Brandon Pfaadt Notches Quality Start, Earns Win on Wednesday
Brandon Pfaadt notched a quality start in an 8-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Pfaadt tossed eight innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits and striking out four while walking none in the win. The veteran improved his record to 9-6 on the year, to go along with a 5.16 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts over 99 1/3 innings of work. Pfaadt has a decent strikeout rate but will need to do a better job of preventing runs to be worth a starting spot in fantasy when he emerges from the All-Star break.Source: MLB.com
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Grayson Rodriguez Continues Ramping Up
Grayson Rodriguez (lat) was diagnosed with a lat strain and has been on the injured list since the start of the season. He threw 25 pitches during a bullpen session on Friday, which included using fastballs and breaking pitches. The next step in his throwing progression should be facing live hitters. According to Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun, there is no update on Rodriguez as of Wednesday. The 25-year-old will continue to rehab, but it's still unclear when he will make his season debut. Based on this progression, a mid-to-late August return from the injured list seems the most likely. Fantasy managers with an IL spot should continue to stash Rodriguez for now.Source: Jacob Calvin Meyer
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jarren Duran Hits Three-Run Home Run on Wednesday
Jarren Duran turned in a big day in a 10-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. Duran went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, a walk, and three RBI to lead Boston to the win in the lopsided contest. The veteran outfielder did most of his damage with a three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Red Sox their final runs of the contest. Duran is putting together a solid season for Boston, slashing .262/.318/.438 with eight homers, 52 runs, 50 RBI, and 15 steals in 386 at-bats. He is behind his pace of 21 homers hit in 2024, but he should still notch his second straight season with double-digit homers and steals in the coming weeks.Source: MLB.com
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jake Meyers' Calf Flares Up Again
Jake Meyers (calf) was taken out of Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians with right calf tightness. The 29-year-old returned to the lineup on Wednesday after missing the last two games with calf soreness. He re-aggravated the same calf injury while running to the outfield before the game started. Meyers was helped off the field. Having two calf injuries to the same calf in four days usually means that the Astros brought him back too soon and he may end up on the injured list. The severity of the calf injury is unknown and Meyers remains day-to-day. Kenedy Corona and Taylor Trammell would likely see an increase in playing time if Meyers were to miss any time.Source: Chandler Rome
Houston Astros outfielder Nathaniel Lowe Hits Three-Run Home Run in Wednesday's Win
Nathaniel Lowe had a productive night in an 8-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. Lowe went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer to help lead Washington to the win. The veteran kicked off the scoring in the game, ripping a three-run blast with two outs in the first inning. Lowe is now slashing .235/.301/.407 with 14 homers, 43 runs, 61 RBI, and one stolen base in 349 at-bats. While the batting average isn't great, Lowe is providing excellent power-hitting numbers for fantasy managers and the Nationals this season.Source: MLB.com
Washington Nationals first baseman Marcus Semien Homers, Drives in Four in Wednesday's Loss
Marcus Semien had a big night in an 11-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. Semien went 1-for-3 with a homer, a walk, and four RBI to lead the Rangers in the high-scoring loss. The veteran infielder ripped a two-run homer in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie on a blast that traveled 423 feet with an exit velocity of 104.8 MPH. Semien also drove in runs on an RBI groundout in the first inning and a sacrifice fly in the third. The veteran is slashing .231/.312/.359 with 10 homers, 41 runs, 46 RBI, and seven steals in 334 at-bats this season, but is hitting just .148 over his past seven games. Hopefully, his big game on Wednesday is a sign of things to come for his fantasy managers.Source: MLB.com
Texas Rangers second baseman Wyatt Langford Steals Two Bases on Wednesday
