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Cubs Activate Phil Maton From Injured List, the New Temporary Closer?
The Chicago Cubs reinstated right-hander reliever Phil Maton (knee) from the 15-day injured list on Monday and optioned Charlie Barnes to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move, according to Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network. Maton will be returning to the Cubs bullpen since landing on the IL back on April 10 with right-knee tendinitis. The 33-year-old veteran reliever allowed six earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking four and striking out five in four innings of work out of the bullpen before his knee injury, but he had a nice 2.79 ERA with a career-high five saves, and an 81:23 K:BB in 61 1/3 innings for the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers last year. The Cubs' pitching staff has been decimated by injuries early in the year, so Maton could see opportunities to pick up more saves in Chicago now that he's healthy. In addition to Maton, Ben Brown, Jacob Webb, and Hoby Milner could be involved in a committee approach for manager Craig Counsell. Fantasy managers desperate for saves in deeper leagues should consider stashing Maton, who is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
Max Muncy Feeling Better, Starting at Third Base on Monday
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (illness) is back at third base and will hit sixth on Monday against the visiting Miami Marlins and right-hander Chris Paddack in the series opener at Dodger Stadium, according to MLB.com. Muncy missed Saturday's win over the Chicago Cubs due to an illness, and he was held out of the series finale on Sunday as a regular day of rest. The veteran left-handed-hitting slugger is feeling much better to start the new week, and he should be returned to starting fantasy lineups where he's rostered. The 35-year-old two-time All-Star has been swinging a hot bat in the first month of the 2026 season, slashing .300/.394/.633 with a 1.028 OPS, nine home runs, 11 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 26 games played. Muncy should especially be back in starting lineups against a right-handed pitcher prone to the long ball. In 15 career at-bats against Paddack, Muncy is hitting .267 with a 1.189 OPS and two solo home runs.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Will Smith Back in Action in Series Opener Against Marlins
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (back) is behind the plate to catch right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and will hit third for the Dodgers in Monday's series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins and right-hander Chris Paddack, according to MLB.com. Smith missed the final two games of the Dodgers' series over the weekend against the Chicago Cubs with back tightness, but he's back for the start of the new week and should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups. With Smith back, Dalton Rushing will head to the bench. Smith, a three-time All-Star, will return to a .266/.337/.392 slash line with a .729 OPS, three home runs, 14 RBI, and 11 runs scored in his 79 total at-bats this year. In four career at-bats against Paddack, Smith has one hit, two RBI, and a .750 OPS. In 10 games since April 13, Smith has gone 8-for-35 (.229) with a homer, double, seven RBI, and three runs scored for the Blue.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Josh Jung Hitting Second in Rangers Order Against Yankees
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung is hitting second in the batting order for Monday's series opener against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Max Fried, according to MLB.com. Jung has been healthy of late and is red-hot at the dish, going 21-for-56 (.375) with four home runs and 13 RBI in his last 15 games for the Rangers. Overall, the oft-injured 28-year-old is batting .308 (28-for-91) with four home runs, 14 RBI, 12 runs scored, and a stolen base in 25 games played. Jung hasn't been all that great against left-handed pitching so far in 2026, though, going 4-for-22 (.182) against them with one of his four home runs in 24 plate appearances. He'll be facing one of the toughest southpaws in the league on Monday night against Fried, too. Jung's move up in the batting order reflects how hot he's been recently, and fantasy managers in need of corner-infield help should consider adding him off the waiver wire. Jung is rostered in 41% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Giancarlo Stanton Out Again on Monday, Heading for Injured List?
