Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring), who was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left-hamstring strain, manager Walt Weiss told Jesus Cano of The Athletic. Acuna is on the IL for the second time this year with the same injury, but the Braves don't believe that it is as bad as Acuna's strain in May, which kept him out for just over two weeks. All in all, it's good news for the 28-year-old former MVP. Barring a setback as he rehabs, Acuna could be back with the Braves before the All-Star break in mid-July. In the meantime, Mauricio Dubon and Eli White could share playing time in right field in Atlanta, with Dubon being the more attractive deep-league waiver-wire pickup. Acuna, a five-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner, should be stashed in all leagues, even though he's performing under his career levels so far in 2026 with a .251/.373/.421 slash line, seven homers, 22 RBI, 15 steals, and 31 runs scored in 195 at-bats.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith's neck injury is progressing, but manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday that an injured-list stint is "most likely," according to Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times. "We'll have to make that decision at some point in time tonight after the game," Roberts said. The 31-year-old veteran backstop was out of the starting lineup for a fourth straight game on Wednesday at PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates and appears headed for an IL stint despite the Dodgers initially believing that his neck injury wasn't very serious. For however much longer Smith is out of action, Dalton Rushing will serve as the Dodgers' starting catcher. Smith, an All-Star in each of the last three seasons, hasn't been quite as productive as one of the top hitting catchers in fantasy, as he currently is sporting a .249/.338/.382 slash line with a career-worst .720 OPS, six home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored in 201 plate appearances across 52 games played. Rushing is worth a look for fantasy managers in need of a short-term upgrade at the position. In limited action, he's been better than Smith, going 30-for-105 (.286) with eight long balls, 21 RBI, and 19 runs scored.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they placed outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 8) with left-hand fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures and recalled outfielder Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move. Cruz initially injured his left hand while sliding in Saturday's game against the Atlanta Braves, and he's expected to be out for a month, which means he probably won't return until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Jake Mangum made another start in center field for the Pirates on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he figures to become a lineup regular going forward, at least against right-handed pitchers. The 27-year-old Cruz should not be dropped in any traditional fantasy formats while he's sidelined. He has one of the quickest bats in baseball and makes some of the loudest contact when he connects, not to mention his high-end speed on the basepaths. Through 64 games in 2026 in his sixth year in the big leagues, Cruz is slashing .264/.350/.472 with an .822 OPS, 14 homers, 44 RBI, 21 stolen bases, 45 runs scored, and a league-leading 98 strikeouts in 283 plate appearances.

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Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker (knee) is out of the starting lineup for the second straight day on Wednesday in Las Vegas against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers due to knee soreness that the team is managing, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Manager Mark Kotsay said the A's will wait to see how Rooker feels during Thursday's off day before potentially deciding on whether to place him on the injured list. With Rooker out again on Wednesday, Carlos Cortes will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat in the cleanup spot, with Lawrence Butler starting in right field and hitting sixth against Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat. It's been a pretty rough season for the 31-year-old Rooker so far. The two-time right-handed slugger enters Wednesday's action with a .200/.281/.389 slash line, .670 OPS, 10 home runs, 29 RBI, 20 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 180 at-bats in 2026. He has looked better in seven games in June, going 6-for-25 (.240) with two homers, a double, three RBI, and five runs scored, but now he might be headed for a stay on the IL.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (lat) told The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham that his lat strain "is a lot worse than what we thought," and he has "no idea" when he might be cleared to throw again. When Crochet initially went on the 15-day injured list in late May, he was diagnosed with a low-grade lat strain. That diagnosis was apparently wrong, and now it's looking like we may not see the talented southpaw back in Boston's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 26-year-old has since been placed on the 60-day injured list. Crochet still deserves to be stashed in all traditional fantasy leagues, but his return is no longer around the corner. The two-time All-Star was as advertised in Beantown in 2025 in his first year with the team, going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA (2.89 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, and a league-high 255 strikeouts in a league-best 205 1/3 innings over 32 games. Things have not gone as planned in Year 2 in Boston, though, as he currently has a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37:11 in just six starts.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy (illness) was scratched from the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the visiting Chicago Cubs at Coors Field due to an illness, according to the team. Troy Johnson will make the start in right field for the Rockies and will bat seventh against Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga. McCarthy is under the weather, but he could be back in the lineup as soon as Thursday's series finale in Denver against Chicago. The 28-year-old speedy left-handed hitter has seen an increase in playing time in the past month with both Mickey Moniak (ankle) and Brenton Doyle (oblique) on the injured list, and he's taken advantage, hitting .282 (49-for-174) with four home runs, 27 RBI, 22 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 56 games in his first year with the Rockies. McCarthy has been especially hot recently, going 18-for-59 (.305) with two homers, four doubles, eight RBI, 10 runs, and two steals in 14 games since May 24. If you need speed in deeper leagues, McCarthy is worth a look off the waiver wire.

