June 28, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays announced that they have designated right-hander
Forrest Whitley for assignment and recalled lefty
Joe Rock from Triple-A Durham. This is the second DFA of the year for Whitley, formerly a standout prospect with the Houston Astros. After almost nine years in their organization, the Astros jettisoned Whitley from their 40-man roster three weeks ago and then traded him to the Rays for cash considerations on June 13. Whitley logged three straight scoreless appearances to begin his Rays tenure, but the wheels came off in his two most recent outings. He combined to allow a whopping eight earned runs on nine hits and two walks over just one frame in those appearances. Another team could take a chance on Whitley via waivers or a trade in the coming days, but it doesn't help that the unproven 27-year-old is out of minor league options.
--Connor ByrneSource: Tampa Bay Rays
June 28, 2025
The Toronto Blue Jays have recalled infielder
Will Wagner from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned outfielder
Alan Roden, the team announced. The 26-year-old Wagner is returning to the majors after spending two months in the minors. The Blue Jays demoted him April 29 after he batted a non-threatening .186/.284/.220 with no home runs in 68 plate appearances. Wagner hit a much better .271/.347/.447 with three homers in 95 Triple-A plate appearances to earn another chance in the bigs. He'll provide depth at third base behind
Ernie Clement, who has put together a productive season. Roden, 25, is headed back to the minors after hitting just .206/.279/.309 with one HR in 111 trips to the plate with the Jays. He has raked in 83 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this year, having slashed .361/.446/.583 with three long balls.
--Connor ByrneSource: Toronto Blue Jays
June 28, 2025
San Francisco Giants third baseman
Casey Schmitt (wrist) was a late scratch from Saturday's lineup against the Chicago White Sox. The Giants initially had Schmitt penciled in to start at third and bat fifth, but they'll instead use
Christian Koss at the hot corner and lead him off against White Sox starter
Adrian Houser. Schmitt hasn't played since he took a 95 mph sinker from Miami Marlins reliever
Calvin Faucher off the left wrist on Wednesday. X-rays came back negative, but with Schmitt scratched Saturday, it's an injury that's still worth monitoring. Schmitt has hit a highly productive 20-for-60 with four home runs and 12 RBI this month, so hopefully he'll be able to return soon. The Giants are already without injured starting third baseman
Matt Chapman (hand), which has opened the door for Schmitt.
--Connor ByrneSource: Shayna Rubin - San Francisco Chronicle
June 28, 2025
Colorado Rockies catcher/designated hitter
Hunter Goodman (hamstring) will miss his third straight game on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Goodman hasn't played since Wednesday because of hamstring tightness. The hope is that it won't require a stint on the injured list, as Goodman has emerged as a terrific option for both the Rockies and fantasy managers. The 25-year-old is slashing .287/.332/.512 with 14 home runs, 48 RBI, and 40 runs scored in 310 plate appearances.
Braxton Fulford will take his place and bat seventh Saturday against Brewers right-hander
Quinn Priester. Fulford has gone an impressive 8-for-24 with 10 RBI this month.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
June 28, 2025
Chicago White Sox outfielder
Luis Robert Jr. (hamstring) is not in Saturday's lineup against San Francisco Giants left-hander
Robbie Ray. Robert hasn't played since leaving early in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks with tightness in his hamstring. It's unknown whether he'll require a trip to the injured list. For now, the White Sox will go with
Michael A. Taylor in center. He's batting seventh against Ray, who has been one of the NL's top starters this year.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
June 28, 2025
Cleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez (forearm) is in Saturday's lineup and hitting third against St. Louis Cardinals starter
Miles Mikolas. Ramirez left the Guardians' 6-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays early on Thursday after taking a
Kevin Gausman fastball off the right forearm. After sitting out Friday's 5-0 loss to the Cardinals, he's ready to return to a slumping lineup. Ramirez is in the midst of another great year, having hit .317/.378/.514 with 13 homers, 38 RBI, 21 steals, and 43 runs scored over 325 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
June 28, 2025
Seattle Mariners second baseman
Jorge Polanco and third baseman
Ben Williamson are resting for Saturday's divisional tilt on the road against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
Cole Young will start at third base and hit ninth, while
Miles Mastrobuoni is at the keystone and batting eighth against Rangers right-hander
Kumar Rocker. Polanco has managed to stay healthy so far this year and is currently slashing a modest .248/.302/.434 with a .736 OPS, 11 home runs, 38 RBI, 26 runs scored and three stolen bases in 67 games played. The switch-hitting Dominican infielder has really struggled of late, though, going 5-for-35 (.143) with a double, three RBI, one steal, three runs and a 7:4 K:BB in 10 games since June 15. Those setting DFS lineups shouldn't be getting excited at all about using either Mastrobuoni or Young as deep sleepers near the bottom of Seattle's lineup.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 28, 2025
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that the team is talking about going the non-surgical route with outfielder
Jake Fraley's shoulder. Fraley was diagnosed with a partial tear in the labrum of his shoulder and was placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. It's good news for the 30-year-old veteran, but he's still likely going to miss significant time going into the second half of the season. Fantasy managers in deeper mixed leagues shouldn't be obligated to hold onto the left-handed-hitting outfielder who only plays against righty pitchers. It's not as if he was producing big numbers before his injury, hitting .224/.331/.376 with a .707 OPS, five home runs, 17 RBI, 24 runs and four steals in 125 at-bats.
