MLB News

Gavin Williams • SP • Guardians

Gavin Williams Shuts Down Dodgers, Strikes Out 10 Hitters

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams had an extremely impressive start against one of the most potent lineups in baseball on Wednesday night to earn his first win of the season. Williams spun seven shutout innings, allowing two hits and three walks to the Dodgers while logging an impressive total of 10 strikeouts. The 26-year-old righty gave up three runs in five innings with six walks against the Mariners in his first start of the season, so this was a huge step in the right direction for Williams, who showed how dominant he can be when at his best. He looks lined up for a two-start week next week, making a home start against the Royals on Tuesday and a road start in Atlanta next Sunday.

5 hours ago

Nick Pivetta • SP • Padres

Nick Pivetta Strikes out Eight in Resurgent Outing

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta had an excellent bounce-back outing on Wednesday against the Giants, racking up eight strikeouts in five shutout innings to earn his first win of the season. Pivetta issued two walks but only gave up one hit. He threw a season-high 82 pitches and left with the score 2-0 before the Padres broke it open for a 7-1 victory. It was a great turnaround for Pivetta, who gave up six runs in three innings against the Tigers in his first start of the season. He showed in this outing that he still brings strikeout upside and can be a contributor in the right matchups. He's set up for a two-start week with outings on the road against the Pirates and Rockies next week.

6 hours ago

Jac Caglianone • RF • Royals

Jac Caglianone Enjoys Breakout Showing, Posts Three-Hit Effort

Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone had a huge game on Wednesday night to help propel his team to a 13-9 victory over the visiting Twins. Caglianone went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a double, and a hit by pitch. He raised his batting average on the young season from .200 to .357 with his effort and helped jumpstart the Royals' slow-starting offense. Caglianone hit .304 with a home run this spring training and also starred for Italy in the WBC. The 23-year-old lefty only hit .157 in his 62 games in the majors last year, but he looks ready to post major improvements this year. Caglianone is still available in about 30% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues and can be a nice pickup since he still comes with plenty of potential as he adjusts to the majors.

6 hours ago

Masyn Winn • SS • Cardinals

Masyn Winn Is "OK" After Single-Car Accident

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn was involved in a single-car accident on Wednesday after the team's walk-off win against the Mets. Winn had the game-winning hit and is 4-for-25 (.160) with two doubles, two walks, and a stolen base in his first six games. The team said the accident was a result of wet pavement and that Winn was alone in his car. He was examined at a nearby hospital and did not suffer any serious injuries. The Cardinals have an off-day on Thursday and are back in action on Friday as they head to Detroit and Washington for a six-game road trip. It doesn't seem like Winn will miss any significant time, but if he needs any time off, Ram n Ur as and Jos Ferm n would be the leading candidates to pick up extra work.

6 hours ago

Lucas Erceg • RP • Royals

Lucas Erceg Tallies Second Save, Emerging as Must-Roster Closer

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Lucas Erceg earned his second save of the season on Wednesday night by closing out the Twins in the Royals' 13-9 win at Kauffman Stadium. Erceg didn't start the ninth inning, since his team had a seven-run lead, but after Bailey Falter allowed three runs, bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle, Erceg shut down the rally by retiring Austin Martin and James Outman. Erceg has a hold and two saves in his three games this season, allowing two hits but no runs with one strikeout. He should be secure in his role as the Royals' closer in the short-term while Carlos Est vez (foot) is on the 15-day injured list. Estevez suffered a drop in velocity and struggled early this season after a career-high 42 saves last year. At least for now, the job is Erceg's to claim, making him a great early-season snag from the waiver wire if you're searching for saves.

