MLB Player News

It’s the continuation of a full-on breakout for the 23-year-old superstar. Wood flashed this upside in the first half of 2025 before fading down the stretch, but this year the entire Washington lineup has come along for the ride. It entered Sunday tied with the Dodgers and Brewers for the most runs per game. Wood ranks top-four in MLB in fWAR, OBP, and home runs while easily leading the league in runs scored. He has started and hit leadoff in every game for the Nationals in 2026.

Melton allowed four hits and one walk. His nine Ks were a career high, as he’s been excellent since returning from an elbow issue earlier this season. He now has a 22:2 K/BB over his past three starts, and he’s allowed more than two earned runs in just one of his eight outings on the year. Melton likely won’t carry an ERA this low for long, but he’s a must-start fantasy option heading into the second half.

Springs struck out four, raising his ERA to 6.08. The lefty has now given up five or more runs in five of his past six starts. He wasn’t great in his first season with the A’s last year, but his performance lately has been much worse. The A’s host the Nationals coming out of the All-Star break. That makes Springs an easy sit for any deep-league managers desperate enough to consider him.

Tork’s homer was a three-run shot off Jeffrey Springs that blew the game open for Detroit. The 26-year-old has been the Tigers’ everyday first baseman this season, but he isn’t hitting as well as he did in either of his two best seasons. Following some years when he was up and down between Triple-A and the majors, the Tigers are giving him plenty of chances to prove he belongs. He’ll need a strong second half to cement himself as part of the core heading into the offseason. Notably, Tork’s strikeout rate is over 30% this season for the first time in his career.

Soderstrom was reinstated from the injured list before Wednesday’s game and was slotted right back into the cleanup spot against Detroit righty Troy Melton. The A’s only mustered seven hits, two of which went for extra bases. Their lineup hasn’t been as potent as many expected this season, but there should still be enough high-scoring affairs at home this summer.

Herrin is day-to-day with a contusion after taking a comebacker off his pitching elbow during Wednesday’s relief outing against the Twins. He appears to have avoided serious injury, but will probably need a couple days off for the pain and swelling to subside before he’s able to pitch again. It could be an injured list situation if the Guardians don’t want to go shorthanded in the bullpen during their last couple games prior to the All-Star break.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told reporters Kurtz was throwing up in the dugout which led to his removal from Wednesday’s game against the Tigers. The 23-year-old All-Star first baseman is the latest player to be sidelined by a stomach bug that has recently made its way through the Athletics clubhouse. The positive news is that he should be ready to return once he’s feeling better.

McClanahan allowed four hits and didn’t walk anyone. Alongside Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, he’s one of three Rays starters with at least 80 innings and an ERA under 3. The left-hander hasn’t been quite as dominant as he was before missing two full seasons, but it’s hard to complain about the results. Tampa Bay visits the Red Sox coming out of the All-Star break.

Cade Smith (26) is the only closer with more saves than Baker. Entering the year, it was believed that Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger, and Edwin Uceta would share the ninth inning for the Rays. In typical Tampa Bay fashion, it’s Baker who has a stranglehold on the closer role with under a week to go before the All-Star break. The Rays handed New York their 11th loss in 13 games with Wednesday’s shutout.

Cole struck out six while throwing 97 pitches, his most since returning from Tommy John surgery. The loss was the Yankees’ 11th in their past 13 contests. He has now made nine starts, and his 4.04 ERA would be his highest single-season mark since his last year with the Pirates in 2017. There’s plenty of time for the veteran to lower it, but his strikeout rate has been well below his usual standard. This was Cole’s final start of the first half. The Yankees host the Dodgers coming out of the All-Star break.

The veteran DH comfortably leads the American League with a .327 average this season, despite a slow start to July. Díaz notably popped 18 of his 25 homers at Steinbrenner Field last season, leading some to believe his performance was a product of the minor-league park. He’s been even better as a 34-year-old, though. His 154 wRC+ through Wednesday’s action would be the second-highest mark of his career.