The Detroit Tigers' tentative plan for the second half of the season, which begins on Friday, July 18, in Texas against the Rangers, is for right-hander Reese Olson to open the series on Friday and left-hander Tarik Skubal to go on Sunday in the series finale. If right-hander Casey Mize doesn't pitch in the All-Star game this week, then he would toe the rubber for Game 2 at Globe Life Field on Saturday. If Mize does pitch in the Midsummer Classic, right-hander Keider Montero could start on Saturday, or the team could go with a bullpen game. Olson has settled for no-decisions in his two starts back from the injured list but has been solid, allowing three earned runs on 12 hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out four in 9 1/3 innings against the Guardians and Rays. He's sporting an ERA under 3.00 on the year and should be started against Texas next Friday to kick off the second half.

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The New York Mets announced on Sunday that they reinstated left-hander Sean Manaea (elbow, oblique) from the 60-day injured list and optioned right-hander Austin Warren to Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Right-hander Clay Holmes is starting on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals in the final game of the first half of the season, but Manaea is expected to make his 2025 season debut as a bulk reliever after Holmes exits. The 33-year-old southpaw could have a limited pitch count in his first big-league game, but he did toss 73 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in his final minor-league rehab start. Manaea may be working out of the bullpen on Sunday, but he's fully expected to return to the starting rotation for the start of the second half, making him worth a waiver-wire pickup in mixed leagues if he's available. He had a 3.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 184:63 K:BB in 181 2/3 innings for the Mets a year ago.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn is getting the day off in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Washington Nationals at American Family Field. Jake Bauers will make the start at first base and will bat sixth against Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin. After flaming out with the Chicago White Sox as a former first-round pick, the Brewers traded for Vaughn this year, and he's taken full advantage of his opportunities in Milwaukee with Rhys Hoskins (thumb) on the injured list. In just five games with the Brew Crew, the 27-year-old right-handed hitter has gone 6-for-14 with two home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI and three runs scored. He went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI in Saturday's victory over Washington. Vaughn should continue to get chances at first base in Milwaukee, at least until Hoskins recovers from his thumb ailment.

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The Atlanta Braves have recalled right-handed pitcher Davis Daniel from Triple-A Gwinnett, according to the team. Daniel is scheduled to start on Sunday for the Braves against the St. Louis Cardinals. The 28-year-old has pitched just one inning in the majors for Atlanta in 2025, but he's logged 76 2/3 innings (14 starts) at Triple-A. He's 5-7 with a 3.52 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and an unimpressive 8.8% K-BB% in the minors. The Braves optioned lefty reliever Austin Cox to Triple-A as the corresponding move for recalling Daniel.

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Boston Red Sox infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela is starting in center field and is batting sixth on Sunday in the series finale against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Ryan Pepiot at Fenway Park. Rafaela, who has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball for a while now, played second for the first time this year and hit out of the two-hole on Saturday with third baseman Alex Bregman resting. The 24-year-old hit a walk-off homer in the ninth on Friday night and is currently in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak in which he's batting .429 (15-for-35) with four home runs, six doubles, 13 RBI, nine runs scored and two stolen bases in 36 plate appearances. Not only is Rafaela one of the hottest hitters in the game right now, but he's hit .364 with two RBI in 11 career at-bats against Pepiot. Keep him in your starting lineups.

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Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna is not in the starting lineup on Sunday for his team's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Sean Murphy will get the start at DH in his place and bat fourth. Ozuna has had somewhat of a strange season so far in 2025. His 16.2% walk rate would be the best full-season mark of his career by a significant margin, but his .396 slugging percentage is 150 points lower than the .546 mark he posted in 2024. In totality, Ozuna is hitting .239 with 13 home runs, 42 RBI, and 37 runs scored in 388 plate appearances. His .483 xSLG suggests he'll provide fantasy managers with a better power output in the post-All-Star break portion of the season.

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Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (ankle) is back in the lineup for his team's Sunday game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after being held out on Saturday. His return is excellent news for Minnesota, as it looked like Correa may have suffered a serious injury when Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham collided with his lower leg in a play at second base on Friday night. Injuries have historically been an issue for Correa, but he's managed to largely stay healthy in 2025, logging 318 plate appearances so far. However, his production on the field is below his usual standard. Correa has posted a .261/.302/.385 slash line with seven home runs and 30 RBI.

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Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby (wrist) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with left-wrist inflammation, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. Infielder Graham Pauley was called up from Triple-A Jacksonville as the corresponding move and will start at third base and bat eighth for the Marlins in their Sunday game against the Baltimore Orioles. The 25-year-old Norby missed the start of the season due to an oblique strain, so this is his second trip to the injured list in 2025. In 273 plate appearances, Norby is hitting .241/.289/.364 with six home runs, 26 RBI, 33 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. It remains to be seen how long this latest injury will keep him sidelined.

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Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw is absent from the starting lineup for his team's Sunday afternoon game against the New York Yankees. Shaw has now been on the bench for four out of the Cubs' last five games and three straight, so this could be a more permanent role change for the struggling youngster. Utility man Vidal Brujan is playing third and batting ninth today, while veteran Jon Berti got the start at the hot corner on both Friday and Saturday. The 23-year-old Shaw won the Cubs' third base job out of Spring Training, but he's hit .199 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 28 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. With the trade deadline nearing and the Cubs reportedly searching for upgrades, Shaw could soon be looking at a demotion to Triple-A.

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The Boston Red Sox have traded catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol to the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations, per MassLive's Chris Cotillo. The 27-year-old Sabol appeared in eight games this season for Boston, hitting .125 with a 38.9% strikeout rate. He wasn't much better in 167 plate appearances at Triple-A Worcester, slashing .167/.281/.299 with three home runs, 17 RBI, 15 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. Sabol is the rare catcher-eligible player with some speed, but he's not yet proven he can hit at the big league level. It does not appear as though he'll immediately have a spot on Chicago's 40-man roster.

