Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen (5-8) delivered one of his best outings of the season on Sunday, shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks over seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory. Lorenzen allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out seven, generating an impressive 17 whiffs and reaching 96.3 mph on the radar gun. The veteran now owns a 4.61 ERA with seven quality starts on the year. Sunday's performance was a welcome sign for fantasy managers after Lorenzen failed to complete six innings in each of his previous three outings. While his season-long numbers remain shaky, Lorenzen's upside makes him a worthwhile streaming option or deep-league flyer heading into the second half. The 33-year-old will look to build off his impressive outing in his next scheduled start Saturday against the New York Mets.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan impressed in his return to the rotation on Sunday, tossing five strong innings of one-run ball against the Houston Astros. Sheehan did not factor into the decision in the Dodgers' 5-1 loss. The 25-year-old righty scattered five hits and a walk while striking out five on 80 pitches. The 25-year-old has lowered his ERA to a sharp 2.00 through two starts. His current 10:1 K:BB ratio highlights improved command from his 10.5% walk rate last season. Sheehan is rostered in just 34% of Yahoo leagues and makes for a strong speculative add, given the run support and win potential the Dodgers' offense offers. Fantasy managers seeking second-half pitching depth should take a serious look at Sheehan as a valuable upside play. Sheehan's next start will be on the road Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.

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New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (shoulder) continues to progress toward his return from a right shoulder impingement, playing catch up to 75 feet on flat ground Sunday. The 31-year-old landed on the injured list July 3 and is aiming for a return before the end of the month. Blackburn has struggled mightily in 2025, going (0-3) with a 7.71 ERA and a 16.1% strikeout rate, his lowest mark since 2021. Blackburn faces long odds of reclaiming a rotation spot. Fantasy managers can avoid Blackburn in all but the deepest NL-only formats for now.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes turned in another stellar start on Sunday in a 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. Skenes did not factor into the decision, but he left after amassing a season-high 10 strikeouts and holding the Mariners to five hits across five scoreless innings. The two-time All-Star lowered his ERA to a National League-best 1.94 with 125 strikeouts, 30 walks, and an elite 0.92 WHIP in 116 innings. Although Skenes has allowed two earned runs or fewer in an incredible 16 of 19 starts, he's just 4-7 because of a lack of run support. The Pirates' offensive ineptitude cost him again Sunday.

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Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday led the O's to a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday with a flawless day at the plate. Holliday knocked in both of the Orioles' runs on a two-run homer off right-hander Grant Holmes in the third inning. He collected three more hits, including a double, in a 4-for-4 afternoon. Holliday entered the day in a 2-for-17 skid in his first four games of July, but he did his best to make up for it in one fell swoop. The 21-year-old is now batting .260/.309/.415 with 11 homers, 36 RBI, 36 runs, and nine steals across 346 plate appearances. That's a vast improvement over the .189/.255/.311 line he put up in a 60-game debut last year. Holliday has slashed his strikeout percentage from 33.2 to 24.9 since then, and it has paid dividends.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (1-0) made his first major league start since 2023 on Sunday and earned the win in a 3-1 decision against the Miami Marlins. The day couldn't have gone much better for Woodruff, who fired six innings of one-run, two-hit ball with eight strikeouts and no walks. He threw 70 pitches (53 for strikes) in his long-awaited return. The 32-year-old missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery, and he battled elbow and ankle issues during his rehab this season. To the delight of the Brewers and fantasy managers, Woodruff showed no signs of rust despite the missed time. He could make one more start before the All-Star break against the Washington Nationals next weekend.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (ankle, rib) threw a bullpen session on Sunday, as he works his way back from a right ankle sprain and a stress fracture in his right rib. Nola has struggled in 2025, going (1-7) with a 6.16 ERA across nine starts. His 1.51 WHIP is a career worst with a 7.3% walk rate that's notably above his career average of 6.4%. If Nola progresses without setbacks, he could return in early to mid-August, rejoining a rotation anchored by standouts Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Ranger Suarez, all of whom have delivered strong seasons in his absence.

