RADIO
Paul Skenes Seems to Struggle in Seven-Run Implosion, Is it Time to Panic?
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes continued his recent slide on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, allowing six hits and a season-high seven earned runs in just four innings. Over his last six starts, the 24-year-old ace is 0-6 with a 5.36 ERA, but only a 3.58 FIP. While his metrics aren't quite as bad as his results, they still are not great. His defense has let him down repeatedly this season, and that trend continued on Wednesday, with potential outs turning into hits, runs, and more pitches for Skenes. He's definitely not been his best over the last several starts, but his teammates aren't doing much to help him either. His ceiling is too high to let him go from your fantasy team, and trading him now would definitely be selling low. He'll look to bounce back next Tuesday at home against the Braves, and for now, he's someone to hold on to and count on him to find his way through this rough patch.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Braves to Recall Infield Prospect Jim Jarvis to Major Leagues
Atlanta Braves shortstop Jim Jarvis is returning to the MLB roster for a second stint this season. He played two games for the team in May but has spent most of the year in Triple-A with the Gwinnett Stripers. In his 76 minor-league games, he hit .313 with six homers and a .392 wOBA. He also racked up 32 stolen bases, the most he has had in any minor league season by a wide margin. He will give the Braves solid infield depth with potential speed production if he gets regular playing time. He hasn't shown a ton of power potential, but typically makes good contact and runs the bases very well. If you're searching for stolen bases and some batting average help in the middle infield, Jarvis can be a solid deep league option.
Source: Grant McAuley
Source: Grant McAuley
Rowdy Tellez Designated for Assignment
Atlanta Braves first baseman Rowdy Tellez was designated for assignment on Thursday morning, and the team promoted Jim Jarvis to add more infield depth and versatility. Tellez agreed to a minor-league deal with Atlanta just before the regular season and joined the MLB squad in early June. He played seven games, mostly serving as a pinch-hitter, and he went 2-for-10 with a home run. The 31-year-old lefty hit 17 homers last season while splitting time between the Mariners and the Rangers. His batting average and defense aren't very exciting, but he does offer enough left-handed power potential off the bench to get attention from another team or to stick in the Braves' system. For fantasy purposes, he isn't a factor unless he gets a full-time starting role somewhere, which seems unlikely.
Source: Atlanta Braves
Source: Atlanta Braves
Keider Montero Continues Dominant Run, Emerging as Worthy Pitcher to Pick Up?
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher/relief pitcher Keider Montero pitched two shutout innings out of the bullpen to earn a win on Wednesday against the Yankees. It was his first appearance since moving to the bullpen after the return of Jack Flaherty last Sunday. The win helped Montero improve to 5-5 with a 3.31 ERA and 3.80 FIP in his 17 games, 15 of which were starts. He has a 1.52 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings in his last five games and has been very effective at limiting damage. Montero doesn't have a spot in the rotation right now, but he's worth a look in deep leagues since he has worked so well in multiple roles recently. He will be a top pickup option in most standard formats if he moves back to the rotation at some point later in the season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brennan Bernardino Earns First Save for Rockies, Worth Adding in Deeper Leagues
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Brennan Bernardino closed out the Marlins on Wednesday to earn his first save of the year, and he could get more opportunities in the closer committee going forward. Bernardino got one strikeout and retired the Marlins to preserve his team's 6-3 victory. Antonio Senzatela and Jimmy Herget are also in the mix, but Bernardino is the only lefty in the bullpen, meaning he usually gets the highest leverage spots against lefties. Neither Herget nor Senzatela pitched Tuesday, so it's notable that Bernardino got the call over them to lock down the save on Wednesday. He only has this one save for the season, so he's not a sure thing. However, he is worth watching in all formats and picking up in deep leagues where you're desperate for saves.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Christian Walker Departs Early With Back Stiffness
Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (back) was forced from Wednesday night's contest against the Minnesota Twins early at Daikin Park with stiffness in his lower back, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Before he left the game, Walker was 0-for-2 at the plate with two strikeouts. For now, fantasy managers should consider Walker day-to-day. Hopefully, he'll be ready to return to action following an off day on Thursday when the Astros begin a series on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Isaac Paredes moved from third base to first on Wednesday to replace Walker, with Brice Matthews entering the game to play the hot corner. Walker remains a strong source of power in his second year in Houston, as he entered Wednesday's contest with 19 long balls on the year in 359 plate appearances. He's coming off a slow month of June, though, when he went 22-for-103 (.214) with only three homers, six doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, nine runs, nine walks, and 31 strikeouts in 26 games. Paredes is the best bet to play first for the Astros if Walker misses more time with his back injury.
