Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman/outfielder Jordan Lawlar (undisclosed) was pulled from Friday night's game against the Minnesota Twins early at Chase Field with an undisclosed injury after beating out a bunt single in the eighth inning, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Before being removed prematurely, Lawlar went 2-for-4 at the plate with a strikeout. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues will want to check back on Saturday morning for a better idea of what the 23-year-old is dealing with, but don't expect him to be back in the starting lineup for Game 2 of the series against the Twins. The former sixth overall pick in 2021 has a history of injuries and just recently returned from the injured list. In just his third year in the big leagues after coming up as one of the top prospects in the game, Lawlar entered play on Friday with a .294 average (10-for-34) with a homer, four RBI, four steals, and six runs scored in just 11 games played for the Snakes. Lawlar is currently rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues, and another trip to the IL would be a major disappointment for a player who so far has been a first-round bust.

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Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai got off to a rough start to his first year in the United States and landed on the injured list with a dead arm. The 28-year-old Japanese native entered his start on Friday night at Daikin Park against the Cleveland Guardians with an ugly 6.43 ERA (5.24 FIP) and 1.51 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 24 walks in 35 innings over his first nine starts and looking to rebound after giving up five earned runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one in just two-thirds of an inning his last time out on June 12 against the Kansas City Royals. He did just that on Friday night, picking up his fourth win of 2026 by giving up three earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out a career-high 11 batters in six innings pitched. It was only the second time in his first 10 MLB outings that he didn't allow a walk, and Imai did most of his damage against Cleveland with his nasty slider. Imai's ERA still sits above 6.00, but he has now recorded three quality starts in his last five outings and looks to be turning a corner as we near the All-Star break next month.

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San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France had a much-needed big game on Friday night, even if the Padres lost another game on the road in a 9-7 ballgame to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. France went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, a double, and five RBI to raise his season average to .259 and his OPS to .796. His first long ball of the game was a grand slam in the first inning, and he later added a solo blast in the fourth inning, with both of his round-trippers coming off veteran right-hander Jacob deGrom. The 31-year-old veteran first baseman homered for the first time since May 29, and the Padres are hoping that his strong performance in the series opener in Texas will help him turn things around for the rest of June. France entered Friday's action with a rough .132 average (5-for-38) with a double, an RBI, three runs scored, four walks, and 14 strikeouts in 13 games in June. He is now slashing .259/.306/.490 on the year with eight homers, 24 RBI, 17 runs scored, and a steal in his 158 plate appearances in his return to San Diego in 2026. France is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues and has unfortunately been much more useful to the Padres for his glove than his bat.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena hasn't been much of a power threat this year, but he went off on Friday night in the team's 9-3 win at Daikin Park over the visiting Cleveland Guardians by going 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, and a strikeout to raise his season average to .289 and his OPS to .812 out of the leadoff spot. The 28-year-old Dominican shortstop missed some time earlier this season with an injury, but he has been reliable all year when he's been available, coming into Friday's game with a .279/.344/.415 slash line, .759 OPS, four home runs, 15 RBI, 26 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 147 at-bats. Pena is heating up with the weather, too, recording multi-hit games in three straight games with four extra-base hits and six RBI. He's now up to a .289/.351/.461 slash line with six home runs in 168 plate appearances. Pena now has three home runs in his last two games and came into Friday with a .291 average (16-for-55) with a homer, four doubles, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 15 games in June. Continue to ride him in fantasy leagues while he's hot.

