The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-hander Dennis Santana on the bereavement list on Tuesday, according to manager Derek Shelton. Right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton took Santana's spot on the active MLB roster. Santana will be away from the team for a few days but could be back and available to work in relief for Friday's series opener at PNC Park against the visiting San Diego Padres. While Santana is away from the Bucs for a few days, right-hander David Bednar should see any save chances that arise. Santana has been sharp so far in 2025 in his 13 relief appearances for the Pirates, allowing only three runs (two earned) on eight hits while walking three and striking out seven with three saves in 12 1/3 innings pitched. He should be back with the club at some point this weekend.

The Chicago Cubs called up right-hander Chris Flexen from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, sources told ESPN's Jesse Rogers. The 30-year-old veteran gets the call to the big leagues after going 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and eight walks in 23 1/3 frames over five starts at Iowa to begin the year. Flexen's solid results on the farm have come after he made a change to his arm slot. It remains to be seen if he can continue to be that successful in the big leagues with the Cubs, where he's expected to work in a long-relief role out of the bullpen, at least initially. Flexen won't have much fantasy appeal, even in deep leagues, unless he eventually earns a starting-rotation spot. In his seven big-league seasons, Flexen has a 4.95 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with a weak 16.4% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate in 153 outings (110 starts), so not much will be expected of him.

Colorado Rockies right-handed reliever Victor Vodnik (shoulder) resumed playing catch on Saturday and said the inflammation in his right shoulder has calmed. Vodnik was placed on the injured list on April 20 with right-shoulder inflammation but is making progress and is expected to return to the major-league bullpen on May 5. Between now and then, the 25-year-old should be expected to go on a short minor-league rehab assignment to get back up to speed. The former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2018 appeared in nine games out of the bullpen for Colorado before his injury and allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits while walking six and striking out eight in eight innings. Vodnik also recorded a save and also picked up nine saves in 15 chances a year ago. Given his lack of strikeout stuff and his inability to miss bats in 2024, Vodnik isn't a great option for fantasy managers speculating on saves.

Colorado Rockies infielder Thairo Estrada (wrist) is doing fielding drills and light swinging of the bat, according to manager Bud Black. Estrada remains on the 60-day injured list (retroactive to March 24) after fracturing his right wrist in spring training, and there is no specific timetable for his return. At the very least, Estrada will remain on the shelf until late May, and it might not be until June when we see him make his 2025 debut. The 29-year-old Venezuelan infielder will eventually need to go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the Rockies' big-league roster. When healthy, he's expected to be Colorado's primary second baseman despite hitting .217/.247/.343 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 96 games for the Giants in 2024 before being cut. Estrada had 28 homers, 44 steals and 111 RBI in 2022-23 in San Fran and has enough contact skills to be a waiver-wire sleeper in deeper fantasy leagues when he's back.

Chicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros is scorching-hot at the plate, blasting two home runs in a 2-for-5 day at the plate on Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa while recording three RBI and two runs scored in the process. The home runs extended his current hit streak to 16 games, with 10 of those going down as multi-hit performances, and the 21-year-old is hitting a sweltering .402 for the year along with an otherworldly 1.078 OPS. Ballesteros was seemingly white-hot all of last season as well, but he never got the call, and there isn't much more he can prove at the plate, so it looks like he's out to force his way onto the major-league roster. If you've been stashing him, continue to do so, because the call could come any time now.