RADIO
Clay Holmes Making Progress, to Throw Off a Mound Next Week
New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) said he got another X-ray on his leg last week, and "everything checked out," according to Chelsea Janes of SNY. He has been throwing on flat ground and is going to throw off a mound next week. Holmes said he won't need a full spring training ramp-up, but he wouldn't set a specific target date for his return from the 60-day injured list in the second half of 2026. The 33-year-old is recovering from a fractured right fibula, and he's not expected to be ready to rejoin the Mets' starting rotation until late July or early August in a best-case scenario. In his second year with New York before getting hurt, Holmes was pitching very well, going 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA (3.22 FIP) and 1.10 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 18 walks in 52 2/3 innings across nine starts. However, the two-time All-Star was a clear sell-high candidate in fantasy after his hot start, with a 3.83 xERA and .306 xwOBA thanks to a still mediocre 20.9% strikeout rate. Holmes also had a hard-hit rate in the 16th percentile. He's only rostered in 23% of Yahoo leagues after his significant leg injury.
Source: SNY - Chelsea Janes
Source: SNY - Chelsea Janes
Elly De La Cruz Sprains Ankle on Sunday, Set for Re-Evaluation on Monday
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (ankle) suffered a sprained ankle after taking an awkward fall during his team's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. De La Cruz was able to stay in the game and may be able to avoid missed time, but Reds manager Terry Francona said that De La Cruz will be reevaluated on Monday. Even if De La Cruz avoids a stint on the injured list, fantasy managers should be aware that the speedster may now be playing through an ankle injury, fresh off his return from the injured list due to a hamstring strain. Across 280 plate appearances in 2026, De La Cruz is hitting .268/.339/.480 with 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 42 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. He's struggled since returning from the hamstring strain that caused him to miss the first three-plus weeks of June, recording just two hits in his first 23 plate appearances off the IL. De La Cruz is an elite fantasy shortstop who produces across all five categories when healthy, but he may not be operating at full strength as the Reds head into a four-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Source: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
Source: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
Eugenio Suarez Exits Early on Sunday After Being Hit By Pitch, X-Rays Inconclusive
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez (hand/wrist) exited early from his team's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday after being hit by a pitch in the hand/wrist area. X-rays for Suarez were inconclusive, and the team will send him for a scan on Monday, per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. It's been a rough season so far for Suarez, who is hitting .208/.276/.376 with eight home runs, 29 RBI, and 18 runs scored across 217 plate appearances. The 34-year-old's strikeout rate currently sits at a career-worst 33.2%, and his 7.2% barrel rate is his lowest since 2017. While the exact nature of Saurez's injury remains unclear, he could be headed for a trip to the injured list if further testing on his hand/wrist shows structural damage. If Suarez misses time, Reds first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and outfielder/third baseman Noelvi Marte would likely see the largest increases in playing time.
Source: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
Source: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
Red Sox Move Roman Anthony to 60-Day Injured List
The Boston Red Sox moved outfielder Roman Anthony (finger, wrist) to the 60-day injured list on Sunday, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Although it has been a disappointing first full season in the big leagues for Anthony in 2026 due to injury, the transaction changes nothing for him in terms of his timeline for a return. The 22-year-old former top outfielder prospect has missed two months due to a partially torn tendon in his right ring finger. We won't have a clear timetable for his return until he resumes significant baseball activities, but at the very least, he won't be back with the BoSox until at least late July. Most likely, his absence will extend into August, so fantasy managers stashing him in an IL spot must remain patient. The former second-rounder in 2022 has as much power/speed upside of any young outfielder in the game, but injuries have defined his time in the majors so far. After his call-up in 2025, Anthony impressed with a .292/.396/.463 slash line, eight homers, 18 doubles, 32 RBI, 48 runs, and four steals in 71 games, but he ended the year on the IL and couldn't help Boston in the postseason. Through just 30 games in 2026, Anthony went 25-for-109 (.229) with a homer and five RBI.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Spencer Horwitz Not Expected to Return Until After the All-Star Break
