The Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox are the three teams showing the strongest interest in San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez, sources told Francys Romero. Arraez was pulled from Friday's game early against the division-rival San Diego Padres due to cramps, but he should be alright and could even return for Game 3 of the series in San Diego on Saturday. The 29-year-old three-time batting champion will most likely be moved by Monday's trade deadline, and he's attracting much more interest on the trade market this summer than he did as a free agent last offseason. The main reason for that is his improvement at second base with the help of infield guru Ron Washington in San Francisco this year. Additionally, the Venezuelan infielder continues to hit, batting a league-best .328 (136-for-415) with four home runs, 43 RBI, 52 runs, and 10 steals in his 104 games with San Fran. The four-time All-Star will be a free agent after the 2026 season, so he'll essentially be a veteran rental for the rest of the year.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews closed out the month of July in strong form in the team's 5-3 win over the hosting Seattle Mariners on Friday night, allowing three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10 in five innings pitched for a no-decision. The 26-year-old is now 4-8 on the season with a 5.22 ERA (5.04 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks in 81 innings pitched across 14 starts in his third year in the majors. Friday's outing was his first double-digit strikeout performance, and he heads into August with five earned runs allowed, five walks, and 11 strikeouts in 11 innings in his last two outings against the Mariners and Athletics after a 10-run blowup (eight earned runs) on July 19 at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. The former eight-rounder in 2022 from Western Carolina University has potential, but he's sporting a career-low 20.2% strikeout rate and career-high 7.6% walk rate in 2026.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins has logged a hit in 10 of his last 11 games and is hitting .262 (11-for-42) with seven walks and three stolen bases during that stretch. Overall, Jenkins is slashing .268/.377/.432 with four home runs, 15 doubles, 35 runs, and 10 stolen bases across 223 plate appearances in Triple-A St. Paul. The Twins are dealing with injuries in the outfield as Byron Buxton (hip) was recently placed on the injured list with a right hip impingement. Minnesota is expected to be buyers at the MLB trade deadline, so that could impact Jenkins' call-up. The 21-year-old dealt with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder earlier in the year, but it hasn't slowed him down. He's posted a .931 OPS and 10.1 BB% in 30 games since returning from the injured list. Jenkins is making a case for a priority stash, but the Twins might not promote the former first-round pick until MLB rosters expand in September.

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Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper has logged a hit in four of his last six games since being activated from the 7-day injured list. Culpepper was reinstated from the IL on July 24 after missing a few weeks with a hand injury. Although he has struggled recently to the tune of a.208 batting average since returning, the Twins' No. 2 overall prospect has produced overall in Triple-A. The 23-year-old is slashing .266/.366/.471 with 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 58 runs, and 16 stolen bases through 320 plate appearances. The Twins are expected to be buyers at the deadline, and like his teammate Walker Jenkins, Culpepper might not get the call to The Show until rosters expand in September. With the upside and power/speed combo, Culpepper is still worth stashing in most leagues.

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Seattle Mariners left-handed pitching prospect Kade Anderson allowed two hits and two walks while striking out four across 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Friday's start with Double-A Arkansas. He threw 72 pitches, firing 45 of them for strikes. Anderson has been terrific overall and owns a 1.27 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and a whopping 119:12 K:BB across 82 1/3 innings pitched in Double-A. The 22-year-old has moved beyond Double-A and should be in line for a promotion to the majors, or at least a call-up to Triple-A Tacoma. Anderson might not make his MLB debut until 2027, but could make a case if he continues to put up outstanding numbers in the minors.

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Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon could be looking at a promotion sometime in the second half, according to Rockies farm director Chris Forbes. The Rockies' No. 3 prospect has been consistent all year and continues to push for a promotion to the big leagues. Condon is slashing .284/.400/.545 with 20 home runs, 65 RBI, 79 runs, and six stolen bases with Triple-A Albuquerque this season. The Rockies are rumored to trade Hunter Goodman as well as other players, which could open a roster spot for Condon. The 23-year-old has done everything he can to prove to be big-league ready and will likely make his MLB debut sometime this summer. Condon has a ton of upside, and fantasy managers should stash him in all leagues.

