Kansas City Royals reliever Alex Lange was called upon in a save situation on Monday after his recent disastrous appearance. Two days after allowing five runs while recording one out in a 22-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox, he retired the side in order for his seventh save on June 28. That vote of confidence matters. Kansas City used Lucas Erceg in the seventh and Matt Strahm in the eighth before turning to Lange with a one-run lead. His ratios remain a concern, however. Lange has a 4.95 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 21 walks over 36 1/3 innings in 2026, but he has converted all seven of his save chances in June. Carlos Estevez (shoulder) remains on the 60-day injured list and felt discomfort after a June 27 bullpen session, which could give Lange a longer leash as the closer. At 23% rostered on Yahoo, Lange is a priority add in 12-team leagues for fantasy managers chasing saves, but it could be a bumpy ride.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes had a brutal 1-for-27 (.037) stretch with a .188 on-base percentage from June 16 through June 24, but in the four games since, the left-handed hitter is 6-for-10 (.600) with seven walks and a hit-by-pitch, leading to an astounding .778 OBP during that time. The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect is hitting just .239 on the season, but a high 14.2 percent walk rate has buoyed a solid .361 OBP, and his 23 home runs (second-most at Double-A) anchor a .556 slugging percentage. The team would surely like to see some developmental progress on his 29.0 percent strikeout rate, and if the 6-foot-5 slugger's recent approach is any indication of that progress (7:3 BB:K), he could be headed to Triple-A soon. With the kind of power the 21-year-old possesses, he could become a stash candidate later in the year, so keep an eye out for any developments.

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New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong is hardly making the case for a return to the majors in the near future after being sent back to Triple-A earlier this month. The Mets' top-ranked prospect has yielded 17 runs (13 earned) on 25 hits and 10 walks in 18 innings pitched in the four starts for Syracuse since June 9. Not that he was having much success before his promotion to the big league club back in May, and now for the season, the right-hander owns a 5.95 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and a 14.5 percent K-BB% in 56 IP. It's a far cry from the 1.43 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 29.9 percent K-BB% that he posted across Double-A and Triple-A last year. Still, the 6-foot-1 hurler will likely get another shot with the big league club at some point this season, however, he was used in long relief the last time up, and if that is the case next time, he'll hold little fantasy value. With his talent, managers should keep the 23-year-old on their radar, but he's not worth stashing at the moment.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia went 13-for-42 (.310) with two doubles and two home runs in the 12 games following his return to Triple-A Indianapolis earlier this month, but has gone just 3-for-22 (.136) in the six games since without any extra base hits. On the bright side, he's still drawn four walks during that time and stole his first base of the season. The Venezuelan debuted with the Red Sox in 2025 and has played 13 games for the Pirates in 2026, but has done little with his opportunities, going 8-for-42 (.190) with a 32.6 percent strikeout rate during his time in the majors. The Pirates' fourth-ranked prospect makes some loud contact, as evidenced by a 93rd percentile max exit velocity this season of 113.5 at Triple-A, but the right-handed slugger will need to pick it up at the plate to become a stash consideration for fantasy squads. The 23-year-old will likely be back in the big leagues at some point this season, but there is little reason to stash him at this point.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson (back) will make his next minor-league rehab start on Friday, according to Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic. Henderson looked great in his first rehab start on Sunday at Triple-A Nashville, when he threw three scoreless innings on 50 pitches while striking out seven. Manager Pat Murphy said this week that Henderson is expected to come off the 15-day injured list to rejoin the Brewers' starting rotation before the All-Star break, so Friday's rehab outing should be his last. Fantasy managers in need of starting-pitching help should look no further than Henderson, who has gone 5-1 with a 2.23 ERA (2.73 FIP) and 1.01 WHIP with 63 strikeouts and 14 walks in 48 1/3 innings pitched across 10 starts for the Brew Crew since debuting in the big leagues in 2025. He allowed only seven earned runs with six walks and 30 strikeouts in 23 innings over his five starts this year before landing on the IL with his back injury. Henderson is only rostered in 41% of Yahoo leagues, and he could be a difference-maker in the second half.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara reached base three times on Sunday, doubling once and drawing two walks, pushing his season-long on-base percentage to .438, which is good for second-best in all of Triple-A among qualified players. The Brewers' fourth-ranked prospect is now hitting .326 with a .457 slugging percentage, and has also stolen 20 bases so far this season in 73 games. Maybe the most impressive thing is that the switch-hitter is boasting a 15.3 percent walk rate compared to a minuscule 13.7 percent strikeout rate, thanks to a 91st percentile whiff rate. The 21-year-old looks ready to take the next step and should get his opportunity for a major league debut in the second half. With excellent bat-to-ball skills and plenty of speed, along with the ability to hit for extra bases, the 5-foot-7 Venezuelan should be viewed as one of the top bats to stash for fantasy in most leagues.