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that the team does not expect first baseman Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) to return until after the All-Star break, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Horwitz was placed on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a left hamstring injury. Across 295 plate appearances in 2026, Horwitz has hit .280/.386/.455 with 10 home runs, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, and one stolen base. Horwitz has the same number of walks (40) as strikeouts on the year and had emerged as the Pirates' primary leadoff hitter before the injury. With Horwitz on the shelf, Pirates outfielder/first baseman Ryan O'Hearn will likely shift his focus to the infield. Outfielders Tyler Callihan and Esmerlyn Valdez could see the biggest boost in playing time as a result of Horwitz's absence.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Ryan O'Hearn Snaps Power Outage With Two-Homer Game on Sunday
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn snapped a recent power outage with a big game in Sunday's series finale in a 9-4 victory over the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park. O'Hearn went 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, three runs scored, and a strikeout to raise his average to .286 and his OPS to .821 on the year. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed slugger had a solo shot in the fifth inning off Reds starter Brady Singer before hitting a three-run bomb in the eighth inning. Before his power display on Sunday in Pittsburgh, O'Hearn had hit just one home run in his previous 16 contests. Overall in 2026, in his first year with the Bucs, O'Hearn has been a consistent offensive producer, slashing .286/.342/.479 with 13 home runs, 50 RBI, and 38 runs scored in his 284 plate appearances as an everyday player. The difference has been his improvement against same-handed pitchers, as he entered Sunday's action hitting .250 (18-for-72) with three of his 11 homers against lefties.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Oneil Cruz Likely to Return After All-Star Break
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) will head to Florida this week to ramp up his baseball activity, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. However, Beazley also reports that Cherington said the team does not expect Cruz to return until after the All-Star Break. Cruz was placed on the 10-day injured list in early June with multiple non-displaced fractures in his left hand. Across 283 plate appearances before getting injured, the 27-year-old hit .264/.350/.472 with 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. While it's positive news that Cruz is progressing, he appears to be at least a few weeks away from returning to the Pirates lineup. Once healthy, Cruz's elite power/speed profile makes him a high-end outfield option for fantasy managers.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Dustin May Lined Up to Start on Thursday Against Braves
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May (back) is scheduled to make his next start on Thursday on the road at Truist Park against the Atlanta Braves, according to MLB.com. May came out of his last start on June 21 against the Kansas City Royals with some back tightness, but apparently the 28-year-old is ready to go for the upcoming week. He allowed six earned runs with a walk and two strikeouts in just two innings before being pulled against KC, but before that, May threw 15 shutout innings with two walks and 15 strikeouts in his previous two outings, including a nine-inning, complete-game shutout versus the San Diego Padres on June 15 in which he struck out a season-high nine batters. Before his injury last week, May fanned exactly nine hitters in three of his previous four starts and was firmly on the radar as a must-add off the waiver wire. He's 5-6 on the year with a 4.30 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 77 punchouts in 83 2/3 innings across his 15 starts in his first year in St. Louis. Although his next matchup against Atlanta isn't great, especially coming off an injury, May is still worth considering in mixed leagues for starting pitching depth as we get set to close out the first half. He's rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Yandy Diaz Expects to Play on Tuesday After Spraining his Shoulder
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (shoulder) said he will be ready to play on Tuesday after exiting early from his team's win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday with a shoulder injury, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Topkin reports that Diaz said he is "hurting a little bit," but that the shoulder issue is something he's managed previously. The 34-year-old has been excellent so far in 2026, hitting .336/.416/.515 with 12 home runs, 53 RBI, 45 runs scored, and one stolen base across 341 plate appearances. Diaz's 13.3% strikeout rate is the lowest of his career, and he's a career .294 hitter across over 4,000 MLB plate appearances. While it sounds as though Diaz may avoid missed time, fantasy managers should check back to make sure he's in the Rays lineup for the start of their three-game set against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
Casey Schmitt Dealing With Illness
