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Fantasy baseball cuts/drops rankings for Week 2 of 2026. Is it time to drop these players, and replace them with fantasy baseball waiver wire risers instead?
Welcome back, RotoBallers, to the weekend edition of our Cut List Rankings for fantasy baseball for the upcoming Week 2 of the fantasy baseball season. Even though we are only a week through the campaign, fantasy managers have seen many high-end players suffer injuries or mid-round selections greatly disappoint their ADP.
This week, fantasy baseball managers saw several ninth-inning options, such as Carlos Estevez, either hit the injured list or Dennis Santana and Griffin Jax fall out of a locked-in closer role.
So, which injured or disappointing players are it time to get rid of for fantasy baseball lineups? Read about our top players to cut for Week 2 of the MLB season. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Cut List Rankings for Fantasy Baseball: Week 2
The top players to consider cutting for fantasy baseball, in priority order. Players at the top of the list should be dropped first and replaced on the waiver wire:
| Rank | Player Name | Position | Ros. % | Baller Move |
| 1 | Jurickson Profar | OF | 10 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 2 | Pablo Lopez | SP | 15 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 3 | Sean Manaea | SP | 30 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 4 | Dylan Crews | OF | 55 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 5 | Chris Paddack | SP | 10 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 6 | Taijuan Walker | SP | 5 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 7 | Masyn Winn | SS | 50 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 8 | Michael McGreevy | SP | 15 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 9 | Cristian Javier | SP | 15 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 10 | Garrett Cleavinger | RP | 15 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 11 | Tyler Mahle | SP | 10 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 12 | Brandon Sproat | SP | 20 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 13 | Bailey Ober | SP | 15 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 14 | Luis Gil | SP | 15 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 15 | Chris Bassitt | SP | 35 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 16 | Carlos Estevez | RP | 80 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 17 | Seranthony Dominguez | RP | 50 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 18 | Griffin Jax | RP | 70 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 19 | Dennis Santana | RP | 70 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 20 | Logan Henderson | SP | 25 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 21 | Mick Abel | SP | 15 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 22 | Grant Holmes | SP | 20 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 23 | Max Meyer | SP | 20 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 24 | Clay Holmes | SP | 45 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 25 | Caleb Durbin | 2B/3B | 30 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 26 | Roki Sasaki | SP | 50 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 27 | Mickey Moniak | OF | 15 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 28 | Emmet Sheehan | SP | 90 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 29 | Noelvi Marte | 3B/OF | 55 | Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 30 | Cade Horton | SP | 90 | IL Stash in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 31 | Cody Ponce | SP | 45 | IL Stash in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 32 | Alejandro Kirk | C | 45 | IL Stash in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 33 | Jordan Westburg | 3B | 40 | IL Stash in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 34 | Joe Musgrove | SP | 40 | IL Stash in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 35 | Grayson Rodriguez | SP | 15 | IL Stash in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 36 | Shane Bieber | SP | 60 | IL Stash in 10+ Team Leagues |
| 37 | Merrill Kelly | SP | 60 | IL Stash in 10+ Team Leagues |
| 38 | Hunter Greene | SP | 75 | IL Stash in All Leagues |
| 39 | Shane Baz | SP | 75 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 40 | Brenton Doyle | OF | 80 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 41 | Will Warren | SP | 50 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 42 | David Peterson | SP | 35 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 43 | Spencer Torkelson | 1B | 75 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 44 | Ryne Nelson | SP | 70 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 45 | Carson Benge | OF | 45 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 46 | Brenton Doyle | OF | 65 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 47 | Addison Barger | 3B/OF | 50 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 48 | Ranger Suarez | SP | 90 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 49 | Lawrence Butler | OF | 80 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 50 | Bryan Abreu | RP | 65 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 51 | Jorge Polanco | 2B/3B | 65 | Hold in 12+ Team Leagues |
| 52 | Jackson Holliday | 2B | 60 | IL Stash in All Leagues |
| 53 | Spencer Strider | SP | 90 | IL Stash in All Leagues |
| 54 | Ryan Pepiot | SP | 90 | IL Stash in All Leagues |
| 55 | Kyle Stowers | OF | 95 | IL Stash in All Leagues |
| 56 | Jac Caglianone | OF | 70 | Hold |
| 57 | Jakob Marsee | OF | 85 | Hold |
| 58 | Daulton Varsho | OF | 50 | Hold |
| 59 | Bryson Stott | 2B | 55 | Hold |
| 60 | Jo Adell | OF | 90 | Hold |
Fantasy Baseball Player Outlooks
Alejandro Kirk, C, Toronto Blue Jays
Cut List Ranking No. 32
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) will be evaluated by a specialist on Monday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. The specialist will provide a clear timeline for Kirk's return and advise whether he needs surgery. At a minimum, he'll miss 10 days after being placed on the injured list. Kirk suffered both a dislocation and a fracture in his thumb, the former of which has been repaired.
