Cleveland Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo will start their game against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, according to Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Righty Luis L. Ortiz had been scheduled to take the mound, but Major League Baseball has placed him on paid leave for an unknown reason. The start against the Cubs' high-powered offense figures to be a short one for Cantillo, who has only totaled 28 1/3 innings in 21 appearances this season. The 25-year-old has registered a 3.81 ERA with 36:14 K:BB and a 1.38 WHIP.

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Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Edwin Uceta survived an Athletics rally to log his first save of the year in a 6-5 win on Wednesday. With closer Pete Fairbanks getting the day off, Uceta entered a 6-3 game in the top of the ninth with nobody out and a man on second. He immediately allowed the inherited runner to score on a Gio Urshela single before striking out Colby Thomas. The Athletics then hit three straight singles to plate two runs and make it a 6-5 game. They had the bases loaded with one out, but Uceta buckled down and fanned both Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz to end it. While he did manage to preserve the win, Uceta has struggled this year after a brilliant showing in 2024. The 27-year-old has pitched to a 5.20 ERA (6.34 xERA) with a 1.40 WHIP and 45:15 K:BB in 36 1/3 innings. He has, however, been a good source of holds with 13 on the season.

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Chicago White Sox reliever Jared Shuster (hand) began a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday. Shuster threw a scoreless inning in his first appearance. The 26-year-old southpaw hasn't pitched in the majors since June 4 because of a blister on his left hand. The injury continued an atrocious start to the season for Shuster, who has logged an 8.04 ERA with 12 strikeouts, five walks, and a 2.04 WHIP over 15 2/3 innings. He pitched to a much more respectable 4.30 ERA in a career-high 73 1/3 frames a year ago.

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Cleveland Guardians right-hander Luis L. Ortiz is under investigation by Major League Baseball and has been placed on paid leave, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports. The league did not provide a reason for the decision. Ortiz had been scheduled to start Cleveland's game on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, so fantasy managers will need to adjust accordingly. The 26-year-old has made 16 starts this season and gone 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA, 96 strikeouts against 42 walks, and a 1.38 WHIP in 88 2/3 innings.

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Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow) threw a July 1 bullpen session that went "really well," according to manager Stephen Vogt. The Guardians are determining next steps for the former AL Cy Young winner. Bieber suffered a setback a few weeks ago in his recovery from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, but he has gotten back on track since then. The Guardians are optimistic that he'll return in the second half of July. Bieber totaled just 12 innings last season after posting a 3.80 ERA with 7.52 K/9 and 2.39 BB/9 over 128 frames in 2023. Having undergone major surgery since then, fantasy managers should temper expectations when the former ace comes back this year.

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Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is not in the lineup for their game against the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Brooks Lee will start at short and bat fourth against Marlins starter Eury Perez. This looks like a rest day for Correa, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI in a 2-1 win over the Marlins on Wednesday night. After playing just 86 games in 2024, Correa has already appeared in 75 contests this year. Correa's production hasn't been up to his typical standards, though. He's hitting .259/.299/.387 with seven homers, 29 RBI, 32 runs scored, and a career-low 5.5% walk rate in 291 plate appearances.

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Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Keegan Akin (shoulder) was placed on the injured list on Wednesday with left shoulder inflammation. The 30-year-old lefty has appeared in 39 games for the Orioles this season, spanning 38 innings with a 3.32 ERA, 4.30 FIP, 1.42 WHIP, and 23.3% strikeout rate. Akin's WHIP is up this season, and his strikeout rate is down after a strong 2024. He has worked as an opener for a few games this season but will now be sidelined through at least the All-Star break. Right-handed reliever Yennier Cano was recalled from Norfolk to take Akin's place in the bullpen.

