Detroit Tigers first baseman Colt Keith is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. It's not shocking to see Keith out against a southpaw considering his struggles against them this season. However, Keegan Akin is starting and is likely only going to pitch an inning or two. Afterwards, right-hander Dean Kremer is expected to take over as the bulk pitcher. That means, Keith could possibly come into the game as a pinch-hitter, but it's probably safer for fantasy managers just to bench him here. Keith is more of a deep league option with four home runs, 19 RBI and a .241/.332/.385 slash line on the season. Spencer Torkelson will cover first base and bat cleanup on Thursday.

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Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs. This is a rare off day for Hayes who has started in 14 of his last 15 games, including five straight contests. Hayes has been swinging the bat better lately with at least one hit in six of his last seven games. Despite that, Hayes has been putting together an underwhelming campaign at the plate. Jared Triolo will cover third base and bat ninth versus right-hander Jameson Taillon on Thursday.

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New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Kansas City Royals. This appears to be a regular rest day for LeMahieu who has started in five straight games. During that span, LeMahieu has recorded a hit in each of those contests, including two multi-hit performances. Despite his recent success, LeMahieu isn't worth a look in most fantasy formats right now. Pablo Reyes will cover second base and bat eighth versus right-hander Seth Lugo on Thursday.

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Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Davis will head to the bench after starting in six of the last seven games. During that span, Davis has registered two multi-hit performances, but has only one hit over his last three games. He's likely the bulk of the playing time behind the plate with Endy Rodriguez (elbow) and Joey Bart (concussion) both sidelined right now. Despite that, Davis isn't worth a look in most fantasy formats at the moment. Brett Sullivan will do the catching and bat eighth versus right-hander Jameson Taillon on Thursday.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (wrist) is back in the starting lineup for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Sonny Gray at American Family Field, serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup. A swollen right wrist caused Yelich to miss the last two games, but he's back in there to start a crucial divisional series against a pitcher that he has plenty of experience with. The 33-year-old left-handed hitter has hit .250 against Gray with a home run and four RBI in 24 career at-bats. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Yelich can pick things back up after going just 3-for-17 with eight strikeouts in his last five games played. He's hitting just .233 on the season but with 13 homers, 41 RBI and 10 stolen bases, and he ranks in the 72nd percentile in average exit velocity and sports a .248 xBA.

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New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (groin) is out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the hosting Kansas City Royals after being pulled from Wednesday's game with left-groin tightness. The previous day, the 27-year-old left the contest prematurely with neck tightness, so it's not much of a surprise that he's out on Thursday. Oswald Peraza is starting at third and batting ninth on Thursday against Royals right-hander Seth Lugo. For now, fantasy managers should consider Chisholm to be day-to-day and check back to see if he's active for Friday's series opener in Beantown against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Peraza, who has hit .170 (17-for-100) with three homers, 11 RBI and 13 runs scored this year, would become the team's primary third baseman if Chisholm requires another stint on the injured list.

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Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins will take the day off on Thursday against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander Tarik Skubal. Colton Cowser will handle center field duties and will hit ninth, with Dylan Carlson playing left field and batting eighth. Mullins actually has reverse splits against lefties this year, going 13-for-46 (.283) against them, but with just two of his 10 home runs on the season. He's hitting just .217 (31-for-143) against right-handers in 2025. Since returning from a stay on the injured list due to a hamstring injury, Mullins has gone 2-for-8 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in two games. DFS managers should be looking to avoid both Cowser and Carlson against last year's American League Cy Young winner. Cowser has never faced Skubal, while Carlson is hitting .143 against him in seven career at-bats.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is getting his first breather of the 2025 season in Thursday's series finale at Kauffman Stadium against the Kansas City Royals. With Judge on the bench, Cody Bellinger will shift to right field and will hit cleanup against veteran right-hander Seth Lugo. Judge has been the best player in baseball this year, but everyone needs a break eventually. The 33-year-old two-time MVP and six-time All-Star is hitting an absurd .394/.490/.779 with a 1.269 OPS, 25 home runs, 59 RBI, 64 runs scored and six steals in 249 at-bats. He has also homered four times in his last three games. Expect to see him back in the lineup for Friday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Bellinger is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak (10-for-33 with a homer and four RBI) and has hit .286 with a homer and two RBI in seven career at-bats against Lugo.

