Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) will be sidelined until after the All-Star break in mid-July after suffering a setback during his rehab from UCL surgery in late April. However, the 30-year-old southpaw might still be worth stashing for pitching depth in the second half of the 2026 season in deeper leagues. Steele, a fifth-rounder in 2014 out of a high school in Mississippi, only made four starts for the Cubbies last year before needing surgery on his left elbow. From 2022 to 2024, though, Steele combined for a 25-17 record, 3.10 ERA (3.14 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP, and a 437:123 K:BB in 78 starts across 427 innings pitched. There will surely be limitations on his workload when he returns to Chicago's starting rotation in the second half, but his body of work in recent seasons shows that he can be an asset for fantasy managers when he's healthy. Right now, Steele is rostered in just under 10% of Yahoo leagues, and that number should slowly rise as he nears his 2026 debut this summer.

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Miami Marlins corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos is seeing the ball well with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp right now and could be on the verge of returning to the big leagues early in June. The 22-year-old Dominican is currently hitting .266 (45-for-169) with six home runs, 30 RBI, 22 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in his 43 games with Jacksonville. He got a cup of coffee with the big-league club back in early April and went 2-for-7 at the plate with a double and three strikeouts in just three games played before being shipped back to the farm. De Los Santos isn't among the Marlins' top-30 prospects at MLB Pipeline, but his impressive raw power and high exit velocities on the farm make him an intriguing dynasty/keeper stash with another MLB call-up likely to come sooner rather than later in 2026. In the last 28 days at Triple-A, De Los Santos is hitting .293 (24-for-82) with two homers and 15 RBI. He can be had in nearly all Yahoo leagues, as he's currently rostered in just 1% of formats.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter returned from the injured list on Sunday after missing roughly three weeks with an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, and now that he's back, he deserves attention off the waiver wire from fantasy managers who are searching for more power. Carpenter might only be hitting .239 (27-for-113) on the season, but he has hit seven home runs in just 129 plate appearances, and he has gone 5-for-11 with a homer, double, three RBI, and a run scored in his first three games since being reinstated from the IL on Sunday. The 28-year-old former 19th-round pick in 2019 out of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University can be a streaky hitter, but when he's locked in at the plate, he can carry fantasy baseball teams. Carpenter has an .825 career OPS and clubbed a career-high 26 home runs while driving in 62 runs in 130 regular-season games in 2025 for the Tigers. He's available in just over 60% of Yahoo leagues right now. Don't miss out on him before he heats up further.

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Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize (groin) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday after just being placed on the 15-day injured list last Friday with inflammation in his right groin, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. It's unclear what is next for Mize, but it's looking like he might be ready to return to the Tigers' starting rotation when he's eligible to come off the IL on June 12. That would only happen if the team feels that he doesn't need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Mize doesn't have a ton of strikeout upside, although he does have a career-best 26.5% strikeout rate so far in 2026 in his nine starts for Detroit. After being named an All-Star for the first time in 2025, Mize has gone 2-3 this year with a career-best 2.27 ERA (2.41 FIP) and 0.96 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 47 2/3 innings pitched. He has a smaller margin for error than other starting pitchers, but he has become more attractive as a matchup-based streamer so far in 2026. Mize is currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (ribs, shoulder) is missing a third straight game on Thursday in the series finale in the Bronx against the Cleveland Guardians, per MLB.com. Max Schuemann will make the start in right field for the Yankees and will bat ninth against Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi. Judge is considered day-to-day for now, but he was scheduled to be sent for more testing on what the Yankees are calling a bone bruise in his ribs that is causing soreness in his right shoulder. Until we know more, there's a chance the superstar outfielder will need a stint on the 10-day injured list, so fantasy managers need to plan accordingly. The 34-year-old three-time MVP's recent struggles -- .163 average with one homer, seven walks, and 15 strikeouts in his last 13 games -- could be attributed to his health issue. With Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) still on the IL, the Yankees are dangerously thin in their outfield. If Judge goes on the IL, left-handed-hitting outfield prospect Spencer Jones could return to the majors.

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St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt has been dealing with some lower-half soreness, but he is expected to return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cardinals held Wetherholt out of the lineup in their win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, and he'll have another day of rest during the team's scheduled off day on Thursday. The Cardinals expect Wetherholt to be ready to roll for the weekend after two days of rest. In his first year in the big leagues, the 23-year-old former seventh overall pick in 2024 out of West Virginia University has hit .249/.357/.400 with a .757 OPS, nine home runs, 25 RBI, seven stolen bases, and 40 runs scored across his 225 at-bats. Wetherholt hasn't homered since May 19, but he's hit .286 (14-for-49) with two doubles, an RBI, five runs scored, and two steals in his last 12 games since May 20. Expect him to be back atop the Cardinals' batting order on Friday.

