Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone achieved a big milestone during Thursday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Caglianone slapped a ball down the first base line for his first career MLB hit. It was an RBI-double and his lone hit in the game as he went 1-for-4 in the loss. The top prospect is 1-for-9 over his first two games, but no one should be surprised if it takes time for him to get adjusted to the MLB level. Caglianone has all the skills to be a star at the big league level, so he should be rostered in basically all fantasy formats right now.

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Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Washington Nationals. This appears to be a routine rest day for Kelly who has started the first two games of this series. During that span, Kelly has gone 2-for-9 with two runs scored. In his absence, Reese McGuire will take over behind the plate and bat ninth versus right-hander Jake Irvin. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of first pitch.

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New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. LeMahieu will make his way to the bench after starting in each of the last four games. During that span, LeMahieu registered five hits, three RBI, and two walks. The veteran slugger doesn't offer much value outside of some AL-only formats at this point in his career. Oswald Peraza will take over at second base and bat ninth versus right-hander Slade Cecconi on Thursday.

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Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Houston Astros. This is a rare off day for Horwitz who has started in every game since May 20. Horwitz has good power potential, but hasn't done much at the plate this season. He's slashing .230/.299/.328 with one home run and five RBI this season. That being said, Horwitz isn't someone worth rostering in most fantasy formats. Jared Triolo will cover first base and bat eighth versus left-hander Framber Valdez on Thursday.

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Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (side) was forced to exit early during Thursday's game against the Minnesota Twins. It's not exactly clear what's wrong with Langeliers, but he appears to have suffered a side or oblique injury during Thursday's contest. The expectation is that Langeliers will undergo further testing, so fantasy managers should get another update on his status. He went 1-for-4 with a double and a pair of strikeouts before leaving the game. Logan Davidson took over at the designated hitter spot for the rest of the contest.

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday. Well this is unfortunate news, Rocker was activated off the injured list on Wednesday. He took the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays, but it didn't exactly go well for Rocker. The right-hander was hit around for five earned runs on six hits over 3 innings of work. The move to option Rocker isn't shocking given he holds a 8.87 ERA, and 1.84 WHIP across six starts this season. In a corresponding move, right-handed reliever Chris Martin (shoulder) has been activated off the injured list and will take over the spot on the roster. Martin figures to be in the mix for saves in Texas.

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Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga (hamstring) threw 39 pitches over two innings during a live batting practice session on Wednesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Maddie Lee. It's the first time that Imanaga has faced hitters since he landed on the 15-day injured list in early May with a left-hamstring strain. The Cubs are bringing the 31-year-old Japanese southpaw along slowly, but if he doesn't suffer any setbacks as he continues to ramp up, he should be back in Chicago's starting rotation by late June. Because of how much time he's missed at this point, it seems likely that Imanaga will need at least a short minor-league rehab assignment. There's no reason why he should be floating around on any waiver wires, so pick him up immediately if he's available. Imanaga was an All-Star in his first MLB season in 2024 and had a 2.82 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 34:14 K:BB in eight starts this year before going down.

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Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) has been scratched from his minor-league rehab start on Friday for Double-A Akron after reporting right-elbow soreness after throwing a bullpen session the other day, according to MLB.com's Zack Meisel. Bieber met with team doctors and will consult with Dr. Keith Meister to figure out the next step. The 30-year-old's first rehab start came in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, where Bieber threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings. It's unclear exactly what this means for Bieber, but it's not great news after he made only two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Even without a setback with his surgically-repaired right elbow, the two-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner was looking at a 2025 debut in the second half of the season. Any setbacks at this juncture could result in Bieber missing all of this year. Stay tuned.

