RADIO
Antonio Senzatela "as Good as Gone" as Trade Candidate This Year
ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela is a "no-brainer" trade candidate this year and is "as good as gone" since he'll be a free agent after the 2026 season. Passan adds that the Rockies are still years away from contending, and "nobody on their roster is untouchable." In addition to Senzatela, outfielder Mickey Moniak (ankle) and catcher Hunter Goodman could also be moved by early August, at the right price. Other players that could attract interest at this year's trade deadline include infielders TJ Rumfield, Troy Johnston, and Willi Castro, starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, and relievers Brennan Bernardino and Jaden Hill. Senzatela, in particular, has gone from a terrible starting pitcher to one of the best relievers in the game this season. The 31-year-old Venezuelan hurler and 10-year veteran is currently sporting a 5-0 record, 1.30 ERA (3.30 FIP), 0.89 WHIP, three saves, and a 26:10 K:BB in 34 2/3 innings out of the 'pen. Senzatela has an xwOBA of .283 and an expected ERA of 3.17, so regression is expected the rest of the way.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Landen Roupp on Track to Start on Saturday Against Cubs
San Francisco Giants right-hander Landen Roupp (back) threw a bullpen session of around 30 pitches on Thursday morning and said he felt good after he dealt with back discomfort in his last outing on Monday in Milwaukee against the Brewers, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. Roupp said he is on track to make his next start, which would be on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. He was not himself earlier this week in Milwaukee, surrendering a season-high eight earned runs on eight hits while walking five and striking out four in four innings of work. In May, Roupp had at least seven strikeouts in three of his five starts during the month, and he's now 5-6 on the year with a 4.22 ERA (2.82 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 27 walks in 64 innings over his 12 starts in his third year in San Fran. The 27-year-old has pitched better than his surface stats suggest, but he'll be pretty risky in starting fantasy lineups this weekend against a Cubs team that ranks eighth in baseball in OPS (.720).
Source: The San Jose Mercury News - Justice delos Santos
Source: The San Jose Mercury News - Justice delos Santos
Chris Bassitt Heads to Baltimore to Have his Back Examined
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt (back) flew to Baltimore to have his lower-back tightness checked out by team doctors, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. The Orioles will know more about Bassitt's condition later after he was pulled from his start early on Wednesday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox after three innings. As things currently stand, Bassitt's next scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners on Monday is very much up in the air, and depending on what the team doctors see, he could be a candidate to go on the 15-day injured list. Now 37 years old in his 12th year in the big leagues, Bassitt has struggled to a 4-4 record with a 5.27 ERA (4.77 FIP) and 1.63 WHIP with only 37 strikeouts and 22 walks in 56 1/3 innings across his 12 appearances (10 starts) in his first year in Baltimore. Even if Bassitt checks out fine and is cleared to make his next start on Monday against Seattle, fantasy managers should be looking to avoid him as a streamer. He's currently rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
Yainer Diaz Close to Starting a Rehab Assignment
Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (oblique) is hitting, throwing, and catching bullpen sessions and is close to starting a minor-league rehab assignment, according to MLB.com. Diaz has been on the 10-day injured list since May 5 with a strained left-oblique, but he's apparently nearing a return to the major-league roster and could be back for fantasy managers in mid-June. Until he is reinstated from the IL, the Astros will move forward with Christian Vazquez as their starting catcher, with Cesar Salazar backing him up. Diaz, 27, was hitting just .238 (24-for-101) with two home runs, 14 RBI, and seven runs scored in 26 games for the Astros at the time of his injury in early May, but he will have value in single-catcher fantasy leagues when he returns. The Dominican native has reached the 20-homer mark in two of the last three seasons since becoming the Astros' primary backstop, and he has also driven in at least 60 runs over that span. Consider stashing him now if you need help at the position. Diaz is rostered in only 42% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Royals Hope Maikel Garcia Will Return This Weekend
Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that third baseman Maikel Garcia (hamstring) will be available off the bench in Thursday's series opener versus the division-rival Minnesota Twins, and he hopes that Garcia will be able to return in Minnesota this weekend, according to Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg. The 26-year-old will miss a fifth straight game on Thursday due to a right-hamstring injury, but it looks like he will avoid a trip to the injured list. Nick Loftin has been making starts at the hot corner in place of Garcia, and he should do so again in the series opener at Target Field on Thursday night against Twins right-hander Andrew Morris. Garcia has only gone deep three times so far in 2026 and has not homered since April 30. The Venezuelan third baseman was a first-time All-Star in 2025, but he has so far disappointed fantasy managers in his fifth year in the majors, slashing .268/.325/.384 with a .709 OPS, 21 RBI, 28 runs scored, and only four stolen bases across 56 games played.
