The New York Yankees are among many teams to check in on three-time All-Star/switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman (wrist), according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, who is a pending free agent, seemed like a logical fit for the Yankees, but the Twins are suggesting they are buyers with the Aug. 3 trade deadline quickly approaching. Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson is another name on the Yankees' list as they seek a catching upgrade this summer. Rutschman is drawing interest despite an injury-plagued and disappointing 2026 campaign to this point. The former first overall pick out of Oregon State in 2019 is currently on the 10-day injured list with wrist inflammation and has yet to resume baseball activities, so he's not necessarily close to a return. Fellow catcher Samuel Basallo (shoulder) is also currently on the IL. It remains unclear if the O's are sold on Basallo as their long-term catcher, which would make Rutschman expendable.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (forearm) left Wednesday's contest against the Boston Red Sox after he was hit on the left forearm/hand by a pitch, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Jeff McNeil took over for Kurtz at first base to start the second inning. The A's are saying that Kurtz is dealing with a contusion, which suggests he avoided a major injury, but he'll likely undergo further testing on Thursday. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Thursday for an update on the power-hitting left-hander and to see if he's cleared to play in the series finale in Sacramento against Boston. After hitting 36 bombs and driving in 86 in just 117 games in his first year in the majors in 2025, Kurtz has followed it up with a .260/.398/.491 slash line, .889 OPS, 21 home runs, and 69 RBI in 96 games across 425 plate appearances. The power hasn't quite shown up like it did last year, but Kurtz has also missed time with an injury. He was a first-time All-Star in 2025 and is one of the best upside bats for power in the majors. Hopefully, he can avoid another stint on the injured list.

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Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto could be on the move soon with the trade deadline quickly approaching. According to Mark Feinsand, the Angels are willing to listen to offers on Neto, Reid Detmers, and Jose Soriano. It does seem a bit odd that the Angels are willing to move Neto, who is one of the key building blocks of this team. Plenty of organizations are looking to infield help, so the Angels could be looking to cash in on Neto's value while it's high. A change of scenery could be good for Neto's long-term value, but we'll see if the Angels are truly interested in dealing him.

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Boston Red Sox third baseman Curtis Mead (hand) is not expected to undergo surgery, according to Chris Cotillo. Mead is expected to miss 6-8 weeks while he recovers from a fractured left wrist. The 25-year-old was recently acquired by the team and suffered this injury during his second at-bat on Monday. The hope is that Mead can resume baseball activities at some point in August. Mead should be able to contribute again before the end of the season, but this is still a tough break for the Red Sox. The organization could look to add another bat at the upcoming trade deadline.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) has been cleared to resume all baseball activities on Wednesday. Cruz appears to be finally trending in the right direction as he continues to work his way back from a fractured left hand. The organization is hopeful he can start swinging the bat soon and then head out on a minor league rehab assignment. He's eligible to return from the 60-day Injured List on August 7, so hopefully he'll be ready around that time. Jake Mangum has been starting in center field, but will likely head to a bench role once Cruz is ready to play. Fantasy managers will hopefully get Cruz back in the mix within the next two weeks.

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Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) has been pulled off his minor league rehab assignment. Garcia felt renewed pain in his left hand while playing in a rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. The team has decided to have Garcia head back to Kansas City for further evaluation. Garcia has been out since late June due to a muscle strain in his left hand. Fantasy managers were hopeful to get Garcia back soon, but that seems unlikely now. There should be a better timetable for Garcia once the team is done evaluating him. Fantasy managers should check back for another update in the coming days.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) started to ramp up his baseball activities on Wednesday. The team plans to see how he feels over the next few days before they decide what to do next. Witt has been on the Injured List since July 22 due to lower back tightness. The Royals are hopeful this is a short injury stint and that Witt can return when first eligible on Friday. This season, Witt is slashing .279/.350/.4550 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. Tyler Tolbert figures to continue filling in at shortstop until Witt is ready to return.

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The Texas Rangers are acquiring catcher Logan O'Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth from the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday in exchange for minor-league infielder Angel Arredondo, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. O'Hoppe, 26, is the primary haul for the Rangers in this deal. They were clearly looking for a catcher at this year's Aug. 3 deadline with both Danny Jansen (forearm) and Kyle Higashioka (forearm) sidelined by injuries. The former 23rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 had 39 combined home runs with the Halos in 2024 and 2025, but his offensive production has taken a major step back in 2026, as he heads to Texas with a .209/.271/.295 slash line with only four home runs, 23 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 75 games and 256 plate appearances. The move to the Rangers should be good news for O'Hoppe's short-term fantasy value in deeper two-catcher formats, but it's unclear if he'll continue to see regular playing time once Jansen and Higashioka get healthy. In the immediate future, O'Hoppe should split playing time with veteran Elias Diaz.

