Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (shoulder, foot) left his minor-league rehab outing on Wednesday early at Triple-A Omaha with right-shoulder discomfort, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Estevez recorded two outs, but his velocity was down, and he exited after the second out when a trainer came to visit with him. Estevez has been on the 15-day injured list since he was hit by a comebacker on his left foot after his first appearance of the season. The 33-year-old Dominican veteran and two-time All-Star allowed six earned runs in one-third of an inning of work before being hit in the foot, and his velocity was noticeably down in spring training as well. Estevez might have recovered from his foot injury, but now he has shoulder concerns and could need to restart a rehab assignment. It's becoming harder to justify stashing Estevez in fantasy leagues, and Lucas Erceg's run as KC's primary closer could be extended, depending on how serious Estevez's shoulder injury is. Estevez is currently rostered in 64% of Yahoo leagues.

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Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (finger) was pulled from his start early on Wednesday against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning, and The Athletic's Chandler Rome reported that McCullers was looking down at his finger before manager Joe Espada and a trainer came out to check on him. McCullers has dealt with blister issues in the past, as well as several arm injuries that derailed his career for quite some time. It was a rough outing for the 32-year-old veteran before being pulled, as he allowed six earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out four in just 2 2/3 innings against the first-place Dodgers to pick up his third loss of the year. The poor outing raised McCullers' ERA to 7.41 in seven starts this year. The former first-rounder in 2012 will be droppable in most leagues if he finds his way to the injured list. McCullers is only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues right now.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (elbow) is officially listed as the team's scheduled starter for Saturday's game in Cleveland against the division-rival Guardians, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. The Twins pulled Ryan from his last outing against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday after just nine pitches with soreness in his right elbow. Thankfully, an MRI exam ruled out any structural damage for the 29-year-old, and he's been cleared to make his next start this weekend in a plus matchup against a Guardians team that ranks 22nd in OPS (.693). Despite the plus matchup, Ryan will be extra risky for fantasy managers and could be on a shorter leash on Saturday after throwing only nine pitches his last time out. The former seventh-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 out of Cal State Stanislaus has gone 2-3 this year for the Twins with a 3.72 ERA (3.01 FIP), 1.06 WHIP, and 40:10 K:BB in 38 2/3 innings across his eight starts.

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Cincinnati Reds right-handed closer Emilio Pagan (hamstring) said he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain on Tuesday night, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Doctors told Pagan that it will be four to eight weeks before he can return to the mound for the Reds, but it's a best-case scenario after the level of pain that he experienced on Tuesday night when he was carted off the field against the Chicago Cubs. "Leaving the field yesterday, I thought my season was done," Pagan said. The Reds placed Pagan on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. The 34-year-old veteran reliever will be dropped in a lot of fantasy leagues after this news. It's not like he was pitching well before his hamstring issues, sporting a 6.43 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, six saves, 11 strikeouts, and six walks in 14 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Going forward, right-hander Tony Santillan is the name to know for a waiver-wire pickup for save opportunities, although righty Graham Ashcraft could also see some save chances with Pagan sidelined.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) will undergo an MRI exam on his back, but he's not expected to go on the injured list, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Glasnow said he felt his back "gave out" during a warm-up throw before the second inning of his outing on Wednesday in Houston against the Astros. He tried to throw another pitch, but it didn't feel any better. It's the same issue that forced him to skip a start in Baltimore in 2025 and that sent him to the IL in 2024. The Dodgers are calling Glasnow's injury back spasms for now. If Glasnow's back doesn't get any worse and he's able to make his between-starts bullpen session, he'll be lined up for a great matchup next week against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. In his inning of work on Wednesday, the hard-throwing right-hander allowed an earned run on a solo home run while walking none and striking out two. Given the 32-year-old's lengthy injury history, it wouldn't be a surprise if he lands on the IL as a precaution.

