Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (hand) will have surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his left hand and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, general manager Jeremy Zoll told The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman. The Twins placed Jeffers on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday after he injured his hand in an at-bat late in Monday night's win over the visiting Houston Astros. It's a really tough break for Jeffers and the Twins, as he was hitting .295 (36-for-122) this year with seven home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, a stolen base, a .408 on-base percentage, a .541 slugging percentage, and a .949 OPS in 37 games across 148 plate appearances. In a best-case scenario, Jeffers might be able to return to the big-league roster in early July. In the meantime, veteran Victor Caratini should do most of the catching for the Twins, with Alex Jackson backing him up. Fantasy managers should be looking to avoid the catching situation in Minnesota with Jeffers out for an extended period of time.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (thumb), who is currently on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, needs surgery after an MRI exam showed a UCL tear in his left thumb, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. It's a tough break for the 23-year-old, who is considered the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Rodriguez was hitting .247 (20-for-81) for the Saints with six home runs, 18 RBI, 15 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 25 games across 108 plate appearances at the time of his injury. Thumb injuries have been a problem for him, as he had surgery for a right-thumb injury in 2024 and also missed some time last year with a left-thumb ailment. The Dominican outfielder is quickly losing steam in dynasty/keeper leagues as a stash candidate due to durability concerns. Rodriguez has yet to play in 100 games down on the farm in a single season since he became a professional in 2021. His most recent thumb injury could very well cost him the rest of the 2026 season.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is returning to the team's starting lineup on Tuesday night against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. at Target Field, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. Buxton is finally back in action after missing almost a full week due to soreness in his right hip flexor. Fantasy managers will be hoping that the 32-year-old veteran can pick up where he left off after he clubbed two home runs in his last game against the Miami Marlins last week. The two-time All-Star has picked things up in May, going 13-for-46 (.283) with seven home runs, two doubles, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 11 games. Buxton has hit .260/.319/.580 overall in 2026 with an .899 OPS, 15 long balls, 23 RBI, 33 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his 169 at-bats. He has also hit .600 with a 1.867 OPS in a small sample size of five career at-bats against McCullers.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb) "continues to progress," but he isn't taking full batting practice yet and still feels his thumb a bit when swinging, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Kirk caught right-hander Shane Bieber's (elbow) side session and is catching, throwing, and hitting. "By the end of the week, we'll have a better feel" for when he might be cleared to begin a rehab assignment, according to manager John Schneider. The 27-year-old Mexican backstop is recovering from a fractured left thumb. Kirk had surgery on his thumb and had a screw inserted into his hand. It remains to be seen when exactly Kirk will come off the 10-day injured list, but if he continues to make progress, he could return to Toronto before the end of May. Until then, Tyler Heineman and Brandon Valenzuela will continue to split the catching duties for the Jays. Kirk went 3-for-20 (.150) with a homer in five games before getting hurt this year, but the two-time All-Star can provide modest power at the weak catching position in fantasy when he's healthy. He's currently rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

The New York Mets announced on Tuesday that they moved right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) to the 60-day injured list after he suffered a fractured right fibula when he took a comebacker off his leg during his start over the weekend against his former team, the New York Yankees. He has been shut down from all baseball activities for the next six to eight weeks and won't be eligible to return to the big-league starting rotation until mid-August. Although the 33-year-old veteran's underlying metrics suggested that regression was coming, he looked good for the Mets in his first nine starts of 2026, going 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA (3.22 FIP) and 1.10 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 18 walks over 52 2/3 innings pitched. Because of his long-term injury, he's already been dropped in a lot of fantasy leagues and is currently rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues. Left-handed pitching prospect Zach Thornton will get the first crack at trying to fill Holmes' starting rotation spot in the big leagues, but Jack Wenninger and Jonah Tong might also get opportunities.

