| Time (ET) | Away | Home | Tmp | Rain | Wind | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:20 PM | Houston AstrosSpencer Arrighetti (5-1, 1.50)◆◆◆◆◆ | Chicago CubsJameson Taillon (2-3, 4.97)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☀️ | 60° | 1% | 11 |
| 6:40 PM | St. Louis CardinalsKyle Leahy (5-3, 3.94)◆◆◆◆◆ | Cincinnati RedsChris Paddack (0-5, 7.07)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☁️ | 67° | 78% | 5 |
| 6:40 PM | Cleveland GuardiansGavin Williams (6-3, 3.67)◆◆◆◆◆ | Philadelphia PhilliesCristopher Sánchez (5-2, 1.82)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☁️ | 65° | 10% | 12 |
| 7:05 PM | Tampa Bay RaysNick Martinez (4-1, 1.51)◆◆◆◆◆ | New York YankeesGerrit Cole (0-0, -.--)◆◆◆◆◆ | ⛅ | 69° | 1% | 11 |
| 7:07 PM | Pittsburgh PiratesBubba Chandler (1-5, 5.14)◆◆◆◆◆ | Toronto Blue JaysKevin Gausman (3-3, 3.45)◆◆◆◆◆ | 🏟️ | 60° | — | — |
| 7:10 PM | Minnesota TwinsConnor Prielipp (1-2, 2.88)◆◆◆◆◆ | Boston Red SoxPayton Tolle (2-2, 2.05)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☁️ | 61° | 0% | 9 |
| 7:10 PM | New York MetsTobias Myers (0-1, 3.41)◆◆◆◆◆ | Miami MarlinsEury Pérez (2-6, 5.33)◆◆◆◆◆ | 🏟️ | 85° | — | — |
| 7:15 PM | Detroit TigersJack Flaherty (0-5, 5.77)◆◆◆◆◆ | Baltimore OriolesChris Bassitt (3-3, 5.44)◆◆◆◆◆ | 🌦️ | 57° | 91% | 7 |
| 7:15 PM | Washington NationalsMiles Mikolas (1-3, 6.91)◆◆◆◆◆ | Atlanta BravesBryce Elder (3-1, 1.95)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☁️ | 86° | 17% | 11 |
| 7:40 PM | Seattle MarinersLogan Gilbert (2-4, 4.45)◆◆◆◆◆ | Kansas City RoyalsNoah Cameron (2-3, 5.40)◆◆◆◆◆ | ⛅ | 74° | 3% | 6 |
| 7:40 PM | Los Angeles DodgersJustin Wrobleski (6-1, 2.49)◆◆◆◆◆ | Milwaukee BrewersLogan Henderson (1-1, 3.50)◆◆◆◆◆ | 🏟️ | 62° | — | — |
| 9:38 PM | Texas RangersJacob deGrom (3-3, 3.02)◆◆◆◆◆ | Los Angeles AngelsGrayson Rodriguez (0-1, 17.18)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☁️ | 58° | 0% | 5 |
| 9:40 PM | Colorado RockiesTomoyuki Sugano (4-3, 4.02)◆◆◆◆◆ | Arizona DiamondbacksMichael Soroka (6-2, 3.49)◆◆◆◆◆ | 🏟️ | 77° | — | — |
| 9:40 PM | AthleticsJeffrey Springs (3-4, 3.93)◆◆◆◆◆ | San Diego PadresWalker Buehler (3-2, 5.01)◆◆◆◆◆ | ☁️ | 61° | 0% | 3 |
| 10:15 PM | Chicago White SoxDavis Martin (6-1, 1.61)◆◆◆◆◆ | San Francisco GiantsTrevor McDonald (2-0, 2.37)◆◆◆◆◆ | 🌫️ | 53° | 0% | 11 |
Cole is activated from the IL to start tonight's series opener vs. the Rays at Yankee Stadium — his first big-league outing since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, roughly 19 months ago, following Tommy John surgery. He draws the Rays, who own MLB's best record (31-15) and swept the Yankees three games last month. Cole said: 'I've missed it quite a lot.'
The UCL sprain Snelling suffered last week has been confirmed as needing Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old LHP — one of the most promising young arms in baseball after a strong MLB debut stretch — will miss the rest of 2026 and likely most of 2027. The Marlins had been counting on him as a rotation building block.
