Washington Nationals shortstop prospect Seaver King is currently sidelined with a left-oblique strain, making a late-season big-league debut improbable. King is the No. 4 overall prospect in the Washington system and has a 50-grade hit tool with a 70-grade run tool. So he has the potential to be a big-time contributor in stolen bases in the major leagues. In his age-23 season, King has recorded nine stolen bases combined between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester. King's current injury is problematic because at age 23 he is primed to make his major league debut, but he will first have to demonstrate full health in the minors. At the big league level, Washington has CJ Abrams at shortstop and Nasim Nunez up the middle at second base. So it's looking like next year might be the year for King to make his MLB debut. Fantasy managers will want to be patient until then.

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The San Francisco Giants "could offload" outfielder Heliot Ramos at the trade deadline, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. Passan reports that "some teams" view Ramos as a "solid flier." Ramos missed time earlier this year with a quad strain, but he's hit .267/.304/.436 with nine home runs, 34 RBI, 35 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 289 plate appearances when healthy. The 26-year-old carries intriguing underlying power metrics, as he's posted a 14.1% barrel rate and a 49.5% hard-hit rate. He's also had his best month of the year in July, hitting .276 with four home runs and 13 RBI across 102 plate appearances. Ramos' fantasy value would likely be improved by a move out of San Francisco's pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.

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New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) has not pitched since mid-May due to a fractured fibula. However, the 33-year-old has now made two minor league rehab starts and appears to be on the doorstep of a return to the big leagues. Holmes got off to an excellent start to the 2026 season before the injury, recording a 4-4 record with a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts across 52 2/3 innings (nine starts). The 33-year-old does not profile as a high-end source of strikeouts for fantasy managers, as he's posted just a 20.9% strikeout rate this year. Still, he's logged an elite 56% ground ball rate, which has helped him limit damage from the long ball (0.51 HR/9). Holmes could also get moved to a contender at the upcoming trade deadline, which may help him rack up wins. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Holmes should be viewed as a priority stash candidate off the waiver wire.

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New York Mets right-hander Luke Weaver has been one of the better relief pitchers in baseball so far this season, recording a 1.88 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 44 strikeouts, 15 holds, and one save across 43 innings (41 games). The Mets have deployed Weaver in a setup role in front of veteran closer Devin Williams for the majority of 2026. However, Williams has struggled to a 4.29 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 35 2/3 innings on the year. Additionally, with the Mets out of contention, both Weaver and Williams could be candidates to be moved at the upcoming trade deadline. Rival teams could view Weaver as a viable closer, as he logged 12 saves across two seasons with the New York Yankees in 2024 and 2025. Whether he stays with the Mets or gets traded, Weaver could have a path to saves in the final few months of the season and profiles as a worthy waiver wire stash candidate.

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The Milwaukee Brewers "love the idea" of adding San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller to their already potent bullpen, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Miller has been the best closer in baseball so far this season, recording a 0.79 ERA and 0.79 WHIP with 85 strikeouts and 28 saves across 45 2/3 innings (44 games). The 27-year-old is averaging 101.3 miles per hour on his fastball and has struck out a ridiculous 49.4% of the batters he's faced in 2026. Milwaukee has gotten solid work in the ninth inning from right-hander Trevor Megill, who has recorded a 2.97 ERA and 17 saves across 39 1/3 innings. However, adding Miller would clearly heighten what is already one of the team's strengths. Fantasy managers should be aware that if Miller is moved to Milwaukee or elsewhere, he could push an incumbent closer like Megill out of the ninth inning.

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ESPN's Jeff Passan speculates that the Chicago Cubs "line up very nicely" as trade partners with the New York Mets, and that Chicago could target Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta. Peralta, who will be a free agent following 2026, has had a rough season in New York. Across 113 2/3 innings (22 starts), the 30-year-old has recorded a 5-9 record with a 4.99 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and 113 strikeouts. Peralta's strikeout rate has dipped to a career-worst 22.1%, and he's allowed 1.35 HR/9 despite making his home starts in the spacious Citi Field. However, the veteran right-hander has a long track record of big-league success. Across 33 starts for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025, Peralta recorded 17 wins, 204 strikeouts, and a 2.76 ERA. Peralta appears to be a near-lock to be moved at the deadline, which could be the fresh start he needs to finish the year strong.

