George Springer Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day: Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer put on a show as the club rolled to a 12-5 win over the visiting New York Yankees on Tuesday. Springer finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, a career-high seven RBI, and a walk to lead Toronto to a rout and send the fans home happy on Canada Day. With the Jays trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Springer picked up the Blue Jays' first hit on a 404-foot solo shot off Yankees ace Max Fried. That was just the beginning for Springer, who came up with the Jays leading 5-4 in the seventh and crushed a 405-foot grand slam off Luke Weaver to put the game out of reach. He drove in another run on an RBI single in the eighth. It was the most productive day in what has been a resurgent season for Springer. The 35-year-old has bounced back from an underwhelming 2024 to slash .270/.367/.486 with 13 homers, 47 RBI, 44 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across 311 plate appearances. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:58:05
David Bednar Escapes Jam to Secure 12th Save: Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar encountered trouble Tuesday, but he worked out of it to record his 12th save in a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-hander walked Jose Fermin to lead off the inning and later allowed a one-out double to Yohei Pozo. Bednar then locked down the Cardinals with two runners in scoring position, retiring Victor Scott II on a fielder's choice and striking out Brendan Donovan to end the game. The 30-year-old still hasn't blown a save this season and hasn't allowed an earned run since May 23. Overall, Bednar has pitched to a 2.73 ERA with 42:9 K:BB and a 1.15 WHIP in 29 2/3 innings. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:46:38
Edward Cabrera Shuts Down Twins in Win: Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera turned in his best performance of the season in a 2-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Cabrera tossed a season-high seven innings of scoreless, two-hit ball and issued six strikeouts against one walk to improve to 3-2. The 27-year-old has now gone three starts in a row with at least 5 1/3 frames and two or fewer earned runs allowed. Thanks to his recent run of success, Cabrera has dropped his ERA to 3.41 over 71 1/3 innings with 75:30 K:BB and a 1.28 WHIP. Cabrera is scheduled for a home start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:36:03
Ronny Henriquez Picks Up Fourth Save: Miami Marlins reliever Ronny Henriquez pitched a perfect ninth inning Tuesday to earn his fourth save in a 2-0 win over the Minnesota Twins. Henriquez closed out the game on 13 pitches and fanned a pair of hitters to help the Marlins to their eighth straight win. The 25-year-old has now gone 3-for-3 in save opportunities since June 22. While Calvin Faucher leads the team with eight saves, the Marlins haven't used him to close a game since June 24. Henriquez has recorded better numbers than Faucher this year, having pitched to a 2.85 ERA with 57:16 K:BB and a 1.22 WHIP over 41 innings. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:28:28
Trey Mancini Exercises Opt-Out Clause: First baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini has exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. Mancini is now a free agent. After taking 2024 off, Mancini joined the Diamondbacks over the winter and spent the first few months of the season with their Triple-A affiliate in Reno. The 33-year-old slashed .308/.373/.522 with 16 home runs and 62 RBI in 335 plate appearances in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, leading him to test free agency again. Mancini is best known for a successful stint with the Orioles from 2016-22. He slugged between 21 and 35 home runs four times during that span and earned AL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2021 after making a remarkable return from a battle with colon cancer. In 2023, his most recent major league season, Mancini hit .234/.299/.336 with four homers in 263 trips to the plate as a member of the Chicago Cubs. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:17:33
Willson Contreras Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP: St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) exited the team's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday after taking a Paul Skenes fastball off the left hand in the fourth inning. X-rays came back negative on Contreras, who's "day-to-day," according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cardinals replaced him at first base with Alec Burleson and brought Garrett Hampson in to play right field. Contreras has been hit a league-high 13 times this year, and he missed the end of August and all of September last season after suffering a fractured finger on an HBP. While Contreras avoided a major injury in this instance, it's possible he could miss some time. Contreras has recovered from a slow start to the season to slash a respectable .248/.340/.432 with 11 homers, 51 RBI, 42 runs scored, and four stolen bases over 348 plate appearances. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:07:29
Josh Naylor Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants: Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor (neck) was scratched from the starting lineup on Tuesday against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Naylor was originally in Tuesday's lineup against Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong as the designated hitter, but he'll now miss his fourth straight game due to neck stiffness that he's been dealing with. Pavin Smith is playing first base and batting third, while Randal Grichuk will serve as the DH and hit out of the six-hole on Tuesday. The D-backs are likely exercising an abundance of caution, but if Naylor suffered a setback or is dealing with another injury, we'll pass it along when we know. Check back on Wednesday to see if Naylor can finally return to action for the third game of a four-game series in the desert. In addition to a neck injury, Naylor was pulled out of a game early last week with a shoulder injury. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:39:53