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After the Atlanta Braves' ninth-inning collapse in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Thursday's series finale in which the bullpen gave up seven runs to lose in the ninth inning, the Braves are calling up veteran right-handed reliever Craig Kimbrel from Triple-A Gwinnett, sources tell The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The 37-year-old Kimbrel returned to the Braves on a minor-league deal after spending the first five seasons of his career in Atlanta. In 15 relief appearances for the Stripers before his call-up, Kimbrel held a 2.45 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and eight walks in 14 2/3 frames. The nine-time All-Star and former National League Rookie of the Year has 440 career saves in 15 big-league seasons, but he's unlikely to unseat Raisel Iglesias as the Braves' closer. However, he could be used in a high-leverage relief role and pick up some holds as a late-inning setup man.

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The Athletic's Matt Gelb reports that the Philadelphia Phillies expect right-hander Zack Wheeler (personal) to come off the paternity list and rejoin their starting rotation early next week in a home series against the Chicago Cubs. Wheeler was placed on the paternity list on Wednesday after missing his normally scheduled start in Toronto against the Blue Jays. The 35-year-old veteran will also miss the upcoming series in Pittsburgh against the last-place Pirates. Wheeler's next scheduled matchup against the Cubs is as tough as they come, but he's once again a must-start in fantasy in 2025. As a result of pushing Wheeler back even further than this weekend, the Phillies will roll with a bullpen game against the Bucs on Friday. Wheeler has been great for fantasy managers again this year, going 6-2 with a 2.96 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 94 K's in 76 frames.

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Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor (hand, shoulder) was pulled from Thursday's come-from-behind victory over the hosting Atlanta Braves early at Truist Park and is being deemed day-to-day with a sore hand and shoulder. Naylor didn't appear to injure himself during the team's 11-10 win, which would seem to indicate that the 27-year-old won't face an extended absence. Before leaving in the series finale, he went 1-for-2 with a single, two RBI and a strikeout. Fantasy managers will need to check back to see if Naylor is available for Friday's series opener in Cincinnati against the Reds. If he does miss some time with multiple injuries, Pavin Smith is the most likely candidate to see starts at first base for Arizona. Naylor is having a fine first season in the desert and came into Thursday's game hitting .287/.344/.448 with a .792 OPS, seven round-trippers, 37 RBI, 30 runs and nine steals in 230 ab-bats.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (elbow) is dealing with a right-elbow contusion, according to the team, and is being returned to the injured list and pulled off his minor-league rehab assignment. In what was supposed to be his final rehab start with Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday, Woodruff was drilled by a comebacker on his right elbow. It's been a wild ride for fantasy managers that have been stashing the 32-year-old veteran. Woodruff didn't pitch at all in 2024 after having right-shoulder surgery in October of 2023, and he also dealt with ankle tendinitis last month, which delayed him further. It's unclear exactly when he might make his 2025 debut now, but he's looked good on his rehab assignment, posting a 2.11 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in nine starts. Fantasy managers need to wait just a bit longer.

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New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) hasn't played at all this year due to tendinitis in both of his elbows, and although manager Aaron Boone said on Wednesday that Stanton isn't yet ready to return from the injured list, the 35-year-old slugger could be nearing a return. SNY's Andy Martino writes that word around the team is that Stanton could stay in Tampa over the weekend and begin a minor-league rehab assignment as soon as early next week. If he doesn't suffer any setbacks with his elbows, Stanton could make his season debut around mid-June. He is 71 home runs away from 500 in his career, and has had at least 24 long balls in each of his last four seasons. It's reasonable to expect him to be DH-only when he returns, which could push Ben Rice out of regular lineup spot. Stanton is worth stashing for his power alone in fantasy leagues.

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New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt will start on the bench for Thursday's game in the Bronx against the visiting Cleveland Guardians. Ben Rice will start at first base and bat out of the two-hole against Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi. Goldschmidt has been having a nice bounce-back season in his first year in pinstripes in 2025, but he'll take a seat after going 1-for-16 with a stolen base, walk and five strikeouts in his last four games played. The former MVP is hitting a strong .323 (72-for-223) on the season but has an xBA of .294, which means fantasy managers should expect some more regression as the season ages. The 37-year-old has added six home runs, 28 RBI, 38 runs scored and five stolen bases after showing signs of offensive decline in his last couple seasons with the Cardinals in 2023 and 2024.

