New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (elbow) is facing hitters again on Sunday at Yankee Stadium, and manager Aaron Boone told Jorge Castillo of ESPN that the plan is for Fried to throw another live bullpen session on Thursday or Friday of next week before going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw has been sidelined since the middle of May with a bone bruise in his left elbow, but he's progressing nicely and could be ready to rejoin the Yankees' starting rotation for the start of the second half of the season on July 17, barring a setback on his rehab assignment. The three-time All-Star was 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA (2.72 FIP) and 1.00 WHIP with 50 strikeouts and 19 walks in 61 2/3 innings over 10 starts in his second season in the Bronx this year before landing on the injured list. He led the league with 19 wins in his first year with the Yankees, and he's a must-start in fantasy when he's active. Fried should not be floating around on any waiver wires due to his elbow injury.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Guardians All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) has started hitting off a tee and will progress to overhand batting practice in the coming days, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. General manager Chris Antonetti said that Ramirez has met each checkpoint so far in his recovery from surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his hand, but he still has more boxes to check. The Guardians remain hopeful that J-Ram can return before the All-Star break from July 13-16. The 33-year-old Dominican switch-hitter had the stitches removed from his surgically-repaired left hand earlier this week and is making good progress. Ramirez hasn't lived up to his lofty expectations so far in 2026, but if he's healthy in the second half, he still can carry a fantasy team. Through his first 72 games (314 plate appearances) in 2026 in his 14th year in the league, Ramirez is slashing .239/.339/.418 with a .757 OPS, 10 homers, 33 RBI, 24 steals, and 42 runs scored. J-Ram should be stashed in all fantasy baseball leagues.

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Minnesota Twins first baseman Josh Bell has now gone deep four times in his last five games, which will inevitably draw attention to him on the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues from managers seeking a power surge. In Minnesota's 11-4 win over the New York Yankees in the Bronx on the Fourth of July on Saturday, Bell went 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, a double, three RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .247 and his OPS to .738. The 33-year-old veteran left-handed slugger now has 13 round-trippers on the year while adding 59 RBI, 45 runs scored, and a .247/.304/.434 slash line in 316 at-bats in his 11th year in the majors and first with the Twins. Bell is striking out over 20% of the time this year, but fantasy managers seeking a power boost can't ignore his hot streak of late. And in his last 18 games since June 14, he's gone 21-for-66 (.318) with six homers, five doubles, a triple, 19 RBI, and 13 runs scored across 73 plate appearances. Bell is widely available, as he's rostered in just 18% of Yahoo leagues right now.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominated the division-rival San Diego Padres on Saturday night in a 3-0 victory to post his fifth straight quality start. Yoshinobu threw seven shutout innings at Dodger Stadium with only three hits allowed, two walks, and 10 strikeouts for his ninth win of the year. It was the 27-year-old's second scoreless outing of the 2026 season, and he's now 9-5 with a 2.49 ERA (3.25 FIP) and 0.88 WHIP with an even 100 strikeouts and 21 walks in 104 2/3 innings pitched across 16 starts in his third year in the league. The Japanese star hurler hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in each of his last eight starts. In that span, Yamamoto has allowed only nine earned runs (1.48 ERA) while walking 11 and striking out 52 in 54 2/3 innings while going 6-2. He's set to face the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks next week in his final start before the All-Star break. Yamamoto faced the D-backs in his first start of the year on March 26, allowing two earned runs with no walks and six K's in six innings for his first quality start of the season. He's a must-start every time he toes the rubber with one of the best offenses in the league backing him.

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Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez bolstered his case as the favorite for the American League MVP award in 2026 with another multi-homer performance in the team's 10-8 win on Saturday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at Daikin Park. Alvarez went 3-for-4 at the plate as the designated hitter with six RBI to raise his season batting average to .324 and his OPS to 1.078. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger had a solo shot for his first homer of the day before launching a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to send the Rays home. It was Alvarez's fourth multi-homer game of the season, and the three-time All-Star and former AL Rookie of the Year is now slashing .324/.433/.645 in his 89 games and 388 plate appearances. The Cuban slugger leads the league in a variety of categories, including home runs (29), RBI (67), runs scored (62), hits (104), on-base percentage (.433), slugging percentage (.645), OPS (1.078), and total bases (207). He's by far the favorite for the AL MVP as we near the end of the first half of the season.