Wyatt Langford had a productive day in an 11-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. Langford went 2-for-4 with two runs and two stolen bases, but it wasn't quite enough in the high-scoring loss to Los Angeles. The 23-year-old outfielder flashed his speed in the game, stealing both of his bases off the Kyle Hendricks/Travis d'Arnaud battery to give him 13 steals in 16 attempts this season after swiping 19 bags as a rookie in 2024. Overall, Langford is slashing .235/.313/.426 with 14 homers, 38 runs, and 35 RBI across 277 at-bats this year. His combination of power and speed makes him a valuable fantasy asset in all formats.Source: MLB.com
Texas Rangers outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Ronald Acuna Jr. (back) had a big game in a 9-2 win over the Athletics on Wednesday. Returning from a one-game absence due to back tightness, Acuna went 2-for-4 with two solo homers and a walk in the win. The star outfielder showed no issues after getting scratched from Tuesday's game due to back tightness, hitting a leadoff homer in the first inning and adding a solo blast in the fourth. Acuna is now slashing .336/.454/.601 with 11 homers, 36 runs, 20 RBI, and four steals across 143 at-bats this season. He remains an elite fantasy outfielder in all formats.Source: MLB.com
Atlanta Braves outfielder Mike Trout Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Mike Trout had a big day in his team's 11-8 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. Trout went 2-for-5 with two homers and three RBI to help lead the Angels to the win. The veteran hit both of his homers off Texas starter Kumar Rocker, a two-run shot in the third and a solo homer in the fifth inning. Trout is now slashing .233/.352/.461 with 16 homers, 34 runs, 36 RBI, and two steals in 232 at-bats this season. He is batting .250 with three homers over his past seven games as the All-Star break nears.Source: MLB.com
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gage Miller Turning the Corner at High-A
Gage Miller went 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI during their contest against High-A Dayton on Wednesday evening. This was another productive showing for Miller, who has posted a .250/.375/.550 slash line with one double, one triple, one home run, and eight RBI over his last six contests. Before this recent surge, Miller held a much lower .182/.308/.424 line with just two doubles and two home runs. The Marlins selected Miller in the third round of last year's MLB Draft out of Alabama. He made his professional debut with Low-A after the draft and even received a brief taste of High-A. This season, he returned to High-A, where he has posted an overall .235/.349/.355 line through 66 games. If Miller continued to turn the corner in the second half, he could earn a call to Double-A later this summer.Source: MiLB.com
Miami Marlins infield prospect Billy Amick Stays Hot at High-A
Source: MiLB.com
Minnesota Twins infield prospect Billy Amick went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs, three RBI, and two walks during their contest against High-A Peoria on Wednesday evening. Over his last eight games, Amick has held a strong .290/.378/.516 slash line with a double and two home runs. The No.14-ranked prospect in Minnesota has spent most of his campaign with High-A, after making his professional debut with Low-A last season. Through his first 33 games with High-A Cedar Rapids, Amick has posted a strong .311/.425/.443 slash line with eight doubles and two home runs. During this stretch, he has struck out 41 times and drawn 20 walks. Last season with Low-A, Amick held a modest .764 OPS across 18 games. The former second-round pick could be in the mix to earn a brief taste of Double-A later in the second half.Carson Benge Stays Hot on Wednesday
Carson Benge continued to swing a hot bat on Wednesday evening during their contest against Double-A Altoona. In this contest, the No. 3-ranked prospect in the New York system on MLB.com went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. He tallied two RBI and drew a walk. On Tuesday, Benge tallied three hits, three RBI, and added a double. The 22-year-old opened the campaign with High-A Brooklyn but needed just 60 games to prove he was ready to join Double-A. At High-A, the former 19th overall pick in last year's MLB Draft posted a .304/.417/.480 slash line with 18 doubles and four home runs. Through his first 12 games with Double-A, Benge has been quite impressive, posting a .325/.460/.550 slash line with three doubles and two home runs. Given his impressive production, Benge could be in the mix to reach the major leagues next season.Source: MiLB.com
New York Mets outfield prospect Braden Montgomery Snaps Skid with Home Run
