St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante is scheduled to take the ball versus the Arizona Diamondbacks for the beginning of the second half on Friday. This is an interesting decision to give Pallante the start to kick off the second half of the season. Pallante most recently gave up seven earned runs in a start against the Washington Nationals on July 9. He holds a 4.49 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 64/32 K/BB ratio across 18 starts this season. He won't be a recommended streaming option for this game. Following Pallante, Sonny Gray will get the ball on Saturday while Miles Mikolas is set to pitch on Sunday.

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Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Josh Winckowski (elbow) is currently in the early stages of a throwing program, according to Chris Cotillo. Winckowski suffered a right flexor strain in Triple-A during mid-May. He has been sidelined since then, but is eligible to return from the injured list in early August. Winckowski has only pitched in six games for the Red Sox this season. However, Winckowski has been a solid swingman option for Boston over the last few seasons. The right-hander could be an option for Boston down the stretch of the season.

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Pittsburgh PG's Noah Hiles doesn't believe that the Pittsburgh Pirates will skip any of right-hander Paul Skenes' starts in the second half, but he does expect more low-volume outings and a fw start days being pushed back later in the week as the team looks to preserve him for the future. Hiles still believes that the 23-year-old phenom will finish around 200 innings, a number that only four pitchers surpassed in 2024. Skenes threw 160 1/3 innings between the majors and minors a year ago. While this news isn't great for Skenes' overall fantasy upside in the second half of the 2025 season, it also shouldn't be a reason for fantasy managers to panic at all. To close out the first half of the year, Skenes threw fewer than 80 pitches in three of his last four starts, so it might have already started happening. Regardless, he's still a must-start every time he toes the rubber.

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Pittsburgh PG's Noah Hiles writes that the Chicago Cubs seem to have a decent amount of interest in trading for Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Hiles doesn't think Hayes is Chicago's top choice, but multiple sources have said that he's on the Cubs' radar with the trade deadline approaching. The first-place Cubs are very clearly going to be buyers this summer, although their top priorities on the trade market will be starting and relief pitching. Still, they are definitely looking for an upgrade over rookie Matt Shaw at third base after he's gotten off to a slow start to his big-league career with a .198/.276/.280 slash line, only two home runs, 15 RBI, 28 runs and 11 steals in 207 at-bats. Hayes hasn't all that much better, hitting .238 (78-for-328) with two homers and 10 steals, but the 28-year-old is also strong defensively.

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MLB.com's Jordan Bastian writes that the Chicago Cubs will have to weigh dealing one of the hottest hitters in professional baseball in outfield prospect Owen Caissie over the coming weeks as the team looks to add at the July 31 trade deadline. Caissie is now Chicago's top-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and is sporting a .961 OPS in 73 games for Triple-A Iowa. Before this week's All-Star break, the 23-year-old hit .400 with eight home runs, 10 RBI, 10 walks and a 1.676 OPS in nine games. Caissie is currently blocked at the big-league level, but if the Cubs don't trade him this summer, he figures to make his MLB debut next year, especially if the Cubs cannot retain star outfielder Kyle Tucker in free agency. Caissie should already be stashed in all dynasty/keeper leagues. His ETA to the big leagues figures to be fast-tracked if he's traded.

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SI.com's Jason Burke suggests that Athletics right-handed pitching prospect Jack Perkins, who is ranked as the team's No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is a candidate to take right-hander Mitch Spence's No. 5 rotation spot in the second half of the season. Perkins made his MLB debut in relief on June 22 and has mostly piggybacked JP Sears as a relief option out of the bullpen, allowing four earned runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out 11 in 9 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old also picked up his first two career saves. The former fifth-rounder in 2022 had a 2.86 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 68:20 K:BB in 44 innings (nine starts) for Triple-A Las Vegas, and the A's may want to get a look at him in a starting role in the majors to see what exactly they have for next year. Perkins, who features a fastball, slider/sweeper, cutter and changeup, has shown plenty of swing-and-miss stuff.

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New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea will get the second half of the season kicked off and start in the series opener versus the visiting Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field on Friday, according to the New York Post's Mike Puma. Manaea will be followed in the rotation by right-hander Clay Holmes for Game 2 on Saturday and left-hander David Peterson in the series finale on Sunday. Due to shoulder and elbow issues, Manaea didn't make his season debut until the final game of the first half of the season on Sunday, when he allowed a run while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings of relief against the Kansas City Royals. The 33-year-old southpaw appeared to pick up right where he left off in a resurgent 2024 season, which is encouraging for fantasy managers that stashed him in the first half. Manaea could be limited from a workload perspective in his first start on Friday and will be facing a middling Reds offense.

