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Top Stories
MLBTradeRumors · Rotowire · MLB.comJosé Ramírez went deep twice against Trevor Rogers as the Guardians rolled the Orioles 8-4 to take three of four. The two blasts — a 408-footer in the 4th and another in the 5th — gave Ramírez a franchise-record 28 multi-homer games and moved him past Earl Averill into 2nd place in Cleveland history for home HRs (138). He's now hitting .342 with 5 HR in his last 11 games.
Fantasy take: Ramírez is playing like a top-3 overall fantasy asset right now. The power surge in his last 11 games (.342, 5 HR) is backed by consistently elite batted-ball data. Set-and-forget every day regardless of matchup.
Zack Wheeler will make one more rehab start Sunday for Double-A Reading and could rejoin the Phillies for their series in Atlanta next weekend (April 24-26). His four-seam has averaged 92.9 mph in three rehab starts — down from 96.1 mph last season before his blood-clot surgery — but Thomson isn't concerned, expecting velocity to build.
Fantasy take: Activate Wheeler in all formats now if he's on your IL. The velocity gap is a minor concern but the Phillies aren't rushing him — the late-April timeline has been the plan all along. Expect him to ramp up over 3-4 starts before returning to ace form. SP2 floor even at reduced velo.
Dillon Dingler finished a triple shy of the cycle with a 4-for-5, 4 RBI day in the Tigers' 6-2 win at Fenway. He blasted a three-run shot to straightaway center in the 5th and added an RBI double in the 1st. Dingler now has 18 RBI through his first 16 starts — the most by a Tiger since Prince Fielder (19) in 2013.
Fantasy take: Dingler is the breakout catcher of 2026. 18 RBI in 16 starts is absurd production at the most scarce position in fantasy. If he's still available in your league, stop what you're doing and add him. Top-5 catcher rest of season.
Bailey Ober struck out 10 over 6.1 scoreless innings against Cincinnati — the 6th double-digit K game of his career — inducing 14 whiffs with elite mix across three pitches. The Twins bullpen couldn't hold it, giving up three runs in the 9th to lose 3-1. Ober's performance was arguably the best by a Twins starter all season.
Fantasy take: Ober is the Twins' most undervalued arm. 10 K with 14 whiffs is elite stuff — the loss is irrelevant for fantasy purposes. He's a locked-in SP3 in all formats and quietly pitching like an SP2. The Twins rotation of Abel/Ober/Ryan is dangerous.
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Waiver Wire Targets
FantasyPros · Rotoballer · Pitcher ListWho's Hot This Week
SS · St. Louis Cardinals · ~22% owned
Multi-hit, multi-RBI day for the Cardinals' young shortstop. Winn's defense has always been elite — the bat is starting to catch up. Deep-league add with SS eligibility upside.
SP · Los Angeles Angels · ~8% owned
8 K in 6 innings after being recalled this week. The Angels rotation is thin enough to give Urena a real leash. Deep-league streaming option with K upside.
2B/OF · Colorado Rockies · ~15% owned
3 RBI day for the former Twins prospect. Coors inflates the surface stats but Julien's plate discipline is real. OBP league add in 15-team formats.
SP · Miami Marlins · ~55% owned
Shutout with 7 K — Perez's electric stuff is undeniable. The Marlins' record hurts his W potential but the ratios and K rate are SP2 caliber. Must-roster in all 12-team formats.
SP · Milwaukee Brewers · ~45% owned
9 K in 5 innings — the stuff is as loud as anyone in baseball. The 3 walks are the concern but the whiff rates overwhelm it. Add now in standard formats before the K rate pushes him to shallow territory.
SP · New York Yankees · ~40% owned
7.1 scoreless innings with 8 K. Weathers is the third Yankees rotation arm (after Warren and Schlittler) to put up a monster start this week. When Cole returns, someone is getting bumped — ride Weathers until that happens.
SP · Minnesota Twins · ~68% owned
10 K gem wasted by the bullpen. Ober is pitching like a top-25 SP — 14 whiffs with elite pitch mix. Should not be available in any 10-team league.
SP · Detroit Tigers · ~78% owned
Another quality start — 7 K is elevated for Valdez, whose contact-management approach usually yields lower K totals. The Tigers' run support has been solid. SP3 in all formats.
SP · Seattle Mariners · ~65% owned
7 IP of two-run ball. Woo's been consistent all month and the Mariners' pitching-friendly park boosts his floor. Solid SP4 in shallow formats.
🌱 Stash of the Week
Kendry Rojas — SP, Minnesota Twins (~3% owned)
Per MLBTradeRumors, the Twins are promoting left-handed prospect Kendry Rojas with Connor Prielipp added to the taxi squad. Rojas is a high-ceiling arm who could slot into Minnesota's already dominant rotation. The Twins' pitching development (Abel, Ober, Ryan, Messick) has been the best in baseball this year — any prospect entering that system gets an immediate credibility boost. At 3% owned, he's free everywhere. Stash in 12+ team leagues.
Worth Reading
01
Full breakdown of Wheeler's rehab timeline, velocity concerns, and expected debut window. Essential reading for any manager with Wheeler stashed.
