July 17, 2025
The Kansas City Royals expect right-handed reliever
Hunter Harvey (shoulder) to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday night in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. Harvey is finally going to get back into a game after being sidelined with a right teres major strain in his shoulder since the middle of April. Since he has missed so much time, the 30-year-old veteran reliever may not be able to return to the Royals until later this month or even early August, depending on how his rehab goes. When healthy, Harvey should be a key late-inning setup man in front of closer
Carlos Estevez after he ranked ninth in baseball in 2024 with 28 holds over 49 appearances with the Royals and Washington Nationals. The problem is that Harvey has rarely been healthy and dealt with a back issue last year in KC that limited him to only six appearances down the stretch.
--Keith HernandezSource: Kansas City Royals
July 17, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said on Thursday that right-hander
Manuel Rodriguez (forearm) won't be back from his elbow/forearm injury anytime soon, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. The Rays pulled Rodriguez off his minor-league rehab assignment recently when he suffered a setback. The 28-year-old was scheduled to meet with a doctor earlier this week, but details of that meeting haven't been revealed. All we know is that Rodriguez won't be back in the big leagues for a while. The Mexican reliever has been out of action since the middle of June. Before getting hurt, he had been a valuable piece of Tampa's bullpen, recording a career-low 2.08 ERA (2.98 FIP) and 1.05 WHIP while fanning 25 and walking only six in 30 1/3 innings in relief.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
July 17, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said that second baseman
Brandon Lowe (oblique) is feeling good but will be re-evaluated after a workout on Thursday to determine if he'll come off the 10-day injured list for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles to kick off the second half of the season, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Lowe was put on the IL last Friday with a minor oblique injury, but he could return this weekend after not playing since July 6. The Rays will be cautious with one of their potential trade chips this summer (if they decide to sell), though. The 31-year-old veteran made his second All-Star team this year by hitting .272/.324/.487 with an .811 OPS, 19 home runs, 50 RBI, 54 runs scored and three steals in 84 games in the first half. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if he's activated and in the starting lineup.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
July 17, 2025
San Francisco Giants pitching prospect
Carson Whisenhunt has underwhelmed at Triple-A this year, posting a 4.50 ERA (4.92 xFIP), a 1.33 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. The Giants' second-ranked prospect has greatly improved his year-over-year walk rate, from 11.1 percent to 7.1 percent, but it appears to be at the expense of his strikeout rate, going from 28.4 percent to 20.9 percent. Also, although the walk rate improved, the 6-foot-3 lefty has thrown the fifth-most wild pitches in the minors this year, totaling 10 of them thus far. An MLB debut looked like a slam dunk earlier this year, but the picture is a bit more cloudy now. It will still likely happen, but not nearly as soon as thought, and the 24-year-old no longer looks like a must-stash in advance of an eventual call-up.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 17, 2025
The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Texas Rangers are calling up first baseman
Rowdy Tellez from Triple-A Round Rock before Friday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers. Tellez will essentially be replacing first baseman
Jake Burger (quadriceps) on the active roster after Texas placed Burger on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to a quad strain. Tellez, a 30-year-old left-handed slugger, hit .208/.249/.434 with 11 home runs, 27 RBI, 20 runs scored and a 49:8 K:BB in 62 games with the Seattle Mariners earlier this year before being released. At least until Burger is able to return, Tellez should see regular playing time in Texas between first base and designated hitter against right-handed pitching. Fantasy managers in deeper formats looking for a little power boost should take notice.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
July 17, 2025
New York Yankees pitching prospect Griffin Herring owns the lowest ERA of any minor-league starting pitcher (10 starts minimum) now that the first half is in the books, boasting a 1.69 ERA (2.91 FIP), a 1.02 WHIP and an 18.8 percent K-BB% through 15 starts (85 1/3 innings pitched), with eight of them coming at Single-A and the other seven coming at High-A. The Yanks' 25th-ranked prospect was drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 MLB Draft and has quickly shown off his ability. With some additional success at High-A, the LSU product could see some time on the mound at Double-A before the season is out.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 17, 2025
The Athletic's Dan Hayes reports that Minnesota Twins second base prospect
Luke Keaschall (forearm) will start his rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Keaschall, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is returning to game action this weekend for the first time since fracturing the right ulna bone in his forearm in late April. The 22-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 out of Arizona State made his MLB debut with the Twins before that and went 7-for-19 with three doubles, two RBI, four runs scored and five stolen bases in just seven games played. Keaschall will probably have a lengthy rehab assignment, but when he's ready, he could return to Minnesota and provide an interesting power/speed combination for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. He's a hit over power prospect, but when combined with his wheels, he should have plenty of fantasy appeal.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
July 17, 2025
San Francisco Giants outfield prospect
Bo Davidson has been promoted to Double-A Richmond on the back of a strong first half at High-A. The Giants' eighth-ranked prospect hit .309 with 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases, while a strong 14.6 percent walk rate buoyed an impressive .412 OBP. His 56 RBI were the second-most in the Northwest League, and his 53 runs scored were tied for fifth-most. The left-handed slugger slashed .320/.430/.580 over his first two seasons in the minors, so 2025 has been a continuation of that, which backs up the feeling that he is "one of the best pure hitters in the system." If the 23-year-old continues to hit at Double-A, he could begin to rise up the prospect ranks and be knocking on the door to the majors next year. With a nice combination of contact, power, and speed, he could eventually be an intriguing fantasy asset, so he's certainly a name to be familiar with.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
