RADIO
Elly De La Cruz Remains a High-End Power/Speed Asset
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz can do things on a baseball field that most big-league players can only dream of. And while the two-time All-Star might be slightly underwhelming through his first 55 games in 2026, we would advise against selling him with the start of June right around the corner. The 24-year-old Dominican switch-hitter is currently slashing .279/.346/.509 with an .855 OPS, 12 home runs, 37 RBI, 38 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across 246 plate appearances. Considering De La Cruz stole a league-high 67 bases in 2024, his nine thefts so far are a slight disappointment, but fantasy managers can't really complain otherwise. He's on pace to set a new career high in home runs, and his batting average is a career high right now. Under the hood, De La Cruz is in the 95th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 80th percentile in xwOBA, and the 87th percentile in expected slugging. He also has an average exit velocity of 94.1, which ranks ninth in the big leagues. If you end up trading the five-category contributor, you'll likely regret it by the end of 2026.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Is it Time to Buy Low on Fernando Tatis Jr.?
Somehow, San Diego Padres second baseman/outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is without a home run with 54 games and 231 plate appearances under his belt in 2026. At this point, many fantasy managers might be giving up hope that he'll homer at all this year. The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner has never been cheaper in terms of acquisition cost in a trade, so now is the time to strike. Overall, Tatis is slashing .260/.339/.300 with a .639 OPS, 16 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 19 runs scored in 200 at-bats. Although he's not pulling the ball in the air, which explains the lack of power, Tatis has actually hit quite well in May, going 24-for-88 (.273) with two doubles, a triple, three RBI, eight runs, and six stolen bases. The Dominican star is on a modest four-game hitting streak and has gone 14-for-37 (.378) in his last 10 games, so it's not like he's doing nothing at all, and the stolen bases have helped. Tatis' expected slugging sits in just the 46th percentile, but he's in the 96th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 73rd percentile in xwOBA. Tatis will homer eventually, but even if he doesn't return to the 20-homer mark, which is unlikely at this point, he will at least be a major asset with his wheels.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Gunnar Henderson Ready to Turn Things Around After Two-Homer Game?
Slowly but surely, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson has started to look more like himself in May. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting shortstop went 2-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, and a strikeout in the team's 11-2 rout over the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards on Wednesday to raise his season average to .222 and his OPS to .714. The strong performance was his first multi-homer game of the 2026 campaign. It definitely has not been the season that Henderson's fantasy managers were hoping for, but the buy-low window is closing quickly. Although Henderson is hitting only .222 with the end of May quickly approaching, he has 13 home runs and has gone 14-for-33 (.424) with three long balls in his last 10 games. Henderson has added 29 RBI, 30 runs scored, and six stolen bases across his 252 plate appearances on the year.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Joc Pederson has Three Home Runs in his Last Two Games
Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson is starting to heat up at the plate. The 34-year-old left-handed slugger went 3-for-4 at the plate out of the leadoff spot on Wednesday night with two home runs and three RBI in the team's 4-3 loss to the visiting Houston Astros at Globe Life Park. Both of his home runs were of the solo variety, and Pederson has now gone deep three times in the last two games. In his last eight contests, he's gone 10-for-23 (.435) with three homers and six RBI to boost his season-long line to .250/.361/.430 with a .791 OPS, six home runs, 16 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 51 games across 156 plate appearances. Pederson has disappointed so far in his tenure with the Rangers, as he played in only 96 games in 2025 and hit nine home runs with 26 RBI in 306 plate appearances, but if he gets on a heater, he'll be worth a look off the waiver wire for his power production. Right now, Pederson is only rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Shohei Ohtani Homers, Throws Six Hitless Innings Against Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani showed why he is baseball's unicorn in Wednesday's 4-1 victory over the division-rival Colorado Rockies, delivering as both a hitter and starting pitcher. At the plate, Ohtani went 1-for-4 and led off the game in the bottom of the first inning with a solo shot to put the Dodgers in the lead. On the mound, he continued his Cy Young-caliber season, tossing six hitless innings (one earned run allowed) while walking four and striking out seven to pick up his fifth win of the season. The 31-year-old four-time MVP didn't have his best control on the mound (he also hit a batter) and threw 56 of his 99 pitches for strikes. Ohtani got the job done nonetheless, and he's now sporting a ridiculous 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 61:17 K:BB in his 55 innings pitched across nine starts. He only allowed three runs in 25 innings in May. After a brief slump at the plate to begin the year, Ohtani has now gone 18-for-47 (.383) with three home runs and 14 RBI in his last 13 games. You can't keep the Japanese sensation down for long. Ohtani is a freak of nature and a must-start anytime he's in the lineup or toeing the rubber.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Teoscar Hernandez Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Strain
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring) will head to the 10-day injured list after straining his left hamstring in Wednesday's victory over the division-rival Colorado Rockies, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. It's the second consecutive night that the Dodgers lost a position player to the IL, as Enrique Hernandez went back on the IL after straining his oblique on Tuesday. It's a frustrating development for Teoscar, who has bounced back in May with an .892 OPS. He missed time last year with a strained left groin and said in spring training that it was a factor in him posting a .672 OPS the rest of the way, one of the worst stretches of his Dodgers tenure. Hyeseong Kim took over for Hernandez in left field on Wednesday, his first time playing the position in the majors. Roberts said that Alex Call could get more time in left field to build off his strong start in 2026. Outfield prospect James Tibbs III is one of many options the Dodgers have to replace Hernandez on the active roster before Friday. Hernandez should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues while he recovers.
