New York Mets infielder Brett Baty (groin) remains out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, but he said that his injured groin is feeling better. Baty was able to do some running and change-of-direction drills before the game and noticed some improvement. However, he's unclear if he'll be available off the bench. Ronny Mauricio draws another start at third base and will hit ninth against Braves right-hander Spencer Strider with Mark Vientos (hamstring) still on the injured list. Although Baty is feeling better, he could join Vientos on the IL if he's unable to return to the field during this weekend's big divisional clash in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Baty was one of the team's more consistent hitters in May but has gone 6-for-44 (.136) with two homers, four RBI and 14 K's in 14 games in June to drop his season average to .219.

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras put together a nice day at the plate during the first game of the doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. Contreras would kick off the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the opening frame. He was fairly quiet for the rest of the game until blasting a two-run home run in the eighth inning. That two-run blast would tie the game as the Cardinals would eventually win this game 5-4. Contreras went 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, and a walk in the win. The veteran catcher has really picked up his play over the last few weeks.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his strong campaign during Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He got the scoring going early with a two-run home run off right-hander Freddy Peralta in the first inning. It was his 20th home run of the season as Crow-Armstrong became the first player to reach 20 steals and 20 homers this season. He didn't do much else in this game as he finished 1-for-3 with a homer, two RBI, and two runs scored. Crow-Armstrong has slowed down a bit since his unbelievable start, but still remains one the best fantasy players in the league.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone achieved a big milestone during Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers. Caglianone took left-hander Jacob Latz deep in the second inning for his first career big league homer. He wasn't done as he took Robert Garcia deep in the ninth inning for his second home run of the game. He would finish this game 2-for-4 with two homers and two RBI in the 4-1 win. It was an impressive performance from Caglianone who has struggled since being called up to the MLB earlier this month.

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Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood helped his team break a long losing streak on Thursday. Wood put his team on the board first with a two-run home run off right-hander Chase Dollander in the fourth inning. After that, Wood was pretty quiet with the bat until coming up in extra innings. Wood came up and blasted a walk-off two-run home run off right-hander Seth Halvorsen in the 11th inning. It marked his third multi-homer game of his young career. Wood finished this game 2-for-5 with two homers and four RBI in the 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies. The young slugger is already up to 20 homers on the season.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton continued showing off his power during Thursday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Buxton started off the scoring quickly with a leadoff home run off right-hander Nick Martinez to begin the game. The 31-year-old came up again in the second inning and took Martinez deep for the second time in two innings. Buxton now has four homers over his last three games as the veteran outfielder is finally coming around with the bat. He finished this game 3-for-6 with two homers, two RBI, and a double in the win. When healthy, Buxton is a stud, but keeping him healthy has been a problem.

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Washington Nationals right-handed reliever Derek Law (forearm) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg on Thursday. Law will make the start for the Senators and will require additional rehab outings since inflammation in his right forearm has held him out for the entire 2025 season to this point. But when the 34-year-old veteran is ready to rejoin Washington's bullpen, he should have a key late-inning setup role in front of closer Kyle Finnegan. Law had a nice 2.60 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with seven wins, 17 holds and a save in 90 innings pitched in D.C. a year ago. While Law probably won't be in line for many save situations the rest of the year, he could be pretty valuable for fantasy managers in leagues that count holds.

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Hays (foot) was scheduled to do some running before the team's series finale on Thursday against the visiting Minnesota Twins at Great American Ballpark, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. The Reds are going to play it safe and take the process slower with Hays this time after he was shut down last week with lingering soreness in his left foot. The 29-year-old outfielder has been out with a bruised foot since late May and probably won't be able to make it back before the All-Star break in mid-July. If Hays doesn't have another setback once he's able to run full speed, he's likely going to need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before coming off the 10-day injured list. Hays was hitting .303 (36-for-119) with six homers in 31 games in an everyday role in left field before his injury, but he's already been on the IL twice with separate injuries.

