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Alejandro Kirk Reinstated From the Injured List on Friday
The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Friday that they reinstated catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) from the 60-day injured list and designated catcher Tyler Heineman for assignment in a corresponding move. Kirk should be back behind the dish to catch right-hander Trey Yesavage on Friday night at the Rogers Centre in the series opener against the division-rival New York Yankees and left-hander Ryan Weathers. The 27-year-old Mexican native only played in five games to begin the 2026 season before fracturing his thumb, going 3-for-20 with a homer and two RBI in his 22 plate appearances. The two-time All-Star doesn't have a ton of pop behind the plate, but he did produce a career-high 15 home runs while driving in 76 in 130 regular-season games in 2025. Fantasy managers looking for an upgrade at the position could take a chance on Kirk, who is rostered in just 25% of Yahoo leagues. Kirk will be Toronto's primary catcher now that he has recovered from his thumb fracture. He went 3-for-18 at the plate with a homer during six minor-league rehab games.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Blue Jays Place Daulton Varsho on the Injured List With Wrist Inflammation
The Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Daulton Varsho (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with left-wrist inflammation and recalled infielder/outfielder Davis Schneider from the minors in a corresponding move, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Varsho has battled wrist inflammation for roughly a week. The Blue Jays initially thought he'd avoid the IL. It has been a disappointing year offensively for the 29-year-old Varsho, who will head to the shelf with a .256/.331/.408 slash line, .738 OPS, five home runs, 17 RBI, five stolen bases, and 27 runs scored in 64 games across 236 plate appearances. With Varsho on the sidelines for a bit longer, expect Toronto to mix and match in center field with Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes. Lukes is the more attractive option in deeper fantasy leagues for a short-term playing-time boost North of the border. Lukes, 31, is currently hitting .311 (33-for-106), but with only one homer, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored for the Jays.
Source: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
Source: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
Xander Bogaerts Returns From Paternity List
The San Diego Padres announced on Friday that they reinstated infielder Xander Bogaerts from the paternity list and designated outfielder Bryce Johnson for assignment in a corresponding move. Bogaerts was placed on the paternity list on Tuesday and missed the final two games of the series at Petco Park against the Cincinnati Reds. The 33-year-old veteran shortstop should return to San Diego's starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles and right-hander Shane Baz. Bogaerts will return to a .231/.303/.356 slash line, .658 OPS, eight home runs, 27 RBI, 27 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his 225 at-bats this year. Although he has three hits in his last two games, Bogaerts went hitless in his previous five games to start the month of June. The three-time All-Star is in just the 33rd percentile in hard-hit rate and the 47th percentile in xwOBA on the year. He has really struggled in the last two weeks, batting .152 (5-for-33) with a homer, double, three RBI, five runs, four walks, and nine strikeouts in 10 games played.
Source: San Diego Padres
Source: San Diego Padres
Jac Caglianone Emerging as a Must-Add Power Bat to Target on the Waiver Wire
Since the calendar flipped from May to June, Kansas City Royals outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone has been on an absolute tear at the plate. Across 36 plate appearances this month, the 23-year-old is hitting .533/.611/.900 with three home runs, eight RBI, eight runs scored, and two stolen bases. Swing-and-miss remains a concern in Caglianone's profile, as he's struck out in 29% of his plate appearances on the season. However, his underlying contact quality metrics are strong enough that it may not matter. Caglianone owns a 15.6% barrel rate and a 57.4% hard-hit rate and is now hitting .279 with eight home runs, 19 RBI, 26 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 231 plate appearances in 2026. The lefty-swinger has also held his own against same-handed pitching, recording a .295/.328/.492 slash line across 64 plate appearances against southpaws. In any league where he remains available, Caglianone profiles as a must-add outfielder ahead of what could be a superstar breakout.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rockies Promote Sean Sullivan, Worth an Add Ahead of Debut?
Colorado Rockies pitching prospect Sean Sullivan is set to make his MLB debut on Friday night as his team's starter against the Athletics, per Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette. The 23-year-old has largely struggled with Triple-A Albuquerque so far this season, recording a 5-3 record with a 5.60 ERA, 1.55 ERA, and 50 strikeouts across 54 2/3 innings (11 starts). However, he's been victimized by an abnormally high 14.7% HR/fly ball rate while pitching in the extremely hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Sullivan was much more productive across 97 1/3 innings (18 starts) with Double-A Hartford in 2025, logging a 3.14 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with a 24.2% strikeout rate. Sullivan will pitch in a hitter-friendly environment in Colorado, which lowers his fantasy appeal. Still, the young left-hander could be worth adding off the waiver wire in deeper league formats.
