New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said on Monday that right-hander Kodai Senga (back) will make another minor-league rehab start on Thursday, per Max Goodman of NJ.com. Senga made his first rehab start on Friday for Single-A St. Lucie and allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two in 3 1/3 innings. He threw 36 of his 63 pitches for strikes. Depending on how he fares in his second rehab start this week, the Mets could choose to reinstate Senga from the 15-day injured list after that. The 33-year-old Japanese native wasn't very good at all in his five starts for the Mets this year before tweaking his back, though, so don't be surprised if the Mets aren't in any rush to bring him back to the big-league starting rotation. Senga has gone 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA (6.13 FIP) and 1.95 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 13 walks in 20 innings. It also isn't out of the question that Senga returns as a long man out of New York's bullpen. After a strong first year in MLB in 2023, in which he was an All-Star, Senga hasn't quite been the same after making just one start in 2024 due to injury. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues can take a wait-and-see approach on Senga.

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New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said on Monday that catcher Francisco Alvarez (knee) is already hitting and could be back well before his eight-week timetable, according to NJ.com's Max Goodman. "He's built different," Mendoza said. Alvarez is recovering nicely after undergoing surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee less than two weeks ago. If everything continues to progress well for Alvarez, he'll have a chance to rejoin the Mets as their starting catcher before the end of June. Until then, the Mets will continue to move forward with Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger splitting the duties behind the plate in Queens. Alvarez continues to struggle to stay healthy in the big leagues, but when he's active, he can provide above-average power at the catching position for fantasy managers. The 24-year-old Venezuelan had a career-high 25 homers in 123 games in 2023 in his first full season in the majors, but he has combined for 22 homers in the last two seasons. Because of his latest injury, Alvarez is now only rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said on Monday that shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) has started running and doing other baseball activities such as fielding grounders and hitting, according to Max Goodman of NJ.com. Finally, the 32-year-old Puerto Rican shortstop is making progress after already missing more than a month with a pretty serious left-calf strain. Lindor still has a ways to go before he can rejoin the major-league roster, but barring a setback once he's cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment, he should be back at some point in June to try and help the Mets climb out of the basement in the National League East. Until then, Bo Bichette will continue to handle starting shortstop duties, with Brett Baty playing third base against right-handed pitching. Lindor should remain stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy baseball leagues despite his injury and slow start to the 2026 season. Before getting hurt, the five-time All-Star was batting just .226 (21-for-93) with two long balls, five RBI, 14 runs scored, and two steals in 24 games played.

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Even though Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle is scheduled to face off against the first-place Atlanta Braves in his next outing this week, he has done enough to warrant waiver-wire consideration in fantasy leagues where he's still available. The 23-year-old southpaw picked up another quality start by allowing three earned runs in six innings while walking two and striking out nine for a no-decision in his last outing on May 22 against the Minnesota Twins. Tolle now has four quality starts in his six starts in 2026, posting a 2.45 ERA (2.84 FIP) and 0.82 WHIP with 39 strikeouts and only nine walks in 36 2/3 innings pitched. He has yet to allow more than three earned runs in an outing and is one of the more promising, young left-handed arms in all of baseball. Tolle made his big-league debut last year with the BoSox and wasn't quite as good, recording a 6.06 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with 19 K's and eight walks in 16 1/3 frames over seven appearances (three starts). Tolle is rostered in 62% of Yahoo leagues, and he'll have a nice test this week against Atlanta.

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Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) didn't bounce back well from his minor-league rehab start on Saturday with Triple-A Omaha, manager Matt Quatraro told Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Ragans felt similar symptoms in his elbow as before, although he didn't feel anything while pitching on Saturday. He is being shut down for two to three days before being re-evaluated. It's unfortunate news after the 28-year-old southpaw gave up one run with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings in his rehab start over the weekend. Ragans is on the 15-day injured list with an impingement in his left elbow and appeared to be making strides towards potentially rejoining the Royals' starting rotation in the near future, but now that's all up in the air. The former first-rounder by the Texas Rangers in 2016 was a fantasy ace as a first-time All-Star in 2024, but he has dealt with injuries over the last two seasons. Before his elbow injury landed him on the IL, Ragans went 1-4 this year with a 4.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 45 K's and 23 walks in eight starts across 35 1/3 innings. He should still be stashed everywhere for his strikeout upside.

