Detroit Tigers infielder/outfielder Javier Baez is out of the starting lineup for Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park. Trey Sweeney will make the start at the 6 and will hit ninth against Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. Baez stayed hot in the Game 1 win on Thursday by going 2-for-4. He entered the day hitting a cool .340 (17-for-50) with three home runs, two doubles, six RBI and nine runs scored in 14 games in the month of June to raise his season slash line to a healthy .289/.324/.474 with a .798 OPS, nine home runs, 35 RBI and 32 runs scored in 211 at-bats. Baez's .252 xBA, two percentile chase rate and 49th percentile strikeout rate mean his current form isn't really sustainable the rest of the year, but fantasy managers should continue to ride him while he's hot. Sweeney will be a low-upside, long-shot sleeper for DFS lineups against Skenes.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu (oblique) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list before Friday's series opener on the road in San Francisco against the Giants after the team demoted rookie infielder Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne. Abreu, 25, has gone 1-for-6 in two minor-league rehab games with Worcester and appears to be on the verge of returning to the big-league roster after straining his left oblique. The Venezuelan outfielder should at least play regularly in Boston against right-handed pitchers now that Campbell is in the minors and Rafael Devers is with the Giants. Before his injury, Abreu was slashing .245/.321/.471 with an above-average .792 OPS, 13 homers, 32 RBI, 28 runs and four steals in 208 at-bats. With a hard-hit rate in the 67th percentile and an xBA of .263, Abreu will be a useful corner outfielder in deep-mixed leagues.

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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (wrist) threw and took some dry swings in Philadelphia on Thursday, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Lochlahn March. The plan is for Harper to throw a little bit longer and further on Friday while also potentially hitting off a tee. At that point, the Phillies will have a better idea on a timetable for when Harper might be able to return. The 32-year-old two-time MVP is in the early stages of resuming baseball activities after landing on the 10-day injured list two weeks ago with inflammation in his right wrist. There's a chance that he can return before the All-Star break in mid-July, but the Phillies probably won't rush their star player back to the big leagues. Harper should be stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. In the meantime, Alec Bohm will play first base, which has opened up playing time at third for rookie Otto Kemp (knee).

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San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) threw a simulated game last Saturday and is scheduled to throw another one on Friday, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. If Darvish comes out of Friday feeling good, a minor-league rehab assignment will likely follow. The 38-year-old Japanese veteran has yet to pitch in 2025 due to right-elbow inflammation, but he could be ready to rejoin the team's starting rotation just before or just after the mid-July All-Star break. Although Darvish is past his prime and might not have much left in the tank, he could still be useful as rotation depth in deeper fantasy leagues as well as a spot starter based on matchups. The five-time All-Star only made 16 starts in 2024 with the Friars due to injury and a personal issue, going 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while fanning 78 and walking 22 in 81 2/3 innings pitched.

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Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will take a seat on the bench for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Miami Marlins. Rafael Marchan will work behind the plate for left-hander Cristopher Sanchez and will bat eighth against Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera. Realmuto got off to a very slow start with the lumber early on in 2025, but he's looked better as the weather has warmed up and is hitting .313 (15-for-48) with three doubles, six RBI and eight runs scored in 13 games in the month of June. It has raised the 34-year-old veteran backstop's season slash line to .241/.308/.364 with a below-average .642 OPS. Realmuto has also contributed only five long balls, although his xBA of .257 foreshadows more positive regression coming this summer. Marchan should be avoided for DFS lineups down at the bottom of the batting order.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck (elbow) went one inning in a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday and allowed an earned run on two hits while walking one and striking out none to pick up a loss against Triple-A Buffalo. Houck threw 18 of his 32 pitches for strikes and was pain-free during the outing. The 28-year-old will make his next rehab start next Tuesday with the WooSox. He got off to a nightmarish start with the BoSox earlier this year and hasn't pitched in a major-league game since May 12. It's unclear when the former first-rounder might return to the big-league roster, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues should take a wait-and-see approach, especially since Houck could return to Boston in a relief role. Before his injury, Houck was sporting an 8.04 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with only 32 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings over his nine starts.

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ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the Boston Red Sox are sending rookie infielder Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester, according to sources. Campbell signed an eight-year, $60 million deal with Boston this spring and was hitting a strong .301/.407/.495 by the end of April. However, he's slashing .159/.243/.222 since then and will get a chance to reset himself at Worcester to close out the first half of the 2025 season. In addition to falling off at the plate since his strong start, the 22-year-old has struggled defensively at second base in Boston. At least until Alex Bregman (quadriceps) returns from the 10-day injured list, David Hamilton should continue to start at the keystone for the BoSox. Campbell is currently hitting .223 (51-for-229) at the big-league level with six homers, 21 RBI, 24 runs scored and two stolen bases. He'll almost certainly be back in Beantown at some point in the second half.

