MLB Player News

It sounds like the Cardinals are merely being cautious here but it’s a situation fantasy managers should monitor in the coming days. The 25-year-old backstop missed time early last season with a knee issue, which limited him to mostly DH duty for the final five months of the year.

Jones will make his Red Sox debut, weather permitting, against Tampa Bay lefty Ian Seymour after being acquired from the Tigers in a trade earlier this week. The 28-year-old has had success in a lefty-mashing platoon role in previous years, so Boston’s front office is rolling the dice that a change of scenery does the trick. It’ll be Jarren Duran on the bench to open this one as the Red Sox try for their 12th consecutive victory.

Booth receives nearly full-slot deal at $7.32 million to forego a commitment to Vanderbilt after being selected seventh overall. The 18-year-old prep outfielder is a well above-average runner, which gives him a clear path to fantasy relevance down the road. He’s a few hyperspace jumps from the majors at this early stage of his development, but he’s one of the more intriguing long-term projects to watch in his draft class.

Vargas checked out fine after being hit by a pitch on the left hand during the eighth inning of Friday’s blowout win in Toronto to kick off the second half. The 26-year-old middle-of-the-order force is at third base and hitting third following the injury scare.

Soto is back in New York’s lineup without missing any additional time following an early exit from Thursday’s second-half opener with left calf soreness. The 27-year-old fantasy superstar is at DH and hitting second to face Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo on Saturday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Fantasy managers should continue to closely monitor his status throughout the weekend, but Soto doesn’t appear to be at risk of missing any additional game action.

Perkins returns to the big leagues, likely to fill a spot on Milwaukee’s bench, with right fielder Sal Frelick hitting the injured list with a shoulder strain. The 29-year-old hit .157 (14-for-89) with one homer and three steals in 53 games for the Brewers earlier this season.

Frelick is likely facing an extended absence after suffering a shoulder ailment on a throw from right field during Friday’s second-half opener against the Marlins. Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters afterwards that he could be down for a while and has been dealing with the shoulder issue for some time. There should be a definitive return timeline at some point in the coming days. Frelick’s absence opens the door for top prospect Luis Lara to play everyday in right field. He boasts an intriguing blend of fantasy-relevant tools and is worthy of a speculative roster spot in all formats.

Hanner has been officially added to New York’s 40-man roster, but will remain stationed at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for now. The 27-year-old reliever has posted a sparkling 1.99 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 50/16 K/BB ratio across 40 2/3 innings this season. He figures to make his Yankees debut at some point later this summer.

It’s merely a procedural move with Judge still recovering from a rib fracture that put him on the injured list back in early June. The 34-year-old generational talent underwent followup imaging earlier this week that showed continued healing, but hasn’t been cleared to resume baseball activities. There is no official timetable for his return and it looks like he won’t make it back to New York until at least mid-to-late August, even in a best-case scenario. There’s also a realistic chance his absence stretches into September. Simply put, fantasy managers shouldn’t expect him back anytime soon.

The long-term extension, which was reported earlier this week, is now official and will keep Burns in Cincinnati through the 2033 season. The flame-throwing 23-year-old earned his first All-Star Game appearance, but declined to pitch in the Midsummer Classic because of groin soreness. He’s expected to make his first start of the second half against the Mariners next week. Burns has rapidly established himself as one of fantasy baseball’s upper-echelon starters, compiling a sparkling 2.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 118/37 K/BB ratio over 102 2/3 innings across 18 starts. It’s safe to say he’s exceeded even the loftiest expectations and should be among the first pitchers selected in fantasy drafts for years to come.

Bloss was working his way back at Triple-A Buffalo from last year’s UCL surgery on his right elbow before suffering this setback. The unfortunate news here is that absences from shoulder injuries of this nature are typically measured in months, not weeks, which likely extinguishes any hope of him pitching for Toronto in the second half.