July 8, 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers are calling up right-handed reliever
Alexis Diaz from Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Diaz has pitched in the minors since the Dodgers acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds on May 29. He struggled in six appearances with Oklahoma City, allowing five earned runs with three strikeouts and seven walks in 4 2/3 innings. Nevertheless, the Dodgers will give the former All-Star another shot in the majors. The brother of Mets closer
Edwin Diaz, Alexis Diaz burst on the scene in his first two seasons. From 2022-23, a 131-inning stretch, he logged a 2.47 ERA with 11.61 K/9, 4.74 BB/9, and 47 saves. Diaz's numbers dipped last year, and the Reds traded him this season after he yielded eight earned runs in six innings out of their bullpen.
--Connor ByrneSource: Fabian Ardays - The Athletic
July 8, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman
Nolan Arenado (shoulder) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals.
Nolan Gorman will take Arenado's place at third and bat fifth versus Nationals right-hander
Jake Irvin. Arenado hasn't played since he suffered a right-shoulder impingement in a loss to the Chicago Cubs last Friday. He sat out both of the Cardinals' games over the weekend, but there was optimism that he would return for the start of the Washington series. Instead, Arenado will miss at least one more game.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 8, 2025
Los Angeles Angels infielder
Yoan Moncada (knee) is traveling to Anaheim and could come off the 10-day injured list to play Tuesday against the Texas Rangers, Francys Romero reports. The 30-year-old switch-hitter has been out for over a month with inflammation in his right knee, interrupting a respectable start to his season. Moncada, who last played June 1, has slashed .237/.336/.505 with six homers, 19 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 113 plate appearances. He and the Angels will hope for better health upon his return, though that's far from a given. Injuries have been a consistent problem for Moncada, who missed anywhere from 58 to 150 games in each season from 2022-24.
--Connor ByrneSource: Francys Romero
July 8, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Ryan Ward leads all minor leaguers in home runs with 23 through 82 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He also leads in RBI (76) and is tied for most hits (99). The 27-year-old has shown prodigious power in the past, blasting at least 21 home runs in each of the past four seasons, topping out at 33 last year at Triple-A. With the power had come an elevated strikeout rate of 26.8 percent last season, but the left-handed slugger has improved it to a better-than-average 20.7 percent this year, all while boasting the best walk rate of his career (12.5 percent). The former eighth-round draft pick looks worthy of a shot in the big leagues and could make his major league debut this year. Although he's not a stash candidate, there's enough power and he would be hitting in a formidable Dodger lineup that could make him a potential waiver add in very deep or NL-only leagues whenever he gets the call.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 8, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays first base prospect
Xavier Isaac (elbow) has been put on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Montgomery with a "nagging" elbow injury. It will be the second IL stint of the season for Tampa's third-ranked prospect, and he also missed time in May which did not result in an IL stint. Perhaps the injuries could help explain some of his struggles this season, as the 6-foot-3 slugger is hitting a paltry .201 through 41 games. However, he's still been able to draw walks at a strong 19.4 percent rate, providing a .366 OBP, and together with his strong .446 SLG, the left-handed hitter is still posting a solid .812 OPS. Hopefully some time off will help him get back on track, but he'll need to improve upon the 29.7 percent strikeout rate if he's going to see some time at Triple-A by the end of the year.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB.com
July
8,
2025
Arizona
Diamondbacks
reliever
Shelby
Miller
(forearm)
will
undergo
an
MRI
on
his
ailing
right
forearm,
manager
Torey
Lovullo
announced.
Miller
hit
the
15-day
injured
list
with
a
forearm
strain
on
Monday
(retroactive
to
Sunday).
Lovullo
said
read more...
July 8, 2025
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Brandon Young will start their game against the New York Mets on Tuesday. It'll be the fourth start for the 26-year-old rookie, who's filling in with fellow starters
Zach Eflin (back) and
Cade Povich (hip) on the 15-day injured list. The results weren't pretty for Young over his first three starts, during which he went 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA and 15 strikeouts against 11 walks. He may have a tough time turning it around against a formidable New York offense.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 8, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds announced that outfielder
Jake Fraley (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. Fraley has been on the shelf since he suffered a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder on June 23. The 30-year-old recently underwent a cortisone shot to manage the pain, and the Reds are hopeful that he'll be able to delay surgery until the offseason. Fraley has hit a modest .224/.331/.376 with five homers, 17 RBI, 24 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 145 plate appearances this year.
