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Josh Hader Set to Return from Injured List on Tuesday
Houston Astros closer Josh Hader (biceps) is being activated off the injured list on Tuesday, manager Joe Espada confirmed. Hader had been sidelined since before Opening Day with left biceps tendinitis (he also dealt with shoulder issues late last season). He's progressed through his rehab without setbacks and is now ready to rejoin the big-league bullpen. While the Astros are expected to be cautious with his workload in the early going, Hader should quickly settle back into his role as the primary closer. For fantasy managers, this is a significant boost in saves leagues, especially if you've been streaming or holding onto a committee. Keep an eye on his first few appearances to see how the Astros deploy him, as they may slightly monitor his usage. With Hader set to return, fantasy managers should expect Bryan King, Enyel De Los Santos, and Bryan Abreu to operate as the primary setup options.
Source: Chandler Rome
Source: Chandler Rome
Francisco Alvarez Starting a Rehab Assignment on Tuesday
The New York Mets plan to have catcher Francisco Alvarez (knee) start a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse, manager Carlos Mendoza told Andrew Tredinnick of The North Jersey Bergen Record. Alvarez has been making good progress since having surgery to fix the meniscus in his right knee just several weeks ago. Initially, the Mets estimated that he would be out for around eight weeks. They will most likely slow-play Alvarez in the minors, but barring a setback, it looks like he's going to beat his initial timetable by quite a bit. Until he returns, the Mets will continue to roll with veteran Luis Torrens as their primary backstop, with Hayden Senger backing him up. Alvarez was hitting .241/.317/.392 with a .710 OPS, four home runs, 10 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 112 at-bats at the time of his knee injury in mid-May. The oft-injured Venezuelan catcher has provided above-average pop in the past, but his lengthy injury history makes him hard to trust in single-catcher fantasy leagues. Alvarez is currently rostered in only 15% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The North Jersey Bergen Record - Andrew Tredinnick
Source: The North Jersey Bergen Record - Andrew Tredinnick
Corey Seager Starting Rehab Assignment on Tuesday
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco on Tuesday, according to the team. He is scheduled to bat second and play shortstop for the Rough Riders on Tuesday. Seager is one step closer to returning from inflammation in his lower back that has kept him out since May 13. But if he doesn't have a setback with his back this week, he could be reinstated from the 10-day injured list later this week or the weekend. Ezequiel Duran has been filling in nicely at the 6 for the Rangers with Seager sidelined, and he'll go back to more of a super-utility role for the team once Seager is back on the active roster. Seager was hitting a disappointing .179 (28-for-156) to begin the 2026 season before injuring his back, but he also had seven home runs, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a steal. Despite durability concerns in his early-30s, Seager is a must-roster fantasy SS. He's only available in 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Gleyber Torres Returning From Injured List on Tuesday
Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (oblique) will be activated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and return to the starting lineup for the contest against the Tampa Bay Rays and left-hander Steven Matz, manager A.J. Hinch told MLB Network Radio. The Tigers are ready to bring Torres back after he played in just two minor-league rehab games. The 29-year-old has been out since early May due to a strained left oblique, but now that he's back, he'll return to starting duties at the keystone in Motown, pushing Hao-Yu Lee and Zach McKinstry to utility roles. Lee could end up being sent to Triple-A Toledo. Torres was hitting .259/.389/.328 with a .716 OPS, only two home runs, 11 RBI, and 18 runs scored in 116 at-bats this year at the time of his oblique injury. He offers very modest power and speed as middle-infield depth in deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Torres is mostly valuable for his plate discipline, contact-oriented approach, and on-base skills.
Source: MLB.com - Jason Beck
Source: MLB.com - Jason Beck
Alec Bohm Re-Emerging as a Quality Waiver-Wire Target After Strong May
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm is off to a rough start to the 2026 season, hitting .210/.271/.335 with six home runs, 24 RBI, and 17 runs scored across 221 plate appearances. However, the 29-year-old's overall line is dragged down by a brutal showing in March and April, when he hit .151 with a .426 OPS across 119 plate appearances. Bohm's production bounced back to his established norms in May, as he slashed .277/.333/.439 with five home runs, 11 RBI, and 11 runs scored across 102 plate appearances last month. With a 6.4% career barrel rate and 18 stolen bases across 774 career MLB games, Bohm offers limited power and speed upside for fantasy managers. Still, Bohm remains a fixture in the Phillies' everyday lineup, and he's hit no lower than fifth in the batting order since May 13. As long as his early-season struggles are behind him, Bohm should provide batting average and quality counting stats for fantasy managers the rest of the way in 2026. In deeper leagues, Bohm's May bounce-back makes him a worthy waiver wire target despite his ugly overall slash line.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Foster Griffin Still Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire Amidst Recent Struggles?
