RADIO
Cade Cavalli Feeling Better, Will Start on Saturday
The Washington Nationals announced that right-hander Cade Cavalli (illness) is starting on Saturday on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays after being scratched from his scheduled start in Friday's series opener at Tropicana Field due to an illness. Cavalli has gone 4-4 with a 3.98 ERA (3.42 FIP), and 1.39 WHIP with 81 strikeouts and 25 walks in 74 2/3 innings pitched over 15 starts in his third major-league season. He has allowed more than three runs just once since the start of May, but he hasn't gone beyond five innings and has a 5.40 ERA (4.96 FIP) with 13 strikeouts and four walks in 15 innings pitched in his three starts in June. The 27-year-old former 22nd overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft out of the University of Oklahoma has improved his strikeout rate from a weak 18.3% last year to 24.3% in 2026, but he'll have a difficult task at hand on Saturday against the first-place Rays as he looks for his first quality start since May 26. The Rays have the fewest home runs in the majors, but they also strike out the fewest of any team in MLB.
Source: Washington Nationals
Source: Washington Nationals
Daniel Palencia Diagnosed with Flexor Strain
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia (elbow) was diagnosed with a mild flexor strain on Saturday, providing some clarity regarding the injury that has sidelined him for nearly a week. Manager Craig Counsell said that the 26-year-old recently underwent an MRI, which revealed the strain, though it was determined to be minor. The Cubs' closer will be shut down through the team's upcoming road trip, which begins on Monday and concludes next Sunday. At that point, he will be re-evaluated, and a clearer course of action can be determined. In his absence, the Cubs could turn to a committee approach, with Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar, and Jacob Webb all potentially emerging as options to handle save opportunities and close out games for Chicago.
Source: Jesse Rogers
Source: Jesse Rogers
Ernie Clement Remains Out of Lineup With Hip Soreness
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (hip) will miss his second consecutive game due to left hip soreness. The 30-year-old is, however, available off the bench if needed in Saturday's contest against Chicago. Manager John Schneider also said that, if all goes according to plan, Clement will be back in the lineup on Sunday for the team's series finale. At this point, the injury does not appear to be overly serious and is something that additional rest could resolve. That being said, if he is unable to return soon, a trip to the injured list could become a possibility. In his absence, Davis Schneider will start at second base. Clement is having a career-best season at the plate, batting .294 with seven home runs and stealing two bases. He has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Blue Jays.
Source: Arden Zwelling
Source: Arden Zwelling
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Back in the Lineup
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (back) is back in the Blue Jays' lineup on Saturday after exiting Friday's game early. The 27-year-old superstar tweaked his back on a swing in the sixth inning, raising some concern about his availability moving forward. While it is certainly encouraging that he is back in the lineup just one day later, he also missed two games earlier this week due to back tightness. Despite experiencing two instances of the same issue in a short span, Guerrero has once again avoided a trip to the injured list, something he has managed to do throughout his entire career. With just four home runs and a .276 batting average this season, Guerrero has yet to live up to the hefty draft price many fantasy managers paid before the season. Once fully healthy, he has the talent to be one of baseball's best players and will look to bounce back over the remainder of the season.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Shane Bieber to Make Season Debut on Monday
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) has been announced as the starter for Monday's game against the Houston Astros. News of his return came after the 31-year-old threw one final bullpen session on Saturday, erasing any doubt about his readiness to make his 2026 season debut. He previously made five rehab appearances over the past month, with his most recent outing seeing him throw up to 80 pitches. After pitching effectively late in the 2025 season, he experienced forearm fatigue during the offseason. He was later placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation and has been working his way back ever since. The Blue Jays have not yet indicated whether he will be subject to an innings limit or pitch count. However, any sort of restrictions remain possible given his recent injury history.
Source: Arden Zwelling
Source: Arden Zwelling
Xavier Edwards Back in Starting Lineup Saturday
Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards (thumb) has been inserted back into the starting lineup on Saturday. The 26-year-old missed most of Friday's game with what was described as minor thumb soreness, though it was never revealed which hand was affected. That being said, he was used as a defensive replacement late in the Marlins' 4-3 win over the Giants. A day later, he is back in the starting lineup, batting fourth and looking to improve on an already promising 2026 season. Despite batting just .192 in June, he has maintained a solid .291 batting average overall, along with six home runs and 11 stolen bases.