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New York Yankees closer Devin Williams shut down the New York Mets in the ninth inning to wrap up a 6-4 win on Sunday. The right-hander went 1-2-3 and fanned two, including a game-ending strikeout of Francisco Lindor, to record his 12th save in 13 tries. It was an encouraging rebound for Williams, who took the loss against Toronto on Wednesday after surrendering two earned runs in one inning. For the most part, the 30-year-old has settled down since an ugly first month of the season. Williams' ERA, which was over 10.00 in early May, has fallen to 5.01 across 32 1/3 innings. The two-time All-Star has also posted quality strikeout and walk numbers (41:14) and a 1.21 WHIP.

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Houston Astros outfielder Jake Meyers (calf) exited Sunday's 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers due to right calf tightness. He was removed in the sixth inning and did not return. Meyers, who singled and walked in three plate appearances, is hitting .304 over the past seven days with eight runs scored. Manager Joe Espada said the team is taking a cautious approach with Meyers' injury. The 29-year-old is currently slashing .308/.369/.405 and should be considered a must-start if healthy against Cleveland Guardians starter Tanner Bibee on Monday. Bibee struggled in his last outing, giving up five runs over four innings against the Chicago Cubs. Meyers is considered day-to-day for now, as fantasy managers should check back on Monday to see if he's in Houston's lineup before starting him for Week 15.

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Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase suffered his fourth blown save of the season in a 7-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Clase entered in the top of the ninth inning with a 1-0 lead, but a leadoff hit by pitch to Spencer Torkelson proved costly. The Tigers subbed in Zack McKinstry for Torkelson. McKinstry stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch. Clase finished off the ninth with a strikeout of Parker Meadows. However, after he squandered the lead, fellow reliever Cade Smith imploded in the 10th inning and took the loss. Clase posted otherworldly production a year ago, but the right-hander's numbers have been more solid than spectacular this season. He owns a 3.29 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP, 39:10 K:BB, and 18 saves across 38 1/3 innings.

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The Milwaukee Brewers plan to recall first baseman Andrew Vaughn from Triple-A Nashville, Robert Murray of FanSided reports. He'll be the corresponding move when the Brewers place Rhys Hoskins (thumb) on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left thumb. The Brewers acquired Vaughn from the Chicago White Sox for right-hander Aaron Civale on June 13. Since then, the 27-year-old has batted .259/.338/.500 with three home runs and 16 RBI in 65 plate appearances with Nashville. Vaughn entered the pro ranks as the third overall pick of the White Sox in 2019, but the former prized prospect hasn't lived up to the billing in the majors. He got off to a disastrous .189/.218/.314 start with five homers and 19 RBI in 193 plate appearances this year before the White Sox decided to cut the cord on him. The right-handed Vaughn could now form a platoon at first base with the left-handed Jake Bauers in Milwaukee.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (elbow) will be activated off the 60-day injured list and start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. Finally, Darvish will take the mound after missing basically the first half of the season due to right elbow inflammation. The right-hander threw a 64-pitch simulated game on Tuesday. That being said, Darvish might not be fully stretched out, so this could be a shorter outing than expected. The hope is that Darvish can make two shorter starts before the All-Star break, and then be fully unleashed for the second half of the season. Fantasy managers in need of pitching help should certainly check the waiver wire and add Darvish if available.

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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal was once again excellent on the mound during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. Unsurprisingly, the Guardians hitters had basically no answers for Skubal throughout this outing. The southpaw tossed seven shutout innings, allowing three hits, zero walks, and 10 strikeouts in the no-decision. The Tigers bats didn't come alive until after Skubal departed, so he won't get the win for this outing. However, Skubal was named to the All-Star team on Sunday, which shouldn't come as a shock. He'll take 2.02 ERA into his next outing against the Seattle Mariners next week.