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New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler was as dominant as ever on Friday night in the team's 5-0 shutout win in the Bronx over the visiting Cincinnati Reds, tossing six shutout innings with four hits allowed, no walks, and a career-high 13 strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 1.71. It was his eighth win of the year in what has quickly become a breakout campaign for Schlittler in just his second year in the big leagues with the Yankees. The 25-year-old former seventh-round pick in 2022 out of Northeastern University came into the day with a league-best 1.82 ERA (2.31 FIP) and 0.91 WHIP with 96 strikeouts and 18 walks in 39 innings pitched over his 15 starts. He also leads the league with a 3.8 WAR, 6.4 hits per nine, and 0.5 home runs allowed per nine innings. Schlittler has allowed one earned run or fewer in nine of his last 11 starts and gets a good matchup next against the Detroit Tigers. He has become a must-start in all fantasy leagues and is headed for his first All-Star appearance in 2026.

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Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Edwin Uceta (shoulder) will resume a throwing program in late June, according to Marc Topkin. Rays manager Kevin Cash confirmed on Friday that Uceta will begin throwing in about 10 days. The right-hander has been shut down since suffering a setback in late May. He has been sidelined all season while recovering from a right shoulder strain. When healthy, Uceta can be a legitimate late-inning option for the Rays. He could very well insert himself into the save conversation once he's able to get on the mound. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to make an impact in Tampa Bay until at some point in July at the earliest.

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Newcomb (triceps) is scheduled to take the mound as the opener for Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers. Newcomb was removed during his most recent appearance due to a triceps contusion. It appears he's feeling good enough to take the mound again on Saturday. The southpaw owns a 2.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 40:11 K:BB ratio across 42.1 innings of work this season. The expectation is that Newcomb could give the White Sox a few innings on Saturday. He has looked strong as a multiple-inning reliever this season. There is some low-end streaming value here with Newcomb possibly pitching around two innings on Saturday.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Michael Soroka (hip) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's outing against the Minnesota Twins. Soroka came out to warm up for the second inning and immediately signaled for the trainer. The right-hander would leave this game due to left hip discomfort. Before leaving, he tossed one inning and allowed two hits, so fantasy managers will get a whole lot of nothing from this outing. The severity of the injury is unknown at the moment. The D-Backs should offer a better timetable following Friday's game. Fantasy managers should stay tuned in case Soroka does end up on the Injured List.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (elbow) took the mound for a bullpen session on Friday. According to Gary Phillips, Fried threw a 28-pitch session. Barring any setbacks, Fried should be cleared to begin facing live hitters soon. The southpaw has been sidelined since mid-May due to a left elbow bone bruise. He still has more work to do, but Fried could potentially be back in the Yankees rotation at some point in July. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Fried as he's one of the best pitchers in baseball when he's healthy.

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Cleveland Guardians catcher Cooper Ingle is being held out of both games of the doubleheader on Friday at Triple-A Columbus. Ingle has been crushing the ball all season in Triple-A, so Ingle not being in the lineup for either game of a doubleheader is odd. It seems more than likely that Ingle is headed to the big leagues. The Guardians are searching for offense after a handful of injuries have crushed their lineup. Ingle is slashing .304/.436/.590 with 12 home runs, 39 RBI, and 38 walks in 47 games at Triple-A Columbus this season. The 24-year-old currently sits as the Guardians third ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Ingle could be an immediate fantasy asset, assuming he does get the call to the big leagues.

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Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly had his hitting shoes on during Friday's matinee contest at Wrigley Field against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Kelly went 2-for-4 at the plate with a grand slam, six RBI, three runs scored, two walks, and a strikeout in the 16-2 blowout win to raise his season batting average to .282 and his OPS to .752. His grand slam came off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman to stretch the Cubs' lead to 6-0 early. The 31-year-old veteran backstop came into Friday's action with a .277/.352/.370 slash line with a .722 OPS, three home runs, 20 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 55 games across 193 plate appearances in his 11th year in the big leagues (second with Chicago). The big game on Friday was nice to see for Kelly, who was 7-for-31 (.226) at the plate with just one homer, a double, three RBI, four runs scored, two walks, and five strikeouts in his previous 11 games during June. In two-catcher leagues, Kelly is a viable option if he gets hot, but he's only rostered in 9% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