Source: Joel Goldberg
Source: Joel Goldberg
Royals to Mix and Match in Ninth With Lucas Erceg Struggling
Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that he will match up the ninth inning based on availability and situations moving forward in the short term, but he still views right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg as a ninth-inning option in the long term, according to Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg. Erceg has been the team's primary option for saves since veteran Carlos Estevez (shoulder) went down due to injury after his first appearance of the year in late March, but the 31-year-old blew his sixth save of the season on Tuesday and has a rough 6.45 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, and 20:15 K:BB along with his 11 saves in 22 1/3 innings pitched so far in 2026. The Royals called upon Alex Lange to close out the win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, and he, Daniel Lynch, and Matt Strahm could start seeing more chances in the ninth inning with Erceg struggling for consistency. Once Estevez returns from the injured list, whenever that may be, he could be the favorite for saves in KC the rest of the way, making him a stash candidate now for fantasy managers in need of saves options.
Source: Joel Goldberg
Source: Joel Goldberg
Giancarlo Stanton Won't Return During Next Road Trip
New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) will take live batting practice again on Saturday and then continue to ramp up his running program, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. However, Stanton will not be activated from the 10-day injured list during the team's next road trip, according to manager Aaron Boone. The Yankees kick off their next road trip on Monday, June 8, in Cleveland, and it runs until Sunday, June 14, in Toronto. The right-handed power hitter continues to progress slowly from a strained calf and hasn't played for the Yankees since April 24. There's still plenty of power in Stanton's lumber, but durability issues continue to make him hard to keep rostered in shallow mixed leagues. Stanton is now rostered in less than 30% of Yahoo leagues. With Aaron Judge (ribs) potentially joining Stanton on the IL, the Yankees could be dangerously thin in the outfield going forward.
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Justin Steele Still a Stash Target?
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) will be sidelined until after the All-Star break in mid-July after suffering a setback during his rehab from UCL surgery in late April. However, the 30-year-old southpaw might still be worth stashing for pitching depth in the second half of the 2026 season in deeper leagues. Steele, a fifth-rounder in 2014 out of a high school in Mississippi, only made four starts for the Cubbies last year before needing surgery on his left elbow. From 2022 to 2024, though, Steele combined for a 25-17 record, 3.10 ERA (3.14 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP, and a 437:123 K:BB in 78 starts across 427 innings pitched. There will surely be limitations on his workload when he returns to Chicago's starting rotation in the second half, but his body of work in recent seasons shows that he can be an asset for fantasy managers when he's healthy. Right now, Steele is rostered in just under 10% of Yahoo leagues, and that number should slowly rise as he nears his 2026 debut this summer.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Deyvison De Los Santos Nearing Return to Majors Following HR Surge in Minors?
Miami Marlins corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos is seeing the ball well with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp right now and could be on the verge of returning to the big leagues early in June. The 22-year-old Dominican is currently hitting .266 (45-for-169) with six home runs, 30 RBI, 22 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in his 43 games with Jacksonville. He got a cup of coffee with the big-league club back in early April and went 2-for-7 at the plate with a double and three strikeouts in just three games played before being shipped back to the farm. De Los Santos isn't among the Marlins' top-30 prospects at MLB Pipeline, but his impressive raw power and high exit velocities on the farm make him an intriguing dynasty/keeper stash with another MLB call-up likely to come sooner rather than later in 2026. In the last 28 days at Triple-A, De Los Santos is hitting .293 (24-for-82) with two homers and 15 RBI. He can be had in nearly all Yahoo leagues, as he's currently rostered in just 1% of formats.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Kerry Carpenter Can Provide Power Now That he's Back From Injury
Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter returned from the injured list on Sunday after missing roughly three weeks with an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, and now that he's back, he deserves attention off the waiver wire from fantasy managers who are searching for more power. Carpenter might only be hitting .239 (27-for-113) on the season, but he has hit seven home runs in just 129 plate appearances, and he has gone 5-for-11 with a homer, double, three RBI, and a run scored in his first three games since being reinstated from the IL on Sunday. The 28-year-old former 19th-round pick in 2019 out of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University can be a streaky hitter, but when he's locked in at the plate, he can carry fantasy baseball teams. Carpenter has an .825 career OPS and clubbed a career-high 26 home runs while driving in 62 runs in 130 regular-season games in 2025 for the Tigers. He's available in just over 60% of Yahoo leagues right now. Don't miss out on him before he heats up further.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Carlos Cortes Still Worth Rostering Despite Recent Cold Stretch?