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect River Ryan recently returned from his injured stint at Triple-A and is quickly in the mix to join the MLB rotation. Ryan spent a month on the Triple-A injured list with a minor hamstring injury, but has looked sharp in his return. Over his last two outings with Oklahoma City, Ryan has logged nine innings with just one earned run, four hits, and a stellar 11:1 K:BB. Additionally, Ryan has seen his stash value skyrocket as of late, given that Blake Snell recently joined Tyler Glasnow on the MLB injured list, leaving a clear spot for Ryan to join the rotation. The 27-year-old made his MLB debut in 2024 and held his own, posting a 1.33 ERA over 20 1/3 innings, but did not take the mound in 2025 after undergoing an internal brace procedure. However, with his lengthy injury history behind him and a clear opening, Ryan carries elite stash upside in the short term, as he appears to be the clear next-best option for this pitching staff.

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Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper continues to showcase his elite five-category profile at Triple-A and enters Week 9 as a must-stash prospect. Culpepper opened the campaign with Triple-A St. Paul after splitting the 2025 season between Double-A and Triple-A. Over 113 total games over the top levels last summer, Culpepper posted a .289/.375/.469 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. Through 45 games at St. Paul, the infielder has already gone deep 10 times while swiping 11 bags. He has held a .247/.347/.462 line with a .809 OPS. Over his last 12 games, he has posted a stellar 8:8 K:BB with two of these long balls and four stolen bases. Given that the Twins lack many proven options in their current infield and the recent demotion of Royce Lewis, Culpepper could have his name called in the immediate future. He should be viewed as a top stash target in all leagues ahead of Week 9.

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (illness) remains out of the starting lineup for the second straight day due to the flu in Monday's series opener against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, according to MLB.com. Nick Morabito will make the start in left field at Citi Field and will bat seventh against Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo. Carson Benge is serving as the designated hitter for the MEts and will bat leadoff. Soto is still under the weather, but hopefully, he'll be ready to return at some point during this series early in the week against the Reds. Soto has been picking things up at the plate recently, going 14-for-37 (.378) with six home runs, 10 RBI, four stolen bases, and 11 runs scored in his last 10 games since May 14 to raise his season slash line to .294/.390/.559 with a .949 OPS. The 27-year-old four-time All-Star only has 10 homers on the year, but he also missed some time with a calf injury early on. When active, Soto is a must-start in all traditional fantasy formats.

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Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson enjoyed a dominant bounce-back effort after a season-worst showing. On May 15, the former LSU superstar's near-perfect regular season came to a sudden halt as he allowed six hits and five runs, both of which set season highs. However, on May 22, the left-hander quickly returned to form, logging 4 2/3 shutout frames with three hits and a 7:2 K:BB. Removing his lone outlier outing from his game log, the former No. 3 overall pick would carry an incredible 0.52 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and a 54:7 K:BB over a short 34 2/3 inning stint with Double-A. Given his current production, the sotuhpaw is already on the verge of reaching Triple-A and may only need a brief taste of the level before reaching Seattle. Even though there is no clear spot for him on the MLB roster, he possesses the highest upside among pitching prospects to stash, making him a priority target in all formats.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara has yet to slow down at Triple-A Nashville and enters Week 9 as one of the top prospects to stash in all of fantasy baseball. In 2025, Lara was better known as a contact hitter, going deep just twice over a 136-game stint at the Double-A level. However, since moving up to Nashville, the young outsider has not only enjoyed more steady success but is beginning to showcase high-end power. Through his first 49 contests at the top club in the minor leagues, the 21-year-old has already gone deep seven times, while carrying a .333/.445/.494 line with a .939 OPS. During this stint, Lara has swiped 18 bags and has shown a strong eye at the dish, posting a 28:35 K:BB. Even though there is no clear opening to everyday at-bats on the MLB roster, his current trajectory could set him up for a first-half debut.

