Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman is off to a strong start to the 2026 season, as he's pitched to a 1.17 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with eight strikeouts and four saves across his first eight appearances (7 2/3 innings). The 38-year-old was absolutely dominant in his first year with Boston in 2025, recording 32 saves and 85 strikeouts while pitching to a 1.17 ERA across 61 1/3 innings. While Chapman's surface-level numbers are excellent again, his underlying metrics are not quite at the same elite level they were last season. The veteran left-hander's average fastball velocity is down from 98.5 mph to 97.4 mph, and his strikeout rate has fallen from 37.3% to 26.7%. Chapman's walk rate, which he lowered to a career-best 6.6% in 2025, has returned to 10% in the early part of 2026. Chapman remains the unquestioned closer in Boston, and he's been effective thus far, so there's no reason for fantasy managers to panic. Still, he may not be in line to fully repeat his 2025 success in 2026.

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Washington Nationals outfielder Daylen Lile is on a power binge of late and should start attracting more interest off the waiver wire if he keeps it up. Lile went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the division-rival Atlanta Braves in D.C. The 23-year-old outfielder now has three home runs in his last five games, including five extra-base hits during that span. To start his first full season in the majors, Lile is slashing .282/.333/.437 with a .770 OPS, three home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base in 111 plate appearances across 24 games played. The former second-rounder in 2021 has quickly become a regular in Washington's everyday lineup after hitting .299 (96-for-321) with nine long balls, 41 RBI, 51 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 91 games in his rookie campaign in 2025. Lile has also hit safely in eight of his last 10 games going into Thursday's series finale against Atlanta. He's currently rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues, but that number figures to go up in the coming days.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak extended his hitting streak to seven games in the team's 8-3 win over the visiting San Diego Padres on Wednesday night at Coors Field in Denver. Moniak went 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored out of the third spot in the batting order. The 27-year-old former first overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016 is now hitting .286/.313/.651 with a .964 OPS, six home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, and a stolen base across 67 plate appearances in 18 games played in his second year in Colorado. During his seven-game hitting streak, Moniak has gone 9-for-26 (.346) with a homer, five doubles, four RBI, five runs scored, and a stolen base for the Rockies. He's still much more attractive in fantasy baseball when he's playing at home at hitter-friendly Coors Field, but after a 2025 breakout, Moniak is quickly becoming a must-start hitter in fantasy lineups, and he's only rostered in 30% of Yahoo leagues. If you're looking for a spark among fantasy outfielders, look no further than Moniak.

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Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso has gotten off to a slow start offensively in his first year in Baltimore, but he could be on the verge of turning things around. Alonso went 1-for-4 at the plate in Wednesday's 8-6 win over the hosting Kansas City Royals with his third home run of the year, two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk to raise his season average to .213 and his OPS to .699. The 31-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year and five-time All-Star has hit .275/.408/.525 with two home runs, four doubles, and seven RBI in his last 11 games as he slowly heats up at the plate. Alonso was an All-Star with the New York Mets in each of the last four seasons before he signed with Baltimore in free agency over the winter. He's an elite source of power for fantasy managers, with at least 34 home runs in each of the last five MLB seasons. Alonso is up to three homers, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored through his first 25 contests with the O's.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino could be on the verge of putting his slow start to the 2026 season in the rearview mirror. Pasquantino went 2-for-3 at the plate in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the visiting Baltimore Orioles with his third home run of the year, a double, two runs scored, and a walk to raise his season batting average to .160 and his OPS to .546. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger's home run came in the first inning off Orioles starter Chris Bassitt. The two-hit performance on Wednesday in the series finale against the O's broke a string of four straight hitless games for the Pasquatch. His overall numbers through 25 games in 2026 don't look great at all, but Pasquantino could quickly break out in the power department after he hit a career-high 32 round-trippers in 160 games played in 2025 in his second full MLB season. Fantasy managers shouldn't be giving up on Pasquantino just yet, and his buy-low window in single-year leagues could close quickly.