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The New York Yankees announced on Thursday that they optioned right-handed pitching prospect Clayton Beeter to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and added right-hander Rico Garcia to the active roster in a corresponding move. Garcia was claimed off waivers earlier in the week. Beeter, the team's No. 20 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will head back to the farm after allowing six earned runs on five hits (two home runs) while walking four and striking out only one in 3 2/3 innings over his two relief appearances in the Bronx. The 26-year-old former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 out of Texas Tech has a sharp 2.14 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, two saves, 35 strikeouts and 17 walks in 21 relief innings at Single-A Tampa, Double-A Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the minors this year. He's no longer as attractive in fantasy in dynasty leagues now that he's become a full-time reliever.

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Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said on Thursday that right-hander Manuel Rodriguez (forearm) won't be back from his elbow/forearm injury anytime soon, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. The Rays pulled Rodriguez off his minor-league rehab assignment recently when he suffered a setback. The 28-year-old was scheduled to meet with a doctor earlier this week, but details of that meeting haven't been revealed. All we know is that Rodriguez won't be back in the big leagues for a while. The Mexican reliever has been out of action since the middle of June. Before getting hurt, he had been a valuable piece of Tampa's bullpen, recording a career-low 2.08 ERA (2.98 FIP) and 1.05 WHIP while fanning 25 and walking only six in 30 1/3 innings in relief.

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The Kansas City Royals expect right-handed reliever Hunter Harvey (shoulder) to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday night in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. Harvey is finally going to get back into a game after being sidelined with a right teres major strain in his shoulder since the middle of April. Since he has missed so much time, the 30-year-old veteran reliever may not be able to return to the Royals until later this month or even early August, depending on how his rehab goes. When healthy, Harvey should be a key late-inning setup man in front of closer Carlos Estevez after he ranked ninth in baseball in 2024 with 28 holds over 49 appearances with the Royals and Washington Nationals. The problem is that Harvey has rarely been healthy and dealt with a back issue last year in KC that limited him to only six appearances down the stretch.

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San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt has underwhelmedat Triple-A this year, posting a 4.50 ERA (4.92 xFIP), a 1.33 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. The Giants' second-ranked prospect has greatly improved his year-over-year walk rate, from 11.1 percent to 7.1 percent, but it appears to be at the expense of his strikeout rate, going from 28.4 percent to 20.9 percent. Also, although the walk rate improved, the 6-foot-3 lefty has thrown the fifth-most wild pitches in the minors this year, totaling 10 of them thus far. An MLB debut looked like a slam dunk earlier this year, but the picture is a bit more cloudy now. It will still likely happen, but not nearly as soon as thought, and the 24-year-old no longer looks like a must-stash in advance of an eventual call-up.

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Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said that second baseman Brandon Lowe (oblique) is feeling good but will be re-evaluated after a workout on Thursday to determine if he'll come off the 10-day injured list for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles to kick off the second half of the season, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Lowe was put on the IL last Friday with a minor oblique injury, but he could return this weekend after not playing since July 6. The Rays will be cautious with one of their potential trade chips this summer (if they decide to sell), though. The 31-year-old veteran made his second All-Star team this year by hitting .272/.324/.487 with an .811 OPS, 19 home runs, 50 RBI, 54 runs scored and three steals in 84 games in the first half. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if he's activated and in the starting lineup.

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The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Texas Rangers are calling up first baseman Rowdy Tellez from Triple-A Round Rock before Friday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers. Tellez will essentially be replacing first baseman Jake Burger (quadriceps) on the active roster after Texas placed Burger on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to a quad strain. Tellez, a 30-year-old left-handed slugger, hit .208/.249/.434 with 11 home runs, 27 RBI, 20 runs scored and a 49:8 K:BB in 62 games with the Seattle Mariners earlier this year before being released. At least until Burger is able to return, Tellez should see regular playing time in Texas between first base and designated hitter against right-handed pitching. Fantasy managers in deeper formats looking for a little power boost should take notice.

