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Aaron Judge "Cleared" to Start "Light" Activities
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that outfielder Aaron Judge (rib) has been "cleared" to start "light" activities, including running and upper-body "resistance" work in the weight room, according to Erik Boland of Newsday. It represents significant progress from where Judge had been while rehabbing a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side since June 5. Judge is currently on the 60-day injured list without a timetable for a return, but fantasy managers have to be a little excited with this update on his progress, even though he still has plenty of boxes to check before returning to the big-league lineup. The Yankees are optimistic that the three-time MVP will return before the season is over, but fantasy managers probably won't be getting him back until the final month of the regular season in September in a best-case scenario. In an attempt to bolster the Yankees' offense with Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton on the IL, the team traded for infielder Luis Garcia Jr. and outfielder Heliot Ramos at the deadline this summer.
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Source: Newsday - Erik Boland
Freddie Freeman Leaves With Apparent Wrist Injury on Wednesday
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (wrist) left Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field early due to an apparent wrist injury after a check swing in the top of the fifth inning, according to Dodgers writer Adrian Medina. Freeman went 1-for-3 at the plate before being replaced at first base by Enrique Hernandez. It's unclear how serious Freeman's injury is, but the Dodgers will not take any chances with their star players with a huge cushion in the National League West right now. The 36-year-old former MVP, 10-time All-Star, and World Series MVP is the heartbeat of the Dodgers, other than two-way Superstar Shohei Ohtani, so losing him for an extended period of time would be a major blow to L.A.'s core. Freeman came into Wednesday's contest with a strong .310/.385/.486 slash line, .871 OPS, 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 57 runs scored, and five steals in his 420 at-bats. If Freeman were to miss additional time, both Hernandez and Max Muncy would be options to take over at first base for the Blue. Hopefully, Freeman will be ready to return for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks after a scheduled off day on Thursday.
Source: Adrian Medina
Source: Adrian Medina
Jose Ramirez Not Ready to Return on Wednesday
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) will miss a second straight game due to a sore hand on Wednesday in the team's matchup against the visiting New York Mets, according to MLB.com. Rookie infielder Angel Genao will make the start at the hot corner for Cleveland and will hit in the nine-hole against Mets right-hander Christian Scott. Ramirez was out of action on Tuesday due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left hand. The 33-year-old Dominican veteran and seven-time All-Star missed extended time already this year following surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, so it's bad news that he's still dealing with discomfort. J-Ram hasn't looked comfortable at the plate since his return on July 22, going 8-for-41 (.195) with a .478 OPS, zero homers, two RBI, three steals, six runs scored, five walks, and two strikeouts in just 10 games played. Don't be surprised if Ramirez lands back on the IL, which would be another tough break in what has been a bust of a season for the perennial MVP candidate. He's hitting just .233/.331/.388 with a .720 OPS, 10 homers, 35 RBI, 27 steals, and 48 runs scored in his 82 games played in his 14th year in the majors.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
George Lombard Jr. Hits First MLB Home Run
In his major-league debut on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. went 1-for-2 at the plate with a solo home run and a walk in the 2-0 victory. The 21-year-old hit eighth in his first MLB game as he takes over at the 6 in the Bronx for Anthony Volpe, who was demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yankees' top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, also made a difference with his glove in his MLB debut, and he is expected to help give the team a boost down the stretch. Lombard's power/speed upside makes him immediately attractive in most fantasy baseball leagues, and he's already rostered in 38% of Yahoo setups. The former 26th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft hit .284/.411/.498 with a .909 OPS, 12 home runs, 33 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 65 runs scored in 78 games (358 plate appearances) in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and at Double-A Somerset and Triple-A. Don't expect a ton of power from Lombard, with his above-average speed and on-base skills likely to benefit fantasy managers first.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Altercation With Teammate Allegedly Led to Marcelo Mayer Trade?
A viral Reddit post claims to reveal the alleged story behind the fallout between Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer that ultimately led to Mayer being traded to the San Francisco Giants at the deadline on Monday, according to What's the Word? Anthony reportedly suffered the finger/wrist injury that has kept him out for most of the season during an altercation with Mayer over a conflict of interest with a woman. Both Anthony and Mayer, who came up through the farm system as two of Boston's top prospects, have failed to deliver early in their big-league careers, but injuries certainly haven't helped their cause. Anthony is the much better upside stash in fantasy baseball leagues for his power/speed upside, while the 23-year-old Mayer could find himself in a platoon role in his new home in San Fran whenever he gets healthy. Mayer has been out since June 26 with a stress reaction in his left forearm, and he remains without a timetable for a return. Anthony, 22, has been out since early May, and although he has begun to take batting practice, there's still no clear timetable for his return to Boston.
