Fantasy managers need to stay sharp on the fantasy baseball waiver wire as we hit July 1, 2026, and two MLB injury report updates are demanding your immediate attention. Chris Bassitt's back issues have taken a more serious turn, while Mets catcher James McCann is quietly working his way back and could be relevant sooner than you think. Here's what both mean for your roster decisions right now.
Chris Bassitt (BAL) — Injury Update
Bassitt's stint on the 15-Day IL, which began June 8 with low back discomfort, just got significantly more complicated. The 37-year-old right-hander has undergone a minor back procedure, and Baltimore General Manager Mike Elias indicated the team will reassess in a couple of weeks before determining next steps. There is no clear return timeline, and for a veteran pitcher already dealing with a back issue, post-procedure recovery adds meaningful uncertainty on top of that.
From a fantasy baseball waiver wire perspective, Bassitt should be dropped in most standard leagues unless your roster can afford to carry a deep-bench streamer with no ETA. His sinker (SI) accounts for 41% of his pitch mix and has allowed a .362 wOBA against, which sits below the league average of .376 — so when healthy, there's a real underlying skill set here. But healthy is the operative word, and right now that feels a long way off.
In line with his recent form — managers holding Bassitt in deeper leagues should monitor updates closely over the next two weeks, but in 12-team mixed formats, the roster spot is better used elsewhere on the fantasy baseball waiver wire while he recovers from this procedure.
James McCann (NYM) — Return From Injury
On the brighter side of the MLB injury report, Mets catcher James McCann is approaching the end of his 4-to-6-week recovery window after being placed on the IL on May 19. Activity is set to resume late next week, with a potential return to the Mets in early July. That timeline makes him one of the more actionable fantasy baseball pickups at a position — catcher — that is perpetually thin in mixed leagues.
McCann's 2024 season-long splits offer useful context for how to deploy him if and when he returns: he posted a .683 OPS against right-handed pitching across 149 plate appearances and a .638 OPS against lefties in 84 PA. Neither number is overwhelming, but at catcher, a right-handed bat with solid contact skills and a plausible starting role is worth a stash. The key variable is whether the Mets ease him back as a platoon piece or return him to a more regular role once he clears his rehab steps.
Early signal (medium severity) — McCann's return is not yet confirmed, and fantasy managers should treat this as a watch-and-add situation. If you have a catcher slot open or a weak backup behind your starter, adding McCann now on the fantasy baseball waiver wire ahead of his potential return is a reasonable low-cost speculative move heading into the July stretch.
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