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Twins' SP Zebby Matthews recorded 10 strikeouts in 5 innings in a 5-3 win over Seattle on Friday, Jul. 31.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (head) was pulled from Friday's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers after he was hit in the head by a pitch in the top of the third inning, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Contreras stayed in to run the bases and was then pulled going into the bottom of the third inning. Before leaving, the right-handed slugger went 0-for-1 at the plate with a strikeout. Contreras will most assuredly go for concussion testing, and he could be forced to the seven-day injured list. Nick Sogard shifted from second base to first base after Contreras left, with rookie Anthony Seigler entering the game to play the keystone for Boston. With Curtis Mead (wrist) on the injured list, Sogard would most likely take over most of the playing time at first base if Contreras is forced to miss additional time with his head injury. Losing the Venezuelan first baseman would be a tough blow for the surging BoSox, as Contreras is having the best year of his career in Beantown in 2026. The four-time All-Star came into Friday's game in L.A. with a .289/.396/.549 slash line with a .944 OPS, 23 home runs, 67 RBI, 55 runs scored, and three steals in 101 games. He needs just two more home runs to set a new career high in that category.

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Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. (knee) left Friday night's game early against the division-rival Atlanta Braves with soreness in his right knee in the seventh inning, according to Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com. Garcia went 0-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout in the eventual 6-2 loss at Truist Park. He was replaced at first base by Andres Chaparro. Until we know more about the severity of the 26-year-old's injury, we'll consider him day-to-day. But if the injury forces him to miss extended time, Chaparro could be the leading candidate in D.C. to see most of the playing time at first base. Garcia has been mentioned as a potential trade chip this summer with the deadline quickly approaching on Monday, Aug. 3, and it remains to be seen if this injury will scare contending teams off. The lefty hitter has an intriguing power profile and came into Friday's contest hitting .286 (100-for-350) with a career-high 23 home runs, 76 RBI, 48 runs scored, four stolen bases, and a league-high .566 slugging percentage in 102 games played. Check back to see if Garcia is available for Saturday's game in Atlanta.

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt (knee) underwent successful surgery and will be sidelined roughly six to eight weeks. Schmidt required surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. Given the Giants' current place in the standings, Schmidt is most likely done for the season. Unless a miracle happens, the Giants aren't going to be in playoff contention, so they probably won't bother bringing back Schmidt until 2027. The 27-year-old can be safely dropped in all redraft formats. This season, Schmidt is slashing .271/.301/.483 with a career-high 21 home runs and 55 RBI across 98 games. It was a breakout season for Schmidt, so hopefully he'll be able to recapture the same magic once he returns.

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Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ryan O'Hearn (quad) was removed during Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. O'Hearn appears to have suffered a quad injury while running to first base during the ninth inning of Friday's loss. He needed to be helped off the field and was reportedly using crutches in the clubhouse. Pirates' manager Don Kelly said that the injury didn't look good, so the team will likely send O'Hearn for additional testing. There should be more information on his status ahead of Saturday's contest. For now, fantasy managers can consider O'Hearn as day-to-day, but don't be shocked if he lands on the Injured List. Jacob Gonzalez could potentially move to first base if O'Hearn misses time.

