New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt finds himself on the bench for the second straight game on Monday for the series opener in the Bronx against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Ben Rice will start at first base and hit second against Angels right-hander Jose Soriano in the first game with slugger Giancarlo Stanton (elbows) back in the lineup as the designated hitter. Nothing is concrete, but Stanton's return from the injured list could result in Rice and Goldy serving in a platoon at first base moving forward, which would obviously be bad news for the 37-year-old veteran in what has been a bounce-back year in his first season in pinstripes. Goldschmidt is still hitting over .300 on the year, but he's gone 9-for-47 (.191) with a homer, three RBI, six runs and 14 strikeouts in 13 games in June and only has seven long balls on the season.

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New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez will head to the bench for Monday's series opener versus the visiting Los Angeles Angels in the Bronx. Cody Bellinger is shifting over to left field and will hit cleanup against Angels right-hander Jose Soriano. Dominguez hasn't really lived up to his lofty expectations in his first full season in the big leagues in 2025 and is hitting .206 (7-for-34) with a double, two RBI and two steals with 10 strikeouts in his first nine games in June. Overall, he's slashing a mediocre .237/.326/.387 with a .712 OPS, six long balls, 26 RBI, 29 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 194 at-bats. The 22-year-old Dominican's .235 xBA doesn't bode well for a rebound in the second half of the season, either. Additionally, Giancarlo Stanton's return to the lineup could mean fewer at-bats for Dominguez going forward.

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New York Yankees right-handed reliever Jake Cousins (elbow) is scheduled to have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, according to manager Aaron Boone. Cousins has been out all season and will now miss the rest of the 2025 campaign and most likely at least half of 2026 as well. The 30-year-old veteran injured his right elbow back in spring training and recently had a setback, which has led to Tommy John surgery. It's a disappointing development for Cousins, who was looking good in a late-inning setup role for the Yankees late last year and into the postseason. The former 20th-round selection by the Washington Nationals in 2017 out of Pennsylvania had a career-low 2.37 ERA (4.06 FIP), a 1.05 WHIP, his first career save, 53 strikeouts and 20 walks in 38 relief innings during the regular season in his first year with the Yankees in 2024.

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The Washington Nationals announced on Monday that they optioned outfield prospect Robert Hassell III to Triple-A Rochester on Monday and recalled outfield prospect Daylen Lile in a corresponding move. The Nationals will swap outfield prospects and give Lile another shot after Hassell hit .218 (17-for-78) with a home run, double, eight RBI, six runs scored and a stolen base in his first 21 major-league games. The 23-year-old former eighth overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2020 should be back in the majors later this year as outfield depth, but for now he'll head back to the farm for more development. The team's No. 11 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is currently a better speed and defensive asset at the highest level. Hassell has questionable power and was hitting .288/.337/.405 with four homers, 24 RBI and nine steals at Rochester before his call-up.

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The Washington Nationals announced on Monday that they recalled outfield prospect Daylen Lile from Triple-A Rochester and optioned outfielder Robert Hassell III and infielder Jose Tena to Rochester in corresponding moves. The team also designated infielder Juan Yepez for assignment. Lile, the team's No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is starting in right field and batting eighth on Monday against the Colorado Rockies and rookie left-hander Carson Palmquist. The 22-year-old made his major-league debut earlier this year and went 6-for-31 (.194) with three doubles, a triple, two RBI, four runs scored an seven strikeouts in 36 trips to the plate over 11 games. He most likely will not have a consistent outfield role in D.C. while he battles for playing time with Jacob Young and Alex Call. The left-handed hitter has below-average power but has the ability to steal 20-plus bases over a full season.

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Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, designated hitter Josh Bell and second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. are all out of the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies with a left-hander on the mound. Riley Adams is doing the catching and hitting seventh, James Wood is the DH and is batting second, and Amed Rosario is at the keystone and in the five-hole versus rookie lefty Carson Palmquist. Andres Chaparro is manning first base and batting cleanup. Ruiz actually has reverse splits against lefties in 2025 with a .298 average (14-for-47) with one of his two home runs, but he has been sitting more frequently of late against lefty pitchers. Even though there's a lefty on the mound, Wood is an intriguing DFS play against the rookie southpaw. He's hitting .272 (25-for-92) with five of his 17 homers against lefties on the year.

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The San Francisco Giants are saying that right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) will come off the 15-day injured list to start on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians. Despite the fact that Verlander hasn't pitched in a major-league game since May 18, he is skipping a minor-league rehab assignment after throwing a 65-pitch simulated game last Wednesday and a bullpen session over the weekend. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer will an even riskier fantasy streaming option in his first start back and will probably be capped around 80 to 90 pitches on Wednesday against the Guardians, a team ranked 24th in the league with a .678 OPS. Verlander is no longer the dominant ace he was in his prime, but he can still be useful as a streamer in deeper leagues in the right matchups. He's returning to a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41 K's in 52 innings over his 10 starts.

