Emmanuel Rodriguez Progresses Rehab to Single-A
Emmanuel Rodriguez (hip) has progressed his rehab from the Complex League to Single-A Fort Myers. The Twins' second-ranked prospect injured his hip and has been out of action since May 30. He's gone 6-for-20 (.300) with a pair of doubles and a 3:7 BB:K in six rehab games (one at Single-A), and was slashing .232/.400/.392 in 39 games at Triple-A prior to the injury. Known for his big-time power and an elite ability to draw walks, the 22-year-old still has time to get back on track and push for a major league debut this season. However, with his big power comes a lot of swing-and-miss, which would likely not get better in the majors, so fantasy managers should take a cautious approach with him once he gets the call.Source: MLB.com
Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Cade Povich Plays Catch on Saturday
Cade Povich (hip) was able to play catch without any issues on Saturday. This is good news for the right-hander who has been out since mid-June due to left hip soreness. The Orioles shut down Povich last week after he was hit hard during a rehab outing. A second opinion confirmed the same injury, so Povich isn't dealing with anything new. There remains no timetable for his return to the mound. He'll likely still need to ramp up for a few weeks before returning to the mound. Povich might not be back in the mix until August. He's not worth holding through the injury in fantasy leagues.Source: Jake Rill
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin Resumes Throwing
Zach Eflin (back) was able to resume throwing the ball on Saturday. That is positive news for Eflin who has been sidelined since the end of June due to lower back discomfort. The fact Eflin is throwing is a good sign, but he remains without a timetable to return. He figures to need a few more weeks, which includes a minor league rehab assignment. The hope is that Eflin is able to get back in the rotation by the end of July. He's posting an ugly 5.95 ERA,1.43 WHIP, and 42/16 K/BB ratio across 12 starts this season. Fantasy managers might want to look for a better alternative.Source: Jake Rill
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Rhys Hoskins Unlikely to Play on Sunday
Rhys Hoskins (thumb) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's game against the Miami Marlins. Hoskins jammed his thumb while being tagged out in the fourth inning of Saturday's contest. The X-rays came back negative, so it doesn't sound like too serious of an issue. However, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Hoskins is unlikely to play on Sunday and that the injury doesn't look good. Possibly, Hoskins heads to the injured list, but for now fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. Jake Bauers figures to see an increased look at first base for a few days.Source: Adam McCalvy
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Mookie Betts Homers in Dodgers' Defeat
Mookie Betts started the scoring on Saturday night with a solo home run in the first inning against Framber Valdez, but the Dodgers couldn't keep the offense going, as they fell to Houston for the second straight game, 6-4. Mookie finished the night 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Betts' blast was No. 11 on the season for the 32-year-old righty, and he is hitting .249 with a .315 wOBA and six stolen bases in his 82 games this year. He has hit safely in three straight, and his fantasy managers will hope this is the start of one of his signature hot streaks when he can carry an entire offense. His numbers are a little down this year, but he's still hitting in a premium lineup spot in one of the best offenses in baseball, so he's a clear starter with plenty of positional versatility in standard leagues.Source: ESPN.com
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop/outfielder Lenyn Sosa Powers White Sox win at Coors Field
Lenyn Sosa had three hits, a home run, and four RBI in his team's 10-4 victory over the Rockies in Denver. Sosa's two-run homer in the second inning extended the lead to 5-2 after he doubled and scored in the first inning. He added a two-run single in the eighth inning to add some insurance runs as well. Sosa moved up to second in the order and could have fantasy value in AL-only or deep leagues if he stays in that premium lineup spot. He's hitting a solid .275 on the season with seven homers and a .309 wOBA. Sosa and the Sox get the rare chance to close out a road sweep when they face the Rockies on Sunday at Coors.Source: ESPN.com
Chicago White Sox second baseman Kyle Higashioka Homers and Has Five RBI on Saturday Night
Kyle Higashioka went 3-for-3 out of the last spot in the Rangers' batting order on Saturday night in San Diego. He hit his second homer of the season and finished with five RBI by adding a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly. Higashioka also added his first stolen base of the season to complete his productive evening. The 35-year-old backup backstop is hitting .232 on the season, with two homers, 21 RBI, and a .621 OPS in his 45 games. He could earn more playing time with more performances like this, but for now, he is mostly a non-factor for fantasy. He has been known to be streaky, though, so he could be worth a look for streaming or DFS use if he can build on Saturday's big game.Source: ESPN.com
Texas Rangers catcher Luis Castillo Keeps the Pirates Scoreless in Seattle
Luis Castillo spun seven shutout innings against the Pirates on Saturday night, allowing only two hits and no walks while picking up eight strikeouts. He didn't get much run support but made it stand up in the 1-0 victory. Castillo earned the win to improve to 5-5 on the season with a 3.31 ERA, 3.90 FIP, and 1.22 WHIP. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his last five starts, with 27 strikeouts in 30 innings and four quality starts. He doesn't have the elite strikeout numbers from his prime, but he still can deliver strong outings in favorable matchups like this one, especially when he's working at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park. He'll get one more start before the All-Star break in a much tougher matchup on Friday night in Detroit.Source: ESPN.com
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani Throws Two Scoreless Innings on Saturday Night
Shohei
Ohtani
worked
two
effective
shutout
innings
as
the
opener
on
Saturday
night
against
the
Astros.