Source: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
Source: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
Hurston Waldrep to Start for Braves on Thursday?
MLB.com's Mark Bowman said that Atlanta Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep would be available out of the bullpen for Wednesday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. But if he was not used out of the bullpen, Waldrep would be a candidate to start Thursday's series finale against the Cardinals. Waldrep ended up not being used in a relief role in the team's 5-1 win on Wednesday, meaning he's likely to start Thursday's series finale. The 24-year-old didn't make his season debut with the Braves until last week after having surgery in February to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. He threw two scoreless relief innings with 55 pitches used in an appearance out of the bullpen for Atlanta last week, and now he looks primed to make his first start of 2026 on Wednesday. The former first-rounder in 2023 out of the University of Florida is most certainly worth a waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers looking for starting upside, although he will probably have a short leash if he starts on Thursday. In 10 outings (nine starts) covering 56 1/3 innings in 2025, Waldrep impressed with a 2.88 ERA (3.21 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, and 55:22 K:BB. He's rostered in just 5% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Braves Skipping Bryce Elder's Next Turn in the Rotation
The Atlanta Braves will skip right-hander Bryce Elder's next turn in the starting rotation after his velocity was noticeably down in his last start on June 27 against the San Francisco Giants, when he allowed five earned runs on five hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out four in four innings in his sixth loss of the season. The 27-year-old's next scheduled start this Friday against the division-rival New York Mets will go to right-hander Grant Holmes. Elder has a decent 4.01 ERA (3.98 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 83 strikeouts and 30 walks in 98 2/3 innings across 17 starts in 2026, but he has really struggled of late, surrendering 19 earned runs on 27 hits (five homers) while walking five and striking out 12 in 14 innings in his last three starts. If the Braves skip just one of Elder's starts to close out the first half of the season, his next outing should come next week against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his first meeting against the Bucs at home on June 7, Elder allowed only two earned runs in six frames while walking two and fanning four for a no-decision.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Connelly Early Dealing With Posterior Elbow Inflammation
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that left-hander Connelly Early's (elbow) imaging only showed "posterior elbow inflammation in the area that we thought it was... that was kind of the area that he was complaining about last night. So we got some good news there." The Red Sox placed Early on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday after he was forced to leave his start early on Tuesday night after four innings against the visiting Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. The 24-year-old southpaw will be out through the All-Star break, but it sounds like he could be ready to rejoin Boston's starting rotation to begin the second half, barring a setback when he resumes throwing. In 17 starts (91 2/3 innings) in the first half of 2026, Early went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (4.61 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 34 walks. He was impressive in his MLB debut last year, too, allowing six runs (five earned) while walking four and striking out 29 in just four starts. Fantasy managers looking for rotation help to begin the second half will want to consider adding Early if he's ready to go, and he's only rostered in 54% of Yahoo leagues after his elbow injury.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Mookie Betts Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (wrist) was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup against the Athletics due to wrist soreness, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. The Dodgers are "erring on the side of caution" for now, manager Dave Roberts said. With Betts sitting out, veteran Miguel Rojas made the start at the 6 and was hitting eighth versus A's right-hander J.T. Ginn in the series finale in Sacramento. Betts' injury doesn't appear to be anything serious enough to threaten sending him to the injured list, but fantasy managers will want to check back on Thursday to see if he's active for the series opener on Thursday at Dodger Stadium against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Fantasy managers will also be hoping that the former MVP's wrist injury won't slow him down at the plate after he hit .290 (31-for-107) with five home runs, five doubles, 12 RBI, 17 runs scored, and a stolen base in 26 games (115 plate appearances) during June. The eight-time All-Star has played in only 51 games in 2026 in his 13th year in the league and has hit a mediocre .244/.30/.444 with a .744 OPS, 11 homers, 28 RBI, 31 runs, and one steal in 223 plate appearances.