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The Boston Red Sox are pursuing additional infielders at the upcoming trade deadline following infielder Curtis Mead's (wrist) wrist injury that could potentially cause him to miss the remainder of the season, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Boston made a big swing to acquire Mead last week, but the 25-year-old broke his left wrist after being hit by a pitch in just his second at-bat with the Red Sox. In addition to Mead, Boston infielders Trevor Story (hernia), Marcelo Mayer (forearm), and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (forearm) are also on the injured list. The Red Sox appear to be most in the market for middle infield help, as the team has been deploying utility man Andruw Monasterio at shortstop and rotating the unproven trio of Anthony Seigler, Romy Gonzalez, and Nick Sogard at second base. McCaffrey highlights San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, and Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez among the players who could be targets for the Red Sox at the deadline.

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The Colorado Rockies are setting a high asking price for catcher Hunter Goodman, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal reports that Colorado is asking for "multi-player packages led by teams' No. 1 prospects" in exchange for Goodman. Goodman is under team control through 2029, so the Rockies are under no immediate pressure to move him. The 26-year-old has been arguably the best offensive catcher in baseball so far this season, hitting .254/.326/.545 with 31 home runs, 60 RBI, 64 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 417 plate appearances. His elevated 33.3% strikeout rate is a concern, but he's posted an elite 16.9% barrel rate. From a fantasy perspective, Goodman's batting average may suffer if he is traded and no longer gets a chance to play his home games at Coors Field. Still, the righty slugger has actually been a better hitter away from Colorado so far this season, hitting .273 with 18 home runs on the road compared to just .233 with 13 home runs at home. Regardless of where he ends up post-deadline, Goodman profiles as a top-tier fantasy catcher.

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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene is drawing "significant interest" from rival teams, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal reports that Cincinnati isn't "particularly motivated" to move Greene, but that trading him might be the team's "best chance to make an impact" at the upcoming trade deadline. 2026 has been a bit of a lost year for Greene so far, as he did not make his season debut until early July after undergoing elbow surgery in March. The 26-year-old has struggled across 21 2/3 innings (four starts) since his return, recording a 2-2 record with a 7.06 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 29 strikeouts. Still, Greene carries high-end fantasy SP1 upside when healthy, as he posted a 2.76 ERA and a 25.2% K-BB rate across 107 2/3 innings (19 starts) in 2025. A trade to a contender may ultimately help Greene's fantasy value, as it would get him out of Cincinnati's hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Theo Gillen extended his 13-game hit streak with a two-homer performance on Wednesday night for Double-A Montgomery and continued his red-hot month of July. In 68 at-bats for Montgomery in July, Gillen has six homers, 22 RBI, 14 runs scored, and seven stolen bases, all while hitting .338. At age 20, Gillen is the top prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays. He's split time between High-A Bowling Green and Montgomery this season and is on a tear at Double-A. Earlier this season at Bowling Green, Gillen was equally impressive with 12 homers and 44 RBI to go with 53 runs scored and 28 stolen bases while hitting .342. Blessed with a 60-grade hit tool and a 60-grade run tool, Gillen is a rare prospect to monitor. But it still might be a bit before he reaches Tampa Bay, as he is just 20 years old.

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Milwaukee Brewers rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt, who is considered the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is already on breakout watch in fantasy baseball circles despite debuting in the big leagues on June 16. The 21-year-old right-handed hitter has batted .284/.367/.394 with a .762 OPS, two home runs, 14 RBI, 17 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his first 35 major-league contests across 128 plate appearances. The former sixth-rounder in 2023 hasn't had much of an issue adjusting to major-league pitching so far in 2026 after slashing .241/.349/.386 with a .735 OPS, six home runs, 32 RBI, 17 steals, and 34 runs scored in 58 games on the farm with Triple-A Nashville. Pratt has really locked in at the plate in 22 July games, going 23-for-71 (.324) with two homers, three doubles, a triple, 12 RBI, 13 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 84 plate appearances. He has beaten Jesus Made to the majors, and Pratt might have a better shot to stick at the 6 long-term in Milwaukee. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder's contact skills are excellent, and he loves to run, making him an immediate waiver-wire consideration in mixed fantasy leagues. Pratt is currently rostered in just 10% of Yahoo leagues.

