July 9, 2025
It wasn't clean, but St. Louis Cardinals closer
Ryan Helsley picked up his 18th save of the season in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Nationals. Helsley came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two. He allowed a leadoff walk, got the first two outs on a fly-out and a line-out, allowed a single, and ended the game on a ground-out. The 30-year-old has not been as sharp as he has been in previous seasons, but he has converted 18 of 23 save opportunities with a 3.19 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and a 10.16 K/9 rate in 31 innings of work. The good news is that Helsley has turned in six consecutive scoreless outings with just one walk in those outings.
--Connelly DoanSource: MLB.com
July 9, 2025
Washington Nationals pitching prospect
Cade Cavalli allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out two in 3.2 innings in a loss against Triple-A Worcester. Cavalli generated only four swings-and-misses on 44 swings in this one, good for just a nine percent whiff rate. The right-hander now has consecutive starts in which he has surrendered seven runs, the most he has allowed in a game all season. Cavalli was coming off a rough month of June, where he held a 5.64 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 22.1 innings, and his first start in July will leave a mark. There were some whispers of Cavalli being promoted to join the Nationals rotation, but poor outings like this one leave some doubt for that to happen in the immediate future.
--Kyle McCarthySource: MiLB.com
July 9, 2025
San Francisco Giants catcher
Patrick Bailey produced one of baseball's more unusual plays in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Phillies. Bailey went 2-for-4 with a single, a walk-off inside-the-park three-run home run, and a strikeout. The 26-year-old faced
Jordan Romano in the bottom of the ninth inning down by two with one out and runners on the corners. He drove a fastball off the top of the right-field brick wall, and it ricocheted all the way into left-center field, allowing Bailey to race around the bases to end the game. The 26-year-old has been a strong presence behind the plate for the Giants' pitching staff, but he hasn't provided much offensively. He is now slashing .194/.260/.294 with two HR and 26 RBI in 238 plate appearances.
--Connelly DoanSource: MLB.com
July 9, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Jordan Romano continued his disappointing season in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Giants. Romano came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning up by two with runners on first and second with one out. He ended the inning with a pop-out and a fly-out and stayed in to pitch the ninth. He allowed a leadoff double, got the first out on a pop-out, allowed a single, and then allowed a walk-off inside-the-park home run to end the game. It was certainly not a conventional outcome, and the Phillies' bullpen has been all over the place this season. Unfortunately, Romano has not been able to take advantage of any role opportunities. The 32-year-old is now 1-4 and has converted eight of 11 save opportunities with a 7.44 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP, and a 9.92 K/9 rate in 32 2/3 innings pitched. While he may continue to see save opportunities, his ratios are so poor that he is a fantasy liability at this time.
--Connelly DoanSource: MLB.com
July 9, 2025
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher
Kyle Harrison allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts across five innings as he picked up the win against Triple-A Rochester. Harrison had mixed results in this outing, as he served up two homers in the bottom of the first inning for three runs. He was able to throw four innings of one-run ball after, as he heavily relied on his fastball again. He racked up seven whiffs on 24 swings on the pitch, and only two whiffs on 19 swings on his three secondary offerings. Since joining Triple-A Worcester, the 23-year-old has made three starts and has a 7.62 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, and a 10:5 K:BB in 13 innings.
--Kyle McCarthySource: MiLB.com
July 9, 2025
San Diego Padres closer
Robert Suarez looked sharp as he picked up his 26th save of the season in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the Diamondbacks. Suarez came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one and shut the door with a 1-2-3 performance, including a strikeout. The 34-year-old has not been as sharp as he was in his breakout 2024 season, but he has converted all but three save opportunities with a 3.72 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and a 9.54 K/9 rate in 38 2/3 innings of work. He has allowed much harder contact this season than last season, but he should continue to get plenty of opportunities to provide fantasy value.
--Connelly DoanSource: MLB.com
July 9, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Chris Bassitt said after Tuesday's 6-1 win over the White Sox that he would be ready to pitch out of the bullpen leading into the All-Star break if need be, per MLB.com's
Keegan Matheson. Bassitt only threw 78 pitches in Tuesday's rain-shortened game. The 36-year-old said, "If a lot of [bullpen] guys are down, I can be up... My only goal I have is to win a World Series." The Blue Jays have won 10 games in a row and are now in first place in the American League East. Bassitt has been a serviceable fantasy starter once again this season, going 9-4 with a 4.16 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and an 8.75 K/9 rate in 19 starts and 106 IP. Fantasy managers may want to leave him in their lineup in the event that he does make a spot relief appearance in the coming days.
--Connelly DoanSource: Keegan Matheson - X.com
July 9, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect
Andrew Painter allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out three in 5.1 innings against Triple-A Syracuse. The 6'7" right-hander allowed a good amount of hard contact with an average exit velocity of 93.9 MPH. Painter has struggled to limit damage recently, as he has now allowed nine runs across 9.1 innings so far through two starts in July. He still owns a solid 26.3 percent strikeout rate for the year, but that's a decent step down from the gaudy numbers he has previously posted in the minor leagues. While the overall numbers don't look great, Painter is still one of the top arms in the minor leagues. There's a chance we see him up with the big league club late in the season, where his fantasy value will depend on his usage.
