Betting

There has been some speculation that the Astros could look to trade Alvarez at the deadline this year if they continue to fall out of playoff contention. The idea behind the speculation was that Alvarez would bring in a huge influx of talent for a roster that seems to lack depth, and it would rid the Astros of a defensive logjam created by Alvarez’s being a designated hitter. However, as Brown mentioned, Alvarez is in the fourth year of a six-year, $115 million extension, so there is no pressure on the Astros to trade him. They traded Kyle Tucker when he was heading into his final season, so there may be more reason to trade Alvarez after the 2027 season, if they followed the same path, but he’s not going anywhere for now.

Sánchez authored another masterful performance, notching his fourth double-digit strikeout effort, while limiting Toronto’s lineup to just five baserunners over seven frames. He gave up only four hits, including a fifth-inning solo shot to Ernie Clement, which was just the fourth round-tripper he’s allowed this entire season. The 29-year-old southpaw continues to bolster his NL Cy Young Award case after putting together a remarkable 50 2/3 scoreless innings streak earlier this month. He’ll face a tough challenge his next time out with a road matchup against the Brewers on Sunday.

Díaz greeted Red Sox lefty Connelly Early with a leadoff homer before tacking on a key insurance run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly. It was his 12th long ball of the season. The 34-year-old on-base machine has put together one of the strongest stretches of his career recently, hitting .319 (37-for-116) with eight homers and 24 RBI over his last 30 games. He’s hitting .429 (12-for-28) over his last seven games alone.

Naylor catapulted Seattle ahead for good with a no-doubter to right field off Orioles reliever Anthony Nunez with two outs in the fifth inning. It was his seventh round-tripper of the season and second time he’s gone deep in six contests since the start of June. He’s hitting a robust .333 (8-for-24) with six RBI during that span.

Mancini hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since the 2023 campaign when he got into 79 games for the Cubs. The 34-year-old figures to see action at first base and DH, with Vaughn Grissom (oblique) on the injured list and Nolan Schanuel dealing with a lingering ankle issue, after batting .273/.377/.464 with six homers in 224 plate appearances over 52 games at the Triple-A level this season.

It sounds like a precautionary decision, but back issues are notoriously complex matters. It’ll be Cole Young moving over to cover shortstop in his absence. Emerson’s absence comes at a challenging time for Seattle’s middle infield mix since veteran J.P. Crawford hit the injured list with a hand contusion earlier on Monday. The 20-year-old prodigy has gotten off to a nice start in his rookie campaign, hitting .242/.319/.548 with four homers and 10 RBI through 19 games. There should be an update on Emerson’s status following the contest. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

There are once again two Max Muncys in the big leagues, with the Athletics’ version returning after nearly six weeks on the shelf with a fractured finger. The 23-year-old returns to his previous post as the club’s starting third baseman ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Brewers in Las Vegas. He offers a little bit of power and speed, but is unlikely to do enough in either department to net out as an impact fantasy contributor outside of AL-only leagues.

Schneider also added that Max Scherzer (forearm) will be activated to start Wednesday’s series finale at the Rogers Centre with Trey Yesavage being pushed back to Friday’s showdown against the Yankees. The influx of veteran reinforcements also pushes rookie standout Spencer Miles back to a long relief role. It’s a stunning turn of events that Toronto has a legitimate five-man rotation again after piecing things together for most of the last two months. Cease threw 75 pitches in his final rehab outing and shouldn’t have any limitations in his return from the injured list.

Varsho remains on the bench for the third consecutive game due to a lingering left wrist issue. It’ll be Myles Straw continuing to handle center field in his absence. The 29-year-old is presumably available off the bench, which was the case over the weekend, but the Blue Jays are giving him some extra time off to manage the situation. It’s an encouraging sign that he’s managed to avoid a trip to the injured list.

Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters Simpson will receive another full day off to address a lingering thumb bruise that he’s been dealing with since last week. The 25-year-old speedster is available off the bench. The hope is that the additional rest puts the ailment to bed. Austin Slater gets the nod in left field to face Red Sox lefty Connelly Early on Monday night with Simpson missing his third straight game.