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Kansas City Royals catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (elbow) is serving as the team's designated hitter and is batting sixth versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Aaron Nola in the series finale at Kauffman Stadium, according to MLB.com. A sore elbow has kept Perez out for each of the last two games, but he'll return for the series finale in KC. The 36-year-old Venezuelan backstop is running out of steam offensively in his 15th year in the majors (all with the Royals), as he enters Sunday's contest with a .201/.241/.327 slash line with a career-worst .568 OPS, 10 home runs, 30 RBI, and 29 runs scored across his 81 games (340 plate appearances). Fantasy managers may want to keep Perez on the bench until he shows some signs of life at the plate. In eight career at-bats against Nola, Perez is hitting .250 with an .875 OPS, a home run, and three RBI. Perez has five hits in his last 35 plate appearances with two doubles, two RBI, a run scored, no walks, and 12 strikeouts across nine games played.

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Milwaukee Brewers veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder), who was pulled from his start on Saturday after just four innings because his velocity dipped against the Arizona Diamondbacks, will go back on the 15-day injured list with an inflamed labrum in his right shoulder, manager Pat Murphy told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Woodruff was on the IL with the same injury earlier this year and missed six weeks. The 33-year-old veteran is likely looking at a potential return to Milwaukee's starting rotation in early April in a best-case scenario. In a worst-case scenario, we won't see Woodruff again in 2026 due to ongoing shoulder issues and a drop in velocity. Remember, he missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from capsule surgery in his right shoulder, and he made only 12 starts last year. Woodruff hasn't been bad in his nine starts in 2026, posting a 2.98 ERA (3.20 FIP), 0.84 WHIP, and 47:10 K:BB in 45 1/3 frames, but durability issues have to have fantasy managers extremely concerned going forward.

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Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (rib cage) has picked up where he left off since coming off the 10-day injured list on June 28. He has started all seven games since returning and gone 10-for-31 (.323) with three runs, five RBI, and one steal. The 24-year-old is now batting .269/.336/.410 with seven home runs, 39 RBI, 27 runs, and three steals through 271 at-bats. The plate skills are more convincing than the power so far. DeLauter has a 13.3% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate, while his 40.5% hard-hit rate and 5.9% barrel rate are solid rather than dominant. He is rostered in 51% of Yahoo leagues, and RotoBaller recommends him in 12-team formats. That is the right range. DeLauter should be rostered in leagues of that size, but seven homers and three steals do not support a five-category label.

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Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez has continued his dominant play at Triple-A Louisville and is solidifying himself as a top-stash candidate among outfield prospects ahead of Week 15 of the fantasy season. Over his last 22 contests with the Bats, Rodriguez has posted a sharp .329/.396/.732 slash line with four doubles, nine home runs, two stolen bases, and a 23:7 K:BB. Prior to this impressive stretch at the dish, the 22-year-old was still very productive at the plate but was nowhere near as effective, holding a .274/.353/.465 line over his first 60 games in the regular season. Currently, the Reds do not have a clear path for Rodriguez as both JJ Bleday and Noelvi Marte occupy the corner outfield spots. However, Bleday is currently in the midst of a 7-for-53 skid, which could open the door for the team's No. 5-ranked prospect. For now, Rodrguez is a top stash target for those in 12+ team, five-outfielder leagues.

