MLB News

Shohei Ohtani • DH • Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani has "Small" Blister, a "Non-Issue" for his Pitching Starts

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (finger) is dealing with a "small" blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, according to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. Ohtani was seen picking at his blister during his start on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but it's a "non-issue" for his pitching starts going forward, per Roberts. The 31-year-old four-time MVP wasn't really bothered by the blister during his outing in Arizona, as he gave up just two hits in six shutout innings with six strikeouts to earn his sixth win of the year. The Dodgers are giving the Japanese superstar a day of rest on Thursday as a hitter in the series finale in the desert, but it has nothing to do with his blister, and he should be back in action as the designated hitter for L.A. for the start of the Freeway Series on Friday against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani is now hitting over .300 after a slow start at the plate, and the four-time All-Star is firmly in the National League Cy Young race with a 6-2 record, 0.74 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 67:18 K:BB in 61 innings over his 10 starts in 2026.

5 hours ago

George Lombard Jr. • SS • Yankees

Does George Lombard Jr. Have a Path to an Early MLB Debut?

Infielder George Lombard Jr. is the team's top overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he could be on track to make a much earlier than expected debut in the big leagues in 2026. Lombard was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at the end of April after hitting .312 (24-for-77) with four home runs, 10 RBI, 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases in just 20 games with Double-A Somerset. The 21-year-old is already considered major-league-ready in terms of his glove, so he might not be far off from getting the call to the Bronx. The former 26th overall pick in 2023 out of Gulliver Preparatory School in Florida has played in 31 games at Triple-A and has gone 22-for-114 (.193) with two homers, 12 RBI, 23 runs, and six stolen bases in 149 plate appearances. Lombard has a patient approach and a maturing power profile, but he'll need to make more consistent contact to help fantasy managers down the road in the average department. With the expectation that Lombard has a good shot to make his MLB debut in 2026, fantasy managers in deeper leagues may want to get ahead of their league mates and stash him now. Lombard is rostered in just 4% of Yahoo leagues right now.

5 hours ago

Hogan Harris • RP • Athletics

Is Hogan Harris a Legitimate Source of Saves?

The Athletics are currently using a closer-by-committee approach to the ninth inning, but left-handed reliever Hogan Harris might deserve some more consideration off the waiver wire from fantasy managers in need of saves going forward. The 29-year-old southpaw has been a reliable late-inning option for the A's this year and picked up his third win of 2026 in Wednesday night's 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, throwing a hitless and scoreless inning with no walks and two strikeouts. Justin Sterner ended up with the save in the ballgame, but Harris, Mark Leiter Jr., and Scott Barlow are still the best ninth-inning options for manager Mark Kotsay. Since blowing his first save of the year on April 28 against the Kansas City Royals, Harris has tightened things up with three earned runs allowed, seven walks, 16 strikeouts, four saves, three holds, and a win in 15 appearances for the A's. He has not allowed a run in 12 of his last 13 appearances. Fantasy managers should jump on Harris now, and he's only rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues.

5 hours ago

Brent Rooker • RF • Athletics

Brent Rooker Out on Thursday Due to Knee Soreness

Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker (knee) is out of the starting lineup for Thursday's game at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs because he is dealing with some knee soreness, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Manager Mark Kotsay said Rooker is day-to-day. "This is more caution just to get him a day to see if we can get ahead of it as opposed to continuing to go in the wrong direction," Kotsay said. Catcher Shea Langeliers is serving as the designated hitter on Thursday and will hit third, with Jonah Heim doing the catching for right-hander J.T. Ginn and batting sixth against Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga. The knee soreness for the 31-year-old Rooker could be the reason why he's still hitting under the Mendoza Line at .196 (32-for-163) as we start June. Rooker has added eight home runs, 26 RBI, 16 runs scored, and two stolen bases with an ugly .277 on-base percentage and .362 slugging percentage through 43 games. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if the right-handed slugger is available to play for the series opener in Houston against the division-rival Astros.

