New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott is beginning to settle in at the big league level. He struggled during his first outing of the year, when he issued five walks across 1.1 innings of work on April 23. Since then, Scott has cleaned up his act on the mound and is putting together quality numbers. During his most recent outing, Scott tossed 4.2 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out six batters in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander has walked only two batters since his rough outing to begin the season. He's currently lined up to face the Detroit Tigers in his next start. He should be considered a possible deep league streaming option for that one.

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Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Louis Varland is quickly running away with the full-time closer job. He recently took over for the struggling Jeff Hoffman and has looked fantastic in the ninth-inning role. Varland tossed a scoreless frame on Friday to notch his fifth save of the season. The right-hander has allowed one earned run across 19.2 innings of work this season. He owns a 1.07 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and only seven walks to his name. Given how well he's pitching, Varland should remain the favorite for saves in Toronto going forward. Fantasy managers looking for a source of saves or need a reliable relief pitcher should check the waiver wire to see if Varland is available.

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Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young is off to an impressive start to the 2026 season. Young got a taste of the MLB last year, but struggled to find much consistency at the plate. This season has gone much better for Young at this dish so far. Through 38 games, Young is slashing .276/.342/.403 with three home runs, 20 RBI, and 12 walks. Over the last two weeks, Young has collected 16 hits with nine RBI, which ranked him in the top 100 value over the span. Fantasy managers who are seeking a bat in deep leagues should consider adding Young. He does a little bit of everything, which can help fantasy managers in category formats.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Friday that they placed right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) on the 15-day injured list with lower-back spasms and recalled right-hander Paul Gervase from the minors in a corresponding move. Glasnow will have to miss at least a couple turns through the starting rotation despite his MRI exam not showing anything serious. The 32-year-old hard-throwing veteran was pulled from his last start early on Wednesday in Houston against the Astros after just one inning after he felt his back give out on him while throwing warmup pitches before the second inning. It's a tough break for Glasnow, who has struck out 49 batters in 39 2/3 innings of work so far in his seven starts for the Dodgers in 2026 while allowing more than two earned runs in a start just once. He's gone 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA and 0.83 WHIP and will need to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues. Hopefully, it ends up being a short stay on the shelf for Glasnow. In his absence, right-hander Roki Sasaki could be tasked with taking Glasnow's rotation spot.

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Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (illness) was scratched from Friday's game against the visiting New York Mets due to an illness, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. With Marte under the weather, Ildemaro Vargas is making the start at second base at Chase Field and will hit in the two-hole against Mets right-hander Nolan McLean. Jose Fernandez will enter the lineup at first base. It continues what has been a rough start to the 2026 season for Marte, who came into Friday's action hitting a lowly .209/.262/.353 with a .614 OPS, five home runs, 13 RBI, and 19 runs scored in his 139 at-bats for the Snakes. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if he's feeling good enough to return to the D-backs' starting nine. Hopefully, the day off will help Marte get his head right so he can begin turning things around at the plate. Vargas has been one of the best storylines of the 2026 campaign early on, finding regular playing time in Arizona and hitting an impressive .360/.381/.614 in his 120 plate appearances.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to face live hitters on Tuesday, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Bieber returned from Tommy John last year to make seven regular-season starts for Toronto before helping them advance to the World Series against the Dodgers. The 30-year-old former American League Cy Young winner developed right-elbow inflammation in the offseason, though, and was not ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. His session on Tuesday will be the first time that he has thrown off a mound since the World Series last October. Because of how slow the Blue Jays are bringing him along, even without a setback, Bieber probably will not be an option for the team's starting rotation until June. The two-time All-Star should have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's ready, so he'll be worth a look for fantasy managers seeking rotation help in about a month. Bieber is rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues currently.

