July 7, 2025
Chicago Cubs catching prospect
Moises Ballesteros went 3-for-6, with all three hits going for singles and he scored a run on Sunday for Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs' second-ranked prospect continues to make his case for the major league roster, now slashing .333/.390/.498 through 71 games at Iowa this season. The diminutive backstop is striking out at just a 13.1 percent clip, with a .393 wOBA and 128 wRC+. He wasn't able to garner regular at-bats during his brief stint in the majors earlier this year, but if he can get the call and receive regular at-bats, the 21-year-old would be rosterable in deep NL-only and two catcher leagues, but has the upside to have a wider appeal, especially if he were to obtain first base eligibility at some point.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 7, 2025
Seattle Mariners right fielder
Victor Robles (shoulder) has entered the strength-building phase of his rehab as he works his way back from a left shoulder dislocation suffered on April 7. Robles began this stage in early June, with the program expected to last approximately six weeks before he resumes baseball activities. The 28-year-old has avoided setbacks, but his return timeline has shifted toward the end of the regular season due to the severity of the injury. He played in just 10 games before going down, slashing .273/.283/.341 with three stolen bases. Robles could be a sneaky speed boost for fantasy managers during the playoffs. Keep him in mind as a potential late-season waiver wire stash.
--Shaun AlbinSource: MLB.com
July 7, 2025
Atlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in his team's 2-1 loss to the visiting Baltimore Orioles. He added a double. The 30-year-old supplied his team's only run in the loss -- a ninth-inning blast off Orioles reliever
Seranthony Dominguez that traveled 411 feet to straight-away center field. Murphy is up to 13 homers on the season now, and four in his last seven appearances. He's barreled the ball exceptionally in 2025 (16.5%), but carries an unappealing .229 xBA and ghastly 32% strikeout rate. Fellow backstop
Drake Baldwin had garnered more consistent playing time than Murphy in June, but that has shifted slightly since the end of the month. Baldwin is far and away the better hitter, but the veteran is hot right now.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 7, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in his team's 3-1 win against the hosting Miami Marlins. The 21-year-old was the Brew Crew's only offense on Sunday -- blasting a two-run jack (No. 15) in the top of the third inning, and knocking in another run on a sac fly in the eighth. Chourio has picked it up since the calendar turned to July, sporting a .364/.400/.727 triple slash through 22 at-bats in the month. He's well on his way to a second consecutive 20/20 campaign and could realistically challenge 30/30 by season's end. The speedy center-fielder is much improved against southpaws in his second campaign (.364) but has struggled against right-handers (.223).
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 7, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays report that left-handed pitcher
Mason Montgomery has been sent down to Triple-A. In a corresponding move, right-handed pitcher
Mason Englert was recalled to the big-league squad. Montgomery pitched well in 2024 when first called upon, but compiled an ugly 5.74 ERA and 1.77 WHIP through 40 appearances (31 1/3 innings) in 2025 despite good swing-and-miss stuff. He'll get some time to work things out in the lower levels. Englert pitched for Tampa Bay earlier this season, but hasn't since mid-June. He performed much better in the minors (1.23 ERA) this year than he did in the majors (4.84), so maybe his demotion was a productive one. He'll slot into the former's vacated spot in the bullpen.
--Alex CiullaSource: Tampa Bay Rays
July 7, 2025
New York Yankees catcher
Austin Wells went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 6-4 win against the New York Mets. He added another RBI on a fielder's choice and also singled. The Yankees avoided the sweep against their cross-town rivals, and Wells was a big part of it -- giving the Yanks their first lead in the third with his thirteenth long ball of the season. That marks back-to-back games in which the 25-year-old has left the yard, and he's started off the month nicely, batting .333 (4-for-12). Wells' .220 xBA is right in line with his average on the season, but it's worth noting that he's making better quality of contact this year and more contact when he swings in general (82.9% Zone Contact).
