RADIO
Esmerlyn Valdez a Top Power Option on the Waiver Wire?
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez has played his way into a meaningful role. He has started six straight games in right field, with the last four coming from the cleanup spot. Through his first 69 plate appearances, the 22-year-old hit .339 with six home runs, 16 RBI, and a 1.133 OPS. He stayed productive after his four-game homer streak ended, going 6-for-14 with four RBI from July 1-3. The strikeouts are the obvious concern. Valdez has fanned in 31.9% of his plate appearances, while his .269 expected average sits well below his .339 mark. What happens when he connects is the draw: a 29.3% barrel rate, 53.7% hard-hit rate, and .634 expected slugging percentage. He has not stolen a base, making this a power pickup rather than a five-category play. RotoBaller recommends adding Valdez in 10-team leagues, and he is still rostered in only 47% of Yahoo formats. Managers looking for home runs and RBI should check the wire now.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tomoyuki Sugano Out on Saturday with Back Spasms
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano will have his scheduled start on Saturday scratched due to back spasms. The severity of the issue is unknown, and it remains unclear whether he will pitch again before the All-Star Break. It has not been an easy stretch as of late for the 36-year-old, who struggled through his last start on June 26 while dealing with a finger injury. He appears to have fully recovered from the ailment on his finger, but now he faces yet another setback that will keep him out of Saturday's contest. In his place, Sean Sullivan has been recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque and will start for the Rockies on Saturday.
Source: Rockies Club Information
Source: Rockies Club Information
Clarke Schmidt Could Throw a Live Bullpen Session Soon
New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (elbow) is getting closer to throwing his first live bullpen session. He is nearing the one-year mark since undergoing an internal brace procedure in July 2025, and a live bullpen session would represent a major milestone in his recovery. Thus far, he has been limited to side sessions and mound work, but reports that he is ready to take this next step suggest his recovery has been progressing well behind the scenes. If things continue on this trajectory, he could begin a rehab assignment later this month, with the hope of rejoining the Yankees' rotation down the stretch. If he earns a spot at the back end of New York's rotation, he is worth rostering in the deepest fantasy leagues.
Source: Gary Phillips
Source: Gary Phillips
Max Fried to Throw 35 Pitches on Sunday in Sim Game
New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (elbow) is set to throw 35 pitches over two up-and-down simulated innings on Sunday. It has been reported that if this session goes smoothly, he will increase his workload to 40 pitches later in the week. The 32-year-old is said to have felt completely normal after his last live bullpen session, which is great news for both him and the Yankees. In addition to making progress with his health, he has also reportedly been working on mechanical tweaks to his repertoire. Despite the significant forward progress, it's worth noting that the southpaw still has a long way to go in his recovery and will almost certainly require a rehab assignment. As such, a return later in July should be considered the best-case scenario.
Source: Gary Phillips
Source: Gary Phillips
Brandon Nimmo Returns for Saturday's Game Against Rangers
Texas Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo (shoulder) is starting in right field and batting cleanup for the Rangers in Saturday's contest at home against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander Jack Flaherty, per MLB.com. Nimmo suffered an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder last Sunday when he crashed into the outfield wall to make the final out of the game, which caused him to miss the last four games. The 33-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder will return on the Fourth of July and give the injury-wrecked Rangers' lineup a boost to finish out the weekend. In his first year in Texas, Nimmo has underwhelmed, slashing .262/.333/.420 with a .753 OPS, eight home runs, 29 RBI, 35 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 317 at-bats. He closed out the month of June on a heater, though, going 15-for-48 (.313) with five doubles, a homer, a triple, four RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base in 12 games, and fantasy managers are hoping he can pick up where he left off after missing the last four games. Nimmo has only faced Flaherty twice in his career, but he's picked up two hits against him.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kumar Rocker's Start Pushed Back to Sunday
Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker will have his start this weekend pushed back from Saturday to Sunday against the Detroit Tigers, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Right-hander Cal Quantrill will make the start on the Fourth of July on Saturday against Detroit at Globe Life Field. Sunday will be the second time this year that Rocker has faced the Tigers. In his first meeting against them on the road on May 2, he allowed five earned runs on seven hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out two in only two innings in his shortest start of the year. The 26-year-old former third overall pick in 2022 is hoping for a much better result this time around after allowing only two earned runs with one walk and 14 strikeouts in 11 innings in his last two outings against the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays. Rocker has gone 2-6 with a 3.83 ERA (3.90 FIP) and 1.34 WHIP with a 70:31 K:BB in 80 frames across 16 outings (14 starts) in his third year with Texas. He'll be in the streaming conversation on Sunday in a plus matchup against the Tigers.
