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
April 18, 2026
The New York Mets announced on Saturday that they have placed infielder
Jorge Polanco (wrist, Achilles) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 15) with a right-wrist contusion and recalled catcher
Hayden Senger from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Polanco has been battling Achilles bursitis early in the 2026 season as well, but it's the wrist contusion that ended up landing him on the shelf. It's not a serious wrist injury, but it will also give Polanco a chance to rest his Achilles. It's another blow to a Mets team that just lost their ninth straight game to the Chicago Cubs on Friday at Wrigley Field. Polanco, 32, is off to a rough start in his first year with the Mets, as he's gone 10-for-56 (.179) at the plate with a homer, two RBI, and three runs scored through his first 14 games of the year. Until he's ready to return,
MJ Melendez should see steady at-bats as the team's designated hitter with
Juan Soto (calf) and
Jared Young (knee) both on the IL as well.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Mets
April 18, 2026
New York Yankees first baseman
Ben Rice is in the starting lineup and is batting fifth on Saturday against the visiting Kansas City Royals and left-hander
Noah Cameron, per MLB.com. Rice will get his first chance to start against a southpaw in 2026 after veteran right-handed hitter
Paul Goldschmidt drew into the lineup at first over Rice early on over Rice against lefties. The Yankees said in the offseason that they wanted Rice to get more exposure to lefties this year after his 2025 breakout. So far in 19 games this year, Rice has picked up where he left off, slashing .339/.459/.746 with a 1.205 OPS, six home runs, 16 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a stolen base in 74 plate appearances. He's gone 4-for-14 (.286) with a solo homer against lefties, too. To take the next step, Rice will need to be adequate in those tough lefty-lefty matchups, and he'll get his first starting chance against a southpaw on Saturday in the Bronx. Rice has never faced Cameron in his career.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder
Pavin Smith (elbow) had surgery on Thursday to remove bone chips from his left elbow that were causing inflammation, manager Torey Lovullo told Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. There is no timetable for when Smith will return to the Diamondbacks roster, but with him now on the 60-day injured list, he won't be eligible to be reinstated until late May at the earliest. Smith hasn't played since the final game of the series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers in the first series of the regular season back in late March. Since Smith's injury,
Jose Fernandez has seen most of the work at first base in Arizona, with
Luken Baker and
Ildemaro Vargas also filling in. Fernandez is the waiver-wire play in deeper fantasy baseball leagues for the time being, as the 22-year-old Venezuelan rookie is hitting a cool .302 (16-for-53) in the early going with two homers, nine RBI, nine runs scored, and a steal in 15 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
April 18, 2026
Kansas City Royals outfielder
Isaac Collins (knee) is back in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the New York Yankees in the Bronx, serving as the designated hitter and batting seventh in the order against Yankees right-hander Wil Warren, according to MLB.com. Collins suffered a bruised right knee on Tuesday and missed three straight games before his return for Game 2 of the series in New York. The 28-year-old switch-hitter has played in 16 games so far in 2026 and has gone just 9-for-42 (.214) with a home run, four RBI, seven runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts. Collins will be an easy fade for DFS lineups in his first game back against a pitcher he's never faced. In his first full MLB season in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Collins slashed .263/.368/.411 with a .779 OPS, nine home runs, 54 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored in 441 plate appearances across 130 games played. In his last seven games, Collins has gone just 3-for-18 at the plate.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Athletics right-hander
Joel Kuhnel has been excellent in the early portion of the 2026 season, as he's yet to allow an earned run or a walk and has given up just one hit over his first five appearances (4 2/3 innings) of the year. The 31-year-old right-hander appears to have settled into his team's primary closer role, as he's logged saves in three out of his last four outings. Kuhnel's rise to the ninth-inning role comes as a bit of a surprise, as he had recorded just one save across 93 2/3 career MLB innings entering 2026. Kuhnel also owns a career strikeout rate of 18.7%, so he does not possess the swing-and-miss stuff of a prototypical closer. Still, he's been effective in the role so far this season, and as such is worth targeting on the waiver wire.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman
Max Muncy is off to an excellent start to the 2026 season, hitting .254/.338/.556 with six home runs, seven RBI, and 14 runs scored across his first 71 plate appearances. The 35-year-old owns a stellar 15.4% barrel rate and a ridiculous 59% hard-hit rate, which would be the best mark of his career over a full season by over seven percentage points. The lefty-swinging Muncy is still at risk of losing some playing time against same-handed pitching, which limits his fantasy upside. He's also currently striking out in 33.8% of his plate appearances and owns a career batting average of .230. Still, Muncy remains an elite source of power on a per-plate appearance basis. He's also posting a double-digit walk rate for the 10th consecutive season, which keeps his playing time and ability to score runs consistent even if he slumps at the plate. For fantasy managers looking for power on the waiver wire, Muncy is a high-end option.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
Houston Astros right-hander
Enyel De Los Santos has now earned saves in each of his last two appearances. The 30-year-old is off to a strong start to the 2026 season overall, recording a 1.35 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with six strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings pitched. While De Los Santos was off fantasy radars coming into the year, he could be emerging as the Astros' new preferred option in the ninth inning. Houston closer
Josh Hader (biceps) was recently transferred to the 60-day injured list, meaning he will not be eligible to return from his current biceps injury until late May. Long-time Astros setup man
Bryan Abreu got the first chance to fill in for Hader, but Abreu has struggled to a 14.73 ERA and a 30.2% walk rate across his first nine appearances (7 1/3 innings) of the season. De Los Santos entered 2026 with just three saves in over 300 career MLB innings, but he appears to have earned a chance to stick as the closer in Houston. As a result, he should be a waiver wire target for fantasy managers in desperate need of saves.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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