Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (wrist) is back in left field and hitting in his usual leadoff spot in the batting order for Friday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Jose Soriano at Progressive Field. Kwan is ready to go despite being removed early from Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with inflammation in his right wrist. It helped that Cleveland had an off day for travel on Thursday. Now back in the lineup, fantasy managers should get the 27-year-old back in their starting lineups this weekend. Kwan has minimal power but rarely strikes out and is an excellent table-setter for the Guardians' lineup. He enters Friday's game slashing .311/.371/.425 with a .795 OPS, four homers, 19 RBI, 28 runs and seven stolen bases. He has one hit in four career at-bats versus Soriano.

From RotoBaller

The Kansas City Royals announced on Friday that they placed right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg (back) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 27) with a lower-back strain and reinstated right-hander Seth Lugo (finger) from the 15-day IL in a corresponding move. Erceg will head to the shelf after having not appeared since May 24. If the 30-year-old veteran is able to recover quickly, he could return to KC's bullpen as early as June 12. Although Erceg has only one save on the season, the former second-rounder has been the club's top late-inning setup man in front of closer Carlos Estevez, posting a sharp 1.96 ERA (3.42 FIP) and 0.74 WHIP with 18 strikeouts and only three walks in 23 innings of relief in his first full season with the Royals. In his absence, the Royals will lean more on Daniel Lynch IV and John Schreiber in setup roles.

From RotoBaller

The Kansas City Royals expect left-hander Cole Ragans (groin) to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Saturday. If Ragans looks good this weekend and doesn't have any setbacks with his groin injury, he might only need the one rehab outing before rejoining KC's starting rotation in early June. The 27-year-old southpaw is the Royals' ace when healthy and should be stashed in all fantasy leagues until he returns. The former first-rounder (30th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2016 didn't get off to the best start in his first nine starts in 2025, with an ERA of 4.53, but he did strike out 72 batters while walking just 13 with a 1.20 WHIP in 45 2/3 innings pitched. Ragans could be on a limited pitch count in his first start back in the big leagues, but normally he's a must-start in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (elbow) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb. Harper has not taken a swing since being hit by a pitch during Tuesday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves and probably won't swing on Friday. He is taking ground balls at first with a sleeve on his arm, and when he returns, he will be wearing a new elbow brace. The two-time MVP doesn't think he'll need to go on the injured list but called himself "super day-to-day" right now. It seems like Harper is at least a couple more days away from a return, at best, so there's no guarantee he'll play in the weekend series against Milwaukee. Alec Bohm is starting at first again and is batting cleanup, with Edmundo Sosa at the hot corner and batting ninth against Brewers left-handed opener DL Hall.

From RotoBaller

The Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list on Friday and recalled outfielder Alan Roden from Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move, according to the team. With Santander out, Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes are starting in the corner-outfield spots for Toronto for Friday's contest against the visiting Athletics. Santander has been a huge free-agent and fantasy bust so far in his first year in Toronto, hitting just .179/.273/.304 with a .577 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, 14 runs and 55 strikeouts in 209 plate appearances after a career year in 2024 in Baltimore in which he had a career-high 44 long balls and 102 RBI. The 30-year-old went hitless in 17 at-bats with seven strikeouts in five games before landing on the IL. In addition to a shoulder injury, he's also been battling a hip ailment. Straw, Lukes and Roden could all split playing time in Santander's absence.

From RotoBaller

The Los Angeles Angels announced on Friday that they reinstated outfielder Mike Trout (knee) from the 10-day injured list before Friday's series opener against the hosting Cleveland Guardians. Trout is serving as the designated hitter and will bat fifth in his first game back at Progressive Field against right-hander Luis L. Ortiz. The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer has been out over four weeks with a contusion to his surgically repaired knee, but he's back now and could be limited to DH duties for the Halos for a while after not going on a minor-league rehab assignment. Trout still has plenty of power (nine homers in 29 games before going on the IL), but he had gone just 19-for-106 (.179) with 36 punchouts in 121 trips to the plate. The 11-time All-Star and three-time MVP has an xBA of .249, though, so if he can stay healthy the rest of the way, positive regression is expected.

From RotoBaller

The Colorado Rockies announced on Friday that they reinstated infielder Thairo Estrada (wrist) from the 60-day injured list and optioned infield prospect Adael Amador to Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move. The team also designated outfielder Nick Martini for assignment and selected the contract of outfielder Sam Hilliard from Albuquerque. Estrada fractured his wrist on March 21 but will immediately return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in New York against the Mets, playing second base and batting cleanup against left-hander David Peterson. The 29-year-old Venezuelan fell off last year and was cut by the San Francisco Giants, but he hit 14 homers in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023 and also stole 20-plus bags both years. A bounce-back is possible at hitter-friendly Coors Field, making Estrada attractive as middle-infield depth in deep-mixed and NL-only formats.

