Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale versus the visiting San Diego Padres due to back tightness, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Manager Matt Quatraro said it progressed during Saturday's win, and the Royals wanted to be cautious with the All-Star shortstop on Sunday. With Witt out, Tyler Tolbert will handle shortstop duties and will bat eighth against Padres right-hander German Marquez. The Royals rightfully aren't going to take any chances with one of the best all-around players in the league. Fantasy managers will need to check back to see if the 26-year-old three-time All-Star can play in Monday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants. For now, we'll consider him day-to-day. Witt went hitless in nine plate appearances in the first two games of the series against SD and is batting just .200 (11-for-55) with a .532 OPS, a homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, two steals, three walks, and 12 K's in 13 games in July to drop his overall line to .280/.350/.451 on the season with an .801 OPS. Witt might be a little banged up, but he's a must-start when he's active in most fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (hip) is absent from the team's starting lineup on Sunday for the series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. LaMonte Wade is starting at first base and batting cleanup for the Astros against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. It shouldn't be a huge surprise that Walker is resting after being pulled from Saturday's contest at Daikin Park with tightness in his right hip after a swing late in the game. The good news is that manager Joe Espada said that the 35-year-old veteran is feeling better and is doing baseball activities, so he could be ready to return to the starting nine for Monday's series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Walker's status then. Walker has already reached the 20-homer mark in 98 games and 406 plate appearances in 2026 in his second year in Houston, but he's hitting .234 (85-for-364) with a .310 on-base percentage and .766 OPS. He's also hitting just .175 (7-for-40) with a .623 OPS, a homer, three doubles, two RBI, five runs, three walks, and 15 strikeouts in 12 games so far in July.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) will start Sunday's series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles on the bench after he was pulled from Saturday's game early with cramps in his right hamstring, per MLB.com. Nick Allen is starting at shortstop on Sunday and will hit ninth for Houston against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. The good news for Pena is that he took part in baseball activities on Sunday, so he could very well be back in the starting nine for Monday's series opener at Daikin Park against the visiting Miami Marlins. It's been an injury-plagued 2026 campaign for the 28-year-old Dominican shortstop, but when active, he's been a solid contributor for the Astros at the plate with a .295/.359/.430 slash line, a .789 OPS, six home runs, 22 RBI, 37 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in his 200 at-bats. In just five games played in July, Pena has gone 5-for-17 (.294) with an RBI and three runs scored. A 20-20 season is highly unlikely at this point, but Pena can still provide fantasy managers with decent counting stats the rest of the way if he can avoid more injuries in the second half.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison (elbow) said his precautionary MRI exam came back "all good," and he threw off a mound on Saturday with no issues, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Now the question is whether he will face live hitters before coming off the 15-day injured list. Harris is eligible to return to the Brewers this Friday, July 24. It's the best-case scenario for the Brewers and fantasy managers, although the 24-year-old southpaw will be pretty risky in starting lineups in his next scheduled start when he returns from the IL. In 17 games (83 2/3 innings) in his first year in Milwaukee, Harrison has found new life, going 8-2 with a 3.01 ERA (3.10 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and 20 walks in his fourth year in the big leagues. In his two starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals in July, Harrison allowed six earned runs on nine hits with a walk and only five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings, but he could have been compromised by his elbow issues. He's still rostered in over 80% of Yahoo leagues and can be a key starter for fantasy managers in the second half if he stays healthy.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (foot) is back at the keystone and is hitting third for the Brew Crew in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Miami Marlins and right-hander Eury Perez, according to MLB.com. The Brewers scratched Turang from the starting nine on Saturday after he fouled a ball off his foot in Friday night's contest. It was obviously a minor injury, and Turang can be returned to all starting fantasy lineups to close out the series in Milwaukee. The 26-year-old former first-rounder in 2018 remains one of the more productive fantasy second basemen in the league and will enter Sunday's action hitting .263/.359/.460 with an .819 OPS, 14 home runs, 60 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 66 runs scored across 92 games and 421 plate appearances. He's hitting .286 (16-for-56) with an .873 OPS, two homers, seven doubles, 12 RBI, seven runs, and two stolen bases in 13 games so far in the month of July. Turang has faced Perez only six times in his career and is hitting .167 against him with a .453 OPS in the small sample size.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) is starting at second base and is batting cleanup for the Twins in Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, per MLB.com. The Twins held the oft-injured Lewis out of Saturday's lineup due to soreness in his left hamstring, but it turned out to be a minor issue, and he's back in the lineup the following day. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 will take a weak .216/.292/.392 slash line into Sunday's contest in Chicago, but he has been better since returning from a minor-league demotion on June 6, going 33-for-128 (.258) with an .804 OPS, seven home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 33 games for the Twins since rejoining the big-league roster. Strikeouts are always going to be part of Lewis' game, but he can provide decent power from the right side and is eligible at third and second base in fantasy leagues. Lewis is currently rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues. In just five career at-bats against Cubs lefty starter Shota Imanaga, he has a homer and three RBI.

