TL;DRSkim
The five fastest-moving roster calls of the morning, in priority order:
- WATCH - Ronald Acuña Jr. completed his final rehab game and is eligible to return July 28; have a roster spot ready.
- HOLD - Mason Miller (99% owned) locked down a 5-3 win over Miami to complete a sweep; the Padres' surge makes a deadline trade of their closer far less likely, so his save role looks secure through Aug. 3.
- DROP - Jeffrey Springs exited in the second inning with right hip discomfort and is 0-9 with a 7.71 ERA over his last 17 starts.
- WATCH - Kerry Carpenter aggravated his right heel on his final swing; evaluation pending per AJ Hinch.
- HOLD - Mike Trout went 4-for-4, his first four-hit game since April 2021, powering an Angels win.
Trout's Four-Hit Night Snaps the Angels' Skid
HOLD · LAA · OF
Mike Trout went 4-for-4, his first four-hit game since April 26, 2021, per @RhettBollinger. The Angels (41-64) ended a three-game slide with a 4-3 win over the Giants behind Jorge Soler's 12th homer and Jo Adell's 16th, his third in six games. José Soriano allowed one unearned run over five innings, and Mitch Farris closed it out despite a two-run double to Luis Arraez.
Action: Hold Trout - the four-hit game is a genuine sign the timing is back after a lost stretch. Adell's three homers in six games make him a worthwhile add in deeper formats while the power is live.
Acuña Cleared to Return Tuesday
WATCH · ATL · OF
Ronald Acuña Jr. finished his final rehab game with Triple-A Gwinnett and is eligible to come off the 10-day IL on July 28.
Action: Clear a roster spot now rather than on activation day. He steps straight back into an everyday role, and the rest may work in his favor down the stretch.
Springs Exits in the Second with Hip Discomfort
DROP · ATH · SP
Jeffrey Springs left Sunday's start against Minnesota in the second inning with right hip discomfort, having already allowed three runs in the first. He motioned to the dugout mid-at-bat and departed without testing the injury. It caps a brutal run: Springs is 0-9 with a 7.71 ERA over his last 17 starts and 3-9 with a 5.96 ERA overall, a sharp fall from the 1.46 mark he carried through four starts in April.
Action: Drop in all formats. Even setting the hip aside, the results have been unusable for two months, and Oakland has no reason to rush him back.
Four Position Players Banged Up
WATCH · Multi-Team · Mixed
A run of exits hit several lineups. Kerry Carpenter aggravated his right heel on his final swing and was pulled, with AJ Hinch ordering an evaluation, per @cmccosky. Spencer Steer left after a foul ball hit his hand. Jung Hoo Lee was held out with an elbow issue, and Colson Montgomery sat with a shin bruise. All four are day-to-day.
Action: Check each lineup card before locking rosters. Steer and Montgomery look like short-term absences; Carpenter's heel is the concerning one, since it's the same injury that's tracked him for weeks and he was already 2-for-his-last-36.
Miller Slams the Door on a Padres Sweep
HOLD · SD · RP
Mason Miller (99% owned) earned the save in a 5-3 win over Miami to complete a three-game sweep, per @JonHeyman. Miami's slide reached 12 straight, a franchise record. San Diego's push up the standings makes trading Miller before Aug. 3 considerably less likely.
Action: Hold. The deadline risk that clouded his outlook a week ago has faded, and he's locked into the ninth for a team now playing for October.
White Sox Add Urquidy in a Small Deadline Move
WATCH · CWS · SP
Chicago acquired RHP Jose Urquidy, with RHP Felix Doroteo heading the other way, per @JonHeyman and @Feinsand. Details remain thin, but he adds rotation depth a week out from the deadline.
Action: Watch his first Chicago start before rostering; this is depth, not a difference-maker.
Soler and Adell Loom as Angels Trade Chips
WATCH · LAA · OF
Jorge Soler addressed the rumors directly, per @RhettBollinger: "I've been traded many times, so I'm not worried about that. What I need to do is get better, hit better and help the team win." He homered in the win. Jo Adell is also viewed as a candidate to move, per @JeffFletcherOCR.
Action: Don't count on either past Aug. 3. A move to a contender would likely upgrade both their lineup context and run production, so this is a rumor that cuts in your favor if you hold them.
