Chicago Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (calf) threw a 47-pitch bullpen session on Friday, according to Taylor McGregor of Watch Marquee. Taillon last pitched or the Cubs on June 29 and was expected to miss around a month with his calf injury. We're coming up on a month, and the 33-year-old veteran is close to being fully stretched out, so he may not require a minor-league rehab start before rejoining the Cubs' starting rotation. If that's the case, the former first-rounder (second overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010 won't be a recommended streamer in his first game back in the big leagues. Before his injury, Taillon had been up and down with limited strikeout upside for fantasy managers, going 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA (5.17 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with 74 K's and 20 walks in 95 1/3 innings over 17 starts. His diminished velocity continues to be a cause for concern.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (knee) jammed his left knee while approaching the outfield wall on the last play of Friday's series opener in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, according to manager Rob Thomson. Castellanos is sore, so the Phillies elected to hold him out of Saturday's lineup. They will check to see how he's feeling on Sunday and have labeled him as day-to-day. Max Kepler is starting in right field and will bat sixth against Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman. This is certainly something that could end up sending Castellanos to the injured list if he's unable to get back on the field soon. The 33-year-old is in the midst of a modest four-game hitting streak and has hit a solid .270 (106-for-392) on the year with 13 homers and 56 RBI. Kepler has hit just .133 with two RBI in 15 career at-bats versus Stroman.

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Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) will make a minor-league rehab start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Garcia will be making his fourth rehab start after two outings in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and one with Single-A Fayetteville. The 28-year-old was sharp in his last outing, throwing two perfect innings while striking out two. Garcia will now take a step up in competition and will hopefully go a bit deeper after going exactly two innings in each of his first three rehab appearances. The Astros are taking it slow with Garcia, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had in May of 2023. The Venezuelan hurler has a decent 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in his four big-league seasons, but he probably won't be a rotation option for the 'Stros until around at least mid-August.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (elbow) is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game in the Bronx against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Judge had difficulty throwing the ball during the series opener against the Phillies on Friday, so the Yankees will hold the 33-year-old reigning American League MVP out on Saturday while also sending him for imaging. Cody Bellinger is starting in right field and will bat third against Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez. Fantasy managers will want to check back for the results of Judge's imaging for a clearer idea of how much time he could miss. For now, we'll consider him day-to-day, but it would obviously be a crippling blow for the Yanks and fantasy managers to lose an elite player like Judge for an extended period of time. In the lefty-lefty matchup, Bellinger has three hits in 10 career at-bats and two RBI against Suarez.

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Chicago Cubs reliever Porter Hodge (shoulder) will make a rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, according to Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network and MLB.com. This will be Hodge's first rehab outing since going on the 15-day injured list in early July with a right shoulder impingement. The 24-year-old right-hander has been sidelined by multiple injuries this season, limiting him to just 23 2/3 big-league innings. In those innings, he's logged a 6.85 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and two saves. Hodge earned nine saves for Chicago in 2024 and could rejoin the late-inning mix if he returns to form down the stretch. However, the Cubs have gotten great work from Daniel Palencia since inserting him into the closer role mid-season and have also been connected to multiple high-profile relief options on the trade market.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates "do not yet have clarity" on whether they want to move starting pitcher Mitch Keller, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal writes that the "right offer would tempt" Pittsburgh, but that some in the organization believe that keeping the team's core together is the best strategy for future contention. Keller is under contract through 2028, so there's no immediate pressure for the Pirates to move him. However, the 29-year-old is in the midst of one of his better seasons, so this could be the time for the team to sell high. In 125 innings (21 starts), Keller is 4-10 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts. His 5.8% walk rate is the lowest of his career. A move to a contender would improve Keller's ability to rack up wins with more consistency.