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Boston Red Sox outfield prospect Justin Gonzales stayed hot with a homer in his third straight contest on Wednesday night at High-A Greenville. Gonzales brought his season total with Greenville to 15 homers and 43 RBI with 56 runs and eight stolen bases while hitting .263. The 19-year-old right-handed hitting outfielder has left a nice mark at High-A Greenville, producing at a high rate. He is the No. 3 overall prospect in the Red Sox' system and boasts a 55-grade hit tool with 55-grade power. From the Dominican Republic, Gonzales has adjusted nicely to minor league baseball so far. He will need to continue that progression through the upper level of the minors before he debuts for Boston. At age 19, he will likely need a few more years of development before making a debut at Fenway Park.

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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Tyler Wells appears to be the closer to roster in fantasy baseball leagues with Ryan Helsley (elbow) still on the injured list, and Wells is only rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues. The 31-year-old veteran and former starting pitcher is 2-2 on the year with a 2.72 ERA (3.43 FIP), 0.98 WHIP, three saves, 53 strikeouts, and only 13 walks in 53 relief innings for the O's. Veteran right-hander Andrew Kittredge has Baltimore's most recent save (on Wednesday), but he also has two losses within the last week and has not been as sharp as Wells. Wells' last save came on July 17 against the Houston Astros, but all three of his saves this year have come in July, a month in which he has allowed just two earned runs with four walks, 13 strikeouts, and a win in 13 appearances out of the bullpen. He's never been a dominant pitcher in terms of strikeouts, but his control is solid, and he does have a 25.5% strikeout rate in 2026, which is his highest mark since his rookie campaign in 2021. Fantasy managers searching for saves should consider Wells.

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Chicago White Sox rookie outfielder Braden Montgomery had a memorable major-league debut on June 9 against the Atlanta Braves, when he walked it off with a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Since then, though, the former 12th overall pick by the Boston Red Sox out of Texas A&M University has hit a mediocre .250/.329/.405 with a .735 OPS, three home runs, 20 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a steal in his first 148 major-league at-bats with the Pale Hose. The 23-year-old switch-hitting outfielder has plenty of long-term upside, though, and he can be a fantasy baseball asset to close out the 2026 campaign. Since July 12, Montgomery has gone 15-for-48 (.313) with a .900 OPS, a homer, two doubles, two triples, 12 RBI, a stolen base, and eight runs scored in 13 games and 55 plate appearances. As long as Montgomery can avoid lower-body injuries, which have been an issue for him in the past, he should play regularly in Chicago, and his overall athleticism makes him an intriguing bench stash in deep-mixed leagues. Montgomery is only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues.

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St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect Rainiel Rodriguez had another multi-hit game on Wednesday night and is hitting .303 in Double-A Springfield during July. In 76 July at-bats, Rodriguez has five homers and 13 RBI with 10 runs scored while hitting north of .300. At 19 years old, the right-handed-hitting catcher is the top prospect in the Cardinals' system, making him enticing as a stash candidate even for this year. However, St. Louis is loaded at catcher at the big league level with Ivan Herrera, Jimmy Crooks, and Pedro Pages. Being that Rodriguez is just 19 years old, the Cardinals could choose to wait on a big-league debut for him, especially with the vast experience they already have in St. Louis at the position. Rodriguez looks like a dynamite dynasty league option, but in a redraft league it might be wise to regroup at the position next season.

