MLB News

Yoendrys Gómez • RP • Twins

Yoendrys Gomez Deserves More Waiver Attention as Twins Closer

Right-handed reliever Yoendrys Gomez has benefited from a move from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Minnesota Twins and has become the Twins' closer, yet somehow he's only rostered in 30% of Yahoo leagues. The 26-year-old Venezuelan hurler has a 3.43 ERA (4.71 FIP), 1.25 WHIP, a career-high 12 saves, 39 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 44 2/3 innings with the Rays and Twins this year in his fourth year in the big leagues. Gomez has been better since joining Minnesota, though, posting a 1.65 ERA (3.10 FIP), 0.99 WHIP, 11 saves, 26 strikeouts, and 11 walks in 27 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. His 10% walk rate isn't ideal, and he also has a below-average strikeout rate (23.6%) for a high-leverage, late-inning arm, but the opportunity for continued save chances in Minnesota the rest of the 2026 season cannot be ignored by fantasy managers chasing the category. Since the start of June, Gomez has allowed four earned runs with seven walks, 13 strikeouts, a win, nine saves, and one hold.

4 hours ago

Mauricio Dubón • LF • Braves

Mauricio Dubon Could Lose Playing Time Soon

Atlanta Braves infielder/outfielder Mauricio Dubon has been a key utility man for the Braves in 2026 in his first season with the team, hitting .266/.318/.417 with a .735 OPS in 94 games across his 386 plate appearances. Although Dubon has never really been known for his power at the plate, he's already tied his career high of 10 home runs in his eighth year in the majors, and he's also added a career-high 53 RBI, 44 runs scored, and three steals. The 32-year-old veteran is hitting .262 (16-for-61) with a .728 OPS, two homers, three doubles, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 15 games and 67 plate appearances in the month of July. For fantasy purposes, Dubon is most appealing in deeper formats for his lack of strikeouts (14.5% strikeout rate), although he also doesn't walk much either (6.5% walk rate). Dubon is also appealing in fantasy for his eligibility at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield. He's currently rostered in just a hair under half of Yahoo leagues, but that number may begin to fall if he loses out on regular playing time once Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) returns from the injured list in the near future.

5 hours ago

Jake Burger • 1B • Rangers

Jake Burger Losing Waiver Steam Amid Slow Start in July

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger has reached the 30-homer mark in his career before (in 2023) and has already matched his home run total (16) from his first year in Texas in 2025, making him a deep-league target for power. Through his first 95 games and 386 plate appearances with the Rangers in 2026, Burger is slashing .239/.301/.415 with a .715 OPS, 16 homers, 59 RBI, 41 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The caveat to suggesting the 30-year-old veteran as a waiver-wire addition is that he's pretty streaky at the plate, and right now, he's struggling offensively. Through his first 12 games (51 plate appearances) in July, he's gone 7-for-48 (.146) with two home runs, seven RBI, three runs scored, two walks, and 15 strikeouts. Burger's .236 expected batting average and .306 xwOBA don't exactly give hope for the rest of the second half, either, and he's in the 25th percentile in strikeout rate, the 15th percentile in chase rate, and the seventh percentile in whiff rate. He's currently rostered in just 23% of Yahoo leagues.

5 hours ago

Jack Wenninger • SP • Mets

Jack Wenninger a Potential Stash Option in the Second Half

New York Mets pitching prospect Jack Wenninger could make his major league debut in the second half, especially if the Mets deal one of their rotation pieces before the trade deadline. The Mets' fourth-ranked prospect has shown flashes of dominance at times this season at Triple-A Syracuse, most notably in the early going when he posted a 1.08 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and struck out 38 batters in the first 33 1/3 innings pitched this year. Overall, the right-hander owns a 3.50 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and a 9.6 percent K-BB%, so some shine has come off his stash status for fantasy, and a 5.28 FIP suggests the results could have been even worse. However, if the 6-foot-4 hurler can return to his early-season form, he could certainly be useful for fantasy. The 24-year-old hasn't pitched since before the All-Star break, so his arm should be fresh for the second half. If he starts dealing coming out of the break, he could become a worthy stash option in very deep and NL-only leagues.

