Michael Lorenzen Shines, Tosses Seven Shutout Innings in Royals Win
Michael Lorenzen (5-8) delivered one of his best outings of the season on Sunday, shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks over seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory. Lorenzen allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out seven, generating an impressive 17 whiffs and reaching 96.3 mph on the radar gun. The veteran now owns a 4.61 ERA with seven quality starts on the year. Sunday's performance was a welcome sign for fantasy managers after Lorenzen failed to complete six innings in each of his previous three outings. While his season-long numbers remain shaky, Lorenzen's upside makes him a worthwhile streaming option or deep-league flyer heading into the second half. The 33-year-old will look to build off his impressive outing in his next scheduled start Saturday against the New York Mets.Source: ESPN.com
Kansas City Royals right-hander Jackson Holliday Leads Orioles to Victory
Jackson Holliday led the O's to a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday with a flawless day at the plate. Holliday knocked in both of the Orioles' runs on a two-run homer off right-hander Grant Holmes in the third inning. He collected three more hits, including a double, in a 4-for-4 afternoon. Holliday entered the day in a 2-for-17 skid in his first four games of July, but he did his best to make up for it in one fell swoop. The 21-year-old is now batting .260/.309/.415 with 11 homers, 36 RBI, 36 runs, and nine steals across 346 plate appearances. That's a vast improvement over the .189/.255/.311 line he put up in a 60-game debut last year. Holliday has slashed his strikeout percentage from 33.2 to 24.9 since then, and it has paid dividends.Source: ESPN
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Paul Skenes Punches Out 10 in No-Decision
Paul Skenes turned in another stellar start on Sunday in a 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. Skenes did not factor into the decision, but he left after amassing a season-high 10 strikeouts and holding the Mariners to five hits across five scoreless innings. The two-time All-Star lowered his ERA to a National League-best 1.94 with 125 strikeouts, 30 walks, and an elite 0.92 WHIP in 116 innings. Although Skenes has allowed two earned runs or fewer in an incredible 16 of 19 starts, he's just 4-7 because of a lack of run support. The Pirates' offensive ineptitude cost him again Sunday.Source: ESPN
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Blackburn Makes Strides in His Return, Plays Catch Sunday
Paul Blackburn (shoulder) continues to progress toward his return from a right shoulder impingement, playing catch up to 75 feet on flat ground Sunday. The 31-year-old landed on the injured list July 3 and is aiming for a return before the end of the month. Blackburn has struggled mightily in 2025, going (0-3) with a 7.71 ERA and a 16.1% strikeout rate, his lowest mark since 2021. Blackburn faces long odds of reclaiming a rotation spot. Fantasy managers can avoid Blackburn in all but the deepest NL-only formats for now.Source: MLB.com
New York Mets right-hander Brandon Woodruff Brilliant in Return to Majors
Brandon Woodruff (1-0) made his first major league start since 2023 on Sunday and earned the win in a 3-1 decision against the Miami Marlins. The day couldn't have gone much better for Woodruff, who fired six innings of one-run, two-hit ball with eight strikeouts and no walks. He threw 70 pitches (53 for strikes) in his long-awaited return. The 32-year-old missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery, and he battled elbow and ankle issues during his rehab this season. To the delight of the Brewers and fantasy managers, Woodruff showed no signs of rust despite the missed time. He could make one more start before the All-Star break against the Washington Nationals next weekend.Source: ESPN
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Emmet Sheehan Strong in Big-League Return
Emmet Sheehan impressed in his return to the rotation on Sunday, tossing five strong innings of one-run ball against the Houston Astros. Sheehan did not factor into the decision in the Dodgers' 5-1 loss. The 25-year-old righty scattered five hits and a walk while striking out five on 80 pitches. The 25-year-old has lowered his ERA to a sharp 2.00 through two starts. His current 10:1 K:BB ratio highlights improved command from his 10.5% walk rate last season. Sheehan is rostered in just 34% of Yahoo leagues and makes for a strong speculative add, given the run support and win potential the Dodgers' offense offers. Fantasy managers seeking second-half pitching depth should take a serious look at Sheehan as a valuable upside play. Sheehan's next start will be on the road Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.Source: ESPN.com
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Devin Williams Perfect in Save Opportunity
Devin Williams shut down the New York Mets in the ninth inning to wrap up a 6-4 win on Sunday. The right-hander went 1-2-3 and fanned two, including a game-ending strikeout of Francisco Lindor, to record his 12th save in 13 tries. It was an encouraging rebound for Williams, who took the loss against Toronto on Wednesday after surrendering two earned runs in one inning. For the most part, the 30-year-old has settled down since an ugly first month of the season. Williams' ERA, which was over 10.00 in early May, has fallen to 5.01 across 32 1/3 innings. The two-time All-Star has also posted quality strikeout and walk numbers (41:14) and a 1.21 WHIP.Source: ESPN
