RADIO
Mark Leiter Jr. Extends Scoreless Streak Converting on His Fourth Save
Athletics' right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. picked up his fourth save of the season on Friday in extras, as the Athletics went on to win 3-2 in the 10th inning. Leiter got off to a rocky start, as Jo Adell hit a leadoff single and first, which resulted in first and third with no outs, but proceeded to strike out Josh Lowe and get Jorge Soler to ground into a double play. With his now fourth save, Leiter is tied with Joel Kuhnel and Hogan Harris for the most saves on the team. Jack Perkins has also been involved, as he has three saves of his own. The closer timeshare for the Athletics continues to evolve; however, Leiter has now thrown five consecutive scoreless outings and, during that same stretch, has allowed only three hits and punched out seven batters. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues desperate for saves may want to take a look at Leiter.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Spencer Jones Demoted to Triple-A on Thursday
Following Thursday night's game, the New York Yankees optioned their No. 6 overall prospect Spencer Jones to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. No corresponding move has been named yet, but it's possible the move was made to make room for Gerrit Cole (elbow) or Jose Caballero (finger), who are expected to be reinstated from the IL on Friday. Jones was called up to the Yankees on May 7 after Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) was injured. Jones went 4-for-24 with no extra base hits, two RBI, zero runs scored, and one stolen base over 10 contests since his debut, making his first stint fairly underwhelming. Most of his underlying data supported the struggle, as his plate discipline was very poor, with a 37.7 percent chase rate, 41.7 percent whiff rate, and 45.8 percent strikeout rate. The 25-year-old will look to improve on his game in Triple-A and will likely be called up again if not later this year, in the next year or two.
Source: New York Yankees
Source: New York Yankees
Bryan Torres Gets Called up to the Big Leagues
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Bryan Torres is expected to get the call to the big leagues ahead of Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Torres is set to join the Major League roster, with Nathan Church (lower body) heading to the Injured List. Torres is well deserving of a call-up after crushing the ball in Triple-A. The 28-year-old is slashing .336/.454/.477 with two home runs and 16 RBI this season in Triple-A. He has also stolen 10 bases, so he can do a little bit of everything. Torres is someone to keep an eye on in deep leagues, assuming he can translate the skills from Triple-A to The Show.
Source: Jeff Jones
Source: Jeff Jones
Brenton Doyle is Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle (oblique) was placed on the 10-day Injured List, retroactive May 20. Doyle suffered a left oblique contusion while attempting to make a diving play during Tuesday's game. The Rockies tried to take it day-to-day, but Doyle will need an extended period of time to recover. In a corresponding move, infielder Chad Stevens has been recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take his place on the active roster. The expectation is that Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy will see increased playing time in center field while Doyle is sidelined.
Source: Rockies PR
Source: Rockies PR
Gage Wood to Make Double-A Debut on Friday, Could See Late-Season Call-Up
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Gage Wood has received the call-up to Double-A Reading. The right-hander is set to make his debut with Double-A on Friday. He earned the promotion after posting a 3.42 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 40:12 K:BB ratio across eight starts in Low-A Clearwater this season. Wood was the Phillies' first-round pick from the 2025 Draft and could be on the fast track to Philly. Given the Phillies' lack of viable pitching depth, Wood making his MLB debut this season shouldn't be ruled out. Fantasy managers in deep leagues should keep an eye on Wood as the season goes on. He could be a possible call-up candidate if he continues having this kind of success going forward.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
Jeff Hoffman Earns Fourth Save, Worth Picking up?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman was tasked with shutting down the New York Yankees on Thursday. The right-hander was handed the ball with a two-run lead in the ninth inning. Hoffman has been working in a setup role since being pulled from the closer gig earlier in the season. The Jays gave him a chance to prove himself on Thursday, and Hoffman delivered. Hoffman tossed a scoreless inning, while striking out two batters to earn his fourth save of the season. The right-hander could slowly be earning his way back into the closer role going forward. He could be worth an add in deep leagues as he gains more trust in the Jays pen.
