July 19, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Roki Sasaki (shoulder) has been working his way back from a shoulder impingement, currently in the bullpen session phase of the progression, and was throwing up to 90 mph in recent sessions. The next step will be to face live hitters, and he still appears to be on track for a return in late August. The Dodgers' rotation needs aren't as dire as they were earlier this season when they were without
Tyler Glasnow,
Clayton Kershaw, and
Shohei Ohtani, but that can always change in an instant. Hopefully when Sasaki returns, the 23-year-old will be able to post better numbers than he was able to log during his time on the mound before the injury. The Japanese righty registered a 4.72 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, and an ugly 1.3 percent K-BB% through eight starts (34 1/3 innings pitched).
--Jarod RuppSource: Fabian Ardaya
July 19, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect
Bubba Chandler took a step back in his most recent outing on Friday evening against Triple-A Nashville. In this outing, the top pitching prospect in the sport on MLB.com allowed eight hits and five earned runs across 3 2/3 innings. He served up two walks and allowed two home runs. He struck out four hitters. This was a rough showing for Chandler, who had recently begun to turn the corner after a disastrous June. In his first two starts of July, the right-hander tossed 12 shutout innings with a 1.17 WHIP and a 13:4 K:BB. However, in June, Chandler posted an 8.53 ERA with a 2.29 WHIP through 12 2/3 innings. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his development as he could contend for a second-half MLB debut if he can find his footing at Triple-A.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
July 19, 2025
Chicago Cubs infield prospect
Jefferson Rojas made his Double-A debut on Friday evening against Birmingham. In this game, Rojas went 1-for-4 with a double. The Cubs officially promoted Rojas to Double-A Knoxville prior to Friday's game. The No. 63-ranked prospect in baseball spent the entire first half with High-A South Bend. Through 67 games, the infielder held a strong .278/.379/.492 slash line with 13 doubles, 11 home runs, and 14 stolen bases. During this stretch, Rojas held a 47:38 K:BB. Last summer, the 20-year-old posted a .245/.310/.366 line through 96 games with High-A. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, as Rojas is quickly progressing through the Chicago system at a young age. He remains on track to contend for his MLB debut next season.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
July 19, 2025
New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong enjoyed another dominant outing on Friday evening against Double-A New Hampshire. In this outing, the right-hander tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball with two hits and two walks. He struck out seven. Since the start of June (40 innings), Tong has been one of the best pitchers in the minor leagues, holding a stellar 1.12 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP. During this stretch, Tong has struck out 60 batters while allowing just 13 free passes. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Tong's status closely. Given his impressive first half, he should be in the mix to join Triple-A in the near future. If he can carry this success into Triple-A, he could push for a late-season taste of the majors.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
July 19, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Chas McCormick (oblique) was activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. In a corresponding move, the Astros optioned outfielder
Kenedy Corona to Triple-A Sugar Land. McCormick was held out of action since late May. He made six appearances in the minor leagues during his rehab stint and held a .174/.240/.435 line with two long balls. Before his injury, McCormick held a modest .256/.347/.302 slash line with two doubles and two RBI through 36 games in Houston. The 30-year-old also struggled during the 2024 campaign, posting a .577 OPS with just five home runs. However, he did show some upside in 2023, with a .273/.353/.489 line, 22 home runs, and 19 stolen bases. Fantasy managers should expect McCormick to operate as a depth piece in the outfield and carry minimal fantasy value.
--Andy SmithSource: Brian McTaggart
July 19, 2025
New York Yankees right-handed pitcher
Luis Gil (lat) completed 57 pitches in his latest rehab outing with Double-A Somerset on Friday evening. In this outing, Gil was able to log 3 1/3 innings of two-run ball. He allowed two hits, two walks, and struck out seven. In his first rehab outing, Gil also tossed 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball with six punchouts. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he appears to be nearing the end of his rehab stint. He will likely need to make one appearance with Triple-A and increase his pitch count once again before being activated off the 60-day IL. The 27-year-old has been sidelined with a high-grade lat strain through the entire first half. Last season, Gil was effective on the bump, holding a 3.50 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. He is worth stashing ahead of his activation in all standard leagues.
--Andy SmithSource: Bryan Hoch
July 19, 2025
Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher
Zebby Matthews (shoulder) is slated to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list and start Saturday's contest against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander has been held out of action since June due to a right shoulder strain. However, Matthews needed just one rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul to prove he was ready to return to the big leagues. In this outing, the Western Carolina product struck out an impressive nine hitters across four shutout innings against the potent Iowa Cubs. Earlier in the season, Matthews flashed high strikeout upside in Minnesota (30.1% K rate) but held a modest 5.21 ERA. Given his high strikeout potential, he is worth adding in all standard leagues ahead of his start on Saturday. He is also a top streaming option facing the Rockies.