Atlanta rolled past Miami 9-3 behind a Michael Harris II two-homer, 3-RBI night that continues his career-best 2026 season. Mike Yastrzemski added a 3-for-3 game with a HR and 2 RBI. Spencer Strider struck out 9 over 6.1 IP for the win. The Braves have now won 6 of their last 8 and pulled within striking distance in the NL East.
Severino was dominant against the Angels — 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K — but left with a no-decision after the A's bullpen couldn't hold the line in a 3-2 defeat. It's Severino's third double-digit-strikeout game of 2026 and continues a quietly excellent stretch (2.90 ERA over his last 7 starts).
Two more prospects arrive: Gabriel Gonzalez, the Twins' corner OF prospect, debuts after hitting .312 with a .380 OBP at Triple-A St. Paul; Bryan Torres, the Cardinals' contact-oriented middle infielder, gets called up to fill a roster gap. Neither is a blue-chip name, but both step into immediate playing time on rebuilding clubs.
Who's Hot This Week
Gonzalez makes his MLB debut for the Twins after hitting .312 with a .380 OBP at Triple-A St. Paul. He's not a blue-chip prospect, but the Twins will hand him everyday corner-OF reps on a club that's been shuffling its lineup all month. The contact-and-OBP profile plays in deeper formats, and the playing-time runway is what makes him worth a speculative claim. Stash in 14+ team leagues; monitor his lineup spot for a few games before committing a slot in 12-team formats. Upside is a .280 / 12-HR / everyday outfielder — useful, not a league-winner.
Worth Reading
Headlines Jake Burger (TEX, 17%) as the top hitter add and Zebby Matthews (MIN, 26%) as the priority SP. Other targets: Jake Bauers (MIL, 31%), Brayan Rocchio (CLE, 45%), Miguel Andújar (SD, 7%). Streamers: Chris Bassitt (BAL) vs. DET and Walbert Ureña (LAA) vs. TEX.
Sedler covers Gerrit Cole's return slate, Robby Snelling's season-ending TJ surgery, the Gabriel Gonzalez / Bryan Torres debuts, Brenton Doyle's oblique IL stint, and the Rockies' bullpen reshuffle (Juan Mejia elevated). Plus today's streamer: Spencer Arrighetti (HOU, 1.50 ERA) at Wrigley.
MLBTR's Angels note covers the unsettled closer picture (Kirby Yates' velocity decline opening the door for alternatives), Yoán Moncada's slow return to form, and Vaughn Grissom's role. Worth scanning if you own any Angels relievers or are chasing saves in a deep league.
| # | Player | Pos | PA | 14d Ago | Now | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew VaughnMilwaukee Brewers | 1B | 43 | .353 | .442 | +0.089 |
| 2 | Ryan ViladeTampa Bay Rays | RF | 72 | .309 | .380 | +0.071 |
| 3 | Isiah Kiner-FalefaBoston Red Sox | 2B | 52 | .244 | .314 | +0.070 |
| 4 | Jared TrioloPittsburgh Pirates | 3B | 63 | .237 | .306 | +0.069 |
| 5 | Gavin SheetsSan Diego Padres | 1B | 151 | .273 | .338 | +0.065 |
| 6 | Paul GoldschmidtNew York Yankees | 1B | 91 | .310 | .374 | +0.064 |
| 7 | Luis TorrensNew York Mets | C | 78 | .200 | .260 | +0.060 |
| 8 | James OutmanMinnesota Twins | LF | 57 | .171 | .228 | +0.057 |
| 9 | Alec BohmPhiladelphia Phillies | 3B | 186 | .227 | .280 | +0.053 |
| 10 | Keibert RuizWashington Nationals | C | 101 | .224 | .277 | +0.053 |
NEW: Will undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2026 season and likely costing him most of 2027. The UCL sprain suffered last week was confirmed as a full-surgery case. The 22-year-old LHP was one of the more promising rookie arms in baseball before the injury.
NEW: 10-day IL retroactive to May 20 with a left oblique contusion. Doyle is a strong source of steals and defense; oblique injuries (even contusions) tend to sap power for weeks even after return. Blas Castaño recalled. Realistic return early-to-mid June.
