Rico Garcia a Name to Watch for Saves in Baltimore: With Baltimore Orioles closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) on the 15-day injured list due to elbow discomfort, Orioles right-hander Rico Garcia could emerge as the team's temporary stand-in in the ninth inning. Garcia has been dominant to start 2026, pitching to a 0.66 ERA and 0.37 WHIP with 15 strikeouts and one save across 13 2/3 innings. He's struck out 32.6% of the batters he's faced and has allowed just one hit on the year. Garcia is not a lock to take over as the Baltimore closer, as he has just one career save across 74 MLB appearances. Orioles right-hander Andrew Kittredge has 21 career saves and has yet to allow an earned run since returning from a shoulder injury on April 24. Still, Garcia's elite production can't be ignored. With the Baltimore bullpen picture currently unclear, Garcia is worth targeting on the waiver wire. - as of Sat, 02 May 2026 09:35:47

Jacob Latz Earns Another Save on Friday, Emerging as Rangers' Primary Closer?: Texas Rangers left-hander Jacob Latz picked up his third save of the season on Friday, throwing a scoreless inning with a strikeout in his team's 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. Latz started the year in the Rangers' rotation but has since been shifted to the bullpen and has now recorded saves in three consecutive appearances. Across 17 2/3 innings (14 games) overall this season, the 30-year-old has pitched to a 1.02 ERA and 0.45 WHIP with 15 strikeouts. He's lowered his walk rate to a career-best 4.8%, and opposing batters are currently hitting just .085 against him. Texas has been searching for a permanent closer option for most of the last two seasons, so Latz should have no trouble hanging on to the role if he keeps producing. Latz profiles as a priority waiver wire target across most fantasy formats. - as of Sat, 02 May 2026 09:29:05

MRI on Ryan Helsley's Elbow Comes Back Clean, Orioles Expecting Quick Return?: An MRI on Baltimore Orioles closer Ryan Helsley's (elbow) right elbow came back clean, per Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Per Calvin Meyer, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said that his concern level for Helsley is "not high at all." Helsley was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday after experiencing discomfort in his elbow, but the team reportedly expects him to be fine after taking some anti-inflammatories. Before getting injured, Helsley pitched to a 2.53 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and seven saves across 10 2/3 innings. While elbow troubles are obviously a concern for any pitcher, it appears as though Helsley may avoid an extended stay on the IL. In his absence, Orioles relievers Andrew Kittredge, Rico Garcia, and Anthony Nunez could all see opportunities to work in the ninth inning. Kittredge is the most experienced of the bunch, with 21 saves in 312 career MLB appearances. - as of Sat, 02 May 2026 09:19:05

Jhoan Duran Scheduled to Throw Bullpen Session on Saturday: Philadelphia Phillies closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) is scheduled to throw a second bullpen session at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. The 28-year-old is working his way back from an oblique strain that has kept him on the injured list since mid-April. While the Phillies are reportedly not planning to push him before he's 100% ready, Duran appears to be close to making his return. Before getting injured, the hard-throwing right-hander pitched to a 1.35 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with eight strikeouts and five saves across 6 2/3 innings. Duran has been one of the better closers in baseball in recent seasons. Once healthy, Duran should immediately re-assume the Phillies' ninth-inning role from right-hander Brad Keller. - as of Sat, 02 May 2026 09:10:05

Kyle Harrison is Excellent Streaming Option for Saturday: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison has been surprisingly stellar on the mound this season. Harrison is coming off an outstanding performance where he struck out a career-high 12 batters in his start last Sunday. He tossed six innings, allowing one hit and zero earned runs while making the Pirates hitters whiff all game long. He'll now take a 2.28 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 30:8 K/BB ratio into his next start against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Harrison hasn't given up more than two earned runs in any of his outings this season. The southpaw is looking like an excellent streaming option with a favorable matchup against the Nats this weekend. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 22:51:05