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 7, 2025
Boston Red Sox outfielder
Ceddanne Rafaela went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 6-4 road win over the Washington Nationals. He also singled, doubled, scored twice, and was caught stealing. Rafaela notched his second-straight 20-double season with a two-bagger in the seventh, and would score a few batters later to make it 5-2 Red Sox. Then, in the ninth, he added a run of insurance with a solo shot off Nats' reliever
Andrew Chafin -- his eleventh of the campaign -- to add a run of insurance. The Curacao native has been hot in recent days, picking up at least one hit in eight of his last nine appearances with four multi-hit performances in that time.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 7, 2025
Houston Astros starter
Luis Garcia (elbow) has been sent on a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Astros, per MLB.com's transactions log. Garcia underwent Tommy John Surgery in May of 2023 and was shut down from a rehab assignment in 2024 due to soreness in the affected elbow. Given that he hasn't appeared on a big-league mound in over two years, this will likely be an extensive rehab assignment for Garcia. The 28-year-old righty owns a career 3.61 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 17.5% K-BB rate in 352 innings at the major league level, so he's been a fantasy asset in the past. However, he'll need to prove he is healthy and able to go relatively deep into games, which may not happen until 2026.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com
July 7, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks reliever
Ryan Thompson (shoulder) has been placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 5 with a right scapular strain, according to a team announcement. Right-hander
Bryce Jarvis has been recalled from Triple-A Reno to take his place on the active roster. In 32 1/3 innings pitched this season, Thompson has recorded a 4.45 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with two wins, one save, and 30 strikeouts. While the team has provided no official recovery timeline, Thompson could miss a significant amount of time depending on the severity of the strain. It's another blow to an Arizona bullpen that has already lost top relievers
A.J. Puk and
Justin Martinez to season-ending elbow injuries.
--Will BradySource: Arizona Diamondbacks
July 7, 2025
New York Mets outfielder
Starling Marte (knee) "felt something weird" in his last at-bat against the New York Yankees on Sunday, per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Per DiComo, Marte is "not really worried" about the injury, but is also waiting on the opinion of team doctors to understand if he'll require a stint on the injured list. The veteran has made most of his appearances this season at designated hitter, but he got the start in left field on Sunday. In 188 plate appearances, Marte has slashed .270/.353/.387 with four home runs, five stolen bases, 20 RBI, and 22 runs scored. With the All-Star break looming, it might make sense for the Mets to shut down the 36-year-old until after the break.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
July 7, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks reliever
Kendall Graveman (hip) will begin a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, per MLB.com. Graveman was placed on the 15-day injured list on June 9 with a right hip impingement and also missed time earlier this season with a back injury. He's struggled in the 8 1/3 big-league innings he's logged so far in 2025, allowing eight earned runs and 14 hits. Graveman has been a trusted high-leverage arm at certain points in his career, but he'll need an extended run of health and solid performance to work his way into the late innings in Arizona.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com
July 7, 2025
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Gary Sanchez (knee) has been diagnosed with a moderate strain in his right PCL, according to Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun. Sanchez was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday, and this diagnosis likely means he'll be out longer than the 10-day minimum. The Orioles have had a brutal run of catcher injuries. Sanchez joins
Adley Rutschman (oblique),
Maverick Handley (concussion), and
Chadwick Tromp (back) on the list of Baltimore backstops currently missing time. Sanchez had hit .231 with five home runs and 24 RBI in 101 plate appearances before this most recent injury. Veterans
Jacob Stallings and
Alex Jackson are in line for playing time in his absence.
--Will BradySource: Baltimore Sun - Matt Weyrich
July 7, 2025
Colorado Rockies shortstop
Ezequiel Tovar (oblique) went one-for-four with a single and a run scored on Saturday in the second game of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque. Tovar has missed over a month since straining his oblique in early June, so he'll likely need a few more rehab outings before being activated by the Rockies. Before getting injured, Tovar posted a .258/.301/.406 slash line with three home runs and two stolen bases in 138 plate appearances. His run and RBI opportunities in a miserable Rockies' lineup are limited, but he offers some upside in power and batting average in the middle infield.
--Will BradySource: milb.com
July 7, 2025
Colorado Rockies first baseman
Michael Toglia had a big day in his team's 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Toglia went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk to help power his team to the win over the Sox. The veteran's fifth-inning homer broke a 4-4 tie and ultimately wound up being the final runs of the game for either team. Toglia is now slashing .209/.278/.386 with 10 homers, 19 runs, 30 RBI, and three stolen bases on the season. He has been on a modest hot streak of late, hitting .304 over his past seven games. Toglia will need to hit more consistently to merit a spot on most fantasy rosters.
--Matt TerelleSource: MLB.com
July 7, 2025
Houston Astros catcher
Yainer Diaz turned in a productive game in a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Diaz went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs, and one RBI in the win. The veteran catcher pushed the Astros' lead to 4-1 with his solo homer in the eighth inning, going back-to-back with
Christian Walker in the frame. Diaz is now slashing .248/.280/.411 with 11 doubles, 12 homers, 33 runs, and 37 RBI in 302 at-bats this season. He has been hot of late, hitting .320 with two homers in his past seven games. Diaz remains a solid fantasy catcher in all formats.
--Matt TerelleSource: MLB.com
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