MLB Player News

You don’t see the position player pitch on the other side very often, but the Dodgers took the chance with Hernández. He did allow a hit, but he was able to get through the inning scoreless to save the bullpen, albeit without a save. He’s now driven in 21 runs with a slash of .208/.277/.321.

He’s now up to eight home runs and 36 RBI on the season in Triple-A and has gone 21-for-63 (.333) in 16 games since being sent back to the minors with four home runs, 12 RBI, and four steals. With a new general manager and coach soon to be installed in Washington, you have to wonder whether the 23-year-old will get another look in the big leagues soon.

With rumors swirling around the Guardians trading Carlos Santana in a seemingly lost season, Kayfus’ performance at Triple-A becomes more interesting. The 23-year-old is hitting .297/.382/.554 in 55 games at Triple-A with 11 home runs, 38 RBI, and 32 runs scored. He would be more of a batting average asset in fantasy leagues, but he has the power to hit 20 home runs and can also play the outfield, which could keep him in the lineup more regularly.

Garcia was up to 25 pitches in his last bullpen session, so his first rehab appearance may be two innings at most. After this start, he could move up to Double-A or Triple-A to continue his rehab with a return in early August looking more likely.

Executives who spoke to Stark suggest that the Red Sox don’t need to sell at the deadline as much as they need “to reconfigure the roster.” That means getting rid of some of the glut of players they have in the outfield. With Ceddanne Rafaela signed to a long-term deal and currently ranking inside the top 10 in WAR in the AL, he’s a lock to remain in Boston, as is top prospect Roman Anthony. Masataka Yoshida is set to come off the IL this week, but doesn’t have much trade value since he’s primarily a designated hitter, which means Duran and Wilyer Abreu remain the two names who could be traded. Abreu is younger and under team control for longer, plus he is coming off a Gold Glove season in right field, which makes Duran the most likely player to be dealt. If Duran is moved, his fantasy value could take a hit if he’s in a less hitter-friendly park or not leading off for his new team.

The Diamondbacks are not guaranteed to be sellers at the deadline, but they are currently two games under .500 and 11.5 games out of first place in the division. With Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez, and A.J. Puk all out for the season, the team may not climb back into the playoff race enough by the time the deadline rolls around. In that case, Stark reports that many executives believe Naylor “could be the best bat traded this month.” Wherever he goes, he will remain a full-time starter, so Naylor’s fantasy value could only improve in a new park or with a deeper lineup.

Twins athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said that “things are progressing nicely” for López, who was placed on the IL with a Grade 2 Teres Major strain retroactive to June 4. The inflammation in his shoulder is now totally gone, but the Twins are being cautious not to rush him back. “We need to do the best thing we can for him for the long term and not just worry about the short term,” said Paparesta. “Strengthen him up and make sure his range of motion gets back to where we want it to be. Then look to get him into some throwing activity next week.”

Ober has been battling through a hip impingement since April, and while his spin rates and velocity held close to normal, he was unable to recover well between outings. The Twins finally decided to put Ober on the IL, and he recently “received medicine to eliminate the hip inflammation and expects to be fine in a few days.” Once the inflammation subsides, the Twins hope that Ober can “begin to ramp up starting Tuesday or Wednesday.” If Ober is able to throw without pain and with his normal mechanics, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him put together a strong stretch to finish the season.

Bieber has been working his way back to live innings after suffering a setback in his return from Tommy John at the beginning of June. The next step in his progression would likely be restarting his rehab assignment, which would likely involve a few starts. An early August return would be the best-case scenario for Bieber.

The right-hander allowed two hits and didn’t walk a batter while striking out eight. He pounded the strike zone with his entire arsenal and had 14 whiffs on the day. With Walker Buehler struggling, Dobbins could potentially push him for a spot in the rotation or be recalled as a long reliever. The Red Sox do have seven games this week, so perhaps Dobbins comes up for a spot start in one of those.

Ramussen has been electric for the Rays so far this season, with a 2.82 ERA in 89 1/3 innings. However, he is coming off his third elbow surgery, and the Rays want to keep him on a strict 150-innings limit. That means they will continue to have Rasmussen start games, but only throw two or three innings, with Joe Boyle following him as a piggyback option. For fantasy purposes, that makes Boyle the more attractive option by far. He was dominant on Sunday in five innings, and his role as a follower will give him a good chance at wins. You may want to hold Ramussen on your team for another start or two just to see if the Rays follow through with this plan, but if they do, it will take away essentially all of his fantasy value in 2025.