MLB Player News

Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters they believe it’ll be weeks, maybe months before Pivetta returns to San Diego’s rotation. The 33-year-old expressed confidence he’ll pitch again this season, but fantasy managers should still anticipate a lengthy absence. The greater concern is that flexor strains are often a precursor to more significant elbow issues and can sometimes lead to UCL surgery if rest and rehabilitation prove ineffective. There should be a more definitive return timetable once Pivetta ramps up a throwing program. It’s not a worst-case scenario, but it’s hardly an encouraging update.

This move was reported yesterday and is now official. We like Rodríguez, but are surprised by this decision since the Reds didn’t actually trade away an outfielder at the deadline. We assume Rodríguez will play nearly every day between outfield and DH, and the DH spot could be used as a rotation for the extra outfielders. The 22-year-old is an aggressive hitter, and his 42 percent hard-hit rate and 89.2 mph average exit velocity don’t suggest tons of power, but he is hitting .274/.347/.533 with 27 round-trippers and six steals in 455 plate appearances for Triple-A Louisville. He’s worth a flyer in most fantasy formats.

Leonard had slashed .287/.371/.502 with 12 homers and eight steals in 288 plate appearances for Triple-A Nashville in Milwaukee’s system before being let go. In just eight games in Sacramento, Leonard has hit .143/.273/.571 with four home runs and five RBI. The 25-year-old has played second base, third base, and right field this season, but figures to get a chance to see regular reps at second base with Luis Arraez now in Philadelphia.

Kepley was the 56th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft and is hitting .254/.435/.414 with seven home runs, 105 runs scored, and 50 steals in 93 games at High-A. He is the Cubs’ fourth-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and could eventually be an option for them in 2028.

This is a bit of a surprise. The 26-year-old Franklin is hitting .249/.375/.360 in Triple-A with six home runs and 17 steals. Meanwhile, Heston Kjerstad is hitting .276/.309/.431 with eight home runs in 59 games in Triple-A for the Orioles. If he wasn’t going to get an opportunity, you wonder if the Orioles could have found any takers for him at the deadline.

This seemed likely after the White Sox traded for Joey Bart on Monday, but it is noteworthy nonetheless. Quero was a top 100 prospect, but the 23-year-old has a .245/.308/.318 slash line with seven home runs in 596 MLB plate appearances so far while playing below-average defense behind the plate.

With Luis Castillo and Huascar Brazobán joining the White Sox pitching staff, the team needed to make room on the active roster. Schweitzer had a 2.78 ERA in 22 2/3 innings for the White Sox in 11 appearances this season and will likely get another opportunity this summer.

Mayer was shockingly traded during Monday’s deadline to the Giants for reliever Erik Miller, and more reporting is coming out that might suggest why. Obviously, some of those reports might be organizational cover, but there have been a few reports that suggest Mayer and the Red Sox organization were not seeing eye-to-eye. Mayer has had 364 plate appearances in Boston and posted a .223/.278/.346 slash line with seven home runs and three steals. His season was cut short by injury in 2025, and he’s currently on the injured list with a forearm injury, so that may explain the shorter leash. It sounds like a fresh start may be what the former top prospect needs.

It makes sense. If George Lombard Jr. is coming up to be the Yankees’ shortstop of the future, then the team needs to figure out if they can play Volpe in another place. If Volpe were to look good at second, then the Yankees could shift Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to third base.

There was some expectation that this would happen after Liam Hicks was traded to Tampa Bay, but it’s still a bit of a surprise. Hicks was being used primarily as a designated hitter with Joe Mack entrenched as the catcher, so Ramírez will either be a short-side platoon at catcher or the designated hitter, or a little bit of both. The consequence of that would be that one of Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernandez, or Owen Caissie will no longer be penciled in as the full-time designated hitter in the wake of Hicks’ trade.

Bubic hasn’t pitched since the middle of May and will be returning when Blake Snell (elbow) and Tyler Glasnow (back) are also likely back in the Dodgers’ rotation. That means that Bubic will most likely serve as a bulk relief option for the Dodgers in September and potentially the playoffs.