Kansas City Royals veteran right-hander Michael Wacha hit a rough patch in a two-start stretch on April 22 and April 29 against the Baltimore Orioles and Athletics, respectively, allowing a combined 10 earned runs on 15 hits (two homers) while walking six and striking out 10 in 10 1/3 innings. Outside of those two bad outings, though, Wacha has produced a quality start in each of his other six starts this year, including just two earned runs given up with three walks and nine punchouts in 14 innings in his last two outings versus the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers. The 34-year-old 14-year MLB veteran is currently 4-2 with a 2.63 ERA (3.85 FIP) and 0.99 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 17 walks in 51 1/3 innings in his third year with the Royals as he heads into his next start on Friday against his former squad, the St. Louis Cardinals. Although Wacha, who doesn't throw hard, hasn't had an ERA over 4.00 since 2021, he's a sell-high candidate in fantasy because of his lack of strikeout upside. Wacha currently sports a 20.9% strikeout rate, which ranks in the 43rd percentile, and his xwOBA ranks in the 63rd percentile through the first month and a half.

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New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes, who was a former reliever with the crosstown-rival New York Yankees, has been outstanding through eight starts in his second season in Queens in 2026. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star heads into his next scheduled start on Friday against the Yankees with a 4-3 record, 1.86 ERA (3.44 FIP), and 1.01 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 16 walks in 48 1/3 innings pitched. Holmes hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his outings this year. In his first year in the big leagues as a full-time starter for the Mets in 2025, Holmes finished with a 12-8 record, 3.53 ERA (4.11 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, and 129:66 K:BB across 165 2/3 frames and 33 outings (31 starts). Under the hood, Holmes has been a bit fortunate to be pitching so well so far in 2026, which makes him an obvious sell-high candidate. His xwOBA sits at .308 (currently .248), and his expected ERA is almost two runs higher at 3.75. Additionally, Holmes' strikeout rate last year was well below-average at 18.2%, and it's not much better this year at 19.3%. Regression could come quickly, possibly on Friday night against his former team.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter has been posting decent results with the bat, but continues searching for power. Over the last month, DeLauter has gone 27-for-93 at the plate with one home run, 14 RBI, and 13 walks. His ability to draw walks is encouraging, but the lack of power has certainly been frustrating for fantasy managers. The rookie outfielder has six home runs on the season, but most of them came at the beginning of the year. He has only blasted one home run this month, but has been able to salvage his fantasy value in other ways. Fantasy managers might want to try to move DeLauter while his results are still solid right now.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was on an unbelievable run at the plate, but he has cooled off lately. Over the last week, Suzuki is 2-for-17 at the plate with one home run, two RBI, and four walks. The veteran slugger is hitless over his last four games, as it appears Suzuki is coming back down to Earth. It was eventually going to happen, but fantasy managers still might be able to sell-high on Suzuki despite some recent struggles. It wasn't too long ago that no pitcher was able to get him out. Over the last month, Suzuki has recorded 26 hits with seven home runs. Fantasy managers might be able to sell him on the hopes that he'll return to that form soon.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ryne Nelson is becoming an intriguing fantasy pickup after posting back-to-back strong outings. On May 8, Nelson tossed 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run while striking out seven batters in a no-decision against the New York Mets. The right-hander continued that success during Wednesday's outing against the Texas Rangers. Nelson threw seven innings, allowing three earned runs while recording a season-high eight punchouts. The 28-year-old has thrown back-to-back quality starts and has a favorable matchup against the San Francisco Giants coming up this week. Fantasy managers in need of a possible streaming option should consider adding Nelson this week.

