Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai's (arm) next start will be in the big leagues, manager Joe Espada told Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. It's unclear when Imai's next start for the Astros will come after he's reinstated from the 15-day injured list, but it could come early next week versus the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Imai looked better in his second minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, allowing one run on one hit while walking three and striking out five in three innings of work. The 27-year-old Japanese native only made three starts for the Astros to begin his big-league career before hitting the shelf with right-arm fatigue, and he wasn't effective in those three starts, posting a 7.27 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 11 walks, and 13 strikeouts in only 8 2/3 innings pitched. He only got up to 63 pitches in his rehab outing on Tuesday, too, so he won't be fully stretched out when he returns to Houston's rotation next week. Fantasy managers looking for a streamer should be avoiding Imai, and his control must improve for managers in mixed leagues to consider him off the waiver wire. Imai is rostered in under 50% of Yahoo leagues right now.

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The plan is for Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger (ankles) to come off the 10-day injured list for Friday's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Barger got off to a rough start to the 2026 season at the plate before spraining both of his ankles. The 26-year-old is nearing full health, though, and will return for a series against the Angels at the Rogers Centre. Before landing on the 10-day injured list, Barger went just 1-for-19 at the plate with two RBI, a run scored, three walks, and six strikeouts in eight games played. In his first full season in the majors in 2025, he slashed .243/.301/.454 with a .756 OPS, 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 135 regular-season games while stepping up clutch in the team's run to the World Series in the postseason. Barger doesn't have a ton of plate skills, but he hit the ball hard more often than not last year, and he should play regularly against right-handed pitchers when he returns. He's currently rostered in only 27% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (forearm) continues to search for answers to his forearm tendinitis, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Scherzer's ankle discomfort has gone away, but his right forearm is currently preventing him from ramping up his throwing program. The good news is that MRI exams aren't showing any structural damage to his arm, but the future Hall of Famer remains without a timetable to return. "Got to talk to more doctors and figure it out," Scherzer said. "The foot, I'm not worried about. My concern is more on this forearm, because now we've given it enough time outside of a start, like I should be ramping back up." The 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star might finally be nearing the end of the road in what has been a dominant career. In addition to his injuries, Scherzer went 1-3 with a rough 9.64 ERA and 1.61 WHIP while striking out only 10 in 18 2/3 frames over his first five starts of 2026 before landing on the 15-day injured list early last week. He's still trying to find a way to return to Toronto's rotation, but when/if that will happen is anyone's guess. Scherzer is rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues nowadays.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) has been cleared to resume throwing on Saturday after visiting with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It sounds as though Woodruff won't have to do much building back up or go on a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the team's starting rotation. The Brewers put Woodruff on the 15-day injured list last Friday with right-shoulder inflammation after his fastball couldn't get over 85 mph on the radar gun in his most recent outing. The 33-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star was pain-free, though, prompting the Brewers to believe he was just dealing with a dead arm. That appears to be the case after Meister cleared Woodruff of any structural damage this week. Woodruff hasn't been bad in his six starts for Milwaukee this year, going 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, but he has just a 7.5 K/9, and he'll be extremely risky for fantasy purposes whenever he rejoins the team's starting rotation. Woodruff's return could be bad news for pitching prospect Logan Henderson.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Griffin Jax will make the start for the Rays on Thursday against the Red Sox in Boston, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. This will be Jax's third straight "start" for Tampa. The Rays could potentially be looking to stretch Jax out as a traditional starting option after left-hander Steven Matz (elbow) landed on the injured list on Tuesday, but for Thursday's outing in Beantown, Jax most likely won't go deep enough in the ballgame to be a worthwhile streaming option for fantasy managers. In his last two opening assignments, Jax has tossed five shutout innings with two hits allowed, two walks, and four strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants. The 31-year-old veteran opened the year as Tampa's go-to closer with Edwin Uceta (shoulder) on the shelf, but he struggled in that role and was demoted quickly. Overall, he has a 5.14 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 14:9 K:BB in 14 innings over 13 outings (two starts) in 2026. If Jax continues to get stretched out as a starter, he'll be worth a look off the waiver wire in deeper leagues for fantasy managers in need of rotation depth. Jax is rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues currently.

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Houston Astros infielder Carlos Correa (ankle) will have surgery on his left ankle and will miss the rest of the 2026 season, a team source told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. It's a devastating injury blow for the struggling Astros, who are already without shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring). The 31-year-old Puerto Rican veteran injured his ankle during pre-game batting practice before Tuesday's contest against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and was scratched from the lineup. In his return to Houston, Correa opened the year as the starting third baseman before shifting back to shortstop when Pena landed on the injured list. The three-time All-Star and clubhouse leader will finish his 12th year in the big leagues with a .279/.369/.418 slash line, .787 OPS, three home runs, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored, and one stolen base in only 32 games played and 141 plate appearances. Until Pena can return, Nick Allen, who was activated from the IL to start on Tuesday, is likely to take over the short-term duties at the 6. Isaac Paredes, who was a trade candidate in the offseason, now has a regular path to playing time at the hot corner for the rest of the year. Correa can obviously be dropped in all redraft fantasy leagues.

