San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt (hand) was able to swing the bat pain-free on Friday. The 26-year-old is now ready to take batting practice as he works back from a left-hand injury that has shelved him for over a week. Schmitt is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Monday, though it's unclear if that will happen. Across 112 plate appearances this year, Schmitt has slashed .276/.360/.439 with four homers, 15 RBI, and 13 runs scored while mostly dividing his time between the corner infield positions.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas (foot) left Friday's 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers with mild plantar fasciitis symptoms in his right foot. He exited in the sixth inning after going 0-for-2. The Guardians replaced Thomas in center field with Nolan Jones and brought in Johnathan Rodriguez to play right. Thomas has already spent time on the 10-day injured list twice this year, including once for plantar fasciitis in his right foot. However, manager Stephen Vogt downplayed the severity of the injury after the game. "We think he's good," Vogt told The Associated Press. "The plantar fasciitis flared up a little bit again and I just didn't like the way he looked running around the outfield. So rather than take a chance, I got him out of there." After averaging 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases per year from 2022-24, Thomas has fallen off during his injury-plagued campaign this season. He's hitting .160/.246/.272 with four homers and four steals in 142 trips to the plate.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober (hip) continues to throw in order to maintain arm strength as he works his way back from a left-hip impingement that put him on the shelf on June 29. He dealt with the issue for most of the season, which could help explain some of the ineffectiveness that pushed him to a 5.28 ERA, 1.41 ERA, and a 12.8 percent K-BB% -- all career worsts. The 29-year-old is expected to ramp up his activity next week and could make a return to the rotation in late July. With fellow pitchers Pablo Lopez and Zebby Matthews on the shelf as well, the Twins will welcome his return, although fantasy managers might want to take a more cautious approach and see him have some success before throwing the righty back into their lineups.

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Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen (forearm) will throw one inning against live hitters on Saturday. If he gets through that without any problems, Treinen will embark on a rehab assignment. The 37-year-old right-hander hasn't pitched since April 13 because of a sprained forearm. The Dodgers were using Treinen in a high-leverage role before he suffered the injury. He threw eight innings of three-run ball with 10:3 K:BB, three holds, and two saves over his first eight appearances.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a third bullpen session on Sunday as he works his way back from a shoulder strain that has kept him out since June 5. After that, the righty is expected to face live hitters next week so long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks. The 25-year-old pitched well at Triple-A this season before being recalled, but recorded a 5.21 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in four starts for Minnesota, although the 20.5 percent K-BB% was strong. Nevertheless, with Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober also dealing with injuries, the Twins could surely use Matthews back in the rotation. Expect him to begin a rehab assignment in the coming weeks and the 6-foot-5 hurler to return to action after the All-Star break. With the strikeout potential, if he can clean up the ERA and WHIP when he returns, Matthews could be worthy of a roster spot in most 12-team leagues down the stretch.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (elbow) is not expected to be activated this weekend. The Padres do not have a starter named for Sunday's matchup with the Rangers, but manager Mike Shildt stated that Darvish likely would not be the one to fill the void. The veteran hurler has been dealing with elbow inflammation, however, he's been working his way back, now having thrown three simulated games with his last one going four innings and 64 pitches. Although Shildt expressed that Darvish would not be Sunday's option, he also did not make it clear what the next step would be for the Japanese righty, however, it's looking like he could be activated sometime in the coming weeks, perhaps even without completing an official minor-league rehab assignment. Whatever the case, fantasy managers in need of pitching help could stash Darvish where available, as he can still be a viable back-end rotation piece in 12-team leagues and deeper.

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (hand) is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday according to manager Bob Melvin. The veteran has been out since early June with a sprained right hand, but completed only a one-game rehab assignment with the Giants in need of offensive and defensive infield help. The 32-year-old went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in his rehab game with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, and was slashing .243/.360/.452 with 12 home runs, 30 RBI, 35 runs scored, and seven steals in 65 games for San Francisco before the injury. Fantasy managers will likely slide him right back into their lineups, but DFS users might want to avoid. Chapman is just 2-for-19 (.105) against Saturday's opposing pitcher, Luis Severino.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (shoulder) is set to face live hitters again on Saturday and is expected to throw two innings. As long as the lefty doesn't suffer any setbacks, he could be in line to begin a rehab assignment afterward. While any progress is welcomed, that still means he probably won't return until August, assuming he'll need a few rehab starts to fully prepare. The 2x Cy Young winner will then hopefully provide fantasy managers a handful of starts that resemble his former Cy Young form after posting a couple of uninspiring performances earlier this year in which the southpaw allowed 10 hits and eight walks in just nine innings pitched, while striking out only four batters.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins was busy during their contest against Double-A Tulsa on Friday afternoon. In this contest, Jenkins reached safely five times. He tallied two hits, including a home run, and drew three walks. He scored two runs and brought in four. Over his last 10 games, Jenkins has posted a strong .324/.488/.568 slash line with three doubles, two home runs, three stolen bases, and 10 RBI. The top-ranked prospect in the Minnesota system has battled injuries throughout his minor league career, but has been very productive when on the field. Through 16 total games with Double-A this summer, the No. 6-ranked prospect in the sport has held a .271/.419/.424 line with a 15:14 K:BB. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could earn a taste of Triple-A later in the second half.

