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Miguel Vargas Back in Lineup After Injury Scare
Chicago White Sox corner infielder Miguel Vargas (hand) was forced from the team's game on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays late after taking a pitch off his hand in the eighth inning, according to Zach Worden of MLB.com. Vargas' removal from the game appeared to be a precaution, and that has been confirmed now that he's officially starting at third base and batting third on Saturday against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Shane Bieber, per MLB.com. He homered in Tuesday's All-Star Game and has been a key piece of the White Sox's stunning revival in 2026. After Friday's game against Toronto, he's now hitting .245/.356/.490 with 21 home runs in 95 games played. Fantasy managers will want to get Vargas back in their starting lineups on Saturday, even though he's only hitting .227 (10-for-44) with two homers, five doubles, seven RBI, nine runs, six walks, and nine strikeouts in 12 games so far in July. Vargas has never faced Bieber in his big-league career.
Source: MLB.com - Zach Worden
Source: MLB.com - Zach Worden
Royce Lewis Out on Saturday With Sore Hamstring
Minnesota Twins corner infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) is out of Saturday's starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs with soreness in his left hamstring, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Manager Derek Shelton said Lewis reported to the field on Saturday feeling better, but the Twins will be cautious and hold the oft-injured slugger out. Josh Bell will start at first base and bat third, while catcher Ryan Jeffers will serve as the designated hitter and bat second against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd. We'll consider Lewis day-to-day for now, but given his lengthy injury history, this could easily turn into an injured-list situation before long. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 got off to a rough start to 2026 before being sent to the minors to work on his approach at the plate. Since returning on June 6, Lewis has been better, slashing .258/.319/.484 with an .804 OPS, seven home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, 19 runs, three steals, 12 walks, and 33 K's in 33 games played to raise his season line to .216/.292/.392 with a .685 OPS. Strikeouts and swing-and-miss are always going to be part of the package with Lewis, but the streaky hitter can definitely still be a power asset for fantasy managers lacking in the department. Check back on Sunday to see if Lewis is ready for the series finale.
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Pirates Call Up Pitching Prospect Khristian Curtis for Doubleheader
The Pittsburgh Pirates are selecting the contract of right-handed pitching prospect Khristian Curtis from Triple-A Indianapolis for Game 1 of their doubleheader on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians, according to MLB.com's Alex Stumpf. Curtis is the team's No. 21 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he might only be with the Bucs for one day as extra pitching depth for their two games versus Cleveland. The 24-year-old former 12th-rounder in 2023 out of Arizona State University will be making his MLB debut if he gets into a game on Saturday. He started the year at Double-A Altoona before being promoted to Indy despite going 0-7 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 67:25 K:BB in 53 1/3 innings over his 12 starts. In six appearances (four starts) at Triple-A, Curtis has gone 2-1 with a 5.57 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 30:15 K:BB in 21 frames. If Curtis debuts on Saturday, it will be in a relief role, and he could be sent back to Indy on Sunday, so fantasy managers in AL-only leagues can avoid him for now.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Oneil Cruz Moved to 60-Day Injured List
The Pittsburgh Pirates moved outfielder Oniel Cruz (hand) to the 60-day injured list on Saturday, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. There hasn't been a setback in Cruz's rehab from a fractured hand he suffered in June, and he will be eligible to return to the major-league roster on Aug. 8. As long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks with his hand as he begins to ramp up his baseball activities in the coming weeks, Cruz stands a good chance of returning right on Aug. 8. The 27-year-old Dominican must remain stashed in all fantasy formats as a five-category producer when healthy. Before getting hurt, Cruz was slashing .264/.350/.472 with an .822 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in his 250 at-bats. Cruz led the league in stolen bases with 38 in 2025, and he's had at least 21 steals in each of the last three seasons while also contributing at least 20 homers in the last two campaigns. When Cruz is activated from the 60-day IL in early April, he'll return to being Pittsburgh's everyday center fielder.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Andres Chaparro Heating Up in July, Homers Twice on Friday
