Category: Baseball

Hello and welcome to the eighth installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2026 MLB season.

I will be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week providing my insights and recommendations on which options should be started or benched.

It’s crazy that we’re already more than a quarter of the way through the 2026 season. It seems like we just started.

We now have actual actionable data that we can use to make decisions on these pitchers, as most of them have taken the mound five or six times already. A pitcher can get lucky and post quality results despite poor underlying numbers through a couple of starts, but it’s much more difficult to sustain that over a longer stretch of time.

This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.

Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week:

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We know that Jose Quintana will make two starts for the Rockies this week. What we don’t know, is who else may join him for a two-step (vs. Rangers, at Diamondbacks). Chase Dollander is lined up to do so, but it seems far more likely that he’ll wind up on the injured list after exiting Thursday’s start due to tightness in his arm. It’s unclear whether they’ll summon someone from Triple-A to take his place in the rotation or roll with a bullpen game in that spot. Either way, no one that they could throw out there would be worthy of streaming in this spot.

Once again, we get a six-game week from the Dodgers, which means that each of their starters will take the mound once and no one will get a two-start week. We thought that we would get one from Yoshinobu Yamamoto last week, but with Blake Snell’s return to the rotation, it ended up being Roki Sasaki that got the ball twice.

There could be a second Yankees’ starter making two starts this week (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Rays), but as of now we aren’t sure who that will be. Max Fried is tentatively lined up to do so, but he’s getting additional testing done after exiting Wednesday’s start due to soreness in his elbow. A trip to the injured list seems likely there. It’s possible that Elmer Rodriguez could return and take his place in the Yankees’ rotation, which would make him an interesting streaming option. We’ll update here if we get any additional clarification through the weekend.

Someone will also make two starts for the Phillies next week (vs. Reds, vs. Guardians), but it’s not entirely clear who that will be yet either. Andrew Painter is scheduled to take the ball on Monday and he would be lined up to do so, but there’s growing speculation that the Phillies could use Thursday’s off-day to skip the struggling right-hander in order to give him a breather. If that’s the case, it would be Jesus Luzardo winding up with the two-start week for the Phillies. It’s pretty simple for planning purposes. Painter should be avoided whether it’s one start or two, while Luzardo is an easy start regardless of how many starts he makes.

Things could change for the Mariners, but as of now it looks like they’re going to move to a six-man rotation, at least temporarily, to accommodate the return of Bryce Miller. That means that Luis Castillo will stick around instead of heading to the bullpen and makes it so none of their hurlers will get the ball twice in a six-game week. If anything changes, and Castillo is bumped or Miller suffers a setback, it would be Bryan Woo getting the two-start week as he’s lined up to pitch on Monday.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of May 15 and are subject to change.

American League

▶ Strong Plays

Parker Messick, Guardians, LHP (at Tigers, at Phillies)

The 25-year-old southpaw has exceeded every possible expectation through his first nine starts on the season, going 5-1 with a 2.35 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 58/14 K/BB ratio over 53 2/3 innings. He has been an absolute stud for fantasy purposes. Both the Tigers and Phillies struggle against southpaws, which sets him up very nicely to continue his dominant run in this two-start week. He should be locked into lineups in all formats and represents one of the stronger overall plays on the board for this week.

Will Warren, Yankees, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Rays)

Warren has really taken the next step this season and become a reliable weekly fantasy option. He sits at 5-1 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 59/12 K/BB ratio across 47 1/3 innings on the season and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. With the Yankees’ offense backing him, he’s a threat to win every time he takes the mound and he should easily be able to eclipse double digit strikeouts in a two-start week. He should be an easy start in fantasy leagues of all sizes.

Dylan Cease, Blue Jays, RHP (at Yankees, vs. Pirates)

Cease has been outstanding through his first nine starts for the Blue Jays, checking in with a 2.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a league-leading 75 strikeouts over 52 1/3 innings. What has been especially impressive from Cease this season is the reduced walk rate which has led to a much more palatable WHIP than we’re used to seeing from the right-hander. The battle against the Yankees in the Bronx is tricky for sure, but it’s not close to being enough for me to sit Cease for a two-start week, especially when he’s rolling like this.

J.T. Ginn, Athletics, RHP (at Angels, at Padres)

Ginn has been very impressive in the early going for the A’s this season, compiling a 3.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and a 34/16 K/BB ratio over 43 1/3 innings through his first 10 appearances (seven starts). The fact that he gets to make both of these starts on the road in pitcher’s parks instead of at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento is a major benefit as well. I know that he’s difficult to trust, but Ginn looks like a very strong option this week. I’d be starting him everywhere that I could.

▶ Decent Plays

Shane McClanahan, Rays, LHP (vs. Orioles, at Yankees)

This is a tough one for me to place this week as McClanahan has been so good through his first eight starts for the Rays, exceeding even the loftiest of expectations. I’m not convinced that he can stay healthy and continue at that level, but he’s absolutely pitching like an ace right now and should be started until further notice. My trepidation this week comes from the matchup against the Yankees in New York on Sunday. The Bombers have been punishing left-handed pitching all season and I could see that one going south for McClanahan in a hurry. It’s not enough to dissuade me from using him, but it’s the reason I have him listed as a decent play instead of a strong option for this week.

Framber Valdez, Tigers, LHP (vs. Guardians, at Orioles)

Valdez was supposed to come in and provide an elite 1-2 punch at the top of the Tigers’ rotation this season. Now with Tarik Skubal (elbow) shelved, he’s being counted on to shoulder a much bigger load for their pitching staff. The problem is that he hasn’t been as reliable as we have come to expect over the years. He holds a disappointing 4.32 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across his first 50 innings with the Tigers. The Guardians are one of the better offenses in the league against southpaws, so it’s not going to get any easier for him this week. Even if the results aren’t quite as good as you had hoped, I think you still have to continue trusting Valdez and rolling him out there each week – especially when he makes two starts.

