Houston Astros closer Josh Hader (biceps) is set to make his final rehab appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday and Thursday before returning to the big leagues, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Hader is currently on the 60-day injured list and has yet to pitch for Houston in 2026 as he works his way back from left biceps tendinitis. However, Hader has dominated in the minor leagues during his rehab outing, entering Wednesday with a 1.29 ERA and 11 strikeouts across seven innings pitched. The veteran left-hander was one of the best closers in baseball in 2025, recording 28 saves in 29 chances and striking out 36.9% of the batters he faced. Upon his return, Hader profiles as a must-start fantasy closer across all league formats.

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Texas Rangers utility man Ezequiel Duran (illness) exited early from his team's game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday due to an illness, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Duran was hitless in two plate appearances before leaving the game. The 27-year-old has been a valuable stopgap piece for the Rangers so far this season, hitting .279/.333/.456 with four home runs, 26 RBI, 22 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 163 plate appearances. Duran is capable of lining up all over the field, but he's seen regular playing time at shortstop in recent weeks, with Rangers starting shortstop Corey Seager currently on the 10-day injured list due to a back injury. It does not seem as though Duran is in line for an extended absence. However, should he miss time, infielder/outfielder Michael Helman could be the next man up at shortstop for Texas.

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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (groin) was forced to exit early from his start on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels due to groin tightness. The 29-year-old recorded six strikeouts while allowing just three baserunners across four scoreless innings before getting pulled. Mize has been excellent so far this season when healthy, recording a 2-3 record with a 2.27 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts across 47 2/3 innings (nine starts). However, he already hit the injured list once in early May due to an adductor strain and could now be headed for a second stint on the IL. Should Mize be forced to miss time, Tigers right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long could be in line for a promotion from Triple-A to rejoin the big-league rotation.

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Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen (groin) exited early from his relief appearance on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels due to a right-groin injury, per Evan Woodbery of MLive Media Group. Jansen recorded two outs and walked a batter in the ninth inning before being pulled from the game. The 38-year-old has been shaky in his first season with Detroit, converting just seven out of 11 save chances while pitching to a 4.80 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 15 innings. The seriousness of Jansen's injury is not yet clear, but this is the second time in 2026 that the veteran right-hander has battled groin discomfort. If Jansen ends up missing time, Kyle Finnegan could be in line to assume the ninth-inning role for the Tigers.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are promoting infield prospect Charles McAdoo to the big leagues, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. McAdoo has spent time at every infield position other than shortstop this season at Triple-A, where he's hit .250/.356/.436 with eight home runs, 27 RBI, 31 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 202 plate appearances. McAdoo has consistently posted double-digit walk rates in the minor leagues, and he swiped 34 bases across 121 games at Double-A New Hampshire in 2025. McAdoo may not have a path to immediate playing time in Toronto, as the Blue Jays have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto locked into their corner infield spots and Ernie Clement solidly atop the second base depth chart. Still, McAdoo could provide fantasy managers with speed and some power if he can work his way into consistent playing time. In deeper leagues, McAdoo may be worth targeting on the waiver wire.

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Jon Heyman of Bleacher Report identifies the Chicago Cubs as his top landing spot in a potential trade for Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (elbow). Skubal is currently on the 15-day injured list as he recovers from elbow surgery, but the star left-hander has already progressed to facing live hitters and could be ready to return by mid-June. Before getting injured, the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner had recorded a 3-2 record with a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings (seven starts). While Skubal is not a lock to be traded, he's set to hit free agency at the end of 2026, and the Tigers are currently 12 games under .500. A move to Chicago might be the best-case scenario for fantasy managers, as it would keep Skubal in a pitcher-friendly home environment and provide him with a better chance to pick up wins.

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Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (wrist) is back at the hot corner and is hitting fifth on Wednesday against the division-rival Colorado Rockies and right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, according to MLB.com. Muncy missed his fourth straight game in Tuesday night's blowout win over the Rockies at Dodger Stadium after originally being hit by a pitch on his right wrist last Friday in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, but he entered to play defense in the ninth inning on Tuesday night. Enrique Hernandez filled in at third for Muncy in each of the last two nights, but he suffered a significant oblique strain and is back on the injured list. The 35-year-old Muncy is now back in action and appears to be clear of needing an IL stint of his own. The veteran left-handed-hitting third baseman continues to be an asset for his power production in an elite Dodgers lineup, although he's cooled off of late, going 5-for-31 (.161) with a homer, double, two RBI, nine runs, six walks, and 12 K's in his last 10 games since May 12. In just two career at-bats against Sugano, Muncy has a homer and two RBI.

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Colorado Rockies rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield (hand) is back in the starting lineup on Wednesday after an injury scare to his hand in Monday's loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to MLB.com. Rumfield is at first base and is batting third in the order against Dodgers right-hander Shohei Ohtani. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger was hit on the hand by a pitch in Monday's series opener at Dodger Stadium and was held out of the lineup for Game 2 of the series as a precaution. He's now back in action for the last-place Rockies, but he'll have a difficult task at hand against Ohtani, who has been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball in 2026 with an ERA currently under 1.00. Rumfield, a former 12th-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021 out of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, has been one of the bright spots for the Rockies this year, hitting .284/.357/.453 with an .809 OPS, seven homers, 27 RBI, and 22 runs in 190 at-bats. He's been even better in his last 10 games, hitting .345 with five RBI and four runs scored. Still, Rumfield will be a tough sell against the four-time MVP in DFS formats in his return on Wednesday.

