July 4, 2025
Chicago Cubs catching prospect
Moises Ballesteros continues to dominate at Triple-A and is making a strong case to return to the major leagues. Over his last seven contests, the backstop has posted a stellar .308/.333/.462 slash line with four doubles, one stolen base, and a 7:2 K:BB. Over his last four games, he has hit at least one double in all but one. Ballesteros received a brief taste of the big leagues earlier this season. During his five-game stint in the majors, Ballesteros tallied three hits and three RBI. Through 69 total games with Triple-A Iowa this season, Ballesteros has posted a remarkable .331/.389/.498 slash line with 19 doubles and eight home runs. With
Miguel Amaya (oblique) on the IL, Ballesteros could be in the mix to return to the North Side very soon. For now, he is worth stashing in all deeper two-catcher formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
July 4, 2025
San Diego Padres infield prospect
Leodalis De Vries has continued to swing a hot bat at the High-A level. Over his last five games, the No. 3-ranked prospect in the sport on MLB.com has posted a remarkable .385/.522/.611 slash line with two doubles, one triple, and a 2:4 K:BB. Through 66 total games with High-A Fort Wayne, the budding infielder has held a .250/.361/.403 line with 15 doubles, four triples, five home runs, and six stolen bases. Last summer, De Vries made his professional debut with Low-A Lake Elsinore and posted a .237/.361/.441 line with 22 doubles and 11 long balls. Even though De Vries remains several seasons away from his potential MLB debut, he is a name worth closely monitoring in dynasty leagues as he has the upside to be one of the top prospects in the minor leagues over the next few seasons.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
July 4, 2025
Chicago Cubs left-hander
Drew Pomeranz will serve as the team's opener on Saturday at Wrigley Field against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, according to manager Craig Counsell. It's unclear who will work as the bulk reliever for the Cubbies in Game 2 of the divisional series, but it's most likely to be left-hander
Jordan Wicks, who was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Friday with righty
Jameson Taillon (calf) going on the 15-day injured list. In both of his opening assignments this year, Pomeranz has gone an inning apiece, so he should be avoided for fantasy purposes, even though the 36-year-old veteran has yet to allow a run in 2025 in 23 1/3 innings pitched. In addition to his 23 1/3 scoreless frames for Chicago, Pomeranz has a 0.90 WHIP, a save, 23 punchouts and seven walks.
--Keith HernandezSource: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys
July 4, 2025
The Athletics reinstated second baseman
Zack Gelof (ribs) from the 60-day injured list on Friday and placed infielder
Luis Urias (hamstring) on the 10-day IL (retroactive to July 3) with a right-hamstring strain in a corresponding move, according to the team. Gelof will immediately start at second base and hit eighth in his 2025 debut in Friday's series opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants and right-hander
Justin Verlander. He fractured the hamate bone in his hand in spring training and then dealt with a stress reaction in his ribs, but Gelof should now serve as the team's starting second baseman the rest of the way. While the 25-year-old is a work in progress, he's worthy of a waiver-wire pickup in mixed fantasy leagues for his power/speed profile. He hit 17 homers and stole 25 bags in 138 games last year but also led the league with 188 strikeouts.
--Keith HernandezSource: A's Communications
July 4, 2025
Cleveland Guardians second base prospect
Travis Bazzana (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League. The former first overall pick in last year's MLB Draft has been dealing with an oblique strain since May. However, the Oregon State product was finally cleared for game action. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, as he could return to Double-A in the coming weeks. Before the injury, Bazzana spent his entire season with Double-A Akron. Through 33 games, Bazzana held a .252/.362/.433 slash line with five doubles, three triples, four home runs, and eight stolen bases. Given the time he missed with the injury, Fantasy managers should not expect Bazzana to debut in Cleveland this season.
--Andy SmithSource: Cleveland Guardians
July 4, 2025
The Colorado Rockies announced on Friday that they reinstated right-hander
Ryan Feltner (back) from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque. The team also outrighted outfielder
Sam Hilliard to Albuquerque after he cleared outright waivers. The Rockies want to see more from Feltner after he gave up two home runs and nine walks in 10 2/3 innings on his minor-league rehab assignment with the Isotopes. The 28-year-old made six starts with the Rockies before his injury this year and posted a 4.75 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.48 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and 12 walks in 30 1/3 innings over six starts. Feltner also made a career-high 30 starts for Colorado last year, so he figures to be a starting rotation option for the team at some point in the second half. At best, he's a matchup-based deep-league streamer on the road in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Rockies Club Information
July 4, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect
Lazaro Estrada is being promoted to the major leagues. In a corresponding move, the Blue Jays are sending right-handed pitcher
Justin Bruihl to Triple-A Buffalo and shifting outfielder
Anthony Santander (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list. Estrada has spent the first half of the campaign with Triple-A. During his first career stint with Triple-A this season, Estrada has posted a 4.75 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP. During this stretch, Estrada has struck out 66 batters while allowing 21 walks. Last summer, the No. 25-ranked prospect spent time in the system with Low-A, High-A, and Double-A. While Estrada has typically been deployed out of the rotation in the minor leagues, he will likely have a long relief role in Toronto. Given his projected role, he is not worth adding in any fantasy formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Toronto Blue Jays
July 4, 2025
Colorado Rockies outfielder
Brenton Doyle will retreat to the bench again for Friday's series opener at Coors Field against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Mickey Moniak is starting in center field and will hit fifth against White Sox right-hander
Adrian Houser. This will be the second time in the last three games that Doyle has started on the bench for the Rockies. He's hitting just .201 (57-for-284) on the season, but the 27-year-old is actually in the midst of a four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 5-for-15 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. Still, it's been a highly disappointing 2025 for Doyle, who has six homers, 28 RBI and eight steals over the halfway mark after clubbing 23 long balls, driving in 72 and stealing 30 bags in 2024. Moniak is a DFS outfield sleeper to consider with three hits in his last three games. Believe it or not, he has 12 homers this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 4, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers slumping first baseman
Rhys Hoskins finds himself on the bench yet again in Friday's series opener in Miami against the Marlins and right-hander
Sergio Alcantara.
