Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos put on a power display as the Phillies completed a sweep of the defending World Series-champion Texas Rangers on Thursday, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run to raise his batting average on the year to just .206. Castellanos' solo home run in the seventh inning gave the team an insurance run at 5-2 late in the game. The 32-year-old veteran two-time All-Star came into the day hitting just .200 on the year, and his long ball on Thursday was just his fifth in 51 games played. Castellanos definitely isn't the higher-average hitter he was earlier in his career, but he still figures to be a pretty good buy-low candidate in fantasy circles who will also continue to get plenty of RBI opportunities in a potent Phillies lineup. His homer on Thursday was the first time clearing the fences since May 12.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes had high expectations going into his third major-league start at home on Thursday against the visiting San Francisco Giants after throwing six shutout and hitless innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts in his last outing on the road at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. The best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg only allowed one earned run on six hits against the Gigantes in six innings of work on Thursday, but he struck out only three and walked one for a no-decision when the Pirates bullpen blew another lead. Despite not missing as many bats in this one, the 21-year-old flamethrower was still impressive working out of trouble and now has a strong 2.25 ERA in three starts. He needs to be in all fantasy lineups for his next scheduled outing next Wednesday in a cushy matchup against the Detroit Tigers.

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The Detroit Tigers optioned right-hander Alex Lange to Triple-A Toledo on Thursday and recalled right-hander Mason Englert from Toledo in a corresponding move. The move to demote Lange to the minors comes a day after he gave up four earned runs in one inning of work in the team's loss to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday. The 28-year-old opened the year as Detroit's closer but will now try to figure some things out in the minors after going 0-3 so far in 2024 with a career-worst 4.34 ERA (3.94 FIP), a 1.77 WHIP, two saves, 17 walks and 21 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Lange had a career-high 26 saves for the Tigers last year but has fallen on hard times so far this year, mainly for his inability to control the strike zone. He should be back in Detroit eventually, but he's not guaranteed to win the closer role back from Jason Foley.

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New York Yankees right-hander Luis Gil was absolutely outstanding in his sixth win of the season on Thursday against the visiting Seattle Mariners, holding them to just one hit over 6 1/3 shutout innings while walking two and striking out eight to lower his season ERA to a very stingy 2.11. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on Thursday that his guess is that the Yankees are likely to "back off" Gil in order to have him as a factor for the playoffs once ace Gerrit Cole (elbow) makes his season debut. Gil isn't necessarily on an innings limit this year, but it is his first full season since having Tommy John surgery in 2022. The 25-year-old has now struck out 22 hitters in his last two starts covering 12 1/3 innings. Cole still has a ways to go before he's back in the Yankees' starting rotation, and fantasy managers should continue to roll Gil out there during his brilliant season. He's scheduled to face the Angels in his next outing next Wednesday.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge hit his 15th home run of the season in the team's 5-0 shutout win over the visiting Seattle Mariners in the series finale at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. Judge finished the contest 2-for-2 with a double, solo home run, two runs scored and two walks to boost his season average to .276 and his OPS to 1.027. His homer off right-hander Luis Castillo gave the Bombers a 2-0 lead early in the game, and they never looked back with Luis Gil dominating on the mound for the Yanks yet again. Judge didn't look all that great in the first month of the season in April, but those concerns have quickly evaporated, as he entered Thursday's game with a .373 average (25-for-67) with eight homers, 16 RBI and 18 walks in 20 games in May. Judge is locked in right now and needs to be in fantasy lineups every day.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned outfielder Jack Suwinski to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday and recalled left-hander Jose Hernandez from the minors in a corresponding move. Suwinski is being shipped down to the farm to work on his swing after struggling so far this year to a .174/.268/.297 slash line with four home runs, 13 RBI, five stolen bases and 16 runs scored in 138 at-bats. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter should eventually be back in Pittsburgh, but he probably won't be anything more than a platoon center fielder. With Suwinski in the minors for the time being, it should open up more playing time in the outfield for Ji Hwan Bae and Connor Joe, which will in turn open up more action for the lefty-hitting Rowdy Tellez at first base in Pittsburgh.

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The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated left-hander Shane Baz (elbow) from the 15-day injured list on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Durham. Baz is finally nearing a return after opening the year on the IL as he recovers from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in July of 2022. Although he's already made four minor-league rehab starts for the Durham Bulls, the Rays aren't going to rush him back and want to see more before they consider returning him to their big-league starting rotation later this season. In his four rehab starts for Triple-A, the 24-year-old southpaw had a 6.00 ERA and 1.92 WHIP with 22 walks and eight strikeouts in 12 innings. Baz's control could take a while to return as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Fantasy managers are going to want to temper expectations after Baz missed all of last year.