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The Chicago Cubs announced on Wednesday that they placed left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 4) with a left-knee meniscus injury that will require surgery. The team selected right-hander Trent Thornton's contract from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Boyd's timetable for a return is unknown right now, but in a best-case scenario, he probably will not be ready to return to Chicago's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. It's yet another injury blow to the Cubs' pitching staff, and it's unclear right now who will take Boyd's spot in the rotation. Right-handers Ben Brown and Javier Assad are two options out of the bullpen, as is left-hander Jordan Wicks (elbow) whenever he's ready to return from his IL stint. The 35-year-old Boyd will be dumped in a lot of redraft leagues with this news, especially since he currently has an unsightly 6.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 31 strikeouts in 24 innings over his five starts so far in 2026. He's currently rostered in 72% of Yahoo leagues.

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Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. (wrist) remains out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the visiting Minnesota Twins with a hand/wrist injury, per MLB.com. Curtis Mead will make another start at first base for the Nats and will hit third in the batting order against Twins right-hander Bailey Ober. Garcia is missing a second straight start after injuring his hand/wrist in Sunday's series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. The 25-year-old is considered day-to-day for now and could be back as early as Thursday's series finale in D.C. against the Twins. Garcia, who is merely an infield depth option in deeper fantasy leagues, has hit just .234 (25-for-107) with a homer, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, and two stolen bases in his 33 games played so far in 2026 as the team's regular first baseman. Mead has one hit in just two career at-bats against Ober.

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Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez's six-game suspension has been reduced to five games, according to the team. MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that Valdez will begin serving his suspension in Wednesday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox. The 32-year-old southpaw allowed back-to-back home runs during his outing on Tuesday against Boston before hitting shortstop Trevor Story, which caused both benches to clear. No punches were thrown, but the Dominican hurler was ejected for his actions and will now be suspended for the next five games. He will be eligible to make his next start in New York against the Mets on May 13, where he should be in starting fantasy lineups despite his disappointing start to his Tigers tenure. The two-time All-Star has gone 2-2 through his first eight starts in 2026 with a 4.57 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 1/3 innings pitched. The Mets have the worst team OPS (.629) in all of baseball, so it will be a good spot for Valdez to bounce back.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) remains sidelined for Wednesday's series finale in Detroit against the Tigers, according to MLB.com. Jarren Duran is starting in left field for the BoSox and will hit leadoff against Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty. Anthony injured his right wrist in Monday's game against the Tigers and returned to Boston the next day to be evaluated. The 21-year-old outfield prospect was diagnosed with a sprained right wrist and is considered day-to-day after undergoing an MRI exam, but he won't be available to return for the series finale in Motown on Wednesday. Although he got encouraging news, don't rule out an injured-list stint for Anthony if he cannot return for the upcoming four-game series in Boston against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. Anthony is a high-upside power/speed outfielder, but injuries have slowed him down so far after he debuted with the team in 2025. Through 30 games this year, Anthony has been a disappointment with a .229/.354/.321 slash line, .675 OPS, one homer, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Check back on Thursday to see if he can return to the starting nine.

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Miami Marlins left-handed pitching prospect Robby Snelling will officially be called up from Triple-A Jacksonville to make his major-league debut and start on Friday at home against the division-rival Washington Nationals, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. Snelling, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was already considered a must-stash young arm in deeper fantasy leagues, but he could quickly become worth rostering in shallower leagues as well. The 22-year-old southpaw gets the call to the big leagues for the first time after posting a nice 1.86 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 44:15 K:BB in 29 innings for the Jumbo Shrimp down on the farm. Snelling will be taking the rotation spot of right-hander Chris Paddack, who was designated for assignment on Tuesday. He features a high-90s fastball, and his slider, curveball, and changeup are also above-average offerings. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is also a bulldog on the mound and attacks hitters relentlessly. Snelling is rostered in 19% of Yahoo leagues, but that number is going to continue to rise, especially if he looks good in Friday's start.