Will Benson and
Rece Hinds will most likely form a platoon in right field for the Reds with Fraley sidelined indefinitely.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
June 28, 2025
Cincinnati Reds corner infielder
Christian Encarnacion-Strand is absent from the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the visiting San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park.
Santiago Espinal is starting at the hot corner and will bat ninth against Padres right-hander
Randy Vasquez. Since returning from the injured list on June 6 due to a back injury, Encarnacion-Strand has gone 13-for-54 (.241) with three home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI and six runs scored. The 25-year-old former fourth-rounder by the Minnesota Twins in 2021 out of Oklahoma State has plenty of power as a corner infielder in deep-mixed leagues, but he's hitting just .198 (22-for-111) with five home runs, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored in 2025. Espinal is still searching for his first long ball on the year and has never faced Vasquez in his career. DFS managers should avoid him in the nine-hole on Saturday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 28, 2025
Baltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg (finger) is not starting in Saturday's contest against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards.
Ramon Urias is at third base and will occupy the two-hole in the batting order versus Rays right-hander
Zack Littell. Westburg aggravated his left index finger injury during Friday's blowout victory over Tampa and will miss at least one more game. Depending on how the 26-year-old recovers, it's possible he'll be forced to head back to the injured list to close out the first half of the season. But for now, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. Westburg was a first-time All-Star in 2024 with 18 homers and 63 RBI for the O's, but it's been an injury-riddled 2025 so far, and he's hit just .228 (31-for-136) with seven homers and 14 RBI in 36 games. Urias has two hits in 10 career at-bats against Littell.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
June 28, 2025
Boston Red Sox third baseman
Alex Bregman (quadriceps) did some running at Fenway Park on Saturday before the game against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne. Bregman did some hitting on Friday and is also scheduled to take ground balls on Saturday as he begins baseball activities and nears a return from the 10-day injured list. While the 31-year-old veteran two-time All-Star is making good progress, the BoSox are expected to continue to play it cautious with Bregman, and he's not expected to return to the big leagues until after the mid-July All-Star break. Although rookie
Marcelo Mayer is on the bereavement list this weekend, he's expected to continue to be Boston's primary third baseman until Bregman returns. Bregman has leaned more into his power in 2025 and was one of the team's best hitters before his quad injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Ian Browne
June 28, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect
Kendry Rojas (abdomen) has been quite sharp in his rehab assignment with Low-A. The Blue Jays placed Rojas on the 7-day IL at High-A at the start of the regular season. He was sent on a rehab assignment to the Florida Complex League in May and made two starts before moving up to Low-A. Through four outings in Low-A (three starts), Rojas has been quite dominant, tossing 13 shutout innings with a 0.62 WHIP. During this stretch, he has struck out 18 batters and allowed only three walks. In his most recent outing on Thursday, Rojas struck out nine batters. Last summer, the No. 9-ranked prospect in the system spent most of his time with High-A and held a 2.43 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP. When he returns from the IL, fantasy managers should expect him to report to High-A Vancouver.
--Andy SmithSource: MiLB.com
June 28, 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays are promoting left-handed pitching prospect
Joe Rock to the major leagues. In a corresponding move, the Rays are designating right-handed pitcher
Forrest Whitley for assignment. Rock is considered the No. 21-ranked prospect in the system on MLB.com. The left-hander has yet to earn the call to the majors since being selected in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Ohio State. This season, Rock has appeared in 15 games for Triple-A Durham (14 starts) and posted a modest 4.81 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP. During this stretch, Rock has struck out 63 batters and allowed a high 30 walks. With the Tampa Bay rotation full, fantasy managers should expect Rock to be deployed out of the bullpen. Given that he will likely have a low-leverage role, he is best to leave on the waiver wire.
--Andy SmithSource: Tampa Bay Rays Communications
June 28, 2025
The Baltimore Orioles have recalled third baseman
Emmanuel Rivera from Triple-A Norfolk prior to Saturday's contest against the Tampa Bay Rays. In a corresponding move, the Orioles have optioned outfielder
Dylan Carlson to Triple-A. Rivera will provide some depth in the infield as third baseman
Jordan Westburg (hand) was lifted from Friday's contest with an injury. Through 26 games this season, Rivera has posted a modest .232/.303/.275 line with three doubles, three home runs, and a stolen base. Carlson was swinging a hot bat through the end of May, posting a .333/.370/.551 from May 20 through June 17, but has recently hit a skid at the plate. Over his last six games, he has gone 2-for-17. If Westburg were to miss time,
Ramon Urias or Rivera will likely see most of the opportunities at the hot corner.
--Andy SmithSource: Baltimore Orioles
June 28, 2025
The Detroit Tigers have optioned infielder
Trey Sweeney to Triple-A Toledo. In a corresponding move, the Tigers have activated
Matt Vierling (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list. Sweeney has seen close to an everyday role in the Detroit starting lineup through the first half of the season. Sweeney has appeared in 70 games and held a .221/.280/.314 line with five doubles, one triple, four home runs, and two stolen bases. Under the hood, he has generated a low .265 xwOBA, .213 xBA, and a .321 xSLG, all of which are well below the average marks of qualified hitters. Additionally, over the past two weeks, Sweeney has begun to spend most of his time on the bench. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his production at Toledo, as he should be in the mix to return to Detroit in the second half. He is not worth stashing in any fantasy formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Detroit Tigers
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