New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that outfielder Aaron Judge (rib) has been "cleared" to start "light" activities, including running and upper-body "resistance" work in the weight room, according to Erik Boland of Newsday. It represents significant progress from where Judge had been while rehabbing a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side since June 5. Judge is currently on the 60-day injured list without a timetable for a return, but fantasy managers have to be a little excited with this update on his progress, even though he still has plenty of boxes to check before returning to the big-league lineup. The Yankees are optimistic that the three-time MVP will return before the season is over, but fantasy managers probably won't be getting him back until the final month of the regular season in September in a best-case scenario. In an attempt to bolster the Yankees' offense with Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton on the IL, the team traded for infielder Luis Garcia Jr. and outfielder Heliot Ramos at the deadline this summer.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (wrist) left Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field early due to an apparent wrist injury after a check swing in the top of the fifth inning, according to Dodgers writer Adrian Medina. Freeman went 1-for-3 at the plate before being replaced at first base by Enrique Hernandez. It's unclear how serious Freeman's injury is, but the Dodgers will not take any chances with their star players with a huge cushion in the National League West right now. The 36-year-old former MVP, 10-time All-Star, and World Series MVP is the heartbeat of the Dodgers, other than two-way Superstar Shohei Ohtani, so losing him for an extended period of time would be a major blow to L.A.'s core. Freeman came into Wednesday's contest with a strong .310/.385/.486 slash line, .871 OPS, 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 57 runs scored, and five steals in his 420 at-bats. If Freeman were to miss additional time, both Hernandez and Max Muncy would be options to take over at first base for the Blue. Hopefully, Freeman will be ready to return for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks after a scheduled off day on Thursday.

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Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) will miss a second straight game due to a sore hand on Wednesday in the team's matchup against the visiting New York Mets, according to MLB.com. Rookie infielder Angel Genao will make the start at the hot corner for Cleveland and will hit in the nine-hole against Mets right-hander Christian Scott. Ramirez was out of action on Tuesday due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left hand. The 33-year-old Dominican veteran and seven-time All-Star missed extended time already this year following surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, so it's bad news that he's still dealing with discomfort. J-Ram hasn't looked comfortable at the plate since his return on July 22, going 8-for-41 (.195) with a .478 OPS, zero homers, two RBI, three steals, six runs scored, five walks, and two strikeouts in just 10 games played. Don't be surprised if Ramirez lands back on the IL, which would be another tough break in what has been a bust of a season for the perennial MVP candidate. He's hitting just .233/.331/.388 with a .720 OPS, 10 homers, 35 RBI, 27 steals, and 48 runs scored in his 82 games played in his 14th year in the majors.

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In his major-league debut on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. went 1-for-2 at the plate with a solo home run and a walk in the 2-0 victory. The 21-year-old hit eighth in his first MLB game as he takes over at the 6 in the Bronx for Anthony Volpe, who was demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yankees' top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, also made a difference with his glove in his MLB debut, and he is expected to help give the team a boost down the stretch. Lombard's power/speed upside makes him immediately attractive in most fantasy baseball leagues, and he's already rostered in 38% of Yahoo setups. The former 26th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft hit .284/.411/.498 with a .909 OPS, 12 home runs, 33 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 65 runs scored in 78 games (358 plate appearances) in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and at Double-A Somerset and Triple-A. Don't expect a ton of power from Lombard, with his above-average speed and on-base skills likely to benefit fantasy managers first.

