On Tuesday, New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow) spoke to reporters for the first time since he had been shut down from throwing. He said that he was dealing with elbow inflammation, which is unrelated to the forearm tightness he dealt with earlier this season. He explained that his elbow had felt fine all year prior to this recent development. He told the reporters that he was confident he would pitch again this year. There of course isn't a clear timetable for deGrom's recovery still, so fantasy managers in all formats will need to remain patient and reserve an IL spot for him for the time being.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays got in on the home run action in Monday's 7-1 win over the Yankees. Hays went 1-for-5 with a solo HR, his 11th of the season and one of four hit by the O's. He also struck out once. Hays has not provided much fantasy value this season, slashing .236/.292/.429 with 37 RBI. Unfortunately, he should not be rostered at this time despite some productive previous seasons.

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon (hamstring) has been sidelined since July 6 with a left hamstring strain and he continues to remain without a timetable for a return. Rendon has been working in the weight room, but he has yet to resume baseball activities. According to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register, Angels manager Joe Maddon hasn't seemed optimistic about the status of Rendon's recovery. It could still be quite some time until we see Rendon again. Jack Mayfield should continue to fill in as the team's primary third baseman for now.

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase earned his 14th save of the season in Monday's 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays by throwing a perfect 10th inning. Clase did not strike anyone out but still nailed down the save and will carry a 1.81 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched. He should be rostered in all leagues even though he shares save opportunities with fellow reliever, James Karinchak.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Ryan Mountcastle went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and a run scored in a 6-2 loss to the Tigers on Sunday. He's been riding a hot streak over his last seven games, slashing .321/.367/.607 with two homers, four RBI and four runs scored in that span. It's been a great sophomore campaign for Mountcastle, who is now slashing .254/.301/.451 with 17 home runs, four steals, 58 RBI and 46 runs scored over 97 games this year. He'll look to keep things rolling in the series opener with the Yankees on Monday.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (oblique) is likely to ramp up to about 55 pitches in Sunday's minor league rehab outing, moving another step closer to making his return, according to The Athletic. He threw 31 pitches in a two-inning rehab start with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, facing seven batters and striking out three. It was the first time he had faced live hitters since landing on the injured list on May 31. Flaherty has cemented himself as the Cardinals ace the last couple of years, and before getting hurt this year he had a 2.90 ERA with 67 strikeouts, 20 walks and seven home runs allowed in 62 innings. Fantasy managers can expect Flaherty back soon if all goes well and should stay updated on the situation.

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Kyle Farmer went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs in a 5-4 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday. Farmer took New York lefty Rich Hill deep in the fifth inning to give him the first double-digit homer season of his career. The veteran shortstop is working on a nine-game hit streak as he has been red-hot for the Reds of late. Over his past 15 games, Farmer is hitting .456 with three homers and six RBI. On the season, Farmer has a .263 average, 10 homers, 37 runs, 34 RBI, and two steals. He's worth streaming in deeper leagues while he's swinging the bat well.

New York Mets shortstop Javier Baez started his tenure with a 1-for-4 performance which included a sixth-inning, two-run home run. Baez was acquired from the Chicago Cubs just before the trade deadline on July 30 to make up for Francisco Lindor's absence while he recovers from an oblique injury. Their hope is he can get back to his MVP-level of play and improve on his .248/.291/.490 slash line. He's also added 67 RBI, 49 runs, and 13 stolen bases. Fantasy managers should continue playing Baez for the power and speed combo. Expect that once Lindor returns, Baez will still be an everyday player in the infield.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Tyler Anderson pitched well in his team debut, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks in 5 1/3 innings against the Texas Rangers. He struck out three batters and allowed one home run. He took a no-decision in the 5-4 extra-inning loss. This start was standard fare for Anderson, who is decent and reliable with a 4.39 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings on the season. There isn't enough upside for him to be on fantasy rosters except in the deepest of leagues.

