RADIO
Michael Conforto Goes Deep Twice in Rout of Padres
Chicago Cubs outfielder Michael Conforto joined in on the Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field on Wednesday in the team's 23-3 mauling of the San Diego Padres to complete their three-game sweep. In a game in which the Cubs hitters cleared the fences a franchise-record eight times, Conforto went 3-for-4 at the plate with two homers, four RBI, four runs scored, and a walk to boost his season average to .248 and his OPS to .847. It was the 33-year-old veteran's first multi-homer game of the year. In his first year in Chicago in 2026 after a disastrous one-year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, Conforto has primarily been a left-handed bat off the bench. But with Matt Shaw (hand) currently on the injured list, Conforto's playing time is trending up to close out the first half of the season. In 56 total games across 140 plate appearances, he's slashing .248/.343/.504 with seven home runs, 21 RBI, 19 runs scored, and a stolen base. He's a short-term waiver-wire candidate in deeper leagues for those looking for outfield depth.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Taj Bradley on a Roll, Strikes Out Season-High 11 Versus Astros
Minnesota Twins right-hander Taj Bradley kept the good times rolling on Wednesday night at Daikin Park against the hosting Houston Astros in the team's 8-3 victory, allowing just one earned run on four hits while walking three and striking out a season-high 11 batters in five innings for his seventh win of the 2026 season. The 25-year-old former fifth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 is now 7-3 on the year in his first full season with the Twins and has recorded a 3.86 ERA (3.92 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 102 strikeouts and 38 walks across his 88 2/3 innings and 16 starts. After giving up at least four earned runs in four straight starts from May 29 to June 14, Bradley has straightened things out in his last three starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, and Astros, allowing just five earned runs on 10 hits while walking eight and striking out 22 in 17 innings. Bradley is set to face the Cleveland Guardians next week in his final start before the All-Star break, and he should be a nice streaming option against a team that ranks 28th in OPS (.677).
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Zack Wheeler Fans 10 in Just 4 2/3 Innings Against Pirates
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler had an unusual day on Wednesday in the team's 10-6 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Wheeler only lasted 4 2/3 innings on the mound and allowed four earned runs on nine hits (one homer), but he walked only one and struck out a season-high 10 batters in the no-decision. It was the first time that the 36-year-old veteran didn't make it through five innings all year, and he wasn't happy about the early hook after the game when speaking to the media. Still, the three-time All-Star is now 8-1 on the season with a sharp 2.36 ERA (3.30 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP with 84 strikeouts and 20 walks in 80 innings pitched across his 13 starts in his 12th season in the majors. Coming into the 2026 campaign, there was some uncertainty as to whether Wheeler could rebound to ace form following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Through the first half of the year, it's safe to say that he has exceeded expectations. Fantasy managers will want Wheeler in their starting lineups for his final start of the first half next week against the Cincinnati Reds.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Junior Caminero Homers in Sixth Straight Game on Wednesday
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is on quite the run in the power department lately. In the team's 4-0 shutout win over the hosting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, Caminero went 1-for-4 at the plate with a two-run home run and three strikeouts to homer for the sixth straight contest. The 22-year-old has tied the franchise record for most consecutive games with a homer. In his last eight games played, Caminero has been absolutely en fuego, going 14-for-31 (.452) with nine home runs, 20 RBI, and 10 runs scored to boost his overall slash line in 2026 to .293/.383/.561. The Dominican third baseman has also added 24 total home runs, 54 RBI, 54 runs scored, and a .943 OPS in his fourth year in the majors and third full season with the Rays. Caminero ranks in the 94th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 85th percentile in barrel rate, the 91st percentile in xwOBA, and the 90th percentile in xSLG, so the underlying metrics support his encore in 2026 after he hit 45 homers and drove in 110 runs in his breakout season in 2025.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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