Dodgers Place Michael Kopech on 15-Day Injured List With Knee Inflammation: The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Tuesday that they placed right-handed reliever Michael Kopech (knee) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 28) with right-knee inflammation and recalled right-hander Will Klein from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move. Kopech was a valuable late-inning addition to the Dodgers' bullpen last year before they made a run to win the World Series, but the hard-throwing 29-year-old hasn't really been healthy in 2025. Kopech also dealt with a shoulder impingement this year and didn't return until June 8. However, before his latest knee injury, he had been lights-out, throwing seven shutout innings with four walks and eight strikeouts in a setup role. Kopech will now be out through the All-Star break, and it's unclear if he'll rejoin the team for the start of the second half on July 18. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:33:45
Blake Treinen to Face Live Hitters on Wednesday: Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-handed reliever Blake Treinen (forearm) will face live hitters on Wednesday. It will be the first time that Treinen will face live hitters since he was forced to the injured list in mid-April with a sprained right forearm. The 36-year-old veteran is already eligible to come off the 60-day injured list, but it remains to be seen if he'll be activated before the All-Star break in mid-July. If he fares well during his live session on Wednesday, Treinen could be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend. Before his forearm injury in the first month of the 2025 season, Treinen made eight appearances out of the bullpen and gave up three earned runs while recording two saves, striking out 10 and walking three. He'll be in play in holds leagues in a high-leverage role for the Blue in the second half of the season. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:24:28
Blake Snell to Face Hitters on Wednesday: Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) will face live hitters on Wednesday. It will be the first time that Snell faces live hitters since he landed on the injured list back in April with inflammation in his left shoulder. It's a big step for the 32-year-old veteran southpaw, but the Dodgers aren't going to rush him back, and fantasy managers might not get him back until August. If Snell comes out of his live session on Wednesday without any issues, he could be cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment soon. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, the Dodgers' only goal will be getting the two-time Cy Young winner ready for the end of the season and for what they hope will be another deep playoff run. In his only two starts for L.A. before his shoulder injury, Snell allowed only two earned runs but walked eight and struck out four in nine innings. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:18:37
Tyler Glasnow Might Need Just One More Rehab Start: Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) will ramp up to 75 pitches in his next minor-league rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and it might be his final rehab start before rejoining the big-league starting rotation. Glasnow has been on the injured list since late April with inflammation in his right shoulder, but he's nearing a return and should be stashed in all fantasy leagues for his high-end strikeout upside. The hard-throwing 31-year-old allowed five runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings (66 pitches) in his last rehab appearance on Friday. Fantasy managers may want to avoid Glasnow if he makes one final start with the Dodgers in the first half after his long absence, but he could be a difference-maker in fantasy in the second half if he can stay healthy. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:10:06
Shohei Ohtani Lined Up to Make Next Start on Saturday: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani's next start as a pitcher is scheduled for Saturday against the Houston Astros, according to manager Dave Roberts. Ohtani will be making his fourth start of the year for the Dodgers on the mound. In his three starts against the San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals and Kansas City Royals, the 30-year-od has allowed an earned run on three hits while walking one and striking out three in just four innings. The Japanese hurler went a season-high two frames his last time out while throwing 27 pitches. While Ohtani is expected to continue increasing his workload, he'll essentially be an opener once again this weekend against Houston with Justin Wrobleski working behind him in a bulk-relief role for the Blue. Ohtani just isn't stretched out enough to be a worthwhile fantasy option as a starting pitcher. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:06:02
Mookie Betts Out Against White Sox: Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is absent from the starting lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the visiting Chicago White Sox. Hyeseong Kim will make the start at shortstop and will hit in the ninth spot against White Sox right-hander Shane Smith. Betts is taking a rare day off after going hitless in eight at-bats with two strikeouts the last two games. He finished the month of June hitting .240 (24-for-100) with only one home run, six doubles, 10 RBI, nine runs scored and a stolen base in 25 games played. The 32-year-old eight-time All-Star and former MVP is having one of the worst seasons of his career with a .249/.327/.380 slash line and career-low .707 OPS while being in the 20th percentile in hard-hit rate. Betts' xwOBA sits in just the 51st percentile. Additionally, his speed is starting to dry up and is in the 33rd percentile in sprint speed. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:59:43
Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option: San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports that the San Francisco Giants exercised manager Bob Melvin's option for the 2026 season on Tuesday. Melvin is in his second year at the helm in the Bay Area and his 22nd overall as a skipper in the big leagues. The 63-year-old has led his teams to eight total playoff appearances, including four division titles and two trips to the League Championship Series in 2007 with the Diamondbacks and 2022 with the Padres. Melvin has won three Manager of the Year awards (2007 with Arizona and 2012 and 2018 with the A's). He has compiled a managerial record of 1,642-1,547 in the regular season, with the Giants currently sitting at 45-40 and in third place in the National League West entering play on Tuesday. Melvin ranks 21st on the all-time managerial wins list and has the third-most wins among active skippers. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:46:28
Christian Koss Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hamstring Strain: The San Francisco Giants placed rookie infielder Christian Koss (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a left-hamstring strain and recalled outfielder Luis Matos from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. The Giants are now dangerously thin at third base with Koss, Matt Chapman (hand) and Casey Schmitt (hand) all on the IL. The good news, though, is that Chapman could be back as early as next Monday for the final week before the All-Star break. With Koss now sidelined, veteran Wilmer Flores will start at third and bat cleanup on Tuesday against Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen. Koss, 27, is in his first year in the big leagues in 2025 and was serving as infield depth in the Bay Area, hitting .265/.305/.357 with a below-average .662 OPS, two homers, 12 RBI, two steals and 12 runs in 41 games played. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:41:42
Jung Hoo Lee Sitting Amidst Slump: San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee will get a day off on Tuesday on the road against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks. Daniel Johnson will make the start in center field for the Gigantes and bat seventh versus Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen. It will be Lee's first game off after starting in each of the last eight games. The 26-year-old has been in a rut at the dish since the start of May, slashing .193/.273/.313 with a .586 OPS, three home runs, six doubles, four triples, 16 RBI, 23 runs scored, three stolen bases, 18 walks and 20 strikeouts in 52 games during that span. He was even worse in June, slashing .143/.277/.274 in 101 plate appearances. Lee has been a bit unfortunate, though, as his xBA stands at .280 despite a rough couple of months. The Giants are hoping he'll start to turn things around in the final stretch before the All-Star break. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:36:36
Josh Naylor Back in Action on Tuesday: Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor (neck) is serving as the designated hitter and will bat cleanup for Tuesday's contest against the division-rival San Francisco Giants and right-hander Hayden Birdsong at Chase Field. Naylor has had several injury issues in the last week, most recently neck stiffness keeping him out for the last three games. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger is feeling better now, though, and will return for Game 2 of the series against San Fran. Pavin Smith will get the start at first base. Fantasy managers will want to get Naylor back in starting fantasy lineups now that he's back. The Canadian first baseman is hitting over .300 in his first year in the desert, including batting .330 (67-for-203) with nine of his 10 home runs against right-handers. Naylor has a hit and an RBI in only three career at-bats against Birdsong. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:27:43
Josh Jung on the Bench on Tuesday: Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung will take a seat on the bench for the start of Tuesday's contest against the visiting Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field. Ezequiel Duran will start at the hot corner and bat eighth against Orioles rookie right-hander Brandon Young. Jung has managed to stay healthy this year but has disappointed offensively and will get a day off after slumping badly in June. In 24 games last month, Jung hit .158/.208/.221 with one home run, three doubles, 12 RBI, seven runs, 27 strikeouts and five walks in 101 trips to the plate. He's hitting .237 on the season but with an xBA of .254, although he ranks in the 34th percentile in strikeout rate and 37th percentile in whiff rate with an 11th percentile chase rate. Jung is also in the 19th percentile in average exit velocity, which doesn't bode well for his chances of a power surge in the second half. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:22:05
Yordan Alvarez Suffers Setback: The Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara reports that Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) experienced pain in his hand when hitting on Monday. According to General Manager Dana Brown, the 28-year-old's rehab will be paused, and he'll see a specialist regarding the fracture in his hand. It's undoubtedly disappointing news, as Alvarez was seemingly expected to return to the team within the next week or so. We'll learn more after he meets with doctors, but it doesn't bode well for his status. He last suited up for Houston on May 2, and boasts an underwhelming .210/.306/.340 triple slash with three homers through 29 appearances. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:19:38
Dylan Carlson Back With Orioles: The Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that they recalled outfielder Dylan Carlson from Triple-A Norfolk. In a corresponding move, the team designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera for assignment. Carlson will return to the big-league roster quickly after being demoted to the minors last weekend. It could be a short stay, though, as Tyler O'Neill (shoulder) is in the final stages of his minor-league rehab assignment and could come off the injured list this weekend. The switch-hitting Carlson was a former first-rounder by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016 and was one of their top prospects coming up, but he just hasn't panned out in his six years in the big leagues and will continue to serve in a bench role for the O's. In 40 games with Baltimore in his first season with the team, Carlson has hit .241 (26-for-108) with four home runs, 12 RBI and two steals. - as of Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:13:40