He
allowed
just
one
hit
and
picked
up
three
strikeouts
in
two
innings
whileread more...
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
starting
pitcher/designated
hitter
Spencer Torkelson Carries the Tigers to Saturday Night Win
Spencer Torkelson had all the team's offense on Saturday night, going 2-for-4 with a home run while the rest of the lineup combined to go 0-for-23 with four walks. His second-inning solo home run off Logan Allen was the only run in the Tigers' 1-0 win over the Guardians. The Tigers will look to close out a three-game sweep in Cleveland this Sunday against Gavin Williams. Torkelson's homer was No. 20 on the season for the 25-year-old righty, who is still hitting only .238 on the year but has an .853 OPS and has hit safely in nine straight, going 13-for-35 (.371) during that stretch. He's been streaky throughout this season, but he is definitely a mixed-league starter when he's playing as well as he is right now.Source: ESPN.com
Detroit Tigers first baseman Logan Allen Tames the Tigers but Takes the Loss
Logan Allen was excellent on Saturday night against the Tigers, holding them to just one run on two hits and two walks through six innings. He had five strikeouts, and his only run allowed came on a home run by Spencer Torkelson. Unfortunately, the Guardians didn't get Allen any run support, so he took a tough-luck loss to Casey Mize. Allen dropped to 5-7 on the season with a 4.07 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts in 84 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in five straight starts, pitching into the sixth in each outing. The lefty will hope for more run support in his next start, which is scheduled for Thursday in Chicago against the White Sox.Source: ESPN.com
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Casey Mize Tosses Seven Scoreless Innings in Win
Casey Mize (9-2) earned his ninth win of the year Saturday in a 1-0 shutout of the Cleveland Guardians. Mize tied a season high with seven innings of work and allowed just four hits and two walks on 102 pitches. The former No. 1 overall pick struck out four in his sixth quality start of the season. Mize is now on a six-start run in which he has yielded a meager nine earned runs across 34 2/3 innings. As a result, Mize's ERA has fallen to 2.63 with 73:21 K:BB and a 1.18 WHIP in 78 2/3 frames. He's scheduled to end a productive first half with a tough home start against the Seattle Mariners on Friday.Source: ESPN
Detroit Tigers right-hander Jhoan Duran Collects Fifth Win on Saturday
Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless pair of innings to improve to 5-3 in a 6-5 decision against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. It was an eventful outing for Duran, who threw 34 pitches and had to work around a double and an intentional walk in the top of the eighth to escape a jam. Duran ran into more trouble when he allowed a single and a walk in the ninth, but he also got out of that inning unscathed. The Twins went on to win on a Brooks Lee walk-off bunt in the bottom of the ninth. Duran finished with three strikeouts and decreased his ERA to 1.56 over 40 1/3 innings. Since taking a loss on June 24, Duran has made four appearances and tossed five scoreless innings with three saves and a victory.Source: ESPN
Minnesota Twins closer Ceddanne Rafaela Homers, Exits Early on Saturday
Ceddanne
Rafaela
was
among
the
club's
top
performers
in
a
10-3
victory
over
the
Washington
Nationals
on
Saturday.
Rafaela
went
2-for-4
with
his
10th
home
run
of
the
year,
a
double,read more...
Boston
Red
Sox
outfielder
Ryan Helsley Secures 17th Save
Ryan Helsley finished off an 8-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday for his 17th save. Helsley made quick work of the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth, retiring the side in order on 11 pitches and striking out Michael Busch to end it. Helsley, who hadn't pitched in a week, has logged five straight scoreless appearances after yielding a run in each of his previous four outings. The 30-year-old owns a solid 3.30 ERA with 35:12 K:BB in 30 innings, though he has blown five saves and posted a mediocre 1.37 WHIP.Source: ESPN
St. Louis Cardinals closer