From RotoBaller

Miami Marlins middle infielder Otto Lopez (finger) is not in the team's starting lineup for Sunday's series finale in Milwaukee against the Brewers after injuring his hand on Saturday night, according to MLB.com. Javier Sanoja is starting at the 6 for the Fish and will bat cleanup against Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser. Lopez took a groundball to his right ring finger in the second inning on Saturday, but he stayed in for the rest of the game. It's unclear what the severity of the injury is, but manager Clayton McCullough didn't sound too worried about Lopez after Saturday's contest, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. The 27-year-old Dominican infielder has been one of the best sources of batting average and on-base percentage in 2026, slashing .335/.368/.505 with an .873 OPS, nine homers, 46 RBI, 18 steals, and 61 runs scored in 388 at-bats in a breakout campaign for the Marlins as a first-time All-Star. Lopez's next chance to return to action will come in Monday's series opener against the hosting Houston Astros.

From RotoBaller

Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (glute) has been cleared to start Monday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Globe Life Field, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. A mild left glute strain caused deGrom to be skipped from his final start of the first half of the season, but he's ready to go now after throwing a bullpen session in Atlanta on Saturday. The matchup against the suddenly competitive White Sox isn't an easy one for his first start of the second half, but the 38-year-old veteran should still probably be considered a must-start for fantasy purposes for his strikeout upside and recent strong run of form. deGrom is 7-5 in 2026 with a 3.49 ERA (3.40 FIP) and 1.01 WHIP with 122 strikeouts and 22 walks in 100 2/3 frames across his 18 starts in his 13th year in the big leagues. The five-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young winner is 4-1 with a 3.07 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 52:10 K:BB in 41 innings over his last seven starts.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (arm) has been moved up to make his first start of the second half of the season in Monday's series opener against the New York Mets, with right-hander Brandon Sproat being pushed back to Tuesday, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Misiorowski had his final start before the All-Star break skipped after coming down with some arm fatigue after his latest start on July 7 against the St. Louis Cardinals, so the Brewers have decided to give him an extended break going into the second half. The 24-year-old flamethrowing righty is already at 111 innings on the year after setting a career high in innings with 141 1/3 between the majors and minors in 2025, so Milwaukee is expected to get creative in finding ways to manage his workload from here on out. When active, though, the Miz is a must-start in all fantasy leagues as one of the most dominant arms in baseball. He is 10-4 in his 18 starts and leads the league in ERA (1.62), strikeouts (167), FIP (2.09), WHIP (0.76), hits per nine innings (4.6), and strikeouts per nine (13.5).