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Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that veteran right-hander Justin Verlander's (hip) bullpen session on Wednesday was "encouraging," according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. However, it remains to be seen how much longer it will be before Verlander can make his 2026 season debut. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer went on the 15-day injured list on April 4 with left-hip inflammation, and it's been a slow and frustrating rehab for the veteran hurler. Verlander was pleased with his mechanics during Wednesday's bullpen. It's unclear where he goes from here, but he'll likely throw at least one more bullpen before facing live hitters. Verlander will need at least one simulated game or minor-league rehab start before returning to the major-league roster in Detroit. In Verlander's place, right-hander Keider Montero has pitched well with a 3.68 ERA, so the Tigers don't have to rush Verlander back. With durability concerns and a declining strikeout rate, Verlander doesn't have much fantasy upside near the end of his career. He's only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung's strong start to the 2026 campaign may be flying under the radar in fantasy baseball leagues. Jung went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the team's 8-4 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday to extend his RBI streak to six games. During that span, the oft-injured 28-year-old third baseman has gone 11-for-24 (.458) at the plate with eight RBI and eight extra-base hits. After his two-hit performance on Wednesday at Globe Life Field, Jung is hitting .303 (23-for-76) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored in his first 21 games across 84 plate appearances of the 2026 season. The former eighth overall pick out of Texas Tech in the 2019 MLB draft had 23 homers, 25 doubles, and 70 RBI in only 122 games played in his first full season in 2023 as a first-time All-Star, but he has struggled in two seasons since, mainly due to various injuries. Jung is healthy now, and he deserves a strong look off the waiver wire amid his hot start this year. He's only rostered in 23% of Yahoo leagues currently.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong will start on the bench for the first time this season in Thursday's game at Wrigley Field against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies with a left-hander on the mound, according to MLB.com. Matt Shaw will make the start in center field for the Cubbies and will hit eighth against left-hander Crisopher Sanchez. Crow-Armstrong heads to the bench after hitting .247 (23-for-93) with a home run, seven RBI, five stolen bases, and 14 runs scored in 101 plate appearances across his first 24 games in 2026. In his last four games, he's gone 6-for-15 with a double, triple, two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. The 24-year-old former first-rounder by the New York Mets in 2020 struggled in the second half in 2025, but he was a first-time All-Star in his second full season in the big leagues and had 31 homers and 35 stolen bases total. Shaw will have limited DFS appeal at the bottom of the Chicago batting order in a tough matchup. He's gone hitless in two career at-bats against Sanchez.

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Athletics right-handed reliever Joel Kuhnel has emerged as a favorite for saves in the team's bullpen early on in 2026, but he stumbled a bit on Wednesday in the team's 5-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Kuhnel was hit with his first loss of the year after allowing an earned run on four hits without walking or striking anyone out in two-thirds of an inning. The 31-year-old veteran and former 11th-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2016 has allowed two earned runs now on eight hits while walking none and striking out three in 7 2/3 innings of work. He has locked down all four of his save chances and has yet to blow a save, which likely means he's not in any imminent danger of being removed from the closer's role in Sacramento. However, if Kuhnel continues to struggle after his outing on Wednesday, Hogan Harris, Jack Perkins, and Mark Leiter Jr. could all be involved in save situations for the A's going forward. Kuhnel is only rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues currently.