Braden Montgomery went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI during their contest against High-A Greenville on Wednesday evening. This was a nice breakout game for Montgomery, as he was in a slump throughout most of the past week. From June 27 through July 6, Montgomery went just 2-for-31 at the dish with one extra-base hit. However, he has now tallied at least one hit in each of his last two games and appears to be turning the corner. Montgomery joined the White Sox organization with the 12th overall pick in last year's MLB Draft. After spending just 18 games with Low-A at the start of the season, the White Sox promoted Montgomery to High-A. Through his first 50 games with High-A, Montgomery has been quite productive, posting a .251/.331/.439 slash line with 14 doubles and eight home runs. If he continues to find his footing, he could be in the mix to open the 2026 season with Double-A.Source: MiLB.com
Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Max Clark Hits First Double-A Long Ball
Max Clark went 1-for-3 with a home run during their contest against Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday evening. After tallying a single in his Double-A debut on Tuesday, Clark would waste little time, going deep in just his second game at the level. Clark is considered the No. 2-ranked prospect in the system on MLB.com. The Tigers drafted Clark with the third pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Franklin Community HS. Clark began the campaign with High-A, where he held a .285/.340/.427 slash line with 12 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 12 stolen bases. Last summer, Clark spent most of his time with Low-A before earning a taste of High-A. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his production as Clark is developing into one of the top hitters in the minor leagues. He will likely spend the remainder of the second half with Double-A.Source: MiLB.com
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect C.J. Kayfus Hits Triple-A Home Run No. 12
C.J. Kayfus went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk during their contest against Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday evening. Since the start of July, Kayfus has already gone deep twice and tallied seven RBI. The No. 5-ranked prospect in the Cleveland system has been one of the most productive hitters in the minor leagues this season and is on the verge of making his MLB debut. He opened the season with Double-A, and posted a .364/.475/.591 slash line across 18 games. Then, through his first 57 games at the top level of the minor leagues, the first baseman has continued to perform well, holding a .295/.380/.557 slash line with 11 doubles and 12 home runs. Given his elite production, Kayfus is worth stashing in all 12+ team leagues heading into the All-Star break.Source: MiLB.com
Cleveland Guardians first baseman Spencer Jones Crushes Third Triple-A Homer Wednesday
Spencer Jones went 2-for-4 with a home run, two additional runs scored, and a stolen base on Wednesday against Triple-A Buffalo. Jones continues to slug everywhere he's been, as his 21 homers across all levels of the minors rank third among all hitters. He's been incredibly productive during his short time with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting five homers with four stolen bases and a 1.315 OPS. The swing-and-miss issues are well-discussed for the long-levered outfielder, but the power is special. If he can continue to chip away at his strikeout rate and get it at or below the 30 percent mark, then there is a chance Jones could stick in the big leagues with his other high-end tools.Source: MiLB.com
New York Yankees outfield prospect Chase DeLauter Goes Deep Wednesday
Chase DeLauter went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in a 7-3 loss against Triple-A Louisville. The 23-year-old hit his first homer in July, where he has scuffled a bit at the plate in the limited time. He is hitting just .185/.267/.370 through 27 at-bats, but hopefully Wednesday night's homer signals a hot streak shortly. The Guardians' number two prospect has still excelled at Triple-A for the season with an .861 OPS. Under the hood, the quality of contact looks quite favorable as well, with an 11.3 percent barrel rate and 50.5 percent hard-hit rate. With the Guardians struggling to score runs consistently, we could see DeLauter debut with the club here later this summer.Source: MiLB.com
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect J.J. Wetherholt Blasts First Triple-A Homer