6 hours ago

Trevor Rogers • SP • Orioles

Trevor Rogers Sharp Again on Wednesday, Continues to Produce as High-End Starting Pitcher

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers turned in another outstanding outing on Wednesday, pitching six strong innings against the Rangers. Rogers had just three strikeouts, but allowed only six hits in six innings against Texas, improving to 2-0 in his two starts this season. Rogers has only allowed two runs in his 13 innings this season, already logging a pair of quality starts and posting a 1.38 ERA and 3.32 FIP. He had 13 quality starts in 18 outings with a 1.81 ERA last year, and this season, he's proving that production was no fluke. His strikeout production has been low in his two starts, but he looked sharp in spring training, indicating the strikeouts could follow soon. The Orioles and his fantasy managers have to be thrilled with the start of the year for the 28-year-old lefty, who is scheduled to face the White Sox in his next start on Tuesday.

6 hours ago

Paul Skenes • SP • Pirates

Paul Skenes Bounces Back, Records First Win of 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes bounced back from his rough outing on Opening Day in his second start of the season on Wednesday. The 23-year-old threw five innings on one-run ball to log his first win in his team's 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, recording five strikeouts while allowing three hits and two walks. While Skenes wasn't quite his usual dominant self, his relative return to form was still a welcome sight for fantasy managers after Skenes failed to get out of the first inning in his first outing of the year against the New York Mets. Skenes' command has been a little bit off to start the year, as he's allowed four walks in 5 2/3 innings. However, the hard-throwing right-hander owns a K-BB% of 24.8% and a WHIP of 0.96 across 321 1/3 career MLB innings. As long as he's healthy, Skenes profiles as an elite starting pitcher option for fantasy managers.

15 hours ago

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Extends His Hot Start to the Season

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz continued his hot start to the season in his team's 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, going two-for-five with a home run, three RBI, and an additional run scored. Perhaps most importantly for Cruz's fantasy outlook, his home run came against Reds left-handed starter Andrew Abbott. The lefty-swinging Cruz has traditionally struggled against same-handed pitching throughout his career and has often been platooned, but he got the start against Abbott on Wednesday and delivered. Through his first 24 plate appearances of 2026, Cruz is hitting .304 with three home runs, six RBI, and seven runs scored. The 27-year-old has also struck out 10 times, so his batting average is likely to regress closer to his career mark of .233 over a larger sample. Still, if Cruz can do enough damage against lefties to earn everyday playing time, he could post monster power and speed totals for fantasy managers in 2026.

16 hours ago

Justin Crawford • CF • Phillies

Justin Crawford Posts First Three-Hit Game, Tallies Game-Winning RBI

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford had the best game of his young career in his team's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Crawford went three-for-five with a trio of singles, including the game-winning RBI knock in the bottom of the 10th inning. Through his first 18 MLB plate appearances, Crawford is hitting .412 with an RBI and three runs scored. The 22-year-old made his bones as an elite average hitter in the minors as well, slashing .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs, 47 RBI, 88 runs scored, and 46 stolen bases across 506 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2025. Power is the main question mark in Crawford's profile, and just one of his seven MLB hits has gone for extra bases so far. Still, if Crawford can continue to rack up base hits, he should start stealing bases at a high rate and could easily move up from the bottom of the Philadelphia batting order.

16 hours ago

Shea Langeliers • C • Athletics

Shea Langeliers Continues Power Surge, Launches Fifth Home Run on Wednesday

Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers was one of the lone bright spots of his team's 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, going two-for-four with a solo home run. The 28-year-old is off to a torrid start to 2026, as he's hitting .375 with five home runs and eight RBI across his first 25 plate appearances. Langeliers has been one of the better power-hitting catchers in baseball in recent years, as he's now racked up 65 home runs since the start of the 2024 season. He put together his most well-rounded season at the plate in 2025, hitting .277 and lowering his strikeout rate to a career-best 19.7%. Langeliers' strikeout rate is back up to 32% in a very small sample size in 2026, but his power output more than makes up for any batting average concerns. With a career barrel rate of 12.2%, Langeliers could be on the verge of threatening the 40-homer mark in 2026.