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Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect Chase DeLauter has continued to look quite comfortable during his first extended stint at Triple-A. On Friday, DeLauter reached base in his 30th consecutive game at Triple-A. In this contest, the No. 52-ranked prospect in the sport went 1-for-4 with a single. Through his 30 games at Triple-A Columbus, DeLauter has posted a .288/.394/.477 slash line with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, and an impressive 20:20 K:BB. DeLauter has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his minor league career, but appears to be quickly approaching his MLB debut. Fantasy managers should continue to closely monitor his production, as he could receive a call to Cleveland very soon. He is worth stashing in all 12+ team and five-outfielder formats.

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Chicago White Sox catching prospect Edgar Quero went 1-for-4 with a long ball during their victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday evening. Quero hit a solo shot in the sixth inning off Colorado starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela. Quero has begun to take the back seat to fellow catching prospect Kyle Teel behind the dish. Over his last 11 games, Quero has posted a modest .219/.306/.344 slash line with one double and a home run. During that stretch, Quero has posted a 25.0% K rate but drawn walks at a strong 11.0% rate. Through 56 total games in the majors, the 22-year-old has held a .273/.347/.331 slash line. Fantasy managers should continue to expect Teel and Quero to split time behind the dish and occasionally see time as the designated hitter. As a result, Quero is only worth targeting in deeper two-catcher leagues and AL-only formats.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler tossed six shutout frames en route to earning the victory over Triple-A Louisville on Friday evening. In this outing, the top pitching prospect in the game struck out six batters and allowed five hits. He walked just two batters. This was a much-needed bounce-back outing for Chandler, who has posted a high 8.83 ERA with a 2.29 WHIP across his last 12 2/3 innings (five starts). However, before that rough skid, Chandler appeared to be on the fast track to the major leagues, holding a stellar 2.03 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP through his first 48 2/3 innings of work this season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Chandler's status at Triple-A, as he should be in the mix to join Pittsburgh in the coming weeks.

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Cubs' 1B Michael Busch had five RBIs going 4-for-4 with three home runs in a 11-3 win over the Cardinals on Friday, Jul. 4.

Kansas City Royals' 1B Vinnie Pasquantino had six RBIs going 3-for-5 with two home runs in a 9-3 win over Arizona on Friday, Jul. 4.

Houston Astros' 2B Jose Altuve had five RBIs going 3-for-3 with two home runs in a 18-1 win over the Dodgers on Friday, Jul. 4.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Harrison Bader hit two solo home runs, including a walk-off blast, in his team's 4-3 victory on Friday over the Tampa Bay Rays. The big game was a welcome change for Bader, as he's coming off a rough month of June that saw him hit just .194 in 79 plate appearances. The veteran's season-long numbers are still solid, as he's hitting .251 with nine home runs, seven stolen bases, 29 RBI and 24 runs scored. It looks like Bader has made a slight change to his approach in 2025. His strikeout rate (24.7%) is his highest since 2020, but so are his walk (8.2%) and barrel rate (10.2%). In deeper leagues, Bader still offers some upside with his combination of both decent power and decent speed.

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Seattle Mariners starter Bryan Woo earned his eighth victory of the season on Friday night, throwing six scoreless innings and striking out eight while allowing three hits and two walks in his team's 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The young right-hander has been excellent this season, pitching to a 2.77 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 104 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings pitched (17 starts). Woo entered the night with a solid 24% strikeout rate, but it's his elite walk suppression (4.3% walk rate) that makes him truly special. So far, Woo has managed to keep the nagging arm issues that limited him to 22 starts in 2024 at bay. Provided he stays healthy, he's a high-end starting pitcher option in all fantasy formats.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two of his team's franchise-record eight home runs in their 11-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Crow-Armstrong went four-for-four with two additional runs scored and two RBI. Crow-Armstrong continues to amaze in 2025, as he's hitting .274 this season with 23 home runs, 66 RBI, 64 runs scored, and 26 stolen bases. His elevated 16.8% HR/FB rate points to some likely power regression in the second half of the season, but he deserves credit for jumping his barrel rate from 7.4% in 2024 to 12.8% so far this year. Even if his home run pace slows over the next couple of months, Crow-Armstrong's elite speed and guaranteed playing time in a great Cubs lineup due to his defensive value make him a must-start outfielder in all formats.

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Boston Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito earned his fifth win of the season on Friday, throwing 7 2/3 of one-run ball in his team's 11-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Giolito struck out seven while walking three and allowing four hits. The veteran right-hander has now won four out of his last five starts dating back to June 10. In that stretch, Giolito has thrown 32 2/3 innings, allowing just three total earned runs and striking out 31. His season-long ERA now sits at a respectable 3.66, but his 1.29 WHIP and modest 13.4% K-BB% are less impressive, and still feeling the effects of his slow start. If Giolito is rounding into form and is now fully recovered from the Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2024, he could be an impact fantasy arm down the stretch.

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Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch led the charge for his team on Friday, hitting three of his team's franchise-record eight home runs in their 11-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Busch went four-for-four in total with five RBI. For the season, he's now hitting .288 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 41 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Improving upon his breakout 2024 season, Busch has reduced his strikeout rate from 28.6% to 22.4% while also boosting his barrel rate from 11.2% to 13.6%. He's still mostly a large-side platoon bat, as he's logged just 47 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this season, hitting .119 with zero home runs. However, Busch has proven himself to be extremely productive in his role and a useful fantasy option at first base.

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