July 12, 2025
Atlanta Braves designated hitter
Marcell Ozuna is showing signs of life at the plate, launching his 13th home run of the season in Saturday's 7-6 win over the Cardinals. Ozuna crushed a second-inning pitch from
Erick Fedde 422 feet to left, highlighting a 2-for-4 day that also included an infield single. He's slashing .239/.364/.396 on the year, with his slugging percentage down 150 points from his 2024 All-Star campaign. A pair of homers heading into the break could spark a second-half turnaround for Ozuna. He remains a high-upside hold in all formats.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Atlanta Braves
July 12, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge remained red-hot in his MVP chase, belting his 35th home run of the season in Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Cubs. Judge went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a two-run homer off
Brad Keller in the ninth inning, driving in the Yankees' only runs of the game. Slashing an absurd .358/.465/.739 on the season, Judge will face Cubs southpaw
Shota Imanaga on Sunday in his final matchup before the All-Star break. Judge's 12% home run rate against lefties only boosts his DFS upside in this matchup.
--Shaun AlbinSource: mlb.com
July 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs left-hander
Matthew Boyd ended the first half of his season on a high note in a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees on Saturday. Boyd improved to 10-3 with a season-high eight innings of scoreless, four-hit ball, notching six strikeouts and no walks. He threw 85 pitches, 62 for strikes, and will head into the All-Star break having allowed two or fewer earned runs in nine consecutive starts. The first-time All-Star, 34, has tallied 13 quality starts and logged an ace-like 2.34 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP, 102 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 111 2/3 frames.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs closer
Daniel Palencia shut the door on the New York Yankees to collect his 11th save in a 5-2 win on Saturday. Palencia entered with one out and a man on first in the bottom of the ninth inning and retired both hitters he faced, striking out
Jazz Chisholm Jr. and inducing a
Trent Grisham groundout. He needed just nine pitches to close out the Yankees. Palencia has gone six straight appearances without allowing an earned run, dropping his ERA to 1.62 in 33 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander also carries a 0.90 WHIP with 38 strikeouts and 11 walks, and his only blown save came back on May 19.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 12, 2025
The San Diego Padres announced that they have optioned right-hander
Ryan Bergert to Triple-A El Paso and recalled righty reliever
Alek Jacob. Bergert spent two-plus weeks on the 15-day injured list and returned Friday to throw 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts in a win against the Philadelphia Phillies. With the first half of Bergert's season done and the Padres in immediate need of bullpen help, it made sense to option him. The 25-year-old rookie is sure to return sometime in the second half, having put up a 2.84 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 30:14 K:BB across 31 2/3 innings and 10 appearances (six starts).
--Connor ByrneSource: San Diego Padres
July 12, 2025
Miami Marlins third baseman
Connor Norby (hand) was not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles because of soreness in his left hand, Nate Karzmer of Fish on First reports. The Marlins started
Javier Sanoja at the hot corner and batted him ninth versus left-hander
Trevor Rogers. Norby has been a regular in Miami's lineup this season, but the 25-year-old has struggled to a .241/.289/.364 line with six home runs, 26 RBI, 33 runs, and seven stolen bases in 273 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Nate Karzmer
July 12, 2025
Houston Astros shortstop
Jeremy Pena (rib) fielded ground balls before the team's game against the Texas Rangers on Saturday, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. It's the latest positive development for Pena as he works back from a small fracture in one of his left ribs. The Astros have gone without Pena since he suffered the injury on June 27, but he could be back right after the All-Star break. Pena had a tremendous first half of the season, slashing .322/.378/.489 with 11 homers, 40 RBI, 48 runs scored, and 15 steals across 350 plate appearances.
Mauricio Dubon and
Zack Short have divided time at shortstop in Pena's absence.
--Connor ByrneSource: Brian McTaggart - MLB.com
July 12, 2025
New York Mets right-hander
Dedniel Nunez (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, manager
Carlos Mendoza announced. Nunez went on the 15-day injured list with a sprained elbow on July 3, but he'll now miss the rest of this season and a large portion (perhaps all) of the 2026 campaign. He previously underwent TJ surgery in 2021 while a member of the San Francisco Giants. Nunez debuted in the majors with the Mets last year and made a great first impression, notching a 2.31 ERA with 48:8 K:BB in 35 innings. However, the 29-year-old missed most of August and all of September with a flexor injury. He returned to the majors on May 5 this year and was unable to replicate last season's production. Nunez's 2025 will wrap up with a 4.66 ERA, 11 strikeouts, and six walks over 9 2/3 frames.
