The Atlanta Braves are one of several rotation-needy teams "expressing interest" in Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray, people familiar with the situation have told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon. Despite having nearly a full starting rotation on the injured list, the Braves lead the National League East division. They can cover both the prospect and financial cost -- the St. Louis Cardinals are paying around half of Gray's remaining commitment, and the Red Sox or a new team would owe him just over $6 million after the trade deadline. The 36-year-old has a full no-trade clause, but he lives in Nashville and would most likely approve a trade to Atlanta. Gray is the Braves' best option unless they decide to make a run at Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal. Gray doesn't blow hitters away, but his diverse arsenal keeps hitters off balance, and he owns a nice 2.61 ERA over 16 starts and 89 2/3 innings in his first year in Boston. Of course, this could all be a moot point if the Red Sox decide not to sell this summer. They've won 10 of their last 12 games and are suddenly just three games back in the American League wild-card race.

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Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins (elbow) is still on track for a return to the mound at Triple-A Iowa within the next week or so. The Cubs' top-ranked pitching prospect has made four rehabstarts, one with the team's Complex League affiliate and three at High-A South Bend, pitchingto a 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and recording nine strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings pitched. The right-hander made two starts for Triple-A Iowa to begin the season before hitting the injured list with elbow inflammation. He's coming off a strong 2025 campaign in which the 6-foot-6 hurler posted a 2.19 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 19.5 percent K-BB% across three levels of the minors. Assuming a return in the near-term, the 24-year-old should have a chance to debut in the majors later in the second half, and could provide much-needed reinforcement to a depleted big league rotation. Wiggins could become stash-worthy once his potential timeline clears up.

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St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker is headed to the Home Run Derby, but that should not automatically turn him into a sell-high. The 24-year-old became the fifth confirmed participant for Monday's event in Philadelphia, joining Willson Contreras, Jac Caglianone, Junior Caminero, and Ben Rice. The fantasy line already fits the invite, too, with Walker batting .294 with 21 home runs, 70 RBI, 58 runs, 12 steals, and an .889 OPS over 343 at-bats. There is always some risk in buying after a first-half power surge, especially with Walker striking out 95 times. Still, this is not just All-Star Week noise. His 94.2 mph average exit velocity, 51.8% hard-hit rate, and 14.3% barrel rate back up the damage, and the stolen bases add another layer. Unless someone is paying like he is already a finished first-round bat, Walker looks more like a hold than a sell-high.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (foot) had his suspension reduced from seven to five games, and he'll begin serving the suspension on Thursday, sources told Jesse Rogers of ESPN. It's a good time for Contreras to start serving his reduced five-game suspension after he fouled a ball off his foot in Wednesday's contest against the Chicago White Sox. He's feeling fine and calls himself day-to-day, so Contreras should be ready to return to Boston's starting lineup for the second game after the All-Star break next Saturday at home against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. Brett Harris is making the start at first base and will bat eighth for the BoSox for Thursday's series finale against the White Sox and left-hander Anthony Kay. Contreras is having a career year in 2026 in his first year in Beantown, slashing .285/.379/.542 with a .921 OPS, 20 home runs, 61 RBI, 46 runs scored, and two stolen bases, but fantasy managers are going to be without him to close out the first half of the season and to begin the second half.

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Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley is still the type of name worth checking on in trades, but this is not an automatic buy-low spot. The 29-year-old has been a major letdown with a .209 average, nine home runs, 41 RBI, five steals, and a .623 OPS over 330 at-bats. There is enough track record here to make a rebound possible, and his 10.3% barrel rate and 90.4 mph average exit velocity are not dead numbers. They are just not close to the impact profile fantasy managers are used to seeing from him. That makes the price everything. Riley's .204 xBA, .368 xSLG, 42.4% hard-hit rate, and 29.1% strikeout rate do not scream second-half league-winner, and Atlanta recently had him batting seventh. He is still rostered in 83% of Yahoo leagues, so this is a trade play only. Buy if the discount is real. Otherwise, let someone else chase the name.

