Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) is back at shortstop and is batting third for Wednesday's tilt on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Trey Yesavage, according to MLB.com. Pena was pulled from the series opener on Monday in Canada with a cramp in his right hamstring and was held out of Tuesday's contest as a precaution. Now that he's back in there on Wednesday, fantasy managers will want to return him to their starting lineups in traditional formats. The 28-year-old Dominican has battled injuries in 2026, but when on the field, he's been money, slashing .284/.346/.451 with a .797 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, 29 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 43 games across 179 plate appearances. Pena has been even better at the plate so far in June, going 21-for-70 (.300) with three long balls, five doubles, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 20 games for the Astros. He has never faced Yesavage in his MLB career.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (back) is sitting out of Wednesday's game against the division-rival Washington Nationals for the second straight game due to a back issue, according to MLB.com. First baseman Bryce Harper will serve as the DH and bat third, with Alec Bohm starting at first base and batting cleanup, and Edmundo Sosa manning third and batting eighth against Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas. Schwarber, MLB's leader in home runs with 29, was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with lower-back tightness, and he'll miss a second straight game. As of right now, the elite left-handed power hitter is being considered day-to-day, but that could change quickly if Schwarbs is unable to return to Philly's lineup by this weekend. His next chance to return will be for Thursday's series finale in D.C. against the Nats. The 33-year-old veteran has been on a heater of late, going 7-for-23 (.304) with five home runs, 10 RBI, and nine runs scored in his last six games. Fantasy managers should check back on Schwarber's condition on Thursday.

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Boston Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin (finger) was pulled from Wednesday's game early against the Colorado Rockies after suffering a left fifth finger subluxation, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Durbin injured his finger while sliding into first base in the third inning. He was replaced at third base by Anthony Siegler, with Andruw Monastario going to second base, and Marcelo Mayer (foot) entering the game to play shortstop. Before leaving early, Durbin went 0-for-2 at the plate at Coors Field. Until we know more about Durbin's condition, we'll call him day-to-day, but this certainly has the potential to sideline him for an unknown period of time going forward. The 26-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2021 out of Washington University in St. Louis came into Wednesday's tilt hitting just .220 (50-for-227) with five home runs and seven stolen bases, but he has emerged lately as a waiver-wire pickup after hitting .317 (20-for-63) with four home runs, five doubles, eight RBI, 10 runs, and three steals in 18 games in June.

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Nothing is official yet, but Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (ankle) is on track to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start against the Houston Astros on Sunday, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. The Tigers might roll with six starting pitchers for at least one turn through the rotation. The Tigers saw enough after Flaherty allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven in his minor-league rehab start on Tuesday at Double-A Erie. He threw 83 pitches in that outing, so he shouldn't be facing any workload restrictions in his likely return to Detroit's rotation this weekend against Houston. The 30-year-old's scheduled matchup on Sunday isn't a bad one, but fantasy managers in deeper leagues aren't in any hurry to throw Flaherty back into their starting lineups after he went 1-8 with a 5.35 ERA ( 4.09 FIP) and 1.57 WHIP with 78 strikeouts and 34 walks in 65 2/3 innings across his first 15 starts in 2026. But if Flaherty can get his walk rate down going into the second half of the year, he could be a positive regression candidate to target on the waiver wire. Flaherty is currently rostered in 42% of Yahoo leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) will make a third minor-league rehab start on Sunday at Triple-A Louisville, and if all goes well, then he will rejoin the Reds' starting rotation for his 2026 season debut, according to Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati. Greene is set to go around 80 to 85 pitches on Sunday, according to manager Terry Francona. Following surgery back in March to remove bone chips from his right elbow, the hard-throwing Greene is nearing his return to the big leagues, making him a priority waiver-wire target in any leagues where he's still available. He looked good in his first two rehab starts, reaching the upper-90s with his heater while throwing eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and two walks. The 26-year-old former second overall pick in 2017 has ace potential when healthy with a career 30% strikeout rate in 495 2/3 big-league innings. Greene has a 3.65 ERA (3.83 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP in his four years with the Reds, and he's posted an ERA under 3.00 in each of his last two seasons. He's currently rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues. Pick him up now.

