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Ronald Acuna Jr. Won't Return on Current Homestand
Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said on Wednesday that outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) is doing well with his agility and running, but he will not be activated from the 10-day injured list on the team's current homestand, which runs through this Sunday, May 17. The Braves are being cautious with the superstar outfielder after he landed on the IL on May 3 with a Grade 1 left-hamstring strain. It's unclear if the 28-year-old former MVP will go on a minor-league rehab assignment, but either way, it seems likely that he'll be back at some point next week. He did some sprinting up to 90 feet before Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Acuna wasn't playing at the elite level fantasy managers have become accustomed to before his hamstring injury, but he remains a must-stash, five-category contributor when he's fully healthy. Jose Azocar is making the start in right field for the Braves on Wednesday with a left-hander on the mound, and Mike Yastrzemski will continue to play in right in Atlanta against righties with Acuna out.
Source: 929 The Game - Grant McAuley
Source: 929 The Game - Grant McAuley
Braxton Garrett to Take Open Spot in Marlins Rotation
Kyle Sielaff of Marlins.TV reports that the Miami Marlins are calling left-hander Braxton Garrett from Triple-A Jacksonville to take the vacant spot in the starting rotation that was created when the team placed left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) on the injured list on Wednesday. Garrett will make his 2026 season debut for the Fish and start against the Minnesota Twins in Thursday's series finale. The 28-year-old southpaw missed the entire 2025 season due to elbow surgery, but he was looking great on the farm with the Jumbo Shrimp before his call-up, posting a 2.30 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and 15 walks in 31 1/3 innings pitched at Jacksonville. It's unclear how long Snelling will be sidelined, but it will most likely be an extended stay on the IL, paving the way for Garrett to potentially stick around in Miami's rotation for a while. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should absolutely consider picking Garrett up off the waiver wire, and he's rostered in just 6% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Marlins.TV - Kyle Sielaff
Source: Marlins.TV - Kyle Sielaff
Pete Fairbanks Returns From Injured List
The Miami Marlins announced on Wednesday that they reinstated right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks (hand) from the 15-day injured list and placed left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) on the 15-day IL in a corresponding move with a left-elbow UCL sprain. Fairbanks is back after landing on the shelf on April 28 with nerve irritation in his right hand, and he should immediately slot back into the primary closing role for the Marlins, even though he currently has a 10.00 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in nine innings pitched. Fantasy managers in need of saves should check their waiver wire to see if Fairbanks is available. He's currently rostered in 72% of Yahoo leagues. The 32-year-old former ninth-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2015 out of Missouri has 95 saves in his seven-plus MLB seasons, and he also had five saves this year in 10 appearances out of the bullpen in Miami before getting hurt.
Source: Miami Marlins
Source: Miami Marlins
Shohei Ohtani Not Hitting for Dodgers on Wednesday
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who is on the mound for Wednesday's contest against the division-rival San Francisco Giants, will take a day off from hitting, according to MLB.com. Teoscar Hernandez is serving as the designated hitter and will bat sixth against Giants left-hander Robbie Ray. Manager Dave Roberts promised earlier this week that Ohtani would be given a day or two to clear his head due to a recent slump, and he could also be rested for Thursday's series finale in L.A. The four-time MVP showed signs of life at the plate in Tuesday's loss to San Fran, going 2-for-4 at the plate with his first home run since April 26. The Japanese superstar hasn't played up to his expectations as a hitter so far in 2026, but fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried just yet. Ohtani is currently hitting .240 (36-for-150) with seven home runs, 17 RBI, 27 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his first 39 games. He's had reverse splits against lefties, going 13-for-44 (.295) against southpaws with three of his seven homers on the year.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Brandon Nimmo Back in Lineup After Rolling his Ankle
Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (ankle) is starting in right field and will bat in the two-hole for Wednesday's contest against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander Ryne Nelson, per MLB.com. Nimmo sprained his left ankle and was pulled from Tuesday's win over Arizona early, but he avoided any structural damage and was cleared to return a day later after testing his ankle while running the bases before the game. The 33-year-old veteran has been solid to begin his tenure in Texas, as he enters Wednesday's action with a .288/.367/.436 slash line, an .803 OPS, four home runs, 12 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 156 at-bats with the Rangers. He went 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored in Wednesday's contest before leaving early, and he has hit .281 (9-for-32) without a home run in nine games in May. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their lineups in traditional leagues. In seven career at-bats against Nelson, he's hitting .571 with a 1.700 OPS, so Nimmo could be a great DFS option as well.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Christian Yelich Out With Back Tightness on Wednesday Night
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich (back) is not in the team's starting lineup for Game 2 of their series at home against the San Diego Padres due to back soreness, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. "His back was a little sore. He wants to play, but I'm not going to get into this, especially when it deals with his back, because he's had this. Just going to let it calm down, and not going to listen to him on this one. I'm going to take every precaution I can," manager Pat Murphy said. Yelich missed around a month with a left-groin strain before returning to go 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Tuesday's win over SD. The former MVP has a history with back issues and had a microdiscectomy procedure in 2024, so Milwaukee isn't going to take any chances. Don't be surprised if he also sits out Thursday's series finale. Jake Bauers is serving as the DH on Wednesday and will hit cleanup for the Brew Crew against Padres ace right-hander Michael King. Yelich has hit a nice .291 (16-for-55) on the year, but with only one home run, 10 RBI, 10 runs, and three steals due to nearly a month missed while on the injured list.