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San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello told KNBR on Thursday that the team is sending right-handed reliever Ryan Walker to Triple-A Sacramento. The 30-year-old veteran and former 31st-round pick by the Giants in 2018 out of Washington State University had a career-high 17 saves in his third year in the majors in 2025, but he has really struggled this year, going 0-1 with a 7.52 ERA (5.47 FIP), 1.82 WHIP, three saves, 19 strikeouts, and 15 walks in 26 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. This will be the second time the Giants have sent him to the farm in 2026. Walker was looking better in seven appearances since returning to the majors on June 12, allowing two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts, two walks, and a hold, but things have fallen apart for him again recently in his four outings so far in July. He's allowed an earned run in each of his July appearances, with nine earned runs allowed, three walks, and just one strikeout. As things currently stand in San Fran's bullpen, right-hander Caleb Kilian is the reliever to roster for fantasy managers searching for saves. He's rostered in only 15% of Yahoo leagues.

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Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (back) wasn't perfect in his latest minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Buffalo, but he showed some encouraging signs. Scherzer allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out five in four innings to take the loss against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer generated 16 swings and misses on his 72 pitches and averaged 93.4 mph with his four-seam fastball. He is slowly building his arm back after landing on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season with back spasms, but he's likely going to need at least one more rehab start before he's an option once again for Toronto's starting rotation in the second half of the season. The three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star is well beyond his prime and doesn't have much left in the tank as he continues to deal with injuries. Scherzer has gone 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and 14:11 K:BB in his six starts for the Jays this year. Fantasy managers are better off stashing higher-upside arms.

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San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello told KNBR that left-handed pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt is being called up from Triple-A Sacramento to start on Thursday in the series finale against the division-rival Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2022 out of East Carolina University is considered the Giants' No. 11-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He struggled to a 5.01 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and 12 walks in 23 1/3 innings over five starts in his MLB debut in 2025. In his lone start this year for the Gigantes on June 17 against the first-place Atlanta Braves, he picked up a win, allowing two earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out two in five innings of work. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder is most likely just making another spot start for San Fran in the final weekend of the regular season, so fantasy managers in single-year leagues shouldn't be spending a ton on him to pick him up off the waiver wire. In 77 1/3 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this year at Sacramento, Whisenhunt holds a 4.42 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 82:37 K:BB.

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New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton's calf injury while running the bases was not a setback, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, but a completely new strain to the same calf. Stanton has resumed running after platelet-rich plasma injections, though, according to general manager Brian Cashman. The 36-year-old veteran power hitter has been sidelined since late April with what was initially a right-calf strain. It's good news that he has resumed running, but there remains no firm timetable for when he might return in the second half of the season. The 36-year-old veteran and former MVP still has enough raw power to make him valuable in mixed fantasy leagues, but his inability to stay on the field due to injuries has made him an afterthought in a lot of formats. Right now, he's rostered in just 22% of Yahoo leagues with no return in sight. Before his calf strain, Stanton was hitting .256/.302/.422 with a .724 OPS, only three home runs, 14 RBI, eight runs scored, one stolen base, and a 30.2% strikeout rate in 96 plate appearances.

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New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) will play catch on Thursday for the first time since landing on the 15-day injured list last Friday with inflammation in his left elbow, according to Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network. Rodon will have a shot to return to the Yankees' starting rotation in the second half, but in a best-case scenario, the 33-year-old veteran isn't expected to be back until at least early August. The Yankees aren't going to rush Rodon, who missed the start of the 2026 season after having surgery last October to remove loose bodies and to shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. The three-time All-Star has looked good in his nine starts for the Yankees this year in his fourth season with the team, going 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA (3.46 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 52 strikeouts and 26 walks in 46 1/3 innings pitched, making him stash-worthy in most fantasy leagues. However, fantasy managers are going to need to be patient.

