Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia is out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, according to manager Bruce Bochy. The Rangers will roll with Ezequiel Duran in left field, Wyatt Langford in center and Sam Haggerty in right field against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore. Garcia is having another down season so far in 2025 and has hit .189 (17-for-90) with three homers, four doubles, 12 RBI, six runs, one steal, five walks and 29 strikeouts in 26 games in the month of May. The 32-year-old Cuban slugger is slashing .208/.256/.371 on the season with a weak .626 OPS, seven long balls, 27 RBI, 16 runs and five steals in 197 at-bats. His xBA of .233 and xwOBA of .315 don't exactly give fantasy managers hope for a full rebound, either. Fantasy managers may want to keep him benched until he gets something going.

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Seattle Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford has continued to produce at Triple-A. On Thursday, the backstop extended his current hitting streak to six games. During this impressive stretch, Ford has posted five multi-hit games with three home runs and 10 RBI. He has gone deep in each of his past two contests as well. Through his first 39 games at the Triple-A level, the No. 67-ranked prospect in baseball has posted a stellar .315/.431/.483 line with seven doubles, six long balls, and a 33:30 K:BB. Last summer, Ford struggled at Double-A as he held a modest .249/.377/.367 line with just seven round-trippers across 116 contests. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on Ford's development as he could be in the mix to reach the majors during the second half of the season.

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Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said that the team is going to push right-hander Nathan Eovaldi's (triceps) next start back a few days. Eovaldi is scheduled to go next on Tuesday in Tampa against the Rays, but the team has a scheduled day off on Monday, allowing others to pitch on regular rest. The 35-year-old veteran will now most likely make his next start next weekend versus the Washington Nationals in a good matchup for fantasy managers. Eovaldi left his last start early last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays due to triceps soreness. He'll certainly be more risky in fantasy lineups his next time out coming off the injury, but he's been excellent so far in 2025, not allowing more than three earned runs in any of his 12 starts. The two-time All-Star currently holds a pristine 1.56 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with 73 punchouts and only 10 walks in 69 1/3 innings pitched.

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The Cleveland Guardians placed outfielder Lane Thomas (foot) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 27) on Friday with right-foot plantar fasciitis, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. A corresponding move will be announced by the team on Saturday. It's the second time that Thomas has been on the IL already season, previously missing time earlier this year with a wrist contusion. It's unclear how long the 29-year-old will be out, but there's a good chance he won't be ready to go when his 10 days are up. In the meantime, Angel Martinez will continue to see the lion's share of starts in center field for the Guardians while hitting a solid .270/.292/.409 on the season with three home runs, 20 RBI, 17 runs scored and four stolen bases. When Thomas returns, he could be on the bench more often than not after going 7-for-59 (.119) with no homers when healthy in 2025.

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The Miami Marlins have promoted shortstop prospect Jack Winkler to the major leagues prior to their contest on Friday against the San Francisco Giants. Winkler began the season by making his Triple-A debut and will quickly get the call to the majors. Through his first 25 games at Triple-A Jacksonville, Winkler held his own, as he posted a .275/.331/.423 slash line with six doubles, five home runs, and 15 stolen bases. He posted a 42:13 K:BB and added 19 RBI. Last summer, Winkler spent his entire campaign with Double-A, and posted a modest .223/.310/.345 line. Fantasy managers should expect the 26-year-old to compete for opportunities at shortstop alongside Otto Lopez and Javier Sanoja. For the time being, Winkler should remain on the waiver wire as he does not have a clear path to everyday at-bats.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL in his right elbow and will likely need Tommy John surgery, according to manager Brian Snitker. Smith-Shawver will undergo further evaluation, but the surgical procedure hasn't been decided upon yet. Right-hander Bryce Elder will make the start for the Braves on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox. This was the expectation after the 22-year-old heard a pop in his elbow and was pulled after 2 2/3 innings in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies. It's a tough break for a Braves team that has had it's fair share of injuries the last couple seasons. Smith-Shawver will miss the rest of 2025 and most likely at least half of the 2026 campaign if he undergoes elbow reconstruction, as expected. He finishes his season with a 3.86 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 42 K's and 21 walks in 44 1/3 innings over nine starts.