Trevor Rogers, Orioles, LHP (at Rays, vs. Tigers)

Rogers predictably showed a bit of rust in his return from the injured list after missing time due to illness. It should be acknowledged that the start came in a difficult matchup against the Yankees though. The opposition gets a bit easier this week, getting to battle the Rays in Tampa Bay and the suddenly hapless Tigers at home. I know the overall results haven’t been great, but I have seen enough from Rogers during his time with the O’s that I’m willing to trust him against these opponents. I’ll be starting him with confidence in all leagues.

Reid Detmers, Angels, LHP (vs. Athletics, vs. Rangers)

The transition back to the Angels’ rotation for Detmers this season has gone pretty seamless so far, with the left-hander compiling a 4.38 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and a 53/17 K/BB ratio over his first 49 1/3 innings of work. The Athletics are a much less scary team away from home though and the Rangers have been the worst team in baseball against opposing left-handers this season. That makes Detmers a very attractive streaming target in all league sizes this week.

Noah Schultz, White Sox, LHP (at Mariners, at Giants)

Aside from one brutal start against the Angels in Los Angeles, Schultz has pitched very well in his first six starts at the big league level. The matchups this week are very favorable for him and the way that the White Sox’ offense has come to life, there’s actually a chance that he can earn victories when he pitches well. He needs to cut back on the walks in order to have sustained success at this level, but he’s still a strong start in this two-start week with his massive strikeout upside and the terrific matchups. I’d be comfortable starting him in all league sizes.

Walbert Ureña, Angels, RHP (vs. Athletics, vs. Rangers)

The 22-year-old rookie right-hander has performed admirably through his first seven appearances (five starts) for the Halos, registering a 3.29 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 26/17 K/BB ratio. If he can start to cut back on the free passes, the sky is the limit here. I like him much better with both of these matchups coming at home than I would if he had to go to a tough environment on the road. I think his strikeout upside makes him worth a look as a streaming play in all leagues.

Keider Montero, Tigers, RHP (vs. Guardians, at Orioles)

Montero has done a nice job stepping up and trying to stabilize a Tigers’ rotation that has been decimated by injuries this season. He holds a strong 3.65 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 31/10 K/BB ratio over 44 1/3 innings through his first eight starts. The elite WHIP is really what’s driving his fantasy value and is something that should continue even if the strikeouts aren’t quite where fantasy managers would like them to be. The added volume of the two-start week more than offsets that. I’d be rolling with Montero in all leagues.

Seth Lugo, Royals, RHP (vs. Red Sox, vs. Mariners)

After starting the season strong, Lugo has come crashing back to Earth over his last four starts where he has surrendered 18 runs over 21 1/3 innings. Both of his starts this week will come in Kansas City, which should help his cause, though the Royals’ offense has been struggling to provide support, leaving Lugo with just one victory to his name this season. He’s fine to use as a streaming option, just understand that the overall ceiling here is quite limited.

▶ At Your Own Risk

MacKenzie Gore, Rangers, LHP (at Rockies, at Angels)

Gore is such a frustrating player to roster for fantasy purposes due to his inconsistency. He’ll go out and throw a gem against one of the best lineups in the league only to get knocked around by subpar competition the next time out. The overall line looks alright though, which is all you’re really looking for at the end of the day. That being said, I’m not sure I want to trust him going to Coors Field this week, especially since the Angels loom as a tough matchup for a left-hander at the end of the week as well. My initial gut reaction was to start him in 15-teamers, but the more I dig in here, the more skeptical I’m becoming.

Slade Cecconi, Guardians, RHP (at Tigers, at Phillies)

Cecconi has been a major disappointment for the Guardians this season, posting an uninspiring 5.60 ERA and 1.58 WHIP over 45 innings in his first nine starts. It almost feels like his spot in the club’s rotation could be teetering on the ledge at the moment. Fortunately, he gets to battle a struggling Tigers’ squad at home to start the week which should be a get-right spot for him. The matchup against the Phillies on the road to finish the week isn’t as ideal, which leaves him in a tough spot this week. I’d consider using him in 15-teamers if I needed the volume, otherwise I’d probably leave him on the shelf.

Jacob Lopez, Athletics, LHP (at Angels, at Padres)

After a breakout 2025 season in which he gained fantasy relevance, Lopez has come crashing back to Earth in 2026 with a miserable 5.80 ERA and 1.71 WHIP over 40 1/3 innings through his first nine outings. If you’re looking for a glimmer of hope, he has pitched better of late – giving up just two runs in each of his last two starts. He also gets the benefit of both starts coming on the road as opposed to the bandbox that is Sutter Health Park. I can’t see going there in 12-teamers, but if you’re looking to make up volume in wins and strikeouts, I could see rolling the dice in 15-team formats.

Brayan Bello, Red Sox, RHP (at Royals, vs. Twins)

It seems like every time Bello takes the mound these days, he’s pitching to keep his spot in the Red Sox’ rotation. His last two times out, that has worked well for him, delivering back-to-back gems against the Tigers and Phillies – allowing just two runs over 13 1/3 innings with a 12/2 K/BB ratio. He has shown flashes like this before and gone back to being an extreme ratio destroyer, so the confidence level is low here, but the matchups against the Royals and Twins aren’t anything to shy away from. I think it comes down to whether you’re looking to attack wins and strikeouts or protect ratios. In 15-teamers I think he’s an easy start this week, in 12’s it would really depend on how badly I needed that volume.

