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Spencer Jones Worth Holding After Slow Start?
New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones was a popular waiver-wire pickup upon his long-awaited MLB debut on May 8, but he has gotten off to a slow start with the Yankees in the big leagues and is currently rostered in just 19% of Yahoo leagues. In his first 15 plate appearances over his first five MLB games, the team's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has one hit, one RBI, three walks, and six strikeouts for a .083/.267/.083 slash line. The sample size is obviously extremely small, but it hasn't been an ideal start for the hulking 6-foot-7, 240-pound 25-year-old outfielder in the Bronx. The good news is that it's early, and it will be some time before both Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) are ready to return from their injured-list stints, so Jones will have more of a runway to turn things around. But if he doesn't, he'll almost certainly be sent back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to work on his approach at the plate. While Jones has elite power potential from the left side of the plate, he has struck out over 30% of the time in the minors, and he currently has a 40% strikeout rate with the Yanks.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jordan Westburg to Have Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (elbow) will have season-ending elbow surgery, a source told Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Westburg will end up not even playing at all in 2026 due to a partially torn UCL in his right elbow that he suffered during spring training. He was attempting to avoid going under the knife, but a recent setback convinced him to have season-ending surgery. The 27-year-old infielder can now obviously be dropped in all single-year fantasy baseball leagues. He's currently still rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues. With Westburg out this year, the O's have primarily been using Coby Mayo and Weston Wilson at the hot corner in Baltimore, with Jeremiah Jackson and Blaze Alexander being other options. When former first overall pick Jackson Holliday (hand) eventually makes his 2026 season debut, he, too, could be an option to handle third base this year in Westburg's absence. Barring a setback in his rehab from elbow surgery, Westburg should be fully healed in time for spring training next year and the start of the 2027 regular season.
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
Caleb Kilian the Current Favorite for Saves in Giants Bullpen
San Francisco Giants right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian is the current favorite for saves in the Gigantes' bullpen after going 1 1/3 scoreless innings with a strikeout in Tuesday's win over the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers for the second save of his career. Kilian hasn't been perfect so far in May with three runs allowed (two earned) on four hits (one homer) while walking five (one intentional) and striking out three, but he has picked up two saves in his last 5 1/3 innings pitched and has been solid overall in his first season in the Bay Area with a 1.40 ERA (4.50 FIP), 1.09 WHIP, two saves, 19 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 19 1/3 innings pitched. The 28-year-old reliever is rostered in only 9% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available for managers desperate for saves. However, Kilian's high walk rate (15.2%) makes him pretty volatile in the short term. Additionally, lefty Erik Miller (back) will return from a stay on the injured list on Saturday, adding competition for saves in San Fran.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jack Perkins Still Worth Rostering After Second Blown Save?
Athletics right-handed reliever Jack Perkins blew his second save of the season and took his second loss of the year in Thursday's 5-4 defeat at the hands of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Perkins is on tilt right now, having allowed seven runs (five earned) on five hits while walking two and striking out five in his last 3 2/3 innings, which includes two losses, two blown saves, and one hold. The rough patch has the 26-year-old at a 4.76 ERA on the year with a 1.35 WHIP, 22 strikeouts, and three saves in 17 innings pitched in his 12 appearances out of the bullpen. Perkins gave up two runs on three hits while hitting a batter in just two-thirds of an inning in Sacramento on Thursday, and he might have hurt his chances of seeing save opportunities moving forward for manager Mark Kotsay. Don't be surprised if the A's next save chance goes to either Hogan Harris or Joel Kuhnel, who have both been involved in the team's committee approach to the ninth inning in 2026. Perkins is rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues and cannot be trusted after his recent rough patch.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Bryce Miller Worth Stashing Now That He's Healthy?
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller made his season debut on Wednesday night against the Houston Astros. His eight walks and three strikeouts weren't ideal, but he still delivered solid results with just one walk and two earned runs over 5.1 innings of work. Miller has never been a major strikeout threat, averaging less than one per inning throughout his career, so we aren't concerned about his control going forward. On the contrary, we're actually quite encouraged by his low walk total, which is also consistent with his career stats. He also flashed increased velocity in his first game back from a left oblique strain. His average fastball velocity was 95.0 mph in 2025, but that jumped to 97.4 mph on Wednesday. Outside of the eight hits, fantasy managers should feel very optimistic that Miller has returned to his pre-injury form, and he might even be better than before. The righty is rostered in 27% of leagues right now, so there's still time for managers to stash Miller in anticipation of a potentially big year. Currently, he ranks #82 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jorge Soler Slowing Down in May, Still a Waiver Target for Power?
