MLB News

Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (elbow) is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the hosting Cleveland Guardians due to some elbow discomfort, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. Raley tweaked his elbow on a swing on Saturday night, and it's something he has dealt with before. Outfielder Dominic Canzone is also getting Sunday off to rest his hamstring. Victor Robles will draw into the starting lineup in right field for the M's and will bat ninth against Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams. Raley played all nine innings in Saturday's 4-3 loss in Cleveland, going 0-for-3 with a walk in his four plate appearances. It doesn't sound like Raley's injury is very serious, so he could be right back in action for Monday's series opener at home against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels. Raley rarely faces left-handed pitchers, but he's hitting .243 (46-for-189) with 14 homers, 35 RBI, and 24 runs scored in 209 plate appearances versus right-handed hurlers this year, making him useful for his power from the left side in deeper leagues. He's rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues.

The Texas Rangers announced on Sunday that they placed outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and activated outfielder Evan Carter (oblique) from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move. The oft-injured Langford is back on the IL for the second time in 2026 after already missing around six weeks with a strained forearm. The 24-year-old former fourth overall pick out of the University of Florida in 2023 carries plenty of power/speed intrigue, but his inability to stay healthy has really become a nuisance for his fantasy managers. In his 162 at-bats this year, Langford has hit a strong .278/.324/.500 with an .824 OPS, eight home runs, 20 RBI, 23 runs scored, and six stolen bases, making him stash-worthy in nearly all fantasy leagues while he recovers. Given his injury history, nobody should be expecting Langford to return before the mid-July All-Star break. Alejandro Osuna is starting in left field for Texas in their series finale on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays, and he should be in for an uptick in playing time against righties with Langford back on the shelf.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Sunday that they reinstated catcher Adley Rutschman (head) from the seven-day concussion injured list and designated catcher Sam Huff for assignment in a corresponding move. Rutschman is right back in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the visiting Washington Nationals and right-hander Zack Littell, doing the catching for right-hander Kyle Bradish and batting third for the O's. Samuel Basallo will move to first base, with Pete Alonso serving as the designated hitter. With Rutschman back, the O's can now mix and match again at catcher, first base, and DH with him and Basallo. The 28-year-old switch-hitting former first overall pick in 2019 out of Oregon State University returns to a .254/.329/.458 slash line with a .787 OPS, eight home runs, 40 RBI, and 26 runs scored in his 54 games played in 2026. The two-time All-Star has struck out at a career-low 14.5% clip, and he could be on the verge of a breakout in the second half with a .275 xBA and .354 xwOBA.

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez (foot), who is on the 10-day injured list with a non-displaced foot fracture, is no longer wearing a walking boot and has been hitting off a tee and playing catch in between rounds of treatment, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The Guardians said on June 16 that the 24-year-old is expected to miss four to six weeks with his injury. Martinez said on Saturday that he's feeling "way, way better." His timeline could line up for him to return in mid-to-late July, between the All-Star break (July 13-16) and the trade deadline on Aug. 3. The good news for Cleveland is that they reinstated fellow outfielder Chase DeLauter (ribs) from the IL on Sunday. Martinez will be returning to a .239/.276/.442 slash line with a .719 OPS, 11 home runs, 33 RBI, 28 runs scored, and nine steals in his 226 at-bats. His 11 home runs tied his career high set just last year. Martinez has dropped his strikeout rate slightly from 2025 to 21.8% this year, but his career-low 2.9% walk rate doesn't make him a candidate to help in average or on-base percentage. He's rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues.

The Cleveland Guardians announced on Sunday that they reinstated rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (ribs) from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Petey Halpin to Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move. It's unclear yet if DeLauter will be back in Cleveland's starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the visiting Seattle Mariners and right-hander Emerson Hancock. DeLauter was given the green light to return to the big-league roster after he took batting practice on the field on Saturday with the team. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is returning from a fracture in his right rib cage that kept him sidelined for two weeks. At the very least, he should return to an everyday role between right field and designated hitter against right-handed pitchers for the Guards. The former 16th overall pick in 2022 out of James Madison University got off to a strong start in his first MLB season in 2026 before fading a bit. He's returning to a .263/.337/.408 slash line with a .745 OPS, seven home runs, 34 RBI, 24 runs, and two steals in his 240 at-bats. DeLauter hasn't hit the ball hard consistently, but his plate discipline has been impressive as a first-year player with a 13.3% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. He's rostered in only 37% of Yahoo leagues.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said that first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) was removed from Saturday night's 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels with some left-hip tightness, according to Michael Huntley of The Orange County Register. The A's will see how Soderstrom is feeling on Sunday, but he will most likely be held out of the series finale against the Halos. Before leaving the contest in the third inning, Soderstrom was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. Colby Thomas shifted from right field to left field, with Lawrence Butler entering the game to play right field for the A's. For now, fantasy managers should consider the left-handed slugger to be day-to-day. If Soderstrom is held out of Sunday's series finale against the Angels, his next chance to play would come on Monday at home for the start of a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the year, Soderstrom is hitting .242 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI, and an .803 OPS, and he remains a strong source of power at both first base and outfield in all fantasy baseball leagues.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers' bat woke up in Saturday night's 5-0 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park, as he went 2-for-3 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, and a strikeout to raise his season average to .240 and his OPS to .754. His first home run was of the solo variety before he smacked a three-run shot in the third inning to account for all but one of the Giants' runs on the night. It was nice to see from the 29-year-old left-handed slugger, as Devers came into Saturday's contest with just three hits in his last 23 at-bats in his previous six games. After the two-homer performance in San Fran's shutout of Atlanta, Devers is batting .240 on the year with 14 home runs, 43 RBI, and 38 runs scored in 82 games played. The bad news is that he carries an xBA of .222, an xSLG of .424, and an xwOBA of .305 despite having a hard-hit rate in the 93rd percentile. Devers has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate this summer, but with the way he's played and with his contract (he signed a 10-year, $313.5 million deal back in January of 2023), it's going to be hard for the Giants to move him.

