Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is out of his team's starting lineup for a third consecutive game on Saturday as he recovers from hip flexor soreness. The oft-injured outfielder was off to an excellent start to 2026 before this hip issue, hitting .260/.319/.580 with 15 home runs, 23 RBI, 33 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 185 plate appearances. Buxton's barrel rate currently sits at a career-high 21.1%, hinting at his elite power upside if he can ever put together a full season. While Buxton is not currently expected to require a trip to the injured list, any ailment for the 32-year-old should raise red flags for fantasy managers. Buxton has never reached 550 plate appearances in any of his 11 MLB seasons and has surpassed 400 plate appearances in a season just twice. Twins outfielders Ryan Kreidler and James Outman have taken turns in center field in Buxton's absence, with Outman earning the start and batting ninth on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

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After opening the season in a bulk relief role, Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown was moved into the starting rotation on May 8. The 26-year-old has impressed since the role shift, allowing just one hit while striking out 10 over eight innings of work (two starts). Brown's year-long numbers are excellent as well, as he's pitched to a 1.60 ERA and 0.86 WHIP with 34 strikeouts across 33 2/3 innings (14 games). Brown's 0.27 HR/9 is a significant improvement from the 1.52 HR/9 he posted in 2025, so he could be in line for some ERA regression as the weather heats up in Chicago and the ball starts to fly at Wrigley Field. Still, the hard-throwing right-hander owns a career MLB strikeout rate of 26.6% and appears to be finding his groove as a big-league pitcher. Now that he's back in the Cubs rotation, Brown offers some upside as a waiver-wire target for fantasy managers.

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Since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on April 10, Athletics infielder Zack Gelof has re-emerged as an everyday piece of his team's lineup. Across 85 plate appearances, the 26-year-old is hitting .260/.313/.506 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Gelof has always offered high-end power upside, and he's posted a strong 10.2% barrel rate so far in 2026. The main difference for Gelof this season has been his ability to make consistent contact, as his 23.5% strikeout rate is significantly improved from his career mark of 32.5%. Given his history of swing-and-miss issues and his 19.2-degree average launch angle, fantasy managers may not want to count on Gelof continuing to provide value in the batting average category. Still, Gelof profiles as a power/speed asset with upside who should be a priority waiver wire target in most league formats.

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Across 47 2/3 innings (nine starts) so far this season, Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early has recorded a 3-2 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts. The 24-year-old has been particularly effective in his last two times out, allowing just two earned runs and one walk while striking out 14 across 12 innings of work against the Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves. Early hasn't been quite as dominant as he was upon making his MLB debut in 2025, when he posted a 36.7% strikeout rate in a small sample size of 19 1/3 innings (four starts). Still, the young lefty appears to be settling in and finding his groove after working through some command issues early in the year. Early profiles as a worthy high-upside waiver-wire target for fantasy managers ahead of his next scheduled start in Kansas City against the Royals on Wednesday.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Tanner Scott opened 2026 in a setup role, but early-season elbow surgery for Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz (elbow) has reopened the path to the ninth inning for Scott. The veteran left-hander has recorded four saves since Diaz was placed on the injured list, including three in his last five appearances. Scott's overall numbers for the season are strong as well, as he's pitched to a 1.47 ERA and 0.60 WHIP with 18 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings. Scott's 24.6% K-BB rate is excellent, and he's allowed just 11 out of the 65 batters he's faced so far this season to reach base. With Diaz expected to be sidelined until the late summer at the earliest, Scott is a must-roster closer across all fantasy formats.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Elmer Rodriguez has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, per a team announcement. Rodriguez will take Yankees lefty Max Fried's (elbow) spot in the starting rotation, with Fried being placed on the 15-day injured list due to a bone bruise in his elbow. Rodriguez has struggled in his two MLB starts so far this season, posting an 18.2% walk rate and a 2.08 WHIP across 8 2/3 innings. However, the 22-year-old is considered the top pitching prospect in the Yankees' system and has been lights out at Triple-A in 2026, posting a 1.38 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP with 26 strikeouts across 26 innings (five starts). Rodriguez's return to the Yankees' rotation could be short-lived with Gerrit Cole (elbow) nearing his return to the big-league mound. Still, Rodriguez could be worth a short-term add off the waiver wire in deeper leagues ahead of a potential two-start week against the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans (elbow) is making progress while rehabbing his injured elbow. Manager Matt Quatraro said that the 28-year-old has been playing catch with increased intensity, velocity, and volume. He also threw a few pitches off the mound, likely testing his arm to see if it could withstand the increased workload. While this should not be confused with a bullpen session, it is a good sign that he is likely ready to advance to that stage of his recovery soon. The hope is that he can progress to a formal bullpen session after playing catch once more. The left-hander has been out of action since May 8 with a left elbow impingement. His return will not be rushed, as he is arguably Kansas City's best pitcher both now and for the future.

