July 3, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Cam Smith posted another productive performance in a 7-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. The 22-year-old rookie finished a home run short of the cycle in a 3-for-5, three-RBI game. He now has three straight multi-hit games and six in his past seven contests. Smith understandably got off to a slow start over the first few weeks of the season as he adjusted to the bigs. Now, just one year removed from going in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Smith has established himself as a quality regular. He's slashing .291/.359/.445 with seven homers, 38 RBI, 34 runs scored, and four steals in 281 trips to the plate. Smith ranks in the top 25 percent of hitters in xwOBA and xBA, making his output all the more impressive.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 3, 2025
Colorado Rockies reliever
Seth Halvorsen got four outs to log his seventh save in the team's 7-6 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday. Halvorsen inherited runners on the corners in a 7-5 game in the top of the eighth, but he retired
Isaac Paredes to escape the trouble. The ninth was trickier for Halvorsen, who gave up three hits (including a leadoff triple to
Jake Meyers) and a run before getting
Cooper Hummel to fly out to end the game. Halvorsen threw 26 pitches and struck out one in the outing. The 25-year-old right-hander has recorded a 4.15 ERA with 32 strikeouts, 15 walks, and a 1.44 WHIP in 34 2/3 innings. Between those unspectacular numbers and the lack of save opportunities that come with pitching for the last-place Rockies, Halvorsen is not much of a fantasy asset.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 3, 2025
Miami Marlins reliever
Ronny Henriquez earned his fifth save of the year in a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. Henriquez threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning on 15 pitches and struck out one. The 23-year-old right-hander has emerged as the favorite for saves in Miami, which had mostly used
Calvin Faucher in the closer role until the past couple of weeks. Faucher threw a scoreless eighth inning on Thursday for his fifth hold. Henriquez, meanwhile, has converted all four of his save opportunities since June 22. He now owns a 2.79 ERA with 58 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 1.19 WHIP in 42 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 3, 2025
New York Mets closer
Edwin Diaz threw a scoreless ninth inning to finish off a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Diaz allowed a one-out single to
Christian Yelich, who was then thrown out trying to steal second. The 31-year-old right-hander struck out the other two hitters he faced en route to his 18th save in 19 tries. Diaz has earned saves in back-to-back nights on a total of 37 pitches. The two-time All-Star boasts a 1.85 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP, 51 strikeouts, and 12 walks in 34 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 3, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays closer
Jeff Hoffman recorded his 21st save of the year in an 8-5 victory against the New York Yankees on Thursday. Hoffman allowed a one-out double to
Jasson Dominguez, but he retired the other three hitters (one via strikeout) in a 16-pitch ninth inning. Like many of his teammates, Hoffman had a great series in a four-game sweep of the Yankees. He saved three of those victories and has now gone eight appearances without allowing an earned run. The 32-year-old has converted 84% of save chances this season while registering a 4.58 ERA with 50:10 K:BB and a 1.07 WHIP in 36 1/3 frames. Hoffman has pitched four times in the past five days, meaning the Jays will likely rest him against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 3, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) made his third rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday. Glasnow tossed 78 pitches over 4 1/3 innings and yielded three earned runs on six hits. The 31-year-old struck out eight, walked one, and threw 51 pitches for strikes. That may go down as the final rehab start for Glasnow, who has been out for two-plus months with shoulder inflammation. He last pitched April 27 and hit the shelf with a 4.50 ERA, 23:11 K:BB, and a 1.28 WHIP over 18 innings. When he does come back, Glasnow has the potential to serve as an electrifying addition for the Dodgers and fantasy managers down the stretch. However, injuries have been a consistent problem throughout his career.
--Connor ByrneSource: Alex Freedman
July 3, 2025
New York Yankees starter
Clarke Schmidt (forearm) will undergo an MRI on his right forearm on Friday, manager Aaron Boone told reporters. The injury forced Schmidt to leave the team's 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday after throwing three innings of three-run ball. Boone acknowledged that a trip to the 15-day injured list is a possibility for Schmidt. The Yankees would have trouble replacing Schmidt from within if he lands on the shelf for an extended period. The 29-year-old has made 14 starts and gone 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 75:30 K:BB over 78 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: Pete Caldera - Bergen Record
July 3, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that Texas Rangers outfielder
Adolis Garcia could be an interesting trade candidate with the Rangers' odds of making the playoffs at under 25%. Garcia is under club control through next season, is a two-time All-Star and has been better since being benched so he could make mechanical adjustments in late May, but if he continues to falter in the second half of the season, he could be a non-tender candidate. Rosenthal adds that Garcia is strong on defense, so if he continues to produce with the bat, he'll have higher trade value this summer than in the offseason or at next year's trade deadline. The 32-year-old Cuban slugger hit 39 homers and drove in 107 in 2023, but he's now produced two straight seasons with a sub-.700 OPS. The good news is there's time for a rebound, and Garcia is in the 85th percentile in hard-hit rate and has a higher xBA (.248) than actual average (.232).