5 hours ago

Chad Dallas • SP • Blue Jays

Chad Dallas Earns the Call, Will Have a Role on Thursday

The Toronto Blue Jays are calling up right-handed pitching prospect Chad Dallas from the minors, and he will factor into the team's pitching plan on Thursday against the Atlanta Braves in what will be his big-league debut, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Dallas, a fourth-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Tennessee, gets his first call to the majors after going 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 38:13 K:BB in 36 innings across 10 appearances (eight starts) at Triple-A Buffalo this year. The 25-year-old figures to serve in a bulk-reliever role for the Jays in a tough matchup against the Braves in his major-league debut. This is Dallas' first year removed from Tommy John surgery, so Toronto is most likely keeping a close eye on his workload, and he will probably head back to Buffalo sooner rather than later after his debut on Thursday. Fantasy managers in dynasty and redraft leagues can avoid Dallas for now, and DFS managers should steer clear of him against Atlanta.

8 hours ago

Collin Price • C • Astros

Astros Promote Catching Prospect Collin Price, Can he Carve Out a Role?

The Houston Astros called up catching prospect Collin Price from the minors on Thursday and designated catcher Cesar Salazar for assignment in a corresponding move, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Price, a former sixth-round selection in the 2022 MLB draft out of Mercer University, will make his first appearance in the big leagues for the Astros after hitting .235/.360/.476 with an .836 OPS, 10 home runs, 26 RBI, 19 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 47 games across 200 plate appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land this year. The 26-year-old right-handed-hitting backstop had a career-best 18 long balls in 111 games played for Sugar Land last year. With Salazar off the MLB roster, Price will serve as Houston's No. 2 catcher behind Christian Vazquez for the time being. Price has shown plenty of power in the minors, but his stay in the big leagues is likely to be a short one with regular starter Yainer Diaz (oblique) looking likely to rejoin the Astros by mid-June.

8 hours ago

Ketel Marte • 2B • Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte Returns for Series Finale Against Dodgers

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (back, hamstring) is starting at second base and batting leadoff for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander Justin Wrobleski, according to MLB.com. The D-backs kept Marte out of the lineup as a precaution for Wednesday's game due to minor back and hamstring injuries, but he's back in action just a day later. The 32-year-old Dominican switch-hitter should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups in traditional leagues against Wrobleski, whom he has never faced in his career. Marte enters Thursday's action with a .259/.315/.456 slash line, .771 OPS, 10 home runs, 36 RBI, and 36 runs scored across 57 games and 251 plate appearances this year. Fantasy managers will be hoping he can turn things around after going just 1-for-18 with a homer, four RBI, two runs, four walks, and three punchouts in his last five games. Marte has hit better against lefties in a smaller sample size, going 19-for-65 (.292) and with three of his 10 homers on the year.

8 hours ago

Stephen Kolek • SP • Royals

Royals Place Stephen Kolek on Emergency Leave

The Kansas City Royals announced on Thursday that they placed right-hander Stephen Kolek (personal) on the family medical emergency list and selected the contract of infielder Josh Rojas from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Kolek could be away from the Royals for anywhere from three to seven days while he deals with a personal matter. It's unclear if he'll be back with the team in time to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday at home in a plus matchup against the Texas Rangers. The 29-year-old isn't much of a strikeout artist, leaving his fantasy ceiling rather low, but he has pitched well in 2026 in his first full year with the Royals, going 4-1 with a career-best 3.32 ERA (4.10 FIP) and 0.97 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and only eight walks in 38 innings across his six starts. Kolek had a quality start his last time out in a no-decision against the Cincinnati Reds, spinning seven innings with only two earned runs allowed, two walks, and a season-high eight strikeouts. He allowed six runs (four earned) with one walk and five K's in five innings in a loss on May 29 in his first meeting with the Rangers on the road.

