MLB News

Louis Varland • RP • Blue Jays

Is Louis Varland Toronto's Clear No. 1 Closer?

Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Louis Varland picked up his fourth save of the year in the team's 3-0 shutout win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Tuesday and is positioning himself as the team's primary closer after right-hander Jeff Hoffman was recently demoted from the closer's role due to his ongoing struggles. Varland, 28, struck out the side in his inning of work to close things out at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday. The former 15th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2019 out of Concordia University in Minnesota came into Tuesday's action with a microscopic 0.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 23 strikeouts, and only four walks in his 15 innings of work out of the bullpen. So far, Varland has been a perfect 4-for-4 with his save opportunities. With Hoffman not guaranteed to reclaim the closer role if he begins to turn things around, Varland is absolutely worth a waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers in need of saves. He's only rostered in 53% of Yahoo leagues right now.

6 days ago

George Lombard Jr. • SS • Yankees

George Lombard Jr. Being Promoted to Triple-A

New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. is being promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to Jack Curry of YES Network. The Yankees have believed that Lombard is ready for the majors from a defensive standpoint, but they will now monitor how he progresses offensively at the highest minor-league level. Curry adds that the expectation is that Lombard will play some shortstop and third base at Triple-A. The 20-year-old former 26th overall pick in 2023 got the promotion to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after going 24-for-74 (.324) with four home runs, 10 RBI, 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 87 plate appearances over 19 games at Double-A Somerset to begin the 2026 season. Lombard has always been one of the youngest players at every level, and he still has plenty of time to mature and access more raw power from his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. Per MLB Pipeline, Lombard is New York's top prospect. Unless Lombard just absolutely kills it at the plate in Triple-A, it's more likely that he'll make his major-league debut for the Yankees in 2027.

6 days ago

Junior Caminero • 3B • Rays

Junior Caminero Suffers Jaw Contusion on Tuesday, Considered Day-to-Day

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (jaw) was forced from Tuesday's game in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians with a right-jaw contusion after fouling a ball off the right side of his face, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The good news is that Caminero's injury isn't serious, and he's considered day-to-day. In his only at-bat before leaving, Caminero was 0-for-1 at the plate. Ben Williamson entered the game for the Rays to play second base, with Richie Palacios shifting over to the hot corner. It doesn't sound like Caminero will be forced to the injured list with this injury, but he could be held out of Wednesday's series finale against Cleveland as a precaution. Fantasy managers will want to check back then to see if he's back in the starting lineup for Tampa. The 22-year-old Dominican broke out in 2025 in his first full year in the big leagues, slashing .264/.311/.535 with 45 home runs, 110 RBI, and seven stolen bases in 154 games played. He is a must-start anytime he's in the Rays' lineup in traditional leagues. Coming into Tuesday's game, Caminero had gone 29-for-112 (.259) with eight homers and 15 RBI in his 28 games.

6 days ago

Justin Steele • SP • Cubs

Justin Steele Won't Return Until After the All-Star Break

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that left-hander Justin Steele's (elbow) flexor strain in his left elbow will keep him out of the team's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. The Cubs were originally hoping that Steele could return from the injured list in early June. Unfortunately, Steele had a setback during his rehab on Tuesday and will miss the entire first half of 2026. The 30-year-old southpaw is on the 60-day IL at the moment. Fantasy managers are obviously going to need to be patient with Steele this year. He's currently rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues, and fantasy managers in mixed leagues should now be considering whether to continue stashing him for the rest of the first half of the season. Steele was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and was solid again in 2024, but he only made four starts with the Cubbies last year before having UCL revision surgery in April.

6 days ago

Pete Fairbanks • RP • Marlins

Pete Fairbanks Going on Injured List With Nerve Irritation

Miami Marlins right-handed closer Pete Fairbanks (thumb) is going on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with nerve irritation, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The Marlins are hoping that he'll be out for just 15 days. Fairbanks was ineffective in a save opportunity on Monday night in the loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and was pulled from his outing early after losing feeling in his right hand. It's a similar issue to what he dealt with in April of 2024, when he landed on the IL with the Tampa Bay Rays. Back then, he ended up missing three weeks of action. Miami is hoping it won't be as long this time around, but fantasy managers need to plan for the worst. Fairbanks had five saves and a bloated 10.00 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in his first nine innings for Miami in 2026, but he also secured five saves and has 80 saves since the start of the 2023 campaign. With Fairbanks sidelined for at least the next two weeks, expect the Fish to use a closer-by-committee that could feature any of Anthony Bender, Andrew Nardi, Tyler Phillips, and Calvin Faucher.

6 days ago

Manny Machado • 3B • Padres

Manny Machado Out After Suffering Calf Cramping on Monday

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (calf) is not in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday for Game 2 of the series at Petco Park against the visiting Chicago Cubs, according to MLB.com. Jake Cronenworth is starting at the hot corner and will bat ninth for the Friars, with Fernando Tatis Jr. playing second base for a second straight day and batting out of the two-hole versus Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera. Bryce Johnson is making the start for SD in right field with Tatis back on the dirt in the infield. The 33-year-old veteran was pulled from Monday's win over the Cubs early as a precaution due to calf cramping, and he's available off the bench on Tuesday. The Padres are giving the star third baseman an extra day of rest, but he's expected to be fine, and he could return as early as Wednesday's game against the Cubbies. Machado got off to a cold start offensively in 2026, but he hit two home runs on Sunday in Mexico City and had doubled twice on Monday night before leaving with his calf injury, perhaps signaling that he's on the verge of breaking out with April nearing an end. Check back on Wednesday to see if Machado is ready to play in the series finale against the Cubs.

6 days ago

Maikel Garcia • 3B • Royals

Maikel Garcia Returning for Royals on Tuesday

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (elbow) is back at the hot corner and is hitting leadoff for Tuesday's game against the Athletics and right-hander Aaron Civale in Sacramento, according to MLB.com. It will be Garcia's first game back since missing three games with right-elbow cramps. However, the 26-year-old did come off the bench for two plate appearances in Sunday's contest. Now that he's back in action, fantasy managers will want to return him to their starting lineups. The Venezuelan third baseman is a fine DFS option for Tuesday's slate as well at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. After earning All-Star honors for the first time in 2025 in his fourth year in the majors, Garcia is off to a .263 (26-for-99) start at the plate this year with two home runs, 10 RBI, 15 runs scored, and two stolen bases in his 112 plate appearances across 26 games played. Garcia has hit .133 with a .266 OPS and one RBI in 15 career at-bats against Civale, but don't let that stop you from starting him in his return to the starting nine.

6 days ago

Justin Steele • SP • Cubs

Justin Steele Shut Down Following Setback

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) has suffered a setback in his rehab program and is shut down from throwing, according to Jesse Rogers. The Cubs were hopeful to get Steele back around Memorial Day in late May. That timetable seems unlikely now with this latest setback. Steele is working his way back from elbow surgery that he underwent in April of last year. Both the Cubs and fantasy managers were hopeful to get something out of Steele here soon, but that doesn't seem like it's going to happen now. The organization should give a better timetable for Steele in the coming days.

6 days ago

Spencer Strider • SP • Braves

Spencer Strider to Make Season Debut This Weekend

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (oblique) will make his season debut against the Colorado Rockies this weekend. Braves manager Walt Weiss confirmed the news on Tuesday, but it wasn't announced which day Strider will pitch. The right-hander is back in the mix after missing the beginning of the season due to an oblique strain. He threw 82 pitches during his final rehab start at Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday. With that being said, Strider should have a fairly normal workload during his season debut. It's usually never fun pitching at Coors Field, but Strider has too much upside to ignore him. Strider should be rostered and started in basically all fantasy formats, even with his first start being in Colorado.

6 days ago

Max Muncy • 3B • Dodgers

Max Muncy Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Fractured Hand

Athletics infielder Max Muncy (hand) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, retroactive to April 26. Muncy is dealing with a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand. He reportedly suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch on April 13, but the fracture wasn't revealed until he underwent an MRI on Monday. Given the severity of the injury, fantasy managers should expect Muncy to miss more than the 10-day minimum on the IL. In a corresponding move, Brett Harris was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take over the roster spot. Darell Hernaiz figures to see a majority of the playing time at the hot corner in Muncy's absence.