Lance McCullers Jr., Astros, RHP (at Twins, at Cubs)

McCullers continues to look like a shell of his former self whenever he takes the mound for the Astros. He holds a horrifying 6.86 ERA and 1.53 WHIP across 39 1/3 innings on the season, though he has at least punched out 43 batters to provide some substance for fantasy managers that have streamed him. The matchups aren’t ideal this week and he’s likely to continue to inflict damage on your ratios, but if you want to throw caution to the wind to chase wins and strikeouts, go right ahead.

Patrick Corbin, Blue Jays, LHP (at Yankees, vs. Pirates)

We have all been sucked into this trap before. Corbin looks like a viable mixed league option to start the season, only to have one major blow up where he gives back any and all ratio gains that he may have provided up until that point. I’m not saying explicitly that it’s going to happen on Monday, but that matchup against the Yankees in the Bronx is screaming for a ratio correction. I’d be staying away from Corbin in all formats just due to that spot.

Simeon Woods Richardson, Twins, RHP (vs. Astros, at Red Sox)

To say that things have not gone well for Woods Richardson this season would be a massive understatement. Through his first nine starts he sits at 0-6 with a cringe-inducing 7.71 ERA, 1.86 WHIP and a 20/20 K/BB ratio while giving up a league-leading 36 earned runs in 42 innings. That’s about as bad as you can possibly get. It’s not going to get any easier this week, having to battle the Astros and then the Red Sox at Fenway. Don’t even think about getting cute here, this should be an easy avoid.

National League

▶ Strong Plays

Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers, RHP (at Cubs, vs. Dodgers)

This right here is the definition of an unstoppable force meeting an immoveable object. Misiorowski has been phenomenal this season, posting a ridiculous 2.12 ERA and 0.90 WHIP while punching out 80 batters in just 51 innings of work. He’s doing so on the strength of velocity that we have never seen before, averaging 100.6 mph on his fastball his last time out in a victory over the Padres. I’m not sure how long he can hold up pitching like this, but he absolutely needs to be started in all fantasy leagues every time that he takes the mound. The matchups are about as scary as they can get, but if anyone can navigate that gauntlet right now, it’s Misiorowski.

Nolan McLean, Mets, RHP (at Nationals, at Marlins)

McLean has been very impressive through his first nine starts on the year, checking in with a 2.92 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a 64/15 K/BB ratio over 52 1/3 innings. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start all season and has struck out six or more batters in eight of his nine outings. That’s about as consistent as you can get. He should be locked into fantasy lineups every week regardless of matchups, but this week lines up particularly well for him. McLean is easily one of the top overall options on the board for this week.

Shota Imanaga, Cubs, LHP (vs. Brewers, vs. Astros)

Imanaga has been exceptional through his first nine starts for the Cubs this season, registering a 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and a 59/13 K/BB ratio across 54 1/3 innings. The matchups aren’t ideal, but he has earned the right to be an every-week start in all formats regardless of matchups. Even if the ratios don’t wind up quite as sparkling this week, you’ll get double the strikeouts and a great shot at a victory with the added volume from the two starts. He’s a must play in all formats.

Max Meyer, Marlins, RHP (vs. Braves, vs. Mets)

Meyer has looked electric through his first nine starts on the 2026 campaign, posting a 3.21 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 54/17 K/BB ratio across 47 2/3 innings. He has been remarkably consistent as well, allowing four runs or fewer every time out and recording at least four strikeouts in every start this season. The Braves are a tough lineup to navigate, but that’s offset by a softer matchup against the Mets to finish the week – and he gets to make both starts at home. He’s an excellent all-around option this week.

Michael King, Padres, RHP (vs. Dodgers, vs. Athletics)

King never seems to get the respect that he deserves from the fantasy community at large despite the fact that he absolutely shoves every time he’s healthy enough to take the mound. In nine starts this season he holds a scintillating 2.63 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 50/22 K/BB ratio in 51 1/3 innings of work. Sure, a matchup against the Dodgers can seem scary, but he gets to make both starts this week at Petco Park which helps to mitigate that risk. He should be an easy start in all leagues this week, and every week as long as he isn’t on the injured list.

Mitch Keller, Pirates, RHP (at Cardinals, at Blue Jays)

Is everything finally coming together for Keller in his age-30 season? He has been terrific thus far, compiling a 3.59 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 38/15 K/BB ratio over 52 2/3 innings for the surprisingly competent Pirates this season. The Blue Jays and Cardinals both rank in the bottom half of the league against opposing right-handers, setting Keller up for continued success this week. He’s probably already being utilized on a weekly basis in most mixed leagues, so simply sit back and enjoy the added production from the extra start this time around.

Robbie Ray, Giants, LHP (at Diamondbacks, vs. White Sox)

So far, so good for the 34-year-old southpaw through his first nine starts, registering a 3.04 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 49/20 K/BB ratio over his 50 1/3 innings. The Diamondbacks and White Sox have both hit opposing left-handers very well this season, adding some ratio risk to that would otherwise set up as a strong two-start week for Ray. He should still be started in both 15 and 12-team formats, just understand that there’s a greater risk of a blowup here than we normally see from Ray.

▶ Decent Plays

Ryne Nelson, Diamondbacks, RHP (vs. Giants, vs. Rockies)

While he has an inflated ERA (5.40), Nelson hasn’t actually pitched that poorly this season, as evidenced by his 1.16 WHIP and 43/14 K/BB ratio across 45 innings. He now gets the benefit of two premium matchups at home this week, which should be just the prescription that he needs to get his ratios back in order. I’d expect double digit strikeouts this week and a good shot at earning a victory, making him an easy start for me in leagues of all sizes.