From RotoBaller

Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez has emerged as a base-stealing threat at Triple-A, making him an intriguing fantasy stash ahead of his eventual return to the majors. Ramirez was optioned to Triple-A on May 4 after slashing .230/.318/.345 with two homers, three steals, and 87 wRC+ in the majors. His slash line in Jacksonville isn't any better (.206/.270/.235), and he's striking out more (27.0%) with a lower walk rate (5.4%). With that being said, he has shown glimpses of impressive speed, stealing four bases in just eight games. We fully expect to see Ramirez back in the majors this year, so his ability to steal bases could be enough to get him back on the fantasy radar, especially at the catcher position, where speed can be hard to come by.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (illness) is out of the starting lineup for a second straight game on Tuesday against the visiting Cincinnati Reds with an illness, according to MLB.com. Shortstop Trea Turner will serve as the DH and will bat leadoff, while Edmundo Sosa will make the start at the 6 and hit seventh against Reds right-hander Chase Burns at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will give the three-time All-Star another day off. Hopefully, the 33-year-old veteran will be back in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against Cincy. Schwarber continues to mash baseballs well over the fence in 2026 in his 12th year in the big leagues. He currently leads all of baseball with 20 home runs and has also contributed 36 RBI in 47 games across 213 plate appearances. He's been on a homer binge since May 7, going 13-for-43 (.302) with nine homers, a double, 16 RBI, 10 runs scored, and a stolen base in 10 games played. When Schwarber returns to action, fantasy managers will want to throw him right back into all starting lineups. Hopefully, his illness doesn't slow him down at the plate at all.

From RotoBaller

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins. He'll bat leadoff as the designated hitter against Marlins southpaw Braxton Garrett. Acuna is making his return from a two-week absence that included a stint on the 10-day injured list. Prior to injuring his hamstring on May 3, he was slashing .252/.362/.378 with two homers, seven RBI, a 13.2% walk rate, a 20.4% strikeout rate, and 111 wRC+. Acuna hasn't been as effective with the bat in his hands this season compared to years past, but he's still an above-average hitter with a nice blend of power and speed. With that said, injuries have continued to plague him, as he hasn't played 100+ games in a season since 2023, when he played 159 games while slugging 41 homers and stealing 73 bases. Acuna ranks #8 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

From RotoBaller

The Cleveland Guardians have promoted first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez to Triple-A, according to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. Velazquez was the Guardians' first-round pick in 2023, signing for $2.5 million out of Huntington Beach High School in California. It's a much-deserved promotion for the left-handed hitter, who was slashing .317/.414/.566 with seven home runs, a 13.0% walk rate, a 18.3% strikeout rate, and 159 wRC+ in Double-A. He has 29 homers over his last 158 minor league games, reminding fans and fantasy managers of his impressive power. Although the Guardians won't rush his development, it seems likely that he'll make his MLB debut this season if he continues to hit well at Triple-A. Once he reaches the majors, his power-hitting profile will make him a worthwhile first baseman to roster in fantasy baseball leagues.

