Phillies notes: RISP problems, Aaron Nola updates and Bryson Stott's struggles

Phillies notes: RISP problems, Aaron Nola updates and Bryson Stott's struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

SAN FRANCISCO – As observers as to the drought the Phillies are going through with runners in scoring position, you can somewhat feel the angst that the players must be feeling as they are now 0-for-24, turning RISP into a legitimate four-letter word, you know, like the swearing kind.

Phillies reserve Otto Kemp has both been in the lineup when it hasn’t delivered and watched from the bench during the struggles. While the situation is known, the approach to fixing it isn’t the rock-solid answer that many would want.

“It’s just a case where you can’t be over aggressive or looking for too much,” said Kemp, who is in the lineup Tuesday in left field and batting sixth against Giants All-Star lefty Robbie Ray.

“If you get something in the zone you have to hit the ball hard. It’s not just all about getting base hits. It’s about having good at-bats, and that could mean moving the runner over when needed. Hitting the ball hard somewhere which may force an error or something like that. It may not be a hit, but it’s getting the job done and that’s what we’re here to do. It’s not something that’s gone on for weeks and that is getting, like, religious to us, so we just go about our at-bats. You can’t think too much about it, but we know it. Good at bats will come. I’m confident in that. We have too many good hitters for it not to.”

When asked his approach to managing this kind of team slump, manager Rob Thomson kept it pretty simple. “I think Kevin (Long, hitting coach) talks as a team and I approach individually at times, sure, depending on who the player is and what they’re going through. It’s just a matter of relaxing them and as we always say – get a good pitch to hit, work counts, use the field.”

Sounds simple enough. We will see what happens.

What’s the update on Aaron Nola?

Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola flew down to Clearwater this past weekend to rehab himself from a rib cage fracture. A sprained ankle and now the newer injury have had Nola sidelined since May 15. Thomson said last week that his rehab time would be equivalent to going through spring training before he’d be ready to come back. As for the most recent update, Thomson said on Tuesday, “He’s going to throw a bullpen again tomorrow and then on Saturday and then we’ll go from there.”

With Nola out and Mick Abel being sent to the minors, Taijuan Walker took the mound for the start on Tuesday. His has been a roller coaster ride from bullpen to starter, and the manager knows that might be something that has to continue for a little bit.

There has been no commitment by anyone that prized prospect Andrew Painter will be coming up after the All-Star break, which begins after Sunday’s game in San Diego. And Abel is going to need to find his command again before he may get the nod. So, for the foreseeable future, it could be Walker?

“Very professional,” Thomson said of Walker. “It is difficult to go back and forth but he’s really handled it well. He’s all about the team and does whatever is needed to help the team. I know he’s going to go out there and compete. You can check that box before he even goes out because he’s going to compete.”

Monday night’s mishaps

Thomson wasn’t about to pin any blame on Monday’s home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, who missed many calls, some coming when Bryce Harper was hitting and a couple others when Orion Kerkering was pitching. Each of them had a major effect on what turned into a 3-1 win by the Giants when they scored two runs in the eighth inning after Kerkering wasn’t given a strikeout, not once, but twice, against Matt Chapman.

“Hey look, I don’t blame losses on umpires,” Thomson said. “I don’t. We had plenty of chances to win that game. Everybody has bad nights. I have bad nights, players have bad nights. Phil’s been around a long time. He’s been a really good umpire for a long time. Just one of those nights. Can’t get it back. We had plenty of chances.”

Bryson Stott’s struggles

As the Phillies were going to face a left handed pitcher on Tuesday, that meant Edmundo Sosa at second base and Bryson Stott to the bench. Asked last week about Sosa in the lineup, Thomson definitively said that he will play against lefties, as Stott has struggled at the plate this season hitting .233 against left handers and just .241 against right handers. 

“Kind of hot and cold,” is how Thomson described his second baseman’s hitting. “I think he’s gotten into a little bit of a habit where right now he’s gotten a little bit long (with his swing). He hit the home run the other day (Sunday, game-winning, two-run shot) which was great. It looked real short. He’s had some good swings but then again he gets a little bit long sometimes. He’s still seeing a lot of pitches, which is good. But, yeah, have the balance between seeing pitches and having the right mild aggressiveness go get some and do some damage. I still have confidence that by the time we’re done here this year he’s gonna find it.”

