Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown is scheduled to make the start against the Texas Rangers on Friday, according to Taylor McGregor. Given all the injuries to this pitching staff, Brown will need to move from his bullpen role and into the rotation. Brown has been excellent with a 2.10 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 24/8 K/BB ratio across 12 appearances in the bullpen this season. He has been fantastic in a multi-inning role, but the Cubs need him to step up into the rotation now. The right-hander has already pitched twice this week, so it seems unlikely that he'll pitch deep into Friday's game. He'll likely pitch a few innings, but probably won't stay in the game long enough to warrant looking at him as a streaming option.

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Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo could end up as the odd man out in the starting rotation. Fellow starter Bryce Miller (oblique) is set to return from the Injured List next week. The Mariners will need to make a big decision with their rotation once Miller is back in the mix. They could roll with a six-man rotation; if not, Castillo or Emerson Hancock would likely be shifted to a bullpen role for now. Castillo has never pitched out of the bullpen, with all 250 of his big league appearances coming as starts. However, he has been unusable in the rotation this season. Castillo owns a 6.29 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, and a 31:13 K:BB ratio through seven starts. Hancock has been the much more effective starter and has earned the right to remain in the rotation. A short stint in the bullpen might be good for Castillo to hopefully turn around his season.

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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans (elbow) is dealing with Valgus Extension Overload, according to manager Matt Quatraro. The southpaw was forced to make an early exit from his start on Wednesday after three innings of work. The Royals are optimistic that Ragans won't require a stint on the Injured List. Ragans is going to rest for the next few days before the team decides how to proceed going forward. For now, Ragans is day-to-day, but fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if he does end up on the shelf.

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Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Carlos Estevez (shoulder) will be shut down for the next three weeks, according to manager Matt Quatraro. Estevez was removed early during his rehab outing on Wednesday after displaying reduced velocity. The right-hander was diagnosed with a right rotator cuff strain on Thursday. Estevez won't throw for three weeks, and then will hopefully begin a rehab assignment after that. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Estevez to be back in the mix for at least a month or so. With that being said, Lucas Erceg should continue to hold down the full-time closer role in Kansas City.

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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (oblique) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday. Betts has been sidelined since early April due to a strained right oblique. He suffered a setback in late April, but appears to be ready for game action now. Betts will play both Friday and Saturday in Oklahoma City, which leaves the door open for him to return to the Dodgers on Sunday. Fantasy managers will have to wait and see how Betts is feeling after these two games. If not this weekend, Betts should be able to rejoin the Dodgers by early next week.

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Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis is unsure if he has a future with the organization. Recently, Lewis spoke about how he's having difficulty avoiding looking at the big picture. He continued by saying it has been hard for him lately with his career feeling like it's going in a different direction. Lewis has struggled to stay healthy, and he knows that there's always someone waiting in the wings to take your job. So far this season, Lewis is slashing .169/.270/.312 with three home runs and 11 RBI across 23 games. This season marks his fifth year in the big leagues, and Lewis is still trying to establish himself as an everyday player. It remains to be seen how long a leash the Twins will give Lewis if he continues to struggle at the plate.

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The New York Yankees are promoting outfield prospect Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to the major-league roster, sources told MLB reporter Francys Romero. According to MLB Pipeline, Jones is the team's No. 6 prospect, and he'll be making his long-awaited major-league debut at the age of 24 (turns 25 next week). The former 25th overall pick in 2022 out of Vanderbilt is a tall drink of water at 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, and he offers elite power upside with 83 career home runs in his five minor-league seasons. Last year with Triple-A and Double-A Somerset, Jones combined for 35 homers, 80 RBI, and 29 stolen bases. Not only does he have game-changing power from the left side, but he can also run, which is rare for a player of his stature. He'll be taking the spot of Jasson Dominguez (shoulder), who landed on the injured list on Thursday. Giancarlo Stanton (calf) is also on the shelf, so Jones figures to see regular playing time in the Bronx, at least against right-handers. Jones has hit .258/.366/.592 with 11 homers, 41 RBI, and seven steals in 142 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2026. Fantasy managers in need of power and speed should run to the waiver wire and pick up Jones, who is only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues at this time.

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The Cincinnati Reds announced that right-hander Rhett Lowder (shoulder) left his start early on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning with right-shoulder discomfort, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Manager Terry Francona and a trainer came to check on Lowder after he issued back-to-back walks to start the inning. Before departing, Lowder allowed three earned runs on just one hit (a solo homer to Michael Conforto) while walking four and striking out only one in three innings of work at Wrigley Field. It's unclear how serious the 24-year-old's shoulder injury is as of right now, but we wouldn't be surprised if it eventually sends him to the 15-day injured list, given his injury history. The hard-throwing Wake Forest product has had a tough go of it early in 2026, as he entered his start on Thursday with a 5.09 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 26:14 K:BB in 35 1/3 innings over seven starts. Forearm and oblique injuries caused Lowder to miss the entire 2025 campaign. He's currently rostered in just 17% of Yahoo leagues.