Jake Bauers will make the start at first base and bat seventh. Hoskins has been benched in two of the last four games. The 32-year-old is in a rut at the plate right now, going 3-for-22 (.136) with no homers, one RBI, four walks and seven strikeouts in seven games since June 24. The cold stretch has brought his season line down to .239/.335/.418 with a .753 OPS. Bauers, who hits from the left side, hasn't been any better for the Brew Crew in 2025, going 23-for-108 (.213) with only five home runs, 18 RBI, 14 runs and four stolen bases. He's also hitless in eight career at-bats against Alcantara with one RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 4, 2025
Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect
Colson Montgomery is batting seventh in his major-league debut on Friday at Coors Field against the hosting Colorado Rockies and right-hander
Antonio Senzatela. Montgomery is a former first-rounder in 2021 and the club's No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 23-year-old got the call-up to the big leagues after hitting only .218 (47-for-216) with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, 30 RBI, 27 runs scored and two steals in 55 games for Triple-A Charlotte. That shouldn't give fantasy managers in single-year leagues much confidence in him, but Montgomery should play regularly in the Windy City in another lost season. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder hits from the left side and is often compared to
Corey Seager because of his 30-homer potential. However, his plate discipline must improve, especially now that he's in the big leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 4, 2025
Texas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter was reinstated from the bereavement list on Friday and is starting in center field and batting fifth in the series opener at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres and right-hander
Randy Vasquez. Carter has struggled against lefties and has been injury-prone in his short time in the big leagues. However, the 22-year-old former second-rounder in 2020 has been quite attractive in fantasy when he's been hot, which has been the case when he's been on the field in 2025. He comes into Friday's action with a .283/.372/.444 slash line, an .816 OPS, four home runs, 11 RBI, 17 runs and eight stolen bases in 99 at-bats. Carter has gone 26-for-91 (.286) with all four of his home runs and all 11 of his RBI against right-handed pitching this year. You could do much worse than inserting him into your DFS lineups against Vasquez.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 4, 2025
The Texas Rangers agreed to a minor-league deal with free-agent first baseman
Rowdy Tellez on Friday, league sources tell The Athletic's Will Sammon. Tellez will stay in the American League West after spending 62 games with the Seattle Mariners this year, where he slashed .208/.249/.434 with a weak .682 OPS, 11 home runs, six doubles, 27 RBI, 20 runs scored and a stolen base in 185 at-bats. Tellez certainly has plenty of power still in his eighth major-league season, but he offers little else and won't be guaranteed to make an impact at the major-league level for the Rangers the rest of this year.
Jake Burger is currently the team's starting first baseman, but if Tellez impresses in the minors, it's possible he could be a platoon option at the cold corner against right-handers in the second half.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
July 4, 2025
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez (lat) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Friday that featured fastballs and breaking balls, according to MLB.com's Jake Rill. Rodriguez said he's now thrown a few bullpens and is at 100% intensity. Still, there's no firm timetable on when he'll be cleared to face live hitters, and he said it will depend on how he's feeling. The 25-year-old has yet to pitch this year due right-elbow inflammation that he dealt with in spring training and a lat strain in late April. It sounds as though he should be able to face live hitters soon, but it remains to be seen. Rodriguez will eventually need to go on what will likely be a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment, too, so his 2025 debut probably won't come until August. It gives Rodriguez little time to make an impact for fantasy managers to close out the year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
July 4, 2025
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Adley Rutschman (oblique) did some pre-game work on the field on Friday before the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, including running from first to third, according to the Baltimore Banner's Danielle Allentuck. The Orioles don't expect Rutschman to return from the 10-day injured list before the All-Star break, but they are optimistic that the switch-hitting 27-year-old will be back for the start of the second half on July 18. Even though he's had a disappointing first half in 2025, he needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats. The former first overall pick in 2019 out of Oregon State is currently hitting just .227/.319/.372 with a .691 OPS, eight homers, 20 RBI and 31 runs in 242 at-bats. Veteran
Gary Sanchez has become the O's primary catcher with Rutschman,
Maverick Handley and
Chadwick Tromp all on the IL.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Banner - Danielle Allentuck
July 4, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho (hamstring) ran the bases on Thursday and felt good. He will repeat it in the coming days before starting a minor-league rehab assignment, according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. Varsho could begin his rehab assignment this weekend and rejoin the big-league squad next week before the All-Star break, barring a setback. The 29-year-old has been out since May 31 with a hamstring injury, but the team's starting center fielder is on the cusp of a return. Varsho got a late start in 2025 because of offseason shoulder surgery and won't be doing fantasy managers any help in the batting average department, but he did hit eight home runs and drive in 20 in 92 at-bats before injuring his hamstring. The Blue Jays have been mixing and matching in center field of late with
Myles Straw and
Nathan Lukes.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet.ca - Arden Zwelling
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