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
Trevor Megill Earns Save on Wednesday, Can He Fully Reclaim Ninth-Inning Job?
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Megill secured his team's 2-1 win on Wednesday, allowing just an infield hit to Masyn Winn. Winn stole second and advanced to third base on a sacrifice fly, but Megill struck out pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo to end the game. Megill earned his sixth save of the year and has not allowed a run in his last four outings. On the season, he has a 4.74 ERA but only a 1.75 FIP. He should be due for some positive ERA regression, according to his advanced metrics, and could step back in as the primary closer for the Brewers, especially with Abner Uribe drawing criticism for his on-field celebrations. Both pitchers will remain critically important to the Brew Crew, but Megill may have a slight advantage in save chances going forward. If he's on the waiver wire and you need saves, he's a nice addition in most formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kyle Hurt Earns Save Wednesday, Emerging as Deep-League Pickup?
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kyle Hurt picked up his first save of the season on Wednesday night against the Rockies. The 27-year-old righty came on in the ninth inning after Tanner Scott worked through the top of the order in the eighth. With a 4-1 lead, Hurt quickly retired the Rockies in order, getting back-to-back groundouts and then fanning Willi Castro to end the game. Hurt is 1-0 with an impressive 1.06 ERA and 2.36 FIP in his 17 innings this season, while racking up 20 strikeouts. He could be used more as a co-closer with the lefty Scott over the next several weeks while the Dodgers continue to wait for Edwin Diaz (elbow) to return from his long layoff. Hurt is a solid speculative add in deep leagues in case he gets more work, but in standard-sized leagues, he's hard to trust since the Dodgers will continue to rotate options at the end of games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Enyel De Los Santos Sharp in Five-Out Save, Back on the Closer Radar?
Houston Astros relief pitcher Enyel De Los Santos closed out his team's one-run win over the Rangers on Wednesday in dominant fashion. De Los Santos came into the game with one out in the eighth inning and retired all five batters he faced, including strikeouts to end both the eighth and ninth innings. De Los Santos has 21 strikeouts in his 22 2/3 innings with a 3.57 ERA, 2.32 FIP, and 1.01 WHIP to go with his four saves on the year. It was his first save since April 22, but he could get more chances in the next few games before Josh Hader (biceps) joins the bullpen. Hader is nearing the end of his rehab and could be back as early as next week, but if you need short-term bullpen help, De Los Santos was impressive enough to be a short-term pickup until Hader returns.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tanner Scott Deployed in Eighth Inning, Remains in Closer Committee?
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Tanner Scott has four saves on the season and has been getting most of the save opportunities for his team lately. However, on Wednesday night, he came on in the eighth inning with his team holding a 3-1 lead. He faced the No. 9 hitter and then the top of the Rockies' batting order, giving up just one hit and picking up two strikeouts. He was replaced for the final frame by Kyle Hurt, who retired the side in order to earn his first save of the season. Scott still seems to be the preferred option, but manager Dave Roberts will deploy the 31-year-old lefty whenever the opposing team is bringing its top lefties to the plate. He may not get all the save situations, but his 1.19 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings indicate he can be effective whenever he enters the game. He isn't an elite fantasy option if you're just looking for saves, but he continues to be a critical contributor in the Dodgers' bullpen.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kyle Finnegan Emerging as Top Waiver-Wire Option for Saves in Detroit
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan could be set to step into a much larger role going forward, and his fantasy value would skyrocket if he takes over as the full-time closer in Detroit. Current closer Kenley Jansen (groin) got a visit from the trainer before Wednesday's outing but pitched through the issue, getting two quick outs before issuing a walk and leaving the game. The veteran closer will have further evaluation and possibly imaging to determine the severity of the issue and if he'll end up on the injured list. Finnegan had a career-high 38 saves in 2024 with the Nationals before being traded to Detroit at the Trade Deadline last year. The 34-year-old righty has a 1.75 ERA in his 25 2/3 innings in 25 appearances this season with just one save to go with his six holds. If Jansen lands on the injured list, Finnegan would likely be the next option to step up in Detroit's bullpen and could be a great source of saves for as long as Jansen is sidelined. Finnegan is worth an instant addition in deep leagues as a speculative pickup, and the situation is critical to monitor in standard-sized leagues as well, since Finnegan would be a top closer for as long as he has the full-time job.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Gerrit Cole Strikes Out 10, in Midseason Form in Just Second Start of 2026
New York Yankees veteran right-hander Gerrit Cole is quickly making up for lost time in 2026 after getting a late start to the season while recovering from right-elbow surgery last March. In just his second start for the Yankees this year on Wednesday night on the road against the Kansas City Royals, Cole threw 6 2/3 shutout innings while allowing four hits, walking none, and striking out a season-high 10 batters. The 35-year-old former American League Cy Young winner built on his impressive season debut on May 22 against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, in which he threw six shutout innings with two hits allowed, three walks, and two strikeouts. Cole induced 15 whiffs in the contest, and his fastball sat around 97 mph. It's exactly what fantasy managers were hoping for when they stashed the former first overall pick to begin the 2026 season. He might just be getting started, too, as he has yet to exceed 80 pitches in his first two starts. Cole should have a longer leash going forward, and he'll be a must-start in all fantasy leagues for his third start, which is scheduled to come next week against the Cleveland Guardians.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ian Happ Breaks Out of Slump With Five-RBI Performance to Carry Cubs
It's been rough sledding of late for Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, but he was able to turn things around at the plate on Wednesday in the 10-4 win over the hosting Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Happ went 2-for-6 at the plate with a home run and a season-high five RBI to boost his season average to .215 and his OPS to .782. It was the 31-year-old veteran's third career game with at least five RBI, and it also snapped a nine-game homerless drought. Happ came into Wednesday's contest in Pittsburgh hitting .122 (6-for-49) with a homer, two doubles, three RBI, four runs, nine walks, and 26 strikeouts in his last 14 games since May 9, which included just two multi-hit games. Fantasy managers are hoping that Wednesday's turnaround will be the start of more consistent production from Happ and the Cubs, who snapped a 10-game losing streak in the win over the Bucs. Happ now has a .346 on-base percentage, .436 slugging percentage, 11 homers, 26 RBI, 36 runs scored, and two steals across 52 games in his 10th year in the big leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Dustin May Flirts With No-Hitter, Strikes Out Nine in Loss to Brewers
In a cruel twist of fate on Wednesday against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers on the road, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, but he and the Cards ultimately fell by a score of 2-1 on the road. May was outstanding, allowing two runs (one earned) on just two hits while walking none and striking out a season-high nine batters in seven innings pitched. Despite the valiant effort, the 28-year-old took his sixth loss of the season. Garrett Mitchell broke up the no-no in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead off the frame with a double to left-center field, and then he allowed a bunt single to Luis Rengifo. Both runners came around to score, and that's all it took. May has pitched much better over his last 53 2/3 innings, posting a 3.02 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 44:14 K:BB, but he hasn't won in his last six outings. His strong showing on Wednesday lowered his season ERA to 4.57. May is only rostered in 14% of Yahoo leagues, but after his near no-hitter, and with an upcoming matchup against the Texas Rangers, that number should be on the rise.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Yordan Alvarez Continues Homer Barrage With Two More Long Balls on Wednesday
Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez is having a year. The 28-year-old left-handed Cuban slugger went 3-for-4 at the plate on Wednesday night in the team's 4-3 victory over the hosting Texas Rangers with two home runs, a walk, and a strikeout to raise his season batting average to .312 and his OPS to 1.085. It was the second straight night that Alvarez hit two home runs, and he has now hit five home runs in the last three games. He now has 20 homers on the season in 56 games. Alvarez has slashed a modest .250/.366/.560 in May, but it has come with eight round-trippers, which is the second-most of any player in the month. It's safe to say that the back injury that kept Alvarez out of Sunday's game is quickly a thing of the past. The three-time All-Star only played in 48 games in 2025 due to injuries, but he has bounced back rather nicely so far in 2026 as one of the best all-around hitters in the game. Alvarez obviously is a must-start in all fantasy lineups anytime he's active.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
