Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that a groundball "got the nail pretty good" on middle infielder Otto Lopez's right ring finger in Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. The skipper didn't have much information on Lopez's finger after the game about whether testing would be needed. The 27-year-old took a groundball to his finger in the second inning, but he remained in for the duration of the contest and finished 1-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a strikeout in the 8-6 loss on the road in Milwaukee. It sounds like Lopez will undergo testing, and fantasy managers shouldn't expect the first-time All-Star in 2026 to be available for Sunday's series finale at American Family Field. In his fifth year in the majors (third with Miami), Lopez entered Saturday's tilt leading the league in hits (129), doubles (27), and batting average (.336) in 96 games and 414 plate appearances. If his finger injury is serious, both Leo Jimenez and Javier Sanoja would both be candidates to take over playing time at the 6 in Miami for the Fish.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (thumb) appears to be slowly making progress from his injury. Kurtz is participating in range of motion and strengthening exercises right now. He has not been cleared to do baseball activities yet. Kurtz landed on the Injured List just before the All-Star break. He's currently working his way back from a right thumb capsule sprain. It's unclear if Kurtz is going to require a minor league rehab assignment yet. Fantasy managers should have a clearer timetable for his return once he's able to do baseball activities. In the meantime, Jonah Heim and Tommy White should split up the reps at first base.

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Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (knee) is expected to begin doing baseball activities once his stitches are removed on Tuesday. Gelof has been out since right before the All-Star break due to a right knee laceration. It sounds like he's extremely close to getting back on the field. There's a decent chance that Gelof doesn't require a minor league rehab assignment, but that'll depend on how he feels once he gets the stitches. out. Gelof has done enough damage with the bat this season to warrant rostering in at least deep leagues. He has blasted 11 home runs while slashing .273/.327/.476 this season.

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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Framber Valdez has been activated off the bereavement list on Saturday. Valdez missed a little under a week while dealing with personal issues. Luckily, it was right before the All-Star break, so his absence didn't mess up the Tigers' rotation. Valdez is expected to make his next start during the upcoming series versus the Chicago Cubs. The exact date of his start is unknown, so fantasy managers will need to stay tuned for more information. In a corresponding move, right-hander Beau Brieske was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday.

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Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (hip) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Walker appeared to have tweaked his right hip after taking a swing in the fourth inning. He was taken out of the game before finishing the at-bat. He finished the game hitless in one plate appearance. The assumption is that Walker will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. Fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if Walker is out of the lineup on Sunday. Until there is more information, fantasy managers should consider Walker as day-to-day.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Pena appears to have tweaked his hamstring while taking a swing in the third inning. He stayed in and finished the at-bat, but was replaced in the fourth inning. Pena finished the game 1-for-2 at the plate with a single. The Astros are calling it a right hamstring cramp, but he'll likely undergo further testing to determine the severity of the issue. Fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if Nick Allen gets the starting nod at shortstop on Sunday. There should be another update on Pena ahead of Sunday's game.

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Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock (hand) is scheduled to take the mound to start against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Hancock was removed during his final start before the All-Star break after getting hit on the hand by a comebacker. Thanks to the break, Hancock received some extra time to rest and recover. It appears that Hancock won't require a trip to the Injured List, so the extra time off has helped. This season, Hancock owns a 3.17 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 94/25 K/BB ratio across 18 starts. He has been a nice surprise story for the Mariners and is deserving of being rostered in most fantasy formats.

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New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (back) is expected to return from the 60-day Injured List ahead of Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Due to injuries, Robert has been limited to under 25 games this season. He has been playing games at Triple-A Syracuse since late June. He appears to finally be on the verge of returning to the Mets lineup. Mets' interim manager Andy Green said on Saturday that Robert won't be an everyday player once he returns. The Mets want to give youngsters Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing as many opportunities as possible in what has been a lost season for the Mets. Robert should still be in the mix, but will likely only be a deep league option due to a lack of playing time.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Saturday that they agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract extension with right-hander Kyle Bradish for the 2027-31 seasons. The deal comes after Bradish has gone 6-9 with a 3.61 ERA (4.00 FIP) and 1.35 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and 50 walks in 107 1/3 innings across his first 19 starts in 2026 in his fifth year with the O's. The former fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 out of New Mexico State University has gone 25-24 with a 3.50 ERA (3.62 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, a 25.2% strikeout rate, and an 8.6% walk rate in 86 starts over his five seasons in the majors. Bradish made only 14 starts for Baltimore in 2024 and 2025 combined due to Tommy John surgery, but now that he's past that, he's locked in as one of the team's top-of-the-rotation arms for the foreseeable future. Since back-to-back outings to start June in which he allowed 10 total earned runs in two starts against the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, Bradish has allowed only nine runs (eight earned) with three wins, 11 walks, and 33 strikeouts in 34 innings in his last five starts. Bradish's arrow is pointing up for the second half of 2026.

