Jul 3, 2026, 10:26 AM ET

San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen said that right-hander Randy Vasquez (ankle) was on his way to get an X-ray for his injured ankle after his outing in Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers when he fainted, according to AJ Cassavell. Vasquez was stable and conscious but was taken to the emergency room as a precaution and is having tests done. The 27-year-old made it through just three innings at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night and allowed four earned runs on seven hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out none in a no-decision. A line drive off the bat of shortstop Mookie Betts did the damage to his ankle in the first inning, and he lasted just two more frames before being pulled. It's unclear what Vasquez's X-ray results showed, but at the very least, he seems likely to miss his final appearance before the All-Star break, and he could very well land on the injured list. After his abbreviated outing on Thursday, Vasquez is now 6-6 on the year with a 4.71 ERA (4.92 FIP) and 1.50 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 27 walks in 84 innings across his 17 appearances (16 starts) in his third year with the Friars.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell

Jul 3, 2026, 10:10 AM ET

New York Mets former 2024 first-round pick Carson Benge is putting together an excellent rookie campaign for the Mets, slashing .259/.318/.402 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases through 343 plate appearances. On Wednesday against the Blue Jays, he launched his 10th home run of the season and is showcasing excellent power after hitting 15 home runs in the Minors in 2025 (519 plate appearances). His underlying data support his surface-level breakouts and suggest a potential positive regression, as evidenced by his .286 xBA, .346 xwOBA, and .451 xSLG. All of his surface stats are showing worse than that, which should only bode well for Benge in the second half. Fantasy managers should view Benge as a must-start player in five outfielder leagues, as he has been a solid contributor to stolen bases, power, run production, and batting average.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

Jul 3, 2026, 10:01 AM ET

Kansas City Royals left-handed hitting catcher Carter Jensen has been excellent at the plate of late for the Royals, hitting .310 with two home runs, five RBI, and two runs scored over the past seven days. On the season, he has improved his slash line up to .251/.314/.452 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, 41 runs scored, 17 doubles, and one stolen base. Carter struggled out of the gates to start the season, but is now nearing 15 home runs leading up to the All-Star break, and has the chance at a 30-home-run pace and 100 RBI if he continues to swing well. The Royals lineup continues to struggle with injuries, but Jensen has been seeing consistent playing time and has become a must-roster and must-start player in two-catcher formats. In one-catcher formats, he is still struggling in some key areas, such as his strikeout rate being way up this year compared to 2025 (26.9 percent compared to 17.4 percent) and his walk rate being down (13 percent to 8.7 percent). All that said, he is still impacting the ball fairly well and has the upside to get hot, as we saw in June, when he hit .290 with five home runs, 20 RBI, and 18 runs scored. If available, fantasy managers should roster him.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

Jul 3, 2026, 9:53 AM ET

Chicago White Sox right-hander Grant Taylor took the loss on Thursday and blew the save against the Cleveland Guardians after he allowed one hit, two earned runs, two walks, and two strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Taylor isn't making his case for earning the ninth-inning work for the White Sox, even after Seranthony Domínguez has been struggling himself, blowing back-to-back saves and has a 4.30 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. The White Sox are clearly trying to give Taylor the job, but he continues to stumble in his opportunities, as he now has two saves in five opportunities. On the surface, Taylor has been much more efficient than Dominguez, evidenced by his 3.02 ERA and 1.12 WHIP and 34.8 percent strikeout rate, but the White Sox did sign Dominguez to a two-year, $20 million contract to be their closer, but at the end of the day, the White Sox are leading the AL Central (45-41) as of Friday, and don't have time to prioritize who they paid, rather who is performing. For the time being, this situation will likely remain a committee approach, but if Taylor can capitalize on a handful of his upcoming opportunities, he could easily run away with the job. Taylor is the one to roster out of these two closer options, so fantasy managers struggling to find a second or third closer may want to hold on for a little longer.--Nicho Roessler
Source: MLB.com

Jul 3, 2026, 9:44 AM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki stumbled for the second straight start on Thursday and the third of his last four starts. Against the Padres on Thursday, he went three innings, allowed seven hits, six earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts in a no-decision. He allowed three home runs and multiple extra-base hits. He was pulled after throwing 88 pitches and only generated 7 whiffs and a 17 percent called strikes and whiffs (CSW). Over his past three starts, he has allowed 19 earned runs, and he has seen his season ERA bloom to 5.40 with a 1.40 WHIP and a 22.8 percent strikeout rate. While his fastball velocity remains elite (97.5 mph), his control and command continue to weigh him down, and every time he takes his turn in the rotation, it's a high-risk, high-reward option. In most formats, Sasaki can be dropped. The only leagues that fantasy managers should hold on to are deep 15-league formats or points leagues.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