9 hours ago

Corey Seager • SS • Rangers

Corey Seager Expected to Return This Weekend

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) is expected to return from the 10-day injured list this weekend, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Rangers entered Wednesday ranked 23rd in runs per game and two games below .500, so they desperately need both Seager and outfielder Wyatt Langford (forearm) back in their lineup. The 32-year-old Seager started a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday and should be good to go by the weekend, barring a setback. The five-time All-Star and two-time World Series MVP has gotten off to a bad start to the 2026 season, slashing just .179/.286/.353 with a .638 OPS, but he did have seven home runs in 156 at-bats before injuring his back. Seager has had trouble staying healthy at various points in his career, but the Rangers need him to stay on the field the rest of the year to have any chance at getting into the postseason. In fantasy, Seager's buy-low window remains open if you're willing to take on the risk that he cannot overcome his slow start. UPDATE: Seager is expected to come off the IL for the series opener on Friday versus the Cleveland Guardians, per MLB.com's Kennedi Landry.

10 hours ago

Walker Jenkins • CF • Twins

With Rehab Assignment on Deck, Will Walker Jenkins Debut in 2026?

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins (shoulder) was gaining momentum for a promotion to the major leagues before suffering a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in early May. The Twins' top-ranked prospect was 9-for-21 (.429) with four doubles, a home run, a 6:4 BB:K, and two steals during a six-game hit streak before hitting the injured list. The oft-injured former first-round draft pick was slashing .256/.396/.389 with a pair of home runs, five steals, and more walks (19) than strikeouts (18) through 25 games before injuring his shoulder. The left-handed slugger is expected to start a rehab assignment next week, per Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll, and should he get rolling again, he will find himself in the mix for a major league debut in the second half of the season. The talented 21-year-old has the skills to be an impactful fantasy player once he gets a shot in the majors, but with a debut likely more than a month away, he's not a must-stash at the moment.

10 hours ago

James Tibbs III • RF • Dodgers

James Tibbs III Extends Hit Streak to Six Games, Promotion on the Way?

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III extended his current hit streak to six games on Wednesday, batting a sizzling .409 (9-for-22) during that stretch, including five home runs and a whopping 14 RBI. For the season, the Dodgers' 10th-ranked prospect is slashing .318/.419/.641 with 17 home runs and a strong 14.2 percent walk rate. The strikeouts remain on the high side at 25.8 percent, but with this type of production, it is tolerable, and he should be ticketed for a major league debut in the coming weeks, though it was Ryan Ward who was called upon to replace the recently shelved Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring). Should Ward falter or another need arises in the outfield, Tibbs could very well be on his way to Los Angeles, and with the type of power and on-base ability he's shown at Triple-A Oklahoma City, the 23-year-old should be considered one of the top bats to stash in most redraft leagues.

10 hours ago

Brody Hopkins • RP • Rays

Is Brody Hopkins a Stash Candidate After Latest Outing?

Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Brody Hopkins' season-long stats for Triple-A Durham don't look so good on the surface (3.56 ERA, 5.00 FIP, 1.54 WHIP), but progress can be seen in his five May outings, where he pitched to a 1.77 ERA (3.89 FIP) and 1.38 WHIP while opponents hit just .143 against him. The main issue has been the walks, which have persisted even throughout May, as the right-hander carries a Triple-A-worst 20.2 percent walk rate (minimum 30 innings pitched), which has almost canceled out a solid 25.8 percent strikeout rate, giving him a paltry 5.6 K-BB% for the year, while he's also delivered the second-most wild pitches (eight) among Triple-A hurlers. A 35.8 percent whiff rate (88th percentile) shows what kind of swing-and-miss stuff the Rays' top pitching prospect has, and if he can get the command under control, there is plenty of strikeout upside there. The 24-year-old walked just one while striking out nine in his latest appearance, and if he can continue that trend, the Rays might find a role for him on the big league club later this season, and with his stuff, Hopkins could end up being a stash target for fantasy.

10 hours ago

Hagen Smith • SP • White Sox

Hagen Smith Seeing Value Soar as a Top Pitcher to Stash?