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Will Smith Not Expected to Return Before All-Star Break
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he expects catcher Will Smith (neck) to be out until after the All-Star break in mid-July, according to Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times. Smith has been on the 10-day injured list since June 11 with inflammation in his neck, and a cortisone injection didn't really help matters. It's been frustrating for the Dodgers and for Smith's fantasy managers, as the Dodgers initially were saying that they didn't even think Smith would land on the IL when his neck injury first popped up. L.A. has the luxury of having a huge lead in the National League West division, so they won't rush any of their injured regulars back before they are ready. Hopefully, the 31-year-old veteran backstop will be ready shortly after the All-Star break. In the meantime, Dalton Rushing will continue to serve as the Dodgers' primary catcher. Smith has been a disappointment in the first half of 2026, slashing .249/.338/.382 with a .720 OPS, six homers, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored in his 173 at-bats, but he should still be stashed in all fantasy formats as the starting catcher for the best team in baseball when he's healthy.
Source: The Los Angeles Times - Bill Shaikin
Source: The Los Angeles Times - Bill Shaikin
Brent Rooker to Have Season-Ending Knee Surgery
Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker (knee) is scheduled to have season-ending surgery to address cartilage in his left knee, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Rooker was having his knee checked by doctors at Stanford University on Tuesday, and apparently they didn't like what they saw after the A's initially put the right-handed slugger on the injured list in early June with what they called a bone bruise in his knee. The 31-year-old will now miss the rest of the 2026 campaign due to a torn cartilage in his knee. It's a crushing blow for Rooker's fantasy managers after he got off to a rough start to the season with a .200/.281/.389 slash line with a .670 OPS, 10 homers, 29 RBI, 20 runs scored, and two stolen bases in his 180 at-bats. In single-year fantasy leagues, managers can now cut ties with Rooker and send him to the waiver wire in search of a replacement. Going forward, the left-handed-hitting Jonah Heim should continue to serve as the A's primary designated hitter against right-handed pitchers.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Willy Adames Still Sitting Due to Back Injury
San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (back) remains sidelined for Wednesday's contest against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field, per MLB.com. Christian Koss, who was called up from Triple-A Sacramento, will make the start at the 6 and bat ninth for the Gigantes against Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen. The left side of San Fran's defense is hurting with Adames banged up, and they just placed third baseman Matt Chapman on the 10-day injured list with an abdominal strain. With Schmitt moving over to the hot corner with Chapman sidelined, Koss could see regular playing time to close out the first half of the season if Adames follows Chapman to the IL with his back injury. The 30-year-old Adames has struck out 27.8% of the time, his highest strikeout rate since 2021 with the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers, and he's only getting on base at a .275 clip. However, when he does make contact, it's usually loud, and he's up to 14 long balls through 81 games in 2026 in his second year in the Bay Area. Adames isn't running this year either (just one steal), so he's mostly a one-dimensional power threat at shortstop.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Matt Chapman Heads to Injured List With Abdominal Strain
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (abdomen) is heading to the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to an abdominal strain that he suffered while making a play at third base in Tuesday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. The Giants called up infielder Christian Koss from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. With Chapman now likely out through the All-Star break, Casey Schmitt is expected to see most of the playing time at the hot corner in San Fran. He's starting at third and batting second for Wednesday's contest in Arizona versus D-backs right-hander Zac Gallen. The left side of the Giants' infield is currently hurting, with shortstop Willy Adames (back) also missing the last several games due to injury. Chapman heads to the IL with a disappointing .235/.324/.368 slash line with a .692 OPS and seven home runs, but he has added 42 RBI and 35 runs scored in his 307 at-bats.
Source: The San Jose Mercury News - Justice delos Santos
Source: The San Jose Mercury News - Justice delos Santos
Dansby Swanson Goes Nuclear on Wednesday as Cubs Sweep Padres
The Chicago Cubs and shortstop Dansby Swanson made a statement at Wrigley Field on Wednesday at Wrigley Field in a 23-3 thrashing of the visiting San Diego Padres to finish off their three-game sweep. Swanson had a pretty rough start through the first couple months of the 2026 season, but he has been heating up lately, and that's an understatement. After clubbing two homers and driving in three in Tuesday night's win over SD, Swanson took it to another level in Wednesday's matinee affair, going 3-for-5 with three more home runs, eight RBI, and four runs scored to boost his season average to .210 and his OPS to .731. The 32-year-old veteran has five home runs in his last two games and a staggering 29 RBI in his last 13 games. Swanson wasn't the only one to get into the act against the Friars on Wednesday, as the Cubs combined for a franchise-tying eight long balls. He's definitely on the uptick offensively as the weather begins to warm, but there are still questions as to whether he can sustain it, as he currently has an xBA of .206, an xSLG of .362, and an xwOBA of .295 (wOBA of .304). After his insane two-game run the last two days against the Padres, this could be the perfect time to sell high on Swanson.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
