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Andrew Vaughn Emerging as Sneaky Waiver-Wire Option
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn joined the team in a midseason trade last year and had a monster second half, making him a nice waiver wire addition. He's looking to run it back this season and is back with the team after missing over a month with a fractured hamate bone suffered on Opening Day. Vaughn went 0-for-4 in his first game back but went 2-for-4 with a homer on Wednesday and 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored on Friday against the Yankees. He's hitting .267 with a .389 wOBA in his extremely small sample size this year, and after joining the Brewers just after July 4 last year, he hit .308 with a .373 wOBA and nine homers in 64 games. Especially in leagues that reward high batting average and run production, Vaughn should have value for as long as he's a regular, everyday part of the Brew Crew's lineup. He is worth adding in all standard 12-team leagues if needing a boost in your corner infield position.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rockies Turn to Juan Mejia for Second Save, Seeing Value Increase in Deep Leagues
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Juan Mejia earned his second save of the season on Friday night in Philadelphia, closing out the Phillies in the 11th inning after his team scored two runs in the top of the inning. Mejia allowed one hit and had one strikeout, fanning Kyle Schwarber and getting Bryce Harper to ground out to second to end the game. Mejia has a 4.66 ERA in his 16 games this season, racking up 25 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings. He has allowed zero runs in five of his last six appearances and remains the team's primary setup option in front of usual closer Victor Vodnik. Vodnik pitched two shutout innings in the ninth and 10th frames to earn the win on Friday, and he'll likely remain the team's primary closer. However, Mejia has been effective enough to be a deep-league sleeper and would potentially be the next arm up if Vodnik is unavailable.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tony Santillan Sees Closer Value Drop After Four-Run Outing
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Santillan was expected to be one of the team's top options to fill in for injured closer Emilio Pagan (hamstring), but he has not helped his case in his recent outings. On Friday, he worked in a non-save situation against the Astros and failed to record an out while giving up four runs on four hits, including two home runs. He only threw 13 pitches before exiting after back-to-back homers by Zach Cole and Christian Vazquez. Santillan blew a save opportunity on Tuesday as well, giving up a home run to Michael Busch in the ninth. His ERA has ballooned to 5.17 on the season, and he has allowed five homers in his last five innings with a 16.20 ERA over that span. With Santillan struggling, Graham Ashcraft will probably get the next chance to close out a game with a save, although he blew his last opportunity as well. Both Santillan and Ashcraft project to split save opportunities in the short term, making both relievers best left for 12+ team leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Is Robby Snelling Still a Top Pickup After Shaky MLB Debut?
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Robby Snelling took the loss in his first MLB start on Friday against the Nationals. He worked five innings and gave up three runs on five hits and four walks while throwing 86 pitches. After starting the game with an impressive strikeout of James Wood, he gave up all three runs in the first inning, including a two-run blast from Jacob Young. Snelling settled in and didn't give up a run in the next four frames, but he also didn't have any strikeouts during those innings. The 22-year-old lefty had a sparkling 1.86 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 29 innings at Triple-A, and he still brings a high ceiling and excellent strikeout potential for as long as he stays in the starting rotation. His next turn lines up to be Thursday in Minnesota, and he remains a great option going forward, even though the results weren't ideal in his debut.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Spencer Jones Emerging as Top Power Option on Waiver Wire?
New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones made his long-awaited MLB debut on Friday night, and if you are looking for some power potential on the waiver wire, he has a lot of upside to offer. Jones went 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts in his debut, but facing flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski is a tough ask for any rookie. The 24-year-old lefty still has plenty of upside to consider moving forward, though, after he crushed 11 homers in his 33 games in Triple-A this season and hit 35 homers in 116 games in the minors last year. Jones has had an extremely high strikeout rate throughout his career and has been a "two-outcome" option throughout his climb through the minors. If he gets regular playing time, he will likely be able to produce power in the majors as well, although he will also likely hurt your batting average or other categories that reward contact over pure power. With Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) and Giancarlo Stanton (calf) both on the shelf, Jones should see near everyday at-bats in the short term.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Hogan Harris Secures One-Out Save for Athletics, Worth Adding in Deeper Leagues?