J.J. Wetherholt went 3-for-8 with a home run and a double across a doubleheader on Wednesday against Triple-A Charlotte. Wetherholt got ahold of a hanging slider and sent it 424 feet for his first homer at Triple-A. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 draft cruised through Double-A, slashing .300/.425/.466 with seven homers and 14 stolen bases in addition to having more walks than strikeouts. The 22-year-old picked up where he left off in his first games at the next level and could soon be on his way to St. Louis with how well-rounded of a prospect he is. His upside for fantasy purposes may not be massive in the immediate future, but he would be worth a speculative add in most standard leagues.Source: MiLB.com
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop prospect Nolan McLean Posts Another Double-Digit Strikeout Outing
Nolan McLean had a pristine outing against Triple-A Lehigh Valley Wednesday night, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out 10 across six scoreless innings. He was unfortunately stuck with a no-decision, but it was a fantastic performance nonetheless. The right-hander carved up hitters all night, generating 17 whiffs on 40 swings for a monster 43 percent whiff rate. He distributed his mix fairly evenly and had multiple swings and misses on five different offerings. McLean now has back-to-back 10-strikeout outings and continues to make the case for a promotion to the big league rotation. With the strength of the Mets' lineup and a favorable home ballpark, McLean would be a priority add in the majority of formats upon his promotion.Source: MiLB.com
New York Mets pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo Stifles Giants for Eighth Win
Jesus Luzardo (8-5) secured his eighth win of the year in a 13-0 blowout of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. Across seven innings and 106 pitches, Luzardo gave up a paltry three singles and logged seven strikeouts against one walk. The outing continued a roller-coaster ride over the past month-plus for Luzardo, who has mixed a few good starts with a few blowups since May 31. He now has 10 quality starts on the year to go with a 4.14 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP, and 122:36 K:BB in 104 1/3 innings. Luzardo has been wildly unpredictable, but his 2.68 FIP, 3.23 xFIP, and .370 BABIP indicate that he's in line for positive regression in the second half of the season.Source: ESPN
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Bryce Harper Racks Up Four Extra-Base Hits in Win
Bryce Harper had a mammoth Wednesday afternoon at the plate in a 13-0 trouncing of the San Francisco Giants. Harper collected a career-high four extra-base hits, including a solo homer off Giants starter Justin Verlander, in a 4-for-6 performance. He finished with three doubles and crossed home plate three times. The HR was the 10th of the year and the first since June 3 for Harper, who missed most of last month with an injury to his right wrist. He went 4-for-24 with all singles and no RBI in his first seven games back from the injured list, making Wednesday's showing a much-needed return to form. The 32-year-old is now hitting .259/.370/.449 with 35 RBI, 36 runs, and eight stolen bases in 289 plate appearances.Source: ESPN
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Jordan Leasure Earns Second Save
Jordan Leasure notched his second save of the season in a 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Leasure pitched a scoreless ninth inning with one hit allowed (a single) and two strikeouts to slam the door on the Jays for his first save since May 20. The 26-year-old right-hander has logged a 4.18 ERA with 39:19 K:BB and nine holds over 32 1/3 innings. Grant Taylor has been the favorite for saves in Chicago lately, but the White Sox used him in the eighth instead. Taylor banked his fifth hold in a scoreless frame.Source: ESPN
Chicago White Sox reliever Jazz Chisholm Jr. Leads Yankees to Victory
Jazz Chisholm Jr. led the team to a 9-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday with his latest standout performance. Chisholm connected on two homers - a solo shot and a two-run blast - to finish 2-for-4 in a four-RBI night. Now up to 17 HRs on the season, Chisholm has been on a tear for over a month. After missing all of May with an oblique strain, Chisholm returned June 3 and has since gone 36-for-114 (.316) with 10 dingers, 26 RBI, 20 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 31 games. Overall, the 27-year-old is slashing a career-best .251/.346/.530 with 43 RBI, 37 runs, and 10 steals across 255 trips to the plate. Chisholm ranks in the top 7% of the league in xSLG and has a chance at his first 30-HR season.Source: ESPN
New York Yankees infielder Jhoan Duran Perfect in Save Opportunity