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr.'s bat has cooled since being greeted by Triple-A pitching, going just 9-for-59 (.153) without a single extra-base hit over his first 16 games at that level. On the bright side, the Yankees' top-ranked prospect has shown a supremely keen eye, drawing 17 walks (21.8 percent) compared to only 12 strikeouts (15.4 percent), and has stolen three bases. Recently-activated Anthony Volpe has a pair of multi-hit games over his last two contests, and Jose Caballero (finger) could soon return from the injured list, so a big league debut doesn't appear to be imminent, but that could change quickly. If Volpe falters or Caballero encounters a setback, Lombard's chance could be next. With a fantasy-friendly toolset, the soon-to-be-21-year-old should be on the stash radar.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Mike Sirota has been promoted to Double-A, suggesting that he could be on the fast track to making his MLB debut. Sirota was the Reds' third-round pick in 2024, but Cincinnati traded him to the Dodgers in exchange for Gavin Lux in January 2025. As we've become accustomed to with Dodgers prospects, Sirota has emerged as a superstar at the plate in the minor leagues. Across 35 games at High-A this year, he slashed .325/.478/.602 with seven homers, eight steals, a 20.1% walk rate, a 22.6% strikeout rate, and 177 wRC+. The Northeastern product has been an above-average hitter everywhere he's played, so we would expect Double-A to be no different. If he excels at the plate in Tulsa, Sirota could fast-track to Triple-A this year, and the majors either this year or early next year. The 22-year-old is already an intriguing dynasty stash because of the offensive upside that he boasts.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge has struggled to earn consistent playing time lately, and that trend could continue going forward. Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News reports that Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey acknowledges Eldridge hasn't been afforded consistent playing time, which could be impacting his ability to get into a routine. When asked if Eldridge could be sent to Triple-A to get more consistent reps, Posey said the team will "just watch what's going on out here and make different decisions as we think they're necessary." That answer doesn't provide much clarity, but it does seem to suggest that Eldridge isn't quite ready for an everyday role in the major leagues. The stats say similar, as the first base prospect is slashing just .143/.226/.250 with one home run, a 9.7% walk rate, a 32.3% strikeout rate, and 28 wRC+ through nine games. His stock is falling in fantasy baseball, and he's now rostered in just 5% of leagues.

From RotoBaller

Colorado Rockies corner infield/outfield prospect Charlie Condon continues to tread water at Triple-A Albuquerque, collecting a hit in eight of his last 10 games but going just 9-for-42 (.214) over that span with a 36.2 percent strikeout rate. The former third-overall draft pick has a superb 19.7 percent chase rate (88th percentile) that's allowed him to draw walks at a strong 15.3 percent clip, and still has plenty of pop in his bat, with a max exit velocity this season of 112.6 percent (91st percentile), but he likely needs to get the strikeouts under control to see his average start to creep back up and get back on track in the power department. The 6-foot-5 slugger has now gone 27 straight games without a home run after belting four in his first 10 contests. For the season, the 23-year-old is slashing .232/.369/.366, so he's not pushing the issue for a promotion, and the Colorado starters are probably doing enough to hold off the youngster's debut a while longer, but Condon could be called up sometime in June, so managers in deep leagues looking for a power bat should still consider stashing the UGA product ahead of time.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has heated up with the weather, now riding a 13-game on-base streak that began on May 1, during which time he's gone 16-for-55 (.291) with four doubles, four home runs, and four steals. Furthermore, the Twins' second-ranked prospect has walked (10) nearly as many times as he's struck out (11) during that time, which is the kind of plate discipline that could help him make the final push to the major leagues. For the season, the former first-rounder is slashing .253/.346/.469 with nine home runs and nine steals, displaying the kind of power-speed combination that he showed in 2025 when he blasted 25 home runs and stole 25 bases in 113 games between High-A and Double-A. The Kansas State product should be making his big league debut soon, and although it was veteran Orlando Arcia recalled when the team demoted third baseman Royce Lewis, Culpepper has experience at the hot corner in addition to second and shortstop, providing multiple pathways to playing time. With the general underperformance of most other Twins infielders as well, the 23-year-old's debut appears closer than ever, so he becomes a must-stash for his multi-category upside.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (forearm, ankle) said he threw a pain-free, 20-pitch bullpen session on Monday, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. The plan is for Scherzer to continue to ramp up. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer has been on the 15-day injured list since April 27 with right-forearm tendinitis and right-ankle inflammation. He also recently was bothered by a thumb issue again, and he received cortisone injections for his forearm and thumb. Scherzer continues to try to build himself back up, but given all of his injury issues in recent seasons, fantasy managers are better off betting on younger, higher-upside arms in fantasy leagues. The three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star did not look good in his five starts this year before landing on the IL, either, allowing 20 earned runs on 22 hits (seven homers) while walking eight and striking out only 10 in 18 2/3 innings of work. The once-dominant Scherzer is now rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues at this time.

