RADIO
Brandon Lowe on the Bench Due to Knee Injury
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (knee) is not in the starting lineup for the team's series finale on Sunday in Atlanta against the Braves, according to MLB.com. Nick Gonzales will start at the keystone and is hitting second against right-hander Bryce Elder. Lowe is out after fouling a ball off his right knee in the ninth inning of Saturday's game at Truist Park. Thankfully, a CT scan after the game ruled out a fractured kneecap, which is something he suffered to the same knee back in September of 2023. Even with an off day coming on Monday for Pittsburgh, fantasy managers shouldn't assume that Lowe will be back in the starting nine for Tuesday's game back in the Steel City against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. The 31-year-old left-handed-hitting second baseman is hitting just .249 (57-for-229) in his first year in Pittsburgh, but he has contributed plenty of counting stats for fantasy managers, producing 15 home runs, 41 RBI, and 40 runs scored across his 59 games and 261 plate appearances in his first year with the Bucs.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Michael Harris II Still Out on Sunday With Back Injury
Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (back) remains out of the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to MLB.com. Mauricio Dubon will start in center field again and will bat in the two-hole for the series finale against Pirates left-handed opener Mason Montgomery at Truist Park. Harris is missing a second straight game after he was pulled from Friday's contest early due to back tightness. The 25-year-old's injury isn't considered serious, though, according to manager Walt Weiss, so he could be back in the team's starting lineup for the series opener against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday after a scheduled day off on Monday. Harris has been a must-start when he's active for fantasy managers this year, as he's currently slashing .303/.338/.516 with an .853 OPS, 13 home runs, 37 RBI, 30 runs scored, and three stolen bases across his 61 games played in 2026. Dubon is mostly known for his glove work all over the diamond, but the 31-year-old veteran has been clutch in his first year in Atlanta and could be a sneaky DFS sleeper for Sunday's slate in the two-hole.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Rhett Lowder Activated and Starting on Sunday
The Cincinnati Reds announced that they activated right-hander Rhett Lowder (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Sunday and optioned right-hander Luis Mey to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Lowder will make the start in Sunday's series finale against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The 24-year-old has been sidelined since May 13 with discomfort in his right shoulder, but he has recovered and will rejoin Cincy's starting rotation for a tough matchup in St. Louis. Fantasy managers can't realistically expect Lowder to go very deep in Sunday's game after missing the last three weeks. In his lone minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, he got up to 70 pitches. The former seventh overall pick in 2023 out of Wake Forest University has gone 3-3 this year with a 5.40 ERA (3.78 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and 18 walks in 38 1/3 innings across his eight starts in just his second major-league season. Lowder is young with plenty of upside, but he's currently rostered in only 9% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Cincinnati Reds
Source: Cincinnati Reds
Bubba Chandler to Pitch in Bulk Relief on Sunday
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mason Montgomery will presumably serve as the opener in front of right-hander Bubba Chandler for Sunday's series finale against the Atlanta Braves, according to Pirates insider Jason Mackey. It's the first time this year that Chandler won't be used as a traditional starter. The 23-year-old has been inconsistent this year and has lacked length in his outings, going 2-6 for the Bucs with a 5.05 ERA (5.05 FIP) and 1.53 WHIP with 55 strikeouts and a league-high 38 walks in 57 innings pitched. Chandler hasn't gone more than five innings in one of his starts since back on April 17 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He has only given fantasy managers one quality start so far in 2026 in his 12 starts, and he won't be eligible for one on Sunday as he works as the bulk reliever. Chandler is still worth holding in most fantasy leagues for his strikeout upside, but the youngster just hasn't been consistent enough to trust in this matchup against the first-place Braves.
Source: Jason Mackey
Source: Jason Mackey
Rico Garcia Becoming a Priority Target for Saves?
Baltimore Orioles reliever Rico Garcia continues to build waiver wire value as a late-inning option. The right-hander earned his fourth save Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox, closing out a 4-2 win with two strikeouts. Garcia has been excellent this season, posting a 0.68 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, and a 30:1 K:BB with nine holds across 26 1/3 innings. Garcia's fantasy value is tied directly to saves, but the ratios and strikeout production make the profile even more useful. He has handled ninth-inning work while Ryan Helsley (elbow) remains sidelined, giving fantasy managers a clear reason to act. Rostered in 35% of Yahoo leagues, Garcia should be treated as a priority pickup wherever he is still on the waiver wire, especially for managers chasing saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zack Gelof a Top Pickup for Power-Speed Upside?