16 hours ago

Sandy Alcantara • SP • Marlins

Sandy Alcantara Tosses Shutout Against the White Sox

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara dominated the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, pitching nine scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and zero walks while allowing just three hits. The 30-year-old right-hander struggled through a down year in 2025 in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, pitching to a 5.36 ERA and 1.27 WHIP across 174 2/3 innings (31 starts). However, Alcantara is off to an excellent start in 2026, recording 16 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts while allowing just seven hits and two walks. While Alcantara has never generated a tremendous amount of swing-and-miss, his ability to work efficiently and pitch to contact allows him to work deep into games consistently. Against the White Sox, he needed just 93 pitches to go the distance. Alcantara's first two starts of the season have come against lowly offenses in the White Sox and Colorado Rockies, so he'll face a tougher test in his next start against the Cincinnati Reds. Still, Alcantara's hot start is a welcome sign for fantasy managers who bought low on him coming off a down year.

16 hours ago

Blake Snell • SP • Dodgers

Blake Snell Close to Facing Live Hitters

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (shoulder) is likely to start facing hitters once the team returns from its upcoming road trip, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports. Snell is currently on the 15-day injured list as he works his way back from left shoulder fatigue and was originally given a target return date of late May. Based on this most recent update, it appears Snell remains on track for that target. A left shoulder injury limited Snell to just 61 1/3 innings (11 starts) in 2025, but he was effective in his time on the mound, recording a 5-4 record with a 2.35 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts. When healthy, the 33-year-old has typically been one of the better pitchers in baseball. However, Snell has made more than 24 starts just twice in 10 MLB seasons entering 2026. Snell profiles as a high-end fantasy starting pitcher upon his return, but how long he can avoid another injury is an open question.

16 hours ago

Cam Schlittler • SP • Yankees

Cam Schlittler Dominates Mariners on Wednesday for Second Win of 2026

New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler dominated the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, recording his second win of the season by throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings. The 25-year-old struck out seven while allowing just two hits and zero walks. Across his first two starts of 2026, Schlittler has now logged 11 2/3 scoreless frames with 15 strikeouts while allowing just three hits. Schlittler made his MLB debut in 2025, recording a 4-3 record with a 2.96 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 84 strikeouts across 73 innings (14 starts). The young right-hander posted an elevated 10.2% walk rate, but he's yet to allow a free pass in his small sample of work so far in 2026. If Schlittler's early-season work is any indication, he could be on the verge of a full-scale breakout campaign.

19 hours ago

Liam Hicks • C • Marlins

Liam Hicks Swinging Scorching Bat, Emerging as a Top Waiver Wire Target?

Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks continued his hot start to the 2026 season on Wednesday, going three-for-four with a home run, four RBI, and two runs scored in his team's 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. Across his first 19 plate appearances of the year, Hicks is hitting .467 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and six runs scored. The 26-year-old made his MLB debut in 2025, posting a .247/.346/.346 slash line with six home runs, 45 RBI, 37 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 390 plate appearances. While he posted a minuscule 3.5% barrel rate, Hicks demonstrated a solid plate approach with a 11% walk rate and just a 14.4% strikeout rate. If Hicks can make some marginal gains in the power department in 2026, he could be worth targeting off the waiver wire in two-catcher fantasy formats.

20 hours ago

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Pitches in the Ninth Inning Again on Wednesday, in the Mix for Future Save Opportunities?

Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Gregory Soto was on the mound to finish off his team's 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, throwing a scoreless ninth inning while recording two strikeouts and not allowing a base runner. The 31-year-old is off to an excellent start to the season, as he's struck out eight and allowed just one hit across 4 1/3 scoreless innings (four games). While Wednesday's appearance came in a non-save situation, Soto's usage in the ninth inning could indicate that he's in the mix with Pirates right-hander Dennis Santana for saves. Soto has prior closing experience, recording 30 saves for the Detroit Tigers in 2022. If he keeps producing, Soto could be a player worth targeting on the waiver wire for deeper-league fantasy managers.

