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.

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.

Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The lefty slugger has started in 10 straight games with only five hits during that time. That being said, Naylor could use a day off to rest and recover before getting back in the lineup. In the meantime, Jhonkensy Noel will start at first base and bat fifth versus left-hander Christopher Sanchez. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups with Naylor sitting out prior to first pitch.

The Seattle Mariners are acquiring right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia from the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, according to sources. The main return for the Blue Jays is outfield prospect Jonathan Clase. Garcia was one of the best relievers available at this year's trade deadline. The M's make another significant move after acquiring outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. While Garcia probably won't come in and take over the closer role from Andres Munoz in Seattle, the 33-year-old veteran remains highly valuable in fantasy leagues that count holds in 2024. The Dominican hurler went 3-0 in Toronto this year with a strong 2.70 ERA (2.64 FIP), a 0.80 WHIP, five saves, 42 strikeouts and only eight walks in 30 innings out of the bullpen. Garcia should have even more opportunities for holds for the contending M's.

The Boston Red Sox are acquiring left-hander James Paxton from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, according to sources. It's unclear what the Red Sox have shipped to LA in exchange. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw spent last season with the Red Sox and will now return to Beantown after being designated for assignment by the Dodgers recently. In 89 1/3 innings for the Blue in 2024, Paxton was mostly ineffective, posting a 4.43 ERA (4.96 FIP) with a 1.45 WHIP, 64 strikeouts and a league-high 48 walks in his 18 starts. He wasn't much better last year for the BoSox, going 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA (4.68 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with a 101:35 K:BB in 96 innings and 19 starts. In addition to losing his control this year, Paxton was also sporting a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate. The move to Boston isn't likely to suddenly help Paxton find his stuff.

The Los Angeles Dodgers turned to relief pitcher Brent Honeywell in Thursday's victory against the division rival San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers turned to their main late-inning options, Daniel Hudson, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen in innings six through eight, leaving Honeywell for the ninth inning. Honeywell has pitched to a 0.79 ERA in 11 1/3 innings this season, but managers shouldn't expect many more save opportunities for him in the future. Even with Evan Phillips struggling lately, Hudson, Vesia and Treinen remain ahead of Honeywell in most games. For now, Honeywell can safely remain on the waiver wire.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher David Robertson pitched two innings on Thursday to pick up his second save of the season against the Chicago White Sox. Robertson retired all six batters he faced and picked up two strikeouts in the process. The veteran got the opportunity with closer Kirby Yates unavailable, due to appearing in the last three games. Despite only having two saves on the season, Robertson have been very effective for managers in leagues that count holds, as he has 21 on the season to go along with a solid 3.02 ERA and 13.30 K/9. If anything were to happen to Yates, Robertson would be the clear frontrunner to take over the ninth inning. For now, his best value is for managers seeking holds.

Tampa Bay Rays corner infielder Isaac Paredes had a big game on Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a double and four RBI in a 13-0 dismantling of the Toronto Blue Jays. He also walked and scored twice in this one. Paredes needed a game like this, as he had gone 0-for-14 in his last four games and had just a .603 OPS in July. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old has lived up to expectations this season, slugging 16 homers and driving in 55 runs with a .797 OPS. With Randy Arozarena being traded, the Rays could decide to go into full tear-it-down mode, and that could include trading Paredes. If he goes to the right spot (*cough* Houston *cough*) he could become an even bigger asset in fantasy.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are acquiring left-handed reliever A.J. Puk from the Miami Marlins for infield prospect Deyvison De Los Santos and outfield prospect Andrew Pintar. Puk has been a lights-out setup man for the Marlins since transitioning back to the bullpen this year following his disastrous stint as a starter, posting a 2.08 ERA and 0.76 WHIP with 33 strikeouts and six walks over his last 30 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old southpaw, who is making $1.8 million in 2024, has two more years of arbitration eligibility before he can become a free agent and will join Joe Mantiply as the only lefties in the D-backs' bullpen. Puk has closing experience and gives Arizona another option in high-leverage situations alongside stopper Paul Sewald as the club looks to make a postseason push, and his fantasy value remains virtually unchanged with the move. If anything, his stock slightly drops since he could've taken over as Miami's closer if ... [More]

