Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (back) will miss a second straight game on Thursday against the Athletics in the series finale at Sutter Health Park after aggravating a back injury on Tuesday night, according to MLB.com. Catcher Salvador Perez will start at first base again and bat cleanup against A's left-hander Jeffrey Springs, with Elias Diaz doing the catching for left-hander Noah Cameron while hitting ninth in the batting order. Pasquantino is not ready to return, plus the Royals are facing a lefty starter. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on the Pasquatch going forward, as he said on Wednesday that he's been dealing with back issues for a while now. It helps explain why he's currently hitting just .167 (17-for-102) in the early portion of the year with three home runs, 14 RBI, and 11 runs scored. If he's unable to return to the Royals' starting lineup for their weekend series in Seattle against the Mariners, he might be forced to the 10-day injured list to let his back heal.

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Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (head, shoulder) remains out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park, according to MLB.com. Carlos Cortes will make another start in left field for the A's and will hit sixth against Royals left-hander Noah Cameron. Soderstrom is still a little banged up from making a diving catch in left field on Tuesday and will sit out for the second straight game. His injury isn't serious at all, though, so fantasy managers should expect the left-handed-hitting slugger to return to action on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Cleveland Guardians. The 28-year-old Cortes has been on fire in the early going of the 2026 season for the A's, batting .400 (26-for-65) with four home runs, 13 RBI, and eight runs scored in his first 24 games. He comes into Thursday's game riding a nine-game hitting streak, going 17-for-30 (.567) with three homers, three doubles, a triple, seven RBI, and four runs scored during that span.

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Baltimore Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers (illness) is dealing with the flu and stayed home the last two days throwing up, which is why the team made the move to put him on the 15-day injured list, manager Craig Albernaz told Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. The skipper expects Rogers back as soon as the minimum 15 days are up. After three straight quality starts to begin the 2026 campaign, Rogers has gone in the wrong direction, allowing 13 runs (12 earned) on 19 hits (three homers) while walking five and striking out 13 in 11 1/3 innings pitched over his last three starts. His placement on the IL will give Rogers plenty of time to overcome the flu and be ready to rejoin Baltimore's starting rotation in a couple of weeks. It's unclear who will take over Rogers' spot in the rotation for the next two turns through, but it could be young left-hander Cade Povich. Fantasy managers holding Rogers should give him the benefit of the doubt and stash him while he recovers from his illness. In 18 starts for the O's in 2025, he had an ERA under 2.00 with 103 K's in 109 2/3 innings.

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Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (hand) expects to start another minor-league rehab assignment next week, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Holliday has been working out at Camden Yards after being pulled off his rehab assignment for a second time with soreness in his surgically-repaired right hand. The 22-year-old suffered a broken hamate bone early in spring training and required surgery, which is why he has yet to appear for Baltimore this year. Hopefully, the third time on a rehab assignment for Holliday is the charm, but there remains no timetable for him to make his 2026 season debut in the majors. In the meantime, Jeremiah Jackson will continue to carve out regular playing time in the keystone in Baltimore. In 56 plate appearances in the minors, Holliday has struggled to the tune of a .176/.250/.235 slash line. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues appear to be getting tired of stashing the former first overall pick, as he's now rostered in under 50% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (forearm) could return to playing the outfield this weekend in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels, manager Carlos Mendoza told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Soto was initially limited to designated hitter after returning from his calf strain last week before dealing with left-forearm tightness. In seven games since returning from the 10-day injured list, Soto has picked up where he left off offensively, going 7-for-24 (.292) with two home runs, a double, three RBI, and two runs scored in seven games played. The 27-year-old Dominican All-Star continues to be an offensive force for the Mets and for fantasy managers, and he's a must-start in all traditional leagues when he's active. Overall in 55 at-bats in 2026, Soto has a .327/.422/.545 slash line with a .967 OPS, three homers, eight RBI, and five runs scored. Even with Soto returning to the outfield soon, both MJ Melendez and Tyrone Taylor could see expanded playing time in New York going forward with Luis Robert Jr. (back) landing on the IL on Thursday.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II will take a seat for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Detroit Tigers with left-hander Framber Valdez on the mound, according to MLB.com. Eli White will make the start in center field for the Braves and will bat ninth. Harris typically starts against lefties, so this is probably just a good time for the Braves to give him a day off. He's gone 7-for-28 (.250) in 30 plate appearances against southpaws so far this year and has one of his six home runs on the season against them. Overall, Harris has been great in 2026, slashing .320/.355/.540 with an .895 OPS, six long balls, 20 RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 29 games played. He's gone 18-for-38 (.474) with four of his six homers in 12 games across the last two weeks. There aren't many players hotter than Harris in the first month of the season, and he should be back in Atlanta's starting nine for their series opener in Colorado against the Rockies on Friday.

