July 3, 2025
The Athletic's Mitch Bannon writes that Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho (hamstring) should start a minor-league rehab assignment in the next few days. Varsho resumed running last Wednesday and has now apparently been cleared to play in rehab games, which means he'll be a candidate to return to the big-league roster next week, barring a setback this weekend. The 29-year-old starting center field got a late start in 2025 while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but when he returned, his power stroke was on point with eight home runs in his first 92 at-bats over 24 games. Varsho has never hit over .246 in his five major-league seasons and probably isn't going to provide a useful batting average for fantasy managers, but he could return to the 20-homer mark in 2025 if he can stay healthy the rest of the way.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
July 3, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman
Andres Gimenez (ankle) is sitting out of Thursday's series finale against the New York Yankees after injuring his ankle in the win on Wednesday.
Leo Jimenez will start at second base and will bat in the nine-hole versus Yankees right-hander
Clarke Schmidt. The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reports that Gimenez should be available for Thursday's game off the bench, if needed. It means that Gimenez should return for this weekend's series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. The 26-year-old was pulled from Wednesday's game in the ninth inning after injuring his ankle on a play at second base, but it's not an injury that should force him to the injured list. Fantasy managers should look for better DFS sleepers than Jimenez, who is hitting .227 (41-for-181) with four homers in his 65 big-league games, dating back to last year.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
July
3,
2025
New
York
Yankees
first
baseman
Paul
Goldschmidt
and
designated
hitter
Giancarlo
Stanton
are
both
out
of
the
starting
lineup
for
Thursday's
series
finale
against
the
division-rival
Toronto
Blue
Jays.
read more...
July 3, 2025
The New York Post's Jon Heyman writes that the New York Yankees are fielding trade calls for a first baseman with the July 31 trade deadline approaching, and they have expressed interest in Colorado Rockies third baseman
Ryan McMahon. Their current third baseman,
Jazz Chisholm Jr., has arguably been their second-best offensive player this year behind
Aaron Judge and has 14 home runs, 36 RBI, 33 runs scored and 10 stolen bases despite missing time with an injury. However, Heyman says that the Yankees know Chisholm belongs at the keystone, where he's Gold Glove-caliber.
DJ LeMahieu prefers second base over third base, but he's not the same player that won multiple batting titles. The 36-year-old veteran is hitting .254 with only two home runs and 12 RBI in 118 at-bats. McMahon is hitting just .216 on the year but has 12 homers and would be an upgrade over LeMahieu in the lineup.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
July 3, 2025
The New York Mets announced on Thursday that they placed right-handed reliever
Dedniel Nunez (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with a right-elbow sprain and recalled right-hander
Justin Hagenman from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. There's no exact timetable for Nunez's return, but it's possible he won't be ready to go for the start of the second half of the season on July 18. It's definitely a blow to the back end of New York's bullpen to close out the first half, as the 29-year-old Dominican hurler had allowed just two runs in six innings with eight strikeouts and two holds since returning from the minors last month. Nunez posted a 2.31 ERA and 0.91 WHIP with his first career save, 48 strikeouts and only eight walks in 35 innings in his first year in the big leagues in Queens in 2024.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Mets
July 3, 2025
New York Mets left-hander
Sean Manaea (elbow, oblique) is expected to make one more minor-league rehab start on Tuesday before coming off the 60-day injured list, according to NJ Advance Media's Manny Gomez. The Mets would like to get Manaea one start in the big leagues before the All-Star break, but they're taking it "one step at a time." If the veteran southpaw does return before the break, it will be next Sunday, July 13, against the Kansas City Royals. The 33-year-old was initially shut down in spring training with an oblique strain before recently dealing with loose bodies in his left elbow. He was able to throw 60 pitches over three innings for Binghamton on Wednesday and should only need one more rehab start, assuming it goes well. Manaea had a late-career resurgence in 2024 with the Mets thanks to a lowered arm slot. Can he do it again? Fantasy managers stashing him all this time certainly hope so.
