Two weeks are officially in the books, and we’ve reached the point in the season where the small sample size begins its slow transition into actionable data. By now, your draft-day stars are either carrying the load or testing your patience; the solution lies within the constant churn of the waiver wire.
Streaming is a game of probability and opportunistic scheduling. This week, we are hunting for specific advantages: favorable park factors, struggling opposing lineups, and under-the-radar arms who have shown a sudden uptick in velocity or a tweak in their pitch mix.
As always, to qualify for the Stream Team, we are looking for impactful contributors who are available.
The Criteria
- Availability: Every featured player is rostered in fewer than 45% of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
- The Goal: Identifying high-upside plays for managers who need to replace struggling starters and injured players at specific positions.
The Stream Team
SP – Jeffrey Springs, Oakland Athletics – If you’re looking for a season-altering addition, look no further than Jeffrey Springs. I love Springs’ story, and the fact that he is pitching at his current level is encouraging. He was a 30th-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, and Springs has been electric over his last two turns. After dismantling the Astros for six innings of one-run ball, he followed up with a vintage performance against the Yankees on April 9th, tossing six no-hit innings before leaving at 93 pitches. Over two appearances, he’s racked up 13 strikeouts and looked every bit like the ace Oakland traded for.
The best part? He is lined up for a two-start week in Week 3. He’ll take the mound against his former team, the Texas Rangers, early in the week before a second scheduled start against the Chicago White Sox to close it out. With his changeup generating elite whiff rates and his command locked in, he’s a must-start in 12-team category or points leagues.
RP – Bryan Baker, Tampa Bay Rays – If there is one thing we know about the Rays, it’s that their bullpen is a shapeshifting enigma. We entered the season expecting Griffin Jax to be the high-leverage anchor, but baseball had other plans. Jax has struggled mightily out of the gate, posting a bloated 11.25 ERA over his first few appearances and failing to record an out in a disastrous outing against Milwaukee. Combined with Garrett Cleavinger landing on the 15-day IL with calf tightness, the door has swung wide open.
Enter Bryan Baker.
Baker has wasted no time seizing the opportunity, looking dominant with a 12.6 K/9 and already tucking two saves under his belt. In a committee-heavy environment like Tampa Bay, you have to follow the hot hand and the high-leverage usage. Right now, all signs point to Baker as the primary beneficiary. He is widely available across all formats, with a 14% rostered rate on Yahoo.
C – Carter Jensen, Kansas City Royals – If you need a spark at the catcher position, it’s time to “wake up” to the potential of Carter Jensen. The Royals’ top prospect made headlines for all the wrong reasons on April 2nd when he was a late scratch against the Twins after – quite literally – sleeping through his alarm. Jensen has responded with a focused, power-packed stretch at the plate.
Since the alarm clock incident, Jensen has been on a tear. Over his last seven games, he’s slashing .318/.360/.773 with three home runs and six RBI. While Salvador Perez is still around, the path for Jensen’s playing time is clearer than it looks. Salvy is now 35 years old, and the Royals are being protective of his longevity, splitting his appearances in the DH spot or taking complete rest days to keep his legs fresh. He’s rostered in 20-30% of leagues. Jensen is essentially a middle-of-the-order bat hidden in a catcher’s eligibility.
1B – Josh Bell, Minnesota Twins – The Stream Team’s first-ever repeat recommendation belongs to Josh Bell. Usually, the goal is to keep the churn moving, but Josh Bell is making it impossible to look elsewhere! I wrote about him last week as a speculative power add with a couple of good matchups throughout the week, and he has spent the seven days rewarding anyone who listened. Bell has been the engine of the Twins’ offense lately, slashing .409/.500/.591 over his last seven games. He capped off a monster series against Detroit, going 3-for-3 with a home run on April 9th, and as of this weekend, he leads the entire Minnesota roster in both home runs (3) and RBIs (10).
His underlying metrics are just as encouraging as the surface stats. He’s showing elite plate discipline with a .440 OBP on the season, meaning even when he isn’t clearing fences, he’s creating run-scoring opportunities. He’s still only rostered in 20-30% of leagues, so if you need pop or a first base streamer, I think now is the time to hop on the Bell Train.
