New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger became the fourth Yankees player to be named All-Star Game MVP on Tuesday night in the American League's 4-0 shutout win over the National League, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Bellinger took part in the All-Star Game twice in his first three big-league seasons, but this year was his first Midsummer Classic since 2019. The 31-year-old veteran left-handed slugger had a two-run single in the first inning off Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, and the AL never looked back in the 96th MLB All-Star Game. Bellinger was the first Yankee to win the award since Giancarlo Stanton in 2022. Closer Mariano Rivera (2013) and shortstop Derek Jeter (2000) also won the All-Star Game MVP for the Yankees. He ended the first half of his second season with the Bombers with a .254/.345/.421 slash line, .766 OPS, 11 home runs, 51 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 49 runs scored across 94 games and 403 plate appearances.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (elbow) had two strikeouts and no hits allowed in a clean inning of work in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Tuesday in his second minor-league rehab outing. Diaz gave up a hit in a scoreless inning for Single-A Ontario to start his rehab assignment on Sunday in his first game action since having surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow back in late April. The hard-throwing right-hander has struck out four batters in two innings so far as he works his way back, an encouraging sign that he could be ready to roll at the back end of L.A.'s bullpen later this month. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican veteran and three-time All-Star allowed seven earned runs on nine hits while walking five and striking out 10 to record four saves in his first six innings pitched in a Dodgers uniform earlier this year before going on the IL, but when he returns from the 60-day IL, he'll once again be manager Dave Roberts' preferred option to close out games, making him a must-stash in all fantasy leagues while he rehabs.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras said he told the team that he would not be willing to waive his no-trade clause, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Contreras wants to finish his career in Boston and joked that he got out ahead of potential rumors by making his stance clear. The 34-year-old veteran Venezuelan made it to the semifinals of the Home Run Derby on Monday night and is having the best year of his career in 2026 in his first season in Beantown, hitting .285/.379/.542 with a .921 OPS, 20 home runs, 61 RBI, 46 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 312 at-bats through the first half of the season. With the Red Sox now having a shot at a wild-card spot in the American League after a strong finish to the first half, and with Contreras saying he won't waive his no-trade clause, he might stick around in Boston beyond the 2026 season. In fantasy leagues, Contreras is a hold at the halfway point with the ninth-best xwOBA (.390) and expected batting average of .274 thanks to a hard-hit rate in the 79th percentile, a barrel rate in the 88th percentile, and an xSLG in the 97th percentile.

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Chicago White Sox All-Star first baseman Munetaka Murakami said he's not thinking or talking specifics about contract extensions right now, but he affirmed that he would like to stay with the White Sox long-term, according to James Fegan of Baseball America. Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million deal to come to the States and play for the White Sox, and he was named a first-time All-Star in 2026 despite spending time on the injured list with a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger took the league by storm early on and finished the first half of the season by hitting .232/.371/.540 with a .911 OPS, 20 home runs, 42 RBI, 45 runs scored, and a stolen base across his first 211 at-bats in Chicago. If Murakami continues to slug in the second half, the Pale Hale might want to start extension talks with the Japanese native sooner rather than later. Murakami most likely won't be a batting average asset with an elevated 33.6% strikeout rate, but the power is real, and he's also walking at a 17.8% clip, making himself serviceable in on-base-percentage leagues.

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Across 110 innings (18 starts) in 2026, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby has recorded a 7-8 record with a 3.76 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts. The 28-year-old's trademark command remains strong, as he owns a 5.3% walk rate on the year. However, Kirby's strikeout rate has dipped to 21.5% after he posted a career-best 26.1% strikeout rate in 2025. Still, Kirby's elevated WHIP and middling ERA are mostly symptoms of poor batted-ball luck. Opposing batters own a .343 batting average on balls in play against Kirby this season, well above his career mark of .310. Kirby's current strikeout rate limits his fantasy ceiling, but he's shown the ability to miss more bats in the past. If Kirby continues to limit home runs (0.90 HR/9) and sees some BABIP regression, he could emerge as a second-half riser.

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Across 244 plate appearances in 2026, Miami Marlins utility man Javier Sanoja is hitting .272/.313/.404 with three home runs, 34 RBI, 21 runs scored, and five stolen bases. The 23-year-old's ability to play both the infield and the outfield makes him a logical candidate for a bench role, but he's emerged as the near-everyday third baseman in Miami in recent weeks. Sanoja's power upside is extremely limited, as he's logged just a 1.4% barrel rate and 31.6% hard-hit rate on the season. However, his batting average ceiling is high due to his excellent 8.6% strikeout rate. In deeper fantasy leagues, Sanoja could be an underrated source of batting average and speed for managers to target on the waiver wire.

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After opening 2026 in a relief role, Los Angeles Angels right-hander Walbert Urena was moved into the starting rotation in late April and has emerged as a breakout success story. Across 81 1/3 innings on the year, Urena has recorded a 5-7 record with a 2.88 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 78 strikeouts. The 22-year-old's WHIP is elevated by his poor command, as he's allowed a 13% walk rate. However, Urena's ability to generate ground balls has helped him work around traffic on the bases. Urena owns a 54.8% ground ball rate and a 0.55 HR/9. While the young right-hander may see some regression in the second half of the season, his production to this point is hard to ignore. In any league where he remains available, Urena profiles as a worthy waiver wire pickup.