--Kyle McCarthySource: MiLB.com
July 9, 2025
Seattle Mariners catcher
Cal Raleigh continued his torrid power run in Tuesday's 10-3 loss to the Yankees. Raleigh went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk. The 28-year-old clobbered an eighth-inning
Geoff Hartlieb pitch into the second deck of right field for his 36th long ball of the season. With the blast, Raleigh passed Ken Griffey Jr. as the franchise record holder for the most HR before the All-Star break. Raleigh has been one of fantasy's top hitters in the first half, slashing .268/.383/.646 with 76 RBI and nine stolen bases in 392 plate appearances. He now leads baseball in HR and is second in RBI, while also leading his position in stolen bases.
--Connelly DoanSource: Bill Ladson - MLB.com
July 9, 2025
Athletics shortstop
Jacob Wilson (hand) exited Tuesday's game against the Braves in the first inning with a left hand contusion, per the Athletic's David O'Brien. Wilson was hit by a
Didier Fuentes pitch in his first at-bat and was replaced immediately by
Max Schuemann. Fantasy managers should wait until after the game for more information. This is another bit of unfortunate injury luck for the 23-year-old, who dealt with several nagging injuries through June. His performance when he has been in the lineup has been outstanding, with a .335/.379/.468 slash line, nine home runs, 42 RBI, and five stolen bases in 357 plate appearances. He earned a starting position for the American League All-Star team and has been a fantasy All-Star in the first half.
--Connelly DoanSource: David O'Brien - X.com
July 9, 2025
Baltimore Orioles catcher prospect
Samuel Basallo went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in Tuesday's 9-5 win against Triple=A Jacksonville. The 20-year-old phenom hit a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning to give the Tides the lead for good and continues an outstanding season at Triple-A. He leads all hitters in hard-hit rate at 58.5 percent and only trails the recently promoted
Roman Anthony in barrel rate. His prodigious power combined with his ability to make consistent contact make him one of the best prospects in baseball. The Orioles have gone through a flurry of injuries at the catcher position, but Basallo has yet to receive the call. It could come closer to the trade deadline as the Orioles are likely to sell some pieces off, and then we could see the slugger make his debut. He would be a priority add in nearly all formats.
--Kyle McCarthySource: MiLB.com
July 9, 2025
Cleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in his team's 10-6 win against the hosting Houston Astros. He also walked twice, stole two bases, and scored thrice. The fantasy superstar got Cleveland on the board in the top of the first inning, crushing homer No. 16 off of Astros' starter
Hunter Brown to make it 2-0. He wasn't done there, picking up two more steals to bring his season total to 24. Ramirez was stuck in a dreadful 2-for-31 slump to bridge June and July, but has broken out of it with authority, leaving the yard three times and swiping three bags over his last five appearances. Overall, he boasts a strong .299/.364/.503 triple slash and is poised to challenge for a second consecutive 30/30 campaign.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 8, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Chris Bassitt allowed four hits and one earned run in Tuesday's 6-1 road win against the Chicago White Sox. The veteran walked one, struck out one, and hit a batter to pick up his second straight win and ninth overall (9-4). Bassitt cruised through the first five frames, but White Sox infielder
Josh Rojas led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo shot to put the Pale Hose on the board. Although the right-hander quickly recovered and retired the side. Toronto came out for the top of the next frame, but the contest would eventually be called due to rain, awarding Bassitt his first complete game since 2023, and third overall in his eleven-year career. He'll take a 4.16 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 103:29 K:BB across 106 innings (19 starts) into the All-Star break.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 8, 2025
Miami Marlins starting pitcher
Eury Perez gave up two hits and one earned run in his team's 12-2 victory over the hosting Cincinnati Reds. He struck out eight to pick up his second consecutive win, improving to 2-2 through six starts. That marks back-to-back stellar outings for the 22-year-old, with a
Matt McLain solo home run accounting for the only blemish against him over his last 11 innings pitched. Perez has struck out 15 batters over that span, yielding just three hits and a walk. It's worth noting that there were a good number of hard-hit balls in the little contact he allowed Tuesday, but he's mostly done well to mitigate that thus far. Perez will look to keep the good times rolling when he next takes the mound in a road matchup with the Baltimore Orioles.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
July 8, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Jacob Misiorowski fired six innings of one-run ball in Tuesday's 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The hard-throwing right-hander yielded four hits, issued one free pass, and struck out 12 to record his fourth win in five tries (4-1). Misiorowski gave up a leadoff homer to
Shohei Ohtani, but proceeded to punch out six of the next seven batters he faced and an even dozen overall to set a new career-high. The young hurler piled up an eye-popping 21 whiffs on the day -- four more than the next four pitchers in the contest combined. He's been exceptional through his first 25 2/3 professional innings, compiling a 2.81 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 33:11 K:BB ratio. Misiorowski next projects to toe the rubber following the All-Star break in a road series against these very same Dodgers.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
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