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New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz bailed the Mets out on Thursday at Citi Field to help them sweep the division-rival Washington Nationals, but it wasn't easy. He was called on to clean up the mess that Ryne Stanek created in the top of the ninth inning when he allowed three straight hits to open the inning. Diaz walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and then gave up a hit to Josh Bell to cut the Mets' lead to just two. A wild pitch scored another run, but the 31-year-old right-hander got out of the jam to help the team win 4-3 with two groundouts to end the ball game. It wasn't easy, but Diaz got the job done and has only blown one of his 16 save chances on the year. He has given up just one earned run in his last 18 2/3 innings pitched and has struck out 42 and walked 12 in his 28 1/3 innings this season. Diaz remains an elite fantasy closer.

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New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil continued to swing a hot bat in Thursday's 4-3 victory over the division-rival Washington Nationals at Citi Field to complete the sweep. McNeil went 1-for-2 in the contest with a three-run home run off right-hander Michael Soroka in the first inning to set the tone. The 33-year-old former National League batting champion now has three long balls in his last four games and is hitting .340 (16-for-47) in his last 13 games to raise his season average to .270 and his OPS to .911. He got a late start to the 2025 season due to injury but has now clubbed seven home runs and driven in 22 runs in his first 38 games played in 2025. McNeil hit only .238 (101-for-424) a season ago for the Mets in 129 games with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. We want to see more from McNeil before saying he's back, but there's no denying he's seeing the ball well right now at the plate.

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New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (hamstring) suffered a right-hamstring strain during his start on Thursday against the division-rival Washington Nationals and will go on the 15-day injured list, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The Mets won't know the exact severity of his hamstring injury until Senga undergoes an MRI exam on Friday. The 32-year-old injured himself covering first base on a ground ball in the sixth inning in which he came down awkwardly on his right leg on a high throw that he had to jump for. It's unclear how much time he'll need to miss, but it's a big blow for fantasy managers and the Mets. Before leaving, Senga was masterful, tossing 5 2/3 shutout innings while allowing just one hit, walking one and striking out five for his seventh win of the year. Keep Senga stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy formats.

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St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (toe) remains out of action for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Nolan Gorman will get another start at second base and will hit seventh against Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who is making his MLB debut. Donovan is dealing with a sprained capsule in the joint of his left big toe and will miss his second straight game, but he doesn't believe it's a situation that will land him on the injured list. The 28-year-old could return to the lineup at some point this weekend in Milwaukee. Gorman continues to be a disappointment for the Cardinals offensively and enters Thursday's action hitting just .220 (24-for-109) with three homers, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored. However, he's batting .368 (7-for-19) with two homers, a double and five RBI in eight games in June.

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The Detroit Tigers announced on Thursday that they optioned right-hander Beau Brieske to Triple-A Toledo and selected the contract of left-hander Matt Gage from Toledo in a corresponding move. To make room for Gage on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitching prospect Jackson Jobe (elbow) was moved to the 60-day injured list. Brieske gets the boot down to the farm after a rough outing on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles in which he surrendered five runs in just one-third of an inning. The 27-year-old reliever has struggled in 2025 in his fourth year in the big leagues, going 1-3 with a career-worst 6.55 ERA, a 1.64 WHIP, one save, 16 K's and 12 walks in 22 innings pitched. Gage, 32, gets the call after posting a 1.67 ERA with 28 K's and only four walks in 32 1/3 innings for the MudHens. He allowed six runs (four earned) with nine walks and 20 K's in 19 2/3 big-league innings the last two years.

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Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (oblique) is scheduled to start his minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday with Triple-A Tacoma, according to The Seattle Times' Adam Jude. It could be a rather lengthy rehab assignment for Raley, who has been sidelined since late April with a strained right oblique. But once the 30-year-old veteran left-handed slugger returns to Seattle, he could be on the strong side of a platoon in right field against right-handed pitchers. Before his injury, he was hitting just .206/.345/.324 with two home runs, eight RBI, 10 runs scored and two stolen bases in 24 games played. Raley's power/speed combination makes him worth rostering in deep-mixed leagues as a depth piece. In 2023 and 2024 with the Tampa Bay Rays and Mariners, Raley combined for 41 home runs, 107 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 255 games.