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Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) is scheduled to see a hand specialist next week, according to Jaylon Thompson. Garcia has been sidelined since late June due to a left-hand muscle strain. He began a rehab assignment on Tuesday, but was quickly pulled off due to renewed pain in his left hand. The Royals should have a better timetable for Garcia after he is evaluated by the hand specialist. Fantasy managers should continue to hold the 26-year-old and be hopeful for a return sometime this month. There should be another update on his status later this week.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai will be moved to the bullpen for the time being. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters on Friday that Imai will move to the bullpen for the upcoming weekend series against the Texas Rangers. It has been mostly a struggle for Imai, so the team will see if he is more reliable out of the bullpen. During his latest start, Imai allowed two earned runs and walked four batters across 0.2 innings of work. The Astros haven't named a replacement to take Imai's spot for Sunday's start, but the expectation is that Peter Lambert will get a chance in the rotation. Imai is unlikely to offer much fantasy value out of the bullpen, so fantasy managers can start looking for a replacement.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (elbow) will make one more rehab outing at Triple-A Oklahoma City. On Friday, the southpaw confirmed that he'll make a final rehab start before rejoining the Dodgers rotation. He was excellent during his latest rehab outing when he struck out nine batters across four scoreless innings of work. He only threw 60 pitches during that outing, so the Dodgers probably want to increase his pitch count before Snell comes back to the active roster. Fantasy managers should scoop him up off the waiver wire if he's still sitting there in any formats.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) is expected to go through another full workout on Saturday, and he is on track to return from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday to take on the division-rival Minnesota Twins at home at Kauffman Stadium, according to Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star. Witt has been sidelined since July 22 with back soreness, but he has been recovering nicely and will return to the Royals without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 26-year-old three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner should be plugged back into all starting lineups in traditional leagues right away next week. Witt will be returning to a .279/.350/.450 slash line with an .800 OPS, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, 30 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored in his 369 at-bats in 2026. July was by far Witt's worst month of the season, as he hit just .196 (11-for-56) with a homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored, two steals, four walks, and 13 strikeouts in 14 games played. The former second overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft still has plenty of time to be a difference-maker down the stretch for fantasy managers as a five-category contributor.

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Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (right elbow) has resumed throwing while recovering from inflammation around his UCL. The 32-year-old has been sidelined since feeling discomfort while warming in the bullpen July 1. An MRI showed no ligament damage, but this is his second right-elbow IL stint of the season after he was also out from May 1 through June 16. Baltimore transferred Helsley to the 60-day injured list July 19, leaving him ineligible to return until late August. He has a 4.11 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 21 strikeouts, and eight saves in 15 1/3 innings over 17 appearances. Resuming throwing is a meaningful step, though no timetable has been announced for mound work or a rehab assignment. He remains a stash in leagues with IL space.

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Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Guerrero left Tuesday's loss to Washington after feeling tightness in his right hamstring while reaching first base and turning toward second on an infield single. He sat out Wednesday before Toronto's scheduled off-day Thursday. The 27-year-old returns with a .264 batting average, six home runs, 44 RBI, seven stolen bases, and a .700 OPS this season. Fantasy managers can get Guerrero back into their lineups immediately.

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (left wrist) is scheduled to resume hitting Saturday and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment sometime next week. Rutschman has been on the 10-day injured list since July 20, retroactive to July 19, with left wrist inflammation. The issue first surfaced on a swing during Baltimore's July 17 game in Houston, though he remained in the lineup the following day. Rutschman resumed throwing in the outfield July 25, making Saturday's hitting work the next important test for the wrist. The 28-year-old is batting .251 with 19 doubles, eight home runs, 47 RBI, and a .764 OPS in 67 games. Fantasy managers should continue holding him while waiting to see whether he is cleared for rehab games.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Heriberto Hernandez is batting .238/.307/.480 with 16 home runs, 43 RBI, 29 runs, and seven stolen bases across 256 at-bats. The power has firm support beneath it. Hernandez owns a 92.2 mph average exit velocity, 51.1% hard-hit rate, and 13.2% barrel rate, while his .506 expected slugging percentage sits comfortably above his actual mark. The batting average will remain volatile because of a 25.2% strikeout rate, but Hernandez has played regularly in Miami's corner outfield and already provides more than home runs alone. Reaching 20 homers and 10 steals is firmly within range with two months remaining. Despite that profile, only 18% of Yahoo leagues have him rostered. RotoBaller ranks Hernandez 36th among its Week 18 waiver options and recommends him for 12-team formats. His combination of legitimate power and useful speed makes him a strong addition at that league depth.

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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax has settled into a full-time rotation role and now owns a 3.74 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts across 86 2/3 innings. He struck out 10 Texas Rangers while allowing one earned run on five hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings Tuesday, although Tampa Bay's quiet offense left him with the loss in a 4-1 game. The occasional blowup remains the concern, most recently when Boston tagged Jax for seven runs on July 17. His strikeout ability, stable workload, and SP/RP eligibility still make that risk worth accepting. RotoBaller's Week 18 rankings had Jax on 53% of Yahoo rosters and placed him 20th overall with an add recommendation for leagues of 10 teams or deeper. He is too valuable to remain available at that league depth.

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