San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Walker has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday ahead of the team's weekend set against the Chicago Cubs. Walker opened 2026 as the Giants' primary closer but was sent down in early May after recording a 6.46 ERA and 1.89 WHIP with 14 strikeouts and three blown saves across his first 15 1/3 innings of the season. The 30-year-old performed much better in Triple-A, logging a 1.93 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with seven strikeouts and one save across 8 1/3 innings (nine games). Upon his return, Walker may be the favorite to eventually reclaim the closer role in San Francisco. The Giants have used a committee approach in the ninth inning since demoting Walker, with right-hander Caleb Kilian currently leading the team with four saves. Despite his recent struggles, Walker has logged 30 saves for the Giants since the start of the 2024 season and could be worth targeting on the waiver wire now that he's back in San Francisco.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday has emerged as a key piece of his team's lineup in 2026, hitting .270/.363/.568 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 23 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 171 plate appearances. The lefty-swinger has absolutely mashed right-handed pitching this season, logging a 1.019 OPS in 124 plate appearances against righties. He's been less effective against southpaws, but his .703 OPS against left-handers has been good enough for him to move from a platoon to an everyday role in recent weeks. Bleday's 12.8% barrel rate and 47% hard-hit rate are both the best marks of his career, and he has the additional benefit of playing his home games in Cincinnati's hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Bleday profiles as a must-add outfielder across all fantasy formats ahead of a potential breakout season.

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It has been a lost season for the New York Mets, primarily due to injuries to their key players, but rookie outfielder Carson Benge has been a bright spot, and he should be rostered in more fantasy baseball leagues amid his recent hot streak. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State University has more than held his own in his first 65 big-league games, slashing .260/.318/.396 with a .713 OPS, seven home runs, nine doubles, a triple, 26 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored across 255 plate appearances. Benge has been even better so far in nine games in June, going 11-for-37 (.297) with three home runs, a triple, five RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 38 plate appearances. He even had a five-hit game on June 7 that included a home run and a triple. Although he hasn't had much exposure to lefties, he is hitting .350 (14-for-40) against them with two of his seven home runs on the year. Benge deserves more consideration from fantasy managers, as he's rostered in just under half of Yahoo leagues.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown opened the 2026 campaign in the bullpen for the Cubbies, but he quickly was transitioned to a starting role given all of the team's injuries to their starters. In his first 12 games out of the bullpen in Chicago, Brown had a 2.10 ERA (2.67 FIP) with 24 strikeouts, eight walks, one save, and two holds. Since joining the starting rotation on May 8, the 26-year-old has a 1.44 ERA (1.89 FIP) with 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 1/3 innings pitched over six starts. Brown has gone 4-2 as a starter and was just two outs shy of his third straight quality start in his last appearance on June 6 against the San Francisco Giants, when he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with just one hit allowed, one walk, and five punchouts. The former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 is now 2-2 on the season with a 1.74 ERA (2.24 FIP) and 0.88 WHIP with 58 strikeouts and 16 walks in 57 innings over 18 outings (six starts). Even as Chicago's starting staff gets healthier, Brown has staked his claim to a rotation spot for the rest of the year. He's rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues and will get a rematch against the offensively challenged Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday.

