July 21, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman
Freddie Freeman (wrist) is in the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Minnesota Twins. This is good news after Freeman was removed from Sunday's game with a left wrist contusion. He appears to have avoided any serious injuries and won't miss any games. Freeman will bat cleanup and play first base versus right-hander
David Festa on Monday. Fantasy managers should make sure to check their lineups and get Freeman back in there ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb
July 21, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman
Ketel Marte (personal) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Houston Astros. Marte is back in the mix after missing each of the last three games due to a personal matter. He appears to be mentally ready to play again, but won't be at second base. Marte will bat leadoff and serve as the designated hitter versus lefty
Colton Gordon on Monday. Fantasy managers should double check their lineups and make sure Marte is in there ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 21, 2025
Athletics outfielder
Denzel Clarke (hip) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Texas Rangers. This doesn't come as a surprise after Clarke was forced to make an early exit from Sunday's game. He exited the contest with left hip discomfort and will sit out this game with the same issue. For now, fantasy managers should consider Clarke as day-to-day.
Lawrence Butler will take over in center field while
Miguel Andujar moves over to right field versus right-hander
Jack Leiter on Monday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 21, 2025
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong (knee) will take a seat ahead of Monday's game against the Kansas City Royals. Crow-Armstrong was injured on a slide during Sunday's loss, according to manager Craig Counsell. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried as it only sounds like a knee bruise. He should be considered as day-to-day with a knee contusion. In his absence,
Seiya Suzuki will make a rare start in center field and bat third versus left-hander
Noah Cameron. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: Taylor McGregor
July 21, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman
Brandon Lowe (foot) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox. This marks the second game in a row that Lowe has missed after exiting Saturday's contest. Lowe is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. This is the type of issue that really only heals with rest, so it wouldn't be shocking if Lowe heads to the injured list. For now, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day.
Taylor Walls will cover second base and bat ninth versus
Sean Burke on Monday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 21, 2025
As expected, New York Mets first baseman
Pete Alonso (hand) is back at first base and is hitting cleanup for the Mets in the series opener at Citi Field on Monday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Tyler Anderson. Alonso didn't start for the first time all year in Sunday's win over the Cincinnati Reds, but he did appear as a defensive replacement late in the contest to maintain his streak of games played. The 30-year-old All-Star needs to be returned to all fantasy lineups, even though he's been cold so far in July. Alonso is hitting .222 with a home run and two RBI in nine career at-bats against Anderson. Alonso hasn't homered since July 8 and has gone 9-for-51 (.176) with three homers, two doubles, 12 RBI and a 13:9 K:BB in 15 games so far this month. Despite being cold of late, Alonso is a must-start slugger in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July
21,
2025
New
York
Yankees
outfielder
Cody
Bellinger
and
first
baseman
Ben
Rice
are
both
sitting
for
Monday's
series
opener
in
Canada
against
the
division-rival
Toronto
Blue
Jays.
Trentread more...
July 21, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Stephen Kolek will be activated to start on Tuesday against the hosting Miami Marlins, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Kolek is on the team's taxi squad in Miami. The 28-year-old will be called up from Triple-A El Paso to re-enter SD's starting rotation for at least one start against the Fish. It will be Kolek's 13th start of the year for the Friars. He has gone 3-4 with a 4.24 ERA (4.22 FIP) and a 1.29 WHIP while striking out 49 and walking 22 in 68 innings pitched. Kolek isn't much of a strikeout artist, which limits his fantasy appeal, although he will be facing a Marlins squad that currently ranks 18th in the majors with a .709 team OPS. In a start against the Marlins back on May 27 at Petco Park, Kolek allowed a season-high-tying six earned runs on six hits while walking two and fanning three in 5 1/3 innings in an improbable win.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
July 21, 2025
San Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill (illness) is starting in center field and is batting sixth on Monday in the series opener in Miami against the Marlins and right-hander
Eury Perez. Merrill was under the weather on Sunday and was scratched from the starting lineup in the series finale against the Washington Nationals, but he's feeling much better a day later and will return to center field duties. The 22-year-old is one of the best young outfielders in the game, but he hasn't looked like the same player at the plate since returning in late June from a concussion. Since June 22, Merrill is hitting a weak .163 (13-for-80) with two home runs, two doubles, six RBI, 10 runs, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts in 22 games played. Fantasy managers will be hoping he can break out of his funk in South Beach on Monday against Perez, a pitcher he has never faced in his career.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 21, 2025
Detroit Tigers infielder/outfielder
Javier Baez (shoulder) is not in the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener in Pittsburgh against the Pirates at PNC Park. Baez will take a seat to begin the week after aggravating a left-shoulder injury in Sunday's victory over the Texas Rangers and being pulled early. It doesn't sound like a serious injury for the 32-year-old veteran, but it's something to keep an eye on going forward.
