New York Mets right-handed reliever Max Kranick (elbow) is getting another opinion from Dr. Keith Meister on his injured elbow and could require Tommy John surgery, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports. Kranick has been out since June 15 with a flexor strain, and going under the knife would cost him the rest of this season and perhaps all of 2026. It would be the second TJ surgery for Kranick, who also had the procedure in 2022. After two seasons out of the majors, the 27-year-old returned in 2025 to throw 37 innings of 3.65 ERA ball with 25:5 K:BB and five holds. Unfortunately for Kranick, he may not be able to build on those solid numbers because of his injury.

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Houston Astros right-hander J.P. France (shoulder) threw live batting practice Wednesday in the latest step in his recovery from a torn shoulder capsule. France, who hasn't appeared in the majors since April 2024, underwent shoulder surgery last July. The Astros still haven't provided a clear timeline for his return, though they do expect the 30-year-old back sometime this season. France combined for 29 appearances (28 starts) from 2023-24 and recorded back-end production. Over a 161 2/3-inning span, he went 11-9 with a 4.40 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP, and 123:59 K:BB.

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Baltimore Orioles left-hander Cade Povich (hip) posted a lights-out performance in a High-A rehab start on Sunday. Povich threw three perfect innings and recorded three strikeouts on 30 pitches (23 strikes). The 25-year-old has been on the 15-day injured list since mid-June and recently suffered a setback, making Sunday's excellent outing all the more encouraging. The Orioles expect Povich to return sometime after the All-Star break. Povich has gone 2-5 with a subpar 5.15 ERA across 13 appearances (12 starts) and 64 2/3 innings, though he has logged an impressive 68 strikeouts against 23 walks.

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Houston Astros outfielder Jacob Melton (ankle) has recently begun participating in baseball activities at the team's facility in Florida. Melton, on the 10-day injured list since June 14 with a sprained right ankle, is still without an exact timetable for a return. The Astros' second-ranked prospect at MLB Pipeline, Melton made his major league debut June 1 and went 7-for-29 with six RBI, 12 strikeouts, and two walks before going on the IL. He hit a productive .254/.371/.508 in 71 plate appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land this year to earn his first call-up. Melton is currently among a handful of Houston outfield options who are shelved with injuries, joining the likes of Jake Meyers (calf), Yordan Alvarez (hand), Chas McCormick (oblique), and Zach Dezenzo (hand).

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick (hamstring) underwent an MRI on his left hamstring after an 8-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday. Frelick had been dealing with soreness in his hamstring recently, and he had to leave the game in the third inning after aggravating it on a sliding catch. There's no word on the severity yet, but it helps that Frelick will have a few days to recover because of the All-Star break. The 25-year-old has been an important contributor on a playoff-contending Milwaukee club, having slashed a career-best .294/.354/.404 with seven homers, 39 RBI, 46 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 385 plate appearances.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki (shoulder) will throw his second bullpen session on Monday as he works back from a shoulder impingement. Barring any issues in his rehab, the Dodgers expect Sasaki to return in late August, according to manager Dave Roberts. Sasaki last pitched in the majors on May 9 and has since encountered some bumps in the road in his recovery. The Dodgers had to shut him down from throwing for a period, but he's now making progress. This has been a rough first year in the bigs for Sasaki, a big-ticket offseason signing from Japan. Along with his injury troubles, the 23-year-old phenom has struggled to a 4.72 ERA with almost as many walks (22) as strikeouts (24) in 34 1/3 innings.

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Houston Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) could begin a rehab assignment in the next week or two, according to Astros general manager Dana Brown, beat writer for the Astros, Brian McTaggart reports. Arrighetti is currently throwing live batting practice in Florida, and a rehab assignment would be a significant next step in getting him back in the Astros' rotation and helping them make a push for a playoff run. Arrighetti was a sleeper pick for many experts coming into this season, due to his second half in 2024 with the Astros. After some serious unfortunate luck in early April, Arrighetti broke his thumb when a line drive in batting practice struck him. Nonetheless, getting Arrighetti back in the rotation would be big for the Astros. If he has been dropped to the waiver wire in your league, and you have an open IL spot, he is worth a stash, considering he could help the last four to five weeks of the fantasy baseball regular season. So far in 2025, Arrighetti has only made two starts and has a 5.59 ERA.