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The Cleveland Guardians are set to call up flamethrowing right-handed pitching prospect Daniel Espino on Friday for what will be his major-league debut, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. The 2019 first-rounder ranked as high as MLB's No. 16 prospect in 2023 but missed almost all of four seasons from 2022 through 2025 due to injury. Espino, 25, is currently ranked as the Guardians' No. 15 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The former 24th overall selection in 2019 gets his first major-league call-up after posting a 5.30 ERA and 1.71 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 18 2/3 innings over his 22 appearances (one start) at Triple-A Columbus this year. Espino's MLB debut has been delayed due to multiple shoulder surgeries, and he's now being used as a full-time reliever. He hasn't exactly been pitching all that well before his big-league debut, so expect Cleveland to use him in more low-leverage situations out of the 'pen initially. Don't be surprised if it's a short stay for the 6-foot, 225-pounder. The native of Panama has a high-90s heater and a devastating slider that give him some interesting long-term potential as a high-leverage bullpen arm.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) has been out all season after having surgery in mid-March to remove bone chips from his right elbow. However, manager Terry Francona said last weekend that Greene could return from the 60-day injured list before the mid-July All-Star break. The 26-year-old was cleared to throw bullpen sessions in late May, and he could soon be cleared to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment. Although Greene's 2026 season debut isn't exactly imminent, the former second overall pick in 2017 should be picked up off the waiver wire and stashed now. When healthy, the flamethrowing right-hander can act as a fantasy ace, and he's currently rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues. Greene was a first-time All-Star in 2024 and has a 3.65 ERA (3.83 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, 30% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate in his four seasons in the majors with the Reds. Injuries have been an issue for Greene in his career, but you can't ignore the fact that he could be a fantasy difference-maker in the second half of 2026.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle was hit around a bit in his most recent start on June 9 in a loss to the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, surrendering four earned runs on a season-high nine hits allowed while walking one and striking out only three in his six innings of work. It wasn't Tolle's finest showing, but he deserves a pass given the opponent. Overall, the 23-year-old southpaw has been strong in just his second MLB campaign, going 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA (2.71 FIP) and 1.05 WHIP with 54 strikeouts and 14 walks in 53 1/3 innings pitched across his nine starts. Despite allowing a season-high nine hits, Tolle, a second-rounder in 2024 out of Texas Christian University, was one out away from picking up his sixth quality start of 2026 in his nine outings. Tolle sits in the 82nd percentile in hard-hit rate and the 79th percentile in walk rate, and his overall body of work through his first 16 big-league outings, dating back to last season, makes him one of the more intriguing young left-handed arms in the majors. Next on tap is a matchup against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Tolle allowed three earned runs with four walks and four strikeouts against them back on April 28 in just his second start of the season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki struggled to a 6.35 ERA (7.16 FIP) with seven home runs allowed, 22 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 22 2/3 innings in his first five starts of the 2026 season. Control had been an issue for the young Japanese hurler, dating back to his rookie campaign with the Dodgers in 2025. Since the start of May, though, Sasaki has turned things around and has posted a 2.55 ERA (2.90 FIP), 38 strikeouts, and only eight walks in 35 1/3 innings across his six starts for L.A. He hasn't walked more than two batters in any of those starts, and he struck out a season-high 10 batters over seven shutout innings in a dominant showing his last time out on June 5 against the Los Angeles Angels. The 24-year-old has allowed just five runs (four earned) with 29 strikeouts and only five walks in 24 1/3 innings in his last four starts. Sasaki is going to have a much more difficult matchup on Friday night against a Chicago White Sox team that surprisingly ranks fifth in baseball with a .739 OPS. But with Sasaki showing better control in the last month-plus, fantasy managers have begun to latch onto him. He's currently rostered in just under 70% of Yahoo leagues.