Christian Scott, Mets, RHP (at Nationals, at Marlins)

After struggling through his first start for the Mets this season, we have seen a much better version of Scott his last three times out. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in all four starts and has struck out 20 batters over his first 15 2/3 innings. The only problem is that he’s having a hard time making it through five innings. Getting to battle the Nationals and Marlins this week sets him up well to earn his first victory of the season, provided he can get through 15 outs. The 26-year-old hurler looks like a very nice play in all formats this week.

Martin Perez, Braves, LHP (at Marlins, vs. Nationals)

It sounds like the Braves are shifting back to a six-man rotation with Grant Holmes slotting in on Sunday and Perez scheduled to take the ball on Monday. It seems like he’ll stick around and make two starts but it’s also possible that he could go back to the bullpen after Monday’s start and either JR Ritchie or Chris Sale could wind up with the juicy two-start week. Ritchie and Sale should be started regardless, so there’s no actionable takeaway there. If it does seem like Perez is going to start twice, then he makes for a very strong streaming option in all league sizes. Even if he only does get the one, a single against the Marlins in Miami isn’t a bad spot either.

Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks, RHP (vs. Giants, vs. Rockies)

Gallen has not pitched well this season. He has been even worse as of late, giving up 17 runs over 14 1/3 innings over his last three starts. So why would he still be considered a decent play for his upcoming two start week? Matchups. It literally doesn’t get any better than taking on the Giants and Rockies with both starts coming at home. If you can’t find a way to use Gallen this week, then you should never use him. I’m not saying it will be an enjoyable watch and there’s still a possibility that he gives you more ratio damage at some point during these two starts. I just think there’s enough meat on the bone here to use him in both 15 and 12-team formats this week.

Foster Griffin, Nationals, LHP (vs. Mets, at Braves)

Griffin had looked like one of the unexpected breakout pitching stars of the 2026 season until he was clobbered for nine runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday. Even so, he still sports a strong 3.53 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 49/18 K/BB ratio over 51 innings, so we’ll give him a pass on Thursday’s disaster. It may be tough for some fantasy managers to roll him back out there after that type of outing, but he looks like a solid enough option that I would make sure to use him once again in both 15 and 12-team formats.

▶ At Your Own Risk

Matthew Liberatore, Cardinals, LHP (vs. Pirates, at Reds)

Liberatore has been extremely underwhelming so far this season, with a 4.40 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and a 34/18 K/BB ratio over 47 frames. He has proven to be a useful fantasy option in the past when the matchups have lined up for him, I’m just not sure that they do this week. The Pirates and Reds both rank in the middle of the pack against left-handers and with the way the ball has been flying out of the park in Cincinnati, that seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Whether you ultimately decide to roll the dice here depends on your risk tolerance. I could see myself taking the plunge in 15-teamers if I really needed the extra start.

Jake Irvin, Nationals, RHP (vs. Mets, at Braves)

Like most pitchers in the Nationals’ rotation, it has been a rough season for Irvin so far. He holds an uninspiring 5.91 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over his first 42 2/3 innings while tallying just one victory. I like that he’s striking out more than a batter per inning, which makes him a viable streaming target if you’re looking for volume there. The matchup against the Mets doesn’t hurt either. I could see trying to use him as a deeper league option and hoping for the best.

Nick Lodolo, Reds, LHP (at Phillies vs. Cardinals)

Lodolo simply hasn’t looked right as he has battled through injuries this season, posting a ghastly 8.68 ERA and 1.61 WHIP over 9 1/3 innings through his first two starts. You’d like to trust his track record here, as the matchups aren’t overly imposing, but a larger part of me would like to see him get back on track before trusting him not to destroy my ratios. My gut tells me to sit this one out and wait until he looks right before deploying him for fantasy purposes.

Jose Quintana, Rockies, LHP (vs. Rangers, at Diamondbacks)

Going to stick with the usual mantra of “Never Rockies” again this week. Quintana has actually been somewhat serviceable through his first seven starts on the season, but we don’t want to be using him at home against anyone and the Diamondbacks on the road is a brutal spot to finish up a tough week. If he had some strikeout upside, maybe I could be talked into it in deeper leagues. I just don’t see him providing enough to be worth the ratio risk. Pass in all leagues.

Braxton Garrett, Marlins, LHP (vs. Braves, vs. Mets)

Let me start out by saying that I like Braxton Garrett and think that at some point this season he’ll be a viable mixed league option. That being said, we need to expect inconsistency in his return from Tommy John surgery. He struggled with his command during his time at Triple-A and walked five batters over 1 1/3 innings in his season debut against the Twins. The Braves are a patient lineup and that start could spiral into a disaster if he doesn’t command the strike zone there. It’s possible he skates through here with a pair of strong starts, but I’m not risking my ratios on Garrett until I see some consistency at the highest level.

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, our weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire guide. We'll be doing things a little differently this season, with Eric Samulski publishing the initial waiver-wire article on Friday afternoon. Then James Schiano updates it every Sunday to make sure you get the most up-to-date information.

The premise of the article is pretty straightforward. We'll give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When we list a player, we'll list the category where we think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. We hope it helps you determine if the player fits what your team needs. Not every "trending" player will be a good addition for your specific roster.

To qualify for this list, a player needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. We understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and we can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

MLB Lineup Report: Sal Stewart cleaning up, Ben Rice getting more chances against lefties

Fantasy-relevant batting order notes from every MLB team.