Jhoan Duran secured his 14th save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Duran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and needed a mere eight pitches to put the Cubs away. That makes five straight scoreless appearances for Duran, whose ERA is down to a microscopic 1.52 in 41 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old has also blown just two saves while posting 45:16 K:BB and a 1.09 WHIP.Source: ESPN
Minnesota Twins closer Carlos Estevez Tallies 25th Save
Carlos Estevez finished off a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday to pick up his 25th save. The right-hander worked around a one-out single by Adam Frazier to throw a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout on 16 pitches (11 strikes). The 32-year-old remains well on his way to his second 30-save season, and he's easily on pace to eclipse the career-high 31 he totaled in 2023. Estevez also has a sparkling 2.03 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over 40 innings, though he hasn't been a great source of strikeouts (33).Source: ESPN
Kansas City Royals closer Salvador Perez Crushes Two Homers in Win
Salvador Perez drilled a pair of key home runs to help the club escape with a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. Perez smashed a 444-foot solo blast off left-hander Bailey Falter to give the Royals a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Later, with the game tied 3-3 in the eighth, Perez completed the scoring for the night with a 426-foot shot against righty Isaac Mattson. He also singled to finish 3-for-4 and continue a tremendous start to July. Perez has gone 13-for-35 with four homers and 11 RBI in nine games this month. The 35-year-old has also increased his OPS by over 100 points since the beginning of June. After a terrible start to the season, he's slashing .245/.285/.427 with 13 HRs, 54 RBI, and 24 runs in 370 plate appearances. Among catchers, only Seattle Mariners MVP candidate Cal Raleigh has driven in more runs than Perez.Source: ESPN
Kansas City Royals catcher Devin Williams Records 13th Save
Devin Williams collected his 13th save of 2025 in a 9-6 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Williams entered in the top of the ninth inning and made quick work of the Mariners, going 1-2-3 on 12 pitches (eight strikes). He struck out both Dominic Canzone and Cole Young swinging. The 30-year-old's ERA has fallen to 4.86 (2.51 FIP) with 43:14 K:BB and a 1.17 WHIP in 33 1/3 innings. Williams has endured his share of struggles this year, but his only blown save came way back on April 19.Source: ESPN
New York Yankees closer Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome could find himself on the trade block this season, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. A first-round pick back in 2021, Newsome will play the 2025 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and enter free agency next spring. Jackson writes that the Browns would incur no dead money against the salary cap if Newsome were traded before November, which could spur the team to act if they don't plan on re-signing him beyond 2025. Pro Football Focus gave Newsome an overall grade of 52.2 for his work in 2024, 177th out of 222 corners. The Browns' defense was a dynamic unit for fantasy in 2023 but took a step back last season. After finishing fourth in fantasy points per game two years ago, the Cleveland D/ST finished 27th in 2024.Trevor Megill Mows Down Dodgers in Win
Trevor Megill (2-2) earned his second victory of the season in a 3-2 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. The flamethrowing right-hander entered a 2-2 game in the top of the 10th inning and dominated, striking out Freddie Freeman, Andy Pages, and Tommy Edman in order on 13 pitches (11 strikes). The Brewers won in the bottom of the 10th on a Jackson Chourio walk-off single. Megill, meanwhile, dropped his ERA to 2.41 with 21 saves, a 1.16 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts against 15 walks in 33 2/3 innings. He earned his first All-Star selection on Wednesday.Source: ESPN
Milwaukee Brewers closer VJ Edgecombe Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
VJ Edgecombe won't play in Thursday's Summer League meeting with the San Antonio Spurs. The rookie, selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, looked good in the Sixers' Salt Lake Summer League opener versus Utah, amassing 28 points, 10 boards, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. However, he missed the final two games due to a thumb injury. Fortunately, the ailment doesn't appear too serious, with doctors diagnosing the 19-year-old with a sprain. For now, Edgecombe is considered day-to-day, although the team will surely play it safe, meaning there's a chance fans won't see him on the court in Las Vegas. He will be reevaluated on Saturday.Source: Zach Ciavolella
Philadelphia 76ers guard