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The Los Angeles Angels announced on Wednesday that they placed infielder Nolan Schanuel (ankle) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 24) with left-ankle inflammation and selected the contract of infielder Nick Madrigal from the minors in a corresponding move. Schanuel initially suffered what was being called a calf injury on Saturday against the Texas Rangers, and now he'll be forced to miss at least the next 10 days. Vaughn Grissom, who slugged a grand slam in Tuesday's win over the Detroit Tigers, is the most likely candidate to see most of the starts at first base for the Halos with Schanuel sidelined. Because he's a below-average power guy at the first base position, the left-handed-hitting Schanuel isn't much of a fantasy option in mixed leagues. The former 11th overall pick in 2023 out of Florida Atlantic has hit .262 (50-for-191) on the season with only four home runs, 24 RBI, and 18 runs scored, along with a weak .313 on-base percentage for the last-place Angels. Schanuel is only rostered in 12% of Yahoo leagues.

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Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) has been on the 10-day injured list since May 17 with a quadriceps injury, but he resumed working out on Monday and is worth a look as a stash candidate off the waiver wire with a potential return to the Bucs by the middle of June. The 32-year-old left-handed-hitting veteran has been solid so far in his first season in Pittsburgh, slashing .289/.368/.459 with an .827 OPS, seven home runs, 29 RBI, 27 runs scored, and a stolen base across 44 games and 182 plate appearances. O'Hearn doesn't offer significant power or run production, but it's worth noting that he could continue to play regularly in the Steel City once healthy if he can maintain his gains against same-handed pitching. Through 50 plate appearances against lefties in 2026, O'Hearn has gone 13-for-47 (.277) with one of his seven home runs and a .300 on-base percentage. He's also eligible at first base, in addition to outfield, in Yahoo leagues. For at least outfield depth in deeper mixed leagues, O'Hearn is a stash candidate and is rostered in 58% of leagues.

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Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock (knee) is dealing with a sore left knee, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Whitlock slipped on the mound on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins in the bad weather. An MRI exam came back clean, and he won't go on the injured list for now, but the Red Sox are trying to stay away from him for a couple of days. The 29-year-old former 18th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2017 out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham has registered a 3-1 record, 3.20 ERA (2.77 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, 25:6 K:BB, and nine holds in 19 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for Boston in 2026 in his sixth year with the organization as a setup man. Whitlock has only 10 saves in his career and none this year, making him only attractive in leagues that reward points for holds. He's currently rostered in only 19% of Yahoo leagues.

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Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger has cooled off slightly at the plate in recent days, but overall in May, he's hitting .284 (21-for-74) with five home runs, four doubles, 17 RBI, 14 runs scored, and even a stolen base in 21 games across 82 plate appearances. He's added a .354 on-base percentage, .541 slugging percentage, and an .894 OPS to raise his season slash line to .240/.289/.434 with a .723 OPS through 52 games and 211 plate appearances in his second year in Texas. Burger has 10 total home runs, 36 RBI, 25 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 30-year-old right-handed slugger hit a career-high 34 home runs with the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins in 2023 in his first full year in the big leagues, so he's certainly capable of providing relevant over-the-fence pop for fantasy managers. However, with a career OBP under .300 and a strikeout rate at 26.9% in his six years in the majors, Burger isn't going to help your team's average or OBP in the long run. But while he's swinging the bat well, he's a power option off the waiver wire if you need a corner infielder. Burger is available in 71% of Yahoo leagues.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn missed all of April with a hand injury, but now that he's back and swinging the bat well, fantasy managers should take a peek at him as a waiver-wire addition for some power with the first-place Brewers. Vaughn went hitless as a pinch-hitter in Milwaukee's 2-1 victory over the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, but he went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored in Tuesday's 5-1 victory and is currently hitting .327 with a .917 OPS in 17 games so far in 2027 in his sixth year in the big leagues. Before starting on the bench in Wednesday's series finale against St. Louis, the 28-year-old right-handed slugger started at first in four straight games and went 6-for-16 with three doubles, two RBI, and two runs. Vaughn's fantasy upside is limited by the fact that he's on the short side of a platoon at first base with the lefty-hitting Jake Bauers, who is also hitting well this year. But you can't argue with Vaughn's numbers since coming to the Brewers in a trade last year, as he also hit .308 (68-for-221) with nine homers and 46 RBI in 64 regular-season games in the second half of 2025. He's rostered in just 29% of Yahoo leagues.