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers' next start is being moved to Monday's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Weathers was originally scheduled to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday before the contest was postponed by inclement weather. The Yankees have opted not to use Weathers during their doubleheader in the Bronx on Sunday, so he'll be pushed back to start the new week and will be in line for a two-start week for fantasy managers instead. It will definitely improve the 26-year-old southpaw's matchup in what will be his 19th start of the year. The former seventh overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2018 has gone 3-7 in his first year with the Yanks with a 4.15 ERA (3.87 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with a career-high 110 strikeouts and 27 walks in 97 2/3 innings pitched. A career-high 26.9% strikeout rate makes Weathers a sneaky matchup-based streamer. The Pirates rank second in baseball in OPS, but they also have the second-most strikeouts, making Weathers an intriguing starter on Monday.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (elbow) had a solid first minor-league rehab outing on Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings with one hit allowed, one walk, and four strikeouts against Triple-A Tacoma. The two-time Cy Young winner threw 32 pitches in the outing and averaged 93.5 mph with his heater, which is right around normal. It was his first game action since having a non-invasive procedure remove loose bodies from his left elbow, and although he still has a couple more rehab starts to go, he's nearing a return to the Dodgers' starting rotation for the second half. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, the 33-year-old southpaw could return to L.A. in early August. Snell has only made one start for the Dodgers in 2026 due to shoulder and elbow issues, and he only made 11 regular-season starts for the Blue last year due to injuries. He's been hard to trust from a durability standpoint, but his strikeout upside still makes him stash-worthy for the stretch run in nearly all fantasy baseball leagues. Snell is currently rostered in 79% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan will have his next start pushed back to Monday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to The California Post's Jack Harris. Sheehan was originally scheduled to start Saturday's contest in the Bronx against the New York Yankees before the game was postponed due to inclement weather. L.A. will have right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto start Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader, with manager Dave Roberts saying that the team will go with a bullpen game in the nightcap of the twin bill at Yankee Stadium. The 26-year-old Sheehan will be all too risky for most fantasy managers to want to start on Monday against the Phils. He's been up and down this year with a 4-6 record, 4.81 ERA (4.34 FIP), and 1.24 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 26 walks in 82 1/3 innings across 17 starts for the Dodgers. Since allowing a season-high six earned runs on June 21 to the Baltimore Orioles, though, Sheehan has given up five runs (four earned) while walking six and striking out 17 in 14 2/3 innings over three starts against the Padres (two) and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) won't make his pitching start on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies anymore, manager Dave Roberts told Jack Harris of The California Post. The Dodgers are being cautious and want to give his nagging left knee more time after he had his final start of the first half of the season skipped for the same reason. Ohtani had his knee drained a week ago just before the All-Star break, which is why he didn't appear in the Midsummer Classic as a hitter. The good news for fantasy managers is that the four-time MVP's knee injury isn't considered serious, and he has continued to serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter. The 31-year-old Japanese superstar is expected to return to the mound this season, but as of right now, we have no clue when his next start on the mound will come. The 32-year-old veteran and six-time All-Star has been a must-start on the mound when he's active, going 8-2 as a pitcher with a 1.79 ERA (2.61 FIP) and 0.95 WHIP with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 85 2/3 innings over his 14 starts in 2026.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Reds catcher Jose Trevino took advantage of the thin air in Denver on Saturday night to go 3-for-4 with two solo home runs in the team's 10-3 blowout loss to the hosting Colorado Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field. The 33-year-old veteran backup catcher provided most of the Reds' offense on the night and boosted his season line to .268/.278/.437 with a .714 OPS, three home runs, 10 RBI, and nine runs scored in just 23 games played and 74 plate appearances as the backup to Tyler Stephenson. The two-homer game was Trevino's first of the year and just the third of his big-league career, with the last such instance coming back in May of 2024 when he was with the New York Yankees. Trevino has been hot when given opportunities since the start of June for Cincy, going 15-for-42 (.357) with all three of his home runs, two doubles, eight RBI, and seven runs scored in 12 games and 42 plate appearances. However, his rare power outburst on Saturday in Denver shouldn't cause fantasy managers to grab him off the waiver wire, even in two-catcher leagues.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens came into Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs on an 0-for-19 skid at the plate. He ended his recent slump in a big way, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs and two strikeouts to provide the only offense for the Twins in their 6-2 loss at Wrigley Field. Not only did his two-homer outing snap a long hitless stretch, but both of his dingers came off lefty Matthew Boyd, and he now has four homers off southpaws in 2026. The 30-year-old left-handed batter is now slashing .243/.302/.495 with a .797 OPS, 18 home runs, 48 RBI, 47 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 309 at-bats on the year. Clemens needs just two homers to set a new career high after slugging 19 round-trippers with the Twins and Philadelphia Phillies in 2025. He may only be hitting .250 (12-for-48) in 12 games in July, but he also has a .929 OPS with five homers, two doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 53 plate appearances. Clemans has become a waiver-wire target for his power breakout in 2026, and he's rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson continues to be a solid power source for fantasy managers, if nothing else. In the dominant 7-0 shutout win over the hosting Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim on Saturday night, Torkelson went 2-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, a season-high four RBI, and one strikeout. He clubbed a three-run homer to set the tone in the first inning and added a solo blast in the fifth inning to carry Detroit's offense in the easy win. The 26-year-old right-handed slugger and former first overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State is hitting just .209 (69-for-330) on the season, but he has added 18 home runs, 47 RBI, and 40 runs for fantasy managers as a solid source of power despite all the swing and miss and the career-high 32.7% strikeout rate. Torkelson has four home runs in 12 games so far in July, but he's also hitting just .156 (7-for-45) with a .647 OPS, 10 RBI, six runs, four walks, and 17 strikeouts in 49 plate appearances.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has had one heck of a start to the second half of the 2026 season. For the second straight game on Saturday in a 7-6 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, Abreu had two home runs, going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and a walk to boost his season average to .266 and his OPS to an even .800. The 27-year-old left-handed-hitting Venezuelan outfielder is now slashing .266/.338/.462 on the year with 15 home runs, 49 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 95 games across 413 plate appearances in his fourth year in the majors. He's on pace to easily shatter his previous career highs in basically every category in the second half after he hit 22 homers and drove in 69 in 115 games for the BoSox a year ago. So far in 13 games and 60 plate appearances in July, Abreu is hitting .260 (13-for-50) with a 1.007 OPS, five long balls, four doubles, 10 RBI, and 11 runs scored. If he's somehow available in your league -- he's rostered in 81% of Yahoo leagues -- he's an immediate pickup.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams took the loss on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he still managed to display plenty of strikeout form. Williams allowed five earned runs on seven hits (three home runs) while walking none and striking out a season-high 11 hitters in six innings for his fifth loss of the year in the 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Bucs. The long ball came back to bite Williams in a game in which he threw 65 of his 84 pitches for strikes and reached the 11-strikeout mark for the fourth time this year. It was the 26-year-old's first loss in over a month. Williams is now 10-5 on the season with a 4.00 ERA (3.86 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with 145 strikeouts and 37 walks in a league-high 119 1/3 innings across 20 starts for the Guardians in his fourth year in the big leagues. After walking a league-high 83 batters in 2025, Williams has a career-low 7.6% walk rate coupled with a career-high 29.9% strikeout rate. He's a clear buy in fantasy baseball leagues for the second half.

