Dodgers to go with bullpen game versus Red Sox

Buxton has been managing and battling through a lingering right hip issue for the last few months. His condition worsened to the point that he required a return trip to the injured list earlier this week. There’s optimism the injection, in addition to some extra rest, will finally put the issue to bed. The Twins are in the midst of a potential playoff push and are hoping to have Buxton back when first eligible to return next weekend.

Donovan has been given the green light to be activated from the injured list, but is technically away from the club on paternity leave this weekend. The 29-year-old infielder wrapped up a minor league rehab assignment earlier this week and will be activated in a couple days. He’s been on the shelf working his way back from a groin issue since mid-May.

Schwellenbach has been on the shelf recovering from elbow issues for more than a calendar year at this juncture. However, he’s still optimistic that he’ll be ready to return before the season concludes. The 26-year-old told reporters on Friday that he has a couple bullpen sessions left before progressing to facing hitters. He should be cleared for minor league rehab starts at some point in mid-to-late August. He’ll be racing the clock to make it back to Atlanta and it seems highly unlikely that he’ll offer any fantasy relevance this season.

The results are a secondary concern since Cabrera looked sharp from a raw stuff standpoint, hitting 98.8 mph with his fastball during his first rehab outing. The 28-year-old, who is working his way back from a moderate left hamstring strain, struck out three and threw 43 pitches. Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reports on Friday that he’ll probably need two additional tune-up outings to continue building up his pitch count and stamina. That timeline puts Cabrera back in the Cubs’ rotation sometime around mid-August.

Naylor’s arrival seems to signal that Milwaukee is open to moving current backup catcher Gary Sánchez. The 26-year-old former top prospect never lived up to his potential in Cleveland, but he represents an interesting reclamation project for the Brewers behind starter William Contreras. He’s flashed some occasional over-the-fence pop, but needs to start making more frequent hard contact if he’s going to be a fantasy-relevant option in the future. It’s the type of challenge trade between two forward-thinking front offices that has a range of potential outcomes wider than the Grand Canyon.

Heuer has made 97 relief appearances in the majors since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, including eight for the Guardians earlier this season. He’s purely a middle reliever at this stage of his career, but the Brewers didn’t really have to give up much to add him to their bullpen mix. He’ll basically replace the departing Yoho in their low-leverage equation. He’ll head to Triple-A Nashville for the moment, but should make it to Milwaukee once rosters expand.

Yoho is the type of intriguing bullpen arm that Cleveland’s pitching apparatus is going to have a field day tinkering with. The 26-year-old has been one of the more fascinating relief prospects in the sport for the last couple years, posting astronomical strikeout rates in the upper minors, thanks to a deadly changeup. He seemed to finally get his footing in Milwaukee this season, posting a serviceable 3.15 ERA and 18/8 K/BB ratio across 20 innings of work. It’ll be fascinating to see if the Guardians can unlock his potential and turn him into a high-leverage weapon.

Perkins provides Cleveland with a reliable bench outfielder capable of handling all three spots defensively. The 29-year-old has had a rough season at the plate, hitting .157 across 101 plate appearances with the Brewers, but he makes sense on a playoff roster in a reserve role.

Skubal is the largest domino holding up the entire starting pitching market ahead of next week’s deadline. It’ll be fascinating to see whether Detroit hangs on until the last moment or they’re blown away by a “Godfather offer” that forces them to take action prior to Monday when the baseball world puts their proverbial pencils down. According to multiple reports, the Dodgers and Brewers are the overwhelming favorites to land Skubal considering their combination of big-league talent and loaded farm systems. Get your popcorn ready.

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.