The New York Mets announced on Wednesday that they placed catcher Francisco Alvarez (knee) on the 10-day injured list due to a right meniscus tear and recalled catcher Hayden Senger from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Alvarez tore the meniscus in his right knee on a swing in the sixth inning of Tuesday's win over the visiting Detroit Tigers. If Alvarez requires surgery on his knee, which is likely, he'll probably be out for around four to six weeks in a best-case scenario, another major blow to the last-place Mets. Before his injury, the 24-year-old Venezuelan backstop was hitting .241 (27-for-112) with four home runs, 10 RBI, and 12 runs scored in his first 37 games of 2026. Injuries continue to be the story for Alvarez, who hasn't played in more than 123 games in his four seasons in the majors. Luis Torrens will now be New York's primary catcher with Alvarez injured, with Senger serving as the backup in Queens. Alvarez is not a must-hold in fantasy baseball leagues, and he's only rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) is back in the starting lineup and is batting cleanup for Wednesday's game at Fenway Park against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Andrew Painter, according to MLB.com. Contreras was held out of the last couple of games due to a bruised right hand, but he's back in there and in the heart of the order. The 34-year-old Venezuelan is returning to a .259/.380/.467 slash line with an .846 OPS, eight home runs, 23 RBI, 19 runs scored, and a stolen base in his first 39 games of the 2026 season. In nine games so far in May, Contreras has been pretty average, batting .250 (7-for-28) with a homer, a double, three RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base, six walks, and 11 strikeouts. In traditional fantasy setups, get Contreras back into your starting lineups now that he's active again. Contreras has never faced Painter in his MLB career.

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Arizona Diamondbacks infielder/outfielder Jordan Lawlar (wrist) has yet to start swinging a bat as part of his rehab from a fractured right wrist, but with a potential return in June, fantasy managers need to start considering snatching him back up off the waiver wire ahead of time. The former sixth-overall draft pick had a strong season at Triple-A in 2025 (.313/.403/.564) and was off to a good start for the D-backs this season, going 6-for-18 (.333) with a home run and a stolen base in his first six games before going down with injury. While staying on the field has been an issue for him, the fractured wrist was a result of getting hit by a pitch, so it is not a recurring type of injury, and hopefully, he can remain healthy for the remainder of the season once he returns. The former top prospect has decent pop, plenty of speed, and should be able to hit for a decent average, giving him some all-around fantasy appeal to go along with positional versatility on Yahoo!, where he is rostered in just six percent of leagues.

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Updating a previous report, New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (elbow) left his start early on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards with left elbow posterior soreness, the team announced. Fried will be looked at by team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad and will undergo imaging in New York on Thursday. The 32-year-old three-time All-Star just did not look like himself before leaving, allowing five hits and three earned runs while walking one and striking out two in three frames before departing. He threw 61 pitches in the outing. It's unclear exactly how serious Fried's injury is, but it doesn't sound good. At the very least, fantasy managers should expect Fried to miss a couple of starts going forward. The good news for the Yankees is that former Cy Young winner, right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow), is nearing a return to the team's starting rotation and could be ready in a couple of weeks. Fried, who has been an All-Star in each of the last two seasons, is a must-start in fantasy lineups when he's healthy, so he should be stashed everywhere if he lands on the injured list. Stay tuned for an update on him on Thursday.

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Cincinnati Reds infield prospect Edwin Arroyo is one of the hottest hitters in the minors right now, with four multi-hit games in his last five games, including two four-hit performances. During this recent five-game stretch, he is 14-for-25 (.560) with two doubles, a triple, and four home runs, but the Reds' sixth-ranked prospect has been hitting well all season, recording 15 multi-hit efforts out of his 39 games played. The former second-round draft pick is now the author of a robust .342/.408/.590 slash line with eight home runs and five steals, along with a low 15.2 percent strikeout rate. Despite having logged time at second base, third base, and shortstop so far in 2026, there is no room for the switch-hitter at the major league level at the moment (although there are some glaring underperformers on offense), so hopefully he can continue to rake until the Reds decide to give him a chance. The 22-year-old offers a little pop and plenty of speed to go along with a decent bat (.301 AVG, 16.8 percent K% between Double and Triple-A), so he is a name for fantasy managers in deep leagues to consider stashing as he could offer plenty of fantasy appeal with positional versatility (2B, SS) to boot.

