Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (elbow), who is on the 15-day injured list after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, said that he feels "really good" and is "100% confident" that he will be back to full strength for the second half of the 2026 season, according to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. Diaz won't start a throwing program until after his stitches are removed in a couple of weeks. His injury was a disappointment for the organization after they signed Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract in the offseason, the highest average annual value ever given to a reliever. The 32-year-old reliever needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for the rest of the first half of the year, as Diaz could be a difference-maker down the stretch for a Dodgers team looking to win their third straight World Series championship. In the meantime, the Dodgers will continue to go with a committee approach in the ninth inning, which includes lefties Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia, and right-hander Blake Treinen.

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The New York Mets officially announced on Thursday that they placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 27) with a lumbar spine disc herniation and recalled infielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Robert's MRI exam revealed a herniation in his back, which is an injury that will most likely keep him out for much longer than 10 days, especially when considering Robert's lengthy injury history. It's disappointing news for the struggling Mets and for Robert, who has hit just .224 (19-for-85) with two home runs, eight RBI, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 24 games in his first season with the team. Fantasy managers should be looking to stash Robert for his high-end power/speed upside when he's healthy, but they should also be prepared for a potentially lengthy absence. In the meantime, both MJ Melendez and Tyrone Taylor could see an extended run in the Mets' outfield with Robert sidelined.

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Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (ankle) threw to live hitters in Arizona on Tuesday, and president of baseball operations JJ Picollo said that his velocity was "closer to what it needed to be," according to Cody Tapp of 96.5 The Fan. It's good news, but Tapp also guesses that Estevez is two weeks from a potential return to KC's bullpen. He's expected to throw to live hitters again later this week before potentially starting a minor-league rehab assignment. The 33-year-old veteran is recovering from a left-ankle contusion that he suffered in his first and only outing of 2026, in which he was hit by a comebacker on the mound. Not only was Estevez injured, but his velocity had been down, dating back to spring training in March, so the Royals are likely working on his mechanics as he rehabs. It remains to be seen if Estevez will have an opportunity to retake the closer's role when he's reinstated from the 15-day injured list. Fill-in closer Lucas Erceg has seven saves in his 12 1/3 innings pitched, but he's been inconsistent with a 4.38 ERA and 1.62 WHIP. Despite Estevez's blowup in his only outing of the year and his injury, he's currently rostered in 65% of Yahoo leagues.

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Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman is on a homer binge of late, and that continued in the team's 13-2 blowout win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. Goodman went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, four runs scored, and a walk to raise his season average to .269 and his OPS to .932 in 28 games played. The 26-year-old backstop brings high-end power to the weak catching position, and he's now hit four home runs in the last five games while going 8-for-21 during that span. He was a first-time All-Star in 2025, when he hit .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs and 91 RBI in 144 games in his breakout season. Goodman is once again on pace for another strong season in the homer department, but he won't be able to sustain a high average if he continues to strike out over 35% of the time on offense. On the season, Goodman is hitting .269 (28-for-104) with nine round-trippers, 14 RBI, 23 runs, and a stolen base.

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Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli was hit around a bit in Wednesday's victory over the division-rival New York Mets, but he still managed to pick up his first win of the 2026 season, allowing two earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10 in six innings. It was Cavalli's second quality start of the year, and he was able to generate 18 swings and misses despite giving up a season-high eight hits and his first home run of the year. It was nice to see the 27-year-old go deeper in an outing. He's now 1-1 with a 3.82 ERA (2.82 FIP) and 1.66 WHIP with 38 strikeouts and 14 walks in 30 2/3 innings pitched over his seven starts. Efficiency and length have been issues for Cavalli early in the 2026 campaign, but perhaps his outing on Wednesday will be a turning point. He has another plus matchup upcoming in his next scheduled outing versus the Minnesota Twins. Cavalli is currently rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues, but he could quickly become a popular waiver-wire pickup if he has a second straight strong outing.

