Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews (shoulder) threw live batting practice before the team's 8-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. Matthews hadn't faced hitters since going on the 15-day injured list on June 5 with shoulder strain. The 25-year-old made four starts and posted a bloated 5.21 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP across 19 innings before landing on the shelf. To his credit, Matthews did strike out an impressive 25 hitters while walking eight in that span. Matthews figures to need a rehab assignment before rejoining the Twins' rotation, but he could return later this month.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Nestor Cortes (elbow) will make his next scheduled rehab start at the High-A level on Thursday. The goal is for Cortes to throw 65 pitches in the outing, according to Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic. Cortes hasn't pitched in the majors since April 3 because of a strained left elbow. He made just two starts before the injury, one of which was a dud and the other a six-inning shutout. In total, Cortes has given up eight earned runs over eight frames in his first season as a Brewer. The 30-year-old should be back soon after the All-Star break, though it's unclear if he'll rejoin Milwaukee's rotation or pitch out of the bullpen.

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Veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Kansas City Royals, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports. The deal guarantees Keuchel a prorated $2 million salary if he returns to the majors. The 37-year-old impressed the Royals during a workout last week, touching 92 mph on the radar gun. He'll now try to work his way back with Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. Keuchel, a two-time All-Star and a former AL Cy Young winner, has experienced a significant decline in recent years. In 2024, he made four starts as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers and pitched to a 5.40 ERA with 11 strikeouts and eight walks over 16 2/3 innings.

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St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (shoulder) plans to return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Arenado hasn't played since he suffered an impingement in his right shoulder last Friday. The 34-year-old explained that hitting caused the injury. "Throwing feels great," he told Guerrero. "I played long toss two days ago on Sunday night, and it felt amazing. Just hitting, kind of going across the body doesn't feel great." Arenado has slashed a modest .244/.304/.391 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI in 336 plate appearances this year.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (calf) exited his start against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday with calf discomfort, according to Arizona Sports. However, Kelly and manager Torey Lovullo said after the team's 1-0 loss that they don't think it's a serious issue. Kelly threw fell to 7-5 on Tuesday, but he was outstanding over seven innings and 77 pitches of one-run, four-hit ball. The 36-year-old has recorded a strong 3.41 ERA this season with 107 strikeouts and 29 walks in 111 innings. Kelly's 1.05 WHIP ranks 12th among starters.

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According to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo, Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (quadriceps) won't return on Wednesday, but "any time after that is in play." Manager Alex Cora notes that a return on Thursday is a strong possibility. "He feels good. Let's see how he reacts tomorrow to everything he did today. Then, we'll make a decision on him, probably tomorrow." Bregman has seemingly responded well to heavy activity over the last few days and is poised to rejoin the team before they break for the Midsummer Classic. He'll be a welcome sight to the BoSox and fantasy managers, as the 31-year-old hasn't appeared in a game since May 23 while battling a strained right quadriceps.

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The Athletic's Dan Hayes reports that Minnesota Twins reliever Jhoan Duran (illness) was unavailable for Tuesday's home win against the Chicago Cubs due to illness. Hayes also notes that he was sent home early to prevent infecting his teammates. It's possible that the 27-year-old won't be available for another day or two while he recovers, but it doesn't sound like anything serious. Duran has been superb in 2025, compiling a 1.56 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 45:16 K:BB ratio with 13 saves in 41 appearances (40 1/3 innings). Fellow bullpen arms Griffin Jax and/or Louie Varland figure to handle late-inning duties while he's sidelined.

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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (triceps) issued one free pass and struck out a batter over one inning on Tuesday in his first rehab appearance for the Florida Complex League Rays. The 28-year-old hasn't pitched in a major-league game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2023 and a subsequent triceps issue that popped up during spring training. McClanahan displayed all four of his pitches in the outing and is progressing well, per the team. If all goes according to plan over the next few days, the Rays expect him to make his next rehab outing for Triple-A Durham Sunday -- a significant step as he looks to rejoin the big-league squad in early August. As of now, he's on track to do so. We'll learn more about his progress in a few days.

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MLB.com's Theo DeRosa reports that initial testing on Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson's (hand) hand returned negative, and he's considered day-to-day. The former first-round pick took a Didier Fuentes pitch to the hand in the first inning of Tuesday's 10-1 win over the Atlanta Braves and was immediately removed from the contest. It's good news that X-rays returned clean, but the team will reevaluate him on Wednesday to determine how long he'll be sidelined. With the All-Star break looming, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get some extra rest if his hand hasn't improved in a few days. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be shelved for too long, but we'll know more shortly.

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Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker reports that superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (back) will be reassessed on Wednesday to determine his next steps. The 27-year-old was a late scratch for Tuesday's loss to the Athletics after tweaking his back in the weight room before the game, and Atlanta is being extra cautious with the face of their franchise. Acuna Jr. has made it clear he wants to participate in the All-Star game and Home Run Derby, but the team won't put him in danger of missing extended time if he doesn't feel right. Snitker noted that the training staff treated the Venezuelan native throughout Tuesday's contest, so the hope is that a day of rest was enough to shake his ailing back. He can be considered day-to-day until we're led to believe otherwise.

