August 2, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates reinstated left-hander
Ryan Borucki (back) from the 15-day injured list on Friday. Borucki will return to Pittsburgh's bullpen for the first time since he went on the IL in the middle of June with a lower-back injury. The 31-year-old will remain off the fantasy radar moving forward, even though the Pirates have more opportunity for late-inning work after they traded
David Bednar to the New York Yankees at this week's deadline. Borucki, a former 15th-rounder by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012, will return to a 5.26 ERA (4.31 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks in 25 2/3 innings pitched this year. He has never saved a game in his eight major-league seasons and is unlikely to change that the rest of the way in 2025 with
Dennis Santana now locked into the team's closer role.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
August 2, 2025
San Francisco Giants right-hander
Kai-Wei Teng was promoted from Triple-A Sacramento and will make the start on Saturday at Citi Field against the hosting New York Mets for his first appearance in the big leagues in 2025. The 26-year-old allowed 15 hits and 12 runs in 11 innings in his first taste of the majors last year for the Giants, but he had a 3.67 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 54 innings for the Rivercats on the farm this year and was impressive in July, with a 0.52 ERA and 31 punchouts in 17 1/3 innings pitched. Fantasy managers will want to avoid him against the Mets this weekend, though, as he hasn't made a start since July 13. Teng's last time out with Sacramento was for 1 2/3 innings of relief. The matchup is bad and Teng isn't going to go very deep in this one. Stay away.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 2, 2025
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Bailey Ober (hip) was activated from the 15-day injured list on Saturday and will make the start for Game 2 of the series in Cleveland against the division-rival Guardians at Progressive Field. Ober is returning for the first time since July 2 due to a left-hip impingement. The 30-year-old won't be a recommended streaming option in his return since he's been too inconsistent in 2025 with a 4-6 record, 5.28 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and only 74 strikeouts in 92 innings over his 17 starts. In his final minor-league rehab start, Ober got up to 65 pitches and five innings, so he should be pretty stretched out for Saturday's appearance. The matchup against Cleveland is a nice one, though, as they rank 27th in baseball with a .676 OPS. Ober has been good against the Guards this year, too, with a 1.69 ERA and five strikeouts in his two starts against them.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 2, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays rookie outfielder
Chandler Simpson (finger) remains out of action for Saturday's contest against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jonny DeLuca is making another start in center field for the Rays and will bat seventh against Dodgers left-hander
Blake Snell (shoulder), who is making his first start since coming off the 60-day injured list. Simpson sprained his left index finger on Thursday against the New York Yankees and will miss his second straight start. The Rays have faced left-handers the last two games, too, so perhaps Tampa is just waiting to face a righty again to get the speedy rookie back in the lineup. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Sunday to see if Simpson makes his return. DeLuca is still searching for his first homer of 2025, but he's also had only 40 at-bats and is hitting a cool .400 with four RBI and five steals in a small sample size.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 2, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Joe Ross (back) made a rehab appearance with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday, throwing a scoreless inning while allowing one hit and striking out two. Ross is on the 15-day injured list while recovering from back spasms and last pitched in the big leagues on July 20. In 44 1/3 innings (31 games) with the Phillies this season, Ross has pitched to a 5.28 ERA and 1.51 WHIP with 34 strikeouts. The 32-year-old has made 87 starts in his career but has been almost exclusively utilized in a middle relief role in 2025. He will likely need only one or two more rehab appearances before rejoining the Phillies' bullpen.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com
August 2, 2025
San Francisco Giants first baseman/designated hitter
Wilmer Flores (hamstring) was pulled early from his team's 4-3 win over the New York Mets on Friday night and is dealing with hamstring tightness, according to Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle. Flores has not yet been placed on the injured list, so it's unclear whether this will be an extended absence for him or a more day-to-day injury. The 33-year-old is hitting .249/.318/.380 with 12 home runs, 59 RBI, and 36 runs scored in 380 plate appearances so far in 2025. He did most of his damage in the early part of the season, hitting 10 home runs before the end of May and just two since the calendar flipped to June. First baseman
Dominic Smith could be in line for more playing time if Flores were to miss time.
--Will BradySource: The San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
August 2, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Robert Gasser (elbow) is being built up as a starter as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hogg relays that Gasser could be moved to a relief role late in the season if a need opens up with the team. Gasser last pitched in the big leagues in June 2024. In his three rehab appearances so far, he's thrown four innings, allowing two earned runs and one walk while striking out four. The Brewers have excellent pitching depth between both their major league and Triple-A rosters. Even when Gasser is healthy, he could be behind current minor leaguers
Logan Henderson,
Chad Patrick, and Tobias Meyers as candidates to join the big league rotation.
