MLB Player News

Bailey has been atrocious with the bat in 2026, and it’s more than fair to be surprised that he’s the one who hits the go-ahead shot off Jack Dreyer with two runners on to give San Francisco a 3-0 lead and ultimately the win. The backstop has his first homer of the season, and he’s still slashing an ugly .155/.222/.207. Something tells us San Francisco fans don’t care too much about that right now.

Wantz provides the Cubs with a multi-inning option out of the bullpen following their decision to jettison veteran starter Jameson Taillon. The 30-year-old made one relief appearance for the Rays earlier this year before signing a minor league deal with Chicago earlier this month. He can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats.

It won’t send shockwaves through the baseball universe, but this decision qualifies as a major surprise since the Cubs have reportedly been aggressive in trade talks to add starting pitching depth leading up to next week’s trade deadline. Taillon’s ongoing struggles are a big reason why as he’s floundered to an inflated 5.92 ERA across 76 innings over 15 starts this season. The 34-year-old veteran was obliterated for seven runs over four innings by the Pirates over the weekend, which appears to have been the final straw for the Cubs. They’re going to be extremely aggressive on the trade front to bolster their rotation in the coming days.

No surprise since Carpenter has been battling a lingering heel issue for the last week, which led to his early exit from Sunday’s series finale against the Royals. It could wind up becoming an injured list situation if he’s not feeling better in a couple days, especially since the Tigers are trying to remain in playoff contention heading up to next week’s trade deadline. It’ll be versatile Zach McKinstry taking over in right field in his absence.

Soto declined to offer a definitive return timetable after hitting the injured list with a Grade 2 left calf strain over the weekend. The 27-year-old fantasy stalwart is expected to miss at least three weeks, which makes it unlikely he’ll return to New York’s lineup until at least late August. It’ll be rookie A.J. Ewing playing everyday in left field during his absene. There should be a clearer timeline from the Mets once Soto is cleared to resume baseball activities in the next few weeks. For the moment, fantasy managers should anticipate Soto playing again this season.

Scherzer returns to start Monday’s series opener against his former club in Washington D.C. It’ll be his first start since June 10. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer has faded from fantasy relevance this season, posting a bloated 10.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 14/11 K/BB ratio across 22 innings. He’s been limited to just six starts due to an avalanche of physical issues. Still, he’s probably capable of helping fantasy managers in extremely deep mixed leagues, if the stars align from a physical standpoint over the final two months. However, those are long odds.

Fisher is presumably away from the club for an unspecified reason. The 26-year-old spent time on the bereavement list earlier this month. He’s compiled a solid 4.15 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 52/26 K/BB ratio across 52 innings this season.

There’s a team out there that will be willing to take the plunge on Peralta given his track record, but Dorsey notes that Peralta will be difficult for New York to move as a result of his abysmal performance this season. The 30-year-old allowed two runs over four innings against the Dodgers last weekend and holds an uninspiring 4.99 ERA across 22 starts in his Mets debut. Ironically, Milwaukee might be his most logical landing spot since they’re looking to add pitching depth and would probably be willing to roll the dice with their former ace as a short-term reclamation project.

Detmers is going to be a popular name in trade conversations leading up to next week’s trade deadline with the Angels nearly a dozen games out of a playoff spot. Both Chicago franchises could use an injection of life in their starting rotations for the final two months and have the intriguing prospects necessary to facilitate a deal. The 27-year-old southpaw limited the Cardinals to one run over 5 1/3 innings last Wednesday and will face the Astros in his next start on Tuesday. He’s been on a roll lately, allowing just one run with a 13/2 K/BB ratio across 11 1/3 innings since the All-Star break.

With abysmal weather expected to slam the northeast, Holmes will head south to make his likely final rehab outing in front of a plethora of scouts and evaluators from contending teams. The 33-year-old is expected to throw roughly 60 pitches in this outing and could return to New York’s rotation later this week. It’s also theoretically possible he’s on the move before that occurs. He’s been working his way back from a fractured fibular that put him on the injured list back in mid-May.

Woo noted that Glasnow’s fastball was sitting 95-97 mph during the session. The team plans to have him throw to live hitters one more time before sending him out on a rehab assignment. That means Glasnow could begin his rehab assignment this weekend or early next week. He would likely need about three starts before returning to the Dodgers, which means he might be an option for them during the first week of September. Just in time to get him ready for the playoffs, which has always been the Dodgers’ primary concern.