Source: The Denver Gazette - Kevin Henry
Source: The Denver Gazette - Kevin Henry
Christian Moore Emerging as Worthy Stash Candidate?
Los Angeles Angels second baseman Christian Moore has yet to appear in a big-league game in 2026. However, the 23-year-old has impressed across 226 plate appearances with Triple-A Salt Lake, hitting .309/.451/.514 with five home runs, 39 RBI, 48 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. Moore struggled across 184 plate appearances after making his MLB debut in 2025, hitting .198 with a 33.7% strikeout rate. He's made major improvements to his plate approach this season in the minors, lowering his strikeout rate to 22.1% while logging an elite 20.4% walk rate. The Angels have gotten capable production from second baseman Oswald Peraza so far this season, but Peraza's ability to play multiple spots on the infield could open a spot in Los Angeles for Moore. Given his five-category potential, Moore could be worth stashing off the waiver wire ahead of a potential promotion.
Source: milb.com
Source: milb.com
Drake Baldwin Set to Begin Rehab Assignment on Saturday
Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday. Baldwin has been on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain since May 19, but he appears to be on the doorstep of a return to the big leagues. The 25-year-old got off to an excellent start to the 2026 season before the injury, hitting .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs, 38 RBI, 39 runs scored, and one stolen base across 216 plate appearances. Baldwin's underlying metrics support his emergence, as he logged elite barrel (18.6%) and hard-hit (53.8%) rates. Atlanta also showed a willingness to use Baldwin as its designated hitter on days when he needed a break from being behind the plate, which keeps his bat in the lineup every day and allows him to maximize plate appearances for fantasy managers. Upon his return, Baldwin profiles as a must-start fantasy catcher across all league formats.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
JJ Bleday a Must-Add Waiver-Wire Target Amidst Breakout Season
Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday has emerged as a key piece of his team's lineup in 2026, hitting .270/.363/.568 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 23 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 171 plate appearances. The lefty-swinger has absolutely mashed right-handed pitching this season, logging a 1.019 OPS in 124 plate appearances against righties. He's been less effective against southpaws, but his .703 OPS against left-handers has been good enough for him to move from a platoon to an everyday role in recent weeks. Bleday's 12.8% barrel rate and 47% hard-hit rate are both the best marks of his career, and he has the additional benefit of playing his home games in Cincinnati's hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Bleday profiles as a must-add outfielder across all fantasy formats ahead of a potential breakout season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ryan Walker Recalled to Major Leagues, Will He Reclaim Closer Job?
San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Walker has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday ahead of the team's weekend set against the Chicago Cubs. Walker opened 2026 as the Giants' primary closer but was sent down in early May after recording a 6.46 ERA and 1.89 WHIP with 14 strikeouts and three blown saves across his first 15 1/3 innings of the season. The 30-year-old performed much better in Triple-A, logging a 1.93 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with seven strikeouts and one save across 8 1/3 innings (nine games). Upon his return, Walker may be the favorite to eventually reclaim the closer role in San Francisco. The Giants have used a committee approach in the ninth inning since demoting Walker, with right-hander Caleb Kilian currently leading the team with four saves. Despite his recent struggles, Walker has logged 30 saves for the Giants since the start of the 2024 season and could be worth targeting on the waiver wire now that he's back in San Francisco.
Source: San Francisco Giants
Source: San Francisco Giants
Carson Benge Deserves More Attention in Fantasy Leagues
It has been a lost season for the New York Mets, primarily due to injuries to their key players, but rookie outfielder Carson Benge has been a bright spot, and he should be rostered in more fantasy baseball leagues amid his recent hot streak. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State University has more than held his own in his first 65 big-league games, slashing .260/.318/.396 with a .713 OPS, seven home runs, nine doubles, a triple, 26 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored across 255 plate appearances. Benge has been even better so far in nine games in June, going 11-for-37 (.297) with three home runs, a triple, five RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 38 plate appearances. He even had a five-hit game on June 7 that included a home run and a triple. Although he hasn't had much exposure to lefties, he is hitting .350 (14-for-40) against them with two of his seven home runs on the year. Benge deserves more consideration from fantasy managers, as he's rostered in just under half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Ben Brown in the Midst of a Breakout Season
Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown opened the 2026 campaign in the bullpen for the Cubbies, but he quickly was transitioned to a starting role given all of the team's injuries to their starters. In his first 12 games out of the bullpen in Chicago, Brown had a 2.10 ERA (2.67 FIP) with 24 strikeouts, eight walks, one save, and two holds. Since joining the starting rotation on May 8, the 26-year-old has a 1.44 ERA (1.89 FIP) with 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 1/3 innings pitched over six starts. Brown has gone 4-2 as a starter and was just two outs shy of his third straight quality start in his last appearance on June 6 against the San Francisco Giants, when he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with just one hit allowed, one walk, and five punchouts. The former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 is now 2-2 on the season with a 1.74 ERA (2.24 FIP) and 0.88 WHIP with 58 strikeouts and 16 walks in 57 innings over 18 outings (six starts). Even as Chicago's starting staff gets healthier, Brown has staked his claim to a rotation spot for the rest of the year. He's rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues and will get a rematch against the offensively challenged Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Daniel Espino Worth an Add in Deep Leagues?
