Washington Nationals first baseman/third baseman Curtis Mead has become a regular part of his team's batting order, usually hitting third in the young lineup and providing nice run-production potential. Mead has swatted six homers in his last 20 games while going 18-for-73 (.247) with two doubles, 12 runs scored, and 15 RBI over that span. He has a 14% barrel rate to go with his 42.1% hard-hit rate, so there isn't anything flukey about his production. The 25-year-old righty has solid splits and has been very solid this season, cutting down his K% from 23.9% last year to 17.2% this year and increasing his BB% from 5.7% to 12.3%. His improved plate discipline has definitely helped his power production, and he can be a solid pickup in almost all formats if you need corner infield help.

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Washington Nationals relief pitcher Orlando Ribalta has been very effective as a setup man for the Nationals this season and could be a key name to watch if Clayton Beeter stumbles as closer. Ribalta has posted an impressive 1.80 ERA with a 3.40 FIP in his 20 appearances this season, earning two saves and four holds over 20 innings. He only has 14 strikeouts, so he isn't an elite strikeout producer, but he has limited his walks and only allowed a .171 batting average against him. Ribalta isn't a must-add until his role changes in standard-sized leagues, but he's definitely pitching effectively enough to watch closely. In shallower leagues where bullpen arms are stretched thin, he could be a nice speculative pickup from the waiver wire if you're trying to get ahead of the ever-shifting bullpen roles in Washington.

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Detroit Tigers' 3B Colt Keith had six RBIs going 3-for-4 with three home runs in a 9-3 win over Houston on Monday, Jun. 15.

Rangers' SP MacKenzie Gore recorded 10 strikeouts in 7 innings but took the loss in a 4-2 loss to the Twins on Monday, Jun. 15.

Las Vegas Athletics' 1B Nick Kurtz had five RBIs going 3-for-4 with two home runs in a 11-2 win over the Pirates on Monday, Jun. 15.

Reds' 3B Eugenio Suarez had six RBIs going 2-for-4 with two home runs in a 12-0 win over the Mets on Monday, Jun. 15.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong accomplished something special in Monday night's series opener at Wrigley Field in a 5-4 walk-off win over the visiting Colorado Rockies. Crow-Armstrong went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate to hit for the cycle while driving in two runs and scoring once as Chicago's leadoff hitter. It was the first cycle of the 24-year-old's career, and he hit his 13th home run in the process. With the rare performance, PCA is now hitting .277 on the season with an .844 OPS, and he's been incredibly hot offensively of late, hitting .452 with 10 extra-base hits in his last 10 games. Crow-Armstrong was a first-time All-Star in his second full season in the big leagues with the Cubs in 2025, reaching 31 homers, 95 RBI, 35 stolen bases, and 91 runs scored in 157 regular-season games, but he tanked in the second half. His plate discipline is still a work in progress, as he's in just the ninth percentile in chase rate and the 26th percentile in strikeout rate, but he's in the 89th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 77th percentile in xwOBA. Crow-Armstrong can be a streaky hitter, but he's as dynamic as they come when he's on a roll, and it's safe to say he's on a nice little roll right now.

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Detroit Tigers infielder Colt Keith had a day to remember on Monday night in Houston in the Tigers' 9-3 win over the hosting Astros at Daikin Park. Keith went 3-for-4 at the plate with three home runs, a career-high six RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season batting average to .267 and his OPS to .701. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter went 62 games to begin the 2026 season without clearing the fences before hitting his first home run of the year on June 11 against the Minnesota Vikings, and now he sits at four round-trippers after an out-of-nowhere display of power. The former fifth-rounder in 2020 came into Monday's series opener with a .257/.299/.335 slash line, .634 OPS, just one home run, 10 RBI, 24 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 191 at-bats. Keith hit exactly 13 home runs in each of his first two years in the big leagues. He's on a homer binge right now, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect it to last. Keith has minimal power and speed, but he is eligible at first, second, and third base in Yahoo leagues, which makes him more attractive as bench depth in deeper fantasy leagues.

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St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May had all of his stuff working during his start at Busch Stadium on Monday night in the team's 3-0 victory. May threw a complete-game, nine-inning shutout with only one hit allowed, one walk, and nine strikeouts to win his fifth game of the year and lower his season ERA to 3.75. In his last two games, May has thrown 15 shutout innings with five hits allowed, two walks, and 15 strikeouts, so he's clearly been locked in the zone lately. The 28-year-old former third-rounder by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 had a perfect game going against San Diego through six innings before walking outfielder/second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. to start the seventh frame. Third baseman Manny Machado broke up the no-hitter later that same inning. Since May 27, May has given up three earned runs or fewer in four straight starts, which has built his case as a waiver-wire pickup in fantasy baseball. May could have another stellar start this weekend on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. Run to the waiver wire and grab him. He's only rostered in 53% of Yahoo leagues.

