July 16, 2025
New York Mets catching prospect
Christopher Suero is headed to Double-A Binghamton after 161 games at High-A between 2024 and 2025. The Mets' 20th-ranked prospect hit just .240 this year, but his home runs (13), RBI (51), and runs scored (53) were all top six in the South Atlantic League. The 21-year-old was striking out at an elevated 28.6 percent rate, however, it was somewhat offset by the strong 13.6 percent walk rate that helped him to a healthy .382 OBP. The 5-foot-11 backstop also has quite a bit of speed for a catcher, swiping 25 bags so far this season in 74 games. That could make him an intriguing fantasy asset were he eventually to get to the majors, so he's worth keeping an eye on. Still, the team may also move him off of catcher, with experience at first base and in the outfield during his minor league tenure.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
July
16,
2025
The
Philadelphia
Phillies
have
set
their
starting
rotation
for
this
weekend
coming
out
of
the
All-Star
break,
per
Matt
Gelb
of
The
Athletic.
Left-hander
Jesus
Luzardo
will
get
the
nod
for
Friday's
series
opener
at
Citizens
read more...
July 16, 2025
Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that Atlanta Braves left-hander
Chris Sale (ribs) played catch on Tuesday. Sale isn't eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until after Aug. 19, but he's at least making progress toward an eventual return to the team's starting rotation later this season. Tuesday was the first time that last year's National League Cy Young winner has thrown a baseball since he was diagnosed with a fractured left rib cage almost a month ago. The 36-year-old veteran southpaw should pitch for the Braves again this year, but by the time he returns, there won't be much time left for him to make an impact for his fantasy managers. Still, he's worth stashing in all formats for his high-end upside when healthy. In 15 starts before his injury, Sale had gone 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 114 strikeouts and 26 walks in 89 1/3 innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
July 16, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect
Tommy Hawke is the current minor league stolen base leader, pacing the field with 65 steals on the season. The 2023 sixth-round draft pick recently earned a promotion to High-A after slashing .309/.453/.382 with 63 steals and walking (53) more than he was striking out (44). With just four games at High-A under his belt, the Wake Forest product is 5-for-18 (.278) with a 1:4 BB:K and two steals. The 23-year-old doesn't have home run power as evidenced by a single career home run in 565 minor league at-bats, but the speed is what makes him intriguing for fantasy. Even so, the diminutive left-handed slugger is likely a couple of seasons away from the majors, and for now, he's off the dynasty radar.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 16, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Ching-Hsien Ko is currently leading all minor-leaguers (150 at-bat minimum) in batting average and on-base percentage at this point in the season, hitting .370 with a .488 on-base percentage for the ACL Dodgers. The Dodgers' 13th-ranked prospect has reached base via hit or walk in 46 of the 47 games in which he's seen at least one plate appearance, and has collected 15 doubles, a triple, and three home runs along the way. The 18-year-old owns an impressive 35:37 BB:K and even has some speed in his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, swiping five bags so far in 2025. It appears a tougher test at Single-A is in order, and the left-handed slugger from Taiwan could begin to creep up the prospect ranks, although he's a few years away from the majors.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 16, 2025
Veteran right-hander
Shintaro Fujinami has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball, the team announced Tuesday. Fujinami pitched in the NPB from 2013-22 and put up a quality 3.41 ERA in 994 1/3 innings, leading to interest from major league clubs. He joined the Athletics on a one-year, $3.25 million deal heading into 2023, which proved to be his lone season in the bigs. Fujinami combined for 79 innings and a disastrous 7.18 ERA that year between the A's and the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old has since spent time with the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners, but he was unable to crack the majors with either team. Fujinami logged a 5.79 ERA in 18 2/3 frames with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma this season before returning to Japan.
