Kade Anderson headlines AL Futures Game roster

And the fantasy managers rejoiced. The 22-year-old southpaw will make his highly anticipated MLB debut on Saturday against the Cubs. Anderson, the third overall selection from the 2025 MLB draft, has compiled a brilliant 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and a 135/13 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings in 18 starts at Double-A Arkansas this season. He should be rostered in all fantasy leagues and is expected to make an immediate impact for the M’s and for fantasy managers over the final six weeks of the season.

Woo completed six innings in the win tonight, but he was only at 75 pitches, and it sounds like he would have continued if not for the shoulder issue getting him lifted as a precaution. Woo said after the game that he wasn’t concerned about it. Still, if he winds up on the IL, that would open up a spot for top prospect Kade Anderson. Anderson, though, should really be in the majors regardless.

The time to stash Anderson was weeks, if not months, ago. Now, his arrival in Seattle appears imminent, especially after the Mariners jettisoned veteran Luis Castillo at the trade deadline earlier this week. The 22-year-old pitching phenom, who was selected third overall in last year’s draft, has authored one of the most dominant professional debuts in recent memory, posting a microscopic 1.13 ERA and 0.65 WHIP with a staggering 128/12 K/BB ratio across 87 2/3 innings. Seattle can promote Anderson later next week while preserving his rookie eligibility for next season. Mariners president Jerry Dipoto told reporters earlier this week that he will work as a traditional starter, and won’t pitch in relief, when he jumps to the big leagues. At this point, all signs point toward Anderson making his major-league debut next week. Simply put, he has nothing left to prove in the minors and represents a must-roster arm in all fantasy leagues.

Arias has gone 13-for-39 (.333) with three home runs, ten RBI, and an 8/4 K/BB ratio in his first nine Triple-A games. That has come with a 90.7 mph average exit velocity and a 48% hard-hit rate. With Trevor Story (sports hernia) close to a return and this Red Sox offense humming, we don’t think it’s a lock that Arias gets meaningful at-bats in Boston this season.

This is becoming a recurring trend for Arias in recent games. Maybe the Red Sox are just looking to see how flexible he can be defensively, or maybe they’re trying to see how Arias would handle second base in September if/when Trevor Story (sports hernia) comes back to take the shortstop job in Boston.

Seattle didn’t move on from George Kirby or Emerson Hancock at the trade deadline, but they managed to ship veteran Luis Castillo to the White Sox over the weekend, which could open up a rotation spot for Anderson. The 22-year-old top pitching prospect figures to arrive at some point in mid-August so that he’ll remain rookie-eligible for next season. He’s put together a sublime professional debut with a microscopic 1.20 ERA and 119/12 K/BB ratio across 82 1/3 innings over 16 starts for Double-A Arkansas. Needless to say, Anderson should’ve been stashed in most fantasy leagues a while ago.

Arias finds himself at second base for the second consecutive contest. It’s a common practice for organizations to expand a prospect’s defensive horizons before reaching the majors to open up additional avenues to at-bats. Technically, the Red Sox still have Trevor Story, who is coming off sports hernia surgery, at shortstop. They’ve also been linked to several available options ahead of the trade deadline. Arias has experienced a stratospheric rise this season and hasn’t stopped hitting since arriving in Worcester a couple weeks ago. His time is coming, but it probably isn’t going to be until next year.

Passan adds that the sense is that Kirby is available and could be moved prior to Monday’s deadline. He also notes that Seattle has been listening to offer for Emerson Hancock and Luis Castillo. The Mariners have top prospect Kade Anderson knocking on the door of the majors and figure to move at least one, if not more, of their current rotation members. Kirby would net the largest return in any potential trade package, despite holding a pedestrian 3.98 ERA across 120 innings this season.

McAdam spoke with a league source that indicated the chances of a deal to send Lopez to Boston are “dead” and it appears highly unlikely the Marlins will trade him. It’s purely speculation, but the Red Sox figure to be extremely reluctant to move either of their top prospects in shortstop Franklin Arias, who is tearing the cover off the ball since being promoted to Triple-A Worcester recently, and righty Anthony Eyanson, who struck out a season-high 10 batters at Double-A Portland on Friday night. The Red Sox have been linked to multiple shortstops ahead of next week’s trade deadline, but it seems highly unlikely that Lopez is going to Boston, or anywhere else at the moment.

It’s fair to wonder whether Seattle will wait until mid-August to promote Anderson since that would allow him to remain rookie-eligible for next season. There will be a rotation spot open one they move on from either Emerson Hancock or Luis Castillo ahead of next week’s trade deadline. There’s a chance that both of them are on the move. Anderson has checked every metaphorical box during his professional debut with a microscopic 1.20 ERA and 119/12 K/BB ratio across 82 1/3 innings over 16 starts for Double-A Arkansas. Needless to say, Anderson should be stashed in all fantasy formats. His time is coming.