Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel (elbow) threw a two-inning live batting practice session at Target Field on Thursday and touched 97 mph on the radar gun during a 37-pitch effort, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Abel has been out since landing on the 15-day injured list on April 20 with right-elbow inflammation. He hasn't pitched in a big-league game since April 14, and there isn't a current timetable for when he might rejoin the Twins' starting rotation. Abel could throw another live BP session next week or pitch in a minor-league game. "Free and easy," Abel said. "Just being able to have hitters in the box again, it feels really, really good, and really nice. The body feels great, too, so I can't complain." The 24-year-old would have been back already if not for feeling soreness in his right triceps over a month ago during a bullpen session on May 2, which resulted in him needing a cortisone shot. Before landing on the IL, Abel struck out 16 batters in 13 scoreless innings in his two most recent outings. As he nears a return to the big leagues, Abel will be a starting pitcher worth targeting off the waiver wire in deeper leagues. He's rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease (hamstring) had a rough outing in his first minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, surrendering five earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out six in four innings of work. Cease threw 50 of his 75 pitches for strikes and was able to hit 99 mph on the radar gun. The results for the 30-year-old weren't great, but his arm looked fine, and it could be his only rehab outing before the Jays reinstate him from the 15-day injured list. If Cease returns to Toronto's starting rotation after this, he'll be lined up to face the Philadelphia Phillies next Tuesday. The former sixth-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2014 is 98% rostered in Yahoo leagues for a reason. He has looked great so far in 2026 in his first year north of the border, posting a 3.05 ERA (2.59 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 92 strikeouts and 26 walks in 62 innings across his first 11 starts. Cease should be thrown back into starting fantasy lineups immediately upon his return, even against a Phillies team that has been heating up lately.

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Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (elbow) took the next step in his recovery by throwing 4 1/3 innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday in a no-decision against Triple-A El Paso. Brown allowed just one earned run on three hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out four. He threw 38 of his 57 pitches for strikes and touched 98.9 mph on the radar gun. Brown is looking good so far on his minor-league rehab assignment, but he's likely to need at least one more start on the farm before the Astros reinstate him from the 60-day injured list around mid-June. The 27-year-old now has a 1.93 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and 14:1 K:BB in 9 1/3 frames over his three rehab starts with Sugar Land and Double-A Corpus Christi. Brown is a fantasy ace when healthy after breaking out for the Astros in 2025. The former fifth-rounder in 2019 out of Wayne State University was 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in his two starts in 2026 before encountering elbow issues. Brown should definitely not be available on any waiver wires in fantasy leagues.

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At the end of April, Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki was sporting an ugly 6.35 ERA (7.16 FIP) with seven home runs allowed, 13 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings across his five starts. The 24-year-old Japanese hurler turned things around in May, though, and it all started with his improved control of the baseball. In five starts in May, Sasaki allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on 22 hits (three homers) while walking only six and striking out 28 in 28 1/3 innings. He has not walked more than two batters in a game since April 12 and is now 3-3 in his second MLB season with a 4.59 ERA (5.05 FIP), 1.35 WHIP, and 50:19 K:BB in 51 innings across his 10 starts for L.A. Home runs remain an issue, but if Sasaki can continue to build on his control gains from the last month, he'll be a much more attractive starting option for fantasy managers. Sasaki is definitely worth picking up and starting this weekend in the Freeway Series against the lowly Los Angeles Angels. In his last outing against the Halos, Sasaki gave up just one run while walking none and fanning a season-high eight in seven innings to win his second game of the year. Sasaki is rostered in just 56% of Yahoo leagues.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown has been excellent as both a reliever and starter so far in 2026 for the Cubbies, but he should be attracting more interest off the waiver wire from fantasy managers now that he's stretched out and pitching well. The 26-year-old is currently 2-2 with a 1.92 ERA (2.23 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with 53 strikeouts and 15 walks in 51 2/3 innings pitched across 17 appearances (five starts). He even has one save for good measure as a reliever. Since moving to a starting role on the North side in Chicago, Brown has become even more attractive in fantasy, allowing only five earned runs on 15 hits while walking seven and fanning 29 over 26 innings of work. Most recently, he went a season-high seven innings and gave up just one earned run with a walk and six K's for his second win of the season against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals on May 30. Brown has had quality starts in each of his last two times out and continues to gain steam in what is shaping up as a breakout campaign. The best part is that he's available in just over 40% of Yahoo leagues, too. Grab him and start him this weekend against the San Francisco Giants.

