RADIO
Griffin Jax Emerging as Must-Add Starter Following Role Change
Rays right-hander Griffin Jax has taken a major step forward since transitioning into a starting role in late April, quickly emerging as a high-upside fantasy target. The 31-year-old owns a 2.11 ERA across his last seven appearances after struggling out of the bullpen early in the season. Jax now carries a 3.54 ERA and 1.36 WHIP overall, but his underlying profile has improved significantly as a starter. While his strikeout rate has dipped slightly, he has generated groundballs at over a 50 percent clip, allowing him to work deeper into games and limit damage consistently. Jax appears far more comfortable in the rotation, and fantasy managers should strongly consider adding him before his value rises further.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Roki Sasaki Emerging as Must-Add Ahead of Post-Hype Breakout?
Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki has faced overwhelming expectations during his tenure with Los Angeles, but recent performances suggest the talented 24-year-old may be turning a corner. Sasaki has worked at least five innings in each of his last five starts, showing improved durability and a better ability to settle into games. While his 4.93 ERA and 1.42 WHIP leave room for improvement, his elite fastball velocity and electric pitch mix continue to flash frontline upside. Sasaki remains one of the most talented arms in baseball, and his recent consistency points toward a potential breakout in the near future. Fantasy managers searching for upside should still view Sasaki as a strong waiver wire addition before another leap forward within the Dodgers rotation.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Noelvi Marte Emerging as Stash Target Following Dominant Stretch in Minor Leagues
Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte was optioned to Triple-A Louisville on April 13 and has responded with a dominant stretch at the plate in the minor leagues. The 24-year-old is hitting .374 with a 1.016 OPS and seven home runs in 33 games, continuing to re-establish himself as one of the Reds' most intriguing young bats. Marte struggled during his short stint with Cincinnati earlier this season, slashing .138/.194/.138 in 11 games before the demotion. However, his recent production has become increasingly difficult for the organization to overlook. With his power beginning to return and his confidence trending upward, Marte is emerging as a worthwhile stash candidate in deeper fantasy formats before an expected return to the major league roster.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hogan Harris Struggles on Sunday, Will he Lose Value in Closer Committee?
Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris struggled with his command Sunday in a win vs. the San Diego Padres, recording only one out while issuing two walks. Harris threw just six strikes across 15 pitches, continuing a troubling trend that has followed him throughout the season. His 16.7 BB percent ranks among the worst marks in Major League Baseball and remains a major concern in high-leverage situations. Despite the control issues, Harris has managed to post a respectable 2.96 ERA while collecting four saves, tying him with John Kuhnel and Mark Leiter for the team lead. Still, late-inning roles leave little margin for error, and the Athletics could begin distributing more ninth-inning opportunities elsewhere if the walks continue piling up. Fantasy managers should monitor the bullpen situation closely moving forward.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Caleb Kilian Sharp En Route to Tallying Save, Continues to Emerge as Primary Closer
San Francisco Giants right-hander Caleb Kilian delivered a dominant ninth inning Sunday in a win vs. the Chicago White Sox, striking out all three batters he faced to earn his third save of the season. The outing served as an important rebound after Kilian allowed two earned runs in his previous appearance. The 28-year-old has continued emerging as a reliable high-leverage arm during his first season with San Francisco and is making a strong case for additional save opportunities. Kilian now owns a 2.42 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP while showing improved swing-and-miss ability. His 25.0 K% is comfortably the best mark of his career, and the Giants may continue leaning on him late in games as he competes with Erik Miller for ninth-inning duties.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Gregory Soto Locks Down Fifth Save, Remains Priority Option on the Waiver Wire
Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Gregory Soto recorded his fifth save of the season Sunday, tossing a scoreless inning in a win vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. Soto worked around one walk and one hit batter while striking out one during another effective ninth-inning appearance. The veteran reliever has now collected four saves across his last seven outings and continues to strengthen his grip on the Pirates' closer role. Soto owns a 2.22 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP through 24 ⅓ innings this season while piling up 30 strikeouts. His 32.6 K percent ranks in the 95th percentile, highlighting the swing-and-miss ability that has fueled his success in late innings. Fantasy managers searching for saves should continue viewing Soto as one of the top waiver wire bullpen options available.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kris Bubic has Started a Full Throwing Program
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) felt more soreness than normal after his May 14 start against the Chicago White Sox and was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 18 with left-elbow soreness, but the severity concern is low, according to MLB.com. Bubic resumed playing catch on May 22 and started a full throwing program on Saturday. The 28-year-old southpaw could still need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, but barring a setback, he could be back in the Royals' starting rotation sooner than later, around early to mid-June. The former first-rounder in 2018 out of Stanford was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his sixth year in the majors, going 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA (2.89 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with a career-high 116 strikeouts and 39 walks in 116 1/3 frames across his 20 starts. Bubic made nine starts for KC this year before his elbow injury and gave up 23 earned runs (4.11 ERA) while striking out 51 and walking 26 in 50 1/3 innings pitched. He should at least be a matchup-based streaming option in deep-mixed leagues when he's back, and he's currently rostered in 56% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Reid Detmers Displays his Strikeout Upside With 14-K Performance Sunday Night
Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers had his swing-and-miss stuff working to perfection on Sunday night against the division-rival Texas Rangers in what was a very impressive bounce-back outing. Detmers settled for a no-decision, but fantasy managers who rolled the dice on him to close out the week were handsomely rewarded, as the 26-year-old southpaw allowed only one earned run on a solo home run by Jake Burger while walking none and striking out a season-high 14 batters in a season-high eight innings of work to lower his season ERA to 4.57. The Angels won the game 2-1 at home, but Detmers did not factor into the decision. Still, it was a nice bounce-back outing after he surrendered a season-high eight earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings on May 19 in his last time out against the Athletics. Detmers is only 1-5 on the year, but he has 75 strikeouts and 19 walks in 63 innings across his 11 starts. He has fanned at least six batters in four of his last five starts and also has two nine-K performances in 2026. Detmers is only rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues and is worth a look off the waiver wire if you need strikeouts.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Thomas White Dealing With a "Shoulder Thing"
Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said on MLB Network Radio on Sunday that left-handed pitching prospect Thomas White (shoulder), who is currently on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Jacksonville, is dealing with a "bit of a shoulder thing," and that it's not something "particularly concerning." The 21-year-old southpaw, who is considered the club's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, figured to be a candidate to make his major-league debut after fellow lefty prospect Robby Snelling needed elbow surgery and the team demoted lefty Braxton Garrett after a rough two starts in the big-league rotation. However, White is dealing with an injury of his own, although it doesn't figure to keep him out for too long. Before going on the IL at Jacksonville, White had a 4.34 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and nine walks in 18 2/3 innings across five starts. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder could be the top option for a major-league call-up in Miami once he returns to health in the minors, and he's certainly a stash candidate in deeper leagues.