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New York Yankees left-hander, Max Fried (finger), said it's still too soon to know if he'll pitch against the Atlanta Braves after the All-Star break, but his blister is moving in the "right direction" and "getting better, Gary Phillips, beat writer for the Yankees, reports. Fried exited in his start against the Chicago Cubs on July 12 after what appeared to be a blister on his left index finger. Although it is encouraging news that he is getting better, blisters are an interesting injury because the skin needs time to heal, which in some cases could be days, and in others, a couple of weeks. Although it's nice for the Yankees and fantasy managers to know it's not a serious injury to his shoulder or elbow, it is possible that he may need to skip a start or perhaps wait a few extra days after the All-Star break to toe the rubber again. Fried has enjoyed one of his better seasons in his professional career thus far, with a 2.43 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and is holding opponents to a .211 batting average in 122 innings pitched. Once healed from this blister issue, fantasy managers can make him a set-and-forget type of player in their lineups.

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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin was decent in his rehab outing on Sunday with Double-A Chesapeake, throwing four innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, one walk, two strikeouts, and allowing one home run. He is scheduled to throw Friday in Sarasota, and then potentially rejoin the Orioles' rotation after that, Jake Rill, beat writer for the Orioles, reports. Eflin was removed from his start on June 28 due to lower back discomfort. After a few weeks off, this was his first rehab start, and it does not appear he experienced any setbacks, suggesting he will likely rejoin the Orioles rotation shortly after the All-Star break. So far this season, Eflin has battled multiple injuries, and when he has been healthy, he has not been great, with a 5.95 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and his advanced metrics aren't much better (4.25 xERA and 4.41 SIERA). He will look to get back on track in the second half, but, understandably, fantasy managers may want to see a good start or two before putting him in their starting lineups, or perhaps sit him in tougher matchups.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (hip) has been able to throw multiple bullpen sessions since landing on the injured list July 2, MLB.com reports. Following his start on June 28 against the Detroit Tigers, Ober landed on the injured list with a hip injury. He proceeded to take an anti-inflammatory medicine, and since then, his hip has felt better. He threw a bullpen session Wednesday and has now thrown a handful of times off a mound as he works to get his mechanics back in order. Ober has struggled mightily this season, with a 5.28 ERA in 92 innings pitched. Fantasy managers had high hopes for Ober coming into the season, because he was coming off two solid seasons with the Twins, where he owned a 3.43 and 3.98 ERA in 2023 and 2024, respectively. His struggles this season have resulted in a worse K/9, higher HR/9, and higher opponents' batting average on balls in play (BABIP). The silver lining is that it appears his injury will not sideline him for long. Still, fantasy managers will want to see him have a good outing or two before confidently deploying him into their starting lineups again.

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Minnesota Twins 25-year-old Zebby Matthews threw four shutout innings with nine strikeouts, no walks, and one hit allowed in his start Sunday for Triple-A St. Paul. His Fastball reached 97-98 mph, and he got 12 outs on 56 pitches. It might be a one-and-done rehab assignment, depending on the Twins' rotation plan out of the break, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports. Matthews, regarded as one of the top Twins pitching prospects, injured his shoulder in early June, and after the outing he put together on Sunday, could likely return to the starting rotation after the All-Star break. The Twins have yet to announce this, but with their rotation struggling due to Bailey Ober (hip) and Pablo Lopez (shoulder) being on the injured list, Matthews could be asked to rejoin the rotation right away, as the Twins are battling for a wild-card spot. Thus far with the Twins, Matthews owns an impressive 11.54 K/9 through 19 innings pitched; however, that is supported with a 5.21 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. That being said, his advanced metrics showcase signs of positive regression (3.65 xERA).

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Washington Nationals outfield prospect Daylen Lile has enjoyed a recent surge at the plate. Over his last 18 games, the No. 9-ranked prospect in the D.C. system on MLB.com has posted a .292/.343/.369 slash line with two doubles, one home run, and three stolen bases. While he has yet to show much power upside in the major leagues, he has shown solid contact skills as he tallied at least one hit in a 14-game stretch earlier in July. During his first 15 games in Washington, Lile held a .152/.200/.326 slash line with just three doubles and a home run. Earlier in the season, the 22-year-old posted an impressive .337/.407/.500 slash line with seven doubles, two long balls, and six swiped bags across his first 26 games with Triple-A. Given his steady progress in the majors, he should continue to have an everyday role after the All-Star break.