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The Cincinnati Reds placed right-hander Emilio Pagan (triceps) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday due to right-triceps tightness. The move comes after Pagan had not appeared out of the Reds' bullpen since Sunday due to the injury. The 33-year-old veteran setup man had an MRI exam come back negative, so there's hope that he can return to the big-league roster when his 15 days are up. Pagan is a key setup man for the Reds in front of closer Alexis Diaz in his first year in Cincinnati and is currently sporting a 2-3 record, 4.19 ERA (4.32 FIP) and 1.34 WHIP with seven walks and 25 strikeouts in 19 1/3 relief innings. With Pagan out of the picture for at least the next two weeks, the Reds will need setup men Fernando Cruz and Lucas Sims to step up in high-leverage roles.

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Cincinnati Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson (shoulder) went 3 2/3 innings in his latest minor-league rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Louisville, allowing one earned run on five hits while walking just one and striking out four in a no-decision. The 26-year-old was making his first rehab start with Louisville but his second overall after pitching for High-A Dayton on May 14. Williamson is likely going to need another rehab start or two before being an option to join Cincinnati's starting rotation. He's been on the IL all year with a left-shoulder strain but may have to settle for a role out of the bullpen for the Reds when he's ready to return if he's not sent back to the minors when he's activated. The former second-rounder by the Seattle Mariners in 2019 out of TCU had a 4.46 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 39 walks and 98 K's in his first 23 MLB starts in 2023.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (thumb) is back to hitting flips and continues to progress. He's working toward getting back to taking batting practice soon. Friedl suffered a fractured left thumb 11 days ago but is already swinging a bat and is progressing nicely. If the 28-year-old doesn't suffer a setback with his thumb once he starts to take batting practice, he should be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment shortly after that. Surprisingly, Friedl is on track to return from the 10-day injured list when he's eligible early next month. When healthy, Friedl should be a lineup regular, at least against right-handed pitching, after hitting 18 home runs, driving in 66 and stealing 27 bases in a breakout 2023 campaign. He's been unlucky with injuries so far in 2024, though, and is currently hitting .182 (4-for-22) with no homers, two RBI and two steals.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (hand) still has swelling on the outside of his right hand after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday. Fraley said he was going to try and take some swings to test it on Thursday, but he remained out of the starting lineup for the series finale versus the visiting San Diego Padres. X-rays came back negative on the 28-year-old left-handed hitter's hand, so he's considered day-to-day for now. If Fraley feels better while testing his hand on Thursday, he could return to the lineup at some point this weekend for a series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. When healthy, Fraley is an option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues and in DFS lineups against right-handed pitching. The former second-rounder by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 out of LSU is currently hitting .272/.333/.359 with a homer, seven RBI and seven steals in 103 at-bats.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitching prospect Cristian Mena threw five shutout innings on Wednesday and tied a season-high nine punchouts. Through 50 innings with Triple-A Reno, Mena has a 3.42 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 54:25 K:BB ratio. The 21-year-old got a small taste of Triple-A ball last season but struggled with a 5.95 ERA across 19 innings. While Mena is showcasing his elite strikeout upside, he is still struggling with his control. Mena should be expected to reach the major leagues later this summer and could become a must-stash player if he lowers his walk rate over his next few starts.

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St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Jose Fermin went 3-for-4 with his sixth home run of the season to power Triple-A Memphis to a victory. Through 26 games at Triple-A this season, Fermin has posted an excellent .393/.481/.708 slash line with a 13:3 BB:K and nine stolen bases. Fermin has appeared in only 30 games in the majors over the past two years, made just nine appearances earlier this season, and holds a cumulative .227/.338/.242 line. However, the 25-year-old is on pace to set career-highs in every category in the minors and could earn himself a more extended opportunity in the majors later this summer. When he is promoted, he is worth an addition in NL-only formats, as he could provide you with a nice power and speed combination.