Trey Sweeney is making the start at shortstop for the Tigers on Monday and will bat ninth against Pirates right-hander
Paul Skenes. Baez has had a resurgent season in 2025 with the Tigers that resulted in his third All-Star appearance. The Puerto Rican slugger is currently slashing .274/.308/.438 with a .746 OPS, 10 home runs, 39 RBI and 42 runs scored in 81 games for the first-place Tigers. He could be back as soon as Tuesday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 21, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfielder
Steven Kwan (wrist) is back in left field and is batting leadoff for Monday's series opener against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander
Tomoyuki Sugano. The Guardians held Kwan out of each of the first three games of the second half from Friday through Sunday due to an injury to his right wrist. The 27-year-old is feeling better now, though, after receiving a pain-killing injection over the weekend. Kwan is hitless in three career at-bats against Sugano, but fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups for the week now that he's back. He made the All-Star team this year for the second straight season and begins the second half with a nice .285/.345/.396 slash line with a .741 OPS, six home runs, 32 RBI, 43 runs scored and 11 steals in 92 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 21, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-hander
Jameson Taillon (calf) had a "very good day" in terms of throwing intensity last Thursday, according to manager Craig Counsell. Taillon should start throwing bullpen sessions soon, and the Cubs will look to get him throwing off a mound around the end of their next road trip, according to MLB.com. The 33-year-old veteran has yet to pitch in July due to a right-calf strain, but barring a setback as he begins to ramp up, Taillon could be ready to return to Chicago's starting rotation in early August. The former first-rounder has been pretty mediocre for fantasy managers in 2025 in his third season in Chicago, going 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA (5.17 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with only 74 strikeouts and 20 walks in 95 1/3 innings over his 17 starts. Despite missing time with his calf injury, he leads MLB with 22 home runs allowed.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 21, 2025
Chicago Cubs catcher
Miguel Amaya (oblique) has been taking live at-bats and catching bullpen sessions and is expected to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday, according to MLB.com. Manager Craig Counsell said previously that Amaya will need a week's worth of rehab games before he's activated from the 10-day injured list. Amaya has been out since May 25 with a left-oblique strain, but barring a setback on his rehab assignment, he could rejoin the big-league roster in late July. The 26-year-old backstop was hitting a strong .280 (26-for-93) with four home runs, 25 RBI and 14 runs scored at the time of his injury, but when he returns to Chicago, he's expected to operate as the backup to
Carson Kelly. Kelly is in the midst of a career year, going into Monday's game slashing .267/.368/.505 with 12 homers and 33 RBI in 64 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 21, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-hander
Javier Assad (oblique) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab start in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Thursday, according to manager Craig Counsell. Assad suffered a Grade 2 left-oblique strain in his April 22 outing with Triple-A Iowa and has not pitched for the Cubs at all so far in 2025. The 27-year-old initially went on the 15-day injured list back on March 18 but was moved to the 60-day IL on April 30 after aggravating his oblique. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, Assad could be cleared to make his season debut for the Cubs at some point in August. However, since Assad could very well be relegated to a long-relief role out of the bullpen, he won't be a big fantasy asset upon his return. He made a career-high 29 starts for Chicago in 2024 and had a 3.73 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 124:63 K:BB in 147 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 21, 2025
Chicago White Sox outfield prospect
George Wolkow hit a two-run home run in a 4-for-5 day at the plate on Sunday for Single-A Kannapolis, collecting three singles and scoring three times as well. It has been an up-and-down season for the power-hitting lefty, going through hot stretches mixed with prolonged cold stretches. The 19-year-old appears to be in the midst of a hot stretch, going 9-for-23 (.391) over his last six games, but this recent run was preceded by a woeful 0-for-28 stretch of nine games. Sunday's home run was his ninth of the year, and although he's striking out at a 28.0 percent rate, the 2023 Draft pick is walking at an 11.3 percent clip, which has in turn helped his stolen base total of 20. In all, the 6-foot-7 slugger is slashing .213/.315/.332, and he'll need to pick up the pace if he's going to get to the next level.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
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