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor (trapezius) left Wednesday's game with what the team called a trap contusion after his collision with Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy. Taylor dove in headfirst while trying to steal third base and collided squarely with Muncy's knee. While Muncy left the game with what could be a serious knee injury, Taylor was also removed with a bruise on his upper back in the trapezius region. The 34-year-old righty is hitting just .214 with four homers, seven stolen bases, and a .291 wOBA in his 75 games for Chicago. He was replaced by Brooks Baldwin, who is one of the top candidates to get more playing time if Taylor is out.

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Houston Astros second baseman/third baseman Luis Guillorme (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to a right hamstring strain. Guillorme has been a versatile utility option off the bench for Houston since joining the team on June 14. After spending parts of six seasons with the Mets, he played for the Braves, Angels, and Diamondbacks last season. He hit .248 in Triple-A in 57 games but only .150 (3-for-20) after his promotion. Zack Short was called up to fill Guillorme's utility role in the infield. Guillorme will be out through the All-Star break and potentially longer, depending on the severity of his strain.

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Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (had, ribs) played nine innings on Wednesday night for Triple-A Las Vegas, and as long as there were no issues, he should be ready to join the A's at some point this weekend against the Giants in Sacramento. Gelof has yet to play a game in the majors this season after surgery to repair a hamate fracture in his right hand. While he was working his way back from that surgery, he was shut down due to a stress reaction in his ribs. Gelof hit only .211 last season in 138 games, but he had 17 homers and 25 stolen bases with a .276 wOBA to still carry fantasy value. The 25-year-old is a key part of the team's young core, and he should return as the team's primary second baseman the rest of the season, joining an exciting young lineup once he's available.

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Cincinnati Reds first baseman/outfielder Spencer Steer (hand) was scratched from Wednesday night's game in Boston, but since X-rays were negative, he has been diagnosed with a hand contusion. Steer was hit by a pitch by Bryan Bello in the seventh inning of the suspended game, which resumed on Wednesday afternoon. He was able to finish that game, but the injury swelled to the point where he was scratched on Wednesday night. Manager Terry Francona said, "We didn't think it made a whole lot of sense to play him. We'll see how he shows up tomorrow. Depending on how he's feeling, we'll see what to do." Steer could end up with a quick stint on the injured list, or he could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday in Philadelphia. Keep a close eye out for an update on Steer's hand and availability for the last week before the All-Star break.

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Seattle Mariners first base prospect Tyler Locklear went 2-for-4 with a home run and a stolen base during their contest against Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday evening. This was Locklear's second-straight game tallying two hits and fifth-straight game reaching base safely. Since June 1, Locklear has enjoyed a productive stretch at the plate, posting a .310/.403/.640 slash line with seven doubles, one triple, eight home runs, and four stolen bases. Through 79 total games at Triple-A this season, Locklear has held a solid .293/.381/.478 line with 20 doubles, 11 round-trippers, and 13 swiped bags. The No. 11-ranked prospect in he system was given a taste of the majors last season but posted a low .156 AVG through 16 games. Given his production at Triple-A, Locklear should be in the mix to return to the big leagues in the coming weeks.

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Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (knee) had to leave Wednesday night's game after his knee was wrenched sideways in a collision with White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor on a stolen base attempt. Muncy got the tag down but paid the price, immediately grabbing his left knee and collapsing in pain. While it definitely could be a serious injury, he was able to walk off the field on his own power. After the game, manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Muncy will have an MRI on Thursday but added, "A lot of the tests they did right now-we feel optimistic. Our hope is that it's a sprain." Either way, it looks like Muncy will land on the injured list, but if his ACL is intact, he could still return this season. The Dodgers and Muncy's fantasy managers will hope the MRI comes back in their favor. Looking ahead, the team holds an option for 2026 at $10 million, and the veteran's health will play a huge role in whether the team exercises that option for next season.

