Mining the News (7/8/26)

Aaron Doster-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.

American League

Angels

• Grayson Rodriguez should be off the IL any day.

RHP Grayson Rodriguez
Injury: Lower back tightness
IL date: June 15 (15-day IL)
Expected return: July 10
Status: Threw 5 1/3 innings in Triple-A rehab start on July 4, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Is expected to return to start on July 10.

Astros

• Hayden Wesneski and Lance McCullers Jr. are about to come off the IL.

RHP Hayden Wesneski
Injury: Torn ulnar collateral ligament in right elbow
IL date: March 25 (60-day)
Expected return: August
Status: Threw four innings (46 pitches), allowing one run and two hits with three strikeouts, in his July 5 Minor League rehab outing with Double-A Corpus Christi. (updated July 6)

…
RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
Injury: Right rotator cuff impingement.
IL date: May 19 (15-day, retroactive to May 16)
Expected return: July
Status: After throwing 60 pitches in four innings July 1 for Triple-A Sugar Land, McCullers will make his third rehab start July 7, also for Sugar Land.

With a couple of arms struggling in the Majors, it will be interesting to see who remains in the MLB rotation.

Blue Jays

• When Spencer Miles starts, his pitch limit will be in the low-70’s.

Without an objective measure of what is too much, part of the approach is avoiding too much, too fast, both in innings and in velocity.

“I got up to 73 pitches and then kind of deloaded, so I think that, in a way, gave me a new floor. I don’t think we really know what the ceiling is, but we’re just going to keep pushing it and find out,” said Miles. “My volume has reached a certain point now where my body is starting to accept the force. In years past, 98ish has been my peak. But with a new floor, your body adapts.

“So now your brain and your body are like, ‘OK, I can settle in here. I know what that feels like, I can accept the force.’ Then your body’s saying like, ‘Alright, maybe we can go one step above that and break a chain off that prior peak in exertion of force.’ I don’t really know what the limit is. I think there’s still another one or two ticks in a volume floor that we can get to. So, maybe there’s more in there.”

Depending on his efficiency, he might not throw enough innings for a Win.

Guardians

• Angel Martínez could return after the All-Star break.

OF Angel Martínez
Injury: Left foot fracture
IL date: June 16 (10-day IL)
Expected return: Late July/After All-Star break
Status: Took batting practice for first time on July 4. Has begun to do ground-based conditioning. Team hopeful for return after All-Star break.

If I needed hitting, he’d be the top target of the guys featured here. Before going on the IL, he hit 11 HR with 9 SB in 243 PA.

• Chase DeLauter keeps wearing down as the season has gone on.

However, DeLauter being able to press pause in the midst of his rookie big league season was one positive to glean from an otherwise tough situation.

“You never wish or hope you get a break, of course, midseason like that,” DeLauter said. “But that definitely is somewhat of a reset.”
…
“[The IL stint] was definitely a good little break for me for the legs and stuff like that. I will say, coming back, jumping right back into compete mode, it stacks up quick,” DeLauter said. “It’s an interesting one to navigate, because in the past when I’ve had stuff, it’s been, ‘Let’s take a couple of months.’ You kind of know it’s a long process.

“Whereas this [time], you’re really not doing anything for a week, and then you’re doing everything again the following week. It was good, though. A good little reset on the mental, on the legs. But again, you never really hope that happens.”

I’m a little worried about this trend going forward. He needs a routine to maintain peak production level.

Mariners

• Brendan Donovan should return after the All-Star game.

INF Brendan Donovan
Injury: Left groin strain
IL date: May 17 (10-day IL, retroactive to May 16)
Expected return: After All-Star break
Status: Set to begin rehab July 7.

I was a little surprised to see the batting average only source is 82% rostered.

Rangers

• Jordan Montgomery is on, and Cody Bradford is about to go on a rehab assignment.

LHP Jordan Montgomery
Injury: Left UCL surgery
IL date: March 8 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Post All-Star break
Status: Continued rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco on June 27, posting a pair of scoreless innings in his second outing.

LHP Cody Bradford
Injury: Left UCL surgery
IL date: March 25 (15-day IL, retroactive to March 22)
Expected return: Early August
Status: Did another live batting practice at Globe Life Field on July 2. Will do one more live BP before going out on a rehab assignment.

I see no reason to roster either one at this moment, especially without an open rotation spot.

Red Sox

• Trevor Story thinks he’ll return in mid-July.

SS Trevor Story
Injury: Sports hernia
IL date: May 16 (transferred to 60-day IL on June 4)
Expected return: Some time after the All-Star break
Status: Participating in all baseball activities, though not quite at full speed. General timetable for recovery is eight to 12 weeks, and Story thinks he is closer to eight.

With his injury history, I’m worried he can’t stay healthy, but he should be a solid add.

Twins

• Bailey Ober is nearing a return from the IL.

RHP Bailey Ober
Injury: Right elbow inflammation
IL date: May 31 (15-day injured list)
Expected return: July
Status: All reports were encouraging after Ober threw 76 pitches across five innings in his second rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul on July 4.

It’s been since 2024 that Ober has been fantasy-relevant, and this season, his fastball velocity is down 3 mph compared to then. And it’s down another 0.5 mph in his rehab. Ignore.

White Sox

• Shane Smith began his rehab assignment.

