April 18, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Brad Keller could be asked to take on a larger role in the bullpen over the next few weeks. On Saturday, closer
Jhoan Duran (oblique) was placed on the 15-day Injured List. The organization is hopeful it'll be a minimal stay for Duran, but the Phillies will still be without him for the next two weeks. The expectation is that either Keller or
Jose Alvarado will take over in the closer role while Duran is down. Given Alvarado's struggles, Keller seems like the favorite to get saves right now. Fantasy managers looking for a source for saves might want to consider adding Keller if he does end up taking over the closer role.
--Andy WebbSource: Baseball Reference
April 18, 2026
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher
Caleb Thielbar was handed the ball in the ninth inning during Saturday's game against the New York Mets. The Cubs are seeking a new closer while
Daniel Palencia (oblique) is on the Injured List. Thielbar got the first crack at the closer role and did a nice job on Saturday. The veteran southpaw tossed a clean inning with two strikeouts to earn his first save of the season. Thielbar only has six career saves, but could end up getting a majority of the save chances while Palenica is out.
Ben Brown is also an option, but the Cubs likely want to keep him in his multiple-inning role. Thielbar could be worth a look in the short-term for fantasy managers looking for a source of saves.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Jhoan Duran (oblique) was placed on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to April 15, on Saturday. The Phillies are hopeful that Duran will be back in 15 days. It's a "very mild" oblique strain, so the team believes he'll only need the minimum of 15 days on the shelf. It's unclear who is going to be the primary closer while Duran is out. It could be a closer-by-committee situation, which is never fun for fantasy managers. At the moment,
Brad Keller and
Jose Alvarado are the favorites to get the ball in the ninth while Duran is down. Fantasy managers will hopefully only be without Duran for the next two weeks, but the team should continue to update his status as Duran progresses.
--Andy WebbSource: Todd Zolecki
April 18, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) has been reinstated from the Injured List on Saturday. Gurriel is set to make his season debut after missing the beginning of the season while recovering from ACL surgery he underwent last September. The assumption was that Gurriel would be eased back into things and serve as the designated hitter. That isn't the case as Gurriel is in left field and batting cleanup against right-hander
Max Scherzer on Saturday. The 32-year-old is coming off major knee surgery, so fantasy managers should dampen their expectations. Gurriel should still be able to offer decent value in deeper mixed leagues.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Colorado Rockies infielder
Willi Castro (hand) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This marks the third game in a row that Castro has missed due to a lingering hand issue. Castro was hit by a pitch on Wednesday and hasn't suited up for a game since then. It doesn't sound like this issue is going to force Castro to land on the Injured List. For now, Castro should be considered day-to-day until the Rockies give another update on his status.
Edouard Julien will serve as the leadoff hitter and cover second base against right-hander
Emmet Sheehan on Saturday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho (knee) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This doesn't come as a surprise after Varsho was forced to make an early exit from Friday's contest due to left knee discomfort. The Jays are considering Varsho as day-to-day and will give him a rest day on Saturday. His absence means that
Myles Straw draws the start in center field and will bat eighth versus right-hander
Zac Gallen. Straw doesn't offer enough upside with the bat to warrant looking at in fantasy leagues.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
The Philadelphia Phillies placed right-handed closer
Jhoan Duran (oblique) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 15) with a left-oblique strain on Saturday, according to Jeff Skversky of FOX 29 Philly. Fantasy managers should expect Duran to be out longer than the 15 days with his oblique injury, but he needs to remain stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. The hard-throwing 28-year-old Dominican was off to a fine start in 2026, too, in his first full season with the Phillies. Through seven relief appearances, Duran held a 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, five saves, eight strikeouts, and no walks in 6 2/3 innings pitched. It's unclear how the Phils will approach the ninth inning in the absence of Duran moving forward, but all of
Jose Alvarado,
Brad Keller, and
Orion Kerkering could be involved in some sort of closer-by-committee situation. Alvarado, 30, has the most closing experience in his nine-plus MLB seasons, for what it's worth. The left-hander has recorded 52 saves in 374 1/3 innings pitched, and he's been in Philly since the start of the 2021 campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 29 Philly - Jeff Skversky
April 18, 2026
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers (hamstring) will be activated from the 10-day injured list on Sunday, according to manager Clayton McCullough. The 28-year-old has missed the entire 2026 season due to a right hamstring injury that he sustained during Spring Training. After battling back in March, he reaggravated the injury while rounding the bases in a split-squad game against the Astros. After that, the team announced that he would get some opportunities to play first base upon his return. During his five-game minor-league rehab assignment, he only started there once, so it's unclear if and when he will get that opportunity this season. All that being said, fantasy managers should be excited to have the power-hitting Stowers back in their lineup, as he looks to build off a successful 2025 season where he hit 25 home runs.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Kevin Barral
April 18, 2026
Baltimore Orioles second baseman
Jeremiah Jackson has had a surprisingly hot start to the season. Taking over for the injured
