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    Matt McLain takes a seat on Sunday vs. Yankees

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    CIN 2nd Baseman #9
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    Matt McLain is out of the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees.

    Spencer Steer takes over at the keystone to face Yankees rookie starter Elmer Rodríguez with top prospect Edwin Arroyo at shortstop for his eighth consecutive start since June 12. The big question for fantasy managers is whether Arroyo, who is hitting just .255 (12-for-47) through 17 games since being called up, will remain in the big leagues once Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) is ready to return from the injured list in a couple days.
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  • CIN 2nd Baseman #2
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    It’s challenging to read too much into a single lineup decision, but it qualifies as noteworthy that Arroyo is at the keystone during Elly De La Cruz’s first contest back from the injured list with Matt McLain on the bench. It’s also an extremely encouraging sign that Cincinnati chose to keep him around instead of shipping him back to the minors. It’ won’t be easy for Arroyo to carve out enough playing to make an impact in shallow fantasy leagues, but he’s clearly a significant part of Cincinnati’s future at second base.
  • CIN Right Fielder #30
    Benson is hitting just .188/.310/.333 in 114 plate appearances this season with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate. Now 28 years old and with a 33.3 percent career MLB strikeout rate in 405 games, you have to wonder if Benson’s time in Cincinnati may be drawing to a close. Noelvi Marte could also be pushed off of right field if the Reds want to play Spencer Steer out there with Elly De La Cruz back.
  • CIN Shortstop #44
    De La Cruz went 2-for-8 with a home run during a brief three-game rehab stint with Triple-A Louisville over the weekend. The electrifying 24-year-old shortstop will rejoin Cincinnati’s lineup after missing just over three weeks with a low-grade hamstring strain. He was hitting .280/.346/.509 with 40 runs scored, 12 homers, 37 RBI and 10 steals through 58 games prior to the injury. The biggest question mark surrounding his arrival is whether top prospect Edwin Arroyo will remain in the big leagues as part of their second base rotation or wind up being shipped back to Triple-A.
  • CIN Left Fielder #7
    Steer capped off a four-run uprising in the fifth inning with a 407-foot (102.3-mph EV) three-run shot that increased the Reds’ lead to 6-1. That would be his only hit on an afternoon that included a pair of strikeouts. The versatile 28-year-old is now hitting .240/.323/.429 to go along with 12 homers, 31 RBI and three stolen bases.
  • CIN Shortstop #2
    Arroyo doubled for his first extra-base hit as a major leaguer last night, but he’s batting just .205/.273/.231 through 44 plate appearances. There might have been a path for him to stick around in the majors following Elly De La Cruz’s return, but it involved him hitting better than this.
  • CIN Designated Hitter #31
    Lowe takes a seat with Spencer Steer at the cold corner and rookie Sal Stewart at DH to face Mets starter Tobias Myers. The 30-year-old first baseman has cooled off recently, hitting .222 (6-for-27) with zero extra-base hits in 12 games since the start of June.
  • CIN Shortstop #2
    Arroyo moves up to the leadoff spot with Noelvi Marte taking over in center field with Blake Dunn receiving an off day in this one. The 22-year-old top prospect has hit just .227 (5-for-22) with one RBI in 10 games since being called up from Triple-A Louisville earlier this month. His opportunity to carve out a permanent spot on Cincinnati’s roster, likely as their primary second base option, is fading quickly with Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) progressing towards a minor league rehab assignment.
  • CIN Left Fielder #7
    Steer’s home run was a two-run shot off Michael King in the fourth inning, his 10th of the season. He has a decent chance at eclipsing his career high of 23, set back in 2023. The steady accumulator has hit between 20 and 23 homers in each of the past three seasons, and now he has the best barrel rate of his career. The Reds are set to return to Great American Ballpark for a six-game homestand that begins Friday.
  • CIN 2nd Baseman #9
    The walk against Jason Adam in the eighth was well earned. McLain challenged three pitches in the at-bat and got all of them overturned. It was actually rather stunning to see a player with a career strikeout rate of 28 percent and three times as many strikeouts as walks express such confident knowledge of the strike zone.
  • CIN Shortstop #2
    Arroyo has gotten an opportunity at the keystone in four of seven contests since being called up from Triple-A Louisville last week. The 22-year-old top prospect is just 3-for-14 at the dish so far. He has a real chance to push Matt McLain for the everyday role at second base once Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) is back from the injured list later this month.

