It's an understatement to say that New York Mets superstar outfielder Juan Soto is locked in at the plate right now. Soto went 2-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI in Wednesday night's loss to the hosting Washington Nationals in D.C. The 27-year-old Dominican is now hitting .299 on the season with a .951 OPS. He missed some time early in the season while going on the injured list with a calf strain, but he is quickly making up for lost time and has hit five home runs and produced nine RBI during his current seven-game hitting streak. Soto's multi-homer game on Wednesday was the 29th multi-homer game of his career. In addition to his .299 batting average, the four-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger winner now has a .392 on-base percentage, .559 slugging percentage, 14 extra-base hits, 20 RBI, 21 runs scored, and four steals on the season in just 34 games played. Unfortunately for the Mets, not even Soto's hot hitting has been able to carry them, as they sit seven games under .500 and last in the National League East. Soto will be looking to stay on a tear this weekend in Miami against the division-rival Marlins.

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The New York Yankees announced that outfielder Trent Grisham (knee) left Wednesday's contest early against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays with left-knee discomfort. Team physicians were looking at Grisham at Yankee Stadium, and he will undergo imaging on Thursday to determine the severity. Grisham was moving gingerly after running out a second-inning double, and he was checked on by manager Aaron Boone before staying in the game temporarily. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting center fielder doubled in his only official at-bat of the ballgame before he was replaced in center field by rookie Spencer Jones. The Yankees are already without Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Jasson Dominguez (shoulder), so they'll be even more short-handed in the outfield if Grisham's injury sidelines him for an extended period of time. Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge are both capable of playing center field, though. Grisham hit a career-high 34 homers in his second year with the Yanks in 2025, but he entered Wednesday's tilt with an ugly .169/.301/.338 slash line with six homers in 48 games played.

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Detroit Tigers veteran right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) threw a four-inning simulated game on Wednesday, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com. Verlander threw 62 pitches, allowed three home runs, and struck out three batters. His fastball sat at 92-93 mph, and he topped out at 94.6 mph. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer is throwing simulated games with the team instead of going on a minor-league rehab assignment as he recovers from left-hip inflammation that landed him on the 60-day injured list. Verlander isn't eligible to return from the IL until early June, but he's on track to do so after throwing another one or two simulated games. Fantasy managers in the majority of formats aren't really concerned, though, as the three-time Cy Young winner, former MVP, and nine-time All-Star doesn't have much left at this point in his career and is struggling to stay healthy. In his lone start in his return to Detroit this year, Verlander surrendered five earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out one in just 3 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 30. He's rostered in just 4% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) could be pitching in minor-league rehab games by the end of next week "if all goes well," manager John Schneider told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Bieber got a late start to his first season in Toronto in 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and then he battled fatigue in his surgically-repaired elbow during the team's run to the World Series last fall. The 30-year-old has been slowly rebuilding his arm, but he appears to finally be ready to return to game action. When he does, he's expected to need four or five rehab outings before being a realistic option to rejoin the Blue Jays' starting rotation in the big leagues. He should have a spot waiting for him, though, when he comes off the 60-day injured list, and he's worth an injury stash in deeper mixed leagues before that happens. Bieber is currently rostered in 44% of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs. The two-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner went 4-2 last year in seven regular-season starts for the Jays with a 3.57 ERA (4.47 FIP), 1.02 WHIP, and 37:7 K:BB across 40 1/3 frames. Bieber shouldn't be expected to return to Cy Young form, but he could be a key back-end starter if he stays healthy.

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Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (hands) got an X-ray and CT scan on Tuesday night after being hit by a pitch on both of his hands, according to Rays reporter Ryan Bass. The imaging came back negative on Diaz, who woke up sore on Wednesday, which is why he was held out of the starting lineup against the Baltimore Orioles. It appears as though he's avoided a serious injury. "I think it got the nail a little bit, but we'll try to give him the day," manager Kevin Cash said. "He was pretty adamant, like he thought he'd be okay, but if we can give him today, and then with the off day tomorrow, hopefully be pretty optimistic about him getting back in (Friday)." Fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief, and they'll want to check back on Friday to see if the 34-year-old veteran is ready to play in Friday's series opener in the Bronx against the division-rival New York Yankees. Although the Cuban slugger doesn't have high-end power, he's a must-start in traditional fantasy leagues when he's active, and he's hitting a cool .316 (55-for-174) on the season with 33 RBI, 27 runs, eight home runs, and a steal.

