July 19, 2025
Boston Red Sox outfielder
Jarren Duran is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. This appears to be a matchup decision to rest Duran against left-handed starter
Shota Imanaga on Saturday. Duran has struggled against left-handed pitching this season, so the Red Sox will go with
Rob Refsnyder in left field for Saturday's contest. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of first pitch. Refsynder has good numbers against lefty pitching, but isn't an ideal streaming option against an elite arm in Imanaga.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 19, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman
Max Muncy (knee) was able to take ground balls at third base ahead of Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This is good news as Muncy continues to work his way back from a knee issue that has sidelined him since early July. It appears Muncy is making progress, but he still has plenty of work still to do. The expectation is that Muncy won't be back in action until mid-August. Possibly, Muncy can beat that timetable, but fantasy managers should expect to be without him for at least the rest of July.
--Andy WebbSource: Fabian Ardaya
July 19, 2025
Athletics outfielder
Lawrence Butler will take a seat ahead of Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. The A's will play matchups here and rest the left-handed swinging Butler against left-handed starter Logan Allen. Honestly, Butler could probably use the day off after going 0-for-4 during the second half opener on Friday.
Brent Rooker will shift over to right field and bat second against Allen on Saturday. Fantasy managers should remove Butler from their lineups, but expect him back in the mix on Sunday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 19, 2025
Minnesota Twins third baseman
Royce Lewis is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Lewis will take a seat here after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout during the second half opener on Friday. He's hitless over his last 11 at-bats, so maybe a day off is a good idea. In his absence,
Brooks Lee will take over at third base and bat seventh versus right-hander
Antonio Senzatela. Normally, Lee isn't a great fantasy option, but he could offer some low-end value against Senzatela who is posting a 6.60 ERA coming into this game.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 19, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop
Mookie Betts is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This appears to be a regular rest day for Betts who has struggled with the bat this month. In July, Betts is slashing .188/.212/.354 over 52 plate appearances, so it's not a bad idea to rest him against a tough pitcher in right-hander
Freddy Peralta. In his absence,
Miguel Rojas will cover shortstop and bat ninth against the Brew Crew on Saturday. Fantasy managers should expect Betts back in the mix on Sunday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 19, 2025
Don't sleep on AJ Allmendinger in this weekend's Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Over the last two Cup Series races here, Allmendinger has walked away with finishes of 13th- and 18th-place, and over his last eight starts at "The Monster Mile," he's ended up 22nd or better six times. While those numbers aren't earth-shattering, you have to consider the speed the No. 16 Chevrolet has had on intermediates in 2025. Allmendinger finished ninth at Bristol back in April (another concrete track), plus he came home eighth at Las Vegas, and fourth at Charlotte. At just $6,600 on DraftKings, it is absolutely worth taking a chance and rolling the dice with AJ Allmendinger at Dover this weekend. His starting position of 17th-place is mid-pack enough to give him some Place Differential upside, but also forward enough that his overall ownership in tournaments should be relatively low.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: The Tennessean
July 19, 2025
Shane van Gisbergen has been the talk of the NASCAR world lately, as the Trackhouse Racing driver now has three wins on the season after his dominating performance at Sonoma last weekend. You can expect SVG to come back to Earth this weekend at Dover, though, as the series returns to oval racing and gets away from the road courses. Although we have seen some improvement from van Gisbergen on intermediates lately (he finished 14th at Charlotte and 18th at Michigan), his sixth-place starting spot for Dover this weekend makes him an easy fade in DFS on Sunday. SVG has never made a Cup Series start at "The Monster Mile" and in his lone Xfinity Series start here (last season) he finished 18th after starting 31st. A top-20 finish on Sunday would be a good day for SVG and this No. 88 team, but that's not the type of performance DFS players should be targeting due to the negative Place Differential likelihood.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Racing-Reference
July 19, 2025
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been a positive place-differential machine this season, and that is likely to happen again at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend. Thanks to this weekend's starting lineup being set by the metric, Stenhouse will roll off the starting grid from 34th place when the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 goes green at Dover on Sunday. If Stenhouse has just an average race, though, he should finish much better than that. In the Next Gen era, he has posted finishes of second, 15th, and 35th at Dover, and that last one was due to a wreck in last year's race. At just $6,200 on DraftKings, Stenhouse is a cheap place-differential option that could challenge for a top-15 finish if things go right on Sunday. Stenhouse has finished inside that mark in 10 of his 21 career starts at Dover.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
July 19, 2025