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Seattle Mariners rookie infielder Cole Emerson (back) remains out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles due to back spasms, but he took swings in the cages and is feeling a little bit better, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Emerson is expected to avoid a stint on the injured list. Cole Young is making another start at the 6 and is batting leadoff, with Miles Mastrobuoni starting at second base and hitting eighth against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. It will be the third straight game that Emerson will start on the bench due to back spasms, but he could return to the starting nine as soon as Thursday's series finale at Camden Yards. With J.P. Crawford (hand) on the IL right now, Emerson will be Seattle's preferred option at shortstop when he recovers from his back injury. In his first 62 major-league at-bats, the 20-year-old former first-rounder in 2023 has hit .242 (15-for-62) with four home runs, five doubles, 10 RBI, and nine runs scored across 69 plate appearances. Emerson is one of the more intriguing young infield prospects in the majors.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (wrist) is missing a fifth straight game on Wednesday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies due to a left-wrist injury, according to MLB.com. Myles Straw is making another start in center field and is batting eighth against Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo. An MRI exam on Varsho's wrist came back negative on Tuesday, so he should be considered day-to-day with a good chance to return in Friday's series opener against the division-rival New York Yankees after a scheduled day off for Toronto on Thursday. Varsho entered Tuesday's game against Philly off the bench as a pinch-runner and recorded a stolen base in a win over the Phils. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder hasn't really moved the needle all that much for fantasy managers in 2026, producing a .256/.331/.408 slash line, .738 OPS, five home runs, 17 RBI, five stolen bases, and 27 runs scored across his 211 at-bats. Straw has hit .333 with three RBI in nine career at-bats against Luzardo, but he's still an easy fade in DFS.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (neck) is missing a fourth straight game on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, according to MLB.com. Dalton Rushing will make another start behind the dish and catch right-hander Shohei Ohtani while batting eighth against Pirates right-hander Jared Jones. Manager Dave Roberts initially said that Smith's neck injury was not serious, but with each passing day that he remains out, the possibility of him landing on the injured list increases. The good news is that the 31-year-old veteran backstop did some throwing and took batting practice in the batting cage before Tuesday's win over Pittsburgh. Check back to see if Smith is feeling good enough to play in Thursday's series finale against the Bucs. The three-time All-Star could be starting to slow down offensively in his eighth year in the big leagues, as he enters Wednesday's contest with a disappointing .249/.338/.382 slash line with a career-low .720 OPS, six home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored in his 52 games played in 2026.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced that they reinstated veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (forearm, ankle) from the 15-day injured list, and he will start Wednesday night's game against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Not only is Scherzer not nearly as dominant as he was in his prime, but he has battled injuries continuously over the last couple of seasons. The future Hall of Famer is back in Toronto's starting rotation, though, and he will look to tame the surging Phillies in his first big-league start since April 24. Scherzer has been sidelined with right-forearm tendinitis and also battled inflammation in his left ankle. The three-time Cy Young winner only got up to 3 2/3 innings and 73 pitches in his final minor-league rehab assignment last week, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to have a very long leash on Wednesday night at the Rogers Centre. We recommend fading the 41-year-old veteran after he recorded a 9.64 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and 10:8 K:BB in 18 2/3 innings over his five starts for the Blue Jays earlier this year.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel (elbow) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, according to MLB.com. The 24-year-old has been out since late April with right-elbow inflammation, but he will return to game action on the farm and should be back in Minnesota's starting rotation by the end of the month. He is scheduled to throw three innings or around 50 pitches in his first rehab start on Wednesday with the Saints, meaning he will likely need at least one or two more starts in the minors before being reinstated from the 15-day injured list. The former first-rounder in 2020 by the Philadelphia Phillies has only appeared in four games (three starts) for the Twins in 2026, posting a 3.98 ERA (2.76 FIP) and 1.57 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 starts across 20 1/3 innings pitched. Because of his strikeout upside and guaranteed rotation spot with the Twins this year, Abel is worth a look as a stash candidate as he nears a return to the big leagues. Abel is currently rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (hamstring) remains out of the starting lineup on Wednesday at Camden Yards against the visiting Seattle Mariners. With Samuel Basallo (wrist) also missing another contest, Sam Huff will make another start behind the dish and catch right-hander Brandon Young while batting ninth against Mariners right-hander George Kirby. Rutschman is sitting out a third straight game due to left-hamstring tightness, and he's currently considered day-to-day. Check back on Thursday to see if Rutschman is ready to return for the series finale against the M's. The two-time All-Star switch-hitter has picked it up at the plate so far in June, going 9-for-25 (.360) with a homer, two doubles, a triple, seven RBI, and five runs scored in six games to boost his season slash line to .267/.343/.489 with an .832 OPS and eight home runs. Hopefully, his hamstring injury doesn't interrupt his hot streak at the dish.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (wrist) is sitting out of a third straight game on Wednesday versus the visiting Seattle Mariners due to left-wrist discomfort, per MLB.com. With fellow catcher Adley Rutschman (hamstring) also out for a third straight contest, Sam Huff is doing the catching for right-hander Brandon Young and will bat ninth against Mariners right-hander George Kirby. Basallo is dealing with a bony growth in his left wrist and is considered day-to-day. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if he's available for the series finale against Seattle at Camden Yards. The 21-year-old left-handed slugger also missed some time recently with an abdominal injury, so he's been a bit banged up lately. In his first full season in the majors in 2026, the Dominican backstop is slashing a solid .263/.327/.475 with an .801 OPS, nine home runs, nine doubles, 27 RBI, and 25 runs scored for the O's across his 56 games and 199 plate appearances.

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The Atlanta Braves announced on Wednesday that they placed outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and selected the contract of infielder Rowdy Tellez to the major-league roster in a corresponding move. It's the second time this year that Acuna has been on the IL with the same injury, and he missed just over two weeks back in May with a Grade 1 left-hamstring strain. The injury occurred the second time on Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox, when Acuna was attempting to beat out a ground ball to third base in the fourth inning. He came up limp just before reaching the first-base bag and eventually hobbled off the field with a trainer. Fantasy managers shouldn't just assume that Acuna will miss another two weeks this time around. In his absence, both Mauricio Dubon and Eli White could see additional playing time in the Braves' outfield. Although the former MVP isn't producing up to his normal All-Star standards in 2026, Acuna should still be held in an IL spot in all traditional fantasy leagues while he rehabs.

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (lower body) is sitting out for just the second time all year on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals due to some lower-body pain that he felt on Tuesday, manager Tony Vitello told John Shea of The San Francisco Standard. When asked for a specific area of pain, Vitello said, "knee to hip." It doesn't sound like a serious issue, so with a scheduled day off on Thursday as well, Adames could be back for Friday's series opener at Oracle Park against the Chicago Cubs. Casey Schmitt, who is having a breakout campaign for the Gigantes in 2026, is starting at shortstop and will bat leadoff on Wednesday in the series finale against Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin. The 30-year-old Adames has been a disappointment in his second year in the Bay Area after clubbing 30 homers and driving in 87 in 160 games last year, as he enters Wednesday's action with a .234/.281/.431 slash line with 11 homers, 29 RBI, and a 28.1% strikeout rate. Adames has gone hitless in his last four games and has gone 6-for-34 (.176) with three homers, a double, six RBI, and six runs in nine games so far in June.

