Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez shut down the Dodgers on Friday evening as he tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings. He allowed just four hits and two free passes. He struck out 10. The 30-year-old has enjoyed a nice turnaround across his last three outings, as he has carried a 1.42 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 7:26 BB:K after he posted a much higher 4.55 ERA and 1.66 WHIP through most of June. Through 110 innings this season, Valdez has held a 3.43 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 38:98 BB:K. He should remain started in all leagues and will be a popular DFS play in his next start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, July 31.

San Francisco Giants outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler went 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, and two walks on Friday to power the Giants over the Rockies. This is Soler's second consecutive multi-hit game, and he extended his on-base streak to six games. During this stretch, the 32-year-old has been riding an excellent .389/.607/.722 line with two home runs, six RBI, and a 10:3 BB:K ratio. Since June 1, Soler has begun to turn the corner on his slow start with a .264/.363/.466 slash line with six home runs, 25 RBI, and a 25:50 BB:K ratio. Soler will be a popular DFS play all weekend as the Giants continue their series with the Colorado Rockies.

Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker stayed hot on Friday night, smacking another home run, his 25th on the season, in a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. The A's always seem to have a diamond in the rough on their squad every season, and this year, it's Rooker. He currently sits at 25 home runs in the year in which he had 30 of them all of last season, and he's already past his 69 RBI total from 2023. Also, his slash line currently lies at .288/.365/.583, which is a considerable step up from the .246/.329/.488 slash line he posted last season. The MLB trade deadline is days away, and it would be hard to imagine the A's not trading Rooker and selling high on this breakout All-Star campaign of his. Fantasy managers should continue to start Rooker in all leagues while he's swinging a hot bat, and hope he can continue his torrid season if dealt by the A's during the trade deadline.

New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes was smacked around early Friday night, giving up four runs on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings pitched in a 9-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Despite the poor outing and Yankees' loss, Cortes came away with a no-decision on the evening due to Aaron Judge's 36th home run of the season putting the Yankees ahead in the top of the seventh inning. This outing for the mustachioed lefty makes it three starts in a row that he was not able to pitch past five innings, while allowing at least four runs in all three games. After having an excellent April and May, Cortes hasn't been able to keep up with the heat, as he has a 7.45 ERA in July after having an almost even 4.00 ERA in June. He has a 4-9 record on the season, which doesn't bode well for fantasy teams that play for wins. The veteran lefty is best left on fantasy benches until he can turn things around. Fantasy managers should avoid starting him next week with a tough matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge blasted his 36th home run Friday night in a crazy back-and-forth affair against the division rival Boston Red Sox. Judge's homer was of the three-run variety, which traveled 470 feet and gave the Yankees a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning. Unfortunately for the Bombers, the bullpen gave it away as the Yankees ended up with a 9-7 loss versus their arch-nemesis. Despite the three-run home run this evening, the Red Sox have been doing a heck of a job shutting down the former MVP this season. Judge has two home runs and a .207 batting average in 29 at-bats against Boston in 2024. Nonetheless, Judge continues to obliterate the baseball every single night he steps into the batter's box. Overall, the Yankees slugger is slashing .306/.437/.672 with 36 home runs, 92 RBI, 77 runs, and five stolen bases over 455 plate appearances.