5 hours ago

Tanner Scott • RP • Dodgers

Tanner Scott's Waiver Appeal Could be Coming to an End Soon

Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed reliever Tanner Scott has bounced back nicely in 2026 in his second year with the club after a disastrous first season in which he had a 4.74 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 18 walks in 57 regular-season innings on his way to 23 saves for the Dodgers. Scott has gone 1-3 this year, but he's been much better with a 2.50 ERA (2.29 FIP), 0.76 WHIP, 14 saves, 51 strikeouts, and only five walks in 39 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Although he's still only rostered in 54% of Yahoo leagues, he's been a nice pickup for those who scooped him up after Edwin Diaz (elbow) landed on the injured list early on. Since June 11, Scott has allowed just three earned runs with two walks, 19 strikeouts, eight saves, one blown save, and a hold for L.A. He should continue to be a valuable late-inning option for the Dodgers the rest of the way, but with Diaz nearing a return from elbow surgery, save opportunities for Scott figure to dry up sooner rather than later. There's still value to be had from Scott's career-best 34.7% strikeout rate, and more holds should be coming his way.

5 hours ago

Josh Bell • DH • Twins

Josh Bell an Under-the-Radar Power Threat in Deeper Leagues

Minnesota Twins veteran first baseman Josh Bell has cooled off a bit since homering four times in a five-game stretch at the end of June and beginning of July, but he can still be a useful power bat for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. Overall, the 33-year-old left-handed slugger has hit .249/.307/.424 with a .731 OPS, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 48 runs scored, and a stolen base in 97 games across 387 plate appearances in 2026 in his 11th year in the league and first with Minnesota. He hasn't homered since a two-homer game on the Fourth of July against the New York Yankees, but Bell is still batting .280 (14-for-50) with an .897 OPS, three home runs, four doubles, six RBI, and six runs scored in 13 games and 56 plate appearances so far in July. Bell doesn't strike out a ton (21.7%) and only 18.9% in his career, but he's also walking at a career-low 7.5% clip, which hasn't made him much of a fantasy asset for much else besides some moderate power and run production. The left-handed slugger is currently rostered in just 23% of Yahoo leagues.

5 hours ago

Jacob Melton • LF • Rays

Jacob Melton a Top Stash Option for Stolen Base Potential

Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton has been good since coming off the injured list in mid-June, hitting .341 with four doubles, three home runs, and three steals in 12 games since being reactivated. That includes his latest four-game stretch in which the former second-round draft pick went just 2-for-13, but still managed to get on base four other times via walk compared to just three strikeouts over that same period. For the season, the 6-foot-2 slugger is slashing .275/.383/.514 with four home runs and 20 steals in 32 games at Durham. The left-handed hitter debuted with Houston last season, and although he hit just .157, he was still able to swipe seven bags thanks to his 90th percentile sprint speed. A 32.1 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A this season doesn't bode well for hitting for high average in the big leagues, but his speed should be an asset, especially in fantasy. For managers scouring the wire for steals, Melton is a worthy stash ahead of an eventual recall to the Rays.

5 hours ago

Tyler Stephenson • C • Reds

Tyler Stephenson Heating Up in July, Hits Two Homers Against Rockies

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson took advantage of the thin air in Denver in Sunday's series finale in the team's 9-6 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field to go 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, a double, and three RBI to boost his season average to .247 and his OPS to .721. Stephenson is now hitting .247/.325/.396 on the season with a .720 OPS, eight home runs, 27 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 75 games played and 265 plate appearances in his seventh year in the majors with the Reds. He has missed more time with injury in 2026 but has been heating up in July, going 13-for-35 (.371) with two home runs, two doubles, three RBI, and three runs scored in just 10 games and 36 plate appearances. Since the start of June, Stephenson has hit .319 (30-for-94) with an .866 OPS, four homers, five doubles, 10 RBI, and nine runs scored in 29 games across 101 plate appearances. When healthy, the 29-year-old starting catcher can provide above-average power at the weak catching position at a hitter-friendly home ballpark.