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Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart is making a start at third base and will bat cleanup for the Reds in Thursday's series finale against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander Michael Lorenzen, according to MLB.com. Ke'Bryan Hayes is getting the day off, and Nathaniel Lowe will make the start across the diamond at first base for Cincy. This will be Stewart's first start at the hot corner in 2026, although he started four games at third last year and played the position plenty in the minors. If Stewart sees enough playing time at third to gain eligibility at the position in fantasy, it would only add to his rising profile in his first full season in the majors. The 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 has been one of the most productive hitters in baseball through the first month, hitting .288 (32-for-111) with nine home runs, 29 RBI, 19 runs scored, and even seven stolen bases in 30 games played. He leads baseball with his 29 RBI and .442 rOBA. Stewart quickly became a popular waiver-wire pickup in April, and he's now rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-handed closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Thursday for the first time since landing on the 15-day injured list with a left-oblique strain, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Duran has been on the IL for 16 days, but the Phillies are optimistic about his progress, and he could rejoin the back of the Phillies' bullpen soon. The hard-throwing 28-year-old Dominican is rostered in 97% of Yahoo leagues, so there's a slim chance he's available on your league's waiver wire. When healthy, Duran is one of the most dominant closers in baseball. Before going on the IL, he had a 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, five saves, eight strikeouts, and no walks in his 6 2/3 innings pitched. Duran had a career-high 32 saves last year between the Phillies and Minnesota Twins. With Duran sidelined of late, right-hander Brad Keller has emerged as the club's primary option for saves in the ninth inning.

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Atlanta Braves rookie right-hander JR Ritchie will stick around in the team's starting rotation for now, even with Spencer Strider (oblique) set to come off the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies in Denver, manager Walt Weiss told Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 made his major-league debut on April 23 against the Washington Nationals and struck out seven while giving up two earned runs in seven innings for his first big-league victory, and he followed it up with a 5 1/3-inning showing on April 29 against the Detroit Tigers in which he allowed two earned runs while fanning four. Ritchie's next scheduled outing will come against the Seattle Mariners next week, but it's unclear how Atlanta's rotation will adjust after that. For now, Ritchie remains one of the best young arms to roster in fantasy baseball, and it appears he may not be headed back to Triple-A Gwinnett after all. He's rostered in only 36% of Yahoo leagues, so Ritchie is widely available.

