The White Sox announced that they have placed right-hander Davis Martin (forearm) on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain, retroactive to June 17. The team also placed left-hander Cam Booser (shoulder) on the 15-day IL with a left shoulder strain. In other moves, the White Sox recalled righty Wikelman Gonzalez from Triple-A Charlotte, selected the contract of lefty Jake Palisch from Double-A Birmingham, and designated RHP Caleb Freeman for assignment. It's an ominous-sounding injury for Martin, who missed all of 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Martin made it back last year to log 50 innings of 4.32 ERA ball. The 28-year-old has been a mainstay in Chicago's rotation this season, having accumulated a career-high 80 2/3 innings of 3.79 ERA pitching. While Martin has done a nice job limiting walks (2.12 per nine), he has only racked up 53 strikeouts. After totaling six-plus innings in six straight starts, Martin was scheduled to toe the rubber for the White Sox on Friday before his IL placement. It's unknown who will take his place, but the club's rotation was already shorthanded with Jonathan Cannon (back) on the IL and Adrian Houser on paternity leave. As a result, the White Sox may have to rely heavily on their bullpen in this weekend's series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

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The Mariners announced that they have designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez for assignment. The club activated outfielder/first baseman Luke Raley from the injured list in a corresponding move. Tellez signed a minor league contract with the Mariners in February and played well enough during the spring to earn a season-opening roster spot and collect a $1.5 million salary. The 30-year-old provided some pop with 11 home runs over 62 games and 185 plate appearances, but he otherwise didn't offer much. The lefty-swinging Tellez hit a below-average .208/.249/.434 with 49 strikeouts and eight walks while playing almost exclusively against right-handed pitchers. He went 1-for-13 versus southpaws before the Mariners jettisoned him from their roster. They'll have five days to trade the well-traveled Tellez or place him on waivers. Tellez has enough service time to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A Tacoma, meaning he could return to free agency.

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Seattle Mariners infielder Jorge Polanco will not be in his team's lineup for their series opener against the hosting Chicago Cubs on Friday. It's a routine day off for the Dominican Republic native, as he started the last 13 contests for Seattle. Teammate Cole Young will man the keystone and bat ninth, while Mitch Garver handles DH duties from the five-hole against southpaw Matthew Boyd. Polanco has cooled off considerably after a red-hot April in which he hit .379. Since then, he's just 24-for-132 (.182) with two homers, four doubles, and 11 runs scored to match his RBI total. A stark contrast to the eight home runs he mashed in 58 April at-bats.

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Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly is out of the team's lineup for their series opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Friday. Reese McGuire will be behind the plate and batting ninth in his absence while the Mariners run out right-handed hurler George Kirby to the mound. The veteran has scuffled at the dish recently, batting a paltry .104 (5-for-48) over 14 appearances since May 27, and hit .203 as a whole across the month of May. Kelly's plate discipline has improved in 2025, but the dismal stretch has brought his overall average down to an undesirable .238.

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MLB.com's Daniel Kramer reports that the Seattle Mariners are activating outfielder Luke Raley (oblique) from the injured list ahead of their road series opener with the Chicago Cubs. First baseman Rowdy Tellez was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Raley has been on the mend since late April with an oblique strain, but he's ready to return from his lengthy absence after going 7-for-19 with a double and a home run in five minor-league rehab games. The Lake Erie College product struggled to a .206/.345/.324 triple slash in 24 games before his injury. However, it's worth mentioning that he's vastly underperformed his xBA (.260) and xSLG (.432).

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Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (wrist, hand) will require further testing on Friday to determine the severity of his injury. The 26-year-old was forced from Thursday's contest with the Los Angeles Dodgers after getting hit by a pitch in the hand/wrist area. Per manager Mike Schildt, they're "trying to figure Tatis' injury out," as initial X-rays returned negative. It's good news thus far, but he's not out of the woods just yet, considering Tatis Jr. looked to be in quite a bit of pain upon his exit. We'll likely get an update on him shortly, though it's expected that he'll miss at least a few contests.

