Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander Daniel Palencia (elbow) had a "great" bullpen on Saturday and will throw another bullpen on Tuesday, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Montemurro notes that the Cubs' current timeline for Palencia puts him on track to begin a rehab assignment the week of August 3. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since mid-June due to a flexor strain. Across 16 2/3 innings (19 games) before the injury, Palencia recorded a 2.70 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 19 strikeouts and three saves. The Cubs have taken a committee approach to the ninth inning in Palencia's absence, but Palencia could re-assume the team's primary closer role upon his return. In leagues where Palencia is available on the waiver wire, he profiles as a priority stash candidate ahead of a potential mid-August return.

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Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said that recently acquired infielder Curtis Mead will play second base for Boston, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals in exchange for starting pitcher Connelly Early (elbow) on Saturday night. While Mead mostly played the corner infield spots in Washington, he has experience at second base as well. With Mead at second base, Caleb Durbin will remain Boston's primary third baseman. Mead has been one of the more surprising breakout success stories of the 2026 season, hitting .254/.352/.500 with 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 327 plate appearances with the Nationals. With his ability to play multiple infield spots, Mead should see everyday playing time for the Red Sox the rest of the way.

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Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison (forearm) is set to make a rehab start with High-A Wisconsin this upcoming week, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Hogg notes that Harrison "should be ready to rock" during Milwaukee's next home stand, which begins on August 3. Harrison has been on the 15-day injured list since early July due to left forearm tightness. However, it appears as though the 24-year-old has avoided significant structural damage. Across 83 2/3 innings (17 starts) in 2026, Harrison has recorded an 8-2 record with a 3.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts. Harrison was struck out 29.6% of the batters he's faced while surrendering just a 5.9% walk rate. Upon his return, the hard-throwing lefty profiles as a must-start pitcher across all fantasy formats.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (arm) has had his next start rescheduled to Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals, per Twins beat writer Aaron Gleeman. Ryan was originally scheduled to pitch on Sunday against the Athletics, but he was scratched due to "general arm fatigue." While Ryan's arm troubles remain a concern until he has proven he is fully healthy, it appears as though whatever he is dealing with will not require a stint on the injured list. Across 114 1/3 innings (21 starts) this season, the 30-year-old has recorded a 6-6 record with a 3.38 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 131 strikeouts. Ryan is widely considered to be a potential trade chip at the upcoming deadline, so it behooves Minnesota to make him appear as healthy as possible to interested suitors.

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The New York Yankees recalled outfielder Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre on Sunday to replace injured outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) on the team's active roster. With Bellinger, Aaron Judge (ribs) and Giancarlo Stanton (calf) all currently on the injured list, Jones could be in line for near-everyday playing time in New York. The 25-year-old has split time between the big leagues and Triple-A so far in 2026, hitting .224/.314/.355 with two home runs, seven RBI, six runs scored, and one stolen base across 86 MLB plate appearances. There's little doubt that Jones has high-end power upside, as he hit 35 home runs across 506 minor league plate appearances in 2025 and has posted a ridiculous 25.6% barrel rate this year at Triple-A. However, he's logged a 40.7% strikeout rate in the big leagues and has consistently run high strikeout rates in the minor leagues as well. Fantasy managers should account for the damage Jones will do to their batting average, but his power/speed upside could still make him worth targeting on the waiver wire.

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The New York Yankees have placed outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain. Bellinger suffered the injury during New York's win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. The 31-year-old said after the game that he did not believe the injury to be too serious, but it will evidently keep him out for at least the next 10 days. Across 434 plate appearances in 2026, Bellinger is hitting .259/.350/.420 with 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. The Yankees are now down both starting corner outfielders in Bellinger and Aaron Judge (ribs), as well as designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf). Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones was called up to replace Bellinger on the team's active roster and will likely see an extended run of regular playing time in the Bronx.

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Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (ankle, foot) is starting in left field and batting second in Sunday's contest at home against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and right-hander Logan Gilbert, according to MLB.com. Langford fouled a couple of pitches off his left ankle/foot during Saturday's win over Seattle before he was pulled as a precaution after six innings. Thankfully, X-rays came back negative for any fractures. The 24-year-old former fourth overall pick from the University of Florida in 2023 went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored in Saturday's game before departing. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups in all traditional leagues now that he's back in action on Sunday. After his strong performance on Saturday, Langford is now slashing .290/.335/.533 with an .868 OPS, 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 34 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in his 210 at-bats in 2026. He can't seem to escape nagging injuries, but when healthy, Langford is one of the better power/speed outfielders in fantasy.

