Mining the News (7/17/26)

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: This will be a working article on Friday as more news trickles in. I thought more news would hit the wire earlier but there wasn’t much.

American League

Blue Jays

• Kevin Gausman has a new windup.

Along those lines, they also need continued health from Spencer Miles as he pushes his career-high workload further and further; they need continued quality starts from Kevin Gausman, who introduced a new windup Sunday; and though he’s the least of their worries, the Blue Jays need more of the same from Dylan Cease following an All-Star first half.

Rays

• Steven Matz is on a rehab assignment.

LHP Steven Matz
Injury: Left ankle sprain
IL date: June 25 (15-day IL, retroactive to June 24)
Expected return: July
Status: Began a rehab stint with Triple-A Durham on July 9, allowing a run on three hits with a strikeout while recording two outs on 25 pitches. Started for Durham on July 12 and pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.

I’m guessing that Matz goes to the bullpen as a long reliever.

Red Sox
• The earliest Trevor Story could return is in August.

SS Trevor Story
Injury: Sports hernia
IL date: May 16 (transferred to 60-day IL on June 4)
Expected return: August at earliest
Status: Continues to ramp up hitting and all baseball activities. But no date set yet for rehab assignment.

National League

Dodgers

• Blake Snell started his rehab assignment.

Some #Dodgers rehab updates to start the second half:

Kiké Hernández will start a rehab assignment with OKC tonight (in Tacoma).

Blake Snell will start a rehab assignment with OKC on Saturday.

Two key players inching closer to returns.

— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) July 17, 2026

Snell is universally rostered and will need to knock someone out of the current rotation. Without an injury, Eric Lauer will most likely lose his rotation spot.

Mets

• Luis Robert Jr. could be activated any day.

OF Luis Robert Jr.
Injury: Lumbar spine disc herniation
IL date: April 30 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Mid- to late July
Status: Began a Minor League rehab assignment on June 30 and will continue it at least through July 17. Could be activated shortly after playing for Triple-A Syracuse that night.