Brandon Marsh Exits Early with Elbow Injury: Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (elbow) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the Miami Marlins. Marsh was pulled out of the game in the seventh inning due to a bruised right elbow. There aren't many more details on the situation, but it doesn't sound like this issue should force him to miss an extended period of time. Before exiting, Marsh went 1-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and a single. Dylan Moore took over in left field and could see a few starts if Marsh misses a game or two because of this injury. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 22:42:06

Connelly Early a Viable Streaming Option Ahead of Saturday's Start: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early is putting together strong numbers on the mound right now. Through the first month of the season, Early owns a 2.84 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 28:14 K:BB ratio across six starts. In his most recent outing, Early threw 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts in the win over the Baltimore Orioles. The southpaw has only allowed more than three earned runs in a single start once so far this season. He'll look to keep the good times rolling against the Houston Astros on Saturday. Fantasy managers who are seeking help in the pitching department should consider Early as a possible streaming option for that one. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 22:35:49

Kazuma Okamoto is Looking More Comfortable: Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto got off to a slow start to his big league career. The slugger appears to be finally turning a corner with the bat. Over the last two weeks, Okamoto is 11-for-45 at the plate with three home runs, 11 RBI, and six walks. The uptick in walks is a welcoming sight for fantasy managers. Okamoto is becoming more patient at the plate and is looking comfortable as he continues to adjust to big league pitching. Fantasy managers should've expected there to be a learning curve with Okamoto while he gets more familiar with the change in leagues. His solid play over the last few weeks should make him a more appealing fantasy option. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 22:25:05

Agustin Ramirez Continues Struggling with the Bat: Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez hasn't been able to find much success at the plate recently. Over the last two weeks, Ramirez is 8-for-40 at the plate with one home run and three RBI. It has been an ugly stretch of play with Ramirez posting a .581 OPS over the last two weeks. Liam Hicks has been tearing the cover off the ball over the last week and could start seeing increased playing time with Ramirez struggling. The upside is there with Ramirez, so fantasy managers should continue to hold him and hope for better results. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 22:14:05

Mariners Place Matt Brash on Injured List With Lat Inflammation: The Seattle Mariners announced on Friday that they placed right-handed reliever Matt Brash (lat) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 30) with right-lat inflammation and recalled left-hander Josh Simpson from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move. Brash injured himself during his brief outing against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday when he threw just two pitches in the eighth inning. He has escaped any structural damage, but he'll now miss at least the next two weeks and possibly more. Although Brash isn't Seattle's closer, he's a key late-inning, high-leverage piece for the M's, so this is a big loss. The 27-year-old Canadian hurler has not allowed an earned run so far in 2026, with eight strikeouts in 11 1/3 scoreless innings. Brash is only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues because he's merely a setup man, but when healthy, he's attractive in fantasy leagues that reward points for holds. With Brash out for at least 15 days, look for Jose A. Ferrer and Eduard Bazardo to take on bigger setup roles late in games in front of closer Andres Munoz. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 21:46:05

Yandy Diaz Leaves With Side Tightness, Considered Day-to-Day: Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (side) left Friday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants early with left-side tightness, according to Ryan Bass. Diaz is listed as day-to-day for now, with a potential update on his condition coming after the conclusion of the game against San Fran. Diaz, who was serving as the designated hitter in this one, went 1-for-2 at the plate with his fifth home run of the year (a solo shot) before being replaced by pinch-hitter Jonathan Aranda at DH. The 34-year-old veteran Cuban infielder doesn't appear to be dealing with a serious injury, but don't be surprised if the Rays hold him out of the starting lineup for a day or two to let him heal. Diaz continues to be a hit machine for his fantasy managers in the early portion of 2026, as he entered Friday's tilt with a .330/.421/.478 slash line, .899 OPS, four homers, 20 RBI, 18 runs, and a stolen base in 115 at-bats for Tampa. Check back on Saturday to see if Diaz is feeling good enough to return to the diamond. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 21:33:52

