Sale is on another level right now. The Marlins squeaked out a run via a sac fly in the first inning and from that point forward he faced just two batters over the minimum. His slider was especially lethal, forcing 14 of his 18 swings-and-misses as the Marlins helplessly flailed at it low and below the zone. Apart from an odd blow-up against the Angels in early April, Sale has allowed two or fewer runs and completed at least six innings in every start this year. In total, he has a 1.89 ERA plus 72 strikeouts and just 14 walks in 62 innings this season. He’s still firmly one of the best few pitchers in the game and is scheduled for a two-start week coming up against the Red Sox and Reds with both starts coming on the road.

Ohtani returns to two-way status after three consecutive starts where he pitched exclusively since April 22. The 31-year-old generational talent recently snapped out of an extended funk at the plate, hitting .429 (12-for-28) with one homer, nine RBI and one steal over his last seven games. The Dodgers have made an effort to reduce his massive workload by giving him time off from hitting while pitching recently, so it’s notable that he’s in the lineup for a pivotal showdown against San Diego.

This was always a potential outcome. The decision was made to perform a full reconstructive procedure after surgeons discovered UCL damage while performing an elbow operation to address his preexisting fracture and loose bodies. The 31-year-old right-hander’s absence is a hit to Toronto’s rotation depth since there was a slight possibility he would pitch again later this season. He’s likely to miss a significant portion of next year given the timing of the procedure.

There are zero guarantees here, but it sounds like Tong is an option to pitch at some point during New York’s upcoming three-game series against the Marlins that gets underway on Friday night. The 22-year-old top pitching prospect was scratched from his scheduled start for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday to keep him available. Tong was hit hard in his first taste of the majors last year, but offers sky-high strikeout upside, which makes him an interesting low-risk pickup for fantasy managers. There should be a definitive update on the Mets pitching plan later this week.

Hinch basically dismissed any internet speculation that Skubal was going to jump back into Detroit’s rotation next week without a rehab assignment after undergoing an innovative NanoScope procedure earlier this month to remove loose bodies from his elbow. The 29-year-old fantasy ace has already completed a bullpen session and could be ready to make a minor league rehab start by the end of May or early June. It’s a bit unclear how many tune-up outings he’ll require, but it’ll be at least one. It doesn’t sound like his return is imminent, but he’s definitely going to make it back to Detroit faster than anticipated at the time of the surgery.

Brown threw 22 pitches in a live batting practice earlier this week. He reportedly touched 96 mph, but there’s no word on his command or secondary pitches. Still, it seems like, if his shoulder responds well, Brown will begin a rehab assignment this weekend. He’ll likely need to make at least three starts, but that should put him on track for a mid-June return.

The Mets were up 5-0 early on, but Wood kickstarted the comeback in the bottom of the second inning with a long drive to left field which deflected off a leaping Nick Morabito’s glove and bounced toward center field. Wood rounded the bases in 15.1 seconds for the second inside-the-park grand slam in Nationals history. It was also the first inside-the-park grand slam in all of MLB since Raimel Tapia in 2022. Wood, who also singled twice, is now up to 13 homers and 34 RBI to go along with a .259/.399/.534 batting line. He’s a big reason why the Nationals have been one of the most potent offenses in baseball this season.

It’s a best-case outcome for Atlanta and fantasy managers after Baldwin landed on the injured list prior to Tuesday’s game against the Marlins. A low-grade oblique strain typically carries a 3–4 week recovery timeline, putting him in line for a mid-to-late June return. The 25-year-old burgeoning star has been the most impactful catcher in fantasy this season, hitting .303/.389/.543 with 13 homers and 38 RBI through 48 games. A clearer timetable should come once he resumes baseball activities.

McCullers hits the injured list shortly after being scratched from Tuesday’s start against the Twins with shoulder inflammation. The 32-year-old has already returned to Houston to undergo imaging to determine whether he’s dealing with any structural damage. There should be a clearer idea of his status at some point later this week. It’s a bit unclear how the Astros will fill his rotation spot at the moment.

It’s happening. Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Cole will make his return to Yankee Stadium for his first start since Game 5 of the World Series back in 2024. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace has looked extremely sharp in recent rehab outings after missing all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He averaged a crisp 97 mph and threw 86 pitches over 5 1/3 innings in his final rehab tune-up last weekend, which means he shouldn’t have any workload restrictions during his season debut. Get your popcorn ready.