RHP Shane Smith
Injury: Right rotator cuff strain
IL date: May 2 (7-day IL, Minors)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts for High-A Winston-Salem on July 1.

While universally drafted, he’s readily available. He showed no control this year with a 9.7 BB/9 in the majors, leading to a 10.80 ERA. In his first rehab start, he didn’t walk anyone, so he’s off to a decent start.

National League

Cubs

• Jordan Bastian of MLB.com thinks Ben Brown will be in the bullpen once off the IL.

Given the time Ben Brown (15-day, stress reaction in neck) needs to heal, he seems more likely to return as a reliever later this season. To be clear, that is speculation.

If Brown is headed to the bullpen, he’s a drop in all leagues.

• Jameson Taillon should return after the All-Star break.

Jameson Taillon (15-day IL, left hamstring) just worked 3 1/3 innings in a rehab start with High-A South Bend and if the big righty does not return for an abbreviated outing before the All-Star break, he should be back shortly after the intermission.

In deeper leagues, he might be worth adding as a bench streamer.

Diamondbacks

• Brandon Pfaadt altered his delivery in his rehab starts.

Pfaadt changed his delivery slightly at Reno, and he no longer raises his hands over his head, a habit he said he picked up for an unknown reason when he was around 9 years old and just stuck with it.

In his first start in Reno, he just stopped doing it on his own and had success, so he just stuck with it. But again, it comes down to more of a change in mentality.

“I know earlier in the year we didn’t really have feel when we weren’t pounding the zone as much,” Pfaadt said. “So I think there’s a direct correlation to that, and I think just getting back to that is huge.”

He seems to have more control since returning (0.9 BB/9), but he needs to find a way to get out lefties (career-long issue).

Dodgers

• Alex Freeland could get demoted when Enrique Hernández comes off the IL.

The 34-year-old is set to become a free agent after the season. His offensive numbers this year have been among the worst of his second stint with the Dodgers. Across 256 plate appearances, Hernández has slashed .203/.255/.366 with a 70 wRC+, meaning he has performed 30% below league-average offensively. However, he continues to provide value as a versatile defender who can competently handle multiple positions, not to mention the leadership and energy he brings to the clubhouse.

Alex Freeland, who was recalled to fill Hernández’s roster spot in May, has posted a 77 wRC+ and could be a candidate to be optioned once Hernández returns. With the Dodgers searching for more offensive production from the bottom of the roster, Hernández’s return would provide both defensive flexibility and a potential boost to the lineup.

Marlins

• Janson Junk is about to finish his rehab assignment.

RHP Janson Junk
Injury: Right shin bone inflammation
IL date: May 31 (15-day IL, retroactive to May 28)
Expected return: Soon
Status: Threw 61 pitches in second rehab start on July 4. X-rays came back negative after taking a comebacker off left wrist while beginning rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on June 28.

He’s probably just a streamer when he returns to the majors. I see no future changes with his rehab pitch stats similar to those in the majors.

Mets

• Luis Robert Jr. will come off the IL in mid-May.

OF Luis Robert Jr.
Injury: Lumbar spine disc herniation
IL date: April 30 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Mid-July
Status: Began a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on June 30, setting him up for a July return. Will remain on assignment until ready, which could take most of his allotted 20 days.

Reports are that he’ll be on the short side of an outfield platoon when he’s “healthy”.

Nationals

• Trevor Williams started his rehab assignment.

RHP Trevor Williams
Injury: Right elbow sprain
IL date: Feb. 10 (60-day IL)
Expected return: 2026
Status: Scheduled to pitch with Triple-A Rochester on July 8. (Last updated: July 6)

I’m intrigued. I would like to see some velocity and pitch mix numbers before buying back in.

Pirates

• Aaron Nola dropped his cutter for a slider.

But Nola threw four sliders on June 13 in Milwaukee. He has thrown 11 sliders in three starts since.

It is a new pitch, which is an acknowledgement that Nola must try something different to be even just incrementally more competitive on the mound.

…

Nola shelved his cutter for a slider. It’s not a bad idea. Opponents had hit .419 with a .645 slugging percentage against the cutter. Super-small sample size, but they’re 0-for-4 against the slider.

He remains too hittable, and his walk rate versus right-handed hitters is 2%. Versus left-handed hitters: 11%

Reds

• Ke’Bryan Hayes is trying to return to the majors …

3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
Injury: Lumbar bulging disc
IL date: May 22 (10-day injured list)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Began rehab assignment on July 3 at High-A Dayton. After the weekend, Hayes is scheduled to continue with Triple-A Louisville for an unspecified number of games.

… after working on a few swing adjustments.

While he was in Arizona, Hayes was given directives for adjustments from hitting coach Chris Valaika to try to help him get back on track at the plate.

“Val and the hitting guys tried to really stay abreast of him all the way, and I got videos of him hitting and I know they’ve been talking. They’ve done assessments. They’ve stayed on it pretty good,” Francona said.

I see Hayes getting one more shot at third base before the Reds need to move on.

Rockies

• Brenton Doyle is not close to returning from the IL with a new injury.

CF Brenton Doyle
Injury: Left oblique contusion, left groin tightness
IL date: May 21 (10-day IL, retroactive to May 20)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Returned to Denver for evaluation on July 5, a day after being removed from a rehab game with left groin tightness. The new injury has affected him for about a week.