwing a baseball as hard as one can multiple times a week is such an unnatural action that goes against the human body’s makeup.

Therefore, picking bounce-back pitchers can be quite volatile because an injury can happen at anytime. As such, it’s an important disclaimer to note that these bounce-back candidates have a much shorter leash, especially in redraft leagues, because fantasy owners cannot simply wait for a pitcher’s injury to heal. With that in mind, here are my favorite bounce-back pitchers as we head into the 2026 fantasy baseball season.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Bounce-Back Pitchers

Starting Pitchers

George Kirby started the 2025 season off with a shoulder injury, which could be the culprit that derailed his entire year. Spring Training usually means more to pitchers than hitters, and Kirby not having a proper start to his year definitely affected last year’s output. It’s fair to wonder if he was hurting all year, as his pitch mix change never felt quite right, and he lowered his arm angle significantly. Now, with an offseason to recover, he could be back to his elite production from when he was a second or third round pick.

Spencer Schwellenbach has been pain-free and looks ready to be inserted back into the rotation. His injury was a freakish one that shouldn’t have lingering effects, since it was a fracture instead of a ligament. He’s being drafted much later than he normally would have been and is still an elite talent.

Spencer Strider is being drafted just outside the Top 100, but he was once arguably the best pitcher in baseball. Now, one year removed from internal brace surgery, his fastball wasn’t nearly the same weapon it once was, partly due to diminished velocity, and the results were staggering. How he looks this spring will be key.

Sandy Alcantara is also one year removed from elbow surgery (Tommy John), and while he looked out of whack for most of the year, his end-of-season ERA is what matters most. Over his final eight starts, he went 5-1 with a 2.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, alongside a 24.9% strikeout rate and a 4.8% walk rate. It usually takes pitchers a while to regain their form and confidence, and this is exactly what you want to see heading into 2026.

MacKenzie Gore was supposed to take a big step forward after finishing the 2024 season with a season-long 3.90 ERA despite inconsistent play. Instead, his 6.75 ERA in the second half of 2025 left both fantasy managers and the Nationals with a bad taste in their mouths. The good news is that the Rangers thought highly of the soon-to-be 27-year-old lefty, and now he will be playing in baseball’s second-best pitcher’s ballpark. He has SP2 upside and should be able to finally put it together playing for a team that knows how to develop pitching.

It feels weird hyping someone so injury-prone, but Grayson Rodriguez is slated to pitch again in 2026. The new Angels starter last pitched at the end of July in 2024 and has dealt with a slew of major injuries before and after that date. Still, he says he’s healthy, the Angels traded away a major player for him, and he’s someone who has performed well in the past. Keep an eye on his buildup, as success there could lead to a draft-price increase. However, for someone well past the 300 ADP mark, it’s worth a shot to use him as depth.

“He's just been an average Major League pitcher… He's pitched more like a #3 [or] #4 starter in his career… We haven't seen the best of MacKenzie Gore so far.”#MLBNHotStove discusses the Rangers’ acquisition of 27-year-old MacKenzie Gore. pic.twitter.com/e8wmCjByPV

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 23, 2026

Relief Pitchers

Devin Williams has left the Yankees and will be the new Mets’ closer. Keep in mind that Williams is one year removed from a major back injury and some shoulder soreness, so it could be a case of him figuring out how to adjust to his reconstructed body. Or, if that’s overthinking it, 2025 may have just been one of those years where everything just went wrong. Either way, he’s too good and has too much of a proven history to be forgotten here.

Ryan Walker worked on mechanical issues that caused his motion to the plate to slow down, which is the possible reason for his struggles in 2025. He has also worked on changing his mindset to be a more positive one as he looks to reclaim the closer’s role in San Francisco. He was very good in 2024, and another chance seems warranted.

While the team will likely go with a committee as a closer, the Rays will probably give Edwin Uceta the best chance to take over the role. Don’t let his overall 3.79 ERA fool you, as he posted a 1.70 ERA over his final 37.0 innings pitched, and will now be moving back indoors to the renovated Tropicana Field. He is worth rostering as he should lead the team in saves and save opportunities.

"I think it's a great deal. I think it's going to work out."@YonderalonsoU and Greg share their reactions to Devin Williams' reported three-year deal with the Mets. pic.twitter.com/Zty1AwcvEb

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 2, 2025