MLB News

Wilyer Abreu • RF • Red Sox

Wilyer Abreu Finding Great Success in Early Going

Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu is off to an incredible start to the season. He slugged another home run during Wednesday's loss to the Houston Astros, bringing his season slash line to .417/.417/.917 with three home runs, six RBI, and 281 wRC+. Presumably, his stats will cool down a little over a larger sample size, but the hot start is still indicative of a big year to come for the young outfielder. Abreu is a positive-value defender in right field, where he displays good glovework, plus elite arm strength and accuracy. At the plate, he has hit well enough to earn a spot in the lineup every day, progressing from last year's platoon role. He currently ranks #44 among outfielders in RotoBaller's fantasy baseball rankings, and he'll presumably rise up the rankings as long as he continues to produce consistent results at the plate.

4 hours ago

Cade Smith • RP • Guardians |

Cade Smith • SP • Yankees

Cade Smith Allows Another Run, Shaky to Begin Season

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Cade Smith allowed a solo home run during Wednesday's outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The home run was the only run Smith allowed during his inning of work. However, he has now allowed at least one run in each of his last three appearances. Through four innings of relief work this year, he has allowed four earned runs, five hits, and one walk. He also has three strikeouts and one save. Smith's 3.09 xERA suggests his 9.00 ERA could be a product of bad luck, but the 5.67 FIP and 4.24 xFIP still point to some underlying issues. Loud contact has been a big problem for Smith, who has a mere 28.6% ground ball rate this year (albeit over a small sample size). The 26-year-old righty still ranks as RotoBaller's #3 relief pitcher in fantasy baseball for now, but he'll presumably fall down the rankings if he continues to struggle over a larger sample size.

4 hours ago

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo to Begin Rehab Assignment in Single-A

Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Dayton on Thursday. Lodolo has been sidelined since the end of spring training due to a blister on his left index finger, but the rehab assignment indicates that he's making progress and could be close to returning. Although the Reds now have until the start of May to activate him, it presumably won't take that long. He's expected to throw 60 to 65 pitches on Thursday, so we wouldn't be surprised to see him make one more start at Double-A or Triple-A before re-joining the major league roster. Lodolo is coming off a strong 2025 season in which he made 29 appearances with a 3.66 xFIP, 8.96 K/9, 1.78 BB/9, and 42.6% ground ball rate. The 28-year-old southpaw currently ranks #41 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

4 hours ago

Grant Taylor • RP • White Sox

Grant Taylor to Start Home Opener on Friday

Chicago White Sox right-handed pitcher Grant Taylor will start Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays as an opener, according to James Fegan of SoxMachine.com. Taylor developed in the minors as a starter, but the White Sox have been using him solely as a reliever in the majors, so he'll presumably only pitch the first inning on Friday. He posted a 1.42 FIP with 13.25 K/9 in the majors last year, and he hasn't surrendered a home run since 2024 at Single-A. Through two innings of relief work this season, he has allowed one earned run and two walks while striking out four batters. As long as the White Sox keep Taylor in a short-innings role, he's not a very flashy pitching option in fantasy baseball.

4 hours ago

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Konnor Griffin Being Promoted to MLB Roster Ahead of Friday's Contest

According to Jason Mackey, the Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting top infield prospect Konnor Griffin to the MLB roster ahead of their home opener on Friday. Griffin was in serious contention to break camp with the MLB roster despite not playing a single game at the Triple-A level. In spring training, the former ninth overall pick launched four home runs while going 5-for-24 at the dish. As a result, the Pirates opted to send Griffin to Triple-A for a brief stint. In this five-game appearance, Griffin would flash high-end upside, posting a .438/.571/.625 slash line with three doubles and three stolen bases. Last summer, Griffin appeared in 122 games, spent primarily in the lower levels and hit for a .333 AVG with 21 HRs and 65 SBs. Given his high-end five-category upside, Griffin should be viewed as a must-roster middle infielder in all formats going forward.

6 hours ago

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.

8 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.

8 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.

8 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.

8 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.

8 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.

9 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.

18 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.

18 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.

18 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.

18 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.

18 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.

18 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.

22 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.

22 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.

22 hours ago

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