July 2, 2025
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that right-hander
Reese Olson's (finger) next start will be in the big leagues, most likely in the upcoming series against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians on Friday. Olson has been out of action since the middle of May with right ring-finger inflammation, but he's ready to go after making three minor-league rehab starts with Triple-A Toledo, where he allowed four earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out 14 in 10 1/3 innings pitched. The 25-year-old only threw 74 pitches in his final rehab outing with Toledo last week, so he's most likely to be limited this weekend from a pitch-count perspective, making him more risky than normal in fantasy lineups in his first start back in the big leagues. Olson is worth a waiver-wire pickup in mixed leagues, though, if he's available. He had an ERA under 3.00 with 51 K's in 48 2/3 innings over his nine starts before his injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit News - Chris McCosky
July 2, 2025
Boston Red Sox right-hander Bryana Bello will take the mound in the team's suspended game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday that will pick up in the fourth inning, according to the Boston Herald's Mac Cerullo. Bello was originally scheduled to start the regularly scheduled game against Cincy on Wednesday, but he'll instead start the suspended game, which will technically be his first appearance as a reliever since 2022. The Red Sox will be leading 2-1, so there's a greater chance that the 26-year-old could pick up his fourth win of the season. On the flip side, the shortened game also means he'll have less length if he pitches well. Bello got a late start to the 2025 season due to injuries and has a decent 3.41 ERA but also a 1.44 WHIP and only 52 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings over his 13 starts. He hasn't allowed more than three runs in an outing since May 18.
--Keith HernandezSource: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
July 2, 2025
Detroit Tigers outfielder
Javier Baez will not be in his team's lineup for the first game of their road doubleheader with the hosting Washington Nationals. The 32-year-old will take a seat against right-hander
Trevor Williams, with teammate
Trey Sweeney slotting in at shortstop, batting ninth. This marks the second time Baez has sat against a righty over the last few days, but has by no means been ineffective against them (.250). He's enjoying a resurgent season in 2025, slashing .285/.323/.460, although could be due for some regression with an average over 30 points higher than expected (.254).
--Alex CiullaSource: MLB.com
July 2, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Atlanta Braves have designated outfielder
Alex Verdugo for assignment. Rosenthal notes that the move clears a spot for the return of
Jurickson Profar, who is returning from an 80-game suspension for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. The 29-year-old appeared in 56 games for the squad this season and hit an unappealing .239 with ten extra-base hits (no homers). Verdugo significantly underperformed his expected batting average (.273), but Atlanta has no room for him now that Profar has served his suspension. The Braves will likely release him, though that isn't a foregone conclusion.
--Alex CiullaSource: Ken Rosenthal
July 2, 2025
Washington Nationals second baseman
Luis Garcia Jr. is out of the starting nine for the first game of their doubleheader with the visiting Detroit Tigers. Garcia Jr. will hit the bench with left-handed hurler
Tyler Holton toeing the rubber for Detroit. Teammate
Amed Rosario will man the keystone in his stead and operate from the three-hole. The New York native carries a solid .266/.306/.413 slash line and holds a 98th percentile .307 xBA. Furthermore, he's sporting career-highs in average exit velocity (90.6 MPH) and hard-hit rate (48.3%). However, he's just 8-for-42 (.190) against southpaws.
--Alex CiullaSource: MLB.com
July 2, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher
Joey Bart will not be in the team's lineup for their series finale with the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. The former second-overall pick will ride the pine again with right-handed pitcher
Sonny Gray taking the mound for St. Louis. Fellow backstop
Henry Davis will get the start behind the dish and bat eighth in his place. Bart is hitting a crisp .340 (16-for-47) off southpaws but is a dismal .208 against righties thus far. Davis hasn't been much better (.217), but the former is the preferred option when the team faces left-handed pitching. He's tallied a lone home run through 53 contests after collecting 13 a season ago (80 games).
--Alex CiullaSource: MLB.com
July 2, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman
Alec Bohm is out of the team's lineup for the first game of their doubleheader with the San Diego Padres. Bohm had appeared in all but three games for the Phillies up until this point, so it seems to be just a routine day of rest. It'll be his first game off in over a month. The 28-year-old has been excellent since the start of May, batting .312 (64-for-205) with eight doubles, seven homers, 22 runs scored, and 19 RBI. Teammate
Edmundo Sosa will cover the hot corner in his stead and bat eighth.