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The Seattle Mariners announced that they reinstated outfielder Julio Rodriguez (concussion) from the seven-day concussion list on Saturday and designated infielder/outfielder Miles Mastrobuoni for assignment in a corresponding move. Rodriguez is serving as the designated hitter and will bat second in his return to the starting lineup against the visiting San Francisco Giants and right-hander Logan Webb. Fantasy managers will want to throw J-Rod back into their starting lineups immediately as a five-category contributor. The 25-year-old three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner will return for the second half of the season with a .259/.323/.424 slash line, .747 OPS, 14 home runs, 40 RBI, 46 runs scored, and 12 steals across his 344 at-bats. Since June 1, he has gone 25-for-101 (.248) with two homers, two doubles, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 27 games and 115 plate appearances. Rodriguez has only faced Webb three times in his career and has gone hitless with an RBI.

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Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (foot) has been scratched from Saturday's starting lineup against the visiting Miami Marlins with soreness in his right foot that stems from a foul ball that he hit off his foot in Friday's series opener in Milwaukee, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Braden Shewmake is making the start at the keystone and will hit eighth on Saturday against Marlins right-hander Max Meyer. The fact that Turang was able to stay in Friday's game after fouling a ball off his foot likely means that it's just a minor injury, and he should have a good chance to return for Sunday's series finale at American Family Field. The 26-year-old continues to be a must-start in all fantasy formats when he's active for the Brew Crew, and he comes into Saturday's action hitting .286 (16-for-56) with an .873 OPS, two homers, seven doubles, 12 RBI, seven runs scored, and two steals in 13 games (62 plate appearances) so far in July.

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Cleveland Guardians catcher prospect Cooper Ingle has continued to hit despite being sent down to Triple-A Columbus after a big-league stint with Cleveland. In three games back at Columbus, Ingle has five hits, including a homer and two RBI. This year with Columbus, Ingle has been extremely productive with 13 homers and 43 RBI and a .291 batting average and a .985 OPS. The No. 3 prospect for the Guardians, Ingle has proven himself at the Triple-A level, it seems, but did little offensively in his brief major league cameo. Ingle had just two hits in his 21 at-bats at the big league level. It's a good sign, however, that he picked up right where he left off at Columbus, and he could get another look at Cleveland this season. Thus, he might be worth a speculative add, as many fantasy managers may have dismissed him after his poor stretch with the Guardians.

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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ryne Nelson (elbow) is showing "a lot of improvement" and should begin a throwing program Saturday or Sunday, manager Torey Lovullo said. Nelson has been shut down since landing on the injured list June 19 with a right flexor strain and mild UCL sprain. Arizona transferred him to the 60-day IL on June 25, and the club has listed September as a possible return. Beginning to throw is encouraging, but it is only the first step in what could still be a lengthy buildup. Nelson had a 4.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts across 83 1/3 innings over 15 starts before the injury. He remains a deep-league IL option rather than a must-hold player in standard redraft formats.

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Detroit Tigers second base/third base prospect Max Anderson is making a name for himself at Triple-A Toledo this season. Between Low-A Lakeland and Toledo, Anderson has racked up a .308 batting average with 11 homers and 36 RBI to go with 40 runs scored. Anderson, the Tigers' No. 4 overall prospect, spent time on the injured list with an unspecified injury in April, but has returned to nice success in the minor leagues. The former second-round pick out of the University of Nebraska was also recently chosen to represent the Tigers at the 2026 All-Star Futures Game. In fantasy leagues, it would be wise to take a cautious approach with adding Anderson. His numbers are good, but it might take a little bit more convincing before taking a shot on him in shallow leagues. For now, he is best left for deeper leagues ahead of the second half of the season.