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Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman has been struggling at the plate lately, but he could be getting back on track with a home run Tuesday and an active three-game hitting streak. In his first season with the Cubs, Bregman is slashing .233/.326/.350 with four home runs, an 11.8% walk rate, and a career-worst 16.6% strikeout rate. His power and run creation have also hit new career-low marks, as he owns a .117 ISO and 94 wRC+. Tuesday's solid performance could be a sign that he's finding his groove at the plate, and while the counting stats still aren't great, it's worth noting that he has managed to reach base safely in eight consecutive games. As it stands, he ranks #12 among third basemen in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor has been hitting the ball quite well in the month of May. He has registered a base hit in 10 of 11 games this month, and he owns an impressive .333/.362/.444 slash line with one home run, four steals, and just six strikeouts. This hot streak has helped to improve his season-long stats, which weren't in the best place at the end of April. Now, through 40 games this year, he's slashing .247/.306/.367 with five home runs, eight steals, a 7.5% walk rate, a 15.6% strikeout rate, and 95 wRC+. His advanced metrics indicate that he's still slightly below average at the plate, but trending in the right direction. That should be refreshing news for fantasy managers, who have been patiently waiting for Naylor to regain his steady fantasy relevance. As it stands, he ranks #11 among first basemen in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

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Colorado Rockies corner infield/outfield prospect Charlie Condon has slowed considerably from his hot early-season start, seeing his batting average fall from .339 on April 17 down to where it currently stands at .234. Even while his bat was cooling, though, he was still drawing walks, with 13 of them in a 13-game span from April 19 to May 5. However, those have dried up, too, now with zero walks and 10 strikeouts (41.7 percent K%) in the five games since then. The former third-overall draft pick seemed to be making strides in that respect this season, but seeing such a large spike in strikeouts may push his MLB debut out a bit further, especially since there is also no sign of his main fantasy attribute, now having gone 22 consecutive games without a home run. Still, with power potential like his, managers in deeper leagues who are in dire need of home runs should consider stashing the 6-foot-5 slugger, as once he gets going again, a quick call to the majors could be in store, and Coors Field should give him an additional power boost.

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San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill is off to a subpar start to the season at the plate, but he has been able to salvage his fantasy value by stealing bases. The 23-year-old has swiped eight bags this year, so he's already halfway to his career-high mark of 16. He's also taking more free passes, as his walk rate has jumped from 6.8% in 2025 to 8.7% in 2026. The bad news is that he's slashing just .221/.294/.351 with four home runs, a career-high 23.8% strikeout rate, and a career-low 84 wRC+. The steals can only help him so much in fantasy baseball, and managers would love to see him get back on track at the plate. There's hope that he'll be able to bounce back, as the Padres' everyday center fielder still checks in as the #24 outfielder in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has cooled off at Triple-A, but he is still holding his own, having hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games. In a sign that perhaps he's about to get hot again, the Tigers' second-ranked prospect belted his first extra-base hit this past Saturday after going nine games without one. His extra-base hit on Saturday was nearly a grand slam but was ruled a double after the umpires determined there was fan interference. Nevertheless, the left-handed slugger is hitting a solid .268 with a .342 on-base percentage thanks to a 10.6 percent walk rate, while he's still putting the bat on the ball at a good clip with just a 14.9 percent strikeout rate. With nine stolen bases as well, the former third-overall draft pick can be a multi-category producer at the major league level whenever he gets the call. His time will likely come by midseason, so managers in deeper leagues should consider stashing the 21-year-old ahead of his call-up, as there aren't many prospects on the verge of a debut that can match his potential to contribute across categories.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (undisclosed) exited early during Wednesday's start against the Baltimore Orioles. He lasted just three innings but threw a total of 61 pitches. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com speculated that Fried could be dealing with a blister because his command was shaky. The star pitcher had thrown just 55.7% strikes before departing, and he was hit around for three runs on five hits. Fried has dealt with blisters in the past, but there wasn't any clear indication that he was experiencing discomfort until he exited on Wednesday afternoon. Presumably, the Yankees will provide an update on his status this afternoon or evening. Fans and fantasy managers will hope for good news, as losing Fried for any period of time is problematic. The 32-year-old southpaw entered today with an impressive 2.73 FIP, 7.36 K/9, 2.76 BB/9, and 0.15 HR/9 across nine starts.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley got off to a relatively slow start at the plate this season, but he has turned the corner lately with improved contact and power production. Riley has put together a four-game hitting streak, during which he is 6-for-16 with one home run, one double, three RBI, one walk, and four strikeouts. He has improved his season-long slash line to .220/.290/.377 with six homers, an 8.0 walk rate, a 26.7% strikeout rate, and 88 wRC+. Those walk and strikeout rates are essentially on par with his previous single-season marks, so now we'd just like to see him produce more base hits and find a little power. His 2026 ISO has fallen to a career-low .157, which is nearly 100 points lower than his career-best .255 mark in 2022. Given his recent success at the plate, Riley could be an intriguing buy-low candidate in fantasy baseball trades going forward.

