April 16, 2026
If Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki opts to go with someone else at closer after right-hander
Jordan Romano blew two saves in New York against the Yankees this week, The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher suggests that right-hander
Chase Silseth might be the next man up. Silseth has a 2.84 ERA and 1.58 WHIP with six walks and eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 relief innings for the Halos this year in his nine outings. Right-handers
Kirby Yates (knee) and
Ben Joyce (shoulder) remain on the injured list and have yet to make their season debuts, so the Angels don't exactly have many great options beyond Romano, who is a two-time All-Star with 117 career saves in seven-plus MLB seasons. While Silseth has fared well early on in 2026, he holds a 5.53 FIP and has never recorded a save in his four-plus MLB campaigns. Silseth also has three holds, and he should only be a consideration for a waiver-wire pickup in deeper fantasy leagues for managers desperate in the saves column. Veteran lefty
Drew Pomeranz has five holds this year and 10 career saves in 12-plus years in the big leagues, and he could get a shot as well in save situations if Romano loses the job.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
April 16, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
James Tibbs III has cooled considerably since his white-hot start to the season, going just 3-for-33 (.091) with an ugly 41.5 percent strikeout rate over his last nine games. He was never going to stay on the pace he was before that (.514 AVG, 12 extra-base hits, including seven home runs in eight games), but it appears to have gone from one extreme to another. On the plus side, the Dodgers' 10th-ranked prospect has continued to get on base via the walk, collecting seven of them in this recent nine-game skid and recording a strong 13.8 percent walk rate for the season. Hopefully the former 13th-overall draft pick can get going again soon, but for now, the shine has worn off his status as a top offensive stash option in fantasy leagues. The 23-year-old will likely make his MLB debut at some point this season, but with a healthy outfield on the big league club and the left-handed slugger clearly needing some additional seasoning at Triple-A, he does not appear to be on the verge of a call-up.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 16, 2026
Across his first 77 plate appearances of 2026, Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong is hitting .236/.276/.306 with one home run, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and four stolen bases. The 24-year-old was the talk of baseball to start the 2025 season, posting an .847 OPS with 25 home runs and 27 stolen bases before the All-Star break. However, Crow-Armstrong faltered down the stretch, posting a .634 OPS with just six homers in the season's second half. So far in 2026, Crow-Armstrong has been closer to his second-half self. He owns a subpar 4% barrel rate and has struck out in 29.9% of his plate appearances while walking at just a 3.9% clip. Crow-Armstrong's athleticism and elite defense should keep him in the Cubs' lineup and allow him to rack up stolen bases and counting stats. Still, the high-end power/speed upside that Crow-Armstrong showcased early in 2025 is starting to look more like a temporary hot streak than an established level of production.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 16, 2026
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect
Max Clark has been showing why he was a third-overall draft pick back in 2023, consistently climbing the ranks of the Tigers' farm system and proving he's not overmatched whatsoever at Triple-A thus far in 2025. The Tigers' second-ranked prospect (soon to be top-ranked with the eventual graduation of
Kevin McGonigle) has tallied six multi-hit performances over his last 10 games, and is now hitting .356, slugging .525, and owns a .437 on-base percentage thanks to a robust 14.1 percent walk rate. What's more is that the left-handed slugger has just an 8.5 percent strikeout rate and has swiped six bases. He's played just 15 games at Triple-A, but soon there won't be much left to prove, and a debut in the majors is drawing nearer and nearer. With a fantasy-friendly combination of contact, power, and speed, the 21-year-old is a worthy stash candidate in all formats.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 16, 2026
Colorado Rockies corner infielder/outfielder prospect
Charlie Condon continues to hit well at Triple-A Albuquerque, going 5-for-12 (.417) over his last three games. The Rockies' second-ranked prospect is slashing an impressive .319/.439/.617 with four home runs and, perhaps more importantly, has lowered his strikeout rate to a better-than-average 19.3 percent for the season. The right-hander is also drawing walks at a 14.0 percent clip and has even stolen a base. The main knock on the former third-overall draft pick was his strikeout rate, which showed improvement in the Arizona Fall League and in Cactus League play, and now it is translating to regular-season action. After a strong start to the year, Rockies first baseman T.J. Rumfield has cooled, going 3-for-24 (.124) with zero extra-base hits over his last seven games, so there isn't much blocking Condon's path, especially given that he can also play third base, outfield, or simply be the designated hitter. With his power and the 6-foot-5 slugger's home field being Coors Field, he remains a top hitter to stash in deep leagues, and could even become viable in shallower formats given his improved approach at the plate.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 16, 2026
