Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews bounced back Friday against the Kansas City Royals, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks across seven innings in a 5-3 win. The outing helped settle things after a rough start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 31, when he allowed a season-high seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. Through five starts, Matthews owns a 4.15 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts across 30 1/3 innings. Matthews has allowed three earned runs or fewer in four of his five outings and has worked at least six innings four times. The five home runs allowed keep some risk in the profile, but the workload, and 26:8 K:BB give him enough waiver appeal for fantasy managers needing rotation help. Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues, Matthews is worth adding in standard leagues as a solid depth starter who should deliver an elite WHIP.

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Chicago Cubs infielder/outfielderMatt Shaw (back) is expected to be activated from the injured list on Tuesday, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Shaw spent a few days on a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A and is now in line to rejoin a Cubs lineup that has struggled offensively and on the bases lately. Shaw has hit .242 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored, three stolen bases, and a .400 slugging percentage across 95 at-bats this season. The overall production has been modest, but the power-speed mix gives him some fantasy appeal if he works back into regular playing time. During his debut season, Shaw hit 13 home runs and swiped 17 bags over a 126-game stint. Fantasy managers should monitor his role once he returns, as he will likely remain a super-utility option, which limits his value in standard leagues.

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The Baltimore Orioles are promoting right-hander Trey Gibson ahead of Monday's start against the Seattle Mariners. Gibson is Baltimore's No. 4 prospect according to MLB.com and has made two MLB starts this season (three appearances), posting a 3.65 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, five strikeouts, and seven walks across 12 1/3 innings. Gibson's prospect status and immediate rotation opportunity make him worth watching, but his early MLB sample carries some risk. His 5:7 K:BB and 6.10 FIP point to command concerns through the small sample, so fantasy managers should keep expectations measured. At Triple-A Norfolk this season, Gibson has posted a 3.55 ERA with 38 punchouts over 38 innings of work. Rostered in less than 1% of Yahoo leagues, Gibson is a speculative add in deeper formats, but he should be treated as a risky option until he shows better command.

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Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock (knee) is likely to be activated from the 15-day injured list for the middle game of a three-game series at Tropicana Field against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, June 9, following a successful minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday, per MLB.com. Whitlock is close to returning from inflammation in his left knee that landed him on the IL on May 28. While he has zero saves on the season and is more of a late-inning setup man, he's still one of the BoSox's most valuable relief pitchers. He struck out a batter and gave up a hit and two walks in a scoreless appearance on Saturday for Worcester. Whitlock's knee injury was never considered very serious, so he will be ready to go on Tuesday to provide more depth in Boston's bullpen. The 29-year-old former 18th-round pick by the New York Yankees out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham has gone 3-1 this year with a 3.20 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in his 19 2/3 innings of work. Whitlock is rostered in only 14% of Yahoo leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan (hamstring) will be re-evaluated for a strength deficit on Monday, June 8, and is set to resume throwing off a mound in the immediate aftermath, pending the outcome of those tests, according to MLB.com. Pagan landed on the 15-day injured list on May 6 with a Grade 2 strained left hamstring. Given the length of his absence, he will most likely require a short minor-league rehab assignment once he's cleared to face live hitters. Barring a setback with his hamstring, Pagan could return to the back end of Cincy's bullpen before the calendar flips to July. The Reds' bullpen has struggled in his absence, so manager Terry Francona will likely reinstate Pagan as the primary ninth-inning option when he's activated from the IL. The 35-year-old veteran reliever had a rough 6.43 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and six saves in 14 innings this year before getting injured, and he had a career-high 32 saves in 70 outings in 2025 in his second year with the club.

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The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they expect left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Omaha. Bubic is finally ready to return to game action after building up his arm over the last couple of weeks. Since he hasn't pitched in a game since May 14 due to soreness in his left elbow, Bubic will most likely require multiple starts in the minors before he's cleared to come off the 15-day injured list and rejoin KC's starting rotation. Barring a setback, though, the 28-year-old southpaw should return to the big-league roster before the start of July. Before his elbow injury sidelined him, Bubic had gone 3-2 for the Royals with a 4.11 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 innings across nine starts. He was a first-time All-Star in 2025, going 8-7 with a career-low 2.55 ERA (2.89 FIP), 1.18 WHIP, and 116:39 K:BB in 20 starts covering 116 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers searching for rotation depth may want to consider stashing Bubic sooner rather than later.

