At the All Star break

1. Yoan Moncada, IF, Chicago White Sox
2017 stats: 73 G, .282/.380/.451, 54 R, 9 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 47 BB, 93 K, 16 SB at Triple-A Charlotte.

Moncada ends the first-half of the season on a strong note, hitting his 11th homer and earning a trip to the Futures Game. In all honesty, we expected to see him in the majors at this point, but the White Sox want to see him at his best -- and there’s also the financial implications -- before he gets a call to Chicago. Even with the strikeouts, Moncada’s ability to do anything and everything on the field makes him the best fantasy prospect in baseball for 2017 and beyond.

2. Lewis Brinson, Of, Milwaukee Brewers
2017 stats: 52 G, .339/.412/.573, 57 R, 19 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 26 BB, 51 K, 10 SB at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

When Brinson is done playing, he might want to move to Colorado Springs He will remember it with fondness; at least statistically. Sometimes there’s a weird place where a prospect is too good for Triple-A, and not quite ready for the big leagues. Brinson might be in that space, but I think it’s just a matter of him making a couple of adjustments at the highest level. If or when he gets that chance, I’d bet he does much better. And no, it’s not me saying he can’t do much worse, even if that were true.


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3. Amed Rosario, SS New York Mets
2017 stats: 83 G, .327/.365/.474, 55 R, 16 2B, 7 3B, 7 HR, 52 RBI, 20 BB, 58 K, 16 SB at Triple-A Las Vegas.

In the month of June, Rosario hit .237/.285/.360. In the month of July, Rosario has a 1.136 OPS. July is better than June. Some of Rosario’s struggles the previous month can be attributed to regression to the mean, and some of the success in July can be attributed to the fact that he’s only played five games this month. Nevertheless, Rosario is back to crushing the baseball, and it’s a darn shame it’s happening in Las Vegas rather than New York.

4. Ozzie Albies, 2B, Atlanta Braves
2017 stats: 80 G, .292/.336/.451, 56 R, 17 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 22 BB, 73 K, 21 SB at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Remember how we mentioned about a month ago that Albies was really struggling? Yeah, it’s fair to say that’s no longer the case. In fact, since May 23, he’s hitting .323/.364/.512 with five triples, five homers and eight stolen bases. All this and -- again -- he’s still one of the youngest players in Triple-A. Ridiculous. Albies has a chance to be a fantasy star, and his ability to run and make hard contact from both sides of the plate gives him a high floor as well.

5. Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
2017 stats: 83 G, .289/.395/.576, 61 R, 19 2B, 4 3B, 20 HR, 66 RBI, 47 BB, 53 K, 2 SB at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

In a week that saw Hoskins have his batting average and slugging percentage drop, he was still able to see his on-base percentage go up. If you’re in a league where on-base percentage isn’t in play that might not seem like a big deal, but it’s always nice to see hitters show patience even when things aren’t going their way. Hoskins still has some of the best numbers of any first baseman in minor-league baseball, and he’s absolutely earned the right to see how he’ll handle big-league pitching. Soon.

6. Chance Adams, RHP, New York Yankees
2017 stats: 17 G, 1.94 ERA, 92.2 IP, 56 H, 6 HR, 37 BB, 96 K at Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Joe Girardi recently stated that they aren’t considering Adams as a potential reliever to end the year. Some might take that as a negative. I’m an optimist. Right now, it’s tough to believe there are five starters better than Adams currently on the Yankees’ roster, and he should get a chance to show that before the end of the year. He’s the least likely of any player here to make his debut, but if he does get the chance, look out. He has the stuff and command to be a very good starting pitcher.

7. Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox
2017 stats: 77 G, .300/.369.575, 48 R, 19 2B, 3 3B, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 31 BB, 55 K at Double-A Portland.

There’s a strong chance that Devers gets promoted to Triple-A before the end of the week, and if it’s not the end of this week, it won’t be too long before that. He’s shown all that needs to be shown at the Double-A level, now it’s time to see if he can handle the rigors of the International League. Expect him to hit that pitching well, and then expect him to get a chance to face pitching at the highest level sometime (relatively) soon after that.

8. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Chicago White Sox
2017 stats: 17 G, 4.98 ERA, 90.1 IP, 97 H, 15 HR, 41 BB, 97 K at Triple-A Charlotte.

It’s been an up and down (mostly down) first half for Giolito, but he certainly ended it on the right note. He pitched seven strong innings and allowed just two hits, and he struck out 10 while walking only two hitters. This is the Giolito the White Sox want to see over the rest of the year, and it’s certainly within him to do that. It’s just a matter of stringing a couple of starts like this together before we see him in the Chicago rotation.

9. Dominic Smith, 1B, New York Mets
2017 stats: 89 G, .330/.382/.500, 58 R, 23 2B, 1 3B, 12 HR, 58 RB, 29 BB, 64 SO at Triple-A Las Vegas.

One of the common “complaints” with Smith right now is that he doesn’t hit for enough power. Smith must have heard the naysayers, because he hit four homers this week and upped his slugging percentage nearly 30 points. No, he’s not going to put up Cody Bellinger-like power numbers, but 20-plus homer seasons are certainly possible, and are probably likely. As soon as Lucas Duda is dealt, Smith should get a chance to play every day at first.