New York Yankees closer Aaron Nola Throws Bullpen Session, Eyes Early August Return
Aaron Nola (ankle, rib) threw a bullpen session on Sunday, as he works his way back from a right ankle sprain and a stress fracture in his right rib. Nola has struggled in 2025, going (1-7) with a 6.16 ERA across nine starts. His 1.51 WHIP is a career worst with a 7.3% walk rate that's notably above his career average of 6.4%. If Nola progresses without setbacks, he could return in early to mid-August, rejoining a rotation anchored by standouts Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Ranger Suarez, all of whom have delivered strong seasons in his absence.Source: Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Emmanuel Clase Blows Save in Loss
Emmanuel Clase suffered his fourth blown save of the season in a 7-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Clase entered in the top of the ninth inning with a 1-0 lead, but a leadoff hit by pitch to Spencer Torkelson proved costly. The Tigers subbed in Zack McKinstry for Torkelson. McKinstry stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch. Clase finished off the ninth with a strikeout of Parker Meadows. However, after he squandered the lead, fellow reliever Cade Smith imploded in the 10th inning and took the loss. Clase posted otherworldly production a year ago, but the right-hander's numbers have been more solid than spectacular this season. He owns a 3.29 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP, 39:10 K:BB, and 18 saves across 38 1/3 innings.Source: ESPN
Cleveland Guardians closer Andrew Vaughn to Join Brewers
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Jake Meyers Leaves Sunday's Game Early with Calf Tightness
Jake Meyers (calf) exited Sunday's 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers due to right calf tightness. He was removed in the sixth inning and did not return. Meyers, who singled and walked in three plate appearances, is hitting .304 over the past seven days with eight runs scored. Manager Joe Espada said the team is taking a cautious approach with Meyers' injury. The 29-year-old is currently slashing .308/.369/.405 and should be considered a must-start if healthy against Cleveland Guardians starter Tanner Bibee on Monday. Bibee struggled in his last outing, giving up five runs over four innings against the Chicago Cubs. Meyers is considered day-to-day for now, as fantasy managers should check back on Monday to see if he's in Houston's lineup before starting him for Week 15.Source: Julia Morales
Houston Astros outfielder Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle, Josue Briceno Promoted to Double-A
Max Clark, infielder Kevin McGonigle, and catcher Josue Briceno have all been promoted to Double-A on Sunday. All three hitters have been promoted after a strong first half of the season in Single-A. Clark is probably the most highly regarded prospect of the bunch, but all three of them have sky-high ceilings. Now, it's time for these young hitters to really turn up the heat with a tougher challenge in Double-A. It's highly unlikely any of these hitters see Detroit this season. However, they could get to the big league level in 2026 if they continue to hit like they have in the first half of 2025.Source: Cody Stavenhagen
Detroit Tigers outfielder Yu Darvish to Make Season Debut on Monday
Yu Darvish (elbow) will be activated off the 60-day injured list and start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. Finally, Darvish will take the mound after missing basically the first half of the season due to right elbow inflammation. The right-hander threw a 64-pitch simulated game on Tuesday. That being said, Darvish might not be fully stretched out, so this could be a shorter outing than expected. The hope is that Darvish can make two shorter starts before the All-Star break, and then be fully unleashed for the second half of the season. Fantasy managers in need of pitching help should certainly check the waiver wire and add Darvish if available.Source: AJ Cassavell
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Source: Jeff Passan
The Washington Nationals made some major moves on Sunday. They've decided to clean house by firing manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo. This decision doesn't come as a huge shock given the performance of the Nationals this season. Coming into Sunday, the Nationals sit in last place in the National League East with a 37-53 record. This team is far from a juggernaut, but should certainly be playing better than a last place ballclub given their players. The good news is, the Nats do have a great young core that is under control for many years to come. Now, the organization needs to put the right people in charge to get the most out of these players. The Nationals haven't announced who will take over as the interim manager yet.Tarik Skubal Records 10 Strikeouts
Tarik Skubal was once again excellent on the mound during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. Unsurprisingly, the Guardians hitters had basically no answers for Skubal throughout this outing. The southpaw tossed seven shutout innings, allowing three hits, zero walks, and 10 strikeouts in the no-decision. The Tigers bats didn't come alive until after Skubal departed, so he won't get the win for this outing. However, Skubal was named to the All-Star team on Sunday, which shouldn't come as a shock. He'll take 2.02 ERA into his next outing against the Seattle Mariners next week.Source: mlb.com
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher