Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said that he doesn't expect left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) to start games this season, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network. Hoyer pointed toward a healthy 2027 season for Steele but didn't rule out Steele helping in a relief role at some point late in the summer. The 30-year-old southpaw had surgery on his UCL last May and suffered a setback in late April when he was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left arm. Steele resumed throwing on Monday, but fantasy managers can't count on him to be an asset as a starter this season, which won't make him stash-worthy in the majority of formats. The former fifth-rounder in 2014 was a first-time All-Star for the Cubs in 2023 in his third year in the big leagues, and he has a 3.30 ERA (3.49 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, 24.4% strikeout rate, and 7.3% walk rate in 506 2/3 innings across 102 big-league appearances (91 starts) in his five seasons with the Cubs. Steele is rostered in only 8% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Cincinnati Reds officially activated shortstop Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned outfielder Will Benson to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Fantasy managers should be ready to get De La Cruz back into their starting lineups against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Brandon Sproat on Tuesday. The 24-year-old has yet to play in June due to a strained right hamstring, but now that he's back, he'll return to being a must-start fantasy asset in all formats. Middle infielder Matt McLain will shift back to second base with De La Cruz back in the fold. De La Cruz is a five-category contributor as one of the elite athletes in the big leagues. He is returning to a .280/.346/.509 slash line with an .855 OPS, 12 home runs, 37 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 40 runs scored across his 58 games played and 257 plate appearances. De La Cruz has had at least 22 homers and 37 stolen bases in his first two full MLB seasons.

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Cincinnati Reds right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan (hamstring) threw a 25-pitch live bullpen session on Monday and said he expects to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday with Triple-A Louisville, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. The original plan was for Pagan to pitch in rehab games on Thursday and Saturday, but he's hoping he can return from the 15-day injured list sooner than that. The 35-year-old veteran is finally nearing a return to the back end of Cincy's bullpen after being sidelined since early May due to a Grade 2 left-hamstring strain that he suffered at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Right-handed reliever Tony Santillan has pitched better recently as manager Terry Francona's preferred closing option in the ninth inning, but the expectation is that Pagan will return to the closer's role when he returns from the IL, potentially this weekend. Even though Pagan wasn't exactly pitching well before his hamstring injury, he did have six saves in 15 outings, and he has 71 career saves in 10 big-league seasons. Pagan is rostered in 63% of Yahoo leagues. Fantasy managers in need of saves need to pick him up now.

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Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd's (knee, shoulder) next start will be with the Cubs, manager Craig Counsell told Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. It's unclear when Boyd's next start will come, but Thursday at the New York Mets is in play. However, things could change after the team's game against the Mets was postponed on Monday due to inclement weather. If Boyd is pushed back to this weekend, he'll have a much more difficult matchup on the road against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw will be a shaky fantasy play, regardless, in his first game back after being sidelined since early May after having surgery on his meniscus. Boyd then had a setback due to left-shoulder soreness that kept him sidelined even longer. After making the All-Star team for the first time in his career in 2025, Boyd has gone 2-1 for the Cubs this season with a 6.00 ERA (2.35 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, and 31:6 K:BB in 24 innings across five starts. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be as good as he was in 2025, but Boyd still offers plenty of streaming potential as a crafty veteran with excellent command.

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After posting a .653 OPS across his first 129 plate appearances of the season, Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville in early May. Since his demotion, Ramirez has shown off his five-category upside, hitting .240/.309/.424 with six home runs, 17 RBI, 21 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 139 plate appearances. The 24-year-old also proved he can produce at the big-league level in 2025, hitting 21 home runs and stealing 16 bases across 585 plate appearances. Defense is the big question mark for Ramirez, who graded out as one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball last season. Still, Miami recently placed catcher/designated hitter Liam Hicks (back) on the 10-day injured list, which could be the opportunity Ramirez needs to get back to the Majors. Fantasy managers in need of upside at the catcher position may want to consider stashing Ramirez ahead of his impending return.

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Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that right-hander Eury Perez (thigh) felt great on Monday during his pitch design and was "sneezing 95," according to Marlins reporter Jeremy Tache. It sounds like Perez is getting close to coming off the 15-day injured list and rejoining the Marlins' starting rotation. The 23-year-old could be reinstated from the IL to start on Wednesday in a good matchup against the Texas Rangers as long as he recovers well from his throwing session on Monday. Perez has been sidelined for four weeks due to a right-gracilis muscle strain. Although a matchup against Texas this week is enticing for fantasy managers, keep in mind that Perez only threw 51 pitches in his lone minor-league rehab start, so he will likely be limited from a pitch-count perspective if he returns to the rotation this week. The Dominican hurler will be returning to a 3-6 record, 4.60 ERA (4.66 FIP), and 1.26 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 28 walks in 62 2/3 innings across his 12 starts. Perez has a nice 27.2% strikeout rate this year, but he also carries a career-high 10.6% walk rate.

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Baltimore Orioles infielder/outfielder Blaze Alexander (knee) was pulled from Monday's game early against the Los Angeles Angels with discomfort in his right knee, according to Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com. Manager Craig Albernaz said that Alexander has a muscle contusion from fouling a ball off his knee, and it locked up on him when he sat down ahead of the third inning. Albernaz said Alexander will be fine, but he could be held out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Angels. Alexander was hitless in his only at-bat on Monday with a strikeout before Coby Mayo replaced him at third base in the eventual 6-1 win in Anaheim. The 27-year-old should be considered day-to-day for now. Alexander has been a huge asset for the O's in 2026 in his first year in Baltimore, hitting .310 (53-for-171) with three home runs, 23 RBI, eight stolen bases, and 22 runs scored across 67 games played. He's eligible at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues and is rostered in 18% of those formats.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) won't resume throwing yet, interim manager Chad Tracy said on Monday. Crochet had a scheduled re-evaluation of his shoulder on Monday, which showed that he is "improving." However, it wasn't enough for Crochet to take the next step in his recovery. The 27-year-old southpaw has been on the injured list since late April with inflammation in his left shoulder, and he encountered a setback along the way in early June when he suffered a low-grade lat strain. Crochet said that his shoulder is the bigger issue. He has been throwing a plyometric ball while he rehabs, but he's not to the point where he can pick up a real baseball yet. We already know that Crochet will be out beyond the mid-July All-Star break, and we don't have a specific timetable for when he might be able to rejoin Boston's big-league starting rotation. The two-time All-Star has league-winning upside when fully healthy, but he's been a major disappointment in 2026 in his second year in Boston, posting a 6.30 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts in 30 innings over just six starts.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) was pulled from Monday's game early against the Toronto Blue Jays with a cramp in his right hamstring, the team announced. Before leaving the contest, Pena was 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored as the Astros' leadoff hitter. Raynel Delgado moved from third base to shortstop to fill in for Pena to finish out the 4-2 loss to Toronto at the Rogers Centre. Carlos Correa (ankle) is out for the season, and Nick Allen (hamstring) is also on the injured list, so if the 28-year-old Pena misses more time with his hamstring injury, the Astros' infield depth will be tested. It doesn't sound like a very serious injury for Pena, though, and he should be considered day-to-day for now. Check back later on Tuesday to see if he's available to return to the starting nine as the series in Toronto against the Jays continues. Pena has missed time with injuries already this year, but he's hitting a strong .286/.345/.453 with a .798 OPS, six homers, 18 RBI, seven steals, and 29 runs scored in his 42 games across 177 plate appearances.

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Entering 2026, San Diego Padres outfielder Samad Taylor had logged just 14 big league plate appearances since the start of 2024. However, the 27-year-old posted a .906 OPS across 222 Triple-A plate appearances to open the year, earning himself a promotion to the big leagues in early June. Taylor has performed well in a limited sample size since being called up, hitting .340/.400/.420 with one home run, eight RBI, 11 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 57 plate appearances. Taylor has struck out in 28.8% of his trips to the plate, so his batting average is likely to drop as his .485 batting average on balls in play regresses to the mean. Still, Taylor offers elite speed upside as long as he can hold onto a regular role. He stole 44 bases across 137 games at Triple-A in 2025 and 50 across 136 Triple-A games in 2024. For deeper league managers in need of speed, Taylor is a viable waiver wire target.

