The Los Angeles Angels announced that they have transferred right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson (biceps) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL. The team selected left-hander Jose Quijada's contract in a corresponding move. Shifting Stephenson to the 60-day IL doesn't affect his timeline to return, as it has been almost two months since he went on the 15-day IL on June 2 with a stretched nerve in his right biceps. He's still eligible to come back in early August, but that's unlikely to happen. Stephenson missed all of last season because of Tommy John surgery and returned in late May to log two appearances before going back on the shelf. Those are the only appearances Stephenson has made since he signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Angels before the 2024 campaign.

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The New York Mets are not one of the teams pursuing Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez before the July 31 trade deadline, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. The Mets are instead prioritizing acquiring bullpen help, according to Heyman, who lists starting pitching and center field as other potential areas of focus for the club. On paper, Suarez would be a clear upgrade over Mets third base options Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, and Brett Baty. They've combined for mediocre-at-best production, while Suarez has been one of the top power hitters in the league. Nevertheless, it doesn't appear that the Mets and Diamondbacks will line up on a deal for the two-time All-Star.

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow, lat) was terrific in a rehab outing with Double-A Altoona on Thursday. Oviedo threw five innings and allowed just one earned run with no walks over 63 pitches in his second rehab start at that level. The 27-year-old fanned five, threw 42 pitches for strikes, and reached 97 mph on his fastball. Oviedo could move to Triple-A next as he works back from multiple arm injuries that have kept him out of action since 2023. After missing last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Oviedo has been on the shelf this year with a lat issue. He went 9-14 with a 4.31 ERA and 158:83 K:BB across 32 starts and 177 2/3 innings with the Pirates in 2023.

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The Seattle Mariners made a big splash Thursday in acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the two teams may not be finished dealing. Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez remains the Mariners' "top priority" as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. The Mariners are among many teams pursuing Suarez, a soon-to-be free agent who's likely to wind up on the move in the next week. The 34-year-old has upped his stock by slashing .252/.325/.593 with 36 home runs and a league-best 86 RBI over 416 plate appearances. He was previously a Mariner from 2022-23 and would provide a sizable upgrade over current third basemen Ben Williamson and Miles Mastrobuoni. Between Suarez and catcher Cal Raleigh, the Mariners would have two elite sluggers who have combined for 75 homers and 170 RBI this year.

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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish (elbow) threw two innings in his first rehab start with High-A Aberdeen on Thursday. Making his first appearance in a game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2024, Bradish yielded one earned run on two hits with four strikeouts against one walk over 37 pitches (22 strikes). He regularly sat in the 94 to 96 mph range and featured "tremendous" offspeed offerings, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. It was an encouraging performance from Bradish, who broke out as one of the game's top starters in 2023 and was headed toward another great in 2024 before he had to undergo surgery. The 28-year-old remains on track to rejoin the Orioles' pitching staff in August.

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The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Brandyn Garcia and right-handed pitching prospect Ashton Izzi. With the Diamondbacks falling out of the Wild Card race, several of their top hitters have been linked to competing rosters, including Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suarez. The Diamondbacks acquired Naylor in the offseason via a trade with the Cleveland Guardians that sent right-hander Slade Cecconi to Cleveland. Naylor enjoyed a productive tenure in the desert as he posted a strong .292/.360/.447 slash line with 19 doubles and 11 home runs. Naylor scored 49 runs and tacked on 59 RBIs. Under the hood, he generated an elite .288 xBA with an above-average .350 xwOBA. In Seattle, Naylor should continue to see everyday at-bats, which will push Luke Raley and Donovan Solano to a bench role. Fantasy managers should continue to view Naylor as a solid No. 1 first baseman in all formats, as he should have ample scoring opportunities batting behind Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, and J.P. Crawford.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could be on the move ahead of this year's trade deadline. The assumption is that the D-Backs are going to be heavy sellers at the deadline this summer. This team has a handful of players on expiring deals that could help contending organizations. The obvious targets are Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, and Eugenio Suarez. However, the D-Backs are also reportedly getting calls about Gurriel's availability. Gurriel is having a down year, slashing .245/.295/.406 with 12 home runs, 48 RBI, and seven steals in 95 games. The good news is that Gurriel is signed through 2026 with a team option for 2027. Gurriel has a good track record with a WAR of 2.0 or better in each of the last four seasons coming into 2025. The D-Backs should be able to get a decent return on Gurriel even with his stats being down right now.

