August 5, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds announced on Tuesday that they placed left-hander
Nick Lodolo (finger) on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his left index finger and recalled right-hander
Yosver Zulueta from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Lodolo left his start early on Monday night against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning due to a blister and will now miss at least the next two weeks. The fact that the 27-year-old has dealt with blister issues in the past isn't a great sign, either. In the meantime, fantasy managers should look to hang onto him in an IL spot. Right-hander
Nick Martinez is the likely candidate to take Lodolo's spot in Cincy's starting rotation, and he won't be a bad waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues with the opportunity. Lodolo is now 8-6 on the year with a nice 3.05 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with a career-low 23.6% strikeout rate in 129 2/3 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cincinnati Reds
August 5, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect
Alfonsin Rosario has been promoted to Double-A Akron after a solid showing at High-A Lake County. The Guardians' 11th-ranked prospect slashed .268/.362/.490 with 16 home runs (led all Midwest Leaguers) and 12 steals in 82 games for the Captains. The 21-year-old struck out at a 25.1 percent rate, although it was a vast improvement on the 32.2 percent rate he recorded last season at Single-A, so it's something to keep an eye on at the next level. The former sixth-rounder is still likely a couple of years away from the majors, and he will have to cut down on the swing-and-miss if he's going to get there any sooner.
--Jarod RuppSource: Guardians Prospective
August 5, 2025
New York Yankees pitching prospect Ben Hess has been promoted to Double-A Somerset. The Yankees' 2024 first-round draft pick did not pitch with an affiliate after being drafted last year and has spent the entirety of 2025 with High-A Hudson Valley. New York's seventh-ranked prospect posted a 3.51 ERA (2.62 FIP), a 1.14 WHIP, and a strong 22.0 percent K-BB% in 15 starts (66 2/3 innings pitched). The walk rate of 11.9 percent was a bit high, but impressively, the 6-foot-5 hurler allowed just two home runs all season, which helped to limit damage. The 22-year-old has the potential to develop into a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, so it's worth monitoring his progress.
--Jarod RuppSource: Somerset Patriots
August 5, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-handed reliever
Shelby Miller (forearm) was sent on a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Nashville, according to the team. Miller is working his way back from a strained right forearm, but barring a setback on his rehab assignment, he could join his new team soon after the Arizona Diamondbacks traded him at last week's deadline. With
Trevor Megill entrenched as the team's primary closer in Milwaukee, the 34-year-old Miller is going to lose considerable fantasy value with the move to his new team, although he should still be in play in leagues that count holds in a high-leverage, late-inning setup role. Miller has had an excellent season with the D-backs, posting a 1.98 ERA (3.14 FIP), a 0.96 WHIP, a career-high 10 saves and a 40:11 K:BB in 36 1/3 innings pitched in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Brewers
August
5,
2025
St.
Louis
Cardinals
left-handed
reliever
JoJo
Romero
will
remain
in
a
closer
committee
in
St.
Louis
after
the
team
traded
away
closer
Ryan
Helsley
to
the
New
York
Mets
at
last
read more...
August 5, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect
Cam Sanders is being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis for what will be his major league debut whenever he enters a game. The 6-foot-2 hurler was drafted in 2018, and after a long journey, he will finally get a shot in the big leagues. The 28-year-old has pitched well in relief this year, his first in the Pittsburgh organization, but has shown even better results at Triple-A, posting a 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a strong 25.0 percent K-BB% in 18 2/3 innings pitched (15 appearances). The righty will likely fill a middle relief role for the Pirates, though, so there isn't much fantasy relevance here.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tommy Birch
August 5, 2025
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said over the weekend that injured reliever
Liam Hendriks (hip) was unlikely to return this season. It turns out that Hendriks does expect to come back, as he told reporters on Monday that Cora's statement was "a slip of the tongue." The Red Sox have gone most of 2025 without Hendriks, who didn't debut until late April after recovering from Tommy John surgery and hasn't pitched since May 27 as a result of hip inflammation. When he has been healthy enough to pitch this season, the 36-year-old has struggled to a 6.59 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP, 12 strikeouts, and seven walks in 13 2/3 innings. Hendriks, a three-time All-Star, could rejoin Boston's bullpen in September.
--Connor ByrneSource: Chris Cotillo - MassLive.com
August
5,
2025
New
York
Yankees
reliever
Mark
Leiter
Jr.
(leg)
is
expected
to
come
off
the
15-day
injured
list
Tuesday,
Erik
Boland
of
Newsday
reports.
The
Yankees
have
already
cleared
space
in
their
bullpen
by
optioning
right-hander
read more...