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New York Yankees infield prospect Roderick Arias went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI during their contest against Low-A Clearwater on Wednesday evening. Over his last five games, Arias has posted an impressive .400/.478/.850 line with three home runs and nine RBI. However, before this productive surge, Arias went 1-for-24 over his last six games with an 11:2 K:BB. Overall, the 20-year-old has struggled to find consistency at the Low-A level, posting a .192/.316/.303 line through 53 games. He has tallied 11 doubles, hit four home runs, but holds a 70:36 K:BB. Last season, the No. 5-ranked prospect in the system spent 124 games with Low-A and held a slightly higher .233/.335/.393 line with just 13 home runs. Given his struggles, he will likely not be in the mix to join High-A in the second half.

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New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo helped lead his team to a 7-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the second game of a Wednesday doubleheader. After going hitless in the first game, Nimmo went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and a stolen base in the nightcap. Nimmo kicked off the scoring in the game, blasting his third career grand slam in the second inning. The veteran is now hitting .254 with 16 homers, 38 runs, 47 RBI, and eight steals across 311 at-bats. He is working on a moderate hot streak, hitting .298 with three homers and eight RBI over his past 15 contests.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes has yet to slow down since earning the call to Double-A Arkansas. On Wednesday evening, Montes went 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple, an RBI, and two runs. This outing extended his current hitting streak to five games. During these five games, Montes has tallied two triples, two home runs, five RBI, and a 3:5 K:BB. Through his first eight games at Double-A, Montes has posted an impressive .333/.462/.800 line with three round-trippers with a 7:8 K:BB. The No. 2-ranked prospect in the Seattle system opened the campaign with High-A, where he posted a .268/.387/.572 slash line across 67 games. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on Montes as he is developing into one of the top hitters in the minor leagues. He remains on track to contend for his MLB debut next summer.

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Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty turned in a solid start in the second game of a Wednesday doubleheader against the Washington Nationals. In the 9-4 loss, Flaherty allowed three runs on five hits over five innings of work while walking two and striking out nine. He escaped with a no-decision while notching 16 swinging strikes in the outing. The veteran had a brutal June, posting a 6.84 ERA in the month, so his first July effort was definitely a step in the right direction. Overall, Flaherty has a 5-9 record, 4.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 109 strikeouts across 89 1/3 innings of work in 2025.

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Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a big day in his team's Wednesday doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox. After picking up just one hit in the first game, a Reds loss, Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-5 with a grand slam in the nightcap to help lead Cincinnati to an 8-4 win. Encarnacion-Strand's grand slam was a clutch one as it erased a 3-0 Red Sox lead in the seventh inning. The veteran is now hitting .206 with six homers, 13 runs, and 19 RBI across 126 at-bats this season. He will need to hit more consistently to be considered a fantasy option going forward.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe had a productive day in his team's 6-5 win over the Athletics on Wednesday. Lowe went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in the win. The veteran outfielder tied the game at 2-2 with his solo blast in the sixth inning, a shot that traveled 413 feet with an exit velocity of 107.3 MPH. Lowe is now hitting .269 with six homers, 29 runs, 15 RBI, and six steals across 156 at-bats this season. He has been struggling to find his power stroke after hitting 20 homers back in 2023, with only 16 dingers since, but he at least has theoretical 20-homer, 20-steal potential in fantasy if he can get his bat going again.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene had a big day in the first game of his team's Wednesday doubleheader with the Washington Nationals. Greene went 2-for-5 with two homers and six RBI in the contest, an 11-2 win over Washington. He did not start in the second game of the doubleheader but entered as a pinch-hitter and ultimately went 0-for-2. Greene kicked off the scoring in Game 1 with a three-run homer in the first inning and later added another three-run shot to give the Tigers a 10-0 lead in the fourth. The veteran outfielder is having a breakout season, hitting .296 with 21 homers, 49 runs, 69 RBI, and one steal across 328 at-bats. He has been on fire of late, batting .383 with seven homers and 21 RBI over his past 15 contests. Greene has forced his way into the conversation as a must-start in fantasy outfields going forward.

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