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New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) is approaching the final checkpoint in his recovery from left-elbow surgery last October after he made another minor-league rehab start on Tuesday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. It wasn't his best outing on Tuesday, as he allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out four in 6 1/3 innings, but he came out of it healthy after throwing 49 of his 83 pitches for strikes. Manager Aaron Boone said on Tuesday that Rodon's next outing could be in the majors for his 2026 season debut, and it could come in the series finale on Sunday in Milwaukee against the Brewers. In his three rehab starts, Rodon has allowed seven runs (six earned) over 16 innings for a 3.38 ERA. The Yankees sent No. 3 prospect Elmer Rodriguez back to Triple-A after his second big-league start against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, paving the way for Rodon to rejoin New York's rotation this weekend. Rodon is currently rostered in 87% of Yahoo leagues and must be picked up immediately if he's available on your league's waiver wire.

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Things are lining up for Miami Marlins left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling to be called up from Triple-A Jacksonville to make his major-league debut on Friday against the division-rival Washington Nationals, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Marlins have an opening in their starting rotation after they designated the struggling Chris Paddack for assignment on Tuesday. Lefty Braxton Garrett is also a candidate to join Miami's rotation, but it looks like the 22-year-old Snelling will get the first crack at it after dominating so far at Triple-A this year. The former first-rounder by the San Diego Padres in 2022 has a sparkling 1.86 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and 15 walks in 29 innings across his six starts at Triple-A. Per MLB Pipeline, Snelling is Miami's No. 2 prospect, behind only lefty Thomas White. If Snelling fares well in his MLB debut on Friday, he could stick around in the Fish's rotation for multiple starts. Snelling is only rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues, so if you need an upside arm, he's definitely worth a pickup.

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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper led the team in their 9-1 win over the visiting Athletics at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night. Harper finished the contest 3-for-4 at the plate with two long balls, three RBI, three runs scored, and a walk to raise his season average to .286 and his OPS to .948 in the process. The 33-year-old All-Star's first homer came in the third inning off starter Luis Severino, before taking reliever Tyler Ferguson deep in the eighth frame. The eight-time All-Star, two-time MVP, and four-time Silver Slugger winner is seeing the ball extremely well right now in early May, as he's gone 8-for-19 (.421) with three home runs, three doubles, four RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in five games so far this month. Harper now has back-to-back three-hit performances and is as locked in as they come. Keep riding his bat while it lasts. Overall in 2026, Harper is slashing .286/.377/.571 with a .948 OPS, nine homers, 23 RBI, 22 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 133 at-bats.

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The Milwaukee Brewers have listed right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (hamstring) as their probable starter for Friday's series opener against the New York Yankees, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The Brewers pulled the hard-throwing youngster early from his last outing on Friday against the Washington Nationals as a precaution with a hamstring cramp, but he has responded well this week and looks ready to roll to kick off the weekend against the visiting Yankees. The Miz most likely would have taken the mound on Wednesday, but a rainout between the Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday has pushed the team's starting rotation back a day, and Milwaukee has a scheduled day off on Thursday. Although the matchup against New York isn't ideal, Misiorowski has become a must-start in traditional fantasy baseball leagues. The 24-year-old former second-rounder leads the league with a 14.0 K/9 and is sporting a nice 2.84 ERA (2.99 FIP) and 1.00 WHIP with 59 punchouts and 15 walks in 38 innings across his first seven starts of 2026.

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Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez was on his game in Tuesday's 9-1 beatdown of the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park, throwing eight shutout innings with three hits allowed, one walk, and 10 strikeouts to win his third game of the 2026 season. The 29-year-old southpaw threw 69 of his 97 pitches for strikes and got 22 whiffs during his best performance of the year and his fifth quality start. Sanchez is now 3-2 over his eight starts with a 2.42 ERA (2.40 FIP), a 1.34 WHIP, and a 60:14 K:BB in 48 1/3 innings pitched. His 60 strikeouts lead the league, and he has allowed more than two runs in an outing only once in his eight starts. Sanchez is a must-start in traditional fantasy leagues whenever he's on the mound, and that will be especially true when he makes his next scheduled start at home against the last-place Colorado Rockies this weekend.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Grant Holmes' spot in the starting rotation is being skipped on Wednesday in the matchup on the road in Seattle against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park, with veteran left-hander Martin Perez getting the nod in the series finale. It doesn't mean that Holmes is heading to the bullpen, though, and he could make his next start this weekend in L.A. in an even tougher matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Holmes isn't injured, but the Braves might want to give him a little extra rest before his next outing after he failed to get into the sixth inning in three of his last four starts. The 30-year-old former 22nd overall pick by the Dodgers in 2014 has struggled mightily of late to raise his season ERA to 4.34 and his WHIP to 1.31 in seven starts across 37 1/3 innings pitched. Holmes has fanned 29 and walked 17. If he does make his next start against the Dodgers this weekend on the road, fantasy managers should be looking to bench him.

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Houston Astros infielder Carlos Correa (ankle) suffered a significant injury to his left ankle during pre-game batting practice on Tuesday and could be out for weeks or months while he recovers, a source told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Correa is scheduled to meet with a foot specialist on Wednesday morning, but the expectation is that he will be sidelined indefinitely. The veteran infielder, who has been playing shortstop of late with Jeremy Pena (hamstring) on the injured list, went 0-for-4 on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and is hitting .279/.369/.418 with three home runs and 16 RBI on the season for the Astros. With Pena still out, Correa's injury is a big blow for a struggling Houston team. He'll be the fourth member of the team's Opening Day lineup to land on the IL, joining Pena, catcher Yainer Diaz (oblique), outfielder Joey Loperfido (quadriceps), and outfielder Jake Meyers (oblique). Until Pena is able to return to shortstop, Nick Allen, who got the start at the 6 in Tuesday's win, will likely take over at shortstop for the Astros.

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San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello said that right-hander Logan Webb (knee) dealt with knee discomfort during his rough outing in a loss on Tuesday night against the division-rival San Diego Padres, according to Justice delos Santos of MLB.com. Vitello said he doesn't think Webb's knee injury is serious, but it wasn't worth pushing after a long fourth inning. Although Webb's injury might not be serious enough to send him to the injured list, he could have to be skipped in the starting rotation, depending on how he feels over the next couple of days. The veteran right-hander took his fourth loss of the year to the Padres on Tuesday, allowing six earned runs on seven hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out four. The 29-year-old two-time All-Star has not been the pitcher that fantasy managers thought they were getting, as he now holds a 5.06 ERA (3.60 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 15 walks in 48 innings. Webb leads the league in hits allowed (52) and earned runs allowed (27).

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Miami Marlins right-hander Janson Junk continued his strong stretch on Monday, allowing one run across 5 1/3 innings while giving up five hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Junk now holds a 2.82 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through seven starts this season. He has consistently filled the strike zone, which has helped him work deeper into games while keeping his pitch count under control. In his second season with Miami, Junk is showing clear improvement and reliability. His recent performance points to continued success, making him a priority target for fantasy managers in need of pitching help.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Abner Uribe is quickly taking control of the ninth inning and is a must-roster option as he continues to build momentum. Uribe has recorded three saves with a 3.65 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, while other late-inning option Trevor Megill has struggled to a 6.00 ERA. Uribe's 28 percent strikeout rate supports his ability to succeed in high-leverage situations. This is his fourth season with Milwaukee, and he looks more comfortable than ever in late-game spots. The closer role is trending in his direction, and fantasy managers should act before it is fully locked in.

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Houston Astros left-hander Bryan King appears to be solidifying his role as the top ninth-inning option with Josh Hader on the 60-day IL. Bryan King picked up his third save of the season on Tuesday, tossing two innings of one-run ball to secure the win. This performance marks two saves in his last two appearances for the 29-year-old, who is now tied for the team lead in saves. His season metrics include a 3.45 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Now in his third season in the majors, his career 2.78 ERA positions him well for high-leverage situations. Expect the Astros to lean on him as their go-to arm for save opportunities moving forward.

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New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong appears to be nearing a return to the major leagues, given the current state of their rotation. Last week, the Mets shifted right-hander Kodai Senga to the 15-day injured list, and David Peterson has struggled in a long relief role, allowing 24 earned runs over his last 29 frames. While Tong was unable to claim a role in the Opening Day rotation, the young right-hander could contend for a return in the near future. Tong opened the season with Triple-A Syracuse and has struggled to find consistency, posting a modest 4.60 ERA over 31 1/3 innings. However, his ratios have been skewed by two rough outings that saw him surrender five and six earned runs, respectively. Last summer, Tong was dominant in the upper minor leagues, holding a 1.50 ERA with a 179:47 K:BB over 113 2/3 innings. If Tong can return to this form, he should be in the mix to earn a promotion in the near future, given the minimal competition for a spot at the back-end of the rotation.

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New York Mets infield/outfield prospect A.J. Ewing has emerged as an elite stash option in Week 6 of the fantasy baseball season. Ewing is currently ranked as the No. 85 overall prospect in the sport and the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Mets system, according to MLB.com. He began the 2026 campaign with Double-A Binghamton, where he posted an incredible .349/.481/.571 line with six doubles, two home runs, and 12 stolen bases. This dominant start earned him a ticket to Triple-A Syracuse, where Ewing has continued to swing a scorching-hot bat. Over his first seven games at the top level of the system, Ewing has posted an eye-catching .440/.500/.560 line with one double, one triple, and four stolen bases. Given that Ewing has swiped 16 bags in 25 games this season, he should be viewed as a priority stash target for those needing speed. If he continues this pace, he could arrive in Queens before the All-Star break.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft may be a worthy stash after go-to closer Emilio Pagan suffered a hamstring injury during Wednesday's game. Late-inning opportunities should increase across the Reds bullpen, and the elite 1.02 ERA of Ashcraft poises him to be the next man up in leverage situations. After making a major jump across 62 games last year with an ERA under 4.00, Ashcraft appears to have taken a step forward as he continues to dominate late in games. He already has one save in two opportunities this season. This usage suggests the Reds may turn to him frequently while their primary closer remains sidelined.

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