Washington Nationals first baseman Andres Chaparro and the rest of the team were seeing the ball well on Friday night in their 23-4 trouncing of the Athletics at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Chaparro went 4-for-5 at the plate as the three-hole hitter with two home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored, and a walk. The 27-year-old Venezuelan first baseman has only played in 32 games (71 plate appearances) in his third year in the big leagues with the Nats, and he's now hitting .220/.352/.424 with a .776 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI, 13 runs scored, 11 walks, and 18 strikeouts. In an even smaller sample size since the start of July, Chaparro has gone 6-for-14 (.429) with all three of his home runs, 10 RBI, and five runs scored in seven games played. While Chaparro will likely continue to be a part-time player, it's hard to ignore his recent hot streak, potentially making him a short-term waiver-wire pickup in deeper fantasy leagues. Right now, he's not rostered in any Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Peter Lambert Gaining Waiver-Wire Steam After 10-Strikeout Outing
Houston Astros right-hander Peter Lambert continues to draw more eyeballs in fantasy baseball with another strong performance in his first outing following the All-Star break in Friday night's 3-2 loss to the visiting Baltimore Orioles at Daikin Park. Lambert gave up just one earned run on three hits while walking three and striking out a career-high 10 in six innings of work for a no-decision. The 29-year-old is now 8-5 on the season with a 3.03 ERA (4.08 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 36 walks in 92 innings over his 16 starts in his first year with the Astros. The former second-rounder by the Colorado Rockies in 2015 now has three quality starts in a row in July against the Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers, allowing just two earned runs over that span with five walks, 23 strikeouts, and two wins. Lambert has a career-high 24% strikeout rate in 2026 in his fifth year in the big leagues and is deserving of some attention as at least a spot starter in deeper mixed fantasy leagues. He's currently rostered in only 54% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Walker Jenkins Positioning Himself as High-End Stash Target
Minnesota Twins outfielder prospect Walker Jenkins extended his Triple-A surge Friday and has put himself in a great position to earn the call to Minnesota in the coming weeks. On Friday evening, the team's top-ranked prospect went 1-for-4 with a solo blast. Over his last 10 contests at Triple-A St. Paul, the outfielder has carried a sharp .325/.475/.600 line with three doubles, one triple, two home runs and two stolen bases. However, even though Jenkins has battled numerous injuries throughout his MiLB career (including the 2026 campaign), when on the field, he is among the top hitters across the minor leagues. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Twins, as an injury or opting to sell veteran pieces at the deadline could open a clear path for second-half at-bats for one of Triple-A's top hitters. He enters Week 17 as one of the top hitting prospects to stash.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Theo Gillen Launches First Double-A Long Ball After Two-Week Slump
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Theo Gillen snapped his lengthy power skid at Double-A. On Friday evening, the team's No. 1-ranked prospect (according to MLB.com) went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. This snapped a lengthy 14-game power drought for Gillen since moving up to the Double-A level. The outfielder spent the first half of the season at the High-A level, where he posted a .342/.449/.589 line with 23 doubles, 12 home runs and 28 sotlen baes. However, it took him some time to find his footing at Double-A, as he posted a low .190/.277/.241 line thorughh is first 14 games at the level. Dynasty managers should continue to keep a close eye on his progression at Montgomery as the No. 9-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline could put himself in a great position to begin the 2027 season at Triple-A Durham.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Edward Florentino Nearing Promotion Amid Torrid Stretch at High-A
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Edward Florentino has continued to swing a scorching hot bat at the High-A level and is making a strong case to receive a taste of Double-A late in the 2026 season. Over his last 14 contests at High-A Greensboro, the 19-year-old outfielder has posted a sharp .283/.338/.683 line with a 1.022 OPS. During this stretch, Florentino has launched six long balls and added four doubles with an 18:5 K:BB. His recent surge is worth noting, as Florentino carried a much lower .212/.366/.412 line with a modest .778 OPS over his first 48 games of the season (shared between both Low-A and High-A). While the No. 30-ranked prospect in the sport remains far from his MLB debut, he is continuing to rise up dynasty rankings and is establishing himself as one of the sport's top outfield prospects.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Joshua Baez's MLB Debut Remains Within Reach After 473-Foot Grand Slam
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez turned in another show-stopping performance at Triple-A Memphis as his MLB debut approaches. On Friday evening, the young outfielder went 1-for-4 with a 473-foot grand slam against Iowa. While Baez has been very impressive at Triple-A this season, he has hit a somewhat cold slump at the plate. Over his last 15 contests (including Friday's game), Baez has posted a low .121/.200/.310 line with just three long balls and a stolen base. However, prior to this skid, the 23-year-old held a much-higher .275/.345/.634 line with 14 doubles, 26 home runs and 13 stolen bases. Even though there is not a clear spot for him in the St. Louis outfield, his high-end five-category potential makes him a priority stash across all formats ahead of Week 17.