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The Athletic's Dan Hayes reports that Minnesota Twins second base prospect Luke Keaschall (forearm) will start his rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Keaschall, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is returning to game action this weekend for the first time since fracturing the right ulna bone in his forearm in late April. The 22-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 out of Arizona State made his MLB debut with the Twins before that and went 7-for-19 with three doubles, two RBI, four runs scored and five stolen bases in just seven games played. Keaschall will probably have a lengthy rehab assignment, but when he's ready, he could return to Minnesota and provide an interesting power/speed combination for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. He's a hit over power prospect, but when combined with his wheels, he should have plenty of fantasy appeal.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (hip) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, according to The Athletic's Dan Hayes. Depending on how Ober feels and looks on Friday, it might be the only rehab start he needs before being activated from the 15-day injured list. The 30-year-old was shut down in early July with a left-hip impingement. The 30-year-old hasn't been much of a fantasy asset in 2025, though, going 4-6 for the Twins with a career-worst 5.28 ERA (5.29 FIP), 1.41 WHIP and 74:22 K:BB in 92 innings over his 17 starts. Ober endured a particularly rough month of June before going on the IL, allowing 30 earned runs on 38 hits (14 home runs surrendered) while striking out 24 and walking eight in 30 innings over five starts. Fantasy managers won't be in a rush to pluck him off the waiver wire when he returns in the second half.

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The Tampa Bay Rays transferred right-hander Hunter Bigge (face, lat) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday and selected the contract of right-hander Joey Gerber to the 40-man roster and optioned him to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move, according to Bally Sports' Ryan Bass. Bigge has been on the sideline since early May due to a strained right lat, but then he was hit in the face by a line drive in the dugout, causing him to miss even more time. The 27-year-old hurler has resumed baseball activities but won't be able to return until late August or early September. Before his injury earlier this year, Bigge held a 2.40 ERA (6.15 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and five walks in 15 innings out of the bullpen for Tampa.

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The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that regardless of whether the Tampa Bay Rays become sellers at this year's trade deadline, they will be reluctant to trade players who signed team-friendly contract extensions. It means that first baseman Yandy Diaz is the most unlikely to be moved after the Rays exercised his $12 million option for 2026 and added a $10 million club option for 2027. Second baseman Brandon Lowe also signed a below-market extension for six years and $24 million in March of 2019. However, he only has an $11.5 million option for 2026 left. Closer Pete Fairbanks only has a $7 million club option remaining as well, so if the Rays decide to become sellers soon, Lowe and Fairbanks would have a much better shot at being traded than Diaz, who is hitting .285 (105-for-368) with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 43 runs and three steals in 2025.

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The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that Baltimore Orioles veteran right-hander Charlie Morton, who is on an expiring contract, has become an attractive trade chip as the July 31 deadline nears. Morton, 41, had a 10.89 ERA after his first five starts this year, but he's turned things around and has posted a 3.05 ERA in his last 59 innings pitched since April 29. Rosenthal mentioned the Boston Red Sox, who went on a run at the end of the first half of the season, as a possibility to acquire Morton in a trade. The starting pitching market is thin, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora is familiar with Morton from the 2017 Houston Astros. Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers has also bounced back for Baltimore, but they are unlikely to trade him because he's under club control through the 2026 campaign. Overall, Morton still sports a bloated 5.18 ERA, but he does have 88 K's in 83 1/3 innings.

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The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that it's unlikely that either left-hander Trevor Rogers or closer Felix Bautista will be traded at this year's deadline, according to a source briefed on the team's plans. The Orioles are listening on Rogers, but he's under control for one more season, and the Orioles plan on contending in 2026. The 27-year-old Rogers' debut with Baltimore last August was rough and led to him being sent down to the minors. He then began the 2025 season on the injured list, while outfielder Kyle Stowers, who the O's traded to Miami in exchange for Rogers last year, became an All-Star. But since May 24, Rogers has a 1.53 ERA with an expected ERA of 2.94. Bautista missed all of 2024 due to injury and has gone 1-1 with a career-high 2.41 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, 18 saves, 48 strikeouts and 20 walks in 33 2/3 innings pitched.

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Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby (hand) had surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his left hand on Wednesday in Arizona, according to Craig Mish of Sports Grid. Norby is expected to miss six to eight weeks. The 25-year-old won't be able to return until at least late August, leaving him little time to help fantasy managers the rest of the way in 2025. In single-year fantasy leagues, managers must weigh the cost of holding the former second-rounder into the second half of the season if they have other roster needs. In 253 at-bats in the first half for the Fish, Norby slashed .241/.289/.364 with a below-average .653 OPS, only six home runs, 26 RBI, 33 runs and seven stolen bases. Heading into the second half without Norby at the hot corner, expect the Marlins to mix and match at third base with Graham Pauley and Javier Sanoja.

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