6 days ago

Spencer Schwellenbach • SP • Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach Worth Stashing in Deeper Leagues?

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) won't make his season debut until after the All-Star break, according to manager Walt Weiss. That news was confirmed on Tuesday, but that doesn't rule out Schwellenbach still making an impact this season. The right-hander underwent surgery in February to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. He has reportedly been making good progress, but he isn't cleared to begin a throwing session yet. When healthy, Schwellenbach has been a reliable option in the rotation for the Braves. He has a 3.23 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 235/41 K:BB ratio across 38 big league starts. Fantasy managers who can afford to keep Schwellenbach on their Injured List spot for a few months should consider adding him.

6 days ago

Geraldo Perdomo • SS • Diamondbacks

Geraldo Perdomo Remains Sidelined with Ankle Issue

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Geraldo Perdomo (ankle) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Perdomo will miss his second straight game after suffering a left ankle sprain during Saturday's loss to the San Diego Padres. For now, Perdomo is considered day-to-day, but he could land on the Injured List if the injury doesn't improve soon. Jose Fernandez will get another start at shortstop and bat sixth against right-hander Chad Patrick on Tuesday. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on Perdomo on Wednesday.

6 days ago

Andrés Giménez • SS • Blue Jays

Andres Gimenez is Returning to the Lineup on Tuesday

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Andres Gimenez (undisclosed) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Gimenez is back in the mix after sitting out the last two games for what seems like rest purposes. Jays' manager John Schneider said Gimenez was available off the bench on Monday, but is banged up right now. Regardless of the reasoning, Gimenez is at shortstop and batting ninth on Tuesday. He has done a nice job, slashing .287/.313/.468 with three home runs and 16 RBI this season. He is more of a deep league option at the moment, but could see his value rise if he keeps swinging the bat well.

6 days ago

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz is Back in Action on Tuesday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (illness) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Cruz was scratched ahead of Monday's contest due to an illness. He needed a rest day anyway after going 0-for-10 at the plate with five strikeouts over his last two games. Outside of that, it has been a productive beginning of the season for Cruz, who is slashing .259/.320/.518 with eight home runs, 24 RBI, and 10 steals across 27 games. He'll bat in the leadoff spot and cover center field against right-hander Kyle Leahy on Tuesday.

6 days ago

Luis Robert Jr. • CF • Mets

Luis Robert Jr. Out on Tuesday With Back Tightness

New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (back) has lower-back tightness and is getting treatments, which is why he's not in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to Chelsea Janes of SNY. No further testing is scheduled for Robert, but "if he doesn't get better in the next 48 hours," the team might have to reconsider, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The oft-injured Robert is sitting out on Tuesday night for the third time in the team's last four games as he battles his back tightness. It's not what fantasy managers want to hear, but hopefully, the 28-year-old Cuban can avoid a trip to the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Wednesday to see if he can return to the Mets' starting nine. With Robert out and Juan Soto (forearm) still serving as the designated hitter, the Mets are rolling with MJ Melendez in left field, rookie Carson Benge in center, and Brett Baty in right field on Tuesday at Citi Field. Robert has been quiet at the plate early in his first year in Queens, going 19-for-85 (.224) with two home runs, eight RBI, 10 runs scored, and two steals in 24 games.

6 days ago

Juan Soto • LF • Mets

Juan Soto Dealing With Forearm Tightness, Serving as DH on Tuesday

New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (forearm) reported forearm tightness on Friday, manager Carlos Mendoza told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. The skipper said that Soto had an MRI exam on Tuesday, and his arm is structurally sound. Mendoza is hoping that Soto can play the field "in the next few days." Since coming off the 10-day injured list due to a calf strain, the 27-year-old Dominican has not played the field. Soto is the DH again on Tuesday and will hit second for the contest against the visiting Washington Nationals and right-hander Zack Littell. In five games since returning from the IL, Soto has gone 3-for-15 (.200) with no RBI, no runs scored, six walks, and two strikeouts. Overall in 13 games played in 2026, the four-time All-Star has hit a cool .304 (14-for-46) with a homer, five RBI, and three runs scored. Soto is hitting .167 in six career at-bats against Littell, but that shouldn't deter fantasy managers in any formats from starting him during Tuesday's slate of games.