Source: Kevin Barral
Source: Kevin Barral
Daulton Varsho Reinstated and Starting on Saturday
The Toronto Blue Jays announced that they reinstated outfielder Daulton Varsho (wrist) from the 10-day injured list on Saturday and optioned infielder Charles McAdoo to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move. Varsho is starting in center field and will bat sixth in his return to action for Saturday's contest at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs and right-hander Colin Rea. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder made it back quickly from his stint on the IL and didn't even require a minor-league rehab assignment. He'll be returning to a .256/.331/.408 slash line with a .738 OPS, five home runs, 17 RBI, 27 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 211 at-bats for the Jays in 2026. In seven games in June before injuring his wrist, Varsho had gone just 1-for-7 with an RBI, a stolen base, a run scored, two walks, and two strikeouts, so fantasy managers may want to wait before reinserting him into their starting lineups immediately. Varsho has one hit in just two career at-bats against Rea.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Nathan Eovaldi Scratched From Saturday's Start With Knee Soreness
Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (knee) has been scratched from Saturday's start at Globe Life Field against the visiting San Diego Padres with "a little" soreness in his left knee, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Left-hander MacKenzie Gore will make the start in Eovaldi's place against his former team. It's unclear as of now if Eovaldi will be a candidate for the injured list or if he'll just have to skip one turn through Texas' rotation. The 36-year-old veteran has gone 6-7 this year with a 4.23 ERA (4.66 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 83 strikeouts and 21 walks in 87 1/3 innings pitched across his 14 starts in his 15th year in the big leagues. Given Eovaldi's lengthy history of injuries, we would not be surprised if he lands on the IL, even if the Rangers are currently saying it's a minor knee injury. Eovaldi's strikeout rate has dropped to 22.9%, but the two-time All-Star is still throwing plenty of strikes and is rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues. Stay tuned for more information about when he might be ready to make his next start.
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Max Fried Set to Face Hitters Soon
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that left-hander Max Fried (elbow) should start facing hitters by either "the end of this month or the start of next month," according to Erik Boland of Newsday. Fried had another successful bullpen session on Friday and has been throwing off a mound for around a week as he works his way back from a bone bruise in his left elbow. The Yankees haven't given Fried a specific timetable for a return, but he's probably unlikely to be ready to rejoin the team's starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw and three-time All-Star was lights-out in 2025 in his first year in the Bronx for the Yanks, going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 189:51 K:BB in his 32 starts. In 10 starts (61 2/3 frames) this year before going on the injured list with his elbow bruise, Fried went 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA (2.71 FIP) and 1.00 WHIP with 50 K's and 19 walks. He has ace potential when he's healthy for fantasy managers and should be stashed in all formats while he recovers.
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Trevor Story "Progressing Nicely" From Sports Hernia
Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (hernia) is "progressing pretty nicely" from having surgery for a sports hernia, according to interim manager Chad Tracy. Story is jogging at a good pace and has swung off a tee. He won't be eligible to be activated from the 60-day injured list until just after the mid-July All-Star break, though. The Red Sox put Story on the 60-day IL on June 4 after he initially went on the 15-day IL back on May 16. The 33-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star is no stranger to injuries, but he had a resurgent season in 2025 and managed to stay healthy all year on his way to a .263/.308/.433 slash line with 25 home runs, 96 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and 91 runs scored across 157 games played. Story was struggling at the plate before suffering a hernia in 2026, going 34-for-165 (.206) with three homers, 19 RBI, 16 runs, eight walks, and 57 strikeouts in 176 plate appearances. There's still power/speed in his profile, but one has to wonder how much he'll have left when he returns from his hernia. Story is currently rostered in just 40% of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Konnor Griffin Advancing in his Throwing Program