02
Astros pitching timeline update — Brown and Javier both 5-7 weeks out. Houston's rotation crisis has a light at the end of the tunnel but it's still distant.
03
Deep dive on Ober's 10-K gem — 14 whiffs across three pitches, elite mix that kept the Reds off balance for 6.1 innings before the bullpen collapsed.
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OBP Risers
MLB Stats · 14-Day Delta🩹
Injury Report
Rotowire · MLBTradeRumors · Beat ReportersIL-60
Zack Wheeler — SP, Philadelphia Phillies
One more rehab start Sunday for Double-A Reading. If it goes well, season debut April 24-26 vs. Braves. Four-seam averaging 92.9 mph (down from 96.1 pre-surgery). Thomson not concerned, expects velocity to build.
ActivatePrep roster now
DTD
J.T. Realmuto — C, Philadelphia Phillies
Lower back tightness — left Saturday's game in the 7th. Thomson said unlikely to need IL but sat Sunday. Jammed back on a play at the plate Friday. Day-to-day into next week.
HoldMonitor daily
IL-10
Right quad strain, retroactive to April 18. Another body on Houston's growing IL. Jayden Murray recalled as the roster replacement.
DropShallow formats
IL-10
Juan Soto — OF, New York Mets
Expected to be activated Monday April 21 for the homestand vs. Twins. Calf strain since April 3 — full BP, running bases, cleared for game action. The Mets need him back desperately.
ActivateStart Monday
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Scouting Report
MLBTradeRumorsMLBTradeRumors · by Staff · April 19
Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier Projected To Return In 5-7 Weeks
MLBTR profiles the Astros' pitching timeline as Houston continues to navigate the worst rotation injury crisis in recent memory. Hunter Brown (shoulder strain) and Cristian Javier (shoulder strain) are both projected to return in 5-7 weeks, putting their earliest availability at late May.
The article contextualizes the damage: Houston has lost four of five Opening Day starters (Brown, Javier, Imai, Bolton) plus Josh Hader (60-day IL). The makeshift rotation of Arrighetti, Lambert, and Gordon has kept the team competitive but the margin for error is razor-thin.
For fantasy managers, the takeaway is twofold: Brown and Javier are IL stashes worth holding (both were top-40 SPs pre-injury), and any Astros arm getting starts right now — particularly Arrighetti after his 10-K debut — has a guaranteed leash until at least Memorial Day.
5-7Weeks to return
4/5OD starters lost
Late MayEarliest return
The VerdictHold Brown and Javier on IL in all formats — both are top-40 SP talents returning to a team desperate for them. The Astros' pitching crisis creates opportunity for Arrighetti and Lambert in the short term, but the long-term play is stashing the aces for the second-half push.
Read the full piece at MLBTradeRumors →🔥
Bullpen Bulletin
Closer Monkey · Beat ReportersRaisel Iglesias converts a save for the Braves. Caleb Thielbar picks up his first save of the season — almost exactly a year since his last. Corbin Carroll hits a grand slam off Jeff Hoffman. Hunter Bigge's leverage ladder running on fumes in Tampa Bay after a 13-inning marathon.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
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| Caleb Thielbar | CHC | 🟡 Watch | First save of 2026 — scoreless in 3 straight, 7 K in 2.2 IP. Could be emerging as the Cubs closer. Monitor for an expanded role. |
| Hunter Bigge | TB | 🟡 Watch | Per Closer Monkey, leverage ladder running on fumes after 13-inning game. Baker threw 31 pitches, Jax in 3 straight. Workload concerns make this a fluid situation. |
| Enyel De Los Santos | HOU | 🔴 Committee | Hader on 60-day IL. De Los Santos has saves but Abreu showing improvement. No clear hierarchy — committee until Hader returns late May. |
| Jose Suarez | ATL | 🟡 Watch | Picked up a 3-inning save Saturday while Iglesias rested. If Iglesias gets a lighter workload, Suarez could see more save chances as the secondary option. |
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Best in Social
X · YouTube · Instagram · TikTokTWO-HOMER GAME! José Ramírez crushes 2 HOME RUNS for the Guardians — including a 408-foot blast in the 4th. His franchise-record 28th multi-homer game moved him past Earl Averill into 2nd all-time in Cleveland home HR history.
One of the rare actual YouTube uploads from MLB's channel. Ramírez's power surge (.342, 5 HR in 11 games) is the hottest streak in baseball right now.
Watch both homers on YouTube →Will Warren has held opponents hitless in 16 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Yankees' young arm is showing elite composure in high-leverage spots — a trait that separates streamers from rotation locks.
Warren's RISP dominance is the most underrated aspect of his breakout. Combined with yesterday's 11 K / 0 BB gem, he's making it impossible for the Yankees to demote him when Cole returns.
See the stat breakdown on X →Diligent With Game Prep, Dillon Dingler Does His Homework Daily — deep dive into the Tigers catcher's approach, preparation routine, and why the breakout (18 RBI in 16 starts) is sustainable.
FanGraphs profiles rarely focus on catchers. When they do, it usually means the breakout is backed by real process changes. Dingler is the best waiver add at C this season.
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