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The Boston Red Sox recalled right-hander Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday. The team placed righty Hunter Dobbins (knee) on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. Dobbins is done for the year after suffering a torn ACL, which opens up the fifth spot in Boston's rotation for Fitts. The 25-year-old has made eight starts this year and gone 1-3 with a 4.28 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and 28:10 K:BB in 33 2/3 innings. That's passable back-end production, which is what the Red Sox are looking for in a Dobbins replacement.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (appendix) remains without a timetable to return to the major leagues, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Walker, who last played for the Cardinals on June 22, is on the 10-day injured list as a result of an appendectomy. The 23-year-old has returned to action on a rehab assignment in the minors, where he has been working on swing adjustments. Those changes have paid off lately, as Walker has homered twice in a three-game span with Double-A Springfield. Other than a promising rookie campaign in 2023, the former standout prospect hasn't hit much in the majors. Walker was batting an ugly .210/.267/.295 with three home runs and a 33% strikeout rate in 191 plate appearances this year before he went on the IL. The Cardinals have gotten much better production in right field from Alec Burleson, who's slashing .289/.334/.463 with 11 homers and 43 RBI over 312 trips to the plate.

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (hamstring) has begun getting "introductory workouts" in the outfield during his rehab assignment, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Herrera hasn't played since June 19 because of a strained left hamstring. When he does return, the Cardinals plan to significantly cut his time behind the plate to reduce wear and tear. He'll primarily slot in at designated hitter upon activation, but occasionally lining up in the outfield would provide the team more flexibility to plug in various players at DH. Herrera's production this year has been stellar regardless of position. The 25-year-old has slashed .320/.392/.533 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in 171 plate appearances. Herrera is on track to return to the St. Louis lineup after the All-Star break.

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The Boston Red Sox have not discussed which role right-hander Tanner Houck (elbow) will take on when he returns from the injured list, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. Houck has been working back from a flexor strain that he suffered in mid-May. Before going on the IL, the 2024 All-Star stumbled to an 0-3 record with an 8.04 ERA in nine starts and 43 2/3 innings. Having lost righty Hunter Dobbins (knee) to a season-ending torn ACL this weekend, the Red Sox are set to plug Richard Fitts into the fifth spot in their rotation. Barring any more injuries to the team's starting staff, it seems likely Houck will pitch out of the bullpen for the first time since 2022 when he comes back. He's expected to return sometime this month.

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment in the Florida Coast League on Monday, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Varsho could rejoin the Blue Jays out of the All-Star break if things go smoothly. The 29-year-old hasn't played since he strained his left hamstring on May 31. He also missed almost all of April while recovering from shoulder surgery. When healthy, Varsho has brought plenty of power to the table this year. The two-time 20-home run hitter is batting .207/.240/.543 with eight HRs in 100 plate appearances. Myles Straw has gotten the majority of starts in center field with Varsho unavailable.

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Baltimore Orioles left-handed reliever Keegan Akin (shoulder) will face hitters Monday before beginning a potential rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. Akin has been on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation since July 1. The Orioles had to shut him down from throwing earlier this week after he received an injection in his shoulder, but he's now progressing toward a return. The 30-year-old has gone 3-0 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.42 WHIP, 38:16 K:BB, and 12 holds over 38 innings.

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Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier (elbow) began a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on Saturday. In his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2024, Javier threw 35 pitches over 1 1/3 innings. He allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks, striking out one. The 28-year-old's fastball reached 95 mph, and Astros manager Joe Espada said he felt "really good" afterward. The Astros remain optimistic that Javier will contribute in the second half of the season, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Javier has a career 3.59 ERA in 501 innings, but it's anyone's guess how he'll fare coming off major surgery.

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Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie didn't let the All-Star Futures Game slow him down, going 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI double in the contest that saw the NL squad emerge victorious over the AL team by a score of 4-2. Over his last nine games for Triple-A Iowa, the Cubs' top prospect has gone 14-for-35 (.400) with eight home runs, 10 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a 10:8 BB:K. For the season, the left-handed slugger is slashing .278/.386/.575 with 19 home runs and a strong 14.0 percent walk rate, although it comes with a 30.2 percent strikeout rate. The 23-year-old should make his MLB debut this season, but with a crowded outfield in Chicago, there is no path to at-bats at the moment. Managers in very deep and NL-only leagues in need of some power production should consider stashing the former second-round draft pick ahead of his eventual call-up.

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Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Shelby Miller (forearm) will seek a second opinion after getting his MRI results. It's usually not good news when a pitcher is seeking a second opinion on an elbow or forearm issue. It seems like the D-Backs and Miller are trying to avoid having Tommy John surgery. The 34-year-old is currently sidelined with a right forearm strain, but we'll see what happens after the second diagnosis. It is looking increasingly likely that Miller is done for the season. That would be tough news for the D-Backs who are already without Justin Martinez (elbow), AJ Puk (elbow), and Jalen Beeks (back) right now. That being said, the D-Backs are likely going to use a committee of Kevin Ginkel, Kendall Graveman, and Kyle Backhus as their closer going forward.

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Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (knee) has progressed to using a stationary bike, according to the team's manager Dave Roberts. He continued by saying that Muncy is trending really well from his left knee bone bruise. Muncy has been out since early July and is expected to miss about six weeks of action. That timetable would put him around mid-August to get back into the mix at third base. In his absence, Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas have been splitting up duties at the hot corner. Fantasy managers should continue to hold Muncy through the injury.

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