New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) and catcher Austin Wells (finger) are both back in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Chris Bassitt. Grisham is in center field and batting leadoff, while Wells is catching and in the eight-hole. Grisham is back after missing the last two games with tightness in his left hamstring. The Yankees initially thought that the 28-year-old was going to need a trip to the injured list, but that won't be the case now. Wells missed four straight games with arterial damage in his left index finger, but he's also feeling good enough to return to the lineup. Grisham has hit .182 with a solo home run in 11 career at-bats against Bassitt, while Wells has a .250 average in eight career at-bats against Bassitt.

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After returning to the starting lineup on Wednesday after dealing with some neck soreness, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor is getting the day off in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival San Francisco Giants with left-hander Robbie Ray on the mound. Rookie Tim Tawa is starting at first base and is batting eighth for the Snakes. After missing four straight games with a neck injury, Naylor returned on Wednesday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in an extra-innings loss. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate this summer after slashing a strong .303/.357/.471 with an .828 OPS, 10 home runs, 54 RBI, 42 runs and 10 steals in his 297 at-bats in his first year in the desert. Tawa has two hits in just three plate appearances against Ray.

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The Los Angeles Angels placed rookie infielder Christian Moore (thumb) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a left-thumb sprain and selected the contract of infielder Chad Stevens from the minors in a corresponding move. The team also released right-handed reliever Hector Neris. Moore injured his thumb diving for a ball in Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Braves and will now most likely be out through the mid-July All-Star break. The 22-year-old is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and has given the contending Halos a jolt of energy of late despite hitting just .189 in his first 53 MLB at-bats. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues hoping to use the former first-rounder's power at second base will be hoping that his thumb injury doesn't affect his power stroke in the second half. Kevin Newman and Luis Rengifo are the most likely options to play second base in Anaheim with Moore out.

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The Milwaukee Brewers returned outfielder Blake Perkins (groin, shin) from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville to the seven-day injured list with a left-groin strain, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg. Perkins was recovering from a fractured right shin and had played in five games for the Sounds, going 3-for-13 with a home run, two RBI, three runs and two steals, but now he's going to miss more time with a new injury. Although there's no official timetable for the 28-year-old to return from his groin injury, it's likely that he'll be out through the All-Star break. Perkins has yet to play in the big leagues this year, and while he offers upside with his glove, it's going to be difficult for him to find frequent playing time in a crowded outfield picture in Milwaukee when he recovers from his groin injury. Perkins hit .240 with six homers, 43 RBI and 23 steals in 121 games in 2024.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Nestor Cortes (elbow) made his first minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Nashville and looked good, throwing three shutout innings with only one hit allowed, no walks and four strikeouts against Triple-A Memphis. Cortes is making progress from a strained left elbow that has kept him sidelined since early April, but given his long layoff, he's unlikely to be an option to rejoin Milwaukee's starting rotation until the start of the second half of the season later this month. The 30-year-old Cuban southpaw was hit hard in his first two starts for the Brew Crew, allowing eight earned runs on seven hits (five homers) while walking seven and striking out eight in eight innings. Cortes has shown stretches of brilliance over his seven-year career, but he's dealt with multiple injuries in recent seasons and could be used out of the bullpen upon his return.

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Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) remains out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival New York Yankees. Second baseman Andres Gimenez is also sitting after an injury scare with his ankle in Wednesday's win. Ernie Clement is starting at short and batting sixth, while Leo Jimenez is at the keystone and in the nine-hole versus Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt. Bichette will end up missing the entire four-game series against the Yanks after stepping on a baseball during pre-game batting practice on Monday and tweaking his right knee. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday to see if Bichette is ready to return for the series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. The 27-year-old two-time All-Star is in the midst of a bounce-back season and is hitting .272/.311/.427 with 11 homers, 49 RBI, 39 runs and four steals in 356 at-bats.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are calling up outfielder Esteury Ruiz from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday with third baseman Max Muncy (knee) undergoing additional testing after suffering an ugly-looking left-knee injury in the win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night, sources tell The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. Although nothing is official, this is sign that Muncy is heading to the injured list to close out the first half of the season. It wouldn't be a surprise given how bad the injury looked during a collision with White Sox outfielder Michael Taylor during a stolen base attempt. The 26-year-old Ruiz stole a league-high 67 bases in 2023 with the A's and was hitting .292 with eight home runs and 38 steals in 66 games for OKC, but the speedster is unlikely to see enough playing time in L.A. to be worth anything more than an NL-only flier.