From RotoBaller

The Minnesota Twins placed catcher Ryan Jeffers (hand) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a fractured left hamate bone in his hand, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. It's a significant injury for Jeffers, which he suffered in an at-bat in the eighth inning in the team's 6-3 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Monday night. The Twins called up catcher Alex Jackson from the minors for extra catching depth. With Jeffers potentially out for a month or longer, veteran Victor Caratini will do most of the catching going forward. It's a tough break for the Twins and for Jeffers, who will most likely need surgery on his hand. Jeffers has been one of the more under-the-radar fantasy catchers so far in 2026, slashing .295/.408/.541 with a .949 OPS, seven home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, and a stolen base in 37 games in his seventh big-league season in Minnesota. At a shallow catching position, Jeffers has earned the right to be stashed while he heals from his hand injury. He's currently rostered in 62% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

Athletics third baseman Max Muncy (hand) has begun a swing progression, although his timetable for a return from the 10-day injured list is to be determined, according to Jason Burke. Muncy has already been out three-plus weeks due to a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand. Because the 23-year-old has been out already for an extended period of time, he will surely need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before he's reinstated from the IL. Fantasy managers in AL-only leagues shouldn't expect him back with the A's until early June. In the meantime, Zack Gelof will continue to see elevated playing time at the hot corner in Sacramento. The 26-year-old former second-rounder is currently hitting .250 (22-for-88) with five homers, 13 RBI, 16 runs, and four steals in 31 contests and has become a waiver-wire option in deeper formats. Muncy was hitting just .239 (22-for-92) at the time of his hand injury with two homers, seven RBI, 15 runs, and two steals. He could be fighting for playing time at third with Gelof when he returns.

From RotoBaller

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) continues to strengthen and stabilize his injured shoulder before reintroducing baseball activities, and his timetable for a return from the 10-day injured list is to be determined, according to Jason Burke. Wilson is recovering from a subluxation of his left (non-throwing) shoulder and isn't close to a return, which will give Darrell Hernaiz more run as the replacement at the 6 in Sacramento. Because the 24-year-old has yet to resume baseball activities, it would be a surprise if he's back with the major-league roster before the end of May. The contact-oriented Wilson was hitting a strong .292 (47-for-161) at the time of his shoulder injury, but with just three home runs, 19 RBI, 18 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 39 games played in his second full season in the majors. With limited speed to boot, Wilson has a limited fantasy ceiling, and he's currently rostered in 67% of Yahoo leagues while he's on the IL.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Diamondbacks veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado is beginning to turn things around offensively in his first year in the desert. The 35-year-old eight-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner went 1-for-4 with a grand slam and a strikeout in Monday night's 12-2 rout of the division-rival San Francisco Giants and has hit .320/.417/.598 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, 21 runs scored, and a stolen base in his last 30 games. After a slow start to his D-backs tenure, Arenado has gotten hot and is now sporting a .272 batting average (40-for-147) with a .347 on-base percentage, .463 slugging percentage, and .810 OPS with seven long balls, 25 RBI, 25 runs, and a steal in 44 games played in his 14th year in the big leagues. It's nice to see from a player who had been on the decline offensively in recent years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Fantasy managers looking to ride the hot hand should consider adding Arenado off the waiver wire for a boost. He's available in just over 70% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

The Atlanta Braves announced on Tuesday that they optioned right-hander JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett following Monday night's game against the Miami Marlins. Ritchie, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, didn't allow more than three earned runs in his first four major-league starts for the Braves after making his MLB debut on April 23 with a strong performance against the Washington Nationals, but he will head back to the farm after he surrendered six earned runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in four innings in a 12-0 loss to the division-rival Miami Marlins on Monday night. The 22-year-old former 35th overall pick in 2022 is now 1-1 on the year with a 4.91 ERA (5.72 FIP) and 1.48 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and 16 walks in 25 2/3 frames across his first five major-league starts. Ritchie should be back with the Braves at some point in 2026, but for now, veteran left-hander Martin Perez will likely take his spot in the starting rotation. Ritchie is still deserving of being stashed in deeper fantasy leagues, although he's only rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller