Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that outfielder Austin Hays (calf) still has lingering effects from his left-calf injury, which is why he didn't start on Wednesday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and was pinch-run for in the walk-off win. The 28-year-old didn't start on Wednesday, but he came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and hit a double before he was pulled for a pinch-runner. Hays just came off the injured list on Monday but apparently isn't healthy enough to serve as anything more than a pinch-hitter off the bench. Even if he were fully healthy after his stay on the IL, Hays would most likely be a bench player for the Orioles anyway given his slow start and with rookie Colton Cowser impressing offensively. Hays entered Wednesday's contest hitting .111 (5-for-45) on the year with no homers, two RBI and four runs scored.

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Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that outfielder Anthony Santander (knee) bruised his knee early in Wednesday's game against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays during a collision with the outfield wall. The injury got worse on Santander's double and slide in the eighth inning, which is why he was pulled from the contest in the ninth. For now fantasy managers should consider the 29-year-old as day-to-day. Santander went 2-for-4 with a strikeout in the 3-2 walk-off win to raise his season average to a weak .220 and his OPS to .745. The Orioles have a scheduled off day on Thursday before they start a series on Friday at Camden Yards against the visiting Seattle Mariners. Fantasy managers will want to check back then to see if Santander is back in action. Santander came into Wednesday's game slashing .212/.293/.438 with seven home runs and 25 RBI for the O's.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (side) remains out of action on Wednesday for the series finale against the visiting Chicago Cubs. Zack Short will continue to start at the hot corner for Atlanta and will bat ninth against Cubs right-hander Javier Assad. This will be the third straight game that Riley has missed after leaving Sunday's loss to the New York Mets with left-side inflammation. It's a day-to-day situation for the 27-year-old from now, and he could be back in the team's starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the visiting San Diego Padres with a scheduled off day coming on Friday. Short is a light-hitting infielder that should be avoided in fantasy formats, especially hitting at the bottom of the order. The 28-year-old has gone 3-for-22 (.136) this year with no homers, one RBI and one stolen base.

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The New York Mets recalled infielder Mark Vientos, right-hander Grant Hartwig and left-hander Joey Lucchesi from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday and optioned right-hander Jose Butto to Syracuse in a corresponding move. Right-hander Yohan Ramirez and infielder Joey Wendle were designated for assignment. Vientos is playing third base and is batting fifth on Wednesday against Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez. In six career at-bats against Suarez, Vientos has a solo home run. The 24-year-old former second-round pick in 2017 has hit just .211/.260/.368 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI in 84 career games for the Mets and is likely to see some playing time at third base for the Mets when the club faces left-handed pitching. The left-handed-hitting Brett Baty is taking Wednesday off.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is sitting out on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs for the first time this season. With Acuna retreating to the bench, Adam Duvall will start in right field and bat six and center fielder Michael Harris II will bat leadoff for Atlanta against Cubs right-hander Javier Assad. With a scheduled off day coming on Thursday, Acuna will be back in the lineup on Friday for the start of a series against the visiting San Diego Padres. The reigning National League MVP has been a bit disappointing by his standards through 155 at-bats in 2024, slashing .245/.354/.342 with only three home runs and 11 RBI, but he's also added 14 stolen bases and 33 runs scored and remains a must-start in all formats when he's active. Harris becomes a much more attractive DFS play at the top of the Braves' lineup on Wednesday.

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The New York Mets optioned right-hander Jose Butto to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday and recalled right-handers Grant Hartwig and left-hander Joey Lucchesi from Syracuse in a corresponding move. Butto will go back down to the minors to work on his control. In his seven starts with the Mets, he's gone 1-3 with a strong 3.08 ERA (4.13 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with 38 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched, but he's also walked 21 hitters for a 5.0 BB/9. The 26-year-old had become a decent streaming option in deeper fantasy leagues. If the Mets are in need of more rotation help at some point this year, Butto will be at the top of their consideration list. In the meantime, Adrian Houser, Tylor Megill (shoulder), or even Lucchesi could take Butto's rotation spot in the big leagues.

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Seattle Mariners catcher/designated hitter Mitch Garver (back) and second baseman Jorge Polanco (hamstring) are both out of the lineup on Wednesday against the visiting Kansas City Royals. Garver was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to back spasms and will miss his second straight game. Polanco will also sit out for the second day in a row due to a tight right hamstring. Mitch Haniger is the DH and is hitting third on Wednesday, with Josh Rojas at second base and batting leadoff against Royals right-hander Alec Marsh. Luke Raley is in right field and is batting fifth. Fantasy managers should consider both Garver and Polanco day-to-day and check back to see if they are back in the lineup on Friday for the series opener against the Orioles in Baltimore. Rojas doesn't have much power but has been swinging a hot bat this year with a .333 average (36-for-108) with three homers, eight RBI and four stolen bases.