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Cleveland Guardians left-handed reliever Erik Sabrowski (elbow) was scheduled to begin his minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday with High-A Lake County, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. Lake County's game ended up getting rained out on Sunday, so the 28-year-old's next chance to make a rehab appearance will come on Tuesday. Sabrowski landed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left elbow on May 25, but if he can avoid a setback in a couple of rehab games, he could be back in Cleveland's bullpen by the weekend. Although Sabrowski is merely a late-inning setup man for the Guards in front of closer Cade Smith, he has become relevant in deeper fantasy leagues that reward holds for his dominant performance so far in 2026. Before injuring his elbow, the Canadian hurler went 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA (1.87 FIP) and 0.95 WHIP with 39 strikeouts and 13 walks in 21 innings out of the bullpen. He's currently rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues. Despite missing time with an injury, Sabrowski is tied for the major-league lead in holds (17) with St. Louis' JoJo Romero.

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The Kansas City Royals announced that they have transferred relief pitcher Carlos Estevez (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list. It's a procedural move for the team, as Estevez has been out since late March and remains eligible to return at any time. The veteran right-hander first hit the IL with a foot injury, but then suffered a rotator cuff strain during a rehab appearance in early May. Estevez was shelled in his lone outing of 2026, allowing six earned runs while recording just one out. His average fastball velocity in that appearance was 91.3 miles per hour, a significant drop-off from his average fastball velocity of 96.1 mph in 2025. Estevez was a highly valuable fantasy closer in 2025, pitching to a 2.45 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 54 strikeouts and 42 saves across 66 innings. Kansas City has had major difficulty filling the ninth-inning role this season, so Estevez could immediately take over as the closer upon his return. However, the 33-year-old currently remains without a firm return timetable and has yet to progress to throwing off a mound.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) will make his second rehab start in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday before the Brewers "decide if he's ready to rejoin their rotation," per MLB.com. Woodruff has been sidelined since late April due to right shoulder inflammation. The 33-year-old was effective before being placed on the injured list, recording a 2-1 record with a 3.60 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts across 30 innings (six starts). However, the veteran right-hander has been battling shoulder issues for multiple seasons now and has not made more than 12 starts in a season since 2022. He was able to throw 68 pitches in his first Complex League start, but allowed five hits and three earned runs across 3 2/3 innings. Woodruff remains worth rostering in deeper fantasy leagues when healthy, but his production is difficult to project given his injury history.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (shoulder, knee) is scheduled to throw a bullpen on Tuesday before the Cubs "figure out what's next," according to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Boyd has been sidelined since early May. He was initially placed on the injured list due to a torn meniscus in his knee. However, he started experiencing shoulder soreness while rehabbing the knee injury. The shoulder is likely the larger issue for Boyd at this point, but it appears he could be getting close to going back out on a rehab assignment. Across 24 innings (five starts) in 2026, Boyd has recorded a 2-1 record with a 6.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts. While his ERA in a small sample size is unsightly, his 25% K-BB rate and 2.35 FIP suggest he's due for better results. Boyd's profile comes with significant injury risk, but he could be worth stashing off the waiver wire ahead of his potential return.

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Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, per Stephen Strom of 104.3 WQAM. Strom reports that Perez is expected to pitch 3-4 innings and/or throw about 50 pitches. Perez has been on the 15-day injured list since late May with a hamstring strain, but it appears he's getting close to making his return to the Marlins rotation. Across 62 2/3 innings (12 starts) before the injury, the 23-year-old recorded a 3-6 record with a 4.60 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts. With his average fastball velocity of 98.3 miles per hour and his 27.2% strikeout rate, Perez remains a high-upside starting pitcher option for fantasy managers. However, he's struggled with both command (10.6% walk rate) and home runs (1.58 HR/9) so far this season.

