August 1, 2025
Texas Rangers starting pitcher
Kumar Rocker has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday. This seemed likely to happen after the Rangers acquired
Merrill Kelly at the trade deadline. Rocker was having a tough time adjusting to the big leagues with a 5.74 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and a 56/23 K/BB ratio across 14 starts. Hopefully, Rocker will be able to work out his issues in the minors. In a corresponding move, relievers
Danny Coulombe and
Phil Maton have been added to the active roster. It's unclear when or if Rocker is going to return to Arlington this season.
--Andy WebbSource: Texas Rangers PR
August 1, 2025
Cleveland Guardians first baseman/outfielder
C.J. Kayfus was called up to the MLB on Friday. The 23-year-old is well deserving of this promotion after mashing the ball in the minors. This season, Kayfus is slashing .300/.390/.539 with 14 home runs, 54 RBI, and four steals between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He's a former third-round pick of the Guardians from the 2023 draft. The assumption is that Kayfus is going to see regular playing time in Cleveland. The Guardians are unlikely to call him up just for him to ride the bench. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on this situation.
--Andy WebbSource: Milb Central
August 1, 2025
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher
Randy Rodriguez has been named the closer going forward. The Giants were in need of another late inning option with
Camilo Doval being traded to the New York Yankees on Thursday. Rodriguez makes the most sense for the closer role given how well he has pitched this season. He holds a 1.20 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and a 62/9 K/BB ratio in 44 games so far. The 25-year-old only has one save under his belt across his two big league seasons. Fantasy managers in need of a closer or bullpen help should scoop up Rodriguez before it's too late.
--Andy WebbSource: Justice De Los Santos
August 1, 2025
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout (illness) is being held out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Trout has started in all 13 games since the All-Star break, so he could use a rest day. It sounds like a minor issue, so fantasy managers should consider Trout as day-to-day. He figures to return to the starting lineup at some point this weekend.
Travis d'Arnaud will serve as the designated hitter and bat eighth versus right-hander
Shane Smith on Friday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
August 1, 2025
Texas Rangers corner infielder
Josh Jung (calf) remains out of action for the divisional clash on Friday night in Seattle against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. For the second straight day,
Josh Smith will start at third base and hit leadoff, while
Rowdy Tellez starts at first and bats eighth against Mariners right-hander
Logan Gilbert. It's just calf soreness for Jung, but don't rule out an injured list stint for the oft-injured 27-year-old if he's unable to return to the field this weekend in Seattle. The right-handed slugger has looked good since the All-Star break, going 11-for-30 (.367) with two home runs and five RBI, so this is definitely bad timing for another injury. Smith has hit just .176 in 17 career against Gilbert, while Tellez is hitless in six at-bats against him. Smith hit .250 (22-for-88) with two homers and seven RBI in 25 games in the month of July.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 1, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Anthony DeSclafani is starting the series opener on Friday on the road in Sacramento against the Athletics following Thursday's trade deadline. Right-hander
Zac Gallen will take the mound on Saturday, and left-hander
Eduardo Rodriguez will start the series finale on Sunday. This will only be DeSclafani's second start of the year, and first since July 6. The 35-year-old veteran has thrown at least three innings in each of his four appearances and has pitched to a 3.86 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while striking out 24 and walking six in 23 1/3 innings since joining Arizona in mid-June. DeSclafani won't be a very promising fantasy streamer against the A's on Friday, but if he looks good, he could stick around in the D-backs' starting rotation after the club traded away right-hander
Merrill Kelly on Thursday.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
August 1, 2025
Chicago White Sox rookie infielder
Chase Meidroth (thumb) is out of the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the hosting Los Angeles Angels.
Lenyn Sosa is starting at the keystone and will bat out of the six-hole versus Angels left-hander
Tyler Anderson. Meidroth was hit by a pitch on his right thumb in Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies and will get an additional day off after a travel day on Thursday. The 24-year-old's X-rays came back negative, so he's considered day-to-day and could be back in action on either Saturday or Sunday in Anaheim. In his first year in the big leagues in 2025, Meidroth has been below league average as a hitter with a .252/.330/.319 slash line, .650 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 83 games. Sosa is definitely more intriguing as a sleeper power threat.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 1, 2025
The Chicago White Sox announced on Friday that they reinstated rookie right-hander
Shane Smith (ankle) from the 15-day injured to start in the series opener on the road in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. Smith sprained his ankle during the All-Star break, so this will be his first start of the second half of the season. The 25-year-old former Rule 5 pick represented the White Sox in the All-Star game despite having a 4.26 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in his first MLB season. He has made 18 starts in his first year in the Show and has struck out 81 and handed out 37 free passes in 86 2/3 innings pitched. The matchup against the Angels is a good one, but don't be surprised if Smith has a short leash in his first start back after throwing only 55 pitches in a bullpens session last weekend. We wouldn't recommend Smith as a DFS streamer on Friday.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago White Sox
August 1, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays rookie outfielder
Chandler Simpson (finger) is out of the starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, but manager Kevin Cash said the speedster will be available off the bench after leaving Thursday's game against the New York Yankees with a sprained left index finger.
Jonny DeLuca is starting in center field and batting sixth on Friday against Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw. The 24-year-old Chandler avoided a serious injury and could be back in there for Game 2 of the series on Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. DeLuca has hit .389 on the season but only in 36 at-bats, adding five runs scored and five stolen bases. The 27-year-old has faced Kershaw only twice in his career but has hits in both at-bats with two RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bally Sports Florida - Ryan Bass
August 1, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays officially placed infielder
Jonathan Aranda (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a left-wrist fracture. This was an expected move after the Rays said recently that they're hoping Aranda can rejoin the team in September. The 27-year-old will be a big loss for the Rays and fantasy managers for the month of August. The left-handed slugger was a first-time All-Star this year and heads to the shelf with a .316/.394/.478 slash line, .871 OPS, 12 home runs, 54 RBI and 53 runs scored in his 103 games played. Fantasy managers will want to keep him rostered in an IL spot while he recovers.
Yandy Diaz should become the regular at first base in Tampa with Aranda on the shelf, which means that
Christopher Morel should be in line for everyday playing time as the primary designated hitter.
--Keith HernandezSource: Rays Communications
August 1, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals are promoting right-handed pitching prospect
Andre Granillo to the major leagues before their contest on Friday evening against the San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old made his MLB debut earlier this season. During his first taste in the big leagues, the right-hander tossed 11 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.38 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. During this stint, he struck out seven hitters and held a stellar 4.3% walk rate. The University of California - Riverside product has presented the majority of the campaign at Triple-A. With Memphis, Granillo has been one of the most reliable relievers on the team as he has held a 1.50 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP across 36 innings. With
Ryan Helsley and
Phil Maton being traded, Granillo could have a path to eventually earning a high-leverage role in the St. Louis bullpen.
--Andy SmithSource: St. Louis Cardinals
August 1, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks first base prospect
Tyler Locklear is in the starting lineup and covering first base when they begin a series on Friday evening against the Athletics. Locklear is slated to bat in the six-hole. The Mariners sent Locklear to the desert as the headliner piece in a deal that brought third baseman
Eugenio Suarez back to Seattle. Locklear was ranked as the No. 10-best prospect in the Seattle system before the trade. The VCU product made his MLB debut during the 2024 campaign but was only given a short look as he held a .525 OPS across 49 PAs. However, at Triple-A this season, Locklear has been quite productive, posting a strong .316/.401/.542 line with a .943 OPS. Given his everyday role in Arizona going forward, he is worth adding in all deeper 12+ team formats.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
August 1, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Michael King (shoulder) will make a minor-league rehab start on Sunday with Triple-A El Paso against Triple-A Round Rock, according to Annie Heilbrunn. King has been cleared to begin his rehab assignment after a successful 40-pitch simulated game on Tuesday. The 30-year-old will most likely require multiple rehab outings because of the fact that he hasn't pitched in a game since May 18. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, King could rejoin the Friars' starting rotation by the middle of August. King has been the Padres' best pitcher since last year, so getting him back healthy will be essential if they want to make a deep run in October. When he returns in August, he'll push either Randy Vazquez or the newly-acquired
JP Sears out of the rotation. King shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires out there.
--Keith HernandezSource: Annie Heilbrunn
August 1, 2025
The Athletics are promoting right-handed pitcher
Eduarniel Nunez from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to their contest on Friday evening against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nunez was included in the package that sent
Mason Miller and
JP Sears to the San Diego Padres. Nunez made his major league debut earlier this summer with the Padres and logged 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball with four hits and a 2:4 K:BB. He has spent the majority of the campaign split between Double-A and Triple-A. With Double-A, Nunez logged 22 2/3 innings with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. However, at Triple-A, Nunez was quite impressive, tossing 12 1/3-straight shutout frames. Fantasy managers should expect Nunez to begin his tenure with the Athletics in a middle relief role in the bullpen.
--Andy SmithSource: A's Communications
August 1, 2025
The Colorado Rockies are promoting left-handed pitching prospect
Carson Palmquist to the major leagues before their contest on Friday evening against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The No. 7-ranked prospect in the Colorado system on MLB.com made his MLB debut earlier this season and logged 30 2/3 innings to the tune of a 7.36 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. During this stint, the southpaw struck out just 22 hitters and had weak command of his pitches as he posted a hefty 12.2% walk rate. He also placed in the first percentile in xERA, seventh percentile in hard-hit rate, and first percentile in barrel rate. Given his minimal strikeout upside and the significant amount of loud contact he allows, fantasy managers should not consider targeting him on the waiver wire.
--Andy SmithSource: Colorado Rockies
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