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Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger (ankles) is scheduled to run the bases for the first time on Thursday, and he could head for a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend and rejoin the Jays next week, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Barger is recovering from an injury to both of his ankles that he suffered when sliding back on April 5. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter was off to a rough start at the plate before landing on the 10-day injured list, too, going just 1-for-19 with two RBI and a run scored in his first eight games. It's a small sample size, though, and Barger should play regularly in Toronto in right field against right-handed pitchers when he's back to full speed and with the big-league club. The former sixth-round pick in 2018 was a postseason hero for Toronto last fall in their run to the World Series, and he slashed .243/.301/.454 with 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 135 regular-season games in 2025 in his first full year in the majors for the Jays. Barger is rostered in 27% of Yahoo leagues at the moment while he recovers from injuries to both of his ankles.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen (shoulder) will make his next start on Friday in the series opener at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, according to Jack Sommers of Sports Illustrated. He'll be opposed by Cubs right-hander Colin Rea. Gallen was pulled from his last start early last Saturday in Mexico City against the San Diego Padres when he was hit by a comebacker in his right shoulder. The 30-year-old veteran escaped any major damage, though, and was able to throw a normal between-starts bullpen session on Wednesday. Gallen should be prepared for a normal workload on Friday in Chicago, but fantasy managers might want to think twice about using him in their starting lineups against a Cubs team that currently ranks fourth in baseball in OPS (.777). Gallen has allowed just 10 earned runs in 28 2/3 innings pitched in his first six starts of the season, but he's also only struck out 17 batters. It's definitely not an ideal matchup for an aging pitcher coming off an injury, even if it wasn't serious.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (elbow), who is on the 15-day injured list after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, said that he feels "really good" and is "100% confident" that he will be back to full strength for the second half of the 2026 season, according to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. Diaz won't start a throwing program until after his stitches are removed in a couple of weeks. His injury was a disappointment for the organization after they signed Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract in the offseason, the highest average annual value ever given to a reliever. The 32-year-old reliever needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for the rest of the first half of the year, as Diaz could be a difference-maker down the stretch for a Dodgers team looking to win their third straight World Series championship. In the meantime, the Dodgers will continue to go with a committee approach in the ninth inning, which includes lefties Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia, and right-hander Blake Treinen.

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The New York Mets officially announced on Thursday that they placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 27) with a lumbar spine disc herniation and recalled infielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Robert's MRI exam revealed a herniation in his back, which is an injury that will most likely keep him out for much longer than 10 days, especially when considering Robert's lengthy injury history. It's disappointing news for the struggling Mets and for Robert, who has hit just .224 (19-for-85) with two home runs, eight RBI, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 24 games in his first season with the team. Fantasy managers should be looking to stash Robert for his high-end power/speed upside when he's healthy, but they should also be prepared for a potentially lengthy absence. In the meantime, both MJ Melendez and Tyrone Taylor could see an extended run in the Mets' outfield with Robert sidelined.

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Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (ankle) threw to live hitters in Arizona on Tuesday, and president of baseball operations JJ Picollo said that his velocity was "closer to what it needed to be," according to Cody Tapp of 96.5 The Fan. It's good news, but Tapp also guesses that Estevez is two weeks from a potential return to KC's bullpen. He's expected to throw to live hitters again later this week before potentially starting a minor-league rehab assignment. The 33-year-old veteran is recovering from a left-ankle contusion that he suffered in his first and only outing of 2026, in which he was hit by a comebacker on the mound. Not only was Estevez injured, but his velocity had been down, dating back to spring training in March, so the Royals are likely working on his mechanics as he rehabs. It remains to be seen if Estevez will have an opportunity to retake the closer's role when he's reinstated from the 15-day injured list. Fill-in closer Lucas Erceg has seven saves in his 12 1/3 innings pitched, but he's been inconsistent with a 4.38 ERA and 1.62 WHIP. Despite Estevez's blowup in his only outing of the year and his injury, he's currently rostered in 65% of Yahoo leagues.

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Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman is on a homer binge of late, and that continued in the team's 13-2 blowout win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. Goodman went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, four runs scored, and a walk to raise his season average to .269 and his OPS to .932 in 28 games played. The 26-year-old backstop brings high-end power to the weak catching position, and he's now hit four home runs in the last five games while going 8-for-21 during that span. He was a first-time All-Star in 2025, when he hit .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs and 91 RBI in 144 games in his breakout season. Goodman is once again on pace for another strong season in the homer department, but he won't be able to sustain a high average if he continues to strike out over 35% of the time on offense. On the season, Goodman is hitting .269 (28-for-104) with nine round-trippers, 14 RBI, 23 runs, and a stolen base.