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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara made his MLB debut against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. It was a rough debut for Ogasawara who gave up four earned runs in the first inning. He never really settled down as the Red Sox hit him around before he was pulled midway into the third inning. Ogasawara tossed 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, hit one batter, and struck out two in the loss. Ogasawara only made a handful of starts before getting called up for this outing. The southpaw could probably benefit from some extra time in the minors. If he stays in the rotation, Ogasawara would be in line to face the Milwaukee Brewers next week. The 27-year-old isn't a recommended streaming option, assuming he even gets the chance to make another start.

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Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jordan Hicks was called upon to hold a three-run lead versus the Washington Nationals on Sunday. Normally, Aroldis Chapman serves as the closer in Boston, but he was used in the eighth inning to face James Wood. It wasn't a perfect outing from Hicks, but he was able to get the job done. He walked Brady House who would come around to score and make it a two run game. Hicks was able to get out of the jam and secure his first save of the season. He allowed one hit, one run, one walk, and struck out one batter on Sunday. He's posting an ugly 6.49 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, and 45/22 K/BB ratio across 51.1 innings this season. Hicks has the stuff to be a good high leverage reliever, but we'll see how the Red Sox decide to use him. He figures to split up some of the save chances with Chapman, but it might not be enough to warrant rostering Hicks in most fantasy formats.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (thumb) has suffered a Grade 2 left thumb sprain and will land on the 10-day injured list Monday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Hoskins suffered the injury on Saturday, forcing him to leave early in a loss to the Miami Marlins. He underwent an MRI that confirmed the sprain. The 32-year-old has batted a respectable .242/.340/.428 with 12 home runs and 42 RBI in 318 plate appearances, but he has slumped in recent weeks. Since June 1, Hoskins has hit .170 (15-for-88) with three homers and seven RBI. The Brewers started Jake Bauers in Hoskins' place in a 3-1 win over the Marlins on Sunday.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (ribs) has yet to resume baseball activities as he recovers from a small fracture in one of his left ribs, general manager Dana Brown said Sunday. However, Brown added that "there's an outside chance" Pena could return before the All-Star break. Pena suffered the injury on June 27 and is eligible to come off the 10-day IL on Tuesday. The Astros are in no position to rush Pena back before he's ready, as they hold a comfortable seven-game lead in the AL West. Pena has been among the main reasons for their success, breaking out with a .322/.378/.489 line, 11 homers, 40 RBI, 48 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases in 350 plate appearances.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Drey Jameson (elbow) is dealing with a bone chip in his elbow that is not expected to require surgery, according to the team. Jameson missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and his elbow has caused problems again this year. He made three appearances out of the Diamondbacks' bullpen in late April before they optioned him to Triple-A Reno. Jameson went on the seven-day injured list in the minors on May 20 with elbow inflammation. He returned to make rehab appearances in the Arizona Complex League on June 24 and June 27, but the Diamondbacks shut him down after the second of those outings. There is no timetable for the 27-year-old's return.

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Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (finger) is running and receiving pitches, but he's still unable to use his right hand, manager Torey Lovullo said. Moreno has been out for three weeks with a hairline fracture in his right index finger. The Diamondbacks are hopeful that Moreno will be able to return by late July. Before suffering the injury, the 25-year-old hit .270/.324/.414 with five homers, 20 RBI, and 29 runs scored in 188 plate appearances. The Diamondbacks are relying on Jose Herrera and James McCann behind the plate until Moreno returns.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks announced that they have placed designated hitter/first baseman Pavin Smith (oblique) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique. The club selected the contract of infielder Tristin English from Triple-A Reno and placed left-hander Tommy Henry (elbow) on the 60-day IL in corresponding moves. Smith owned a sizzling .342/.473/.630 line through April, but his numbers have fallen off dramatically since then. While the 29-year-old is still hitting a productive .261/.371/.446 in 264 plate appearances, he carries modest counting stats (eight home runs, 28 RBI, and 33 runs scored) and has taken just 17 at-bats against left-handed pitchers. With Smith unavailable, the Diamondbacks are starting Randal Grichuk at DH on Sunday against Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

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