RADIO
Framber Valdez Suspended Six Games
Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez has been suspended six games by the league and fined after throwing at Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday night, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth inning on Tuesday night and then hit Story, which caused both benches to clear. The 32-year-old southpaw was ejected from the contest in what continued a frustrating start to his Tigers tenure. The two-time All-Star is now 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 1/3 innings pitched across his eight starts. Valdez will likely appeal the suspension, which should allow him to make his next start, but if the suspension holds, he'll be forced to miss a turn through the starting rotation. The Tigers need Valdez to be better going forward after losing star left-hander Tarik Skubal (elbow) for at least several months, if not longer.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Ben Rice Remains Out on Wednesday With Hand Injury
New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (hand) remains sidelined due to a hand injury for Wednesday's contest against the visiting Texas Rangers in the Bronx, according to MLB.com. Paul Goldschmidt will make another start at first base and will bat sixth against Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. Rice will be missing a third straight game due to a left-hand contusion that he suffered in Sunday's victory over the Baltimore Orioles. His injury isn't considered very serious, so he could be back as soon as Thursday's series finale against Texas. Fantasy managers are just hoping that Rice's minor hand injury won't affect his production at the plate when he returns. The 27-year-old former 12th-rounder in 2021 out of Dartmouth College has been a must-start since breaking out last year. He's currently slashing .343/.455/.759 with a 1.214 OPS, 12 long balls, 27 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 108 at-bats. Goldy has plenty of experience against Eovaldi in his career, batting .238 against him with a .559 OPS and one RBI in 21 at-bats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Sonny Gray Officially Reinstated to Start on Wednesday
The Boston Red Sox announced that they officially reinstated right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday and optioned left-hander Alec Gamboa to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Gray will return to make the start against the Detroit Tigers in the series finale at Comerica Park. The 36-year-old veteran spent the minimum time on the IL with a right-hamstring strain that landed him on the shelf back on April 21. In a tough matchup, Gray will be more of a risk as a fantasy streamer in his first start back with the BoSox, especially since he didn't go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The Tigers come into Wednesday's action with the seventh-best team OPS (.724) in baseball. Gray enters his sixth start of the 2026 season with a 2-1 record, 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 13:5 K:BB in his 23 innings pitched over five starts.
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
Caleb Kilian Pushing for More Save Opportunities?
San Francisco Giants reliever Caleb Kilian earned his first save of the season on Monday night, and he's now in the mix to handle more save situations going forward. The 28-year-old didn't pitch in the majors last year, but he's having somewhat of a resurgence on the west coast. Through 15 games (16.0 innings), he owns a 1.13 ERA with 10.13 K/9, 4.50 BB/9, 1.13 HR/9, one save, and a 47.2% ground ball rate. A 4.21 FIP suggests that he could be a regression candidate, but his success in a leverage spot on Monday would seem to indicate that he could be due for save situations in the future. The Giants don't really have a defined closer role, but rather have been rotating between Ryan Walker, Keaton Winn, and Kilian. With that said, Walker blew a save in each of his last two outings, so he's falling out of favor quickly. Kilian has a perfect opportunity to emerge as Tony Vitello's go-to arm in the ninth inning.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rico Garcia Earns the Win in a Leverage Spot
Baltimore Orioles closer Rico Garcia excelled in a high-leverage situation on Tuesday, earning the win as the Orioles defeated the Miami Marlins 9-7. Garcia entered in a tough spot after Andrew Kittredge blew the save and allowed the Marlins to tie the game in the eighth inning. The 32-year-old ended up going 1.1 innings, striking out two batters and walking one. He has arguably been the most fascinating storyline in baseball this season. After a solid 2025 campaign, Garcia has taken his pitching production to the next level with just one hit over 16 innings this year. He has a 0.56 ERA, 10.13 K/9, and a 58.1% ground ball rate while posting a 3-0 record with one save. Fantasy managers would like to see a higher save total, but it's no fault of his own. The Orioles haven't earned a single save since April 28, but there's a very strong chance that Garcia will get the next one when the time comes. He's up to #50 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings and should jump even higher with more volume.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gregory Soto Poised to Take Over Ninth-Inning Role for Pirates?