From RotoBaller

Athletics left-handed starting pitcher Gage Jump has been knocked around in July, but the strikeouts keep showing up. He fanned eight over 3 2/3 innings against Washington on Friday, July 17, while allowing four runs, three earned. Jump now has a 7.30 ERA and 1.95 WHIP through three July starts. Ugly, yes. He also has 16 strikeouts in only 12 1/3 innings during that stretch. His full major-league line looks much better: a 3.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts against 17 walks over 52 1/3 innings. The fastball averages 96.3 mph, and the swing-and-miss ability gives him a reason to remain patient. Jump is rostered in just 29% of Yahoo leagues. Tough home matchups may require some discretion, but he still belongs on rosters in 10-team formats for managers who need strikeouts.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin has not done much for batting average, but the category mix still plays. He is hitting .228 with nine home runs, 38 runs, 39 RBI, and 10 steals across 285 at-bats. Durbin also came out of the break with five hits in the July 17 doubleheader against Tampa Bay, three in the opener and two in the nightcap. The contact helps keep the floor from falling out. Durbin has struck out just 44 times in 317 plate appearances, plays regularly at third, and carries second-base eligibility in Yahoo leagues. He is not a must-add in every format, but there is enough here for managers who need a little speed without punting power. Durbin is currently on 37% of Yahoo rosters and belongs in the 10-team mix.

From RotoBaller