Fantasy Baseball 2026: Week 4 Winners and Losers Breakdown
The hot bats are cooling off and the underperformers are starting to break through. A month into the season, we are starting to see some normalcy set in throughout major league baseball.
We are late enough into the season that managers are getting fired and/or are on the hot seat. Some phenoms are heading back to the minors for more seasoning. Career no-names are having good weeks.
Winners and Losers this time of season could actually be the season-long seeds of opportunity for fantasy baseball owners. There are still flukes and mirages, but with four weeks of data to compare against, we are gaining confidence in our insights and analysis.
So let's get to it.
Here are your Week 4 Fantasy Baseball Winners and Losers.
Winner: The Chicago White Sox
Rather than list multiple players individually, I'll highlight three names together here. Third baseman Miguel Vargas, first baseman Munetaka Murakami, and shortstop Colson Montgomery all performed well this week for the Southsiders.
Murakami's 4 HR masked a 33 percent K rate, though it looks like Murakami is that type of feast-or-famine bat. Vargas not only went 2-for-4 on his bobblehead night Friday night, but he swatted 3 homers of his own, adding 2 steals and 9 runs. Montgomery hit 3 HR, with 7 RBI and hit .348 for the week. Pitcher Noah Schultz, the 96 mph rookie, could be classified a winner for his 10.57 K rate over the last two weeks, but he's also walikng 5.28 hitters for every 9 innings in that span, so temper your enthusiasm on him a bit.
Loser: Taj Bradley
The waiver wire darling over the last two weeks came crashing back to earth for the Twins. Over the last 17.1 innings, he's fanning just 7.79 per 9 while walking 4.67. His 4.67 ERA exists in the shadow of a 5.98 FIP in those innings as well. The bloom is off that rose, so sell high if you can find a buyer.
Winner: Riley Greene
Prior to this week, Greene was hitting just .247 with 1 HR. But his 12 RBI and 13 runs, along with above average walk and k rates positioned him well for success.
This week he launched 2 HR, with 5 RBI, 5 runs and a .480 average. He's a very solid hitter in a good lineup, so see if you can swing a trade for him because the good weeks will keep on coming this season.
Loser: Oneil Cruz
Cruz was too hot to stay scorching. This week, despite 2 HR and 5 RBI, he hit just .115 with a minuscule .100 BABIP and a horrendous 51.9 percent K rate. Cruz owners are going to have to just ride this out, which is easier to do when his contact results in home runs.
Winner: Michael Harris II
As if 3 HR and 12 RBI was not impressive enough, Harris did not strike out once this week, signaling that he is locked in at the plate. His bat speed, up 0.7 mph this season at 75 mph, was up 0.5 mph even from that this week. Swing a deal for him, get him into your lineup, and reap the rewards because he is coming on strong.
Loser: Willy Adames
Yikes. With just an .037 batting average with just 1 run this week, Adames also struck out 48.1 percent of the time. His bat speed this week (which is all competitive swings, not just those that make contact) was slower than the previous weeks, so continue to monitor Adames. If you own him, maybe give him some time on the bench until he can work out the kinks.
Winner: Ildemaro Vargas
The 34-year-old journeyman utility player has never hit more than 6 HR in a season, but managed 3 this week, and 5 on the season so far. With a 2.7 percent career barrel rate, the bar is pretty low, but this season's 7.6 percent coupled with a higher, though ordinary 6.4 degree launch angle is providing noticeable improvement.
Although Vargas has played every infield position so far, plus left field, his exit velocity and bat speed are down this year, signaling that this party is over before it really ever got started.
Loser: MacKenzie Gore
Gore's 96 mph fastball and 10.43 K rate over the last 3 starts have not been good enough to produce any wins. His 6.14 ERA over the last two weeks is much lower than his 9.76 xERA. In this 2 weeks, he is walking 6.14 batters per nine innings. Only his sinker and curveball are posting notable Stuff+ numbers. He can only be considered a league average pitcher at this point.
If you can absorb a higher ERA for some Ks, help yourself, but I'd steer clear.
Winner: Josh Tartler
Tartler is not the latest phenom to splash his way into MLB. He's not a journeyman relief pitcher who suddenly tossed an immaculate inning. Tartler made what could prove to be the fan catch of 2026.
Teoscar Hernández popped a foul ball into the Coors Field stands. Tartler, standing up while holding his 15-month-old daughter in his arms, was able to cradle the ball against his torso with his right arm. The baby never budged and Dad went viral, generating over 12 million views, about 75 of which were by my eyeballs alone.
Fan catch of the year?!
— MLB (@MLB) April 20, 2026
This guy caught a foul ball while holding a baby pic.twitter.com/y5lMRBuDZU
Loser: Red Sox Fans
Not all Red Sox fans, so calm down in Boston. I'm talking about the bunch that chugged beer out of a shoe. It's bad enough one fan did it, but then the crew passed the shoe around. I don't care what color socks you are wearing, that is putrid.
I have a feeling these fans were already at a deficit of brain cells, either from pre-gaming that day, or previous experience with adult beverages.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6jWt8GQsqIo
Fantasy Baseball Winners and Losers: Questions Answered
What trends are emerging after four weeks of the fantasy baseball season?
We are beginning to see normalization across player performance, with early-season outliers regressing and more reliable data shaping evaluations.
Should fantasy managers trust early breakout players?
Some breakouts are sustainable, but others remain flukes, so managers should evaluate underlying metrics before committing long term.
Is it time to sell high on struggling players?
Yes, in certain cases like Taj Bradley, where surface stats hide deeper issues, making them good sell-high candidates.
Which players are trending upward right now?
Players like Riley Greene and Michael Harris II are showing improved production and underlying metrics that support continued success.
How should managers handle slumping stars?
Patience is often key, especially for players like Oneil Cruz, whose power output can offset poor contact stretches.
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 9:01 AM.