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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that third baseman Noelvi Marte (oblique) will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday. Marte has been sidelined since the middle of May due to a left-oblique injury, but the 23-year-old Dominican infielder could be ready to rejoin the major-league roster by next week if he avoids setbacks while playing in minor-league games this weekend. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues may want to consider snagging him off the waiver wire now, as he could step back in as Cincy's primary third baseman when he's activated from the 10-day injured list. That would be bad news for Santiago Espinal. Marte got a late start to the 2025 season due to injury, which is why he's played in only 19 games, but he was sporting a strong .294/.342/.515 slash line with three homers, 17 RBI, 10 runs and four steals in 73 plate appearances before his oblique injury.

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Detroit Tigers infielder/outfielder Javier Baez is out of the starting lineup for Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park. Trey Sweeney will make the start at the 6 and will hit ninth against Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. Baez stayed hot in the Game 1 win on Thursday by going 2-for-4. He entered the day hitting a cool .340 (17-for-50) with three home runs, two doubles, six RBI and nine runs scored in 14 games in the month of June to raise his season slash line to a healthy .289/.324/.474 with a .798 OPS, nine home runs, 35 RBI and 32 runs scored in 211 at-bats. Baez's .252 xBA, two percentile chase rate and 49th percentile strikeout rate mean his current form isn't really sustainable the rest of the year, but fantasy managers should continue to ride him while he's hot. Sweeney will be a low-upside, long-shot sleeper for DFS lineups against Skenes.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu (oblique) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list before Friday's series opener on the road in San Francisco against the Giants after the team demoted rookie infielder Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne. Abreu, 25, has gone 1-for-6 in two minor-league rehab games with Worcester and appears to be on the verge of returning to the big-league roster after straining his left oblique. The Venezuelan outfielder should at least play regularly in Boston against right-handed pitchers now that Campbell is in the minors and Rafael Devers is with the Giants. Before his injury, Abreu was slashing .245/.321/.471 with an above-average .792 OPS, 13 homers, 32 RBI, 28 runs and four steals in 208 at-bats. With a hard-hit rate in the 67th percentile and an xBA of .263, Abreu will be a useful corner outfielder in deep-mixed leagues.

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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (wrist) threw and took some dry swings in Philadelphia on Thursday, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Lochlahn March. The plan is for Harper to throw a little bit longer and further on Friday while also potentially hitting off a tee. At that point, the Phillies will have a better idea on a timetable for when Harper might be able to return. The 32-year-old two-time MVP is in the early stages of resuming baseball activities after landing on the 10-day injured list two weeks ago with inflammation in his right wrist. There's a chance that he can return before the All-Star break in mid-July, but the Phillies probably won't rush their star player back to the big leagues. Harper should be stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. In the meantime, Alec Bohm will play first base, which has opened up playing time at third for rookie Otto Kemp (knee).

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San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) threw a simulated game last Saturday and is scheduled to throw another one on Friday, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. If Darvish comes out of Friday feeling good, a minor-league rehab assignment will likely follow. The 38-year-old Japanese veteran has yet to pitch in 2025 due to right-elbow inflammation, but he could be ready to rejoin the team's starting rotation just before or just after the mid-July All-Star break. Although Darvish is past his prime and might not have much left in the tank, he could still be useful as rotation depth in deeper fantasy leagues as well as a spot starter based on matchups. The five-time All-Star only made 16 starts in 2024 with the Friars due to injury and a personal issue, going 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while fanning 78 and walking 22 in 81 2/3 innings pitched.

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Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will take a seat on the bench for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Miami Marlins. Rafael Marchan will work behind the plate for left-hander Cristopher Sanchez and will bat eighth against Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera. Realmuto got off to a very slow start with the lumber early on in 2025, but he's looked better as the weather has warmed up and is hitting .313 (15-for-48) with three doubles, six RBI and eight runs scored in 13 games in the month of June. It has raised the 34-year-old veteran backstop's season slash line to .241/.308/.364 with a below-average .642 OPS. Realmuto has also contributed only five long balls, although his xBA of .257 foreshadows more positive regression coming this summer. Marchan should be avoided for DFS lineups down at the bottom of the batting order.

