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Stats

Cruz (hand) is “progressing"; will be back in July

Oneil Cruz

PIT Center Fielder #15

Player Stats

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) and Oneil Cruz (hand fracture) are still expected back in July.

Cherington mentioned that both players “are progressing well in Florida, but both will be sidelined until after the All-Star Break.” The team hopes that they will both be back in the lineup “not too long after the break.” Cruz has been out since June 10 with non-displaced fractures in his hand. He was originally expected to miss “at least one month,” which will be in the middle of this week. He could likely begin a rehab assignment in the next couple of weeks and, assuming he can swing without pain, be back in the Pirates lineup soon after. With both Horwitz and Cruz back, the Pirates may have to be creative to find at-bats for surging Esmerlyn Valdez and Tyler Callihan.

- Eric Samulski

Injury

Source: Colin Beazley

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NYY draft pick Dietz can be 'front of rotation' SP

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Related Player News

Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

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Esmerlyn Valdez went 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI to lead the Pirates to a 7-6 win over the Brewers in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Valdez took Milwaukee starter Brandon Sproat deep with a 421-foot blast to center field in the early stages of the contest before propelling Pittsburgh ahead with a seventh-inning grand slam off Brewers relief ace Aaron Ashby. The power-hitting 22-year-old rookie also added a run-scoring single just for good measure. It was his first career multi-homer performance and gives him nine round-trippers through just 26 games this season. He’ll continue to strike out more than fantasy managers would prefer, creating some batting average risk once his near-.400 BABIP inevitably regresses, but the power is real enough to justify the gamble.
Oneil Cruz

PIT Center Fielder #15

Oneil Cruz (hand fracture) has begun swinging a bat.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that he believed Cruz would be back soon after the All-Star break, so the fact that he’s swinging a bat now would make sense with that timeline. He will need to progress to facing live pitching and then begin rehab games next week or the week after. It’s looking like the Pirates will get their star back before the end of the month.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez is hitting cleanup for the fourth consecutive game on Saturday against the Nationals.

Valdez has been on a tear since returning to the majors back on June 11, hitting .411 (19-for-46) with four homers and 11 RBI across 15 games. The most encouraging aspect of his recent performance is that he’s struck out just a shade over 25 percent of the time during that span. The 22-year-old projects as a streaky power hitter given his strikeout issues in the upper minors. However, he’s in a groove right now and should continue batting in the heart of Pittsburgh’s lineup. Those factors alone make him a worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy formats.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez hit an RBI triple and went 2-for-4 with two other RBI as the Pirates beat the Phillies on Thursday.

Valdez’s single up the middle in the first got the Pirates on the board, and his triple scooted under Justin Crawford’s glove in center and pinballed around, staking the Pirates to a 2-1 lead in the fifth. He added a sacrifice fly later in the contest. His expected batting average so far is just .258 -- so his .316 average will likely come down a bit -- but the power is absolutely real and has given him some real fantasy value so far.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez failed to homer Tuesday but did go 2-for-3 with a walk in the shutout loss to the Phillies.

The rest of the Pirates combined for three hits and two walks against Cristopher Sánchez and company. Valdez had homered in four straight games coming into the night.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez is in right field and hitting second on Tuesday against the Phillies.

Valdez has been moved up to the prime spot in the lineup behind future franchise cornerstone Konnor Griffin as he draws his fifth start in the last six games for Pittsburgh. He’ll attempt to extend his home run streak to a remarkable fifth consecutive game on Tuesday night against Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. The power-hitting 22-year-old rookie is going to strike out a bunch, but his over-the-fence pop is extremely real. He was the star of last year’s Arizona Fall League and simply hasn’t stoped demolishing baseballs ever since. He’s shown enough in-game pop and is playing often enough to merit a roster spot in deeper fantasy leagues.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and two walks versus the Phillies on Monday.

Valdez has homered in four straight games, including in his only at-bat as a pinch-hitter on Saturday against the Reds. Getting more playing time because of Spencer Horwitz’s injury, he’s now 13-for-45 with six homers, even though he has struck out 19 times in his young career. Because of the swing-and-miss issues, he’s probably not going to remain strong enough against righties to keep playing regularly as a 22-year-old rookie. However, this is a lot of fun right now. His homer tonight was hit 411 feet off Aaron Nola, and his other hit was a 111-mphy double versus Tim Mayza.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two RBI in a win over the Reds on Sunday.

Valdez has started three of the last four games since Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) landed on the injured list and Ryan O’Hearn started playing more first base. Valdez also had a pinch-hit home run in the one game he didn’t start. In those four games, he’s gone 6-for-12 with three home runs, four RBI, and a 4/1 K/BB ratio. He’s worth an add in deeper formats if he’s going to play this often, especially if your team needs power.
Tyler Callihan

PIT Left Fielder #37

Tyler Callihan went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer against the Reds on Sunday.