The Texas Rangers activated right-hander Dane Dunning (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Thursday and optioned right-hander Gerson Garabito to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. As long as Dunning continues to pitch in a relief role for the Rangers, he can be ignored in mixed fantasy leagues. The 29-year-old former 29th overall pick by the Washington Nationals in 2016 out of Florida started the year as a starter in Texas' rotation but was moved to the bullpen in the first half before he injured his shoulder a month ago. Dunning made two minor-league rehab appearances and should occupy a middle-relief role for the Rangers now that he's back. In 15 appearances (12 starts) in 2024, he has gone 4-7 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a career-high 25.8% strikeout rate in 65 innings pitched.

Chicago White Sox All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet's plan with the White Sox is to pitch a normal workload as a starter until the end of the regular season. If Crochet is traded by next Tuesday's deadline, he would need a contract extension to pitch in the postseason. He will not move to the bullpen, though, and will not take any breaks despite already throwing a career-high 111 1/3 innings (21 starts) in 2024. The 25-year-old southpaw views his starting routine as the best thing for his health moving forward. Crochet seems likely to be traded by next Tuesday, and although he doesn't plan on having his turns skipped in the rotation moving forward, he's still likely to have his innings monitored down the stretch in what has easily been a career year for him. Crochet currently leads the league in strikeouts (157), strikeout rate (35.4%) strikeouts per nine innings (12.7) and FIP (2.30).

Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale at Coors Field against the hosting Colorado Rockies. With Wong on the bench, Reese McGuire will do the catching for right-hander Nick Pivetta and will bat seventh against Rockies right-hander Cal Quantrill. The 28-year-old Wong will get a breather after starting the previous four games and after going 0-for-5 with a strikeout in Tuesday night's 6-0 shutout win over Colorado. Wong has come down to Earth offensively since his absurd start to the 2024 season, but he's still hitting an impressive .297 (78-for-263) with nine home runs, 33 RBI, five stolen bases and 32 runs scored as Boston's starting backstop. DFS managers can find better sleeper options at catcher than McGuire, who is hitting only .215 (29-for-135) on the year with three homers and 18 RBI.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Cooper Criswell rose to the occasion in Tuesday's 6-0 win over the Rockies at Coors Field, improving his record to 4-4. Criswell pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The 28-year-old has spent time with both the Red Sox and Triple-A Worcester this season and has put up respectable big-league numbers, compiling a 3.60 ERA, a 7.48 K/9 rate, and a 2.22 BB/9 rate in 13 starts and 65 IP with the Red Sox. Should he remain in the rotation, his next start would likely be a favorable matchup against the Mariners. This would make him a decent streaming option in deeper leagues.

The Miami Marlins designated right-hander Yonny Chirinos for assignment on Tuesday and recalled right-hander Kyle Tyler from Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. Tyler made the start for the Fish on Tuesday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Chirinos gets the boot off the Marlins' 40-man roster a day after surrendering five runs on nine hits while walking four in five innings in a loss to the division-rival New York Mets. The 30-year-old veteran predictably has not been very good in his six starts (30 innings pitched) for Miami in 2024, going 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA (6.11 FIP) and 1.87 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and 13 walks. The veteran Venezuelan could latch on with another organization to close out the 2024 season but he won't be much more than an innings-eater if he finds his way back to the big leagues.