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Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) is expected to come off the 15-day injured list to rejoin the team's starting rotation by this weekend against the San Francisco Giants on the road, according to Matt Carlson of The Associated Press. The Cubs' Opening Day starter and an All-Star last year, Boyd is on the IL for the second time already this season after recovering from surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee, which was suffered in a freak accident while playing with his kids at home on May 4. The 35-year-old southpaw allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out seven in five innings during a minor-league rehab start on Saturday with Triple-A Iowa. He threw 64 of his 83 pitches for strikes and shouldn't be on any sort of a pitch count this weekend when he returns to the Cubbies. "He's healthy. Everything's good," manager Craig Counsell said on Sunday night. Boyd also missed three weeks in April with a biceps strain, and he's gone 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts in 2026. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be as good as he was in 2025 (14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts), but Boyd can be a serviceable matchup-based streamer for fantasy managers when he's healthy.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Zac Veen continues to have a productive season at the plate, and he has emerged as an intriguing prospect to stash in fantasy baseball leagues. Through 54 Triple-A games this year, Veen is slashing .317/.417/.525 with eight homers, 35 RBI, 13 steals, a 14.6% walk rate, and a 21.3% strikeout rate. He might be striking out a little more than we'd like to see from a player in Triple-A, but he makes up for it with the power, speed, and walks. The advanced metrics are also quite impressive, as he owns a 105.3 mph EV90 (78th percentile), a 47.9% hard-hit rate (85th percentile), and a 73.59% zone swing rate (83rd percentile). He has also played in 165 Triple-A games over three years, which means that he has certainly served his time and proven himself capable of playing at the next level. A promotion to the majors seems inevitable within the next month or two, and fantasy managers should get ahead of the surge by stashing Veen now.

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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander Jameson Taillon (hamstring) will go on the 15-day injured list after straining his left hamstring in his outing on Sunday night at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Francisco Giants, according to Marquee Sports Network. Taillon only got through one inning on Sunday before being pulled, allowing an earned run on two hits while walking two and striking out two. It's unclear exactly how long Taillon might be sidelined, but he'll at least miss the next two weeks. The good news for the Cubs' injury-riddled starting rotation is that veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd (knee) is expected to return from his IL stint this coming weekend against the Giants. The 34-year-old Taillon isn't a must-hold in mixed fantasy baseball leagues now that he's injured. After his abbreviated start on Sunday, he is 2-5 on the year with a 5.19 ERA (6.31 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with only 59 strikeouts and 23 walks in 67 2/3 innings. He's also allowed a league-high 20 home runs in his 13 starts.

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Milwaukee Brewers shortstop prospect Jesus Made is still just 19 years old and is only in Double-A, but that might not stop him from making his MLB debut during the 2026 season. Made is having an impressive season at the plate, slashing .275/.350/.440 with six homers, 40 RBI, a 10.7% walk rate, and a 14.1% strikeout rate in Double-A. He also has 19 steals, putting him on pace to come close to last season's career-high mark of 47 steals. Made is a perfect fit for the Brewers' brand of baseball, which prioritizes contact skills and enough speed to upset other teams. Made's discipline numbers are impressive, and while there isn't a ton of power here, he puts the ball in play and can wreak havoc with his speed. As a result, he could make his MLB debut near the end of the 2026 season, which means there's the potential for him to have a fantasy impact within a few months. Managers in deeper leagues should consider stashing Made now, since he's a prospect with low risk and high upside.

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New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. continues to deliver stolen bases and impressive contact results, making him a potential stash candidate in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Between Double-A and Triple-A this year, he's slashing .245/.381/.399 with six homers, 22 RBI, 11 steals, a 17.1% walk rate, and a 22.2% strikeout rate. Although that strikeout rate is a little higher than we'd like to see from someone with just six homers, we're encouraged that his home run total could increase going forward. The quality of contact has been solid, as he owns an average exit velocity of 91.9 mph (87th percentile) in Triple-A. He's also walking more than 93% of his peers, and his plate discipline has been fair with a 22.6% chase rate. All in all, the stolen bases, walks, and potential for more homers puts Lombard on the radar as an intriguing stash in deeper fantasy baseball leagues.

