Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jeff Hoffman struggled again in a save situation Tuesday, allowing one run on two hits and hitting two batters while recording just one out in a 4-2 win. Hoffman has now allowed seven runs across his last four appearances, and his ERA has climbed to 7.59 through 10.2 innings this season. His command has been inconsistent, and his inability to limit damage in key moments is becoming a concern. Hoffman showed flashes of high-end ability last year, but those stretches have not carried over. If these struggles continue, his hold on the closer role will weaken and Toronto may explore other options.

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Chicago Cubs veteran left-hander Caleb Thielbar secured his second save of the season with a clean 2/3 innings of work on Tuesday, as he needed just six pitches to secure the 7-4 win. Thielbar has continued his late-career resurgence during his time in Chicago, posting a 2.08 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a .221 opponents batting average across 10 appearances this season. He also has one hold and has become a trusted option when the Cubs need outs late in games. Thielbar is emerging as a primary bullpen weapon and is worth adding as save chances increase.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland picked up his first save of the season in Monday night's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels and has still not allowed a run this year. The 28-year-old has been dominant across 12 appearances, recording 19 strikeouts in 13 innings of work while consistently missing bats in high-leverage spots. With expected closer Jeff Hoffman struggling early, Varland has positioned himself as the clear next option for save chances in Toronto. This is Louis Varland's first full season with the Blue Jays, and his electric start could earn him an even larger bullpen role. Fantasy managers should view him as a must-roster reliever and priority waiver wire target.

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Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect Didier Fuentes is "part of the discussion" to join the MLB roster in the coming days, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Fuentes is credited as being a "top option" to provide Atlanta with some pitching depth. While it is yet to be decided whether Fuentes will earn another opportunity as a starter, it appears he is quickly approaching a return to the big leagues. Out of spring training, Fuentes broke camp with the MLB roster as a long reliever but appeared in only one outing before being sent back to Triple-A. With Triple-A, Fuentes has operated as a full-time starter and has been able to log at least six innings of work in each of his last two outings. During this two-game stretch, Fuentes has allowed four runs (13 innings), while striking out 13 batters. While his fantasy upside would be limited if he were to operate out of the bullpen, he could be worth a speculative stash ahead of his eventual promotion in 12-team leagues.

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Reds' SS Elly De La Cruz had five RBIs going 3-for-6 with two home runs in a 12-6 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Apr. 21.

Mets' SP Nolan McLean recorded 10 strikeouts in 6.2 innings in a 5-3 loss to the Twins on Tuesday, Apr. 21.

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.

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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.

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Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (lat) had an MRI exam that showed a lat strain, manager Craig Counsell told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. An optimistic timeline would have Palencia reinstated from the 15-day injured list in two weeks. "He's responding very well right now. There's a chance that we're throwing here before we go to the West Coast," Counsell said. The Cubs put the 26-year-old on the IL last Friday with what was initially called a left-oblique strain. The Cubs' pitching staff has been hit hard by early-season injuries, but they are getting lefty starter Matthew Boyd (biceps) back on Wednesday, and Palencia could be back closing out games in a little over two weeks. Palencia should be held onto in fantasy leagues as a potential high-end closer when he's healthy. He's currently rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues at the moment. Lefty Caleb Thielbar picked up Chicago's last save on Saturday, but righty Ben Brown could also contribute a few saves for the Cubbies until Palencia is cleared to return.

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Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz is off to an uncharacteristically poor start to the 2026 season, as he's recorded a 7.88 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across his first nine appearances of the year. Command has been a major issue for the right-hander, as he's issued five walks in just eight innings pitched. However, Munoz has also recorded 14 strikeouts, good for an excellent 36.8% strikeout rate. Munoz's line is also significantly inflated by one five-run outing against the San Diego Padres. In seven of his other eight appearances, Munoz did not allow an earned run. The 27-year-old should also have a fair bit of equity built up in Seattle, so he should have plenty of runway to rediscover his dominant form. While Munoz's slow start is obviously less than ideal, fantasy managers don't have reason to panic just yet.

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Across his first 98 plate appearances of 2026, Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene is hitting .265/.378/.386 with one home run, 14 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one stolen base. After his 36-homer campaign in 2025, Greene's lack of power early in the year is a bit surprising. However, his 13.8% barrel rate and 50% hard-hit rate remain stellar and signal that a home run-surge could be coming. Greene's improved plate skills are also an encouraging sign, as he's lowered his strikeout rate from 30.7% in 2025 to 22.4% while walking at a career-best 15.3% in 2026. The 25-year-old is also locked into an everyday role in the heart of the Detroit lineup, which should allow him to continue racking up counting stats. If Greene can avoid injury and maintain his improved control of the strike zone, he could be in line for a career year in 2026.

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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper has been one of his team's lone bright spots so far in 2026. Across 96 plate appearances, the 33-year-old is hitting .274/.365/.536 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, and one stolen base. Harper's strikeout rate currently sits at a career-best 15.6%. He's cut down his whiffs without sacrificing quality of contact, as his 13.6% barrel rate is right in line with his career mark of 12.8%. Health remains a red flag in Harper's profile, as he's reached 600 plate appearances in a season just once since 2019. However, the veteran lefty slugger does not seem to be showing any signs of age-related regression just yet. If he can stay on the field, Harper could be poised for a big season in 2026.