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (forearm) saw Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas on June 2 and began throwing plyometric balls on June 7, according to MLB.com. He started throwing from 90 feet on June 10 and extended to 150 feet with no pain while rehabbing in Florida. Griffin was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 31 with a strained right forearm, but if he can avoid any setbacks as he continues to ramp up, he could rejoin the big-league roster by late June. The 20-year-old will eventually need to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment before the Pirates reinstate him from the IL, but he figures to be back before the All-Star break next month if everything goes according to plan. Before his forearm injury, the former ninth overall pick in 2024 was holding his own in his first 51 big-league games, slashing .270/.327/.402 with a .729 OPS, four homers, 22 RBI, 14 steals, and 30 runs scored across 208 plate appearances. Griffin really started to figure things out in May, going 30-for-98 (.306) with two homers, seven doubles, a triple, nine RBI, seven steals, and 20 runs scored in 25 games. He entered the 2026 campaign as a can't-miss prospect, and he has looked the part.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jordan Lawlar to Have MRI for Hamstring Strain
Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman/outfielder Jordan Lawlar (hamstring) suffered a strained right hamstring in Friday's series opener against the visiting Minnesota Twins and will undergo an MRI exam on Saturday, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. Before leaving the team's eventual 9-5 win at Chase Field, Lawlar went 2-for-4 at the plate with a strikeout. We won't know the severity of the 23-year-old's hamstring injury until the imaging comes back on his MRI, but it's a disappointing development after Lawlar just recently returned from a stint on the injured list due to a wrist injury. At the very least, he probably will not be ready to play in Game 2 of the series against the Twins on Saturday. Rookie Tommy Troy entered the game in place of Lawlar on Friday night and could be thrust into a regular role for the D-backs if Lawlar goes back on the IL. Lawlar, a former sixth overall pick in 2021, has hit just .207/.289/.296 with one homer, nine RBI, seven steals, and a 30.9% strikeout rate in 54 games since debuting in the majors in 2023. He's played in just 12 games for Arizona this year and has gone 12-for-38 (.316) with a homer, four RBI, four steals, three walks, and 10 K's. Lawlar is rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Michael Soroka Dealing With Left-Glute Discomfort
The Arizona Diamondbacks have changed right-hander Michael Soroka's (glute) injury to left-glute discomfort, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. He will undergo an MRI exam on Saturday after he was pulled from Friday's start against the Minnesota Twins early with what the team initially described as discomfort in his left hip. Soroka only made it through one inning on Friday night at Chase Field, but he didn't allow a run while giving up two hits, walking none, and striking out none. The 28-year-old felt the injury while warming up between innings and wasn't allowed to stay in for the second frame. For now, we'll consider him day-to-day until we hear more, but Soroka is firmly in danger of missing his next turn through Arizona's starting rotation. It's been a resurgent season for the Canadian, as he's gone 8-3 for the Snakes with a 3.07 ERA (2.93 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 79 strikeouts and only 17 walks in 82 innings over his 15 starts. Soroka went from a fantasy afterthought to being rostered in 80% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Is Noelvi Marte a Priority Waiver Wire Breakout Candidate?
Cincinnati Reds outfielder/third baseman Noelvi Marte has logged just 67 plate appearances at the big-league level so far this season, hitting .206/.254/.382 with three home runs, three RBI, seven runs scored, and four stolen bases. After getting off to an awful start to the year, the 24-year-old was optioned to Triple-A in mid-April and did not make his MLB return until early June. Since being recalled, Marte's playing time has been sporadic, and he's been unable to carve out an everyday role. Marte has typically posted poor defensive metrics in the outfield, which limits his real-life value. Still, Marte is an intriguing bat for fantasy managers, as he has three home runs and three stolen bases in just 36 plate appearances in June. Across 360 plate appearances with the Reds in 2025, he hit .263 with 14 homers and 10 steals. If Marte can re-emerge as a regular in Cincinnati, he offers five-category upside at the plate. Real impediments are standing in the way of a potential breakout for Marte, but he could still be worth targeting on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Cole Carrigg a Must-Add Breakout Candidate on the Waiver Wire?
Across 42 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on June 9, Colorado Rockies outfielder Cole Carrigg is hitting .222/.333/.528 with three home runs, eight RBI, seven runs scored, and one stolen base. With Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle (oblique) on the injured list, Carrigg has taken over as the team's everyday center fielder. The power he's shown at the big-league level so far comes as a bit of a surprise, as he hit just six home runs across 257 Triple-A plate appearances before his promotion. He's logged an 11.1% barrel rate in a small sample with Colorado, but his 33.3% hard-hit rate may be a sign that his current power output is unsustainable. Still, Carrigg's 14.3% walk rate and 21.4% strikeout rate are indicators of a strong plate approach. He also hit .338 with 30 stolen bases in 57 games at Triple-A in 2026, so he profiles as a significant speed threat once he gets more MLB games under his belt. For fantasy managers in need of speed and some batting average upside, Carrigg profiles as a viable waiver wire target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