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Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Dylan Beavers went 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk during their contest against Triple-A Memphis on Thursday evening. This was Beavers' second-straight contest going deep and third-straight game tallying at least one hit. Since May 11, Beavers has been one of the most productive hitters in the minor leagues. During this stretch (22 games), the No. 6-ranked prospect in the Baltimore system has posted a stellar .375/.451/.625 slash line four doubles, two triples, four home runs, nine RBI, five stolen bases, and a 12:11 K:BB. During his first 34 games of the season, Beavers held a modest .387 SLG. If the 23-year-old continues to produce at Norfolk, he will likely be in the mix to join Baltimore in the second half.

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Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Hunter Bigge (face) was struck in the face by a ball in the dugout and was hospitalized and is undergoing testing, the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin reports. The news couldn't be more unfortunate for Bigge, as Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman hit a line drive into the Rays' dugout and hit him. It just so happened that Bigge was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time, and as a result, he was taken off the field on a stretcher. Most importantly, as he was leaving, he gave the stadium a thumbs up, showing that he was conscious and in good spirits. Reports have mentioned that Bigge was awake and talking to doctors in the hospital, and he never lost consciousness. More details will likely become available later on Friday or Saturday.

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The Dodgers selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Jack Little and optioned Emmet Sheehan. To make room on the roster, the Dodgers transferred Tony Gonsolin to the 60-day injured list, the Los Angeles Dodgers team reports. Gonsolin was placed on the injured list on June 7 due to right elbow soreness. Further imaging showed that his UCL was intact, but the move means he will now be sidelined until at least August 7. It's also been reported that Gonsolin has yet to resume throwing or picking up a baseball, so things don't seem to be heading in the right direction for him. Before the injury, Gonsolin had a 5.00 ERA in 36 innings pitched. With the transfer news and Gonsolin not resuming any baseball activities, he can be dropped in redraft leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad was removed from the Triple-A Norfolk game after fouling a ball off his right knee, Roch Kubatko, Orioles beat writer, reports. Thursday's game was Kjerstad's fourth game with Norfolk since being demoted, and he has gone just 2-for-15 with five strikeouts before exiting Thursday's game. The severity of the injury is unknown, and the Orioles will likely provide an update later today or Saturday. It's been a rough season for Kjerstad, slashing .192/.240/.327 in 167 plate appearances at the MLB level in 2025, and now injuring himself in Triple-A after getting demoted. The former second overall pick in 2020 will hope for good news and look to get things heading in the right direction.

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Mike Tauchman (groin) did not start in the second game of their doubleheader on Thursday, and according to Will Venable, Tauchman reported some right groin soreness. He'll be evaluated now, and it'll be day to day, Scott Merkin, White Sox beat writer, reports. Although Tachman did not start game two of the doubleheader, he did enter the game as a pinch hitter and went 1-for-1 with an RBI and a run, suggesting that his injury isn't anything too serious. In Tauchman's absence, Austin Slater was slotted in the outfield to roam right field. Tauchman has enjoyed a decent season so far, slashing .258/.365/.464 with four home runs, 14 RBI, and 17 runs scored. He remains a decent outfield option for deeper leagues that require five outfield spots.

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Chicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros continued his surge at the plate on Thursday during their contest against Triple-A Nashville. In this game, Ballesteros went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Since June 4, the young backstop has held an impressive .339/.388/.593 slash line with six doubles, three home runs, 17 RBI, and a 9:6 K:BB. Ballesteros earned a brief taste of the majors earlier this season and tallied three hits (all singles) across a five-game stint. In 59 games with Triple-A Iowa this season, the No. 60-ranked prospect in the system has been one of the most dominant hitters at the Triple-A level, boasting a .340/.399/.515 slash line with 15 doubles, eight home runs, three stolen bases, and a 31:24 K:BB. Fantasy managers should expect the Cubs to promote Ballesteros later in the second half. He is a viable stash option in deeper leagues.

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New York Yankees outfield prospect George Lombard Jr. went 2-for-5 with a home run and a stolen base during Thursday's game against Double-A New Hampshire. Lombard opened the season with High-A Hudson Valley but was able to earn a promotion to Double-A Somerset after 24 contests. During his first 39 games with Double-A, the top-ranked prospect in the Yankee system has struggled, posting a .212/.337/.321 slash line with three doubles, three triples, two home runs, and 13 stolen bases. Since June 7, he has begun to show progress, holding a higher .267/.327/.489 line with two doubles, two long balls, and six stolen bases. Earlier in this season. Lombard held a .329/.495/.488 line through 24 games with High-A. Fantasy managers should expect Lombard to spend most of the season with Double-A.