From RotoBaller

The Colorado Rockies optioned second base prospect Adael Amador to Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday, according to MLB.com. Amador, one of the team's top prospects, will head back to the farm for more seasoning after going 13-for-89 (.146) with a homer, four doubles, five RBI, three runs scored, one steal, 10 walks and 25 strikeouts in 102 trips to the plate over 33 games for the Rockies this year after making his MLB debut in 2024 and playing in just 10 games. The 22-year-old could certainly use more development with the Isotopes after playing in just 10 games at the Triple-A level before his call-up. If he can put it all together when he eventually returns to the big leagues, Amador has the plate discipline and skills to be a 20-homer asset at Coors Field while also hitting for average. For the time being, though, expect Kyle Farmer to see most of the action at the keystone in Denver.

From RotoBaller

The Atlanta Braves announced on Friday that they placed right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) on the 60-day injured list. Smith-Shawver suffered a strained elbow in his start in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday and was immediately placed on the 15-day IL. Manager Brian Snitker said Smith-Shawver's injury didn't look good, and the move to put him on the 60-day IL a day later speaks to the seriousness of the 22-year-old's injury. MLB.com's Mark Bowman reported on Thursday that Smith-Shawver felt a pop in his elbow during his outing and is likely to miss the rest of the 2025 season. The Braves have yet to confirm the nature of Smith-Shawver's injury, but it could only be a matter of time before he's officially declared out for the season. At the very least, he'll miss the next two months.

From RotoBaller

The Atlanta Braves announced on Friday that they placed outfielder Stuart Fairchild (finger) on the 10-day injured list with a dislocated pinkie finger and optioned right-hander Michael Peterson to Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves also selected the contract of outfielder Jose Azocar to the major-league roster. Fairchild suffered the fractured finger sliding into second base in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies and will likely require more than 10 days to rehab. The 29-year-old really wasn't a fantasy factor at all, even in NL-only leagues, as a reserve outfielder in Atlanta. The former second-rounder of the Cincinnati Reds in 2017 out of Wake Forest has gone 6-for-33 (.182) with no homers, two RBI and two steals in 21 games played as a bench option. Azocar will now take his place as outfield depth on the big-league roster.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser (thumb) is likely to return from the 60-day injured list during their upcoming road trip to Seattle and Sacramento that begins on June 3, according to interim manager Tony Mansolino. In four minor-league games with High-A Aberdeen and Triple-A Norfolk, Cowser has gone 5-for-13 with a homer, three doubles, two RBI and four runs scored. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter played in only four games for the O's this year before fracturing his thumb, but he's expected to return to the big leagues next week. Baltimore could ease him back into the lineup, but eventually, Cowser should play regularly in the outfielder, at least against right-handed pitchers. It's good news for a struggling Orioles team that also has Cedric Mullins (hamstring), Tyler O'Neill (shoulder) and Ramon Laureano (ankle) on the IL. Cowser hit 24 homers and drove in 69 in his first full season in 2024.

From RotoBaller

The Minnesota Twins announced on Friday that they reinstated outfielder Byron Buxton (concussion) from the seven-day concussion injured list and optioned outfielder Carson McCusker to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. The Twins haven't announced their starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Seattle against the Mariners, but Buxton should be back in there, at least as the designated hitter. The 31-year-old veteran will return for the first time since colliding with teammate Carlos Correa and suffering a concussion on May 15. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups with the ability to contribute in all categories. Buxton will be returning to a .261 average (41-for-157) with 10 long balls, 27 RBI, 33 runs scored and eight stolen bases. The former first-rounder is as injury-prone as they come, but he played in over 100 games for the second time in his career in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (knee) is starting in center field and is batting fifth against right-hander Zach Eflin and the hosting Baltimore Orioles for Friday's series opener at Camden Yards. Robert is returning to the lineup after sitting out the last two games due to soreness in his knee. The 27-year-old doesn't have much help in Chicago's lineup and is hitting under .200 in his 179 at-bats on the season, but he still has the ability to contribute across the board in fantasy leagues. He's also leading the big leagues with 21 stolen bases on 26 attempts over his 51 games played. Robert has been slightly better in May, slashing .215/.259/.304 with a home run in 23 games. He has only faced Eflin four times in his career and has one hit. When he's going good, Robert still has the potential to be one of the best fantasy producers, but playing in Chicago certainly lowers his ceiling.