Justin Haley has struggled quite a bit this season, as the Spire Motorsports driver currently has an average finish of 22.0 through the first 20 races of the season. Although that is better than his average result last year (23.4), it is still quite a disappointing number, as Haley hasn't shown many real flashes of speed on the track this year. Could that change this weekend at Dover? Probably not, but Justin does have an 11th-place finish to his credit at "The Monster Mile" (back in 2022). His other two Cup Series starts have ended with him in 23rd-place each time. Thanks to this weekend's starting lineup being set by the metric, the No. 7 Chevrolet will roll off the starting grid from 20th-place on Sunday. Given how he has raced this season overall, that's likely about the ceiling for Justin Haley in terms of finish as well.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
July 19, 2025
If you're looking for a low-tier driver to roll the dice on this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, don't overlook Cole Custer. The driver of the No. 41 Ford has just five top-20 finishes in 20 races this season, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him add to that number this weekend at "The Monster Mile." In four career Cup Series starts at this track, Custer has finished between 10th and 15th each time, and in his last two races here he started way back in 30th-place when the green flag flew. For this weekend's Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, Custer will start from back in 29th-place. With his very low salary on DraftKings ($5,100) and stellar (for his caliber) track record at Dover, you should definitely have some Cole Custer exposure in your DFS lineups this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Driver Averages
July 19, 2025
Ty Dillon will roll off the starting grid from 21st place for this weekend's Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 thanks to the starting lineup being set by NASCAR's metric. Dillon has been one of the biggest underdog stories of the season, as the Kaulig Racing driver is now in the final four of the In-Season Tournament, going head-to-head with John Hunter Nemechek for a spot in the final two next week at Indianapolis. As far as track history goes, Dover actually hasn't been that bad of a venue for Dillon, as he has finished between 14th and 24th in five of his 11 career starts at "The Monster Mile." Another top-20 finish could be in the cards for him this weekend, which makes him a risky but interesting DFS tournament option, considering he's only $5,000 on DraftKings. He could be a sneaky cap-saving option to round out your lineup on Sunday.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Frontstretch
July 19, 2025
Washington Nationals right-handed reliever
Derek Law (forearm) will undergo season-ending surgery on a partially torn flexor tendon, according to Spencer Nusbaum of the Washington Post. Law will need nine to 10 months to recover and doesn't expect to return until July. The 34-year-old didn't pitch in the majors at all this season after beginning the campaign on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain. Law progressed enough to pitch in rehab games over the past few weeks, but this will now go down as a lost season for him. He was an important cog in Washington's bullpen last season, as he racked up a whopping 90 innings in 75 appearances and recorded a 2.60 ERA with 17 holds and a 1.18 WHIP. As a soon-to-be free agent, Law may have thrown his last pitch in a Nationals uniform.
--Connor ByrneSource: Spencer Nusbaum - The Washington Post
July 19, 2025
Washington Nationals right-hander
Trevor Williams (elbow) underwent a successful internal brace procedure on his elbow, Spencer Nusbaum of the Washington Post reports. Williams' season is over, but he's expected to return sometime in early 2026 after avoiding Tommy John surgery. He'll try to rebound in the second season of a two-year, $14 million contract that hasn't gone the Nationals' way so far. Before going under the knife, the 33-year-old went 3-10 with a 6.21 ERA and 65 strikeouts against 21 walks over 82 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: Spencer Nusbaum - The Washington Post
July 19, 2025
The Boston Red Sox have returned right-hander
Tanner Houck (elbow) from his rehab assignment and are likely to keep him on the injured list, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. Houck last pitched in the majors on May 12 before landing on the 15-day IL with a right flexor pronator strain, though he had been working back in the minors. His 30-day rehab assignment expired Thursday, but teams are given two additional days to reinstate the player. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Friday that the team could option Houck to the minors instead of recalling him. Instead, it appears he'll remain on the shelf. It has been a nightmarish campaign for Houck, a 2024 All-Star who got off to a terrible start before his IL stint. He has made nine starts this year and gone 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA, a 1.69 WHIP, and 32:17 K:BB in 43 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: Ian Browne - MLB.com
July 19, 2025
The Chicago White Sox have recalled right-hander
Wikelman Gonzalez from Triple-A Charlotte. He's up with righty
Shane Smith (ankle) headed to the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle, retroactive to July 16. Gonzalez made his major league debut on June 20 and logged a pair of multi-inning relief appearances before going back to the minors. The 23-year-old combined for four frames of two-run ball with three hits allowed and five strikeouts against four walks in those outings. Gonzalez has struggled mightily with his control in the minors this season, having walked 34 hitters over 40 2/3 innings between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He has a 4.43 ERA with 42 strikeouts on the year.
