Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (ankle, rib) threw a three-inning, 56-pitch live batting practice session at Yankee Stadium on Friday and will likely begin a Triple-A rehab assignment next week, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The plan is for Nola to amass 55 to 60 pitches in his first start and eventually build up to 90, meaning he'll take the ball three or four times before rejoining the Phillies around mid-August. Nola landed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained right ankle back on May 15. As he was rehabbing from that injury, he suffered a stress fracture in his right rib that led the Phillies to move him to the 60-day IL. The typically reliable Nola endured uncharacteristic struggles before then, as he opened the season with a 1-7 record and a hideous 6.16 ERA across 49 2/3 innings. If all goes well during Nola's rehab, the 32-year-old will have a chance to turn his fortunes around during the last several weeks of the season.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval (elbow) has gone from throwing bullpen sessions to just playing catch, manager Alex Cora told reporters Friday. Cora admitted that Sandoval is running out of time to pitch this season. It has been over a year since Sandoval took the mound in the majors, as he underwent season-ending UCL surgery while with the Los Angeles Angels in June 2024. After the Angels non-tendered Sandoval in the offseason, he signed a two-year, $18.25 million contract with the Red Sox in free agency. Boston knew at the time that Sandoval would need the first half of the season to rehab, but the hope was that the 28-year-old would be able to contribute down the stretch. That now appears unlikely to happen.

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St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley preserved a shutout to earn save No. 21 in a 3-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday. Helsley tossed a scoreless, one-hit ninth inning with two strikeouts for his second save in as many nights. The 31-year-old right-hander has converted seven straight saves since his most recent blown opportunity on June 9, and he has allowed just two runs in his past 12 appearances. Helsley's ERA has fallen to an even 3.00 with 41:14 K:BB over 36 innings. As a proven high-leverage option, he's on many teams' radars leading up to the July 31 deadline. The Cardinals are just 1 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot, though, so there's a chance they'll keep Helsley for the rest of the season.

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Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz posted one of the best offensive performances in baseball history in a 15-3 thrashing of the Houston Astros on Friday. The burgeoning star finished a jaw-dropping 6-for-6 with four homers, a double, eight RBI, and six runs scored to continue an incredible month at the plate. Now the 20th player to swat four homers in a game and the first rookie to ever accomplish the feat, the 22-year-old has gone 31-for-73 (.425) with 11 long balls, 27 RBI, and 22 runs across 19 games in July. With a .305/.374/.686 line, 23 HRs, 59 RBI, and 45 runs over 271 plate appearances this season, Kurtz has established himself as the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year just 12 months removed from going fourth overall in the 2024 draft.

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The Colorado Rockies are willing to listen to trade offers for relievers Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen, but the team has "high" asking prices for the two hard-throwing right-handers, according to Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic. Both Vodnik and Halvorsen are under affordable control for the next handful of years, which explains why the Rockies want to keep them and also why there's interest from elsewhere. Vodnik isn't due to reach free agency until after the 2029 campaign. The 25-year-old has put up a 3.00 ERA with 30 strikeouts and six holds over 30 innings this season, though he has succeeded despite issuing 17 walks. Halvorsen, also 25, is under wraps through 2030. Serving as the Rockies' primary closer this season, Halvorsen picked up his 10th save of the year on Friday with a 1-2-3 ninth inning in a 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Despite possessing elite velocity (his fastball averages 100.1 mph), Halvorsen has only managed a 4.89 ERA with 35:18 K:BB across 38 2/3 frames.

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Athletics infielder Max Muncy (hand) could miss more time than first expected. On Tuesday, Muncy was placed on the injured list due to a wrist injury. Initial X-rays didn't reveal any significant injuries, but further evaluations showed Muncy is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand. The organization believes Muncy should be able to play through the issue once the swelling goes down. The rookie infielder is probably going to be out until mid-August. Luis Urias and Gio Urshela figure to split up the playing time while Muncy is out.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Monday. This is good news as the right-hander has been sidelined since mid-May due to a nerve issue in his shoulder. The expectation is that King will go on a rehab assignment, assuming his simulated game goes well. Barring any setbacks, King should be able to get back in the rotation by the middle of August. In 10 starts this season, King holds a 2.59 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 64/17 K/BB ratio in 55.2 innings of work.