5 hours ago

River Ryan • SP • Dodgers

River Ryan Still Worth Stashing Amid Stint on Injured List?

Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect River Ryan (hamstring) has been sidelined since late June with a hamstring injury and is still without a clear return timetable. The Dodgers have stated that they don't believe it is a serious injury, but appear to be taking it very slow with their top-ranked pitching prospect. Right now, the Dodgers aren't in need of an arm, and Blake Snell is nearing a return from the injured list, so there is no need to rush Ryan along. The team would want to make sure he's healthy for more meaningful games, potentially in August and September, not to mention the right-hander missed all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John, so they likely wanted to limit his workload anyway. The 27-year-old debuted with the team back in 2024 with good results, and was poised for another promotion before the hamstring injury, pitching to a 2.81 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 24.6 percent K-BB% over his first seven starts before an eight-run meltdown in his final start prior to hitting the IL. Once he makes a return to the mound and shows he's back to early-season form, the right-hander could become a stash candidate for fantasy again, but for now, there's no need to stash him.

6 hours ago

Austin Riley • 3B • Braves

Austin Riley Could be Breaking Out of his Funk After Two-Homer Game

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has been a big disappointment so far in 2026, but he has shown a bit more power so far in July, and he went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, and a strikeout in Sunday's 8-5 win over the visiting Texas Rangers. The 29-year-old right-handed slugger is still hitting just .217/.296/.361 with a .657 OPS, 12 home runs, 47 RBI, 43 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 355 at-bats on the season after the big performance, which shows you just how much he has struggled in his eighth year in the big leagues. The big game on Sunday was Riley's second multi-homer game of the year and the 10th of his career. He has now homered three times in his last three games, and Riley is batting .273 (15-for-55) with four home runs, a double, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 15 games and 62 plate appearances in July. It's been nice to see Riley pick things up a bit so far this month, but we'd caution fantasy managers looking to buy low on him since he's sitting with an expected batting average of .209 and an xwOBA of .298 (wOBA of .293).

6 hours ago

Drake Baldwin • C • Braves

Drake Baldwin Stays Hot in July With Two Homers, Five Hits on Sunday

Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is one of the hottest hitters in baseball in the month of July, and that continued on Sunday in the team's 8-5 win over the visiting Texas Rangers at Truist Park. Baldwin went 5-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI as the leadoff hitter to boost his season average to .276 and his OPS to .843. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting backstop is now hitting .368 (21-for-57) with a 1.050 OPS, four home runs, 15 RBI, 12 runs scored, and a stolen base in 15 games in July to raise his season slash line to .276/.362/.481. Baldwin has also homered three times in his last three games. It has been nice to see for the Braves and fantasy managers alike after Baldwin struggled to a .063/.100/.125 slash line, one homer, an RBI, three runs scored, one walk, and 22 strikeouts in 12 games in June after returning from a stint on the injured list. His two-homer game on Sunday against Texas was the second multi-homer game of his career, and it was also the first time in his career with at least four hits. It's safe to say Baldwin is now back in the flow offensively, and he could be a difference-maker in fantasy leagues in the second half.

6 hours ago

George Klassen • SP • Angels

George Klassen Firmly on Stash Radar After 11-Punchout Effort

Los Angeles Angels pitching prospect George Klassen turned in his best outing of the season on Sunday, punching out 11 of the 23 batters he faced over six innings, yielding just one earned run on two hits and three walks. It comes on the heels of arguably his worst outing of the season, in which he allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings of work while failing to strike out a single batter. The up-and-down season has led to a mediocre 4.25 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and an 8.5 percent K-BB%, but an 11-strikeout performance should put him back on the stash radar for fantasy. If the Angels' fourth-ranked prospect can string together a couple of good performances, he could be back in the big leagues by mid-August, so it's worth monitoring his progress from here.