--Connor ByrneSource: Chicago White Sox
July 19, 2025
Chicago White Sox utility man
Brooks Baldwin (back) was reinstated from the injured list on Saturday, a day after beginning his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. In his only rehab game, Baldwin hit a home run and scored two runs through seven innings of work in the outfield. Now, he returns to the White Sox, and while he isn't slated to start on Saturday, he should still see some time all over the field. Through 54 games played this season, Baldwin has at least ten appearances at second base, shortstop, and in the outfield. At the plate, he posted a pedestrian .227/.271/.357 slash line this season, he did have seven hits over his last five games played before getting injured. He is worth monitoring in the deepest of leagues and could see a more prominent role on the team after the trade deadline.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Chicago White Sox
July 19, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman
Alec Bohm (ribs) was left out of Saturday's lineup against the Los Angeles Angels. It turns out that Bohm reaggravated his bruised left rib cage in the team's 6-5 loss to the Angels on Friday, per Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Manager Rob Thomson is unsure if Bohm will require a stint on the 10-day injured list. He'll now sit out for the second time in a three-game span dating back to last Sunday.
Otto Kemp is playing third base and batting sixth with Bohm on the shelf Saturday.
--Connor ByrneSource: Lochlahn March - Philadelphia Inquirer
July 19, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfielder
Steven Kwan (wrist) is out of the lineup Saturday against the Athletics. Kwan previously sat out Friday's game after receiving an injection in his right wrist. He remains day-to-day for now. Center fielder
Angel Martinez will lead off versus Athletics right-hander
Luis Severino in Kwan's stead, while
Nolan Jones will handle left field and hit second. Kwan made his second All-Star team this year after slashing .285/.345/.396 with six home runs, 32 RBI, 43 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, and 34:33 K:BB over 404 plate appearances in the first half of the season.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 19, 2025
Atlanta Braves designated hitter
Marcell Ozuna is out of the lineup for the third straight game on Saturday against the New York Yankees. The Braves have opted to play catchers
Drake Baldwin and
Sean Murphy in Ozuna's place at DH over the past few games. Baldwin will DH and bat fourth against Yankees right-hander
Will Warren, while Murphy will catch and hit fifth. Ozuna simply hasn't produced over the past month and a half. Since June 1, the 34-year-old has hit .182 (24-for-132) with four home runs and 18 RBI. That slump has dropped Ozuna's line to .239/.366/.396 with 13 homers and 42 RBI over 389 plate appearances, but his .377 xwOBA suggests he's in line for a turnaround. That may come in another uniform with the July 31 trade deadline on the way.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 19, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals have recalled infielder
Thomas Saggese from Triple-A Memphis. He's up to take the roster spot of infielder/designated hitter
Nolan Gorman (back), who's on the 10-day injured list with a back issue. Saggese has yo-yoed between the majors and minors this season, offering vastly different production at the two levels. The 23-year-old has hit just .233/.256/.326 with one home run and 10 RBI in 90 trips to the plate with the Cardinals and will fill a bench role in his return. Saggese has been much better at Triple-A, where he has batted .317/.402/.445 with five homers, 24 RBI, 34 runs, and five stolen bases in 189 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Daniel Guerrero - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
July 19, 2025
The Chicago White Sox announced that they have placed right-hander
Shane Smith (ankle) on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle. The team made the move retroactive to July 16 and recalled righty
Wikelman Gonzalez from Triple-A Charlotte to take Smith's roster spot. The rookie Smith last pitched in the All-Star Game on Tuesday, but it's unclear if he suffered the injury then. Regardless, the 25-year-old will head to the shelf with a 4.26 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, and 81:37 K:BB over 86 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: Chicago White Sox
July 19, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals have placed infielder/designated hitter
Nolan Gorman (back) on the 10-day IL with a back injury, retroactive to July 18. The team recalled infielder
Thomas Saggese from Triple-A Memphis to take Gorman's roster spot. Gorman was a late scratch from Friday's lineup and will now miss at least the next week-plus. The 25-year-old has batted .219/.310/.408 with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 226 plate appearances, though his .345 xwOBA suggests he has deserved a better fate. While Gorman has divided his time among DH, second base, and the hot corner, the Cardinals have capable regulars at each position with
Ivan Herrera, All-Star
Brendan Donovan, and
Nolan Arenado.