Across 67 innings (12 starts) so far in 2026, Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin has recorded a 6-2 record with a 3.76 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts. The 30-year-old has cooled off a bit in recent weeks after a red-hot start to the season, allowing 17 earned runs over his last 20 1/3 innings (four starts). The long ball has been an issue for Griffin, as he currently owns a 1.75 HR/9. Still, Griffin has limited opponents to a 37.8% hard-hit rate and owns a quality 15.7% K-BB rate. There's also reason to think he's been a bit unlucky to give up homers as often as he has, as his 18.1% home run to fly ball rate is well above league average. Griffin may not offer crazy upside, but he remains a solid starting pitcher streamer for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Caleb Kilian Remains a Strong Source of Saves in Standard Leagues
San Francisco Giants reliever Caleb Kilian had a rough outing on Friday in Colorado against the Rockies, allowing two homers and five earned runs across two-thirds of an inning. However, even with the recent blow-up, Kilian's overall numbers for the season are strong. Across 26 innings (24 games), the 29-year-old has pitched to a 3.86 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and three saves. Kilian's average fastball velocity currently sits at 96.9 miles per hour, and he's struck out 26.9% of the batters he's faced. The Giants have utilized multiple relievers in the ninth inning this season, so fantasy managers should not expect Kilian to see every San Francisco save opportunity. Still, the hard-throwing right-hander has emerged as a quality source of both saves and strikeouts for deep-league fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gage Jump Remains a Worthy Waiver-Wire Target Due to Strikeout Upside
Athletics pitching prospect Gage Jump made his MLB debut last Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners, allowing nine hits and four earned runs while striking out five across five innings of work. While the 23-year-old's first start in the majors was a bit of a struggle, he remains a potentially intriguing starting pitching option for fantasy managers. Across 38 innings (nine starts) with Triple-A Las Vegas before his promotion, Jump pitched to a 4.50 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 56 strikeouts. Particularly given that he will be making his home starts in the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park, Jump may not provide much value in the ERA and WHIP categories for fantasy managers. However, the young lefty carries significant strikeout upside after posting strikeout rates of 33.1% and 28.4% in the minors in 2026 and 2025, respectively. Fantasy managers in need of whiffs may want to consider targeting Jump on the waiver wire ahead of a potential breakout.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bryce Miller a Priority Waiver-Wire Target
Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller had his 2026 season delayed by an oblique strain that he suffered in spring training. However, the 27-year-old has been effective since returning in mid-May, recording a 1-0 record with a 1.71 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts across 21 innings (four games). While Miller made one appearance as a reliever as Seattle manages its impressive rotation depth, he's pitched at least five innings in all four of his outings. The young right-hander owns an impressive 21.5% K-BB rate that is buoyed by his elite 3.8% walk rate. After posting a 5.68 ERA across 90 1/3 innings in 2025, Miller appears to be back to the form he displayed in 2024, when he logged a 2.94 ERA across 180 1/3 innings. In any leagues where he's not already rostered, Miller should be a priority waiver wire target with upside for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Yoendrys Gomez Emerging as the Closer to Roster in Minnesota
Since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in early May, Minnesota Twins reliever Yoendrys Gomez has emerged as a key piece in his new team's bullpen. Across 11 1/3 innings (13 games) with Minnesota, Gomez has pitched to a 0.79 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 14 strikeouts and two saves. The 26-year-old has also finished six games on the mound for the Twins. Minnesota has opted for a committee approach to the ninth inning in 2026, as 11 different relievers have earned saves for the team so far this season. However, Gomez and veteran lefty Taylor Rogers are the only Twins pitchers currently on the active roster with multiple saves, and Rogers has struggled to a 4.15 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in his 25 appearances. If Gomez can continue his strong work, he could take hold of the closer role in Minnesota. He profiles as a worthy waiver wire target in deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kirby Yates Takes Loss on Monday, Will He Remain the Lead Option for Saves?