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Seattle Mariners infield prospect Michael Arroyo went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and a walk during their contest against High-A Spokane on Thursday. Arroyo has enjoyed an impressive surge at the plate during June. Since June 1, Arroyo has posted a stellar .357/.486/.786 line with three doubles, seven home runs, 15 RBI, and a 12:8 K:BB. Through 62 total games with High-A this season, Arroyo has held a .278/.435/.535 slash line with 14 doubles and 15 long balls. Last season, Arroyo made his High-A debut and posted a very similar .290/.397/.519 line with 15 doubles and 12 long balls. Given his impressive production at High-A over the past two seasons, fantasy managers should expect the No. 7-ranked prospect in the system to join Double-A in the coming weeks. He remains on track to reach the majors in 2026.

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Detroit Tigers infield prospect Kevin McGonigle went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI during their contest against High-A Wisconsin on Thursday. This was McGonigle's sixth-straight contest tallying at least one hit. During this six-game stretch, McGonigle has hit six doubles and launched two long balls. Since moving up to High-A, McGonigle has been one of the most productive hitters in the minor leagues. Through 22 contests, McGonigle has posted a stellar .409/.495/.727 line with 16 doubles, four home runs, and a 12:16 K:BB. The 20-year-old is currently considered the No. 2-ranked prospect in the system and is making a strong case to continue to climb prospect boards. If he stays hot at the plate, he should move up to Double-A later this season.

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Per manager Joe Espada, Houston Astros starting pitcher J.P. France (shoulder) is slated to throw his third live batting practice on Friday. The New Orleans native recently threw a successful session late last week and has had solid progression in his return from right shoulder surgery last July. It will still be some time before France rejoins Houston in some fashion, as he'll need to ramp up a bit over a rehab outing in the minor leagues. Still, it's superb news for him and the team. As a whole, Houston's pitching staff leads the league in strikeouts (734) and is second in cumulative WHIP (1.15). However, their rotation has dealt with a myriad of injuries.

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Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering threw a clean ninth inning to preserve a 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Kerkering was tasked with finishing off a dominant performance for Cristopher Sanchez. After an error and a single put runners on the corners, Kerkering was able to escape the jam to pick up his second save. The 24-year-old now has two saves, 11 holds, a 2.37 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 30 IP. It seems to be a two-headed approach in the Phillies' bullpen right now, with Kerkering and Matt Strahm each picking up multiple saves in the last few weeks. It will likely remain that way, although Strahm has struggled a bit recently. Both are worth a look in deeper formats where saves are tough to come by.

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Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports that outfielder Chas McCormick (oblique) will likely face live hitting next week in Florida. The 30-year-old has been shelved since May 31 with a left oblique strain, but has recently progressed to swinging the bat and will soon take the next step in his recovery. He's sporting an unappealing .256/.347/.302 triple slash through 36 appearances with just two extra-base hits (zero home runs). It's worth noting he's been far superior against southpaws (.375) than righties (.229) thus far. However, it's too small a sample to glean any real insight (3-for-8). McCormick projects to require a short minor-league rehab stint.

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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes had a decent start in Game 2 of their doubleheader on Friday, tossing six innings of two-run ball in a no-decision against the Detroit Tigers. Skenes struggled with control in this one, walking five and throwing only 61 of 105 pitches for strikes. Still, the 23-year-old phenom was able to put together a quality start and managed nine strikeouts in the process. If this is a "bad" start for Skenes, it's clear that he is among the best pitchers in the league. He now has a 4-6 record, 1.85 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts in 102 IP. His next start is scheduled for next Wednesday in Milwaukee against the Brewers.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez picked up his sixth win of the year in a 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Sanchez was extremely efficient in this one, needing just 91 pitches to get through eight one-run innings. He scattered five hits, struck out four, and didn't walk a batter. While he didn't end up with many strikeouts, Sanchez did generate 11 whiffs (10 on his changeup) and had a solid 34% CSW. The lefty improves to 6-2 on the season with a 2.87 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts in 87 IP. Sanchez has been phenomenal this season and is a clear must-start pitcher. His next outing is scheduled for next Wednesday, when he will face the Houston Astros on the road.

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