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The Detroit Tigers placed second baseman Gleyber Torres (oblique) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a mild left-oblique strain, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com. In a corresponding move, the Tigers recalled infielder Jace Jung from Triple-A Toledo. Infielder Zach McKinstry is making the start at the keystone for Detroit and will bat seventh in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the visiting Boston Red Sox and right-hander Sonny Gray, who is making his first start off the IL. Torres missed the last three games with what the Tigers were calling left-side tightness, and now he'll miss a little bit more time with an oblique strain. He will be eligible to return from the IL on May 14. Until Torres can return, both McKinstry and Hao-Yu Lee will be the primary options to replace him at second base. The 29-year-old is currently rostered in 62% of Yahoo leagues and won't be a must-hold while he recovers in shallow mixed leagues. Torres has hit a mediocre .259 (30-for-116) so far in 2026 with two homers, 11 RBI, and 18 runs scored.

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New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (hand) remains sidelined due to a hand injury for Wednesday's contest against the visiting Texas Rangers in the Bronx, according to MLB.com. Paul Goldschmidt will make another start at first base and will bat sixth against Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. Rice will be missing a third straight game due to a left-hand contusion that he suffered in Sunday's victory over the Baltimore Orioles. His injury isn't considered very serious, so he could be back as soon as Thursday's series finale against Texas. Fantasy managers are just hoping that Rice's minor hand injury won't affect his production at the plate when he returns. The 27-year-old former 12th-rounder in 2021 out of Dartmouth College has been a must-start since breaking out last year. He's currently slashing .343/.455/.759 with a 1.214 OPS, 12 long balls, 27 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 108 at-bats. Goldy has plenty of experience against Eovaldi in his career, batting .238 against him with a .559 OPS and one RBI in 21 at-bats.

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Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez has been suspended six games by the league and fined after throwing at Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday night, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth inning on Tuesday night and then hit Story, which caused both benches to clear. The 32-year-old southpaw was ejected from the contest in what continued a frustrating start to his Tigers tenure. The two-time All-Star is now 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 1/3 innings pitched across his eight starts. Valdez will likely appeal the suspension, which should allow him to make his next start, but if the suspension holds, he'll be forced to miss a turn through the starting rotation. The Tigers need Valdez to be better going forward after losing star left-hander Tarik Skubal (elbow) for at least several months, if not longer.

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San Francisco Giants reliever Caleb Kilian earned his first save of the season on Monday night, and he's now in the mix to handle more save situations going forward. The 28-year-old didn't pitch in the majors last year, but he's having somewhat of a resurgence on the west coast. Through 15 games (16.0 innings), he owns a 1.13 ERA with 10.13 K/9, 4.50 BB/9, 1.13 HR/9, one save, and a 47.2% ground ball rate. A 4.21 FIP suggests that he could be a regression candidate, but his success in a leverage spot on Monday would seem to indicate that he could be due for save situations in the future. The Giants don't really have a defined closer role, but rather have been rotating between Ryan Walker, Keaton Winn, and Kilian. With that said, Walker blew a save in each of his last two outings, so he's falling out of favor quickly. Kilian has a perfect opportunity to emerge as Tony Vitello's go-to arm in the ninth inning.

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The Boston Red Sox announced that they officially reinstated right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday and optioned left-hander Alec Gamboa to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Gray will return to make the start against the Detroit Tigers in the series finale at Comerica Park. The 36-year-old veteran spent the minimum time on the IL with a right-hamstring strain that landed him on the shelf back on April 21. In a tough matchup, Gray will be more of a risk as a fantasy streamer in his first start back with the BoSox, especially since he didn't go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The Tigers come into Wednesday's action with the seventh-best team OPS (.724) in baseball. Gray enters his sixth start of the 2026 season with a 2-1 record, 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 13:5 K:BB in his 23 innings pitched over five starts.