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Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (oblique) will play in one more minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Tacoma and then will presumably join the Mariners for their weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles, which begins on Friday, according to manager Scott Servais. Crawford was put on the 10-day injured list on April 25 with a Grade 1 right-oblique strain, but he's nearing his return. The 29-year-old went 1-for-4 in his first rehab game for Tacoma on Tuesday while playing seven innings at shortstop. Dylan Moore has been seeing starts at the 6 with Crawford sidelined, but he'll shift back to a utility role for the M's once Crawford is activated from the IL. When activated, Crawford's fantasy managers in deeper leagues will hope he can turn things around after starting the year 17-for-86 (.198) with two homers and nine RBI in 22 games.

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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India (head) was scratched from the lineup on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks due to a migraine headache. With India out of the lineup, Spencer Steer will move to second base and bat cleanup, while Jacob Hurtubise will play left field and hit in the nine-hole against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Fantasy mangers should consider India day-to-day for now. It remains to be seen if he'll be feeling good enough to return for Thursday's series opener in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. The 27-year-old former Rookie of the Year is hitting just .228 (31-for-136) on the year but is playing everyday with Matt McLain (shoulder) sidelined for the foreseeable future. Steer is hitting 6-for-17 (.353) with two doubles and six RBI during his current five-game hitting streak.

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The Seattle Mariners reinstated outfielder Dominic Canzone (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday and optioned infielder/outfielder Sam Haggerty to Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move, according to executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations Justin Hollander. The 26-year-old Canzone landed on the IL on April 15 with a left AC joint sprain. He went 4-for-11 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in three minor-league rehab games with Tacoma. Before his injury, Canzone hit .219 (7-for-32) with three home runs and six RBI in 14 games for Seattle. He's right back in the starting lineup on Wednesday, playing left field and batting seventh against Kansas City Royals right-hander Alec Marsh. Canzone's return is bad news for the left-handed-hitting Luke Raley, although he's making the start in right field on Wednesday.

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Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz will retreat to the bench on Wednesday for the series finale on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This will be the first time that De La Cruz will take a day off. He's slowed down offensive since the calendar flipped to May, going 10-for-46 (.217) with a homer, two RBI, eight stolen bases and 18 strikeouts in 12 games played. Despite the recent slump so far in May, De La Cruz is a must-start in all fantasy formats when he's active, as he currently leads all of baseball with 26 stolen bases in just 42 games played, and he also has nine home runs and 21 RBI. Santiago Espinal is starting at the 6 and is hitting eighth in place of De La Cruz on Wednesday against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

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San Diego Padres designated hitter Luis Arraez is not in the starting lineup on Wednesday with the team facing Colorado Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber in the series finale. With Arraez getting a day to rest, Manny Machado is serving as the DH and is hitting cleanup, while Donovan Solano is at third base and batting sixth. Outfielder Jurickson Profar moves back up to the leadoff spot. Arraez is hitting .303 (54-for-178) on the year and is 13-for-41 (.317) with two doubles, no home runs, four RBI, a stolen base and five runs scored in his first 10 games with the Friars. Fantasy managers should expect him back in the lineup on Friday for the series opener in Atlanta against the Braves. Profar, who has been on a heater so far this year with a .324/.416/.520 slash line with a .936 OPS, will have increased DFS value back in the leadoff spot against a pitcher that he's hitting .375 against in his career with two RBI in eight at-bats.

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The Cincinnati Reds placed left-hander Nick Lodolo (groin) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 12) on Wednesday with a left-groin strain and recalled left-hander Sam Moll from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Lodolo got a late start to the 2024 season due to an injury dating back to last year and now finds himself back on the injured list after making six starts. The 26-year-old southpaw and former seventh overall pick in 2019 out of Texas Christian University was solid in his six starts, though, posting a 3.34 ERA (2.90 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP with nine walks and 43 strikeouts in 35 innings. Given Lodolo's high strikeout upside, fantasy managers will want to keep him stashed in an IL spot while he recovers from his groin strain. In the meantime, swingman Nick Martinez figures to benefit the most from a secured rotation spot for at least the next two weeks.