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Chicago White Sox infielder Colson Montgomery (shin) is not in the team's starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Houston Astros after fouling a ball off his shin on Saturday in the ninth inning, according to MLB.com. Luisangel Acuna will make the start at the 6 and will bat eighth against Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco. It's the second time in the last week that Montgomery has fouled a ball off his shin, causing him to miss time. We'll consider him day-to-day for now. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Monday to see if the left-handed slugger is ready to play in the series finale against the visiting New York Yankees. The 24-year-old former 22nd overall pick in 2021 is hitting just .218 (80-for-367) with a 31.9% strikeout rate in his first full year in the big leagues, but he's rostered in 90% of Yahoo leagues because of his power upside (24 home runs in 98 games played in 2026). In 17 games (73 plate appearances) so far in July, Montgomery has gone just 14-for-68 (.206) with three home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, eight runs, four walks, and 23 strikeouts.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes started off Saturday's outing strong, but he faltered late in the team's 11-0 blowout loss to the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Skenes allowed five earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out 11 in 5 1/3 innings of work to take his ninth loss of the season. The 24-year-old three-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner is now 9-9 in his third major-league season with a career-high 3.65 ERA (2.72 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 149 strikeouts and 28 walks in 120 2/3 innings pitched across his league-high 22 starts. Skenes hasn't been quite as untouchable as he was in his first two seasons with the Pirates, and Saturday's five-run outing snapped a streak of three straight starts with two earned runs allowed or fewer. Even though Skenes hasn't been as dominant as many were hoping for in 2026, he still has plenty of swing-and-miss stuff, as he generated 22 swings and misses on 105 pitches against Chicago. Fantasy managers should keep him in their starting lineups for his next scheduled outing against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds next week. In his two starts against the Reds this year, Skenes has a 4.50 ERA with four walks and 12 K's in 10 innings pitched.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) is not being reinstated from the 10-day injured list for the team's series finale in Baltimore on Sunday against the Orioles, according to MLB.com. Mike Yastrzemski is making the start in right field for Atlanta and will bat eighth against Orioles right-hander Shane Baz. Acuna is believed to be ready to go following his second IL stint due to a left-hamstring strain, but the Braves are being cautious with him. He likely would have returned this weekend in Baltimore had his minor-league rehab game with Triple-A Gwinnett not been rained out on Friday. Barring something unforeseen, the Braves should activate the former MVP for Monday's series opener versus the division-rival New York Mets. The 28-year-old Venezuelan outfielder has been a massive disappointment for fantasy managers so far in 2026 because of his hamstring issues, but he still has five-category upside and could be a difference-maker down the stretch. Acuna will be returning to a .251/.373/.421 slash line with a .793 OPS, seven home runs, 22 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 31 runs scored across his 195 at-bats.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease had a phenomenal outing on Saturday night in the team's 6-0 shutout win over the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, as he threw a complete-game shutout with just one hit allowed, three walks, and 12 strikeouts to pick up his seventh victory of the year and lower his season ERA to 2.46. It was Cease's third career complete game, and it took him 120 pitches to finish the masterful outing. It's been an amazing season for Cease in his first year in Toronto, and he has unbelievably allowed just one hit in two of his last three starts. He is chugging right along with four straight quality starts in July, and he now has a 1.09 WHIP with a league-high 167 strikeouts and 48 walks in 113 1/3 innings on the season. Cease joined only Nolan Ryan as the second pitcher to allow no more than one hit while pitching at least eight innings and striking out at least 10 in back-to-back road starts. He'll obviously be a must-start in his next scheduled outing next week against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

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The Washington Nationals are recalling third baseman Brady House from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday to fill the vacancy after the Nats traded infielder Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night in exchange for left-hander Connelly Early, a team source told Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. House was Washington's primary third baseman this year before Mead took over and ran away with the job. The former 11th overall pick in 2021 hit just .227/.282/.399 with a .681 OPS, seven home runs, 25 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 163 at-bats, though, before being sent to the farm in mid-May. At Rochester, House hit .301/.342/.500 with eight homers, 34 RBI, 26 runs scored, and three steals in 50 games across 222 plate appearances before getting the ball back to the Show. Jorbit Vivas and Jose Tena could also be options for playing time at the hot corner in D.C. now that Mead is gone, but House figures to get the first shot at the primary role, making him worth a look off the waiver wire in deeper leagues for corner-infield help. House is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues.

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New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) said he will undergo testing on his left hamstring after he was removed from Saturday night's game early against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Bellinger is hoping to avoid a stint on the injured list, but we'll know more after his tests. "It just feels a little tight. I really don't think it's anything too serious," Bellinger said. The 31-year-old veteran outfielder was pulled from Saturday's game after hitting a double in the eighth inning. He went 2-for-4 in the contest with the double and an RBI before departing, and Bellinger is currently riding a six-game hitting streak while picking up at least one hit in 11 of his last 12 games. It's definitely bad timing for him to pick up an injury. The former MVP and three-time All-Star is currently batting .259/.350/.420 with a .770 OPS, 11 homers, 53 RBI, 52 runs, and 10 steals in his 374 at-bats in 2026. At the very least, fantasy managers should not expect Bellinger to be in the lineup for the series finale against Philly on Sunday Night Baseball.