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Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas is entering the streaming radar in fantasy baseball leagues in the early portion of the 2026 season with his strong play in the desert. Getting the start at first base on Wednesday, Vargas went 2-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, five RBI, and a strikeout in the team's 11-7 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox to raise his season average to .364 and his OPS to an impressive 1.079. The 34-year-old veteran has a hit in every game that he's played in so far this year, and he's now gone deep three times in his last two games. The Venezuelan infielder is now slashing a strong .364/.382/.697 with five total home runs, 16 RBI, and 14 runs scored in 66 at-bats for the Snakes. Vargas is worth streaming in deeper fantasy leagues, as he should continue to see plenty of playing time on the infield in the desert with first baseman Carlos Santana (thigh) on the injured list. He's rostered in only 23% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available for fantasy managers looking for a boost.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) is likely headed to the 10-day injured list after being pulled from Wednesday's win over the Minnesota Twins early with a left-calf injury, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. The Mets are recalling infielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse, and he could see playing time at the 6 in Queens while Lindor recovers. On the day that the Mets got All-Star outfielder Juan Soto back from the IL due to a calf injury, they lose their All-Star shortstop. It's been that kind of year so far for the Mets, who broke a 12-game losing streak on Wednesday. If the Mets choose to slide third baseman Bo Bichette to shortstop, Mauricio and Brett Baty could split playing time at the hot corner with Lindor on the IL. The 32-year-old Lindor was off to a slow start at the plate in his first 93 at-bats in 2026 before his calf injury, batting .226 (21-for-93) with two homers, five RBI, 14 runs scored, and two steals. Fantasy managers must hold onto the five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner while he recovers.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Quinn Priester (hand) didn't exactly have the best outing in his first minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Nashville, as he allowed four earned runs without allowing a hit while walking three and striking out two in just two-thirds of an inning versus the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. He also hit a batter in the outing, and his velocity was down considerably compared to last year. To be fair, it was Priester's first action in a game since the postseason last October. He was shut down this spring with thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms in his hand/wrist, which landed him on the 15-day injured list to open the 2026 regular season. The Brewers are hoping to see Priester's velocity slowly rise back up with subsequent rehab starts in the minors. The 25-year-old will likely require at least a couple more rehab starts before the Brewers consider him for their starting rotation. Priester is a stash candidate in deeper fantasy leagues after he went 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 132:50 K:BB in 157 1/3 innings in 2025 in his first year in Milwaukee. He's currently rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect Trey Yesavage's (shoulder) minor-league rehab start on Tuesday with Triple-A Buffalo was expected to be his final appearance while recovering from a right-shoulder impingement that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 season. However, he only went 2 1/3 innings and threw 64 pitches in that outing. His fastball sat between 93-96 mph, which was nice, but the Blue Jays wanted him to go at least 75 pitches, meaning it's possible he'll need another rehab start before making his return to Toronto's starting rotation, according to Max Ralph of MLB.com. "I mean, I wish he threw more pitches," manager John Schneider said. "I think physically, he's pretty good. So we'll figure that out in the next couple of days. I don't need to see the 12-strikeout game in the Minors." Fantasy managers must continue to be patient, but Yesavage's high-strikeout upside when healthy makes him a must-stash in all leagues. He's currently rostered in 92% of Yahoo leagues as he nears his 2026 debut.

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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that outfielder Roman Anthony (back) will sit out of Thursday's series finale at Fenway Park against the division-rival New York Yankees as the Red Sox look to avoid the sweep, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI. Outfielder Jarren Duran will bat leadoff, and outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela will be in the two-hole in the batting order against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler. Boston held Anthony out of Wednesday's loss to New York due to a sore back. He's considered day-to-day for now and will miss a second straight game. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if he's feeling good enough to return to the starting nine in the series opener in Houston against the Astros. The 21-year-old former second-rounder in 2022 has gotten off to a slow start in 2026 in his first full season in the big leagues, going 18-for-80 (.225) with a homer, four RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases. It's too early to be worried about Anthony, and hopefully the time off this week will get him right when he returns to the field.

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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (back) has continued to "undergo preventative care" for a lower-back issue that dates back to last year, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Winn dealt with back spasms in 2025 and has already had hip and shin injuries this season. There's no current injury that fantasy managers should be worried about, but it's a situation to monitor, and it could mean that the Cardinals will give Winn more regular days off in the future. Goold mentions that the team is "seeking ways for him to reduce mileage." The 24-year-old former second-rounder in 2020 didn't look great initially to open the 2026 campaign, but he's heating up of late and appears to be locked in at the plate. Overall, Winn is slashing .257/.354/.400 with a .754 OPS, a homer, nine RBI, 11 runs scored, and three steals in 70 at-bats. He's currently riding an eight-game hitting streak in which he's gone 12-for-31 (.387) with a homer, three doubles, a triple, eight RBI, six runs, and a steal. Keep Winn locked into starting lineups where he's rostered.