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New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (thumb) is starting in left field and batting seventh in Thursday's game against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and right-hander Slade Cecconi in the Bronx. Dominguez jammed his thumb in Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Dodgers and missed the first two games of the series against the Guards as a result. The 22-year-old youngster is back in action on Thursday, though, and will be looking to extend his current hitting streak to five games against a pitcher he's never faced. He's gone 4-for-10 with a double, RBI, two steals and a run scored in his last four games for the Yankees. Dominguez is playing regularly in his first full season in the big leagues and is currently hitting .247/.346/.420 with a .765 OPS, six homers, 25 RBI, 27 runs and eight steals in 162 at-bats. The switch-hitter known as the Martian should be returned to starting fantasy lineups.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (finger) is back in right field and is hitting out of the two-hole in Thursday's contest in D.C. against the hosting Washington Nationals and right-hander Jake Irvin. Tucker will return to Chicago's starting lineup after missing the last two contests due to a right ring finger that he jammed in Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger pinch hit in Wednesday's game against Washington and should now be returned to all starting fantasy lineups. Tucker has been outstanding in his first season with the Cubbies and has displayed some of the best plate discipline across the league while slashing a robust .283/.393/.522 with a .915 OPS, 12 home runs, 39 RBI, 44 runs scored and even 16 stolen bases in 226 at-bats. The former first-rounder in 2015 by the Astros has never faced Irvin in his career.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-handed relievers Kirby Yates (hamstring) and Michael Kopech (shoulder) both came out of their live bullpen sessions well, and there's a "good possibility this weekend of both guys being active." It's bad news for left-hander Tanner Scott, who has been struggling at the back end of L.A.'s bullpen with Yates banged up. Yates has been out since mid-May with a strained right hamstring but will skip a minor-league rehab assignment and could become Roberts' go-to ninth-inning option moving forward, even though he had an ERA over 4.00 with only one save in his 22 relief appearances before going on the IL. Kopech began the year sidelined with a right-forearm injury before injuring his shoulder. The 29-year-old has plenty of late-inning experience but will be eased into high-leverage work.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is getting a breather in Thursday's series finale against the visiting New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Kike Hernandez will make the start at first base and will bat seventh against Mets left-hander David Peterson. Freeman currently ranks second in the big leagues with a his lofty .363 batting average (69-for-190) this year, and he's also added nine home runs, 40 RBI and 34 runs scored for the defending World Series champions. The 35-year-old former MVP and eight-time All-Star will get a normal day of rest against a lefty, though, and he should be back for Friday's series opener in St. Louis against the Cardinals. Freeman went 4-for-12 with two RBI and a run scored in the first three games of the series against the Mets. Hernandez has hit only .217 (10-for-46) against lefties this year with four of his seven homers coming against them.

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Chicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run for Triple-A Iowa in Game 2 of their doubleheader on Wednesday. The 21-year-old has begun to pick it back up at the plate since he was optioned back to Iowa on May 20, going 9-for-30 (.300) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, five runs scored, and a 3:5 BB:K in his last eight games. It was a bit of a surprise that journeyman catcher Reese McGuire replaced Miguel Amaya when the latter hit the IL, but since a two-HR game on May 25, McGuire has gone 0-for-9 over the next three games, so Ballesteros' next opportunity in the big leagues may not be far behind. There's still plenty to like about the left-handed slugger, and he would be a solid waiver add in NL-only and two-catcher leagues were he to get regular playing timein the majors.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospect Justin Crawford collected another two hits in four at-bats on Wednesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, scoring once and stealing his 22nd base of the year. The 21-year-old continues to impress, currently riding a six-game hit streak and having hit safely in 17 of his last 18. Not only that, he's stolen at least one base in five straight games. It all adds up to a .340/.409/.435 slash line with a .388 wOBA and 130 wRC+. The Phillies' third-ranked prospect remains one of the top prospect stashes in deep leagues given his offensive potential and proximity to the majors. The former first-rounder should get a shot by midseason, and there's no question that his speed will surely translate to the majors.

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