Athletics outfielder Carlos Cortes is hitting .316 (75-for-237) in his first 91 major-league games since debuting with the A's in 2025. In 49 games so far in 2026 in his first full year in the Show, he has hit .322/.406/.503 with a .910 OPS, five home runs, nine doubles, a triple, 17 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base across 165 plate appearances. It has helped that the A's have shielded him from left-handed pitchers, but in his 10 at-bats against southpaws, he has five hits (two doubles). The 28-year-old left-handed hitter has proven that he can hit for average so far in the big leagues, even if he doesn't have a ton of power. Cortes has slowed down a bit in recent games, going 3-for-20 with a double, two runs, three walks, and two strikeouts in his last seven contests. Under the hood, Cortes ranks in just the 51st percentile in hard-hit rate, but his expected batting average of .310 is the fourth-highest among qualified hitters, suggesting that he should be rostered in more than 12% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Rikuu Nishida Worth a Waiver-Wire Pickup After Recent Call-Up?
Chicago White Sox rookie second baseman/outfielder Rikuu Nishida, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the team's No. 26 prospect, was recently called up from the minors by the Pale Hose, and he had hits in his first two big-league games. The 25-year-old Japanese native was an 11th-round selection by Chicago in the 2023 MLB draft out of the University of Oregon. With Jarred Kelenic being designated for assignment recently, it looks like Nishida will get the opportunity to serve on the strong side of a platoon in Chicago's outfield for the time being against right-handed pitching. Through his first nine games in the big leagues, Nishida has gone 5-for-24 (.208) with two RBI, three runs scored, no walks, and five strikeouts. He only stands at a mere 5-foot-6, 150 pounds, and has zero power. However, Nishida is extremely disciplined at the plate and rarely chases out of the zone. If you're looking for a boost in on-base percentage with some plus speed, Nishida might be worth a look off the waiver wire in much deeper fantasy leagues. Nishida is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Aaron Judge Missing Third Straight Game on Thursday
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (ribs, shoulder) is missing a third straight game on Thursday in the series finale in the Bronx against the Cleveland Guardians, per MLB.com. Max Schuemann will make the start in right field for the Yankees and will bat ninth against Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi. Judge is considered day-to-day for now, but he was scheduled to be sent for more testing on what the Yankees are calling a bone bruise in his ribs that is causing soreness in his right shoulder. Until we know more, there's a chance the superstar outfielder will need a stint on the 10-day injured list, so fantasy managers need to plan accordingly. The 34-year-old three-time MVP's recent struggles -- .163 average with one homer, seven walks, and 15 strikeouts in his last 13 games -- could be attributed to his health issue. With Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) still on the IL, the Yankees are dangerously thin in their outfield. If Judge goes on the IL, left-handed-hitting outfield prospect Spencer Jones could return to the majors.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Casey Mize Throws a Bullpen, Injured List Stint Could be Short
Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize (groin) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday after just being placed on the 15-day injured list last Friday with inflammation in his right groin, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. It's unclear what is next for Mize, but it's looking like he might be ready to return to the Tigers' starting rotation when he's eligible to come off the IL on June 12. That would only happen if the team feels that he doesn't need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Mize doesn't have a ton of strikeout upside, although he does have a career-best 26.5% strikeout rate so far in 2026 in his nine starts for Detroit. After being named an All-Star for the first time in 2025, Mize has gone 2-3 this year with a career-best 2.27 ERA (2.41 FIP) and 0.96 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 47 2/3 innings pitched. He has a smaller margin for error than other starting pitchers, but he has become more attractive as a matchup-based streamer so far in 2026. Mize is currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Detroit News - Chris McCosky
Source: The Detroit News - Chris McCosky
JJ Wetherholt Dealing With Lower-Half Soreness
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt has been dealing with some lower-half soreness, but he is expected to return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cardinals held Wetherholt out of the lineup in their win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, and he'll have another day of rest during the team's scheduled off day on Thursday. The Cardinals expect Wetherholt to be ready to roll for the weekend after two days of rest. In his first year in the big leagues, the 23-year-old former seventh overall pick in 2024 out of West Virginia University has hit .249/.357/.400 with a .757 OPS, nine home runs, 25 RBI, seven stolen bases, and 40 runs scored across his 225 at-bats. Wetherholt hasn't homered since May 19, but he's hit .286 (14-for-49) with two doubles, an RBI, five runs scored, and two steals in his last 12 games since May 20. Expect him to be back atop the Cardinals' batting order on Friday.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