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black said prior to Tuesday's game against the visiting Boston Red Sox that the club doesn't have "a total game plan" for outfielder Nolan Jones (back), who was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 13. "He's feeling better, that's the main thing," Black said. "With Nolan, it starts with that. If he gets through the next couple of days, we'll probably have a little bit more of a plan." It's the second time this year Jones has been on the shelf with a strained lower back, so the Rockies are likely going to be more inclined to take a cautious approach this time around. The 26-year-old left fielder enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, but he's slashing a dreadful .202/.311/.313 with three home runs, 14 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases over 163 at-bats in 2024 and is no longer a must-stash fantasy asset.

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, Los Angeles Angels infielder Luis Rengifo (wrist) is coming off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday. Heyman goes on to add that Rengifo will be a great trade piece leading up to the July 30 trade deadline as a versatile infielder that could be of interest to the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and many others. The Angels haven't released their lineup yet for Game 2 of their series in Seattle against the division-rival Mariners, but Rengifo should be in it against right-hander Logan Gilbert. Rengifo skipped a minor-league rehab assignment, so he'll be playing in his first game on Tuesday since early July after being sidelined with wrist inflammation. While he's not a great source of counting stats or power, the 27-year-old is hitting .315 (79-for-251) with 22 stolen bases and should be rostered in most fantasy leagues.UPDATE: Rengifo is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second for the Angels on Tuesday versus Gilbert.

Los Angeles Angels right-hander Griffin Canning (elbow) said he's fine and is expecting to make the start on Wednesday on the road in Seattle against the division-rival Mariners. Canning was pulled from his last start early on Friday against the Oakland Athletics due to right-elbow irritation, but it looks like he'll avoid a stint on the injured list. Even though the Mariners are a decent matchup, fantasy managers won't be ecstatic to use Canning coming off an injury scare. The 28-year-old former second-round pick in 2017 out of UCLA hasn't gone more than five innings in a start since June 29 and allowed 12 earned runs on 16 hits (three homers) while walking six and striking out 10 in 12 innings in his last three starts combined. He's 3-10 with a 5.20 ERA in his 20 starts in 2024 and has a career-low 15.7% strikeout rate.

Los Angeles Angels infielder Luis Rengifo (wrist) said he's doing "everything" on Monday like he would before a normal game and said that he could "maybe" be activated from the 10-day injured list before Tuesday's game against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Rengifo resumed throwing, fielding ground balls and hitting off a tee on Friday, and it sounds as though he'll be able to rejoin the Angels without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 27-year-old has been out since July 5 due to right-wrist inflammation. While he can't be counted on for much power or run production, he is hitting .315 (79-for-251) with 22 stolen bases as a regular in the Halos' lineup when healthy. Now that Anthony Rendon is back, most of Rengifo's playing time will come at second base when he returns. He's worth picking up off the waiver wire if he's available.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder (shoulder) is back in left field and batting second for Boston in Monday's series opener at Coors Field against the hosting Colorado Rockies and left-hander Austin Gomber. Refsnyder returns to Boston's lineup after he was scratched from Sunday night's contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to shoulder soreness. The 33-year-old veteran outfielder can't be counted on for much power or speed, but he makes plenty of contact and has provided fantasy managers in deeper leagues with a strong average (.299) in 167 at-bats in 2024. He's been great against lefties with a .301/.427/.480 slash line with a .907 OPS and three of his four home runs in 89 plate appearances, too, making him a more attractive DFS sleeper on Monday at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach will rest on Monday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies with left-hander Ranger Suarez on the mound. In addition to Larnach, Matt Wallner and Edouard Julien will hit the bench. Jair Camargo is serving as the designated hitter and batting seventh, Manuel Margot is in left field and hitting leadoff, and rookie Brooks Lee is manning the keystone and batting sixth against Suarez for the series opener. The lefty-hitting Larnach has faced left-handers only eight times this year, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's not starting on Monday. Against righties, he's hit .247 (48-for-194) with all 10 of his home runs and all but one of his RBI on the year. Margot has hit .289 (26-for-90) against southpaws in 2024 and is more attractive as a DFS sleeper in the leadoff spot, but he's added just three homers and four steals on the season.