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Across 32 1/3 innings (31 games) in 2026, Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias has pitched to a 2.23 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 19 saves. Iglesias owns a stellar 22.8% K-BB rate, and he's blown just one save chance on the year. The 36-year-old ran into some trouble in July before the All-Star break, allowing four earned runs across five innings this month. Still, Iglesias does an excellent job of limiting both walks (5.5% walk rate) and home runs (0.56 HR/9). As a result, the veteran right-hander rarely succumbs to a blow-up outing: Iglesias has allowed more than one earned run in just two out of his 31 outings this season. As long as he remains healthy, Iglesias remains a solid bet to turn in high-end RP1 production for fantasy managers.

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Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo was one of the breakout stars of the 2025 season, hitting .290 with 20 home runs and 27 stolen bases. The 26-year-old has been unable to repeat his success so far in 2026, hitting .241/.354/.356 with six home runs, 34 RBI, 46 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases across 391 plate appearances. Perdomo's elite plate approach remains his best feature as a hitter, as he's logged more walks (55) than strikeouts (47). However, Perdomo's barrel rate has dropped to 3.2%, and his hard-hit rate is down to 29.8%. Between his plus defense at shortstop and his ability to get on base, Perdomo remains an everyday staple at the top of the Diamondbacks lineup. As such, his reliable production floor is useful for fantasy managers. Still, managers expecting Perdomo to get back to his 2025 output in the second half of 2026 may be disappointed.

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Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (hand) exited early from the All-Star Game on Tuesday night after being hit on the hand by a pitch from St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Riley O'Brien. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that X-rays on the injury came back negative, so Caminero may have avoided a serious injury. The 23-year-old has been one of the better power hitters in baseball so far this season, hitting .279/.372/.555 with 28 home runs, 59 RBI, 61 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 411 plate appearances. Caminero will likely be dealing with some lingering soreness from the injury, but without any structural damage, he will likely be able to avoid a trip to the injured list.

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Chicago White Sox rookie outfielder Braden Montgomery got his MLB career started with a bang, clubbing a walk-off home run to beat the Atlanta Braves on June 9. The 23-year-old switch-hitting outfielder finished the first half strong, too, going 2-for-4 with a home run and a career-best four RBI in Sunday's win over the Athletics, but in between, he left a lot to be desired, and the former first-rounder out of Texas A&M has hit just .231/.302/.394 with a .696 OPS, three home runs, eight doubles, 12 RBI, 15 runs scored, 10 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 29 games and 116 plate appearances. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder has a bright future because of his ability to generate elite bat speed that gives him plus-plus raw power at the plate. Montgomery should absolutely be rostered in all dynasty/keeper leagues, but until he improves his plate discipline and quality of contact at the big-league level, he'll be a fringe asset in mixed leagues. He's currently rostered in only 10% of Yahoo leagues and was hitting .216 (8-for-37) with a homer, two doubles, four RBI, four runs, two walks, and six strikeouts in his first 10 games in July.

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Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper (glute) hasn't played in a game since June 30 after dealing with hand and glute injuries, but played well enough in the first half to earn a nomination to the All-Star Futures Game anyway. The Twins' second-ranked prospect slashed .272/.376/.492 with 14 home runs and 15 steals through 63 games at St. Paul, and appeared to be on the verge of a debut in the majors before going down with injuries. The former first-rounder is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .289 with 20 home runs and 25 steals in 113 games across two levels, so there is a history of multi-category production with Culpepper. As such, the 23-year-old makes for an appealing stash candidate in most 12-team leagues and deeper, assuming the glute injury doesn't linger into the second half.

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New York Mets right-hander Christian Scott hasn't provided much length as a starting pitcher in his 12 starts for the Mets through the first half of the season, but other than that, he's looked strong in 2026 in his return from Tommy John surgery. Scott hasn't gone six innings in any of his starts this year, but he's gone 2-1 with a 3.17 ERA (4.10 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 26 walks in 54 innings in his second year in the big leagues. The 27-year-old former fifth-round selection from the University of Florida in 2021 has improved his strikeout rate from 19.8% in his rookie year in 2024 to 27.9% this year, but his 11.2% walk rate isn't ideal. It's also not that big of a surprise for a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. If Scott can improve his control and command while inevitably increasing his workload, he could quickly become a must-roster starting pitcher in fantasy. Managers in deeper leagues may want to get a head start during the All-Star break after Scott threw five shutout innings with five strikeouts in his final start before the break on July 8 against the Kansas City Royals. He's rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues currently.