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto has enjoyed a strong stretch of results and is beginning to emerge as the primary late-inning option for the Pirates. While Dennis Santana appeared to be the favorite for saves after taking over the closer role in 2025, the right-hander has struggled in the early going of the campaign, which has opened the door for Soto. Since tallying a save on April 15, Santana has posted a rough 8.10 ERA with a 2.10 WHIP, two losses, and one blown save over his last 6 2/3 innings. During this same stretch, Soto has struck out eight hitters over 7 1/3 innings while carrying a much stronger 2.45 ERA with a 0.68 WHIP. Even though Soto has only tallied one save so far this season, his underlying 1.91 xERA and elite 36.5% K% suggest he is far more suited for this role. Managers looking to find a reliever with high-end strikeout upside should look to stash Soto before he earns the bulk of the save opportunities on a competitive Pirates team.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Tony Santillan the Favorite to Take Over the Closer Job in Cincinnati?
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Santillan has seen his fantasy value spike following the injury to Emilio Pagan. During Tuesday's loss to the Cubs, Pagan exited the contest on a cart due to a hamstring injury. The right-hander is expected to be placed on the 15-day injured list, which will open up ninth-inning duties for Santillan. While Santillan may face some competition from fellow setup man Graham Ashcraft, the 29-year-old appears to be the slight favorite to earn the short-term save opportunities. This season, Santillan has tallied one save while posting a 2.87 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Pitching primarily in the eighth innings of games, Santillan has logged eight holds while striking out 16 batters over 15 2/3 innings. While he has struggled recently, allowing five earned runs over his last five innings, his track record of seeing eighth-inning opponents should make him the slight favorite for the ninth-inning role. He is worth adding in all 12-team leagues while Pagan is on the shelf.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jack Perkins Still the Athletics' Primary Closer?
Athletics relief pitcher Jack Perkins remains in line to earn save opportunities for the organization. Although he hasn't earned a save since April 30, neither has any other pitcher on the A's. The team hasn't found itself in a save situation so far in the month of May. When one of those situations does present itself going forward, we expect Perkins to be the go-to option out of the bullpen. He's well rested at this point, having not pitched since that April 30th save. Through eight games (13.1 innings) this year, he owns a 1.72 FIP with 11.48 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, and three saves. Although he's only inducing ground balls at a 36.4% clip, fantasy managers should be intrigued by the fact that he hasn't surrendered a home run yet. Perkins is up to #36 in RotoBaller's latest relief pitcher rankings for fantasy baseball, and he could climb even higher with more volume.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyler Glasnow Exits Early on Wednesday With Back Pain
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (low back pain) exited before the second inning of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. Glasnow threw 19 pitches in the first inning, and he started to get ready for the second inning before manager Dave Roberts and the trainer came out to check on him. He was ultimately removed from the game and replaced by Jack Dreyer. Fans and fantasy managers will hold their breath as the team conducts testing to determine the severity of his injury. If Glasnow is forced to miss any time, it would be another chapter in an injury-filled career. He's been highly effective when healthy, though, pitching to a 2.41 xERA with 10.94 K/9 and 3.03 BB/9 this season. On a positive note, the Dodgers do have reinforcements on the way. Blake Snell (shoulder) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list next week and could slot into Glasnow's rotation spot, if necessary.
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
Blake Snell Expected to Make His Final Rehab Start on Saturday
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (shoulder) will make another rehab start on Saturday at Single-A Ontario, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Barring a setback, this is expected to be Snell's final rehab outing before he returns to the Dodgers' 26-man roster. The veteran starter is presumably ready to put the injury issues behind him, as he's made just 11 regular-season starts since joining the Dodgers prior to the 2025 season. Across 61.1 innings last year, he posted a 2.35 ERA with 10.57 K/9, 3.82 BB/9, 0.44 HR/9, and a 48.7% ground ball rate. It initially seemed like Snell would take Justin Wrobleski's spot in the rotation, but Wrobleski has been pitching so well that Emmet Sheehan (4.31 FIP) may end up being the odd man out.