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Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews has yet to tally a hit during his first week in the major leagues. The top-ranked prospect in Houston was given the starting nod at the keystone in each of his first two games but went 0-for-7 with five strikeouts. He did not draw a walk. The Astors opted to keep him on the bench on Sunday during their final game of the first half. Fantasy managers should expect Matthews to remain on the team following the All-Star break. However, if he continues to struggle, they will likely send him back to Triple-A to further his development. Earlier this season with Sugar Land, Matthews posted a strong .283/.400/.476 line with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and 25 stolen bases across 73 contests. Given his five-category upside, he is worth holding in all 12+ team leagues for the time being.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (side) was removed from Saturday's contest against Triple-A Iowa due to a side injury. He is currently being evaluated by the team, but has not yet provided any further details. Rodriguez was recently sidelined for nearly a month due to a right hip injury and could face another extended absence. Since returning to Triple-A following the hip injury, Rodriguez went 6-for-13 with a double, a home run, and seven RBI across four contests. Overall, the No. 2-ranked prospect in Minnesota has enjoyed a productive campaign with Triple-A St. Paul, holding a .254/.41/.428 line with seven doubles, five home runs, and seven stolen bases. If the 22-year-old can continue to perform with St. Paul, he could be in contention to join the major leagues later in the second half.

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Athletics first base prospect Nick Kurtz went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run during their victory on Sunday over the Toronto Blue Jays. Kurtz would go deep in the fifth inning with a two-run show off Toronto relief pitcher Justin Bruihl. Over his last nine contests, the Wake Forest product has been one of the most productive hitters in the major leagues, boasting a .344/.447/.938 slash line with four doubles and five long balls. Following his slow start in the majors, the former fourth overall pick has posted a remarkable .287/.376/.713 line with seven doubles and 16 home runs across his last 35 games. Earlier this season, Kurtz flashed immense power upside with Triple-A Las Vegas. The 22-year-old should continue to be viewed as a must-start first baseman in all formats.

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Seattle Mariners infield prospect Cole Young went 2-for-4 with a home run during their victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon. Young would hit his second MLB long ball in the final frame off Detroit reliever Tommy Kahnle. During this five-game hitting streak, the former 21st overall pick has begun to find his footing in the big leagues. He has held a .389/.476/.778 slash line with a double and two home runs. Before this surge, the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Seattle system held a modest .230/.271/.270 slash line with four doubles and a 25:4 K:BB. Earlier in the season, Young spent 54 games with Triple-A Tacoma and posted a solid .277/.392/.461 line with 13 doubles, five home runs, and four stolen bases before moving up to Seattle. For now, he is worth a look in deeper formats as a middle infielder with upside.

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Kansas Royals prospect pitcher Noah Cameron was dominant in his most recent outing on Sunday afternoon against the New York Mets. In this outing, Cameron was given a no-decision as he tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings. He allowed seven hits and served up two free passes. He matched a season-high eight strikeouts. Since allowing five runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 27, the southpaw has found his footing, logging 18 1/3 innings (three starts) to the tune of a stellar 0.98 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. Through 70 total innings in the major leagues, the rookie has held his own, posting a 2.31 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP. During this stretch, he has struck out 58 batters while posting an above-average 8.0% walk rate. Given his strong debut, he will likely remain in the Kansas City rotation during the entire second half.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto bounced back in a big way on Sunday, tossing seven shutout frames against the San Francisco Giants in a 5-2 win. Yamamoto scattered three hits and two walks while punching out seven. Unfortunately for the 26-year-old righty, he was saddled with a no-decision after Tanner Scott blew a save in the ninth. Still, it was a big step in the right direction for Yamamoto, who was coming off a disastrous outing against the Milwaukee Brewers in which he didn't escape the first inning. Things have been a bit shaky for the Japanese star lately, with solid starts sandwiched between rough ones. Still, his numbers look good for the season, as he is 8-7 with a 2.59 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts in 104 IP. His next start is TBD as we head into the all-star break, but Yamamoto will be a must-start in fantasy regardless of who he faces.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (6-3) authored a dominant start on Sunday, tossing seven one-run innings against the New York Yankees in a 4-1 win. Imanaga was excellent throughout this one, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out six. After a solid start to his season, Imanaga missed a month and a half with a hamstring injury. Since his return, he has been fine, but this was by far the best he has looked. Imanaga is now 6-3 with a 2.65 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 68 IP. He isn't much of a strikeout artist, but Imanaga does a good job preventing runs and baserunners. He is a must-start pitcher in fantasy, and lines up to start against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, subject to any changes the Cubs decide to make to their rotation during the All-Star break.

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (7-3) pitched into the eighth inning on Sunday, allowing just one run and picking up the win against the Houston Astros. Eovaldi scattered five hits, walked one, and struck out eight over 7 IP in what was another convincing performance. The 35-year-old veteran is having a career season, with a lights-out 1.58 ERA and 0.85 WHIP supported by a 94:14 K:BB ratio over 91 IP. Regression is almost certain with numbers like that, but even with that baked in, he should still be considered a must-start fantasy option regardless of matchup. Eovaldi is in line to face the Detroit Tigers next Sunday, but things could change if the Rangers' rotation gets shuffled after the All-Star break.

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