From RotoBaller

Miami Marlins outfielder Dane Myers (oblique) is set to be activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday before the series opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Myers will rejoin the big-league roster after landing on the IL on May 12 with a strained oblique. The 29-year-old only played in one minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Jacksonville and will now return to regular duties in center field for Miami. Fantasy managers will be hoping that his oblique injury won't interrupt what has been a strong season for the former sixth-rounder of the Detroit Tigers in 2017 out of Rice before his injury. In 83 at-bats prior to landing on the shelf, Myers was slashing .337/.375/.482 with an .857 OPS, three home runs, 14 RBI, 12 runs and seven stolen bases.

From RotoBaller

The Baltimore Orioles have placed outfielder Cedric Mullins (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, per Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun. Cooper Hummel was re-signed in a corresponding move. The 30-year-old had missed two games earlier this week due to rest, but there was no news of an injury. It's possible he picked up the issue in Wednesday's loss to the Cardinals when he singled twice and swiped a bag, but no report was made before the IL designation. Hummel could see some time in his absence, with Jorge Mateo and Dylan Carlson also likely to get an uptick in reps. Mullins will be eligible to return on Jun. 8, but it's unclear if he'll be available then.

From RotoBaller

Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the first game of their doubleheader with the Philadelphia Phillies -- a 5-4 loss. The former third-round pick also singled, scored, and walked twice. Murphy wasn't available in the latter half of the twin-billing, but he was plenty productive earlier in the day. He crushed his ninth homer of the season in that one -- a solo shot that he deposited 412 feet over the left-center-field wall off Phillies reliever Matt Strahm. He also singled in a run two innings prior. The 30-year-old has slowed down some in May, batting just .204 (11-for-54) with two home runs, two doubles, six RBI, and three runs scored. It's a far cry from the seven long balls he launched in April.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Thursday's 12-0 win against the Athletics. He also scored twice and singled. Toronto jumped on the A's early, with a massive eight-run second inning in which the veteran singled and scored on an Ernie Clement double. Springer would go yard the following frame -- his sixth dinger of the season -- to give the Jays an 11-0 lead. He'd been scuffling a bit at the plate, mired in a 4-for-41 slump over the last two-plus weeks, so it was nice to see him bust out of it. The extended cold stretch has brought his average down some, but he's still been solid, sporting 12 doubles, a triple, 19 RBI, 26 runs, and a 29:48 BB:K ratio in 52 games.

From RotoBaller

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in his team's 9-3 win against the Philadelphia Phillies. He also walked and scored twice. The Phillies and Braves played a doubleheader on Thursday, and the teams split them, with Atlanta taking the second contest. Albies' lone hit in the outing left the yard and scored teammate Austin Riley in the top of the fourth inning. He'd also later knock in a run on a fielder's choice. The 28-year-old has been superb recently, notching at least one hit in 14 straight appearances with four multi-hit games in that span. Over the stretch, he's 18-for-52 (.346), and has been even better across the last eight games, notching all five of his extra-base hits in the hot streak.

From RotoBaller

Washington Nationals designated hitter Josh Bell went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 9-3 win over the Seattle Mariners. He also singled. The Nats and Mariners took a 2-2 tie into the top of the tenth inning when Washington would drop seven runs. Bell capped it with a three-run bomb off Seattle reliever Collin Snider that traveled 386 feet. That marks back-to-back outings with a homer for the veteran and back-to-back multi-hit efforts. Those are both feats he'd yet to accomplish in 2025, and he's been better overall in May, sporting a .233 average with four homers, one double, six RBI, and six runs scored (14-for-60).

From RotoBaller

The Tampa Bay Rays have reinstated outfielder Jake Mangum (groin) from the 10-day injured list. In a corresponding move, the Rays optioned outfield prospect Chandler Simpson to Triple-A Durham. Mangum has been sidelined since April 24 with a left groin strain. Prior to the injury, the 29-year-old had posted a .338/.384/.397 slash line with eight stolen bases across 21 contests. Mangum generated a strong .283 xBA and struck out at a mere 9.3% rate, which are both well above the average marks. However, he generated a low 41.0% hard-hit rate and a 3.3% barrel rate. He also showed strong speed upside, placing in the 90th percentile in sprint speed. With Simpson being sent to Triple-A, fantasy managers should expect Mangum to have close to an everyday role in left field.

From RotoBaller