Across 43 innings (12 starts) this season at Triple-A, Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Hagen Smith has recorded a 4.19 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts. Smith owns a 16% walk rate this season and walked 17.6% of the batters he faced at Double-A in 2025, so command is obviously a red flag in his profile. However, the 22-year-old's 33.7% strikeout rate hints at an elite ability to miss bats. Smith has also started to lock in over his last two starts at Triple-A, allowing three earned runs and three walks while striking out 16 across 9 1/3 innings of work. Smith has logged just 126 1/3 total innings in the minors since being drafted fifth overall by the White Sox in 2024. Between his lack of experience and his walk issues, Chicago may need to see more from him before giving him an opportunity in the big leagues. Still, Smith's ability to miss bats gives him major fantasy upside and may make him worth stashing off the waiver wire in deeper leagues.

10 hours ago

Karson Milbrandt • SP • Marlins

Will Karson Milbrandt be the Next Marlins Pitching Prospect to Debut?

Miami Marlins pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt has pitched extremely well so far this season, and with a recent promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville, the right-hander has put himself in the stash conversation for fantasy. The former third-rounder has pitched to a 1.34 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through nine starts at Double-A, while striking out 38.3 percent of opponents. His 70 strikeouts are second-most for any pitcher in all the minors, and it will be interesting to see how he fares at the minors' highest level. The Marlins' ninth-ranked prospect will get his first opportunity to face stiffer competition on Saturday when he takes the mound for the first time for the Jumbo Shrimp, and if he continues to perform, a major league debut should be in the cards later in the season. The Marlins' rotation depth has taken multiple hits with Janson Junk (shin) and Eury Perez (thigh) recently hitting the injured list, and with prospect Robby Snelling (elbow) also out for the year after making just one MLB start. Top prospect Thomas White (shoulder) remains on the 7-day IL, so Milbrandt's chance may come out of sheer necessity, though he's not currently on the 40-man roster. Either way, his strikeout upside puts him on the fantasy radar, and if he shows well on Saturday, he could quickly become a top pitching stash in redraft leagues.

11 hours ago

José Ramírez • 3B • Guardians

Jose Ramirez Remains an Elite Third Baseman Despite Underwhelming Production

Across 276 plate appearances entering play on Thursday, Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez had hit .245/.351/.433 with nine home runs, 32 RBI, 36 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. While the 33-year-old's .784 OPS this season still represents above-average production, it's well below the .868 OPS he posted across back-to-back top-five finishes in the American League MVP vote in 2024 and 2025. Still, Ramirez's 7% barrel rate is right in line with his career norms, and his 44.8% hard-hit rate is actually the best mark of his career. Ramirez's plate skills also remain elite, as he's drawn 39 walks on the season and struck out just 35 times. Ramirez is already an elite source of speed, and there's plenty of reason to believe that the rest of his fantasy profile will return to elite status over the remainder of 2026.

11 hours ago

Thomas White • SP • Marlins

Thomas White Still Worth Stashing Amid Injured List Stint?

Miami Marlins pitching prospect Thomas White (shoulder) was coming off a stellar 2025 campaign where he posted a 2.31 ERA (2.27 FIP), 1.18 WHIP, and a .172 opponent batting average while striking out 145 batters across 89 2/3 innings of work, which was good for a massive 38.6 percent strikeout rate. Walks have always been a concern, even in 2025 when they reached 13.6 percent, but a 17.0 percent swinging-strike rate while allowing two home runs all season helped limit the potential damage. That is why it was a bit of an eye-opener to see him struggle to a 4.34 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and an opponent batting average of .257, which includes four home runs allowed to begin the Triple-A campaign in 2026. The Marlins' top-ranked prospect has been on the 7-day injured list since May 19, but has no clear timetable to return after Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said last week that White is recovering from "a bit of a shoulder thing." If he can return soon and log a couple of good starts at Triple-A, the southpaw could soon get the call to the majors with the big league rotation desperately in need of reinforcements. Fantasy managers should monitor for any updates, as once the 21-year-old starts pitching again, he'll likely be one of the top pitchers to stash in fantasy leagues.

