July 6, 2025
Washington Capitals center Hendrix Lapierre signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the team on Saturday. The 23-year-old was a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract. The Capitals used a first-round pick on Lapierre in 2020 and gave him the third-line center spot for the start of 2024-25. However, Lapierre struggled in the role and didn't see any NHL action after the calendar was flipped. He finished the campaign with zero goals and eight assists across 27 games. In the AHL, Lapierre was a point-per-game player. Lapierre will hope to establish himself as a full-time NHLer next season but is unlikely to provide fantasy value.
--Taavi PailkSource: PuckPedia
July 6, 2025
Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar will start third after qualifying for Sunday's Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course. This is Hocevar's first time starting inside the top five at Chicago in his Cup career. In his only prior Cup start at the site, Hocevar has a finish of 24th and lost place differential. Through 17 Cup races so far this season, Hocevar has three top-10 finishes and an average finish of 22.5. Hocevar has just one top-15 finish in two road course events ran this season, with a finish of 13th at COTA. In practice, Hocevar ranked 26th in overall lap averages and 16th in five consecutive lap averages. Hocevar is a driver that is hard to recommend based on his practice speeds and past Chicago history for this week's race. His almost miniscule upside however, is the biggest factor for why Hocevar is a driver to avoid in DFS for this week's race.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
July 6, 2025
Seattle Kraken left wing Tye Kartye has re-signed with the team on a two-year, $2.5 million contract. The 24-year-old is set to start his third season with the Kraken after he was picked up as an undrafted free agent. Kartye has been a physical presence in the Kraken lineup, averaging close to four hits per game in 140 outings with the team. Offensively, he chipped in with six goals and seven assists in 63 games last season. While Kartye has been a good fit for Seattle, he offers no fantasy value because of his limited offensive arsenal.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
July 6, 2025
Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain will start 22nd for the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course after qualifying. The No. 1 Chevrolet driver will start inside the top 25 for the second time in his Cup career at the site. In two previous starts at Chicago, Chastain placed 22nd twice and collected positive place differential once. In 17 races completed this season, Chastain has 14 top-20 finishes, including two finishes of 16th or better at road courses. In practice, Chastain ranked 22nd in overall lap averages, 17th in five consecutive lap averages, and ninth in 10 consecutive lap averages. Chastain has favorable upside and equipment despite his track history being mediocre at Chicago. Overall, while he is not a top play for DFS this week, he is still a driver capable of placing in the top 20 and gaining a few spots worth of PD, making him a decent option for this week's race.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
July 6, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect
Ryan Waldschmidt went 3-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, an RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base on Saturday for Double-A Amarillo. The D-backs' third-ranked prospect has performed admirably in his first turn at that level, hitting .286 with an OBP of .388 thanks to a 14.3 percent walk rate (which mirrors his strikeout rate), chipping in five extra-base hits (one home run) and a stolen base through 11 games. The 2024 first-rounder has shown good power and an ability to draw walks at an above average rate throughout his brief minor league career, while adding some speed on the basepaths. With continued success he could be knocking on the door to the majors sometime next year.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 6, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov has signed a new two-year, $8.35 million contract with the team. He was a restricted free agent following a career year. In 73 outings, Voronkov posted 23 goals and 47 points with 154 shots on goal. His numbers included a team-high eight power-play goals and a stellar plus-17 rating. At 24, Voronkov is still relatively young and appears capable of further improvement in 2025-26. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell holds him in high regard, noting that Voronkov "has a chance to be a very special player."
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
July 6, 2025
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Cody Poteet (shoulder) recently received an injection on his injured shoulder. The hope is that Poteet has a positive reaction to the injection and can begin throwing within the next few days. The right-hander has been sidelined since late April due to right shoulder inflammation. The assumption is that Poteet will require multiple rehab outings before becoming an option for the O's. At best, Poteet could return by the end of July, but August seems like a better timetable. Poteet isn't someone that needs to be rostered right now in fantasy formats.
