The Tampa Bays optioned first baseman Jonathan Aranda to Triple-A Durham on the team's off day to make room for outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) on the active roster. Aranda has struggled at the plate for the Rays this season and had just a .213 average with one home run and three RBI before his demotion. The 26-year-old saw starts at first base and designated hitter over the past few weeks, but he has only started two of the past five games for Tampa Bay. So, things shouldn't change a lot in his absence. Harold Ramirez should still see most of the opportunities at DH, and Yandy Diaz will continue to be the team's everyday first baseman.

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The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) from the 10-day injured list on the team's off day. It was expected to be a short-term IL stint for Lowe after he suffered a right oblique strain on May 22 for the second time this year. The outfielder, though, only missed two weeks and will now rejoin the team in Miami when the Rays take on the Marlins for a two-game series. Lowe should immediately slot back in atop Tampa Bay's lineup, especially after getting some reps on a rehab assignment this past weekend. If the 26-year-old is floating on the waiver wire right now in your league, make sure to pick him up. He hit .292 with 20 home runs, 83 RBI, and 32 stolen bases in a breakout 2023 campaign last season.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe (oblique) started a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Friday and went 2-for-4 in his first game. He went 1-for-4 with a triple as the Bulls' designated hitter on Saturday and was set to return to right field on Sunday. Manager Kevin Cash said the team was "very encouraged" by Lowe's first two rehab games and hope to have him back in their starting lineup on Tuesday in Miami against the Marlins. Lowe was initially put on the injured list on May 25, three days after exiting the May 22 game against the Red Sox in the second inning. It's the second time this year he's dealt with a right-oblique strain, although his latest one was much less mild than the Grade 1 strain he suffered in mid-March in spring training. The 26-year-old left has gotten off to a slow start for the Rays this year amidst his injuries, but he needs to be rostered everywhere.

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New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty went 2-for-4 with two long balls and three RBI. Baty recently returned to Triple-A Syracuse on May 31 after posting a poor .225/.304/.325 line with just four home runs through 49 games in Queens this season. The 24-year-old was once a highly regarded prospect in New York but has yet to produce on a consistent level in the major leagues. The former 12th overall pick will continue to stay at Triple-A for the foreseeable future to build up some confidence while Mark Vientos holds down the hot corner in the majors. Sunday was a great step in that direction and more performances such as that could open up a buy-low window on Baty in dynasty leagues. For now, he is not worth rostering in redraft formats.

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Texas Rangers right-hander Tyler Mahle (elbow) is scheduled to face live hitters on Monday. He started throwing in mid-January after undergoing Tommy John surgery when he was with the Minnesota Twins last May. Mahle signed a two-year, $22 million deal in the offseason with the Rangers. His injury in 2023 ended a promising season, as he had posted a 3.16 ERA with 28 strikeouts over five starts. Mahle was officially moved to the 60-day injured list at the start of the regular season. The 29-year-old has been throwing bullpen sessions for the last couple of weeks and is now ready to take the next step in his grueling rehab from Tommy John surgery. However, because of how long he's been out, Mahle still has a ways to go before he's a realistic option for Texas' starting rotation. Mahle isn't going to be on the fantasy radar until the second half of the season.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (back) threw 46 pitches off the mound at Tropicana Field prior to the May 30 game against the Oakland Athletics and said he felt good afterward. Then Eflin threw a 40-pitch bullpen session consisting of two simulated "innings" on Sunday in Baltimore. He said he felt "great" and declared himself "ready to go." The Rays haven't decided when he'll rejoin the rotation, but he could start as soon as Wednesday in Miami against the Marlins. The 30-year-old was put on the injured list on May 20 after feeling discomfort in his back during his final inning on May 18 against the Toronto Blue Jays. He compared this injury to lower-back tightness that forced him to miss two weeks in April of last year and said he was "not too worried about it, honestly." Eflin will be a bit more risky in his first start back, but fantasy managers can't pass up a matchup against Miami.