--Will BradySource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
August 2, 2025
Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher
Tanner Houck (elbow), who was recently transferred to the 60-day injured list, is unlikely to return to the team in 2025. Houck was all set to return late in July, but after suffering a setback in his rehab assignment, he was shut down indefinitely. If Houck does not return, he will finish the season with a very disappointing 8.04 ERA, a 1.69 WHIP, and a career-low 15.8% strikeout rate over 43 2/3 innings. It remains to be seen what his role will be with the Red Sox beyond this year, whether as a starter or a reliever.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Tim Healey
August 2, 2025
Cleveland Guardians closer
Emmanuel Clase and starting pitcher
Luis L. Ortiz have both had their lockers cleared out in the Guardians' clubhouse, according to Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Both pitchers are currently on paid leave through August 31 as MLB investigates them as part of a potential gambling-related conspiracy. This could be a clear indication that neither should be expected to pitch again in 2025, but the results of the investigation are still pending. Clase had recorded 24 saves in 47 1/3 innings this season. Hard-throwing right-hander
Cade Smith is the lead candidate to fill his absence in the ninth inning. Ortiz was 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 88 2/3 innings (16 starts). Left-hander
Joey Cantillo has stepped into Cleveland's rotation in his place.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Zack Meisel
August 2, 2025
Seattle Mariners outfielder
Victor Robles (shoulder) is targeting a return to the team in September. Robles has been throwing out to distances of 150 feet and hitting on the field this past week for the team. While he was said to feel around 80 percent healthy, the former Washington National aims to play again before the season ends. Robles has yet to slide or dive during pre-game workouts but remains positive in his desire to return. While the optimism remains, he is likely to have minimal fantasy impact, given how long he has been away and how little time remains in the season.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Shannon Drayer
August
2,
2025
Philadelphia
Phillies
starting
pitcher
Aaron
Nola
(ankle,
ribs)
threw
47
pitches
in
his
first
rehab
outing
with
Triple-A
Lehigh
Valley
on
Friday.
The
veteran
right-hander
pitched
three
scoreless
innings,
allowing
three
hits
and
one
walk
while
read more...
August 2, 2025
The Boston Red Sox have transferred pitcher
Hunter Dobbins (knee) to the 60-day injured list to make room for the newly acquired
Steven Matz. The rookie right-hander last pitched on July 11, and it was there that he suffered a torn right ACL while covering first base on a ground ball. He finished his rookie season with a 4.13 ERA over 61.0 innings pitched while posting a 17.6% strikeout rate and a 6.6% walk rate. He can be safely dropped in all redraft leagues.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
August 2, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies reliever
Daniel Robert (finger) went on the 15-Day Injured List on Friday with a blister on his right middle finger. It's unclear how much time the right-handed reliever will miss, but blisters can tend to linger in length if they are not completely healed before a player begins pitching again. Robert has struggled as of late, having surrendered five earned runs over his last two appearances. Through twelve games this season, he sports a 27.3% strikeout rate, but an incredibly high 18.2% walk rate. He will look to return at some point this month and remain at the back of the Phillies' bullpen.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Phillies
August 2, 2025
Detroit Tigers catching prospect
Josue Briceno was able to snap his power skid at Double-A in a big way on Friday. Facing Akron, the backstop went 2-for-4 with two long balls. These were his first two home runs since joining Double-A Erie. Before this breakout performance, the backstop has struggled through his first two weeks with the club, holding a modest .196/.271/.235 line with just two doubles and a 14:6 K:BB. Earlier in the campaign, the No. 57-ranked prospect in the sport and the No. 4-ranked in the system enjoyed great success at High-A West Michigan, posting a .296/.422/.602 slash line with 13 doubles, 15 home runs, and a 40:41 K:BB. Given his struggles to start his tenure at Double-A, fantasy managers should expect Briceno to likely open the 2026 season at the same level.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
August 2, 2025
Baltimore Orioles infield prospect
Brandon Butterworth is being assigned to Double-A Chesapeake. The shortstop was involved in the package that was sent to Baltimore from San Diego in exchange for outfielder
Ramon Laureano and first baseman/outfielder
Ryan O'Hearn before Thursday's trade deadline. Butterworth has spent the entire first half of the campaign with San Diego's High-A affiliate, Fort Wayne. Through this stretch, Butterworth held a .267/.327/.455 slash line with 17 doubles, 11 home runs, and 13 stolen bases. He made his professional debut at Low-A during the 2024 season and posted a modest .599 OPS across 24 games. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress as he could make a strong case to open the 2026 season with Triple-A if he can find his footing early at Double-A.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB Central
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