The Detroit Tigers are scratching right-hander Casey Mize from his start on Friday against the Athletics, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. Mize is not injured, and no trade is in place, but the Tigers are being cautious with the Aug. 3 trade deadline looming. Detroit will go with a bullpen game on Friday. For the time being, Mize is scheduled to make his next start after the deadline on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners. The Tigers are viewed as sellers going into Monday's deadline, with lefty ace Tarik Skubal being the real prize from Detroit for contenders, but Mize could also be dealt during the best year of his MLB career. Going into Friday's action, the 29-year-old has gone 4-6 with a career-best 2.70 ERA (2.58 FIP) and 0.99 WHIP with 85 strikeouts and 19 walks in 86 2/3 innings across 16 starts in his sixth year in the majors. Mize hasn't been without injuries, but when healthy, he has posted a career-best 24.9% strikeout rate with an excellent 5.6% walk rate.

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The Minnesota Twins acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets on Thursday night in exchange for prospects Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick, league sources told Will Sammon of The Athletic. Minter will help bolster Minnesota's bullpen. The veteran southpaw didn't make his season debut with the Mets until late May after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he's been solid for New York since his return, posting a 2.35 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and only two walks in 23 innings pitched on the season. Minter most likely will continue to be a non-factor for saves in his new home, though, making him unattractive in most fantasy baseball leagues. Agbayani is already ranked as the Mets' No. 22 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 19-year-old middle-infield prospect is a hit-over-power type from the left side of the plate. He has above-average speed on the bases as well, but in the long-term, he's not expected to stick at shortstop. In only 10 games at Single-A Fort Myers this year, Agbayani has hit .268/.412/.342 with three doubles, six RBI, 12 runs, and two steals.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez launched his 32nd home run of the Triple-A regular season on Thursday evening. Facing Jacksonville, the outfielder went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Baez has enjoyed a recent power surge at Memphis, hitting four long balls over his last 11 contests. On the season, the No. 48-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline's recent update has carried a .251/.323/.577 slash line with a dominant .900 OPS. He has swiped an impressive 16 bags and added another 19 doubles with three triples. With the Cardinals now expected to entertain offers on some veteran pieces, including outfielder Lars Nootbaar, Baez's MLB debut could come shortly after the deadline. His five-category appeal makes him a top stash target across all formats.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (knee) will be back in the leadoff spot for the Dodgers for Friday's series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox and left-hander Ranger Suarez, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The Dodgers held Ohtani out of Thursday's win over the Seattle Mariners as a precaution due to more soreness in his nagging left knee, which has kept him from starting as a pitcher since July 3. The two-way superstar and four-time MVP is expected to continue serving as the team's DH, although there's no timetable for his return to the mound. The 32-year-old Japanese sensation is a must-start in all fantasy lineups when he's active as a hitter and pitcher, and he'll be back in action as the DH on Friday. Although Ohtani hasn't attempted a stolen base in July, he's still hitting a decent .265 (22-for-83) with an .844 OPS, five home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI, and eight runs scored in 21 games and 92 plate appearances during the month.

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Cleveland Guardians catching prospect Cooper Ingle was optioned back to Triple-A Columbus earlier in July after his brief MLB debut. While this demotion greatly impacted his short-term fantasy value, since returning to the top club in the minor leagues, the backstop has looked very productive, suggesting he should see another stint in the coming weeks. Over his last 15 games since returning to Triple-A, Ingle has posted a dominant .413/.472/.714 line with an eye-catching 1.187 OPS. During this noted stretch, Ingle has launched four home runs and tacked on seven doubles. Three of these home runs have come over his last four games. In the majors, Ingle appeared in just seven contests and held a low .095 average. Given Cleveland's lack of production behind the plate this season, Ingle may not have to wait long for another look.

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Miami Marlins outfield prospect Cam Cannarella turned in another stellar showing at Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday and is now emerging as a worthy stash target across all standard leagues. Facing Triple-A Memphis, the outfielder swiped a bag and went 2-for-3 at the dish. Since moving up to Jacksonville (10 games), the Clemson product has been nothing short of dominant, posting a .308/.413/.487 slash line with a .900 OPS, four doubles, one home run and five stolen bases. The outfielder began the 2026 season at the High-A level but has quickly progressed through the Miami system. Across 52 games between High-A and Double-A, Cannarella held a .365/.443/.599 line with a 1.042 OPS. His five-category upside makes him a priority stash option in all 12-team leagues ahead of Week 19.