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Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Logan Henderson was tagged for five earned runs in his latest start on Tuesday for Triple-A Nashville, yieldingthree hits (two home runs), one walk, and he hit one batter while striking out three in four innings of work. The Brewers' sixth-ranked prospect has been susceptible to the home run lately, allowing five home runs in his last three starts at Triple-A after allowing only three home runs total in his first eight games. Still, the right-hander owns a 3.12 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 20.8 percent K-BB% through 11 starts for the Sounds in 2025. The 23-year-old also pitched well in four starts in the majors earlier this year as well, postinga 1.71 ERA (3.04 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, and a 28.4 percent K-BB%, so expect him to get back on track and be in the big leagues later this year. When that happens, he'll be worthy of a roster spot in most 12-team leagues.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospect Justin Crawford went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and one run scored on Wednesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phils' third-ranked prospect is 10-for-21 (.476) over his last five games, including four doubles and a home run, although surprisingly without even a single stolen base. The 21-year-old is sporting a .341/.415/.451 slash line with 26 steals, a .395 wOBA, and a 135 wRC+ through 65 games for the Iron Pigs. The former first-rounder is striking out at just a 17.8 percent clip while drawing walks at an above-average rate of 11.6 percent. As hot as he's been all season, it is somewhat surprising that he hasn't seen a promotion, but so long as he is not dealt before the trade deadline, look for the team to give him a shot in the majors in the second half, bringing with him solid contact skills and speed, which could make for a viable fantasy asset.

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New York Yankees pitching prospect Clayton Beeter was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. The righty made his major league debut in 2024, striking out five batters and walking just one in 3 2/3 innings of work. The strikeout stuff has been there at Triple-A this season, fanning 35 batters (38.5 percent K%) in 21 innings pitched, however, he's also walked 17 batters (18.7 percent BB%). Nevertheless, the 26-year-old will get another shot in the big leagues, working out of the bullpen for the Yankees. With New York already with a couple of options at closer, Beeter doesn't have much value for fantasy, though.

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The New York Mets placed right-hander Paul Blackburn (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a right-shoulder impingement, according to SNY. It's unclear what the corresponding move was for the Mets. Blackburn has rarely been healthy since joining the Mets midseason in 2024, and he had made only seven appearances (six starts) for New York this year before going back on the IL with a new ailment. The 31-year-old veteran has not been good in his 18 2/3 innings for the Mets this year, either, allowing 17 runs (16 earned) on 30 hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out 15. He's currently sporting a 7.71 ERA and 1.98 WHIP and doesn't have any business being rostered in mixed leagues, especially that he'll now be out through the All-Star break.

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Updating a previous story, Cleveland Guardians right-hander Luis L. Ortiz is being investigated by the league after a betting-integrity firm flagged a pair of his pitches that had received unusual gambling activity, according to sources. Major League Baseball has placed Ortiz on "non-disciplinary paid leave" through July 17, which is the end of the All-Star break. The first alert was sent on June 15 triggered by action on Ortiz's first pitch against the Mariners in the bottom of the second inning to be a ball or a hit batsman. Ortiz started the inning with a slider well out of the strike zone. The second alert came on June 27 on his first pitch against the Cardinals in the top of the third being a ball or hit batsman. Ortiz opened with a slider well out of the zone. It's a serious and sensitive issue, and Ortiz's leave could be extended if the league's investigation remains open for the start of the second half of the season.

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Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (oblique) is running the bases at Coors Field before Thursday's series finale against the visiting Houston Astros, and interim manager Warren Schaeffer said that the team is close to sending Tovar on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 23-year-old has already been taking swings off a tee, so if he doesn't suffer a setback while running on Thursday, he could be cleared to start playing in rehab games this weekend and come off the injured list before the All-Star break in mid-July. Tovar has been away from the team since early June with a left-oblique strain, but it sounds like he could be on the cusp of a return. Rookie Ryan Ritter has been filling in as Colorado's starting shortstop with Tovar out. Tovar had a breakout year in 2024 with 26 homers, 78 RBI and 45 doubles but had gotten off to a slow start in his first 32 games this year.