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New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that outfielder Aaron Judge (ribs) will be re-imaged during the All-Star break next week. Cashman is still anticipating Judge's return at some point this season based on the original diagnosis. When the Yankees placed Judge on the 10-day injured list five weeks ago with a stress fracture in his rib, they said he'd be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. There hasn't been a firm timetable for Judge's return, but we should have a clearer picture after he undergoes more testing next week. The 34-year-old three-time MVP and seven-time All-Star should obviously be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues as a difference-maker across the board when he's healthy. When Judge returns in the second half, he'll be returning to a .248/.375/.533 slash line with a .907 OPS, 17 home runs, 38 RBI, 43 runs scored, and five stolen bases across his 214 at-bats. The Yankees have been without both Judge and right-handed slugger Giancarlo Stanton (calf) for most of the first half, so getting them both back after the All-Star break will be huge as they attempt to catch the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East.

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The Minnesota Twins recalled left-handed pitching prospect Kendry Rojas from Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday, the team announced. Rojas, the club's No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will make his return to the big leagues after appearing in six games (two starts) already this year for the Twins. The 23-year-old Cuban southpaw looked good in his six big-league outings, allowing three earned runs on 12 hits with 18 strikeouts, but he did walk 13 batters in 16 1/3 innings pitched. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has produced a 4.24 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 24 strikeouts and nine walks in 23 1/3 innings pitched in nine outings (three starts) in 2026 on the farm with Single-A Fort Myers and St. Paul. Rojas' raw stuff -- a mid-90s fastball and tight slider -- carries high spin rates, but until he can improve his control, he'll be off the fantasy radar in mixed leagues in 2026. He'll also need to become more of a staple in Minnesota's starting rotation, which is not guaranteed in the second half.

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New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that infield prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) "might be a choice at some point" for the Yankees in 2026, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Lombard is expected to start playing in rehab games around next week's All-Star break. Manager Aaron Boone thinks the 21-year-old is close to returning, and he has been hitting and fielding. The club's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is currently on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The former 26th overall pick in 2023 has hit a combined .258/.387/.446 with an .833 OPS, eight home runs, 25 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored in 62 games with Double-A Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. If the Yankees bring him up in the second half, he's expected to become the primary shortstop in the Bronx, which would warrant attention from fantasy managers in nearly all leagues. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has some swing-and-miss concerns, but his long-term power/speed upside makes him one of the most intriguing infield stashes in fantasy.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews (foot) will make his next scheduled start on Friday at home against the visiting Los Angeles Angels, per MLB.com. Matthews suffered a laceration on his right foot in his last start on Saturday against the New York Yankees and was pulled early, but he was able to complete his normal between-starts bullpen session this week and is ready to roll for his final outing of the first half of the 2026 season. The 26-year-old former eighth-round pick in 2022 out of Western Carolina University should be considered a strong streaming option on Friday despite coming off a foot injury last weekend. Since allowing a season-high seven earned runs to the Detroit Tigers on June 11, Matthews has gone 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA (4.90 FIP) with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in four starts against the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, and Yankees. In 10 starts (61 innings) this year, he has a 4.43 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 51 K's. Matthews will be facing an Angels team on Friday that leads the majors with 879 strikeouts.