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Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (ankle, foot) said X-rays came back negative after he suffered a left-ankle/foot injury in Saturday's game against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, and he expects to be fine for Sunday's game, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Fantasy managers should consider the 24-year-old right-handed slugger to be day-to-day for now. Given Langford's already lengthy injury history early in his MLB career, we would not be surprised if the Rangers hold him out of Sunday's contest against Seattle. If Langford is held out on Sunday, his next chance to return to action would be for Monday's series finale against the Mariners. Langford, a former first-rounder, has already missed 52 of a possible 104 games in 2026 due to various injuries, so the Rangers probably won't push him to play on Sunday. In his third year in the big leagues, Langford is hitting a strong .290 (61-for-210) with 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 34 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 52 games across 224 plate appearances. His power/speed upside makes him roster-worthy in all fantasy formats.

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Athletics All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers (knee) could miss the rest of the 2026 season after suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 28-year-old will decide whether he will have surgery to fix his torn meniscus. Regardless of Langeliers' decision on surgery, it will likely end any trade talks around a player who is considered one of the best catchers in baseball. The A's weren't planning to trade him before the Aug. 3 deadline, but multiple teams had hoped the A's stance would soften on Langeliers. If his season is over, Langeliers will finish with a .263/.332/.497 slash line with 23 home runs and 51 RBI in 93 games. Not only does he bring high-end power to the weak catching position in fantasy, but Langeliers is one of the top defensive backstops in the league, catching 11 runners this season on 35 stolen-base attempts. He was on pace to become just the third catcher in big-league history with three straight seasons of at least 29 home runs. Jonah Heim, who will take over catching duties in Sacramento, is now a prime waiver pickup in two-catcher fantasy leagues.

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Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins recently returned to Triple-A Iowa following a lengthy stint on the injured list but has not had the most productive return to action. Wiggins was cleared to return to Iowa on July 10 but has yet to turn in a successful outing. Over his last three starts (7 2/3 innings of work), Wiggins has allowed a hefty 11 runs while posting a 9:11 K:BB. While this recent skid has put a late-season MLB debut in question, he enjoyed an impressive run in the minor leagues last summer, which keeps the door open. During the 2025 season, Wiggins logged 78 innings across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A to the tune of a 2.19 ERA and a sharp 1.03 WHIP. While he is not a high-end stash target, he is worth monitoring, as a late-season promotion could still be in play.

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Milwaukee Brewers infielder Luke Adams has enjoyed a dominant stretch at Triple-A Nashville and is now firmly on the stash radar ahead of Week 18 of the fantasy baseball season. Over his last 20 games, the infielder has posted a stellar .323/.442/.581 line with a 1.022 OPS. During this stretch, the primary third baseman has hit five doubles, gone deep three times, and swiped three bases. On the season (49 games at Triple-A), Adams has held a .270/.413/.560 line with a .973 OPS, eight doubles, 12 home runs, and seven stolen bases. Currently in the majors, the Brewers have seen third baseman Joey Ortiz enjoy a recent surge at the plate himself, but Adams is emerging as the clear next-man-up in this infield. If he maintains this pace, he should earn a late-season taste of the big leagues.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes continues to flash high-end power at the Triple-A level and is making a strong case to earn the call to the big leagues. Since joining the top club in the system (14 games), the young slugger has looked quite comfortable, carrying a .254/.338/.525 line with a .863 OPS. During Saturday's contest, Montes went 2-for-5 with his third Triple-A long ball. This was also his third straight game tallying at least two hits. Earlier in the season, the outfielder spent 79 games at the Double-A level, where he posted a .234/.369/.550 line with a .919 OPS and 25 home runs. Montes is solidifying himself as one of the top power bats in the minor leagues and is in prime position to earn the call as Seattle looks to secure its spot in the postseason.

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The Washington Nationals have traded infielder Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Connelly Early. Mead has enjoyed a strong campaign in D.C. and is now set to play a key role as the Red Sox look to claim a Wild Card down the stretch run. Through 87 games wth the Nationals in 2026, Mead has posted a strong .254/.352/.500 slash line with 17 doubles, 17 home runs and six stolen bases. His current production is expected to remain sustainable given his underlying marks. The 25-year-old has generated a .260 xBA with a borderline elite .358 xwOBA and a high .458 xSLG. Mead is expected to occupy the hot corner, which will move Caleb Durbin to the keystone. His power upside should provide him with prime RBI opportunities over the final months of the season as he joins one of the game's hottest lineups.

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The Boston Red Sox have traded left-handed starting pitcher Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead. Early was able to break camp with the Boston starting rotation but has been on the shelf since late June with an elbow injury. Early made his MLB debut late in the 2025 campaign and flashed high-end upside, logging his first 19 1/3 MLB innings to the tune of a 2.33 ERA and a sharp 1.09 WHIP. In 2026, Early posted a solid 3.44 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP across 92 2/3 innings. He totaled 93 punchouts while walking 8.7% of the hitters he has faced. While Early is still on the 15-day injured list, he recently began throwing, which suggests he should make his Nationals debut later in August. He remains a worthy stash candidate in all standard leagues as he should remain solid fantasy value down the stretch once back on the bump.

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