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Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (elbow) has been shut down from throwing for the next two weeks, according to Jays' manager John Schneider. Garcia recently experienced nerve symptoms in his elbow while rehabbing an ankle injury. He received a cortisone injection in his elbow, so he'll need to give it some time to rest. He'll be re-evaluated after the two weeks and will hopefully be able to resume his rehab work. Hopefully, Garcia can be back in the Toronto bullpen by the end of August. He's not someone that needs to be rostered in fantasy formats right now.

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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah (elbow) is scheduled to pitch a simulated game with Single-A Dunedin on Saturday. The organization wants to wait until Saturday when the team is back at home so it's easier to control Manoah's pitch count. The right-hander continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery from last season. He'll still need a few rehab starts to build up his strength and stamina before returning to the Jays rotation. The hope is that Manoah can be an option for the Jays at some point in August.

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Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Andres Gimenez (ankle) began a running progression on Thursday. This is a positive step forward for Gimenez who has been sidelined since early July due a sprained left ankle. There doesn't appear to be a timetable for his return right now. Jays' manager John Schneider said the first day of running went better than expected for Gimenez. It's unclear if Gimenez will require a minor league rehab assignment before getting back into the mix in Toronto. Gimenez has struggled this season, slashing .218/.300/.322 with five home runs, 23 RBI, and 10 steals in 61 games. He's only worth a look in deep leagues at the moment.

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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler (back) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Seattle Mariners. This comes a day after Soler was forced to leave Wednesday's game due to back tightness. The Angels are going to play it safe and have Soler sit out this game to rest. This doesn't sound like the type of issue that would force Soler to miss an extended period of time. For now, fantasy managers should consider Soler as day-to-day. LaMonte Wade Jr. will cover right field and bat eighth versus right-hander Logan Evans on Thursday.

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Athletics rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson will take the day off for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Max Schuemann will make the start at shortstop and will hit leadoff against Astros right-hander Jason Alexander, who will be making only his second start of the year. The A's will give Wilson the day off on Thursday after he went hitless in each of his last four games. The first-time All-Star and former sixth overall pick hasn't had many hitless games in his first full season in the big leagues in 2025, as he's still batting a healthy .311 (114-for-366) with 10 home runs, 44 RBI, 46 runs scored and five stolen bases in 93 games. With an xBA of .285 and one of the slowest swings in the majors, more regression is likely coming from the contact artist in the second half. Schuemann will have extra opportunities hitting leadoff but still isn't a very exciting DFS sleeper pick.

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Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's showdown against the first-place Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in the series opener. Tyler Heineman will do the catching for left-hander Eric Lauer and will bat eighth against Tigers right-hander Reese Olson. It's just a normal day of rest for Kirk, who has been seeing the ball well in the month of July with a .273/.369/.327 lash line, three doubles, seven RBI and five runs scored in 17 games played. The 26-year-old Mexican backstop went 6-for-19 with an RBI during the team's recent six-game homestand and is coming off his second career appearance in an All-Star game. He's halfway to his career-high home run total of 14 that was set in 2022. Heineman has hit an impressive .341 (29-for-85) with three homers and 16 RBI in 2025 as a backup.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan had the first multi-home run game of his career on Thursday in the series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, but the Guardians were unable to pull off the four-game sweep in a 4-3 loss. Kwan went 2-for-4 in the contest with two solo home runs (both off Orioles starter Charlie Morton) and a walk. The 27-year-old has owned Morton so far in 2025, as the two homers off the veteran right-hander made it three on the year against him. Kwan was held out of the first three games of the second half of the season last weekend due to an injured right wrist, but he has now played in the last four games and has gone 5-for-15 with two home runs, three RBI and four runs scored. He seems to be past his wrist injury and could draw some interest at the trade deadline. However, with the Guards still very firmly in the mix for a wild-card spot, he's more of a long shot to be dealt.