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The Chicago Cubs are using a closer-by-committee situation right now with regular closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) still on the injured list, which is a frustrating situation for fantasy managers. After Trent Thornton's blown save on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, right-hander Jacob Webb might be the most enticing deep-league source for saves right now. The 32-year-old veteran has gone 3-2 in his first year with Chicago, with a 2.72 ERA (3.52 FIP), 1.27 WHIP, a career-high five saves, and a 55:17 K:BB in his 46 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He hasn't had a save since July 12 against the Cincinnati Reds, but Webb also has not allowed a run in his 10 innings of work in 10 July appearances while walking three, striking out 10, saving three games, and picking up two holds for the Cubbies. Caleb Thielbar is the other real threat for save opportunities in Chicago's bullpen, but with the way Webb has pitched of late, he should get more chances soon enough. Webb is rostered in only 15% of Yahoo leagues right now.

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Houston Astros right-handed reliever Bryan Abreu got off to a rough start to the 2026 campaign when Josh Hader was still on the injured list, but he has been locked in of late and could be a waiver-wire consideration in deeper fantasy leagues. In the team's 7-4 win over the division-rival Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, Abreu pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings with no hits allowed, no walks, and a strikeout to pick up his seventh save of the year. The 29-year-old Dominican hurler is 2-3 on the year with a still elevated 4.74 ERA (5.43 FIP) and 1.50 WHIP with 48 strikeouts and 28 walks in 38 innings out of the bullpen. This was Abreu's second save since the All-Star break, but he was only in there because Hader had pitched in four of the previous five days. Still, Abreu has been much better in July, allowing just two earned runs with three walks and 14 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched, and he will definitely be an asset in holds leagues if he continues to pitch like this. Abreu is rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues.

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Texas Rangers shortstop prospect Sebastian Walcott has homered in two straight games and is recovering nicely since returning from right elbow internal brace surgery. He played two games with the ACL Rangers on a rehab assignment before being assigned to Double-A Frisco on July 17. In 47 at bats between Frisco and the ACL Rangers, Walcott has four home runs with 10 RBI, 15 runs scored, three stolen bases, all while hitting .383 with a 1.208 OPS. The right-handed hitting, 20-year-old, is producing at a high rate since returning from his injury. The top prospect in the Rangers' system, Walcott will likely need some time at Triple-A before making a major league debut. But if he can prove his health he looks like a big-time prospect and thus a big-time waiver addition to beat the rush to his services. But at only 20 years old and coming off a serious injury, 2027 might be the most realistic year or his MLB debut.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (elbow) looks ready to rejoin the team's big-league starting rotation after throwing four shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks, and nine strikeouts in four innings of work with Low-A Ontario. It was against inexperienced hitters, but Snell looked good and threw 45 of his 60 pitches for strikes during the outing. The 33-year-old began the year nursing a shoulder injury before then landing on the injured list following a procedure on his left elbow to remove loose bodies from his arm. Although Snell looked good on Wednesday, the Dodgers could continue to slow-play the 33-year-old's rehab, like they are doing with most of their other injured stars. The former first-rounder and two-time Cy Young winner has made only one start for the Dodgers in 2026, but he deserves to be stashed in most fantasy baseball leagues for his strikeout upside when he's healthy. Snell is currently rostered in 80% of Yahoo leagues, and his return to L.A. could be on the horizon.

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Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (back) will be activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday before the team's game against the division-rival Houston Astros if he is OK physically after his two minor-league rehab games, according to president of baseball operations Chris Young. Seager will be returning to the majors for the first time since early July due to inflammation in his lower back. It has been an injury-plagued year for the 32-year-old five-time All-Star, as he's had multiple stays on the IL and has played in only 51 games (219 plate appearances). When he has been on the field, he hasn't been himself, slashing .182/.292/.374 with a career-low .667 OPS, 10 home runs, 25 RBI, 28 runs scored, and a stolen base for the Rangers. Expect Texas to ease Seager back into the fold so that he will be healthy for the stretch run as they attempt to get into the postseason. If Seager can stay healthy the rest of the way and rebound to his pre-injury form, he'll be an asset at a premium position in all fantasy leagues.

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