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Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller didn't make his 2026 season debut until the middle of May due to injury, but since returning, the 27-year-old has been outstanding for the Mariners. The former fourth-round selection in 2021 out of Texas A&M University has gone 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA (2.47 FIP) and 0.78 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and five walks in five outings (four starts). Miller was superb in his last outing on June 6 against the Detroit Tigers, when he threw six scoreless innings with only one hit allowed, two walks, and a season-high nine strikeouts. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his five appearances for Seattle so far this season and appears to be fully healthy after injuries limited him to just 18 starts in 2025 in his third full year in the big leagues. Miller currently ranks in the 98th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 89th percentile in strikeout rate, and the 94th percentile in walk rate. Somehow, he's rostered in only 68% of Yahoo leagues right now. He's scheduled to make his sixth appearance of 2026 on the road in D.C. on Friday against the Washington Nationals.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed reliever Tanner Scott hasn't been great out of the bullpen recently, but he bounced back nicely in the team's 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Thursday night. Scott threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings with no hits allowed while walking none and striking out three to pick up his seventh save of the year for the Dodgers. It was the 31-year-old southpaw's first save since June 2 and helped him break a recent rough patch that saw him give up five earned runs on eight hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out four in four innings over his previous five appearances out of the bullpen. Still, the former sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014 has been much better than he was in 2025, his first year with the Dodgers, when he posted a 4.74 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 57 innings. So far in 2026, Scott is 1-3 with a 2.48 ERA (2.79 FIP), 0.76 WHIP, seven saves, 35 strikeouts, and only three walks. With Edwin Diaz (elbow) out for the foreseeable future and potentially facing a suspension for his involvement in cockfighting, Scott remains the best bet for saves in L.A. Somehow, he's still rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles veteran right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge was called upon in the ninth inning on Thursday with the team up by two runs, and he threw a clean inning of work with no runs or hits allowed and no walks or strikeouts to earn his first save of the 2026 season in the 7-5 win over the Seattle Mariners at Camden Yards. The 36-year-old has an ERA over 6.00 on the year with a 1.57 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB in 14 2/3 innings, but most of the damage against him this year came when he allowed seven runs to the New York Yankees on May 3. Regular closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) remains on the injured list, but Rico Garcia has been manager Craig Albernaz's preferred option in the ninth inning with Helsley sidelined. However, with Garcia having a heavy workload of late, the O's opted against having him pitch on back-to-back days on Thursday, instead turning to Kittredge. Fantasy managers desperate for saves can avoid Kittredge for now. Besides, Helsley is nearing his return and could be back at the back end of the O's bullpen by next week.

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Seattle Mariners left-handed pitching prospect Kade Anderson has been nothing short of dominant since making his professional debut and remains an elite stash option among all prospects ahead of Week 12 of the fantasy season. After joining the Mariners with the third overall pick in last year's MLB Draft, he was sent to the Double-A level to begin his first professional campaign. Through his first 10 outings with Double-A Arkansas, the former LSU superstar has posted an incredible 1.29 ERA with a 0.64 WHIP. During this stint, Anderson has racked up 76 punchouts while walking just seven hitters. Additionally, Anderson has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of these 10 games. However, the lone concern with his redraft value is his unclear path to the majors. With Bryce Miller back in action on the MLB roster, the Mariners have six capable starters on the roster. Despite this, Anderson's upside on a per-start basis makes him a worthy target in all formats that have N/A spots.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara inked a seven-year, $31 million contract extension with the Brewers earlier this week and was added to the 40-man roster, putting him on the verge of his MLB debut. Lara has spent the entire 2026 campaign with Triple-A Nashville and has held his own during his first taste of the top level of the minor leagues. Through his first 58 games of action with the Sounds, Lara has gone deep seven times while adding eight doubles, 20 stolen bases with a .336/.447/.493 line. During this stretch, he has carried a .940 OPS. His recent power surge is worth noting, as Lara only hit two total home runs over 136 games with Double-A last summer. While there is no clear spot for him on the MLB roster at the moment, Lara appears poised to enter the Milwaukee starting nine in the coming weeks, making him a solid stash target with high-end five-category potential.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has been flashing his elite raw power over the past month at Triple-A and is now firmly on the verge of making his MLB debut. Even with Lars Nootbaar and Nathan Church returning from their injured list, Baez has shown more than enough upside at the Triple-A level to join the MLB roster and take on a starting role. Over his last 22 games with the Memphis RedBirds, the slugging outfielder has launched an impressive 10 long balls with seven doubles, two triples, and four stolen bases while carrying a .326/.390/.787 line. The lone knock on his profile has been the hefty 30.0% K% he has maintained over this power surge. While his high swing and miss tendencies hurt his profile in points leagues, he is one of the few prospects in the minors who possesses immense upside across the five standard categories, making him a top stash target ahead of his debut.