--Connor ByrneSource: Cincinnati Reds
July 8, 2025
Miami Marlins outfield prospect
Jakob Marsee is leading Triple-A's International League with 39 steals. The 24-year-old is getting on base at a .369 clip thanks to a 14.6 percent walk rate, and although the batting average stands at .242, he's been hitting much better as of late. The left-handed hitter went 30-for-76 (.395) in 20 games from June 10 to July 2, before cooling off over the last three games (1-for-12). He's shown these flashes of hot hitting in the past, even winning the 2023 Arizona Fall League MVP, but is a career .238 hitter in the minors, so uses his ability to draw walks to get on base consistently and steal bases, notching 97 steals in 2023 and 2024 combined. This recent hot stretch of hitting could punch his ticket to the majors for a debut soon, but it will be his stolen base acumen that will provide fantasy value when he's finally there.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July
8,
2025
New
York
Yankees
infielder
Jazz
Chisholm
Jr.
is
making
a
permanent
move
from
third
base
to
second,
manager
Aaron
Boone
announced.
Chisholm
will
start
Tuesday's
game
against
the
Seattle
Mariners
at
the
keystone,
while
read more...
July 8, 2025
San Diego Padres third baseman
Manny Machado went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in Monday's 6-3 home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He added two singles. The fantasy stalwart reached on singles in the bottom of the first and fourth frames, though the latter was no ordinary base knock. It was Machado's 2,000th career hit, making him the seventeenth player in MLB history to accrue 2,000 hits and 350 home runs before the age of 33. He also blasted homer No. 15 on the season, in the bottom of the eighth. The 33-year-old has been stellar thus far, slashing a strong .293/.354/.484, and appearing in each of the Friars' 90 games.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 8, 2025
The San Francisco Giants report that outfielder
Jerar Encarnacion (oblique) took batting practice at Oracle Park on Monday (Jul. 7) and will continue his hitting progression this week. The Dominican Republic native hit the injured list in mid-June with a left oblique strain after just eight games back with the team from a hand injury, but has seemingly progressed well. Oblique injuries can be problematic, so he'll need his body to respond well this week if he hopes to rejoin his teammates following the mid-summer classic. There's been no news of an official timeline, but if all goes well this week, he'll likely begin a minor league rehab assignment shortly thereafter. Encarnacion is slashing .136/.136/.182 through his first 22 at-bats.
--Alex CiullaSource: MLB.com
July 8, 2025
Per the team, the San Francisco Giants will re-evaluate second baseman
Christian Koss (hamstring) after the All-Star break. Koss landed on the 10-day injured list a week ago with a left-hamstring strain but is slated to begin baseball activities this week as he ramps back up. With
Matt Chapman back at the hot corner for the Giants, teammates
Casey Schmitt,
Tyler Fitzgerald, and
Brett Wisely have all spent time at the keystone in the 27-year-old's absence, and figure to continue to do so until he's ready to return. He's hitting a decent .265 with two homers, three doubles, 12 RBI, and 12 runs scored through his first 41 big-league games.
--Alex CiullaSource: MLB.com
July 8, 2025
Houston Astros starting pitcher
Luis Garcia (elbow) allowed one hit and one earned run, striking out four over two innings in his first rehab start as he battles back from an extended stay on the injured list. This was Garcia's first on-field action in over a year after Tommy John surgery in May of 2023 had robbed him of over two-plus seasons. The Venezuelan native is currently on the right track to rejoin the team at some point this season, although it is unclear in what capacity he'll pitch in when he returns. Houston likely takes it slow with Garcia, particularly due to the slew of setbacks he's faced while rehabbing, so we shouldn't expect a short assignment. Still, he'll be a welcome sight for fantasy managers and could be an impact arm if things go exceedingly well during his build-up.
--Alex CiullaSource: Brian McTaggart
July 8, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop
Joey Ortiz will rejoin the starting lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Ortiz had ridden the pine for the previous two outings as the Brew Crew lined up against right-handed pitching, but he'll return to the starting nine with southpaw
Clayton Kershaw toeing the rubber. Teammate
Andruw Monasterio had gotten the start at shortstop in their last two contests, and could become the preferred option against righties with Ortiz hitting an ugly .198 off of them. It's worth noting that Monasterio's average against left-handers (.231) is comparable to that of Ortiz (.235), but the latter shouldn't be in danger of losing his job just yet.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam McCalvy
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