Source: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
Source: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
Trea Turner "Under the Weather," Out on Wednesday
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (illness) is "under the weather" and is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox, interim manager Don Mattingly told Phillies reporter Paul Casella. Turner could be available to pinch hit or pinch run off the bench, if needed, which means there is a good chance he will be back in action for Thursday's series finale. Edmundo Sosa will make the start at short in his place and will hit ninth against Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray on Wednesday. The day off might be a good thing for Turner, who has gone just 8-for-44 (.182) with two RBI and four runs scored in his last 10 games to drop his season slash line down to .234/.283/.345 with a .628 OPS. The 32-year-old three-time All-Star has only four home runs, 13 RBI, 24 runs scored, and four steals in his first 171 plate appearances. Sosa should be avoided in the nine-hole in DFS. He's hitless in just three career at-bats against Gray, too.
Source: Paul Casella
Source: Paul Casella
Chandler Simpson Back in Leadoff Spot for Rays on Wednesday
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson (leg) is starting in left field and is batting leadoff for Wednesday's game in Toronto against the hosting Blue Jays and right-hander Dylan Cease, according to MLB.com. Simpson only ended up missing one game after dealing with cramps in his left leg on Monday. The 25-year-old speedster should be returned to starting lineups in traditional fantasy leagues, although he's more of a fade in DFS against Cease, who has looked much better in his first year with the Blue Jays in 2026. Simpson returns to the lineup sporting a strong .314/.339/.359 slash line, although he's still searching for his first major-league home run and has a weak .698 OPS in 156 at-bats. He had 44 stolen bases for the Rays in just 109 games played in his rookie campaign in 2025, and Simpson currently has 14 steals in 18 attempts through 40 games this season. Simpson has a hit in his only career at-bat against Cease.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Robby Snelling Placed on 15-Day Injured List with Elbow Sprain
According to MLB.com, the Miami Marlins have placed left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow UCL sprain. The team's budding pitcher earned the call last week to make his MLB debut, but he will now shift to the injured list for a potentially lengthy stint. In his debut, the southpaw showed some growing pains as he allowed five hits and three runs over five frames while striking out just two hitters. However, earlier in the campaign, the lefty looked quite dominant at Triple-A, holding a stellar 1.86 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 44:15 K:BB over 29 innings of work. With Snelling now in danger of missing an extended period on the shelf, managers should consider stashing Braxton Garrett, who currently resides at Triple-A, or the team's No. 1 pitching prospect, Thomas White, as both could earn the call in the near future.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Francisco Alvarez Needs Knee Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
In the latest injury blow for the last-place New York Mets, manager Carlos Mendoza told Jorge Castillo of ESPN that catcher Francisco Alvarez (knee) will undergo surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee. The team won't know exactly how long he'll be out until after the procedure, but Mendoza said the hope is that it will only be six to eight weeks. If the damage to Alvarez's knee is more extensive, he could face a multi-month absence and could miss the rest of the 2026 season. With the Venezuelan backstop now out for the foreseeable future, Luis Torrens will take over as the Mets' primary catcher, with Hayden Senger backing him up. The oft-injured Alvarez can now be dropped in single-catcher leagues where he was rostered. The 24-year-old was hitting .241 (27-for-112) with four home runs, 10 RBI, and 12 runs scored in his first 37 games (128 plate appearances) before yet another injury. Injuries have been the story of Alvarez's career to this point, unfortunately.