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Miami Marlins top pitching prospect Thomas White (shoulder) was placed on the 7-day injured list last week with a shoulder injury. This was a tough blow for the budding ace as he appeared to have a clear path to making his MLB debut in the immediate future, as Robby Snelling was shifted to the 15-day injured list. However, even though this injury hurt his short-term upside, his long-term value remains high, as this shoulder injury is not expected to be overly serious. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as he could return to the bump before the ned of June, which could keep him in play for a first-half MLB debut. The 21-year-old missed the start of the Triple-A season due to an oblique injury but has been effective when on the mound, striking out 25 hitters over 18 2/3 innings. With a clear path to the majors still in play, White is a viable stash target for those in deeper 12+ team leagues with multiple N/A spots.

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Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said the team is closely monitoring right-hander Logan Henderson's back tightness after his last start, according to Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic. The Brewers have yet to announce a starter for Wednesday's game against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, which would be Henderson's next turn in the starting rotation. "I think there's reason for concern, so we're going to keep a really close eye on it," Murphy said. The 24-year-old has been great for the Brew Crew this year in just five starts, going 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 30 strikeouts in 23 innings, and he even threw five scoreless innings against the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start before developing back tightness. If Henderson cannot pitch on Wednesday, there's a chance he could land on the injured list. It's unclear at this time who is a candidate to make a spot start for Milwaukee if Henderson doesn't pitch. Even though Henderson has been solid in his small sample size in 2026, he'll be a pretty risky fantasy starter this week if he's cleared to face the Red Birds.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) has yet to start baseball activities, according to Tim Britton of The Athletic. Lindor has been sidelined since April 22 with a left-calf strain, and since he hasn't resumed any baseball activities, fantasy managers could potentially be without him for the rest of the first half of the 2026 season. The Mets won't have a timetable for his return until he resumes baseball activities. Although it's extremely frustrating for a Mets team that is looking at a lost season, the 32-year-old Puerto Rican infielder should remain rostered in all fantasy baseball leagues as a difference-maker in multiple categories when he's healthy. The five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger was hitting a disappointing .226 (21-for-93) with two homers, five RBI, 14 runs scored, and two steals at the time of his injury, too. For the foreseeable future, Bo Bichette will continue to man the 6 in Queens in Lindor's absence, with Brett Baty seeing most of the starts at third base against right-handed pitchers.

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New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (Achilles, wrist) has been taking live at-bats in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and is progressing toward a minor-league rehab assignment, according to The Athletic's Tim Britton. Polanco remains on the 10-day injured list with Achilles soreness and a right-wrist contusion, and at this point, he has acknowledged that it is a matter of figuring out the amount of pain he can tolerate this year. The 32-year-old veteran Dominican infielder has been sidelined since the middle of April, but it appears that his return from the IL could be on the horizon if he can get cleared to play in rehab games soon. Polanco has power upside for a player eligible at second base in fantasy, but for a player with a lengthy injury history, managers will continue to find it hard to trust him. It's why he's only rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues right now. He has gotten off to a bad start in his first year with the Mets in 2026, and he had gone just 10-for-56 (.179) with a homer, two RBI, and three runs scored in his first 14 games before getting injured.

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Chicago White Sox rookie outfielder Sam Antonacci has cooled off a bit recently at the plate, but fantasy managers targeting speed should still be considering acquiring him off the waiver wire. The 23-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has hit .233 (7-for-30) with an RBI, two stolen bases, six runs scored, three walks, and seven strikeouts in nine games since May 15, but he still holds a strong .300/.395/.357 slash line with a .752 OPS, four doubles, four RBI, five stolen bases, and 15 runs scored in 21 contests in May. Antonacci, a former fifth-round selection in 2024 out of Coastal Carolina, has only one home run and won't provide much pop for fantasy managers, but he has held his own in his first 35 big-league games in 2026. He's hitting .273 (30-for-110) with a homer, five doubles, two triples, 10 RBI, five steals, and 20 runs scored across his 132 plate appearances. Making him even more attractive in deeper leagues is the fact that he's eligible at second and third base, in addition to the outfield. He's also widely available in Yahoo leagues, as he's currently rostered in just 16% of leagues.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early struggled with his control earlier this year, but he has begun to turn it around in that department and remains one of the more intriguing young arms to roster in fantasy baseball leagues. The 24-year-old southpaw is currently 4-2 in his 10 starts in 2026 with a 3.33 ERA (4.73 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 50 strikeouts and 19 walks in 54 innings in just his second year in the big leagues. Early picked up his fourth win of the season on May 20 against the Kansas City Royals on the road, allowing three earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking only one and striking out five in 6 1/3 innings. The former fifth-round pick in 2023 out of Virginia has looked much better since wallowing a season-high five earned runs in four innings against the Houston Astros on May 2. In three starts since then, he has allowed five earned runs on 15 hits (four homers) while walking two and fanning 19 in 18 1/3 frames. Home runs have been an issue, but fantasy managers should feel more comfortable scooping him up off the waiver wire if he continues to limit the walks. Early is rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues, and he has four quality starts in his last seven outings while giving up more than three earned runs in just one of his 10 starts in 2026.