Athletics relief pitcher Hogan Harris came on in the ninth inning of his team's one-run win over the Orioles on Friday night. He didn't start the inning, but he did get the final out to earn his second save of the year. Jack Perkins actually got the call to start the final frame but gave up a run on a walk and a single, with Harris coming in with a runner on first and two outs. Harris walked Leody Taveras but then fanned Jeremiah Jackson to end the threat and secure the victory. Perkins, Harris, and Joel Kuhnel continue to share work at the end of the game, and all three pitched on Friday. Harris has been the best of the trio lately, with Perkins blowing a save on Wednesday and struggling again on Friday. In deeper leagues, Harris has enough value and potential to take over the role to be a strong stash candidate if you are desperately seeking saves.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jacob Misiorowski Steals the Show Against Yankees, Fans 11
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski didn't show any signs of being hindered by his hamstring after being pulled early from his last start in the team's 6-0 shutout win over the visiting New York Yankees on Friday night. Misiorowski showed why he's one of the most dominant young arms in baseball with six shutout innings to earn his third victory of the year while dropping his season ERA to 2.45. The Miz allowed just two hits, walked two, and tied a season high with 11 strikeouts. The 24-year-old hard-throwing right-hander was bringing the cheese, nearly hitting 104 mph on the radar gun with his fastball in the first inning at American Family Field. Forty-one of Misiorowski's 95 pitches on the night registered in triple digits, making it look easy against one of the best offenses in the league. After the dominant performance, he now holds a 2.45 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 17 walks in his 44 innings pitched across eight starts. Misiorowski has quickly become a must-start fantasy ace in his first full year in the bigs.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Dylan Cease Continues Strong First Year in Toronto With Dominant Outing
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease was dominant again in his outing on Friday night against the visiting Los Angeles Angels in the team's 2-0 shutout win. Cease threw seven shutout frames while allowing five hits, walking none, and striking out 10 to earn his third victory of the year in his first year with the Blue Jays. He also lowered his ERA on the year to 2.58. It was the second straight start in which Cease went seven innings, and he induced 19 swings and misses on his 97 pitches. The 30-year-old veteran only allowed one extra-base hit on the evening at the Rogers Centre as he made easy work of the struggling Halos. Cease has been an excellent pickup for Toronto so far in 2026, as he entered Friday's outing with a 2-1 record, 3.05 ERA (2.12 FIP), and 1.33 WHIP with 56 strikeouts and 18 walks in 38 1/3 innings pitched. He has recorded three double-digit strikeout performances in his eight starts so far in 2026. Cease will have a big challenge on his hand in his next outing next week versus the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, but he's been a must-start for fantasy managers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Justin Verlander to Throw Live Batting Practice on Saturday
Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) will throw a live batting practice session on Saturday, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. It will be Verlander's first time facing hitters since landing on the 15-day injured list in early April with left-hip inflammation. It's a positive step for the 43-year-old veteran, but there's still no specific timetable for his return, and we wouldn't be surprised if he's not back with the Tigers until the calendar flips to May. In his lone start in his return to Motown in 2026 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 30, Verlander struggled, allowing five earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out only one in 3 2/3 innings. Durability is a major question for the future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner as he nears the end of his outstanding career, although he did make 29 starts with the San Francisco Giants a year ago. In addition to injury issues, Verlander is no longer the dominant strikeout artist he once was, and he's only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
Source: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
Kyle Teel Could Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (hamstring) will run the bases to test his hamstring this weekend. If all goes well, he could go on a minor-league rehab assignment next week, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Teel has been on the 10-day injured list all season to this point with a right-hamstring strain, but if he's cleared to begin a rehab assignment, he could be activated to make his 2026 season debut by next weekend. When the 24-year-old is finally cleared to return to the major-league roster, he should operate as Chicago's primary backstop. The former first-rounder (14th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2023 out of Virginia handled himself well in 78 games across 297 plate appearances in his rookie campaign in 2025 with the Pale Hose, slashing .273/.375/.411 with a .786 OPS, eight home runs, 35 RBI, 38 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Fantasy managers looking to upgrade at the catching position may want to stash Teel now. He's currently rostered in just 10% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available.
Source: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
Source: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
Abner Uribe Remains a Solid Source for Saves
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Abner Uribe has been taking care of business lately. Uribe has notched three of his last four save chances, but is posting a 4.05 ERA on the season. It hasn't always been pretty, but Uribe has mostly been reliable when it matters most. The Brewers have a few options they can use in the ninth inning, but they've been leaning on Uribe lately. The right-hander has recorded each of the last three save chances. Uribe has a ton of potential as a long-term closer, but there are some growing pains as well. The Brewers should be winning enough to give Uribe plenty of opportunities moving forward. Despite some struggles, fantasy managers seeking a source for saves should add Uribe.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Tanner Scott is Becoming a Must-Add Reliever
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Tanner Scott is off to a strong start to the 2026 season. After some struggles last season, Scott appears to have made the correct adjustments. He currently owns a 1.88 ERA with a 15:2 K/BB ratio across 14.2 innings of work this season. The southpaw has fallen back into a high-leverage role with Edwin Diaz (elbow) currently sidelined. Scott notched his second save of the season on Sunday. He figures to be the favorite for saves, but Alex Vesia could also get mixed in as well. Scott has the stuff to be an elite closer moving forward. He has shown that he can do it in the past and should get a legitimate shot while Diaz is down. Fantasy managers seeking bullpen help should look into adding Scott.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Josh Jung is Worth an Add During Hot Streak
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung has been putting together a solid run at the plate lately. He recently saw his 13-game hitting streak come to an end on Wednesday. During that span, Jung slashed .400/.455/.620 with two home runs and 11 RBI. He has cooled off a bit since seeing his hitting streak end, but that shouldn't sway away fantasy managers. The 28-year-old has been impressive against right-handed pitching all season long. He has shown the upside to be a dominant right-handed power threat throughout his career. Fantasy managers in need of some offensive help right now should consider adding Jung while he's hot.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Louis Varland is Pushing Must-Add Territory
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Louis Varland is quickly running away with the full-time closer job. He recently took over for the struggling Jeff Hoffman and has looked fantastic in the ninth-inning role. Varland tossed a scoreless frame on Friday to notch his fifth save of the season. The right-hander has allowed one earned run across 19.2 innings of work this season. He owns a 1.07 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and only seven walks to his name. Given how well he's pitching, Varland should remain the favorite for saves in Toronto going forward. Fantasy managers looking for a source of saves or need a reliable relief pitcher should check the waiver wire to see if Varland is available.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Christian Scott is Gaining Value After Another Solid Outing
New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott is beginning to settle in at the big league level. He struggled during his first outing of the year, when he issued five walks across 1.1 innings of work on April 23. Since then, Scott has cleaned up his act on the mound and is putting together quality numbers. During his most recent outing, Scott tossed 4.2 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out six batters in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander has walked only two batters since his rough outing to begin the season. He's currently lined up to face the Detroit Tigers in his next start. He should be considered a possible deep league streaming option for that one.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
