August 1, 2025
Chicago White Sox rookie infielder
Chase Meidroth (thumb) is out of the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the hosting Los Angeles Angels.
Lenyn Sosa is starting at the keystone and will bat out of the six-hole versus Angels left-hander
Tyler Anderson. Meidroth was hit by a pitch on his right thumb in Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies and will get an additional day off after a travel day on Thursday. The 24-year-old's X-rays came back negative, so he's considered day-to-day and could be back in action on either Saturday or Sunday in Anaheim. In his first year in the big leagues in 2025, Meidroth has been below league average as a hitter with a .252/.330/.319 slash line, .650 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 83 games. Sosa is definitely more intriguing as a sleeper power threat.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 1, 2025
The Chicago White Sox announced on Friday that they reinstated rookie right-hander
Shane Smith (ankle) from the 15-day injured to start in the series opener on the road in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. Smith sprained his ankle during the All-Star break, so this will be his first start of the second half of the season. The 25-year-old former Rule 5 pick represented the White Sox in the All-Star game despite having a 4.26 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in his first MLB season. He has made 18 starts in his first year in the Show and has struck out 81 and handed out 37 free passes in 86 2/3 innings pitched. The matchup against the Angels is a good one, but don't be surprised if Smith has a short leash in his first start back after throwing only 55 pitches in a bullpens session last weekend. We wouldn't recommend Smith as a DFS streamer on Friday.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago White Sox
August 1, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays rookie outfielder
Chandler Simpson (finger) is out of the starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, but manager Kevin Cash said the speedster will be available off the bench after leaving Thursday's game against the New York Yankees with a sprained left index finger.
Jonny DeLuca is starting in center field and batting sixth on Friday against Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw. The 24-year-old Chandler avoided a serious injury and could be back in there for Game 2 of the series on Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. DeLuca has hit .389 on the season but only in 36 at-bats, adding five runs scored and five stolen bases. The 27-year-old has faced Kershaw only twice in his career but has hits in both at-bats with two RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bally Sports Florida - Ryan Bass
August 1, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays officially placed infielder
Jonathan Aranda (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a left-wrist fracture. This was an expected move after the Rays said recently that they're hoping Aranda can rejoin the team in September. The 27-year-old will be a big loss for the Rays and fantasy managers for the month of August. The left-handed slugger was a first-time All-Star this year and heads to the shelf with a .316/.394/.478 slash line, .871 OPS, 12 home runs, 54 RBI and 53 runs scored in his 103 games played. Fantasy managers will want to keep him rostered in an IL spot while he recovers.
Yandy Diaz should become the regular at first base in Tampa with Aranda on the shelf, which means that
Christopher Morel should be in line for everyday playing time as the primary designated hitter.
--Keith HernandezSource: Rays Communications
August 1, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals are promoting right-handed pitching prospect
Andre Granillo to the major leagues before their contest on Friday evening against the San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old made his MLB debut earlier this season. During his first taste in the big leagues, the right-hander tossed 11 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.38 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. During this stint, he struck out seven hitters and held a stellar 4.3% walk rate. The University of California - Riverside product has presented the majority of the campaign at Triple-A. With Memphis, Granillo has been one of the most reliable relievers on the team as he has held a 1.50 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP across 36 innings. With
Ryan Helsley and
Phil Maton being traded, Granillo could have a path to eventually earning a high-leverage role in the St. Louis bullpen.
--Andy SmithSource: St. Louis Cardinals
August 1, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks first base prospect
Tyler Locklear is in the starting lineup and covering first base when they begin a series on Friday evening against the Athletics. Locklear is slated to bat in the six-hole. The Mariners sent Locklear to the desert as the headliner piece in a deal that brought third baseman
Eugenio Suarez back to Seattle. Locklear was ranked as the No. 10-best prospect in the Seattle system before the trade. The VCU product made his MLB debut during the 2024 campaign but was only given a short look as he held a .525 OPS across 49 PAs. However, at Triple-A this season, Locklear has been quite productive, posting a strong .316/.401/.542 line with a .943 OPS. Given his everyday role in Arizona going forward, he is worth adding in all deeper 12+ team formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
August 1, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Michael King (shoulder) will make a minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A El Paso against Triple-A Round Rock, according to Annie Heilbrunn. King has been cleared to begin his rehab assignment after a successful 40-pitch simulated game on Tuesday. The 30-year-old will most likely require multiple rehab outings because of the fact that he hasn't pitched in a game since May 18. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, King could rejoin the Friars' starting rotation by the middle of August. King has been the Padres' best pitcher since last year, so getting him back healthy will be essential if they want to make a deep run in October. When he returns in August, he'll push either Randy Vazquez or the newly-acquired
JP Sears out of the rotation. King shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires out there.
--Keith HernandezSource: Annie Heilbrunn
August 1, 2025
The Athletics are promoting right-handed pitcher
Eduarniel Nunez from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to their contest on Friday evening against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nunez was included in the package that sent
Mason Miller and
JP Sears to the San Diego Padres. Nunez made his major league debut earlier this summer with the Padres and logged 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball with four hits and a 2:4 K:BB. He has spent the majority of the campaign split between Double-A and Triple-A. With Double-A, Nunez logged 22 2/3 innings with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. However, at Triple-A, Nunez was quite impressive, tossing 12 1/3-straight shutout frames. Fantasy managers should expect Nunez to begin his tenure with the Athletics in a middle relief role in the bullpen.