• Brendan Tuma,

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters

A.J. Ewing - 2B/OF, NYM (38% rostered)

(RECENT CALL-UP, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

Ewing has played three games for the Mets and is already almost too highly-rostered to qualify for this article. It's been a meteoric rise for Ewing, who began this season at Double-A. In 30 minor league games, he slashed .339/.447/.514 with two homers and 17 steals. He's unlikely to hit for a ton of power, but he did hit a 110 mph line drive home run this week against the Tigers, so the pop is in his bat; he just hits the ball on the ground often in order to make the best use of his speed. There will be some adjustments that need to be made for a hitter who has very little experience above Double-A, and pitchers will find a way to attack him, but Ewing has also shown a great understanding of the strike zone in the minors, so he's unlikely to get himself out. Considering he stole 70 bases in the minors last year, he could be a huge addition for fantasy managers who need speed.

Samuel Basallo - C, BAL (38% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE)

Basallo probably deserves a look in more one-catcher formats. Yes, he's going to sit against left-handed pitchers, but most catchers are sitting out two or more games a week. Basallo has a 10.3% barrel rate, a 48.3% hard-hit rate, and has started to heat up a bit at the plate. He's riding a seven-game hitting streak, and is hitting .378/.395/.568 in 11 games in May with seven RBI. He has just a 34% fly ball rate, so the home runs have not come yet, but he has plenty of power in his bat, so that feels like only a matter of time.

Bryson Stott - 2B/SS, PHI (37% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, BATTED BALL QUALITY)

Earlier this season, Stott was really struggling, but Eric had him in a do-not-drop article and said, Stott "still has a 95% zone contact rate, a 6.6% SwSt%, and the quality of contact he is making has been good. His hard-hit rate is 50%, which is up 20.5% from last year, the 4th-biggest improvement of any hitter in baseball. His average exit velocity is up two mph, his bat speed is up one mph, and he is pulling the ball 12% more. His attack direction, which measures the horizontal angle of the bat’s sweet spot at the point of contact, has gone from two degrees towards the opposite field to four degrees to the pull side, which is tied for the 4th-biggest change in baseball. So what we’re getting is a player who is making elite levels of contact, hitting the ball harder than ever, and making a conscious change to pull the ball more. He’s also a player who has stolen at least 24 bases in three straight seasons. All of that should entice us." While the batting average hasn't improved yet, Stott has three home runs and 12 RBI in May with a 10.8% barrel rate, so the quality of contact is starting to lead to impactful hits as the weather is warming up.

Adolis Garcia - OF, PHI (34% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, POWER UPSIDE)

Garcia appeared in an article I wrote this week on hitters who have stood out on the Process+ leaderboard. Garcia's swing decisions have been slightly below average, but better than we usually see from him. He's also making a lot of contact and still showing good power. His hard-hit rate is up to 53%, and he's posting a career-high average exit velocity. He's squaring the ball up more than he ever has and seems to be focused on peppering line drives and not just trying to lift the ball. His swinging strike rate is the lowest it's ever been, and he's chasing less than he has since 2020. Oh, and his zone contact rate and contact rate are the highest they've ever been. He may not be a 30-home-run bat anymore, but he could easily hit .245-.255 with 25 home runs this season, hitting in the middle of an offense that's beginning to heat up. That deserves more love.

Ezequiel Duran- 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF, TEX (30% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, BATTING ORDER BUMP)

Duran is already more than halfway to his total plate appearances from last season. Injuries for the Rangers have thrust him into a (pretty much) every-day role in Texas, and he has delivered for them. Over the last 20 games, he has the second-highest wRC+ on the team and is hitting .333/.408/.561 with two home runs, two steals, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored. This is more about playing the hot streak here, but if you need a multi-position guy to fill in gaps in your roster in a deeper format, he'll do the trick. Austin Martin - 2B/OF, MIN (5% rostered) could also be settling into an everyday role with Matt Wallner now in Triple-A. He's started the last four games for the Twins, and only one of those was against a left-handed pitcher, which had been his role early in the season. There's nothing meaningfully different about Martin from previous seasons in terms of his swing or quality of contact. His swing is a bit less steep, so he's making more contact; however, he also has a very passive approach with just a 35% swing rate overall. Martin has speed; he's stolen seven bases in 30 games this season, so his patient, contact-first approach could lead to a good batting average and stolen base production, if that's what you're looking for.

JJ Bleday - OF, CIN (27% rostered)

(APPROACH CHANGE, PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY)

We've had Bleday on here for two weeks now, but we're shocked that his roster rate is still so low. Bleday has come back from the minors on a mission, hitting .321 with six home runs, 10 runs scored, 18 RBI, and a 10/13 K/BB ratio in 16 games. His bat speed is up from 71.7 mph to 74.8 mph, and his hard-hit rate is surging to 56%. That has helped his average exit velocity go from an 88.4 mph career rate to 93.9 mph. He's also running just a 21% groundball rate, so much of what he's hitting is on a line or in the air. Alex Fast also had a great tweet about some swing changes that Bleday made, but this could be very real, and he needs to be added in more places.

Spencer Steer - 1B/OF, CIN (21% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, PAST SUCCESS)

Steer also appeared in the same Process+ article as Garcia. We’ve seen Steer be a useful fantasy contributor before, and we like having any member of the Reds lineup who is getting regular playing time. Over his last 30 games, Steer is hitting .291/.381/.505 with six home runs, 19 runs scored, 11 RBI, and two steals. The offense around him has not been producing, so the counting stats are not where we'd like them to be, but he has a 15% barrel rate and 23/12 K/BB ratio over those 30 games, so he's looking pretty good at the plate.