Yankees place Mark Leiter Jr. on IL due to fibular head stress fracture

The Yankees have placed right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. on the IL due to a left fibular head stress fracture.

The fibular head is where the upper end of your fibula meets the tibia and moves with it when you move your knee joint.

Leiter told reporters that he suffered the injury while covering first base against the Reds on June 24.

There is no timetable for Leiter's return.

With Leiter out, right-hander Clayton Beeter has been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Leiter had been struggling lately, allowing runs in three of his last five appearances -- though he tossed a scoreless frame against the Blue Jays on July 3 and 0.2 innings of scoreless ball against the Mets on Sunday.

Beeter has pitched in one big league game this season, when he allowed three runs on three hits while walking two and striking out none in 1.2 innings.

Mets sign RHP Junior Fernandez to minor league deal

The Mets signed RHP Junior Fernandez to a minor league contract on Tuesday among a handful of roster moves, the team announced.

Fernandez, 28, will report to Triple-A Syracuse. He owns a 5.17 ERA over 51 MLB games, last pitching in the bigs in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The right-hander most recently was with the Kansas City Royals organization, throwing in 31 games for Triple-A Omaha this season. He went 2-5 with a 4.93 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 38.1 IP prior to being released on July 1.

What stands out about Fernandez is that he struck out 53 batters with 26 walks this season in Triple-A, resulting in an impressive 12.44 strikeouts per nine innings.

Fernandez started his professional career with the St. Louis Cardinals, signing as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2016. He made his MLB debut with the club in 2019. The righty was DFA'd in 2022 and claimed off waivers by the Pirates, making three appearances with the team. He then played 42 games for the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A team in 2022, followed by nine appearances for the Washington Nationals' Triple-A team in 2023.

He signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball ahead of the 2024 season, but had to get surgery on his clavicle and only made two appearances for the farm team before being released in July of 2024.

Mets bounce back against Brewers and Yankees, now hit the road before the break | The Mets Pod

On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo review big series wins for the Mets over the Brewers and Yankees, then preview the road trip before the All-Star break and the MLB Draft with Jim Callis of MLB.com.

First up, Connor and Joe look back at a bounce back week for the Mets, including a full Subway Series recap, a breakdown of a hot-hitting Brandon Nimmo, questions about Juan Soto not being an All-Star, and a look ahead to the games against the Orioles and Royals before the break.

Then, senior writer for MLB Pipeline and MLB.com Jim Callis stops by the show to reveal the top targets in next week’s MLB Draft for the Mets and other teams. The guys also flash back to last year’s top pick for the Mets, Carson Benge, and discuss the potential to trade MLB draft picks in the future.

Later, the show goes all over the farm to check in on Francisco Alvarez and prospect Nick Morabito, and answers Mailbag questions about picking one former Met to magically help the team today, and upcoming MLB Trade Deadline plans.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Rafael Devers' first base debut with Giants delayed by minor back injury

Rafael Devers' first base debut with Giants delayed by minor back injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants’ plans to use Rafael Devers at first base have been put on hold, at least temporarily, while the veteran slugger continues to deal with a nagging back injury.

A third baseman throughout his MLB career, Devers has been the Giants’ primary designated hitter since being acquired in a trade from the Boston Red Sox on June 15. The trade resulted from communication issues after Devers balked at being the DH or playing first base.

When the trade went down, the Giants made it clear they envision the three-time MLB All-Star splitting his time at DH and first base. Matt Chapman, who came off the Injured List over the weekend, has third base locked down.

In the first few days after Devers arrived in San Francisco, he went through drills at first base alongside Wilmer Flores. Manager Bob Melvin said the plan was to have Devers get some time at first base during the team’s recently completed road trip, but that idea got delayed because of Devers’ back injury.

Devers was in the Giants’ lineup Tuesday at designated hitter and batting second.

“We were targeting the road trip, he still had some issues,” Melvin said. “He’s still going out there and playing. You see that the running is a little bit of an issue for him at times right now so it’s probably going to be after the (All-Star) break at this point. Hopefully, the break really helps him.”

Devers has been dealing with a minor groin injury too, though it’s the back pain causing the most discomfort. That has affected his running more than hitting.