Across his first 90 plate appearances of the 2026 season, Los Angeles Angels shortstop
Zach Neto is hitting .240/.367/.493 with five home runs, nine RBI, 17 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 25-year-old has not been especially aggressive on the base paths so far this season, but Neto has a track record as a speed asset with 56 stolen bases over the past two seasons combined. Elsewhere in his profile, Neto looks to be on track to provide strong fantasy production. His 12% barrel rate supports his strong power output, and his 15.6% walk rate at the top of the Angels lineup should allow him to continue racking up runs scored. While Neto's 27.8% strikeout rate limits his batting average upside, he makes enough hard contact to avoid crushing fantasy managers in the category. As long as he stays healthy, Neto appears poised to be a high-end fantasy shortstop in 2026.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 16, 2026
Across his first 78 plate appearances of 2026, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner is hitting .260/.308/.397 with two home runs, seven RBI, 13 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 32-year-old has a long track record of strong MLB production, so it's too early in the season for fantasy managers to panic. However, Turner is showing some signs of age-related decline. For one, his strikeout rate has risen from 16.7% to 21.8% while his barrel and hard-hit rates currently sit at just 3.6% and 28.6%. Perhaps most concerningly, Turner has attempted just one stolen base across 18 games played after going 36-for-43 as a base stealer across 141 games in 2025. The veteran shortstop is locked into everyday playing time at the top of the Phillies' order. He should be able to rack up counting stats and has plenty of time to heat up as the season progresses. Still, Turner's fantasy value is trending in the wrong direction in the midst of a relatively slow start to the year.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 16, 2026
Miami Marlins pitching prospect
Robby Snelling was in the mix to make the Marlins' starting rotation before ultimately being reassigned to Triple-A to begin the year, but since then, the left-hander has been making his case for a big league debut. In his latest outing, the former 39th-overall draft pick struck out 12 batters in just five innings of work, now with a remarkable 40.7 strikeout rate through three starts. Granted, a 14.8 percent walk rate is not ideal, but he's been able to limit the damage with a .152 opponent batting average, 80.9 LOB%, and a 2.77 ERA. The Marlins' second-ranked prospect could be nearing a major league debut, especially with right-handers
Chris Paddack (four starts, four HR, 5.59 ERA) and
Janson Junk (three starts, 11.6 percent K-BB%, 4.32 ERA) underwhelming so far. Snelling remains one of the top prospect pitching stashes in deeper leagues, and with a 34.3 percent K% in 14 starts at Triple-A over the past two seasons, the strikeout potential is high.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 16, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander
Gregory Soto worked a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts in his team's 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Pirates reliever
Dennis Santana followed Soto in the ninth inning and picked up his second save of the season. While Soto also has a save in 2026, he has four holds and appears to be settling in to a setup role ahead of Santana. The 31-year-old's overall line is excellent, as he's recorded a 0.93 ERA and 0.72 WHIP with 15 strikeouts across 9 2/3 innings, so he could be in line to take over the ninth if Santana gets injured or struggles. Still, Soto's value in standard fantasy leagues is fading as the roles in Pittsburgh's bullpen start to become defined.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com
April 16, 2026
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect
Didier Fuentes ran into some trouble in his latest start at Triple-A Gwinnett, yielding four runs in the first inning alone, but settled in and tossed six shutout innings after that. Outside of that one inning of trouble, the Braves' third-ranked prospect has thrown 15 2/3 innings of scoreless ball and has produced a 20:6 K:BB overall. The right-hander has already made one appearance earlier this season with the Braves and made his MLB debut in June last year, days after he turned 20 years old. Veteran
Martin Perez appears to be the current placeholder in the fifth spot of the rotation for now, but having been DFA'd once already this season, his hold on the job is tenuous. So long as Fuentes continues to pitch well, the Colombian should be the next name the team turns to. With major league experience already and strikeout upside that is paired with solid control (7.3 percent career walk rate in the minors), Fuentes is a strong stash option in deeper leagues ahead of his eventual return to the big leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 16, 2026
Houston Astros starting pitcher