--Andy SmithSource: Dan Hayes
July 18, 2025
The Houston Astros have made a notable change to their rotation for Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners. They'll start All-Star right-hander
Hunter Brown instead of lefty
Framber Valdez for the series finale, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Valdez was listed as the starter for Sunday when pitching probables came out Thursday. However, Astros manager Joe Espada said the team was always planning on starting Brown to give Valdez extra rest. The 31-year-old standout will toe the rubber early next week in a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
--Connor ByrneSource: Brian McTaggart - MLB.com
July 18, 2025
Kansas City Royals closer
Carlos Estevez (4-3) blew a save and took the loss in an 8-7 heartbreaker against the Miami Marlins on Friday. After the Royals took a 7-5 lead in the top of the 10th inning, Estevez was unable to close the door on the Marlins in a costly defeat. Estevez retired the first hitter he faced, but the right-hander allowed the automatic runner to score on an
Agustin Ramirez RBI single and then surrendered a walk-off homer to All-Star
Kyle Stowers. The 32-year-old now has six blown saves, three of which have come over his past four appearances, and has yielded five earned runs in 7 2/3 innings this month. While Estevez still has 25 saves and a 2.76 ERA over 42 1/3 frames, his underwhelming 35:15 K:BB isn't befitting of a lights-out closer. He may end the season in a setup role if the Royals deal him before the July 31 trade deadline.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 18, 2025
Seattle Mariners right-hander
Bryce Miller (elbow) is expected to throw live batting practice on Saturday, according to Tim Booth of the Seattle Times. Miller previously threw a bullpen session this past Tuesday as he works back from elbow inflammation. The 26-year-old has gone on the 15-day injured list twice this season because of elbow troubles and hasn't pitched in the majors since June 6. With poor elbow health weighing him down, Miller has been unable to build on what looked like a breakthrough 2024 campaign. He has managed just 48 2/3 innings across 10 starts and pitched to a bloated 5.73 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP, 39 strikeouts, and 23 walks.
--Connor ByrneSource: Tim Booth - Seattle Times
July 18, 2025
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers continued his stunning breakout campaign in an 8-7 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday. The first-time All-Star smashed a pair of two-run homers, including a walk-off in the 10th inning, to highlight a 3-for-5, five-RBI night. Remarkably, Stowers has gone 8-for-10 with five HRs, 11 RBI, and six runs scored in his past two games. He's up to eight dingers in 13 contests this month, giving him 21 on the season. The 27-year-old is also slashing a superb .298/.371/.563 with 59 RBI and 48 runs over 351 plate appearances. With Stowers ranking in the league's top 6% of hitters in xwOBA, xSLG, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage, he doesn't look like someone who's going to fade down the stretch.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 18, 2025
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter/outfielder
Mike Trout did some outfield drills on Friday and offered a positive update afterward, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. "It went good," the 33-year-old said. "Just like a slow progression to get my feet under me, and then hopefully be back in the outfield soon." Trout expects to get more work in right field on Saturday, though it's unclear when he'll be ready to return as a defender in game action. The 11-time All-Star missed almost all of May with a bone bruise in his left knee and has been a full-time DH since he returned May 30. While Trout is no longer the all-around superstar he was during his halcyon days, the three-time AL MVP has continued to hit well this year. After going 2-for-5 in a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Trout is slashing .241/.365/.474 with 17 homers, 42 RBI, and 37 runs scored in 304 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Jeff Fletcher - Orange County Register
July 18, 2025
The Houston Astros announced Friday that right-hander
Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) is scheduled to report to Double-A Corpus Christi this week. He should start a rehab assignment in the coming days. Arrighetti threw a 35-pitch live batting practice session last Sunday and hasn't dealt with any issues since then. The Astros are targeting an August return for Arrighetti, who has been on the IL since April 7 with a broken right thumb. The 25-year-old made two starts before then - one a gem, the other a dud - and yielded six earned runs on four hits with 8:5 K:BB in 9 2/3 innings. As a rookie in 2024, Arrighetti pitched to a 4.53 ERA with an impressive 171 strikeouts in 145 frames. After a strong second half last season, Arrighetti entered this year as a potential breakout candidate and may be worth stashing as he draws closer to a return.
--Connor ByrneSource: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
July 18, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Aaron Nola (ankle, rib) will throw a live batting practice session consisting of two innings and 35 pitches on Saturday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The plan after that is for Nola to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday before potentially embarking on a rehab assignment. The 32-year-old landed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained right ankle in mid-May, but he eventually had to move to the 60-day IL as a result of a stress fracture in his right rib. Nola got off to an uncharacteristically terrible start before then, as he went 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA (5.05 xERA) in 49 2/3 innings. He's likely still a few weeks away from returning to the bigs.
--Connor ByrneSource: Scott Lauber
July 18, 2025
Houston Astros right-hander
Cristian Javier (elbow) pitched well over three innings in his first Double-A rehab start on Friday. Javier totaled 46 pitches and allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts against two walks. It was the second rehab outing for Javier, who tossed 35 pitches in a July 12 start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The 28-year-old hasn't taken a major league mound since he underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024. Javier proved effective before then, recording a 3.59 ERA in 501 innings. The Astros remain hopeful that he'll return sometime in August.
--Connor ByrneSource: Jeremy Branham - ESPN 97.5 Houston
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