“The back pain started like two, three days after I arrived in San Francisco,” Devers told a pool reporter through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “Those are things that you go through throughout a baseball season. It’s nothing serious. I never had back problems. At first, it was just the groin. But all of a sudden I started feeling uncomfortable with the back.”

Devers entered Tuesday batting .240 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 20 games wearing the Orange and Black. He doesn’t believe his slow start in San Francisco is related to his injury.

“I know that the back is not affecting my swing,” Devers said. “I know that I’m going to start hitting. I’m going to practice as much as I can, and once I’m real healthy, then I’ll be at first (base).”

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Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery has different tack from Ron Washington. Is it working?

Los Angeles Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery sits in the dugout prior to a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery has gone 8-8 entering Tuesday's game since stepping in for Ron Washington last month. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)

Ray Montgomery is just three weeks into his interim tenure as Angels manager. And as his responsibility grows, he’s well aware that so does the pressure.

“All blame, no credit,” he said Monday as the Angels began a seven-game homestand before the All-Star break. “And I get that. That's just how it goes.”

Since taking over as manager on June 20 for Ron Washington — who will remain on medical leave until the end of the 2025 season — Montgomery has guided the Angels (44-46) to an 8-8 record entering Tuesday.

They’ve had the good: taking two of three from the Braves in Atlanta last week. And they’ve had the bad: getting swept by the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre over the weekend.

Read more:Nolan Schanuel earns walk-off walk to lift Angels past Texas Rangers

Montgomery said he understands the expectations aren’t what they were a few years ago — when the Angels lost 89 or more games from 2022 to 2024 — and that the Angels aren’t so far away from their first postseason berth since 2014 thanks to their young core having a few seasons under its belt.

“We're not here to develop, although that's a piece to what we do,” Montgomery said. “We're here to win. And for the Angels, it's important for us to have an opportunity where we are.”

If anything, there’s a case to be made that the Angels could be over .500 if a few plays had gone their way. Since Montgomery took over as manager, the Angels are 2-5 in one-run ball games, including all three games in the Toronto series.

When asked what the Angels need to do or adjust to end up on the other end of those one-run contests — of which they’d been 17-11 across the full season — Montgomery pointed to big swings and specific plays.

“You can point to the big hits, I get it, but you can also point to the execution on smaller plays, too, that prevent runs,” he said. “We made some mistakes in those games.”

The Angels got one of those big plays on Monday night. Nolan Schanuel drew a walk-off walk for a 6-5 victory over the Rangers, wiping away miscues such as a dropped third strike that led to a score-tying RBI double.

Montgomery, in his fifth year with the Angels — fourth as a member of the coaching staff — turned to a decision he made in Atlanta last week as proof that one moment can change the game.

Against the Braves last week, Yusei Kikuchi had been brilliant. The Japanese left-hander was two-thirds into the sixth inning of his then-scoreless outing. Instead of keeping Kikuchi — at 100 pitches — in to try to finish off the side as he worked through the Braves lineup for the third time, Montgomery pulled the left-hander in favor of right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn with two runners on base.

It backfired. Sean Murphy, who struck out twice against Kikuchi earlier in the game, hit a three-run home run to give the Braves a 3-2 lead, an advantage that would turn into an 8-3 loss.

"If I leave Kikuchi in Atlanta, right, and he gets a guy he handled pretty good during the game, we may sweep that series too,” Montgomery said. "[Games are] magnified now — I get it."

Decisions like those are where Washington and Montgomery’s managerial strategies may differ. Washington, a longtime MLB coach, comes from an era of giving starting pitchers a longer leash (it goes hand in hand with the Angels using just five starting pitchers so far in 2025).

Montgomery, who comes from a scouting background in his post-playing career, may value analytical strategy more — holding pitchers from facing a lineup a third time through the order and playing matchups more.

Angels catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who has played for new-school managers that emphasize analytics such as Kevin Cash, as well as old-school managers such as Terry Collins, says Montgomery toes the line in between both managerial styles.

“He's got a good feel,” d’Arnaud said. “He trusts the staff, which is really good, and also trusts the bullpen, which is also really good. He has really good communication with every player, lets them know when they're playing — which is more of a younger thing — and so it's a mix of both [new- and-old school].”

