The Miami Marlins announced on Friday that they reinstated right-hander Max Meyer from the bereavement list to make the start against the hosting St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Meyer is back in Miami's starting rotation after missing the week due to a personal family matter. The 27-year-old has been great for the Fish and fantasy managers alike in 2026, so he should be returned to most starting lineups on Friday as well. The former third overall pick of the 2020 MLB draft out of the University of Minnesota has gone a perfect 8-0 this year with a 2.80 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with a career-high 102 strikeouts and 34 walks in 90 innings across his first 16 starts. In his first matchup against St. Louis at home on April 20, Meyer took a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking two and striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings pitched. Meyer has not allowed over two earned runs in any of his four starts in June while allowing only six earned runs, walking nine, and striking out 28 in 23 1/3 innings pitched.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (knee) is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat second for the Royals in Friday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, per MLB.com. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop and bat seventh. While Witt isn't all the way back from a sprained MCL in his knee, he will make his first start since June 18. Even at less than 100%, Witt is better than most players in the league, and he'll return on Friday to a .294/.368/.465 slash line, .833 OPS, 10 home runs, 32 RBI, a league-leading 28 stolen bases, 40 runs scored, and a league-leading 4.3 WAR in 76 games across 337 plate appearances. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Witt's little injury layoff in the last week won't slow him down. In 17 games so far in June, he has gone 21-for-65 (.323) with a homer, four doubles, six RBI, 11 stolen bases, and 12 runs scored in 77 plate appearances. Even as the DH, Witt needs to be returned to all starting fantasy lineups on Friday in traditional formats. If he doesn't suffer a setback with his knee on Friday, expect him to return to the 6 on either Saturday or Sunday.

Baltimore Orioles middle infielder Jackson Holliday (groin) is starting at second base and batting eighth for Friday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals and left-hander Andrew Alvarez at Camden Yards, according to MLB.com. Holliday didn't start the last four games for the O's while nursing a groin injury, but he'll be back this weekend against the Nats as he looks to finally get his bat going in what has been an injury-plagued season for the former first overall pick. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter didn't make his 2026 season debut until May 19 due to a fractured hamate bone in his hand that required surgery back in spring training. Holliday teased 20-20 upside in 2025 in his first full season in the big leagues with 17 homers and 17 stolen bases, but so far in 30 games (99 plate appearances) in 2026, he's hitting .198 (17-for-86) with four homers, 12 RBI, 11 walks, and 30 stolen bases. There's still plenty of upside, but it's hard to recommend Holliday off the waiver wire with the way he's been swinging it, especially at the bottom of Baltimore's batting order. He's currently rostered in under 30% of Yahoo leagues.

Cleveland Guardians catching prospect Cooper Ingle has been called up from Triple-A Columbus and will serve as the designated hitter while batting fifth in his major-league debut in Friday's series opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners and veteran right-hander Luis Castillo, according to Zack Meisel of The Athletic. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting backstop is considered the Guards' No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he gets the call after hitting .284/.416/.551 with a .967 OPS, 12 home runs, 41 RBI, 33 runs scored, and a stolen base in 51 games at Columbus this year. The former fourth-rounder in 2023 out of Clemson University could also receive playing time in the outfield in Cleveland and is certainly worth a look for fantasy managers desperate for help at the catcher position. Ingle has recently started developing more power at the plate, and he's an intriguing upcoming offensive player due to his excellent discipline at the dish. He's only rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues right now.