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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet is poised for a strong two-start week, facing the Astros and Marlins. He boasts a dominant 13-4 record with a minuscule 2.24 ERA and 1.07 WHIP this season. Crochet also leads the league with 183 strikeouts over 148 1/3 innings, establishing himself as one of the top overall options for fantasy managers.
Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta is projected for a two-start week (vs. Pirates, @ Reds) and is considered a strong fantasy option. He has compiled a 13-5 record with a 3.03 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 130 2/3 innings this season, adding 141 strikeouts against 49 walks. His consistent performance makes him a strong candidate to earn a victory and should be locked into fantasy lineups.
Tyler Soderstrom was identified as a strong betting candidate to hit a home run on Friday, given his recent hot streak at the plate. The left-handed hitter has homered in his last two games and has a history of hitting them in bunches this season. His favorable matchup against Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, who has allowed multiple home runs to left-handed batters, further boosted expectations.
San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnación has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 7, due to a right hamstring injury sustained in Wednesday's game. This marks Encarnación's third stint on the injured list this season, having previously dealt with a fractured hand and an oblique injury. Manager Bob Melvin indicated the injury 'doesn’t look good,' despite Encarnación having homered in both games since his last return from the IL.
San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is positioned as a strong home run bet for Friday's MLB schedule after having a few days off to reset. Despite hitting only four home runs since the start of June, Tatis boasts an impressive career record of 5 home runs in 32 at-bats against Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler. Buehler has struggled significantly on the road this season with a 7.44 ERA, presenting a favorable matchup for Tatis, especially with hitter-friendly weather expected.
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, a reigning American League Cy Young winner and current favorite for the award, is projected to go Under 8.5 strikeouts in his Friday night matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. Despite being third in baseball with 181 strikeouts, Skubal has gone under this total in 59% of his starts this season and 63.6% of his last 11 outings, averaging 8.2 strikeouts per game.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes delivered another strong performance, blanking the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 on Thursday despite allowing a career-worst seven hits, ending his 46-start streak of allowing six or fewer. Skenes struck out eight over six innings, lowering his ERA to a league-best 1.94, and extended his scoreless streak at home to 27⅔ innings. This marks his longest stretch without an earned run at PNC Park since 1912, and he holds a 4-0 career record against the Reds with a 0.39 ERA.
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor left Thursday's game against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning after grimacing during a swing. While no official word on his condition was released, Naylor had been batting .261 with three home runs and 10 stolen bases since joining the Mariners as a trade deadline acquisition. Donovan Solano took over at first base following Naylor's exit.
Roman Anthony is no longer listed as a top prospect after his graduation to the MLB earlier this season. He earned an early-June call-up and performed well enough to sign an eight-year extension with the Red Sox.
At 24 years old, Julio Rodríguez is seen as an underappreciated star for the Seattle Mariners, despite his consistent performance. He recently became the first player in MLB history to achieve 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in each of his first four seasons, accumulating 101 career homers and 107 steals. Rodríguez boasts exceptional defense in center field, ranking in the 97th percentile for fielding range and 96th for arm strength, contributing to his 4.8 WAR this season. His offensive statistics are notably suppressed by playing half his games in T-Mobile Park, with a .216/.278/.336 slash line at home compared to .292/.341/.542 on the road.
Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber is having a standout season, leading the National League with 40 home runs, including a recent grand slam. He is also well ahead of pace to surpass his career high and has contributed significantly with 94 RBIs and a .965 OPS, playing every game as the designated hitter. Schwarber, an impending free agent after this season, has become a key player for the Phillies as they push towards their fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
Will Smith, catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is having a historically great offensive season in 2025, despite being overshadowed by a star-studded roster. He boasts a .316/.416/.529 slash line with 14 home runs and 50 unintentional walks in 89 games, leading the NL in batting average at .321. His impressive 167 OPS+ ranks among the highest for primary catchers in the Integration Era, highlighting his significant and sustainable production at the plate.
Toronto Blue Jays ace Max Scherzer, 41, is preparing for a rare showdown against Clayton Kershaw, another member of baseball's 3,000-strikeout club. The 8-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, who became the 19th pitcher to reach the 3,000-strikeout mark, expressed immense respect for Kershaw and excitement for the high-stakes duel. This contest comes as his Blue Jays hold a four-game lead in the AL East, and Scherzer emphasized the importance of focusing on winning against the reigning champions.
Clayton Kershaw, a 37-year-old left-hander for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is set to face fellow 3,000-strikeout club member Max Scherzer in a highly anticipated matchup. The 11-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, who became the 20th pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts, is known for his exceptional work ethic. His former manager Don Mattingly credits Rick Honeycutt for helping him develop a crucial slider that complemented his two-pitch combo, significantly changing his career.
Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 42 home runs this season, is projected as a top home run pick for Thursday's game against the White Sox. He faces rookie starter Shane Smith, who has given up 10 homers this season, with a significant number coming from left-handed batters like Raleigh. Despite a recent five-game homerless streak, a statistical model indicates a positive expected return for Raleigh to extend his lead.
The Athletics and Nationals are set for an interleague matchup on August 7th. The Athletics will start left-hander Jacob Lopez (4-6, 3.99 ERA), who is coming off a win against the Diamondbacks. Right fielder Brent Rooker has been a strong hitter for the Athletics, batting .273 with 23 home runs and 66 RBI this season. The Nationals are expected to counter with left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-11, 5.35 ERA), who has won two of his last three starts. Shortstop C.J. Abrams leads the Nationals' offense, hitting .273 with 14 homers and 26 stolen bases.
Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox stole his 30th base of the season on Wednesday, continuing his strong performance on the basepaths. Since the MLB All-Star break, Robert has been hitting .383 with seven stolen bases in 13 games. He is also highlighted as a player to consider for stolen base props on Thursday.
Chicago Cubs reliever Andrew Kittredge threw the sixth immaculate inning in franchise history on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds, striking out Austin Hays, Gavin Lux, and Tyler Stephenson on just nine pitches in the seventh inning. This impressive performance came less than 24 hours after he had been booed off the mound for a poor outing, allowing four earned runs in an inning. Kittredge, recently acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, demonstrated a significant turnaround in his fourth appearance with the Cubs.
Seattle Mariners All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz participated in a live 'Chatting Practice' session, powered by Zoom Events. During this interactive event, Muñoz was available to answer questions directly from fans. This provided an opportunity for supporters to engage with the key relief pitcher.
Shohei Ohtani delivered a strong two-way performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching four dominant innings where he struck out eight batters, allowed only one earned run, and maintained a 2.37 ERA. This outing, his best as a Dodger and eighth since returning from UCL repair, saw him average a career-high 98.7 mph on his fastball, putting to rest concerns about recent cramping. At the plate, Ohtani launched his 39th home run of the season, a 444-foot two-run shot, which also marked his 1,000th career hit, making him the third Japanese-born player to achieve this milestone and the seventh player in MLB history with 1,000 hits and 500 strikeouts. Despite Ohtani's efforts, the Dodgers ultimately fell 5-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals due to bullpen struggles and defensive miscues.
