MLB Player News

It was Schmitt’s only hit of the game as San Francisco was swept, falling 10 games under .500 this season. The homer was his ninth, and he’s been the team’s most productive hitter. Schmitt has career-bests in barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and most of his expected stats. The one nitpick is that his walk rate has fallen this year too, but fantasy managers will take the tradeoff for now. He opened the year buried at the bottom of the Giants’ lineup, but he’s hit fourth or higher in each of his starts since May began.

Trout started each of the first two games since returning from the injured list on Wednesday, so the Angels will give him a breather on Friday night as they ease him back into a full-time workload. Expect him to start the remaining two games over the weekend. Josh Lowe will slide over and cover center field on Friday night while Wade Meckler starts in left field and will bat eighth against Twins’ right-hander Zebby Matthews.

Saucedo was just recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, but he’ll head back to make room on the active roster for the return of Grayson Rodriguez on Friday night. The 33-year-old hurler holds a 5.40 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a 6/0 K/BB ratio over 3 1/3 innings in six appearances with the Angels this season.

As anticipated, Rodriguez will make his return to the Angels’ rotation on Friday night against the Twins in Minneapolis. While he looked sharp on his latest rehab start, fantasy managers should keep in mind that the 26-year-old righty posted a miserable 8.06 ERA and 1.83 WHIP over 25 2/3 innings in his first six starts for the Halos.

Kurtz missed most of Wednesday’s game due to illness, so it’s possible that he’s still a bit under the weather and the Athletics want to give him an extra day off. Joey Meneses will cover first base in his absence and bat sixth for the A’s against White Sox’ right-hander Sean Burke on Friday evening in Chicago.

Sprock, 21, was an eighth-round selection by the Twins from the 2025 draft class. He started the year at Single-A Fort Myers where he slashed an impressive .306/.436/.441 with five homers, 37 RBI and a 31/49 K/BB ratio in 280 plate appearances, earning a promotion to High-A Cedar Rapids. He makes for an intriguing addition for the Jays.

The Twins were in the market for some bullpen help as they’re trying to fight for a Wild Card berth in the American League. Nance, 35, posted a 3.82 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and a 34/13 K/BB ratio over 33 innings in 32 appearances with the Jays this season. He’ll help to bolster the back end of the Twins’ bullpen.

The 27-year-old former top prospect had been stationed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley after signing a minor league deal in mid-May. He struggled there, slashing a putrid .181/.307/.307 with four homers and 18 RBI in 153 plate appearances over 40 games. He’ll look to latch on elsewhere on a minor league pact.

Hinch noted that no surgery is expected to be needed, just extra rest and recovery time. The Tigers are still hopeful that Vest will be able to rejoin the bullpen at some point before the regular season concludes. If he is able to return, it probably won’t be until late August or early September.

The 34-year-old righty elected free agency at the end of June rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Iowa from the Cubs. He adds extra pitching depth for the Royals and should get an opportunity with the big league club in relatively short order.

As anticipated, Waldschmidt gets another opportunity with the big league club with Pavin Smith being designated for assignment on Friday. The 23-year-old has focused on cutting down his strikeout rate at the Triple-A level, and if that can translate with the Diamondbacks he could hit wind up having some mixed league viability, especially with his upside in the stolen base department.