Source: mlb
Source: mlb
Tarik Skubal Trade Likelihood is on the Rise
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (elbow) could be on his way out of town sooner rather than later. It's almost certain at this point that Skubal is going to test free agency this winter. The chances of the southpaw getting moved are rising with the Tigers falling in the standings. The Tigers have lost 14 of their last 16 games and are currently five games out of the Wild Card, while sitting in last place in their division. Skubal appears to be making good progress and could return to the mound sooner than expected. The southpaw is currently recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. His eventual return is good for the Tigers, but is unlikely to shift the direction of this team, with Detroit having a handful of pitchers on the Injured List. It could be in the best interest of the organization to trade Skubal for whatever they can get before he leaves in free agency after the season.
Source: Jon Heyman
Source: Jon Heyman
Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hand) was forced to make an early exit from Thursday's game against the Miami Marlins. Acuna exited the game in the sixth inning due to a bone bruise on his left thumb. He suffered the injury while making a catch earlier in the contest. Before leaving the game, Acuna went 2-for-3 at the plate with two singles and two RBI. He already underwent X-rays, which came back negative. Acuna has been pushing to return to the lineup for Friday's game against the Washington Nationals. Fantasy managers should consider Acuna day-to-day. There's a chance that the superstar outfielder is back in the lineup on Friday, so fantasy managers should check back ahead of that contest.
Source: Grant McAuley
Source: Grant McAuley
Pirates Promoting Esmerlyn Valdez, Viewed as Priority Waiver-Wire Target?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting outfielder/first baseman Esmerlyn Valdez from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, a source told Pirates insider Jason Mackey. In a corresponding move, the team optioned outfielder Billy Cook to Indy. The 22-year-old is considered Pittsburgh's No. 9 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the Dominican should have an opportunity to play alongside fellow outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia in right field with Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) currently on the injured list. Valdez will receive his first major-league call-up after hitting .253/.381/.506 with an .888 OPS, 10 home runs, 29 RBI, and 25 runs scored in 46 games across 194 plate appearances at Triple-A. The 6-foot-2, 234-pound right-handed hitter has intriguing raw power and has matured as a hitter this year on the farm to lower his swing-and-miss and chase rate. Because Valdez will most likely be in a platoon against left-handed pitchers, fantasy managers shouldn't overspend to roster him in mixed leagues in his first taste of the major leagues.
Source: Jason Mackey
Source: Jason Mackey
Trent Grisham Out on Thursday With Knee Injury
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (knee) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale in the Bronx against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, according to MLB.com. Rookie Spencer Jones will make the start in center field and will hit sixth against Blue Jays right-hander Braydon Fisher. Grisham injured his knee early in Wednesday's game against Toronto while running out a double, and he'll take a seat a day later in the series finale. It's unclear how serious the left-handed-hitting outfielder's injury is, but apparently, he's optimistic that he won't need to go on the injured list. The 29-year-old former first-rounder in 2015 by the Milwaukee Brewers had the best year of his career in 2025 in his second year with the Yankees, slashing .235/.348/.464 with an .811 OPS, 34 home runs, and 74 RBI in 143 regular-season games, but that's looking more like an outlier. Grisham currently has a .174 average (27-for-155) with six homers and 27 RBI, although he's sporting a nice 30:35 BB:K in 187 plate appearances. UPDATE: Imaging on Grisham's left knee came back clean on Thursday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Robby Snelling Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery
The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday that left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery after consulting with Dr. Keith Meister, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. It's the worst-case scenario after the Marlins placed Snelling on the injured list with a sprained UCL following his first big-league start on May 8 against the Washington Nationals, when he allowed three earned runs while walking four and striking out two in five innings to take a loss. The club's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will now miss the remainder of the 2026 season and most likely the first half of next year as well. He can obviously be dropped by any fantasy managers who had scooped him up in redraft leagues after he was promoted to the majors. In long-term dynasty/keeper leagues, it's a big-time blow for his development, and could make him an interesting buy-low candidate.
Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
Kodai Senga to Begin Rehab Assignment on Friday
New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (back), who is on the 15-day injured list with lumbar-spine inflammation, will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Single-A St. Lucie, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Senga figures to have a lengthy rehab assignment after allowing 21 runs (20 earned) on 26 hits (five home runs) while walking 13 and striking out 23 in 20 innings across his first five starts with the Mets this year. He lost four of those five starts. The 33-year-old Japanese native was an All-Star in 2023 in his first year in the big leagues, but he made just one start the following season due to an injury, and he struggled late in 2025 and was eventually optioned to the minors to work on his mechanics. Things haven't started well for him in 2026 in his fourth year with the Mets, but if he can get past his back injury, he should have a spot in the Mets' banged-up rotation at some point in June. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should be taking a wait-and-see approach. Senga is rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Source: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
Source: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
Marlins Move Robby Snelling to 60-Day Injured List, Surgery Coming?
The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday that they transferred left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. Snelling was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a sprained UCL in his left elbow, and now he's looking at an extended absence that will almost certainly stretch into the second half of the 2026 season. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was scheduled to visit with Dr. Keith Meister on Thursday to determine if he'll need to have surgery on his elbow, which could cause him to miss the rest of the year. Snelling was a popular waiver-wire pickup for his upside when the Marlins initially called him up from Triple-A Jacksonville, but he made just one start for the Fish before suffering an elbow injury. He's now rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues, and his redraft stock continues to plummet because of his injury. Left-hander Braxton Garrett was next in line for a rotation shot in Miami, but he has since been demoted to Triple-A after two rough starts in the majors.
Source: Miami Marlins
Source: Miami Marlins
Pedro Ramirez Emerging as a Strong Stash Candidate
Chicago Cubs infield/outfield prospect Pedro Ramirez has methodically climbed the team's minor league ladder, finally landing at Triple-A this season and showing that the steady progress has paid off. The Cubs' second-ranked prospect is hitting .312 through 43 games so far this season, and a 10.7 percent walk rate has helped him to a strong .395 OBP. The switch-hitter is also slugging .547 thanks to a plethora of extra-base hits, including 11 doubles, a triple, and nine home runs. Not only can he hit for power, but the Venezuelan has some speed, too, swiping 19 bags already this year. A low 16.3 percent strikeout rate and 6.2 percent swinging-strike rate show he's not overmatched by Triple-A pitching, and he could be ready for a shot in the majors in the coming weeks. The combination of contact, power, and speed, with the potential to be hitting in a Cubs lineup that is top 10 in the majors in runs scored per game, pushes the 22-year-old into stash consideration for fantasy.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Is Aidan Miller Worth Stashing Amid Rehab Progress?
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop prospect Aidan Miller (back) is beginning to make some progress in his return from a lower back issue that has kept him out of all regular-season games so far this year. The Phils' top-ranked prospect dealt with the issue late in 2025, and it has lingered into 2026, but he's finally begun to resume "light baseball activities" per interim manager Don Mattingly. The former first-rounder finished the 2025 campaign strong, hitting .356 with a 1.088 OPS from July 27 on (39 games), culminating in a .264/.392/.433 slash line for the season, with 14 home runs and 59 steals. Unfortunately, no clear timetable has been given for his return, and he'll likely need to show he's kicked the rust off at Triple-A for a while before the team decides to call him up for a big league debut. Trea Turner also stands in his way at short, so perhaps the team will look to get him some experience elsewhere on the diamond. Regardless, few can match his power-speed combo, so fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress as the 21-year-old could eventually become the top hitter to stash in all leagues later this year.
Source: Paul Casella - MLB.com
Source: Paul Casella - MLB.com
