July 4, 2025
San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said on Thursday that catcher
Tom Murphy (back) is still rehabbing and that there is no timetable for his return, according to MLB.com. Murphy has yet to play in 2025 and has only played 13 games for the Gigantes so far since joining the club in 2024. The 34-year-old veteran backstop is currently on the 60-day injured list with a mid-back disc herniation, although he's expected to return at some point in the second half. Murphy missed the majority of last season with a sprained MCL in his left knee. When he's healthy and with the big-league club, Murphy will merely serve as the backup to
Patrick Bailey, leaving him minimal fantasy appeal for his power. He did hit 18 home runs with the Seattle Mariners, but that was way back in 2019.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 4, 2025
Washington Nationals right-handed reliever
Derek Law (forearm) resumed a minor-league rehab assignment on Wednesday with Triple-A Rochester and threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout and a walk, according to MASN's Mark Zuckerman. Law reported a reoccurrence of arm soreness last week but is now pitching in games again and could rejoin the big-league bullpen before the All-Star break. The 34-year-old has not pitched for the Nationals yet in 2025 but has already made four appearances on the farm. In his first year in D.C. in 2024, Law was a key reliever for the Nats, going 7-4 with a 2.60 ERA (3.32 FIP), a 1.18 WHIP, one save, a career-high 76 strikeouts and 24 walks in 90 innings out of the bullpen. When he's ready to return, he'll likely be eased back in for the second half of the season.
--Keith HernandezSource: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
July 4, 2025
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone called right-handed pitching prospect
Cam Schlittler "an exciting pitcher" and said he has "certainly put himself in the mix" to join the team's starting rotation after right-hander
Clarke Schmidt (forearm) landed on the 15-day injured list on Friday. Schlittler is the club's No. 10 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and has gone 6-6 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 99 strikeouts and 26 walks in 76 2/3 innings over 15 outings (14 starts) this year with Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It could come down to the 24-year-old or
Allan Winans for a spot start in Schmidt's place next week before the All-Star break. Schlittler Schlittler features an upper-90s fastball and backs it up with two effective breaking pitches in a sweeping slider and curveball. It might be a short stay in the big if Schilittler comes up.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
July 4, 2025
Baltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg (finger) is making his return to the starting lineup on the Fourth of July on Friday against the hosting Atlanta Braves and right-hander
Spencer Strider, playing third base and batting second in the order. Westburg isn't going to be 100 percent, but he'll return for the O's for the first time since aggravating his left index finger injury last Friday. It's been an injury-plagued year for the 26-year-old, and although he does have seven home runs in 136 at-bats, he's hit just .228 with 14 home runs and 20 runs scored. The former first-rounder in 2020 out of Mississippi State has never faced Strider, a pitcher that is starting to finally hit his stride after a slow start early in the year. When healthy, Westburg is Baltimore's regular third baseman, pushing
Ramon Urias back to a utility role.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 4, 2025
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that after the team placed right-hander
Jameson Taillon (calf) on the 15-day injured list on Friday, right-hander
Chris Flexen is "a candidate to be stretched out for sure. He's prepared to do a little bit more." Fantasy managers searching for rotation help or streaming options in deeper leagues should have Flexen firmly on their radars, especially with how well he's pitched for the Cubs this year in a relief role. The 31-year-old veteran is a perfect 5-0 with a stingy 0.62 ERA and 0.83 WHIP while striking out 15 and walking eight in 29 innings out of the bullpen. He also has one save. Flexen has a sharp 6.5 K-BB% and plenty of experience as a starter in his seven big-league seasons, so he could get some run in a starting role while Taillon is out.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
July 4, 2025
The Detroit Tigers activated right-hander
Reese Olson (finger) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned outfielder
Justyn-Henry Malloy to Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. Olson is starting Friday's series opener in Cleveland against the division-rival Guardians. The 25-year-old is returning to an ERA under 3.00 and is worth a waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues if available, but he won't come recommended as a fantasy starter in his first game back. He made three minor-league rehab starts but only got built up to four innings in his final start at Toledo on June 25. The good news is that Olson will be facing a slumping Guardians squad that has the third-lowest OPS (.660) in the big leagues entering play on Friday. Olson's xERA of 3.54 means he could be due some regression in the second half, although his FIP does sit at a strong 2.95.
--Keith HernandezSource: Tigers PR
July 4, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera (hamstring) might begin a minor-league rehab assignment, but the team doesn't expect him to return to the major-league roster until after the All-Star break, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. Until Herrera returns,
Pedro Pages will continue to hold down the starting duties behind the plate in St. Louis. The 25-year-old Herrera has been out of action since June 19 but should return to starting duties for the Cardinals to begin the second half of the season, barring a setback when he begins a rehab assignment. The Panamanian backstop has been an offensive asset for the Red Birds so far this year by hitting .320/.392/.533 with a .925 OPS, eight home runs, 36 RBI, 22 runs scored and a stolen base in 42 games. He also hit over .300 in 72 games in 2024, but with only five homers and 27 RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
July 4, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies will reinstert right-hander
Taijuan Walker into their starting rotation, according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb, and he'll toe the rubber on Tuesday in San Francisco against the Giants and potentially go four innings. After that, the team will reassess the situation after the All-Star break. The 32-year-old veteran has been solid for the Phils as both a starter and reliever this year, but he hasn't started a game since May 30, which means he's not going to go too deep into the contest next week in the Bay Area. Walker hasn't thrown more than two innings in an outing since his start on May 30 versus the Milwaukee Brewers. Overall, he's outperformed expectations with a 3.64 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, one save, 46 strikeouts and 22 walks in 54 1/3 frames over 19 outings (eight starts). Top pitching prospect
Andrew Painter could be called up early in the second half, which would push Walker back to the bullpen.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
July 4, 2025
New York Mets right-hander
Paul Blackburn (shoulder), who landed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a right-shoulder impingement, is expected to resume throwing next week. Manager
Carlos Mendoza said Blackburn's prognosis was "relatively good news." The 31-year-old veteran will be shut down for only three to five days. With right-hander
Kodai Senga (hamstring) and left-hander
Sean Manaea (elbow, oblique) likely joining the Mets' starting rotation soon, there's a good chance Blackburn will be relegated to the bullpen for a long-relief role in the second half of the season when he comes off the IL. The former first-rounder by the Chicago Cubs in 2012 has battled injuries since joining the Mets during midseason last year, and he hasn't been very good in six outings (four starts) in 2025, posting a 7.71 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and 15:7 K:BB.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
July 4, 2025
New York Mets left-hander
Brandon Waddell is tentatively scheduled to make the start in Sunday's series finale of the Subway Series against the visiting New York Yankees, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. The Mets could still change their plans for this weekend, but as of right now, Waddell figures to go on Sunday against the Bombers. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw was recalled from the minors and allowed a run in three innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. He also went exactly three innings in his previous two appearances for the Mets, so Waddell should be more of an opener than a traditional starter this weekend. In his first year back in the big leagues since 2021, Waddell has a 2.55 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 12:5 K:BB in 17 2/3 frames. Fantasy managers should be avoiding him if he gets the nod on Sunday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
July 4, 2025
MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that New York Mets right-handed reliever
Dedniel Nunez (elbow) is weighing a second Tommy John surgery to fix an injured ligament in his right elbow. Nunez will receive additional medical opinions before making a decision on his next step. The 29-year-old broke out last year while striking out 35.6% of the batters he faced before straining a flexor tendon in his right arm and missing most of the second half. The timing of his latest injury makes it even more disappointing for the Mets, as Nunez hit 99 mph on the radar gun and struck out four in two innings on June 26 against the Braves. He previously had TJ surgery in 2021. Even if Nunez doesn't end up going under the knife again, he's going to be out well into the second half of the season.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
July 4, 2025
New York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga (hamstring) will make a minor-league rehab start with Double-A Binghamton on Saturday, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo. Manager
Carlos Mendoza said that the goal is for Senga to throw 60 pitches. If all goes well, Senga should rejoin the team's starting rotation and start next weekend in Kansas City against the Royals. The 32-year-old Japanese hurler could be on a limited pitch count if he returns to face the Royals next weekend, but it would still be an enticing matchup against the team with the fewest runs scored per game in 2025. Senga was a must-start in fantasy before pulling his right hamstring, as he had gone 7-3 with a pristine 1.47 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 70 strikeouts and 31 walks in 73 2/3 frames over his 13 starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
July 4, 2025
The New York Mets placed right-handed reliever
Jose Butto (illness) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with an illness, according to the New York Post's Mike Puma. It comes a day after reliever
Dedniel Nunez (elbow) landed on the IL with an injury that could lead to season-ending Tommy John surgery. The good news is that Butto is expected to rejoin the Mets' bullpen shortly after the All-Star break. In a corresponding move, the team recalled right-hander
Chris Devenski from Triple-A Syracuse. Butto has been an integral part of New York's relief corps for a second straight season in 2025, going 2-1 with a career-best 2.47 ERA (3.34 FIP), a 1.26 WHIP, one save, 39 strikeouts and 20 walks in 43 2/3 relief innings. Butto started seven games last year but has been used exclusively in a relief role this season.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Mike Puma
July 4, 2025
SNY's Anthony DiComo reports that New York Mets pitcher
Justin Hagenman will receive the first start of his career in the first game of their series with the cross-town rival New York Yankees on Friday. The Penn State product has tossed six innings from the Amazin's bullpen this season, but has primarily operated out of the rotation during his time with Triple-A Syracuse. He's 0-2 there through 12 appearances (eight starts) with a 6.21 ERA and .271 average against. Even if Hagenman performs well the next few times he toes the rubber, his time in the rotation won't be for long with the return of teammates
Sean Manaea (oblique, elbow) and
Kodai Senga (hamstring) looming.
--Alex CiullaSource: Anthony DiComo
July 4, 2025
New York Mets right-hander
Tylor Megill (elbow) is scheduled to restart a throwing program off flat ground on Saturday, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Megill has ben shut down for three weeks with a right-elbow sprain, but a recent follow-up MRI exam showed a significant reduction in inflammation in his arm. The 29-year-old is hoping to build up quickly from here. Megill has been out longer than expected, but if he can avoid setbacks from here on out, he could rejoin the big-league roster by late July or early August. However, when he's ready to return, both
Sean Manaea (elbow, oblique) and
Kodai Senga (hamstring) should be back in New York's starting rotation. Before his injury, Megill had gone 5-5 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 89 strikeouts and 33 walks in 68 1/3 innings over 14 starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
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