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez (back) left Friday's series opener against the hosting Arizona Diamondbacks due to back spasms. Tellez is currently being examined and treated by the team's medical status, and his status is day-to-day for now. Before being pulled early, Tellez was hitless in his only at-bat and was replaced by Connor Joe at first base. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger is mostly likely not going to play in the second game of the series in the desert on Saturday, but fantasy managers will want to check Pittsburgh's lineup. Tellez has displayed modest power (nine home runs) and entered Friday's contest hitting a mediocre .249 (62-for-249) with 36 RBI and 29 runs scored, making him mostly corner-infield depth in NL-only fantasy leagues. If Tellez is forced to the injured list, Joe would most likely take over as Pittsburgh's regular first baseman.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said prior to Friday's game against the visiting Washington Nationals that infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman (wrist, ankle) is expected to return to the Double-A Springfield lineup as a designated hitter on Saturday. Edman's minor-league rehab stint was recently interrupted by lingering pain with a sprained right ankle, and there is no timetable on when he will play in the field for the first time. The 29-year-old former Gold Glover has yet to play for the Cardinals this season after having surgery on his right wrist in October, but he should be able to make his 2024 regular-season debut in St. Louis at some point in early August if all goes well. In six games this season with Springfield, Edman has gone 6-for-20 (.300) with a double, four RBI, five strikeouts, and four walks. He's worth stashing for fantasy managers looking for speed, as Edman stole 27 bases in 137 games last year.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Friday's game against the hosting Houston Astros that he doesn't expect first baseman Freddie Freeman (personal) to be back during this series. No decision has been made yet on if there will be a roster move to put him on the family emergency list. Freeman was originally in the Dodgers' lineup and was set to make his 105th start of the season on Friday against the Astros, but he needed to head back to Los Angeles as his family tends to an emergency regarding their three-year-old son. There's no timetable for Freeman's return, but both sides understand that the 34-year-old infielder should be at home with his family during this difficult time. His next real chance to rejoin the team will likely come during Tuesday's series opener against the division-rival San Diego Padres. In the meantime, Kike Hernandez and Cavan Biggio figure to draw the starts at the cold corner, depending on the matchup.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (elbow) will throw a bullpen session prior to Sunday's game against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, setting him up to start in Tuesday or Wednesday's contest against the Miami Marlins. After Springs threw 82 pitches in five innings in Thursday's minor-league rehab outing with Triple-A Durham, his ninth appearance in the minors this year, the Rays are preparing for him to take Zach Eflin's spot in the big-league rotation. This is the last call for fantasy managers to make sure Springs isn't available on any waiver wires; his 2024 regular-season debut following 2023 Tommy John surgery lines up to come at pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field against a last-place Marlins team that sports one of the worst offenses in baseball. Since 2022, the 31-year-old left-hander boasts a 2.26 ERA (2.91 FIP), 1.01 WHIP, and 168:35 K:BB over 151 1/3 innings (28 starts) for Tampa Bay.

New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez broke out of his funk in Friday night's win over the visiting division-rival Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, picking up three hits and launching a grand slam in the victory. As part of a three-homer, seven-run inning for New York on Friday, Martinez hit a grand slam off Braves right-hander Charlie Morton to right field to give the Mets a 4-2 lead in the third inning. This performance was a much-needed jolt for the 36-year-old veteran slugger, who came into the day batting a frigid .184 (14-for-76) with a lone homer and six RBI in his last 21 games. Over his last seven contests, Martinez has looked better while hitting 9-for-29 (.310). With a .502 expected slugging percentage on Baseball Savant, Martinez remains a buy-low candidate for fantasy managers in need of power numbers.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brady Singer threw seven shutout innings on Friday and picked up the win in the Royals' 6-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. Singer struck out five and allowed just two hits while lowering his ERA to 2.82 on the season. The 27-year-old continues to excel with the Royals as Friday marked his third start of the season of seven shutout innings. The righty may be due for negative regression soon as his 4.80 ERA suggests he's overperforming, but Singer continues to get results with a reliance on soft contact. Fantasy managers should continue to have confidence in the right-hander for a least a little longer. He'll get another tasty matchup in his next scheduled start when he heads to Chicago to face the White Sox next Wednesday.

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement collected two hits on Friday night, including a walkoff single in the Blue Jays 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers. Both of Clement's hits resulted in runs, giving him two RBI on the night while raising his OPS to .689 on the season. The 28-year-old has had a very up-and-down season for the Blue Jays but has been a stable option for them at third base as Isiah Kiner-Filefa works back from a knee injury. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues looking for an option at third base may want to consider Clement as an option, but other managers may not find as much appeal. DFS managers may want to target Clement during away games, a situation where he's hitting for a .798 OPS. He'll get another chance to improve his July on Saturday against Rangers' scheduled starter Michael Lorenzen.

