The Chicago Cubs have acquired right-hander Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. The return for Soroka is currently unknown. Soroka joined the Nationals on a one-year, $9 million contract in free agency and pitched to a 4.97 ERA over 16 starts and 81 1/3 innings in their uniform this season. While the 27-year-old's ERA is hardly inspiring, Soroka does carry a 3.32 xERA/4.11 FIP/4.04 xFIP with a terrific 87:24 K:BB. He's a candidate for positive regression in the run prevention department. It's also likely that Soroka's 3-8 record will improve now that he's joining a much better team. Soroka is expected to slot into Chicago's rotation, but he also has experience as a reliever.

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The Athletics reportedly told teams earlier this month that closer Mason Miller wouldn't be going anywhere by Thursday's trade deadline. However, that hasn't stopped the Athletics from engaging in discussions about the flamethrowing right-hander with inquiring clubs. The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres have all shown interest in Miller, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. It's worth noting that the Phillies (Jhoan Duran) and Mets (Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers) have each traded for high-leverage relievers since Rosenthal's initial report came out. Furthermore, after acquiring Duran, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made it clear that they're done adding relievers. The A's asked Phiiladelphia for prized pitching prospect Andrew Painter for Miller, per Rosenthal, but that was too rich for the Phillies' blood. The Yankees, meanwhile, would rather add pitching than subtract it. With that in mind, it doesn't seem that they'll match up on a Miller trade with the Athletics. The most intriguing scenario may be Miller to San Diego, which has interest in stretching him out as a starter by next season, Rosenthal writes. Miller made six starts as a rookie in 2023 and has since become one of the game's most electrifying relievers. It's unclear if the Padres and A's have made progress in talks, but Friars president of operations A.J. Preller is making a push for Miller.

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Chicago White Sox infielder Chase Meidroth (thumb) left early in a 9-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday after taking a pitch off the right thumb. The White Sox announced that X-rays came back negative on Meidroth, who's day-to-day. The 24-year-old rookie went 1-for-2 before the White Sox replaced him with Lenyn Sosa in the top of the sixth inning. Sosa finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Meidroth, who joined Chicago in an offseason trade with Boston centering on ace Garrett Crochet, has hit .252/.330/.319 with three homers, 15 RBI, 36 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 349 plate appearances.

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Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier (elbow) built up to 64 pitches in his second rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday. Javier went 3 1/3 innings, threw 33 strikes, and allowed three earned runs on two hits with four walks against three strikeouts. The 28-year-old has struggled with command in both of his Triple-A starts, but that's not a surprise for someone working back from Tommy John surgery. It's at least encouraging that Javier showed off normal velocity on Wednesday (93 mph average fastball) and threw 15 more pitches his second time out. Javier still figures to need a couple more rehab starts before rejoining the Astros' pitching staff sometime in August. He hasn't toed the rubber in the majors since May 2024.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (cramps) left his start against the Cincinnati Reds early on Wednesday with cramps, the team announced. Ohtani walked off the mound in the middle of an at-bat with an athletic trainer after throwing six straight balls, two of which were wild pitches. There was initial concern that Ohtani suffered a serious injury, but the three-time MVP was able to stay in at designated hitter. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023, Ohtani missed all of 2024 as a pitcher. The right-hander made his return to the mound June 16 and has since been effective over seven outings, though he hasn't gotten more than nine outs in any of his appearances. Wednesday's start was the first time he pitched into the fourth inning this year. Ohtani totaled three innings on a season-high 51 pitches (32 strikes) and allowed two runs on five hits with 4:2 K:BB. It's unclear when he'll make his next start.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia (ankle, elbow) should resume throwing in about a week, manager John Schneider said. Garcia went on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle on July 5. Since then, a more serious issue - nerve symptoms in his elbow - cropped up and forced the Blue Jays to shut Garcia down from throwing. Garcia recently underwent a cortisone injection, and Toronto is hopeful that he'll return to its bullpen in late August. This has been an injury-riddled season for Garcia, who spent about six weeks on the shelf earlier in the year with a shoulder impingement. The 34-year-old has still made 22 appearances and put up a 3.86 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP, 25:12 K:BB, six holds, and three saves in 21 innings. If he comes back healthy, Garcia could be an important late-season reinforcement for a Toronto team vying for an AL East title.

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The Minnesota Twins acquired right-handed pitching prospect Mick Abel and catching prospect Eduardo Tait from the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday in exchange for closer Jhoan Duran, according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports. Abel, the Phillies' No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, made his big-league debut this year in Philly and didn't fare so well, allowing 14 earned runs on 25 hits (seven homers) while walking nine and striking out 21 in 25 innings pitched over six starts. The 23-year-old former 15th overall pick in 2020 has looked much better at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025 over 13 starts (74 innings), recording a 2.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 81:32 K:BB. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder now has a much clearer path to a rotation spot in the big leagues with Minnesota and could resurface in the big leagues for the Twins to close out the 2025 campaign.

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MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (head) passed concussion protocols after leaving Wednesday's loss to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park after taking a check-swing foul ball off his catcher's mask in the fifth inning. Alvarez finished the inning but was replaced by Luis Torrens in the sixth inning in the eventual 5-0 loss. DiComo adds that the young backstop will be permitted to fly back to New York with the team, but it remains to be seen if he'll be back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants after a day off on Thursday. The 23-year-old was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before leaving. Since coming back up from the minor leagues on July 21, Alvarez has swung the bat well, going 6-for-21 with a homer, two RBI and six runs scored. It sounds like Alvarez should be able to avoid going on the seven-day concussion IL.

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The New York Mets are finalizing a deal on Wednesday to acquire right-handed closer Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for shortstop/third baseman Jesus Baez and right-handers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt, league sources tell Will Sammon of The Athletic. Helsley, 31, has had his hiccups this year and is sporting a 3.00 ERA (3.51 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP in 36 innings pitched, but he still has 21 saves and 41 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. The Mets were not done fortifying their bullpen after overpaying for Giants right-handed submariner Tyler Rogers earlier in the day. Helsley had a league-best 49 saves for the Red Birds as a second-time All-Star in 2023 and will now move to Queens, where his fantasy value is going to take a big hit now that he's going to operate as a late-inning setup man in front of Mets current closer Edwin Diaz.

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Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson was traded to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. This is a nice under-the-radar move for Seattle to add extra depth to their bullpen. Ferguson holds a 3.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 34/14 K/BB ratio across 45 appearances with the Pirates this season. He figures to pitch in a setup role for the Mariners down the stretch. The return for Pittsburgh was not announced yet, but it likely won't be a huge return given Ferguson is on a one-year deal, There won't be much fantasy value here with Ferguson unlikely to close out games in Seattle.

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St. Louis Cardinals reliever John King (oblique) was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday with a left oblique strain. Severity is not yet known. If the oblique strain is a Grade 1, expect King to miss only 2-3 weeks. A Grade 2 oblique strain could mean 6-8 weeks on the IL and possibly season-ending. Further testing (MRI) will show the Cardinals' next course of action. Since the All-Star break, King has only allowed three earned runs over his last seven outings, logging four strikeouts and only one walk. RHP Gordon Graceffo has been called up to take King's bullpen spot.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (triceps) was removed from Wednesday's lineup due to a strained left triceps. The severity of his injury is not yet known. Johan Rojas took his spot in the lineup, while Brandon Marsh shifts to left field. Kepler should be considered day-to-day for now. Kepler, who hits lefties better on the road than at home, has been in a bit of a funk recently, slashing only .152/.216/.242 since the All-Star break with only one home run while platooning in the Phillies outfield.

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Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. Finally, the two sides get a deal done after all the speculation for the last few weeks. The Phillies have been looking for a high-leverage reliever and now they have one in Duran. In exchange, the Twins received right-hander Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait. Both players were top prospects in the Phillies farm system, so a nice grab for Minnesota. The Phillies get a shut down closer in Duran for the rest of this year and two more seasons after 2025. Duran holds a 2.01 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 53/18 K/BB ratio with 16 saves in 49 games this season. He figures to see the bulk of the saves in Philly going forward which should increase his fantasy value.

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tyler Wells (elbow) had his first rehab start for Double-A Chesapeake on Wednesday. The 30-year-old threw two perfect innings with one strikeout. Wells had Tommy John surgery in June 2024 and is trying to work his way into the Orioles' starting rotation. He threw 15 of his 22 pitches for strikes, which is a good sign as control is one of the last aspects of pitching that comes back after Tommy John surgery. Wells has not pitched in an MLB game since April 2024 but was a consistent pitcher back in 2023, pitching to the tune of a 3.64 ERA, 0.99 WHIP over 119 innings, starting 20 games for the Orioles. Wells could return to the majors by late August.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (shoulder) will come off the 60-day injured list and start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. This marks the first time that Snell has taken a big league mound since April 2. Most recently, Snell tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing zero hits, and striking out seven batters this past Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. It appears the southpaw is ready for the big leagues again after a four-month absence. It's worth noting that Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts said the team will move to a six-man rotation going forward. That will mean slightly less fantasy value for these pitchers with there being longer times between each start. Despite that, Snell needs to be rostered and started in all fantasy formats this weekend.

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Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (foot) was activated off the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. Lowe is back in the mix after missing the minimum of 10 days on the IL due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He'll get right back into the swing of things as he bats second while covering second base versus right-hander Will Warren on Wednesday. Lowe has been hitting the ball well enough to warrant rostering in most standard 12-team formats right now. Fantasy managers should make sure to get Lowe back into their lineups ahead of Wednesday's game. In a corresponding move, infielder Tristan Gray has been optioned to Triple-A Durham.

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has been one of the hottest names during the upcoming trade deadline. There have been a handful of teams reportedly interested in acquiring Robert ahead of Thursday's deadline. However, the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly the frontrunners to acquire Robert. It hasn't been a great year at the plate for Robert, but he does have a .926 OPS in July. The 27-year-old is heating up at the right time. He brings a good combination of speed and power that would be a nice fit for both the Phillies and Mets lineup.

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Los Angeles Angels third baseman Yoan Moncada (hand) will make his return to the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers. Moncada is back in the mix after missing the previous three games. He was hit in the hand by a pitch during Saturday's game and sat out a few games as a result. Moncada will cover third base and bat sixth versus right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should double check their lineups and make sure Moncada is in there.

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New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he anticipates outfielder Juan Soto (foot) to return to the Mets lineup on Friday versus the San Francisco Giants. "I think we dodged a bullet here," Mendoza said, referring to the bruised left foot Soto suffered in Tuesday's loss to the Pirates. X-rays on his foot came back negative. However, fractures may not be seen until a few days later due to inflammation. Given the rest, the Mets are giving Soto Wednesday, and with the team having an off day Thursday, Soto is able to have 72 hours off his feet. Soto have been somewhat slumping in July hitting only .210 with five home runs, 15 RBI and six stolen bases. Tyrone Taylor has benefited with more playing time with Soto out.

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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Martin Perez (forearm), who has been on the IL since April 19, has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment starting Thursday with Triple-A Charlotte. Perez has been on the 60-day IL with a left flexor strain in his left forearm, and his rehab has finally progressed to game action. Given the length of time Perez has been out, he should require multiple rehab starts, barring any setbacks. He has pitched in four games this year to the tune of a 3.15 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 20 innings. Perez could return in the next 2-3 weeks, putting him on the fantasy radar in deep leagues.

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