--Connor ByrneSource: SNY
July 12, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Lars Nootbaar (side) departed the team's game against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday with left-side discomfort, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before the Cardinals replaced him in left field with
Jose Fermin in the top of the sixth inning. Nootbaar has been trying to play through intercostal/ribcage soreness for the past couple of weeks, but he has missed multiple games and been pulled on more than one occasion as a result of the injury. With the All-Star break coming up, the first half of his season may be over. The 27-year-old has hit a modest .227/.332/.381 with 12 homers, 37 RBI, 50 runs scored, and four steals in 386 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Derrick Goold
July 12, 2025
The Los Angeles Angels made a notable change in their rotation Friday, optioning right-hander
Jack Kochanowicz to Triple-A Salt Lake. The team recalled left-handed reliever
Jake Eder in a corresponding move. The Angels have remarkably used the same five starters all year, but they've seen enough of Kochanowicz for the time being. He toed the rubber Thursday and yielded eight earned runs over 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Texas. That outing capped off a brutal first half of the season for the 6-foot-7 Kochanowicz, who's 3-9 with a 6.03 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 65:45 K:BB across 94 frames (19 starts). Kochanowicz easily ranks last among qualified starters in ERA. There's no word on who will take over for the 24-year-old in the Halos' rotation. The Angels won't need a fifth starter again until July 22, which gives them time to find an alternative.
--Connor ByrneSource: Los Angeles Angels
July 12, 2025
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Pablo Lopez (shoulder) is throwing on flat ground from 75 feet as he works back from a shoulder injury, according to the team. Lopez suffered a Grade 2 strain of the teres major on June 4 and was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 11. As a result, he won't be eligible to return until the first half of August. The loss of Lopez has been a significant blow to both the Twins and fantasy managers, as the 29-year-old has gone 5-3 with a 2.82 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 61:14 K:BB in 60 2/3 innings this season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Minnesota Twins
July 12, 2025
San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher
Joe Musgrove (elbow) tossed his first bullpen since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October. He threw a handful of pitches at about 75% intensity and measured his fastball at around 80 mph. Both Musgrove and the training staff are happy with the results as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. Barring any setbacks, the 32-year-old is expected to advance to full bullpen sessions in August. Before getting injured, he owned a 3.88 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts over 99 2/3 innings in 2024. Musgrove isn't likely to pitch for the Padres this season, but his offseason progress is something to monitor heading into 2026.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Kevin Acee
July 12, 2025
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Zebby Matthews (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday. Matthews has been down since June 5 with a strained right shoulder. The 25-year-old made four starts before going on the 15-day injured list and registered an unappealing 5.21 ERA and 1.47 BB/9 in 19 innings, though he did amass 25 strikeouts against eight walks. Matthews could factor back into Minnesota's rotation later this month if he gets through his rehab unscathed.
--Connor ByrneSource: Minnesota Twins
July 12, 2025
New York Yankees ace
Max Fried (finger) exited his start against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday with what appeared to be a blister on his left thumb, Jack Curry of YES Network reports. The Yankees replaced him with right-hander
Ian Hamilton. Fried didn't resemble his All-Star self Saturday, as he labored through three innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks. The 31-year-old left-hander struck out two during a 73-pitch outing in which he totaled just 39 strikes. Notably, Fried has landed on the injured list multiple times in his career because of blisters. The Yankees should have more on his status after the game.
UPDATE: The Yankees announced that Fried has a blister on his left index finger. --Connor ByrneSource: Jack Curry - YES Network
July 12, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds have reinstated outfielder
Jake Fraley (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list. The team optioned infielder
Christian Encarnacion-Strand to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Fraley hasn't played since June 23 because of a partial tear in his right labrum. He recently underwent a cortisone shot to alleviate the pain, and he'll try to play through it and delay surgery until the offseason. The 30-year-old has hit .224/.331/.376 with five home runs, 17 RBI, 24 runs, and four steals in 145 plate appearances. Fraley is not in Cincinnati's lineup on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies. Instead, the Reds are starting
Will Benson in right field, Fraley's usual position, and batting him seventh versus right-hander
Bradley Blalock.
--Connor ByrneSource: Cincinnati Reds
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