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The Oakland Athletics placed outfielder Esteury Ruiz (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a strained left wrist and selected the contract of outfielder Daz Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Infielder Jordan Diaz was also designated for assignment. Ruiz only made two starts in the team's last 13 games due to his injury, so they A's weren't trying to play a man short any longer. The 25-year-old speedster had a league-high 67 stolen bases in 2023 but has already been optioned to the minors once in 2024 and is currently hitting .200 (11-for-55) with two homers, eight RBI and five steals in 29 games. Ruiz has gone 2-for-19 with 10 strikeouts in May. Cameron, 27, could be an interesting option in AL-only leagues if he sees playing time. He was hitting .307 with six homers and eight steals in 41 games for Vegas before this call-up.

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Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (groin) had a successful bullpen session on Wednesday and will throw again on Saturday. Lodolo is aiming to come off the 15-day injured list and return to Cincy's starting rotation on Monday to face the St. Louis Cardinals. As long as the 26-year-old southpaw doesn't have a setback in his next bullpen session on Saturday, fantasy managers should be ready to throw him back into their starting lineups in a favorable matchup to kick off next week. Lodolo landed on the 15-day IL due to a left-groin strain that wasn't very serious, which is why he didn't require a minor-league rehab assignment. The former seventh overall pick out of TCU in 2019 should be rostered in all fantasy leagues for his strikeout upside. He was looking good this year before his injury, going 3-2 with a 3.34 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 43 K's in 35 innings.

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The San Francisco Giants placed left-hander Blake Snell on the paternity list on Thursday and recalled relief pitcher Nick Avila from Double-A Richmond in a corresponding move. Snell should be back in time for his next start against the Philadelphia Phillies. The reigning National League Cy Young winner made his return from the injured list on Wednesday to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and he'll now leave the team for a few days. In his return from a groin strain, Snell allowed four earned runs on four hits while walking a season-high four batters and striking out five in 3 1/3 innings in a no-decision. The 31-year-old southpaw remains winless on the year with a nightmarish 11.40 ERA and 2.07 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings of work over four starts. Snell should be able to get things figured out and has been notorious for being a slow starter, so he's worth some buy-low offers if you're in need of a strikeout artist.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitching prospect Cade Horton posted his best start at Triple-A on Wednesday with five innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits, one free pass, and striking out six. Through his first four starts with Triple-A Iowa, Horton has posted a 6.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 20:10 K:BB ratio. However, in his two recent starts, he has a much better 4.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, which is a good sign. The top prospect in the Chicago pipeline opened the season with Double-A Tennessee and posted a stellar 1.10 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 18:2 K:BB ratio, which allowed him to move up to Triple-A quite early this spring. The former number-seven overall pick should reach the major leagues later this summer, and with his recent turnaround at Triple-A, this promotion could come relatively soon. Horton should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and is worth stashing in deeper redraft leagues for now.

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The Baltimore Orioles placed left-hander John Means (forearm) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a left-forearm strain and recalled right-hander Jonathan Heasley from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The frustration around Means continues after he was forced to leave his start on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals early due to a flare-up with his left forearm. The 31-year-old southpaw got a late start to the 2024 campaign due to a similar issue with his arm, so fantasy managers should expect him to miss more than the 15 days on the IL. The O's are likely to play it safe with Means at this point, although hopefully he'll be able to return to Baltimore's starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July. With Means now sidelined again, it's likely that Cole Irvin will take his rotation spot.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) remains sidelined for the series finale at Wrigley Field on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. It's a mild surprise that Atlanta hasn't put Riley on the injured list yet, as this will be his 10th straight missed game due to a left-intercostal strain. The good news is that the 27-year-old right-handed slugger was able to take some swings on the field earlier this week. However, if he's not able to return this weekend for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, it would be even more of a surprise if he's not put on the IL. The former 41st overall pick in 2015 is currently slashing .245/.319/.388 with only three home runs and 18 RBI, but he remains a must-start when he's healthy. Luke Williams will get the start at third on Thursday instead of Zack Short and will hit ninth against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown.

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Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud will get a day to rest in the matinee affair on Thursday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs to wrap up the series. With d'Arnaud on the bench, Chadwick Tromp will do the catching for right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver and will hit in the eight spot against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown. d'Arnaud has admirably held down the fort as Atlanta's primary backstop with Sean Murphy (oblique) on the injured list since getting hurt on Opening Day. The 35-year-old veteran catcher got off to a hot start with regular playing time in April, but he's cooled off so far in May, going 9-for-43 (.209) with no homers, one RBI and 13 strikeouts in 14 games played. With Murphy's return coming soon, d'Arnaud is going to find himself on the bench more often in the near future. Tromp has gone 11-for-45 (.244) with no homers and six RBI in limited action in 2024.

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