Jul 3, 2026, 9:36 AM ET

The Texas Rangers have promoted 25-year-old pitching prospect Ben Peoples to the big-league club after dominating in Triple-A with a 2.39 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 10.75 K/9 in 29 appearances (37 2/3 innings pitched). In a corresponding move, the Rangers have sent down Winston Santos to Triple-A, and left-handed pitcher Jorgan Montgomery was transferred from Frisco Double-A to Round Rock Triple-A. Peoples is a former 22nd-round pick in 2019 and was acquired by the Rangers via trade with the White Sox. Peoples figures to take on a relief role for the Rangers, which doesn't necessarily mean he will be a strong, valuable fantasy asset out of the gate, but he does have four saves this season and could be someone to keep an eye on in deeper formats or leagues that prioritize saves and holds. The Rangers currently have Jacob Latz closing out games, and he has been highly effective with a 1.71 ERA and 18 saves.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Texas Rangers

Jul 3, 2026, 12:07 AM ET

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe has held off Jose Caballero at the 6 in the Bronx, but it's primarily due to injuries to New York's outfield and third baseman Ryan McMahon (illness). Volpe didn't make his 2026 season debut with the Yanks until May 13 while rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. The 25-year-old former 30th overall pick in 2019 has hit a middling .246/.343/.336 with a .679 OPS, just one home run, 13 RBI, 18 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 38 games across 140 plate appearances. Volpe wasn't a whole lot better in 24 games (84 plate appearances) in June, going 18-for-75 (.240) with zero home runs, three doubles, a triple, five RBI, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases. If anything, Volpe carries some weight for fantasy managers in deeper leagues for his speed while he's playing regularly for the Yankees. However, when the team gets healthier in the outfield, Volpe could lose out on playing time at the 6 to Jose Caballero. Volpe was a 20-20 man in his rookie season in 2023, but he has a career .224 average and appears to have lost his power stroke as he works his way back from shoulder surgery.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Jul 2, 2026, 11:58 PM ET

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel has limited power at the first base position, but he has become attractive off the waiver wire in deeper fantasy leagues with improved production at the plate since he returned from the injured list in early June. In 20 games since rejoining the Halos on June 6, Schanuel has gone 17-for-65 (.262) with two home runs, two doubles, seven RBI, and 11 runs scored across 78 plate appearances. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger came into Thursday's game against the division-rival Seattle Mariners with 14 hits in his last 47 at-bats (.298) with two homers in his last 12 games since June 16. Overall, the former 11th overall pick in 2023 out of Florida Atlantic University has a pretty uninspiring .262/.332/.387 slash line, .719 OPS, six home runs, 31 RBI, and 29 runs scored across his 256 at-bats. Schanuel makes decent contact at the plate, but a .373 xSLG just doesn't really move the needle in terms of power. Fantasy managers can ride his recent hot streak, but if you're looking for game-changing power off the waiver wire, you've come to the wrong place.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Jul 2, 2026, 11:48 PM ET

New York Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr. (fingers) is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he could push for a big-league promotion in 2026. The 21-year-old landed on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with two sprained fingers on his left hand in the middle of June, but even though he's currently injured, fantasy managers in deeper leagues may want to consider stashing him now. In 20 games with Double-A Somerset before his promotion, Lombard hit .312 (24-for-77) with four home runs, 10 RBI, 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases. In 42 games with the RailRiders after his promotion, he's slashed .231/.381/.385 with a .765 OPS, four home runs, 15 RBI, 30 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across 197 plate appearances. It's unclear exactly how much longer he'll be out at Triple-A, but Lombard's above-average raw power and speed from the right side make him a very intriguing prospect to stash. He's the clear shortstop of the future in the Bronx and has 25-25 potential. Lombard is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Jul 2, 2026, 11:39 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt was touted as one of the best up-and-coming position players to stash in fantasy baseball in the first half of the 2026 season. The team's top overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, eventually got the call from the Snakes in early May, but his first taste of major-league pitching didn't go as planned. The 23-year-old former first-rounder in 2024 out of the University of Kentucky went 29-for-112 (.259) with zero home runs, eight RBI, 11 runs scored, five stolen bases, eight walks, and 40 strikeouts for an elevated 32.8% strikeout rate. The D-backs sent Waldschmidt down to work on his plate discipline and his approach against offspeed pitches. Since going back down to Triple-A Reno, Waldschmidt has gone 14-for-44 (.318) with three home runs, four doubles, five RBI, 10 runs scored, and zero stolen bases in 11 games played. It's unclear exactly when Arizona might consider recalling Waldschmidt to the majors, but it probably won't come until sometime after the All-Star break. For his power/speed upside alone, the 6-foot, 205-pounder should definitely already be stashed in dynasty/keeper and NL-only leagues. He's currently rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Jul 2, 2026, 10:47 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski took his fourth loss of the season in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field, but he also reached double-digit strikeouts for the seventh time in 2026. Misiorowski allowed five runs (just one earned) on five hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out 10 in five innings pitched. The hard-throwing 24-year-old fantasy ace allowed a solo home run to Sal Frelick in the first inning and a three-run shot by Jose Trevino in the fourth frame. Despite the uneven start, the Miz leads baseball with a 1.47 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 156 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched over his 17 starts in 2026 in his first full year in the big leagues with the Brewers. He's an absolute must-start every time he toes the rubber for the Brew Crew as the most dominant starting pitcher in the game. Misiorowski has a rematch coming against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals next week. In his first meeting against the Red Birds, he was electric, allowing only one earned run with a walk and 12 strikeouts in seven innings pitched.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Jul 2, 2026, 10:41 PM ET

