RADIO
Hector Rodriguez Developing into Power Source at Triple-A
Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez is coming off a four-hit performance at Triple-A Louisville, complete with a home run and three RBI. It was the latest power surge in a season-long display of power hitting for the outfielder. Rodriguez has turned in a season of 27 homers and 69 RBI with 72 runs scored in 405 at-bats with Louisville to go with a .274 batting average. At 22 years old, Rodriguez is the No. 3 prospect in the Reds' organization. Rodriguez has a 55-grade hit tool with a 55-grade run tool. He has become a consistent power source in Louisville, although he only has 45-grade power. The Reds could use a bat like his in the big league lineup, so it might be worth stashing Rodriguez and waiting for a call-up. If given an opportunity in Cincinnati, he could easily produce fantasy-relevant numbers.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Max Anderson A Steady Force At Triple-A
Detroit Tigers infield prospect Max Anderson started the month of August with two straight multi-hit efforts, bringing his batting average this season to .314. Anderson racked up five combined hits and raised his totals between Low-A Lakeland and Triple-A Toledo to .314 with 13 homers and 43 RBI to go with 50 runs scored over 283 at-bats as he missed some game time due to a left quad strain in April and May. Anderson, the No. 8 prospect in the Tigers' organization, has been back healthy for some time and thriving with the Toledo Mud Hens. Given a 50-grade hit tool with 50-grade power, Anderson is a former second-round pick out of Nebraska. The Tigers' direction as of now is up in the air, so it is hard to say how they will use Anderson to close out this season. However, with the ability to play second or third base, Anderson could give the Tigers a versatility boost as a utility infielder depending on how the trade deadline plays out. He's a name to monitor for a stash the rest of the way as the Tigers' direction becomes more apparent.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Angel Genao Demonstrating Consistency In Minors
Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Angel Genao started the month of August with two multi-hit games and added three combined RBI to his total. Genao put together a 2-for-4 effort followed up by a 3-for-4 effort, raising his batting average to .308 with Triple-A Columbus. Overall, the talented middle infielder is hitting .299 between Double-A Akron and Columbus on the season. The No. 2 overall prospect in the Guardians system, Genao has been consistent all season and is seeking a late-season look at MLB action. Genao has a 60-grade hit tool and a 55-grade run tool and could be a valuable piece for fantasy lineups should he get a shot in Cleveland. With the ability to play multiple infield spots, he has some versatility, but Cleveland is pretty set with Jose Ramirez at third, Brayan Rocchio at shortstop, and Travis Bazzana at second base. Nonetheless, Genao could be worth a late-season stash and could make an impact on fantasy rosters.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Mariners Land Taylor Ward in Trade With the Orioles
The Seattle Mariners are acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday in exchange for right-handers Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling, and Brock Moore, a source told Jake Rill of MLB.com. Ward will return to the American League West and give the Mariners some much-needed pop from the right side of the plate as they seek a return to the postseason in 2026. The 32-year-old veteran outfielder hit .246/.383/.346 with a .730 OPS, only seven home runs, 30 RBI, 64 runs scored, four stolen bases, and a league-high 87 walks in 111 games and a league-high 506 plate appearances in his lone season in Baltimore before being dealt. Ward is as patient as they come at the dish (perhaps too patient), and he's been a massive bust for fantasy managers this year after clubbing a career-high 36 home runs and driving in 103 runs in 157 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2025. The M's are banking on positive regression in the slugging department for Ward in his return to the AL West. Ward's fantasy baseball value shouldn't change all that much with the move to Seattle and pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park.
Source: MLB.com - Jake Rill
Source: MLB.com - Jake Rill
Red Sox Discussing Trade for Adley Rutschman
Even though catcher Adley Rutschman (wrist) is currently on the 10-day injured list with a wrist injury, the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are discussing him in a trade, sources tell Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Feinsand writes that "there is a feeling that a deal could be completed at some point" at the deadline on Monday, Aug. 3. With the Red Sox now in the thick of the playoff hunt in the American League, they have become buyers at the deadline and are looking to upgrade their catching situation from Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong. The 28-year-old switch-hitting Rutschman has had an injury-plagued and disappointing 2026 season, but the former first overall pick in 2019 from Oregon State University would still be an upgrade over both Narvaez and Wong. Rutschman is currently hitting .251/.331/.433 with a .764 OPS, eight home runs, 47 RBI, and 30 runs scored in his 247 at-bats. If Rutschman is traded, Samuel Basallo (shoulder), who is also on the IL, would become Baltimore's clear catcher of the future. UPDATE: ESPN's Buster Olney reports the Red Sox and O's "have a deal arranged" for Rutschman.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Guardians Acquiring Jo Adell From the Angels
The Cleveland Guardians are acquiring outfielder Jo Adell from the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports that the Angels will receive minor-league catcher Jacob Cozart in exchange. The rebuild continues for the struggling Angels, as they've also traded catcher Logan O'Hoppe and right-hander Jose Soriano. The 27-year-old Adell will give the Guardians some more thump in their lineup. In his seventh year in the majors with the Halos, the right-handed slugger has hit .239/.287/.395 with a .682 OPS, 16 home runs, 62 RBI, 46 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 111 games across 456 plate appearances. Adell has been somewhat of a disappointment for fantasy managers in 2026 after he hit a career-high 37 long balls and drove in 98 runs in 152 games for the Angels a season ago. The move to Cleveland won't really be all that much of a fantasy boost, as the Guards rank dead-last in baseball with a .680 OPS, and Adell's swing-and-miss ways won't suddenly be cured by the move.