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San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (hand) is hitting second for Friday's series opener at Oracle Park against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, per MLB.com. Arraez developed some hand soreness in Monday's series opener against the San Diego Padres and was held out as a precaution for the final two games of the series. After another scheduled day off on Thursday, the veteran left-handed hitter is back in action for Game 1 of the series against the Bucs. Fantasy managers in traditional leagues can now plug Arraez back into their starting lineups for Friday's action. The 29-year-old Venezuelan is still searching for his first home run of the year, but he continues to be a reliable source of batting average, going 42-for-133 (.316) with seven doubles, two triples, 11 RBI, 14 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his first 34 contests with San Fran. Arraez has never faced Mlodzinski in his career.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) will "hopefully" run the bases in Cincinnati on Saturday or Sunday, manager Joe Espada told the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara. It will be Pena's final hurdle before being cleared to start a minor-league rehab assignment. It's been almost four weeks since Pena landed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain, but he's nearing his return to Houston's starting lineup. That's great news for a struggling Astros team that recently lost veteran infielder Carlos Correa (ankle) for the rest of the 2026 season. Pena recovered from a fractured finger just in time for Opening Day in late March, and he played in just 10 games before injuring his hamstring. The 28-year-old Dominican infielder nearly had his first 20-20 season as a first-time All-Star in 2025 and hit above .300 in 125 games played, which is why he's rostered in 80% of Yahoo leagues despite being on the IL. If he can avoid a setback on his rehab assignment, Pena could be back with the Astros by the end of next weekend.

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Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (shoulder) threw an encouraging first bullpen session on Friday in his recovery from a right-shoulder strain, manager Joe Espada told Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. "Hunter is very anxious to get back on the mound. He is constantly texting, calling, 'What's next? What's next?' So he's doing well," Espada said. The 27-year-old is working his way back from a Grade 2 shoulder strain that landed him on the 15-day injured list in early April. Expect Brown to throw off a mound another couple of times before the Astros look to send him on a minor-league rehab start. Barring a setback, we think Brown should return to Houston's starting rotation by the end of May. In the meantime, the former fifth-rounder out of Wayne State in 2019 should be held in all fantasy formats. After being named an All-Star in 2025 for the first time in his career, Brown allowed just one earned run with six walks and 17 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings across his first two starts in 2026.

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New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (hand) is back in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Milwaukee against the Brewers and right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, hitting second in the batting order, according to MLB.com. A left-hand contusion suffered last weekend kept Rice out for the last four games, but he's good to go and will be back in action for a primetime matchup against the hard-throwing Misiorowski. With Rice back in the lineup, veteran Paul Goldschmidt will return to the bench against a right-handed pitcher. Fantasy managers will want to get Rice back into their lineups immediately in all traditional formats despite the tough matchup. After a breakout 2025 campaign, the 27-year-old former 12th-rounder in 2021 out of Dartmouth College is slashing an impressive .343/.455/.759 with a 1.214 OPS, 12 homers, 27 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two steals in his first 108 at-bats in 2026.

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Kansas City Royals left-hander Noah Cameron (back) will return to the team's starting rotation for Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Detroit Tigers, manager Matt Quatraro told Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Cameron has been cleared to pitch this weekend after throwing a successful bullpen session on Thursday. The Royals pulled the 26-year-old southpaw as a precaution from his last start on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians due to back tightness, but it turned out to be nothing serious. It's good news for the Royals after they just put lefty starter Cole Ragans (elbow) on the 15-day injured list on Friday. Cameron will be a risky fantasy streamer in his start this weekend against a Tigers offense that has cooled off considerably of late. The former seventh-rounder in 2021 out of Central Arkansas has gone 2-2 through his six starts this year with a bloated 5.40 ERA (4.46 FIP) and 1.61 WHIP with 28 strikeouts and 11 walks in 31 2/3 innings pitched. After allowing two earned runs in 10 2/3 innings in his first two starts, Cameron has given up at least three earned runs in each of his last four appearances.