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler had five home runs and hit .253 (20-for-79) in 22 games (93 plate appearances) in April, but he has gone a bit quiet in May and is now hitting .221 (32-for-145) overall with eight long balls, 28 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 40 games in his 13th season in the majors. In 12 games so far in May, Soler has gone 8-for-43 (.186), and he hasn't gone deep at the plate since May 5. The rough patch of late has dropped his OPS on the year to .752, and his on-base percentage is down to .318. Soler's xwOBA sits at .318, and his expected slugging percentage is at .404 (currently .434). Soler is never going to be an asset for your fantasy teams' batting average, as he currently sits in the fifth percentile in strikeout rate, and he's in just the 65th percentile in hard-hit rate through a month and a half of the 2026 season. The Cuban outfielder can still be an asset for fantasy managers who are desperate for power, but he's extremely volatile and will kill your average. It's why he's still rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Graham Ashcraft a Top Stash Option for Saves?
Cincinnati Reds reliever Graham Ashcraft is an intriguing player to stash in fantasy baseball, as he could be due for more save opportunities going forward. Ashcraft hasn't pitched in a save situation since May 6, and he has just one save situation since April 19. However, the Reds are in desperate need of a dependable closer, and Ashcraft might be the solution. He has a terrific 1.66 ERA and 10.38 K/9 this year, and we can see that he's limiting loud contact with his 0.42 HR/9 and 55.3% ground ball rate. Two areas of concern, though, are walks and leverage opportunities. His walk rate has jumped to a career-worst 5.40 BB/9, and he has just one save to two blown saves. If he can clean up the walks, the saves should come naturally, assuming the Reds do in fact deploy him as their closer going forward. He ranks #33 among relievers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carson Benge Starting to Turn the Corner at MLB Level
New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge needed a little time to acclimate to the majors, but he seems to have found his stride lately. Over his last 10 games, the rookie has gone 14-for-36 with four extra-base hits, seven RBI, four walks, and six strikeouts. He has also stolen a base in back-to-back games. The 2024 first-round pick doesn't have a ton of power, but he's been putting the ball in play, and we've always known that he runs well. His defensive versatility has also helped him get in the lineup more often, as he has 8+ appearances in each of the three outfield spots this year. Given Benge's average-at-best power, we'd like to see him cut down on his 21.1% strikeout rate. Otherwise, though, he's been a much-needed addition to the Mets' lineup while inching his way closer to the fantasy radar. He currently ranks #76 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings, and he's rostered in 12% of leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Casey Schmitt Cooling Off at the Plate
San Francisco Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt was one of the hottest hitters in baseball through April and early May, but he has cooled off lately and finds himself in a bit of a slump. Over his last six games, Schmitt is just 3-for-23 with zero extra-base hits, zero RBI, one walk, and eight strikeouts. He had arguably his worst game of the season against the Dodgers on Thursday as he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Thanks to his strong start this year, Schmitt still has a decent-looking .276/.329/.485 slash line with six home runs, three steals, a .346 xwOBA, and 131 wRC+. However, his production is falling fast, and fantasy managers would like to see him get back on track sooner rather than later. His roster share has fallen to 31% in fantasy baseball, and he now ranks #19 among first basemen in RotoBaller's latest rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacob Latz Fully in Command of Rangers Closing Job?