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Arizona Diamondbacks infield prospect Jordan Lawlar (hamstring) is expected to miss multiple weeks with his latest hamstring injury, accordingto manager Torey Lovullo. The former first-rounder had been placed on the 7-day IL after being removed from a game on June 25. Lawlar was hitting well at Triple-A all year, slashing .319/.410/.583 with 10 home runs and 18 stolenbases, but now it appears he'll be out until August. The D-backs' top-ranked prospect dealt with hamstring injuries last season as well, and was limited to just 14 games between Double and Triple-A, so the team won't look to rush him back, especially without an opening on the big league roster. The 22-year-old dropped 10 spots on MLB.com's latest refresh list, but there is still 20/20 potential here wheneverhe's finally able to get regular major league at-bats.

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The Colorado Rockies announced on Thursday that they recalled rookie right-handed reliever Zach Agnos from Triple-A Albuquerque and optioned right-hander Angel Chivilli to Albuquerque in a corresponding move. Although it's hard to bank on anything from the back end of the worst team in baseball's bullpen, the return of Agnos is notable for fantasy managers scrounging for saves and high-leverage arms that could have an impact in the second half. The 24-year-old former 10th-rounder in 2022 out of East Carolina had a short stint as the Rockies' closer earlier this year and picked up his first four saves, but he also struggled to an 0-3 record, 5.48 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and nine free passes in 21 1/3 innings pitched in 20 appearances. As things currently stand, Seth Halvorsen is the primary option for saves for the last-place Rockies.

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Bubba Chandler allowed one earned run on three hits and four walks while striking out six in 3 1/3 innings pitched in his latest start this past Saturday. After a dominating start to the year, some command issues have cropped up for the Pirates' top prospect, registering a 15.0 percent walk rate over his last 10 starts while posting a 4.75 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, and a 10.4 percent K-BB%. What seemed like an imminent promotion to the big leagues earlier this season has now turned into potentially a handful of starts in the second half, a disappointing outcome for fantasy managers who have stashed him in hopes of a major league debut. The ceiling is still high, and Pittsburgh's general manager Ben Cherington recently stated the team wants him to be in the majors this season.

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Per the Houston Astros, outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) received some encouraging news from a hand specialist that examined him on Wednesday. Alvarez received additional imaging, which showed that the main cause of his current pain is merely inflammation, and the small fracture that had been sustained is now a non-factor in the pain that Alvarez is experiencing. He received two injections on Wednesday and will refrain from baseball activity with his hand in the coming days. The specialist also determined that the 28-year-old's hand has made noticeable progress when compared to the imaging done over the last several weeks. While it's good news, there's still no timetable for the All-Star's return. In a best-case scenario, Alvarez will be ready to go for the start of the second half of the season on July 18.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (ribs) is not doing baseball activities yet, but general manager Dana Brown said he could resume baseball activities this weekend in Los Angeles. The Astros placed Pena on the 10-day injured list on Monday with a small rib fracture on his left side after he was hit by a pitch. It's good news that the 27-year-old could resume baseball activities this weekend, but by no means should fantasy managers be expecting him to return from the IL before the end of the first half of the season. However, it's possible that Pena could be ready to roll for the start of the second half of the season on July 18 if he continues to make good progress after he resumes baseball activities. Pena is having a career year for fantasy managers in 2025 and should remain stashed in all leagues. Until he's back Mauricio Dubon will serve as the team's primary shortstop.

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Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick (oblique) is scheduled to travel to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday and start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday, according to manager Joe Espada. As long as McCormick doesn't suffer a setback with his oblique, he could be activated from the 10-day injured list and rejoin the big-league club early next week. The 30-year-old veteran has been sidelined since late May with a strained left oblique and will provide outfield depth for the Astros when he's back. McCormick had been serving as a bench player for Houston before his injury and was hitting .256 (11-for-43) with no homers, two RBI, a steal and six runs scored in 36 games played. He had a career-best 22 long balls, 70 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 115 games for the 'Stros back in 2023, but he's facing an uphill battle for regular playing time in 2025.

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Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz won't be in the team's lineup for the final game of their series with the hosting Colorado Rockies. The Dominican Republic native got the starting nod for the previous six contests, but he'll take a seat with Houston squaring off against left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland. Victor Caratini will cover behind home plate in his stead and bat sixth. Diaz has had a tough time getting going this year, but he's underproducing his expected stats by a decent margin. He's a candidate for positive regression, considering not much has changed in his underlying profile. However, it's worth noting that the 26-year-old has struggled mightily against righties (.231) after batting .297 or better against them the past two campaigns.

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