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez (head) was removed from Thursday's game early against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels to begin the top of the third inning, shortly after taking a throw off the back of his helmet, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Victor Robles took over for him in center field. Before leaving, J-Rod walked in his only plate appearance. The Mariners will most likely put him through the concussion protocol, so fantasy managers will want to check back later on or early Friday morning for an update. For now, we'll consider the 25-year-old three-time All-Star as day-to-day. Rodriguez came into Thursday's contest with a .259/.321/.424 slash line, .745 OPS, 14 home runs, 40 RBI, 46 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in his 344 at-bats for Seattle. The five-category fantasy contributor is rostered in 99% of Yahoo leagues for a reason, and he's a must-start in all formats when he's active. Rodriguez is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak in which he's gone 12-for-29 (.414) with three RBI, two stolen bases, and four runs scored. UPDATE: Rodriguez is in the concussion protocol and will be re-evaluated on Friday.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer

Jul 2, 2026, 8:48 PM ET

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May (ankle) left his start on Thursday night early against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning with a bruised right ankle, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cardinals are calling it a "right-ankle contusion." Before hitting the showers early at Truist Park, May was lit up to the tune of five earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out one in just two-thirds of an inning to balloon his season ERA to 4.80. It was a tough first outing for May, who was skipped from his last start due to tightness in his back. Dominic Smith hit a line drive off May's right ankle, which caused him to leave. He'll most likely undergo X-rays to see if he has a fracture or break in his ankle, but even if tests come back clean, May could be forced to sit out until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Fantasy managers will want to check back later for the results of his tests. The 28-year-old former third-rounder by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 was a popular waiver-wire pickup after a nine-inning, complete-game shutout against the San Diego Padres on June 15, but in his last two outings, he's surrendered 11 earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings. UPDATE: X-rays on May's right ankle came back negative.--Keith Hernandez
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold

Jul 2, 2026, 8:37 PM ET

Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) received a cortisone injection on Thursday and will be shut down for the next seven to 10 days, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Bubic's timeline for a return from the 60-day injured list is still to be determined, and the Royals will see how he feels when he starts to ramp up. KC initially placed the 28-year-old southpaw on the IL on May 18 with soreness in his left elbow, but then he suffered from left-shoulder soreness after starting a minor-league rehab assignment. The Royals moved him to the 60-day IL on Wednesday. Bubic still has a ways to go before potentially returning to the big-league roster, and in a best-case scenario, he probably won't be back until August, if at all, in the second half. The Royals really need him back, though, after losing fellow left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) for the rest of the 2026 season due to UCL surgery. Bubic was a first-time All-Star in 2025 and was 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 frames across nine starts.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers

Jul 2, 2026, 8:28 PM ET

New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange (shoulder) has landed on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a shoulder injury, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. The Yankees will know more about the extent of Lagrange's shoulder injury once he undergoes an MRI exam. It's a setback for a pitching prospect who was expected to join the Yankees' major-league bullpen soon. The team's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, last pitched for the RailRiders on June 28, when he allowed five earned runs on four hits while walking two in two-thirds of an inning. The 23-year-old flamethrower started his transition from starting pitcher to reliever in early June, with the Yankees hoping he'd join the major-league roster at some point in July. Lagrange's fastballs have been clocked at 103 mph, and he first turned heads when he struck out Aaron Judge with a 102.6 mph fastball in spring training. The 6-foot-7, 248-pounder should still make his MLB debut in 2027, but it's a bit more unclear when that might be now. Lagrange is currently rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues and figures to be a high-leverage reliever in the majors sooner rather than later.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner