April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman
Andres Gimenez has established himself as an intriguing waiver wire option for fantasy managers with his hot start to the 2026 season. The 27-year-old is in his second year with Toronto and owns an .848 OPS with two home runs in nine games. Known for his defense, Gimenez has taken a step forward with the bat this season and is worth adding as he continues to produce. It is worth noting that he has also shown a positive trend in reducing strikeouts over his career, something for fantasy managers to keep an eye on as he looks to continue this production from the bottom end of the Jays lineup.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman
Kazuma Okamoto struggled again Sunday in a 3-0 loss vs. the Chicago White Sox, finishing 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk. This marks the 29-year-old's sixth game with multiple strikeouts, as he continues to have trouble limiting swing-and-miss. Okamoto is in his first MLB season and was known for an elite contact tool in Japan before coming overseas. He may still be adjusting to increased velocity at the major league level, with his strikeout rate at 42.9 percent. He has shown positive signs, however, with two home runs while slashing .235/.333/.412 in eight games. He will look to make adjustments quickly as he works to settle into Major League pitching.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Garrett Mitchell is off to a hot start this season and has become a priority waiver wire target as he continues his early success. The 27-year-old is hitting .318 with a 1.014 OPS in eight games, showing an increase in power numbers early. Four of Mitchell's seven hits have gone for extra bases, and his average exit velocity sits at 98.4 mph, which ranks in the 99th percentile league-wide. This uptick in power has led to 11 RBI, and his strong production early is expected to create more opportunities moving forward.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker has enjoyed an early breakout in the 2026 season, emerging as a must-add waiver wire target with significant upside. The 23-year-old has already recorded two three-hit games along with two home runs, and is slashing .300/.382/.567 in nine games. Walker has always been a power threat, but he has displayed a major uptick in barrel percentage from 6.6% last year to 13.3% this year. He has cut down on strikeouts and taken more walks, all positive signs for the young talent in a limited sample size. These early underlying metrics point to extremely high potential for a breakout year, and fantasy managers should add Walker as soon as possible.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever
Gregory Soto is emerging as a key waiver wire opportunity, showing strong upside early in the 2026 season. The left-hander has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, while relying heavily on swing-and-miss stuff with 11 strikeouts. His 52.4 K% ranks in the 99th percentile, highlighting his dominance in a small sample. Soto has already recorded his first save of the season and owns a 0.75 WHIP with a .111 opponents average. If the 31-year-old maintains control and limits walks, he can continue to thrive in the back end of the Pirates bullpen and push for more save opportunities.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (knee) is expected to continue his rehab assignment Tuesday and Wednesday before rejoining the team Friday for a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Suzuki was placed on the 10-day injured list March 25 with a right knee injury and has spent the last few days playing with Double-A Knoxville. The 31-year-old has not played a game this season and will look to return to his everyday role upon activation. Suzuki is in his fifth season with Chicago and posted a .245 AVG, .326 OBP, and .478 SLG last year, providing a steady and productive bat in the lineup.
--Julian BrookeSource: Taylor McGregor
April 5, 2026
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout (hand) was removed early during Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners. Trout was taken out of the contest after getting hit by a pitch during the eighth inning. According to Rhett Bollinger, it sounded like it hit Trout's hand pad, but he was pulled from the contest anyway. Before leaving, Trout went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a double. The expectation is that Trout will undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on his status.
Bryce Teodosio took over in center field and could see an expanded role if Trout misses time.
--Andy WebbSource: Rhett Bollinger
April 5, 2026
New York Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga saw his velocity drop during Sunday's start against the San Francisco Giants. Senga was averaging 97.4 mph during his last start. He began Sunday's outing sitting at 96 mph on his fastball. The right-hander was averaging 93-94 mph during his final inning of work. Outside of the decreased velocity, Senga was sharp during Sunday's victory. He tossed 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out seven batters in the no-decision. Senga has pitched well over his first two starts of the season, but the dip in velocity is concerning. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation during his next outing against the Athletics on April 11.