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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Keaton Winn got the call to close out his team's 1-0 win over the Brewers on Wednesday night. Winn came in with one out in the eighth inning and two runners on base. He got pinch-hitter Gary Sanchez to ground into a double play, and he returned for the ninth inning and worked around a leadoff double by Christian Yelich to secure the one-run win. The 28-year-old righty has 11 holds in his 26 games this season and earned his first save in Wednesday's win. He has a solid 2.30 ERA and 2.77 FIP, and he has been one of the Giants' best options out of the bullpen. Manager Tony Vitello has used a closer committee all year long, so Winn isn't likely to lock up the full-time job alone. However, he seems to be trending into a bigger role and makes sense as a waiver wire option in deep leagues if you are searching for saves and solid relief innings.

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Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader made his long-awaited season debut on Wednesday after dealing with shoulder and biceps issues through the first two months of the season. Hader stepped right back into his closer role for Houston and worked a hitless ninth inning for a save against the Pirates. He did walk a batter and also picked up a strikeout to preserve the 11-9 victory. Hader had a 4.15 ERA in his nine rehab appearances with 11 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. His stuff looked sharp on Wednesday, and he'll take back over as the primary closer, leaving Bryan King, Enyel De Los Santos, and Bryan Abreu without much fantasy value in standard leagues. For as long as he's healthy, Hader has plenty of upside and can be counted on as an elite closer now that he's back.

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St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Riley O'Brien took the loss on Tuesday after giving up three runs in the ninth inning, but the team went right back to the 31-year-old righty on Wednesday in a save situation. O'Brien entered to start the ninth inning with a 5-3 lead and walked the leadoff batter, but he escaped with no damage done, getting Josh Jung to fly out to end the game. O'Brien has 15 saves in his 27 games with a 3.95 ERA and 2.66 FIP. While things have been a little bumpy lately, he still seems to be clearly the go-to option for the Cardinals at the end of the game and can continue to be used as a strong closer option, even though he's not quite as dominant as the truly elite relievers.

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Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Alex Lange picked up his first save of the season on Wednesday in his 25th appearance. He gave up a hit and a walk but didn't allow any runs, making a 5-2 lead stand up against the Reds. Lange had 26 saves in 2023 with the Tigers, but he has a 4.33 ERA and 3.77 FIP in his 27 innings in 25 games this year. With Lucas Erceg struggling and Carlos Estevez (shoulder) sidelined, the Royals' bullpen does offer some interesting save opportunities. Lange could be a part of the committee while Estevez continues to work his way back, and he's trending up after allowing only one run in his last 10 games. He's still a speculative addition at this point, but in deep leagues, he's definitely worth watching on the waiver wire if you need saves.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler (hip) left Wednesday's game early against the visiting Colorado Rockies in Anaheim with left-hip irritation, according to the team. Before departing early in the fifth inning, Soler went 0-for-2 at the plate with a walk and two strikeouts to drop his season average to .220 and his OPS to .702. He was replaced in right field and in the leadoff spot by Jo Adell. In a blowout, it's possible that the Angels removed Soler early for precautionary reasons, but we should know more about the severity of his hip injury by Thursday. With an off day coming on Thursday, the Cuban slugger could be back in the Angels' starting lineup for the start of another Freeway Series on Friday on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soler came into Wednesday's tilt with Colorado with a .217 average (13-for-60) with just one homer, five RBI, two walks, and 16 strikeouts in his last 15 games, dating back to May 17. He still has notable power, but 30.8% strikeout rate and low on-base percentage are major drawbacks.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (ribs) will undergo additional imaging on his ribcage. Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed the team will do extra testing for more specific spots in his right ribcage. Judge has been dealing with shoulder soreness that was determined to be from a bone bruise in his ribs. He has missed the last two games and could very well be headed for a stint on the Injured List. The Yankees want to do more testing and see what they're dealing with before deciding on the next steps for Judge. For now, the superstar slugger should be considered day-to-day. Fantasy managers should get more clarity on the situation at some point on Thursday.

