San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (elbow) pitched a simulated game this past Wednesday at Single-A Lake Elsinore, and it went well, so the team is "getting closer to putting together a plan" for when the veteran hurler will return to the mound for the Padres. While vague, it appears he's continuing to progress, so one would expect a couple of rehab starts to follow before rejoining San Diego's rotation, which would put him on track to return after the All-Star break in a best-case scenario. The Padres are also without Michael King, so they could use the rotation help. The 38-year-old has yet to pitch for the team this season, but was effective in his 16 starts in 2024, posting a 3.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 16.9 percent K-BB%, so fantasy managers in need of pitching help could consider stashing him for when he returns.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman (knee) will start Sunday's home game against the Athletics, according to manager Aaron Boone. The veteran has been sidelined with knee inflammation, but has recovered and completed three minor league rehab starts, although they came with a 6.97 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, and a 9:5 K:BB in 10 1/3 IP. Before the injury, the 34-year-old righty made three starts for New York, posting an 11.57 ERA, 2.04 WHIP, and a 7:7 K:BB in 9 1/3 IP. Fantasymanagers thinking of picking up the former 2x All-Star may want to see him string together a couple of solid outings before doing so, although the Athletics have been shut out in three of their last five games, so perhapsit is a good spot for Stroman to get going.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (shoulder) played catch on Wednesday, a step in the right direction in what will hopefully be the beginning of a ramp-up that will eventually lead to his return to the mound. The 30-year-old has been on the shelf with a nerve issue affecting his throwing shoulder, but tests have determined that his shoulder is structurally sound, so there is hope that he'll be able to return in the second half of the season. The righty had been having a great season for the Padres before the injury, registering a 2.59 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 20.9 percent K-BB% in 10 starts (55 2/3 IP).

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Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor (neck) exited Friday's 9-8 loss to the Marlins before the seventh inning due to neck stiffness, according to manager Torey Lovullo. For now, the 2024 All-Star should be considered day-to-day, although he likely will not be in Arizona's lineup on Saturday. The 28-year-old is having a productive first season with the D-backs, hitting .304 with 10 home runs, 53 RBI, 42 runs scored, and 10 steals with a .361 wOBA and 130 wRC+, so hopefully he can get back out there soon.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) completed his second rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out three batters in 2 1/3 innings pitched. Although those numbers don't look good, on the bright side, the righty got his pitch count up to 66 and recorded a 30 percent CSW%. The 31-year-old is expected to make at least one more rehab start, and if all goes well, he could rejoin the Dodgers around the All-Star break. In five starts earlier in the season, the 2024 All-Star posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, but was able to fan 23 batters in only 18 innings pitched, good for an 11.5 K/9.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (shoulder) is getting work done in the form of bullpen sessions, however, he is not close to facing live hitters at this point, according to manager Dave Roberts. The 2x Cy Young winner experienced additional inflammation and was shut down after his last bout of bullpens, so the Dodgers will want to see him make it through these without any problems before moving on to live hitters and eventually a rehab assignment. The 32-year-old made two starts at the beginning of the season, allowing two earned runs in nine innings, but also ten hits and eight walks while striking out four. As it stands, a return in late July appears to be the most optimistic outcome.