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Kansas City Royals outfielder Drew Waters is not in the team's starting lineup in Thursday's series finale against the visiting New York Yankees at Kauffman Stadium. With Waters sitting, Nick Loftin will draw into the lineup in left field and will bat in the seven-hole against Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Waters has really struggled so far in the month of June through nine games, going 5-for-25 with a steal, three runs, two walks and nine strikeouts. Overall, the 26-year-old has hit .269/.307/.359 with a below-average .666 OPS, just one home run, 13 RBI, 20 runs and five stolen bases in 167 at-bats on the year. DFS managers are better off looking elsewhere on Thursday. Loftin has a solid .281 average (9-for-32) in a limited sample size with a homer, three RBI and a stolen base.

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New York Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman (knee) made his first minor-league rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Wednesday against Double-A Portland and looked good, allowing an earned run on one hit while walking two and striking out four in 3 1/3 innings pitched. It was the first game for Stroman since he landed on the 15-day injured list back on April 11 with inflammation in his left knee. The 34-year-old is being built back up as a starter on his rehab assignment, but that doesn't mean he'll be guaranteed a starting rotation spot when he's back in the Bronx. The two-time All-Star let up 12 earned runs on 12 hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out seven in 9 1/3 innings over three starts early this season before injuring his knee. Even if Stroman is able to bounce back upon his return and induce more ground balls, there's little fantasy upside remaining in his arm.

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Miami Marlins pitching prospect Noble Meyer allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out three over four innings of workon Wednesday for High-A Beloit. The 20-year-old appears to be rounding into form over his last five starts, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 22.5 percent K-BB% in 19 IP, compared to a 7.13 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, and a 7.9 percent K-BB% in 17 2/3 IP over his first five starts of the year. At this rate, the Marlins' fourth-ranked prospect should get a handful of startsat Double-A by season's end. The 6-foot-5 hurler is young, but with his big frame and first-round pedigree, MLB.com's top prospects list gives the youngster a 2026 ETA. With 145 strikeouts in 121 2/3 career minor league innings (10.73 K/9, 26.9 percent K%), he has good strikeout stuff and is a pitcher worth keeping an eye on in dynasty leagues.

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Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara has looked better his last two starts, but they came against the lowly Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates. However, manager Clayton McCullough saw a difference in "the quality of Sandy's throws." A rival official also said, "I walked away saying he is about three or four starts away from being the Sandy of old." The 29-year-old Dominican is sitting on an ERA north of 7.00 with a 1.49 WHIP in his first 13 starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, but if he's able to bounce back, he will be one of the best starters available on the trade market this summer. Like many hurlers coming off TJ surgery, Alcantara's walk rate was bloated. Most of his stuff is back to pre-injury quality, but command has eluded him. He's using his fastball and curve more while adapting his pitch mix depending on the lineups he faces. Fantasy managers shouldn't give up on Alcantara.

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The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Thursday that they recalled outfielder Michael Siani from Triple-A Memphis and optioned right-hander Chris Roycroft to Memphis and designated outfielder Ryan Vilade for assignment in corresponding moves. Siani played in 18 games with the Cardinals earlier this year before being sent down and went 4-for-16 with four runs scored, one walk and six strikeouts. The 25-year-old could see some occasional starts in center field to spell Victor Scott II, but he will most likely be a bench outfielder for the Cards in his return to the big leagues. In 124 games for St. Louis last year, Siani slashed .228/.285/.285 with a weak .570 OPS, two home runs, 20 RBI, 42 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 334 plate appearances. He's really only an option for depth in NL-only leagues for his speed.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Josue De Paula went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored on Tuesday, extending his hitting streak to seven games at High-A Great Lakes. The Dodgers' second-ranked prospect is having a strong season, slashing .281/.418/.458 with eight home runs, 23 RBI, 40 runs scored, and 16 stolenbases. The 6-foot-3 slugger continues to impress with his approach as well, logging more walks (47) than strikeouts (46). With Dalton Rushing soon to graduatefrom the prospect ranks, De Paula is in line to become the team's top-ranked prospect and should push for a promotion to Double-A within the coming weeks.

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