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Colorado Rockies left-handed pitching prospect Sean Sullivan tossed seven innings of one-run ball en route to picking up the victory over Double-A Portland on Tuesday evening. In this outing, Sullivan allowed just four hits and no walks. He struck out seven. This was Sullivan's second-straight contest tallying at least seven punchouts. Since allowing four runs on June 19, Sullivan has logged 17 innings (three starts) to the tune of a 3.18 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP. The 22-year-old has logged 56 2/3 innings with Double-A Hartford this season and posted a strong 3.06 ERA with an impressive 0.94 WHIP. He has shown elite control, allowing just 10 walks. Given his steady production with Double-A, the No. 8-ranked prospect in the system should be in the mix to join Triple-A later this summer.

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Detroit Tigers infield prospect Kevin McGonigle went 1-for-4 with a single during his Double-A debut on Tuesday evening. McGonigle recently moved up to the top spot on the Detroit prospect list on MLB.com. He also now sits as the No. 7-ranked overall prospect on MLB.com. The former 2023 draft pick spent most of the first half with High-A West Michigan and posted a remarkable .372/.463/.648 slash line with 19 doubles, seven home runs, and three stolen bases. During this stretch, he drew 23 walks and struck out just 19 times. Last season, McGonigle spent most of his time with Low-A, where he held a .326/.407/.470 line. Even though the Monsignor Bonner HS product appears to be at least two seasons away from his MLB debut, he is quickly ascending prospect boards and should be in contention to be the top-ranked prospect in the sport at the start of the 206 campaign.

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New York Mets shortstop prospect Jett Williams went 3-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI, and two runs during their contest against Double-A Altoona on Tuesday evening. This was Williams' second multi-hit outing over his last two games. However, before this recent stretch, Williams held a .139 AVG with a .507 OPS over his last 11 contests. The 21-year-old has spent the entire first half of the campaign with Double-A Binghamton and held a solid .285/.397/.481 slash line across 73 games. He has tallied 23 doubles, gone deep six times, and swiped 24 bags. Last summer, the top-ranked prospect in New York held a much lower .172/.287/.241 line during his stint with Double-A. Given his steady progress this season, Williams should move up to Triple-A in the coming weeks.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark went 1-for-4 in his Double-A debut on Tuesday evening. Clark would hit a single in the third inning of the contest. The 20-year-old is considered the No. 2-ranked prospect in Detroit and the No. 12 overall prospect on MLB.com. The former third overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft spent the first half of the season with High-A West Michigan. Through 68 games, Clark posted a solid .285/.430/.427 line with 12 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 12 stolen bases. During his first stint at High-A during the 2024 campaign, Clark held a lower .264/.344/.421 line. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Clark's progression with Double-A. If he can enjoy a strong second half, he could be in the mix to open the 2026 season with Triple-A, which would put him on track to join the majors later that summer.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI during their contest against Double-A Tula on Tuesday evening. Since earning the promotion to Double-A, Montes has swung a hot bat. Through his first 13 games at the level, Montes has held a .298/.424/.660 slash line with a double, two triples, four long balls, a stolen base, and a 14:11 K:BB. Earlier this season, Montes received his second look at High-A ball and posted a .268/.387.572 line with 12 doubles and 18 home runs across 67 games. Even though Montes will not be in the mix to reach the majors this season, he is quickly progressing through the Seattle system. If he continues this pace, he may earn a brief taste of Triple-A later in the second half and be on track to reach Seattle in 2026.

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Atlanta Braves right-handed prospect pitcher Didier Fuentes stumbled during his start on Tuesday evening against the Athletics. In this contest, Fuentes logged just one inning of work and allowed five hits and eight earned runs. He served up two walks and struck out two batters. He allowed three long balls, including a two-run shot by outfielder Brent Rooker. In his previous outing, he enjoyed his best start at the MLB level, striking out six batters across 3 2/3 innings of two-run ball. Through 13 total innings in the big leagues, Fuentes carries a hefty 13.85 ERA with a 2.23 WHIP. He opened the season at High-A but needed only 13 innings there, 21 2/3 innings with Double-A, and just one start at Triple-A to earn the call to the majors. Given his troubles in Atlanta, he could be optioned back to the minor leagues in the coming weeks.

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Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie went 2-for-5 with two home runs during their contest against Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday evening. This was Caissie's third multi-home run game since the start of the month. Since July 1, the top-ranked prospect in Chicago has posted a remarkable .462/.533/1.231 line with two doubles and six long balls. The former second-round pick has spent the entire campaign with Triple-A Iowa but is making a strong case to join the major leagues for the second half. Through 71 total games, Caissie has held a strong .282/.388/.575 slash line with 20 doubles and 18 home runs. Last season at Triple-A, Caissie logged 127 games and held a .278/.375/.472 line with 19 round-trippers. However, given Chicago's depth in the outfield, Caissie will likely need to wait for an injury to be given an extended look in the big leagues.

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Milwaukee's SP Jacob Misiorowski recorded 12 strikeouts in 6 innings getting the win in a 3-1 win over the Dodgers on Tuesday, Jul. 8.

Boston's SP Brayan Bello recorded 10 strikeouts in 9 innings getting the win in a 10-2 win over the Rockies on Tuesday, Jul. 8.

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in an 11-5 win against Triple-A Iowa. Rodriguez has caught fire at the plate in July, slashing .529/.636/.765 with a 5:5 BB:K in 22 plate appearances. The 22-year-old has maintained his incredibly patient approach with a walk rate over 20 percent for the season, along with chipping in five homers and six stolen bases. The contact quality has also been there, with a 44 percent hard-hit rate and a 12 percent barrel rate to go with a 113.6 MPH MaxEV. The downside is that he also strikes out a lot at 34 percent. It's a unique profile that we could soon see at the big level sometime later this season. He'd be an interesting upside add in deeper leagues.

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