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Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli was hit around a bit in Wednesday's victory over the division-rival New York Mets, but he still managed to pick up his first win of the 2026 season, allowing two earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10 in six innings. It was Cavalli's second quality start of the year, and he was able to generate 18 swings and misses despite giving up a season-high eight hits and his first home run of the year. It was nice to see the 27-year-old go deeper in an outing. He's now 1-1 with a 3.82 ERA (2.82 FIP) and 1.66 WHIP with 38 strikeouts and 14 walks in 30 2/3 innings pitched over his seven starts. Efficiency and length have been issues for Cavalli early in the 2026 campaign, but perhaps his outing on Wednesday will be a turning point. He has another plus matchup upcoming in his next scheduled outing versus the Minnesota Twins. Cavalli is currently rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues, but he could quickly become a popular waiver-wire pickup if he has a second straight strong outing.

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Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (arm) had a tough go of it in his first minor-league rehab start on Tuesday with Double-A Corpus Christi, allowing five earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out two in his two innings of work. Imai threw a total of 59 pitches in the outing. The 27-year-old is on the 15-day injured list due to right-arm fatigue after just three starts for the Astros in his first year in the big leagues. It definitely is an inauspicious start for the Japanese native, but he'll continue to build up his arm for a return to the Astros' starting rotation at some point in May. Imai will most likely need a couple more rehab starts on the farm before Houston feels comfortable reinserting him into their rotation. In his three starts before landing on the IL, Imai struggled to the tune of a 7.27 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, and 13:11 K:BB in just 8 2/3 frames. He's going to need to improve his control drastically to have any consistent success for fantasy managers. Imai is currently rostered in exactly half of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) allowed three earned runs on three hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out three in 5 2/3 innings on Wednesday in his latest minor-league rehab start for Double-A Somerset. Cole threw 45 of his 60 pitches for strikes in his third rehab start. The 35-year-old veteran has now allowed four home runs in his three rehab starts, posting a 4.40 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and only one walk. The only news that really matters is that Cole is healthy and progressing after the Tommy John surgery he had at the start of last year, which kept him from pitching for the Yankees all season. Cole will likely need another rehab start or two before the Yankees feel comfortable reinstating him from the injured list, but his 2026 season debut is getting closer. The six-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner will ease back into the Yankees' starting rotation when he returns, but he could be a difference-maker eventually in 2026 in fantasy and should be stashed everywhere. Cole is currently rostered in 84% of Yahoo leagues.

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Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery is 15-for-47 (.319) over his last 12 games and has smashed five homers with 12 RBI and a .463 wOBA. The lefty has a 54.5% hard-hit rate over that span and a 41.4% hard-hit rate on the season. His recent success has been a little overshadowed by the hype around Munetaka Murakami, but Montgomery is also starting to heat up in the middle of the White Sox lineup, which is full of exciting young hitters to add to your lineup headed into the summer with warmer weather in Chicago. Montgomery and the White Sox are in San Diego for their weekend series, which gets underway on Friday night with a favorable matchup against German Marquez.

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Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez has been locked in at the plate over the last few weeks and is posting some of the best offensive numbers in baseball. Alvarez has 11 homers, just one off the MLB lead, and he has hit safely in 13 straight games, coming into Thursday's doubleheader in Baltimore. Alvarez is 21-for-54 (.389) over that hitting streak with five doubles, five homers, a .502 wOBA, a 52.9% hard-hit rate, and a 15.7 barrel rate. He has a 14.9% walk rate and just a 8.2% strikeout rate, showing elite plate discipline and almost always putting the ball in play. He has proven in the past that he can get hot and carry the Astros' offense and post great fantasy numbers, and he's in the middle of another very productive stretch after putting last year's injuries squarely behind him.

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