NEW: Out beyond the All-Star break with a significant hamstring strain. Clarke is an elite defender with speed-driven fantasy value; this is a 7-8 week absence at minimum. Drop in all 12-team redraft formats.
STATUS UPDATE: Diagnosed with a sprained ligament at the base of his right ring finger. The Red Sox are calling it day-to-day, but finger ligament sprains can linger and suppress power. Monitor closely — if he's not back in the lineup within a few days, an IL stint becomes likely.
NEW: Will undergo hamstring surgery and is on the full-season IL. DeJong wasn't fantasy-relevant in standard formats, but the move clears infield at-bats in Detroit. Drop anywhere he's still rostered.
Gerrit Cole hasn't pitched a Major League game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series — 19 months and one Tommy John surgery ago. His return tonight against the Rays is one of the most anticipated of the season, but the fantasy reality is more measured than the headline. Cole completed a full minor-league rehab assignment and the velocity has reportedly returned to 96-97 mph, just shy of his pre-surgery 98. The four-seam/slider/curveball/changeup arsenal is intact.
The near-term concern is workload management. The Yankees will cap Cole around 75-85 pitches for his first 2-3 starts, which means 4-5 innings and limited win equity even when he pitches well. Pair that with tonight's matchup — the Rays own MLB's best record at 31-15 and have already swept the Yankees once this season — and the debut is a bench-him-if-you-can spot. The decision quality should be there; the volume won't be.
The rest-of-season outlook is genuinely strong. TJ returnees historically need 4-6 starts to find their rhythm, and Cole's track record (a former Cy Young winner with elite command) gives him one of the highest post-surgery ceilings of any pitcher. By late June, expect him to be an every-week starter and a top-20 SP. The smart play: roster him now, stash through the pitch-limited phase, and reap the second-half reward. Don't drop him after one rocky line tonight.
Thursday's slate: 4 saves, 5 reliever wins, 2 blown saves (Yates in LAA, Vest in DET). Aroldis Chapman (BOS, 12 — 14-game scoreless streak), Cade Smith (CLE, MLB-leading 16), and Paul Sewald (ARI, 11) are the cleanest locked arms. Minnesota and Oakland are full committees. The Angels and Tigers ninth innings are both wobbling — Yates and Vest each blew saves and both have real underlying red flags.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Smith | CLE | 🟢 Locked | MLB-leading 16 saves across 23 appearances. The most reliable closer in baseball this year — no cracks in the role. Top-5 RP rest of season. |
| Aroldis Chapman | BOS | 🟢 Locked | 12 saves and a 14-game scoreless streak since April 7 (10-for-10 on chances in that span). The early-May velocity concern has faded — he's been dominant. Top-10 RP rest of season. |
| Paul Sewald | ARI | 🟢 Locked | 11 saves, 4-for-5 on opportunities this month. The career revival continues and the D-backs are winning enough close games to keep the volume flowing. Top-15 RP rest of season. |
| Kirby Yates | LAA | Blew a save Thursday and the velocity charts are flashing red — his fastball is down notably from his career norm. The Angels' manager still expresses trust, but the metrics warrant real caution. Fade in standard formats; the ninth-inning role is genuinely up for grabs. | |
| Twins Committee | MIN | Yoendrys Gómez, Luis García, and Andrew Morris are all in the mix — Morris just notched his first career save. No clear hierarchy. Avoid in standard formats; speculate on García as the slight leverage favorite if forced to choose. |
Braves 9, Marlins 3 — Michael Harris II goes 2-for-5 with 2 HR and 3 RBI, Mike Yastrzemski adds a 3-for-3 night with a homer, and Spencer Strider strikes out 9 over 6.1 innings for the win. Atlanta has won 6 of its last 8 to climb back into the NL East race.
Luis Severino's gem goes to waste: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K against the Angels — his third double-digit-strikeout game of 2026 — but the A's bullpen couldn't hold it in a 3-2 loss. José Soriano matched him with 6.2 IP / 2 ER / 7 K for the Angels.
Pirates 6, Cardinals 2 — Braxton Ashcraft tosses 7 IP / 1 ER / 9 K, his best start of the season, as Pittsburgh takes the series. Ashcraft has now strung together four straight quality starts with a four-seam/curveball combo that's among the best in the league.
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