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
James Tibbs III Remains on Stash Radar Despite Cold Spell
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III has had a season of peaks and valleys at Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he's currently in a bit of a valley. After a four-hit game last week, the Dodgers' 10th-ranked prospect has gone 2-for-16 (.125) with zero extra-base hits in the four games since. All in all, the former first-rounder has put together a .288/.385/.596 slash line with 11 home runs, and although a 26.9 percent strikeout rate is on the high side, the 23-year-old has drawn walks at a strong 13.2 percent clip. The left-handed slugger will likely continue to see ups and downs, but has flashed some tantalizing upside, which makes him an intriguing stash for fantasy. There is no opening in the big league outfield at the moment, but that could change quickly, and Tibbs could provide exposure to a potent L.A. lineup, so fantasy managers should still consider the Florida State product as a high-end stash option for power in deep leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Elmer Rodriguez Nearing a Return to Majors After Injury in Yankees Rotation?
New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez could be primed to rejoin the big-league rotation after left-hander Max Fried (elbow) left his start early on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles with an elbow injury. Rodriguez, 22, made his major-league debut with the Yanks earlier this season and struggled to a 5.19 ERA (5.43 FIP) and 2.08 WHIP with eight walks and five strikeouts in 8 2/3 frames, with both of his starts coming versus the Texas Rangers. The team's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was sent back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for lefty Carlos Rodon, but now that Fried could be heading to the injured list, Rodriguez might get another shot in the Bronx. Savvy fantasy managers may want to scoop him up now. The 6-foot-4, 177-pounder from Cuba has looked much better at Triple-A, sporting a 1.38 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 26 K's and nine walks in 26 innings across five starts. Rodriguez must show better command in the big leagues for fantasy managers in most mixed leagues to take notice.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Grayson Rodriguez Could be Activated to Start on Sunday
Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said the team has considered activating right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to have him make his debut with the team on Sunday against the crosstown-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Right-hander Ryan Johnson is another candidate to make the start in the series finale against the Dodgers on Sunday. Rodriguez pitched in a rehab game last Sunday at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. The 26-year-old looked good at Rancho Cucamonga, allowing two runs while striking out 11 over 4 2/3 innings, and most importantly, he threw 94 pitches. Right-shoulder inflammation has kept the former Orioles top prospect out all year, and he hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2024 with Baltimore. Rodriguez is a major question mark for fantasy purposes, and he'll be an easy fade if he makes his 2026 debut against L.A. He's currently rostered in just 15% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Source: The Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
Nathan Eovaldi Playing Catch on Wednesday
Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (side) was seen playing catch in the outfield on Wednesday, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. It's a good sign after the Rangers scratched Eovaldi from his scheduled start on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks with left-side tightness. Eovaldi is currently considered day-to-day and could still make his next turn in the starting rotation this weekend in a plus matchup against the Houston Astros if he can make his normal between-starts bullpen this week. The 36-year-old veteran hurler has a history of side/oblique issues, but fantasy managers should start him this weekend if he makes a start against the struggling Astros. Through his first eight starts of the 2026 campaign in his 15th year in the big leagues, Eovaldi is 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA (4.69 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and only 10 walks across 47 2/3 innings pitched. After a rough start on April 24 against the A's, in which he gave up a season-high six earned runs in six innings, Eovaldi has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings over his last two starts with 15 combined K's. UPDATE: Eovaldi threw a bullpen on Wednesday and said he feels fine. He thinks he is good to pitch on Sunday in Houston against the Astros.
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
Garrett Crochet Throwing a Bullpen Session on Wednesday
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) said he is throwing a bullpen session on Wednesday, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. It's a big step in his return from left-shoulder inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injured list back on April 29. While Crochet is making progress, he's unlikely to return right when he's eligible to come off the IL, and he could require one or two minor-league rehab starts before he rejoins Boston's starting rotation. It's been a rather disappointing 2026 season to this point for one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game after he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting a year ago. Crochet went 3-3 before landing on the IL with a 6.30 ERA (4.32 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 30 innings across his six starts. Despite his underwhelming numbers early on and an IL stint, Crochet should be stashed in all fantasy leagues.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