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Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will take a seat for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Miami Marlins on the road. Rafael Marchan will catch rookie right-hander Mick Abel and will bat eighth against Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara. Realmuto gets a day off after starting in each of the team's last six games. The 34-year-old veteran got off to a slow start this year but is starting to pick things up in June, going 13-for-39 (.333) at the plate with three doubles, five RBI and seven runs scored in 11 games played. Realmuto hasn't homered since May 21 but does have four multi-hit games in his last six contests. Fantasy managers are hoping he can keep this up to close out the first half. Marchan will be a poor DFS sleeper choice near the bottom of the batting order. The 26-year-old has gone 7-for-42 with a homer and five RBI in a backup role in 2025.

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With Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (foot) landing on the 15-day injured list, rookie right-hander Ryan Gusto is being moved up to start Monday's series opener against the Athletics. Gusto was originally scheduled to start Game 2 of the series in Sacramento, but he'll be moved up a day due to McCullers' foot strain. The 26-year-old will now have a two-start week with two great matchups in the A's and Los Angeles Angels. In his first 15 major-league appearances (nine starts) in 2025, Gusto has gone 4-3 with a 4.56 ERA (4.01 FIP) and 1.60 WHIP with 52 strikeouts and 22 walks in 49 1/3 innings pitched. Surprisingly, the A's are in the top 10 in team OPS (.738) on the season, so it won't be a cakewalk for Gusto on Monday. He's more of a control artist than a strikeout guy with a 23% strikeout rate and .285 batting average against.

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The Houston Astros placed right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (foot) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 13) on Monday with a right-foot sprain and recalled right-hander Jason Alexander from the minors in a corresponding move. It's unclear when McCullers suffered the injury, but he'll now be out for at least two weeks and may not be back in Houston's starting rotation until after the All-Star break. Right-hander Ryan Gusto will now start on Monday against the Athletics. The 31-year-old former first-rounder made his return to the big leagues this year for the first time since 2022 due to various forearm setbacks. McCullers has shown flashes of his pre-injury form, but he's mostly been inconsistent for fantasy managers and is currently sporting a 4.91 ERA (4.23 FIP), 1.43 WHIP and 39:16 K:BB in 29 1/3 innings over his seven starts in 2025.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Josue De Paula went 0-for-3 on Sunday for High-A Great Lakes, ending his nine-game hit streak, however, he was able to draw two walks, steal two bases, and score once in the contest. The 20-year-old continues to get on base at an excellent rate, as his 19.6 percent walk rate allows him to boast a phenomenal .423 OBP. The 20-year-old is hitting .278 with an .871 OPS, eight home runs, 18 steals, and a 52:49 BB:K through 61 gamesfor the Loons. Expect the youngsterto get a look at Double-A later this year and be knocking on the door to the majors in 2026. With big power, a keen eye, and the ability to steal bases, he's got the makings of an impactful futurefantasy performer.

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Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie homered again on Sunday, the fourth time he's done so in his last seven games, going 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI for Triple-A Iowa. The home run was a 449-foot shot to dead center and extended his current hit streak to 10 games, during which time he's gone 12-for-34 (.353) with three doubles, four home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored, and a 5:12 BB:K. For the season, the Cubs' top offensive prospect is now slashing .263/.367/.512 with 11 home runs and a strong 12.9 percent walk rate. Unfortunately, the big power comes with a big strikeout rate of 33.1 percent. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old is likely to get a shot in the majors at some point this season, but with a healthy outfield, there is currently no path to playing time. The left-handed slugger could be worthy of a roster spot in deep and NL-only leagues when he gets the call, but the strikeout rate likely won't improve in the majors, which will limit his ability to hit for average and dampen his fantasy value.

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New York Mets left-handed reliever Brooks Raley (elbow) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Raley is recovering from Tommy John surgery and an internal-brace procedure in May of last year, so his rehab assignment will be an extended one and will last several weeks, if not the full 30 days. Barring a setback, the 36-year-old veteran southpaw should be an option for the Mets' bullpen after the All-Star break in the second half of July. When healthy, the former sixth-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2009 out of Texas A&M will provide a lefty arm at the back end of their bullpen. Raley made only eight appearances in 2024 before being shut down but had a nice 2.80 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, three saves, 61 strikeouts and 25 walks in 54 2/3 innings for New York in 2023.

