RADIO
Jacob Wilson Out in Series Finale With Shoulder Injury
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) is sitting out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale in San Francisco against the Giants after leaving Wednesday's game late due to a left-shoulder ailment, according to MLB.com. Alika Williams, who was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday with Zack Gelof (hand) going on the injured list, is starting at the 6 and will bat ninth against Giants right-hander Landen Roupp. Wilson's injury is to the same shoulder that he dislocated earlier this year, which caused him to miss a month, so keep that in mind. For now, we're considering him day-to-day, but if he's unable to return this weekend against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, an injured list stint could be on tap. Wilson has merely been a batting-average asset who offers little else on offense in his third year in the league. He's currently slashing .277/.310/.386 with a .696 OPS, four homers, 26 RBI, 23 runs, and two steals in 50 games played in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Zack Gelof Placed on Injured List With Hand Injury
The Athletics are placing infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof (hand) on the 10-day injured list with a laceration and contusion on his hand that he suffered on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Hopefully, Gelof will only need to spend the minimum 10 days on the IL with what seemed like a relatively minor injury. Until then, Max Muncy should see most of the playing time at the hot corner in Sacramento for the A's. Gelof's injury comes at a really bad time, as the 26-year-old former second-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Virginia had just started to find his stride offensively in 2026 in his fourth MLB season. Through 62 games and 228 plate appearances so far this year, Gelof has hit .282 (59-for-209) with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 40 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. In 19 games in June, he's gone 23-for-70 (.329) with five homers, six doubles, 10 RBI, 19 runs, and two steals in 78 plate appearances. Gelof's recent hot streak made him a priority waiver-wire target in fantasy leagues, and he's currently rostered in 66% of Yahoo leagues for his power/speed upside in a hitter-friendly home ballpark.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Luis Arraez Missing Second Straight Game With Foot Injury
San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez (foot) will miss a second straight game on Thursday against the visiting Athletics in the series finale at Oracle Park due to a foot injury, according to MLB.com. Casey Schmitt is making another start at second base and will bat third for the Gigantes against A's left-hander Jeffrey Springs. Arraez is considered day-to-day right now after he was pulled from Tuesday's contest against the A's after fouling a ball off his right foot in the first inning. X-rays came back negative. The three-time batting champion's next chance to return to the starting nine will be for Friday's series opener at home against the Atlanta Braves. Although the 29-year-old Venezuelan infielder has minimal power and speed, he is still a key asset in batting average (.321), on-base percentage (.358), and runs scored (40) in his first year in the Bay Area. Arraez has added three home runs, 30 RBI, and six runs scored in his first 75 games in 2026. He should be back in the lineup at some point this weekend against Atlanta, if not on Friday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Stephen Kolek Placed on Paternity List
The Kansas City Royals will place right-hander Stephen Kolek on the paternity list on Thursday as he heads home for the birth of his first child, according to Joel Goldbert of Bally Sports KC. The Royals will need to fill his spot in the starting rotation for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. Kolek will be away from the team for one to three days, so he could return before the weekend series is over to face the Pale Hose, but if not, his next start will come early next week at home against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 29-year-old former 11th-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 out of Texas A&M University has gone 4-2 on the year wiht a 4.15 ERA (4.54 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and 11 walks in 52 innings across nine starts in his first full year with the Royals, but he's coming off his worst start of the year, allowing nine earned runs on nine hits (three homers) while walking one and striking out none in just 1 1/3 frames on June 21 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Before that, though, Kolek allowed just three earned runs with four walks and 15 K's in his previous three starts.
Source: Bally Sports Kansas City - Joel Goldberg
Source: Bally Sports Kansas City - Joel Goldberg
Josh Bell a Priority Waiver Add for Power After Strong Month
Minnesota Twins veteran first baseman Josh Bell is hitting a mediocre .245/.304/.392 on the season with a .695 OPS, nine home runs, 49 RBI, 40 runs scored, and a stolen base across 79 games played and 313 plate appearances in 2026 in his first year with the club. His 22.7% strikeout rate is also his highest mark since the 2020 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, the 33-year-old switch-hitting slugger has become a waiver-wire target for his power stroke in deeper leagues during his strong month of May. In 22 games during the month, Bell has gone 24-for-77 (.312) with four home runs, five doubles, 17 RBI, and 13 runs scored across 84 plate appearances. He recently was on a seven-game hitting streak that saw him go 12-for-26 (.462) with two homers, two doubles, eight RBI, and eight runs scored. Bell can be streaky as a hitter and still has too much swing and miss in his game, but for the time being, he could help carry your squad in deeper fantasy leagues. He's currently rostered in only 17% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Kody Clemens Providing Sneaky Power in Deep Leagues
Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens has essentially been an everyday player for the Twins since late April, and although his overall numbers don't jump off the page, he has provided value for fantasy managers in deeper leagues for his power stroke from the left side of the plate. In 68 games and 266 plate appearances this year in his first full season with the Twins, Clemens is slashing .241/.307/.461 with a .767 OPS, 11 home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and a career-high six stolen bases. The 30-year-old former third-round pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2018 out of the University of Texas at Austin has cooled off a bit of late, going 6-for-34 (.176) with a homer, two doubles, five RBI, three runs, three walks, and eight strikeouts in his last eight games, but he's batting .256 (20-for-78) in 20 June ballgames with five homers, five doubles, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored, and a stolen base. As long as he continues to play regularly in Minnesota, Clemens will be on the deep-league radar for his power, and he also provides eligibility at first base, second base, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Noah Cameron Still Worth a Waiver-Wire Pickup After Rough Start?