2B – Angel Martínez, Cleveland Guardians – While he doesn’t have the long track record of some other names on this list, Angel Martínez is carving out a significant role in a Cleveland lineup. What makes Martinez a Stream Team darling is his 2B and OF eligibility. Though his sample size of major league success is relatively small, he has been scorching hot lately. Over his last three starts, he’s gone 8-for-12 with a home run (a grand slam) and six RBI, effectively forcing the Guardians to keep his bat in the lineup.
Martinez is widely available and essentially costs nothing to acquire in any league format, as he is typically rostered in under 5% of leagues. I think Martinez can provide a boost in batting average and chipping in the occasional stolen base if you need a plug-in second baseman this week. Still, there certainly is some potential for him to become a serious 2b asset in 12-team formats.
3B – Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers – While we featured the “other” Max Muncy over in Oakland last week, who is making waves as a rookie, the veteran version in Los Angeles is reminding everyone why he’s a staple of high-powered fantasy offense. His performance on Friday night should put those fears to rest. Muncy clobbered three solo home runs in a 4-for-5 performance against the Rangers, punctuated by a dramatic walk-off blast to seal the win; it was the second three-homer game of his career.
He is currently rocking a .375 OBP and has already moved into the top 10 on the Dodgers’ all-time home run list. He slides right under our rostered qualifications, rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues. He could be a player who is more than a streamer for you at 3B.
SS – Andrés Giménez, Toronto Blue Jays – If you need a spark in the middle-infield, it’s time to revisit Andrés Giménez. He has been a catalyst for the Blue Jays’ offense through the first two weeks, slashing .274/.314/.438 with two home runs and three stolen bases. His elite 93.3% Z-Contact rate suggests he is seeing the ball incredibly well, and unlike last year, he’s successfully turning that contact into extra-base hits.
One of the biggest draws for Giménez this week is his dual eligibility at 2B and SS in many formats. Having shifted to shortstop full-time this season after the departure of Bo Bichette, he still holds his 2b eligibility. Despite the hot start and 20/20 upside, Giménez is currently rostered in 35-40% nof leagues, and people are likely still hesitant after his 2025 regression and the vibe of the Blue Jays performances recently. His underlying metrics from the World Baseball Classic suggest his performance has been legit and may become a mainstay fanstay asset.
OF – Jorge Soler, Los Angeles Angels – If you’re hunting for pure, unadulterated power to stabilize your Week 3 home run categories, Jorge Soler is starting to look like the “El Yoyo” of old. After a quiet first week with the Halos, Soler has absolutely ignited in April, culminating in a massive performance this past Friday against the Reds, where he mashed a grand slam and drove in four runs. The most encouraging sign for Soler owners isn’t just the counting stats – it’s the underlying consistency. He has homered in three of his last four games, showing off the elite exit velocity.
However, there is a looming cloud to keep an eye on: the suspension appeal. Following a heated brawl with Reynaldo López and Atlanta on April 7th, MLB handed Soler a seven-game suspension. He has officially appealed, which allows him to remain in the lineup for now. Currently rostered in 23% of leagues, with four home runs and 15 RBI, now is the time to squeeze some more production from him before his suspension ruling.
OF – Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers – It’s time to buy into the Garrett Mitchell revival. After a few injury-plagued seasons, Mitchell is finally healthy and looking like the five-tool threat the Brewers envisioned when they took him in the first round. He has been an absolute run-producing machine through the first two weeks. Mitchell is currently slashing .290/.421/.484 and leads the Brewers with a whopping 13 RBIs in just 11 games. He is also showing off the wheels, swiping three bags, and proving that his speed is a game-changer when he gets on base. His .421 OBP is the most encouraging sign – he’s drawing walks at an elite rate, which gives him a safer floor than most streamers.
The playing-time situation is also heavily breaking in Mitchell’s favor. While everyone was hyped for the superstar ascent of Jackson Chourio, the 22-year-old phenom fractured his hand at the start of the year and still isn’t cleared to face any hitting. Mitchell is rostered in about 15-20% of leagues and will be a great addition of power, speed, and run production for the time being.