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The Seattle Mariners are making utility man Dylan Moore available in trade discussions, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 32-year-old Moore's main appeal is his versatility, as he's appeared at every non-pitching position other than left field and catcher for Seattle this season. In 197 plate appearances in 2025, Moore is hitting .201/.264/.374 with nine home runs, 19 RBI, 27 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. Swing and miss is a major issue, as he's logged a 34% strikeout rate this year. However, Moore has been significantly better throughout his career when playing outside of Seattle. In 834 career plate appearances on the road, he's posted a .754 OPS and 26.9% strikeout rate, compared to a .629 OPS and 33.9% strikeout rate in 779 career plate appearances at home. Those splits could be enough for another team to take a chance on Moore.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are "known to have interest" in St. Louis Cardinals second baseman/outfielder Brendan Donovan, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. Woo writes that Donovan is "not considered untouchable," but the "asking price is sky-high." The 28-year-old is under team control through 2027 and offers multi-positional versatility. In 423 plate appearances this season, Donovan has a slash line of .293/.360/.428 with nine home runs, 42 RBI, 54 runs scored, and three stolen bases. He could be the replacement for the struggling Michael Conforto in left field for the Dodgers while also splitting time with Hyeseong Kim at second base. Donovan's fit with the Yankees is less obvious, as New York acquired Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday to fill their hole at third base. If St. Louis does trade Donovan at the deadline, it would likely open up a path to increased playing time for Nolan Gorman (back) once he returns from the injured list.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (elbow) is dealing with an elbow issue and had imaging done on Saturday, according to Meredith Marakovits of YES Network. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Judge was struggling to throw during the Yankees' 12-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. Losing Judge for any significant stretch would be a devastating blow for the Yankees. The 33-year-old is slashing .342/.449/.711 with 37 home runs, 85 RBI, 90 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 459 plate appearances this season. Judge has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, but the elbow would be a new one. Both the Yankees and fantasy managers will anxiously await further updates once the results of Judge's imaging come back.

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The New York Mets are "among the teams that have checked in" on Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. Puma notes that the asking price for Alcantara is "steep." The 29-year-old right-hander has struggled this season after missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. In 104 innings pitched, he's 5-9 with a 6.66 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and 77 strikeouts. Nevertheless, Alcantara is a former Cy Young Award winner who is under contract at a reasonable rate through 2027. If the Mets were able to acquire him and help him return to form, he'd be in a better situation to rack up wins for both this year and the future.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) made his second rehab appearance with Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday. The right-hander threw 62 pitches over 3 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while walking one and striking out two. Arrighetti has been on the injured list since early April after getting struck on the thumb by a ball during pre-game batting practice. Houston is eagerly awaiting his return, as they've dealt with significant turnover in their starting rotation behind their two aces, Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez. Arrighetti was 7-13 with a 4.53 ERA in 145 innings in 2024, but he struck out 171 batters (27.1% K rate). He'll likely need at least one more rehab outing, but Arrighetti appears to be on track to rejoin the Astros in early to mid-August.

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Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) took "more than 50 swings off a tee and soft toss" on Friday, according to MLB.com. Alvarez has been on the injured list with a right hand fracture since early May. It's been a shockingly long recovery for the 28-year-old, who was initially expected to miss relatively minimal time. In 121 plate appearances before the injury, Alvarez struggled to a .210/.306/.340 slash line with three home runs and 18 RBI. His .646 OPS this season is significantly worse than his career OPS of .960. Houston needs Alvarez to return to peak form down the stretch and into the postseason, so they'll surely continue to be cautious with his recovery. His next step will likely be to progress to facing live pitching, followed by a rehab assignment.

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Los Angeles Angels reliever Robert Stephenson (bicep) has advanced to throwing from 105 feet and is anticipating that he will throw from up to 120 feet this weekend. While he is optimistic that he will pitch again this season, he is also becoming increasingly frustrated by his lack of progress and inability to stay healthy. Sidelined with Tommy John surgery in 2024, the 32-year-old reliever returned to appear in just two games earlier this season before succumbing to a stretched nerve in his bicep. Stephenson hopes to return in August instead of September, but he understands that's the nature of nerve ailments, since they depend on the person and their respective bodies. Stephenson broke out in 2023 with both the Pirates and the Rays, combining to finish with a 3.18 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP over 60 appearances. Since the veteran reliever has arrived in Los Angeles, he has struggled to maintain any semblance of health, but looks to finish the year off on the mound in preparation for the 2026 season.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas (foot) has met with a doctor to discuss the next steps needed as he recovers from a foot injury. He has what is considered a "complicated case" of plantar fasciitis, seemingly keeping him out of action for the next while. While he has undergone treatment to help alleviate the problems, his foot has not responded well. Thomas will be out of action for an indefinite period. The 29-year-old outfielder missed action because of plantar fasciitis in May, and then reinjured himself with the same ailment at the beginning of July. Thomas has struggled mightily this season, hitting just four home runs while racking up four stolen bases in just 39 games. It is unclear if and when he will return this season.