Read more:Angels can't keep pace during loss to red hot Toronto Blue Jays

Strategy could be the difference between Murphy facing Zeferjahn rather than Kikuchi. Strategy may be the difference between a win and a loss — or staying in contention for an American League wild-card spot.

“It's tough to say,” right-hander Jack Kochanowicz said when asked about the difference between Washington and Montgomery. “You feel like each game is different. It's hard to really put an identity to either one of them, especially since Ray’s so new to it, too. It’s a small sample size.”

For Montgomery, he said he’s not going to dwell on the could-have-beens. Squarely in the chase — and in the zone between the franchise deciding between buying and selling at the trade deadline — he’s just happy the Angels are in the conversation.

“If you told us coming up on the All-Star break, that we were in the mix a couple games above or below .500 — and I'm not ignorant of the fact that we've cost ourselves a few games, we should be a little better than we are — I would be happy with where we sit right now,” Montgomery said.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Logan Webb holds Buster Posey in high regard, says Giants feel his ‘want to win'

Logan Webb holds Buster Posey in high regard, says Giants feel his ‘want to win' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Buster Posey does not like to lose.

The three-time World Series champ-turned-president of baseball operations for the Giants has made that clear over the years, especially to his ace pitcher Logan Webb.

Webb joined KNBR’s Greg Papa and Greg Silver on Tuesday and discussed the current state of Giants affairs and gave plenty of praise to the first-year front office executive.

“If there’s one thing that Giants fans, baseball fans and all of us know about Buster Posey, it’s that he’s not OK with losing,” Webb told Papa and Silver. “He doesn’t like to lose, doesn’t want to lose and I think that’s just, kind of, it’s part of his nature.

“He wants to win. He wants to see winning and that’s huge. We feel it, we feel that every time he walks into our clubhouse. I got to feel it when I played with him. He was the guy you just didn’t want to disappoint, you wanted to win for him, right?

“And it’s kind of the same thing and I think him going out and getting a guy like [Rafael Devers] … it shows, you know, going out and getting Willy this year, signing [Matt Chapman] last year, going out and getting [Justin Verlander]. There’s a lot of things that he’s done that just show that he really believes in this, he loves San Francisco, he wants us to win, he wants the Giants to be successful.”

The trade with the Boston Red Sox for Devers shocked the baseball world when it happened last month and while the 28-year-old designated hitter has struggled with the club, it’s still very apparent that the Giants are in win-now mode.

Webb also mentioned the upcoming trade deadline and while he didn’t say anything about more moves being made, with the team sitting at 50-42 and second place in the NL West, it wouldn’t be surprising.

The team currently holds a one-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the third and final National League Wild Card spot.

“It’s very refreshing and obviously, just love being a Giant and I love that he’s the leader of this whole thing,” said Webb.

It’s always a benefit at a job to like your boss and it seems Webb is very happy with Posey at the helm.

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Bryce Harper criticizes umpires for ‘taking over' Phillies' close loss to Giants

Bryce Harper criticizes umpires for ‘taking over' Phillies' close loss to Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper had some choice words for the home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after his team’s 3-1 loss against the Giants on Monday at Oracle Park.

“I felt confident today … felt really good where I was,” Harper told reporters postgame Monday. “Thought I was going to be in some good counts, thought I was going to be in some good situations but sometimes that happens. Umpire took over the game.”

Cuzzi called multiple pitches that looked to be out of the zone as strikes in Harper’s eighth-inning at-bat. In the bottom half of the inning, Matt Chapman seemed to be given three extra lives at the plate, eventually hitting a single to right field.

Cuzzi had an 85-percent called strike accuracy Monday night, according to Umpire Scorecards.

Harper finished Monday’s game 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

In Alex Pavlovic’s new book “The Franchise: San Francisco Giants: A Curated History of the Orange and Black, ” it is revealed that Harper was close to signing with San Francisco during free agency in 2019.

“We had a great meeting. They’re a great organization and they have been for a long time,” Harper said. “The biggest thing for me was asking Bochy if he was going to be here, and he said no, he had just one year left. I think that was the thing that really scared me the most.”

Harper is batting .282 with 161 home runs and 489 runs batted in since joining Philadelphia.

The good news for Harper is that Cuzzi will be the third base umpire in Tuesday’s game.