--Connor ByrneSource: Yokohama DeNA BayStars
July 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) has begun a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League as he works back from a strained right shoulder. The Rays have gone almost the whole season without DeLuca, who last played April 6 and has since suffered multiple setbacks in his rehab. He went 10-for-23 with four stolen bases and four runs scored before going on the IL. Over a much larger sample size in 2024, the 27-year-old batted .217/.278/.331 with six homers, 31 RBI, 29 runs, and 16 steals in 362 trips to the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: Evan Closky
July 16, 2025
The San Diego Padres have optioned catcher
Luis Campusano to Triple-A El Paso. Now 26 years old, Campusano is a former standout prospect who has been unable to establish himself as a full-time major leaguer. While Campusano slashed an excellent .319/.355/491 with eight home runs and 40 RBI over 174 plate appearances in 2023, he hasn't approached that level of success in any other season. He has appeared in just 10 games this year and failed to record a hit in 27 plate appearances, going 0-for-21 with 11 strikeouts and six walks. The Padres have also gotten next to no offensive production from their other catchers,
Martin Maldonado and
Elias Diaz, so they could try to upgrade before the July 31 trade deadline.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 16, 2025
The Kansas City Royals have agreed to acquire infielder/outfielder
Adam Frazier from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league infielder
Cam Devanney, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. This will be the second stint in Kansas City for Frazier, who spent last season with the Royals. He returned to Pittsburgh for a second go-around in the offseason, signing a one-year, $1.53 million contract. The former All-Star, 33, has hit just .255/.318/.336 with three homers, 21 RBI, 22 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 262 plate appearances this year. The out-of-contention Pirates are now flipping him to the playoff-contending Royals, who have gotten terrible offensive production from their outfield this season. The versatile Frazier could be a step up over some of their other options, but this isn't a needle-moving trade from a fantasy perspective.
--Connor ByrneSource: Robert Murray - FanSided
July 16, 2025
The Athletics have transferred right-hander
Grant Holman (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL. The move means that Holman, who has been on the IL since June 16, won't be eligible to return until mid-August. The 25-year-old struggled to a 5.09 ERA with 17 strikeouts and nine walks over 23 innings before going down with tendinitis in his right rotator cuff. Since debuting last year, the former sixth-round pick has pitched to a 4.66 ERA with 33:18 K:BB over 38 2/3 frames.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 16, 2025
Colorado Rockies right-handed reliever
Seth Halvorsen (forearm) was unavailable to pitch in the team's series against the Cincinnati Reds last weekend because of forearm fatigue. Halvorsen has been the Rockies' primary closer this season, but with him on the shelf, the team turned to
Victor Vodnik to fill that role. Vodnik had an eventful weekend, picking up a save, a blown save, and a loss in two appearances. He may be first in line for saves should Halvorsen require a stint on the 15-day injured list. Halvorsen has converted eight of his 11 save opportunities while posting subpar numbers across 35 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old has logged a 5.30 ERA with a 1.57 WHIP and 32:17 K:BB
--Connor ByrneSource: Jeff Wallner
July 16, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber was named the 2025 Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP in Tuesday's National League win over the American League in an extra-inning swing-off. During the game, Schwarber went 0-for-2 with a walk, but blasted three home runs in the swing-off to help the National League come home with the win. This was Schwarber's third All-Star game appearance, and certainly one for him to remember. Schwarber will take some time off over the next few days and look to help the Phillies win the NL East, as they currently lead the New York Mets by 0.5 games. Schwarber is currently slashing an impressive .247/.378/.545 with 30 home runs, 66 runs scored, and 69 RBI at the break.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: MLB Network
July 16, 2025
Boston Red Sox left-hander
Aroldis Chapman said he hasn't talked to the Red Sox about any contract beyond this season, beat writer Rob Bradford reports. Chapman is currently under a one-year, $10.75 million contract with the Red Sox, which is set to expire at the end of this season. Chapman is putting together a great campaign in 2025 thus far, which earned him a trip to Truist Park to be in the All-Star game this year. Chapman owns an impressive 1.18 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and is holding opponents to a .143 batting average with 17 saves on the season. Even with this level of production, it appears the Red Sox have not yet discussed an extension for the 37-year-old from Cuba. The Red Sox won 10 games in a row leading up to the break and now sit only three games back in the AL East standings behind the Toronto Blue Jays.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Rob Bradford
July
16,
2025
The
Colorado
Rockies
have
reported
that
shortstop
Ezequiel
Tovar
(oblique)
is
likely
to
return
after
the
All-Star
break,
according
to
Thomas
Harding,
the
Rockies'
beat
writer.
Tovar
injured
his
oblique
back
on
June
6,
and
read more...
July 16, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Shane Bieber (elbow) was sharp in his rehab start against the Dodgers in the Arizona Complex League. He threw two innings, allowed one hit, no runs, one walk, and struck out five batters. While the line is solid for Bieber in this one, the most crucial thing will be that he does not experience any additional setbacks after the start. No issues have been reported to date, which is very encouraging. Bieber is recovering from Tommy John surgery last year. During his rehab journey, he experienced a minor setback in early June, which has unfortunately slowed down his timeline to return by about a month. Since the setback, he has worked his way back up from bullpens to live hitters, and Tuesday's rehab start is another encouraging sign. Fantasy managers will want to continue to monitor his progress, but it seems likely that the Guardians will want to ramp him up to 70-75 pitches before we see him return to the Majors.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Guardians Prospective
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