April 16, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher
Abner Uribe stepped into a ninth-inning role on Wednesday night and pitched a perfect inning to secure his team's 2-1 win over the Blue Jays. Uribe retired the Jays in order with a strikeout to earn his first save of the season, and his velocity was back to where it was last season. Uribe's velocity had been down, and he gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings in his first seven appearances before stepping up on Wednesday. The Brewers have been contemplating a closer change with Uribe and
Trevor Megill both struggling, and Uribe delivered in this contest. He could secure the role going forward with more outings like this one, and if he does, he'll be a great closer option in all formats. If he's available in your league, he's a great pickup if you're searching for saves.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
April 16, 2026
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher
Jordan Romano let another game slip away in New York on Wednesday night. He came on in the ninth inning with a one-run lead and gave up two runs on two hits and a walk, while recording just one out. Romano gave up a walk-off double to
Jose Caballero, taking his second blown save of the three-game series against the Yankees. Before the double, though, Romano's defense let him down when a routine pop-up dropped between
Zach Neto and
Oswald Peraza to start the meltdown. The 32-year-old had been perfect in four save opportunities before this series, and it will be interesting to see if he gets another chance or if the team goes another direction.
Kirby Yates (knee) is nearing a return and could be part of the solution if Romano continues to struggle.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
April 16, 2026
Houston Astros relief pitcher
Enyel De Los Santos worked a perfect ninth in his team's 3-1 win on Wednesday night. He picked up a pair of strikeouts against pinch-hitter
Brett Sullivan and
Brenton Doyle to preserve the win for
Spencer Arrighetti. De Los Santos earned his second save of the season and has allowed only one run on four hits across 6 2/3 innings with six strikeouts.
Josh Hader (biceps) is working his way back, but since he is likely at least a month away, De Los Santos will likely remain in the mix for a few saves along with.
Bryan Abreu over the next few weeks. In deep or AL-only leagues, De Los Santos is definitely worth owning if you're searching for saves, although his long-term outlook is in more of a setup role.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
April 15, 2026
Across his first 77 plate appearances of 2026, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman
Junior Caminero is hitting .234/.351/.406 with three home runs, six RBI, and nine runs scored. Fresh off a 45-homer season as a 21-year-old in 2025, Caminero hasn't been quite as dynamic early on this year. Still, Caminero's 19.5% strikeout rate is right in line with the 19.1% mark he posted last season. Opposing pitchers are being extra cautious this year with Caminero, as his 15.6% walk rate is nearly 10 percentage points higher than his 6.3% rate from 2025. Caminero has consistently shown the ability to make hard contact throughout his MLB career to this point, which should help him regain his power stroke over a larger sample size of at-bats. Fantasy managers should be patient with Caminero through the early portion of the season.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 15, 2026
Across his first 85 plate appearances of 2026, Atlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. is hitting .247/.341/.384 with one home run, five RBI, six runs scored, and four stolen bases. While Acuna Jr. hasn't quite gotten his power stroke going yet, his 16.4% barrel rate suggests that it's only a matter of time before his fly balls start leaving the yard with more regularity. Acuna Jr.'s four stolen bases are also a positive sign for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old recorded just nine steals in 95 games while returning from a torn ACL in 2025, but the early push in 2026 could be a sign he has more confidence in his surgically repaired knee. While Acuna Jr.'s top-line numbers haven't been quite what fantasy managers might have hoped for so far, it's too early to panic.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 15, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Friday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. The return to live game action represents a big step in Cole's recovery from Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. Across 95 innings (17 starts) in 2024, Cole posted an 8-5 record with a 3.41 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts. The 35-year-old should not be expected to be the pitcher he once was at his peak, but Cole still carries clear fantasy upside once healthy. Given the long layoff, Cole will almost certainly need to make multiple rehab starts in the minor leagues. Still, he could be tracking towards an MLB return in May, barring any setbacks.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
April 15, 2026
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Landen Roupp has gotten off to a strong start to his 2026 season. Across 16 2/3 innings pitched (three starts), the 27-year-old owns a 2-1 record with a 3.24 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts. Roupp emerged as a capable option for the Giants in 2025, recording a 3.80 ERA across 106 2/3 innings (22 starts). However, he posted an underwhelming 21.4% strikeout rate and a brutal 1.48 WHIP. Early in 2026, Roupp has upped his strikeout rate to 26.1% and has issued just five walks. If his current strand rate of 57.9% regresses closer to his career mark of 71.6%, Roupp could actually be in line to improve on his current 3.24 ERA. Based on the improvements he has shown so far this season, Roupp could be an intriguing target on the waiver wire for fantasy managers. His next start is scheduled for Thursday in Cincinnati against the Reds.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
April 15, 2026
New York Mets infielder
Jorge Polanco (Achilles) is not in the lineup for his team's matchup on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to continued issues with Achilles bursitis, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. Puma reports that the team plans to re-evaluate him on Friday, and that Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said a trip to the injured list is on the table for Polanco. Polanco is off to a rough start to his first year in New York, hitting .179/.246/.286 with one home run, two RBI, and three runs scored across 61 plate appearances. Polanco has been in and out of the lineup due to this Achilles issue for over a week now, so an injured list stint could be the best thing for him long term. Mets outfielder
MJ Melendez got the start at designated hitter in place of Polanco on Wednesday, and could be in line for more playing time if Polanco is sidelined for an extended stretch.