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Cleveland Guardians first base prospect C.J. Kayfus went 1-for-3 with a home run and two walks during their contest against Triple-A Iowa on Friday evening. Kayfus has been one of the most dominant hitters at Triple-A over the past week. Over his last four games, Kayfus has gone deep four times, tallied nine RBI, and held a 4:4 K:BB. The No. 100-ranked prospect in the sport on MLB.com opened the season with Double-A but quickly earned the call to Triple-A. Through 18 games with Double-A, Kayfus posted a .364/.475/.591 slash line. Through his first 48 games with Triple-A Columbus, the former third-round pick has held an impressive .306/.383/.578 slash line with 11 doubles and 10 round-trippers. Given his elite production at Triple-A, Kayfus should be viewed as a viable stash option in all standard formats.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Painter tossed 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball in his latest outing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday evening. Facing Triple-A Buffalo, the top prospect in the Philadelphia system struck out five batters and allowed only one walk. Since allowing six runs on June 4, Painter has begun to turn the corner at Triple-A, tossing 14 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.51 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 16:7 K:BB. The 22-year-old opened the campaign with Low-A Clearwater but needed only 11 1/3 innings to prove he was ready to join Triple-A. While Painter has missed the previous two seasons recovering from Tommy John, the top prospect appears to be increasing in workload and remains on track to join the majors early in the second half. He remains a strong stash option in all 12-team leagues.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes has become the first player in the minor leagues to hit 20 home runs during the 2025 campaign. On Friday evening, Montes went 1-for-4 with a long ball. Since earning the promotion to Double-A earlier in the week, the budding star in Seattle has hit two home runs and added a double. He has drawn four walks and has only struck out four times. Earlier in the season, the 20-year-old spent time with High-A Everett and held a .268/.387/.572 slash line with 12 doubles, 18 home runs, three stolen bases, and an 83:47 K:BB. The No. 36-ranked prospect on MLB.com is worth keeping a close eye on as he appears to be an ascending star in the minor leagues. If he continues to perform at a high level at Double-A, he should remain on track to reach the majors next season.

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New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones went 1-for-5 with a home run during his Triple-A debut. Jones wasted little at the top level of the minor leagues as he launched his 17th long ball of the season during his first game. Jones is considered the No. 2-ranked prospect in the Yankee system on MLB.com. The former 25th overall pick took significant strides at Double-A this season, which earned him the promotion. Through 49 games with Somerset, Jones held a solid .274/.389/.594 slash line with eight doubles and 16 round-trippers. Last season with Double-A, Jones posted a much lower .259/.336/.452 liner across 122 games. Fantasy managers should continue to closely monitor his production at Triple-A, as he could push for a late-season promotion to the major leagues.

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Tampa Bay Rays first base prospect Tre' Morgan went 1-for-4 with his first Triple-A home run on Friday evening. The 22-year-old missed some time earlier this season due to a quadriceps injury but has been very productive when on the field. Through his first 32 games with Triple-A Durham, the No. 4-ranked prospect in the Tampa Bay system has held an impressive .294/.434/.374 line with six doubles, one long ball, a stolen base, and a strong 31:25 K:BB. Last summer, Morgan spent time with Low-A, High-A, and even Double-A. Through 100 cumulative games, the No.79-ranked prospect in the game held a .324/.408/.483 line. If he can continue to produce at Triple-A, Morgan should be in the mix to join Tampa Bay during the stretch run.

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Cardinals' SP Sonny Gray recorded 11 strikeouts in 9 innings with the win in a 5-0 win over Cleveland on Friday, Jun. 27.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio hit a three-run homer on Friday, helping the crew win 10-6 over the Colorado Rockies. Chourio added a walk and RBI force-out, which he also came around to score on. The 21-year-old has been solid recently and is putting up solid five-category production on the whole. He is now hitting .254 with 53 runs, 13 homers, 50 RBI, and 15 steals. That will certainly do for fantasy purposes, but he has struggled with reaching base (.285 OBP) and only has a .732 OPS. Not bad, but not quite what was imagined from him coming into the season. Still, the production has been there, and that's all that really matters to fantasy owners. If he were to make some adjustments and reach base more often, it could unlock another level to what are already solid numbers.

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Houston Astros closer Josh Hader got a one-out save on Friday, retiring the only batter he faced to close out the Chicago Cubs in a 7-4 victory. The ninth inning started as a non-save situation, but after a walk and a double it turned into a save opportunity, so the Astros summoned their closer. Hader is now 22-for-22 in save opportunities this season and has been nearly unhittable this year. The 31-year-old has an immaculate 1.72 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts over 36 IP. Hader is probably the best closer in baseball right now and should continue to be elite for fantasy managers.