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The New York Mets recalled their No. 20 prospect, right-handed pitcher Jonathan Pintaro, from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, according to MLB Pipeline. Pintaro, 28, made two relief appearances for the Mets earlier this year and tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with no hits allowed, one walk, and three strikeouts. The former undrafted free agent made his big-league debut in 2025 and allowed two earned runs with two walks and a strikeout in just two-thirds of an inning in one relief appearance. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder has gone 2-0 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 38:13 K:BB with one save in 31 1/3 relief innings over 19 appearances at Syracuse in 2026. The converted starting pitcher throws a mid-90s fastball from a low three-quarters arm slot, which has allowed lefties to feast off of him. Pintaro has also had trouble throwing strikes consistently, which is something he'll obviously need to change if he wants to stick around in Queens. In a likely multi-inning relief role for New York, Pintaro has very little fantasy appeal.

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Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Cooper Pratt has continued his hot surge at the plate at Triple-A Nashville and is now firmly on the stash radar. Over his last 14 games of action with the top club in the Brewers system, Pratt has posted an elite .333/.410/.481 line with an .891 OPS. During this stretch, Pratt has hit one double, gone deep twice, and swiped five stolen bases. Prior to this surge, the former sixth-round selection carried a much lower .217/.344/.375 line with a modest .719 OPS. Last summer, the team's No. 4-ranked prospect spent his entire campaign at the Double-A level, where he posted a .238/.343/.348 line with a low .691 OPS. If Pratt can extend this surge, he should be in the mix to reach the majors before the end of the first half, making him a viable stash target in deeper leagues.

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St. Louis Cardinals infield prospect Blaze Jordan has put together a strong start to the Triple-A regular season and has made a strong case to earn the call to the majors before the end of the first half. Jordan was initially selected in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He eventually joined the Cardinals in the trade that sent Steven Matz to the Red Sox last summer. With Triple-A Memphis this season, Jordan has looked more than comfortable, carrying a stellar .309/.369/.529 slash line with 17 doubles, 10 home runs, and two stolen bases. This is a stark improvement compared to the low .198/.242/.366 line he posted during his first stint with the Redbirds last summer. While Alec Burleson remains the team's primary first baseman, Jordan could carve out a role at the hot corner given Nolan Gorman's inconsistencies. For now, he is worth stashing in deeper 12+ team leagues with multiple N/A spots as his MLB debut continues to loom closer.

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Washington Nationals first base prospect Abimelec Ortiz continues to enjoy great success at the top level of the minor leagues and is making a strong case to join the Nationals later this month. Over his last 15 games at Triple-A Rochester, the slugging first baseman has carried an elite .333/.394/.794 line with a 1.188 OPS. During the impressive stretch, Ortiz has hit five doubles and gone deep eight times while carrying a 12:6 K:BB. Last summer, Ortiz split his time between Double-A and Triple-A in the Rangers system and enjoyed his best success at the top club, carrying a .283/.388/.565 line with a stellar .923 OPS. Given his current production at Triple-A, the 24-year-old remains on the path to debut in the coming weeks. Those looking for a high-upside power bat should consider stashing him in 12+ team leagues, as he would join one of the game's most potent offenses in D.C.

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Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez has enjoyed a strong start to the Triple-A regular season and could be the next top prospect called up from the Reds system to make an impact in the majors. Earlier in June, the Reds turned to their top infield prospect, Edwin Arroyo, who joined several young and emerging players on the MLB roster, including Sal Stewart. Rodriguez is currently the team's No. 5-ranked prospect in the system on MLB.com, but has been among the best hitters at the Triple-A level this season. Across 62 games at Louisville, the outfielder has posted a strong .273/.352/.470 line with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, and four stolen bases. Over his last 28 games, Rodriguez has carried a higher .509 SLG with an .862 OPS. While there may not be a clear spot for him at the moment, his high-end production could force the team's hands shortly after the All-Star break. For now, he is a viable outfielder to stash in deeper 12+ team, five-outfielder leagues with multiple N/A spots.

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