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Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. (wrist) remains out for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Miami Marlins, according to MLB.com. Curtis Mead will make another start at first base and will bat second against Marlins rookie left-hander Robby Snelling, who is making his major-league debut. Garcia will miss a fourth straight game due to a wrist/hand sprain. He said earlier this week that he would avoid a trip to the injured list, but that could change quickly if he cannot return to the field this weekend in Miami. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder is not a must-hold in fantasy leagues while he tries to overcome his wrist injury. In his first 107 at-bats this year, Garcia has 25 hits (.234 average) with just one home run, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Mead is a low-upside DFS sleeper in the two-hole. He's gone 4-for-19 (.211) in six games in May and is hitting just .220 on the year in a part-time role for the Nats.

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Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger (ankles) is traveling on Friday and will "most likely" be activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday, manager John Schneider told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The Blue Jays want to give Barger a day to reset and envision a busy workload for him once he's back in the big leagues. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter only played in three minor-league rehab games with Single-A Dunedin, going 2-for-9 at the plate, with both of his hits leaving the yard. The former sixth-rounder in 2018 went just 1-for-19 (.053) with two RBI, three walks, and six strikeouts in 23 plate appearances over eight games to begin the 2026 season with the Jays, but he's worth a look in deeper fantasy formats for outfield depth now that he's on the cusp of his return. Barger hit the ball hard consistently in his first full season in the majors in 2025, slashing .243/.301/.454 with a .756 OPS, 21 homers, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four steals in 135 regular-season games played. He's rostered in only 28% of Yahoo leagues on the verge of his activation.

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Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (forearm, ankle) received a cortisone shot in his right forearm and will be shut down from throwing for five days, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Scherzer went on the 15-day injured list at the end of April with right-forearm tendinitis and left-ankle inflammation. He said he's no longer worried about his ankle, but his right arm continues to give him problems while trying to build himself back up. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer is most likely going to need a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment at some point before Toronto feels comfortable having him rejoin the major-league starting rotation, so fantasy managers in AL-only leagues shouldn't expect Scherzer back until June, at the earliest. The three-time Cy Young winner is running out of steam and has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, making just 26 starts over the last two seasons. In his five starts with the Jays before going on the IL this year, Scherzer struggled to a 9.64 ERA and 1.61 WHIP with only 10 K's and eight walks in 18 2/3 innings. He should no longer be rostered in the majority of fantasy leagues, and he's currently rostered in just 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez (hamstring) will start "sometime in the Philly series" next week between Tuesday and Thursday, interim manager Chad Tracy told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Suarez was pulled from his last start early on Sunday against the Houston Astros with tightness in his right hamstring, and the team will give the veteran lefty a little bit more time to recover before making his next appearance. Lefty Payton Tolle will start on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, with right-hander Brayan Bello going in the series finale on Sunday. While Suarez might be a bit more risky in his next outing next week after tweaking his hamstring, he'll also be facing a struggling Phillies lineup that currently ranks 27th in baseball with a .682 team OPS. In his first year with the BoSox, the Venezuelan hurler has been solid, going 2-2 with a 2.77 ERA (3.27 FIP) and 0.95 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and 10 walks in 39 frames across his seven starts. Against his former team in a revenge matchup, Suarez should be returned to fantasy lineups.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) will be reinstated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut on Saturday at home against the visiting Atlanta Braves instead of making a final minor-league rehab appearance for Single-A Ontario, a source told Jack Harris of The California Post. The Dodgers could put right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) on the IL in a corresponding move. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw has been out all season to this point due to left-shoulder fatigue after the Dodgers made a deep playoff run last fall that culminated in a second straight World Series championship. The two-time Cy Young winner also dealt with shoulder injuries in 2025 in his first year in L.A., being limited to just 11 starts during the regular season. Snell had a nice 2.35 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 72 K's and 26 walks in his 61 1/3 innings, though, and he remains a must-roster pitcher in fantasy baseball because of his swing-and-miss stuff. With that said, Snell will be a volatile fantasy play this weekend against the first-place Braves in his first start in 2026. Snell threw only 55 pitches in four innings in his final rehab start, so expect him to be limited from a pitch-count perspective on Saturday.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have called up top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt from Triple-A Reno on Friday to make his major-league debut, according to MLB Pipeline. In a corresponding move, outfielder Alek Thomas was optioned to Reno. The 23-year-old outfielder is ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 49 prospect in baseball, and he has earned his first MLB promotion after slashing .289/.400/.477 with an .877 OPS, three home runs, nine doubles, three triples, 22 RBI, six stolen bases, 30 runs scored, 19 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 34 games across 156 plate appearances with the Aces. Waldschmidt should play regularly for the Snakes in center field now that Thomas is being sent to the minors, and he'll absolutely be worth a look in single-year fantasy leagues now that he's up in the majors. The former first-rounder in 2024 out of Kentucky is currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available. The 6-foot, 205-pounder has lots of fantasy upside for his above-average raw power from the right side of the plate in a hitter-friendly home environment at Chase Field.