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Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday was rostered in most fantasy baseball leagues going into his third MLB season in 2026 before he suffered a fractured hamate bone in his hand back in February that required surgery. After multiple setbacks during his minor-league rehab assignment, Holliday didn't make his season debut until May 19. The 22-year-old former first overall pick is now rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues (42%), and he has yet to make a start against a left-handed pitcher since coming off the injured list. And in his first five games played this year, Holliday has gone 2-for-11 with a homer, two RBI, two steals, and three runs scored. The son of former MLB star Matt Holliday was a first overall pick for a reason, though, and he was three home runs and three stolen bases shy of a 20-20 campaign in 2025 in his first full year in the big leagues. The upside is evident, and Holliday should slowly start to be trusted in an everyday role once he's further removed from his hand injury. Once he starts to heat up, it might be too late to pick him up off the waiver wire.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown has already been trending up in his transition to a starting role in Chicago, and he should be even more attractive in Week 9 of the fantasy baseball season while scheduled for a two-start week versus the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old has slowly been building up his pitch count in a starting role after opening the 2026 season as a reliever for the Cubbies. In his last outing on May 19 in a loss to the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, Brown allowed three earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out six in five innings of work. He has thrown at least four innings in each of his first three starts, dating back to May 8, and he's racked up 13 strikeouts in his last two appearances. Neither the Pirates nor the Cardinals are exactly excellent matchups for Brown as far as being a streamer, but he becomes more valuable in weekly formats because he's slated to start twice. Despite taking his first loss his last time out, Brown holds a strong 2.09 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 40:12 K:BB in 38 2/3 innings this year, and he's only rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

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San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit .292 (26-for-89) in April and also had five home runs, a double, 15 RBI, 14 runs scored, and three stolen bases as one of the team's most consistent hitters. It led to an uptick in fantasy managers picking him up off the waiver wire. Bogaerts had two hits in the team's 5-2 loss in the series finale on Sunday against the Athletics, but he has cooled off considerably at the plate recently and in May. His two hits on Sunday broke a streak of three straight hitless games, and the 33-year-old veteran is hitting only .211 (15-for-71) with two home runs, a double, seven RBI, five steals, and eight runs scored in 21 games in May. Since May 13, Bogaerts has gone 6-for-34 (.176) with an RBI, three steals, three runs, three walks, and eight strikeouts in 10 games played. Overall, the four-time All-Star is slashing a modest .250/.320/.383 with a .703 OPS, seven home runs, 24 RBI, eight steals, and 22 runs across 50 games. At the very least, Bogaerts has been more attractive in deep-mixed fantasy leagues for his uptick in power in 2026, as he had only 11 homers in each of the last two seasons in San Diego.

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New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) suffered a left-shoulder AC joint sprain when he crashed into the outfield wall while making a catch on May 7 and was placed on the 10-day injured list a day later. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection on May 11 and advanced from pool and weight-room activities to hitting off a tee on May 20. Dominguez did more tee and toss work on May 22 and could start a minor-league rehab assignment in the first week of June, according to MLB.com. Barring a setback once Dominguez resumes playing in games in the minors, he could potentially be ready to rejoin the major-league roster by the end of next weekend or the following week. Giancarlo Stanton (calf) is going slower in his rehab, so Dominguez could have an opening for some playing time in the Bronx when he's reinstated. The 23-year-old switch-hitting Dominican didn't make the Opening Day roster and has appeared in only nine games this year, going 6-for-30 (.200) with a homer and four RBI. The former top prospect isn't guaranteed anything upon his return, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him go back to the minors, too.

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