Fernando Tatis Jr. continues to impress as he earns the National League Player of the Week accolade, demonstrating consistent performance for the first-place Padres. His ability to reach base safely in all 21 games positions him as a strong contender for the NL MVP award. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers witness Yoshinobu Yamamoto shine, with impressive outings including a recent 10-strikeout game without allowing a run in his last 21 innings.

The New York Mets celebrate their first four-game sweep since 1986, highlighted by a dramatic walk-off homer from Francisco Lindor. Conversely, the New York Yankees are revitalized by Max Fried's emergence as a new ace, filling the gap left by Gerrit Cole. In the early season, the Chicago Cubs’ Michael Busch has also stepped up, boasting impressive offensive stats.

Other notable performances include Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies, who broke records during his match against the Giants, and the Arizona Diamondbacks' Josh Naylor, who has shown promising power in recent games. The Athletics are generating intrigue with Tyler Soderstrom’s remarkable start, while the Milwaukee Brewers are seeing positive results from their rotation, indicating a potential for a competitive season ahead.

Shohei Ohtani is currently absent from the Los Angeles Dodgers as they play the Texas Rangers due to the birth of his daughter. Ohtani was placed on the paternity list to support his wife, Mamiko, during this significant moment. He shared the joyful news on social media, expressing gratitude and excitement. Meanwhile, the Dodgers managed to secure a victory against the Rangers, with their star pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, delivering an impressive performance by throwing seven scoreless innings.

In a thrilling matchup, Yoshinobu Yamamoto outperformed Jacob deGrom, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers. Yamamoto, in just his second MLB season, showcased his potential by throwing seven scoreless innings while striking out ten batters, further solidifying his candidacy for the Cy Young Award this season. Despite deGrom's solid performance, allowing only one run across seven innings, it was Yamamoto's diverse pitch arsenal that kept the Rangers hitters off balance.

The game unfolded at Globe Life Field, absent Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who was on paternity leave. Yamamoto faced a challenge as his fastball lacked its usual velocity, prompting him to effectively utilize his curveball and slider, resulting in significant strikeouts and key outs in pressure situations.

In a thrilling matchup on Friday night, Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers faced off against Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers, showcasing an impressive display of pitching prowess. DeGrom, a two-time Cy Young winner, pitched seven innings allowing just one run, complemented by seven strikeouts. However, it was Yamamoto who shone brighter, delivering a flawless seven-inning performance with no runs allowed and ten strikeouts, further solidifying his status as a potential Cy Young contender in just his second MLB season.

Despite deGrom’s solid outing, he suffered from an early mistake, allowing a home run to Tommy Edman, filling in for Shohei Ohtani, who was on paternity leave. Yamamoto, on the other hand, adapted masterfully throughout the game, utilizing a previously underwhelming curveball to keep the Rangers off-balance. His strategic mix of pitches, including an effective splitter and rarely used slider, contributed to his dominant performance, leaving fans excited for what lies ahead in his burgeoning career.

April 18 presents a 11-game MLB DFS slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Players are advised to monitor injury news and starting lineups diligently as they build their fantasy rosters.

Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto stands out against Texas, boasting a high strikeout rate and excellent run prevention metrics. Alternatives include MacKenzie Gore at Coors Field, who has shown solid metrics and faces a struggling Rockies lineup.

Among infielders, Ozzie Albies is a strong pick against Chris Paddack, while Junior Caminero is heating up with power against Carlos Rodon. Ryan Mountcastle is another value option against Andrew Abbott.

In the outfield, Randy Arozarena shows promise against Bowden Francis, while Austin Hays and Sal Frelick are expected to perform well given their favorable matchups. Stacking the Baltimore Orioles against Andrew Abbott is recommended due to the high projected run total.