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Arizona Diamondbacks veteran right-handed reliever Paul Sewald isn't flashy by any means, but he's still the best option for saves in the desert, and he has been pretty reliable of late for the Snakes. Sewald picked up his second win of the year in Thursday night's walk-off win over the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, tossing a scoreless inning while allowing one hit, walking none, and striking out two. The 36-year-old's overall numbers aren't outstanding, but he has blown just one of his 16 save chances on the year and has registered a scoreless outing in 21 of his 26 appearances on the season. Since his first blown save of 2026 on May 15 on the road against the Texas Rangers, Sewald has allowed just one earned run while walking one and striking out seven in eight innings while also winning two games and recording six saves in eight outings. He is currently tied for fourth among all MLB relievers with the Cardinals' Riley O'Brien with 15 saves. At least until left-hander A.J. Puk (elbow) returns from the injured list, Sewald is the man to roster for the D-backs if you're looking for saves. He's currently rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues.

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Cleveland Guardians rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana has absolutely looked like he belongs in the big leagues through his first 33 games with the Guards. While mostly serving as Cleveland's leadoff hitter and thriving atop the batting order, the 23-year-old left-handed-hitting Aussie has hit .273 (33-for-121) with three home runs, 15 RBI, eight stolen bases, and 13 runs scored across his first 139 big-league plate appearances. Bazzana was curiously dropped to the cleanup spot in Thursday's loss to the New York Yankees, but it was likely only because the Yanks had a tough left-hander on the mound. The former first overall pick out of Oregon State University in 2024 should return to the leadoff spot this weekend, where he has looked very comfortable despite his first taste of major-league pitching. Bazzana isn't going to offer a ton of power from the left side at the keystone, but he's an extremely patient hitter who will get on base frequently and take advantage of his plus speed. In OBP leagues, he should be scooped up now. Bazzana is somehow still available in just over half of Yahoo leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) has not pitched yet in 2026 after having surgery in mid-March during spring training to remove bone chips from his right elbow. However, the hard-throwing 26-year-old ace threw a successful bullpen session on May 26 and is slowly ramping back up for a potential return to Cincy's starting rotation at some point in July. Even though Greene still has a lot of boxes to check before he's back in the big leagues, fantasy managers looking to bolster their rotation for the second half should already be considering picking him up off the waiver wire and stashing him in an injured list spot. The former second overall pick in the 2017 draft out of high school in California is one of the hardest-throwing starters in baseball when he's healthy, and he had an ERA under 3.00 in each of his last two seasons with the Reds, going 16-9 with a 2.76 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 301:83 K:BB in 258 innings across 45 starts. Greene has the potential to be a fantasy ace when he's healthy, and he's currently rostered in only 63% of Yahoo leagues.

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Minnesota Twins utility man Kody Clemens remained hot at the dish in Thursday night's 8-6 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Royals at Target Field, going 2-for-4 with two solo home runs out of the three-hole in the batting order. The strong effort at the plate raised his season batting average to .236 and his OPS to .771. Both of the 30-year-old's homers came off Royals veteran starter Seth Lugo, and this was the second multi-homer game of his career. The son of former All-Star hurler Roger Clemens is now hitting .236/.311/.460 with a .771 OPS, eight home runs, 20 RBI, 23 runs scored, and five stolen bases across his 174 at-bats in his first full season with the Twins. In his last 11 games since May 24, Clemens has gone 11-for-44 (.250) with four home runs, a double, two triples, eight RBI, and seven runs scored. There isn't much of a fantasy ceiling to be had here, but Clemens has been swinging the bat well of late and is eligible at first, second, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues, where he is rostered in 4% of leagues.