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In the first game with closer Felix Bautista (shoulder) on the injured list, Baltimore Orioles left-hander Gregory Soto shut the door on the Cleveland Guardians in a 4-3 win on Thursday in the series finale for his first save of the season. Soto struck out both Brayan Rocchio and David Fry before inducing a game-ending groundout from leadoff man Steven Kwan, who had hit two homers earlier in the game. Seranthony Dominguez picked up his 13th hold of the year with a scoreless eighth inning in which he struck out two batters and allowed two hits. Soto, a two-time All-Star with 55 career saves, has mostly been used as a lefty specialist this year in Baltimore and came into Thursday with a 4.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 42:18 K:BB in 35 1/3 frames. Interim manager Tony Mansolino wouldn't commit to a single closer with Bautista out, but Soto got the first chance on Thursday and delivered.

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Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Kade Strowd was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday. The 27-year-old made his major league debut with the O's back in May, having made three appearances for Baltimore so far this year. The righty has allowed two earned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three in 4 1/3 innings of relief. At Triple-A Norfolk, the 6-foot-2 hurler posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and a 17.0 percent K-BB% in 34 2/3 innings of relief. Although he was brought up when closer Felix Bautista went on the IL, Strowd won't fill that same role, rather, he'll slot in as a middle reliever instead. Despite solid strikeout stuff, without a high-leverage role, the former 12th-round draft pick doesn't have much relevance for fantasy.

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Veteran right-handed relief pitcher Jesse Chavez announced his retirement from professional baseball on Thursday on Foul Territory. Chavez will hang up his cleats after pitching in the big leagues for almost 20 years. The 41-year-old indeed had a rubber arm and ended up with 1,142 innings pitched in the regular season over 18 years with nine different teams. He was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 42nd round in 2002 out of Riverside Community College but made his MLB debut in 2008 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chavez also had stops with the Braves, Athletics, Angels, Blue Jays, Cubs, Royals and Dodgers. Despite being around for 18 years, Chavez only ended up with nine career saves out of the bullpen in 657 appearances. He also finishes with a 4.27 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 1,044 strikeouts and 363 walks. Chavez had a 9.00 ERA in four outings with Atlanta in 2025 before hanging 'em up.

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New York Mets outfield prospect Nick Morabito (undisclosed) was placed on the seven-day injured list on Wednesday while at Double-A Binghamton. There was no indication as to what the nature of the injury was, but the Mets' 15th-ranked prospect was pulled from a game back on July 18 and has not played in a game since. The 22-year-old was slashing .288/.360/.420 with four home runs and 33 stolen bases in 80 games for the Rumble Ponies. He was building on a strong 2024 that saw him hit .312 with four home runs and 59 steals between Single-A and High-A. He's a contact over power hitter and owns a strong .299/389/.401 slash line during his minor-league career, but speed is probably his best tool. Hopefully the injury is not serious and the right-handed slugger can finish out the season on a roll, giving him a shot to head to Triple-A in 2026 with a potential MLB debut later in the year.

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Two-time Gold Glove shortstop Nick Ahmed announced his retirement from professional baseball on Sports Spectrum's "Get in the Game" podcast on Thursday. "The game has given me so much and I have so much to be thankful for from it, but now it's time to move on," Ahmed said. The 35-year-old infielder was originally a second-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2011 out of the University of Connecticut, but he made his big-league debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014 and spent the first 10 years of his career in the desert. He bounced around with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers since last year to close out his career. Ahmed finishes with a .233/.286/.370 career slash line with 72 home runs, 339 RBI and 44 steals in 964 regular-season games over 12 seasons.

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The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold writes that St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy has generated some intrigue as an option for the big-league starting rotation. Leahy has never made a start in the big leagues, as all 76 of his appearances since his debut in 2023 have come out of the bullpen. However, the 28-year-old has some starting experience in the minors and is no stranger to going multiple innings in a relief role. Leahy's last outing came in Colorado against the Rockies on Tuesday, when he struck out seven in 3 2/3 innings pitched. It doesn't appear imminent that Leahy will move into St. Louis' rotation, but he could before long, especially if the Cards trade away a current starter at the July 31 deadline. In his 40 outings this year, Leahy has posted a career-best 2.95 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 48:19 K:BB in 55 innings.

From RotoBaller