August 5, 2025
The New York Yankees announced that they have optioned reliever
Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It's not official yet, but the team is expected to activate fellow reliever
Mark Leiter Jr. (leg) from the 15-day injured list to take Bird's spot. Along with
David Bednar and
Camilo Doval, the right-handed Bird was one of three relievers the Yankees added at the July 31 trade deadline in an effort to build an elite bullpen. So far, the Bird acquisition has been a flop. The former Colorado Rockie has made three appearances for the Yankees and surrendered six earned runs on seven hits (two homers) with four strikeouts and two walks over two innings. After giving up a walk-off three-run homer to Rangers third baseman
Josh Jung on Monday, Bird owns a 5.53 ERA and a 1.54 with 66:25 K:BB across 55 1/3 frames.
--Connor ByrneSource: New York Yankees
August 5, 2025
Houston Astros second baseman
Brendan Rodgers (head) remains in concussion protocol, but he has begun light jogging and throwing. Rodgers originally went on the 10-day injured list in mid-June with an oblique strain. In his first Triple-A rehab game on July 18, he suffered more serious injuries - a concussion and a nasal fracture - after colliding with a teammate. The Astros then transferred Rodgers to the 60-day IL, meaning he won't be eligible to rejoin the club until Aug. 17. That date appears unrealistic, though, as Rodgers remains without a timetable to return. Before going on the IL, the 28-year-old hit just 191/.266/.278 with two home runs in 128 plate appearances. The Astros have used a handful of players at the keystone this season, but longtime second baseman
Jose Altuve has gotten the lion's share of time there lately after opening 2025 in the outfield.
--Connor ByrneSource: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
August 5, 2025
San Diego Padres left-hander
Nestor Cortes (elbow) will make his team debut Wednesday with a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It'll also be the first appearance in the majors since April 3 for Cortes, who was on the shelf with an elbow strain for four months. The Padres acquired Cortes from Milwaukee at the July 31 trade deadline in a deal that saw the Brewers land outfielder
Brandon Lockridge. San Diego has since activated Cortes from the 60-day injured list. Cortes has made two starts and allowed eight earned runs in eight innings this season, but the 30-year-old does have a solid track record in the bigs. He totaled 30 starts in 31 appearances for the New York Yankees in 2024 and put up a 3.77 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP, 162 strikeouts, and 39 walks over 174 1/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August
5,
2025
Cincinnati
Reds
left-hander
Nick
Lodolo
(finger)
exited
his
start
against
the
Chicago
Cubs
on
Monday
after
1
2/3
scoreless
innings
because
of
a
blister
on
his
left
index
finger.
Lodolo
didn't
seem
worried
about
it
afterward,
read more...
August 5, 2025
The Washington Nationals will call up right-hander
Cade Cavalli from Triple-A Rochester to start against the Athletics on Wednesday, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan reports. It'll be the first appearance in the bigs for Cavalli since he made one start in 2022. The former first-round pick from the 2020 draft missed all of 2023 and most of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Cavalli, 26, has come back to make 15 starts and throw 65 innings at the Triple-A level this season, but he has posted a bloated 6.09 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP and 72 strikeouts against 27 walks. While Cavalli doesn't look like a great option against an Athletics offense that ranks 12th in wOBA and 14th in runs scored, the out-of-contention Nats want to give him another look in the majors post-surgery.
--Connor ByrneSource: Grant Paulsen
August 5, 2025
Colorado Rockies relief pitchers
Victor Vodnik and
Juan Mejia will share closing opportunities while
Seth Halvorsen (elbow) is on the 15-day injured list, according to interim manager Warren Schaeffer. Both are 25-year-old righties, so there isn't an obvious split to target one over the other based on matchup. Vodnik has a 3.55 ERA and 4.05 FIP in 33 innings over his 34 appearances this season with 34 strikeouts. He had nine saves last year for the Rockies and has seven holds this year. Mejia has also appeared in 34 games this year and has a 4.05 ERA, 3.38 FIP, and 43 strikeouts in 40 innings. He does not have any saves in his major league career or even in Triple-A. However, he also has seven holds this season and had six saves in Double-A last year. Vodnik has slightly more experience, but Schaeffer could go to either option when the Rockies get a rare save situation.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Suzie Hunter
August 5, 2025
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher
Seth Halvorsen (elbow) has been diagnosed with a mild flexor strain and will not need surgery, according to interim manager Warren Schaeffer. Schaeffer called it, "a good report from an MRI" and added that Halvorsen could potentially pitch again this year. The 25-year-old righty has been the Rockies' primary closer this season and has 11 saves in his 42 games while posting a 4.99 ERA, 5.18 FIP, and 36 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. He was placed on the 15-day injured list after leaving Saturday's game with the injury, but he still has value and is worth holding if possible at this point. While he is out,
Victor Vodnik and
Juan Mejia will share closing duties.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Patrick Saunders
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