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Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hand) could return from the 10-day injured list on Friday ahead of the team's weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, according to Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star. Pasquantino has been out since June 14 with a fractured hamate bone in his right hand, but he appears ready to return for the final three games of the first half of the season this weekend. In two minor-league rehab games this week with Triple-A Omaha, the left-handed slugger has gone 2-for-6 with one RBI and three walks. The 28-year-old has been a disappointment so far in 2026, hitting .224/.309/.350 with a .660 OPS, six home runs, 32 RBI, 28 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 254 at-bats, but don't forget he broke out to the tune of 32 homers and 113 RBI in 160 games played in 2025. The buy-low window on the Pasquatch is still firmly open, and he might be free to pick up off your league's waiver wire going into the All-Star break. He's currently rostered in only 64% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Boston Red Sox announced on Thursday that they placed left-hander Ranger Suarez (groin) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to July 6) with a strained left groin and recalled infielder Brett Harris from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Suarez will now miss his final scheduled start of the first half of the season this weekend against the New York Mets after he was pulled from his last start on Sunday early against the Los Angeles Angels due to tightness in his left groin. He'll now be sidelined through the All-Star break, and it remains to be seen if he'll be ready to rejoin the rotation for the start of the second half next Friday. The 30-year-old Venezuelan hurler has pitched well enough in his first season in Boston to be held in all fantasy leagues while he recovers from his groin strain. Suarez has gone 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA (2.63 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 26 walks in 91 1/3 innings pitched across his 17 starts. He continues to display strong control on the mound and has also posted a career-best 25.8% strikeout rate.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison (elbow) has been battling some soreness on the outside of his left elbow in recent weeks, and he said something about it on Wednesday during his start against the St. Louis Cardinals, which is why he departed early, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The 24-year-old southpaw lasted four innings on Wednesday and allowed three earned runs on four hits while walking none and striking out two to take just his second loss of the season. In his last four starts, Harrison has a 5.00 ERA (3.28 FIP) with 21 strikeouts and two walks in 18 innings pitched. The former third-rounder by the San Francisco Giants in 2020 has been excellent in 2026 in his first year in Milwaukee, going 8-2 with a 3.01 ERA (3.12 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and 20 walks in 83 2/3 innings across his 17 starts, but he has slowed down considerably to close out the first half of the season. The good news is that Harrison didn't sound overly concerned, and he will now have the upcoming All-Star break next week to rest up his left elbow.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (foot) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale in Chicago against the White Sox, according to MLB.com. Brett Harris will make the start at first base and will bat eighth against White Sox left-hander Anthony Kay after being called up from Triple-A Worcester. Contreras left Wednesday's game early after fouling a ball off his left foot, but he told reporters he doesn't think he has anything worse than a bruise and described himself as "day-to-day." Fantasy managers will need to remove him from their lineups on Thursday and check back on Friday to see if he's ready for the series opener in New York against the Mets. The 34-year-old Venezuelan has been a must-start in all fantasy leagues in 2026 in his first year in Beantown, as he's hitting .285/.379/.542 with a .921 OPS, 20 home runs, 61 RBI, 46 runs scored, and two stolen bases across his 312 at-bats. It's unclear if Contreras' foot injury will keep him from participating in the Home Run Derby on Monday.

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Across 422 plate appearances in 2026, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward is hitting .254/.382/.353 with five home runs, 24 RBI, 55 runs scored, and three stolen bases. It's been a strange season from a power perspective so far for Ward, who posted a 13.7% barrel rate and slugged 36 home runs in 2025 but has seen his barrel rate dip to 5.8% this season. Ward reportedly suffered a bone bruise in his hand in mid-April that he's been playing through ever since, which could help explain the power outage. While it's possible that Ward's slugging ability simply will not return this season, the All-Star break may be the rest he needs to get closer to full health in the second half. The rest of Ward's profile remains strong, as he owns a 16.6% walk rate and has established an everyday spot at or near the top of the Orioles lineup. Fantasy managers may want to explore buy-low trades for Ward ahead of a potential power resurgence.

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The Minnesota Twins officially announced that they reinstated right-hander Bailey Ober (elbow) from the 15-day injured list and placed left-hander Connor Prielipp (finger) on the 15-day IL with a left middle-finger blister in a corresponding move. Ober will return to the starting rotation on Thursday to face the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Target Field. He has recovered from a right flexor strain in his elbow that put him on the IL on May 30. The 30-year-old veteran is returning to a 6-3 record, 4.59 ERA (4.98 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 66 2/3 innings across his 12 starts in his sixth year in the big leagues. The Guardians make for a pretty good matchup with an OPS (.677) that ranks 29th in baseball this season, but the soft-tossing Ober still won't be a recommended streamer in his first start back with the Twins. He had a 5.97 ERA (6.08 FIP) with 17 strikeouts and five walks in 28 2/3 frames in his five starts in May and has a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate so far in 2026.

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