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Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez capped off his week by reaching base three times on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a walk. The effort pushed his season-long slash line to .288/.367/.536 with 18 home runs and six steals. The Reds' fifth-ranked prospect also owns solid walk (10.6 percent) and strikeout rates (18.9 percent), and is making the case for a second-half call-up. Though there is some chase in his profile (15th percentile), the left-handed hitter doesn't have a problem making decent contact with a 68th percentile whiff rate, while hard-hit rate, barrel rate, xBA, and xwOBA are all 71st percentile or better, not to mention a 93rd percentile max exit velocity. Fantasy managers in deep 12+ team leagues looking for potential home run and RBI production should consider stashing the 22-year-old in an NA spot ahead of his eventual call-up.

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Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan will return to the starting rotation and will pitch on Wednesday versus the Kansas City Royals, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. After that, he'll make one more start against the division-rival New York Yankees before the All-Star break. McClanahan had his turn in the rotation skipped last week, so he'll be on seven days of rest in Kansas City this week. The 29-year-old southpaw is fully healthy, but the Rays are monitoring his workload a bit at the tail end of the first half of the season given his lengthy injury history. He hasn't been as sharp in four June starts, either, going 0-4 with a 5.79 ERA (5.35 FIP) with 16 runs (12 earned) allowed on 25 hits (four homers) while walking nine and striking out 20 in 18 2/3 innings pitched. McClanahan has a 6-5 record, 3.30 ERA (3.40 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, and 73:28 K:BB in 73 2/3 frames across 15 starts in 2026 after missing each of the last two seasons due to injury. He gets a rematch against the Royals after allowing six runs (two earned) while walking one and striking out four in six innings in a loss on June 23 against them.

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Milwaukee Brewers corner infield prospect Luke Adams has been a force at Triple-A Nashville during his limited action so far this season. The Brewers' 12th-ranked prospect missed about a month and a half earlier this year, but in the 32 games he's played, he's collected 26 hits, 15 of which have gone for extra bases, including 10 home runs, giving him a .574 slugging percentage. The 6-foot-4 slugger also owns a solid 11.4 percent walk rate as well and has managed to get hit by a pitch 10 times already, providing the foundation for a .382 on-base percentage. In all, it's resulted in a .956 OPS, which would put him near the top of the leaderboard had he played in enough games to qualify. The 22-year-old is a candidate for a call-up in the second half, and fantasy managers, especially those in very deep or OBP leagues, should put the right-handed hitter on their stash radar.

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Across 267 plate appearances in 2026, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho is hitting .258/.330/.425 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, 31 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. The oft-injured Varsho hit the 10-day injured list earlier this month with a wrist issue, but he returned as soon as eligible and has largely stayed healthy otherwise this season. Varsho's power is down in 2026, as he's logged a 7% barrel rate after posting a 15.9% barrel rate in 2025. However, he's cut his strikeout rate to a career-best 21%, which has helped raise his batting average floor. Varsho is also slugging .472 in June and has three stolen bases this month despite the missed time. If his power/speed profile fully returns in the second half of the season, Varsho could be a highly valuable five-category contributor for fantasy managers. In leagues where he remains available, Varsho should be a priority waiver wire target.