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
July
3,
2025
The
Athletic's
Ken
Rosenthal
writes
that
the
Arizona
Diamondbacks
haven't
had
any
contract
talks
with
third
baseman
Eugenio
Suarez,
even
though
his
26
home
runs
on
the
year
are
tied
with
Phillies
outfielder
read more...
July 3, 2025
San Francisco Giants right-hander
Justin Verlander is winless in his first 13 starts this year, which is the longest streak by a Giants pitcher since at least 1901. It increases the odds that Verlander won't reach the 300-win milestone for his career since he's 42 years old and needs 38 wins to get there. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal points out that Verlander hasn't been terrible, though, as his park- and league-adjusted ERA is only 9% below league average, and he also missed time with a strained right pectoral muscle. "I feel like I kind of found something mechanically," Verlander said. It remains to be seen if he's right, as his average fastball velocity of 93.9 mph is below league average, and his strikeout rate is in the 26th percentile. His xERA of 5.09 is higher than his actual 4.26 ERA. Fantasy managers are probably less convinced than Verlander is that he can turn things around in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
July 3, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll (wrist) began a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday and is playing in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, according to Jody Jackson. Carroll has recovered quickly from a chip fracture in his wrist. The 24-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list on Friday. That might be a little premature for his return to the big-league squad, but barring a setback now that he's playing in rehab games, he has an excellent chance to make it back before the All-Star break. It's great news for the Diamondbacks and fantasy managers alike, as Carroll is one of the best all-around offensive contributors in the game. He's having a bounce-back campaign in 2025 and is currently hitting .255 with a league-high nine triples, 20 homers, 44 RBI, 57 runs scored and 10 steals in 72 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Jody Jackson
July 3, 2025
The Cleveland Guardians recalled left-hander
Doug Nikhazy on Thursday as
Luis L. Ortiz was placed on the restricted list.
Kolby Allard was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Nikhazy was hit hard in his MLB debut on April 26, allowing six earned runs in three innings. He's posted a 10.5% walk rate at Triple-A and continues to struggle with control, despite a solid 24.1% strikeout rate. The 25-year-old owned a 4.56 ERA and 1.46 WHIP across 49 1/3 innings with Triple-A Columbus. With a fastball averaging just 89.6 mph, Nikhazy offers little upside and should only be monitored in deep AL-only leagues.
--Shaun AlbinSource: GuardsInsider
July
3,
2025
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
third
baseman
Max
Muncy
(knee)
said
he
will
miss
at
least
the
next
six
weeks,
but
he
also
has
the
consolation
that
he
will
play
again
in
2025.
The
Dodgers
placed
Muncy
on
read more...
July 3, 2025
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez (lat) successfully made it through a bullpen session on Tuesday. "The bullpen was great," interim manager Tony Mansolino said afterward. "Fastballs, breaking balls, he was pumped, good velocity, all that stuff." Rodriguez has yet to pitch this year because of multiple arm injuries. He began the season on the shelf with elbow inflammation and then suffered a lat strain in late April, further delaying his 2025 debut. The Orioles are optimistic that Rodriguez will rejoin their pitching staff in August. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder delivered quality production over 116 2/3 innings last season. He finished 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, 10.03 K/9, and 2.78 BB/9 across 20 starts.
--Connor ByrneSource: Baltimore Orioles
July 3, 2025
San Francisco Giants infielder
Casey Schmitt (hand) received a cortisone shot on his ailing left hand this week and is feeling "significantly better," manager Bob Melvin said. Schmitt went on the 10-day injured list June 30 (retroactive to June 27) after taking a pitch off the wrist on June 25. The 26-year-old has a good chance to come off the IL when he's first eligible on July 7. Before suffering the injury, Schmitt batted an impressive .276/.360/.439 with four homers, 15 RBI, and 13 runs scored over 112 plate appearances. He was especially effective filling in at third base for the injured
Matt Chapman in June. Chapman should return to reclaim third in the coming days, but Schmitt will continue serving as useful depth when the Giants activate him.
--Connor ByrneSource: San Francisco Giants
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