--Andy WebbSource: Anthony DiComo
April 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Sal Frelick (side) was held out of the starting lineup during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals. This isn't shocking considering Frelick exited early during Saturday's contest due to a side issue. Brewers' manager Pat Murphy said Frelick could've played on Sunday, but they decided to play it safe. The Brewers were facing a southpaw on Sunday, so it's probably best for Frelick to return against right-hander
Brayan Bello on Monday. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Monday's game to confirm Frelick is back in the mix.
--Andy WebbSource: Todd Rosiak
April 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Brandon Lockridge (hip) appears to have suffered an injury during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals. Lockridge looks like he suffered a hip injury during this game, but didn't exit the contest. He was seen hobbling around late in the game, but stayed in through the entire contest. He finished this game, 1-for-2 with an RBI, a stolen base, and two walks. Lockridge should be considered day-to-day for now. He could miss a game or two, but hopefully won't need to be placed on the Injured List.
--Andy WebbSource: Todd Rosiak
April 5, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman
Carlos Santana (groin) was forced to exit early during Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Santana singled in his lone plate appearance, but appears to have tweaked his groin in the process.
Ildemaro Vargas replaced Santana at first base and could see more action at the cold corner. For now, Santana is considered day-to-day, but the D-Backs will likely continue to evaluate him. The veteran switch-hitter is off to a sluggish start and doesn't need to be rostered in most leagues at the moment anyway.
--Andy WebbSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays infielder/outfielder
Addison Barger (ankle) was forced to make an early exit from Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Barger departed the game in the bottom of the sixth inning due to bilateral ankle discomfort. Before exiting the game, Barger went 0-for-3 at the plate. Jays' manager John Schneider said Barger could return as early as Monday's game versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jesus Sanchez took over in right field during Sunday's game. The expectation is that Sanchez could see a few starts if Barger does miss any time. It doesn't sound like fantasy managers should be worried about Barger missing an extended period of time from this injury.
--Andy WebbSource: Toronto Blue Jays
April 5, 2026
Houston Astros starting pitcher
Hunter Brown (right shoulder) initially felt something in his shoulder on Friday, manager Joe Espada told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. He had some imaging done in Sacramento before flying back to Houston to be evaluated by team doctors. After being evaluated, Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, retroactive to April 2. It's a crushing loss for the Astros. Brown is their ace and had been off to a 1-0 start with a 0.84 ERA through two starts. Across 10.2 innings of work, he has allowed five hits and six walks while striking out 17 batters. The team hasn't provided a timeline for his return, nor have they clarified who will take his spot in the rotation.
Christian Roa was called up to fill his void on the 26-man roster, but he hasn't started a game since 2024 in the minors.
--Andersen PickardSource: Brian McTaggart
April 5, 2026
New York Mets first baseman
Brett Baty (thumb) was a late scratch after initially appearing in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Manager
Carlos Mendoza told Andrew Tredinnick of USA Today that Baty is dealing with a sore left thumb after jamming it on a slide on Saturday. The injury is not believed to be serious, and there's a strong chance that the 26-year-old will get back into the lineup on Tuesday. Baty is off to a slow start at the plate, slashing .242/.242/.364 with zero home runs, zero walks, and a 30.3% strikeout rate so far. He has primarily played first base but also has three appearances at designated hitter and two in right field.
Mark Vientos will start at first base in his absence on Sunday, and
Jorge Polanco (Achilles) is back in the lineup as the designated hitter.
--Andersen PickardSource: Andrew Tredinnick
April 5, 2026
Miami Marlins right-handed pitcher
Pete Fairbanks will serve as the opener for Sunday's game against the New York Yankees. After the game, he will be placed on the paternity list. Fairbanks has been excellent, as per usual, in his role as the Marlins' closer early this season. Through three relief appearances, he has a 0.00 ERA, -0.15 FIP, five strikeouts, one hit, zero walks, and two saves. He won't be up for a save opportunity on Sunday, but rather will be tasked with setting an early tone against the top half of the Yankees' lineup. Marlins fans will have to be patient, though, as the start of Sunday's game has been delayed due to rain. As it stands, Fairbanks ranks as the #13 reliever in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Isaac Azout
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