Betting

Valdez was struck by a pitch on the left hand during the fourth inning of Monday’s series opener in Pittsburgh. The 22-year-old rookie sensation, who has hit 14 homers in 38 games this season, will head for X-ray to determine whether he suffered any fractures. There should be an update on his status following the contest.

Mead has a phenomenal opportunity to make some noise in Sutter Health Field’s high-octane offensive environment in West Sacramento after coming over from the Nationals in a challenge trade for lefty Connelly Early over the weekend. The 25-year-old former top prospect has gone through a bizarre odyssey in the early portion of his career, but he appears to have finally arrived as an impactful everyday option this season, launching 17 homers in 327 plate appearances for Washington. He’s started pulling the ball in the air with much greater frequency this season, which will absolutely work in Fenway Park. He’s at second base in his Boston debut, but is likely to also see time at the hot corner over the final two months.

Garcia is ready to return to game action after hitting the injured list with a muscle strain in his left hand back on June 23. The 26-year-old third baseman hasn’t come close to replicating last year’s impressive 16-homer, 23-steal breakthrough campaign. However, he should make an impact for fantasy managers down the home stretch and he should be rostered in most leagues.

Not great. Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that Bellinger will be sidelined until at least late August and his absence could easily stretch into early September. The 31-year-old hit the injured list on Sunday after suffering the injury while legging out a double against the Phillies earlier in the weekend. It’s a significant loss for New York, and fantasy managers as well, since he’s graded out as a top-25 outfielder this season, hitting .259 with 52 runs scored, 11 homers, 53 RBI and 10 steals in 434 plate appearances. He’s worth stashing in most fantasy leagues since he’s likely to return this season, but it’s a much tougher call for managers in shallow mixed leagues.

It’s the worst-case scenario outcome after Langeliers hit the injured list over the weekend. The 28-year-old slugging backstop’s absence is a significant hit for fantasy managers heading into the final two months after delivering top-five production at the position. He finishes with a robust .263/.332/.497 slash line with 55 runs scored, 23 homers, 51 RBI and two steals in 416 plate appearances across 93 games. The only positive news here is that Langeliers should be ready for the start of spring training.

Lee will sit out a second straight contest with right elbow soreness after being hit by a pitch over the weekend. The 27-year-old outfielder isn’t dealing with any structural issues and should be ready to return at some point this week. He’s been a strong fantasy contributor in the batting average department, hitting .302 through 96 games. He’s also chipped in six homers and six steals as well. It’ll be Grant McCray in right field on Monday night in his place.

Pederson’s first homer, hit 418 feet to left center, led off the bottom of the first. The second, a three-run shot, made it just out to right despite a 48-degree launch angle. It gave him his 22nd career two-homer game. He’s batting .254/.343/.513, which would place him 20th in the majors with an .856 OPS if he weren’t four plate appearances shy of qualifying.

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.

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.