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
TJ Rumfield Deserves to be Rostered in More Fantasy Leagues
Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield is inexperienced in his first year in the big leagues, but his numbers tell a different story. Through his first 86 games played and 350 plate appearances in the majors, Rumfield is slashing a robust .293/.374/.485 with an .860 OPS, 12 home runs, 19 doubles, 46 RBI, and 40 runs scored for the Rockies. Yet somehow, he's only rostered in half of Yahoo leagues. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting first baseman, who was a 12th-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021 out of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, was even better in 26 games in June, going 30-for-95 (.316) with five homers, nine doubles, a triple, 17 RBI, and 14 runs scored. Since June 16, he's hit .367 (22-for-60) with three homers and 12 RBI. Even if regression is expected to kick in -- he has an xBA of .248 and an xwOBA of .322 (wOBA of .375) -- Rumfield shouldn't be ignored any longer in mixed fantasy leagues. He has just one of his 12 homers against lefties, but he's hitting .273 (24-for-88) against them, and he's hit better away from hitter-friendly Coors Field with a .304 average (45-for-148) with five of his 12 homers. Fantasy managers searching for power should pick Rumfield up.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Max Scherzer Goes Three Innings in First Rehab Start
Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (back) began his road back from yet another injury with a minor-league rehab start on Friday for High-A Vancouver. Scherzer was able to get up to three innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three. It was the future Hall of Famer's first game since June 10, and he reportedly felt good after throwing 33 of his 49 pitches for strikes. The 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner is recovering from back spasms, but he also missed extended time this year due to forearm tendinitis and other nagging issues. The Blue Jays aren't going to rush him back, and Scherzer is expected to need at least two more rehab starts before Toronto considers reinstating him from the 15-day injured list. The once-dominant right-hander continues to battle injuries near the end of his fantastic career and has only made six starts in 2026, going 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts in 22 innings. Scherzer is only rostered in 3% of Yahoo leagues. Fantasy managers should continue to ignore him.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Connelly Early to Have Second Opinion on his Elbow
Boston Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early (elbow) will be getting a second opinion on his elbow after an MRI exam showed that he has posterior elbow inflammation, per MLB.com. It came a day after he left his start early against the Washington Nationals after four scoreless innings pitched on June 30. The Red Sox placed Early on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday, and he won't be eligible to rejoin Boston's starting rotation until after the All-Star break from July 13-16. Barring a more serious diagnosis after a second opinion, the young southpaw could have a chance to jump right back into the rotation to start the beginning of the second half of the season. In his first 17 starts in 2026 in his first full year in the majors, Early went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (4.62 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 34 walks in 91 2/3 innings. The former fifth-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Virginia could be a sneaky waiver-wire pickup before he returns from the IL for the second half. He's rostered in exactly half of Yahoo leagues after his elbow injury.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Mike Trout Hoping to Return Next Week
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (hamstring) ran at 85 percent intensity and performed his normal pre-game routine before the team's 5-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday, and he's hoping to return from the 10-day injured list at some point on the team's road trip next week, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The three-time MVP and 11-time All-Star has been out since June 17 with a strained right hamstring. "I feel fine. Feel good. I haven't felt anything in like four or five days. I've just got to get a couple of 90-95 percent back-to-back days and then be good," Trout said. The 34-year-old future Hall of Famer took 15 to 20 swings off a tee, 15 to 20 swings off a machine, and then took four rounds of batting practice on Friday, also doing agility drills on the field, which included cutting in the outfield. Trout said he likely doesn't need a minor-league rehab assignment, and he's unsure if the team will be careful with him returning to center field next week in Texas because of the turf at Globe Life Field. Barring a setback, he's also hopeful he can participate in his first All-Star Game since 2019. Before his injury, Trout was hitting .234/.394/.472 with 17 homers, 36 RBI, 54 runs, and seven steals in 74 games, bouncing back from several injury-plagued seasons in recent years.