7 days ago

Willi Castro • 2B • Rockies

Willi Castro Still Out on Tuesday Against Reds

Colorado Rockies infielder Willi Castro (knee) remains out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's contest on the road in Cincinnati against the Reds at Great American Ballpark, according to MLB.com. Edouardo Julien is starting at the keystone and will bat leadoff for the Rockies. Castro has not played since he left last Thursday's game against the San Diego Padres with right-knee soreness. Given the amount of time he's missed, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him land on the 10-day injured list if he cannot return this week in the series versus the Reds. The 29-year-old Puerto Rican utility player is quickly losing fantasy appeal, even in deeper leagues, after starting the year slowly at the plate before injuring his knee. Even when healthy, Castro is no lock to see regular playing time in Colorado between second base and third base. In his first 69 at-bats with the Rockies, Castro is hitting .246 with a homer, nine RBI, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Castro is rostered in just 11% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

7 days ago

Jackson Chourio • CF • Brewers

Jackson Chourio Beginning a Rehab Assignment on Wednesday

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio (hand) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment on Wednesday night with Triple-A Nashville, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Chourio has an estimated return to the Brewers on May 4. The 22-year-old Venezuelan outfielder is rostered in 99% of Yahoo leagues, even though he's been on the 10-day injured list since Opening Day. When healthy, Chourio has the potential to be a league-winner in fantasy because of his power/speed abilities. In his first two seasons in the big leagues, Chourio has been a starter immediately and has slashed .272/.317/.463 with a .781 OPS, 42 home runs, 157 RBI, 43 stolen bases, and 168 runs scored in 279 games played over 1,162 plate appearances. As long as Chourio doesn't have a setback this week when he starts playing in games again, he should be back in Milwaukee's starting lineup next week for a series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

7 days ago

Max Clark • CF • Tigers

Tigers Not Giving Hard Timetable on Max Clark's Potential Promotion

When asked on MLB Network if outfield prospect Max Clark will be up with the Detroit Tigers this year, general manager Scott Harris said that there's a "good chance" that Clark will end up helping the team, but he also added that it's "premature to actually forecast when that's going to happen." Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues are anxiously awaiting Clark's MLB debut, which feels like it will come sooner rather than later based on how he's been performing at Triple-A Toledo so far this year. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter is currently slashing .305/.382/.453 with an .834 OPS, a home run, 11 RBI, nine doubles, a triple, eight stolen bases, and 15 runs scored in 24 games with the Mud Hens. Per MLB Pipeline, Clark is considered the No. 8 overall in all of baseball and the No. 1 overall outfield prospect. The former third overall pick in 2023 is a future table-setter for the Tigers at the top of their batting order with plus-plus speed in the outfield and on the base paths. He's only rostered in 8% of Yahoo leagues now, but that number is likely going to continue to rise as we get closer to the summer months.

7 days ago

Moisés Ballesteros • C • Cubs

Moises Ballesteros Nearing Everyday Role in Chicago?

Chicago Cubs catcher/designated hitter Moises Ballesteros has been the Cubs' primary DH in the early portion of the 2026 season, but it doesn't involve him playing every inning, every day. But with Ballestero's early-season offensive exploits, the team is "accelerating the catching program for Ballesteros," who received his first start behind the plate in Monday's loss to the San Diego Padres, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. In the series-opening loss at Petco Park, the 22-year-old Venezuelan hit a grand slam in a losing effort, and he is now slashing a ridiculous .387/.435/.710 with a 1.144 OPS, five home runs, 16 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 62 at-bats over his first 25 games in 2026. Ballesteros only played in 20 games a year ago in his MLB debut, but he hit well in that small sample size, too, going 17-for-57 (.298) with two homers and 11 RBI. He needs eight more appearances behind the plate to gain catcher eligibility in fantasy, which will make him much more attractive. Ballesteros is a young player on the rise, and he's only rostered in 27% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available if you need some run production at catcher.

7 days ago

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