--Andy WebbSource: Jake Rill
July
6,
2025
RFK
Racing's
Ryan
Preece
obtained
a
starting
position
of
seventh
after
qualifying
for
Sunday's
Grant
Park
165.
It
is
the
best
starting
position
of
Preece's
Cup
career
at
Chicago,
and
he
is
also
the
top
Ford
driver
in
qualifying
this
week.
read more...
July 6, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitchers
Justin Lawrence (elbow) and
Tim Mayza (shoulder) appear to be making progress in their recovery process. Both pitchers have been out since late April, but are finally making decent progress. They've progressed to throwing from 120 feet with good velocity and intensity, according to senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. Both pitchers figure to require minor league rehab assignments before returning to the mound in Pittsburgh. The hope is that both of them can be back in the mix by the late of July. Neither pitcher offers much fantasy value as low leverage options out of the bullpen.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 6, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) has resumed baseball activities, but hasn't started a minor league rehab assignment yet. DeLuca has been out since early April due to a shoulder injury. It has been a struggle since then with DeLuca suffering multiple setbacks while attempting to rehab. The hope is that DeLuca can begin another rehab assignment within the next week. There is no current timetable for his return to the field. DeLuca has potential to be a contributor in at least deep leagues, but isn't someone that needs to be rostered at the moment.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 6, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfield prospect
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.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB.com
July 6, 2025
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher
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.
--Andy WebbSource: Jake Rill
July 6, 2025
Richard Childress Racing's Austin Dillon will start 10th for Sunday's Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course. This is Dillon's best starting position of his Cup career at the site. In two previous races at Chicago, Dillon has one top-20 finish and one DNF due to a crash. With 17 races completed this season, Dillon has nine top-20 finishes with an average finish of 20.1. In practice, Dillon ranked 15th in overall lap averages and 21st in five consecutive lap averages. Dillon's starting position being in the top 10 makes it hard to trust him for DFS since he has little upside combined with slower practice speeds, indicating that he will lose positions. Dillon's overall shaky road course history makes him a driver to fade for DFS this week.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
July 6, 2025
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher
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.
--Andy WebbSource: Jake Rill
July 6, 2025
Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports will start 26th after qualifying for the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course. Smith ended up being the slowest qualifier of the three Front Row entries in this week's race and the only one to start outside of the top 25. In Smith's only previous Cup start at Chicago back in 2024 while driving for Spire Motorsports, Smith finished 17th after starting 30th. Through 17 Cup races so far this season, Smith has 10 top-20 finishes and an average finish of 20.3. In practice for Sunday's race, Smith ranked sixth in overall lap averages for practice and ranked 12th in five consecutive lap averages. With plenty of upside and highly favorable practice speeds, Smith is a driver who should be considered for all formats as a solid value option.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
July 6, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman
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.
--Andy WebbSource: Adam McCalvy
July 6, 2025
Xfinity Series regular Austin Hill qualified for the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course and will start 30th in a third Richard Childress Racing entry. This will be Hill's second Cup start at the street course in his career and his second start of the 2025 season after Darlington, where he placed 31st. In his only previous Cup start at Chicago, Hill finished 31st and scored positive place differential while in the Xfinity Series, he has three top-10 finishes in three starts, including a finish of fourth earlier this weekend. In practice, Hill ranked 32nd in overall lap averages, 15th in five consecutive lap averages, and 11th in 10 consecutive lap averages. With favorable practice speeds and a fair amount of experience in Xfinity car at Chicago, Hill is one of the better value options of the week to consider for DFS and save plenty of cap flexibility.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
July 6, 2025
Ty Dillon of Kaulig Racing qualified 36th for this week's Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course. This will be a new career-worst starting position for Dillon in his Cup career at Chicago. In his only previous race on the street course back in 2023, Dillon ended up finishing 35th after exiting the race due to suspension issues. After 17 races completed this season, Dillon has six top-20 finishes and an average finish of 23.7. Dillon only scored positive Place Differential once at road course events this season, doing so at COTA, where he also collected his best finish of the season at the track type of 28th. In practice, Dillon ranked 21st in overall lap averages and 28th in five consecutive lap averages. Dillon is not known for being a top road course racer historically, but with his practice speeds being among the top 30 fastest and favorable upside due to his starting position, he is a playable option best suited for cash game lineups.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
July 6, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop/outfielder
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.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
July 6, 2025
Chicago White Sox second baseman
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.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
July 6, 2025
Texas Rangers catcher
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.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
July 6, 2025
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher
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.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
July
6,
2025
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
starting
pitcher/designated
hitter
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
while
read more...