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Rangers' Defensive Core Has Sneakily Become Underrated And Dangerous

Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers’ defensive core has suddenly become one to be reckoned with. 

During the 2024-25 season, the Rangers’ defensive game was their clear Achilles heel, but it could be a strength this upcoming season. 

Over the past year, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury has restructured the team’s blueline. 

He’s moved on from defensemen Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren, and K’Andre Miller, three long-standing players in New York, while letting Zac Jones walk in free agency. 

Meanwhile, Drury was able to add Urho Vaakanainen and Will Borgen this past season, who both signed contract extensions with the Blueshirts. The Rangers also traded for Carson Soucy ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.

The Rangers made their big move by signing defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract.

Along with Adam Fox, Gavrikov could play a heavy amount of minutes and become a true defensive anchor for the Rangers.

Rangers And Kings Were Reportedly Working On Sign-And-Trade For Vladislav Gavrikov Before Big SigningRangers And Kings Were Reportedly Working On Sign-And-Trade For Vladislav Gavrikov Before Big SigningThe New York Rangers’ Vladislav Gavrikov signing could have gone a slightly different way. 

Either the Rangers could form an elite pairing of Fox and Gavrikov or out the defense by separating the two defensemen. It’s certainly not a bad problem to have. 

If the Rangers’ new head coach Mike Sullivan decides to move Braden Schneider to the left side, which all signs are pointing toward, the Blueshirts will have a lethal top-four consisting of Fox, Gavrikov, Borgen, and Schneider. 

A pairing of Vaakanainen and Soucy could make the Rangers five-six slot with Scott Morrow also potentially fighting for a roster spot, whom Drury acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in the K’Andre Miller sign-and-trade.

There’s no denying that the Rangers are in a much better spot in terms of their defensive core than where they were just one year ago.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Roman Anthony, Cam Schlittler, and Janson Junk

We’re somehow already approaching the All-Star break as this season continues to fly by. With time running passing by, we must take an honest look at who’s playing well, who’s playing poorly, and who we can truly count on to help us out through the dog days of summer that lie ahead.

Most waiver wires have been picked over though and it’s difficult to find impact players readily available in most leagues at this point in the season.

Fear not, because there are still a handful of available players that have the chance to be difference makers in both the short and long term.

MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at Detroit Tigers
Corbin Carroll’s return and José Ramírez’s slump further shake up the top 10 this week.

Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.

If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire piece on Sunday.

Roman Anthony, OF Red Sox

(50% Rostered on Yahoo)

Hand up, I am breaking my 40% rostership rule this week to talk about Anthony.

That’s partially because 50% is both not that far off and also criminally low for a player who’s showing the skills Anthony has so far as a rookie with his pedigree as arguably the number one overall prospect in baseball.

Anthony turned 21 years old less than two months ago and made his major league debut on June 9th. Six days later, the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants and installed Anthony as their three-hitter the following game.

He played just 93 total games at Triple-A split across the last two seasons before being called up and was immediately entrusted to hit in arguably the most important spot in the lineup as the youngest active position player in the league.

That didn’t go too well. Anthony went 5-for-55 over his first 15 games and it felt like there was a lot of pressure being put on a young player who probably shouldn’t be counted on to ‘save’ this lineup.

All the while, his process stats were excellent. He rarely swung at pitches out of the strike zone and maintained an 18.5% walk rate over that same stretch. Also, while the hits weren’t falling, he was consistently hitting the ball very hard.

Manager Alex Cora also stuck with him in the top third of the order, which was certainly good for his confidence.

Now lately, things have clicked. The Red Sox returned from a west coast road trip on June 26th and in 10 games since then, Anthony has a .386 batting average and .994 OPS with five doubles, six multi-hit games, and just hit his first home run at Fenway Park.

Also notable, Anthony hit this home run off a left-handed pitcher. There was some fear the Red Sox would sit Anthony against lefties and did so during his first week up with the team.

Somehow, they’ve faced seven lefties in their last 14 games and Anthony only sat one time. Also, he was never dropped lower than third in the order against them.

As he’s heated up, Anthony has begun to swing both more overall and at more pitches in the strike zone too. His walk rate has gone down, but he’s been incredibly productive with a slightly less patient approach.

