RADIO
Angel Martinez Stepping Up as a Top Waiver Wire Addition
Cleveland Guardians second baseman/outfielder Angel Martinez offers both power and speed potential as he continues to earn playing time in the Cleveland lineup. He's hit near the top of the order lately, giving him even more run production upside, and he has hit .318 (21-for-66) over his last 18 games with four doubles, five homers, four stolen bases, and a .398 wOBA. Martinez remains ultra-aggressive at the plate and did not draw a single walk in those 18 games, with just three walks all year to go with his 18 strikeouts. While he remains aggressive in his approach, he has still managed to make good contact in those 18 games, with a 45.3% hard-hit rate and 13.2% barrel rate. If he continues hitting near the top of the order, he has intriguing potential with five homers and five stolen bases in his first 27 games. The 24-year-old switch-hitter has only played the outfield this season, but still has infield eligibility in some formats, making him an even easier option to slide around your roster to fill in holes. As long as he keeps hitting near the top of the order and providing big-play production, he's definitely worth a look in standard-sized leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian Scott Still Worth Stashing from the Waiver Wire?
New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott had a brutal season debut last Thursday and was optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse last Friday. The 26-year-old righty still has a high ceiling, though, and his potential is high enough to keep him on the radar in deep leagues or leagues that make it easy to stash players in the minors. He issued five walks and hit a batter while lasting just 1 1/3 innings in his start against the Twins, exiting with a 6.75 ERA and 15.13 FIP in his only MLB outing of the year. He was 0-2 in his three minor-league starts with a 5.27 ERA, but he continues to showcase strikeout upside with 17 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. He has good stuff but his control still needs to be refined. Scott has a high ceiling and could be worth stashing, but the former top prospect is best left for deep leagues until he gets another chance to contribute.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tanner Scott Deployed in Seventh Inning in Victory, Remains in Strict Committee for Saves?
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Tanner Scott pitched a strong seventh inning for his team against the Marlins on Monday, needing 17 pitches to navigate the inning with one walk and three punchouts. Scott came into a game the Dodgers were trailing 4-2 at the time and kept the Marlins off the board before L.A. rallied for three runs to win in the ninth. With Edwin Díaz (elbow) out until the second half of the season, the Dodgers' bullpen will be a very important one for fantasy managers to watch since save opportunities should be available. Scott is part of the closer-by-committee approach that manager Dave Roberts will use, but he could also be used earlier in the game, as he was on Monday, depending on how the game script unfolds. It was actually Jake Eder who pitched the ninth and got the win on Monday. Scott remains one of the Dodgers' options for the end of the game, but don't count on him to be the only source of saves on the team.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mason Miller Allows Three Hits, Two Runs on Monday
San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller started the season with sheer dominance over his first 13 games, allowing just three hits and picking up 27 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. On Monday, though, the 27-year-old closer looked human, giving up two earned runs on three hits with a wild pitch on Monday night against the Cubs. It was a non-save situation since he entered with a four-run lead, so it doesn't count as a blown save. The Padres still secured the 9-7 win, and Miller will still be an elite closer option going forward. This outing just serves as a reminder that he really is human, and keeping a 0.00 ERA for the entire season isn't realistic. He's sure to get the next save chance for the Padres, and this is not a cause for concern at this point for his fantasy managers. It is noteworthy, though, since it's the first time he's been touched at all this year.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Alex Vesia Pitches in Sixth Inning on Monday, Cause for Concern?
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia pitched a scoreless inning and struck out the side on Monday night against the Marlins, but fantasy managers should take note that he made his appearance in the sixth inning. Manager Dave Roberts has said he'll go with a closer-by-committee approach while Edwin Díaz (elbow) is out until the second half, and while Vesia is part of that committee, it doesn't look like he'll be one of the primary closer options. The 30-year-old lefty has given up just two runs in 10 1/3 innings in 12 games this season while racking up 14 strikeouts. If a team has lefties due up at the end of a game, he could get a look in that matchup, but he'll be hard to count on for saves if Roberts follows Monday's pattern. He has been effective enough to be worth holding in deep leagues, but if all you are looking for is saves, he isn't a must-own option in standard leagues at this point.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Munetaka Murakami Launches 12th Home Run, a Lineup Lock Going Forward?
Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami went 2-for-4 with three RBI and his 12th homer of the season on Monday night in his team's rain-delayed win over the Angels. The White Sox exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning of their 8-7 win, and Murakami delivered one of the big blows, smashing a three-run homer to give his team the lead. The 26-year-old from Japan has quickly established himself as one of the biggest early-season fantasy baseball breakouts, hitting .243 with a .407 wOBA in his 29 games, with 12 homers, 23 RBI, and a 61.9% hard-hit rate. Murakami has the sixth-highest barrel rate per batted ball event and the sixth-highest hard-hit rate in the majors this season, and he hit his homer on Monday night against veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz. Four of his 12 homers have come off southpaws, so he is a great power option to keep in your lineup regardless of matchup going forward.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Anthony Volpe Might Not Return This Week
The New York Yankees have not decided if shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) will be with the big-league club this weekend when they play the division-rival Baltimore Orioles in the Bronx, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Volpe is currently continuing his minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset. A report earlier on Monday suggested that Volpe could be reinstated from the 10-day injured list on either Wednesday or Thursday. Fantasy managers might have to wait a bit longer on the 24-year-old, who is recovering from offseason surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Volpe is currently rostered in only 9% of Yahoo leagues, but that number should be on the rise over the coming week with his return on the horizon. When activated, Volpe will be New York's primary starter at the 6, relegating Jose Caballero to more of a utility role in the Big Apple. Volpe, a former first-rounder, has 52 home runs, 192 RBI, and 70 steals in his three MLB seasons, but he's also hitting just .222 in 1,886 plate appearances.
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
Carlos Rodon to Make his Next Rehab Start on Thursday
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Monday that left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) will make his next minor-league rehab start on Thursday at Double-A Somerset, according to Erik Boland of Newsday. In his first rehab outing with High-A Hudson Valley on Friday, the 33-year-old veteran southpaw threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings with one hit allowed, one walk, and four strikeouts. Rodon has yet to make his 2026 season debut after having surgery last October to remove loose bodies in his left elbow, but he's on the verge of rejoining the Yankees' starting rotation in early April, barring a setback. Look for Rodon to up his pitch count in Thursday's outing on the farm. He might only need one or two more rehab starts before coming off the 15-day injured list. The former third overall pick in 2014 by the White South out of North Carolina State is definitely deserving of being stashed in all fantasy leagues with his season debut getting closer. He's currently rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Giancarlo Stanton Heading to Injured List With Calf Strain
New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) has been diagnosed with a low-grade calf strain and will land on the 10-day injured list, according to Erik Boland of Newsday. It's an injury that Stanton suffered last Friday night in the team's series opener against the Houston Astros, and he has not played since. The good news is that Stanton's calf injury is more of a minor injury, so he could have a chance at returning from the IL when he's eligible. In the meantime, outfielder Jasson Dominguez should see regular at-bats as the team's DH, at least against right-handed pitching. Randal Grichuk and Amed Rosario are also candidates to see some plate appearances in the short term against lefties at DH. The 36-year-old Stanton is still a solid source of power for fantasy managers, but IL stints are part of the package. Hopefully, his stay on the IL will be short. In his first 90 at-bats of 2026 before his calf injury, Stanton has hit .256 with three long balls, 14 RBI, eight runs scored, and a stolen base. Stanton should be stashed in an IL spot everywhere that he's rostered.