Source: MLB Pipeline
Source: MLB Pipeline
Josue De Paula Continues to Surge Up Dynasty Boards Amid 10-Game Hitting Streak
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Josue De Paula extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Friday evening. Facing Double-A Frisco, the team's top-ranked outfield prospect (per MLB.com) went 2-for-5 with a home run. During this impressive 10-game hitting streak, the 21-year-old has held a .388/.444/.673 slash line with two doubles, three home runs, and five stolen bases. On the season, MLB.com's No. 4 overall prospect has been nothing short of dominant, carrying an elite .323/.416/.554 line with a .970 OPS, 27 doubles, 16 home runs, and 25 stolen bases. While his MLB debut is still tentatively lined up for 2027, those in dynasty leagues should feel quite comfortable rostering him as he appears to be the next budding outfield prospect in the game.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Tre' Morgan Blasts Two Home Runs in Return From Triple-A Injured List
Tampa Bay Rays first base prospect Tre' Morgan went 2-for-4 with two home runs in his return to Triple-A Durham on Friday evening. Morgan was sidelined with an injury for nearly a month but returned in impressive fashion. On the season, Morgan has spent only 15 games with the Durham Bulls and posted a low .182/.250/.436 line with a .686 OPS. Fantasy managers should continue to keep an eye on his production as Morgan could compete for a late-season promotion to the majors if he were to find his footing. During the 2025 campaign, the former third-round pick out of LSU posted a .274/.398/.412 line with eight home runs and eight doubles over 92 games at Triple-A. For now, Morgan should not be viewed as a viable stash option as he remains at least a month away from a potential debut.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jake Bennett Emerging as a Priority Arm on the Waiver Wire
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jake Bennett picked up his fifth win of the season in his first start after the All-Star break on Friday, allowing just one hit across six scoreless innings in his team's 10-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Since making his MLB debut on May 1, Bennett has recorded a 5-3 record with a 2.35 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts across 53 2/3 innings (nine starts). The 25-year-old left-hander does not have overwhelming strikeout stuff, as he's averaging 93.0 miles per hour on his fastball and has logged just an 18.7% strikeout rate. However, his command has been elite. Bennett posted a 5.7% walk rate across 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A before his promotion, and he's allowed a 4.4% walk rate in the big leagues so far. Bennett has also been hard to square up, surrendering a 5.8% barrel rate and just three total home runs. Fantasy managers should not expect a ton of strikeout upside, but Bennett remains an emerging young pitcher to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Reid Detmers is Poised for a Second-Half Breakout
Across 114 2/3 innings (20 starts) so far this season, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers has recorded a 3-6 record with a 4.16 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 130 strikeouts. The 27-year-old owns excellent underlying metrics, as he's logged a 27.4% strikeout rate with just a 7.4% walk rate. Detmers' xERA (3.38) and FIP (3.21) both suggest that he's been a bit unlucky in his results in 2026. The main issue for the left-hander has been his 66% strand rate, which is below the MLB average of 72%. If Detmers can do a little better job of navigating traffic on the bases in the second half of the season, his ERA may match up with his already stellar WHIP and strikeout rates. With just a few minor tweaks to his profile, Detmers could be in line for a second-half breakout.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hunter Brown a Prime Buy-Low Candidate Coming Out of the All-Star Break
Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown had the first half of his 2026 season disrupted by a shoulder injury, which landed him on the injured list in early April and held him out until mid-June. Across 35 1/3 innings (seven starts) for the year, Brown has recorded a 1-0 record with a 3.57 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts. The 27-year-old is still averaging 96.0 miles per hour on his fastball and owns a solid 25.5% strikeout rate. However, his walk rate has spiked from 7.8% in 2025 to 14.4% in 2026. Still, Brown was one of the best pitchers in baseball a season ago, recording a 2.43 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 206 strikeouts and 12 wins across 185 1/3 innings. As he gets further removed from the shoulder injury, Brown's command could begin to return. Fantasy managers in need of starting pitching upside should target Brown as a buy-low candidate.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