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The New York Yankees have not determined when outfielder Aaron Judge (rib) will be re-examined by doctors, manager Aaron Boone told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. There is no clear timetable for when Judge might return from the 60-day injured list since he has yet to resume baseball activities while he continues to heal from a stress fracture in his right first rib, an injury that has kept him sidelined for nearly two months at this point. It's been extremely frustrating for fantasy managers who have the 34-year-old slugger sidelined. Eventually, Judge will most likely need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated, so in a best-case scenario, he might not return to the big leagues until late August. The three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star obviously needs to remain stashed everywhere, as he could still be a difference-maker down the stretch. Before his rib injury, Judge hit .248/.375/.533 with a .907 OPS, 17 home runs, 38 RBI, 43 runs, and five steals in 214 at-bats. With Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger also on the IL right now, the Yankees' outfield depth is being tested, with Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones both pressed into regular playing time.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he assumes that right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) will start a minor-league rehab assignment after throwing a live batting practice session on Wednesday, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Fantasy managers have been itching to get Glasnow back, but they'll have to wait a bit longer, as he's expected to need at least a couple of rehab starts before rejoining L.A.'s starting rotation, potentially around mid-August. The hard-throwing right-hander is currently on the 60-day injured list and has been out since early June due to lower-back spasms. Although the 32-year-old is running out of time to help fantasy rosters, he should remain stashed in an IL spot in all leagues until he's ready to return. Before his back injury, Glasnow had gone 3-0 with a sharp 2.72 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings pitched across his seven starts. Barring a setback, he should be back with the Dodgers before four-time MVP and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (biceps, knee) rejoins the rotation.

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Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expects two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (biceps, knee) to pitch again in 2026, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. The Dodgers' concern is Ohtani overcompensating while his balky left knee heals, which is why the organization isn't rushing the four-time MVP back while the team has a big lead in the National League West. Friedman also downplayed Ohtani's biceps soreness. "If it weren't for the knee, he would be pitching right now," Friedman said. The 32-year-old Japanese superstar continues to serve as the team's regular designated hitter, but he has not made a start on the mound since July 3. The good news is that the six-time All-Star has been throwing plyo balls and is expected to play catch with a real baseball soon. Unfortunately for fantasy managers who have Ohtani the pitcher rostered, he might not rejoin the Dodgers' starting rotation until late August or early September. Ohtani has been excellent in his 14 starts (85 2/3 frames), going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA (2.62 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, and 95:26 K:BB.

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The Minnesota Twins announced on Wednesday that they placed outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) on the 10-day injured list due to a right-hip impingement and recalled infielder Tristay Gray from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Buxton will head back to the IL for the second time in the last three weeks due to a hip injury that has been bugging him since the end of June. The 32-year-old veteran had stayed healthy up until then, but there's now concern, given his lengthy injury history, that he may not be able to help fantasy managers much the rest of the way. Luke Keaschall made the start in center field for the Twins on Wednesday, but Alan Roden could also see playing time in place of Buxton for however long he's sidelined this time around. Buxton hit a career-high 35 home runs, drove in 83 runs, and stole 24 bases in a resurgent 2025 campaign, and he's been a strong source of power again in fantasy until recently, slashing .263/.320/.544 with an .864 OPS, 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs scored, and seven steals in 82 games across 362 plate appearances. Buxton should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues with hopes he can return to his pre-injury form to close out 2026.

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San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello said that third baseman Matt Chapman (abdomen) will return from the 10-day injured list at some point this weekend during the series against the division-rival San Diego Padres, which starts on Thursday, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Despite missing a month with an abdominal strain, the 33-year-old veteran third baseman will return just before the Aug. 3 trade deadline without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The former first-rounder will return to a mediocre .235/.324/.368 slash line with a .692 OPS, seven home runs, 42 RBI, and 35 runs scored in his 307 at-bats before going on the shelf. Chapman's return to close out July is good timing with the Giants losing infielder/outfielder Casey Schmitt to a likely season-ending torn meniscus in his knee this week. He'll take over starting third base duties at some point this weekend, and it remains to be seen if he'll be involved in a deadline deal as the Giants look to sell for the future.

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San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello said that infielder/outfielder Casey Schmitt (knee) will undergo knee surgery, which will "more than likely" end his 2026 season, according to Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports. No date has been set for Schmitt's surgery, but it will be "as soon as possible." The 27-year-old will require arthroscopic surgery to fix the torn meniscus in his left knee that he suffered earlier this week. Depending on the specifics of Schmitt's surgery, the utility man could miss anywhere from three to six weeks to four to six months, although the Giants expect it to be in the latter range. A more invasive surgery will put an end to what has been a breakout campaign for the former second-rounder. In his 387 at-bats in his fourth year in the majors, Schmitt has hit .271/.301/.483 with a .784 OPS, a career-high 21 home runs, 55 RBI, 47 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 98 games played. Infielder Christian Koss made a second straight start at third for the Gigantes on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, but regular third baseman Matt Chapman (abdomen) appears to be close to returning from a stint on the injured list.

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Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga is no longer listed as the team's probable starter for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Right-hander Javier Assad will now get the nod. Montemurro speculates that nothing is wrong with Imanaga physically, but the Cubs are pushing him back to Friday's series opener at Wrigley Field against the New York Yankees to have him take Jameson Taillon's spot. The 32-year-old Japanese native will get a little extra rest, but he'll also get a downgrade in matchup against the Yanks. In his third MLB season with the Cubbies, Imanaga has gone 7-8 with a 3.72 ERA (4.40 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP with 113 strikeouts and 29 walks in 121 innings pitched across his 21 starts. Imanaga has been pretty lights-out in his last five starts (29 innings), allowing only five earned runs (1.55 ERA) while walking six and striking out 25. The Yankees rank second in baseball in home runs, but they also have the fifth-most strikeouts, making Imanaga a risk-reward fantasy starter this weekend.