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Athletics third baseman Max Muncy (hand) is still being held out of all baseball activities, and there is no timetable for his return, per MLB.com. Muncy was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 26 with a left-hand fifth metacarpal fracture. The 23-year-old third baseman was originally hit by a pitch on his hand on April 23. Before landing on the IL, the former 25th overall pick in 2021 had gone 22-for-92 (.239) at the plate with two home runs, seven RBI, 15 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 26 games in 2026. In his first taste of big-league pitching last year, Muncy slashed .214/.259/.379 with a .638 OPS, nine home runs, 23 RBI, 17 runs scored, and a stolen base across 63 contests and 220 plate appearances. Since he has yet to resume baseball activities, Muncy might not be ready to return to the A's lineup until June. Recently, Zack Gelof has taken advantage of the open playing time at the hot corner in Sacramento for the A's. Muncy is currently rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam this week, most likely on Wednesday, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. The Mets are hoping that the MRI will provide some clarity on when Lindor might return. He is no longer wearing a walking boot, but the Mets know better at this point than to get ahead of themselves, given the way their season has gone so far in 2026. The 32-year-old five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner has been sidelined since April 22 with a calf strain, and there is currently no timetable for him to resume baseball activities, which means fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to return until probably sometime in June, at the earliest. Despite struggling to a .226/.314/.335 slash line through 105 plate appearances before getting hurt, Lindor is a must-stash in an IL spot in all fantasy baseball leagues. With both Lindor and Ronny Mauricio (thumb) on the shelf, the last-place Mets have been forced to move Bo Bichette to the 6 in Queens, while Brett Baty sees most of the action at third base.

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New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (knee) is heading for an MRI exam on Wednesday after leaving Tuesday's 10-2 win over the Detroit Tigers with a right-knee injury in the sixth inning, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. "We've just got to wait," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "It didn't look good on that swing, obviously. We saw it right away. He came out, but we've got to wait." Fantasy managers should expect Alvarez to be out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against Detroit in Queens, and there's a good possibility that Alvarez will require a stint on the 10-day injured list. Luis Torrens replaced him behind the dish on Tuesday and would take over starting duties at catcher in New York if Alvarez is forced to miss extended time. Hayden Singer would likely be called up from Triple-A Syracuse to serve as the No. 2 catcher for the banged-up Mets. The 24-year-old, who has hit .241 with a .710 OPS in 37 games in 2026, has had trouble staying healthy in his career. Alvarez is currently rostered in only 23% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (shoulder) received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left shoulder, manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Dominguez is clear of concussion symptoms, but Boone said it will still probably be a few weeks before he can play again. The 23-year-old former top prospect made an outstanding play in the outfield for the Yankees last week, but he slammed into the outfield wall in the process and sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder. Thankfully, the Martian cleared the concussion protocol, but he will be sidelined for a few more weeks as he heals. With Giancarlo Stanton (calf) also on the 10-day injured list, the Yankees called up outfield prospect Spencer Jones for the first time over the weekend. By the time Dominguez is ready to return, Stanton could be back for the Yankees as well, which would complicate Dominguez's path to regular playing time in the Bronx. The Dominican switch-hitter did not make the Opening Day roster and went 6-for-30 (.200) with a homer, four RBI, and three runs in nine games for the Yanks before getting hurt. He's rostered in only 10% of Yahoo leagues right now.