New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) continues to sit out of the starting nine for Monday's series opener against the hosting Texas Rangers and right-hander Jack Leiter at Globe Life Field, according to MLB.com. Jasson Dominguez, who was just called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, will start at DH and will bat sixth against Leiter. Despite Dominguez's return and Stanton's injury, which he suffered on Friday against the Houston Astros, the Yankees will hold off on putting Stanton on the 10-day injured list for now. The New York Post's Greg Joyce reports that it looks as though the Yankees will play a pitcher short during their series in Texas and give Stanton a chance to return sooner than if they had put him on the IL. The 36-year-old Stanton is missing his third game in a row due to right-calf soreness. It's still unclear if Stanton will eventually require an IL stint, but fantasy managers looking for outfield help should consider acquiring Dominguez off the waiver wire after his hot start offensively in the minors. Dominguez could become a lineup regular if Stanton misses more time. UPDATE: Stanton went for an MRI exam on his calf on Monday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Josh Naylor Back in Starting Lineup on Monday
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (quadriceps) is starting at first base and is batting cleanup for Monday's series opener in Minnesota against the Twins and rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp, according to MLB.com. Naylor needed just one day to recover from quadriceps tightness and is right back in the lineup after missing Sunday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Naylor can pick up right where he left off at the plate, as he had gone 12-for-25 (.480) with a home run, four RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases over his last seven games. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting Canadian has hit just .208 (21-for-101) on the year with three home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and four steals in 101 at-bats. Fantasy managers might want to keep Naylor benched against a lefty he's never faced. Naylor has gone 4-for-24 (.167) against lefties so far in 2026, with none of his three homers coming against them.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Amid Slump, Luke Raley Still Worthy of Roster Consideration?
Seattle Mariners outfielder Luke Raley continued his skid on Sunday, going 0-for-3 at the plate, and he's now hitless in his last 12 at-bats and is 1-for-19 (.053) over his last 10 games. Of course, as a career .232 hitter coming into the season, the 6-foot-3 slugger was probably overdue for some regression after starting the year 20-for-59 (.339). Still, with bat speed, hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and average exit velocity all 89th percentile or better, expect more home runs from the left-handed hitter, even if the batting average doesn't return. He's seen just two plate appearances against left-handed pitching all season, which puts a cap on his production ceiling in season-long leagues, although leagues with daily lineup changes alleviate that problem somewhat. With a career ISO of .216 and wRC+ of 127 against righties, though, he could be a solid DFS play on days where the Mariners have a high implied run total and are facing a right-hander.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Moises Ballesteros Continues to Trend Upward, Worth Adding Off the Wire?
Chicago Cubs catcher/designated hitter Moises Ballesteros has been raking to begin 2026. The diminutive backstop has collected an extra-base hit in three consecutive games (three doubles, one home run), and is now slashing a robust .397/.446/.690 on the year with a .486 wOBA and 215 wRC+. The drawback right now is that he is exclusively being deployed against right-handed pitchers, with five plate appearances against LHP and 60 against RHP, while averaging under three plate appearances per game so far. With how hot he is, though, the Cubs' former top prospect warrants consideration for a roster spot, especially in leagues that allow daily lineup changes. This is a kid who was a .303 career hitter in 182 games at Triple-A and who hit .298 in his 20-game debut in 2025, so if his advanced hit tool earns him more at-bats, more production will follow. The 22-year-old is available in almost 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and should be a regular DFS consideration when the Cubs are facing a right-hander.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
What Does Power Outage Mean for Jake Bauers' Fantasy Value?
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers has done a fine job filling in at first base this season after expected starter Andrew Vaughn (hand) hit the injured list before the season began. Bauers hit five home runs in his first 15 games this season, and although he is in the midst of a 10-game homerless drought, the left-handed slugger is also currently riding a five-game hit streak. During this streak, he's gone 8-for-21 (.381) with three doubles, and is now slashing .261/.316/.477 for the year with a .339 wOBA and 115 wRC+. Expected stats like xBA and xwOBA are in line with his actual statistics, so there doesn't appear to be any signs of regression one way or the other, and with bat speed, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity all 92nd-percentile or better, more long balls should be on the way. Vaughn could be back by mid-May, so Bauers' playing time could become diminished, but for now, he's worth adding from the waiver wire for managers looking for some power production, and is available in over 80 percent of leagues.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Ronny Mauricio a Sneaky Power Bat Available on the Waiver Wire
New York Mets infielder Ronny Mauricio is a name to consider on the waiver wire this week as the Mets recently called up their former top prospect when Francisco Lindor (calf) went on the injured list. Mauricio was hitting .293 at Triple-A and was already up to six home runs and five steals this season in just 15 games. The steals aren't something fantasy managers should expect in the majors, but he could be a sneaky source of power while filling in at shortstop. The 6-foot-3 Dominican hit six home runs last season with the Mets in only 61 games, and was the owner of the 10th-hardest hit ball in the majors at 117.3 mph back in 2023, the year he debuted. The switch-hitter is 3-for-6 in his last two games, is eligible at both 2B and 3B in Yahoo! leagues, and should soon gain eligibility at SS.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Anthony Volpe a Priority Injured List Stash?