The Cleveland Guardians are set to call up flamethrowing right-handed pitching prospect Daniel Espino on Friday for what will be his major-league debut, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. The 2019 first-rounder ranked as high as MLB's No. 16 prospect in 2023 but missed almost all of four seasons from 2022 through 2025 due to injury. Espino, 25, is currently ranked as the Guardians' No. 15 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The former 24th overall selection in 2019 gets his first major-league call-up after posting a 5.30 ERA and 1.71 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 18 2/3 innings over his 22 appearances (one start) at Triple-A Columbus this year. Espino's MLB debut has been delayed due to multiple shoulder surgeries, and he's now being used as a full-time reliever. He hasn't exactly been pitching all that well before his big-league debut, so expect Cleveland to use him in more low-leverage situations out of the 'pen initially. Don't be surprised if it's a short stay for the 6-foot, 225-pounder. The native of Panama has a high-90s heater and a devastating slider that give him some interesting long-term potential as a high-leverage bullpen arm.
Source: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
Source: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
Hunter Greene a Prime Stash Candidate Ahead of Injury Return
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) has been out all season after having surgery in mid-March to remove bone chips from his right elbow. However, manager Terry Francona said last weekend that Greene could return from the 60-day injured list before the mid-July All-Star break. The 26-year-old was cleared to throw bullpen sessions in late May, and he could soon be cleared to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment. Although Greene's 2026 season debut isn't exactly imminent, the former second overall pick in 2017 should be picked up off the waiver wire and stashed now. When healthy, the flamethrowing right-hander can act as a fantasy ace, and he's currently rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues. Greene was a first-time All-Star in 2024 and has a 3.65 ERA (3.83 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, 30% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate in his four seasons in the majors with the Reds. Injuries have been an issue for Greene in his career, but you can't ignore the fact that he could be a fantasy difference-maker in the second half of 2026.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Payton Tolle Still Worth Adding After Recent Loss?
Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle was hit around a bit in his most recent start on June 9 in a loss to the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, surrendering four earned runs on a season-high nine hits allowed while walking one and striking out only three in his six innings of work. It wasn't Tolle's finest showing, but he deserves a pass given the opponent. Overall, the 23-year-old southpaw has been strong in just his second MLB campaign, going 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA (2.71 FIP) and 1.05 WHIP with 54 strikeouts and 14 walks in 53 1/3 innings pitched across his nine starts. Despite allowing a season-high nine hits, Tolle, a second-rounder in 2024 out of Texas Christian University, was one out away from picking up his sixth quality start of 2026 in his nine outings. Tolle sits in the 82nd percentile in hard-hit rate and the 79th percentile in walk rate, and his overall body of work through his first 16 big-league outings, dating back to last season, makes him one of the more intriguing young left-handed arms in the majors. Next on tap is a matchup against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Tolle allowed three earned runs with four walks and four strikeouts against them back on April 28 in just his second start of the season.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Roki Sasaki Quickly Becoming a Must-Add Off the Waiver Wire
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki struggled to a 6.35 ERA (7.16 FIP) with seven home runs allowed, 22 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 22 2/3 innings in his first five starts of the 2026 season. Control had been an issue for the young Japanese hurler, dating back to his rookie campaign with the Dodgers in 2025. Since the start of May, though, Sasaki has turned things around and has posted a 2.55 ERA (2.90 FIP), 38 strikeouts, and only eight walks in 35 1/3 innings across his six starts for L.A. He hasn't walked more than two batters in any of those starts, and he struck out a season-high 10 batters over seven shutout innings in a dominant showing his last time out on June 5 against the Los Angeles Angels. The 24-year-old has allowed just five runs (four earned) with 29 strikeouts and only five walks in 24 1/3 innings in his last four starts. Sasaki is going to have a much more difficult matchup on Friday night against a Chicago White Sox team that surprisingly ranks fifth in baseball with a .739 OPS. But with Sasaki showing better control in the last month-plus, fantasy managers have begun to latch onto him. He's currently rostered in just under 70% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