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Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark's first half ended quietly with a 0-for-7 two-game stretch over the weekend, but he had been rolling in the lead-up to that. The Tigers' top-ranked prospect had been riding an eight-game hit streak and had hit safely in 20 of 22, going 30-for-92 (.326) with five doubles, four home runs, eight steals, and an 11:9 BB:K from June 12 to July 10. For the season, the left-handed hitter is slashing .264/.351/.404 with eight home runs and 20 steals through 81 games at Toledo. Though the organization has been slow-playing a promotion to the majors, a debut in the second half is highly likely, and the former third-overall draft pick has the potential to be a multi-category contributor, making the 21-year-old one of the top offensive stashes in most fantasy leagues.

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Washington Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead hit the All-Star break at .247 with 17 home runs, 44 RBI, 42 runs, and five steals in 259 at-bats. He got there hot, going 11-for-26 with three homers over his final seven games. Mead did not start Sunday but came off the bench and homered for the second straight day. He is still only 28% rostered on Yahoo. This is not just a weeklong heater. Meads 11.9% barrel rate and .478 expected slugging percentage back up the power, and he has cut his strikeout rate to 18.6%. The 42.6% hard-hit rate is another career best. First, second, and third base eligibility helps, too. RotoBaller ranks him 49th for Week 16 and recommends him in 12-team leagues. At 28%, he should not make it through the break on many waiver wires.

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Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Zac Veen capped off a phenomenal first half by belting a double in a 1-for-4 day at the plate on Sunday, his 26th double of the season, which makes him the leader in doubles at Triple-A. The Rockies' 13th-ranked prospect slashed .311/.385/.578 with 16 home runs and 14 steals through 81 games at Albuquerque, providing lots of potential multi-category appeal for fantasy. Although the 6-foot-3 slugger tends to chase, he doesn't strike out excessively (21.4 percent) and is able to draw walks at an average rate (10.6 percent), giving him a solid all-around approach to go with his power/speed combination. There is no room for him on the big league roster at the moment, and he has added competition with fellow prospect Charlie Condon making the case for a call-up as well, but Veen should have the opportunity to show off his skills sometime in the second half. The 24-year-old's tools and success this season at Triple-A portend better results than his 12-game cup of coffee with the Rockies last year, and should be considered a high-end offensive stash option in deeper fantasy leagues.

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Los Angeles Angels pitching prospect George Klassen's first half ended with a thud after allowing four earned runs on six hits and three walks while failing to strike out even a single batter in his last outing before the break. While the right-hander had been able to limit damage over his previous eight starts, pitching to a 2.27 ERA in 43 2/3 innings pitched, walks still plagued him for much of that run, conceding at least four walks in five of those eight contests. For the season, the Angels' fourth-ranked prospect has recorded a 4.48 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and a lowly 6.6 percent K-BB% across 16 starts. The 6-foot-2 hurler already debuted with the team earlier this season without much success, yielding six earned runs on seven hits and 10 walks in just 4 2/3 IP (six strikeouts). The 24-year-old will likely get another shot in the majors this season, and if he can get his command under control, his fantasy outlook may improve. Until then, however, he's a risky speculative stash for pitching-needy managers in deeper 12+ team leagues.

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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli returned from a five-game suspension Sunday and held the Yankees to two runs over six innings, striking out five without taking a decision. That pushed him to 5-4 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. Even with the rough, heat-shortened outing against Pittsburgh, Cavalli has 21 strikeouts against three walks over his last three starts. The swing-and-miss is not coming from nowhere. Cavalli averages 96.7 mph with the four-seamer, while his curveball has a 39.0% whiff rate and has held hitters to a .214 average. There will still be uneven starts, as the 1.35 WHIP suggests, but he is no longer just a matchup stream in 12-team leagues. RotoBaller ranks Cavalli 65th for Week 16 and recommends him in that format. At 36% rostered on Yahoo, the strikeouts are worth chasing after the break.

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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen gave fantasy managers a sour finish to an otherwise excellent first half, allowing six runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings against the Yankees on July 9. That one start raised his ERA from 2.78 to 3.26. The rest still looks clean: a 0.95 WHIP, 98 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings, and only 17 walks. The new changeup is doing real work. Rasmussen barely used it last season, but the pitch is up to 12.2% usage with a .178 xwOBA and 38.9% whiff rate. His strikeout rate has climbed from 21.7% to 25%, while the walk rate has dropped from 6.3% to 4.3%. The elbow history and likely 170-inning cap remain the concern, not what he is doing on the mound. If the Yankees blowup softened the price, buy.

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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk hit the break at .202/.273/.315 with two home runs and nine RBI in 99 plate appearances. Not much there. July at least brought some better at-bats: 6-for-25, five walks, two strikeouts, and a .367 on-base percentage. Kirk remains ahead of Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate, so the playing time is there. This is more about buying last year's hitter at a thin position than chasing current production. Kirk batted .282 with 15 homers and 76 RBI in 2025, and the fractured left thumb that sidelined him from early April until June 12 offers some context for the slow return. Still, managers in one-catcher 10- and 12-team leagues can wait. RotoBaller ranks him 80th overall and recommends him in 15-team formats. With Kirk still available in 78% of Yahoo leagues, he is a deep-league rebound target rather than a priority add.

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