Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton continued his outstanding first half of the season Sunday with a multi-hit game in a 7-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Buxton smashed a solo homer, his 20th of the year, and finished 2-for-5 with a stolen base and an additional run scored. The 31-year-old has already reached the 20-HR mark for the second time in his career and remains on pace for his first season of 30 or more. With 16 steals so far, Buxton's first 20/20 or 30/30 season is also within reach. Named to his second American League All-Star team Sunday, Buxton has batted .270/.334/.544 with 53 RBI and 57 runs scored over 314 plate appearances.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler pitched one of the best games of his decorated career in a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. The 35-year-old logged his fifth complete game and his first since 2021, tossing nine innings of one-run, one-hit ball with 12 strikeouts. Aside from an Austin Hays home run in the top of the fifth inning, Wheeler was flawless. Now boasting a 9-3 record, the three-time All-Star has piled up double-digit strikeouts in back-to-back outings, continuing an extraordinary stretch over the past month. In six starts since June 9, Wheeler has thrown 40 innings and yielded three earned runs on 21 hits with 54 strikeouts against seven walks. That superhuman run of pitching has dropped Wheeler's ERA to 2.17 across 116 innings. He has also registered an elite K:BB (148:25) and the majors' fifth-best WHIP (0.84). Wheeler will try to end his remarkable first half on a high note with a road start against the San Diego Padres on Saturday. He punched out 10 Padres in eight shutout innings on June 30.

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Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks (4-2) earned his fourth win of the season in a 7-5 decision against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Fairbanks entered with one out and a runner on first in a 4-4 game in the bottom of the eighth. He retired both hitters he faced, striking out one, and stayed in for the ninth. Fairbanks didn't encounter much trouble in a scoreless frame, only allowing a single to Christian Vazquez. The Rays then scored three times in the top of the 10th, putting Fairbanks in position to nab the win. Rays reliever Eric Orze converted his third save in the bottom of the inning. After throwing a spotless 1 2/3 innings on Sunday, Fairbanks' ERA dropped to 2.34 with 30:14 K:BB, a 1.10 WHIP, and 15 saves in 34 2/3 frames.

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Colorado Rockies reliever Seth Halvorsen picked up his eighth save of the year in a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Halvorsen allowed a two-out walk to Chase Meidroth, but he retired the other three hitters he faced in a 12-pitch frame. While save opportunities are rare for the last-place Rockies, Halvorsen is their top choice in that department. The 25-year-old right-hander has pitched to a 4.04 ERA with 32:16 K:BB and a 1.43 WHIP in 35 2/3 innings.

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Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak led the team to a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday with an excellent offensive showing. Moniak got off to an auspicious start with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning against White Sox starter Shane Smith. The 27-year-old later added a single and a triple to finish 3-for-4 with three RBI and a stolen base. Moniak has been on a torrid run for over a month, having hit .354 (23-for-65) with eight homers, five doubles, two triples, and 17 RBI since June 1. Thanks to his recent stretch of success, the former No. 1 overall pick is slashing a solid .257/.303/.532 with 13 homers, 32 RBI, 30 runs, five steals, and a career-best 24.4% strikeout rate in 234 plate appearances. Unsurprisingly, Moniak has done most of his damage at hitter-friendly Coors Field. He has a .900 OPS at home and a .692 mark on the road.

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Right-handed reliever Luis Garcia has agreed to a Major League contract with the Washington Nationals, pending a physical, according to Andrew Golden of the Washington Post. Garcia, not to be confused with Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr., became available when the Los Angeles Dodgers released him earlier this week. The 38-year-old recorded a rough 5.27 ERA with 24 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 1.83 WHIP in 27 1/3 innings with the Dodgers, leading the club to go in another direction. The nomadic Garcia has pitched in the majors for seven different teams since debuting with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2013. He carries a career 4.20 ERA with 8.48 K/9, 4.00 BB/9, and a 1.44 WHIP across 555 1/3 frames.

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Milwaukee Brewers closer Trevor Megill pitched a perfect ninth inning Sunday to earn his 20th save in a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins. Megill picked up a pair of strikeouts and needed just 12 pitches to finish off Miami. The 31-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.56 with 38:15 K:BB and a 1.23 WHIP over 31 2/3 innings. Megill ranks sixth in the league in saves and has converted 87% percent of his opportunities this year.

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Houston Astros second baseman/outfielder Jose Altuve had a big game at the plate Sunday in a 5-1 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Altuve finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer to help the Astros finish off a three-game sweep of the reigning World Series champions. The nine-time All-Star has started July on a tear, going 10-for-24 with three homers, 10 RBI, two doubles, a triple, nine runs scored, and four walks in six games. While Altuve's overall production isn't approaching an MVP level anymore, this has still been the latest in a long line of quality seasons for the 36-year-old. Altuve is slashing .272/.332/.457 with 16 HRs, 46 RBI, 48 runs, and six steals in 371 trips to the plate.

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Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz slammed the door on the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday to earn his 21st save in a 1-0 victory. Munoz threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning with one strikeout on 14 pitches to log his third straight perfect appearance. He has now gone nine outings in a row without allowing an earned run. Just named to his second American League All-Star team, the 26-year-old has pitched to a jaw-dropping 1.06 ERA with a 0.82 WHIP and 45:13 K:BB in 34 innings.

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Kansas City Royals right-hander 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.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander 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.

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New York Mets right-hander 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.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander 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.

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Baltimore Orioles second baseman 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.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander 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.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander 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.

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New York Yankees closer 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.

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Houston Astros outfielder 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.

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Cleveland Guardians closer 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.

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The Milwaukee Brewers plan to recall first baseman Andrew Vaughn from Triple-A Nashville, Robert Murray of FanSided reports. He'll be the corresponding move when the Brewers place Rhys Hoskins (thumb) on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left thumb. The Brewers acquired Vaughn from the Chicago White Sox for right-hander Aaron Civale on June 13. Since then, the 27-year-old has batted .259/.338/.500 with three home runs and 16 RBI in 65 plate appearances with Nashville. Vaughn entered the pro ranks as the third overall pick of the White Sox in 2019, but the former prized prospect hasn't lived up to the billing in the majors. He got off to a disastrous .189/.218/.314 start with five homers and 19 RBI in 193 plate appearances this year before the White Sox decided to cut the cord on him. The right-handed Vaughn could now form a platoon at first base with the left-handed Jake Bauers in Milwaukee.

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