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SeattleMariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes went 1-for-3 with two walks and a three-run home run on Wednesday for High-A Everett. The longball was his 15th of the year, which leads the entire Northwest League, as does his five triples, 45 RBI, and .540 slugging percentage. The Mariners' second-ranked prospect is hitting .259 thus far witha .410 wOBA and 137 wRC+. Flaunting some of the biggest power in the minors and now with115 games at High-A under his belt, the 20-year-old should get a chance to prove himselfat Double-A later this year, and is a prospect to keep an eye on in dynasty leagues.

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New York Mets right-hander Frankie Montas (lat) didn't look like a pitcher ready to make his 2025 big-league debut during his latest minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, allowing five earned runs on seven hit (one homer) while walking one and striking out only two in five innings of work to pick up a loss against Triple-A Jacksonville. The 32-year-old did go 80 pitches in the outing, but he's posted a 12.05 ERA and 2.14 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and 10 walks in 18 2/3 frames over his six rehab starts with Syracuse and High-A Brooklyn. He's set to come off the injured list on June 23 after missing the entire season to this point with a lat injury suffered in spring training. Based on how Montas has looked in the minors and the fact the Mets could ease him in out of the bullpen, fantasy managers in mixed leagues won't be very interested.

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The Seattle Times' Adam Jude reports that Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (oblique) is on the verge of being activated from the 10-day injured list and could return this weekend for a series against the Chicago Cubs. When he does return, the 30-year-old left-handed slugger is expected to be in the strong side of a platoon in Seattle in right field. He has gone 7-for-19 with a home run and a double in five minor-league rehab games with Triple-A Tacoma. Fantasy managers in shallow formats can continue to ignore Raley, who will be returning to just a .206/.345/.324 slash line with two round-trippers, eight RBI and 10 runs scored in his 68 at-bats. In addition to being able to play right field, Raley could be used at first base and designated hitter by the M's. His power can be useful in deeper fantasy formats after he hit a career-high 22 homers in 2024.

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Colorado Rockies third base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's contest for High-A Spokane. The 2024 first-rounder has now reached base at least once via hit or walk in each of his first 25 games since coming off the injured list in May. The Rockies' top prospect is now hitting .359 (33-for-92) with four doubles and three home runs, while touting a .491 OBP thanks to a 19.0 percent walk rate (17.2 percent strikeout rate). A challenge at Double-A (or higher) shouldn't be far off, and with his pedigree, he could be a fast mover through the organization.

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New York Yankees right-handed reliever Luke Weaver (hamstring) could be activated from the 15-day injured list before Friday's series opener in the Bronx against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, according to manager Aaron Boone. Weaver has recovered very quickly from a left-hamstring strain that he suffered less than three weeks ago and will skip a minor-league rehab assignment after looking and feeling great during a live batting practice session on Tuesday. Although the 31-year-old veteran was serving as New York's closer at the time of his injury, it's entirely possible that he'll return to a late-inning setup role ahead of right-hander Devin Williams, who has looked much better since Weaver went down with his hamstring injury. Still, Weaver has been lights-out in 2025 and should remain valuable in most fantasy formats.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfieldprospect Justin Crawford (quadriceps) returned to action this past Saturday after missing over a week with a quad injury, but appears to be fully recovered. ThePhils' third-ranked prospect has gone 4-for-16 (.250) with a 2:2 BB:K since his return, and his stolen base in Wednesday's contest should allay any concerns that the injury could limit hisbaserunning ability. Through 56 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the formerfirst-round draft pick boasts a .342/.410/.434 slash line with 24 steals. Look for the 21-year-old to get the call to the majors in the second half, and he could provide an instant boost in the stolen base department when that happens.

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The Philadelphia Phillies announced that they transferred right-hander Aaron Nola (ankle, ribs) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday to make room on the active roster for infielder Buddy Kennedy, who had his contract selected from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The move officially means that Nola will not be able to return from the IL until just after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 32-year-old originally landed on the 15-day IL with a sprained ankle, but now the primary concern is a stress reaction in his right rib cage. Nola's first half of the 2025 campaign was one to forget, as he went 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA (5.00 FIP) and 1.51 WHIP while striking out 52 and walking 16 in 49 2/3 innings over nine starts. His xERA of 4.94 doesn't exactly give hope to fantasy managers that he'll bounce back in the second half with better health. He's currently in the 57th percentile in K rate and 48th percentile in whiff rate.

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New York Yankees pitching prospect Jayvien Sandridge has been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The relief pitcher will be making his MLB debut whenever he enters a game for the Yankees. The 26-year-old had made only six appearances at Triple-A before his call-up, allowing just one earned run on four hits and four walks while striking out 13 batters. Over the course of his minorleague career since 2018, the 6-foot-5 southpaw owns an impressive 32.7 percent strikeout rate, however, it comes with a concerning 17.7 percent walk rate. Hopefully that is something the Yankees can help remedy while he's with the big league club. The 6-foot-5 hurler will take the place of Yerry De los Santos, who was placed on the 15-day injured list, but Sandridge likely doesn't warrant consideration for fantasy at this point.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski will make his second MLB start on Friday in Minnesota against the Twins after having his last scheduled start against the division-rival Chicago Cubs postponed on Wednesday. He'll be opposed by Twins right-hander Joe Ryan in the series opener at Target Field. The 23-year-old is the club's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and looked outstanding in his big-league debut on June 12 against the St. Louis Cardinals, tossing five shutout innings with no hits allowed, four walks and five strikeouts for his first win. Although the Twins offense has picked things up of late, they rank 19th in the league with a .699 OPS entering play on Thursday. Misiorowski has some of the best stuff as far as young pitching prospects and has the upside to be a 200-strikeout pitcher sooner than later.

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St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray will make his next start this weekend against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold. Gray was originally scheduled to start in Chicago in an excellent matchup against the White Sox on Thursday, but that game was postponed due to inclement weather. His last outing against the Milwaukee Brewers (six runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings) broke a string of four straight outings with three earned runs or less, with three of those four starts being scoreless showings. The 35-year-old veteran will be looking to bounce back this weekend, but it won't be easy against a Reds offense that currently ranks 10th in baseball with a .727 OPS. The former first-rounder has been serviceable in all fantasy formats with a 7-2 record, 3.84 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 85 punchouts in 79 2/3 innings over 14 starts.

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (hand) is expected to continue wearing a splint on his injured right hand through the end of the week, but he is taking part in light conditioning and baseball activities, according to MLB.com. The 32-year-old veteran sprained ligaments in his hand and was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 10, but barring a setback, he is expected to be able to return before the All-Star break in mid-July. It's good news for the Giants and fantasy managers, although Chapman might still not return until early July. In the meantime, Casey Schmitt will continue to handle starting third base duties in the Bay Area. Schmitt has picked it up offensively for the Gigantes since Chapman went down with an injury, going 6-for-24 (.250) with two home runs, 10 RBI and three runs scored. He's really only a short-term stopgap option for those in NL-only formats.

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Tampa Bay Rays first base/outfield prospect Tre' Morgan (foot) was activated from the 7-day injured list on Wednesday and went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI, and a run scored for Triple-A Durham. The Rays' fourth-ranked prospect had been dealing with a sprained right foot, but appears to be fully recovered. The 22-year-old had alreadymissed a week in mid-May and also a couple of weeks at the beginning of the season due to a quadinjury, logging just 27 games played so far in 2025. Ignoring the missed time, the left-handed slugger is riding an eight-gamehit streak, during which time he's gone 15-for-33 (.455), although just one of those hits went for extra bases. Overall, the former third-rounder has fared well in his first taste of Triple-A, hitting .306 and logging a .424 OBP thanks to a strong 14.4 percent walk rate. The youngster hit 10 home runs and stole 20 bags last year in 100 games, and while he owns a 60-grade hit tool per MLB Pipeline, it might be his 70-grade fielding that gets him on the big league roster later this year.

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (oblique) strained his left oblique while taking extra swings during the team's off day on June 16 and will meet with Dr. Ken Akizuki to go over the results of his MRI exam. Encarnacion is expected to be out for a while, according to manager Bob Melvin. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 17, but fantasy managers should probably expect the 27-year-old outfielder to be out beyond the mid-July All-Star break. Encarnacion didn't make his 2025 debut until June due to a fractured hand, and when he finally returned, he went 3-for-22 at the plate in eight games before injuring his oblique. It's been that kind of season for Encarnacion, who looked like he was going to be a big part of the team's lineup when he was swinging the bat well in spring training.

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