Source: What's the Word?
Source: What's the Word?
Yennier Cano Emerging as Deep-League Play for Saves
Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Yennier Cano is emerging as a potential option for saves in deeper leagues after picking up his second save of the season in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels at Camden Yards. Both relievers Rico Garcia and Andrew Kittredge worked before Cano in this one, with the 32-year-old veteran closing things out with a hit allowed, no walks, and two strikeouts in his inning of work. Right-hander Ryan Helsley (elbow) remains on the injured list, and the O's traded away right-hander Tyler Wells, who was the only Baltimore pitcher to have more than one save chance since the All-Star break in mid-July. Cano has been sharp this year, going 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA (2.37 FIP), 0.93 WHIP, two saves, 34 strikeouts, and only eight walks in 38 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in his fifth big-league season. He's been even better since the start of July, allowing just one earned run with one walk, seven strikeouts, a win, one save, one blown save, and two holds. Fantasy managers speculating on saves in deep leagues should look Cano's way. He's rostered in just 5% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jordan Walker Remains Out With Knee Injury
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (knee) will remain sidelined for Wednesday's tilt in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, per MLB.com. Jose Fermin will man right field and bat cleanup for the Cards against Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Walker will sit out a second straight game after he was scratched from the starting nine on Tuesday with inflammation in his right knee. Hopefully, it's nothing that keeps the right-handed slugging All-Star out for too much longer. The 24-year-old former top outfield prospect took a while to deliver on his power/speed potential, but he has finally come through in 2026, slashing .285/.343/.491 with an .834 OPS, 22 home runs, 81 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 68 runs scored in 111 games and 432 plate appearances in a career year. Walker even won the Home Run Derby over Kyle Schwarber in his first All-Star experience. His underlying metrics support Walker's 2026 breakout as well, so if healthy, fantasy managers should expect more of the same the rest of the way.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Michael Soroka Goes Four Innings in Rehab Start on Tuesday
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (lower body) made his first minor-league rehab start on Tuesday with Triple-A Reno and allowed an earned run on three hits while walking two and striking out one in four innings against Triple-A El Paso. The 29-year-old Canadian hurler will need one more rehab assignment, at the most, before the D-backs return him to their starting rotation for the stretch run. Fantasy managers who have been stashing Soroka (he's rostered in 66% of Yahoo leagues) are hoping that he can return to his pre-injury form from earlier this year. The former first-rounder by the Atlanta Braves in 2015 has had one of his best seasons in the big leagues in 2026 in his first year in the desert, going 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA (2.93 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 79 strikeouts and 17 walks in 82 frames across his 15 starts with the Snakes. Fantasy managers in deeper mixed leagues should consider stashing Soroka now.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Tyler Glasnow to Make at Least Two More Rehab Starts
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that the team will have conversations about activating right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) from the 60-day injured list once he makes two more minor-league rehab starts and builds up to four innings, per MLB.com's Sonja Chen. Glasnow kicked off his rehab assignment on Tuesday with Low-A Ontario and threw two shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks, and one strikeout against Low-A Lake Elsinore. The 32-year-old hard-throwing right-hander looked just fine in the outing, but the Dodgers are slow-playing the former All-Star since he hasn't pitched in the majors since May 6 due to a lower-back injury. Even though Glasnow might only have around a month's worth of starts left in him in 2026 once he returns, he's rostered in nearly 90% of Yahoo leagues for his high-end strikeout upside on the best team in baseball. Before his back injury earlier this year, Glasnow was cruising along with a 3-0 record, 2.72 ERA (3.25 FIP) and 0.83 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 13 walks in 39 2/3 innings across seven starts. UPDATE: The Athletic's Katie Woo reports that Glasnow is expected to go around three innings and 45 pitches in his next rehab start on Sunday.
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen
Blake Snell's Next Start Should be With Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that while left-hander Blake Snell (elbow) didn't get into the fifth inning on Tuesday night in his fourth minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City, he did enough that his next start should be at the major-league level, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Snell allowed three earned runs on five hits (two homers) while walking four and striking out three in 3 2/3 innings at OKC on Wednesday in what is believed to be his final rehab start before L.A. reinstates him from the 60-day injured list. The 33-year-old veteran and two-time Cy Young winner has made just one major-league start for the Blue in 2026 and has been sidelined since May 15 after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, but his high-strikeout upside has made him stash-worthy in fantasy all year. Now that he's on the verge of returning to the majors, he should be scooped up in the rest of the leagues where he's available. Although Snell threw 73 pitches on Tuesday, he'll be riskier as a fantasy starter initially, with the Dodgers likely easing him back into the rotation after his long layoff. His next start figures to come early next week against the Kansas City Royals.
