TL;DRSkim
The five fastest-moving roster calls of the morning, in priority order:
- DROP — Brandon Woodruff (MIL, SP): back to the IL with the same shoulder injury (inflamed labrum) — a ~late-August return, with Logan Henderson taking his rotation spot.
- HOLD — Shohei Ohtani (LAD, DH/OF): expected back in the lineup today after a maintenance day; the biceps scare looks behind him.
- WATCH — Zebby Matthews (MIN, SP): exited Friday with a right foot laceration — severity unclear pending evaluation.
- ADD — Josh Bell (MIN, DH, 16% owned): a 3-for-5, two-homer night — an underowned power bat worth a look in shallower leagues.
- HOLD — Junior Caminero (TB, 3B): named the AL's starting third baseman for the All-Star Game amid his torrid stretch.
Woodruff back to the IL with the same shoulder injury
DROP · MIL · SP
Brandon Woodruff exited Friday's start in the fourth after his velocity cratered — fastball down to 87, changeup to the mid-70s — and manager Pat Murphy confirmed he's headed back to the 15-day IL with what Bob Nightengale reports is an inflamed labrum, in the same spot as the shoulder issue that cost him nearly two months earlier this year. A second opinion is coming. On the parallel to that 52-day stint, a return around late August is the realistic timeline. Logan Henderson is set to take his rotation spot, with his next start slated for July 9 against St. Louis.
Action: Drop Woodruff in redraft, or stash on a deep IL slot only if you can spare it — a recurring labrum issue with an August timeline isn't worth an active roster spot. Henderson is the add off this news in deeper leagues.
Ohtani expected back in the lineup today
HOLD · LAD · DH/OF
Shohei Ohtani took a maintenance day but Dave Roberts expects him in today's lineup, per @FabianArdaya — a quick turnaround that suggests the biceps tightness didn't worsen.
Action: Hold and roster him confidently today.
Matthews exits with a foot laceration
WATCH · MIN · SP
Zebby Matthews left Friday's start in the fifth with a right foot laceration, per the Associated Press — severity unclear pending evaluation. A shallow cut is manageable; a deeper one could mean a week or two.
Action: Watch for an IL move or a return update in the next day or two before counting on his next start.
Bell stays hot with a two-homer night
ADD · MIN · DH
Josh Bell (16% owned) went 3-for-5 with two homers and three RBIs. He remains one of the more underowned power bats relative to his profile, with a competitive Minnesota lineup around him.
Action: Add in leagues under 14 teams; the power is real and the ownership hasn't caught up.
Caminero named the AL's starting third baseman
HOLD · TB · 3B
Junior Caminero (99% owned) homered again Friday and was named the AL's starting third baseman for the All-Star Game amid his torrid stretch — the elite production rolls on.
Action: Hold and start every day; he's a top-five bat regardless of format.
Flaherty's strikeout run keeps rolling
HOLD · DET · SP
Jack Flaherty has 60 strikeouts against 12 walks over his last 10 starts (47⅓ innings, 3.80 ERA), with his K%, K-BB, and FIP all top-five among AL starters in that span, per @evanwoodbery.
Action: Hold; he's a premium starter pitching like one.
Yamamoto dominates and makes the All-Star team
HOLD · LAD · SP
Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts Friday to lower his ERA to 2.49, per @FabianArdaya, and was named an NL All-Star reserve.
Action: Hold in all leagues; a top-tier ace on a contender.
De La Cruz snubbed from the All-Star roster
HOLD · CIN · SS
Elly De La Cruz was left off the initial NL All-Star roster despite ranking among the league's top shortstops in OPS, homers, RBIs, and runs, per @CharlieG__ — his three-week hamstring absence likely cost him voting visibility.
Action: Hold; the snub changes nothing about his top-10-SS production.
Gage headed for likely Tommy John surgery
DROP · SF · RP
Matt Gage was placed on the IL with a left elbow strain and sounds resigned to Tommy John surgery, per @susanslusser — a 12-16 month timeline that makes him a 2027 name at best.
Action: Drop in all formats.
Wade Jr. returns; Meyers optioned
WATCH · HOU · OF
The Astros reinstated LaMonte Wade Jr. from the IL and optioned Jake Meyers to Triple-A amid a rough offensive season for Meyers, per @brianmctaggart.
Action: Watch Wade Jr.'s playing time; a low-cost add in deeper leagues if he settles into everyday at-bats.
Langeliers awaits X-ray results on his thumb
WATCH · OAK · C
Shea Langeliers took a thumb contusion off a passed ball and had X-rays, per WJOX — results should rule fracture in or out quickly.
Action: Watch for the imaging and an IL/lineup decision today or tomorrow.
Jacob Young scratched with hand soreness
WATCH · WSH · OF
Jacob Young was scratched with left-hand soreness, per Athlon Sports — likely day-to-day, but worth watching given Washington's thin outfield.
Action: Monitor; a second missed game would raise the IL risk.
Keller on track to rejoin the Phillies' bullpen
WATCH · PHI · RP
Brad Keller makes another rehab appearance Sunday and is expected back in the Phillies' bullpen before the All-Star break, per @ToddZolecki — a return window around July 8-10.
Action: Stash in deep leagues; monitor the rehab result for an activation signal.