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Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (wrist) "showed up pretty good" on Wednesday morning after being pulled from his start on Tuesday against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers early after he was hit on the left wrist by a 107 mph comebacker, according to NBC 5 Cincinnati's Charlie Clifford. X-rays came back negative on Lodolo's wrist, and manager Terry Francona said the southpaw had minimal swelling, making it seem likely that he'll be ready to take his next turn in the Reds' starting rotation, which is lined up for a rematch against the first-place Brewers on Monday on the road. The former seventh overall pick in 2019 out of Texas Christian University tossed four shutout innings on Tuesday before departing and walked one and fanned six for a no-decision. He has been highly inconsistent in his first nine starts in 2026 in his fifth year in the big leagues, going 2-2 with a 5.59 ERA (5.38 FIP) and 1.52 WHIP with only 38 strikeouts and 18 walks in 46 2/3 innings pitched. Lodolo won't be a recommended fantasy streamer if he takes his next scheduled turn on the hill in Milwaukee.

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The New York Yankees placed third baseman Ryan McMahon (illness) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a throat infection, according to MLB.com. McMahon is also recovering from an ear infection and will miss at least the next 10 days after having not played since Sunday. The good news is that the 31-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder is expected to be ready to return to the big-league roster when he's eligible on July 3. In the meantime, expect the Yankees to mix and match at the hot corner with the speedy Jose Caballero, veteran Amed Rosario, and Oswaldo Cabrera, who was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. McMahon, who is currently rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues, has really fallen off offensively in his first full year in the Bronx in 2026, slashing .210/.269/.360 with a .629 OPS, eight home runs, 23 RBI, 19 runs, three stolen bases, and a 30.7% strikeout rate in his 202 plate appearances.

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The Philadelphia Phillies said on Wednesday that outfielder Adolis Garcia (lat) underwent successful surgery to fix his torn right lat in Chicago, according to Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Garcia is facing a recovery time of six to eight months, so he will miss the rest of the 2026 season. The 33-year-old Cuban right-handed slugger should have ample time to be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign, but the damage has been done to his fantasy profile. Before suffering a season-ending torn lat, Garcia was struggling in Philly to the tune of a .195/.270/.329 slash line, .599 OPS, seven home runs, 21 RBI, 21 runs scored, three stolen bases, 21 walks, and 84 strikeouts in 67 games across 259 plate appearances. The two-time All-Star has not been the same since he hit a career-best 39 home runs and drove in 107 runs in 2023 with the Texas Rangers on his way to leading them to their first World Series title. There probably isn't going to be a ton of interest in a fading power hitter coming off a serious injury when he hits the open market this winter.

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Toronto Blue Jays utility infielder Ernie Clement (hip) is out of the team's starting lineup for the second straight day on Wednesday against the visiting Houston Astros at the Rogers Centre, according to MLB.com. Luis Urias, who homered on Tuesday in his debut with Toronto, will make another start at the keystone and will hit ninth in the batting order against Astros right-hander Mike Burrows. Clement also missed two games over the weekend with soreness in his left hip, so it's something to watch moving forward. For now, fantasy managers should consider the versatile infielder to be day-to-day and check back to see if he's available to play in Thursday's series opener at home against the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old former fourth-round pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017 out of the University of Virginia has minimal power or speed, but he makes a lot of contact, is hitting a strong .293 (86-for-294), and is eligible in Yahoo leagues at second base, first base, third base, and shortstop. Clement has hit .269 (18-for-67) with two homers, a double, a triple, six RBI, and 10 runs scored in his 17 games in June.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone (hamstring) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting sixth on Wednesday against the hosting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Braxton Ashcraft at PNC Park, according to MLB.com. Canzone was held out as a precaution in Tuesday's win over the Pirates due to a right-hamstring injury. The left-handed-hitting outfielder is back now, though, and he should draw consideration as a waiver-wire pickup in fantasy baseball leagues on the strong side of a platoon for the M's at DH. The 28-year-old has already set new career highs in home runs (12) and RBI (33) in 70 games this year while slashing a nice .281/.353/.562 with a .915 OPS, 28 runs scored, and a stolen base in 201 plate appearances. Canzone has really come on strong in June, going 19-for-54 (.352) with five home runs, two doubles, a triple, 10 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 19 games played. Fantasy managers searching for outfield upgrades should consider Canzone, who is only rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (knee) is missing his fifth straight game on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field as he recovers from a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee, per MLB.com. Tyler Tolbert is making another start at the 6 for KC and will bat ninth in the batting order on Wednesday against Rays right-hander Griffin Jax. The Royals are optimistic that Witt will not need a stint on the injured list, and the fact that he was able to do pre-game workouts before the first two games of the series in Tampa is a good sign. Witt's next chance to return to the starting nine will be for Thursday's series finale against the Rays. Fantasy managers will want to check back then for an update on the 26-year-old two-time All-Star, who is hitting a strong .294/.368/.465 with an .833 OPS, 10 homers, 32 RBI, 28 stolen bases, and 40 runs scored in his 299 at-bats in 2026. When active, the former second overall pick in 2019 is a must-start in all fantasy formats. Tolbert should continue to be ignored in DFS lineups.