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A viral Reddit post claims to reveal the alleged story behind the fallout between Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer that ultimately led to Mayer being traded to the San Francisco Giants at the deadline on Monday, according to What's the Word? Anthony reportedly suffered the finger/wrist injury that has kept him out for most of the season during an altercation with Mayer over a conflict of interest with a woman. Both Anthony and Mayer, who came up through the farm system as two of Boston's top prospects, have failed to deliver early in their big-league careers, but injuries certainly haven't helped their cause. Anthony is the much better upside stash in fantasy baseball leagues for his power/speed upside, while the 23-year-old Mayer could find himself in a platoon role in his new home in San Fran whenever he gets healthy. Mayer has been out since June 26 with a stress reaction in his left forearm, and he remains without a timetable for a return. Anthony, 22, has been out since early May, and although he has begun to take batting practice, there's still no clear timetable for his return to Boston.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (knee) will remain sidelined for Wednesday's tilt in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, per MLB.com. Jose Fermin will man right field and bat cleanup for the Cards against Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Walker will sit out a second straight game after he was scratched from the starting nine on Tuesday with inflammation in his right knee. Hopefully, it's nothing that keeps the right-handed slugging All-Star out for too much longer. The 24-year-old former top outfield prospect took a while to deliver on his power/speed potential, but he has finally come through in 2026, slashing .285/.343/.491 with an .834 OPS, 22 home runs, 81 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 68 runs scored in 111 games and 432 plate appearances in a career year. Walker even won the Home Run Derby over Kyle Schwarber in his first All-Star experience. His underlying metrics support Walker's 2026 breakout as well, so if healthy, fantasy managers should expect more of the same the rest of the way.

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Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Yennier Cano is emerging as a potential option for saves in deeper leagues after picking up his second save of the season in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels at Camden Yards. Both relievers Rico Garcia and Andrew Kittredge worked before Cano in this one, with the 32-year-old veteran closing things out with a hit allowed, no walks, and two strikeouts in his inning of work. Right-hander Ryan Helsley (elbow) remains on the injured list, and the O's traded away right-hander Tyler Wells, who was the only Baltimore pitcher to have more than one save chance since the All-Star break in mid-July. Cano has been sharp this year, going 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA (2.37 FIP), 0.93 WHIP, two saves, 34 strikeouts, and only eight walks in 38 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in his fifth big-league season. He's been even better since the start of July, allowing just one earned run with one walk, seven strikeouts, a win, one save, one blown save, and two holds. Fantasy managers speculating on saves in deep leagues should look Cano's way. He's rostered in just 5% of Yahoo leagues.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (lower body) made his first minor-league rehab start on Tuesday with Triple-A Reno and allowed an earned run on three hits while walking two and striking out one in four innings against Triple-A El Paso. The 29-year-old Canadian hurler will need one more rehab assignment, at the most, before the D-backs return him to their starting rotation for the stretch run. Fantasy managers who have been stashing Soroka (he's rostered in 66% of Yahoo leagues) are hoping that he can return to his pre-injury form from earlier this year. The former first-rounder by the Atlanta Braves in 2015 has had one of his best seasons in the big leagues in 2026 in his first year in the desert, going 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA (2.93 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 79 strikeouts and 17 walks in 82 frames across his 15 starts with the Snakes. Fantasy managers in deeper mixed leagues should consider stashing Soroka now.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that the team will have conversations about activating right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) from the 60-day injured list once he makes two more minor-league rehab starts and builds up to four innings, per MLB.com's Sonja Chen. Glasnow kicked off his rehab assignment on Tuesday with Low-A Ontario and threw two shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks, and one strikeout against Low-A Lake Elsinore. The 32-year-old hard-throwing right-hander looked just fine in the outing, but the Dodgers are slow-playing the former All-Star since he hasn't pitched in the majors since May 6 due to a lower-back injury. Even though Glasnow might only have around a month's worth of starts left in him in 2026 once he returns, he's rostered in nearly 90% of Yahoo leagues for his high-end strikeout upside on the best team in baseball. Before his back injury earlier this year, Glasnow was cruising along with a 3-0 record, 2.72 ERA (3.25 FIP) and 0.83 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 13 walks in 39 2/3 innings across seven starts.