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The Minnesota Twins activated outfield prospect Walker Jenkins (shoulder) from the seven-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, according to Milb.com. Jenkins has been sidelined since May 3 with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, but he's expected to rejoin the Saints' starting lineup on Tuesday. Now that Jenkins is back in action, fantasy managers in deeper redraft leagues should consider stashing the Twins' top prospect with the first half of the season coming to an end soon. The 21-year-old former fifth overall pick in 2023 has hit an impressive .302/.422/.481 with a .903 OPS, four home runs, 12 RBI, 20 runs scored, and five stolen bases in just 29 games in 2026 with St. Paul, Single-A Fort Myers, and High-A Cedar Rapids. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has a smooth and repeatable swing from the left side of the plate and offers plus raw power potential for the long term in Minnesota. Jenkins is currently rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte opened the 2026 season at Triple-A and dominated, hitting .348 with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases across 177 plate appearances. The 22-year-old's strong performance earned him a promotion to the big leagues in mid-May. Bolte has maintained his impressive production since being called up, hitting .315/.400/.414 with two home runs, 10 RBI, 11 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across 130 plate appearances in the big leagues. Bolte's elevated 28.5% strikeout rate is a bit of a concern, and his 5.3% barrel rate does not suggest high-end power upside. However, Bolte's elite speed and his 50% hard-hit rate should allow him to continue to run a high batting average on balls in play. If he can ever learn to elevate the ball a bit more (63.2% ground ball rate), Bolte's power could take off as well. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Bolte profiles as a must-add outfielder ahead of a potential breakout season.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (elbow) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Saturday and is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Tuesday, according to Theodore Tollefson. Ober's bullpen over the weekend was his first time throwing off the mound since he landed on the 15-day injured list on May 31 with a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. He's making progress, but we won't have a better read on when he might be able to rejoin Minnesota's starting rotation until he faces live hitters. It's unclear if Ober will need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning. If the 30-year-old veteran only needs one rehab start in the minors, he will have a shot to return to the big leagues before the All-Star break next month. The former 12th-rounder in 2017 out of the College of Charleston has gone 6-3 this year with a 4.59 ERA (4.96 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 66 2/3 frames across 12 starts. Ober isn't a hard thrower and has a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate so far in 2026, so his fantasy ceiling remains limited. He's currently rostered in under 20% of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs.

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New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt opened the 2026 season in a part-time role, logging just 33 plate appearances through the end of April. However, a late-April injury to Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (calf) opened the door for Goldschmidt and Yankees first baseman Ben Rice to both log everyday playing time. The veteran Goldschmidt has taken full advantage of the opportunity, hitting .293/.355/.543 with 12 home runs, 37 RBI, 27 runs scored, and one stolen base across 203 plate appearances. His barrel rate, which dipped to 7.9% in 2025, is back up to 11.7% this season. He's also remained absolutely dominant against left-handed pitching, posting a 1.222 OPS across 85 plate appearances versus southpaws. Goldschmidt's playing time could take a hit once Stanton is healthy. Still, Stanton is currently without a firm return timeline, and Goldschmidt has been too good for the Yankees to fully remove him from his current role. At least until Stanton returns, Goldschmidt should be viewed as a must-start first baseman by fantasy managers.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar did not make his 2026 debut until June 5 after having offseason surgery on both heels. However, the 28-year-old has performed well since his return, hitting .269/.371/.442 with two home runs, seven RBI, and 10 runs scored across 62 plate appearances. The lefty-swinging Nootbaar posted a .580 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025 and has logged just 11 plate appearances against southpaws so far in 2026, so he profiles as a big-side platoon bat. Still, Nootbaar has been a productive player when healthy. He owns a career 12.9% walk rate across over 2,000 big-league plate appearances. He's also logged a double-digit barrel rate and a hard-hit rate over 50% since the start of the 2025 season. If he can avoid the injury bug the rest of the way, Nootbaar should be a solid source of power and counting stats for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.

