Khalil Watson knocks in three to lead Guardians

Goldschmidt has shown some signs of life at the dish since the All-Star break after struggling through an extended cold spell at the start of July. The 38-year-old veteran will continue to receive looks atop New York’s lineup against left-handed starters since they don’t really have any alternatives at the moment. That could change after next week’s trade deadline.

Skubal is sitting one strikeout shy of 1,000 for his career and told reporters that he wants to accomplish the feat in front of the Detroit fans. This could wind up being his final start in a Tigers uniform with the club continuing to fade from playoff contention and trade rumors swirling. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported earlier on Tuesday that the belief around the league is that Detroit wants to trade Skubal, but they’re going to be seeking a substantial return. The 29-year-old fantasy ace is the biggest potential domino to watch ahead of next week’s trade deadline.

Southisene receives his second promotion in less than two months, reaching the upper minors just a few months before his 20th birthday. He was Atlanta’s first-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft and has put together a breakthrough campaign, slashing .279/.408/.469 with 12 homers and 49 steals across 417 plate appearances between Low-A Augusta and High-A Rome. His stock has taken off in dynasty formats and he projects as an impact fantasy contributor down the line, mostly due to his stolen base ability. The fact that he’s continued adding over-the-fence power is a positive sign.

Mountcastle has been on the shelf with a fractured left foot since mid-April. It’s unclear why the Orioles decided to pull the plug on his rehab assignment after announcing it earlier this week. There should be a clearer picture regarding his next steps at some point later this week.

Walls is back in Tampa Bay’s lineup at shortstop and hitting eighth following an extended four-game absence after hyperextending a couple fingers on his left hand last week. The 30-year-old defensive specialist managed to avoid a trip to the injured list, which is a positive development for the Rays as they try to hold off the Yankees in the AL East pennant race.

Valdez managed to avoid serious injury, with initial X-rays came back negative for any fractures, after being hit in the left wrist by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning on Monday night. He’s back in right field and hitting cleanup following the injury scare. The 22-year-old rookie slugger has been an unexpected revelation for Pittsburgh, and fantasy managers as well, hitting .290/.386/.702 with 14 homers and 36 RBI across 145 plate appearances in 38 games this season. He’s overdue for some regression in the batting average department based on his plate skills, but the over-the-fence power is very real and it’s fantastic.

Franco will get the ball for a bulk relief outing during Tuesday’s nightcap at Great American Ball Park following lefty opener Caleb Ferguson. The 25-year-old has allowed 11 runs — 10 earned — over 16 2/3 innings across nine appearances for the Reds this season. He can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats.

Espino was one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the game roughly a half decade ago before shoulder injuries sidetracked his development. The hard-throwing 25-year-old finally reached the big leagues as a reliever earlier this season, making five appearances for Cleveland. He’ll operate in middle relief during Tuesday’s twin bill against Cincinnati.

As dynasty managers are aware, St. Louis has one of the most exciting offensive catching prospects in the game looming in the upper minors with Rainiel Rodriguez. That could make either Herrera or Páges viable trade options ahead of next week’s deadline. It doesn’t sound like anything is imminent, but there’s an opportunity for the Cardinals to move one of their veteran backstops with so many contending clubs searching for catching help.

Feinsand adds that the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, White Sox, Rangers and Dodgers are among teams looking to acquire a catcher. Hicks is absolutely a name to watch at next week’s deadline after the Marlins bizarre 12-game losing streak, which they finally snapped with a comeback win over the Phillies on Monday, caused them to tumble out of playoff contention. The 27-year-old backstop has put together an excellent season with a .796 OPS with 14 homers and 60 RBI through 95 games. Miami has rookie defensive wizard Joe Mack seemingly entrenched behind the dish, which makes Hicks expendable in the right deal.