Jacob Misiorowski Leaves Start Early on Friday With Hamstring Cramp: Milwaukee Brewers hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (hamstring) was pulled from his start on Friday early against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning with a right-hamstring cramp, according to Brewers reporter Sophia Minnaert. The Miz's hamstring cramps came at a bad time, as he was no-hitting the Nationals through 5 1/3 innings with two walks allowed and eight strikeouts when trainers came out to check on him. It doesn't appear to be a very serious issue, but fantasy managers will need to keep an eye out for whether he's ready to make his next start next week, which should come against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. The 6-foot-7, 201-pound, 24-year-old is already one of the best strikeout arms in baseball in his first full season in the big leagues after fanning 87 in his first 66 big-league innings over 15 outings (14 starts) in his rookie season in 2025. The Miz entered Friday's game with a 3.31 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a league-leading 51 punchouts across six starts and 32 2/3 frames. Misiorowski is a must-start in fantasy lineups every time he toes the rubber. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 21:27:06

Brandon Nimmo Aggravates Hamstring, Pulled Early on Friday: Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (hamstring) left early on Friday in the series opener against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning after his second single of the contest after aggravating his hamstring injury, according to Jeff Wilson of All City DLLS. Nimmo also left Wednesday's series finale against the New York Yankees early due to hamstring tightness, which he said is a common occurrence and is manageable. Before hitting the showers early, Nimmo went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and a walk to raise his season average over .300 to .302. Ezequiel Duran shifted from second base to right field to replace Nimmo. Even though Nimmo doesn't appear to be very worried about his right hamstring, fantasy managers should at least expect him to sit out of Saturday's contest in Motown. And if Nimmo needs a trip to the injured list, Sam Haggerty could benefit the most from extra playing time in the outfield for the Rangers. Nimmo is a must-roster outfielder in all fantasy leagues as an on-base machine and multi-category contributor at the top of Texas' batting order. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 21:21:06

Matt Brash Diagnosed With Lat Inflammation, Could Land on IL: Seattle Mariners right-handed reliever Matt Brash (lat) had an MRI exam that showed "trace inflammation" in his right lat, president of baseball operations Justin Hollander told MLB.com's Daniel Kramer. There were no signs of structural damage for Brash. The Mariners are now trying to determine if he'll need to go on the 15-day injured list. Brash was pulled on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins after throwing just two pitches. The 27-year-old Canadian could need to rest his lat for several weeks, which would be a big blow to Seattle's bullpen. Brash isn't the team's closer (that's Andres Munoz), but he's been excellent in a late-inning setup role and is a fine source of holds. Through his first 11 1/3 innings of 2026, Brash has yet to allow a run while picking up two wins and striking out eight in 14 appearances. If anything were to happen to Munoz, Brash would also be the clear favorite for saves in Seattle. He's currently rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 19:05:06

Bryce Miller to Make Next Rehab Start on Wednesday: Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (shoulder) said the tentative plan right now is for him to make another minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with High-A Everett, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Miller is getting close to rejoining the Mariners' starting rotation to make his 2026 season debut, and fantasy managers looking for rotation upgrades should consider stashing him now. The 27-year-old former fourth-rounder out of Texas A&M in 2021 has looked good on his rehab assignment through three starts, and he threw 36 of his 53 pitches for strikes while tossing four scoreless innings his last time out on Thursday with Triple-A Tacoma. Right now, Miller is rostered in only 29% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available. The good news for Miller is that he hasn't dealt with any elbow injuries, which derailed his 2025 campaign. He's worth a look to see if he can rediscover the form he had in 2024 with the M's, when he went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 171 K's and 45 walks in 180 1/3 innings across his 31 starts. Miller should be back in the big leagues by mid-May. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 18:56:07

