Mining the News (7/15/26)

William Liang-Imagn Images

Note: Any noted rostership rates come from the NFBC RotoWire Online Championship, the same rates we use on the FanGraphs Player Rater. For reference, these leagues are 12-team Roto leagues with 30-man rosters (2 C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, MI, CI, 5 OF, UT, 9 P) and weekly add/drops. This rate can be compared to other rostership rates found in this article.

Note #2: There will be another Mining the News in place of lineups this Friday. More news will come out once teams are back.

American League

Astros

• Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski are about to return from the IL.

The return of Blanco and Wesneski could satisfy the club’s starting pitching need, and relievers Bennett Sousa and Kai-Wei Teng could come off the IL immediately after the break.

Starting with Blanco, I need him to show some control once he gets to the majors in order for me to have any faith in him. His career 3.9 BB/9 is a huge red flag, even though he has a 3.45 ERA (4.36 xFIP). A combined 5.16 xFIP in the minors this year doesn’t lead to any confidence in a possible breakout.

The 28-year-old Wesneski has a little more going his way. For his career, he has a 4.01 ERA (4.04 xFIP), 1.16 WHIP, and 8.6 K/9. In 11 IP so far in his rehab, he has a 1.54 ERA (3.94 xFIP) with an 8.5 K/9 and 0.8 BB/9.

• Jose Altuve has cut down on his leg kick.

This season, Altuve is striking out a career-high 22.1 percent and whiffing at a career-worst 24.2 percent. To correct the issues, Altuve has taken more early on-field batting practice than in recent memory and tinkered with lessening his leg kick to improve his timing.

His strikeout rate has taken off, and he has hit just .221/.280/.434 since returning from the IL in early June.

• When Kai-Wei Teng returns to the team, he will be a reliever.

When Teng does return, Espada has already said he will do so as a reliever.

Teng is already approaching his career high in innings pitched and acknowledged feeling fatigued at the end of June. Expect him to shift back into a multi-inning bullpen role. As part of that assignment, Teng could perhaps serve as an opener or part of a piggyback system. Cristian Javier’s usage thus far suggests he could be in a similar spot.

Mariners

• When Brendan Donovan returns from the IL, he will not have a full-time position.

And this doesn’t include Brendan Donovan, who hasn’t yet begun a Minor League rehab assignment and is expected to transition to a super-utility role whenever he returns.

I continue to worry about whether he’ll play enough to be fantasy-relevant.

Rangers

• Jordan Montgomery will join the rotation once he’s off the IL.

“I’ve gained velo every time,” Montgomery said earlier this week. “I’ve gotten more comfortable out there and I’m recovering fine every time. We added plyos to my routine, so that should help shorten the arm path a little bit. I’ll just keep listening to them and trust when they’re saying I’m in a good spot, and just keep competing. … It sounds like I’m gonna be a starter, so I appreciate them not rushing me, especially with Jack [Leiter] going down. It’ll be nice to have five, six innings, and just see what they want to get from me.”

In 12 IP so far in his rehab, he has an 8.3 K/9, 0.0 BB/9, and 51% GB%.

National League

Cubs

• Jameson Taillon’s fastball velocity is under 91 mph.

Taillon allowed just one hit in 4 2/3 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out three. He threw 34 of his 53 pitches for strikes.

The right-hander averaged 90.8 mph on his four-seam fastball, 1 mph below his 91.8 mph average in MLB this season. His fastest pitch on Saturday was clocked at 91.9 mph. Taillon got seven whiffs on 24 swings (29.2% whiff rate).

He’s down 1.5 mph from last year. He was horrible before going on the IL (5.19 ERA, 4.75 xFIP), so I have zero expectations when he returns.

Diamondbacks

• Geraldo Perdomo has wrist discomfort.

Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo received a cortisone injection in his left wrist to battle some inflammation he’s experienced in that area.

Hazen said it was not a serious injury and Perdomo was expected to be in the starting lineup Friday against the Cardinals when the second half gets underway.

I’m guessing it was from this hit-by-pitch.

Dodgers

• Will Smith’s recovery has not improved, and he might not come back this year.

Then there’s Smith, who has been swinging, but his recovery is stagnant.

“Certainly expect him back this year,” Roberts said of Smith. “Just have no idea when.”

Currently, he’s 94% rostered, and if I had him, I might use the roster spot on someone else.

Mets

• Marcus Semien started his rehab assignment.

Due to the All-Star break, the only Minor League games taking place early next week are in the Florida Complex League. The pitching in that league is raw enough that Mets officials don’t want to put Semien’s health at risk by having him take at-bats at that level.

Instead, Semien will take live at-bats against rehabbing teammate Clay Holmes, who is due to throw a simulated game early next week. Semien will have what interim manager Andy Green called a “practice day” on Thursday before returning to the Minors for additional Minor League games beginning Friday. He’s unlikely to return to the Mets before the week of July 20.

Pirates

• Konnor Griffin will possibly return in September.

SS Konnor Griffin
Injury: Torn left ring finger sagittal band
IL date: July 7 (transferred to 60-day IL on July 11)
Expected return: Early September
Status: Injured the finger on a diving play in Pittsburgh’s game on July 5. After imaging, the injury is to the left hand ring finger sagittal band, and will sideline Griffin until at least September. He’ll have a splint for six weeks.

With the timeline, he should be a drop for most teams (48% roster%).