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Rangers Have Spoken to Teams About Nathan Eovaldi
The Texas Rangers have spoken to teams about right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, according to the MLB Network's Jon Morosi. However, Eovaldi has a full no-trade clause, and he's under contract for $24 million next season, which could make any potential trade by Monday's Aug. 3 deadline hard to pull off. Eovaldi being moved on Monday doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the reasons listed above, and because the Rangers are still in the thick of the playoff hunt in the American League, just 2.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West and 1.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the AL. The Rangers are going to need the 36-year-old veteran starting pitcher if they are going to get into the postseason this year. In his 15th year in the big leagues, Eovaldi has gone 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA (4.30 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 135 strikeouts and 30 walks in 127 1/3 innings pitched across his 21 starts. The two-time All-Star has managed to stay healthy for the most part, and he still has a useful 25.3% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate to make him relevant in all fantasy baseball leagues. UPDATE: In addition to Eovaldi, the Rangers are discussing left-handers MacKenzie Gore and Jacob Latz with other teams at the deadline, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Alec Burleson a Trade Candidate at the Deadline?
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Alec Burleson is one of "the most popular controllable bats on the trade market," a source told Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. There is still time for Burleson to get traded before Monday's Aug. 3 deadline, but it remains to be seen if a contending team will offer the Cardinals enough to get something done. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger is under team control for two more years after 2026, which makes him pretty attractive, especially since he goes into Monday's action with a .284/.347/.458 slash line, .805 OPS, 15 home runs, 71 RBI, 57 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 111 games and 472 plate appearances in 2026 in his fifth year in the majors with the Cardinals. Burleson needs only seven more home runs to set a new career high in that department, and his .805 OPS is a career best. The former second-rounder from East Carolina University hit .293 (31-for-106) with a .751 OPS in 28 games in July, but he's batting just .194 (26-for-134) with two of his 15 homers on the year against left-handers, and his future is likely as a full-time DH.
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Ian Seymour an Intriguing Waiver Pickup for Monday's Matchup
It's unclear if Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Ian Seymour will make many more starts this year after the club acquired right-handed starter Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets on Sunday, but Seymour has been solid in more of a traditional starting role of late and will face the Colorado Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field on Monday. The 27-year-old southpaw has only appeared as a traditional starter in seven of his 36 outings for the Rays in 2026 in his second year in the league, but six of those starts have come since the beginning of June. In six outings (four starts) in July, Seymour allowed 15 runs (14 earned) with eight walks, 38 strikeouts, and three wins for the Rays. The former second-rounder in 2020 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is 7-3 in 2026 with a 4.37 ERA (4.02 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 90 strikeouts and 28 walks in 78 1/3 innings pitched. Seymour is attractive in deeper fantasy formats for his 27.9% strikeout rate. He'll be facing a Rockies team on Monday that ranks fifth in MLB in OPS, but also a team that is in the top 10 in strikeouts. Start Seymour at your own risk.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Caleb Durbin a Big Part of Boston's Turnaround
Boston Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin hit just .228 (65-for-285) with a .686 OPS, nine home runs, 39 RBI, 10 steals, and 38 runs scored in 87 games and 317 plate appearances during the first half of the season. He has only one home run in 17 games since the All-Star break in mid-July, but he's gone 19-for-60 (.317) at the plate with an .806 OPS as the Red Sox have gone on a run to put themselves firmly in the mix for a playoff spot during the stretch run. Overall, the 26-year-old is hitting .243/.313/.394 with a .708 OPS, 10 home runs, 45 RBI, 12 steals, and 50 runs scored in 104 games across 388 plate appearances this year in his first season in Boston and just his second year in the major leagues. Durbin has definitely hit the ball better so far in the second half, but beneath the hood, his quality of contact doesn't necessarily project an extended strong run to close out the season. Durbin has never profiled as a big power bat, and he has a .233 expected batting average and .284 xwOBA (current wOBA of .313). Speed is Durbin's most endearing quality, and he'll continue to be an everyday player for the BoSox. He's rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Kyle Karros Gaining Waiver-Wire Steam After Hot July
Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros recently missed some time due to a biceps injury, but he returned for the first two games of the series over the weekend against the Kansas City Royals. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter should be drawing more attention as a corner-infield option off the waiver wire in deeper fantasy baseball leagues after he hit .293 (22-for-75) with a .918 OPS, four home runs, three doubles, a triple, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a stolen base in 22 games and 88 plate appearances in July. The son of former big-leaguer Eric Karros is now batting .268/.365/.431 with a .797 OPS, nine home runs, 39 RBI, 54 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 313 at-bats in 2026 in his first full season in the major leagues. Although Karros has only one of his nine homers against lefties, he has hit .295 (33-for-112) against them this year. The former fifth-rounder in 2023 from UCLA is hitting just .256 (43-for-168) away from hitter-friendly Coors Field, but five of his nine long balls have come on the road. It has been very encouraging this year to see his strikeout rate drop from 26.3% as a rookie to 21.2% this year, and he's also walking at an increased rate of 12.4%.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Nick Gonzales Drawing Attention After Recent Lengthy Hitting Streak
Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales has been drawing more attention on the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues because of his recent hot streak at the plate. Gonzales has gone 0-for-8 so far in two games to begin the month of August, but he ended July on a 15-game hitting streak in which he went 25-for-66 (.379) with two home runs, five doubles, eight RBI, and 11 runs scored in 67 plate appearances. The 27-year-old's hot streak has boosted his overall line in 2026 to .312/.366/.405 with a .771 OPS, six home runs, 50 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five stolen bases across his 407 at-bats in his fourth year in the big leagues with the Bucs. With rookie infielder Konnor Griffin (finger) most likely sidelined until the final month of the regular season, Gonzales should remain locked in as Pittsburgh's primary third baseman, and if he stays hot at the plate, he will continue to be picked up in more leagues. The former first-rounder from New Mexico State University is currently rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues. He already has a career high in RBI and needs just two more home runs to set a new career high in that category as well.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Ryan Zeferjahn Continues to Emerge in Angels Bullpen
Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn continues to emerge at the back end of the team's bullpen in the second half of the season after picking up his fourth save of the year in the team's 3-0 win over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Zeferjahn allowed two hits, no walks, and struck out four in his 1 2/3 innings of work in the series finale at Angel Stadium. The 28-year-old former third-rounder by the Boston Red Sox in 2019 from the University of Kansas is 4-3 on the year with a 3.66 ERA (3.77 FIP) and 1.20 WHIP with 75 strikeouts and 32 walks in 51 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in his third year in the majors with the Halos. In 11 outings (12 1/3 innings pitched) since the beginning of July, Zeferjahn has allowed only three earned runs with two walks, 21 strikeouts, two saves, and three holds for the Angels. With Ben Joyce still on the injured list, Zeferjahn has become manager Kurt Suzuki's primary closer of late, giving him waiver-wire appeal in deeper fantasy leagues for managers who are desperate for saves. Zeferjahn is rostered in only 3% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Bryson Stott Moving to Third Base
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired All-Star infielder Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants on Monday, causing a shakeup on the Phillies' infield going forward, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Arraez will continue to play second base in Philly, and the team's first choice appears to be to move Bryson Stott to third base and Alec Bohm to first base. The domino effect means that first baseman Bryce Harper will be moving back to right field. The 28-year-old Stott already has eligibility in Yahoo leagues at second base and shortstop, so now he'll gain third-base eligibility to close out the 2026 season and for next year, which will definitely be a boost to his fantasy profile. The former first-rounder in 2019 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is currently hitting a modest .252/.317/.407 with a .723 OPS, eight home runs, 50 RBI, 46 runs scored, and 19 steals in 106 games and 409 plate appearances in 2026 in his fifth year in the big leagues with the Phillies. Stott has minimal power and on-base skills, but he's useful for infield depth in deeper fantasy leagues for his speed and positional versatility. He's rostered in exactly half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman
Bryce Harper Expected to Move to the Outfield
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is expected to move back to the outfield to make room for recently acquired infielder Luis Arraez, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Alec Bohm is set to move to first base, with Bryson Stott moving from second to third. Harper will move back to right field, a position he hasn't played since 2022. For fantasy purposes, it will definitely put more strain on the 33-year-old veteran physically, but he will also be gaining outfield eligibility to close out the 2026 season and for next year. The two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star heads into the new week slashing .255/.360/.497 on the year with an .858 OPS, 23 home runs, 66 RBI, 67 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 112 games across 472 plate appearances in his eighth year with the Phillies. Fantasy managers are hoping the move to the outfield will help Harper get back on track offensively, as he hit just .172 (15-for-87) with a .625 OPS, two homers, six doubles, a triple, 11 RBI, nine runs, 14 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 24 games in July, easily his worst month of the season so far.
Source: MLB.com - Todd Zolecki
Source: MLB.com - Todd Zolecki