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The Cleveland Guardians activated left-handed reliever Erik Sabrowski (elbow) from the 15-day injured list on Friday and optioned pitcher Will Dion to Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. Sabrowski is returning to the Guardians' bullpen for the weekend series on the road in Houston against the Astros after being sidelined since May 25 with inflammation in his left elbow. Although the 28-year-old southpaw isn't in line for saves in Cleveland as a setup man behind stud closer Cade Smith, Sabrowski is rostered in 19% of Yahoo leagues because of his dominance in late-inning, high-leverage spots this year. Before landing on the IL, the former 14th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2018 out of Cloud County Community College went 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA (1.85 FIP) and 0.95 WHIP with 39 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 21 innings out of the bullpen. Despite missing time with his elbow injury, Sabrowski is tied with Cardinals lefty reliever JoJo Romero for holds with 17.

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Miami Marlins right-hander Eury Perez's (thigh) next start could be with the big-league starting rotation, manager Clayton McCullough told Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The Marlins clearly liked what they saw out of Perez during his first minor-league rehab start on Thursday at Triple-A Jacksonville, when he gave up just one run while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings of work. The 23-year-old was sitting in the high-90s with his fastball during the outing. He threw only 51 pitches, though, so if the hard-throwing right-hander does make his next start in the big leagues, he'll have a lower fantasy ceiling. Perez could be lined up to make his next start against the Texas Rangers, a team that currently ranks 24th in baseball with a .700 OPS and 17th with 625 strikeouts on the season. The Dominican hurler has gone 3-6 for the Marlins in 2026 with a 4.60 ERA (4.66 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 28 walks in 62 2/3 innings across his 12 starts in his third year in the league. Perez has been pretty inconsistent for fantasy managers, but he should be rostered in most leagues due to his 27.8% career strikeout rate.

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The San Diego Padres announced on Friday, before their series opener in Texas against the Rangers, that they reinstated right-handed closer Mason Miller from the bereavement/family medical leave list and optioned right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez to the rookie-level Arizona Complex League in a corresponding move. Miller left the team on Monday, but he'll be available if a save situation arises at Globe Life Field on Friday versus the Rangers. Despite missing some time this week, Miller is second in the big leagues in saves (19) and has been one of the most dominant closers in the game in 2026 in his first full year in San Diego, posting a microscopic 0.90 ERA (0.36 FIP), 0.80 WHIP, and a 59:12 K:BB in 30 innings pitched for the Friars. After picking up seven saves in a busy month of May for the Padres, Miller hasn't been used all that much so far in June, throwing just five innings while giving up one earned run, striking out 10, walking just one, and picking up two saves. Fantasy managers need to get the flamethrowing fireman back into their starting lineups for the weekend series in Texas.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that catcher Will Smith (neck) will receive a cortisone injection in his neck and won't be activated from the 10-day injured list this weekend, according to David Vassegh of 570 LA Sports. There is a question as to whether Smith will even travel with the team on their upcoming road trip that begins on Monday, June 22, in Minnesota and ends on Wednesday, July 1, in Sacramento. The Dodgers initially believed Smith wouldn't even need to go on the IL with his neck injury, but it has turned into a much more nagging injury. The 31-year-old still has a chance to make it back before the mid-July All-Star break, but time is running out. The former 32nd overall pick in 2016 out of the University of Louisville is having a down offensive year by his standards, slashing .249/.338/.382 with a .720 OPS, six home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored across 173 at-bats. The three-time All-Star should remain rostered in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues while he heals up. Dalton Rushing will continue to serve as L.A.'s starting backstop until Smith can return.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (elbow) is throwing off a bullpen mound at Dodger Stadium on Friday before the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. It's a good sign for the state of his recovery, and manager Dave Roberts said Diaz has been progressing well from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow in April. Diaz has been on the injured list since April 20 and won't return to the Dodgers' bullpen until well into the second half of the season. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican hurler and three-time All-Star got off to a rough start to his Dodgers' tenure by allowing seven earned runs on nine hits (one homer) while walking five and striking out 10 in his first six innings before landing on the shelf. Diaz also picked up four saves. Despite his disappointing 2026 campaign to this point, fantasy managers should keep him stashed in most redraft formats, as he'll be the unquestioned closer for the best team in baseball whenever he returns. Since Diaz went down, left-hander Tanner Scott has been Roberts' preferred closing option in the ninth inning, and he's having a bounce-back season.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds (groin) was a late scratch from the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field with left-groin discomfort, according to Manny Randhawa of MLB.com. With Reynolds banged up, Esmerlyn Valdez will make the start in left field for the Pirates and will bat seventh against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. An injury is about the only thing that can slow Reynolds down right now, as he came into Friday's contest red-hot at the plate lately. The 31-year-old former second-round pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2016 out of Vanderbilt University is in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak in which he has gone 15-for-37 (.405) with four home runs, four doubles, eight RBI, and eight runs scored in 41 plate appearances to raise his season slash line to .283/.400/.472 with an .872 OPS. For now, we'll consider Reynolds to be day-to-day. Fantasy managers will want to check back in on him on Saturday to see if he's cleared to rejoin Pittsburgh's starting nine.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is on paternity leave on Friday, which is why he's out of the starting lineup for the series opener against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. However, the Dodgers aren't placing him on the official paternity list, at least for the time being. It means that Ohtani could theoretically return on either Saturday or Sunday in the series against Baltimore. It is to be determined how long the four-time MVP will be away from the team for the expected birth of his second child. Fantasy managers will want to remove the 31-year-old Japanese sensation from their lineups on Friday, but he could be right back in there on Saturday. He shouldn't be in danger of missing his next scheduled start on the mound, either. After a slow start at the plate in 2026 by his lofty standards, Ohtani has turned things around quickly and is now batting .296/.418/.545 with a .962 OPS, 15 long balls, 42 RBI, 51 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 257 at-bats in his third year with the Dodgers. The five-time All-Star is a must-start in all fantasy leagues when he's in the lineup. We'll alert fantasy managers when he returns from paternity leave.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (head) is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, per MLB.com. Samuel Basallo is doing the catching for right-hander Trey Gibson and will bat cleanup for the O's against Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki. Rutschman took a ball off the side of his head while running out a ground ball in the ninth inning of Thursday's contest against the Seattle Mariners and was forced to leave the game. It's unclear if he has cleared the concussion protocol, but in the meantime, he'll miss at least one game. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if Rutschman is feeling good enough to return to the diamond for Game 2 of the series at Dodger Stadium. The 28-year-old switch-hitter and two-time All-Star enters Friday's game hitting .254/.329/.458 with a .787 OPS, eight home runs, 40 RBI, and 26 runs scored in his 54 games and 228 plate appearances. Rutschman played in only 90 games in 2025 due to injuries, but so far in 2026, he's in the midst of a bounce-back campaign at the plate in Baltimore.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez (hamstring) is starting in center field and is batting third for the M's in Friday's series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox and left-hander Ranger Suarez, according to MLB.com. Rodriguez was pulled from Wednesday's game early against the Baltimore Orioles after tweaking his hamstring, and he sat out of the series finale at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, but now that he's back in there, fantasy managers will want to return him to their starting lineups for the weekend series in Seattle against the BoSox. The 25-year-old three-time All-Star and former American League Rookie of the Year comes into Friday's series opener with a .249/.310/.429 slash line, .739 OPS, 13 long balls, 35 RBI, 40 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across his 301 at-bats in 2026. J-Rod has struggled so far in June, going 11-for-58 (.190) with just one homer, two doubles, five RBI, four steals, eight runs, seven walks, and 13 K's in 66 plate appearances. However, he's hitting .833 with a 2.000 OPS in six career at-bats against Suarez.

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