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San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (back) appeared to tweak his back while leaping up against the fence while going after Shohei Ohtani's leadoff home run in the first inning at Petco Park in Wednesday's series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was pulled from the game, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. Merrill struck out in his only plate appearance before being replaced in center field by Bryce Johnson in the fifth inning. The Padres can ill-afford an injury to one of their best hitters and best defenders. For now, we'll consider Merrill day-to-day, but we should have a better idea of his status going forward after he undergoes some imaging. San Diego has a scheduled day off on Thursday before starting a three-game series against the Athletics on Friday night, but Merrill might not be ready to go for that one. If Merrill is forced to miss significant time, Johnson would likely see an uptick in playing time in center field, which would be a massive downgrade for the Friars. Merrill has yet to repeat his strong rookie season in 2024, when he hit 24 homers, drove in 90, and stole 16 bases, and he entered Wednesday's contest with a weak .205/.275/.324 slash line, four homers, 19 RBI, nine steals, and 23 runs in 46 games.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) threw two innings during an up-and-down bullpen session on Wednesday, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Crochet said he will throw a brief side session on either Friday or Saturday before throwing his first live batting practice session next week. The 26-year-old southpaw was placed on the 15-day injured list with left-shoulder inflammation on April 29. Crochet isn't very happy with where his mechanics are at right now and said he still has "a lot of boxes to check in terms of workload and time to really iron those things out." Facing live hitters next week will give him a better idea of where he's at in his progression. Crochet said he expects to need more than one live BP session before going on a minor-league rehab assignment, so the two-time All-Star isn't exactly close to rejoining the BoSox's starting rotation. The talented left-hander was second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Boston, but he got off to a rough start in his first six starts this year with a 6.30 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. Still, Crochet is a must-stash in all fantasy baseball leagues.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (finger) left his start early on Wednesday against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers with a right middle-finger blister, according to Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Cabrera got through only three innings on Wednesday, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits while walking two and striking out two to take his second loss of the season. It could be worse, but Cabrera is now in danger of missing his next scheduled start next Tuesday in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. The 28-year-old Dominican hurler has been inconsistent in his first year with the Cubbies, as he came into his start on Wednesday with a 3-1 record, 4.06 ERA (4.51 FIP), and 1.31 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 18 walks in 51 innings pitched across nine starts. Fantasy managers should consider Cabrera day-to-day and check back in a few days to see how he's progressing with his blister. Cabrera faced the Pirates in his third start of the year back on April 11 at Wrigley Field and allowed three earned runs with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings for a no-decision.

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According to MiLB.com, Miami Marlins top pitching prospect Thomas White has been placed on the 7-day injured list. This is a tough blow for the budding ace, as it appeared the young left-hander was in serious consideration to make his MLB debut in the immediate future. With Robby Snelling recently moved to the 15-day IL and Braxton Garrett optioned to Triple-A, White appeared to be the next man up. However, the young lefty will be out at least the next week on the injured list. White was in contention to break camp with the MLB roster, but an oblique injury in camp hindered his chances. After a short stint on the IL to begin the season, he has since returned to Triple-A and logged 18 2/3 innings to the tune of a 4.34 ERA and 25 punchouts. While his short-term value did take a hit, he remains in the mix to make his MLB debut later this season and is still worth stashing in deeper 12+ team formats.