--Alex CiullaSource: MLB.com
July 2, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-6) was fantastic again on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. In a dream matchup, he went seven innings, allowed three hits, one earned run, and tallied eight punchouts. In this outing, he fired 98 pitches, 65 of them being strikes, with his only blemish being a two-out RBI double by
Lenyn Sosa. The outing lowered his season ERA to 2.51 as he continues to make a case as a candidate to win the NL Cy Young Award. On the season, he has thrown 92 ⅔ innings with an impressive 109:32 K: BB and a 1.01 WHIP to go with his stellar ERA. Next up for Yamamoto is a road start against the Milwaukee Brewers next Monday.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: ESPN
July
2,
2025
According
to
Milwaukee
Brewers
beat
writer
Adam
McCalvy,
outfielder
Garrett
Mitchell's
shoulder
surgery
went
as
planned
on
Tuesday.
There
had
previously
been
hope
that
he
would
play
late
this
season,
but
after
further
deliberation,
it
is
read more...
July 2, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (elbow) appears to have completed his rehab assignment and is expected to start this weekend in Miami against the Marlins. According to Curt Hogg, beat writer for the Brewers, "Pencil in your calendars: Brandon Woodruff "looks like" he will pitch in Miami on Sunday, Pat Murphy said. Woodruff will take the mound in the same ballpark as his previous appearance. Woodruff has not pitched since 2023, and after a minor setback in early June during a rehab start when a comebacker hit him, he appears ready to make his first start of the season with the Brewers. Fantasy managers may want to temper expectations right away, but it's hard not to be excited about Woodruff returning to the mound. He owns a career 3.10 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 28.9 percent strikeout rate in 680 1/3 innings pitched. At this point, it's unclear whether the Brewers will adopt a six-man rotation or if they will replace someone in their rotation.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Curt Hogg
July 2, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman
Rhys Hoskins will take a seat in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the New York Mets. The Mets will deploy right-hander
Clay Holmes on the mound in Game 1 and the less experienced
Blade Tidwell in Game 2. Left-handed hitting
Jake Bauers will start at first base in Game 1 in place of Hoskins. Look for Hoskins to re-enter the lineup for Game 2. He is slashing .238/.334/.418 on the season with 12 home runs, 41 RBI, and 29 runs scored. Him sitting Game 1 is likely due to the nature of having two games on Wednesday.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Milwaukee Brewers
July 2, 2025
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that
Marcell Ozuna was cramping on Tuesday and should play on Wednesday. Even if his hip is no longer an issue, there's reason to at least occasionally sit him and have either
Drake Baldwin or
Sean Murphy fill the designated hitter role, MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports. Ozuna played through some cramping in Tuesday's contest and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, and should continue to occupy the designated hitter role in the Braves' lineup on Wednesday. Snitker may be suggesting that it's possible Ozuna may sit occasionally moving forward, allowing others to be integrated into the lineup. On the season, Ozuna is slashing .244/.369/.392 with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, and 25 runs scored.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Mark Bowman
July 2, 2025
Athletics shortstop
Jacob Wilson (hamstring) will miss his second consecutive game on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays as he battles hamstring soreness.
Max Schuemann will take his place at short and bat ninth. Wilson has not yet been placed on the injured list, so the team hopes he can return on Friday when the Athletics begin a series at home against the San Francisco Giants. He's been one of the best sources of batting average in baseball this season, hitting .339 in 343 plate appearances with a minuscule 7.6% strikeout rate.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
July 2, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman
Nolan Arenado (finger) will miss his second consecutive game on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates as he battles a finger injury.
Thomas Saggese will take his place at third base and bat sixth today after
Nolan Gorman started at the hot corner Tuesday night. Arenado sprained his right index finger over the weekend, but the team still hopes he can avoid an IL stint. The Cardinals have an off day on Thursday before beginning a crucial three-game set at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Katie Woo
July 2, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Willson Contreras (hand/wrist) will sit out the final game of his team's three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon. This is an expected absence after Contreras was hit by a pitch on Tuesday night. Thankfully for him and the team X-rays on the injury came back clean. The Cardinals have an off day on Thursday before a crucial three-game series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, so the hope is surely that Contreras can return at some point this weekend.
Alec Burleson is starting at first base in his place in Wednesday’s contest against Pittsburgh.
--Will BradySource: Katie Woo - The Athletic
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