Rotoworld

  • NYM Left Fielder #22
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    Juan Soto (back) remains out of the lineup for the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs.

    The Mets have Francisco Lindor back for the first time since late April. Unfortunately, they’re going to be without Soto in this one. It’ll be Eric Wagaman filling in at DH. The 27-year-old generational talent winds up sitting out both games of Wednesday’s doubleheader with back tightness. It’s impossible to rule out a potential trip to the injured list prior to Thursday’s series finale if Soto isn’t showing improvement. There should be additional clarity on his status following Wednesday’s nightcap against the Cubs.
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    Drake Baldwin is out of the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against the Padres.

    Baldwin has gone 1-for-29 with 18 strikeouts since homering in his first at-bat back from the injured list on June 16. The 25-year-old burgeoning fantasy stalwart has struggled to regain his timing at the dish after ostensibly skipping a minor league rehab assignment. He’ll get a break to reset mentally prior to Friday’s series opener against San Francisco with Joey Bart handling the catching duties. Baldwin feels like a phenomenal buy-low candidate in shallow fantasy leagues at the moment.
  • ATL Starting Pitcher #40
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    Reynaldo López will start Friday’s series opener against the Giants.

    López has plenty of starting experience and will jump into Atlanta’s rotation mix with Bryce Elder remaining on schedule to take the ball on Saturday with Chris Sale being pushed back to Sunday’s series finale. López is unlikely to work deep enough into the contest to deliver significant fantasy appeal. He holds a solid 3.50 ERA and 39/21 K/BB ratio across 43 2/3 innings this season.
  • WSH Shortstop #5
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    CJ Abrams (side) is back in the lineup for Wednesday’s contest against the Phillies.

    Abrams checked out fine after going through a pregame workout and returns to Washington’s lineup following a one-game absence due to left side tightness. The 25-year-old rising fantasy star was a late scratch from Tuesday’s lineup for precautionary reasons. He’s delivered first-round fantasy value this season, slashing .286/.366/.530 with 51 runs scored, 17 homers, 57 RBI and 12 steals in 328 plate appearances over 77 games.
  • STL Shortstop #0
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    Masyn Winn (thumb) has been added to the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks.

    Winn is clearly feeling better and appears to have managed to talk his way into the lineup following a one-game absence due to left thumb soreness. His return pushes rookie standout JJ Wetherholt back to the keystone with Bryan Torres retreating to the bench.
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    Mets activated SS Francisco Lindor from the 10-day injured list.

    Lindor returns to New York’s lineup for the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs at Citi Field. It’s his first game action since April 22. The 32-year-old wound up missing exactly nine weeks recovering from a calf strain. His return provides an immediate injection of life for a Mets lineup that ranks 25th in runs scored this season.
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    Mets activated INF Ronny Mauricio from the 10-day injured list; optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse.

    There simply isn’t a spot for Mauricio on New York’s overcrowded big-league roster at the moment. The 25-year-old former top prospect will remain stationed on the doorstep of the majors until injury or ineffectiveness provide him with an extended shot. He hit the injured list with a fractured thumb back in early May.
  • NYM Shortstop #38
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    Mets designated INF Zack Short for assignment.

    Short loses his spot on New York’s active roster with superstar Francisco Lindor returning from the injured list. The 31-year-old went 1-for-8 at the dish across three games for the Mets after being claimed off waivers from the Tigers last week.
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    Dansby Swanson went 2-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBI in a 10-3 Game 1 win over the Mets in Wednesday’s doubleheader.

    Swanson’s first home run was a three-run blast off Nolan McLean in the sixth that broke a 3-3 tie, and then he hit a grand slam off Jonathan Pintaro in the eighth inning to give him 11 home runs and 42 RBI on the season. It has not been a great season for Swanson, who is still hitting just .194/.298/.372 on the year, but he’s had a tremendous five-game stretch, going 8-for-18 with four home runs, 14 RBI, seven runs scored, and three steals. Maybe fantasy managers should wait until after the Mets series ends and see if there is any trade interest in their respective leagues.
  • CHC 1st Baseman #29
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    Michael Busch went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Game 1 of the doubleheader on Wednesday against the Mets.

    Remember when Busch hit .193 with two home runs in 30 games in March and April? Since May 1st, Busch is hitting .279/.424/.467 with seven home runs, 18 runs scored, 33 RBI, and two steals in 48 games. He should be treated as the top 10 starting first baseman he was drafted to be before the season began.