Luke Raley - 1B/OF, SEA (21% rostered)

(HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE)

We have to start by just making it clear that this is highly unlikely to last. Raley is tied for 17th in baseball with 10 home runs, despite having just 124 plate appearances, which is about 50-60 below most of the other players inside the top 20 in home runs. He ranks 2nd among hitters with at least 110 plate appearances in HR/FlyB at 35.7%. His career average is 19.2%, so that's a pretty sizable gap. That being said, Raley’s bat speed is at 75.4 mph this season, which is up from 73.8 mph last year. He also has a slightly steeper swing, which has led to a 16.1-degree launch angle. That’s a significant escalation from his 9.8-degree mark last year. It has led to a significantly higher swinging strike rate and lower contact rate, but Raley is barreling the ball 24.3% of the time and has a 57.1% hard-hit rate, both of which are top seven for hitters with at least 110 plate appearances. However, his 24.1% swinging strike rate and 63.2% zone contact rate are the worst among hitters on the same list. All of which is to say, the power is very real, but the contact issues are a major concern and are likely to catch up to him eventually. Use him while he's crushing the ball like this, but don't expect it to last.

Henry Bolte - OF, ATH (17% rostered)

(RECENT CALL-UP, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE)

The A's called up Bolte this week. Their 5th-ranked prospect had been on a tear at Triple-A, batting .348 with a 1.076 OPS, 12 home runs, seven doubles, three triples, 28 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 37 games. That came with a manageable 39/17 K/BB ratio, which is important because Bolte has hand contact concerns in the past. He had just a 69 percent contact rate overall last year, but that’s up over 75 percent this year. There will still be some swing and miss in his game, but his teammate Nick Kurtz had just a 70 percent contact rate in the minors in 2025, and that worked when he got called up. Bolte seems likely to play most games for the A's and is worth a gamble, as I covered in a video I recorded this week.

Ryan Waldschmidt - OF, ARI (16% rostered)

(PROSPECT PEDIGREE, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

The Diamondbacks promoted their top prospect Waldschmidt last week and should give him plenty of runway as a starter moving forward. In six games, he's gone 5-for-18 with two doubles, three RBI, and a 5/1 K/BB ratio. He has enough raw power to flirt with a 25-homer pace from this point on and the speed to steal a handful of bases as well. Much like Austin Martin, he doesn't swing a lot and has just a 38% swing rate so far in his MLB games. However, he also doesn't chase outside of the zone or swing and miss much, so that's going to be really helpful and also make him a strong asset in OBP and OPS leagues.

Zack Gelof - 2B/3B/OF, ATH (14% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, POTENTIAL APPROACH CHANGE)

Gelof has hit .270/.316/.527 in 27 games since being called up, with five home runs and two steals. We may remember the version of Gelof that went 14/14 with a .267 average in 69 games in his rookie season in 2023, but that version is still likely fictitious. However, Gelof has made some changes to his contact profile that should prevent him from being as bad as he was the last two seasons. His swing rate and chase rate are both down this season, and, despite chasing LESS outside of the zone, his contact on pitches outside of the zone is up 36%, which should be a good indication that when he is offering, it's on pitches he knows he can foul off or put in play. It's just a 27-game sample size, so who knows if this will continue, but seeing his swinging strike rate fall from 20.4% to 12% is really interesting, and he's worth a gamble given his power and speed and the fact that second base is a black hole in fantasy right now. Angel Martinez - 2B/OF, CLE (21% rostered) is another player who will run hot and cold given his approach at the plate, but he's hot right now. Over his last 20 games, he's slashing .258/.286/.530 with five home runs, 10 RBI, and four steals. He does not walk, and he swings a lot, so the batting average will likely always be iffy, but he also makes a ton of contact, so he's going to go on hot streaks when he's seeing the ball well.

Sam Antonacci - 2B/3B/OF, CWS (14% rostered)

(HOT STREAK, SPEED UPSIDE - MAYBE)

After a slow start, Antonnaci is hitting .322/.414/.441 in his last 20 games with 12 runs scored, six RBI, and three steals. He doesn't have much power and has just a 38.5% hard-hit rate over that span, but he's trying to lift the ball and drive it into the gaps, which we like. He has also started to play against lefties, which the White Sox weren't letting him do early on. He's also now starting to run, with three steals in his last eight games. He stole almost 50 bases last season, so we always figured the speed would come and be paired with an elite contact profile. If you were just looking for batting average and some potential runs scored, another option would be Antonacci's teammate, Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS (15% rostered). Over that same 20-game sample, Meidroth is hitting .311/.354/.446 with two home runs, 13 runs scored, and eight RBI. Like Antonacci, he has just a 34% hard-hit rate, so there's not a ton of power in his bat, but he makes a ton of contact and will draw a walk, so he's a fine option in deeper formats as a super utility type player for your bench.

Carson Benge - OF, NYM (12% rostered)

(PROSPECT PEDIGREE, HOT STREAK)

Benge is another hitter who appeared in my Process+ article. Sometimes prospects just need a little bit of time to figure things out. Carson Benge got off to a slow start to his MLB career, but over his last 20 games, he's hitting .338/.377/.492 with two home runs, 11 runs scored, 10 RBI, and two steals. He also has a 12/4 K/BB ratio over that span and a 45.3% hard-hit rate, so we like that he's not striking out much and is making firm contact. He's not going to hit for big-time power, but he already has eight steals this season, and the Mets have moved him into the lead-off spot, which is going to be great for his counting stats. He needs to be added in far more places.