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The Texas Rangers activated shortstop Corey Seager (back) from the 10-day injured list on Friday before their series opener at home at Globe Life Field against the Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Parker Messick, according to MLB.com. Seager is back with the Rangers after going 1-for-5 on a short minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco. The 32-year-old has been sidelined since the middle of May due to inflammation in his lower back, but he'll return to starting shortstop duties and will hopefully give Texas an offensive boost on the infield. The five-time All-Star was hitting just .179 (28-for-156) before his back injury landed him on the IL and had gone hitless in his last 25 at-bats, but he did have seven home runs and has had at least 21 home runs in each of the last four seasons since coming to the Rangers in 2022. Seager could be a bit rusty upon his MLB return and could be eased back in by the Rangers this weekend, but he should still be rostered in all fantasy baseball leagues despite his slow start in 2026.

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Seattle Mariners top prospect Kade Anderson continues to showcase elite upside at the Double-A level and is seeing his value increase as a stash candidate. After joining the Mariners with the third overall pick in last year's MLB Draft, the southpaw has spent his professional career in Double-A and has looked very comfortable. Through his first nine outings with Arkansas, Anderson has logged 44 innings of work to the tune of a 1.43 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. During this stretch, the left-hander has struck out an impressive 67 hitters while serving up just seven total walks. Additionally, Anderson has allowed one run or fewer in eight of these outings. Despite this incredible production, Anderson remains somewhat far from his MLB debut, given Seattle's pitching depth. With six capable starters on the MLB roster, the No. 6-ranked prospect in the sport will likely have to wait for several injuries or a potential trade to earn the call. However, those in leagues with N/A spots should still view the left-hander as an elite stash target given his upside on a per-start basis.

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Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Cole Carrigg has enjoyed an impressive start to the Triple-A regular season and remains a top hitting prospect to stash ahead of Week 11. After spending the entire 2025 season at the Double-A level, Carrigg was given the green light to begin the 2026 season with the top club in the minor leagues and has performed quite well. Through his first 54 games at the level, Carrigg has held a dominant .338/.413/.521 slash line with 14 doubles, five triples, five home runs, and 29 stolen bases. Last season, Carrigg shipped 46 bags over his 123 games with Double-A. With several starting outfielders on the MLB roster on the shelf due to injury, including Brenton Doyle and Mickey Moniak, Carrigg has a clear path to make an impact in the first half. His elite speed potential makes him a prior target for those in category leagues.

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Minnesota Twins top infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper remains on the verge of his MLB debut and should be viewed as a top stash candidate in all standard formats. The infielder is currently carrying an impressive 11-game hitting streak as he knocks on the MLB door. During this stretch, Culpepper has posted a .333/.444/.600 line with a 1.044 OPS. Across these contests, Culpepper has hit four home runs while swiping three bags and carrying a 9:9 K:BB. Overall, Culpepper has looked very comfortable during his first taste of Triple-A action, posting a .266/.372/.468 line with an .858 OPS. Over these 54 contests with St. Paul, Culpepper has hit 13 home runs and stolen 13 bases. Given his five-category upside and clear path to MLB at-bats, Culpepper should remain stashed in all standard leagues.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher River Ryan hit his first speedbump at the Triple-A level on Thursday evening. After enjoying a near-perfect stretch since returning from injury, the right-hander allowed a season-high four runs and six hits to Round Rock. In this contest, Ryan also served up a season-high three walks and only struck out four hitters. However, prior to this rough showing, Ryan was on the verge of returning to the majors, carrying an impressive 0.60 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, and a 19:1 K:BB over his last 15 frames since returning from his minor injury. Ryan made his MLB debut during the 2024 campaign and looked quite comfortable in his first stint, holding a 1.33 ERA over 20 1/3 innings. With several Dodger starters on the injured list, including Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, Ryan continues to hold high-end stash upside, as his path to the big leagues remains very clear, despite his underwhelming showing on Thursday evening.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara has enjoyed a remarkable start to the Triple-A regular season and has emerged as a top stash candidate in the opening months of the season. Through his first 33 games of the season (and at the Triple-A level in his career), the young outfielder has gone deep seven times while carrying a .341/.438/.562 line with a .998 OPS. During this stretch, Lara also showcased high-end speed, stealing 12 bags while holding a 19:17 K:BB. However, over his last 23 games, Lara has not hit a home run but maintained a high .346/.476/.420 line. As he progressed through the lower levels, power was never his strong suit, as he hit just two home runs over 136 games at Double-A in 2025. If Lara can find his power upside in June, he could compete for a first-half MLB debut and carry high-end five-category upside when he earns the call.