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Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer finished with mixed results during his most recent outing against the Minnesota Twins. Meyer tossed 5.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits while striking out nine batters in the win. The four earned runs are the most that Meyer has allowed in a single start this season. However, the nine punchouts are a season-high for Meyer, so he was able to salvage his fantasy value with those strikeouts. The right-hander will take a 3.21 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 54:17 K:BB ratio into his next outing against the Atlanta Braves. It'll be a two-start week for Meyer with the New York Mets later in the week. The right-hander has mostly given encouraging results throughout the season and is worthy of a look for a two-start week.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz was in a bit of a cold spell at the plate until a few days ago. Kurtz was still hitting for a decent average, but was held without a home run for 15 straight games. That changed on Wednesday when he blasted a grand slam during the A's win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Kurtz continued the fun on Thursday when he smacked a solo shot during their one-run defeat. The left-handed slugger has now put together four multi-hit games over his last six contests. Fantasy managers who were worried about his power numbers should continue to be patient with the 23-year-old.

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San Francisco Giants right-hander Logan Webb (knee) is on track to return from the 15-day injured list when he's eligible on May 21, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. The Giants placed the veteran hurler on the IL on Saturday due to bursitis in his right knee, but he is progressing nicely and is in line for a minimum stay on the sidelines. It means that the 29-year-old two-time All-Star most likely will not require a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the Gigantes' starting rotation. After back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2024 and 2025, Webb has struggled so far in 2026, going 2-4 with a 5.06 ERA (3.56 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 15 walks in 48 innings across his eight starts. Webb's expected ERA isn't all that great either at 4.54, and he currently sits in the eighth percentile in hard-hit rate, which is also concerning. His track record and the fact that he led the league with 224 strikeouts last year make Webb a must-stash in fantasy, but don't forget that he also led the league in 2025 with 210 hits allowed.

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San Francisco Giants left-handed reliever Erik Miller's (back) minor-league rehab appearance on Wednesday night went well, and he will be activated from the 15-day injured list when he's eligible to return on Saturday, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Right-hander Caleb Kilian has emerged as the favorite for saves in San Fran of late and has a 1.40 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, two saves, and 19 strikeouts in his 19 1/3 innings pitched so far in 2026, but Miller could also be given some opportunities to earn saves for the Giants now that he's close to rejoining the major-league roster. Before going on the IL with a back ailment, Miller had allowed four earned runs on eight hits while walking six, striking out 17, and picking up his first two career saves in 12 relief appearances. The 28-year-old southpaw threw two scoreless innings with three punchouts in his two rehab outings with Triple-A Sacramento. Fantasy managers scrounging for saves in deeper leagues should consider picking Miller up this weekend. He's currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Triple-A Louisville manager Pat Kelly said that the Bats introduced Cincinnati Reds infield prospect Edwin Arroyo to third base a couple of weeks ago, per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Arroyo is a defense-first prospect, but the club's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline has displayed his offensive upside in 2026. The 22-year-old missed all of 2024 with a shoulder injury and posted a .716 OPS in Double-A last year, but he has posted a .989 OPS so far with Louisville, batting .342/.408/.590 with eight home runs, 29 RBI, 33 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 39 games and 191 plate appearances. "He's doing some work with the strength coaches on his hips," Kelly said. "Sometimes, he'd get locked with his front side and couldn't get through it. He's doing work, and it seems to show. He hit a ball last night about as far as a left-handed hitter has all year." Arroyo's clearest path to playing time in the big leagues is still at second base, but his timeline to join the Reds could be fast-tracked if he continues to show offensive upside. He's a switch-hitter who makes plenty of contact, but if he joins the Reds later this year, he will most likely serve as a utility infielder.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) has resumed playing catch over the last couple of days, and the goal is for him to get off a mound soon, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. If all goes well when Glasnow returns to the mound, he could go right back into the Dodgers' starting rotation without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. Glasnow appears to be recovering nicely after being put on the 15-day injured list with lower-back spasms on May 8. The hard-throwing 32-year-old veteran should be stashed in all fantasy leagues despite being sidelined with an injury, and he's currently rostered in 97% of Yahoo leagues. Before his back seized up on him, the former fifth-rounder by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011 went 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA (3.26 FIP) and 0.83 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 13 walks in 39 2/3 innings across his seven starts. Injuries have been an issue for Glasnow in his career, but when he's healthy, he has high-end strikeout upside while pitching for one of the best teams in baseball.