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen
Daniel Palencia Starting a Rehab Assignment on Wednesday
Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia (elbow) will start a minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Palencia has been sidelined since June 16 with a mild right flexor strain, but the 26-year-old is nearing a return to the major-league bullpen for the stretch run. Because of injuries in 2026, Palencia has only thrown 16 2/3 innings and recorded all three of his saves after picking up a career-high 22 saves in 54 regular-season appearances in 2025. The Cubs picked up right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels at Monday's trade deadline, but when back and fully healthy, Palencia is expected to take over as the team's primary closer in the ninth inning. Fantasy managers searching for saves should look to stash Palencia now. He's rostered in 59% of Yahoo leagues. Along with his three saves in 16 2/3 frames this year, Palencia has a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, and 19:6 K:BB.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
Kevin Gausman's Cubs Debut Likely to Come Friday Against KC
Right-hander Kevin Gausman's debut with the Chicago Cubs is expected to come in Friday's series opener in Kansas City against the Royals, according to The Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro. Both Gausman and right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) will make their debuts with the team this weekend after both were acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline. The 35-year-old Gausman comes to the National League Central with a 5-10 record, 4.38 ERA (3.50 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 127 strikeouts and 36 walks in 127 1/3 innings pitched across 23 starts with the Toronto Blue Jays in his 14th season in the majors. He hasn't been as sharp since the beginning of July, going 1-3 with a 5.13 ERA (2.41 FIP), 12 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings pitched over five starts, but Chicago is hoping Gausman's solid underlying metrics will help him finish strong down the stretch. The two-time All-Star doesn't have a ton of strikeout upside (23.5% K rate), but he has strong command still and has a hard-hit rate below 40%. Fantasy managers should keep Gausman in their starting lineups this weekend against the Royals.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
Clay Holmes' Next Start Likely to be his Debut With Cubs
The Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro expects newly acquired right-hander Clay Holmes' (leg) next start to be his debut with the Chicago Cubs, not another minor-league rehab outing. Based on the current alignment of Chicago's starting rotation, Holmes will most likely start on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals on the road. The Cubs will be activating the 33-year-old veteran from the 60-day injured list, and Saturday will be his first start since fracturing his fibula against the New York Yankees on May 15. He made three rehab starts in the minors with the New York Mets before they traded him to the Cubs on Monday, so Holmes should be efficiently stretched out. The Cubs are hoping Holmes is a key part of their rotation the rest of the way as they look to get into the postseason, and fantasy managers looking for rotation depth should look his way, as he's only rostered in 37% of Yahoo leagues. The former ninth-rounder in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Pirates went 4-4 in New York earlier this year with a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 52 2/3 frames over his nine starts.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
Maikel Garcia Shut Down for Five Days After Receiving Injection
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) felt more discomfort in his left hand during his first minor-league rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on July 28. He visited with a hand specialist on Tuesday and received a cortisone injection. The Royals will shut Garcia down for around five days and then will ramp up his baseball activities again, according to MLB.com. He's been on the 10-day injured list since June 23 with a muscle strain in his left hand. The 26-year-old should be able to return to the Royals before the end of the season, but he might not be reinstated from the IL until later this month. The Venezuelan right-handed hitter has not lived up to expectations in his fifth MLB season due to injuries, and he's currently hitting .261/.320/.373 with a .693 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs, and five stolen bases in 69 games and 294 plate appearances after being named a first-time All-Star in 2025. Garcia will return to regular duties at third base when he's cleared, and he remains rostered in 78% of Yahoo leagues despite his lengthy absence.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Rangers Put MacKenzie Gore on the Paternity List
The Texas Rangers announced on Wednesday that they placed left-hander MacKenzie Gore on the paternity list and activated left-hander Cody Bradford (elbow) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Bradford will make the start on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants at Globe Life Field. The 27-year-old Gore had an excellent outing on Tuesday in the 5-4 win over the Giants, throwing six scoreless innings. He's not scheduled to throw again until Sunday, so Gore shouldn't have to miss a start while on the paternity list for the next one to three days. The former first-rounder by the San Diego Padres in 2017 has been up and down in 2026 in his first year with the Rangers, going 6-9 with a 4.55 ERA (3.77 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with 140 strikeouts and 47 walks in 128 2/3 innings across his 24 starts. Gore was a first-time All-Star last year with the Washington Nationals, and his 3.83 expected ERA points to some positive regression late in the season. He has a nice upcoming matchup this Sunday in the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.
Source: Texas Rangers PR
Source: Texas Rangers PR