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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (4-3) dominated the Boston Red Sox on Friday, pitching seven shutout frames and striking out eight in a 9-0 win. Berrios scattered four hits and walked one in what was his best start of the season. The 31-year-old has been rock solid for a while now, with quality starts in six of his last seven outings. He holds a 3.26 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and has struck out 89 in 102 IP. While his numbers aren't flashy, Berrios is a workhorse who gets the job done. He is a stabilizer for any fantasy pitching staff and should be started most weeks. His next matchup is against the New York Yankees in Toronto on Wednesday, which will be a tough one. Still, with the way Berrios is pitching right now, it wouldn't be the worst idea to start him.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Martinez was excellent on Friday, tossing eight one-run innings against the San Diego Padres in an 8-1 win. Martinez allowed his first hit in the ninth inning, where he was pulled at 112 pitches. The righty struck out six and walked two, and he showcased all six of his pitches in this one, generating 14 whiffs and a 35% CSW. Martinez has been up and down this year after a strong 2024, and was actually demoted to the bullpen last week after a few rough outings. This was a nice way to re-enter the rotation, though, and he has surely earned himself another start or two with his performance. The 34-year-old now has a 5-8 record to go with a 4.12 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts over 94 IP. He's more of a streamer right now and should only be used with the right matchups, but he does have the talent to be more than that. His next start is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston against a struggling Red Sox lineup, where he will have some streamer appeal.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Gary Sanchez had a monster game on Friday, going 4-for-5 with a homer, a double, and a walk in a 22-8 rout of the Tampa Bay Rays. Sanchez drove in four and scored three times in this one. The veteran backstop has been playing every day since Adley Rutschman (oblique) went on the IL, and so far he's made the most of it. In June, Sanchez is 13-for-34 (.382) with four homers and 14 RBI. We know the 32-year-old can hit for power when he's feeling good at the plate, and right now he looks confident. Sanchez isn't a must-add by any means, but in two-catcher leagues he is a decent option until Rutschman returns, which may not be for a while.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner filled up the stat sheet in Friday's 13-0 win over the Atlanta Braves, going 4-for-6 with two homers, a double, and a stolen base. Turner blasted two solo homers and also came around to score on his other two hits. The 31-year-old continues to be a major contributor in fantasy, even if he isn't quite the hitter he once was in his prime. He is batting .302 with 58 runs, 11 homers, 37 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 331 at-bats this season. With his spot at the top of a dangerous Phillies' lineup secured, expect Turner's five-category production to continue through the rest of the season.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (ribs) is "pretty sore" but had imaging on his ribs that came back negative for any fractures on Friday after he was hit by a pitch in the 7-4 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs at Daikin Park, according to manager Joe Espada. Pena was hit by a pitch on the left side of his ribs in the second inning and was eventually replaced at shortstop by Mauricio Dubon in the fifth inning. The 27-year-old went 0-for-2 at the plate before being removed from the contest. Pena should be considered day-to-day for now, and fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if he's feeling good enough to play in Game 2 of the series against Chicago. The Dominican shortstop is having a breakout year at the plate and came into Friday's action with a .324/.379/.492 slash line, an .871 OPS, 11 homers, 40 RBI, 48 runs scored and 15 steals in 315 at-bats.

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Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi had a rough outing against the Seattle Mariners on Friday in his return from a triceps injury. Making his first start since May 27, Eovaldi lasted just three innings and yielded three earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts against two walks over 45 pitches. Eovaldi didn't factor into the decision in a 7-6 loss for the Rangers. Despite Friday's subpar outing, Eovaldi still owns a stingy 1.87 ERA (2.38 FIP) with an elite 0.87 WHIP and 75:12 K:BB in 72 1/3 frames. The 35-year-old will try to bounce back Wednesday at home against the Baltimore Orioles.

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