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The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday that they are placing first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (wrist) back on the 10-day injured list with soreness in his right wrist and are recalling outfielder John Rave from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. With Pasquantino out of the starting lineup again on Wednesday against the division-rival Minnesota Twins, Salvador Perez will start at first and bat cleanup, with Carter Jensen catching right-hander Randy Dobnak and batting leadoff against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. This will be the second time on the IL for Pasquantino in 2026 after previously requiring surgery on June 14 to fix a broken hamate bone in the same hand. It's unclear if the 28-year-old lefty slugger will be ready when he's eligible to return on Aug. 8, but our guess is he won't be. Perez and Jac Caglianone will likely split playing time at first in KC with Pasquantino out again, opening up extra playing time for Nick Loftin. Pasquantino has been a massive bust this year, hitting just .232 (68-for-29) with six homers, 33 RBI, 34 runs, and four steals after breaking out for 32 homers and 113 RBI in 160 games in 2025. For the power upside alone, the Pasquatch is worth stashing in the majority of fantasy leagues while he heals.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against the division-rival Kansas City Royals, per MLB.com. Buxton will unsurprisingly sit out after leaving Tuesday's contest early with soreness in his right hip, an injury that recently landed the veteran center fielder on the injured list. It's uncertain if this new injury is serious enough to send Buxton back to the IL, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. His next chance to return will be for Thursday's series finale against KC at Target Field. Luke Keaschall is starting in center field and will bat eighth on Wednesday against Royals right-hander Randy Dobnak. The 32-year-old Buxton had managed to stay mostly healthy in 2026 up until recently. The three-time All-Star has hit .263/.320/.544 with an .864 OPS, 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs, and seven steals in 82 games and 362 plate appearances after a resurgent 2025 campaign that saw him hit a career-high 35 long balls in 126 games. Buxton has played in just nine games in July and has hit .207 (6-for-29), and he might finally be wearing down.

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Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said on Wednesday that right-hander Paul Sewald is out of the team's closer role, at least for now, and he will pitch in lower-leverage situations going forward, according to Jack Sommers of Sports Illustrated. Lovullo declined to specifically name left-hander Brandyn Garcia as the new closer, although Garcia picked up the save in Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lovullo is expected to play the late-inning matchups for now, depending on the situation. When the skipper was asked about veteran righty Kevin Ginkel as an option for saves, Lovullo mentioned right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga. In addition to Garcia, Loaisiga, and Ginkel, right-hander Juan Morillo could be an option in the ninth inning for the Snakes going forward. Sewald blew two of his last three save chances, and although the veteran has 24 saves in 2026, he also has an ugly 5.26 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 43:9 K:BB in 37 2/3 innings. It looks like a full-blown closer-by-committee situation in Arizona now, which isn't ideal for fantasy purposes.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks used left-handed reliever Brandyn Garcia for his second save of the season in their 3-0 victory over the hosting Pittsburgh Pirates in favor of veteran right-hander Paul Sewald. Garcia allowed a walk and struck out two in his inning of work to slam the door on the Bucs, and after the game, manager Torey Lovullo announced that Sewald is out as the closer. Unfortunately, Lovullo didn't specifically name Garcia as his go-to guy in the ninth inning going forward. It means that the D-backs will likely play the matchups late in games if they are ahead, and will most likely be operating with a closer-by-committee situation that could involve all of Garcia, Jonathan Loaisiga, Kevin Ginkel, and Juan Morillo. The 26-year-old Garcia entered Wednesday's action with a 2.25 ERA (1.72 FIP), one save, a 0.82 WHIP, and 33:6 K:BB in 28 relief innings in just his second big-league season. Garcia will be an option in the ninth going forward, but probably only if several lefties are due up for the opposing team. We wouldn't advise fantasy managers to chase the D-backs' bullpen situation unless you're absolutely desperate for saves.

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Despite an X-ray finding a fracture in his toe after he fouled a ball off his right big toe on Monday, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers (toe) is starting at first base and will bat third for Wednesday's game on the road in San Francisco against the Giants and right-hander Logan Webb. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger will have to manage some pain in his toe moving forward, but the injury won't send him to the injured list. Bauers has had a career year to this point in 2026 in his third season in Milwaukee, slashing .265/.370/.486 with an .856 OPS, career-high 18 home runs, 60 RBI, 62 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 97 games across 381 plate appearances in his seventh big-league campaign. He has cooled off some in July, though, going 18-for-75 (.240) with a .762 OPS, three home runs, four doubles, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 23 games and 89 plate appearances. Fantasy managers are hoping Bauers' toe injury won't affect his production at the plate going forward. Expect the Brewers to use Bauers more at first base and potentially DH, rather than in the outfield.

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