San Francisco Giants infielder/outfielder Casey Schmitt (illness) was scratched from Sunday's series finale against the Atlanta Braves with an illness that has been going around the clubhouse, according to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. With Schmitt sitting on Sunday, Jonah Cox joined the starting lineup and made the start in center field. Schmitt is under the weather, but he could be back in the starting nine for the Gigantes if he's feeling better for Monday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks. The 27-year-old former second-rounder in 2020 out of San Diego State University has had a breakout in 2026, currently slashing .290/.316/.508 with an .825 OPS, with career highs in home runs (16), RBI (42), runs scored (37), and stolen bases (seven) in 74 games played in his fourth year in the majors with San Fran. Schmitt's underlying metrics back up his breakout, too, as he's currently sporting an xBA of .297 and an xwOBA of .358. Check back on Monday to see if Schmitt is back in the Giants' starting lineup.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Shayna Rubin
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Shayna Rubin
Cole Carrigg Emerging as a High-Upside Waiver-Wire Target
Since being promoted to the big leagues on June 9, Colorado Rockies outfielder Cole Carrigg is hitting .245/.369/.491 with three home runs, 11 RBI, 11 runs scored, and one stolen base. With Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle (oblique) on the injured list, Carrigg has emerged as the team's primary center fielder. The 24-year-old has demonstrated an advanced plate approach, logging a 15.4% walk rate while striking out in just 21.5% of his plate appearances. Carrigg also has some untapped speed upside, as he stole 46 bases across 123 games at Double-A in 2025 and 30 bases in just 57 games at Triple-A this season before getting the call from the Rockies. Carrigg's 7.5% barrel rate and 35% hard-hit rate in a small sample size are underwhelming, but the hitter-friendly environment of Coors Field should help him maximize his batted balls. Given his speed and balanced profile at the plate, Carrigg profiles as a priority waiver wire target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Luke Keaschall a Worthy Deep-League Waiver-Wire Target?
Across 309 plate appearances in 2026, Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall is hitting .247/.330/.321 with two home runs, 24 RBI, 29 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. The 23-year-old's underlying power metrics are highly underwhelming, as he's logged a 3.1% barrel rate and a 28.8% hard-hit rate. However, Keaschall's strong plate approach is underscored by his 9.7% walk rate and 15.5% strikeout rate. He also remains a capable source of speed for fantasy managers, as he's recorded 25 stolen bases in 31 attempts across 128 MLB games. Fantasy managers should be aware that Keaschall will hurt them in the power categories. Still, for deeper league rosters in need of speed and some batting average upside, Keaschall could be worth targeting on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Griffin Jax Emerging as a Must-Add Arm Amidst June Surge
After opening 2026 in a relief role, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Griffin Jax was moved to the starting rotation in late April. It took a few outings for Jax to ramp up to a full starter's workload, but he's started to come into his own in recent weeks. Dating back to June 7, Jax has allowed just two earned runs while recording 21 strikeouts and two wins across 20 innings (four starts). For the season overall, the 31-year-old is averaging 96.5 miles per hour on his fastball and has pitched to a 3.33 ERA and 1.31 WHIP across 54 innings. Jax has yet to go more than exactly five innings in a start, which limits his production upside to some degree. Still, his effectiveness since joining the Rays rotation makes him a quality starting pitcher streamer for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Yoendrys Gomez Emerging as a Must-Add Source of Saves
Since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in early May, Minnesota Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez has emerged as a key piece of his team's bullpen. Across 20 2/3 innings (23 games) with Minnesota, Gomez has recorded a 1.31 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 22 strikeouts, and six saves. The 26-year-old is not the exclusive closer for the Twins, as he's been used in the eighth inning in each of his last two appearances. Still, Gomez has not been used before the eighth inning since late May, and he's logged four saves in June. He profiles as Minnesota's preferred ninth-inning option going forward and should be a waiver wire target for deep league fantasy managers in need of saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Paul Goldschmidt Remains a Must-Add Waiver-Wire Target
New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has had a resurgent 2026 season thus far, hitting .291/.353/.552 with 14 home runs, 40 RBI, 31 runs scored, and one stolen base across 224 plate appearances. The 38-year-old was expected to fill a bench role with the Yankees entering the year, but injuries to Yankees sluggers Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Aaron Judge (ribs) have opened up everyday playing time for Goldschmidt. The future Hall of Famer's barrel rate has bounced back from 7.9% in 2025 to 11.9% in 2026. He's also gotten stronger as the season's progressed, hitting .326 with eight home runs across eight home runs in June. Once Stanton returns, Goldschmidt could see his playing time decrease. However, Stanton's recovery timeline remains uncertain, and Goldschmidt has given the Yankees little reason to go in another direction. In any fantasy league where he's not already rostered, Goldschmidt profiles as a must-add waiver wire target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