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (back) was removed early during Wednesday's outing against the Boston Red Sox. Bassitt was pulled after three innings of work due to lower-back tightness. Before exiting, Bassitt allowed three earned runs on six hits and walked two batters. He was replaced on the mound by Andrew Suarez in the fourth inning. The O's should provide an update on Bassitt's status following Wednesday's game. For now, Bassitt is scheduled to take the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on his status.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won't be in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Wednesday that he'll allow Ohtani to empty the tank on Wednesday while serving as the designated hitter and starting pitcher. Ohtani will take a full day off on Thursday before likely returning to the lineup for Friday's series opener versus the Los Angeles Angels. The 31-year-old has been remarkable on the mound lately and is hitting nearly .400 at the plate over his last 10 games. The two-way star has earned a day off to rest and recover.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (elbow) has been cleared to ramp up his throwing program. Fried has been throwing off flat-ground at 75 feet. He'll look to extend that to 90 feet and beyond over the next week. The southpaw is also expected to undergo imaging at some point next week. If everything looks good, Fried could progress to throwing bullpen sessions in the near future. The 32-year-old is making progress, but isn't close to rejoining the Yankees rotation. Given his current progress, Fried is likely going to be sidelined until around the All-Star break. He has been sidelined since the middle of May due to a bone bruise on his left elbow. Fantasy managers will hopefully be able to get something out of Fried during the second half of the season.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Logan Henderson (back) received an injection in his back on Tuesday. The right-hander landed on the Injured List earlier this week due to a lower-back strain. The injection should hopefully help, but Henderson is expected to be sidelined 3-5 weeks. This is a tough blow to the Brewers' rotation, given how well Henderson has been pitching this season. Across five starts, Henderson owns a 2.74 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 30:6 K:BB ratio this season. This timetable should put Henderson's return around late June or early July. There's no clear favorite to take over Henderson's spot in the rotation right now. Fantasy managers should hold onto Henderson through this injury.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara was scratched from the lineup with Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday, leading to speculation that he might be on his way up to the Brewers for his first major-league call-up. The 21-year-old Venezuelan, who is considered the team's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, came into Wednesday's tilt with the Sounds with a .338/.447/.500 slash line with a .947 OPS, seven home runs, 27 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 49 runs scored across 56 games and 247 plate appearances in his fifth season in the minors. Lara is still very young and probably has some more maturing to do, but the 5-foot-7, 169-pounder has shown improvement in the power department so far in 2026, to go along with his already elite speed and defensive abilities in the outfield. Once he does reach the majors, Lara has the defensive ability alone to be an everyday center fielder. If his power continues to improve, he has the potential to be a five-category fantasy producer, making him a stash candidate now for managers in dynasty/keeper leagues.

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Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (neck) is missing another game on Wednesday against the visiting Colorado Rockies, according to MLB.com. Oswald Peraza will make the start at the 6 at Angels Stadium and bat fifth for the Halos versus Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen. Neto is dealing with whiplash and is sitting out as a precaution for a third straight game. The Angels don't expect the starting shortstop to land on the 10-day injured list, and he could be back in the starting nine as soon as Friday's series opener to begin another Freeway Series at Chavez Ravine against the Los Angeles Dodgers after a scheduled day off on Thursday. The 25-year-old former 13th overall pick in 2022 out of Campbell University is only hitting .231 (54-for-234) on the year, but he has been a solid counting-stat producer for fantasy managers with 10 long balls, 27 RBI, eight stolen bases, and 42 runs scored across 60 games and 274 plate appearances in his fourth year in the league. Peraza is in the midst of a career year in his first full season in Anaheim, hitting .280 (47-for-168) with a career-high seven homers, 15 RBI, seven steals, and 18 runs in 56 games played.

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Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (back, hamstring) is out of Wednesday's starting lineup against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field due to lower-back tightness and a tender hamstring, according to Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic. Manager Torey Lovullo classified it as a day of rest for Marte, who was feeling uncomfortable during Tuesday's loss to L.A. Ildemaro Vargas will start at the keystone for the Snakes and will bat seventh in the order against right-hander Shohei Ohtani. The D-backs will give Marte a breather against one of the best pitchers in the league this year in Ohtani, and he could be back in action as early as Thursday's series finale against the Blue. The 32-year-old switch-hitting Dominican infielder had an 11-game hitting streak from May 16 to May 27, in which he hit over .500 with four homers, six doubles, and 17 RBI, before going 1-for-18 with a homer and four RBI in his last five contests. For now, Marte should be considered day-to-day, and fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if he's back on the field. When fully healthy, Marte is a must-start in all traditional fantasy leagues.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Corbin Burnes (elbow) has been diagnosed with a teres major strain and has been pulled back from his throwing progression, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. The skipper said the setback probably pushes Burnes' timeline for a return to around September. The 31-year-old veteran only made 11 starts in his first year in Arizona in 2025 before needing Tommy John surgery to fix a torn UCL in his right elbow. There was hope that the former Cy Young winner and four-time All-Star would return at some point in July this year for the Snakes, but his recent setback now means he won't return until the final month of the regular season. It's a tough blow for the D-backs and for any fantasy managers who were stashing the former fantasy ace in an injured-list spot all year. It's now hard to justify holding onto Burnes in redraft leagues. He's currently rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues.

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