Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (rib) has made significant progress in his recovery from torn cartilage in his left rib cage. Casas was scheduled to be examined on Thursday by the team's medical staff, and the Red Sox should have a better idea of when he'll be cleared to start swinging following that evaluation. He's been doing other baseball activities recently, including taking grounders and throwing, and Casas might have a chance to return to Boston when he's first eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on June 21. The 24-year-old former top prospect was slashing a promising .244/.344/.513 with six home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, and 12 runs scored through 90 plate appearances (22 games) before going down, and he should be stashed in most fantasy leagues with a late-June return being the expectation.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones (back, knee) completed his work at Coors Field with a full session of batting practice, fielding, and baserunning ahead of Wednesday's matchup with the visiting Cleveland Guardians. Jones finished by practicing diving back into first base on pickoff moves, and he is scheduled to join Triple-A Albuquerque to resume his minor-league rehab assignment on Friday. His original rehab assignment for a strained lower back was halted when he hurt his left knee on May 17. Barring any setbacks this weekend, expect Jones to return to the Rockies as early as Monday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. The 26-year-old slugger was slashing a poor .170/.243/.277 with one home run, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases through 26 games (94 at-bats) before getting sidelined, but his five-category upside when healthy at a hitter-friendly ballpark makes him worth stashing in all fantasy leagues.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole's (elbow) next outing could come in a minor-league rehab game on Tuesday, assuming he bounces back from Thursday's live batting practice session well. No matter what level Cole begins his rehab assignment at, the fact that he's on the precipice of returning to game action is a major step forward in his throwing program as he builds his arm back up from right elbow discomfort. If he indeed gets an appearance in the minors on Tuesday, it puts the hard-throwing 33-year-old fantasy superstar firmly on track to rejoin New York's rotation before the end of June. The first-place Yankees certainly aren't going to rush their ace back into the fray, but it's fair to wonder if there's more of a sense of urgency to get Cole back now with upstart right-hander Clarke Schmidt (lat) heading to the injured list with an indefinite absence on Thursday.

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Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Wednesday that both starting pitchers Cristian Javier (forearm) and Jose Urquidy (forearm) are "getting opinions from other doctors." Espada said earlier this week that both pitchers were examined by doctors on Monday, but their imaging results haven't been disclosed. Javier was unable to throw a scheduled bullpen session on Sunday due to right forearm discomfort, and he was then placed on the injured list for the second time this season. Urquidy, on the other hand, has missed the entire season with a right forearm strain and was close to rejoining Houston's rotation before suffering a setback during a minor-league rehab assignment. This could lead to a pretty significant development for the two hurlers, who both currently have no clear timetable for a return to the Astros. Although Urquidy isn't a must-stash fantasy player, we'd recommend holding onto Javier until more is known.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep has tallied at least seven strikeouts in each of his past three starts. Through his other six outings this season, he never surpassed five punchouts. Besides his increase in strikeouts, after opening the season with ten earned runs in his first two starts, he has given up just six earned runs in his previous seven starts. Through this stretch, he has posted an incredible 1.28 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 12:41 BB:K ratio. Waldrep has logged 59 total innings at the Double-A level the past two seasons and will be moved up to Triple-A fairly soon. The Florida product is projected to reach the majors this summer and is worth stashing in dynasty leagues.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (hamstring) exited Thursday's start against the hosting New York Mets in the first inning due to a strained right hamstring. After throwing his sixth pitch of the game, Gallen walked off the field before recording a single out. It needs to be noted that Gallen dealt with tightness in the same hamstring back in late April, so a stint on the injured list may very well be incoming here if the D-backs want to proceed with caution with their ace. The 28-year-old right-hander has been rock-solid in Arizona's rotation when healthy, posting a 3.12 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 60:15 K:BB over 57 2/3 frames (11 starts) this year. Gallen tentatively lines up next for Tuesday's start at home against the division-rival San Francisco Giants, but it's likely that either Logan Allen will rejoin the rotation or Slade Cecconi will be recalled from the minor leagues if Gallen needs to head to the IL.

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Chicago Cubs third base/shortstop prospect Matt Shaw extended his hitting streak to three games with another two-hit showing on Wednesday. Even though Shaw has posted a poor .228/.339/.337 line through May, the 22-year-old has begun to find his footing this season. Through his past thirteen games, the number three prospect in the Chicago system has posted a much improved .292/.370/.438 line with two home runs, three swiped bags, and a 6:10 BB:K ratio. Shaw opened the 2023 campaign with the Rookie League and was able to finish the year by playing 15 games with Double-A. The former first-round pick has remained with Double-A Tennessee ever since but should be expected to join Triple-A Iowa in the coming months. The Maryland product is projected to reach the Northside in 2025 and could be worth stashing in dynasty leagues as the summer progresses.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock (elbow) is having the internal-brace procedure on his right elbow on Thursday. After consulting with doctors this week, it was determined that it would be best for Whitlock to undergo the season-ending surgery on his right elbow. We should have a better timetable after he goes under the knife, but the 27-year-old has been optimistic that he'll be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. It's a huge loss for the Red Sox and fantasy managers alike this year, as Whitlock was looking primed for a breakout campaign before getting hurt. He had gone 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and seven walks in 18 1/3 innings over four starts. Even if Whitlock is ready to go for Opening Day in 2025, he'll be a risky starting pitching commodity coming off a serious arm injury.