11 hours ago

Ralphy Velazquez • 1B • Guardians

Should Ralphy Velazquez Be Viewed as an Elite Stash Target?

Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is off to an excellent start to the 2026 season in the minor leagues, hitting .298/.389/.521 with seven home runs, 31 RBI, 28 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 21-year-old's production has slowed down a bit since being promoted from Double-A Akron to Triple-A Columbus on May 20. Still, Velazquez has progressed rapidly through the Guardians' farm system since opening the 2025 season at High-A and could be on the fast track to the big leagues. Cleveland has gotten decent production from the first base/designated hitter combination of Kyle Manzardo and Rhys Hoskins, but neither represents a major impediment for Velazquez if he continues to produce. In deeper leagues, fantasy managers may want to consider stashing Velazquez off the waiver wire.

11 hours ago

Manny Machado • 3B • Padres

Is Manny Machado Showing Signs of Age-Related Decline?

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado has struggled mightily so far in 2026, hitting .172/.263/.344 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI, 28 runs scored, and one stolen base across 241 plate appearances. It's a startling decline for the veteran, who entered 2026 riding a streak of five consecutive seasons with at least a .258 batting average, 27 home runs, and 91 RBI. Machado's issues at the plate have been at least partially fueled by bad luck, as his .177 batting average on balls in play is significantly below his career mark of .296. However, there are some worrying signs in his underlying metrics. Machado's 8.2% barrel rate is his worst since 2019, and his 44.3% hard-hit rate is his lowest since 2020. The 33-year-old's strikeout rate has also slipped to a career-worst 23.2%. Machado's production feels likely to regress to the mean over a larger sample, but he may finally be exhibiting signs of age-related decline.

11 hours ago

Brent Rooker • RF • Athletics

Brent Rooker Remains an Intriguing Buy-Low Candidate Despite Rough Start to 2026

Athletics outfielder/designated hitter Brent Rooker has had a rough go of it so far in 2026, hitting .196/.277/.362 with eight home runs, 26 RBI, 16 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 184 plate appearances. The 31-year-old's season got off to a rocky start due to injury, as he missed nearly three weeks in April with an oblique strain. After striking out in 22.2% of his plate appearances in 2025, Rooker's strikeout rate has skyrocketed to 31% in 2026. Even with the increase in swing-and-miss, Rooker's poor batting average may be a symptom of bad luck. His current batting average on balls in play of .240 is well below his career mark of .312. Rooker's power does not appear to have degraded either, as his 14.7% barrel rate is right in line with the marks he posted across three consecutive 30-homer campaigns from 2023 to 2025. If Rooker can cut down on his whiffs even slightly, he could be in line for a major bounce-back over the remainder of 2026.

11 hours ago

Cooper Pratt • SS • Brewers

Cooper Pratt's On-Base Streak Reaches 22 Games, Nearing MLB Debut?

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt went hitless on Wednesday for Triple-A Nashville, but drew a walk in the contest that extended his on-base streak to 22 games, during which time he's gone 24-for-85 (.282) with eight extra-base hits (four home runs), five steals, and a 14:18 BB:K while also getting hit by a pitch three times in that span. The Brewers' fourth-ranked prospect is slashing .242/.360/.382 through 49 games for the Sounds, with five home runs, 14 steals, and nearly as many walks (32) as strikeouts (34). The former sixth-round draft pick signed an eight-year deal in the offseason for $50.75 million before playing a single game higher than Double-A, and with current shortstop David Hamilton batting .167 (5-for-30) over his last 10 games and .230 on the season, Pratt's opportunity for a big league debut appears to be drawing closer and closer. Look for the 21-year-old to receive a promotion by midseason, and with an advanced approach that could generate a decent average with a little pop, along with the ability to steal bases, the 6-foot-4 slugger should be considered a speculative stash with upside in deeper leagues.

11 hours ago

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