Kansas City Royals left-hander Noah Cameron had a rough outing on Wednesday night against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out five in five innings to pick up his fifth loss of the 2026 season. Cameron has now allowed 13 runs (12 earned) on 23 hits (two homers) while walking five and striking out 12 in 14 1/3 innings over his last three starts against the Rays, Houston Astros, and St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old southpaw is 4-5 on the year with a 4.50 ERA (3.43 FIP) and 1.32 WHIP with 75 strikeouts and 22 walks in 80 innings across his 15 starts in 2026 in just his second year in the majors. Last year, Cameron had a 2.99 ERA (4.18 FIP), 1.09 WHIP, and 114:43 K:BB across his 24 starts (138 1/3 frames) in his MLB debut. Before his recent three-game stretch with less-than-stellar results, Cameron had a 1.13 ERA in 24 innings over four outings. He's hit a bit of a rough patch, and he'll get the tough Rays in a rematch the next time he toes the rubber.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Francisco Alvarez Back on the Fantasy Radar?
New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, who has developed a reputation for being injury-prone in his career, missed more time due to injury already in 2026, but he's back now and has been heating up at the plate for the last-place Mets. Alvarez went 3-for-7 at the plate with two solo home runs and a walk in the team's doubleheader on Wednesday against the visiting Chicago Cubs, and he's now gone 15-for-47 (.319) with four long balls, eight RBI, and five runs scored in 13 games during the month since returning from the injured list on June 9. Overall, the 24-year-old Venezuelan backstop is slashing .264/.330/.447 with a .776 OPS, eight home runs, 18 RBI, and 17 runs scored this year in his 159 at-bats. Alvarez has now homered in each of his last three games and looks to be heating up with the weather now that he's back to full health. He's only rostered in 19% of Yahoo leagues and can certainly provide fantasy managers with a power boost at the position. Remember, Alvarez did hit 25 home runs in 123 games played in 2023 in his first full season in the majors.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Walbert Urena a Must-Add Off the Waiver Wire in Midst of Breakout Season
Los Angeles Angels rookie right-hander Walbert Urena has come out of nowhere to become one of the Angels' most reliable starters in 2026 in his first year in the big leagues. Through his first 14 appearances (12 starts) this year, Urena has gone 5-5 with a 2.41 ERA (3.95 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 35 walks in 67 1/3 innings pitched. The 22-year-old Dominican hurler has been a bit fortunate given his 12% walk rate, but the good news is that he didn't allow a free pass for the first time all year in his last outing on June 20 against the division-rival Athletics, in which he tossed five shutout innings with six strikeouts for his fifth win of the year. Urena also induced 17 swings and misses while throwing 58 of his 90 pitches for strikes. At the very least, Urena has earned himself a longer leash in terms of sticking around in the Angels' starting rotation for the rest of the season. Command is a concern, but fantasy managers need to consider adding him off the waiver wire if you're desperate for pitching help. Urena is rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues. He'll face the A's again in his next outing, but at least it will be at Angel Stadium.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jack Brannigan to Make MLB Debut, a Top Add Head of Call-Up?