Here’s an elite prospect who’s red-hot at the moment that’s playing everyday in the top third of a lineup with a great home park to hit in. On top of that, he has some of the best process stats in the whole league in terms of bat speed, power, and swing decisions.

There is no league shape, size, or format where Anthony should be left on waivers if he’s available. A 50% roster rate at this moment is criminally low and you should be running to add him. It would not be surprising to see him go on a Ronald Acuña Jr. or Julio Rodríguez type of rookie hot streak to end the season.

Cam Schlittler, SP Yankees

(10% Rostered on Yahoo)

The Yankees are calling up Schlittler to replace Clarke Schmidt in their rotation as he heads for Tommy John surgery.

That’s a devastating blow for a staff that lost both Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil during the spring, but there’s a chance Schlittler has the stuff to stick around through the summer.

He’s an impressive figure standing at 6’6” tall and 225 lbs. In 76 2/3 innings this season across Double-A and Triple-A, the 25-year-old has a 2.82 ERA with a 31.9% strikeout rate.

That’s good enough for a call-up and his stuff makes me confident those strikeouts will follow him to the big leagues.

Leading the way is his fastball. It has a 60 scouting grade on FanGraphs and a 40% whiff rate so far this season at Triple-A as his primary pitch.

It sits at 97 mph and can easily stretch further into the upper-90s with great riding action and some natural cut. It’s a plus-pitch and one that could miss bats at the next level.

His breaking balls may be more impressive though. He has a gyro slider that he’s comfortable using often against both sides of the plate that sits in the low-90s and has some serious bite. Hitters in the upper minors struggled to square it up.

Then, he uses an 87 mph sweeper as his whiff pitch against righties and a big, looping curveball with tons of drop against the lefties. I’m curious whether or not big league lefties will be able to see, identify, and spit on that curveball though.

Nevertheless, here’s a great highlight reel of Schlittler’s stuff per Baseball America.

Command will be key as to whether or not Schlittler will have short-term staying power in this rotation. His walk rates have inched up near 10% through the minors and if that curveball isn’t getting whiffs from lefties, he could wind up nibbling and fighting through long at-bats against them.

Still, the great stuff and golden opportunity is enough to give him a shot in most league formats. Even with Gil set to start a rehab assignment, Schlittler likely has a few weeks to prove himself and even after that could unseat Marcus Stroman at the back-end of this rotation if things go well.

Janson Junk, SP Marlins

(7% Rostered on Yahoo)

Aptly named, Janson has some serious Junk. The 29-year-old journeyman has caught on with the Marlins over the last couple of months and pitched his way to a 3.12 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 43 1/3 innings.

Without a devastating fastball, Junk wins with great command and by mixing up his secondaries to keep hitters off balance.

He has one of the lowest walk rates in the league right now at 2.3%. That translates to just four walks across his 43 1/3 innings. Apart from the few walks, he’s been great at spotting pitches on the edges to force hitters into uncomfortable decisions to swing or take.

And here’s another one with that fastball.

The pitch sits just around 94 mph with some decent ride – from a high, steep arm slot – and a bit of cut, so he has to place it in order to be effective.

Otherwise, he blends his sweeper, gyro slider, curveball, and new changeup off it to get hitters out.

The sweeper and slider work in tandem with around a 30% whiff rate each against right-handed batters. Those two offerings, along with fastball, have made up more than 95% of his total pitches against righties this season.

Against left-handed batters, it’s more of a kitchen sink approach. His fastball still leads and is flanked by the same gyro slider, a curveball, and a changeup he’s brought back to his repertoire this season after not throwing it in the big leagues since 2022.

The relatively wide array helps him be effective, but Junk hasn’t been able to establish any of these pitches as a true swing-and-miss offering against lefties yet.

That changeup could hold the key though. He threw it a low during his first few appearances, struggled to command it, momentarily scrapped it, and is now trying to bring it back. Finding consistency with it will be a big help against the lefties.

All in all, Junk is more of a deep league play. The stuff isn’t overpowering and he gets by with craftiness and command. If the command wanes, he will be due for some regression unless he can tighten up against lefties.

He has one more start before the All-Star break against the Orioles in Baltimore. Then, take a peak at his schedule afterwards and try to stream him in some matchups at home.