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Across 86 innings (17 starts) in 2026, Cleveland Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo has recorded a 6-3 record with a 3.87 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts. The 26-year-old's WHIP is elevated by his 10.8% walk rate, which limits his value to fantasy managers to some degree. Still, Cantillo has limited opposing batters to a 36.6% hard-hit rate and has been a reliable innings-eater for the Guardians so far this season. Cantillo has also demonstrated a higher upside in recent outings, recording a 28.7% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate across 28 innings (five starts) in June. Especially in more favorable matchups, Cantillo profiles as a quality starting pitcher streamer. His next scheduled start will come on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers in Cleveland.

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Washington Nationals infielder Curtis Mead has been one of the bigger breakout surprises of the 2026 season thus far, hitting .227/.323/.468 with 14 home runs, 39 RBI, 36 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 251 plate appearances. The 25-year-old has reduced his strikeout rate to a career-best 18.7% while upping his barrel rate to a career-high 11%. Mead has also emerged as a near-everyday fixture in the Nationals lineup at third base after opening the year in more of a short side platoon role. He got off to a slow start to the month of June but has turned it on of late, logging six hits and two home runs in his last 21 plate appearances. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Mead profiles as a priority waiver wire target.

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Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Walbert Urena had a rough day in his most recent start, allowing seven earned runs across 4 1/3 innings against the Athletics. However, even with the blowup outing, Urena has been a breakout success story this season for the Angels. Across 71 2/3 innings (15 games), Urena has recorded a 5-6 record with a 3.14 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts. The 22-year-old's WHIP is inflated by his 11.8% walk rate, which is a bit of a concern for fantasy managers. Still, Urena is averaging 97.6 miles per hour on his fastball and owns a 54.5% ground ball rate, which has helped him limit damage via the long ball (0.63 HR/9). Particularly in deeper league formats, Urena profiles as a quality innings eater who should be targeted on the waiver wire where available.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby picked up his MLB-leading 11th win of 2026 on Monday, pitching a scoreless eighth inning in his team's 5-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Ashby has been extremely valuable in a high-leverage bullpen role for Milwaukee so far this season, recording a 3.24 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 68 strikeouts across 50 innings (39 games). The 28-year-old's 12% walk rate inflates his WHIP, but he's also struck out 31.5% of the batters he's faced this year. The Brewers have Trevor Megill entrenched as their closer, so Ashby is unlikely to provide fantasy managers with saves. Still, Ashby's ability to work multiple innings and Milwaukee's willingness to use him in close games has consistently put him in position to pick up wins while racking up strikeouts. Particularly in deeper league formats, Ashby could be worth targeting on the waiver wire.