He's off to a quiet start this season, slashing just .150/.227/.350 with one home run, two RBI, two walks, and two strikeouts through five games. He has continued to offer positive value on defense, though, amassing 0.4 framing runs so far. Tyler Heineman will step in as the Jays' primary backstop, and Brandon Valenzuela has been called up to occupy the No. 2 catcher role until Kirk is able to return.
Cade Horton, SP, Chicago Cubs
Cut List Ranking No. 30
Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton (forearm) will go on the 15-day injured list, but he said he's optimistic that it's not a serious injury, according to Taylor McGregor of Watch Marquee Sports. Horton was forced from his start on Friday early against the Cleveland Guardians due to right-forearm discomfort. That's usually a bad sign for pitchers, but Horton may only need a minimum stint on the IL.
Before exiting, the 24-year-old's velocity was down about two MPH from his typical readings over one-plus scoreless innings. Horton picked up his first win of the season in his 2026 debut last week against the Washington Nationals, when he allowed two earned runs with a walk and four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work. The former seventh overall pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma should be stashed in all fantasy leagues, especially since Horton might only end up missing a couple of starts
Carlos Estevez, RP, Kansas City Royals
Cut List Ranking No. 16
According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, the Kansas City Royals have placed relief pitcher Carlos Estevez (foot) on the 15-day injured list due to a left-foot contusion. Additionally, Rogers noted that this stint will provide Estevez with an opportunity to build his velocity, as that was a major concern during spring training and in his lone regular-season outing.
During spring training, Estevez saw his velocity significantly decline, and this lingered into his season debut as he logged just 1/3 of an inning while allowing four hits and six earned runs en route to blowing his lone save opportunity. Shortly after, the Royals kept Estevez on the sidelines before placing him on the injured list on Wednesday. In 2025, Estevez led the major leagues in saves (with 42) but has been a major disappointment in the early going.
While he remains on the shelf, Lucas Erceg should see most of the save opportunities in Kansas City.
Griffin Jax, RP, Tampa Bay Rays
Cut List Ranking No. 18
Tampa Bay Rays reliever Griffin Jax has gotten off to a nightmare start to the 2026 season. Across two innings (four games), the 31-year-old has allowed five hits, five earned runs, and two walks while recording just one strikeout. With fellow Rays right-hander Edwin Uceta (shoulder) on the injured list, Jax opened the year with a chance to emerge as Tampa Bay's preferred ninth-inning option.
However, Jax has already blown two saves and may have pitched his way out of high-leverage opportunities. Jax has posted K-BB rates north of 27% in each of the last two seasons, so he has upside if he can settle in and find his prior form. Still, fantasy managers should be aggressive in search for other relief options off the waiver wire, given Jax's poor performance thus far.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Articles
Looking to add a player off the waiver wire? After diving into the cut list rankings, read about some waiver wire pickups to consider instead:
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Rankings (Week 2)
- Eric Cross' Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 2)
- FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding Picks (Week 2)
- Hitter Streamers, Starts, Waiver Wire (Week 2)
- Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 2)
- Andy's 7 Must-Add Players for Week 2
- Category Booster Waiver Wire Hitters (Week 2)
- Top 25 Injured Players to Stash (Week 2)
- Top-5 Pitching Prospects to Stash (Week 2)
- Top-5 Hitting Prospects to Stash (Week 2)
- Sneaky Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 2)
- Bargain Basement Waiver Wire Hitters (Week 2)
- Eric Cross' Top-25 Prospects to Stash (Week 2)
Each week, our MLB team puts out a complete array of fantasy baseball waiver wire articles to compliment our slick Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!
In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers, and more throughout the week.
Who Should I Pickup Fantasy Baseball Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire instead? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pickup someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like Lucas Erceg, Paul Sewald, Justin Crawford, Liam Hicks, Andres Gimenez, Konnor Griffin, Carlos Correa, Carson Benge. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for players like Lucas Erceg, Paul Sewald, Justin Crawford, Liam Hicks, Andres Gimenez, Konnor Griffin, Carlos Correa, Carson Benge:
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