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Minnesota Twins top infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper continues to showcase elite upside at the Triple-A level and is on the verge of his MLB debut. Over his last 15 contests at St. Paul, the budding infielder has carried an elite .325/.425/.581 line with a 1.005 OPS. During this stretch, Culpepper has gone deep five times and swiped four bags. Overall, the 23-year-old has looked quite comfortable during his first stint at the top club of the minor leagues, posting a .268/.372/.489 slash line with 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and an impressive 49:35 K:BB. Seeing him not only maintain his five-category profile but also show a strong eye at the plate has made him an elite stash option among hitting prospects. Given that Minnesota has lacked much production in the middle of their infield, Culpepper appears to be on a trajectory to debut before the end of June.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitching prospect River Ryan enjoyed a much-needed bounce-back effort at Triple-A Oklahoma City this past week. On Wednesday evening, Ryan tossed four innings of one-run ball while striking out seven hitters with only one free pass. This was a nice showing for the right-hander, who was coming off the worst outing of his young season, where he allowed a season-worst four runs and seven hits to Round Rock back on June 4. Ryan spent some time on the 7-day injured list earlier this season, but has since returned to Triple-A and has looked quite comfortable. Across 25 innings since returning from injury, Ryan has posted a 2.16 ERA with a 30:5 K:BB, with three of these walks coming in his worst showing. With both Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell on the IL on the MLB roster and starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski exiting early on Thursday night, Ryan has a clear path to return to the majors before the end of June, making him a prime stash target among pitchers.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his level of concern with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani's knee injury is "not high," and that he feels good about Ohtani being back in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener versus the Chicago White Sox, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Ohtani first felt something in his knee/hamstring area after a stolen base attempt on what ended up being a foul ball earlier in Thursday's win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Roberts said the decision to pull Ohtani from the game early was him being proactive. The Dodgers will see how the four-time MVP feels on Friday, but the expectation is that he'll be available to play. Before leaving the eventual 8-6 win, the Japanese superstar went 2-for-2 at the plate with his 13th home run of the year, two runs scored, and two walks to boost his season average to .305 and his OPS to .964. Ohtani got off to a slow start offensively by his standards to begin 2026, but he has rebounded nicely and continues to be one of the best hitters in the game.

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New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (arm, back) fared well in his minor-league rehab start on Thursday with Double-A Binghamton, allowing an earned run on a solo home run while walking one and striking out five in six innings to pick up the victory for the Rumble Ponies. Senga was originally scheduled to make his fourth rehab start on Tuesday, but he was scratched due to ulnar-nerve irritation in his right arm. Not only did Senga still get on the mound this week, but he delivered his best rehab performance so far on Thursday evening, throwing 51 of his 75 pitches for strikes. It's unclear what will be next for the 33-year-old Japanese native, but most likely, the Mets will want to see him make at least one more start down on the farm before considering him an option to rejoin the big-league rotation. In five starts in 2026 before going on the 15-day injured list, Senga gave up 21 runs (20 earned) while walking 13 and striking out 23 in 20 innings pitched. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues can afford to take a wait-and-see approach with Senga, who is currently rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.

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Colorado Rockies backup catcher Brett Sullivan was productive at the bottom of the Rockies' batting order in Thursday's 9-3 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs at Coors Field, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs to boost his season average to .231 and his OPS to .664. It was the first multi-homer game of Sullivan's career, and the 32-year-old veteran backstop is now up to three home runs on the season in 33 games played. With the strong performance in the series finale, Sullivan nearly doubled his career home run total, as he entered play on Thursday with only three homers in his first 75 major-league games since debuting in 2023 with the San Diego Padres. He entered Thursday with a weak .207/.247/.310 slash line, a .558 OPS, one homer, and nine RBI in his 94 plate appearances this year in his first season in Denver. Sullivan will continue to see infrequent starts behind stud starting catcher Hunter Goodman, so fantasy managers should continue to ignore him in all formats.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder Coby Mayo has fallen into a cold spell at the plate recently. Over the last week, Mayo is 3-for-21 at the plate, but fantasy managers shouldn't run away. Over the last 10 games, Mayo has smacked four of his nine home runs on the season. The 24-year-old is struggling right now, but the power potential is legitimate. The O's are likely going to stick with Mayo through this slump and let him get everyday at-bats at the big league level. There isn't a ton of value right now, but Mayo could be someone worth stashing in deep leagues as a potential power source.

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