Colorado Rockies rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield has become one of the hottest hitters available. The 26-year-old has recorded two hits in each of his past four games and is batting .379/.455/.741 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and eight runs over his last 15 contests. That surge has lifted his season line to .291/.370/.491 with 12 homers and 44 RBI across 285 at-bats. Rumfield's production is worth chasing, even with some regression risk. His .250 expected batting average and .393 expected slugging percentage trail his actual marks, and he has not stolen a base. Still, Colorado continues to use him as its regular first baseman, and the recent production is difficult to ignore. Rostered in 41% of Yahoo leagues and listed by RotoBaller as a 12-team add, Rumfield is a strong pickup for fantasy managers seeking batting average, power, and RBI help.

Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Braden Montgomery is starting to settle in after a memorable walk-off homer in his June 9 debut. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, June 27, and launched his second big-league homer three days earlier. Through 57 at-bats, the 23-year-old is hitting .246 with two homers, eight RBI, and 10 runs. Chicago is giving Montgomery enough runway to work through his growing pains. He hit .314/.422/.548 with 10 homers, 41 RBI, 52 runs, and five steals across 56 games between Double-A and Triple-A before his promotion, while his 25.4% strikeout rate in the majors shows the adjustment is not finished. He is rostered in 17% of Yahoo leagues, ranks 27th in RotoBaller's Week 14 waiver rankings, and carries an add recommendation in 12-team leagues. The everyday role and prospect pedigree make him a worthwhile upside bet before his price climbs.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler has steadied himself in his past four starts. The 23-year-old held the Seattle Mariners to one run across 5 1/3 innings on June 25 after working six innings of two-run ball at Coors Field on June 19. He hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in his last four starts and has a 2.82 ERA with 18 strikeouts and eight walks during that stretch. The improved run prevention is encouraging, but Chandler has not totally fixed the command issues that have shaped his season. He owns a 4.42 ERA (4.63 FIP) and a 1.39 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and a league-high 46 walks through 79 1/3 innings. He has made 15 starts in 16 appearances, but the walks make him difficult to trust in standard mixed leagues. Chandler is rostered in 62% of Yahoo leagues and is best suited in deeper formats as a matchup-based option.

Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo showed off his power on June 24, launching two homers and driving in four against the Los Angeles Angels. It was his first career multi-homer game, but Basallo is not living off one big night. The 21-year-old is batting .254 with 12 homers, 36 RBI, and 29 runs across 232 at-bats. His .472 expected slugging percentage and 12.0% barrel rate support the production. The weak side of the profile is clear. Basallo has one homer and a .487 OPS in 56 at-bats against left-handed pitching, compared with 11 homers and an .860 OPS against righties. Adley Rutschman (concussion) is close to returning, which could cut into Basallo's starts behind the plate, but Baltimore has already used him at catcher, first base, and designated hitter. Rostered in 50% of Yahoo leagues and RotoBaller's top catcher add in 12-team leagues, Basallo is a priority pickup for managers who need power at the position.

Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman carried the offense in the team's 8-5 win on the road over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night at Target Field, going 3-for-5 at the plate with three home runs, five RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season batting average to .246 and his OPS to .855. With the monster three-homer performance, Goodman is now up to 25 home runs on the season, which puts him in a tie for second in all of baseball with Yordan Alvarez and Byron Buxton, four homers behind Kyle Schwarber. The 26-year-old former fourth-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft out of the University of Memphis was a first-time All-Star in 2025, when he hit .278/.323/.520 with an .843 OPS, 31 home runs, 91 RBI, and 73 runs scored in 144 games in his first full year in the majors. Goodman is running it back this year and is on pace to reach the rarified air of 40 home runs if he can stay healthy in the second half. He entered Saturday's contest in Minnesota with a .240/.307/.510 slash line, .818 OPS, 22 homers, 42 RBI, 49 runs, and a career-high five stolen bases. Goodman is obviously an elite source of raw power at the weakest position in fantasy, and he isn't slowing down whatsoever.

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Chase Burns wasn't at his best in Saturday's 9-7 win over the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday at PNC Park, but he still racked up the strikeouts for his fantasy managers. Burns allowed a season-high five earned runs on a season-high nine hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out a season-high 10 batters in six innings of work for a no-decision. The hard-throwing 23-year-old was hit around a bit by the Bucs, but he still managed to generate 17 swings and misses on 93 pitches thrown, and he has gone at least five innings in all 16 of his starts in 2026 in just his second year in the majors. The former second overall pick in 2024 out of Wake Forest University has been one of the best young breakout arms so far in the first half of the year, and he's been a must-start in all fantasy leagues. Burns now owns a 2.36 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 112 strikeouts and 29 walks in 91 2/3 innings pitched. He'll have a challenging matchup on tap next against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers.

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said on Saturday that right-hander Grant Holmes will be available for the team out of the bullpen in a relief role this weekend, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. If Holmes doesn't pitch in relief this weekend, he will be available to start next week on the Braves' homestand that runs from Tuesday, June 30, through Monday, July 6. Atlanta is giving the 30-year-old a mini-break from a starting role after slowing down of late. He only allowed one earned run in his last outing on June 22 on the road in San Diego against the Padres in a loss, but he went just 4 2/3 frames, and he has allowed 12 earned runs on 23 hits (five homers) while walking 13 and striking out 17 in 21 innings pitched in his last five starts. Holmes hasn't provided much length, either, not going beyond 4 2/3 frames in any of his last three starts. If he does not appear out of the bullpen this weekend, his next turn through the Braves' rotation would come in Tuesday's series opener versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Holmes, who has a 4.17 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and career-low 20.2% strikeout rate in 15 starts this year, will obviously be a shaky streaming option for fantasy managers if he starts that game.

Chicago Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) is progressing from his elbow tendinitis, but manager Craig Counsell said that he will not be activated from the 15-day injured list until after the All-Star break in mid-July, according to Bruce Levine of the Marquee Sports Network. Palencia landed on the IL on June 16 and has yet to resume throwing. Fantasy managers stashing the 26-year-old high-leverage arm are going to need to be patient. In a best-case scenario, Palencia won't be back on Chicago's major-league roster until late July. In the meantime, Counsell is currently rolling with a closer-by-committee situation in the ninth inning that features Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb, and Trent Thornton. Thielber and Webb are both rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues right now, while Thornton is available in all of Yahoo leagues. Palencia has a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, three saves, 19 strikeouts, and six walks in 16 2/3 innings this year while dealing with injuries. He had a career-high 22 saves in 54 regular-season outings in 2025 in a breakout campaign. When he returns, Palencia should return to regular closing duties in the second half of the season.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (hamstring) said he took 30 swings on Saturday -- 15 off a tee and 15 flips -- and said it felt "great," according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Trout also said he ran at around 50% intensity. The 34-year-old three-time MVP started doing baseball activities earlier this week and has been progressing, but he's not quite ready to face live pitching or go on a minor-league rehab assignment. He said that he's unlikely to participate in the Home Run Derby during the mid-July All-Star break, but he remains hopeful that he'll be cleared in time to take part in the Midsummer Classic. That means that barring a setback, Trout could come off the 10-day injured list in early July. The 11-time All-Star and nine-time Silver Slugger has not been able to stay healthy in recent seasons and is no longer the five-category stud he was in the prime of his career, but he has been pretty productive for fantasy managers in 2026, slashing .234/.394/.472 with an .866 OPS, 17 homers, 36 RBI, 54 runs scored, and seven steals across 74 games. He needs to remain stashed in all fantasy leagues.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos (quad) is expected to be activated off the Injured List ahead of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Ramos has been sidelined since May 15 due to a right quad strain. In his absence, Bryce Eldridge has been slugging the ball at designated hitter, while Casey Schmitt has looked solid in left field. According to Justice delos Santos, Ramos is expected to play right field when he returns. This season, Ramos is slashing .267/.307/.424 with four home runs and 20 RBI across 44 games. He's someone worth scooping up off the waiver wire for fantasy managers in need of an outfield bat.

Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith (foot) was unable to finish Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers. Smith fouled a ball off his foot, but stayed in the game and actually homered during the at-bat. He attempted to stay in the game, but Smith was ultimately replaced by Joey Loperfido in the seventh inning. Before exiting, Smith went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the win over Detroit. It sounds like his exit was precautionary, and Smith should be available for Sunday's series finale. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Sunday's game for another update.

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Wilson is on the bench for the third straight game while he recovers from a left shoulder injury. A's manager Mark Kotsay did mention that Wilson is available off the bench during this game. The indication that Wilson is available off the bench should mean that he'll be back in the lineup as early as Sunday. It doesn't sound like Wilson is going to require a stint on the Injured List because of this issue. Alika Williams will draw at least one more start at shortstop during Saturday's contest.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring) is expected to be activated off the Injured List ahead of Monday's game against the Athletics, according to manager Dave Roberts. Hernandez has been sidelined since late May due to a hamstring injury. It sounds like the team plans to limit Hernandez upon his return. Ryan Ward and Alex Call should lose playing time, but they should still get opportunities, with Hernandez only playing three or four times a week. Even with limited at-bats, Hernandez offers enough upside with the bat to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.