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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said that infielder Jordan Westburg (elbow) met with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday, according to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. Westburg is still in talks with his support team, including doctors and agent Scott Boras, about his next steps. "They're going through the options, next steps, what he wants to do," Albernaz said. The 27-year-old has not played at all this year due to a partially torn UCL in his right elbow, and it sounds as though Westburg and his representatives are deciding on whether he should undergo what would be season-ending surgery. Westburg recently had a setback, which prompted his visit with ElAttrache. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues have run out of patience, and rightfully so, as he's currently rostered in just 16% of Yahoo leagues. Coby Mayo has been a big beneficiary of Westburg's injury as far as playing time at third base, but he's hitting only .162 (17-for-105) on the year and is losing at-bats to Weston Wilson of late at the hot corner.

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Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso had an eight-game hitting streak earlier this month, but he's only hitting .211 (34-for-161) so far in 43 games in his first season with the O's. The former National League Rookie of the Year and five-time All-Star also has a career-low .306 on-base percentage, career-low .728 OPS, eight home runs, 22 RBI, 27 runs scored, and one stolen base in 183 plate appearances to this point. Since his eight-game hitting streak, Alonso has gone 1-for-15 at the plate with no walks and four strikeouts in the last four contests. The Polar Bear has underwhelmed through the first month-plus of 2026, but savvy fantasy managers in need of power should be trying to acquire him for pennies on the dollar. Despite his lackluster production so far, Alonso is in the 94th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 72nd percentile in xwOBA. His expected slugging percentage also sits at .468 despite currently being an uncharacteristic .422. The 31-year-old elite power hitter should settle in eventually to his new environment.

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Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert needed a bounce-back outing, and he definitely got one on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, when he threw six shutout innings with just one hit allowed, no walks, and a season-high nine strikeouts. It was what fantasy managers were hoping for against a lackluster opponent following his four earned runs allowed in six innings to the first-place Atlanta Braves on May 4. The 29-year-old former All-Star should be able to keep things rolling into his next scheduled outing this weekend versus a San Diego Padres team that currently ranks 27th in all of baseball with a .667 OPS. Overall, Gilbert is 2-3 on the season with a 3.78 ERA (3.90 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 52 strikeouts and 10 walks in 50 innings across his nine starts. He should absolutely be in all starting lineups in traditional fantasy leagues this weekend when the Friars come to T-Mobile Park. Gilbert numbers have been solid despite sitting in the 10th percentile in hard-hit rate.

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Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto came close to a 30-30 campaign in each of his first two seasons in Anaheim in 2024 and 2025, which makes his start to 2026 that much more disappointing. He is currently slashing .216/.322/.386 with a .708 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, seven stolen bases, and 28 runs scored across a league-high 199 plate appearances over 43 games. Neto has hit .167 (7-for-42) in May, but he just snapped a six-game hitting streak with an 0-for-4 showing in Tuesday night's loss to the Cleveland Guardians. During his six-game hitting streak, Neto went 7-for-24 (.292) with a homer, double, triple, three RBI, and five runs scored for the Halos. Still, there are some reasons to be concerned that Neto won't live up to the lofty expectations that he came into the season with. He currently sits in the 42nd percentile in xwOBA, the 32nd percentile in hard-hit rate, the 42nd percentile in expected slugging percentage, and just the eighth percentile in strikeout rate. Outside of the stolen base department, Neto has been a big disappointment so far in 2026 at the SS position.

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