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Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (oblique) took live at-bats on Monday after his scheduled rehab appearance with Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday was rained out, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McTaggart reports that Houston "wants (Diaz) activated" on Tuesday so he can be behind the plate for Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (shoulder), who is scheduled to return from the 60-day injured list to start against the Detroit Tigers. Diaz has not appeared in the big leagues since early May due to an oblique strain. He got off to a slow start before the injury, hitting .238/.255/.347 with two home runs, 14 RBI, and seven runs scored across 106 plate appearances. However, the 27-year-old hit .256 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI across 567 plate appearances in 2025. Fantasy managers in need of help behind the plate should consider targeting Diaz on the waiver wire ahead of his return.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (wrist) was removed from Monday night's game early against the division-rival Miami Marlins with a right-wrist bruise, according to Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Turner will be evaluated further after the game. Before being hit by a pitch on his right hand, Turner went 0-for-3 in the contest to drop his season average to .216 and his OPS to .594. Edmundo Sosa replaced him at the 6 and would likely see most of the starts at shortstop for the Phils going forward if Turner is forced to miss additional time. Fantasy managers will want to check back later or on Tuesday morning for an update on Turner's condition. The three-time All-Star came into Monday's contest with an ugly .219/.269/.330 slash line, a career-worst .598 OPS, seven home runs, 21 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 41 runs scored in a league-high 288 at-bats and 70 games played in his 12th year in the big leagues. Positive regression should be coming for the veteran shortstop, but not much, as he sits with an xBA OF .231 and an xSLG of just .344. Turner sits in just the 37th percentile in hard-hit rate and the ninth percentile in xwOBA.UPDATE: X-rays on Turner's right wrist came back negative, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

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Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (side) left Monday night's game early against the Houston Astros with a left-side injury after swinging at a first-pitch fastball in the second inning, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Before leaving, Torres went 0-for-1 at the plate with a strikeout. He was replaced at second base by Hao-Yu Lee. The 29-year-old Torres had just returned from the injured list in early June with a left-oblique strain, so he could very well be going right back on the IL with a similar injury. The Venezuelan infielder makes a lot of contact and gets on base thanks to a strong eye at the plate, but otherwise, he doesn't move the needle all that much for fantasy managers. Coming into Monday's series opener against Houston at Daikin Park, Torres was slashing .282/.397/.397 with a .794 OPS, only four home runs, 18 RBI, and 26 runs scored in 156 at-bats in 2026. Since returning from the IL on June 2, he had gone 14-for-40 (.350) with two homers, four doubles, seven RBI, and eight runs scored in 10 games played, so this would be extremely bad timing for a setback with his previously injured oblique.

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Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) threw a simulated game on Monday instead of returning to the starting rotation to face his former team, the Houston Astros, according to the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. In four innings during his sim game, Verlander threw 66 pitches while facing Hao-Yu Lee, Jake Rogers, and Wenceel Perez. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer isn't a lock to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to rejoin the Tigers' starting rotation next, so he could be asked to throw another simulated game or make a minor-league rehab start first. If he does make his next start in the big leagues, it would likely come this Saturday against the division-rival Chicago White Sox in what would be a clear matchup to stay away from. The nine-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young winner, and former MVP doesn't have much left in the tank at this point in his outstanding career, and fantasy managers should have plenty of better upside options available off the waiver wire. Even with Verlander nearing a return to Detroit, he's only rostered in 4% of Yahoo leagues.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring) could start a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend if his recovery continues to go well over the coming days, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Hernandez said that his left hamstring is improving and that it's a "big week" of baseball activities for the first time since he went on the 10-day injured list. The 33-year-old Dominican veteran was placed on the IL in late May with a Grade 1 left-hamstring strain, but if everything goes well this week and he avoids a setback on his rehab assignment, Hernandez could rejoin the Dodgers' roster at some point next week. The two-time All-Star was hitting at a strong .276/.348/.436 clip with a .785 OPS, seven home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 51 games across 204 plate appearances for the Blue before landing on the shelf. Hernandez is a great fantasy asset in points leagues in the heart of the Dodgers' stacked lineup when he's healthy, and he's rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues despite his nearly month-long absence.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Edwin Diaz (elbow) is "coming along really well" and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this week, manager Dave Roberts told The California Post's Jack Harris. Diaz is still eyeing a post-All-Star break return, but the Dodgers are encouraged with his progress. The hard-throwing reliever last appeared in a game for L.A. on April 19 against the Colorado Rockies before having surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. "He's been playing catch, he should be throwing a bullpen here this week," Roberts added. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican veteran got off to a rough start in his first year with the Dodgers before needing elbow surgery, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits with five walks, 10 strikeouts, and four saves in six innings pitched over just four appearances. Diaz's fantasy stock for the rest of the year has obviously taken a big hit due to his elbow injury -- he's now rostered in only 78% of Yahoo leagues -- but he deserves to be stashed in most fantasy leagues while he recovers. Diaz is a three-time All-Star who has 257 career saves and the potential to be a high-end closer for fantasy managers to close out the 2026 season. Until he returns, left-hander Tanner Scott figures to continue seeing most of the save chances in L.A.

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