Callihan highlighted a four-run second inning for the Pirates with a three-run blast off Brady Singer, a 107 mph shot at 412 feet. He then added a base hit in the fourth and drew a walk in the seventh. The 26-year-old outfielder has impressed in his short time in the majors, hitting .259/.359/.537 with three homers and 12 RBI across 64 plate appearances.
Esmerlyn Valdez

PIT Right Fielder #55

Esmerlyn Valdez is starting in right field and batting sixth against the Mariners on Thursday.

With Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) sidelined, Ryan O’Hearn is likely to be the primary first baseman for the Pirates, which could open up right field at-bats for Valdez. The 22-year-old has gone just 5-for-30 in his 11 MLB games with two doubles, two home runs, and six RBI. He was hitting .255/.388/.526 with 13 home runs and 38 RBI in 56 games at Triple-A and has some intriguing power potential. He remains only an option in NL-only formats in the short-term.

Rotoworld

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

LAD Starting Pitcher #18
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto will not pitch in the All-Star Game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.

Yamamoto was an All-Star last year but was ineligible to pitch in the game after starting the Sunday before the game. This year, he’s eligible and will attend but will not pitch. Roberts gave no reason for the decision. Yamamoto is pitching tonight against the Diamondbacks.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Bill Plunkett

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Matt Waldron

SD Starting Pitcher #61
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Padres activated RHP Matt Waldron from the 15-day injured list.

Waldron, who has an 8.49 ERA in three starts and three relief appearances in the majors this year, was on the verge of being DFA’d when the Padres placed him on the IL with a right brachialis muscle injury in mid-May. He’s back with the club now and available to work in middle relief after allowing four runs in 15 innings over five rehab appearances with Triple-A El Paso.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction

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Jhony Brito

SD Relief Pitcher #76
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Padres optioned RHP Jhony Brito to Triple-A El Paso.

Brito, back from internal brace surgery, got into two games in his four days with the Padres, allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction

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Landon Knack

LAD Starting Pitcher #96
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Dodgers activated RHP Landon Knack from the 60-day injured list.

After a bullpen day Friday, the Dodgers wanted to add a long man tonight, just in case something goes wrong in Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s start. Knack had been out since the end of the end of the spring with an intercostal strain. He’d made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing one run in three innings last time out. He’ll likely rejoin the Comets either after tonight’s game or tomorrow’s.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction

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Kyle Hurt

LAD Relief Pitcher #63
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Dodgers optioned RHP Kyle Hurt to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Hurt, who was the starter in Friday’s bullpen game against the D-backs, loses his spot for now after giving up six runs in 2 2/3 innings in his last two outings. He had a 4.88 ERA in 31 1/3 innings overall.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction

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Charlie Barnes

LAD Relief Pitcher #85
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Dodgers designated LHP Charlie Barnes for assignment.

Barnes, who was sent down to Triple-A on July 2, is now off the 40-man roster to make room for Landon Knack. He has a 7.00 ERA over nine innings in three appearances for the Dodgers this year.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction

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Yaramil Hiraldo

BAL Relief Pitcher #76
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Orioles activated RHP Yaramil Hiraldo from the 60-day injured list; optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Hiraldo had been out since early April with right shoulder inflammation. He made the Orioles out of spring training, but he gave up four runs in 1 2/3 innings over three appearances. Now he’ll officially join Norfolk after three rehab appearances there in which he’s allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction

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Royce Lewis

MIN 3rd Baseman #23
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Royce Lewis had a two-run homer and a double in the Twins’ 5-3 takedown of the Angels on Saturday.

Lewis hit a 419-foot homer off Ryan Johnson in the second and later crushed a liner to left in the seventh. Both hits left the bat at 107-108 mph. He’s 5-for-12 with two homers the last three days, pushing his OPS up to .699. That’s the highest he’s been since late April. He’s hit .270/.328/.508 with seven homers in 31 games since returning from Triple-A.
- Matthew Pouliot

Recap

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Joe Ryan

MIN Starting Pitcher #41
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Joe Ryan allowed two runs over six innings in a no-decision Saturday against the Angels.

Ryan left with a one-run lead, which was blown in the seventh by Tommy Nance in his Twins debut. So, he finishes the first half 6-5 with a 2.85 ERA. Ryan has produced 11 quality starts, which doesn’t count a couple of outings in which he pitched five-plus scoreless innings.
- Matthew Pouliot

Recap

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Yoendrys Gómez

MIN Relief Pitcher #94
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Yoendrys Gómez threw a scoreless ninth for his 11th save Saturday against the Angels.

Gómez has his first full-inning save since June 28. He also recorded saves on June 29 and July 7, but those saw him pick up just one out each time. Gómez allowed a single to Mike Trout and walked Nolan Schanuel with one out in the ninth today, but he got Jorge Soler to pop out and struck out Vaughn Grissom to end the game. He still hasn’t blown a save this season.
- Matthew Pouliot

Recap

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