San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar smashed two homers, including a game-winner in the top of the ninth, during the Padres' 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Both homers were two-run shots with the first being off Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez in the top of the sixth inning for his 17th HR of the season. The two-run game-winner came in the top of the ninth off Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel with two outs and was his 18th of 2024. Profar's turnaround in this season has been a major boost for the Padres. His .865 OPS is a career high and is helping to keep the Padres afloat as they fight to hold onto their Wild Card spot (one game lead over St. Louis) without superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. Profar will look to continue his dominating season on Saturday against Orioles scheduled starter Dean Kremer.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez was strong on Friday night, going seven innings deep and striking out seven in the Twins 9-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Lopez picked up the win and improved his record to 9-7 while lowering his ERA to 4.73 on the season. After a spotty run in the middle of the season, the 28-year-old has now thrown three straight games of giving up two earned runs or less. While his strikeout numbers have not been as flashy as fantasy managers are used to lately, Lopez may be starting to turn a corner. With a 3.39 xERA to go along with his 4.73 ERA, the righty has positive regression coming his way. Fantasy managers with Lopez in their lineups should continue to trust him. His next scheduled start is set for Wednesday at Citi Field against the New York Mets.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon is out of the lineup on Friday night for Colorado's matchup against left-hander Kyle Harrison and the San Francisco Giants. This marks the second straight game that Blackmon will be on the Rockies bench. As of now there should be no concern in regards to the lefty's health, rather it'd appear he's getting a bit of rest while the Rockies trot out Kris Bryant in right field. The Rockies and Giants are also scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday, so this may just be a way to keep the 38-year-old fresh for the twinbill. Blackmon has hit for an .869 OPS in July, his best month in 2024 and should be expected to be back in the lineup at some point this weekend. The next chance Blackmon will get will be either against Blake Snell in the first game of the doubleheader or against Hayden Birdsong in the second game.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, the New York Mets are open to adding a left-handed bat at the trade deadline and have had discussions with the San Francisco Giants about outfielder Michael Conforto. The lefty played with the Mets for seven season before joining the Giants in 2023. Only three Mets are hitting for a wRC+ above 100 from the left side of the plate (Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, DJ Stewart). Conforto's 103 wRC+ would help stabilize an already pretty solid Mets outfield if a deal was to be struck. The Giants have been rumored to have made Conforto "available" so a reunion could be considered very plausible. Fantasy managers should continue to start Conforto in their lineups regardless of where he ends up but his .833 career OPS at Citi Field should be appealing compared to his season long .713 OPS in 2024.

Free-agent first baseman Jose Abreu will most likely not play for the remainder of the 2024 season, according to sources. It's believed that Abreu will take a break, and if conditions are right, he'll try to return in 2025 if he's given another opportunity with a big-league organization. The former American League MVP fell off a cliff this year and was released by the Houston Astros after hitting a miserable .124/.167/.195 with two home runs, seven RBI and 10 runs scored in 35 games played. The 37-year-old probably doesn't have much left, but he'll see if another team will give him an opportunity as a right-handed veteran bat next year. If this is the end for the Cuban slugger, he'll finish his MLB career with a .283/.345/.488 slash line with an .833 OPS, 263 home runs and 960 RBI in 1,446 games over 11 seasons in the league.

After acquiring right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia from the Toronto Blue Jays earlier on Friday, the Seattle Mariners traded right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek to the New York Mets on Friday in exchange for minor-league outfielder Rhylan Thomas, according to a league source. Thomas was listed by MLB Pipeline as New York's No. 30 prospect. The 33-year-old Stanek heads to the Big Apple after struggling of late, and the veteran reliever now holds a 4.38 ERA (4.02 FIP), a 1.33 WHIP, a career-high seven saves and a 44:17 K:BB in 39 innings over 46 appearances out of Seattle's bullpen this year. Since June 30, Stanek has a 9.45 ERA, six walks, eight K's, three holds and two blown saves in 6 2/3 innings pitched. In New York, he'll work alongside Phil Maton as a late-inning setup man in front of closer Edwin Diaz.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (hip, shoulder) will throw five innings in a minor-league rehab start for Single-A San Jose on Friday night, and if all goes well, he will return to make his 2024 debut for the Giants on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. Cobb will essentially be replacing right-hander Jordan Hicks, who will make his last start of the year on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies before moving to the bullpen to protect his workload. The 36-year-old Cobb started the year on the injured list after having offseason hip surgery and then suffered a setback with his right shoulder along the way, keeping him out for the entire first half. Cobb has limited fantasy upside with a 19.9% career strikeout rate but could be a worthwhile deep-league streaming option in the right matchups when he returns to San Fran's starting rotation.

The Tampa Bay Rays continue to make moves and acquired right-hander Cole Sulser from the New York Mets on Friday in exchange for cash considerations. Sulser has been optioned to Triple-A Durham. The Rays got things started by dealing outfielder Randy Arozarena to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night and also sent right-hander Zach Eflin to the division-rival Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The move for the 34-year-old Sulser is the most insignificant of the trio of moves after the Mets designated him for assignment earlier this week. He allowed five earned runs in just 4 2/3 relief innings in New York in 2024 and has a 4.06 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and 15 career saves in his six years in the majors with five different teams. Sulser made his big-league debut with the Rays in 2019 after being drafted by Cleveland in the 25th round back in 2013 out of Dartmouth. He's not on the fantasy radar.