Week 21 in fantasy baseball centers on savvy IL stashes with upside for the stretch drive. Ryan Yarbrough returns to a Yankees rotation eager for stability after an oblique ailment, offering speculative late-season value if rehab goes clean. Landen Roupp looks poised to rejoin the Giants with strong strikeout metrics and favorable home/road splits, potentially anchoring a depth start. Colton Cowser carries power upside and outfield flexibility, but concussion issues keep him risky until late August. Jacob Wilson remains a hot target for AVG/OBP and run production as he nears activation from forearm surgery. Hyeseong Kim, a versatile Dodger with speed and middle-infield eligibility, may reclaim regular at-bats once back. Across the board, managers should consider brief IL stashes to boost stacks when playoff rosters tighten.

These five players each bring a different path to value: Roupp’s strikeout ability and pitcher-friendly home park; Yarbrough’s proven 2025 form with caveats on injury recovery; Cowser’s past power in a strong Orioles lineup; Wilson’s top-line batting average and OBP splash; Kim’s speed and multi-position eligibility in a potent Dodgers lineup. Owners in redraft leagues with IL slots will want to monitor rehab updates and activation timelines, ready to pounce as Week 21 turns into Week 22 and the playoff push accelerates.

Lineup Lowdown zeros in on trends that could swing fantasy value this stretch drive. Mountcastle returns from hamstring surgery and immediately slots in at batting fifth, sharing 1B/DH duties with Mayo—a duo that should stay in place through the club’s ongoing balancing act. With Mullins traded and Beavers lurking as a top prospect, Baltimore’s outfield reshuffle could create spillover opportunities for others as the season winds down. Across Boston, Romy Gonzalez has nudged into more at-bats at first base while Toro’s bat has cooled, and the Yankees have leaned toward platoon-adjacent moves at first with Rice getting looks. The Rays have shuffled DH slots with Diaz taking over at first, while other clubs churn through injuries and rookie calls, signaling a wide-open landscape for late-season fantasy play.

Across the league, Toronto, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Minnesota, Houston, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, and Texas show similar patterns: lineup slots shifting, rookie debuts or calls, and relief of veterans when health allows. The common thread is opportunity: the shortest path to fantasy relevance now is through stable playing time in the right spots or a hot stretch from a player stepping into a new role. This week’s focus is on who steps up when a regular goes down or slips, and who might prove valuable in daily fantasy lineups as the roster churn continues.

Baltimore’s 2025 arc has derailed. After a promising playoff run and an AL East title two years back, the Orioles sit last in the division and nine games out of a wild-card spot with under two months left, driven by a -80 run differential. The Hyde-era departure on May 17 underscored a franchise in flux as a roster built on young upside tries to stay afloat.

Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill were placed on the injured list (Cowser with a concussion, O’Neill with right wrist inflammation) while Ryan Mountcastle returned from a hamstring issue. Jordyn Adams was recalled to bolster the outfield. Baltimore still leans on a talented core—Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman—but needs strategic offseason moves and a manager who can maximize the roster’s ceiling.

As we approach Week 18 of the MLB season, finding those diamond-in-the-rough players on the waiver wire can be crucial for fantasy baseball success. This week, hitters like Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox stand out for his multi-position eligibility and run-scoring potential. Meanwhile, Mike Tauchman and Nathan Lukes are proving valuable contributors to their teams, with consistent performances in runs scored and batting average. The home run category sees Tyler O'Neill and Giancarlo Stanton as top pickups, both exhibiting power potential following their recent form. In terms of RBIs, Josh Jung has been a revelation since his call-up, while Mickey Moniak's resurgence with the Rockies adds another dimension. For stolen bases, Chandler Simpson and Colton Cowser are rising stars worth adding. Finally, Jordan Beck and Coby Mayo are making headlines for their batting averages, making them worth consideration in deeper leagues.