Jesse Winker returning to Mets Tuesday; corresponding roster move pending

The Mets are getting a jolt ahead of Tuesday's game against the Orioles in Baltimore, with Jesse Winker being activated from the IL, reports SNY's Andy Martino.

With Winker being added to the active roster, the Mets will have to make a corresponding move.

Martino reports that it will not be Ronny Mauricio getting sent down to make room for Winker. Mauricio has reached base safely in his last nine games, slashing .370/.452/.556 during that span.

Starling Marte is again dealing with a knee issue, so it's possible the Mets place him on the IL.

If not, Travis Jankowski or even Brett Baty (who has minor league options remaining) could be the move for Winker.

Winker last played on May 4, which is when he suffered an oblique injury that threw New York's designated hitter situation into disarray.

He wasn't crushing it at the plate before he got injured, but he was solidly above average, with an OPS+ of 112.

Guardians at Astros Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for July 8

Its Tuesday, July 8 and the Guardians (41-48) are in Houston to take on the Astros (55-36) in the second game of their three-game series.

Joey Cantillo is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Hunter Brown for Houston.

The Guardians won the series opener last night, 7-5, to snap a ten-game losing streak. Jose Ramirez and David Fry each homered to spark the Guardians' attack and Houston's offense was limited to just five hits by Tanner Bibee and four relievers.

Lets dive into Game 2 and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Guardians at Astros

  • Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: CLEG, SCHN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Guardians at the Astros

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Guardians (+171), Astros (-207)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for July 8, 2025: Joey Cantillo vs. Hunter Brown
    • Guardians: Joey Cantillo (1-0, 3.41 ERA)
      Last outing: 7/3 at Cubs - 3.1IP, 0ER, 2H, 3BB, 5Ks
    • Astros: Hunter Brown (9-3, 1.82 ERA)
      Last outing: 7/2 at Colorado - 6IP, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 8Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Astros

  • The Astros have won their last 7 games with Hunter Brown on the bump
  • The Astros' last 4 games have gone under the Total with Hunter Brown starting
  • Betting the Astros on the Run Line with Hunter Brown as the starter has returned a 2.87-unit profit in 2025
  • Isaac Paredes is enjoying a 6-game hitting streak (9-28)
  • Christian Walker has hit in 6 straight (12-28) and 9 of his last 10 games (15-43) to raise his average on the season to .231

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Astros

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Guardians and the Astros:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Byron Buxton is an All-Star again. His most important superpower for the Twins is availability.

MINNEAPOLIS — For all the evidence that Byron Buxton has had an All-Star season, the supporting statistics start and end with this simple number: 73.

That’s the total of games in which the Minnesota Twins have had their dynamic center fielder in the starting lineup, putting him on pace for the second-most of his 11-year career. Availability has long been the elusive piece to make Buxton one of the most complete players in the major leagues, and his age-31 season has brought a fresh wave of all-around production fueled by good health.

“It’s a monumental return,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He’s been one of the top players in baseball. To be able to get prime Buxton, basically every day, that’s a whole different deal. When you actually see it and you actually get it, and it’s in front of you every day, it’s a beautiful thing.”

His second All-Star Game selection will go down as one of his greatest satisfactions in the sport, considering the path he’s taken to get here and the fact that the festivities next week will be in his native Georgia.

“Going back home to do something like this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I know I’m not going to play 30 more years to get back to Atlanta,” said Buxton, who was previously an All-Star in 2022 when the game was in Los Angeles.

Family was front of mind when Buxton was informed he’d made the team. His youngest of three sons, Baire, wasn’t born when he went the last time. The host site this year at Truist Park, the home of the Braves, is about a three-hour drive from his tiny hometown, Baxley. Then there’s his participation in the Home Run Derby, which will fulfill the wish of his oldest son, 11-year-old Brix, to deliver a towel and a drink during his breaks.

“Out of everybody there, all the people he’s going to see, that’s what he wants and cares about. So it’s the small things that add up to the big ones,” Buxton said.

With five of his 20 home runs leading off the game for the Twins, Buxton has 14 career leadoff homers to tie Chuck Knoblauch for the fourth-most in Twins history. He’s also one of only six players in the major leagues this season with at least 15 homers and 15 steals.