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Milwaukee Brewers prospect Luke Adams is heating up in July at Triple-A Nashville with a .385 batting average in his 26 July at-bats to go with two homers and five RBI. After a rehab assignment in May with the ACL-Brewers, Adams has racked up a combined 15 homers and 37 RBI between A-ball and Nashville to go with a .275 batting average and a 1.059 OPS. Adams is a prime candidate for a call-up to Milwaukee to replace David Hamilton, who is on the 10-day IL. Adams, the right-handed bat, could be ideal in a third-base platoon even when the left-handed hitting Hamilton returns from the IL. Adams is the No. 11 prospect for the Brewers, could get spot at-bats, and make the most of his opportunity to face left-handed pitching at the major league level and become fantasy relevant in deeper leagues when he does, making him a worthy stash target option in deeper formats.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes has two homers in his last three games since recently receiving a call-up to Triple-A Tacoma. Montes, 21-years-old, was called up to Tacoma on July 7 and has hit for pop since. Prior to his call-up, Montes was hitting .234 with 25 homers and 66 RBI to go with 67 runs scored at Double-A Arkansas. A Cuba native, Montes needs to raise his batting average, but has shown loads of power in his bat. In seven games so far at Tacoma, he is hitting just .133, so he will need to work on his overall hitting skills. His power numbers, however, make him an attractive option in fantasy circles, and managers in mid-size to deep leagues will want to keep an eye on Montes to beat others to his services on the waiver wire. If he maintains this pace, he should be well-positioned to join the Mariners for the stretch run.

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Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins has had an abbreviated 2026 season as he has dealt with injuries. Wiggins started the season with two four-inning outings at Triple-A Iowa before dealing with right elbow inflammation. Between the ACL Cubs and the South Bend Cubs, Wiggins completed four rehab starts before he was activated again by the Iowa Cubs on July 10 for two more starts. In his most recent starts for Iowa, Wiggins allowed a total of eight earned runs in 5 innings pitched. Wiggins has struggled a bit this year, but he has a ton of prospect pedigree as the Cubs' second-round draft pick out of Arkansas. For fantasy purposes, however, it might be best to wait until next year when Wiggins is fully healthy before acquiring his services. This year, it might be smart to leave him on the waiver wire as he works out his health issues and growing pains at Triple-A.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) announced Saturday that he will undergo surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder, ending his 2026 season. It is the same operation he had in October 2023, a recovery that cost him all of 2024 and kept him out until July 2025. Woodruff said he is going through with the procedure "with the goal in mind of pitching again" and pushed back on retirement talk, adding, "I'm not having a funeral or anything." The 33-year-old finishes 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings over nine starts. He can be dropped in all redraft leagues. Shane Drohan and Robert Gasser are scheduled to start for Milwaukee this weekend while the club continues sorting through a depleted rotation.

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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (right arm) will return to the rotation Tuesday against the New York Mets. The 24-year-old was scratched from his July 12 start because of arm fatigue and also sat out the All-Star Game, but Milwaukee never placed him on the injured list. He last pitched July 7, allowing three runs over seven innings against St. Louis, so he will have 14 days between starts. Misiorowski has dominated through 18 outings, going 10-4 with a major-league-best 1.62 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts in 111 innings. Fantasy managers can get him active again. Milwaukee has already been deliberate with his schedule, and Misiorowski is now 30 1/3 innings shy of the career-high 141 1/3 he logged between the majors, minors, and postseason in 2025.

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San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller would jump to the front of the New York Yankees' trade-deadline plans if he becomes available, according to The Daily News. New York has spent weeks looking for a right-handed-hitting catcher, but Miller is a different kind of target. He would help now and give the Yankees a long-term answer in the ninth inning, even if Aaron Judge's absence has them questioning how far this season can go. George Lombard Jr. is reportedly off limits, though the Yankees still have enough prospect depth to put together a serious offer. Miller has been almost untouchable, posting a 0.89 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 75 strikeouts, and 25 saves in 40 2/3 innings. He is under team control through 2029. A move to New York would put Miller in the ninth inning and push David Bednar into a setup role.

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