Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Thursday's 12-9 win against Triple-A Toledo. Montgomery's last homer came on June 5 when he also slugged two home runs with three RBI. It's been an underwhelming year at Triple-A for the 23-year-old, as he is hitting just .200/.283/.390 with a 18:77 BB:K in 219 plate appearances. Given his struggles at the upper levels of the minor leagues, the shortstop prospect is unlikely to be a summer call up. He is still ranked as the number five prospect in the White Sox system, and could turn things around at some point.

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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani clubbed his National League-leading 28th home run in a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Ohtani gave the Dodgers some late insurance in a close game with a 419-foot solo blast in the top of the seventh inning against right-hander Tyler Kinley. That was Ohtani's only hit, but he also drew a walk in a 1-for-3 showing. Having homered in three of his past four games, the 30-year-old superstar is slashing an exemplary .291/.392/.633 with 52 RBI, a league-best 80 runs, and 11 steals through 373 plate appearances.

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San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers posted his best performance as a member of the team in a 12-5 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Devers, playing his ninth game since the Giants acquired him from the Boston Red Sox, finished 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, and a walk. It was the second homer as a Giant for Devers, who has gone a so-so 9-for-35 with five RBI during his brief time in a San Francisco uniform. While he has gotten off to a mediocre start in new surroundings, Devers is still slashing a strong .270/.396/.502 with 17 HRs, 63 RBI, 50 runs, and a career-high 16.3% walk rate over 374 plate appearances. He'll face Chicago White Sox right-hander Aaron Civale on Friday. Devers is 2-for-10 with four strikeouts and three walks against Civale.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw improved to 4-0 on Thursday in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. Kershaw spun six innings of one-run, two-hit ball with five strikeouts and one walk to collect the 216th victory of his career. The 37-year-old has been on a roll over his past four starts, having given up a total of four runs on 16 hits with 21:4 K:BB across 23 innings. As a result, his ERA has dropped to 3.03 with 29 strikeouts and 13 walks in 38 2/3 frames this season. The future Hall of Famer is now sitting on 2,997 strikeouts and is on the cusp of becoming the 20th member of the 3,000-K club. He should reach that milestone in an appealing home matchup against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

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Philadelphia Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering fell to 5-3 on the season as the team dropped a 2-1 nail-biter against the Houston Astros on Thursday. The right-hander has recently been part of a closer committee for the Phillies, but they summoned him to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning in a 1-1 game. Kerkering allowed two singles, including an RBI knock by Cam Smith, and hit a batter during his inning of work. It was the first time Kerkering yielded an earned run since May 6, ending a 19-game streak. The 24-year-old still owns a quality 2.56 ERA with 29:17 K:BB, 11 holds, and two saves over 31 2/3 innings. Kerkering and Matt Strahm remain the top candidates for saves in the Phillies' bullpen. Jordan Romano has a team-high eight saves, but he hasn't recorded one since May 29.

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Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks recorded two outs on just four pitches to collect save No. 15 in a 4-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. The Rays called on right-hander Paul Gervase to pitch the ninth inning, but he left with one out after allowing two singles. In came Fairbanks, who got Maikel Garcia to ground into a game-ending double play. Fairbanks has now converted 15 of 17 save opportunities while registering a 2.03 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 26:14 K:BB over 31 innings.

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New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning (ankle/Achilles) exited his start against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday with what was initially described as a left ankle injury. However, after the Mets' 4-0 win, manager Carlos Mendoza met with the media and revealed: "We think it's an Achilles. He's getting an MRI, we're waiting for the results, but it looks like it's an Achilles injury." Canning, who threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings in the victory, needed help getting off the field after stepping awkwardly while reacting to a ground ball hit to short. It now appears he'll miss a significant amount of time, perhaps the rest of the season if an MRI confirms the Mets' fears. Canning has been a dependable part of a New York rotation that has dealt with a slew of injuries this season. The 29-year-old has gone 7-3 and logged a 3.77 ERA with 70 strikeouts, 35 walks, and a 1.38 WHIP in 76 1/3 innings.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers hit a three-run home run and walked twice in Thursday's 12-5 victory over the Giants. He had cooled off after being one of the hottest hitters in the league over the first two months, but it looks like he may be coming around again. This was the 27-year-old's second home run in the past four games, and he was batting .286 over the past two weeks entering the day. He's now slashing .275/.351/.482 with 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 35 runs, and three stolen bases this season. The youngster is worth an add if you need outfielder help, especially in five-outfielder leagues.

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Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and two runs scored in Thursday's 12-5 win against the Giants. This was his second straight multi-hit game, and he's now slashing .247/.294/.466 with 12 home runs through 55 games. That works out to a 35 home run pace over 162 games, which is elite power for a catcher. The 23-year-old starts as the designated hitter nearly every time he isn't catching, which leads to more plate appearances than most other backstops in the league. Ramirez can safely be viewed as a top-10 catcher for the rest of the season.

