June 19, 2025
Cincinnati Reds pitching prospect
Chase Burns allowed one run on three hits and no walks with seven strikeouts across seven innings as he picked up the win against Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre. The right-hander consistently touched 100 MPH with his fastball and overpowered the opposing hitters with a total of 17 whiffs on 52 swings. Burns hasn't lost any steam as he's transitioned to the next level of the minor leagues, and it won't be long before he is up in the majors with his electric fastball and slider combination. The top prospect owns the second-best strikeout minus walk rate in all of the minor leagues and should be viewed as a priority stash in standard formats for his eventual debut.
--Kyle McCarthySource: MiLB.com
June 18, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander
Taj Bradley logged his worst start of the season in a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. The Rays staged an improbable comeback in a 12-8 win, but Bradley yielded seven runs (six earned) on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 1 1/3 innings to put them in a big hole early. He allowed a pair of three-run homers - one to
Colton Cowser and the other to
Ramon Laureano - during the disastrous showing. This has been an inconsistent season for the 24-year-old, who has mixed several quality starts with a handful of awful performances. Having surrendered five or more earned runs four times, Bradley owns an unimpressive 4.95 ERA over 80 innings. Bradley will attempt to lower that number Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. He limited the Royals to two earned runs across seven innings in a 3-1 loss on April 29.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette swatted his 10th home run of the season in the team's 8-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Bichette got the Blue Jays off to a fast start with a 418-foot leadoff shot against Diamondbacks left-hander
Eduardo Rodriguez. It was the first of three hits for Bichette, who also singled twice and scored an additional run during a 3-for-5 night. The 27-year-old has homered in back-to-back games as he continues distancing himself from a rough 2024 campaign. Healthy again after missing half of last season, Bichette has bounced back to slash .275/.317/.437 with 44 RBI, 36 runs, four steals, and a career-best 16.0% strikeout rate over 331 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Los Angeles Angels closer
Kenley Jansen nailed down his 15th save of the year in a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday. The Yankees'
Paul Goldschmidt reached first on an error by third baseman
Luis Rengifo to begin the bottom of the ninth inning. Unfazed, Jansen then retired three in a row - including a game-ending strikeout of
Anthony Volpe - to secure the victory. The 37-year-old right-hander has converted all of his save opportunities this season and now has 462 in his career. Jansen has been perfect this year in spite of an underwhelming 4.56 ERA and a career-low 8.77 K/9 through 25 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander
Ranger Suarez turned in another marvelous performance in a 4-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Suarez allowed just one run on four hits over seven innings to improve to 6-1. He struck out eight and walked two in his eighth straight quality start. The 29-year-old missed the first month of the season with a back injury, but he has been among the majors' premier starters since returning. Suarez has registered a 2.20 ERA with 52 strikeouts, 14 walks, and a 54% ground-ball rate across 57 1/3 innings. He's slated to face the Houston Astros on Tuesday.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. smashed his eighth home run of the season in a 5-0 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday. Acuna set the tone in the bottom of the first inning with a 419-foot leadoff blast to center field against Mets starter
Paul Blackburn. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk. After missing a year with a torn left ACL, Acuna has returned to slash an absurd .390/.495/.720 with 14 RBI and 21 runs over 99 trips to the plate since the Braves activated him May 23. The former NL MVP is hitting a sizzling .404 (21-of-52) with five HRs, eight RBI, 15 runs, and 13:13 K:BB in June.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer (thumb) was outstanding in a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. Scherzer, making his second start for the Bisons, held Worcester scoreless over 4 1/3 innings of one-hit ball, striking out eight and walking two. The three-time Cy Young winner amassed 75 pitches and averaged 92.5 mph on his fastball in what could go down as his final tuneup before returning to the Blue Jays' rotation. Scherzer made one start with Toronto this year, a three-inning season debut on March 29, before landing on the injured list with inflammation in his right thumb. If all goes well in the next few days, he could start for the Jays on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.
