Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is out of his team's starting lineup for a third consecutive game on Saturday as he recovers from hip flexor soreness. The oft-injured outfielder was off to an excellent start to 2026 before this hip issue, hitting .260/.319/.580 with 15 home runs, 23 RBI, 33 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 185 plate appearances. Buxton's barrel rate currently sits at a career-high 21.1%, hinting at his elite power upside if he can ever put together a full season. While Buxton is not currently expected to require a trip to the injured list, any ailment for the 32-year-old should raise red flags for fantasy managers. Buxton has never reached 550 plate appearances in any of his 11 MLB seasons and has surpassed 400 plate appearances in a season just twice. Twins outfielders Ryan Kreidler and James Outman have taken turns in center field in Buxton's absence, with Outman earning the start and batting ninth on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

After opening the season in a bulk relief role, Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown was moved into the starting rotation on May 8. The 26-year-old has impressed since the role shift, allowing just one hit while striking out 10 over eight innings of work (two starts). Brown's year-long numbers are excellent as well, as he's pitched to a 1.60 ERA and 0.86 WHIP with 34 strikeouts across 33 2/3 innings (14 games). Brown's 0.27 HR/9 is a significant improvement from the 1.52 HR/9 he posted in 2025, so he could be in line for some ERA regression as the weather heats up in Chicago and the ball starts to fly at Wrigley Field. Still, the hard-throwing right-hander owns a career MLB strikeout rate of 26.6% and appears to be finding his groove as a big-league pitcher. Now that he's back in the Cubs rotation, Brown offers some upside as a waiver-wire target for fantasy managers.

Since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on April 10, Athletics infielder Zack Gelof has re-emerged as an everyday piece of his team's lineup. Across 85 plate appearances, the 26-year-old is hitting .260/.313/.506 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Gelof has always offered high-end power upside, and he's posted a strong 10.2% barrel rate so far in 2026. The main difference for Gelof this season has been his ability to make consistent contact, as his 23.5% strikeout rate is significantly improved from his career mark of 32.5%. Given his history of swing-and-miss issues and his 19.2-degree average launch angle, fantasy managers may not want to count on Gelof continuing to provide value in the batting average category. Still, Gelof profiles as a power/speed asset with upside who should be a priority waiver wire target in most league formats.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Tanner Scott opened 2026 in a setup role, but early-season elbow surgery for Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz (elbow) has reopened the path to the ninth inning for Scott. The veteran left-hander has recorded four saves since Diaz was placed on the injured list, including three in his last five appearances. Scott's overall numbers for the season are strong as well, as he's pitched to a 1.47 ERA and 0.60 WHIP with 18 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings. Scott's 24.6% K-BB rate is excellent, and he's allowed just 11 out of the 65 batters he's faced so far this season to reach base. With Diaz expected to be sidelined until the late summer at the earliest, Scott is a must-roster closer across all fantasy formats.