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Seattle Mariners catcher Harry Ford will be joining the Mariners in Texas tomorrow after Mitch Garver took a foul tip off the jaw in Thursday's game, reports Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Ford was initially scheduled to play a game in Triple-A today, but was scratched from the lineup so he could make the trip. This doesn't mean that Ford is definitely being promoted, as the plan is to add him to the taxi squad so he's ready to step in if Garver needs to be placed on the injured list. Expect official word sometime tomorrow after his medical scan results are available. Ford has been very productive in the minors so far this season, slashing .311/.426/.469 with eight home runs in 60 games. The top prospect could be relevant in two-catcher leagues if he gets enough playing time.

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Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (jaw) left Thursday's game in the bottom of the fifth inning after taking a foul ball off his jaw, reports Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Cal Raleigh shifted from designated hitter to catcher to take his place. Garver is set to undergo medical scans to determine the extent of his injury and see if a trip to the injured list is necessary. The Mariners are at least somewhat concerned, as Harry Ford is joining the team tomorrow at least as a member of the taxi squad, but will be ready to take Garver's spot on the roster if an injured list stint is required.

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New York Mets starting pitcher Griffin Canning (ankle) left Thursday's start against the Braves in the third inning after throwing only 36 pitches. He stepped awkwardly after a ball was hit into play and collapsed to the ground in what looked to be considerable pain. The Mets confirmed that the 29-year-old is dealing with a left ankle injury, and he will undergo imaging to determine the severity. The right-hander cruised through 2 innings before going down, allowing one hit and striking out three. Expect further updates tomorrow on the extent of his ankle injury and if he will require a trip to the injured list.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez was once again sharp on the mound during Thursday's outing against the Houston Astros. Sanchez isn't known as a big strikeout pitcher, but had his swing and miss stuff working on Thursday. The left-hander tossed six innings, allowing one earned run on five hits while striking out 11 batters. Sanchez has been excellent lately as he's allowed two earned runs or less in six straight starts. He'll take a 2.79 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 103/29 K/BB ratio into his next start against the San Diego Padres.

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Tanner Scott was called upon to hold a two-run lead against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. It started off a bit rocky with a walk to Tyler Freeman to open the inning. Scott was able to battle back with a strikeout and a double play to earn his 17th save of the season. It hasn't been a great season from Scott who owns a 3.55 ERA and five blown saves to his name. Despite that, Scott has been better lately and is on one of the best teams in baseball, so he should see plenty of chances. Fantasy managers should continue riding with Scott as long as he remains in the closer role.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown continued his impressive campaign during Thursday's outing against the Philadelphia Phillies. Brown was tough to hit as he allowed only three hits while recording nine strikeouts over seven innings of work. This marked the sixth straight start that Brown has allowed two earned runs or less in a start. The right-hander has also struck out nine batters or more in three of his last four starts. Brown will take his league-leading 1.74 ERA along with a 0.89 WHIP into his next start against the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies offense has struggled this season, but playing in Coors Field is not always fun for pitchers.

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Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia got into a little bit of trouble, but was able to recover during Thursday's outing against the St. Louis Cardinals. Palencia hit Willson Contreras with a pitch and gave up a hit to put himself in a dangerous situation. He was able to work through the inning by recording three strikeouts to earn his eighth save of the season. Things got a little heated afterwards with Contreras not liking Palencia celebrating. It looks like the Cubs are going to continue leaning on Palencia until he gives them a reason not to trust him. Palencia is a solid option for saves right now and he should be rostered in most fantasy formats where saves matter.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga made his return to the mound for Thursday's outing against the St. Louis Cardinals. This was Imanaga's first start since suffering a hamstring injury in early May. Imanaga didn't look rusty at all as he tossed five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in the win. The Cubs didn't want to push Imanaga too hard during his first game back, but this was an excellent outing from him. He'll look to keep the good times rolling against the Cleveland Guardians in his next start.

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic on Thursday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Franco will receive a two-year suspended prison sentence, with the primary condition being that he doesn't approach minors with sexual intentions. The 24-year-old was formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor, as well as human trafficking, in July of last year. He was placed on administrative leave by MLB last August and remains on the league's restricted list. While it appears that Franco may not actually have to do any prison time, it's still unlikely that he sets foot back onto a field in the big leagues for the Rays or any other organization.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen is in a contract year and is posting career-worst numbers in almost every category, sparking speculation that he could be traded at this year's deadline if the team doesn't make a run before July 31. While Gallen's stuff hasn't necessarily declined, he's allowing too much damage when hitters make contact with his offerings. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan believe there's a 30 percent chance Gallen is traded, and teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs could be suitors. The 29-year-old now has a rough 6.97 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 39:21 K:BB in 51 2/3 innings this year and has allowed nine homers in his last five starts. It's possible contending teams aren't willing to give up enough for Gallen if they don't think he can turn it around in 2025.

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Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez is in a contract year and is sitting near career-highs in isolated power and wRC+ despite turning 34 years old before the July 31 trade deadline. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan believe it's a coin flip as to whether Arizona trades the veteran power hitter this summer, but it would make sense to open up a spot at third base for infield prospect Jordan Lawlar, who continues to rake in the minor leagues. Suarez's fielding metrics have declined in recent seasons, but he's still an acceptable defender at third base and could be used as a full-time designated hitter by a contender. The D-backs aren't out of the National League wild-card race by any means, but they might need a hot stretch before late July to make them consider hanging onto Suarez, who currently ranks fourth in baseball with his 25 home runs.

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