--Connor ByrneSource: Keegan Matheson - MLB.com
June 18, 2025
Atlanta Braves ace
Chris Sale (5-4) delivered a spectacular performance against the New York Mets on Wednesday to rack up his fifth win of the season. The reigning National League Cy Young winner fell just one out short of a complete-game shutout, firing 8 2/3 scoreless, five-hit innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. The 36-year-old lefty exited a 116-pitch outing after allowing an infield single to
Brandon Nimmo. Sale has now tallied six straight quality starts, and he hasn't given up more than two earned runs in a game since April 13. Overall, Sale has pitched to a stellar 2.52 ERA with 114 strikeouts and 26 walks in 89 1/3 innings. He's scheduled to get the ball Monday in a rematch against the Mets.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
June 18, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks star outfielder
Corbin Carroll (hand) was pulled from Wednesday's game early against the Toronto Blue Jays after being hit on the right hand by a pitch in the eighth inning, but MLB.com's Steve Gilbert report that X-rays came back negative. Before departing the eventual 8-1 loss at the Rogers Centre, Carroll went 1-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and a strikeout. Rookie
Tim Tawa shifted from center field to left field and Alex Thomas entered the game to play center. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Carroll sits out Thursday's series finale in Toronto, but it looks like he has avoided a serious injury and should be considered day-to-day for now. The 24-year-old former NL Rookie of the Year regressed in 2024 but is back to being one of the best all-around fantasy players in 2025. Carroll already has 20 homers, 44 RBI and 10 steals in 72 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
June 18, 2025
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect
Jonny Farmelo (rib) returned from a torn ACL just several weeks ago but is now headed back to the minor-league injured list after suffering a stress reaction in his rib from swinging the bat, according to Seattle Sports' Cameron Van Til. Farmelo, the team's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is expected to be out for four to six weeks, according to general manager Justin Hollander. The 20-year-old former first-rounder in 2023 missed almost 11 months after tearing his ACL last June with Low-A Modesto. He was hitting .288/.348/.610 with five homers and 12 RBI in just 15 games with High-A Everett before injuring his rib. It's a disappointing development for the 6-foot-2, 205-pound left-hander. He's a few years away from a big-league debut, but when he gets there, his plus-plus speed should make him an immediate fantasy asset.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seattle Sports - Cameron Van Til
June 18, 2025
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Jurickson Profar recorded two hits for the second straight day in his second minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday while serving as the designated hitter and leadoff man for the Stripers in a 9-3 loss to Triple-A Charlotte. Profar went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in his first game on Tuesday and finished Wednesday's loss going 2-for-4 with a walk. The 32-year-old veteran played in just four games with the Braves before being hit with an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. When he's reinstated on July 2, Atlanta plans to hit Profar in the two-hole, where he'll have plenty of chances to score runs for fantasy managers. While his breakout year in San Diego in 2024 will likely end up being an outlier, Profar should be rostered in all fantasy leagues the rest of 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
June 18, 2025
Athletics second baseman
Zack Gelof (hand, ribs) went 0-for-1 with two walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored in his first minor-league rehab game on Tuesday night with Triple-A Las Vegas as the designated hitter and leadoff man for the Aviators in a 7-0 shutout win over Triple-A Sugar Land. Gelof is getting closer to making his 2025 debut after suffering a fractured hamate bone in his right hand back in spring training in mid-March. The 25-year-old would have already returned by now, but then he suffered a stress reaction in his ribs last month. When the former second-rounder is cleared to return to the big leagues, he's expected to take over starting second base duties from
Luis Urias. The Virginia product led the league with 188 strikeouts in 2024 but also hit 17 bombs and stole 25 bags in 138 games. Gelof's power/speed combo at least makes him valuable as a middle infielder in deep mixed leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milb.com
June 18, 2025
Boston Red Sox right-hander
Jordan Hicks (toe), who is currently on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right big toe, is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session on Thursday. "I'm not sure what's next for him. If anything a rehab assignment and then hopefully he'll be with us," manager Alex Cora said. The 28-year-old has been out since early this month and will need a minor-league rehab assignment before he makes his Red Sox debut, but he should be back before the end of the month, barring a setback. Before being acquired in a trade from the Giants, Hicks had been demoted to a relief role in San Francisco after posting a 6.55 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 45 1/3 innings in nine starts. There have been no indications that he'll be moved back to a starting role in Beantown, meaning he'll likely remain on the waiver wire in mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
June 18, 2025
Boston Red Sox third baseman
Marcelo Mayer went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Wednesday's 3-1 win against the Mariners. After a slow first week after being called up, he has picked it up in June with four home runs. While an injury to
Alex Bregman paved the way for his promotion, the recent trade of
Rafael Devers could potentially open up enough space for Mayer to stick around once Bregman is healthy. The 22-year-old could bounce around at third base, shortstop, second base, and designated hitter if he hits enough to warrant a spot in the lineup. He's certainly doing that right now, with a .475 slugging percentage through 21 career games.
--Jeremy HeistSource: MLB.com
June 18, 2025
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Kutter Crawford (knee/wrist) will throw a bullpen session on Friday, reports Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. He also threw a bullpen on Tuesday, which must have gone smoothly with another one already scheduled. This is good news for the right-hander, who had his rehab paused after experiencing wrist pain while throwing a couple of weeks ago. The original injury that has kept him out all season was right patellar tendinopathy. The 29-year-old will continue to work his way back to hopefully improve on the 4.36 ERA and 1.12 WHIP he posted in 2024, although a spot in Boston's rotation may be tough to come by after they acquired
Jordan Hicks and
Kyle Harrison to add depth.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Christopher Smith
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