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St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Quinn Mathews is a priority target on the waiver wire ahead of his MLB debut on Saturday. Mathews is currently viewed as the team's No. 6 prospect on MLB.com and is outside the current top-100 rankings on MLB Pipeline. However, the southpaw has enjoyed a dominant stretch at Triple-A, which prompted the promotion. Over his last 56 1/3 innings at the top club (since May 28), the southpaw has been near-perfect, posting a 1.60 ERA, 083 WHIP, with a 67:22 K:BB. Before this noted stretch, Mathews struggled against the top hitters of the minor leagues, carrying a hefty 5.55 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP across 35 2/3 innings of work. While it is still unknown if he will remain with the major-league club for the long-term, his recent Triple-A production makes him a worthy target in all standard leagues ahead of his debut.

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White Sox's SP Sean Burke recorded 10 strikeouts in 6 innings in a 2-1 win over the Yankees on Thursday, Jul. 30.

Washington Nationals outfielder Daylen Lile has been hot lately, and it continued in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the division-rival Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Lile went 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs to extend his modest six-game hitting streak. He also raised his batting average on the year to .248 and his OPS to .717. Believe it or not, it was Lile's third multi-homer game of the 2026 campaign, but he's hitting a modest .248/.299/.418 with 13 home runs, 54 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored in his 452 plate appearances in 108 games in his second year in the majors. As a rookie in 2025, Lile had a .299/.347/.498 slash line with an .845 OPS, nine home runs, 41 RBI, 51 runs, and eight stolen bases in 91 games and 351 plate appearances. Lile is still very young and has an intriguing power/speed profile, especially since he doesn't strike out a lot. And the Nationals seem committed to the former second-rounder. Lile is definitely worth a roster spot as a depth outfielder, and he's gaining waiver-wire interest during his current hot streak. He's rostered in 59% of Yahoo leagues.

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Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers is one of the most talked-about players at his position heading into the trade deadline. Jeffers is on a one-year deal and is expected to be moved at the upcoming trade deadline. This season, Jeffers is slashing .294/.397/.531 with nine home runs and 35 RBI across 47 games. He has been crushing left-handed pitching and could be a real game-changer for a contending team down the stretch of the season. The assumption is that a trade would likely only increase his fantasy value. In theory, Jeffers would land in a better lineup and get more opportunities to play. Fantasy managers who are seeking help at the catching position should consider snagging Jeffers ahead of the deadline.

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters has come out of nowhere and put together an excellent season in 2026. The 26-year-old earned himself a selection to the All-Star Game during his rookie season. Through 103 games, Peters is slashing .272/.328/.428 with six home runs, 37 RBI, and five stolen bases. It has been a slow start for Peters out of the break, but he'll hopefully turn it around soon. This slump might've put Peters on the waiver wire in some leagues. Fantasy managers in deep leagues seeking outfield help should consider scooping up Peters. He has shown the ability to contribute in multiple ways and could be a useful option in deeper leagues down the stretch of the season.

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Harrison Bader (foot) will miss the rest of the 2026 season, according to Giants manager Tony Vitello. Bader continues to battle with a plantar fasciitis issue that has kept him sidelined since late May. Bader underwent imaging, including an MRI, and met with specialists as well. Despite all that, Bader remains without a timetable and apparently won't play again for the Giants this season. Through 30 games, Bader slashed .170/.198/.358 with five home runs and 14 RBI with the Giants this season. His continued absence won't impact the Giants, with the team already playing without him for multiple months. He signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal with the Giants during the offseason. We'll see what kind of role he has with the team next season. Bader can safely be dropped in all redraft formats.

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Boston Red Sox third baseman Curtis Mead (wrist) is dealing with a non-displaced wrist fracture and will be reimaged in four weeks, according to Ian Browne. Mead was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Wednesday after getting hit by a pitch in the hand during his team debut on Monday. The original timetable was 6-to-8 weeks for Mead, but maybe he'll be able to beat that. Fantasy managers still won't get anything out of him during August. We'll see if the Red Sox add another bat at the trade deadline or wait for Mead to make his return.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (forearm) took the mound for a rehab start with High-A Wisconsin on Thursday. The southpaw looked stellar as he threw 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and striking out five batters. Harrison is working his way back from a left forearm issue that has sidelined him since July 11. He looked stellar during his outing, so Harrison might be activated from the Injured List after only one rehab start. Harrison has been excellent this season and deserves to be rostered in most fantasy formats. Fantasy managers should stay tuned to see if Harrison needs another rehab start or makes his next outing with Milwaukee.