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Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia (elbow) will start a minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Palencia has been sidelined since June 16 with a mild right flexor strain, but the 26-year-old is nearing a return to the major-league bullpen for the stretch run. Because of injuries in 2026, Palencia has only thrown 16 2/3 innings and recorded all three of his saves after picking up a career-high 22 saves in 54 regular-season appearances in 2025. The Cubs picked up right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels at Monday's trade deadline, but when back and fully healthy, Palencia is expected to take over as the team's primary closer in the ninth inning. Fantasy managers searching for saves should look to stash Palencia now. He's rostered in 59% of Yahoo leagues. Along with his three saves in 16 2/3 frames this year, Palencia has a 2.70 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.38 WHIP, and 19:6 K:BB.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that while left-hander Blake Snell (elbow) didn't get into the fifth inning on Tuesday night in his fourth minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City, he did enough that his next start should be at the major-league level, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Snell allowed three earned runs on five hits (two homers) while walking four and striking out three in 3 2/3 innings at OKC on Wednesday in what is believed to be his final rehab start before L.A. reinstates him from the 60-day injured list. The 33-year-old veteran and two-time Cy Young winner has made just one major-league start for the Blue in 2026 and has been sidelined since May 15 after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, but his high-strikeout upside has made him stash-worthy in fantasy all year. Now that he's on the verge of returning to the majors, he should be scooped up in the rest of the leagues where he's available. Although Snell threw 73 pitches on Tuesday, he'll be riskier as a fantasy starter initially, with the Dodgers likely easing him back into the rotation after his long layoff. His next start figures to come early next week against the Kansas City Royals.

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Right-hander Kevin Gausman's debut with the Chicago Cubs is expected to come in Friday's series opener in Kansas City against the Royals, according to The Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro. Both Gausman and right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) will make their debuts with the team this weekend after both were acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline. The 35-year-old Gausman comes to the National League Central with a 5-10 record, 4.38 ERA (3.50 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 127 strikeouts and 36 walks in 127 1/3 innings pitched across 23 starts with the Toronto Blue Jays in his 14th season in the majors. He hasn't been as sharp since the beginning of July, going 1-3 with a 5.13 ERA (2.41 FIP), 12 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings pitched over five starts, but Chicago is hoping Gausman's solid underlying metrics will help him finish strong down the stretch. The two-time All-Star doesn't have a ton of strikeout upside (23.5% K rate), but he has strong command still and has a hard-hit rate below 40%. Fantasy managers should keep Gausman in their starting lineups this weekend against the Royals.

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The Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro expects newly acquired right-hander Clay Holmes' (leg) next start to be his debut with the Chicago Cubs, not another minor-league rehab outing. Based on the current alignment of Chicago's starting rotation, Holmes will most likely start on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals on the road. The Cubs will be activating the 33-year-old veteran from the 60-day injured list, and Saturday will be his first start since fracturing his fibula against the New York Yankees on May 15. He made three rehab starts in the minors with the New York Mets before they traded him to the Cubs on Monday, so Holmes should be efficiently stretched out. The Cubs are hoping Holmes is a key part of their rotation the rest of the way as they look to get into the postseason, and fantasy managers looking for rotation depth should look his way, as he's only rostered in 37% of Yahoo leagues. The former ninth-rounder in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Pirates went 4-4 in New York earlier this year with a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 52 2/3 frames over his nine starts.

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Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) felt more discomfort in his left hand during his first minor-league rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on July 28. He visited with a hand specialist on Tuesday and received a cortisone injection. The Royals will shut Garcia down for around five days and then will ramp up his baseball activities again, according to MLB.com. He's been on the 10-day injured list since June 23 with a muscle strain in his left hand. The 26-year-old should be able to return to the Royals before the end of the season, but he might not be reinstated from the IL until later this month. The Venezuelan right-handed hitter has not lived up to expectations in his fifth MLB season due to injuries, and he's currently hitting .261/.320/.373 with a .693 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs, and five stolen bases in 69 games and 294 plate appearances after being named a first-time All-Star in 2025. Garcia will return to regular duties at third base when he's cleared, and he remains rostered in 78% of Yahoo leagues despite his lengthy absence.

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The Texas Rangers announced on Wednesday that they placed left-hander MacKenzie Gore on the paternity list and activated left-hander Cody Bradford (elbow) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Bradford will make the start on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants at Globe Life Field. The 27-year-old Gore had an excellent outing on Tuesday in the 5-4 win over the Giants, throwing six scoreless innings. He's not scheduled to throw again until Sunday, so Gore shouldn't have to miss a start while on the paternity list for the next one to three days. The former first-rounder by the San Diego Padres in 2017 has been up and down in 2026 in his first year with the Rangers, going 6-9 with a 4.55 ERA (3.77 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with 140 strikeouts and 47 walks in 128 2/3 innings across his 24 starts. Gore was a first-time All-Star last year with the Washington Nationals, and his 3.83 expected ERA points to some positive regression late in the season. He has a nice upcoming matchup this Sunday in the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.

