White Sox Promoting Noah Schultz, Injury Updates & More! (4/13 Fantasy Baseball Podcast)

The Fantasy Baseball Today podcast for April 13, 2026, kicks off with host Frank Stample welcoming back Chris Towers after a hospital stay due to diverticulitis, setting a lively tone for a deep dive into early-season fantasy baseball. The episode centers on breakout performers like Jordan Walker and O'Neal Cruz, both of whom are generating excitement but come with significant caveats—Walker’s elite exit velocity and power are tempered by a 30% strikeout rate and low pull rate, while Cruz’s surge against lefties is encouraging but undermined by a 40% whiff rate. The White Sox’s promotion of 22-year-old left-hander Noah Schultz, who dominated Triple-A with a 19-strikeout, 2-walk performance in 14 innings, is a major story, with hosts urging fantasy managers to scoop him up despite his high price tag. Other key topics include injury updates across the league—Adley Rutschman, George Springer, and Edwin Diaz among those sidelined—and a flurry of waiver wire pickups, including Carlos Cortez, Mickey Moniak, and Jake Bowers. The hosts debate trade value, with Schultz and Soriano seen as potential high-upside assets worth trading for top-tier pitchers, while cautioning against overvaluing short-term hot streaks. The episode closes with a detailed look at upcoming pitching matchups, emphasizing the potential of Schultz’s debut and the value of pitchers like Warren, Burroughs, and Cantillo. Key takeaways include: 1) Prioritize high-upside, high-risk pitchers like Noah Schultz and Jose Soriano over safe but low-ceiling options; 2) Be cautious with players on hot streaks like Jordan Walker and O'Neal Cruz—use them as trade chips rather than long-term starters; 3) Leverage injury reports to target waiver wire sleepers like Carlos Cortez and Casey Schmidt; 4) Monitor pitchers with declining velocity (e.g., Kodai Senga, Tanner Bybee) and consider dropping them if they don’t rebound; 5) In shallow leagues, treat bullpen roles like those of Brian Baker and Riley O'Brien as valuable assets in save- or points-heavy formats. The overall sentiment is cautiously optimistic, with hosts embracing the volatility of early season baseball while emphasizing strategic patience and data-driven decision-making.