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The Kansas City Royals placed left-handed relief pitcher Matt Strahm (knee) on the Injured List with right knee inflammation on Saturday. The 34-year-old struggled in his last appearance on Friday, requiring the attention of the medical staff while he was on the mound. He was able to push through and record the necessary outs, but a day later, it was determined that he would need at least the next 15 days off to rest. It is unclear how serious the issue is at this time. Strahm has had his ups and downs this season, and heads to the Injured List with a 3.86 ERA and eight holds through 16.1 innings pitched.

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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (elbow) will undergo surgery to repair a stress fracture in his elbow. The 31-year-old has missed the entire 2026 season so far because of this injury, as he was initially attempting to rest it and pitch through the ailment. Instead, the issue failed to improve, and a check-up with Dr. Keith Meister this past week revealed that he had loose bodies throughout the elbow area. As it stands, there could also be significant ligament damage, although the full extent of the injury will not be known until doctors are able to properly evaluate everything during the operation. While the injury has not yet been labeled season-ending, the belief is that a two-month absence would be the best-case scenario. However, if ligament damage is discovered during surgery, his absence could become much more extensive.

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Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (groin) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a groin injury. The 33-year-old has been battling this ailment for most of the season and will now require time off to let it heal properly. Story has failed to live up to last year's success, hitting just three home runs and stealing four bases over 176 plate appearances. The struggles have also spilled over into the field, as he has already committed six errors. In his absence, the Red Sox will likely use a committee approach, with Nick Sogard, Andruw Monasterio, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting a chance to take over. The team has also indicated that they would like to keep Marcelo Mayer at second base, even with Story sidelined. It is unclear at this time if he will need more than the ten-day minimum before returning.

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New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) will be out for an extended period of time after fracturing his fibula during his outing on Friday night against the New York Yankees, and MLB.com's Anthony DiComo writes that, along with right-hander Tobias Myers, No. 2 prospect Jonah Tong is a candidate to join the Mets' starting rotation. Tong isn't a perfect solution, as he currently is sporting a 5.68 ERA over nine starts at Triple-A Syracuse, including a seven-run performance in his most recent outing. The 22-year-old Canadian is a very interesting young hurler to consider stashing in fantasy leagues, but he has been erratic on the farm in 2026, also posting a 1.37 WHIP with 55 strikeouts and 24 walks in his 38 innings for Syracuse across nine starts. Tong has walked multiple batters in all nine of his starts, but you can't deny the strikeout upside. If the Mets recall Tong, his first start for the Mets in the big leagues this year would likely come against the division-rival Washington Nationals next week. He's currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Detroit Tigers officially activated right-hander Casey Mize (groin) from the 15-day injured list on Saturday, and he will make the start at home at Comerica Park on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Mize will return to Detroit's starting rotation this weekend after landing on the IL due to a right-groin strain that he suffered in his last appearance against the Atlanta Braves on April 28. The 29-year-old is returning to the big-league roster without going on a minor-league rehab assignment, so he'll be a little riskier for fantasy managers against a Blue Jays team that ranks 24th in baseball in OPS (.686), 21st in home runs (40). Toronto also has the fewest strikeouts in the league, but Mize isn't really a big swing-and-miss arm. The former first overall pick in 2018 out of Auburn was having a nice season before his groin injury, posting a 2.90 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 31 innings across his six starts. He's currently rostered in only 52% of Yahoo leagues and deserves a look off the waiver wire for rotation depth if you're hurting in that area.

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Houston Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) threw a scoreless inning with one hit allowed, no walks, and two strikeouts on Friday with Double-A Corpus Christi in his minor-league rehab outing. Hader has now made four rehab appearances on the farm and has not allowed a run while giving up three hits, walking one, and striking out six in four innings of work. The 32-year-old six-time All-Star has yet to pitch in the majors in 2026 due to left biceps tendinitis, but the veteran southpaw is getting closer to being activated from the 60-day injured list to rejoin Houston's bullpen. Hader won't officially be eligible for reinstatement from the IL until later this month, but barring a setback on his rehab assignment, he should be ready to return when he's eligible. Despite injury issues since last year, Hader should immediately take over as the Astros' primary ninth-inning arm, making him stash-worthy in all fantasy formats where he's currently available. He's currently rostered in 88% of Yahoo leagues. Until Hader returns, Bryan King should continue to get save opportunities in Houston.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (elbow), who went on the 15-day injured list on Friday with loose bodies in his left elbow, is likely to need surgery to fix the problem, and it's unclear how much time he might miss, according to Maddie Lee of The Los Angeles Times. It comes less than a week after Snell made his 2026 season debut after recovering from left-shoulder fatigue. How invasive Snell's surgery is will be a significant factor in determining his timetable for a return. One person briefed on the matter projected Snell to return in late July or early August. Snell had surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow in 2019 and was on the IL for almost two months. In his first start of the year against the Atlanta Braves last year, the two-time Cy Young winner allowed four runs in three innings. With right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) also on the IL, and as of Friday, manager Dave Roberts didn't have a long-term plan for filling Snell's spot in the starting rotation. The skipper said calling up River Ryan was a "slim possibility." It is once again becoming a lost season for the 33-year-old Snell due to injuries, and it's becoming harder to justify holding him in shallow mixed fantasy leagues.