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The Kansas City Royals announced on Friday that they placed left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 7) with a left-elbow impingement and recalled right-handers Stephen Kolek and Steven Cruz from Triple-A Omaha in corresponding moves. The Royals said on Thursday that Ragans was pulled from his last outing early on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians due to a valgus extension overload in his left elbow. Even though Ragans said he was feeling better on Thursday, he will be forced to miss at least the next two weeks. Kolek figures to get the first crack at replacing Ragans in the team's starting rotation in the short term. Ragans, 28, was a first-time All-Star in 2024, when he went 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 223:67 K:BB in 186 1/3 innings pitched across a career-high 32 starts for KC. He made only 13 starts in 2025 due to injury, though, and now he's hurt again after just eight starts in 2026. Ragans has gone 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 23 walks in 35 1/3 frames, also allowing a league-high 10 home runs. He's rostered in 95% of Yahoo leagues and is worth holding to see if he can rediscover his 2024 form once he's healthy.

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Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez's oblique injury is around 50% better, according to FOX 19's Charlie Goldsmith. He took 50 swings on Thursday and will now cool it down for the next few days. Goldsmith mentions that Suarez's injury is one that you have to be patient with. The veteran right-handed slugger is dealing with a left-oblique strain and isn't exactly close to returning to the major-league roster after being placed on the 10-day injured list. The 34-year-old Venezuelan infielder is still 89% rostered in Yahoo leagues, though, for his power stroke in a hitter-friendly home ballpark in Cincy. The two-time All-Star tied a career high with 49 home runs while driving in a career-high 118 runs in 159 games last year with the Reds and Seattle Mariners. Before his oblique injury this year, Suarez was hitting .231 (21-for-91) with three homers, 11 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 25 games. Suarez won't boost your batting average, but the 13-year veteran is still capable of being a power- and run-producing asset in mixed fantasy leagues when he's healthy and playing every day. Left-handed-hitting first baseman Nathaniel Lowe should continue to benefit from regular playing time in Cincy between first and designated hitter with Suarez on the shelf.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder (shoulder) avoided any structural damage in his right shoulder after being pulled from his start early on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. He received an injection in his AC joint, though, and the Reds will monitor him before deciding if he needs to go on the 15-day injured list. The odds are that Lowder will go on the IL, with manager Terry Francona saying that the team wants to err on the side of caution. It will all depend on how the former first-rounder feels in a couple of days following his injection, and there's a chance he'll throw a bullpen session on Sunday. Fantasy managers should know by Sunday whether Lowder will have to miss a few turns in the starting rotation. The 24-year-old Wake Forest product missed all of 2025 due to various injuries and has a 5.40 ERA (3.82 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and 18 walks in 38 1/3 innings across his first eight starts with the Reds in 2026 in his first full season in the majors. Lowder is only rostered in 13% of Yahoo leagues right now.

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