--Will BradySource: New York Post - Mike Puma
April 15, 2026
New York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said, "that's the goal," when asked by reporters whether outfielder
Juan Soto (calf) would return during the team's next home stand. The Mets finish up their current road trip this weekend in Chicago before returning home next Tuesday for a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins. Soto is currently on the 10-day injured list as he recovers from a calf strain that he suffered on April 3. Across 34 plate appearances before getting hurt, the 27-year-old hit .355/.412/.516 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs scored. Once he's back in the lineup, Soto immediately profiles as a must-start fantasy outfielder. However, fantasy managers may want to prepare for limited aggressiveness on the base paths with Soto returning from a leg ailment. Soto was one of the more surprising sources of speed for fantasy managers in 2025 when he stole 38 bags.
--Will BradySource: SNY
April 15, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani will pitch against the New York Mets on Wednesday, but he will not serve as the designated hitter, according to Buster Olney of ESPN. The Dodgers won't overdo it with Ohtani in his two-way role early on and have opted to give him a little rest while he pitches on Wednesday. As a hitter, Ohtani has gone hitless in his last seven at-bats with a run scored in the last two games. With Ohtani only pitching, catcher
Dalton Rushing is serving as the DH and will hit seventh against Mets right-hander
Clay Holmes. Outfielder
Kyle Tucker moves into the leadoff spot for the Blue. Ohtani has gone 12 innings in his first two starts of the 2026 season, and he's yet to allow an earned run while walking four and striking out eight. Fantasy managers should be starting Ohtani the pitcher on Wednesday night against a Mets team that is really struggling offensively with All-Star outfielder
Juan Soto (calf) on the injured list.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Buster Olney
April 15, 2026
San Diego Padres right-hander
Nick Pivetta (elbow) declined to discuss what his MRI exam showed, but he did say he will rest and rehab and that he's confident he will pitch again this season, according to Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Without knowing for sure what is wrong with Pivetta's elbow, it doesn't sound like he's looking for a speedy return anytime soon after being placed on the 15-day injured list this week with a right-elbow injury. In addition to what looks like a lengthy injury absence for the 33-year-old Canadian, Pivetta was inconsistent in his first four starts for the Friars compared to his breakout in 2025. He had a 4.50 ERA in his 16 innings, but that also came with a 1.28 FIP, 24 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 innings, so Pivetta probably deserved some better luck. Pivetta had a career-best 2.87 ERA in 31 starts for the Friars in 2025 and a 26.4% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers need to sit tight for now while we wait to see how much time Pivetta might actually miss.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Jeff Sanders
April 15, 2026
The New York Mets announced on Wednesday that they placed infielder/outfielder
Jared Young (knee) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 13) with a left meniscus tear. In a corresponding move, the Mets recalled outfielder
MJ Melendez from Triple-A Syracuse. Young will need to have surgery, which could keep him out for the rest of the first half of the season. The 30-year-old was taking advantage of extra opportunities early in the year in New York with star outfielder
Juan Soto (calf) on the IL, and he was hitting .350 (7-for-20) with two RBI and two runs scored in 11 games before his knee injury on Tuesday. With Young now out, both
Brett Baty and
Mark Vientos should see even more playing time between the outfield and first base, at least until Soto returns. Baty is off to a cold start, hitting .218 (12-for-55) with no homers, while Vientos is batting .227 (10-for-44) with a homer and five RBI in his 14 games played for the Mets.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Mets
April 15, 2026
New York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, but it's still to be determined what his next rehab outing will look like, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Cole will likely either pitch in a game at Double-A Somerset on Friday or throw a live batting practice session. The 35-year-old veteran and former Cy Young winner threw 42 pitches in three simulated innings against High-A Hudson Valley hitters on Sunday, so he might be ready for an official rehab start if his bullpen session goes well on Wednesday. Cole made two starts in spring training and is getting closer to his 2026 season debut after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and missing all of the 2025 season. With that said, Cole will likely require at least three or four rehab starts before the Yankees clear him to join the big-league bullpen, which means we might see Cole back in Yankees pinstripes until late May or even early June. Cole isn't getting any younger, but he still has plenty of upside left in his right arm. He's rostered in 83% of Yahoo leagues right now.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
April 15, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers are expected to push left-hander
Kyle Harrison's (wrist, knee) next scheduled start back a few days to give him more time to let his left wrist heal, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. However, it's not expected to be a situation that sends Harrison to the injured list. Harrison has also dealt with a knee issue recently, although an MRI exam came back clean on his knee on Sunday. It's now Harrison's wrist that is giving him issues, although that also doesn't appear to be very serious. Both of his injuries stem from a fall he took while trying to cover first base in his last outing on Saturday against the Washington Nationals. The 24-year-old southpaw's next scheduled start was supposed to be on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The change of scenery appears to have done Harrison some good so far in 2026, as he currently has a 3.07 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 15:4 K:BB in 14 2/3 innings over his first three starts. If Harrison is pushed back to sometime this weekend, he'd be facing the Marlins in Miami.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
April 15, 2026
Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever
Porter Hodge (elbow) will have UCL surgery on his right elbow and will miss the rest of the season, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. Hodge initially was placed on the 15-day injured list going into the regular season after being diagnosed with a flexor strain in his forearm. Given the timing of his injury and depending on what exact type of surgery he has on his elbow, there's a chance that Hodge won't even be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign. The 25-year-old former 13th-round pick in 2019 made 75 appearances out of Chicago's bullpen the last two seasons, posting a 3.79 ERA (4.11 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 11 saves, 37 walks, and 92 strikeouts in 76 total innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor
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