Gerrit Cole looked every bit the ace in his first MLB start since the 2024 World Series: 6.0 innings, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts, 72 pitches. The Yankees' bullpen surrendered 4 runs after Cole exited and New York lost 4-2 to Tampa Bay — the team with the best record in baseball. The 72-pitch cap was by design; the Yankees will extend him to 85-95 next week.
Josh Smith was already on the IL with a right glute strain when he contracted viral meningitis and was admitted to the hospital. He faces at least 7-10 additional days before he can even restart a rehab program — and his overall return timeline is now completely open-ended. Ezequiel Duran has taken over as the everyday second baseman and is slashing .308/.387/.577 over his last seven games.
Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed that Josh Hader, still on the 60-day IL with left biceps tendinitis, needs at least five more minor-league appearances before he'll be activated — even though his four rehab outings have been scoreless (6 K:1 BB in 4 IP). Bryan Abreu holds the closer role in the interim with a messy 7.63 ERA on the season, though he's been scoreless across his last six outings.
Who's Hot This Week
Ginn took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Angels earlier this month — Zach Neto's walk-off homer ruined it, but an 8-inning, 10-strikeout line is a 10-strikeout line. He's allowed one earned run or less in three of his last four starts, and his 10.0 K/9 rate is genuine. The Athletics have given him a real rotation slot. Low-cost stash in 14+ team leagues; he's a potential SP3-4 if the strikeout profile holds through June.
Worth Reading
Covers under-50% rostered SP targets for the week. Highlights Trevor McDonald (SFG, 18% owned) and Kyle Leahy (STL, 10% owned) as the deepest dart throws, with a broader look at streamers for the second half of week 8. Solid read for 14-team league managers scrambling for rotation depth.
Runs through the most add-worthy hitters in leagues with 14+ teams. Bohm, Duran, and Arenado (ARI) all get dedicated treatment. Good reference if you have roster spots to burn and need someone off the beaten path before Sunday's waiver claims.
A league-by-league snapshot of every AL bullpen close situation heading into the weekend. Covers the Hader/Abreu situation in Houston, Hoffman's save-gap concern in Toronto, and the Tampa Bay committee. Helpful companion read to this issue's Bullpen Bulletin.
Left biceps tendinitis. Has made four scoreless rehab appearances (6 K, 1 BB across 4 IP) but manager Joe Espada confirmed he needs five more before activation. Return target: late May/early June at the earliest.
Already on IL for a right glute strain, Smith was hospitalized with viral meningitis and faces at least 7-10 additional days before restarting his rehab program. Return timeline is fully open-ended.
Right elbow inflammation. Threw two innings in a Complex League rehab appearance and is targeting a mid-June return. With Bowden Francis out for the season (Tommy John surgery, February), Toronto's rotation has almost no depth — stream aggressively against their patchwork starters.
The Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder is slashing .288/.361/.511 with a 141 wRC+ on the season — career-high production across the board. Over the prior eight games, Bauers collected 13 hits, five doubles, and two home runs. What makes the line interesting isn't the counting stats; it's the machinery underneath them. His hard-hit rate sits at a career-high 54.7%, his average exit velocity has climbed to 93 mph, and his barrel rate is at 12.5% — all legitimate top-30 thresholds for a corner hitter.
Bauers has also cut his strikeout rate to 21.3% while maintaining a walk rate above 10%, a rare combination to find on a waiver wire in mid-May. His xwOBA of .357 is slightly below his actual wOBA (.388), so some regression is baked in — but the underlying contact quality validates the hot stretch rather than explaining it away. The driver is improved pull-side authority: he's getting to his pull air more consistently, which is where his power grade plays best.
The main caveat is a platoon arrangement in Milwaukee. Bauers sees limited action against same-handed (left-handed) pitching, which caps his AB volume on days the Brewers face a lefty. In a 10-team league he's a must-start corner; in 12-team formats he belongs in your lineup most nights; in points leagues the walk rate and hard contact make him particularly attractive. The one-week hot streak narrative undersells what is looking like a real step forward.
Friday's 14-game slate produced 5 saves, no blown saves. Biggest note: Jeff Hoffman recorded his 4th save for Toronto — his first since April 20, a month-long gap that raises real questions about the Blue Jays' ninth-inning pecking order following Jordan Romano's DFA. In Houston, Bryan Abreu was scoreless again (his sixth straight clean outing) but Josh Hader still needs five more rehab appearances. Tampa Bay's Bryan Baker added his third save of the month in an otherwise fluid bullpen. Through Saturday, 382 saves this season have been recorded by 133 different pitchers — the committee era is real.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Abreu | HOU | 🟡 Watch | Scoreless in 6 straight, but his 7.63 ERA on the year and 2.09 WHIP tell you the hot stretch isn't the norm. Hader (5 more rehab outings needed) is coming back by early June — Abreu's role has an expiration date. Stream saves while you can, but don't pay closer value in a trade. |
| Jeff Hoffman | TOR | 🟡 Watch | Recorded his 4th save Friday but it was his first since April 20. A full month without a save opportunity — with no injury explanation — is a red flag. Ryan Zeferjahn stepped into the closer role after Jordan Romano's DFA and could still challenge. Blue Jays' save situation is murkier than it looks. |
| Bryan Baker | TB | 🔴 Committee | Leading Tampa Bay's revolving ninth inning with 3 saves in May, but Ian Seymour has also earned a save. The Rays don't have a defined hierarchy and haven't for weeks. Speculate on Baker as the slight favorite, but don't count on consistent volume. |
Rays 4, Yankees 2 — Gerrit Cole's return highlights from Yankee Stadium. Cole was lights-out through 6 innings (2H, 0ER, 72 pitches) before the bullpen collapsed. The crowd reaction when he took the mound for the first time in 19 months is worth watching.
Dodgers vs. Brewers full game highlights from American Family Field. Fantasy-relevant output throughout — Milwaukee's offense got after the LA bullpen and the Brewers' rotation depth held up through a high-leverage mid-game situation.
Pirates vs. Blue Jays highlights from Rogers Centre — Pittsburgh took the series opener behind a quality rotation start, and Jeff Hoffman recorded his first save since April 20 in the Toronto ninth. Full game highlights from an underrated pitching matchup.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.