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Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (hand) is making progress and is taking swings in the batting cage as well as catching bullpen sessions, according to Theodore Tollefson. Jeffers has been sidelined on the 10-day injured list since May 19 with a hand injury that required surgery. The 29-year-old right-handed-hitting backstop still has some boxes to check, most notably facing live pitching, before he returns, and he could need a short minor-league rehab assignment as well. It remains to be seen if Jeffers will return from the IL before the All-Star break in mid-July. In the meantime, veteran Victor Caratini has swung the bat well for the Twins as their primary catcher with Jeffers out. Before injuring his hand, Jeffers was swinging the bat well, slashing .295/.408/.541 with a .949 OPS, seven home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 122 at-bats. Fantasy managers looking for an upgrade at the catcher position might want to stash Jeffers now. He's currently rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues.

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Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield has been a revelation so far in 2026, hitting .279/.357/.480 with 12 home runs, 42 RBI, and 35 runs scored across 305 plate appearances. The 26-year-old was stuck in the New York Yankees' farm system from 2022 through 2025 and never got a chance to make his MLB debut with New York despite posting an .825 OPS across 587 plate appearances at Triple-A last season. However, Rumfield was acquired by Colorado over the offseason and has emerged as the Rockies' everyday first baseman. With a 6.2% barrel rate and a 31.9% hard-hit rate, Rumfield's underlying contact metrics do not suggest high-end power upside. Still, he limits swing-and-miss (14.8% strikeout rate), and his hitter-friendly home park in Colorado should help keep his production relatively stable. Particularly in deeper leagues, Rumfield profiles as a solid waiver wire target in the midst of his breakout campaign.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (illness) has been scratched from his start on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to an illness, according to Aaron Gleeman. Left-hander Kendry Rojas will make the start on Tuesday in place of Ryan in what will likely be a bullpen game. It's unclear whether Ryan will be pushed back to the team's series finale at Target Field on Wednesday against the Dodgers or if he'll be ready to pitch later this week against the Colorado Rockies. The 30-year-old has been a must-start for fantasy managers in 2026 in his sixth year in the big leagues, as Ryan has gone 5-3 with a career-low 2.99 ERA (2.81 FIP) and 0.99 WHIP with 99 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 87 1/3 innings across 16 starts. He has at least seven strikeouts in five of his last six outings, and he's allowed eight earned runs while walking four and striking out 29 in 23 innings in his four starts in June. Whenever Ryan toes the rubber again, fantasy managers should be putting him back in their starting lineups.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel (elbow) is dealing with swelling in his elbow but doesn't have any ligament damage, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Abel was getting close to coming off the 15-day injured list to rejoin the Twins' starting rotation, but he had a setback last Friday, which prompted the team to send him for an MRI exam. It's good news that the 24-year-old isn't dealing with any ligament damage, but it remains to be seen if he will return to the major-league roster before next month's All-Star break. He's been on the shelf since April 20 and has made two minor-league rehab starts for Triple-A St. Paul, allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits while walking none and striking out 10 in eight innings pitched. The former 15th overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020 has only appeared in four games (three starts) for the Twins this year, but when healthy, he should have a spot waiting for him in Minnesota's starting rotation, making him a stash candidate in deeper fantasy leagues when he nears his return again. Abel is currently rostered in just 16% of Yahoo leagues.

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Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes has showcased electric stuff this season and has intriguing fantasy upside as the youngest pitcher in the majors this season. He just turned 21 less than a week ago, but has appeared in 22 games this season for Atlanta, working in relief in all but one of those outings. While his long-term future is likely in the rotation, he has been effective out of the bullpen lately, allowing just two runs in his last 16 appearances for a 1.06 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 17 innings. He has earned three holds and a save over that stretch, and he could continue to work his way into more high-leverage situations as the season goes on. The Braves could also opt to move the youngster back to the rotation if a need arises, giving him multiple ways that he can help your team down the road. In deep leagues, he can be a sneaky stash now that he's having success in the MLB.

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