Texas Rangers reliever Jacob Latz allowed three runs without recording an out in his last appearance on Wednesday, but he may still have control of the closer job in Arlington. Outside of an occasional blemish like Wednesday, Latz has been stellar this season, pitching to a 2.08 ERA with 7.06 K/9, 2.08 BB/9, and 0.42 HR/9. He has two holds, five saves, and two blown saves through 18 outings so far this year. The biggest obstacle for Latz has arguably been the Rangers' record. At 21-22, save opportunities don't present themselves every day. Texas has still been getting him leverage scenarios, but fantasy managers would like to see more saves. The good news is that he faces essentially no competition for the closer role. Jakob Junis does have three saves this year, but he's been more of an eighth-inning setup option, and he's also trending down after taking a loss in his last outing. All in all, fantasy managers should continue to feel confident about Latz as the Rangers' closer. He ranks #29 among relievers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zebby Matthews Generates Waiver Interest After Strong First Start on Thursday
Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews should generate some waiver-wire interest after he impressed in his first start of the 2026 season in a win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday in the series finale. Matthews threw seven shutout innings with four hits allowed, one walk, and five strikeouts. The 25-year-old was called up so that the Twins could push left-handed pitching prospect Connor Prielipp back to manage his innings. If the Twins decide to keep Matthews around, he should be considered off the waiver wire in deeper leagues. The former eighth-round pick in 2022 out of Western Carolina threw 56 of his 83 pitches for strikes in his first big-league outing of the year. In his first two seasons with the Twins, Matthews really struggled, posting a 5.92 ERA (4.41 FIP) and 1.54 WHIP with 131 strikeouts, 35 walks, and 23 home runs allowed in 117 innings across his 25 starts. Despite his unsavory results in the big leagues before this season, there is intrigue with Matthews because of his strong control, high strikeout rates in the minors, and high-end velocity. He's rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jared Jones a High-End Injury Stash
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones (elbow) is nearing a return to Pittsburgh's big-league starting rotation after missing the entire 2025 season due to elbow surgery. The 24-year-old has already made three minor-league rehab starts with Single-A Bradenton, Double-A Altoona, and Triple-A Indianapolis and has looked really good, allowing just one earned run on eight hits while walking just one and fanning 11 in 10 total innings. In his last outing with Altoona on Tuesday, Jones threw 36 of his 52 pitches for strikes. He's still not completely built up and ready to return to the Pirates' starting rotation, and he's not eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until late May. In a best-case scenario, we probably won't see Jones make his 2026 season debut until early June. Still, Jones deserves stash consideration for those searching for starting pitching help. He struggled with the long ball (18 allowed in 121 2/3 innings) in his first 22 MLB starts in his rookie season in 2024, but otherwise, he was impressive with 132 K's and 39 walks. Jones is rostered in 36% of Yahoo leagues currently.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
JJ Bleday a Top Source for Power?
Something has clicked for outfielder JJ Bleday since joining the Cincinnati Reds. In 16 games with the team, Bleday has gone 17-for-53 (.321) with six home runs, 18 RBI, 10 runs scored, one steal, 13 walks, and 10 strikeouts across 66 plate appearances. In his first four MLB seasons with the Miami Marlins and Athletics, the left-handed-hitting outfielder slashed just .215/.307/.394 with a .702 OPS and 49 home runs across 404 games played. The 28-year-old's assault on opposing pitchers continued in Thursday's 15-1 rout of the Washington Nationals, when he went 3-for-5 at the plate with two more home runs and six RBI. Bleday, a former fourth overall pick out of Vanderbilt, is red-hot right now with Cincy and will continue to play regularly in a hitter-friendly home environment as long as he continues to produce. Fantasy managers who need power production should be looking his way, if even for just a short amount of time until he cools off. Bleday is currently rostered in only 27% of Yahoo leagues. He's gone 7-for-13 with 11 RBI in the last four games.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Rico Garcia an Elite Short-Term Source of Saves
Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Rico Garcia has been nearly unhittable so far this year and is an elite short-term source of saves for fantasy managers with regular closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) still on the injured list. Garcia has given up just one earned run in 19 innings pitched for the O's. Since giving up a home run on April 21 to the Kansas City Royals, Garcia has tossed seven shutout innings with no hits allowed, three walks, and nine strikeouts, and he has also won a game, picked up two saves, and recorded three holds in the process. Overall, the 32-year-old veteran's numbers on the year look absurd -- 3-0 record, 0.47 ERA (2.58 FIP), 0.42 WHIP, 22 strikeouts, seven walks, and three saves in 19 innings pitched. Right-hander Anthony Nunez picked up a save for Baltimore on Monday, but Garcia is the clear best option in the Orioles' bullpen for save chances until Helsley returns from his elbow injury. When Helsley is back, Garcia will still be a strong option in holds leagues. Right now, he's rostered in only 36% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Tarik Skubal Resumes Playing Catch, Ahead of Schedule?
Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal (elbow) is already playing catch just barely a week removed from elbow surgery, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The surgery to remove one loose body from his left elbow was arthroscopic, so he might beat the initial estimates of two months of recovery. Heyman says that six weeks remains possible. The 29-year-old back-to-back American League Cy Young winner is in the final year of his contract in Detroit, and he's in a rush to return in 2026 to boost his value as a trade target for interested teams this summer. Skubal is still going to miss over a month, but his absence might not be as lengthy as many first predicted. Before going under the knife, Skubal went 3-2 for Detroit with a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings pitched across his seven starts. He's been the best pitcher in baseball the last two seasons and could still be a difference-maker in fantasy baseball when he returns to action in the second half of the 2026 season.
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