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Sam Antonacci Starting to Heat Up, Emerging as a Waiver-Wire Target
After getting called up to the big leagues on April 15, Chicago White Sox outfielder Sam Antonacci recorded just one hit over his first 19 plate appearances. However, the 23-year-old has started to heat up of late, as he's six for his last 18 and now owns a slash line of .233/.351/.433 with one home run, four RBI, and three runs scored across 37 plate appearances. While Antonacci does not profile as a power bat, he's struck out just twice in the big leagues. He also should eventually emerge as a high-end speed threat, as he swiped 48 bags across 116 minor league games in 2025. Antonacci's slow start and unorthodox profile at the plate may lead to him being overlooked in most fantasy formats, but he could be a valuable waiver wire pickup for deeper-league managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cade Cavalli Emerging as a High-Upside Waiver-Wire Option
Across 24 2/3 innings (six starts) so far this season, Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli has posted a 0-1 record with a 4.01 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts. While the 27-year-old's numbers don't necessarily jump off the page, he's coming off an impressive 10-strikeout performance against a strong Atlanta Braves lineup in his most recent appearance. Cavalli's elevated WHIP is largely due to his elevated 10.3% walk rate. However, he hasn't allowed a walk in either of his last two outings. The former top prospect is averaging 96.6 mph on his fastball and owns a solid 24.1% strikeout rate. Cavalli could be worth targeting on the waiver wire as a solid streaming starting pitcher with upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dalton Rushing Worth Stashing Off the Waiver Wire?
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing remains blocked off from everyday playing time by the presence of star Dodgers backstop Will Smith. However, Rushing may be on the verge of forcing the Dodgers to manufacture more playing time for him. Across 44 plate appearances this season, the 25-year-old is hitting .385/.455/.974 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, and 11 runs scored. After posting a strong 14% barrel rate across 155 plate appearances in 2025, Rushing has elevated even further to a 17.9% barrel rate in 2026. With Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman locked in at designated hitter and first base for Los Angeles, Rushing does not have an obvious pathway to cracking his team's starting lineup. Still, the Dodgers can only ignore Rushing's ridiculous production for so long. Fantasy managers may want to consider stashing Rushing now, before an injury or lineup change causes his value to skyrocket.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Remains a Worthy Waiver-Wire Target Despite Initial Struggles
After missing the first few weeks of the 2026 season while recovering from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 campaign, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returned to the big leagues on April 18. The 32-year-old has struggled in his first 26 plate appearances of the year, hitting .125/.192/.167 with zero home runs, three RBI, and one run scored. However, Gurriel Jr. recorded at least 18 home runs and 85 RBI in each of his first three seasons with Arizona from 2023 through 2025. He's also a career .273 hitter who cut his strikeout rate to a career-low 13.9% last season. Once Gurriel Jr. settles in and gets some more plate appearances under his belt, he remains a solid bet to provide balanced, four-category production for fantasy managers. In leagues where he remains on the waiver wire, Gurriel Jr. could be a worthy target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dennis Santana Blows Second Save, Falling Out of Closer Committee?
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Dennis Santana had a rough outing in his team's 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. With Pittsburgh leading 2-0 entering the ninth inning, Santana allowed four hits, two walks, and four earned runs while recording just two outs for his second blown save of the season. The 30-year-old's overall stat line for the season remains solid, as he's pitched to a 3.29 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and two saves across 13 2/3 innings. However, Santana has not recorded a save since April 15 and could be falling out of favor in a Pirates pen that has relied on multiple relievers in the ninth inning this season. With just a 17.2% strikeout rate and a 13.8% walk rate, Santana has not demonstrated typical closer dominance in his underlying numbers. If Pittsburgh does go in a different direction, left-hander Gregory Soto could emerge.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Bryan Baker Notches Seventh Save, Reaching Must-Start Territory
Tampa Bay Rays reliever Bryan Baker picked up his seventh save of the season in his team's 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday. Baker pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing two hits and recording two strikeouts. Across 11 1/3 innings so far in 2026, Baker has pitched to a 3.18 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 13 strikeouts. He's recorded saves in seven of his last nine outings and has emerged as the clear go-to ninth-inning option for the Rays. With Tampa Bay right-hander Edwin Uceta (shoulder) recently being transferred to the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury, Baker should have an extended runway as the Rays' closer, provided he continues to produce. At this point, Baker has reached must-start closer territory across most fantasy formats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