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Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back, forearm) threw around 25 pitches in a bullpen session over the weekend on Saturday before the team's win over the Miami Marlins and continues to progress. Scherzer gave two thumbs-up on Sunday because he was able to throw without nerve pain. Depending on how he recovers, manager Bruce Bochy said Scherzer could potentially face live hitters on Monday. "I feel great, finally turning the corner on this. The check engine light just won't go off, there's something wrong with the engine, but we addressed it and now everything is firing on all cylinders," Scherzer said. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer was moved to the 60-day injured list on May 15 after experiencing nerve pain in his right triceps and forearm. He has yet to pitch in 2024 after having offseason back surgery, but barring another setback, he could make his season debut before the All-Star break in mid-July.

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Texas Rangers right-hander Jon Gray (groin) is scheduled to face live hitters on Monday. Gray wasn't expected to miss much more than the minimum 15 days on the injured list after leaving his most recent start against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 21 and then being placed on the IL two days later. Before getting hurt, Gray had a stellar 2.21 ERA through the first two months of the season to go along with a 1.19 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 57 innings over his first 11 appearances (10 starts). The 32-year-old's injury obviously isn't considered too serious, so if he gets through Monday's session without any issues, he could be a candidate to come off the IL to start against the San Francisco Giants this Friday. If Gray is for some reason on your league's waiver wire, scoop him up now.

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Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford (back, rib) threw on flat ground on Sunday. He originally landed on the injured list with a lower-back strain after he was unable to throw a bullpen session between starts. The original plan was for Bradford to miss the minimum 15 days, but after further evaluations, doctors found a "very small" stress fracture on the 12th rib on the right side, according to manager Bruce Bochy. Before his injury, the 26-year-old southpaw was the team's best starter, having gone 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA over three starts. Bradford's recovery has been slower than expected, but Bochy said he's starting to get over the hump. He won't be eligible to return for a couple more weeks now that he was moved to the 60-day IL last week.

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Miami Marlins starting pitching prospect Noble Meyer dazzled in his High-A debut, where he tossed five shutout innings with six strikeouts. He allowed just two hits and no free passes. This is a great sign for the top prospect in Miami, as he looked quite comfortable seeing High-A batters for the first time. The 19-year-old opened the season with Single-A and posted a 2.65 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 23:43 BB:K ratio. Meyer only got a small taste of Single-A last season, so it is very promising to see Meyer already making the jump to High-A. Noble Meyer is considered the number 44 overall prospect on MLB Pipeline and the number eight overall right-handed pitcher. While he is still a couple of seasons away from his major league debut, the former tenth-overall pick is developing into one of the best pitching prospects in baseball and is worth stashing in all dynasty leagues.

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The Minnesota Twins officially optioned struggling second baseman Edouard Julien to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday. Julien, an 18th-round pick in 2019 out of Auburn, hit .263 as a rookie with 16 home runs and 37 RBI in 109 games for the Twins last year but hasn't been able to replicate that so far in 2024, slashing .207/.309/.367 with seven homers, 17 RBI and six stolen bases in 58 games played. The 25-year-old infielder really struggled in the month of May and will now go down to the farm to work on some things. In the meantime, utility man Willi Castro should see most of the starts at the keystone in Minnesota, with Kyle Farmer also seeing an uptick in opportunities. Eventually, the plan is likely for Julien to come back up this summer to try and regain the starting job at second base for the Twins.

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Baltimore Orioles second base prospect Connor Norby is being promoted to the major league roster and is expected to join Baltimore for their series opener on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Norby will most likely serve as a replacement for Jorge Mateo (head) who left Sunday's game early with a head injury. Norby has played 198 games at the Triple-A level since 2022 and has logged an overall .293/.365/.501 line with 34 home runs, 135 RBI, and 17 stolen bases. This season, Norby was riding a .374 OBP and .510 SLG through 51 games at Triple-A. Norby is worth adding in deeper leagues as he could have prime RBI opportunities batting in a strong Baltimore lineup. However, playing time could be a concern as he will likely share opportunities at the keystone with Ramon Urias.