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Athletics right-handed reliever Jack Perkins blew his second save of the season and took his second loss of 2026 in Thursday's 5-4 loss in Sacramento to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Perkins entered in the top of the ninth inning with a one-run lead in a 4-3 ballgame but proceeded to allow two earned runs on three hits without a walk or a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. He blew his first save on May 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies and took the loss when he gave up four runs (two earned) while walking one and striking out two. In his two outings after that, Perkins gave up an earned run with one hold in 1 2/3 innings pitched, so he has now given up five earned runs in his last 3 2/3 innings for the A's, which could easily cause him to lose his grip on the closer's role for the A's. After his second blown save on Thursday, his ERA swells to 4.76. Hogan Harris picked up the team's last save last Friday, and he could get the team's next save opportunity with Perkins struggling of late. Perkins is currently rostered in just 18% of Yahoo leagues.

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Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said, "Tomorrow will be telling whether he will need a longer break," when asked about whether outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich (back) will need to go on the injured list for the second time this season. Yelich just returned on Tuesday from a groin injury, but he could be forced to go right back on the IL on Friday after reporting back soreness after his first game back. Because of his lengthy history with back issues -- Yelich had a microdiscectomy procedure in 2024 -- the Brewers aren't going to take any chances here. The 34-year-old former MVP and two-time batting champion has battled injuries for years, and that could be the case again in 2026 after he played in 150 regular-season games in 2025. Through 16 games so far in 2026, Yelich has hit .291 (16-for-55) but with only one homer for the Brew Crew. Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn figure to split DH duties in Milwaukee if Yelich goes back on the shelf.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will not be in the starting lineup as a hitter for the second straight day in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival San Francisco Giants, according to MLB.com. Catcher Will Smith will serve as the designated hitter and will bat leadoff, with Dalton Rushing doing the catching for right-hander Emmet Sheehan while hitting seventh against Giants right-hander Landon Roupp. Although Ohtani hit a home run on Tuesday night in a Dodgers loss, he has been struggling offensively for much of the 2026 season, and manager Dave Roberts confirmed earlier this week that he was considering resting the Japanese superstar for multiple days to get his head right. Believe it or not, even the 31-year-old four-time MVP is prone to slumps. He's currently slashing .240/.370/.427 with a .796 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 27 runs scored, and five steals across 150 at-bats. Ohtani has hit just .150 (6-for-40) with a homer, four RBI, six runs, and a steal in 46 plate appearances across 12 games in May.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka was definitely not on the radar in many fantasy leagues entering his seventh season in the big leagues after posting a 4.52 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 95:29 K:BB in 89 2/3 frames across his 22 appearances (17 starts) in 2025 with the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. The stuff wasn't terrible, but the 28-year-old had not reached 90 innings at the big-league level since 2019. So far in his eight starts in 2026 in the desert, Soroka has impressed with a 5-2 record, 3.53 ERA (3.18 FIP), and 1.31 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and 12 walks in 43 1/3 frames. Since allowing a season-high eight earned runs on 10 hits in just three innings versus the Milwaukee Brewers on April 30, Soroka has locked things back in with one earned run allowed, three walks, and 11 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings in two starts against the Pirates and Rangers. His 4.76 expected ERA points to regression, but Soroka can still be a useful matchup-based streamer for fantasy managers. His next outing on the road in Colorado at hitter-friendly Coors Field will be a dicey one. Soroka is currently rostered in 59% of Yahoo leagues, where he also carries relief eligibility.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison continued his breakout season in 2026 with the Brew Crew by picking up his fourth win of the season in Thursday's series finale at American Family Field against the punchless San Diego Padres. Harrison tossed five shutout innings with five hits allowed, no walks, and seven strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 2.09. The 24-year-old southpaw hasn't gone beyond six innings in any of his eight starts so far this year, but he has tapped into his potential in his first year in Milwaukee and has become a reliable starting pitcher in the majority of fantasy leagues after the San Francisco Giants gave up on him and traded him to the Boston Red Sox last year. Harrison doesn't overpower hitters with velocity, but he came into Thursday's start in the 88th percentile in hard-hit rate, keeping hitters off balance and avoiding barrels. Surprisingly, he also entered Thursday's game in the 88th percentile in strikeout rate. His expected ERA sits at 3.52, so Harrison is likely facing some regression, but he also has a solid .299 xwOBA. After another strong start on Thursday, Harrison has become more of a waiver priority. He's rostered in less than 70% of Yahoo leagues currently.