Pittsburgh Pirates infield prospect Jack Brannigan has a locker room in the team's major-league clubhouse and is expected to be recalled from Double-A Altoona on Thursday, according to Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Brannigan will get his first major-league call-up after hitting .231/.347/.517 with an .864 OPS, 11 home runs, 21 RBI, 25 runs scored, and two stolen bases in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and with Single-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, and Altoona. Per MLB Pipeline, the 25-year-old 6-foot, 201-pounder is the team's No. 22 prospect. Injuries have been an issue in Brannigan's minor-league career, but when he's healthy, he has an interesting mix of speed and raw power, and he's also athletic on the infield at third base and shortstop. Brannigan will need to cut down on his strikeouts at the big-league level if he wants to find an everyday role. For now, he's an intriguing prospect to watch in dynasty/keeper leagues, but he's expected to come off the bench for the Bucs.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Kevin Gorman
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Kevin Gorman
Spencer Horwitz Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Injury
The Pittsburgh Pirates will place first baseman Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a left-hamstring injury that he suffered in Wednesday's game against the Seattle Mariners, according to Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With time running out before the mid-July All-Star break, Horwitz might not be back in the team's starting lineup until the start of the second half. In his second year with the Bucs in 2026, the left-handed-hitting first baseman has hit .280/.386/.455 with an .842 OPS, 10 home runs, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, and a stolen base across 74 games and 295 plate appearances. He's only 13 home runs shy of setting a new career high in his fourth year in the big leagues. The 28-year-old former 24th-round selection by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 out of Radford University went 19-for-73 (.260) with three homers, three doubles, seven RBI, and 12 runs scored in 19 games in June before landing on the IL. In Horwitz's absence, Ryan O'Hearn will likely see most of the starts in the Steel City at first base.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Kevin Gorman
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Kevin Gorman
Jacob Wilson Dealing With Left-Shoulder Injury
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson's left shoulder was bothering him on Wednesday night after an awkward play in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants when he tried to avoid a tag at home plate, which led to him being lifted for a pinch-runner in the ninth inning, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. It's unclear how severe Wilson's injury is, so he'll be considered day-to-day going into Thursday's series finale in San Francisco. Fantasy managers should expect Wilson to be held out of Thursday's lineup. Before leaving the 2-1 loss at Oracle Park on Wednesday night, Wilson went 1-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout. Max Muncy shifted from third base to shortstop to close out the game. The 24-year-old former sixth overall pick out of Grand Canyon University in 2023 is a contact-oriented hitter who is tough to strike out, but he lacks high-end power and speed to make him all that attractive at the 6 in fantasy. Wilson is slashing .277/.310/.386 with a .696 OPS, four homers, 26 RBI, 23 runs, and only two steals in his 202 at-bats in 2026.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Bobby Witt Jr. Out Again on Thursday Against Rays
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (knee) will sit out of the series finale on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, according to MLB.com. Tyler Tolbert will make yet another start at shortstop for the Royals and will hit ninth against Rays right-hander Casey Legumina. Witt is dealing with a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee and will be missing his sixth straight start. The Royals have been optimistic that Witt doesn't need a stint on the injured list, but if he cannot play this weekend against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, their tune could change. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if Witt is active for the series opener on the South Side of Chicago. The 26-year-old former second overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft has been a must-start, five-category contributor for fantasy managers when healthy, slashing .294/.368/.465 with an .833 OPS, 10 homers, 32 RBI, 28 steals, and 40 runs scored in his 299 at-bats this year. UPDATE: Manager Matt Quatraro said that Witt is on track to return to the lineup for Friday's series opener against Chicago, per Bally Sports KC's Joel Goldberg.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lars Nootbaar Is a Top Pickup Following His Return
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar is still ramping up after his delayed start to the season, but he's shown enough signs to be a nice pickup if you need outfield depth. He seems fully recovered from the surgery he had on both his heels and has hit .341 over his last 12 games with three doubles, a triple, and a home run, boosting him to a .410 wOBA and a .953 OPS. Nootbaar hasn't stolen a base yet in his 17 games, but his power and run production are back. He has a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 13.3% barrel rate since returning and makes solid contact, especially against righties. The 28-year-old lefty won't be hitting leadoff after the emergence of JJ Wetherholt, but he still has enough thump in his bat to be a solid producer from the middle of the order for a surprisingly productive Cardinals' offense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Garrett Whitlock a Top Stash Target for Saves?
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock is definitely an important name to watch as we approach what should be a very active trade deadline for Boston. The 30-year-old has been extremely effective in a setup role in front of Aroldis Chapman this season for the struggling Red Sox, allowing just eight earned runs and racking up 29 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings in his 25 games. Chapman is clearly Boston's best closer, but he could be on the move at the deadline, opening a chance for Whitlock to be the team's closer down the stretch. Whitlock himself could also be traded, and if he lands in a different place as the closer, he could have elite closer value there as well. With so many unknown factors, stashing Whitlock in deep leagues makes sense based on his elite closer upside if he lands in a primary closer role with the Red Sox or a different team. If you're trying to get ahead of the roster shuffle and project potential saves at the end of the season, Whitlock is a great speculative pickup.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