Giancarlo Stanton Not Cleared to Run, Could Resume Hitting This Weekend: New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) has yet to run after going on the 10-day injured list with a low-grade right-calf strain, manager Aaron Boone told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. The hope is that Stanton resumes hitting this weekend. The last box that Stanton will probably have to check before being cleared to return to the Yankees or go on a minor-league rehab assignment will be to run at full speed. Until that happens, it's hard to say when the right-handed power hitter will return from the IL. Given his lengthy injury history, fantasy managers should expect the Yankees to be cautious. Former top prospect Jasson Dominguez (elbow) was called up from the minors with Stanton hurt, but he suffered an elbow contusion earlier this week and has missed the last two games. Stanton is only rostered in 38% of Yahoo leagues after his injury, but he'll be the team's full-time DH when he returns, and he can still provide useful power numbers in a strong Yankees lineup. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 18:45:06

Gerrit Cole Scheduled to Make Next Rehab Start on Tuesday: New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole's (elbow) next scheduled minor-league rehab start will come on Tuesday with High-A Hudson Valley, according to the New York Daily News' Gary Phillips. Cole went 5 2/3 innings in his latest rehab start on Wednesday with Double-A Somerset, but the 35-year-old hasn't exactly looked great so far in the minors as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery early last year that kept him out for all of 2025. The former first overall pick out of UCLA in 2011 has been knocking off the rust with a 4.40 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and one walk in his three rehab appearances. Cole is understandably taking a little longer than fellow rotation mate Carlos Rodon (elbow) in his return, and although he's had some trouble with the long ball, Cole remains on track to rejoin New York's rotation in a couple of weeks or so, barring a setback. He's rostered in 84% of Yahoo leagues right now. Cole could be more of a question mark initially as he works his way back from a long layoff, but fantasy managers are willing to gamble on the chance he finds his pre-injury form as an ace. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 18:39:16

Carlos Rodon Might Need Only One More Rehab Start: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that it's possible that left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) only makes one more minor-league rehab start, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. The plan is for Rodon to pitch on Tuesday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Barring a setback on Tuesday, that will be his last start in the minors before making his 2026 season debut in pinstripes. The 33-year-old veteran is on the cusp of rejoining the Yankees, and he's looked great so far in his two rehab starts, striking out 12 and walking one while giving up just one run in 9 2/3 innings with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset. Rodon will look to go over 80 pitches with Triple-A next week, so he'll be fully stretched out when he reaches the big leagues. He's coming off surgery last October to remove a bone spur in his left elbow. The three-time All-Star should be scooped up immediately if he's available in your league. Rodon is rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues already. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 18:32:10

Vinnie Pasquantino Back in Royals Starting Lineup Against Mariners: Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (back) is starting at first base and batting third for the Royals against the hosting Seattle Mariners and right-hander Bryan Woo in Friday's series opener, according to MLB.com. Pasquantino, who said he has been battling some back injuries for most of the year so far, will return after sitting out each of the last two games with lower-back tightness. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger is a must-roster player in fantasy baseball leagues after his breakout 2025 season, in which he set career-highs in home runs (32), RBI (113), and runs scored (72). He's off to a slow start this year, though, and perhaps it's due to his back problems. Pasquantino returns to the lineup hitting .165 (17-for-103) with three home runs, 14 RBI, 11 runs scored, 16 walks, and 24 strikeouts across 29 games and 124 plate appearances. Fantasy managers hope his back injury doesn't flare up again and that he starts to swing a hotter bat to begin May. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 18:25:10

Tyler Soderstrom Returns to A's Lineup After Getting Banged Up: Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (head, shoulder) is back in left field and will hit sixth in the batting order for Friday's series opener against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Joey Cantillo, according to MLB.com. Even with a left-hander on the mound, Soderstrom will return to the A's starting nine after sitting out the last two games because he was banged up from a diving catch in the outfield on Tuesday. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger won't be the most popular DFS play on Friday night, even with the A's at home at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Soderstrom has hit just .211 (23-for-109) on the season with three home runs, 18 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a steal. He's really struggled against lefties, too, going 3-for-34 (.088) against them with none of his three home runs, two walks, and 11 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. Soderstrom will be facing Cantillo for the first time in his career. - as of Fri, 01 May 2026 18:19:06