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Los Angeles Angels second baseman Christian Moore (thumb) has resumed baseball activities. He was spotted Friday playing catch and taking batting practice before the team's game. Also, he was wearing a brace on his left thumb to help support the recovery process. Moore was placed on the Injured List on July 3 with a left thumb sprain that he sustained while diving for a ground ball in the infield. Due to the nature and timing of the injury, he may require a rehab assignment to help regain his timing and mechanics at the plate before returning to the Angels. He is one of the organization's most exciting young players. In the minor leagues this year, Moore finished with a .279/.374/.422 slash line while hitting five home runs and stealing eight bases over 54 games played. He rose up the rankings quickly as a breakout, and brings excitement to the franchise.

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Athletics outfielder Denzel Clarke (groin) is doing limited baseball activities as he is recovering from a Grade 2 abductor strain. The speedy 25-year-old injured himself while running the bases in a game at Cleveland this past weekend. It is somewhat encouraging that he has been able to participate in limited workouts thus far. However, he still has a long way to go before returning to the Athletics' outfield. The rookie has been a highlight reel with his glove, making outstanding defensive plays in his short time with the big league club. He is also helping out at the plate with three home runs and six stolen bases in 44 games played. There is no timetable for his return, but it is believed that Clarke will come back before the end of the season.

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Houston Astros right-hander J.P. France (shoulder) will make his second rehab appearance on Sunday for Double-A Corpus Christi. He made his first rehab appearance this past Monday in the Florida Complex League, where he struck out two batters over 1 1/3 scoreless innings. The 30-year-old will be looking to ramp himself up toward a starter's workload, so a multiple-inning outing is believed to be on tap. France has been out of action for over a year, so this will likely be an extended rehab that should take up close to the 30-day maximum for pitchers. The right-hander broke out in 2023, finishing with 11 wins, a 3.83 ERA, and a 1.36 WHIP over 24 games. France is looking to possibly rejoin the rotation in September.

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New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Brandon Sproat saw his shutout streak come to an end on Friday, but was still able to pick up the victory. Facing Triple-A Omaha, the right-hander tossed five innings of two-run ball. He allowed five hits and served up two walks. He struck out three hitters. Most of his damage came on a two-run double by Omaha infielder Michael Massey. Prior to this contest, the right-hander logged 23-straight shutout frames. Over this four-game stretch, the former second-round pick struck out 27 batters and allowed just six walks. Despite his slow start at Triple-A this season, Sproat has begun to turn the corner and is nearing his MLB debut. Given his recent success, he is worth stashing in all deeper 12+ team leagues going forward.

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Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery continued his impressive power surge during their victory on Friday evening over the Chicago Cubs. In this outing, the former first-round pick went deep for his third-straight contest. He would hit a solo shot in the second frame against Chicago ace Shota Imanaga. Over his last seven games, Montgomery has only gone hitless once and has held an impressive .296/.296/.704 slash line. Through 17 total games in the major leagues, Montgomery has held his own, carrying a .273/.344/.509 line with two doubles, three long balls, and a 16:6 K:BB. Fantasy managers should continue to expect Montgomery to see everyday opportunities in the starting nine. Given his recent power surge, he is worth adding as a middle infielder in all 12-team leagues.

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Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (oblique) enjoyed an impressive showing in his return on Friday evening. The top prospect was dealing with an oblique injury over the past week. However, he was able to avoid a stint on the injured list. In his return on Friday evening, facing Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the backstop went 5-for-5 with a double and a long ball. This was his first five-hit game of the campaign. Over his last seven games, the 20-year-old has posted a remarkable .481/.548/1.111 slash line with five doubles and four home runs. Through 63 total games with the Norfolk Tides, Basallo has posted a .282/.395/.624 line. Given his elite production at Triple-A, the catcher should be viewed as a priority stash in all standard leagues.

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