TJ Rumfield - 1B, COL (10% rostered)

(HOME GAMES, POWER UPSIDE)

The Rockies have a seven-game week coming up, including three games at home, so their hitters should be on our radar. Now, they will face one lefty at home and one lefty during a four-game series in Arizona, so that means guys like Rumfield, Jake McCarthy (5% rostered), and Edouard Julien(9% rostered) will sit at least twice next week. However, they are still worth a look if you're streaming hitting spots. Rumfield also appeared in that article I wrote this week on Process+ leaders, along with teammate Troy Johnston (7% rostered) so they would be my preferred options of the group, but McCarthy is a good target if you need speed.

Edwing Arroyo - SS, CIN (5% rostered)

(PROSPECT STASH)

Sometimes you need to get ahead of prospect promotions before they happen. I think the next impactful hitter to be called up could be Arroyo. It may seem like Edwin Arroyo has been around a while because he was a major part of the Luis Castillo trade four years ago, but Arroyo is just 22 years old. He's hitting .348 with nine home runs, 30 RBI, and seven steals in Triple-A this season to go along with a 1.025 OPS. He has also been playing some third base and could supplant Ke'Bryan Hayes. Another possible stash would be Yohandy Morales - 1B/3B, WAS (0% rostered). The 24-year-old is now hitting .348/.435/.598 with nine home runs and 25 RBI in 39 Triple-A games. The power is intriguing, and a clear improvement from his 15 home runs in 128 games last year. He does have a 13 percent swinging strike rate and 72.6 percent contact rate overall; however, both of those were improvements on what he did last year. The bigger news is that Morales has been playing more first base lately, and the Nationals don’t have a clear first baseman at the MLB level.

Jesús Rodríguez - C, SFG (4% rostered)

(TWO-CATCHER TARGET)

Tired of their offensive woes, the Giants first promoted Rodríguez last week to take some starting reps from the incumbent Patrick Bailey, then shipped Bailey to Cleveland last weekend, which opened the door for Rodríguez to be something close to their full-time catcher. He will likely split time with Daniel Susac, once Susac is off the IL, but Rodriguez is the better offensive player. The 24-year-old was acquired from the Yankees in the Camilo Doval trade at the last deadline and had an 87% contact rate overall in Triple-A. He's aggressive and very aggressive in the zone, which may need some adjusting against big league pitching, but he will also take a walk and stole 21 bases last season, so he could provide some batting average and speed in deeper formats.

Braden Shewmake - 2B/3B/SS - HOU (1% rostered)

(SHORT-TERM OPTION, STARTING JOB)

This is another pick-up that's not a long-term one, but Shewmake has been starting and hitting in the middle third of the order with Jeremy Pena out. He's gone 12-for-27 with two home runs and five RBI. Plus, the Astros get a three-game series to begin the week with a pretty poor Twins pitching staff, and then get the Cubs over the weekend, but are likely to see Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea. This could be a solid week for Shewmake in deeper formats if you need a MIF. Or you could go with Kody Clemens - 1B/2B/OF, MIN (1% rostered), who is yet another player who appeared in my Process+ article.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

Jared Jones - SP, PIT (36% rostered)

Much like with Arroyo, now is the time to stash Jones, who will likely make one more rehab start and then join the Pirates' rotation at the end of the month.I recorded a video on him this week. I'd also be looking to stash Troy Melton - SP, DET (2% rostered), who may only need one more rehab start before the Tigers bring him up to help their beleaguered rotation.

Rico Garcia - RP, BAL (36% rostered)

Garcia still isn't over 40% rostered? Ryan Helsley became yet another closer who is on the IL, as the Orioles' closer hit the injured list with elbow inflammation. Since then, the Orioles have had three genuine save chances, and two of them went to Garcia. Andrew Kittredge was also charged with a blown save, but he did not enter in the 9th with a lead. Garcia has also been far better than Kittredge this season, so he's the player we're looking to add, but we also just saw all of Jhoan Duran, Daniel Palencia, and Raisel Iglesias get hurt and return in like three weeks, so we can't just assume Garcia is going to have this role for a month-plus.

Aaron Ashby - RP, MIL (36% rostered)

At some point, you need to stop speculating on bad closers or streaming mediocre starting pitchers and just get an elite reliever into a lineup spot. That would be Ashby. The former starter has thrived in a long relief role for the Brewers this season and leads baseball in wins with seven. He also has a 2.00 ERA and a 38.1% strikeout rate in 27 innings across 20 appearances. He may only give you 3-4 innings in a week, but they're likely to be helpful ones.

Bryce Miller - SP, SEA (35% rostered)

Bryce Miller made his season debut on Wednesday and looked electric at times, sitting over 97 mph with his four-seam fastball, which was two mph up from last season. He showed off his deep repertoire against a right-handed heavy Astros lineup. However, despite his stuff returning to form, he didn't get tons of whiffs, with just eight on the day. His command was solid overall, which is nice to see in his first start back, but he couldn't put guys away and allowed eight hits and two runs with one walk and three strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision. There's also a chance he enters into a piggyback situation with Luis Castillo, which could hurt Miller's value if he's the one who starts the game. There remain a lot of questions here, but he's worth adding while we sort those out.

Logan Henderson - SP, MIL (34% rostered)

Henderson is still just 34 rostered? Why? He's looked really good in his two starts since being called up in the wake of Brandon Woodruff’s concerning drop in velocity and ensuing trip to the injured list. His trusted changeup continues to look sharp, and he has also shown off a new sweeper that would be a crucial pitch for him against right-handed hitters. Woodruff got fluid drained from his shoulder last week, so we're still not convinced he's going to be healthy in a week or so, which means we're comfortably adding Henderson in most places.