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) is rostered in just nine percent of Yahoo! leagues, but with his expected return to the big league club this week, that number should probably be higher. The former first-round draft pick had a 20/20 season in his debut season of 2023, and was nearly 20/20 again last year (19 home runs, 18 steals). The right-handed hitter will likely be a drain on batting average, but he's hitting .308 through eight rehab games in the minors, so perhaps there's hope he could outproduce his career batting average of .222. Also, hitting anywhere in the league's fifth-best run-producing lineup (5.21 runs/game) should carry plenty of RBI and run-scoring opportunities. The soon-to-be-25-year-old is worth a look in most 12-team mixed leagues and could be stashed away ahead of his return.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Should Fantasy Managers Consider Dropping Daulton Varsho?
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho looked like he was heating up, going 13-for-38 (.342) over a 10-game stretch from April 10 through April 22, but went ice cold in the Cleveland series over the weekend. The left-handed hitter went 0-for-11 in the three-game set and is now slashing .230/.302/.379 with a .303 wOBA and 88 wRC+. The 29-year-old is putting the bat on the ball at a career-best 84.1 percent of the time with a career-best strikeout rate of 16.7 percent, but with a noticeable year-over-year drop in bat speed, it looks like he's sacrificing power for contact, but it's coming without a corresponding uptick in batting average. The 5-foot-8 slugger belted at least 18 home runs from 2022 to 2025, but with an average exit velocity in the fourth percentile and just a 5.6 percent barrel rate, that could be a challenge in 2026. Perhaps his bat will warm up with the weather, but there may be higher upside options on the waiver wire. He's 36 percent rostered on Yahoo!, and it probably shouldn't be any higher than that for now.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Gabriel Moreno Could Return This Weekend
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (oblique) isn't expected to return from the 10-day injured list for the series this week against the Milwaukee Brewers, but he could return for the series against the Chicago Cubs this weekend, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. The D-backs originally thought the 26-year-old backstop would be an option to return against Milwaukee on Tuesday. Until Moreno can return this weekend, the Snakes will move forward with James McCann and Aramis Garcia at catcher if Adrian Del Castillo (finger) is forced to join Moreno on the IL after injuring his finger on Sunday in Mexico City. The once-promising Moreno has quickly lost luster in fantasy baseball leagues, especially single-catcher formats. Durability has been a major issue, as he has played in over 100 games just once in four MLB seasons. Through 13 games this year, Moreno has hit .275 (11-for-40), but with no homers and five RBI. Moreno has never had double-digit home runs in a season and is currently rostered in just 11% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
Grayson Rodriguez Facing Hitters in Arizona
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) faced hitters in Arizona for the equivalent of three innings on Friday, and manager Kurt Suzuki said he "feels good," according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Suzuki said the team will wait until they see how Rodriguez feels before determining his next step. Rodriguez has yet to make his Angels debut after landing on the 15-day injured list with right-shoulder inflammation before Opening Day. The 26-year-old appears to be on the verge of starting what will be a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment, which means he could be an option to join the Halos' starting rotation at some point in May. Rodriguez came up with the Baltimore Orioles as one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 looked good in his second MLB season in 2024 and has a 25.7% strikeout rate in his 238 2/3 big-league innings, but injuries are threatening to derail his career. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues can likely take a wait-and-see approach to G-Rod once he hears a return to the big-league mound. He's rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Quinn Priester Shaky Again in Second Rehab Start
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Quinn Priester's (wrist) control and velocity were both issues in his second minor-league rehab start on Sunday at Triple-A Nashville. The 25-year-old threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings and didn't allow a hit, but he walked three and struck out two, and threw just 18 of his 45 pitches for strikes. Lack of control has been an issue for Priester so far in his first two rehab starts, as he threw only 12 of his 29 pitches for strikes in his first rehab start. We'd expect Priester to need at least two more rehab starts before the Brewers think he's ready to pitch in the big leagues. The former first-rounder by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 has yet to pitch in 2026 due to symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome. It's a tricky injury that could eventually require surgery down the road. Right now, Priester can probably be left on the waiver wire in shallow-mixed fantasy leagues while he continues to work on his control on the farm. He's rostered in 23% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