New York Mets shortstop Javier Baez will make his debut with the team on Saturday, as he will get the start at shortstop and bat fourth against the Reds. Baez was acquired from the Cubs during the hectic trade deadline on Friday, and over 91 games with Chicago, he's slashing .248/.292/.484 with 22 home runs, 13 steals, 65 RBI and 48 runs scored. He'll look to continue his recent hot streak when he goes up against Cincinnati, after slashing .333/.350/.526 with three homers, three steals, 13 RBI and nine runs scored over his last 15 games.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hand) has resumed swinging the bat and taking some tee work, per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Buxton has been sidelined since the end of June with a fractured left hand but has recently begun to pick up his level of activity, playing catch last week. Manager Rocco Baldelli said that the speedy outfielder is still working on his ability to grip the bat, which seems to indicate he's still a ways away from returning. Buxton could be a strong contributor for fantasy teams down the stretch, as he was sporting a strong .369/.409/.767 slash line with a nice combo of power and speed numbers before going down due to injury.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah made his return from the IL on Saturday and didn't skip a beat by tossing seven-scoreless frames as his club beat the Royals 4-0. The right-hander was terrific in earning his third win of the season by striking out four while allowing just two singles and a walk in his 89-pitch effort. Manoah lowered his ERA to 2.47 and his WHIP to 0.97 through his first 47 1/3 big-league innings while recording 56 punchouts to 16 walks. It marked the first time the 23-year-old toed the rubber at the Rogers Centre, giving Jays fans a hopeful glimpse of what to expect from the rookie for years to come. He'll get another chance to turn heads at home in his next start versus the Indians.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays isn't in the team's lineup on Saturday as they take on the Detroit Tigers and right-handed starter Matt Manning. Hays is hitting .239 with a .296 on-base percentage, 10 home runs, and a stolen base in 290 plate appearances this season. DJ Stewart is starting in left field in Hays' place against the Tigers and batting sixth. The 27-year-old is hitting .208 with a .322 on-base percentage and seven home runs in 236 plate appearances this year. If you need a streaming option in the outfield you're probably better off looking elsewhere on Saturday.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Tyler Anderson is scheduled to start Saturday against the Texas Rangers. The southpaw was traded to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday and will debut with his new team on Saturday. He owns a 4.35 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and an 86:25 K:BB across 103 1/3 innings in 2021. Anderson figures to be a fixture in the Mariners rotation and should provide Seattle with a reliable innings eater. The 30-year-old can be used as a streamer in a plus matchup against the Rangers on Saturday.

Los Angeles Angels starter Patrick Sandoval (3-5) pitched 5.2 innings, picked up six strikeouts, and gave up only one run, despite allowing six walks during Friday's 2-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics. He's had a solid year on the mound, besides a high walk total. Sandoval has a 3.38 ERA with a 27.4 K%, 10.1 BB% over 77.1 IP. He's a good fantasy option in most leagues, providing good strikeout numbers and an above-average ERA. Fantasy managers looking to add a starter should feel comfortable picking him up if he's still on the waiver wire.

NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Javier Báez got his wish: He's headed to New York to play with Francisco Lindor. But first, the Mets are counting on their big-name newcomer to replace his good buddy at shortstop for a while. With the trade deadline fast approaching Friday, the NL East leaders acquired Báez and pitcher Trevor Williams from the Chicago Cubs for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. Báez, a two-time All-Star and 2020 Gold Glove winner, gives New York an immediate fill-in for Lindor. The star shortstop, obtained from Cleveland in a blockbuster deal last winter, is sidelined with a strained oblique and not expected back until at least mid-to-late August. “I’m super excited. I couldn’t be happier," Lindor said. "I can’t wait for him to come out here and put on a show for everybody.” The flashy Báez, who can become a free agent after the season, is batting .248 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. He has a .775 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 16 tries, but also leads the National League with 131 strikeouts.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]