--Keith HernandezSource: NJ Advance Media - Manny Gomez
July 3, 2025
New York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said that the goal is for right-hander
Kodai Senga (hamstring) to pitch in a minor-league rehab game for Double-A Binghamton this weekend. The skipper also said that Senga could be "in play" to come off the injured list before the All-Star break. The Mets' starting rotation should be getting reinforcements soon, with left-hander
Sean Manaea (elbow, oblique) also potentially returning to the fold before the All-Star break. Senga has been out since the middle of June with a strained right hamstring, but if all goes well with his rehab start this weekend, the 32-year-old veteran could return to action for the Mets by July 12 against the Kansas City Royals. Senga should be rostered in all fantasy leagues and will be a must-start as soon as he returns after going 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in his 73 2/3 innings over 13 starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY
July 3, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated shortstop
Ha-Seong Kim (hamstring, shoulder) from the 60-day injured list on Thursday and optioned infielder
Curtis Mead to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move, according to Bally Sports' Ryan Bass. Kim is expected to make his debut with the team during the weekend series in Minnesota against the Twins. The 29-year-old will also be making his 2025 season debut after undergoing surgery on his shoulder in October of last year. He had a setback during his recovery in the minors due to a hamstring injury but is now 100 percent and ready to serve as Tampa's starting shortstop the rest of the season. The South Korean native should at least provide modest power and speed for fantasy managers looking for middle-infield depth the rest of the way. Kim's high-water mark was 17 homers, 60 RBI and 38 steals for the Padres in 2023.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bally Sports Florida - Ryan Bass
July 3, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Trent Grisham (hamstring) and catcher
Austin Wells (finger) are both back in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander
Chris Bassitt. Grisham is in center field and batting leadoff, while Wells is catching and in the eight-hole. Grisham is back after missing the last two games with tightness in his left hamstring. The Yankees initially thought that the 28-year-old was going to need a trip to the injured list, but that won't be the case now. Wells missed four straight games with arterial damage in his left index finger, but he's also feeling good enough to return to the lineup. Grisham has hit .182 with a solo home run in 11 career at-bats against Bassitt, while Wells has a .250 average in eight career at-bats against Bassitt.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July
3,
2025
The
Los
Angeles
Angels
placed
rookie
infielder
Christian
Moore
(thumb)
on
the
10-day
injured
list
on
Thursday
with
a
left-thumb
sprain
and
selected
the
contract
of
infielder
Chad
Stevens
from
the
read more...
July 3, 2025
After returning to the starting lineup on Wednesday after dealing with some neck soreness, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman
Josh Naylor is getting the day off in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival San Francisco Giants with left-hander
Robbie Ray on the mound. Rookie
Tim Tawa is starting at first base and is batting eighth for the Snakes. After missing four straight games with a neck injury, Naylor returned on Wednesday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in an extra-innings loss. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate this summer after slashing a strong .303/.357/.471 with an .828 OPS, 10 home runs, 54 RBI, 42 runs and 10 steals in his 297 at-bats in his first year in the desert. Tawa has two hits in just three plate appearances against Ray.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 3, 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers returned outfielder
Blake Perkins (groin, shin) from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville to the seven-day injured list with a left-groin strain, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg. Perkins was recovering from a fractured right shin and had played in five games for the Sounds, going 3-for-13 with a home run, two RBI, three runs and two steals, but now he's going to miss more time with a new injury. Although there's no official timetable for the 28-year-old to return from his groin injury, it's likely that he'll be out through the All-Star break. Perkins has yet to play in the big leagues this year, and while he offers upside with his glove, it's going to be difficult for him to find frequent playing time in a crowded outfield picture in Milwaukee when he recovers from his groin injury. Perkins hit .240 with six homers, 43 RBI and 23 steals in 121 games in 2024.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
July 3, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers left-hander
Nestor Cortes (elbow) made his first minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Nashville and looked good, throwing three shutout innings with only one hit allowed, no walks and four strikeouts against Triple-A Memphis. Cortes is making progress from a strained left elbow that has kept him sidelined since early April, but given his long layoff, he's unlikely to be an option to rejoin Milwaukee's starting rotation until the start of the second half of the season later this month. The 30-year-old Cuban southpaw was hit hard in his first two starts for the Brew Crew, allowing eight earned runs on seven hits (five homers) while walking seven and striking out eight in eight innings. Cortes has shown stretches of brilliance over his seven-year career, but he's dealt with multiple injuries in recent seasons and could be used out of the bullpen upon his return.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
July
3,
2025
Toronto
Blue
Jays
shortstop
Bo
Bichette
(knee)
remains
out
of
the
starting
lineup
for
Thursday's
series
finale
against
the
division-rival
New
York
Yankees.
Second
baseman
Andres
Gimenez
is
also
sitting
after
an
injury
read more...
July 3, 2025
The New York Mets placed right-hander
Paul Blackburn (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a right-shoulder impingement, according to SNY. It's unclear what the corresponding move was for the Mets. Blackburn has rarely been healthy since joining the Mets midseason in 2024, and he had made only seven appearances (six starts) for New York this year before going back on the IL with a new ailment. The 31-year-old veteran has not been good in his 18 2/3 innings for the Mets this year, either, allowing 17 runs (16 earned) on 30 hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out 15. He's currently sporting a 7.71 ERA and 1.98 WHIP and doesn't have any business being rostered in mixed leagues, especially that he'll now be out through the All-Star break.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY
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