--Connor ByrneSource: Katie Woo - The Athletic
July 19, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman
Alec Bohm (ribs) isn't starting against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
Otto Kemp will play third and bat sixth versus Angels left-hander
Yusei Kikuchi. It's unclear if Bohm's absence is related to a rib injury that he dealt with before the All-Star break. Bohm missed the team's final game of the first half last Sunday before returning on Friday to go 0-for-4 in a 6-5 loss to the Halos. The 28-year-old has experienced a drop in power this season and put together an underwhelming .278/.324/.391 line with eight homers, 42 RBI, and 39 runs scored in 383 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 19, 2025
Kansas City Royals outfielder
Jac Caglianone is not in the lineup for the team's game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
John Rave will man right field in Caglianone's place and bat eighth in a meeting with right-hander
Cal Quantrill. Rave hit the first two home runs of his career in an 8-7 loss to the Marlins on Friday, though he has batted just .194/.280/.333 in 84 trips to the plate. Caglianone has posted even worse numbers since the highly touted prospect made his debut on June 3. The 22-year-old has stumbled out of the gates with a .143/.203/.263 line, four home runs, and seven RBI in 143 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
July 19, 2025
With the July 31 trade deadline nearing, the New York Yankees have inquired about Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman
Eugenio Suarez, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. Suarez is on several teams' wish lists, but the Diamondbacks are unsure whether they'll sell, according to Heyman. New York is an obvious fit for Suarez: The team has a glaring need at the hot corner, and Suarez is the best potentially available third baseman in the sport. Suarez, 34, is a two-time All-Star who has slashed .251/.322/.567 with 31 home runs and 78 RBI in 395 plate appearances this season. He's also a six-time 30-HR man who could reach the 40 mark for the second time in his career. With the Diamondbacks 5 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot and Suarez due to hit free agency in the offseason, it will be a surprise if he's still wearing their uniform on Aug. 1.
--Connor ByrneSource: Jon Heyman
July 19, 2025
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect
Samuel Basallo (oblique) is dealing with an oblique injury that will prevent him from playing for Triple-A Norfolk this weekend, Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun reports. It's unclear if Basallo will sit out beyond then, though oblique injuries often lead to lengthy absences. The Orioles are sure to play it safe with Basallo, MLB Pipeline's ninth overall prospect and the No. 1-ranked catcher in the minors. The 20-year-old has dazzled this season at Triple-A, where he has slashed .264/.383/.591 with 19 homers, 48 RBI, 50 runs scored, and 39 walks in 253 plate appearances. Basallo has made a compelling case for his first promotion to the majors and could be up later this season if he stays healthy.
--Connor ByrneSource: Jacob Calvin Meyer - Baltimore Sun
July 19, 2025
Chicago White Sox utilityman
Brooks Baldwin (back) hit a solo home run in his first rehab game on Friday with Triple-A Charlotte. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, one strikeout, and an additional run scored. He played seven innings in left field before being replaced. It's unclear when he will return to the White Sox, but he may not need much more work on this rehab if he can continue to hit and get on base. Through 54 games this season, Baldwin has posted a .227/.271//.357 slash line with four home runs hit. He will look to improve on a subpar 28.4% strikeout rate and a below-average 5.3% walk rate. Upon his return, he will likely get a shot to play in the outfield, similar to what he did earlier this season. He is worth a look in the deepest of leagues.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Charlotte Knights
July
19,
2025
With
the
July
31
trade
deadline
approaching,
the
Cleveland
Guardians
are
fielding
offers
for
top
relievers
Emmanuel
Clase
and
Cade
Smith,
according
to
Jon
Heyman
of
the
New
York
Post.
It's
read more...
July
19,
2025
Miami
Dolphins
second-year
running
back
Jaylen
Wright
has
plenty
of
confidence
in
himself
and
thinks
he
can
have
a
big
year
in
2025
alongside
lead
back
De'Von
Achane.
"I
just
really
read more...
July 19, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher
Alek Manoah (elbow) will make his second rehab appearance this Sunday for Single-A Dunedin. He will be looking to improve on his last outing, where he retired just one of the five batters he faced. It was the first time he had competed in a game since undergoing UCL reconstruction in the spring of last year. Before that operation, he had posted a 3.70 ERA over 24 1/3 innings pitched in 2024. Over his career, he has 420 innings pitched and a 3.34 ERA, all with the Toronto Blue Jays. His progress remains something to monitor in dynasty leagues, especially for more opportunities to make the rotation in 2026. Throwing for the planned two innings and sustaining some success would be a big step forward for him here.
--Dave Funnell - RotoBallerSource: Arden Zwelling
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