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Arizona Diamondbacks veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly threw a complete game to pick up his third win of the season in the team's convincing 9-1 win over the division-rival Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday night. Kelly allowed just one earned run on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out three in a rare feat at hitter-friendly Coors Field. The 37-year-old didn't get much swing and miss, and he needed an even 100 pitches to finish off the Rockies. The eight-year MLB veteran is now 3-3 on the 2026 season with a 5.91 ERA (5.93 FIP) and 1.54 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 18 walks in 35 innings pitched across his six starts for the D-backs. After a rough start to the year, Kelly has now allowed only two earned runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out nine in 16 innings over his last two starts against the Rockies and New York Mets, not exactly the two toughest opponents in the league. Kelly's lack of swing-and-miss stuff gives him a low fantasy ceiling near the end of his career, but he could be a nice streamer in his next scheduled outing against the division-rival San Francisco Giants.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Tejay Antone picked up his first save of 2026 on Friday, allowing a hit and an earned run but getting through the ninth inning without blowing the lead in his team's 7-6 win over the Cleveland Guardians. With closer Emilio Pagan (hamstring) on the injured list, Cincinnati has been mixing and matching at the end of games. Right-handers Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft have typically been the top high-leverage options in the Reds bullpen. However, Santillan currently owns a 5.50 ERA, and Ashcraft allowed four earned runs without recording an out in the eighth inning against the Guardians on Friday. Antone has thrown just 13 2/3 MLB innings since the start of the 2023 season and has undergone three Tommy John surgeries in his career. Still, he's averaged 96.6 miles per hour on his fastball across five appearances in 2026 and has struck out six batters without allowing a walk. In deeper leagues, Antone could be worth targeting on the waiver wire for fantasy managers.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Abner Uribe was used in the eighth inning of his team's 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night, working around a hit and a walk to post a scoreless inning. Uribe appeared to have seized the closer role in Milwaukee, appearing in the ninth inning in 11 straight outings leading into Friday. However, he recorded his second blown save of the year against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday and owns a 4.67 ERA across 19 appearances overall in 2026. Fellow Brewers high-leverage option Trevor Megill earned the save against Minnesota and could be re-emerging as real competition for Uribe in the ninth inning. Megill has logged a 5.63 ERA so far in 2026, but he's allowed just two earned runs over his last 11 outings and has extensive closer experience, recording 56 saves for Milwaukee since the start of the 2024 season. Uribe could still see opportunities for saves going forward, but fantasy managers should be concerned that he's fallen out of the primary closer role after Friday.

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Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris picked up his third save of the season on Friday, working a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout in his team's 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants. Harris has now recorded saves in two out of his last four appearances and could be emerging as a larger part of his team's ninth-inning mix. The Athletics have used a committee approach to close games all season long, with right-handers Joel Kuhnel and Jack Perkins also earning save opportunities. Harris also owns a 16.5% walk rate and a 1.64 WHIP on the year, so fantasy managers should be aware that he's unlikely to provide high-end closer production. Still, in deeper leagues, Harris could be worth targeting on the waiver wire as a low-cost source of saves.

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Houston Astros left-hander Bryan King notched his fourth save of the season on Friday, working 1 2/3 scoreless innings without allowing a baserunner in his team's 2-0 win over the Texas Rangers. It was a nice bounce-back outing for King, who had blown a save in his most recent appearance on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners. King has been steady overall this season for Houston, recording a 3.26 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 16 strikeouts across 19 2/3 innings. While King's 19% strikeout rate is not in line with typical closer dominance, he appears to have seized the ninth-inning role in Houston with Astros closer Josh Hader (biceps) on the 60-day injured list due to a biceps injury. Hader could be close to making his return when first eligible in late May, so King's time as the closer in Houston may be short-lived. Still, King offers short-term value on the waiver wire for fantasy managers in desperate need of saves.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher River Ryan (hamstring) threw 53 pitches in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing two hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out four across four innings of work. The 27-year-old opened the year in Triple-A while recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in August 2024 and caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. However, he suffered a hamstring injury on April 11 that caused him to miss more than a month. Ryan will likely need more time in the minor leagues as he continues to be built up to a full starter's workload. Still, the Dodgers now have a hole in their big-league rotation after the news that left-hander Blake Snell (elbow) is being placed on the injured list due to loose bodies in his elbow. Ryan pitched to a 1.33 ERA across a small sample size of 20 1/3 innings (four starts) after making his MLB debut in 2024. Given his upside and the opportunity in the Dodgers' pitching staff, Ryan could be worth stashing off the waiver wire for fantasy managers.

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