July 6, 2025
Detroit Tigers first baseman
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.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
July 6, 2025
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher
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.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
July 6, 2025
Despite his 38th-place starting position and stout $10,000 salary (the fourth-highest in the field), William Byron seems like one of the best options for DFS play at the Chicago Street Course. It's rare for any NASCAR Cup Series points leader to crash out of any qualifying session, which virtually guarantees a large number of Place Differential bonus points. Although this is not one of Byron's best tracks, he has finished in the top fifteen in both Chicago races despite poor qualifying results both years. If he can repeat the feat, he'll score a lot of Place Differential points. The key decision is whether to go all in on Shane van Gisbergen for lap leader and fastest lap points expecting him to dominate the race, or choose both William Byron and Chase Elliott for Place Differential points. Given the volatility endemic to most NASCAR races, the latter is probably the better option.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
July
6,
2025
In
an
otherwise
mediocre
2024,
Alex
Bowman's
one
real
bright
spot
came
when
he
won
last
year's
Chicago
Street
Course
race
to
lock
himself
into
the
playoffs.
The
win
was
more
the
result
of
a
brilliant
strategy
call
by
Bowman's
crew
read more...
July 6, 2025
Joey Logano is one of the hardest drivers to predict in the NASCAR Cup Series since it's hard to really get a sense of when he will run well or when he won't, and even harder to determine which of his good races will lead to a good finishing result since he blows potentially strong finishes so often. However, one thing you can reasonably count on is his relative road course mediocrity. Although he finished 8th on the Chicago Street Course, he only finished 23rd last year and just ran badly. Since his 2023 race, he has only earned three top ten finishes on road courses and two of those came at the Charlotte roval, which is not very similar to this track. Furthermore, Logano qualified 12th so he will probably lose positions. Although no one should be surprised if he gets a top ten, he will probably finish worse than he starts and therefore he has little DFS value.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
July 6, 2025
Ryan Blaney curiously qualified 17th for the third consecutive year at the Chicago Street Course. Blaney is not particularly noted as a road racer, but he finished 10th in last year's race here, matching his best road course finish since Sonoma last year. Because Blaney is not one of the best road racers, he is available at a cheaper price than usual on DFS ($7,500) but he likely won't improve very much from his 17th-place starting position. The two best strategies for DF players would likely be to focus on Place Differential points by drafting Chase Elliott and William Byron or focusing on laps led and fastest lap points by drafting Shane van Gisbergen. Unfortunately, Blaney is probably too expensive to seriously consider under either scenario, so he is only a middling selection.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
July 6, 2025
Despite Austin Cindric's traditional reputation as a road racer, he's really become more of a specialist on drafting tracks and intermediates lately. Cindric qualified 27th for today's race at the Chicago Street Course, worse than both his teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano. Although he did finish 6th in the inaugural Chicago race in 2023 in a race where he qualified even worse, he has only posted a single finish better than 10th on a road or street course since. He had a little speed at Mexico City but still mostly ran in the middle of the pack. It seems Penske's road course package has not been as great with the Next Gen car as it was with the Gen 6 when Cindric made his early starts. here's certainly the potential for Cindric to blast through the field, but it feels more likely that he won't. Ultimately, he's probably overpriced at $7,800.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
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