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Detroit Tigers right-handed reliever Will Vest picked up his second win of the season in the team's 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park on Sunday in the series finale. Vest was deployed in the top of the ninth inning with the team trailing 4-3 and pitched a scoreless inning with one hit allowed and a strikeout before the Tigers walked it off in the bottom of the frame. The 31-year-old veteran blew a save on May 26 against the Los Angeles Angels, giving up a season-high five earned runs, but since then, he's settled down, giving up an earned run on five hits while walking one and striking out six with a win, a save, and a hold for the Tigers. The former 12th-round selection out of Stephen F. Austin State University in 2017 has a bloated 6.53 ERA in 21 outings in 2026, but his FIP sits at a more respectable 3.44, and he is going to continue to see high-leverage work in the Tigers' bullpen with veteran Kenley Jansen (pelvis) on the injured list. Vest is rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Seattle Mariners right-handed closer Andres Munoz blew his fifth save of the season and was handed his fourth loss on Sunday when he allowed two earned runs on one hit while walking two in the 5-4 loss in Detroit to the Tigers in two-thirds of an inning. The 27-year-old Mexican reliever has not been himself this year and is now 3-4 in 2026 with a 5.40 ERA (3.62 FIP), a 1.37 WHIP, nine saves, 35 strikeouts, and nine walks in 23 1/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen. The two-time All-Star (in 2024 and 2025) has struggled recently, allowing four earned runs on seven hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out five. In that span, he has one loss, one save, and three blown saves. Fantasy managers who have Munoz on their rosters should be worried. If he continues to struggle in the ninth-inning role for the M's, he could be demoted in favor of either Matt Brash or Jose A. Ferrer. The silver lining is that Munoz's underlying metrics show that he's been a bit unlucky, and he still has an elite 33.7% strikeout rate.

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Washington Nationals first base prospect Abimelec Ortiz has emerged as a top waiver wire prospect as he continues to post impressive results in Triple-A. Through 49 games in the minors this year, Ortiz is slashing .263/.361/.514 with 10 home runs, 48 RBI, an 18.3% strikeout rate, and a 10.6% walk rate. The contact quality metrics are fantastic, including his 108.2 mph EV90 (96th percentile), 14.3% barrel rate (91st percentile), 48.6% hard-hit rate (84th percentile), and 24.6% pull-air rate (84th percentile). Meanwhile, his discipline numbers rank near average for Triple-A batters, which isn't too concerning for a power-oriented player like Ortiz. The fact that he's hitting the ball extremely hard while still walking more than 10% and striking out less than 20% is absolutely encouraging. He already has 90 career Triple-A games under his belt, so we'd expect to see him make his MLB debut sooner rather than later. Managers should stash him now, because he'll be an impact fantasy option when he does reach the majors.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Deyvison De Los Santos has spent most of the 2026 season in Triple-A, but his production at the plate could be enough to earn a promotion to the majors soon. In the minors this year, he's slashing .251/.307/.406 with six homers, 30 RBI, nine steals, an 18.5% strikeout rate, and a 6.8% walk rate. He's also hitting the ball hard, as evidenced by his 108.4 mph EV90, which ranks in the 97th percentile at Triple-A. The swing decisions have ranked right around average, which isn't too concerning for a power-first prospect. De Los Santos' ability to make hard contact makes him an intriguing extra-base hit (and, specifically, home run) threat upon his return to the majors. He's a very appealing waiver wire stash in deeper fantasy leagues. Managers should act fast and add him now, while he's only rostered in 1% of leagues.