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Byron Buxton Back From Hip Injury on Saturday
Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is starting in center field and is batting second in his return to the lineup for Saturday's Fourth of July matchup on the road in the Bronx against the New York Yankees and right-hander Brendan Beck, according to MLB.com. A hip impingement kept Buxton out of the starting lineup for each of the last four games, but he's feeling better now and will return to the starting nine against a pitcher whom he has never faced. The 32-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star has stayed relatively healthy (for his standards) in 2026 and has been a must-start in all fantasy leagues, as he'll carry a .268/.325/.573 slash line with an .898 OPS, 25 home runs, 43 RBI, 56 runs scored, and seven stolen bases into Saturday's contest at Yankee Stadium. In 23 games (100 plate appearances) in June, Buxton went 27-for-94 (.287) with eight round-trippers, five doubles, 16 RBI, 16 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Get him back into your starting fantasy lineups for the holiday weekend.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Daylen Lile Ends Power Drought With Multi-Homer Performance
Washington Nationals outfielder Daylen Lile got in on the action in Friday night's 9-5 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in a game in which the Nationals went deep five times. Lile went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and four RBI to snap a 23-game streak without clearing the fences. He also boosted his season average to .256 and his OPS to .730. Not only did Lile snap a power drought, but he's recorded four extra-base hits in his first two games in July after going 12-for-55 (.218) with two homers, four doubles, six RBI, six runs, no walks, and eight strikeouts in his last 15 games. Overall, in his second year in the big leagues with the Nationals, the former second-rounder in 2021 is batting .256/.309/.421 with a .730 OPS, 10 home runs, 43 RBI, 48 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 87 games after he had a .299/.347/.498 slash line with nine homers, 41 RBI, 51 runs, and eight steals in 91 games in his rookie campaign in 2025. Lile is a sneaky source of power and speed in deeper fantasy leagues, and he's rostered in 63% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Henry Bolte a Waiver-Wire Boost for Stolen Bases?
Athletics rookie outfielder Henry Bolte has already become one of the better speed pickups on the waiver wire. He's batting .293/.376/.373 with 15 runs, 14 RBI, two home runs, and 11 steals across 150 at-bats. He has also appeared in center field 46 times since his May promotion, so the playing time has been steady. Bolte leads the majors with a 30.5 feet-per-second sprint speed, giving him a chance to make a real difference in stolen bases. The power is still a work in progress. Bolte has hit the ball hard, but his 64.4% ground-ball rate and 27.6% strikeout rate help explain why he has only two homers. That does not take away from what he can offer right now. RotoBaller recommends him in leagues with 10 or more teams, and Yahoo managers have pushed his roster rate to just 13% so far. Anyone chasing speed should act before the rest of the market catches up.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Stowers Stays Hot With Two-Homer Game on Friday
Miami Marlins first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers' bat is starting to heat up as the weather warms. In the Marlins' 12-5 win on the road in Sacramento against the Athletics on Friday night, he went 4-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, and three runs scored to boost his season average to .243 and his OPS to .787. Both long balls were light-tower shots into the night at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. After a slow start offensively following his breakout season in 2025, the 28-year-old left-handed hitter has come alive of late, going 20-for-58 (.345) with five home runs, five doubles, two triples, 15 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 15 games across 67 plate appearances. The strong stretch for the former Stanford product has boosted his overall line in 2026 to .243/.330/.457, and he's added 10 home runs, 37 RBI, 33 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 243 at-bats. Fantasy managers need to ride the wave with Stowers' power while he remains hot.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jake Burger an Overlooked Waiver-Wire Pickup for Home Runs and RBI?
Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger is not going to fill every category, but few hitters this available can match his home run and RBI production. The Texas Rangers first baseman is batting .246/.310/.425 with 14 homers, 52 RBI, and 38 runs across 313 at-bats. He has appeared at first base in 84 of his 85 games, so playing time is not the concern. Burger's 46.5% hard-hit rate and 90.1 mph average exit velocity also back up the power case. Managers will have to live with some empty stretches and almost no speed. Burger has only two steals, and his 9.3% barrel rate is solid rather than elite. That is a reasonable tradeoff for a regular bat who can help in two scarce categories. RotoBaller recommends him in leagues with 10 or more teams, while he remains rostered in just 28% of Yahoo leagues. In those formats, he should be added wherever home runs and RBI are the priority.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