Jacob Latz - SP/RP, TEX (34% rostered)

Since April 14th, Latz has recorded the only saves for Texas. He's also blown two, but he's allowed only seven hits and two walks in his last 11.1 innings with five saves over that time. There haven't been many save chances of late, and he's still a left-handed former starter who throws 94 mph. That's not really the profile of a lockdown closer. We're happy to add him, but not assuming this is a rest of the season type of thing.

Noah Schultz- SP, CWS (28% rostered)

I know it hasn't been great lately for Schultz, but this could be a good week for him with two starts against the Mariners in Seattle and the Giants in San Francisco. I worry about the strikeout upside here, and the command has not been as good as we'd like to see, but the velocity and raw stuff remain intriguing. I think he could produce some solid results for you this upcoming week.

Griffin Jax - SP/RP, TB (25% rostered)

The Rays are stretching Jax out as a starter, and now may be the time to scoop him up before it fully clicks.I broke down Jax’s full arsenal in my streaming starting pitcher column this week, so you can check that out for more detailed thoughts.

Ben Brown - SP/RP, CHC (16% rostered)

There are still plenty of reservations around Ben Brown. He has never really succeeded as a starter because of his limited pitch mix. He's yet to throw more than four innings so far this season. Matthew Boyd isn't expected to be out too long. However, we also have to acknowledge how well Brown is pitching lately. He struck out seven Braves in four innings on Thursday while allowing just one hit. He is mixing in a sinker this season, which is another pitch he can throw to righties, but we have yet to see him face a team's full lineup multiple times, so I'm not 100% convinced that this will work as a starter. That being said, there are so many injured pitchers that it's worth adding Brown on the chance that something has clicked.

Peter Lambert - SP, HOU (14% rostered)

This is now the third week in a row we've had Lambert on here, and even if we don't think he's going to be some "league-winner," he's been a really nice add so far. We recommended Lambert after his first two starts, so we're going to keep him on here now. A start in Chicago against the Cubs isn't ideal, but He's probably just a streamer or a deeper league add, but Lambert is pitching well enough to be on rosters. He's shown a 95 mph four-seam fastball with good vertical movement that he keeps up in the zone. He has also shown the ability to keep the changeup low/away from lefties, while the cutter looks like a decent pitch. It's unclear if this production will stick, but we like the four-seam, cutter, change combination, and the breaking balls are just fine.

Connor Prielipp - SP, MIN (13% rostered)

We're just going to keep saying that Prielipp should be rostered in far more places. No, he hasn't gone deeper than five innings in any of his starts, which is an issue, but the Twins are pushing him past 90 pitches, so it's going to happen. The Twins have also said they are going to try not to overwork him, so they may give him extra days of rest here and there. He won't be skipped in the rotation, but it's unlikely he has a two-start week, which will hamper the value a bit. Still, his spot in the rotation is secure; he has a solid enough fastball, a decent changeup, and a wicked slider. There's a lot to like here.

Christian Scott - SP, NYM (13% rostered)

Christian Scott is another pitcher whose arsenalI broke down in this week’s streaming starting pitcher arsenal. He gets the Nationals and Marlins in a two-start week next week, so he should be added in most league types.

Trevor McDonald - SP, SF (12% rostered)

Do not let Nick Pollock convince you to call him "Buck," but you can let him convince you to pick up McDonald. He's a sinker/sweeper pitcher who is inducing plenty of groundballs and pitching to a 2.92 ERA in two starts for the Giants so far. He won't rack up strikeouts, but he seems like a good bet to pitch deep into games, and the sinker should be good enough to get weak groundballs against lefties, while the combo with the slider will carve up righties.

Carmen Mlodzinski - SP, SF (11% rostered)

This is a bit of a matchup play this week with Mlodzinski set to face the Cardinals in St. Louis. The right-hander is not a streaming starter you want to watch, and the WHIP can be disastrous, but he's allowed just two runs in each of his past two outings and has some whiff upside (even though we haven't seen it lately).

J.T. Ginn - SP, ATH (10% rostered)

Ginn has a decent two-start week with matchups on the road against the Angels and Padres. The Padres are worse against lefties than righties, so there is some risk here, but Ginn is inducing lots of weak contact this season by using his sinker on the fringes of the strike zone, and I think this could work in deeper formats. Other two-start options would be Walbert Urena - SP, LAA (6% rostered), who faces the Athletics at home and the Rangers at home, and JR Ritchie - SP, ATL (18% rostered), who gets the Marlins on the road and the Nationals at home.

Caleb Kilian - RP, SF (9% rostered)

Who knows what's happening in the Giants' bullpen, but Erik Miller remains on the injured list, and Ryan Walker is no longer on the active roster. Since May 1st, the Giants have had only three save opportunities. Walker blew a save, and Kilian converted two. On the season, Kilian has a 1.40 ERA with two saves in 19.1 innings. He has a 12.2% swinging strike rate but a pretty modest strikeout rate, and SIERA is not a big believer. That being said, he's probably the best arm in the bullpen, and this team should start to win a few more games soon.

Ryan Zeferjahn - RP, LAA (2% rostered)

Did you know Zeferjahn has increased his fastball velocity more than any other pitcher in baseball? There are some command issues here, but he has good Stuff+ numbers, is being used in high-leverage spots, and can miss bats. Somebody needs to close for the Angels. You could also stash Ben Joyce - RP, LAA (6% rostered), who is in Triple-A working his way back from shoulder surgery and could take over the closer's role at some point over the summer.