1. RIDE Elly De La Cruz's monster night
Elly De La Cruz (CIN) went 3-for-4 with a homer, 4 RBI, 2 runs and 2 steals against the backdrop of his usual five-category profile. There's nothing to do here but enjoy it — he's the rare hitter who can win you a week single-handedly when the contact lands. The 2 SB are the real fantasy gold; combined with Oneil Cruz's season line of .284/.917 OPS with 8 HR and 10 SB (PIT, also homered yesterday), the NL Central shortstop/CF tier is where category-league managers should be hunting trade leverage right now. Sell anyone trying to package Elly down — his floor this season is league-winning.
2. MONITOR Juan Soto's forearm, but don't panic
Per @JonHeyman and @AnthonyDiComo, Juan Soto (NYM) had an MRI that revealed no structural damage to his forearm, and he homered while DH'ing on Monday (1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI). Soto's season line sits at .324/.419/.878 OPS in 43 PA, so this is still a top-5 fantasy bat. The Mets will keep him at DH while he gets treatment. Hold across all formats; if a panicked manager in your league offers a discount on the forearm news, that's your buy-low window before he returns to the OF.
3. STREAM/STASH Christian Scott as Senga hits the IL
The Mets placed Kodai Senga on the 15-day IL with lumbar spine inflammation (retro to 4/27) and recalled RHP Christian Scott (per yesterday's transactions and @AnthonyDiComo). @AnthonyDiComo's posted rotation has Scott starting Friday at LAA — a plus matchup in a non-hitter's park. Scott was a top Mets pitching prospect before last year's elbow issue, and he's a viable streamer in the Angels matchup. In deeper formats he's a stash given Senga's injury history (this is now a recurring back issue). Add ahead of Friday in 12-teamers.
4. ADD Max Schuemann after Stanton hits the IL
The Yankees placed Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain (retro to 4/25) and recalled 3B Max Schuemann (@BryanHoch). Stanton is a DH-only bat in most leagues, so the direct fantasy replacement isn't Schuemann — it's more DH at-bats funneling to Ben Rice/Trent Grisham types. Grisham (NYY, season .167/.643 OPS, 3 HR, started in 7 of last 7) gets the steady playing time bump. In AL-only and deep mixed, Grisham's lineup security ticks up; Schuemann himself is bench depth only.
5. BUY Drew Romo's two-homer breakout
Drew Romo (COL, C) went 2-for-3 with 2 HR, 3 RBI and 2 R. Catcher is a wasteland and Romo plays half his games at Coors — that's the fantasy thesis in one sentence. He's not in the grounding-context season block, but the raw event (2 HR at C, low-owned) is enough to add in any 12-team league using two catchers and any NL-only format. If you're streaming the position, Romo is the priority pickup of the morning over the Carson Kelly types (CHC, season .333/.932 OPS, 4 of last 7 starts) who are already widely rostered.
6. ADD Travis Bazzana, Cleveland's new 2B
Per transactions, Cleveland selected the contract of 2B Travis Bazzana from Triple-A Columbus and optioned Juan Brito. Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 and arrives with everyday-2B upside. He hasn't started a game yet (no last_7d_starts to cite), so this is a stash-only call until we see a lineup card. In dynasty he's a must-add; in 12-team redraft, prioritize him over the deep-bench fliers because the Guardians don't promote top picks for part-time roles. Watch tonight's lineup.
7. WATCH Trey Yesavage returns and gets the W
Toronto activated RHP Trey Yesavage from the 15-day IL (transactions) and he immediately delivered: 5.1 IP, 3 K, 0 ER, W. The strikeout total was modest, but a clean return outing from a high-pedigree arm in his age-22 season is a meaningful add. He's not in the season grounding block (limited 2026 IP), so treat the projection cautiously, but Yesavage has top-50 SP upside if the slider plays. Add in 15-team mixed and all AL-only leagues. In 12-teamers, monitor his next start before committing a roster spot.
8. STREAM Cam Schlittler vs. lefty-heavy lineups
Cam Schlittler (NYY) tossed 6 IP, 8 K, 0 ER for the W on Monday. He's not in the grounding context, so I'm anchoring purely to the line — but Yankees rotation streamers tend to come with run support and the strikeout rate (12.0 K/9 last night) is the actionable signal. Add as a one-week streamer ahead of his next turn; don't roster long-term until we see a second start. Pair him with Jesús Luzardo (PHI), who also went 7 IP, 8 K, 0 ER in his start — Luzardo is now a clear top-25 SP hold.
9. TWO-START WATCH This fantasy week (Mon 4/27 – Sun 5/3)
Clay Holmes (NYM) won Monday with 6 IP, 6 K, 0 ER. Per @AnthonyDiComo's posted rotation, the Mets next go Peterson, Peralta, Scott, McLean — Holmes does NOT line up for a second start this week. He's a one-start hold. Davis Martin (CWS, 5.2 IP, 7 K, 1 ER, W last night) is also a single-start guy this week based on rotation cadence. With no confirmed two-start pitcher in the data dump, treat all of Monday's winners as one-start contributors and prioritize Friday/Saturday streaming slots accordingly.
10. ADD Mickey Moniak, who's still under-owned
Mickey Moniak (COL) doesn't have a stat line yesterday but his season profile (.324/.347/1.097 OPS, 8 HR, started 6 of last 7) is screaming for roster attention in any league where he's still floating. Coors Field + everyday playing time + 8 HR through April is the textbook low-owned breakout this column exists to flag. He's the highest-OPS hitter in the entire grounding block. If he's available in your 12-team mixed, that's a free top-100 hitter on the wire. Add over any of the 1%-owned names below.