--Andy SmithSource: A's Communications
August 1, 2025
The Colorado Rockies are promoting left-handed pitching prospect
Carson Palmquist to the major leagues before their contest on Friday evening against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The No. 7-ranked prospect in the Colorado system on MLB.com made his MLB debut earlier this season and logged 30 2/3 innings to the tune of a 7.36 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. During this stint, the southpaw struck out just 22 hitters and had weak command of his pitches as he posted a hefty 12.2% walk rate. He also placed in the first percentile in xERA, seventh percentile in hard-hit rate, and first percentile in barrel rate. Given his minimal strikeout upside and the significant amount of loud contact he allows, fantasy managers should not consider targeting him on the waiver wire.
--Andy SmithSource: Colorado Rockies
August 1, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated infielder
Ha-Seong Kim (back) from the 10-day injured list on Friday before their series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander
Clayton Kershaw. Kim will immediately slot back in at the 6 and will hit second against Kershaw, who he has hit .222 against with a home run and two RBI in his career. The 29-year-old middle infielder missed the minimum amount of time due to lower-back tightness and now returns as the team's everyday shortstop. The South Korean native didn't make his debut with Tampa until July 4 after having offseason shoulder surgery and has been banged up off and on ever since his return. He offers modest power and speed and has gone 7-for-31 (.226) with a homer, three RBI and four stolen bases in his first 10 games played with the Rays. Kim is ideally middle-infield insurance in deeper leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Rays Communications
August 1, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates have recalled right-handed pitcher
Thomas Harrington from Triple-A Indianapolis before their contest on Friday against the Colorado Rockies. Harrington made his MLB debut earlier this season and appeared in just two games. Through eight innings of work, Harrington allowed nine runs with eleven hits. The No. 4-ranked prospect in the system struck out seven hitters and allowed five walks. He has spent most of the campaign with Triple-A Indianapolis and has struggled to find success there as well, posting a 5.48 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP across 90 1/3 innings of work. During this stint, Harrington has tallied just 84 strikeouts. Fantasy managers should expect him to have a role as a long reliever, which will give him minimal fantasy upside.
--Andy SmithSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
August 1, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio's hamstring injury is "a little more severe" than initially though, according to manager Pat Murphy. The Brewers aren't quite sure of the extent of Chourio's hamstring injury, but he received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will be out for more than the 10-day minimum. When asked if Chourio could be out a month, Murphy said, "could be." This is pretty depressing for fantasy managers after reports kept coming out that the 21-year-old's injury wasn't that serious and that he could be in for a short stay on the IL. Now, we're looking at him potentially missing all of August due to a right-hamstring strain he suffered on Tuesday. The young power/speed threat should be stashed in an IL spot in all leagues regardless of how long he's out. In the meantime,
Blake Perkins is a waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
August 1, 2025
The Houston Astros have optioned infield prospect
Brice Matthews and outfielder
Jacob Melton to Triple-A Sugar Land. This transaction opened a spot for infielder
Jeremy Pena, who was activated off the injured list, and outfielder
Jesus Sanchez, whom the Astros acquired shortly before the trade deadline. Matthews made his MLB debut earlier this season and flashed high power upside during this stint. Through 11 games, the top-ranked prospect in Houston has launched three home runs but held a rough 18:2 K:BB. Melton also made his MLB debut earlier this season and held a modest .206/.270/.265 slash line with just one extra-base hit. Fantasy managers should expect Sanchez to see nearly every opportunity in left field, while
Carlos Correa and Pena will likely cover shortstop and third base, respectively.
--Andy SmithSource: Brian McTaggart
August 1, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge (elbow) will take batting practice on the field in Miami on Friday before the series opener against the Marlins, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Judge will then travel to Tampa on Sunday to take some live at-bats. The Yankees' goal is to activate him from the 10-day injured list as a designated hitter on either Tuesday or Wednesday at Texas against the Rangers. Judge landed on the IL with a flexor strain in his right elbow but is feeling better after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his arm earlier this week. The 33-year-old reigning American League MVP will be eased back in as the team's DH next week, which will shift
Giancarlo Stanton to the outfield for the short term. Judge wasn't swinging the bat particularly well after the All-Star break, but he should be returned to starting fantasy lineups immediately when he's back.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
August 1, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder
Johan Rojas is the odd man out on the big-league roster after the Phillies added outfielder
Harrison Bader and reliever
Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline this week, as he was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday. The move shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone after the team acquired Bader from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. The 24-year-old Rojas has been solid with the glove in center field since debuting in the big leagues in 2023, but he's lacked any upside offensively. In 71 games this year, Rojas was hitting just .224 (34-for-152) with a homer, 18 RBI, 23 runs and 12 stolen bases in 172 plate appearances. In Rojas' 250 games at the big-league level, he's slashing a mediocre .252/.294/.340 with only six home runs, 73 RBI and 51 steals.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Phillies
RADIO