Athletics infielder Zack Gelof has played his way back into fantasy relevance after opening the season at Triple-A Las Vegas. Before his April 10 recall, the 26-year-old hit .366/.519/.732 with four home runs in 11 games. He has continued to provide useful category production in the majors, hitting .265 with six home runs, 21 RBI, six stolen bases, and a .743 OPS across 155 at-bats. Gelof still carries some swing-and-miss risk, but his power-speed blend makes him one of the more interesting low-rostered infielders on the waiver wire. The current MLB production is backed by his hot start at Triple-A, giving fantasy managers a reason to buy into the upside. Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues, Gelof is a strong pickup for managers looking to add infield help with power, speed, and room for more production.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Alex Lange Earns Third Save, Quickly Entering Must-Roster Status
Kansas City Royals reliever Alex Lange worked a scoreless ninth inning Saturday to close out a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. He allowed one hit and struck out three while recording his third save of the season. Lange now owns a 4.03 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 31 strikeouts, 15 walks, three saves, and one hold across 29 innings. The overall numbers are not spotless, but the recent usage is what matters for fantasy managers. Lange has converted three straight saves with Lucas Erceg struggling, and he has allowed a run in just one of his last 12 outings. During that stretch, he has posted a 0.75 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 11:3 K:BB across 12 innings. Rostered in only 7% of Yahoo leagues, Lange should be treated as a priority waiver wire pickup for managers chasing saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Grant Taylor Tallies Second Save, Seeing Closer Value Continue to Increase
Chicago White Sox reliever Grant Taylor struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to finish off a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The 24-year-old needed just 14 pitches to earn his second save of the season. Taylor now owns a 1.93 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 50 strikeouts, nine walks, two saves, and four holds across 32 2/3 innings and 25 appearances. Taylor's waiver wire value is climbing because Chicago trusted him with the ninth inning after Seranthony Dominguez handled the eighth. That usage matters for fantasy managers chasing saves, especially with Taylor backing it up with a 50:9 K:BB and strong ratios. Rostered in only 14% of Yahoo leagues, Taylor should be treated as a priority pickup while his late-inning role continues to grow.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jake Bauers is Becoming a Must-Have Player
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers is posting strong numbers at the plate recently. Over the last week, Bauers has hit two home runs, eight RBI, and six walks. Overall this season, Bauers is slashing .275/.371/.500 with eight homers and 28 RBI against right-handed pitching. He's crushing the ball right now and is showing no signs of slowing down at the plate. The 30-year-old could very well be headed towards a career-year, assuming he keeps playing at this pace. Fantasy managers in need of a stick should consider adding Bauers before someone else scoops him up off the waiver wire.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Christian Scott is a Popular Add During Breakout Season
New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott has looked solid on the mound during most of his outings this season. Scott has locked it in lately with impressive numbers over his last three starts. During that span, Scott has allowed one earned run with 16 strikeouts across 16.1 innings of work. Overall, Scott owns a 2.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and a 41:18 K:BB ratio across eight starts this season. The biggest downside to Scott so far has been his inability to work deep into games. Scott has not managed to pitch six full innings in any of his outings this season. Despite that, Scott has posted strong numbers and is someone worth scooping up on the waiver wire right now.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jorge Polanco is Shut Down from Rehab Assignment
New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (Achilles, ankle) had his rehab assignment shut down on Saturday. Polanco was rehabbing an Achilles issue until he suffered an ankle injury on Saturday. The veteran infielder will head to New York to be re-evaluated before the team decides what to do. When healthy, Polanco was struggling with a .179/.246/.286 slash line across 14 games this season. This setback is likely going to push Polanco's timetable to later in June. The 32-year-old remains someone worth holding in deep leagues, but can be dropped in most formats outside of that.
Source: Keith Raad
Source: Keith Raad
Tyler Glasnow Transferred to 60-Day Injured List
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (back) was transferred to the 60-day Injured List on Saturday. Glasnow has yet to make much progress, so the team will shift him from the 15-day to the 60-day IL. Glasnow was shut down again recently and is still waiting for approval to resume throwing. At this point, Glasnow might not get back to the big league mound until around the All-Star break. Fantasy managers should continue to hold him and hope he can contribute in the second half of the season. In a corresponding move, right-hander Nick Frasso was added to the 40-man roster.
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
Will Smith Scratched With Neck Stiffness, Expected to Return on Sunday
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (neck) was scratched from Saturday night's game against the visiting Los Angeles Angels with a stiff neck, manager Dave Roberts told Maddie Lee of MLB.com. The skipper expects to have Smith available for the series finale at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, though, and the plan was for him to play in two of the three games in the Freeway Series. Dalton Rushing will do the catching for right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Saturday night and will bat eighth versus Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. The 31-year-old Smith hasn't been nearly as good as he was in 2025 so far this year, as he enters Saturday's contest with a .249/.338/.382 slash line with a .720 OPS, six home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored across 52 games and 201 plate appearances for the Blue. He has gone 9-for-43 (.209) with two homers, two doubles, four RBI, seven runs, eight walks, and eight strikeouts in his last 13 games, dating back to May 18. Smith's neck injury isn't serious, and hopefully a breather on Saturday will get him going early in June.
Source: MLB.com - Maddie Lee
Source: MLB.com - Maddie Lee
Nolan Schanuel Activated and Starting on Saturday Night
Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel (ankle) was activated from the 10-day injured list and is in the starting lineup for Saturday night's game against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, starting at first base and batting fifth for the Halos, according to MLB.com. Schanuel is back after spending the minimal amount of time on the IL with left-ankle tendinitis. The 24-year-old former 11th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft out of Florida Atlantic University provides well below-average production as a first baseman in fantasy, which is why he's rostered in only 11% of Yahoo leagues. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should continue to leave him to the waiver wire, and we'd suggest avoiding him as a DFS option in his return against Yamamoto. Schanuel is returning to a .262/.313/.387 slash line with a .700 OPS, only four home runs, 24 RBI, and 18 runs scored in 49 games across 208 plate appearances. In his two full seasons in the big leagues with the Angels, Schanuel hasn't topped 13 home runs.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Pete Crow-Armstrong has Big Day in Win Over Giants on Saturday
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong came up big in the team's 3-2 walk-off win in 10 innings on Saturday at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Francisco Giants, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two solo home runs to raise his season average to .259 and his OPS to .791. Crow-Armstrong hit his first long ball of the day in the sixth inning and tied the game at two apiece in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the contest to extras. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has shown better plate discipline this year after tanking in the second half of his breakout season in 2025, and he's now in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak in which he has delivered five home runs, nine RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base. PCA's recent hot stretch has boosted his season slash line to .259/.343/.448, and he's added 11 home runs, 32 RBI, 37 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases across his 272 plate appearances. Crow-Armstrong can be streaky, but he's still a five-category contributor for fantasy managers who is a must-start right now while he's on fire.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