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday. Roupp reportedly felt discomfort in his elbow during Tuesday's outing against the Atlanta Braves. As a result, Roupp will miss the next two weeks, but shouldn't require a lengthy stint on the IL. Giants manager Bob Melvin said Roupp isn't dealing with any structural damage and should only miss two starts. In a corresponding move, right-hander Tristan Beck has been recalled from Triple-A. It's unclear how the Giants plan to fill the vacant spot in the rotation. There's a decent chance the Giants go with a bullpen game until Roupp is ready to return.

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Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer (wrist) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. This news comes after Mayer was forced to make an early exit on Wednesday due to right wrist discomfort. He underwent an MRI that revealed a wrist sprain, so he'll head to the shelf. The plan is for Mayer to visit a specialist in a few days to determine the severity of the issue. In a corresponding move, infielder David Hamilton has been recalled to take over the spot on the active roster. The Red Sox will likely use a committee approach of Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, and Ceddanne Rafaela at second base.

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (elbow) is starting at third base and will hit cleanup for the Giants in Friday's series opener versus the visiting New York Mets and right-hander Clay Holmes at Oracle Park. Chapman avoided any fractures or serious damage after he was hit by a pitch on his left elbow in Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Braves, which has allowed him to return to action this weekend after an off day on Thursday. The 32-year-old former All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner will try to break the Gigantes out of their current funk. He's been hot since the All-Star break, going 7-for-22 (.318) with two home runs and seven RBI to begin the second half of the season. Chapman also has three hits in 10 career at-bats versus Holmes. Get him back into your starting lineups. Chapman has hit .243 with 14 homers, 38 RBI and seven steals in his second season with SF.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler (back) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's game in Anaheim against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Chris Taylor is starting in right field and will bat eighth against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Soler was pulled from Wednesday's game with back soreness and will now miss a second straight game after sitting out in Thursday's series opener. Fantasy managers shouldn't rule out an injured list stint for the 33-year-old right-handed slugger if he's unable to play this weekend against Seattle. Soler has some of the best raw power in the game when he connects, but it's rare that he connects. The Cuban outfielder has a .215 average (60-for-279) with 12 homers and a 94:28 K:BB in 315 plate appearances. Taylor has similar high swing-and-miss rates and should be avoided in DFS.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (knee) is starting at shortstop and batting out of the two-hole for Friday's series opener at Kauffman Stadium against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and right-hander Gavin Williams. Witt injured his knee on Tuesday and was held out of Wednesday's contest, but after a scheduled travel day on Thursday the 25-year-old is good to go for the divisional weekend series against Cleveland. Although Witt has hit .133 with an RBI in 15 career at-bats against Williams, fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups everywhere. Witt has been swinging the bat well in the month of July over 17 games coming into Friday's tilt, going 21-for-69 (.304) with three home runs, four doubles, 11 RBI, 14 runs scored and six steals. The star shortstop is a five-category contributor.

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The Cleveland Guardians activated infielder Gabriel Arias (ankle) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned infielder Will Wilson to Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move, according to GuardsInsder. Arias is starting at shortstop and will hit sixth in his return on Friday against the division-rival Kansas City Royals and right-hander Michael Wacha. The 25-year-old should return to primary duties at shortstop now that he's healthy. His return means that Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann could enter into a platoon at the keystone going forward, although they are both in the starting lineup on Friday. Like Rocchio, Arias isn't much to look at offensively and can remain on the waiver wire in mixed fantasy leagues. He'll be returning to a .231/.293/.369 slash line with a below-average .661 OPS, six home runs, 31 RBI and 28 runs scored on the season.

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The Tampa Bay Rays placed infielder Ha-Seong Kim (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 22) on Friday with a lower-back strain and reinstated outfielder Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) from the 60-day IL in a corresponding move. Taylor Walls is starting at shortstop and batting eighth on Friday against Cincinnati Reds right-hander Nick Martinez and should be Tampa's primary option at the 6 with Kim sidelined again. Kim didn't make his Rays debut until July 4 after having offseason surgery, and now he finds himself back on the IL after only 10 games played. The 29-year-old has gone 7-for-31 (.226) at the plate with a homer, three RBI and four steals. Kim also dealt with a calf injury after his season debut and is more susceptible to injuries due to his reckless style of play, mainly on the basepaths. Walls is a glove-first player who has hit .214 (52-for-243) on the year with three homers but 13 steals.