Spencer Arrighetti recorded the win in his 2026 season debut on Wednesday, allowing one run and two hits while striking out 10 across six innings of work in his team's 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Arrighetti was expected to play a significant role in the Astros rotation heading into the 2025 season, but elbow and thumb injuries limited him to just 35 innings pitched. He opened 2026 in Triple-A, but was recalled on Wednesday after fellow Astros starter
Cody Bolton (back) was placed on the injured list. Arrighetti posted an impressive 27.1% strikeout rate across 145 innings with the Astros in 2024 and demonstrated his ability to miss bats in his first start of 2026. However, control remains an issue for the 26-year-old, as he owns a career walk rate of 10.9% and issued four free passes against Colorado. Still, if Arrighetti locks down a regular role in the Houston rotation, he could be a cheap source of strikeouts for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com
April 16, 2026
Boston Red Sox pitching prospect
Payton Tolle is biding his time in Worcester until it is his turn to get the call to the majors, which shouldn't be long now. Boston's top-ranked prospect was roughed up in his first start at Triple-A this year, but has been very effective in his last two turns through the rotation, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks while striking out 13 in 11 innings of work in those two outings. After breezing through three levels of the minors in 2025, recording a 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings pitched, the southpaw made his big league debut at the end of August. Despite some growing pains, the former second-round draft pick displayed the strikeout potential, tallying 19 strikeouts in 16 1/3 IP. With some more seasoning under his belt, the 23-year-old should fare better this time around once a spot opens up in the big league rotation, and he remains a must-stash in deeper leagues; he could even be a viable waiver add in shallower formats for managers looking for help.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
April 16, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher
Dennis Santana picked up his second save of the season on Wednesday by pitching a scoreless ninth inning in his team's 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals. Santana has now logged saves in two out of his last three appearances and appears to be reclaiming the lead closer role in Pittsburgh. Across nine innings overall in 2026, Santana owns a 1.00 ERA and 0.67 WHIP with six strikeouts. Santana has struck out just 18.8% of the batters he's faced this season and posted a 22.2% strikeout rate in 2025, so he does not carry typical ninth-inning swing-and-miss stuff. Still, he's been highly effective since being acquired by the Pirates midway through the 2024 season, recording a 2.18 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 19 saves across 123 2/3 innings with the club. In leagues where Santana may have been dropped, he profiles as a priority waiver wire target.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 16, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder
Addison Barger (ankles) has resumed baseball activities at the team's spring training complex in Florida, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Barger played catch over the last two days and is expected to resume swinging on Friday or Saturday. The goal is for Barger to resume running by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. The 26-year-old was a hero during the team's World Series run last fall, but he got off to a rough start in 2026 before landing on the 10-day injured list with sprained ankles. In a small sample size of just eight games, Barger went 1-for-19 (.053) at the plate with a double, two RBI, a run scored, three walks, and six strikeouts in 23 plate appearances. Barger will not come off the IL when he's eligible on Friday, but depending on how his rehab goes, he could be an option to rejoin the big-league roster for the start of their next homestand on Friday, April 24.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet - Arden Zwelling
April 16, 2026
The Los Angeles Angels could shake things up with the closer's role going forward after right-handed reliever
Jordan Romano has blown saves against the New York Yankees in two of the last three games, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. When asked about the closer's role in the wake of Romano's recent struggles, manager Kurt Suzuki said, "Obviously, with Jordan the last couple days, tough outings, but there's no panic," Suzuki said. "He's been so good for us to start the year, and he had two rough outings. You look at it, and you say you could be reactionary or you could just keep going. We started the year with Jordan as our closer, and we'll see how it goes. Right now, he's still going to be in those high-leverage spots, and you know, if the opportunity comes for him to close, we'll see what we've got." It remains to be seen what the Angels do for their next save chance, but if Suzuki does opt to go away from Romano, it could be
Chase Silseth with the next opportunity. He has a 2.84 ERA in his first nine games in 2026 and has experience closing in the minors.
Kirby Yates (knee) and
Ben Joyce (shoulder) are still on the injured list.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
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