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Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners. This will be only Garcia's second game of the season starting on the bench. In his absence, veteran Adam Frazier will start at third base and hit out of the leadoff spot for KC against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Garcia has been productive for the upstart Royals in 2024, hitting .239/.288/.369 with four home runs, 25 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 192 plate appearances. He's riding a modest four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 4-for-17 (.235) with an RBI and two steals. Frazier will have more DFS upside as a sleeper on Wednesday out of the leadoff spot, but he's never faced Woo in his career and has gone just 15-for-84 (.179) on the year with a homer and eight RBI.

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Houston Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco plans to appeal his automatic 10-game suspension after he was ejected during his start on Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics in the fourth inning after umpires determined his glove had a foreign substance on it. Manager Joe Espada said that Blanco had a mixture of rosin and sweat on his glove hand, which is illegal under league rules. Depending on when his appeal is heard, Blanco may be able to make his next scheduled start. Before being ejected on Tuesday against the A's, the 30-year-old Dominican hurler had tossed another three shutout innings and is now 4-0 on the season with a sparkling 2.09 ERA (4.00 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 21 walks and 45 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings over his eight starts. He's been a must-start in all fantasy leagues but will likely be forced to miss a start soon.

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Colorado Rockies first baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant (back) started his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored while playing five innings of defense at first base. Manager Bud Black said the plan is for Bryant to join the Rockies in San Francisco against the Giants on Friday. Tuesday was the first time that the 32-year-old former MVP has played in a game since going on the shelf with a lower-back strain a month ago. The Rockies will mostly likely ease Bryant back into action if he indeed joins the big-league club this weekend in San Francisco. Bryant hasn't been able to stay healthy since joining the Rockies and was hitting just .149/.273/.255 in 13 games this year before he landed on the injured list.

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Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland (elbow) joined the team on their West Coast trip and continues to up the intensity of his pre-game throwing sessions in the outfield, according to manager Bud Black. Freeland is "a week or 10 days away from getting back on the mound," according to Black. The veteran southpaw will also need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before he's cleared to rejoin the starting rotation. The Rockies are bringing Freeland back slowly from his strained left elbow, and he's not particularly close to coming off the 15-day injured list. Even if Freeland doesn't have a setback, fantasy managers in NL-only leagues that are holding onto him shouldn't expect him back until June. In four starts before his elbow injury, Freeland was 0-3 with an elevated 13.21 ERA and 2.55 WHIP with nine strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings pitched.

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Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz (hand) will rest in the series finale on Wednesday in San Diego against the Padres after leaving Tuesday's contest in the third inning with left-hand soreness. Diaz had similar issues flare up before, according to manager Bud Black, indicating a longer absence isn't expected. And with a scheduled off day coming on Thursday, Diaz could be back in the lineup for the series opener on Friday in San Francisco against the Giants. In his lone plate appearance on Tuesday, the 33-year-old backstop struck out. With Diaz resting on Wednesday, Jacob Stallings will likely get the start behind the dish against Padres right-hander Michael King. Diaz has been one of the best hitting catchers in baseball so far in 2024, as he's slashing .299/.342/.423 with three home runs and 21 RBI in 137 at-bats.

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Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday as they take on the Chicago White Sox. Abrams will get the day off against a left-handed pitcher after playing in both games of a doubleheader in Chicago on Tuesday. It's the first time that the 23-year-old emerging superstar has been out of the team's lineup since April 8. With Abrams starting on the bench, Nasim Nunez will make the start at shortstop and will bat ninth for the Nats against White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet. DFS gamers should look elsewhere at the shortstop position on Wednesday. Abrams is in the midst of a breakout campaign in his second full season in D.C. He's currently hitting .263/.326/.494 with an .819 OPS, seven home runs, seven doubles, a league-leading four triples, 20 RBI, eight stolen bases and 26 runs scored in 38 games played.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is taking the day off on Wednesday against the visiting Cincinnati Reds and left-hander Andrew Abbott. The D-backs will give the struggling Carroll a day off in a lefty-lefty matchup after he's gone just 3-for-28 in his last seven games. Last year's National League Rookie of the Year has really struggled at the plate in his second full season in the big leagues, as he's currently slashing a disappointing .193/.284/.255 with two home runs, 14 RBI, eight stolen bases, 19 walks and 31 strikeouts in 183 plate appearances over 41 games played. Fantasy managers that paid a pretty penny for Carroll in drafts are hoping the 23-year-old can turn things around soon. Jake McCarthy is playing center field on Wednesday and will hit eighth against Abbott. McCarthy is hitting .291 (25-for-86) this year with a homer, 11 RBI and three steals, but he's a low-upside DFS option in the eight-hole.

From RotoBaller