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Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said that first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (forearm) is not expected to play again this year after going on the 10-day injured list with a strained left forearm, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Raley landed on the IL over the weekend, but he had been battling through his forearm injury for weeks. The Mariners are not ruling out surgery for the 31-year-old left-handed hitter. Raley will finish his sixth year in the big leagues (third with Seattle) in 2026 with a .225/.284/.439 slash line, a .723 OPS, 15 home runs, 39 RBI, 28 runs scored, and a stolen base in 95 games across 287 plate appearances. It's a notable loss of power for the M's lineup, but Seattle is hoping their trade-deadline acquisition of Taylor Ward will help make up for the loss of Raley. Raley will be a free agent this winter after signing a one-year, $2.05 million deal with the Mariners back in January, and it's unclear if the organization has any interest in bringing him back.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Wednesday that they placed right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left knee and recalled right-handed pitchers Lazaro Estrada and Chase Lee from Triple-A Buffalo in corresponding moves. Yesavage will miss at least the next two weeks after being pulled from his start early on Tuesday against the Houston Astros when he felt a pinch in his left knee. The 23-year-old former first-rounder from East Carolina University doesn't appear to be dealing with any structural damage, so it's realistic to think he could be ready to roll once he's eligible to return to Toronto's starting rotation in 15 days. In 18 starts (93 2/3 innings) in 2026 in his first full MLB campaign, Yesavage has gone 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA (4.08 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 46 walks. Fantasy managers should be stashing Yesavage in all fantasy formats for his strikeout upside. Yesavage's elevated 11.8% walk rate in his first two MLB seasons has kept him from reaching his ceiling.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (elbow) was diagnosed with a "slight" tear in the UCL of his right elbow, and manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday morning that he'd guess there is a "very small" chance that Rushing catches again this year, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. However, the Dodgers are hoping he can remain a left-handed-hitting option down the stretch. The 25-year-old backstop was scratched from the starting lineup on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox and landed on the 10-day injured list on Monday. With Shohei Ohtani locked in as the Dodgers' regular designated hitter, it's unlikely that Rushing will make any starts as a hitter down the stretch or in the postseason, so he's an easy drop candidate in single-year fantasy leagues. The former second-rounder in 2022 from the University of Louisville has hit .253/.335/.475 this year with 12 homers, 36 RBI, and 37 runs scored across 217 at-bats. With Will Smith (neck) still out as well, the Dodgers are currently using Ben Rortvedt and the recently acquired Hunter Feduccia behind the plate.

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Former New York Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta called a meeting earlier this year for franchise cornerstones Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor to "clear the air," according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Since then, according to sources, Soto and Lindor's relationship has been "noticeably warmer, with the players interacting more often." Both players have denied that a rift between them has ever existed, but their relationship has been a hot topic ever since Soto signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract after the 2024 season. The discussion didn't stop after Soto's locker, which had been next to Lindor's, was moved across the clubhouse. The Mets dealt with injuries to key players early in the 2026 season and were never really able to recover, but Soto and Lindor's relationship behind the scenes has left tension in the building, which hasn't helped team chemistry in Queens. Although their relationship reportedly has improved, it's another dynamic to watch as the Mets look to put another frustrating season in the rearview mirror in 2027.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist), who has been out for three months with a partially torn tendon in his right wrist, has moved to taking batting practice in the batting cage, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. The left-handed hitter started doing tee work last week and has progressed as he tries to make a return before the end of the 2026 regular season. The next steps for Anthony will be on-field batting practice and hitting off the Trajekt machine, which simulates big-league pitchers. If Anthony can get through those steps without a setback, he should be cleared to start a minor-league rehab assignment. "As long as he's feeling good, we can keep moving him along," said interim manager Chad Tracy. It's good progress for the 22-year-old, but he still has some boxes to check, with a potential return to the major-league roster probably not realistic until late August or early September. Fantasy managers must remain patient, but when healthy, Anthony has the skills to be an asset in all fantasy leagues due to his power/speed upside. Anthony is currently rostered in 73% of Yahoo leagues.

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