Jackson Holliday, the 26-year-old second baseman has given the Orioles a much-needed spark more than once. This past week alone, he has hit four home runs and recorded 11 RBI in just five games played. While this should be considered a huge success, it's hard to trust that this will sustain itself long-term. He has yet to record a walk this year and has posted a 44.0% chase rate, bringing attention to his tendency to lack patience at the plate. Additionally, his 31.1% hard-hit rate suggests that there might not be much power in his future unless changes are made at the plate. For now, he should be added to the deepest of leagues for minimal cost, as fantasy managers would be wise to be ready to drop him once Holliday returns to the lineup.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
After a hot start to the season, Tampa Bay Rays first baseman
Jonathan Aranda has cooled off significantly throughout most of April. The 27-year-old has just two hits over his last 30 plate appearances (.091), and only eight total base hits this month. His current .214 BA is more than 100 points lower than his 2025 batting average, though this does come with a .246 xBA. While it is too early in the season to panic, this is something to monitor. Calling Tropicana Field home in 2026 should be considered a downgrade for most hitters, as it is widely considered to be a pitcher's ballpark. That, alongside these early-season struggles, may cause fantasy managers to want to make a change. For now, he can remain on the bench with the hope that he can turn things around and get back to his powerful and productive ways from just one year ago.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
New York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga will remain in the team's starting rotation for now, manager
Carlos Mendoza told Laura Albanese of Newsday. The Mets will continue to look at film to figure something out. "We've got to help him," Mendoza said. The 33-year-old Japanese hurler is off to a dreadful start in 2026, going 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA (5.35 FIP) and 1.90 WHIP with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks in 17 1/3 innings over his first four starts for the Mets. Senga got off to a decent start with four earned runs allowed in his first two starts of the year against the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants, but he's surrendered 13 earned runs on 14 hits (four homers) while walking five and striking out six in 5 2/3 innings in his last two outings against the Athletics and Chicago Cubs. He might be one more bad outing away from being sent to the bullpen in New York. If Senga is demoted from the rotation, either veteran left-hander
Sean Manaea or pitching prospect
Jonah Tong could be the top options to replace him.
--Keith HernandezSource: Newsday - Laura Albanese
April 18, 2026
New York Mets rookie outfielder
Carson Benge will serve as the team's leadoff hitter for the second straight day on Saturday for Game 2 of the series in Chicago against the Cubs and right-hander
Jameson Taillon at Wrigley Field, according to MLB.com. Benge went 1-for-4 in the team's ninth straight loss to the Cubs on Friday. The Mets are trying anything to get their bats going without star outfielder
Juan Soto (calf). They currently rank 28th in MLB with a .632 team OPS as they head into Saturday's game at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Benge's DFS value will increase for the second straight game in the leadoff spot, but since hitting a home run in his major-league debut on Opening Day, he's been pretty ice-cold at the plate. The former 19th overall pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State is hitting just 158 (9-for-57) with three RBI, five stolen bases, five runs scored, six walks, and 16 strikeouts in his first 17 big-league games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Cincinnati Reds infielder
Sal Stewart is making the start at second base and will hit cleanup for the Reds for Saturday's ballgame against the hosting Minnesota Twins and right-hander
Taj Bradley at Target Field, according to MLB.com. The slumping
Matt McLain will get the day off after starting with a .183 average (13-for-71) in 20 games. With Stewart moving over to the keystone, the left-handed-hitting
Nathaniel Lowe will draw into the starting lineup at first base. It remains to be seen if Stewart will play enough to gain eligibility at second base in 2026, but if he does, it would be another big boost to an already dynamic young slugger. The 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 has been one of the best hitters in baseball through the first couple of weeks of the 2026 season, as he enters Saturday's game in the Twin Cities with a .300/.405/.657 slash line, 1.062 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 14 runs scored, and even four stolen bases in 70 at-bats. Stewart has been a hot waiver-wire pickup and is now rostered in 89% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (finger) was checked out by the team's medical staff in the eighth inning in Friday night's loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks after clipping his left index finger on an opponent's jersey, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Guerrero ultimately stayed in the game, though, and manager John Schneider said he should be fine to play on Saturday in the desert in Game 2 of the series against the D-backs. The 27-year-old five-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner went 1-for-4 at the plate with an RBI in Friday night's 6-3 loss, and he's hitting a strong .319/.427/.420 with a homer, eight RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in his first 82 plate appearances of the 2026 season. Fantasy managers will want to check back later to see if Vladdy is in the starting lineup in Phoenix for a matchup with right-hander
Zac Gallen.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
April 18, 2026
Chicago Cubs left-hander
Matthew Boyd (biceps) threw 64 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday and reported feeling good on Friday, according to MLB.com. Boyd is on target to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start next Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran left-hander is recovering from a left-biceps strain that sent him to the IL on April 6. It's great news for a Cubs pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries early in the 2026 campaign. While it's good news for Chicago, fantasy managers who have Boyd rostered might want to keep him benched for a tough first matchup back against Philly. In his 3 2/3 innings on Thursday with Iowa, Boyd looked good, striking out six batters and walking one while throwing 64 total pitches. Boyd could be somewhat limited from a pitch-count perspective next week after he's reinstated, which is another reason to fade him as a fantasy play next week.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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