JR Ritchie Flashing Elite Upside at Triple-A, Worthy of a Stash?: Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect JR Ritchie has enjoyed a dominant start to his 2026 MiLB season and is quickly knocking on the MLB door. Ritchie has made five starts for Triple-A Gwinnett (27 1/3 innings), and posted an elite 0.99 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP. During this stretch, Ritchie has struck out 28 hitters while walking 13. Last summer, Ritchie spent his time pitching in High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A and quickly progressed through each level of the system. Overall, across 140 frames last season, the right-hander posted a 2.64 ERA with a strong 1.01 WHIP. While fellow right-handed prospect Didier Fuentes earned the call to Atlanta on Wednesday morning, Ritchie is looking quite dominant at Triple-A and may not need to wait long to make his MLB debut, especially if the Braves need additional pitching depth. - as of Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:15:06
Elly De La Cruz's Early-Season Breakout Continues on Tuesday: Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is off to a very strong pace early in the 2026 season, and that continued in a big way on Tuesday night in the team's 12-6 win over the Rays in Tampa. De La Cruz went 3-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, five RBI, three runs scored, a stolen base, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .276 and his OPS to .914. The 24-year-old switch-hitting Dominican is a superstar, make no mistake about it. His .264/.336/.440 slash line with 22 home runs, 86 RBI, and 37 stolen bases in 2025 was considered a disappointment after he stole a league-high 67 bases the year prior in 2024. De La Cruz is already up to eight home runs, six steals, 18 RBI, and 21 runs scored in his first 24 games of the season. If De La Cruz stays healthy all season long, he should be near the top of leaderboards in multiple fantasy baseball categories because of his dynamic athletic traits on a baseball field. Not only is he an elite athlete, but he plays in a hitter-friendly home ballpark. De La Cruz is a stud and is a must-start in fantasy. - as of Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:28:06
Justin Verlander to Throw a Bullpen on Wednesday: Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch said that right-handed veteran Justin Verlander (hip) is scheduled to throw a bullpen before the game on Wednesday, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. Verlander, who is on the 15-day injured list due to hip inflammation, has been slow to recover and won't be back in Detroit until the calendar flips to May. It should come as no surprise that a 43-year-old pitcher's rehab is "going slower than anticipated," which is why the three-time Cy Young winner, former MVP, and nine-time All-Star is only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues these days. The 21-year-old MLB veteran is running out of steam late in his amazing career and has had trouble staying on the mound as he ages. In his only start for the Tigers before landing on the IL this year, Verlander allowed five earned runs on six hits (a homer) while walking two and striking out one in only 3 2/3 innings of work. Not only is his strikeout rate declining rapidly, but he's having trouble staying healthy. It feels weird to say, but there are plenty of much younger upside stashes at starting pitcher in fantasy in 2026. - as of Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:16:05