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New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong is a "possibility to start" a game in Miami this weekend against the division-rival Marlins to give extra rest to the starting rotation, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. Tong was scratched from his scheduled start for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, leading to speculation that he was on the verge of being called up to the major leagues for the first time in 2026. The 22-year-old Canadian, who is the Mets' No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, made his big-league debut in 2025 and struggled in five starts, allowing 20 runs (16 earned) on 24 hits (three homers) while walking nine and striking out 22 in 18 2/3 innings. Tong hasn't exactly been lights-out at Syracuse this year, either, with a 1-3 record, 5.68 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 24 walks in 38 innings, but he also has 55 strikeouts in nine starts. The Mets are looking for an arm to stabilize their rotation with Clay Holmes (leg) out for the foreseeable future, and Tong could be that guy. Tong's funky mechanics have proven difficult to repeat, but if he figures it out, he will be a fast riser in the fantasy community.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios (elbow) underwent full Tommy John surgery, manager John Schneider told Hazel Mae of Sportsnet. Additionally, Berrios had a stress fracture in his right elbow fixed, and he will now miss the entire 2026 campaign and probably at least the first half of the 2027 campaign. All the innings that the 31-year-old Puerto Rican hurler has racked up over the years have finally caught up with him. The two-time All-Star began to show signs of decline last year in Toronto, posting a 4.17 ERA (4.65 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with 138 strikeouts and 56 walks in 166 innings pitched across 31 regular-season outings (30 starts). Not only is durability now a major question mark, but when healthy, Berrios struggled with control, a lack of velocity, and keeping the ball in the yard. He was left off last year's postseason roster during the start of his elbow problems, and now we won't see Berrios in the big leagues for at least another full year. He can safely be dropped in all single-year fantasy formats, if he wasn't already.

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Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (hamstring) exited Wednesday's series finale in Denver early against the Colorado Rockies with right-hamstring tightness, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. After a single in the fifth inning, manager Skip Schumaker and a trainer went to check on Nimmo before pulling him from the game. Before leaving, Nimmo went 1-for-3 in the contest with a single. He was replaced in right field by Alejandro Osuna. The 33-year-old veteran has missed a few games with the same balky hamstring since the beginning of April, so we wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers place him on the injured list so that he can fully recover. Going into Wednesday's game, the former first-rounder was hitting .272/.353/.422 with a .775 OPS, five home runs, 16 RBI, 21 runs, and a stolen base in 180 at-bats in his first year with the Rangers. Nimmo is a multi-category contributor in fantasy and is known as an on-base machine, making him relevant in all fantasy leagues. If he were to miss extended time, Osuna could see regular playing time in right field against righties.

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Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (oblique) continues to do pre-game fielding drills, but manager A.J. Hinch said that swinging is the hurdle right now, according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Torres is unable to swing at full speed yet, and playing at 75 or 80 percent is not feasible and could aggravate his left-oblique injury. It's why the team's starting second baseman hasn't been able to start a minor-league rehab assignment this week. The 29-year-old Venezuelan infielder could still be back in the Tigers' starting lineup before the end of the month if he can resume swinging a bat at full speed sooner rather than later. In the meantime, Zach McKinstry and Hao-Yu Lee will continue to form a platoon at the keystone in Motown. Torres is currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues, but he's worth an injury stash if you need a boost at second base in leagues that count on-base percentage. The three-time All-Star is slashing .259/.389/.328 with only two home runs, 11 RBI, and 18 runs scored through his first 32 games in 2026 in his second year with the Tigers.

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Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement (illness) is starting at second base and is batting sixth on Wednesday against the hosting New York Yankees and right-hander Cam Schlittler in the Bronx, according to MLB.com. Clement did not play on Tuesday due to a case of strep throat, but he is feeling much better and will return to action as the series in New York continues. The 30-year-old utility man makes plenty of contact at the plate and carries a very useful .287 batting average (52-for-181), but he has limited power (three homers) and has only stolen one base in addition to 16 RBI and 18 runs scored so far in 2026. He hasn't been as consistent in May, either, going 14-for-55 (.255) with two homers, seven RBI, and eight runs scored in 59 plate appearances across 16 games played. Clement has only faced Schlittler three times in his career and has one hit against him. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues are hoping that Clement can get things turned around now that he is feeling better.

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Colorado Rockies manager Warren Schaefer said that right-hander Chase Dollander (elbow) will be shut down from throwing for two to three weeks, according to MLB.com. Dollander left his last start on May 14 in the second inning with right-elbow tightness and was placed on the 15-day injured list the following day with a right-elbow sprain. His return is to be determined, and in a best-case scenario, Dollander probably won't be ready to return until late June. It's a tough break for the Rockies and fantasy managers, since the former ninth overall pick in 2023 out of Tennessee was making strides in his first full year in the big leagues with a 3.89 ERA (4.18 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and 18 walks in 44 innings across 10 appearances (three starts). Most of Dollander's outings had come in a bulk-relief role following an opener. Before his elbow injury, the hard-throwing Dollander had become a popular waiver-wire pickup, but he's now rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues.

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Imaging on Texas Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore's lat came back clean, and he's "trending" toward making his next scheduled start on Sunday in Anaheim against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. The 27-year-old southpaw was pulled after just one inning in his latest start on Monday versus the Colorado Rockies when his lat tightened up on him, but it looks like he has avoided anything serious, and he shouldn't have to miss a turn through Texas' starting rotation. The bad news is that Gore has had a rough go of it in his first year with the Rangers, giving up two more earned runs on Monday. He is sporting a 3-4 record with a 4.78 ERA (3.99 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, and 55:24 K:BB in 49 innings across his first 10 starts in 2026. Gore will be a riskier fantasy option this weekend in Anaheim, but it will be hard to ignore him in starting lineups because of the matchup. The Angels were nearly no-hit by A's starter J.T. Ginn a few days ago, and they currently rank 25th in baseball with a .686 OPS. The Angels also lead the league with 476 strikeouts.

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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (knee) is back in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates after an MRI exam on his left knee came back clean, according to MLB.com. Winn is back at the 6 and is batting sixth against Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski at Busch Stadium. A left-knee injury kept Winn out of the starting nine for Tuesday's series opener against the Bucs, but he's back in there a day later for Game 2 of the series in St. Louis. The 24-year-old hasn't been much to look at so far in 2024 from a fantasy perspective, as he's slashing a mediocre .255/.331/.353 with a .684 OPS, just one home run, 17 RBI, 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 41 games and 175 plate appearances. The former second-rounder does have a hit in five of his last six games, though, going 6-for-22 (.273) over that span with two doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored. Winn is hitting .333 with a .666 OPS in a small sample size of just six career at-bats against Mlodzinski.

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Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (triceps) has been scratched from the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the visiting Chicago White Sox due to a sore triceps muscle, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. It was bothering Crawford when he tried to play catch. Rookie infielder Colt Emerson will take over at the 6 and will bat eighth, with Patrick Wisdom slotting in at third base and seventh in the batting order versus White Sox right-hander Sean Burke. The injury stems from when Crawford was hit by a pitch in Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres, forcing him from that contest early. It's still bothering him a bit, but he should be able to return for Friday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals after a scheduled day off on Thursday. For now, fantasy managers should consider Crawford day-to-day. The 31-year-old veteran offers very minimal power and speed, mostly making him a fantasy option for middle-infield depth in deeper fantasy baseball formats. Crawford is hitting only .210 (30-for-143) on the year with six home runs, 16 RBI, 23 runs scored, and a stolen base for the M's.

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Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable told White Sox reporter Brooke Fletcher that third baseman Miguel Vargas' (hand) X-rays came back negative, but he will not be in the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest in Seattle against the Mariners. Vargas is receiving treatment and could potentially be available off the bench for a pinch-hit situation. Shortstop Colson Montgomery will shift over to the hot corner and bat cleanup, with Luisangel Acuna playing the 6 and hitting in the nine-hole on Wednesday against Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock. Vargas was hit by a pitch on his hand during Tuesday's victory at T-Mobile Park, and he was able to stay in the game. However, he's probably a little sore, and Venable noted that the starting third baseman was due for a day off anyway. The 26-year-old Cuban can be an asset in deep-mixed fantasy leagues for his power production. Vargas is currently hitting .237 (40-for-169) with 11 homers, 29 RBI, seven steals, and 35 runs scored in his first 47 games across 206 plate appearances in 2026.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger (elbow) is currently on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, but he could be an intriguing waiver wire target once he's activated back to the 26-man roster. Barger has played in just nine games this season and is off to a putrid start, going 1-for-22 with zero home runs, two RBI, five walks, and seven strikeouts. The poor results at the plate were likely caused by his injury issues; he missed a month earlier this season with an ankle injury, and now, he has a right elbow problem. Assuming this second IL stint allows him to shake off the injury bug and return at 100%, there's a strong chance that he'll produce better results at the plate. Theoretically, he could get back to his 2025 form, which included a .243/.301/.454 slash line with 21 home runs and 107 wRC+. Managers should consider stashing Barger now, so that they can reap the potential rewards when he returns. Then, even if he does continue to struggle after clearing the injury hurdle, managers can drop him -- no harm, no foul. There's minimal risk and plenty of upside in adding Barger off the waiver wire while he's still injured.

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