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Seattle Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan (groin) will be activated from the 10-day injured list before Friday's contest in Chicago against the White Sox, according to Aadm Jude of The Seattle Times. Fantasy managers will be ready to get Donovan back into their starting lineups for the start of the Mariners' series on Friday in Chicago after he missed around three weeks with a groin injury. The 29-year-old German native could have to manage the injury going forward, but for now, he's ready to go and will return to a strong .304/.437/.518 slash line, .954 OPS, three home runs, eight RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in his first 18 games with the organization. Donovan was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his final season with the St. Louis Cardinals, when he hit .287 (132-for-460) with 10 long balls, 50 RBI, 64 runs, and three steals in 118 games played. He's primarily useful for his defensive versatility in fantasy -- he's eligible at second, third, shortstop, and the outfield -- but has a low ceiling because of his modest power and speed. Donovan has never had more than 14 homers, 73 RBI, or five steals in his four MLB campaigns.

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With Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (oblique) on the verge of being reinstated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut at some point next week, one of right-handers Luis Castillo or Emerson Hancock, could be in danger of being bumped from the starting rotation to the bullpen, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. The Mariners could also elect to go with a six-man rotation for the time being. Jude writes that one thing is certain: Hancock has cemented a place on the major-league roster. He's been one of the best starters in the American League so far this year, posting a team-best 2.59 ERA and 46:6 K:BB in 41 2/3 innings pitched. Another possibility is that Castillo is paired with Miller in a piggyback role. The 33-year-old Castillo is most in danger of a demotion to a relief role after starting 2026 0-3 with an ugly 6.29 ERA in seven starts. It's easier said than done, though, as he's never pitched out of the bullpen and is a respected leader in the clubhouse. Castillo is also still owed $24 million next year with a vesting option for the 2028 season.

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The Boston Red Sox plan to put outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) on the 10-day injured list before Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. Mickey Gasper will come up from the minors in a corresponding move. Anthony sprained his right wrist in Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers and will require more time to heal. The Red Sox were hoping the outfield prospect would be able to return this weekend against the Rays, but he's just not ready. In the short term, Masataka Yoshida should continue to benefit from regular playing time in the designated hitter spot for Boston against right-handed pitchers. Yoshida is a great source of average -- he's hitting over .300 in limited action so far this year -- but he won't provide much pop to your lineup. It's been a disappointing start to Anthony's first full season in the majors, but fantasy managers should be stashing him everywhere for his high-end power/speed upside. Since debuting for the BoSox late in 2025, the 21-year-old former second-rounder has hit .273/.383/.421 with an .804 OPS, nine homers, 37 RBI, 60 runs, and six steals in 433 plate appearances.

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New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) made an excellent play early in Thursday's victory against the visiting Texas Rangers in the Bronx when he crashed into the outfield wall, but it was a costly one. Manager Aaron Boone said Dominguez tested negative for a concussion after being removed from the game, but he does have a low-grade AC sprain in his shoulder and will land on the 10-day injured list, according to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner. It could be worse, but the man they call the Martian will miss at least a few weeks. With outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) also still on the IL, the Yankees could call up outfield prospect Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, making him a stash candidate in redraft leagues for his power upside from the left side of the plate. By the time Dominguez is ready to return from the IL, Stanton could be back with the Yankees, which would make it tougher for him to find regular playing time in the Bronx. The 23-year-old Dominican has only played in eight games for the Yanks so far this year and has gone 6-for-30 (.200) at the plate with a homer and four RBI. Dominguez is rostered in just 20% of Yahoo leagues and is not a must-hold in mixed formats now that he's injured.

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The Seattle Mariners are leaning toward activating right-hander Bryce Miller (oblique) from the 15-day injured list on their upcoming road trip, which begins on Friday in Chicago against the White Sox, a club source told Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Miller is scheduled to join the team in Chicago to check in with coaches and trainers. If he's cleared, the 27-year-old could rejoin Seattle's starting rotation to make his 2026 season debut in the middle of next week in Houston against the division-rival Astros. Miller threw five shutout innings on Wednesday with High-A Everett in what he hopes will be his final minor-league rehab start. "I'm ready to go," Miller said. He's been on the 15-day injured list all season to this point, but he's worth a look on the waiver wire for fantasy managers seeking rotation help. Miller is currently rostered in only 29% of Yahoo leagues and is hoping to regain his 2024 form, when he had a 2.94 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 171:45 K:BB in 31 starts, after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign.

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Seattle Mariners starting pitching prospect Kade Anderson could be on a fast track to making his MLB debut. Typically, college pitchers are the quickest to make their MLB debut --faster than college hitters, and faster than all prep players in general. Not only was Anderson drafted out of college last summer, but he also has elite draft capital as a former No. 3 overall pick. Furthermore, he's also pitching incredibly well this season, maintaining a 0.37 ERA and 1.13 FIP with 14.05 K/9, 1.48 BB/9, and a 46.7% ground ball rate. He hasn't allowed a home run yet, either. We'd be a bit surprised to see Anderson jump straight from Double-A to MLB, so there's still a little time before he makes his debut. However, fantasy managers shouldn't wait. Stashing Anderson now is the right move, because we do expect to see him in the majors this year, and he has the potential to rack up strikeouts, limit walks and home runs, and pitch deep into games for the Mariners. He currently ranks #11 among starting pitching prospects in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy baseball rankings.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) continues to sit out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, per MLB.com. It will be Anthony's third straight missed game after spraining his right wrist on a swing during Monday's contest against the Detroit Tigers. The Red Sox are optimistic that Anthony won't have to miss much more time, but if he cannot return to action this weekend against Tampa, he could be placed on the 10-day injured list. Jarren Duran is starting in left field again and will bat leadoff for the BoSox, with Masataka Yoshida serving as the designated hitter and batting fifth against Rays right-hander Griffin Jax. An extended absence for Anthony will continue to benefit the left-handed-hitting Yoshida, who is hitting .310 (18-for-58) on the year, but with zero home runs. Anthony looked like the real deal as a top prospect in baseball during his MLB debut in 2025 before ending the year on the injured list, but he's struggled so far in 2026, slashing .229/.354/.321 with a .675 OPS, only one homer, five RBI, 12 runs, and two steals in 109 at-bats. Fantasy managers need to be patient and hope his wrist injury doesn't lead to an IL stint.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick is off to a rough start to the 2026 season, hitting .210/.315/.321 with three home runs, nine RBI, 17 runs scored, and one stolen base across his first 130 plate appearances. Frelick put together a breakout campaign in 2025, logging a .756 OPS with 12 home runs and 19 stolen bases across 594 trips to the plate. While he hasn't been able to replicate the same success so far in 2026, there may be reason to believe that a hot streak could be coming. With an 11.5% walk rate and just a 10% strikeout rate, Frelick's plate skills remain elite. His subpar batting average is likely a symptom of poor batted-ball luck, as his current batting average on balls in play of .221 is significantly below his career mark of .300. Frelick also dealt with a side injury in early April that may be impacting his performance. As Frelick gets further removed from the injury, his power and speed output may start to gradually improve. In leagues where he may have been dropped, Frelick could be worth adding off the waiver wire.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has been hitting the ball well ever since his promotion to Triple-A, and his top-tier run tool could get him to the majors sooner rather than later. The former No. 3 pick is a four-tool prospect, with power grading out as his only average trait. At Triple-A this year, he's slashing .276/.355/.390 with one home run, nine steals, an 11.3% walk rate, a 14.9% strikeout rate, and 102 wRC+. He's been a steal and on-base threat at every level, and he also tapped into a little more power last year with 14 homers. Between the elite draft capital, an impressive statistical track record, and a well-rounded set of skills, Clark's MLB debut seems to be a matter of "when" and not "if." We fully expect him to get the call at some point this season, and while we know the Tigers won't rush his development, they could also benefit from his presence in the majors. Clark is a must-stash prospect in fantasy baseball ahead of his anticipated promotion.

From RotoBaller

Entering play on Thursday, Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger had logged just seven hits in his last 49 plate appearances. The 30-year-old is now hitting .218/.253/.380 with six home runs, 21 RBI, and 14 runs scored across his first 150 plate appearances of 2026. Burger's 28.7% strikeout rate is his worst mark since 2022, and he's started to slide from the middle of the Rangers batting order to the bottom. However, Burger still owns strong underlying batted-ball metrics with a 10% barrel rate and a 50% hard-hit rate. He's recorded 85 home runs over his last 1,645 MLB plate appearances, so he remains a power threat for fantasy managers to deploy in a corner infield spot. Burger's profile comes with plenty of risk, but he could be a worthy buy-low target off the waiver wire amidst his current cold spell.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt (head) had an impressive month of April at the plate, and he could be due for a promotion to the majors very soon. When he does get called up, he'll be making his MLB debut. The 31st overall pick in the 2024 draft, Waldschmidt is slashing .285/.400/.480 with three home runs, six steals, a 12.6% walk rate, a 24.5% strikeout rate, and 117 wRC+ at Triple-A this year. He's also a talented defender who has the ability to play any of the three outfield spots, although 93.5% of his defensive innings this season have come in center field. The biggest concern with Waldschmidt right now is that he took a pitch to the head on Tuesday, and he didn't play on Wednesday. Depending on the severity, he could be due for a stint on the injured list. Once he returns to action, though, he'll continue his push for a spot on the major league roster. Regarded as a power and speed threat, Waldschmidt is worth stashing in many fantasy baseball leagues.

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (shoulder, head) was removed in the first inning of his team's game on Thursday against the Texas Rangers after colliding with the left field wall. Per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, Dominguez has been placed in concussion protocol and will also undergo an MRI on his left shoulder. The 23-year-old began the year in Triple-A but earned a promotion to the big leagues after Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 25. Across 32 plate appearances with New York, Dominguez hit .200/.250/.367 with one home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. The former top prospect offers the potential for five-category fantasy contribution, but he's struggled to log an extended run of everyday MLB playing time due to injuries and defensive concerns. Should Dominguez require a trip to the injured list, Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones could be the next man up in New York.

From RotoBaller