Source: Bill Plunkett
Source: Bill Plunkett
Luis Arraez Dealing With Hand Soreness
San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (hand) is dealing with some hand soreness, which is why he's out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against his former team, the San Diego Padres, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants have a scheduled day off on Thursday, so the Giants will likely try to avoid using him at all on Wednesday so that he gets three full days to heal up. Arraez tweaked his hand during a swing in Monday's series opener and was also held out of action in Tuesday's loss. The hot-hitting Casey Schmitt is starting at second again on Wednesday and will hit third for the Gigantes against Padres right-handed opener Bradgley Rodriguez. The 29-year-old Arraez continues to be a hitting machine for fantasy managers with a .316 average (42-for-133), but it comes with no home runs, 11 RBI, 14 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his first year in San Francisco. Check back on Friday to see if Arraez's hand is feeling good enough to allow him to return to the starting nine.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
Nathan Church Leaves Early After Being Hit by a Pitch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church (leg) was pulled from Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the top of the fourth inning after being hit by a pitch earlier in the game on his left leg, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News. Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat hit Church in the left shin with a pitch in the second inning, and he had to come out of the ballgame a bit later. For now, we'll consider the left-handed-hitting outfielder as day-to-day. Church was replaced in left field by Jose Fermin. The 25-year-old came into play on Wednesday with a .248/.278/.436 slash line, .713 OPS, five home runs, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 101 at-bats. He came into Wednesday's action riding a five-game hitting streak in which he's gone 6-for-21 (.286) with three doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored. Check back to see if Church is available for the Cardinals' series opener on Thursday night on the road at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres. UPDATE: Church was diagnosed with a left-leg contusion.
Source: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
Source: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
Luis Arraez a "Little Bit Sore," Out of Lineup on Wednesday
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello said that second baseman Luis Arraez (soreness) isn't in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival San Diego Padres because he's "just a little bit sore" from a swing in Monday's series opener against the Padres, according to Justice delos Santos of MLB.com. Vitello is hoping that Arraez will return to action for Thursday's series opener in San Fran against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With Arraez out on Wednesday, the hot-hitting Casey Schmitt will start at the keystone and will bat third for the Giants against Padres right-handed opener Bradgley Rodriguez. The 29-year-old Arraez continues to be an excellent asset for batting average in fantasy with a .316 average (42-for-133), but he doesn't contribute much elsewhere, as he's still searching for his first home run of the year and has added 11 RBI, 14 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 34 games. Check back on Thursday to see if Arraez is back in the Giants' starting lineup.
Source: MLB.com - Justice delos Santos
Source: MLB.com - Justice delos Santos
Brandon Woodruff has Fluid Drained From his Right Shoulder
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) had a minor procedure on Tuesday to drain fluid from his right shoulder, and he is tentatively set to resume throwing on Saturday, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Manager Pat Murphy thinks that Woodruff will only need a couple of bullpen sessions before he rejoins the starting rotation. The veteran hurler had a hands-on meeting with renowned Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday, which was an ominous sign, but instead, Woodruff received positive news, and he could rejoin Milwaukee's starting rotation sooner rather than later. He was placed on the 15-day injured list last Friday after he couldn't get over 85 mph with his fastball in his last start. It's good news for the 33-year-old, but fantasy managers should still be skeptical, and we wouldn't recommend throwing Woodruff back into your starting lineups when he's activated from the IL to make his next start. Remember, Woodruff had right-shoulder surgery that caused him to miss all of 2024, and he made only 12 starts last year due to various injuries, including a lat injury that ended his season early.
Source: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
Source: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
Garrett Mitchell Scratched on Wednesday With Illness
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell (illness) has been scratched from the lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals due to an illness, according to the team. Jackson Chourio will take over in center field and will bat second, while Tyler Black is starting in left field and hitting out of the seven-hole versus Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante. The Brewers have a scheduled day off on Thursday for travel, so Mitchell could be ready to rejoin the starting nine at home for Friday's series opener against the visiting New York Yankees at American Family Field. Mitchell, 27, has struggled at the plate so far in 2026, hitting just .219 (21-for-96) with one home run, 21 RBI, five stolen bases, and 15 runs scored in 32 games played. He hasn't reached his true power/speed potential in the big leagues with the Brew Crew, having not played more than 69 games due to injuries since debuting in Milwaukee in 2022. Because of his slow start, Mitchell is only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: Milwaukee Brewers
Source: Milwaukee Brewers