6 hours ago

Nolan McLean • SP • Mets

Nolan McLean Dominates the Phillies on Sunday

New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean had a dominant performance over the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies in Sunday's 6-1 victory on the road at Citizens Bank Park, throwing six shutout innings with only two hits allowed, two walks, and a season-high 10 strikeouts to pick up his seventh victory of the 2026 season and drop his ERA to 3.34 on the year. The 24-year-old is now 7-6 on the season with a 1.09 WHIP, 135 strikeouts, and 41 walks in 113 1/3 innings pitched across his 20 starts in his first full MLB season after he went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 57:16 K:BB in 48 innings over his first eight starts last year. Since surrendering six earned runs to the Chicago Cubs on June 24, McLean has righted the ship, going 3-1 with a 0.75 ERA (1.81 FIP), seven walks, and 29 strikeouts in his last 24 innings pitched over his last four starts. The former third-rounder in 2023 out of Oklahoma State University will have a tough challenge to keep his strong run of form going in his next scheduled outing versus the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. He pitched well in his first meeting with L.A. on April 14, though, allowing just one earned run with two walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings for a no-decision.

6 hours ago

Yoshinobu Yamamoto • SP • Dodgers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Tosses Complete Game Against Yankees

In the first game of Sunday's doubleheader in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto saved the team's bullpen. Yamamoto went the full nine innings in the 8-2 victory, allowing two earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out seven to win his 10th game of the season. He threw 69 of his 102 pitches for strikes in what was the first regular-season complete game of his career. The 27-year-old bounced back nicely after he allowed a season-high six runs to the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks on July 11 in his last start of the first half of the season. Yamamoto now has a sharp 2.78 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 113 strikeouts and 25 walks in 119 2/3 innings on the season. He is as good as they come, allowing two runs or fewer in 12 of his 18 starts in 2026. Yamamoto will be an absolute must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues in his upcoming matchup against the New York Mets this weekend. In his first meeting with the Mets all the way back on April 14, Yamamoto allowed just one earned run with one walk and seven strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings for a no-decision.

6 hours ago

Kemp Alderman • RF • Marlins

Kemp Alderman Continues to Make the Case for an MLB Debut

Miami Marlins outfield prospect Kemp Alderman continues to show well at Triple-A Jacksonville after a slow start to the year. The Marlins' eighth-ranked prospect hit just .197 over the season's first 19 games, but in the 42 games since then, he's batting .331. All in all, including the 20 games he spent at Triple-A last season, the former second-round draft pick is slashing .297/.365/.549 for the Jumbo Shrimp, with 20 home runs and eight steals across a combined 81 contests. With hard-hit rate, barrel rate, average exit velocity (EV), and max EV all coming in at 93rd percentile or better, it seems the only thing holding him back is a high chase rate (19th percentile) and a high strikeout rate (15th percentile). If he can show improvement in that area, the sooner he may get the call to the majors, but even if he doesn't, a debut in the big leagues before the year is out seems inevitable. Fantasy managers with an NA spot in 14-team leagues and deeper could consider stashing the 23-year-old for his power upside.

6 hours ago

Erik Miller • RP • Giants

Erik Miller Emerging as a Potential Closing Option For the Giants

San Francisco Giants left-hander Erik Miller has put together a nice season so far in 2026, with a 3.18 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings pitched (33 appearances). Miller has some of the most unhittable stuff in MLB, evidenced by his .186 xBA (95th percentile) and 84.2 mph average exit velocity (99th percentile), but his control is the worst in MLB, with a 16.1 percent walk rate (first percentile). Therefore, with Miller, you have to assume he will not help you in the WHIP category. Miller has primarily been deployed as a high-leverage, lefty specialist for the Giants, but his role of late has expanded, and he has even earned a few save opportunities (three on the season). In addition to his two saves, Miller also has 10 holds on the year, and due to his electric stuff, he is someone who has the upside to take over as the Giants' primary closing option, but for now, Miller should not be considered must-roster, more so someone to keep an eye on over the latter part of the season.