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The Milwaukee Brewers said that right-handed reliever Abner Uribe will serve his one-game suspension on Wednesday night in Cincinnati against the division-rival Reds, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Major League Baseball handed Uribe a one-game suspension for what they deemed an unsportsmanlike celebration during his relief appearance against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals in late May. He has continued to be available out of Milwaukee's bullpen while appealing the suspension, but he'll now accept the ban after pitching in four of the last five days. He'll be unavailable for the series finale on Wednesday at Great American Ballpark, but he'll be back in the Brewers' bullpen for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Right-hander Trevor Megill is the team's primary closer, but Uribe has value in fantasy leagues that count holds. Going into Wednesday's action, the 26-year-old Dominican hurler has a 4-2 record with a 3.38 ERA (3.44 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, five saves, 31 strikeouts, and 11 walks in 29 1/3 relief innings. Uribe is rostered in 56% of Yahoo leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder/outfielder Blaze Alexander (knee) is starting at third base and batting ninth for Wednesday's series finale in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Jose Soriano, per MLB.com. Alexander had to be pulled from Monday's series opener against the Angels after fouling a ball off his right knee. He missed Game 2 of the series on Tuesday, but he's back in there on Wednesday. The 27-year-old former 11th-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 has taken over at the hot corner in Baltimore over Coby Mayo with Jordan Westburgh (elbow) out for the entire 2026 season. Alexander is hitting a strong .310 (53-for-171) in his first 67 games with the O's, but he lacks power and won't have much DFS appeal on Wednesday at the bottom of the batting order. He's added three home runs, 23 RBI, eight steals, and 22 runs scored across his 190 plate appearances. In five career at-bats against Soriano, Alexander is hitting .400 with a 1.000 OPS and one RBI.

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The Los Angeles Angels recalled outfielder Josh Lowe from Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday, and he is starting in center field and batting eighth for the Angels against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Trey Gibson, according to MLB.com. Lowe could get some run in the short term in Anaheim against right-handed pitching with Mike Trout (hamstring) on the injured list and Jose Siri away for a few days while on paternity leave. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger teased power/speed upside earlier in his career with the Tampa Bay Rays after they made him the 13th overall pick in 2016, but injuries have gotten in the way, and he hit a low point earlier this year when the Angels sent him to the minors. In his first 125 at-bats in Anaheim in 2026, Lowe has hit a lowly .184 (23-for-125) with five home runs, 14 RBI, eight runs, one steal, and a 29.1% strikeout rate. In the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League with Salt Lake, Lowe hit .299/.397/.617 with a 1.014 OPS, nine homers, 29 RBI, six steals, and 21 runs in 26 games played. Only in AL-only leagues should managers fork out FAAB for Lowe at this time.

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Baltimore Orioles middle infielder Jackson Holliday (groin) is missing a fourth straight game on Wednesday in Anaheim against the hosting Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. Jeremiah Jackson will make another start at the keystone and will bat eighth against Angels right-hander Jose Soriano. The good news for Holliday is that he was able to do pre-game work with the team before the first two games of the series at Angel Stadium, signaling that he's likely to avoid another trip to the injured list with his groin soreness. The Orioles have a scheduled day off on Thursday, so Holliday's next chance to rejoin the starting lineup will come in Friday's series opener versus the Washington Nationals. Fantasy managers should check back then for an update. The 22-year-old former first overall pick in 2022 is rostered in just 30% of Yahoo leagues at the moment after getting a late start to his third year in the majors due to a broken hamate bone suffered in spring training. Since returning, he has gone just 17-for-85 (.200) with four homers, 12 RBI, 14 runs, three stolen bases, 11 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 98 plate appearances.