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The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that Washington Nationals infielder Paul DeJong (face) will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Double-A Harrisburg. DeJong is finally nearing a return after being hit in the face on April 15, and he needed surgery in late April to fix his sinuses and orbital plate. It's unclear exactly when the 31-year-old will rejoin the big-league roster from the 10-day injured list, but he should be back in D.C. by the end of June. When DeJong does return, he could be in more of a utility infield role now that the Nationals are calling up top position-player prospect Brady House. The nine-year veteran opened the year hitting .204 (11-for-54) with no home runs, four doubles, two RBI, two steals and three runs scored in 16 games before being hit by a pitch in the face. DeJong can be left on the waiver wire in mixed fantasy leagues.

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New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (oblique) is still "multiple weeks away" from going on a minor-league rehab assignment, according to president of baseball operations David Stearns. It's been a slow recovery from Winker, who suffered a Grade 2 strain of his oblique back on May 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Because he hasn't even started a rehab assignment yet, the 31-year-old veteran outfielder won't be back with the Mets until after the All-Star break in mid-July. When he does return to the Big Apple, he'll be in play as a platoon option in the outfield for New York. Winker had gone 16-for-67 (.239) with a home run, 10 RBI, eight runs scored and one steal this year before his oblique injury. Winker has recorded over 20 homers in just one of his eight MLB seasons and won't have a ton of fantasy upside when he's back in what will likely be a limited role.

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Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Jesus Made reached base four times on Sunday, tallying two walks, a single, and a double for Single-A Carolina. He also swiped two bases in the contest, now with six steals in his last five games. The Brewers' top prospect (MLB No. 20) is having a good season at Single-A, hitting .284 with 20 extra-base hits (four home runs) and 29 steals in 53 games, while logging a 14.8 percent walk rate that has boosted his OBP to .395. The switch-hitter should get some run at High-A in the coming weeks, but at just 18 years old, the 6-foot-1 Dominican is likely a coupleof years away from the majors. Still, he's one that dynasty managers should keep a very close eye on, as he has the talent to be a multi-category producer.

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The Athletic's Tim Britton writes that New York Mets outfielder Jose Siri (leg) suffered a setback, with the reimaging of his fractured tibia showing that it hasn't healed as much as the team had hoped. Siri has backed off his running and baseball activities and will be re-evaluated in around two weeks. President of baseball operations David Stearns said Siri is still "a ways away." The 29-year-old was originally given an eight- to 12-week timetable for a return after he broke his leg on April 12 against the Athletics. Now that he's had a setback, he is not going to be ready to rejoin the big-league roster until after the All-Star break and will still need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Siri's absence has led to more playing time for Tyrone Taylor in center field, but he's hit just .229/.295/.324 with a homer, 12 RBI, 18 runs scored and eight steals in 188 at-bats.

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New York Mets right-hander Frankie Montas (lat) allowed eight runs in just 1 2/3 innings in his latest minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. There is only time for him to make one more rehab start before his 30-day rehab clock expires on June 22. The 32-year-old says he's healthy and making progress, but if the Mets don't think he's made enough progress, they could use him out of the bullpen when he returns to the major-league roster, according to The Athletic's Tim Britton. The Dominican hurler now sports a 13.17 ERA and 2.34 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and nine walks in 13 2/3 innings in his five rehab starts with Syracuse and High-A Brooklyn as he recovers from a lat strain he suffered in spring training. Montas should make starts for New York in the second half, but it sounds like he could be eased in out of the bullpen.

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Miami Marlins pitching prospect Thomas White is headed to Double-A Pensacola after a strong showing at High-A. The 20-year-old missed a couple of starts in May due to a blister on his finger, but looks fully recovered after allowing just two earned runs over his last three starts that spanned 10 innings, recording 16 strikeouts to just one walk over that time. For the season, the Marlins' top prospect owns a 2.83 ERA (2.07 FIP), 1.11 WHIP, and a phenomenal 24.8 percent K-BB% on the back of a 13.63 K/9. The 6-foot-5 hurler has the stuff to make quick work of Double-A and could make a handful of startsat Triple-A before the season is out. The southpaw should be a pitcher to target in dynasty leagues if he's not alreadystashed, and should push for a major league debut in 2026.

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Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Angel Genao went 3-for-4 on Sunday for Double-A Akron, including a walk, two RBI, and his first home run of the season. The Guardians' fourth-ranked prospect suffered a shoulder injury during spring training that kept him out of action until June 6, but since then, the switch-hitter has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with two doubles, a home run, four RBI, five runs scored, and a 1:3 BB:K in seven games. The 21-year-old is coming off a strong 2024 season that saw him slash .330/.379/.499 with 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases between Single-A and High-A. With a strong showing at Double-A, the Dominican should push for a promotion to Triple-A later in the year. Keep an eye on MLB.com's next refresh list, as MLB's No. 52 prospect could be a big riser and has the momentum to make the majors next season.

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