Buxton ranks among the top 10 batters in the American League in slugging percentage, OPS, triples, homers, runs, RBIs and steals, plus a number of other advanced statistics while providing his usual Gold Glove-caliber defense in center. He is 16 for 16 on stolen-base attempts, too, as sure of a sign his hips and knees are as healthy as ever. With 109 steals in 121 career attempts, Buxton is the only player in Major League Baseball history with more than 100 attempts and a 90% or better success rate.

His home run on June 11 was measured at 479 feet, the second-longest in MLB this season and the longest of his career. The only setback was a concussion that cost him 11 games in May, stemming from an outfield collision with teammate Carlos Correa. After topping the 100-game mark in 2024 for only the second time in his career, Buxton has not only built on that injury-prevention progress but experienced the full benefits of being consistently healthy enough to play. Only twice has Baldelli slotted Buxton as the designated hitter this year.

“Once you get those at-bats and get back into the groove of things, you tend to start taking off,” Buxton said.

The Twins, who took a 43-47 record into their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs, would be in big trouble without him.

“He does it at the highest level, everything he does,” Correa said. “He’s fun. He’s electric, full of energy, and our team needs that.”

Red Sox All-Star Alex Bregman eyeing return without rehab starts

BOSTON — Alex Bregman believes he could skip a minor-league rehab assignment and be back in Boston’s lineup before the All-Star break.

The two-time All-Star third baseman, who has been sidelined since May 24 with a strained right quad, said there’s even a chance his return could happen by the end of this week.

“Trending toward a return here pretty quickly,” Bregman said after Boston’s 9-3 win over the Rockies. “Whether it’s the end of this week or first game after the break. One of those two. But hoping it will be the end of this week.”

Boston finishes it’s three-game series with Colorado , then hosts Tampa Bay for a four-game series to conclude its first-half schedule.

Boston had high hopes for Bregman entering the season after he signed as a free agent to a three-year, $120 million deal during the offseason. And he had had been on a torrid pace to start the season, hitting .299 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs before suffering his injury.

His injury is similar to the one he sustained to his left quad strain in 2021 with Houston, which cost him 58 games. But unlike that injury, Bregman said he is hopeful he can return to action without a stint in the minors.

Though, he said an ultimate decision will be made after a consultation with the medical and training staff.

“We’re still going to talk about it as a group,” Bregman said. “I think we’re going to have another discussion (Tuesday). But I feel like I can go play and get ready to go.”

The timing synchs up with Bregman being named to his third All-Star team as a reserve. But, he said he doesn’t think there’s any chance he’d be able to participate.

While he said he may make an appearance and take his son to the home run derby, he’ll spend the rest of the break maintaining his fitness in preparation for the second half of the season.

“What I need to do is hopefully be back playing by the end of this week and use the All-Star break to continue to build up, work on my leg and make sure that we continue the progression the right way.”

Blue Jays at White Sox prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for July 8

Its Tuesday, July 8 and the surging Blue Jays (53-38) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (30-61) in Game 2 of their three-game series.

Chris Bassitt is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Aaron Civale for Chicago.

The Jays took the opener, 8-4, breaking the game open with a five-run sixth inning. Jose Berrios battled long enough to earn his fifth win of the season and Joey Loperfido cracked his first home run of the season to pace the offense.

Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at White Sox

  • Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: Sportsnet, CHSN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Blue Jays at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Blue Jays (-177), White Sox (+147)
  • Spread:  Blue Jays -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for July 8, 2025: Chris Bassitt vs. Aaron Civale
    • Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt (8-4, 4.32 ERA)
      Last outing: 7/3 vs. Yankees - 5.2IP, 3ER, 8H, 3BB, 9Ks
    • White Sox: Aaron Civale (1-5, 4.91 ERA)
      Last outing: 7/3 at Dodgers - 5IP, 2ER, 5H, 2BB, 4Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Blue Jays at White Sox

  • The Blue Jays are on an 8-game win streak at the White Sox
  • The Under is 29-24-2 in the White Sox's matchups against American League teams this season
  • The Blue Jays have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 1.61 units
  • Bo Bichette is riding a modest 4-game hitting streak (5-18)
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 5-24 (.208) this month
  • After going 12-22 over the 1st 5 games of the month, George Springer is hitless in his last 2 games (0-9)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Blue Jays and the White Sox

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Blue Jays and the White Sox:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Blue Jays on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)