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Across his first 106 plate appearances of 2026, Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia is hitting .274/.340/.400 with two home runs, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The 26-year-old was one of the breakout success stories of the 2025 season, when he hit .286 with 16 home runs and 23 stolen bases across 666 plate appearances. Early in 2026, Garcia appears to be on his way to proving his 2025 production was no fluke. While his current 17.9% strikeout rate is worse than his 12.6% mark from 2025, Garcia remains well above league average at making contact. He's also raised his barrel rate to a career-best 9.3%, which could give him a chance to threaten 20 home runs for the first time. As long as he stays healthy, Garcia should provide balanced five-category production for fantasy managers once again in 2026.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (oblique) was excellent in his rehab outing with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one walk. Strider threw 65 pitches, 46 of which went for strikes. The 27-year-old was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain before the start of the 2026 season, but he appears to be on the doorstep of returning to the big leagues. Strider struggled through a down year in 2025, posting a 7-14 record with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP across 125 1/3 innings (23 starts). However, the hard-throwing right-hander is still just a few seasons removed from his 281-strikeout campaign in 2023. When healthy and pitching well, Strider's fantasy upside remains through the roof.

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An MRI on the injured shoulder of Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (shoulder) showed no structural damage, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Atlanta placed Iglesias on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday due to inflammation in his right shoulder, but Bowman reports that the team is hopeful Iglesias will avoid a lengthy absence. The 36-year-old was off to a strong start to the season before getting injured, posting a 0.00 ERA and 0.69 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and five saves across 8 2/3 innings (eight games). While it sounds as though Iglesias avoided major injury, Atlanta could choose to play it safe with Iglesias and let him fully recover before bringing him back. Veteran right-hander Robert Suarez is the obvious ninth-inning replacement for Iglesias in Atlanta and should be rostered in all fantasy formats.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) will begin hitting on the field on Wednesday for the first time since landing on the 10-day injured list on Opening Day after having left hamate bone surgery on his hand, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Barring a setback, the 22-year-old could start a minor league rehab assignment soon, with hopes that he can return to the Brew Crew to make his 2026 season debut early next month. The Venezuelan outfielder's return will be a huge boost to Milwaukee's lineup. Chourio is one of the best power/speed outfielders in baseball. He has hit .272/.317/.463 with a .781 OPS, 42 home runs, 157 RBI, 43 stolen bases, and 168 runs scored in 279 regular-season games over his first two MLB seasons. He should be stashed in all fantasy leagues and is currently rostered in 99% of Yahoo leagues.

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Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that left-handed reliever Robert Garcia (shoulder) is still day-to-day with shoulder inflammation, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. The Rangers sent Garcia for an MRI exam over the weekend, and the 29-year-old southpaw hasn't pitched since April 16. He was also scheduled to have an anti-inflammatory injection in his shoulder on Monday. For now, Garcia has avoided the injured list, but if he cannot return by the end of this weekend, there's a good chance he'll be placed on the IL. The former 15th-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2017 out of UC Davis had the first nine saves of his MLB career in 2025 in his first year in Texas, but he's operated as a late-inning setup man so far in 2026 in front of closer Jakob Junis. Garcia has allowed five runs (three earned) while walking seven and striking out six in his eight relief innings to begin his fourth year in the majors.

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Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (forearm) was removed early from Tuesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fifth inning with right-forearm tightness, according to Jeff Wilson of All City DLLS. Langford went 0-for-1 at the plate with a walk and a strikeout before leaving. He was replaced in left field and in the two-hole in the batting order by Ezequiel Duran. It's yet another injury for Langford, but until we know more about the severity of his forearm injury, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. Check back on Wednesday to see if Langford is available to return versus the Pirates. Coming into Tuesday's action, the former fourth overall pick in 2023 out of the University of Florida was hitting .241/.268/.367 with a .635 OPS, one home run, four RBI, nine runs scored, and two stolen bases in 79 at-bats. It's been a disappointing start for Langford, but he's still very appealing in fantasy for his power/speed upside if he can stay healthy. Duran would likely be the biggest beneficiary of playing time in Texas' outfield if Langford winds up on the injured list.

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There is a "pretty good likelihood" that Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect Payton Tolle joins the big-league roster this week, according to Katie Morrison-O'Day of MassLive.com. As of now, Tolle isn't scheduled to pitch at Triple-A Worcester. Tolle will most likely be recalled from the minors to make his 2026 debut for Boston this weekend against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles. Veteran right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) was officially placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday after getting hurt in his start against the Detroit Tigers on Monday, and Tolle is expected to take his place in the starting rotation in the majors. Gray's next turn in the rotation was scheduled to come on Sunday in Baltimore. Tolle, a second-rounder in 2024 out of TCU, struggled in his big-league debut last year, posting a 6.06 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and 19:8 K:BB in 16 1/3 innings across seven outings (three starts). The hard-throwing left-hander is one of the more intriguing young pitching prospects in the game, and he's worth a waiver-wire pickup now in mixed leagues. Tolle is currently rostered in only 15% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow, hamstring) will begin his minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with High-A Hudson Valley, according to the New York Daily News' Gary Phillips. Rodon began the 2026 season on the 15-day injured list after having offseason surgery to remove loose bodies and to shave down a bone spur in his left elbow, and then he suffered a minor hamstring injury earlier this month that delayed his rehab assignment. Now that the 33-year-old southpaw is ready to resume pitching in games, he could return to the Yankees' starting rotation in a couple of weeks. The three-time All-Star probably isn't available in your fantasy baseball leagues, as he's currently rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues. He had his best season in pinstripes last year, going 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 203 strikeouts and 73 walks in 195 1/3 innings across 33 starts. It was just the second time in his 11-year MLB career that he reached the 200-strikeout mark. The Yankees' rotation is nearing full strength with both Rodon and Gerrit Cole (elbow) nearing their season debuts.

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