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Milwaukee Brewers corner infield prospect Tyler Black continued his strong 2024 campaign with a grand slam on Sunday for Triple-A Nashville. Black would finish the game 2-for-6 with two runs and five RBI. Black is now hitting .282 with eight homers and 35 RBI to go along with nine stolen bases on the season. Black is one of the Brewers top prospects and a consensus Top-100 with his ability to help across the board being a big reason why. The 23-year-old got a cup of coffee with the Brewers earlier this season and went 5-for-22 in limited action. With no clear path to playing time, it makes the most sense for Black to get steady at-bats for Nashville, but he could be one of the first names called upon if a spot opens at the big-league level. He remains a good stash in redraft leagues and should remain rostered in dynasty leagues.

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Making his Triple-A debut on Sunday, Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep was brilliant. Waldrep threw six frames and allowed five hits, three runs and one walk with 11 strikeouts. The former Florida Gator had his splitter on full display as he reached a new career-high for strikeouts. Between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett, Waldrep is now 3-5 with a 3.09 ERA in 10 starts to go along with 59 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. It was an impressive display for the consensus Top-100 prospect that continues to knock down every wall in front of him. With the Braves still trying to figure out the end of their rotation, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Waldrep get an opportunity, should he continue to mow down hitters in Triple-A. Waldrep makes for a strong stash in redraft leagues for managers that have a spot and at the very least should be on watch lists with his potential to do major damage on a good team with the right opportunity.

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St. Louis Cardinals third base/outfield prospect Jordan Walker finally hit a home run for the Memphis Red Birds over the weekend. Walker was demoted from the big-league squad on April 24 after struggling and showing no power. Although it took over 100 at-bats, Walker went yard on Saturday. Although he is hitting a respectable .266 in 109 at-bats, his light tower power that he has displayed in the past hasn't shown up. Despite his decline in power, Walker, 22, had a solid rookie campaign in 2023 and managers should remain patient as he has some of the best power of anyone in the minor leagues. The hope is that Walker can carry this power momentum and that could lead to an eventual return to the big-league squad. For now, managers in dynasty leagues should remain patient with the young slugger, while redraft managers should scout Walker's progress.

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New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto smashed two more homers in Sunday's 7-5 win over the San Francisco Giants, giving him 17 on the season. Soto finished the day 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI to go along with the pair of dingers. The 25-year-old superstar has been unconscious this season, slashing .322/.417/.614 with 46 runs, 17 homers, 53 RBI, and four stolen bases. He is one of the best players in the majors and that directly translates over the fantasy, where he is staking his claim to be the number one overall player.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King was solid on Sunday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball in a 4-3 loss against the Kansas City Royals. King allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four in this one. He was in line for the win until things unraveled in the ninth for the Padres bullpen, giving King a tough-luck no-decision. The 29-year-old will look to build off his solid May, where he pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. In fact, King has gotten better each month in his first year as a full-time starter, which is somewhat expected. He should be rostered in all but the shallowest of leagues at this point.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman went 1-for-1 with a homer and three walks in a 4-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. Freeman was perfect at the dish, showcasing his elite on-base skills while popping some power as well. He added two runs and two RBI to his line, making for a solid day at the dish. While he hasn't been the same Freddie we saw last year and hasn't quite lived up to his first-round pedigree, he's still been a solid fantasy contributor. He is now up to a .293 AVG and .877 OPS to go with 35 runs, seven homers, 35 RBI, and two steals.

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Toronto Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia notched his third save of the season on Sunday, holding on against the Pittsburgh Pirates to secure a 5-4 win. Garcia allowed two hits and a run but finished off the game by striking out the side. Although it wasn't the most convincing save, Garcia was able to get the job done and further cement himself as the team's closer while Jordan Romano is on the IL. Garcia deserves the opportunity, as he is having a career year so far, pitching to a 1.57 ERA and 0.74 WHIP with 29 strikeouts in 23 IP. The ratios will likely come back to earth a bit, but he should be added in all fantasy leagues where saves matter while Romano is out.

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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans went six strong against the Padres on Sunday in a 4-3 win. Ragans didn't pick up the win as he left in a 1-1 tie, but he was solid enough to earn a quality start. The lefty allowed just one run on five hits and two walks while punching out six. It was his fourth start in a row allowing two or fewer earned runs while striking out six or more. While the ratios aren't eye-popping, his 3.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP are solid while his 89 strikeouts in 73 IP put him near the top of the leaderboard. He should be viewed as a high-end starter in fantasy, and buying him now might be worth a shot.

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