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Los Angeles Angels catcher Sebastian Rivero defied expectations in Sunday's 13-5 blowout win over the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers by going 5-for-5 with a double, six RBI, and a run scored for the Halos out of the nine-hole. Despite the big performance in the finale of the Freeway Series, Rivero is still hitting just .220 (11-for-50) with two doubles, eight RBI, four runs scored, three walks, and 11 strikeouts so far in 2026 in 23 games across 54 plate appearances. Fantasy managers shouldn't take his big game on Sunday as a sign that they need to scoop him up off the waiver wire. The 27-year-old Venezuelan backstop will continue to serve as the backup catcher in Anaheim behind Logan O'Hoppe with Travis d'Arnaud (foot) on the injured list. Rivero is a career .188/.239/.228 hitter with zero home runs and 14 RBI in 68 career major-league games since debuting in 2021 with the Kansas City Royals.

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Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Cooper Pratt has modest numbers at the plate this season, but his dominance on the basepaths makes him an intriguing waiver wire target in fantasy baseball leagues. The former sixth-round pick is currently slashing .248/.360/.391 with five homers, 29 RBI, and 16 steals in Triple-A. The batting average isn't great, but we're more encouraged by his OBP, which is supported by a 13.7% walk rate and 14.9% strikeout rate. The advanced metrics are also very encouraging, as Pratt owns a 17.6% whiff rate (88th percentile) and 90.1% zone contact rate (87th percentile). Pratt embodies the Brewers' style of baseball, which places an emphasis on defense, contact, speed, and toughness. It seems like he'll be called up to the majors sooner rather than later, and his impressive walk and steal totals should get him onto the fantasy radar right away. In anticipation of his eventual MLB debut, fantasy baseball managers would be wise to add Pratt off the waiver wire while he's still available in 99% of leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain is locked in at the plate right now. In the team's 5-3 loss on the road at Busch Stadium on Sunday to the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, he went 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs and two strikeouts to boost his season average to .206 and his OPS to .671. It was the 26-year-old's second career multi-homer game, and he has now cleared the fences three times in the last two games. McLain is still barely hitting over the Mendoza Line on the season, but he could be starting to turn the corner in June, going 5-for-15 (.333) in a small sample size of five games with three homers, a double, five RBI, and five runs scored in 17 plate appearances so far this month. Overall, the former 25th selection in 2018 out of UCLA has eight home runs, 25 RBI, 27 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across his 209 at-bats in 2026 as Cincy's starting second baseman. Keep in mind that McLain hit .290 (106-for-365) with 16 homers and 14 steals in 89 games in 2023 in his rookie season, and he also tore the cover off the baseball back in spring training.

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The expectation in New York was that when utility man Jose Caballero returned from the injured list, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe would head back to the bench. That has not happened, primarily because the Yankees are so thin in the outfield right now that the speedy Caballero has been needed in right field with Aaron Judge (ribs) on the injured list. It has allowed the 25-year-old Volpe to remain in an everyday role in the Bronx as the primary shortstop. Volpe hasn't exactly taken advantage of the regular playing time after returning from offseason shoulder surgery on May 13, as he's hitting .211 (12-for-57) with one home run, three doubles, eight RBI, five stolen bases, 10 runs scored, 10 walks, and 14 strikeouts in 17 games across 67 plate appearances. Once one of Judge, Giancarlo Stanton (calf), or Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) returns from the IL, Caballero will most likely return to the 6 as the starter for the Yankees, pushing Volpe into a bench role. In mixed leagues, Volpe hasn't done enough to warrant a ton of attention off the waiver wire, which is why he's rostered in less than 10% of Yahoo leagues.

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base in the team's 2-1 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night at Wrigley Field to extend his current hitting streak to 15 games. During his hitting streak, Lee has gone 28-for-58 (.483) at the plate with a home run, four doubles, a triple, eight RBI, 13 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 60 plate appearances. Don't look now, but the 27-year-old Japanese native is now slashing .323/.357/.445 on the season with an .803 OPS, three home runs, 22 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 220 at-bats for the Gigantes in his third year in the big leagues. So far in seven games in June, Lee is hitting an absurd .462 (12-for-26) with two doubles, three RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. He isn't going to keep this pace up, and he's never going to be much of a power asset, but while he's feeling it at the dish, fantasy managers need to take advantage. Lee is only rostered in 32% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

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