April 18, 2026
Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder
Luke Raley went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk, and two additional runs scored in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Texas Rangers. His home run traveled 381 feet with an exit velocity of 112.7 mph. Raley is heating up and has homered twice over his last four games while logging multi-hit efforts in three of his last six contests. Overall, the 31-year-old is slashing .318/.375/.636 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs, and a 1.011 OPS over 20 games in 2026. Raley is known as a streaky hitter but is emerging as a hitter to add off the waiver wire while he's swinging a hot bat. He is currently rostered in 22% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues, but is more of a streamer and an option in deep leagues. Raley is currently ranked 83rd in the latest waiver wire rankings for RotoBaller.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers reliever
Alex Vesia is becoming an elite handcuff for fantasy managers with Dodgers closer
Edwin Diaz. Vesia owns two saves, a 0.60 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings in 2026. The 30-year-old would be the top option to close for the Dodgers if Diaz were to miss any time. Vesia struck out the side and earned his second save of the season on Tuesday, with Diaz unavailable after throwing a bullpen session earlier in the afternoon. He is mainly used in high-leverage situations and is quickly emerging as an elite handcuff in fantasy baseball. Vesia provides elite ratios, solds, and is rostered in only 24% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues. The veteran right-hander should be added in leagues with 12 teams or more and is currently 16th in the latest RotoBaller waiver wire rankings for Week 3.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever
Dennis Santana has picked up two saves over his last five innings pitched while posting a 1.80 ERA. Santana owns a (2-1) record with two saves while posting a 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 7:5 K:BB across 11 innings in 2026. The 30-year-old entered the ninth inning in Friday's win over the Tampa Bay Rays, but it ended up being a non-save situation. However, the good news is that Santana has appeared in the ninth inning or later in his last six appearances. He is coming off a career year in 2025, when he posted a 2.18 ERA and 0.87 WHIP and recorded 16 saves. Santana was the favorite to start the year as Pittsburgh's primary closer, but the Pirates opted to use
Gregory Soto in save situations to start the year. With the recent trend of Santana handling ninth-inning duties and Soto being used primarily as a setup man, Santana is quickly reclaiming his role as the main Pirates closer.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Cleveland Guardians left-hander
Joey Cantillo (1-0) is off to a great start to the 2026 season, posting a 2.61 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 24:9 K:BB across 20 2/3 innings. He is becoming a key part of Cleveland's rotation and owns an elite 29.6 K% and a 11.4% swinging strike rate through four starts. Cantillo had been pitching well last season after joining the rotation in July, posting a 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 72:28 K:BB over 67 innings over his last 13 starts. The 26-year-old has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his four starts and will look to continue his impressive stretch in his next start Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Fantasy managers looking for a streamer on Sunday and a boost to their pitching staff should consider adding Cantillo. He is currently rostered in 52% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues and is becoming a priority add for fantasy managers in need of starting pitching.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Savant
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
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