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Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (arm) had a tough go of it in his first minor-league rehab start on Tuesday with Double-A Corpus Christi, allowing five earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out two in his two innings of work. Imai threw a total of 59 pitches in the outing. The 27-year-old is on the 15-day injured list due to right-arm fatigue after just three starts for the Astros in his first year in the big leagues. It definitely is an inauspicious start for the Japanese native, but he'll continue to build up his arm for a return to the Astros' starting rotation at some point in May. Imai will most likely need a couple more rehab starts on the farm before Houston feels comfortable reinserting him into their rotation. In his three starts before landing on the IL, Imai struggled to the tune of a 7.27 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, and 13:11 K:BB in just 8 2/3 frames. He's going to need to improve his control drastically to have any consistent success for fantasy managers. Imai is currently rostered in exactly half of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) allowed three earned runs on three hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out three in 5 2/3 innings on Wednesday in his latest minor-league rehab start for Double-A Somerset. Cole threw 45 of his 60 pitches for strikes in his third rehab start. The 35-year-old veteran has now allowed four home runs in his three rehab starts, posting a 4.40 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and only one walk. The only news that really matters is that Cole is healthy and progressing after the Tommy John surgery he had at the start of last year, which kept him from pitching for the Yankees all season. Cole will likely need another rehab start or two before the Yankees feel comfortable reinstating him from the injured list, but his 2026 season debut is getting closer. The six-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner will ease back into the Yankees' starting rotation when he returns, but he could be a difference-maker eventually in 2026 in fantasy and should be stashed everywhere. Cole is currently rostered in 84% of Yahoo leagues.

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Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery is 15-for-47 (.319) over his last 12 games and has smashed five homers with 12 RBI and a .463 wOBA. The lefty has a 54.5% hard-hit rate over that span and a 41.4% hard-hit rate on the season. His recent success has been a little overshadowed by the hype around Munetaka Murakami, but Montgomery is also starting to heat up in the middle of the White Sox lineup, which is full of exciting young hitters to add to your lineup headed into the summer with warmer weather in Chicago. Montgomery and the White Sox are in San Diego for their weekend series, which gets underway on Friday night with a favorable matchup against German Marquez.

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Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez has been locked in at the plate over the last few weeks and is posting some of the best offensive numbers in baseball. Alvarez has 11 homers, just one off the MLB lead, and he has hit safely in 13 straight games, coming into Thursday's doubleheader in Baltimore. Alvarez is 21-for-54 (.389) over that hitting streak with five doubles, five homers, a .502 wOBA, a 52.9% hard-hit rate, and a 15.7 barrel rate. He has a 14.9% walk rate and just a 8.2% strikeout rate, showing elite plate discipline and almost always putting the ball in play. He has proven in the past that he can get hot and carry the Astros' offense and post great fantasy numbers, and he's in the middle of another very productive stretch after putting last year's injuries squarely behind him.

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New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong is emerging as a sneaky stash option following the injury to Kodai Senga (back). Earlier this week, Senga was shifted to the 15-day injured list, opening up a spot in the starting rotation. While Christian Scott was recalled from Triple-A, Tong is a name to watch closely, as he could be the next man up if Scott struggles. Since allowing six runs on April 14 at Triple-A, Tong has found his footing, striking out 15 hitters over his last 10 innings while allowing only four earned runs. Last summer, Tong logged 113 2/3 innings (split between Double-A and Triple-A) and held an elite 1.43 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP with 179 punchouts. While Tong was unable to find much success in his first MLB stint, he is worth monitoring given the current state of their rotation.

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Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect Didier Fuentes was recalled to the MLB roster in a modified relief role prior to Tuesday's contest. In Tuesday's game, Fuentes entered the game out of the bullpen and logged two no-hit frames with one walk and one punchout, earning his first career hold. Fuentes was promoted to the majors earlier on April 22 and was given his first start of the MLB season, but stumbled in this outing, allowing four runs and seven hits over three innings of work. While he has yet to see his skills translate to the starting rotation, he has flashed high upside at Triple-A, which makes him a worthy stash option in deeper leagues. Earlier in April, Fuentes logged 16 2/3 innings with a strong 2.16 ERA and a 20:6 K:BB. While he appears set for a long relief role for now, Fuentes could return to the rotation if he continues to find his footing against MLB hitters.

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Philadelphia Phillies infield prospect Aidan Miller (back) has yet to take the field this season and is quickly losing stash value. According to a recent report by Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, the team's top infield prospect is "nearing" a return to swinging a bat. While the infielder has been able to participate in other baseball activities, he has yet to begin swinging, which remains a major hurdle in his recovery. Early in camp, Miller was in contention to compete for a starting job, but this injury prevented him from making a strong case. Last season, the former 27th overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft spent most of his time with Double-A before earning a short taste with Triple-A. With Double-A (108 games), Miller posted a .259/.382/.427 line with 13 home runs and 52 stolen bases. Over his short eight-game stint with Triple-A, Miller stole seven bags while holding a .333 AVG. While he still has a potential length recovery ahead of him, Miller remains in play for a second-half MLB debut.