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The Toronto Blue Jays outfield prospect Alan Roden has been recalled from Triple-A prior to their contest on Friday against the Athletics. In a corresponding move, the Blue Jays placed outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation. Roden made his MLB debut earlier this season but posted a modest .178/.262/.260 line through 28 contests. During this stretch, Roden hit just one home run and added three doubles. Under the hood, Roden has generated a low .224 xwOBA, .161 xBA, and a .233 xSLG, all of which are well below the average marks. However, at Triple-A, Roden has found success posting an impressive .361/.446/.583 lines across 18 contests. Fantasy managers should expect Roden to serve as a depth outfielder, which will limit his fantasy upside.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Bryce Elder will be called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to make the start in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Boston Red Sox, according to 929 The Game's Grant McAuley. Elder will make his ninth start of the 2025 season and will have a shot to stick around in Atlanta's starting rotation for the long term with AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) officially done for the rest of the season. In Elder's first eight starts over 44 innings, he's posted a 4.50 ERA (4.90 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 33 strikeouts and 13 walks while going 2-2. The 26-year-old is a ground-ball pitcher who gave up too many fly balls last year on his way to a career-worst 6.52 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 49 2/3 innings. He's not going to blow hitters away, either, which limits his fantasy upside. However, in deep-mixed leagues, Elder is worth a waiver-wire pickup now that he could stick in the rotation for the rest of the season.

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The Detroit Tigers have placed right-handed pitcher Jackson Jobe (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow flexor strain. Jobe was able to break camp with the major league roster but has had an inconsistent first taste of the big leagues. Through 49 innings (10 starts), the former top prospect has posted a 4.22 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP. He has struck out 39 batters and shown weak command of his pitches, allowing walks at a high 12.4% rate. Under the hood, Jobe has generated a 4.62 xERA and a high 43.3% hard-hit rate. Given his struggles, fantasy managers should only consider stashing him on an IR spot in deeper 12+ team formats. With Jobe sidelined, the Tigers will likely promote a pitcher from Triple-A. Sawyer Gipson Long (elbow) will likely be given an opportunity as he is nearing the completion of his rehab assignment.

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Detroit Tigers right-handed pitching prospect Sawyer Gipson-Long (elbow) is nearing the completion of his rehab assignment and could be in the mix to join the major league roster. On Thursday, the No. 29-ranked prospect in the Detroit system tossed five 1/3 innings of one-run ball against Triple-A Louisville. In this outing, Gipson-Long allowed just one hit and struck out five batters. In his previous outing at Triple-A, Gipson-Long allowed two runs across four innings. The right-hander has been sidelined since 2024 due to a hip injury and Tommy John. In 2023, Gipson-Long made his MLB debut and tossed 20 innings to the tune of a 2.70 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP. During this stint, he struck out 26 batters. With Jackson Jobe (elbow) hitting the 15-day IL on Friday, Gipson-Long has a viable path to return to the starting rotation in the coming days.

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The Athletic's Dan Hayes reports that Minnesota Twins outfielder Matt Wallner (hamstring) will likely come off the 10-day injured list and rejoin the team on Saturday. Wallner went 8-for-25 with five home runs in six minor-league rehab games and is now ready to rejoin the big-league roster after suffering a hamstring strain in mid-April. The 27-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder should see plenty of playing time against right-handed pitching upon his return after hitting .263 (15-for-57) with a home run, three RBI and seven runs scored before going on the IL. The former first-rounder in 2019 out of Southern Mississippi has plenty of power upside after combining for 27 long balls and 78 RBI in 151 games in 2023 and 2024 with the Twins. Wallner has struggled against lefties, but there's 30-homer upside in his lumber if he can stay healthy.

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The Boston Red Sox placed right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks (hip) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 28) with right-hip inflammation on Friday and recalled right-hander Nick Burdi from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne. Hendriks' injury helps explain why the 36-year-old Aussie veteran has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on five hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out four in 3 2/3 innings over his last five appearances for the BoSox. It's unclear if he'll be able to return when he's eligible to come off the IL on June 13. Before his tough five-game stretch, Hendricks had only allowed two earned runs with four walks and eight strikeouts in 10 innings over his first nine appearances in 2025. The three-time All-Star has 116 career saves but missed all of 2024 due to injury and only pitched in five games in 2023.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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