Painter Nearing a Phillies Return
STASH · PHI · SP
Andrew Painter had a strong week at Triple-A and is being evaluated as a rotation option, per @ScottLauber. A callup within the next week or two is plausible if Philadelphia's rotation needs covering.
Action: Stash in dynasty and deep redraft. Given the Phillies' rotation attrition this summer, the opportunity may arrive sooner than expected.
Bellinger to the IL; Jones Takes Over in Left
WATCH · NYY · OF
Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain and returns to New York for an MRI, per @BryanHoch. He told reporters he doesn't feel worse but knew he'd be at least four days from putting on cleats, per @GJoyce9. Spencer Jones will see significant time in left field, with Max Schuemann taking some reps against lefties, per @BryanHoch.
Action: Stash Bellinger and wait on the MRI. Jones is the add here - "a lot" of playing time in the Yankees outfield with Judge and Stanton also out is real opportunity.
Judge and Stanton Travel with the Club
HOLD · NYY · OF/DH
Aaron Judge (99% owned) and Giancarlo Stanton (21% owned) will travel to Chicago with trainers for continued rehab work, per @BryanHoch. Neither is expected to play.
Action: Hold both. Traveling with the club is a step forward, but neither has a firm date, so early August remains the optimistic case.
Mead Activated in Boston
HOLD · BOS · 3B
Curtis Mead (51% owned) was activated following Sunday's game against Toronto, with infielder Tsung-Che Cheng optioned to Triple-A Worcester, per @IanMBrowne and @ChrisCotillo.
Action: If you added him yesterday, watch where Boston plays him. Third base with Caleb Durbin sliding to second is the likeliest alignment, and Durbin picking up 2B eligibility would be the quiet secondary benefit.
Gausman Solid in a Possible Blue Jays Farewell
HOLD · TOR · SP
Kevin Gausman went six innings on three earned with six strikeouts in Boston, per @KeeganMatheson, though Toronto (48-58) lost 6-1. His next turn lines up for Saturday, Aug. 1, days before the deadline. "I hope I don't go anywhere," he said, per @KeeganMatheson, but impending free agency and Toronto's record make him a candidate to move.
Action: Hold. Unlike Soler and Adell, a Gausman trade would likely help his fantasy value by moving him from a losing club to a contender with better run support.
Scherzer Set to Start Against Washington
WATCH · TOR · SP
Max Scherzer is the probable starter for Toronto's game against the Nationals, per @spencernusbaum_, returning from the IL after three cortisone shots in his thumb and a strong Triple-A rehab outing.
Action: Monitor his pitch count and command before trusting him in lineups. The rehab start was excellent, but the thumb issue was the reason for the layoff and it's the thing to watch.
Abrams on a Historic Second-Half Tear
HOLD · WSH · SS
CJ Abrams has been the hottest hitter in baseball since the break, leading MLB in OPS (1.632), home runs (7), and RBIs (15), per @JeffPassan. He has more second-half homers by himself than seven teams combined.
Action: Hold as a league-winner. He's part of a Washington lineup that's been among the league's best all year.
Taylor Auditioning His Way Out of New York
SELL HIGH · NYM · OF
Tyrone Taylor has five homers and a 1.443 OPS in 18 games since returning from the IL, per @AnthonyDiComo. The impending free agent looks like a near-lock to be traded by Aug. 3, especially with the Mets at 42-62 and Juan Soto now on the IL.
Action: Sell now while the numbers are loud. An 18-game sample at that OPS isn't sustainable, and a trade would likely land him in a bench or platoon role on a contender.
Angels Eye Rotation Reinforcements
STREAM · LAA · SP
George Klassen is at the front of the line for a rotation callup, per @JeffFletcherOCR, with the Angels possibly needing another starter soon. José Soriano gave them five innings of one-run ball, but the depth behind him is thin.
Action: Watch the callup board. A Klassen promotion this week would signal real rotation strain and make him a speculative add in deeper leagues.
deGrom Exits Early but Efficient
HOLD · TEX · SP
Jacob deGrom left after two Mariners reached in the sixth, having allowed one run on three hits through five innings on 86 pitches, per @JeffWilsonTXR. Texas (53-51) led 3-1 at his exit.
Action: Hold, no concerns. The early hook was situational rather than physical, and the pitch count was in good shape.