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New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (back) had an MRI on Wednesday, and while the results have not been released, reports are that the injury will cause him to be placed on the injured list this Thursday. Robert played in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader but was out of the lineup Tuesday after the off-day due to lower back tightness. He missed Tuesday and Wednesday's game and still isn't ready to return. Robert is hitting .224 on the season but is only 7-for-46 (.152) in his last 12 games with three doubles and no homers. With Robert likely landing on the IL along with Francisco Lindor (calf) and Jorge Polanco (wrist), the Mets' lineup will be stretched thin with MJ Melendez and Tyrone Taylor likely to pick up most of Robert's playing time.

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Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is still hitting just .214 and usually bats near the bottom of the lineup in his 30 games this year. However, he continues to get on base and post excellent run-production numbers, and his average is starting to come around as well. Swanson has 23 RBI and 23 runs scored, which place him in the top 15 in the MLB in each category. Swanson also has six homers this season, five of which have come in his last 16 games, while he's batting .275 with a .433 wOBA over that span. He sat out Wednesday's game after cramping up and leaving Tuesday's contest early, but the injury isn't expected to be anything long-term, and he should be back in the lineup on Friday as the Cubs return to Wrigley to face the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Athletics relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. came on to close out the Royals on Wednesday night, earning his third save of the season by getting Jac Caglianone to strike out swinging to end the game. He came in to replace Joel Kuhnel, who got five outs but gave up a run on a sacrifice fly and left a runner on third base. Leiter walked Isaac Collins to bring the tying run to the plate before securing the win with the strikeout. Leiter is 3-for-5 in save opportunities this season with a 6.23 ERA and 4.35 FIP. The back end of the bullpen is still unsettled for the AL West-leading A's, with Kuhnel leading the team in saves with four, while Jack Perkins and Hogan Harris are also in the mix, along with Leiter. Kuhnel is probably still the best option of the committee for fantasy, but Perkins could be an interesting solution if he starts getting more chances as well.

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Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jacob Latz worked two shutout innings on Wednesday night to help his team close out a 3-0 win over the visiting Yankees. Latz allowed one hit and had one strikeout, lowering his ERA for the season to 1.08 with a 0.48 WHIP in his 16 2/3 innings over 13 appearances. While the Rangers continue to use a committee to close out games, Latz has been their best reliever for fantasy this season, posting two saves and two holds. He isn't an elite closer option due to his undefined role, but he does have good upside and is worth considering for a roster spot in some formats since he has been so effective wherever the Rangers decide to deploy him.

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Washington's SP Cade Cavalli recorded 10 strikeouts in 6 innings with the win in a 14-2 win over the Mets on Wednesday, Apr. 29.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle was electric in his MLB debut on April 23 against the New York Yankees, striking out 11 over six innings of one-run ball. However, the 23-year-old had a much tougher time of it in his second start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, allowing three hits, three earned runs, and four walks across 4 2/3 innings. Per Zach Worden of MLB.com, Tolle's fastball velocity was down over two miles per hour from his first start. While Tolle does not appear to be dealing with an injury, the velocity drop should still be at least a small red flag for fantasy managers. The young left-hander remains a high-upside fantasy starting pitcher, but his fastball velocity will be something for managers to monitor in his next start, which will likely be in Detroit against the Tigers.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that third baseman/designated hitter Eugenio Suarez (oblique) is still dealing with a tender oblique, per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Goldsmith reports that the team is hoping Suarez "progresses to the point where he can get scanned on (the team's) upcoming road trip and then really ramp up baseball activities." Suarez's oblique strain was characterized as low-grade when he was placed on the injured list retroactive to April 23, but it appears as though the veteran slugger will require more than the minimum 10 days on the IL. Suarez was off to a slow start to 2026 before getting injured, hitting .231/.300/.363 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and 10 runs scored across 100 plate appearances. With Suarez on the shelf, Reds first baseman Nathaniel Lowe has stepped in as the team's primary designated hitter.

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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones (elbow) was sharp in his rehab outing on Wednesday with Single-A Bradenton, throwing three perfect innings with five strikeouts. Jones threw 41 pitches, 30 of which went for strikes. The 24-year-old is working his way back from an elbow injury, which required internal brace surgery and caused him to miss the entirety of 2025. Across 121 2/3 innings (22 starts) in 2024, Jones pitched to a 6-8 record with a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 132 strikeouts. Given how much time he has missed due to injury, Jones will likely require multiple rehab appearances. He's also currently on the 60-day injured list, which means he will not be eligible to return to the big leagues until late May. Still, Jones has major fantasy upside if he can make it back to full strength and could be worth stashing off the waiver wire ahead of his eventual return.

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