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MLB.com's Mark Bowman thinks that Atlanta Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep could be the best candidate for the team's open starting rotation spot after they optioned right-hander J.R. Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. Waldrep has recovered from right-elbow surgery and threw 71 pitches in 4 2/3 innings for Gwinnett on Sunday. The 24-year-old former 24th overall pick in 2023 out of the University of Florida has allowed six earned runs on seven hits with 11 walks and 13 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings pitched in five starts so far in 2026 with Gwinnett, the rookie-level Florida Complex League, and at Double-A Columbus. In his 10 outings (nine starts) for the Braves last year before he was shut down with elbow issues, Waldrep went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA (3.21 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, and 55:22 K:BB in 56 1/3 frames. If fully healthy, Waldrep could stick in Atlanta's rotation for the rest of the season, and he should start attracting more interest off the waiver wire. He's currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (finger, wrist) hasn't made any substantive progress while the Red Sox have been on their road trip, interim manager Chad Tracy told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Anthony has occasionally tried to swing a lighter bat, but he hasn't moved to a real bat/hitting progression. It's not what Boston or Anthony's fantasy managers want to hear. The 22-year-old former top prospect has been sidelined since May 7 and was hitting only .229 (25-for-109) with a homer, five RBI, 12 runs, two steals, 20 walks, and 33 strikeouts in 30 games early in the year at the time of his finger/wrist injury. Anthony looked the part after his first MLB call-up in 2025, slashing .292/.396/.463 with eight homers, 18 doubles, 32 RBI, 48 runs, and four steals in his first 71 games played, but he closed out the year on the injured list and wasn't able to help the BoSox in the postseason. He's trying to recover from a partially torn tendon in his right ring finger, and until he ramps up his hitting progression, it will be hard to pinpoint a potential return for Anthony in the second half. Although it's been a disappointing first full year in the big leagues, Anthony deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his power/speed upside.

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Washington Nationals first base/third base prospect Yohandy Morales has enjoyed a strong start to the Triple-A regular season, which has pushed him to the top half of most stash rankings. However, since the start of June, the corner infielder has hit a brief skid at the Triple-A level, raising some concern. Since June 1, Morales has held a modest .250/.314/.469 line with a .783 OPS. However, over his first 52 games of the campaign, the infielder was among the top hitters in the entire minor leagues, carrying a sharp .342/.417/.589 slash line with 11 doubles, 12 home runs, and two stolen bases. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to his status at Triple-A, as a hot surge could push him back into the high-end stat territory. For now, Morales is a viable deep-league stash among infielders in formats that have several N/A spots.

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Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Owen Murphy began the regular season at the Double-A level but has recently been moved to Triple-A and is emerging as a potential stash candidate. With Double-A, Murphy did not enjoy the best success, posting a hefty 6.10 ERA with a 27:18 K:BB across 20 2/3 innings of work. However, the Braves believed he was ready to join Gwinnett, and he has done more than hold his own. After going through some gradual growing pains to begin his Triple-A career, Murphy has looked quite comfortable in each of his last two games. During this two-game stretch, Murphy has logged six innings in each start and struck out 16 hitters while allowing just three earned runs. With Atlanta lacking much depth on their MLB roster, Murphy may be the next man called in the coming weeks. He will need to show this success over a longer period, but the No. 5-ranked prospect in the system is now firmly on the stash radar among top pitching prospects.

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New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) was recently placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A with sprained fingers in his left hand. Prior to the injury, Lombard was showing strong signs of growth at the top club of the Yankee system and putting himself firmly on the stash radar. However, with him now on the injured list, his stash value has taken a significant hit. When placed on the injured list, Yankee manager Aaron Boone noted that there were "good signs" from the initial testing, but the team has yet to provide a direct timetable for his recovery. Over his last 15 games before hitting the shelf, the team's top-ranked prospect was enjoying a surge at the plate, carrying a .321/.431/.642 line with eight doubles, three home runs, and two stolen bases. Managers in deeper leagues should pay close attention to his recovery. Once he is cleared to begin baseball activities, he will carry high-end stash appeal, as he remains New York's long-term solution at shortstop for the second half.

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