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kirby Yates gave up one earned run on two hits in the ninth inning on Monday, taking the loss as his team fell to the Rockies, 9-8. Yanes gave up a single to Kyle Karros and a double to Jake McCarthy before the game-winning sacrifice fly from T.J. Rumfield. Yates was entering the game in a non-save situation after a wild eighth inning, in which the Rockies scored five times to take the lead, and the Angels answered with two runs to tie the game back up when Yates entered. The 39-year-old righty has a 4.32 ERA and 4.04 FIP in his nine games this season, and before Monday, he allowed just one run in his previous six appearances. He has only had a single save this season since the Angels don't present a ton of opportunities, but he'll likely remain the top closer for now in the absence of any other experienced options at the back of the bullpen.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kyle Finnegan Deployed in Setup Role on Monday, Will He Earn Save Opportunities?
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan was expected to step in as the team's fill-in closer while Kenley Jansen (pelvis) is on the injured list, but that wasn't how the script unfolded on Monday. Finnegan entered an 8-5 game in the seventh inning in a high-leverage spot against the top of the Rays' order. He allowed a single to Yandy Diaz, but struck out Jonathan Aranda, and then induced an inning-ending double play from Richie Palacios. The eighth and ninth innings didn't go smoothly for Beau Brieske and Will Vest, but the team held on for a wild 10-9 win, with Vest earning the save. Finnegan could still end up getting short-term save opportunities, especially with his effective outing on Monday, but the full-time closer job isn't going to be his alone. He's a speculative add in most leagues at this point, but he brings intriguing upside for as long as Jansen is unavailable.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jacob Latz Picks up Eighth Save, Entering High-End Closer Territory?
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jacob Latz earned a save for the second day in a row on Monday night, closing out his team's 2-1 win over the Cardinals. Latz worked a clean ninth inning, picking up back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. The 30-year-old lefty has a 2.00 ERA and 0.59 WHIP in his 27 innings this season, totaling 26 strikeouts. He has picked up three saves and a win in his last four appearances and has emerged as the clear leader for save situations. He has worked back-to-back days, so his availability for Tuesday is uncertain, but if you need saves, Latz is one of the best options you can pick up from the waiver wire.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Will Vest Tallies Five-Out Save for Tigers, Is He the Short-Term Closer?
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Will Vest closed out his team's 10-9 win over the Rays on Monday night, earning his first save of the season. The 30-year-old righty entered a messy situation in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and one out while his team was holding a 10-5 lead. He gave up a double and a single, allowing four runs to score, but preserved the lead. Things went much more smoothly for Vest in the 1-2-3 ninth inning, finishing with back-to-back strikeouts. He was charged with one run in his 1 2/3 innings, but he still lowered his ERA to 7.23 on the season. His 3.45 FIP and 3.35 xERA indicate he has pitched better than his elevated ERA indicates, but he is still very high-risk after his rough start to the season. Even though he's risky, he does have enough upside to consider from the waiver wire, though, since the Tigers are without closer Kenley Jansen (pelvis) and saves should be available. Vest got the job done on Monday and does have potential to be a short-term source of saves for deep leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Josh Naylor Is Day-to-Day with Back Spasms
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor smashed a solo home run to tie the game in the seventh inning of Monday's extra-inning win over the Mets, but he left the game with back spasms before the bottom of the inning. He was replaced at first base by Patrick Wisdom, and the Mariners could also use Luke Raley at the position if Naylor misses any games due to the issue. On the season, Naylor is hitting .254 with six home runs, 25 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in his 57 games. He has a .301 wOBA, which is well below his career average, but he had hit safely in seven of his last eight games with a .303 batting average and .319 wOBA before the injury. As long as he avoids the injured list, he's still worth holding in most leagues at this point, although there could be some extra value for Wisdom and Raley in the next few days if Naylor is sidelined.
Source: Shannon Drayer
Source: Shannon Drayer