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Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery is pushing into the ninth-inning conversation as the club mixes its late-inning assignments. Montgomery struck out the side in a non-save ninth against Philadelphia on July 2, one inning after Gregory Soto handled the top of the order. The 26-year-old has a 4.50 ERA and 1.35 WHIP through 34 innings, but his 50 strikeouts are the main reason to speculate on him. No one has taken control of the job. Montgomery still has zero saves, Soto owns 11, and Dennis Santana has two, so fantasy managers are betting on the next opportunity rather than a settled role. FanGraphs lists all three in the closer committee, while RotoBaller recommends Montgomery in 12-team leagues. He is rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues and is worth adding for saves speculation, though managers should expect uneven ratios and a committee for now.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt was optioned to Triple-A Reno following his first stint in the majors back in mid-June. However, since returning to Reno, the top-ranked prospect in the system has not only produced at a high level, but has begun to showcase his raw power. Through his first 13 games at Triple-A since returning, the Kentucky product has held a .288/.413/.588 line with a .970 OPS, five doubles, three home runs, and a 13:10 K:BB. During his first taste of the major leagues, Waldschmidt posted a .259/.314/.357 line with nine doubles, no home runs, and five stolen bases (across 33 games). If the 23-year-old can continue to take a step forward, he could emerge as a top stash candidate following the All-Star break due to his raw five-category potential.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has continued to swing a hot bat over the past month and is settling in as a top prospect to stash ahead of Week 15. Over his last 19 games (since June 10), the top-ranked prospect in the Detroit system has posted a strong .293/.363/.415 line with four doubles, two home runs, and five stolen bases. Prior to this recent surge at the dish, the former No. 3 overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft posted a lower .253/.345/.385 line with a modest .727 OPS. Seeing Clark not only hit for a higher batting average but also begin to gradually tap into his raw power against the top pitching is an excellent sign for his fantasy outlook. If he maintains this pace, the budding star should compete for a debut shortly after the All-Star break. Heading into Week 15, Clark profiles as a top stash option in all standard leagues.

From RotoBaller

Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery has not delivered the home-run burst fantasy managers hoped for after his June 9 promotion, but there is enough here to justify a waiver claim. The 23-year-old is batting .244/.315/.415 with two homers, 12 runs, and eight RBI through 82 at-bats. He has also remained in the lineup, appearing 23 times in right field and once in center. Before the call-up, Montgomery hit .314/.422/.548 with 10 homers and 41 RBI over 210 minor-league at-bats. MLB Pipeline gives his power a 60 grade, and his first MLB sample includes a 90.0 mph average exit velocity and 43.5% hard-hit rate. The catch is a 62.9% ground-ball rate, which has kept too many hard-hit balls on the ground. Montgomery is rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues and is worth adding in 12-team formats, matching RotoBaller's latest recommendation.

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San Francisco Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee has cooled since his big June, but there is still plenty here for fantasy managers to use. He is batting .317/.348/.452 with five home runs, 45 runs, 33 RBI, and six steals through 303 at-bats. Lee hit .340 with two homers, 17 runs, 12 RBI, and five steals in June, striking out only seven times in 102 plate appearances. The power is unlikely to take off. Lee owns a 29.3% hard-hit rate and 2.5% barrel rate, so fantasy managers should view the home runs as a bonus rather than the reason to add him. His contact ability, run production, and recent willingness to steal bases carry the value. Lee is rostered in 49% of Yahoo leagues, and RotoBaller's latest rankings recommend him in 12-team formats. He belongs on a roster in leagues of that size.

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Atlanta Braves pitcher JR Ritchie made an immediate impact after his recall Saturday, tossing the final three innings of a 14-3 win over the Mets. The 23-year-old allowed three hits and one walk while striking out four, earning his first career save. Ritchie now carries a 4.53 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings. The save stemmed from the lopsided score and his three-inning workload rather than a shift into high-leverage relief. Atlanta recalled Ritchie primarily as rotation depth and long-relief help, and his 26 walks continue to be a concern. Still, as the Braves' No. 2 prospect, he offers upside through strikeouts and innings if he secures another rotation opportunity. Ritchie is worth monitoring in deeper leagues, especially if another spot opens, though his current role and control issues limit his appeal in standard mixed formats.

From RotoBaller

Pirates' RF Esmerlyn Valdez scored 29.0 fantasy points going 11-for-24 with a home run and seven RBIs in six games this week. Valdez is owned only in 4.8% of mixed leagues.

Twins' 1B Kody Clemens scored 29.5 fantasy points going 7-for-22 with three home runs and eight RBIs in five games this week. Clemens is owned only in 25.2% of mixed leagues.

Miami Marlins' C Joe Mack had a slash line of .294/.333/.824 going 5-for-17 with 5 RBIs in six games this week. Mack is owned only in 10.7% of mixed leagues.

Rockies' 3B Kyle Karros scored 30.5 fantasy points going 8-for-20 with a home run and three RBIs in six games this week. Karros is owned only in 1.6% of mixed leagues.

Brewers' LF Garrett Mitchell scored 30.0 fantasy points going 10-for-19 with two home runs and five RBIs in six games this week. Mitchell is owned only in 5.1% of mixed leagues.