20 hours ago

Griffin Jax • RP • Rays

Griffin Jax Takes Second Loss of the Season, Continues to Lose Fantasy Value

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Griffin Jax got pummeled by the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, allowing three hits and five runs (three earned) without recording an out in his team's 8-2 defeat. Jax is off to a brutal start to 2026, as he's allowed five earned runs while recording just one strikeout across two innings of work in three appearances. With fellow Rays reliever Edwin Uceta (shoulder) on the injured list, Jax looked like the favorite to see the majority of the ninth-inning work in Tampa Bay. However, the 31-year-old has already blown two saves, and his overall ineffectiveness is clearly a concern for fantasy managers. With Jax struggling, Rays relievers Garrett Cleavinger and Bryan Baker could be worth targeting on the waiver wire and rostering until Uceta returns.

20 hours ago

Bryan Abreu • RP • Astros

Bryan Abreu Records First Save of 2026 in Shaky Outing on Wednesday

Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu recorded his first save of 2026 on Wednesday, allowing a solo home run but also striking out three in the ninth inning of his team's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. With star Astros reliever Josh Hader (biceps) currently on the injured list, Abreu has opened the year as Houston's primary closer. However, the 28-year-old has not been sharp to start the season, allowing four walks and five earned runs across 2 1/3 innings (three appearances). Before 2026, Abreu had established himself as one of the best high-leverage arms in baseball, recording a 2.28 ERA with a 35.5% strikeout rate across 71 innings in 2025. Even amidst his struggles in a small sample size this season, he's still recorded six strikeouts. Abreu should be able to hold down the closer role in Houston while Hader is injured, but the Astros could be forced to go in a different direction if Abreu continues to falter.

20 hours ago

Chase DeLauter • RF • Guardians

Chase DeLauter Held Out of Guardians' Lineup on Wednesday

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter (foot) is not in the lineup for his team's matchup on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 24-year-old exited Tuesday's contest early after fouling a ball off his left foot. Initial X-rays on the injury came back negative, so DeLauter will hopefully avoid missing serious time. However, DeLauter has already broken that same left foot twice before, and he has an extensive track record of injuries throughout his professional career. The top prospect is off to an excellent start to the 2026 season, collecting four home runs in his first 23 plate appearances. If DeLauter does end up missing any significant time, Guardians' utility man Daniel Schneeman could be his primary replacement in right field.

20 hours ago

Quinn Priester • SP • Brewers

Quinn Priester Cleared to Face Live Hitters, Continues to Make Steady Progress in Recovery

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Quinn Priester (wrist) has been cleared to face live hitters, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Priester opened the regular season on the injured list due to symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome, but is slated to make the next major step in his progression. Fantasy managers should monitor his status in this live session, as he could be nearing the start of a potential rehab stint. However, he likely still has several steps to clear in his recovery, as he was unable to take the mound at all during spring training. Last season, Priester looked quite comfortable pitching for the Brewers, logging a career-high 157 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, with a 132:50 K:BB. When active, the former 18th overall pick would carry intriguing SP4/SP5 upside in standard 12-team formats. His return would likely push Brandon Sproat to a long relief role or to Triple-A.

22 hours ago

Kirby Yates • RP • Angels

Kirby Yates Completes Bullpen Session on Wednesday

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kirby Yates (knee) completed a bullpen session on Wednesday, according to Jeff Fletcher of the SoCal News Group. Yates has been on the injured list with a knee injury since the beginning of the regular season, but appears to be making steady progress in his recovery. The veteran reliever was slated to be a favorite to earn save opportunities in the Los Angeles bullpen, but has since ceded the work to Jordan Romano while he has been on the shelf. In 2025, Yates logged just 41 1/3 innings and struggled, posting a 5.23 ERA. However, in the previous season, Yates was among the most dominant ninth-inning options in the sport, tallying 33 saves with a 1.17 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP with the Texas Rangers. Given that Romano has looked quite comfortable in the ninth-inning role, Yates may begin his season operating as the setup man once cleared for action.

22 hours ago

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