11. ADD Leody Taveras as a sneaky OF5
Leody Taveras (BAL, 3% owned) went 1-for-4 yesterday but his season line (.327/.426/.926 OPS, 2 HR, 1 SB in 62 PA, started 4 of last 7) is the actual story. He's been quietly excellent in Baltimore and at 3% ownership he's free in every format. The only concern is the 4-of-7 starts split — not quite an everyday role yet — but the production is forcing the issue. Add in 15-team and deeper, and put him on watchlists in 12-team mixed pending another lineup confirmation this week.
12. ADD Ildemaro Vargas, the most absurd line on the page
Ildemaro Vargas (ARI, 1B-eligible) doesn't appear in yesterday's stat block but the season grounding line is .357/.375/1.046 OPS with 5 HR in 73 PA, started 5 of last 7. He's the kind of name that gets ignored because of the career profile, but the playing time + production combo is real right now. In NL-only and 15-team mixed, he's a free corner-infield bat. Pair him with the Mickey Moniak add above for a low-cost power infusion off the wire — both guys are starting and producing.
13. BUY-LOW Cal Raleigh and Vinnie Pasquantino
Cal Raleigh (SEA, season .198/.667 OPS, 5 HR) and Vinnie Pasquantino (KC, .160/.546 OPS, 3 HR) are both posting career-worst slash lines. The track record says regression is coming — Raleigh's a 30-HR catcher and Pasquantino's a contact-first 1B. Neither played meaningfully yesterday, but their season lines are exactly the buy-low profile this column exists for. Send an offer to the manager who's frustrated; you're paying April panic prices for July production. Pasquantino in particular is a Mike Yastrzemski-tier sell target if you have him.
14. SELL-HIGH Ozzie Albies before the wheels reset
Ozzie Albies (ATL, 2B) homered yesterday (1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI) and is sitting on a season .297/.817 OPS with 5 HR. That's a top-3 2B line through April and well above his recent career baseline. With Bo Bichette also homering yesterday (TOR, 1-for-2, 1 HR) and showing positive signs, the 2B/SS market has buyers. If you can flip Albies for a top-15 SP upgrade, do it now — his career xSLG suggests the power is sustainable but the average is the regression candidate.
15. CLOSER ALERT Cardinals 9th inning is a committee
The St. Louis save situation is a mess. Per the SAVES LAST 7 DAYS block, Seranthony Domínguez has 3 saves (4/28, 4/24, 4/23) — he's the closer to roster. But Gordon Graceffo also has a save (season 11.2 IP, 0.77 ERA) and Kyle Leahy (5.1 IP, 7 K, 3 ER, W yesterday) is in the high-leverage mix. Domínguez is the pickup if you need saves; he has the most recent save AND the cleanest cluster. Don't speculate on Graceffo unless Domínguez is rostered.
16. CLOSER ALERT Brewers committee with Woodford grabbing one
Jake Woodford (MIL) picked up a save Monday (3 IP, 2 K, 0 ER) per the stat block and SAVES LAST 7 DAYS shows it as the only Milwaukee save in the window. His season ERA is 5.91 in 10.2 IP — this is a low-leverage save, not a role change. Don't chase. The Brewers' actual high-leverage arm remains unsettled; @KeeganMatheson noted Jeff Hoffman (TOR, not MIL — different team) is adapting out of the closer's role for Toronto. Skip the Woodford add in 12-team mixed.
17. CLOSER ALERT Toronto's 9th inning is up for grabs
Per @KeeganMatheson, Jeff Hoffman threw a clean 7th inning on 10 pitches and is "handling this move out of the closer's role well." That confirms Hoffman is no longer Toronto's closer. The SAVES LAST 7 DAYS block doesn't show a Blue Jays save in the past week, which means the role is genuinely unsettled. Ernie Clement isn't the answer (he's a position player). Watch for the next Toronto save situation; until then, drop Hoffman in saves-only formats and don't speculate on a replacement without anchored data.
18. STREAM Daniel Lynch IV in deep formats
Daniel Lynch IV (KC) sits at 9.0 IP, 1.00 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, 12.0 K/9 in the season grounding block. He's not a household name and he didn't pitch yesterday, but those rate stats are elite and the Royals have given him a rotation spot. In 15-team and deeper, he's a free strikeout source. The WHIP is the headline — under 0.60 across nine innings is unsustainable but speaks to the command. Add now before his next start; if it's a plus matchup, he's a streamer in 12-team mixed too.
19. WATCH Chad Patrick's vision scare
Per @AdamMcCalvy, Chad Patrick (MIL) had a vision episode in the 2nd inning Monday — lip readers caught "I can't see" on the broadcast. He stayed in the game and finished 5 IP, 5 K, 2 ER for the W (season 23 IP, 2.35 ERA, 1.26 WHIP). The post-game checkup was clean per @AdamMcCalvy, but this is a monitor situation for his next start. He's a hold in all formats — the line was fine and the trainers cleared him — but if you have a backup plan in deeper leagues, get it ready in case there's a delayed scratch.
20. ADD Jakob Marsee for cheap steals
Jakob Marsee (MIA, CF) sits at .179/.307/.570 OPS with 1 HR and 9 SB in 114 PA, started 6 of last 7. The batting average is ugly but 9 steals through April is elite-tier speed and he's playing every day. In any roto league chasing SB, he's a free category specialist. The Marlins won't pull him with that kind of running game, and the OBP (.307) is just enough to keep him on base. Pair with Jazz Chisholm Jr. (NYY, 8 SB, started 7 of last 7) as steady SB sources.