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Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said on Thursday that outfielder Roman Anthony (finger) has started swinging a bat, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. "Off a tee, short flips, there's some of that action going on. It's mainly up to about 30 swings at this time, and he's doing well. He began swinging yesterday. There's no clear next steps yet," Tracy added. "He just started doing it. It's probably going to remain that way for a little while and see how he's feeling. And then if that continues to go well, then we'll start talking about building out a progression to more stuff. But he at least has a bat in his hand swinging." The former top outfielder prospect has been a bust in 2026, having played in only 30 games due to a torn tendon in his right ring finger. The 22-year-old has been out since early May, and there's no clear timetable for his return. Anthony is still rostered in 72% of Yahoo leagues for his power/speed upside, but it might not be until late August or early September until we see him back with the Red Sox's big-league club.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) reported soreness in his knee on Thursday, manager Dave Roberts told Maddie Lee of The Los Angeles Times, and the team decided to give him the day off against the Seattle Mariners. Roberts said he's very confident Ohtani will be back in the starting lineup as a hitter for Friday's series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox. With Ohtani out in Thursday's series finale against Seattle, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez is serving as the DH and will bat seventh against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Ohtani's bothersome left knee has kept him from pitching since facing the San Diego Padres back on July 3, and there's no timetable for him to return to the mound. The Dodgers continue to say that they are being ultra-cautious with the four-time MVP. Ohtani has five home runs in 21 games in July, but he's also hitting just .265 (22-for-83) with eight walks and 21 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances. They may continue to give him days off here and there as he continues to manage his knee injury, with the ultimate goal being to have Ohtani as healthy as possible for the playoffs.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (forearm) is back at first base and is leading off on Thursday against the visiting Boston Red Sox and right-hander Sonny Gray, per MLB.com. Kurtz was pulled from Wednesday's game early in Sacramento after being hit by a pitch on his forearm, but X-rays and an MRI exam came back negative, and he won't have to miss any time. Fantasy managers in all traditional leagues will want to get the left-handed slugger back into their lineups immediately, even though he's been a bit cold at the plate lately. The 23-year-old former fourth overall pick in 2024 from Wake Forest University is hitting .260/.399/.491 on the year with an .890 OPS, 21 homers, 69 RBI, 62 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across his 346 at-bats after clubbing 36 homers and driving in 86 in just 117 games as a rookie in 2025. Kurtz offers elite power, regardless of position, but July hasn't been his best month, as he's gone 5-for-38 (.132) with a .485 OPS, two homers, five RBI, three runs, two walks, and 19 Ks in 12 games during the month. He has never faced Gray in his MLB career.

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St. Louis Cardinals left-handed pitching prospect Quinn Mathews will be called up from Triple-A Memphis to make his major-league debut and start on Saturday in Toronto against the Blue Jays, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 25-year-old 6-foot-5, 188-pounder should immediately be in play as a waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers in all league formats as the Cardinals' No. 7 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The former fourth-round pick in 2023 from Stanford University is getting the call to the Show after going 5-3 with a 3.13 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 111:52 K:BB in 92 innings across 19 starts at Memphis this year. Mathews has been particularly effective since June, posting a sharp 1.55 ERA in his 52 1/3 innings. He features a fastball, sinker, slider, and a changeup, and he'll occasionally mix in a curveball for good measure. Mathews has plenty of strikeout upside with an 11.5 K/9 in his three minor-league seasons, but mechanical issues have hurt his command/control at times. He could have a strong MLB debut this weekend against a Blue Jays offense with the second-worst OPS (.684) in all of baseball in 2026.

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New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (leg) was forced to leave Thursday's loss to the Chicago White Sox early with an apparent leg injury, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. Chisholm was pulled from the game in the 11th inning after coming up lame while running a groundout in the ninth inning, and he was replaced at the keystone by Jose Caballero. The left-handed slugger went 1-for-3 at the plate with two walks and a strikeout before leaving late. The severity and specific nature of the 28-year-old's injury are unknown, but it could be a minor injury due to the fact that he wasn't pulled from the game right away. The two-time All-Star came into Thursday's tilt with a .223/.298/.408 slash line with a .705 OPS, 16 home runs, 45 RBI, a league-high 30 stolen bases, and 53 runs scored in 101 games across 400 plate appearances. Chisholm is of little help for your average and on-base percentage thanks to a 30% strikeout rate, and his power is down in 2026, but fantasy managers cannot complain about his stolen-base contributions for a player who is eligible at second base. Check back on Friday to see if Chisholm is active for Friday's series opener at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.

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Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (finger) will test out his new breaking-ball grip when he faces live hitters on Friday, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. It will be Lodolo's first time facing hitters since going on the 15-day injured list on July 12 with another blister on his finger. The 28-year-old southpaw teased high-end strikeout upside when he entered the league in 2022 as a former first-round pick out of TCU, but he has failed to live up to expectations and hasn't been able to stay healthy enough to make 30 starts in a single season. In just 12 starts (62 2/3 innings) this year, Lodolo has gone 3-2 with a 4.60 ERA (5.10 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 50 strikeouts and 27 walks. He's had a career-low 17.9% strikeout rate and career-high 9.7% walk rate, which is not what you want to see. Still, he's rostered in 63% of Yahoo leagues with hopes that he can at least be a viable matchup-based streamer to close out the year. The Reds will likely have Lodolo make at least one minor-league rehab start if his simulated game goes off without a hitch on Friday.

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