Source: Marlins.TV - Kyle Sielaff
Source: Marlins.TV - Kyle Sielaff
Hunter Brown Goes Two Innings in Sunday's Rehab Start
Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (shoulder) made his first minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Double-A Corpus Christi and threw two scoreless innings with one hit allowed, no walks, and five strikeouts. It was a positive first start for Brown on the farm as he threw 21 of his 35 pitches for strikes and induced seven swings and misses on the day. The 27-year-old is currently on the 60-day injured list due to a right-shoulder injury, but he's eligible to come off the IL on June 1 and is trending toward making his return to Houston's starting rotation in the middle of June. The Astros want to see Brown get up to around 75 pitches in a rehab start before considering him as a member of the big-league rotation again. Brown is only available in 6% of Yahoo leagues after his breakout 2025 campaign, in which he went 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA (3.14 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with a career-high 206 strikeouts and 57 walks in 185 1/3 innings across his 31 starts. Brown is the real deal and is a fantasy ace when he's healthy.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Yainer Diaz to Start Rehab Assignment in First Week of June
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said on SportsTalk790 on Sunday that catcher Yainer Diaz (oblique) will start his minor-league rehab assignment in the first week of June, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The Astros placed Diaz on the 10-day injured list back on May 5 with a strained left oblique, but he is close to starting a rehab assignment after recently starting a running and hitting progression. If everything goes well once the 27-year-old backstop resumes playing in games, it's possible he could be back before the middle of June as Houston's primary catcher. Until that happens, veteran Christian Vazquez will continue to see most of the action behind the plate for the Astros. Diaz offers above-average power for a catcher when he's healthy, as he has reached the 20-homer mark in two of his three full seasons in the big leagues with Houston. Through 26 games in 2026 before landing on the shelf with his oblique injury, Diaz was hitting .238/.255/.347 with two home runs, 14 RBI, and seven runs scored in 106 plate appearances.
Source: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
Source: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
Cole Ragans Delivers Strong Rehab Start, Moving Closer to Royals Rotation Return
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) delivered a strong start in his first rehab outing for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday as he works back from an elbow injury. Ragans allowed one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out three over a controlled outing that marked a positive step in his recovery process. The left-hander, a first-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, appears to be trending toward a return that could stabilize the Royals rotation. Ragans posted a breakout 2024 season with a 3.14 ERA over 32 starts and has shown the ability to miss bats at a high level when healthy. He has made only 21 starts across the past two seasons due to injuries, but remains expected to operate as a top-of-rotation arm once activated. Kansas City has not set a timeline for his next outing, but his rehab debut puts him firmly on track for a potential return soon.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Rikuu Nishida Set for White Sox Debut, Brings Elite Contact and Speed Profile
Chicago White Sox infielder Rikuu Nishida is set to receive the call up to the major league roster on Monday, as he closes in on an MLB debut. Nishida was selected 329th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft and has steadily climbed through the system with improved production at each level. He is hitting .323 with a .833 OPS in the minor leagues this season while showing strong bat-to-ball skills and consistent on-base ability. The 5-foot-6 infielder pairs that contact profile with elite speed, giving him value as both a table-setter and a potential defensive utility piece. The White Sox open a four-game series vs. the Minnesota Twins on Monday, which could provide his first major league opportunity.
Source: Scott Merkin
Source: Scott Merkin
Josh Hader Targeting Early June Return, Astros Await Bullpen Boost
Houston Astros left-hander Josh Hader (biceps) is expected to return during the first week of June, according to general manager Dana Brown, as the veteran reliever continues recovering from left biceps tendinitis. Hader was transferred to the 60-day injured list on April 17 and has already made six rehab appearances in the minor leagues. The 31-year-old has yet to pitch for Houston this season, but he remains one of baseball's premier late-inning arms. Hader converted 28 of 29 save opportunities in 2025 while posting a 2.05 ERA and 76 strikeouts across 52 ⅔ innings. Assuming his rehab continues without setbacks, Hader should reclaim the closer role quickly and provide a major lift for Houston's bullpen.
Source: Brian McTaggart
Source: Brian McTaggart
Jose Altuve Expected to Resume Swinging Soon, Astros Await Offensive Boost
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (oblique) is expected to resume swinging a bat within the next few days as he continues recovering from a left oblique injury. Altuve exited the May 16 game after experiencing discomfort in his side and has since traveled to Florida to continue his rehab process. Before landing on the injured list, the veteran infielder was slashing .245/.326/.380 with a .706 OPS after cooling off from a strong start to the season. The career .302 hitter remains one of baseball's most reliable contact bats, and his return would provide a major boost for a Houston lineup searching for more offensive consistency.
Source: Matt Kawahara
Source: Matt Kawahara