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Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers was 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and a walk during Thursday's 7-6 win over the Kansas City Royals. Jeffers is now up to 12 homers on the season which ties him with Shea Langeliers for the most among catchers. The 26-year-old has been a fantastic power option for fantasy managers and is slashing .254/.342/.544 with 36 RBI and two stolen bases. Jeffers looks like a legit top-10 catching option at this point and should be rostered in all formats.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was 2-for-5 with a two-run home run during Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins. It was Pasquantino's first home run since May 9 and only his second of the month. It has been tough sledding as of late for the 26-year-old as he is batting a paltry .176 over his last 15 games. He also missed Wednesday's game as he was dealing with a shin injury. Pasquantino is slashing .229/.309/.404 with six homers, 35 RBI and 26 runs scored in 2024. The RBI production is helping him stay afloat, but he is in need of a hot streak to regain the trust of fantasy managers.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jose Siri is having a series to remember against the Oakland Athletics. The 28-year-old was the hero in Wednesday's win and he brought more theatrics to the park on Thursday. Siri was 2-for-5 with two solo home runs, including a game-tying shot in the ninth inning off of Mason Miller. While the spike in production is nice, Siri is slashing an unsightly .188/.276/.338 this season with a 12:55 BB:K. He does have five home runs and seven steals across 45 games, but he is on base too infrequently to really take advantage of his speed. Siri is probably best left on the waiver wire in the majority of leagues.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI during Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Witt has been extra productive at the plate lately as he has 19 RBI over his last 15 games. The 23-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best players in all of baseball. He is slashing .309/.363/.548 with nine homers, 40 RBI, 49 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 2024. Continue to roll him out with confidence on a daily basis if you are lucky enough to own him.

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Oakland Athletics closer Mason Miller is human after all, as he blew his first save of the season on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays. He entered the game in the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead, but Jose Siri took him deep for a solo shot to tie the game. Miller was a perfect 11-for-11 in save opportunities on the season before today. Despite the blemish, there is no denying that the 25-year-old is one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. He is averaging a ludicrous 17.6 K/9 to go along with a 2.08 ERA and 0.88 WHIP. Miller can still be treated as a high-end closer in fantasy.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida (thumb) started hitting off of a tee earlier this week. The 30-year-old avoided surgery on his thumb, but he had been fully shut down from swinging a bat. It is nice to see him starting to show progress in his recovery. Yoshida has not played since April 28 and is likely still weeks away from returning. He was slashing .275/.348/.388 with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored at the time of the injury. It will be interesting to see what the Red Sox do when he returns as their other outfielders have been relatively productive in his absence.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger was 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. It was Bellinger's first homer since May 10. The 28-year-old has still been productive as of late despite the slight power outage. He is batting .303 over his last 30 games which brings his season slash line to a solid .267/.332/.471. The former MVP has also tallied eight home runs, 26 RBI, 19 runs scored and one stolen base in 2024. Bellinger may not put up the gaudy power stats that he once did, but he is still a quality, top-20 outfielder for fantasy purposes.

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Oakland Athletics reliever Lucas Erceg (forearm) is going to be placed on the injured list with forearm tightness, according to manager Mark Kotsay. The official transaction has not occurred yet but Erceg was already sent back to Oakland for additional testing. The exact severity of the injury should be known in a couple days. It is a tough blow for the Athletics bullpen as Erceg has pitched great as a setup man in 2024. The 29-year-old posted a 2.86 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, two saves, eight holds and 27:8 K:BB across his first 22 innings this season. Austin Adams is the likely candidate to take over Erceg's duties in front of Mason Miller.

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New York Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt was placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday afternoon, retroactive to May 27, with a right lat strain. Schmidt last took the mound on Sunday against the San Diego Padres and looked no worse for wear during the start. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old will be sidelined for at least two weeks as he recovers from the ailment. It is an unfortunate injury as Schmidt was in the midst of a breakout campaign. He owns a 5-3 record, 2.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 67:20 K:BB across 11 starts. He has also not surrendered more than three runs in any outing this season. Right-hander Cody Morris was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as a corresponding move, but it is unclear who will replace Schmidt in the rotation at this point.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) addressed the media on Thursday for the first time since suffering a season-ending ACL tear in his knee on Sunday. Acuna will go under the knife next Tuesday. "It's another opportunity. Who knows, maybe I can come back and win another MVP," Acuna said. Last year's National League MVP became the first player ever to hit 40-plus home runs and steal 70-plus stolen bases in an absolutely amazing 2023 campaign, but now the Braves and fantasy managers will be without him the rest of the way in 2024 after he tore the ACL in his other knee three years ago. The four-time All-Star and former NL Rookie of the Year can be dropped in all single-year fantasy leagues. In Acuna's absence, both Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall are in line for more playing time moving forward in Atlanta.

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Washington Nationals third baseman Nick Senzel (knee) is back at the hot corner and is batting sixth for the Nationals on Thursday in the series finale against the Atlanta Braves and left-hander Ryan Kerr. Senzel fouled a ball off his right knee in Wednesday's contest and had to be removed, but the 28-year-old former first-rounder of the Cincinnati Reds will return the very next day. He has not cleared the fences in the last 22 games while hitting .231 (15-for-65) with three doubles, four RBI, 14 walks and 18 strikeouts in 79 plate appearances in 22 games in the month of May. Senzel has yet to steal a base but has decent enough power to be worth rostering as corner-infield depth in deeper fantasy leagues as the Nationals' regular third baseman when he's healthy.

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The New York Mets designated right-hander Jorge Lopez for assignment on Thursday and recalled left-hander Danny Young from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Lopez's actions after being ejected from Wednesday's game, rather than his performance on the mound, have cost him a spot on the team's 40-man roster. The 31-year-old veteran threw his glove into the crowd after his ejection on Wednesday in the loss to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. The nine-year veteran had been decent out of the bullpen for the Mets this year, posting a 3.76 ERA (4.65 FIP), a 1.37 WHIP, two saves, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts in 26 1/3 relief innings. An All-Star as recently as 2022 with the Orioles and Twins, Lopez should draw some attention on waivers in the next couple of days with 29 career saves.

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