July 17, 2025
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Bailey Ober (hip) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, according to The Athletic's Dan Hayes. Depending on how Ober feels and looks on Friday, it might be the only rehab start he needs before being activated from the 15-day injured list. The 30-year-old was shut down in early July with a left-hip impingement. The 30-year-old hasn't been much of a fantasy asset in 2025, though, going 4-6 for the Twins with a career-worst 5.28 ERA (5.29 FIP), 1.41 WHIP and 74:22 K:BB in 92 innings over his 17 starts. Ober endured a particularly rough month of June before going on the IL, allowing 30 earned runs on 38 hits (14 home runs surrendered) while striking out 24 and walking eight in 30 innings over five starts. Fantasy managers won't be in a rush to pluck him off the waiver wire when he returns in the second half.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
July 17, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays transferred right-hander
Hunter Bigge (face, lat) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday and selected the contract of right-hander
Joey Gerber to the 40-man roster and optioned him to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move, according to Bally Sports' Ryan Bass. Bigge has been on the sideline since early May due to a strained right lat, but then he was hit in the face by a line drive in the dugout, causing him to miss even more time. The 27-year-old hurler has resumed baseball activities but won't be able to return until late August or early September. Before his injury earlier this year, Bigge held a 2.40 ERA (6.15 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and five walks in 15 innings out of the bullpen for Tampa.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bally Sports Florida - Ryan Bass
July 17, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that regardless of whether the Tampa Bay Rays become sellers at this year's trade deadline, they will be reluctant to trade players who signed team-friendly contract extensions. It means that first baseman
Yandy Diaz is the most unlikely to be moved after the Rays exercised his $12 million option for 2026 and added a $10 million club option for 2027. Second baseman
Brandon Lowe also signed a below-market extension for six years and $24 million in March of 2019. However, he only has an $11.5 million option for 2026 left. Closer
Pete Fairbanks only has a $7 million club option remaining as well, so if the Rays decide to become sellers soon, Lowe and Fairbanks would have a much better shot at being traded than Diaz, who is hitting .285 (105-for-368) with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 43 runs and three steals in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
July 17, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that Baltimore Orioles veteran right-hander
Charlie Morton, who is on an expiring contract, has become an attractive trade chip as the July 31 deadline nears. Morton, 41, had a 10.89 ERA after his first five starts this year, but he's turned things around and has posted a 3.05 ERA in his last 59 innings pitched since April 29. Rosenthal mentioned the Boston Red Sox, who went on a run at the end of the first half of the season, as a possibility to acquire Morton in a trade. The starting pitching market is thin, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora is familiar with Morton from the 2017 Houston Astros. Orioles left-hander
Trevor Rogers has also bounced back for Baltimore, but they are unlikely to trade him because he's under club control through the 2026 campaign. Overall, Morton still sports a bloated 5.18 ERA, but he does have 88 K's in 83 1/3 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
July 17, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that it's unlikely that either left-hander
Trevor Rogers or closer
Felix Bautista will be traded at this year's deadline, according to a source briefed on the team's plans. The Orioles are listening on Rogers, but he's under control for one more season, and the Orioles plan on contending in 2026. The 27-year-old Rogers' debut with Baltimore last August was rough and led to him being sent down to the minors. He then began the 2025 season on the injured list, while outfielder
Kyle Stowers, who the O's traded to Miami in exchange for Rogers last year, became an All-Star. But since May 24, Rogers has a 1.53 ERA with an expected ERA of 2.94. Bautista missed all of 2024 due to injury and has gone 1-1 with a career-high 2.41 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, 18 saves, 48 strikeouts and 20 walks in 33 2/3 innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
July 17, 2025
Despite spending a combined $107 million in free agency on relievers
Tanner Scott,
Blake Treinen (forearm) and
Kirby Yates, the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to pursue bullpen help at the trade deadline this summer, according to sources briefed on their plans. Scott has allowed eight home runs and has a 4.09 ERA after allowing just three homers and posting a 1.75 ERA in 2024 with the Marlins and Padres. In addition to Scott's struggles,
Evan Phillips (elbow) had Tommy John surgery on June 4 and Treinen,
Michael Kopech (knee) and
Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) are all on the injured list. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman tried to build the bullpen with an embarrassment of riches in terms of depth, but it just hasn't worked out in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
July 17, 2025
Miami Marlins catcher
Rob Brantly cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and was outrighted to Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, according to MLB.com. Brantly will remain in the organization after missing almost three months earlier this season with a strained right lat and a knee injury. The 36-year-old veteran backstop only played in three games before his injuries this year for Miami and went 3-for-7 with an RBI and a strikeout. For now, he'll remain on the farm to provide catching depth behind
Agustin Ramirez and
Nick Fortes at the major-league level. In parts of 10 big-league seasons with six different teams, Brantly has a career slash line of just .226/.286/.323 with seven home runs, 38 RBI and 32 runs scored in 140 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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