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Boston Red Sox top pitching prospect out of TCU, Payton Tolle, has dominated since his call-up to the Red Sox on April 23, as he has now made eight starts and has a 3-2 record, 2.28 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings pitched. More impressively, his underlying data fully support his breakout (2.31 xERA). After a cup of coffee with the Red Sox last season, pitching in seven games, Tolle has taken full advantage of his opportunity in 2026. While he isn't generating an elite ground ball rate, all of his other metrics rank in the 65th percentile or better. Tolle also provides fantasy managers with strong strikeout upside, as evidenced by his 27.3 percent strikeout rate, and is a WHIP specialist, thanks to his solid command (7 percent walk rate) and .191 xBA, which keeps the bases fairly empty and contributes to that category as well. While his wins are down a bit, that is more a testament to the Red Sox offense than to his production. Fantasy managers should continue to start Tolle with confidence, and if he is on the waiver wire in shallower formats, he is a must-add player.

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Cincinnati Reds slugger JJ Bleday has had a breakout season in 2026 since getting called up to the Reds on April 26. On the season, he is slashing .289/.383/.620 with 10 home runs, one stolen base, 19 runs scored, and 27 RBI in 121 at-bats. Over the past seven days, he has been hitting .348/.400/.826. Bleday has cemented himself as a must-add player across all formats due to his strong stretch of play, especially in five-outfield formats. Under the hood, most of the data support his breakout, with a strong exit-velocity average (90.6 mph) and xBA (.284) and xwOBA (.399) all elite, each in the 87th percentile or better. The only concern with Bleday is that he will occasionally sit against left-handed pitching, but as long as he continues to produce against right-handed pitching, his counting stats and ratios should be just fine. If available in your league, Bleday is a must-add player.

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San Francisco Giants right-hander Caleb Kilian earned the save on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers and has now converted on four of his five save opportunities on the season with a 1.19 WHIP and 3.58 ERA with 30 strikeouts and 14 walks through 27 2/3 innings pitched. While the Giants' closer role has been frustrating to figure out all season, Kilian appears to be taking control of that job, as his surface stats, stuff, and recent save opportunities appear to point in that direction. Additionally, Ryan Walker, who is leading the team with six save opportunities, was sent down to Triple-A on May 10, so he is not a threat to compete with Kilian for the time being. Kilian does not have any prior closing experience, so while he appears to be in the driver's seat for the job, his leash will be short; however, in formats where saves are scarce, Kilian is worth a waiver-wire add in deeper formats.

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Jack Curry, analyst on the YES network, reported Friday morning that Spencer Jones will be recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to replace Aaron Judge (rib), who will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks due to this injury. While this is a massive concern for the Yankees, it's a huge opportunity for Jones, who got a taste of the Major Leagues earlier this season and never capitalized, hitting .167 (4-for-24) with a .426 OPS. The Yankees still do have a bit of a crowded outfield, but with Judge, Giancarlo Stanton (calf), and Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) all on the shelf, Jones should see close to every day playing time with Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham as the other outfielders. Given Jones' poor first showing with the Yankees, he isn't someone fantasy managers should be rushing to add on the waiver wire, but he does have elite power upside and is worth monitoring over the first few games. He is slashing .269/.378/.571 with 13 home runs in Triple-A this season.

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Kansas City Royals right-hander Alex Lange has picked up back-to-back saves over the Royals' last two games and is emerging as a waiver wire pickup for leagues where save opportunities are scarce. The Royals' bullpen has been a bit of a carousel with Carlos Estevez (shoulder) landing on the IL in April, and Lucas Erceg struggling of late and only converting 11 of 17 save opportunities with a 1.97 WHIP and 6.45 ERA on the season. Lange is no secret to closing, having converted on 26 saves in 2023 with the Tigers. On the season, Lange has a 4.18 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched. While Lange may not be a long-term option or have elite stuff, he could be the new "flavor of the week" at the closer position and can help fantasy managers convert on some saves in the short-term.

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