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Samuel Basallo's Buy-Low Opportunity Emerges After Recent Struggles
Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo saw his five-game hit streak come to an end on Wednesday and has gone hitless since, marking a recent downturn after a scorching May. Basallo is hitting just .160 in June after batting .338 in May and earning consistent starting opportunities. He has already recorded over 100 more at-bats than his limited sample size in his first year in 2025 and is receiving the playing time needed to break out. The 21-year-old is slashing .254/.316/.450 with a .766 OPS across 64 games this season and has shown flashes of an elite profile despite his recent struggles. Consistency will be key moving forward, but fantasy managers may want to capitalize on this buy-low opportunity before Basallo finds his rhythm again.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Spencer Horwitz's Recent Slide Opens Waiver-Wire Buy-Low Chance
Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz has cooled off slightly while navigating his most productive season as a professional. Horwitz is hitting just .160 over his last seven games, but the overall production remains strong for the 28-year-old. He is slashing .277/.387/.450 with a .837 OPS and nine home runs across 70 games this season. Now in his second year with Pittsburgh, Horwitz has lowered his K% from 17.8 percent to 13.3 percent while increasing his walk rate, showing clear growth in his offensive profile. The recent slump should not concern fantasy managers, who may want to take advantage of this buy-low opportunity before Horwitz gets back on track.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Travis Bazzana Heating Up Again, a Waiver-Wire Option to Monitor
Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana has started to find his rhythm after a slower stretch to begin the month, going 2-for-4 on Friday with a double and a run scored. Bazzana hit .311 in May before cooling off as the calendar turned to June, but recent results suggest he may be turning things around. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft has recorded four hits over his last three games, with three going for extra bases. He is now slashing .256/.356/.427 with five home runs, a .783 OPS, and 11 stolen bases. The 23-year-old has shown steady growth during his rookie season, and fantasy managers should continue monitoring his progress as he looks to build momentum moving forward.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Michael Harris II Returns to Braves Lineup on Saturday
Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (back) is starting in center field and is batting fifth on Saturday against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander Kyle Harrison, according to MLB.com. Harris will be back in the Braves' starting lineup for the first time since leaving Tuesday's contest early with tightness in his lower back. He missed two games. The 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year is having one of his best seasons as a pro in 2026, as he comes into Saturday's tilt with a .306/.340/.514 slash line with an .854 OPS, 14 home runs, 41 RBI, 35 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 68 games across his 259 plate appearances. Harris, a former third-rounder in 2019, is also hitting an even .300 (12-for-40) with a homer, three doubles, five RBI, and seven runs scored in 11 games in June. Although he's hit lefties and righties well this year, fantasy managers setting DFS lineups may want to avoid him on Saturday in his return against a tough lefty in Harrison, whom Harris has never faced in his career.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
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