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Baltimore Orioles closer Rico Garcia excelled in a high-leverage situation on Tuesday, earning the win as the Orioles defeated the Miami Marlins 9-7. Garcia entered in a tough spot after Andrew Kittredge blew the save and allowed the Marlins to tie the game in the eighth inning. The 32-year-old ended up going 1.1 innings, striking out two batters and walking one. He has arguably been the most fascinating storyline in baseball this season. After a solid 2025 campaign, Garcia has taken his pitching production to the next level with just one hit over 16 innings this year. He has a 0.56 ERA, 10.13 K/9, and a 58.1% ground ball rate while posting a 3-0 record with one save. Fantasy managers would like to see a higher save total, but it's no fault of his own. The Orioles haven't earned a single save since April 28, but there's a very strong chance that Garcia will get the next one when the time comes. He's up to #50 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings and should jump even higher with more volume.

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Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto has enjoyed a strong stretch of results and is beginning to emerge as the primary late-inning option for the Pirates. While Dennis Santana appeared to be the favorite for saves after taking over the closer role in 2025, the right-hander has struggled in the early going of the campaign, which has opened the door for Soto. Since tallying a save on April 15, Santana has posted a rough 8.10 ERA with a 2.10 WHIP, two losses, and one blown save over his last 6 2/3 innings. During this same stretch, Soto has struck out eight hitters over 7 1/3 innings while carrying a much stronger 2.45 ERA with a 0.68 WHIP. Even though Soto has only tallied one save so far this season, his underlying 1.91 xERA and elite 36.5% K% suggest he is far more suited for this role. Managers looking to find a reliever with high-end strikeout upside should look to stash Soto before he earns the bulk of the save opportunities on a competitive Pirates team.

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Athletics relief pitcher Jack Perkins remains in line to earn save opportunities for the organization. Although he hasn't earned a save since April 30, neither has any other pitcher on the A's. The team hasn't found itself in a save situation so far in the month of May. When one of those situations does present itself going forward, we expect Perkins to be the go-to option out of the bullpen. He's well rested at this point, having not pitched since that April 30th save. Through eight games (13.1 innings) this year, he owns a 1.72 FIP with 11.48 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, and three saves. Although he's only inducing ground balls at a 36.4% clip, fantasy managers should be intrigued by the fact that he hasn't surrendered a home run yet. Perkins is up to #36 in RotoBaller's latest relief pitcher rankings for fantasy baseball, and he could climb even higher with more volume.

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Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Santillan has seen his fantasy value spike following the injury to Emilio Pagan. During Tuesday's loss to the Cubs, Pagan exited the contest on a cart due to a hamstring injury. The right-hander is expected to be placed on the 15-day injured list, which will open up ninth-inning duties for Santillan. While Santillan may face some competition from fellow setup man Graham Ashcraft, the 29-year-old appears to be the slight favorite to earn the short-term save opportunities. This season, Santillan has tallied one save while posting a 2.87 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Pitching primarily in the eighth innings of games, Santillan has logged eight holds while striking out 16 batters over 15 2/3 innings. While he has struggled recently, allowing five earned runs over his last five innings, his track record of seeing eighth-inning opponents should make him the slight favorite for the ninth-inning role. He is worth adding in all 12-team leagues while Pagan is on the shelf.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (low back pain) exited before the second inning of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. Glasnow threw 19 pitches in the first inning, and he started to get ready for the second inning before manager Dave Roberts and the trainer came out to check on him. He was ultimately removed from the game and replaced by Jack Dreyer. Fans and fantasy managers will hold their breath as the team conducts testing to determine the severity of his injury. If Glasnow is forced to miss any time, it would be another chapter in an injury-filled career. He's been highly effective when healthy, though, pitching to a 2.41 xERA with 10.94 K/9 and 3.03 BB/9 this season. On a positive note, the Dodgers do have reinforcements on the way. Blake Snell (shoulder) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list next week and could slot into Glasnow's rotation spot, if necessary.

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