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MLB.com's Mark Bowman writes that "there's reason to be excited" about what Atlanta Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep "might offer over the next few weeks." In his season debut on Friday against the San Francisco Giants in relief, Waldrep walked four in two innings. He also walked six in 7 2/3 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett before being called up, but four of those came in a rain-soaked, three-inning outing on June 16. Bowman thinks that Waldrep has the higher upside than right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who made the start for the Braves on Friday. Lopez is starting Wednesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, so Waldrep could pitch in relief at some point that night. With Bryce Elder potentially being skipped in Atlanta's rotation due to a recent rough stretch, Waldrep could be the top candidate to make a start or multiple starts before the All-Star break in July. The 24-year-old figures to be a rotation option in the second half after he went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA (3.21 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 55 strikeouts and 22 walks in 56 1/3 innings over 10 outings (nine starts) for the Braves last year. Waldrep is absolutely an upside arm for savvy fantasy managers to stash now. He's rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Atlanta Braves are expected to alter their starting rotation again this week after right-hander Bryce Elder lasted only four innings on Saturday and allowed five earned runs in his most recent outing against the San Francisco Giants, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Elder's velocity was down roughly one mph with each of his pitches. He has a 2.70 ERA in nine starts on regular rest and a 5.56 ERA in his other eight starts in 2026. But his drop in velocity over the weekend will likely lead the Braves to give him extra rest before his next appearance, per Bowman. The 27-year-old's ERA has risen from 1.97 to 4.01, and he's surrendered 29 earned runs in his last 30 innings for an 8.70 ERA. But from Aug. 24 of last year until May 22 of this year, Elder had a 2.30 ERA, which was the fifth-best ERA during that span. There's still reason to believe that Elder can turn things around after his recent rough stretch. If the Braves push Elder back, right-hander Hurston Waldrep is the top candidate to make a start for the Braves.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the Talkin' Yanks podcast that outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) and third baseman Ryan McMahon (illness) will play in a minor-league rehab game with Double-A Somerset on Wednesday and then be activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday for the start of their series at home against the Minnesota Twins. Grisham has been sidelined since the middle of June with a strained right hamstring, but he will be back this weekend as the team's starting center fielder, barring a setback during his rehab game on Wednesday. The 29-year-old former 15th overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015 can provide some pop in the outfield for fantasy managers seeking depth. Through 66 games and 264 plate appearances in 2026 in his third year with the Yanks, Grisham is hitting .232/.341/.406 with a .747 OPS, eight homers, 35 RBI, six steals, and 40 runs scored. Nobody should be expecting him to repeat his career year in 2025, when he hit 34 homers and drove in 74, but Grisham can still be an asset in mixed fantasy leagues when he faces right-handed pitchers.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) said he expects to come off the 60-day injured list to rejoin the team's starting rotation on either Friday or Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles to make his 2026 season debut, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. The 26-year-old is finally ready to rejoin the Reds' starting rotation after having surgery on March 11 to remove bone chips from his right elbow. In his three minor-league rehab starts, Greene looked great, tossing 14 1/3 shutout innings with three hits allowed, two walks, and 13 strikeouts. He got up to 82 pitches in his final rehab appearance on Sunday at Triple-A Louisville, so he should not be limited at all pitch-count-wise this weekend against the O's. Greene will most likely return on the Fourth of July, and fantasy managers who have been holding him all year will be hoping he can provide fireworks immediately. Greene needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats for his high-strikeout, ace upside at the top of Cincy's rotation. He's currently rostered in 73% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the Talkin' Yanks podcast that infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (head) won't be in the starting lineup for Tuesday's clash against the visiting Detroit Tigers after he collided with outfielder Jasson Dominguez in Monday's loss. However, Boone hopes Chisholm is available off the bench. Chisholm took an elbow to his head on Monday night and was put in the concussion protocol. The fact that the 28-year-old might be available off the bench a day later suggests that he might have avoided a concussion and won't land on the seven-day concussion list as we head into July. If Chisholm avoided a concussion, he could be back in action as early as Wednesday's game against Detroit. The two-time All-Star is batting just .222 (63-for-284) on the season with an on-base percentage just over .300 and a 28.7% strikeout rate, but his power (12 homers) and speed (24 stolen bases) make him enticing as a fantasy second baseman in the Bronx. Check back on Wednesday to see if he's back on the field.

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Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith continued his power binge in Monday night's 5-4 loss at home to the visiting Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs to raise his season batting average to .222 and his OPS to .685. The 23-year-old former 14th overall pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2024 out of Florida State University is batting only .222 (63-for-284) on the year with an on-base percentage under .300 and a strikeout rate of 25.3% in 85 games (320 plate appearances), but he has already set a new career high in home runs, and four of his last six hits have cleared the fences. It was good to see Smith flex his muscles again after missing Sunday's series finale against the Detroit Tigers due to a sore foot. Although there is a lot of swing and miss in Smith's game, his current xBA sits at .247, and he also has a .332 xwOBA (.294 wOBA), suggesting that positive regression is due in the second half of his sophomore campaign. Smith sits in the 71st percentile in hard-hit rate and the 80th percentile in barrel rate, so when he is making contact, it has been loud. Fantasy managers seeking power should consider Smith off the waiver wire, and he's widely available, as he's rostered in only 11% of Yahoo leagues.

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