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Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck (elbow) went one inning in a minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday and allowed an earned run on two hits while walking one and striking out none to pick up a loss against Triple-A Buffalo. Houck threw 18 of his 32 pitches for strikes and was pain-free during the outing. The 28-year-old will make his next rehab start next Tuesday with the WooSox. He got off to a nightmarish start with the BoSox earlier this year and hasn't pitched in a major-league game since May 12. It's unclear when the former first-rounder might return to the big-league roster, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues should take a wait-and-see approach, especially since Houck could return to Boston in a relief role. Before his injury, Houck was sporting an 8.04 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with only 32 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings over his nine starts.

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ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the Boston Red Sox are sending rookie infielder Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester, according to sources. Campbell signed an eight-year, $60 million deal with Boston this spring and was hitting a strong .301/.407/.495 by the end of April. However, he's slashing .159/.243/.222 since then and will get a chance to reset himself at Worcester to close out the first half of the 2025 season. In addition to falling off at the plate since his strong start, the 22-year-old has struggled defensively at second base in Boston. At least until Alex Bregman (quadriceps) returns from the 10-day injured list, David Hamilton should continue to start at the keystone for the BoSox. Campbell is currently hitting .223 (51-for-229) at the big-league level with six homers, 21 RBI, 24 runs scored and two stolen bases. He'll almost certainly be back in Beantown at some point in the second half.

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SeattleMariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes went 1-for-3 with two walks and a three-run home run on Wednesday for High-A Everett. The longball was his 15th of the year, which leads the entire Northwest League, as does his five triples, 45 RBI, and .540 slugging percentage. The Mariners' second-ranked prospect is hitting .259 thus far witha .410 wOBA and 137 wRC+. Flaunting some of the biggest power in the minors and now with115 games at High-A under his belt, the 20-year-old should get a chance to prove himselfat Double-A later this year, and is a prospect to keep an eye on in dynasty leagues.

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New York Mets right-hander Frankie Montas (lat) didn't look like a pitcher ready to make his 2025 big-league debut during his latest minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, allowing five earned runs on seven hit (one homer) while walking one and striking out only two in five innings of work to pick up a loss against Triple-A Jacksonville. The 32-year-old did go 80 pitches in the outing, but he's posted a 12.05 ERA and 2.14 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and 10 walks in 18 2/3 frames over his six rehab starts with Syracuse and High-A Brooklyn. He's set to come off the injured list on June 23 after missing the entire season to this point with a lat injury suffered in spring training. Based on how Montas has looked in the minors and the fact the Mets could ease him in out of the bullpen, fantasy managers in mixed leagues won't be very interested.

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The Seattle Times' Adam Jude reports that Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (oblique) is on the verge of being activated from the 10-day injured list and could return this weekend for a series against the Chicago Cubs. When he does return, the 30-year-old left-handed slugger is expected to be in the strong side of a platoon in Seattle in right field. He has gone 7-for-19 with a home run and a double in five minor-league rehab games with Triple-A Tacoma. Fantasy managers in shallow formats can continue to ignore Raley, who will be returning to just a .206/.345/.324 slash line with two round-trippers, eight RBI and 10 runs scored in his 68 at-bats. In addition to being able to play right field, Raley could be used at first base and designated hitter by the M's. His power can be useful in deeper fantasy formats after he hit a career-high 22 homers in 2024.

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Colorado Rockies third base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's contest for High-A Spokane. The 2024 first-rounder has now reached base at least once via hit or walk in each of his first 25 games since coming off the injured list in May. The Rockies' top prospect is now hitting .359 (33-for-92) with four doubles and three home runs, while touting a .491 OBP thanks to a 19.0 percent walk rate (17.2 percent strikeout rate). A challenge at Double-A (or higher) shouldn't be far off, and with his pedigree, he could be a fast mover through the organization.

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