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Detroit Tigers veteran right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) threw 66 pitches in his live batting practice session on Wednesday and hit 95.3 mph on the radar gun in his fourth inning of work. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports that it seemed like an improvement over his previous session. Verlander was placed on the 60-day injured list with a hip injury after making his first start in his return to Detroit at the end of March. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer has been slow to recover, but he's making strides lately and could be cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment soon. It's unclear when the former MVP, three-time Cy Young winner, and nine-time All-Star will be ready to come off the IL, though, and when he does, there may not be an opening in the Tigers' starting rotation if both Tarik Skubal (elbow) and Ty Madden (forearm) are back by then. There are much better upside pitching stashes than Verlander at this point near the end of his amazing career. Verlander is only rostered in 4% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones was quickly sent back to Triple-A following his brief MLB debut. Jones appeared in 10 games for the Bronx bombers and went 4-for-24 with a 12:3 K:BB and no extra-base hits. Jones was called on as a bench replacement and was unable to carve out a significant role in the Yankees' outfield. However, in hopes of giving him every day at-bats, the Yankees sent their outfield prospect back to the top club in the system. Through 34 games at Triple-A, Jones has posted a .262/.377/.615 slash line with a dominant .992 OPS. During this stint, the slugger has launched 12 home runs, swiped seven bags, but has struck out a rather high 46 times. While his high whiff tendencies do hurt his profile, his raw power is among the best in the minor leagues. Fantasy managers in deeper five-outfielder leagues should continue to monitor his status with Triple-A, as he could be in the mix for a longer stint during his next promotion. For now, given his lack of a clear path, he holds low-end stash upside in Week 9.

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Miami Marlins top pitching prospect Thomas White (shoulder) was placed on the 7-day injured list last week. While this significantly decreased his short-term upside, White remains a top pitching prospect to stash, as he still holds a clear path to the majors. Before hitting the minor league injured list, the Marlins demoted Braxton Garrett to Triple-A and placed Robby Snelling on the 60-day injured list, opening up a clear path for their top prospect. While this injury delayed his eventual MLB debut, per reports, the team believes it is not a serious issue and should not keep him on the shelf for long. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status, as a quick return from the injured list could put him immediately at the top of most stash boards. His elite strikeout potential could make him a high-impact option for fantasy as soon as he earns the call.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (shoulder) is taking live at-bats in a simulated game against right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) on Wednesday, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. It's a good sign that Carpenter is close to being ready to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. It was the first time that Carpenter had seen live pitching since he was placed on the 10-day injured list in early May with an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. If the 29-year-old starts a rehab assignment on the farm soon and avoids any setbacks with his shoulder, he could return to the big-league roster by early June. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder was hitting only .216 (22-for-102) at the time of his injury with six home runs and 17 RBI in his first 37 games of 2026, but he proved last year that he's capable of plenty of power production for fantasy managers, clubbing a career-best 26 homers and driving in 62 in 130 regular-season games. Carpenter is a stash candidate for those looking for a boost in power going forward, and he's rostered in only 39% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. has begun to put his slow start at Triple-A behind him and is emerging as a viable stash option in a last-minute league. Lombard opened the campaign with Double-A Somerset but needed only another 20 games at this level to earn the call to the top club in the Yankees system. However, the team's No. 1-ranked prospect endured some growing pains early on in his Triple-A career, posting a modest .177/.351/.127 line with a .429 OPS. During this 15-game skid, Lombard did not tally a single extra-base hit. However, since then, Lombard has turned the corner rather quickly, posting a .306/.350/.417 line with four doubles over his last eight contests. Even though Jose Caballero is back in action on the MLB roster, Lombard could compete for an MLB debut in the second half as the Yankees also lack much offense at the hot corner. For now, the former 26th overall pick holds viable stash upside in deeper 12+ team leagues.

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Minnesota Twins top outfield prospect Walker Jenkins has been on the 7-day injured list due to a shoulder injury, but has begun to make steady progress in his recovery. Last week, reports suggested that the former fifth overall selection from the 2023 MLB Draft was nearing a return to baseball activities. As a result, he could return to game action before the end of June, keeping the door open for a major league promotion sometime in the second half. Before his injury, Jenkins was in the midst of his first "full" stint at Triple-A St. Paul, where he appeared in 25 games and held a .256/.396/.389 line with a .785 OPS. During this stretch, Jenkins tallied six doubles, two home runs, and swiped five bags. With Minnesota locking many proven options in the outfield, Jenkins may only need another short stint of action at Triple-A before earning his ticket to the big leagues.

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Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is now firmly on the stash radar amid his promotion to Triple-A Columbus. The first baseman was enjoying a stellar start to the campaign at Double-A and was rewarded with an early promotion to the top club, putting him just one step away from the big leagues. With Double-A Velazquez appeared in 36 games, posting a .317/.414/.566 slash line with a dominant .980 OPS. During this stint, Velazquez went deep seven times and held a strong 31:22 K:BB. Since moving up to the top club, the infielder has yet to slow down, going 6-for-17 over his first five games with a 2:3 K:BB. While first base is not a direct position of need on the MLB roster, Velazquez could eventually shift to the DH spot if he maintains this pace. He is quickly climbing the stash rankings and could emerge as a must-stash option if he maintains this current trajectory.

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