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The Colorado Rockies are expected to promote infield prospect Warming Bernabel to make his MLB debut. He will fill an open roster spot following the trade that sent third baseman Ryan McMahon to the New York Yankees. Thomas Harding of MLB.com noted that this move is set to officially occur on Saturday. Bernabel opened the 2025 campaign by making his Triple-A debut. Through his first 75 games at the top level of the minor leagues, Bernabel has posted an impressive .301/.356/.450 slash line with 18 doubles, eight home runs, and five stolen bases. During this stretch, he has held a 39:23 K:BB with 46 runs and 45 RBI. With McMahon now in the Bronx, Bernabel could carve out a role in the Colorado starting nine. Given his production at Triple-A, he is worth a speculative stash in deeper NL-only formats for the time being.

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Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (hamstring) remains out of action for Friday's series opener against the visiting Atlanta Braves at Globe Life Field. Jonah Heim will draw another start behind the dish and catch right-hander Nathan Eovaldi while batting seventh against Braves left-hander Joey Wentz. The 35-year-old Higashioka is dealing with a hamstring strain that isn't deemed serious, but it's kept him out for the last two games. Heim won't be a very attractive DFS sleeper against a left-hander after going 16-for-79 (.203) with two of his eight home runs on the year and a 21:4 K:BB in 85 appearances against southpaws in 2025. Higashioka has hit a career-best .253 (46-for-182) as a part-time catcher in Texas this year, but overall he's been a disappointment after hitting 17 bombs in 2024 with the San Diego Padres.

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The Baltimore Orioles are promoting infield prospect Jeremiah Jackson to the major leagues prior to their contest on Friday against the Colorado Rockies. Jackson has been in the minor leagues since being selected in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of St. Luke's Episcopal School. This season, Jackson opened the campaign with Double-A Chesapeake and held a .254/.291/.412 slash line with 16 doubles and four home runs. He then moved up to Triple-A Norfolk, where he has been quite productive. Through his first 38 games with the Tides, Jackson has posted an impressive .377/.398/.682 slash line with a 1.080 OPS, 14 doubles, and 11 long balls. For now, fantasy managers should expect Jackson to be deployed in a bench role, which will limit his upside in standard formats.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (knee) is starting in right field and batting second in Friday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Adrian Houser at Guaranteed Rate Field. Tucker injured his right knee on Tuesday when he fouled a ball off his leg, but he had Wednesday's game off and a scheduled travel day on Thursday to rest up. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger is feeling good enough to return to the field on Friday against the crosstown-rival White Sox. Fantasy managers will want to get the All-Star back into their lineups immediately. Tucker has a hit in just two career at-bats against Houser. He's been one of the best all-around fantasy players in his first year with Chicago, slashing .275/.383/.493 with an .876 OPS, 18 home runs, 57 RBI, 71 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. Tucker contributes across the board in a strong offense.

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The Cincinnati Reds have recalled right-handed pitching prospect Luis Mey from Triple-A Louisville prior to their contest on Friday evening against the Tampa Bay Rays. In a corresponding move, the Reds placed right-handed pitcher Scott Barlow on the paternity list. Mey made his MLB debut earlier this season and posted a 4.40 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP across 14 1/3 innings of work. During this brief stint, the 24-year-old was deployed entirely out of the bullpen. He posted a 24.2% K rate but showed weak command of his pitches, posting a hefty 16.1% walk rate. At Triple-A, Mey has seen time as a high-leverage relief option, tallying four saves across 25 1/3 innings while posting a 2.84 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP. Given his struggles during his first stint, fantasy managers should expect Mey to have a low-leverage role in the Cincinnati bullpen.

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New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones (back) is not in Friday's starting lineup as he is dealing with back spasms. However, Jack Curry of the YES Network noted that his absence is not related to a potential trade. Jones has been one of the most productive power hitters in the minors this season and is knocking on the MLB door. Jones opened the season with Double-A but needed just 49 games to prove he was ready to move up to the top level as he launched 16 long balls with a .983 OPS. Through his first 19 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jones has hit an incredible 13 home runs and swiped six bags. Even though the Yankee outfield is quite crowded, Jones' elite power upside could still warrant a promotion. For now, he is worth stashing in all 12+ team five-outfielder leagues.

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