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Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Kirby Yates (knee) allowed three earned runs on two hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out one in an inning of work with Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday during a minor-league rehab outing. Yates threw 11 of his 16 pitches for strikes, but the velocity on his fastball was down a bit on Wednesday, and he's likely to need at least a few more appearances down on the farm before the Halos consider reinstating him from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut. The 39-year-old veteran is a stash candidate for fantasy managers in deeper leagues who are desperate for saves. Yates has 98 saves in his 11-year MLB career, and he's also a two-time All-Star, but he really struggled with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 and won't be guaranteed regular save opportunities with the Angels when he returns to the major-league roster. Right-hander Jordan Romano is currently the team's primary closer early in the year. Right now, Yates is rostered in just 14% of Yahoo leagues.

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The New York Mets are calling up infielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse again on Thursday, sources told Francys Romero. Mauricio has been on fire at Syracuse, hitting .333 with five home runs and a 1.142 OPS in the month of April, and he could see decent playing time in New York if shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) is forced to the injured list after being pulled from Wednesday's win over the Minnesota Twins early. If Lindor misses extended time, it's unclear if the Mets will want to move third baseman Bo Bichette to shortstop or put Mauricio there. If Bichette slides over to the 6, Mauricio will be a candidate to play at third base as well, alongside Brett Baty. The 25-year-old switch-hitting Dominican has only hit .234/.294/.359 with a .653 OPS, eight homers, 20 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in 89 games over three big-league seasons, but Mauricio is worth consideration as a deep-league waiver-wire pickup if he gets an opportunity for everyday playing time with the Mets if Lindor goes on the IL.

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Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami homered again on Wednesday against the Diamondbacks and has gone yard in five straight contests. The 26-year-old slugger in his first season in the majors is hitting .256 with a .436 wOBA and a 66.7% hard-hit rate through his first 24 games. Murakami has a total of 10 homers on the year with 19 runs scored, 19 RBI, 21 walks, and 32 strikeouts. His power has been a huge boost to the middle of the White Sox lineup, and he has exceeded expectations in his transition from the NPB in Japan. He is definitely worth starting right now for as long as he stays so hot, and it will be fascinating to see if he can maintain this production throughout the season.

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New York Mets relief pitcher Luke Weaver got the call to close out his team's first win after losing 12 straight, and the 32-year-old righty earned the win by closing out the Twins. He came on to get the last out of the eighth inning, walking Ryan Jeffers but then retiring Luke Keashall with the bases loaded. The Mets scratched out a run in the eighth, and Weaver struck out the side in the ninth to preserve the win. He's 2-0 on the year now, despite allowing six runs in 10 innings across his 10 appearances. The Mets have continued to publicly stay committed to closer Devin Williams, but if they were to make a change, Weaver would be an obvious candidate to replace him. Weaver isn't a must-add in most formats yet, but if you need a Williams handcuff or are trying to get ahead of a potential move in deep leagues, he's worth watching as a late-inning option if Williams continues to struggle.

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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker earned his third save of the season on Wednesday night, issuing a walk but recording three outs to preserve his team's 3-0 victory. Walker seems to be back in the main closer role for the Giants and has picked up two saves in the last two days. On the season, he has worked 11 innings in 11 games with 12 strikeouts and four earned runs allowed for a 3.27 ERA and 3.78 FIP. Walker is the only pitcher on the Giants with more than one save, with Erik Miller and Blade Tidwell also earning a save earlier this year. Miller and Tidwell could cover occasionally, but it seems that Walker has stepped back in as the team's primary closer. While he isn't an elite option, he should be a solid source of saves if you need a bullpen boost.

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