6 hours ago

Cole Carrigg • CF • Rockies

Cole Carrigg a Must-Add Player in Five-Outfielder Formats

24-year-old Colorado Rockies outfielder Cole Carrigg has had a nice start to his MLB career, slashing .288/.371/.529 with four home runs, two stolen bases, 26 runs scored, and 23 RBI. He has flashed both power and speed, and plays his home games in the friendliest ballpark in all of MLB (Coors Field). Carrigg has also demonstrated a strong eye at the plate, evidenced by his 11.2 percent walk rate and 20.8 percent strikeout rate, which for a rookie is not bad at all. Under the hood, the data show some regression (.333 xwOBA, .252 xBA); however, in five-outfielder formats, he has demonstrated good power (evidenced by his four home runs since his June 9 call-up, 90th-percentile sprint speed, and two stolen bases). Carrigg is likely rostered in most deeper formats, but fantasy managers who see him out there in five outfield leagues should look to target him, as the Rockies will likely be sellers at the deadline and let the young kids play.

6 hours ago

Michael Petersen • RP • Marlins

Michael Petersen Seeing Value Soar in Miami Bullpen Amid Primary Closer's Struggles

Miami Marlins reliever Michael Petersen has been excellent this season with a 2.91 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 17 holds, and 51 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings pitched (41 appearances). Peterson has primarily worked in the eighth inning of games, and at times the seventh inning to escape jams, and is the go-to guy for the Marlins to bridge the gap to Pete Fairbanks, whom the Marlins brought in on a one-year deal to close out games for the Fish. Fairbanks has struggled mightily this season, with a 7.42 ERA and 1.52 WHIP, and although he has converted on 13 of his 16 saves, he blew the save and took the loss on Sunday, allowing three earned runs on two hits, one walk, and one strikeout. At some point, the Marlins are going to need to move on from Fairbanks if he continues to struggle. The Marlins are sitting at 52-48 and are currently tied for the last spot in the NL Wild Card race, and can't afford any more hiccups. Peterson has clearly been more productive this season, so fantasy managers proactively looking to get ahead and grab a potential closer in the near future may want to look at grabbing Peterson.

7 hours ago

Ryan Zeferjahn • RP • Angels

Ryan Zeferjahn Earns Save for Angels, Emerging as Worthy Stash Option

Right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn earned the save for the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, allowing one run on one hit and no walks or strikeouts to convert his third save of the season in five opportunities. Zeferjahn allowed a solo home run to Riley Greene, but was able to avoid any additional damage. On the season, Zeferjahn has a 4-3 record, 3.91 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, three saves, and seven holds on the season; however, this was his first save since June 12. The underlying data supports Zeferjahn's campaign, evidenced by his 3.14 xERA and .160 xBA, and he has elite swing-and-miss stuff with a 34.2 percent whiff rate and 31.8 percent strikeout rate. His control, on the other hand, has been awful: 15.2 percent (fourth percentile). Zeferjahn's main competition for saves is Kirby Yates, who has converted on three of his six save opportunities and has a 3.74 ERA. Ironically, Jordan Romano, who was cut by the team months ago, still leads the team in saves with four. The Angels have only recorded 12 saves on the season, but as far as who is getting the next one, Zeferjahn is clearly in the mix with Yates. In deeper formats, if you are struggling for saves, Zeferjahn should be on your radar.

7 hours ago

Grant Taylor • RP • White Sox

Grant Taylor Earns Fifth Save, Nearing Complete Control of White Sox Closer Job

Chicago White Sox closer Grant Taylor earned his fifth save of the season on Sunday in Chicago's 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The save did not come without any drama, as Taylor allowed two hits but escaped the inning. Taylor has now earned a save in three out of his last four appearances dating back to July 4, and Seranthony Dom nguez, on the other hand, has not earned a save since June 14. Taylor has been the significantly more effective pitcher this season, with a 2.74 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 33.2 percent strike rate. He has been missing bats at an elite rate, with a 34.8 percent chase rate and a 30.3 percent WHIP rate. Under the hood, Taylor's surface data is fully supported, evidenced by his .183 xBA and 2.39 xERA. Taylor is a must-roster player, and given his recent success and the state of closers in MLB right now, he is now working up his ranks to become a must-start closer.

7 hours ago

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