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Gus Varland Looking to Rebound After Rough Stretch in Washington
Washington Nationals right-hander Gus Varland has struggled in recent outings, posting a 7.11 ERA across his last seven appearances. His season ERA has climbed to 4.80 during his first year in Washington, and his role in the back end of the bullpen may begin to shrink. Varland is still 4-for-6 in save opportunities and has added four holds this season, showing the confidence the Nationals coaching staff initially placed in him during high-leverage situations. The 28-year-old is now on his fourth MLB organization after not appearing in a major league game during 2025. Varland will need to limit damage more consistently if he hopes to maintain a steady role in the struggling Nationals bullpen.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jake Burger Off to Slow Start, Power Still Worth Monitoring
Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger has struggled through the early portion of the 2026 season, slashing .208/.242/.362 with a .604 OPS across 38 games. The power remains present for Burger, as he has already launched six home runs, but his 27.4 K% has continued to hurt his overall offensive production. Burger has not appeared in a game since Friday and could be receiving additional time away from the lineup to reset at the plate. The 30-year-old is now in his second season with Texas and has yet to fully recapture the form he showed in 2023, when he posted a .827 OPS with 34 home runs.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Cam Smith Looking to Rebound Amid Astros Outfield Competition
Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith has cooled off after a strong start to the season, slashing .151/.237/.226 across his last 15 games. Smith now owns a .642 OPS with four home runs through 40 games in 2026. The 23-year-old has flashed the offensive tools needed to succeed at the major league level, but consistency has remained an issue during his second MLB season. Smith could also face increased competition for playing time, with Joey Loperfido, Jake Meyers, and Taylor Trammell all targeting returns later this month. The former first-round pick still carries intriguing upside, but he will need to rediscover his early-season rhythm moving forward.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
JJ Bleday Breaking Out With Reds, Emerging as High-End Power Source
Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday has enjoyed an early breakout in his first season with the Reds. Bleday, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, has bounced around the majors after struggling to find the consistent success many expected early in his career. He appears to have found his stride in Cincinnati, slashing .262/.392/.643 with a 1.035 OPS and four home runs through 13 games. Bleday was called up from Triple-A Louisville on April 25 and has made the most of his opportunity, flashing impressive power in early action with the Reds. The 28-year-old is quickly gaining attention as a strong fantasy source for power production.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Caleb Kilian Emerging as Favorite for Giants Saves Opportunities?
San Francisco Giants right-hander Caleb Kilian could be in line for increased save opportunities after the club optioned struggling reliever Ryan Walker to Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday. Walker opened the season with inconsistent results and was unable to secure the closer role for San Francisco. Kilian has emerged as one of the Giants' most dependable bullpen arms, posting a 1.50 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 17 appearances. He also earned the first save of his MLB career earlier this season. The Giants have recorded just seven saves through 40 games, leaving the ninth inning unsettled as Kilian's consistency makes him a strong speculative add for fantasy managers searching for saves.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Seth Hernandez Promoted to High-A Greensboro After Dominant Start in Single-A
The Pittsburgh Pirates have promoted right-hander Seth Hernandez to High-A Greensboro after a dominant six-start run in the Single-A Florida State League. Hernandez, the No. 19 prospect in baseball and the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, logged 28 innings and allowed just three earned runs while piling up 50 strikeouts. The 19-year-old has showcased elite swing-and-miss stuff early in his professional career, using his 6-foot-4 frame to overpower opposing hitters. It is still an early step in his development, but Hernandez has already flashed frontline starter potential. If the right-hander continues to miss bats at this level, his rise through the Pirates organization could move quickly.
Source: Kody Duncan
Source: Kody Duncan
Is Kyle Finnegan the Top Closer Handcuff Available on the Waiver Wire?
Detroit Tigers right-hander Kyle Finnegan has gotten results so far in 2026, pitching to a 1.53 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 13 strikeouts and one save across 17 2/3 innings (18 games). Finnegan is currently blocked off from save opportunities in Detroit by veteran Tigers closer Kenley Jansen, who remains the team's preferred option in the ninth inning. However, Jansen has pitched to a 5.40 ERA with three blown saves across 11 appearances so far this season. Should Detroit choose to alter its late-inning mix, Finnegan could step in as the new closer. The 34-year-old has 113 career saves across 365 MLB appearances. While Finnegan's 0.0% K-BB rate does not exactly scream typical closer dominance, he's proven the ability to close games in the past. For fantasy managers in need of saves, Finnegan could be worth stashing off the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carlos Cortes Earning More Playing Time, Emerging as a Priority Waiver-Wire Target
Athletics outfielder Carlos Cortes is off to an excellent start to the 2026 season, hitting .355/.408/.570 with four home runs, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored, and one stolen base across his first 103 plate appearances of the season. Entering play on Sunday, Cortes owned an 11.1% barrel rate and had walked (eight) nearly as many times as he had struck out (nine). The 28-year-old is a bit of a late bloomer, but he posted similarly strong numbers (.866 OPS) across 99 plate appearances after making his MLB debut in 2025. The lefty-swinging Cortes appears to have worked his way into an everyday role in the corner outfield for the Athletics, at least against right-handed starting pitching. Particularly given his hitter-friendly home park in Sacramento, Cortes profiles as a viable hitting streamer for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jorge Soler Remains an Impact Power Bat Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire
Across 157 plate appearances so far in 2026, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler is hitting .226/.325/.451 with eight home runs, 28 RBI, and 19 runs scored. With a 31.2% strikeout rate, Soler is unlikely to help fantasy managers in the batting average category. However, the 34-year-old remains a legitimate power bat even as he enters his mid-30s. Soler currently owns a 12.9% barrel rate, marking his eighth consecutive season with a barrel rate north of 12%. He's also managed to stay healthy this season after groin and back injuries limited him to just 315 plate appearances in 2025. As long as Soler can stay on the field in 2026, he should see every day playing time in the middle of the Angels lineup and could threaten 30 home runs. For fantasy managers searching for power on the waiver wire, Soler could be worth targeting.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Randy Vasquez Emerging as a Must-Add Waiver-Wire Target
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vasquez turned in another strong performance in his team's 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, throwing six innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts while picking up the win. The 27-year-old has been excellent so far this season for San Diego, recording a 4-1 record with a 3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings. Vasquez's strikeout rate currently sits at a career-best 23.2%, and his walk rate is down from 9.1% in 2025 to 7.2%. Vasquez's 80.6% strand rate may not be fully sustainable, but his strong 0.81 HR/9 helps him avoid blow-up innings and keeps his ERA down. Vasquez's average fastball velocity is also up to 94.8 miles per hour, a significant increase from his mark of 93.5 miles per hour in 2025. Particularly in deeper leagues, Vasquez should be scooped up off the waiver wire by fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Spencer Torkelson Remains a Viable Power Bat to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across his first 152 plate appearances of 2026, Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson is hitting .209/.329/.411 with six home runs, 15 RBI, and 13 runs scored. The 26-year-old's season has taken a strange shape, as five of his six home runs came in a five-day period between April 22 and April 26. Outside of that brief power surge, Torkelson has largely struggled. While his 14.5% walk rate is excellent, Torkelson's 30.9% strikeout rate puts a firm ceiling on his batting average upside. Still, his 15.9% barrel rate suggests that Torkelson remains a potent power threat. As the weather starts to heat up in Detroit, Torkelson should start to hit the ball out of the ballpark with more consistency. In deeper leagues where he may have been dropped, Torkelson profiles as a power bat worth targeting off the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kerry Carpenter Placed on 10-Day Injured List with Left AC Joint Sprain
Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (shoulder) has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left AC joint sprain. Infielder Gage Workman was recalled to take Carpenter's spot on Detroit's active roster. Carpenter exited early from the Tigers' loss to the Kansas City Royals on Saturday after colliding with the outfield wall and could now be facing an extended absence. Across his first 117 plate appearances of 2026 before getting injured, the 28-year-old was hitting .216/.299/.451 with six home runs, 17 RBI, and 11 runs scored. While Carpenter may be able to return to the Tigers relatively quickly, his performance post-shoulder ailment will be something for fantasy managers to monitor. In Carpenter's absence, Tigers outfielders Wenceel Perez and Jahmai Jones could both see an increase in playing time in right field and at designated hitter.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Lucas Erceg a Worthy Saves Target Despite Concerning Underlying Metrics?
Kansas City Royals right-hander Lucas Erceg has established himself as his team's closer so far this season, recording a 3.31 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 14 strikeouts and 10 saves across 16 1/3 innings (17 games). Erceg has gotten hot in recent weeks, as he's gone eight straight appearances without allowing an earned run. On the other hand, Erceg's underlying numbers offer some cause for alarm. The 31-year-old currently owns a 17.9% walk rate and is benefitting from a .268 opponent batting average on balls in play that sits well below his career mark of .307. Erceg does not generate whiffs like a typical closer either, as he's recorded 20.9% strikeout rate so far this season and struck out just 19.3% of the batters he faced in 2025. Erceg appears to be secure in the ninth-inning role in Kansas City for now, which makes him roster-worthy across all fantasy formats. Still, fantasy managers should proceed with caution, as Erceg's profile does not point to sustained dominance.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Seranthony Dominguez Establishing Himself as a Reliable Source of Saves
Across 14 2/3 innings (18 games) so far this season, Chicago White Sox closer Seranthony Dominguez has recorded a 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 19 strikeouts, and eight saves. The 31-year-old has been particularly locked in of late, allowing just one earned run while logging 11 strikeouts and five saves over his last nine appearances. Control continues to be an issue for Dominguez, as he currently owns a 14.3% walk rate after posting a 13.8% walk rate in 2025. However, his strikeout rate is also north of 30% for the second straight season, which helps mitigate the damage of his free passes. Dominguez appears to have a firm hold on the ninth-inning role for the White Sox and should be rostered across all fantasy formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ryan Walker Optioned to Triple-A
San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Walker has been optioned to Triple-A Sacramento, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Walker opened 2026 as San Francisco's primary closer, but he's struggled mightily so far this season. Across 15 1/3 innings (16 games), Walker has pitched to a 6.46 ERA and 1.89 WHIP with 14 strikeouts. He was just three for six on save chances and had allowed seven earned runs over his last four outings before being sent down. Walker's struggles to open 2026 were a continuation of his down year in 2025, when he pitched to a 4.11 ERA. San Francisco will now give the 30-year-old a chance to work through his struggles in a lower-pressure environment in the minor leagues. Right-hander Caleb Killian saw the most recent save opportunity for San Francisco and could be taking over the team's ninth-inning role.
Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