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San Francisco Giants right-hander Landen Roupp has become a popular waiver-wire pickup because of his strong start in his third year in the big leagues, but can he keep it up, or should fantasy managers sell high on him? Roupp enters a tough matchup on Thursday night on the road against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and is currently 5-3 with a career-best 3.09 ERA (2.51 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 19 walks in 43 2/3 innings across his first eight starts of 2026. With an expected ERA of 2.55 and an xwOBA of .255, the 27-year-old's underlying metrics point to his early-season numbers being sustainable going forward. Roupp also ranks in the 98th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 86th percentile in strikeout rate, although he sits in the 31st percentile in walk rate. The former 12th-rounder in 2021 has been great at limiting hard contact and keeping the ball in the yard -- he leads the league with a 0.2 HR/9 mark. Roupp will be bested on Thursday, but he did limit the Dodgers to one earned run on just one hit with five walks and seven strikeouts in five innings in a win at home back on April 21.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday has looked like a different hitter since joining the Reds this year, as he came into Thursday's action with a .292/.443/.646 slash line, a 1.088 OPS, four home runs, 12 RBI, and eight runs scored in just 15 games played. The former fourth overall pick by the Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Vanderbilt kept it going in Thursday's 15-1 blowout win over the visiting Washington Nationals, going 3-for-5 at the plate as the designated hitter with two home runs, six RBI, and a strikeout to raise his season average to .321 and his OPS to 1.210. The left-handed-hitting outfielder now has six long balls in his first 52 at-bats since joining Cincy, which should have fantasy managers taking notice in all formats. Bleday won't be able to keep this pace up all season, but his pedigree as a top draft choice makes him more intriguing as a potential waiver-wire star in 2026 who is clicking with a change of scenery in a very hitter-friendly home ballpark. Bleday is only rostered right now in 18% of Yahoo leagues and should deserve more attention.

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Per MLB Pipeline, Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jesus Made is now the No. 1 prospect in baseball, taking over the top spot with shortstop Konnor Griffin now starting in the big leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Made is only 19 years old and hails from the Dominican Republic, but he has a realistic chance to make his major-league debut before the 2026 season is over in Milwaukee. The 6-foot-1, 221-pound switch-hitter is currently stationed at Double-A Biloxi, where he has hit .257/.340/.400 with a .740 OPS, three home runs, 20 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 26 runs scored in 34 games across 159 plate appearances for the Shuckers. He doesn't have any obvious weaknesses from either side of the plate, and he has 25- to 30-homer upside at the big-league level at a premium position. In addition to his raw-power upside at the plate, Made has a refined approach at the plate despite his young age, and he consistently finds the barrel when he makes contact. In addition to his hitting skills, Made is a plus runner with lots of range at the 6. He could initially be used at second and third base in the majors, but long-term, he has the skills to stick at shortstop. Despite not even being 20 years of age yet, Made is rostered in 7% of Yahoo leagues.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (thumb) hasn't played in a game since May 1 after suffering a muscle strain in his thumb, but could be back on the field in the coming weeks. Before hitting the injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, the Twins' fourth-ranked prospect was showing well, hitting .247 with six home runs and producing a superb .417 on-base percentage thanks to an elite 21.3 percent walk rate (28.7 percent strikeout rate). The left-handed slugger has displayed an elite eye at the plate for the entirety of his minor league career, and had a 16-home run campaign in just 99 games back in 2023, but staying healthy has been an issue for him, playing a total of 65 games in 2025 and 47 in 2024. With Matt Wallner recently demoted to Triple-A, there could be a path to playing time once Rodriguez returns to action, and with his solid combination of power, speed, and plate discipline, the 23-year-old is a worthy stash candidate in deeper leagues.

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