10. Austin Meadows, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
2017 stats: 64 G, .248/.313/.558, 43 R, 16 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 23 BB, 47 K, 10 SB at Triple-A Indianapolis.

Meadows remains on this list, but it’s getting a little harder to justify. Call it a case of there being no real obvious candidate to replace him, and the fact that there’s a strong chance that the Pirates move Andrew McCutchen before the trade deadline. That would open up a clear spot for Meadows, and despite those not-so-spectacular numbers, he’s talented enough to succeed. He’ll also need to get healthy, but assuming he does, there’s a golden opportunity here. Again.

Also considered: Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox; Reynaldo Lopez, RHP, Chicago White Sox; Willy Adames, SS, Tampa Bay Rays; Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Dejong arrival early

Paul Dejong wasn't supposed to be in St. Louis this year, but then again, we've heard that one before.

The 23-year-old is in St. Louis, though, and he appears there to stay, given his success. On Saturday, DeJong had his best game as a major leaguer to date, going 4-for-4 with three doubles and a home run in the Cardinals' win over the Mets.

“It’s a zone,” DeJong told the St.Louis Post Dispatch. “This is you what strive for, to be able to see it like you did today. You talk about sports psychology in that there’s this concept that you’re near the zone all the time and sometimes you drift into it. But staying as close you can to the zone all the time is the goal.”

It's a zone that DeJong has been in for much of his 35 games in the majors. Since being promoted, the infielder is hitting .306/.326/.581 with eight homers, 17 RBI and 16 runs scored.

His story is not unlike the player he replaced, Almedys Diaz, who came out of nowhere in 2016 to take over as the team's shortstop of the future. Now, it's DeJong who has the look of an everyday player while Diaz's struggles have forced him not only out of the lineup, but to Triple-A Memphis.

“That’s baseball,” said DeJong. “It’s ‘What are you doing for me, lately?’ a lot of times. He’s a great player. But I think I’m a great player, too.”

There's still plenty with which to take issue regarding DeJong's success -- including the fact that he's struck out 38 times in 35 games, and that whatever success he's had has come in just a 35-game sample size -- and defensive limitations may preclude him from being considered the Cardinals' answer at shortstop, even now. But his major league production follows a 2016 season at Double-A Springfield in which DeJong hit 22 homers, and comes on the heels of him hitting 13 home runs in 48 games with Triple-A Memphis before being promoted.

As with Diaz in 2016, fantasy owners might be wise to take a flier on DeJong in hopes he can keep it up for the entire year.

Kipnis Sustains Hamstring Strain

If it weren't for bad luck, Jason Kipnis might have no luck at all.

It's a tired cliché but one that fits given Kipnis' 2017 season. The most recent blow was a mild right hamstring strain suffered during Saturday's game that will at least keep the second baseman out of Sunday's game, if not longer.

“It’s a mild strain, his hamstring," said bench coach Brad Mills. "We’ll kind of work through tests and so forth. We’ll know a little bit more obviously tomorrow.”

The season has been doomed from the start, with right rotator cuff inflammation during spring training forcing Kipnis to miss the first few weeks of the season. More recently, neck spasms have cost the 30-year-old a few games here and there.

And when he's not hurt, he's struggling at the plate. A good game on Friday has Kipnis' season line up to .232/.292/.402, with eight homers and five steals.

The Indians are among the teams best-equipped to deal with an absence, with utility knife Jose Ramirez at the ready and decent-hitting options such as Erik Gonzalez, who replaced Kipnis on Saturday, and others available off the bench. The Indians should have a better idea of Kipnis' outlook on Sunday.

Tigers' Wilson Drawing Interest

If the Tigers choose to tear it down -- and they should absolutely choose to tear it down -- there will be no shortage of useful players available to contending teams.

One such player, Justin Wilson, is already drawing trade interest, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Fenech said the Nationals, Astros and Cubs have all had high-level scouts watching the Tigers in recent weeks, with a special interest in the southpaw.

Wilson is a popular target for obvious reasons, posting a strong 2.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 48/12 K/BB ratio over 32 2/3 innings this year. He's recently taken over closing duties for the Detroit club, saving nine games in 10 chances.

A reliever's fantasy value often takes a hit when traded at or near the deadline, but a move from the Tigers to the Nationals would actually be a win for Wilson's owners given the chaotic state of the Nats bullpen. The Astros, Cubs and Dodgers, another team rumored to be interested in the 29-year-old, all have established closers and would thus be less attractive destinations for Wilson from a fantasy perspective.

One way or another, it does seem the Nats will upgrade their bullpen before July 31, or at least performance dictates they should. Who ends up in the nation's capital is still anyone's guess.

National League Quick Hits: Johnny Cueto (ear) will start Sunday against the Marlins. Apparently he's over the ear infection that sidelined him earlier this week. Matt Cain, who had been the scheduled starter for Sunday's first-half finale, will be available out of the pen. It's been a down year for Cueto but he's pitched better of late, producing a strong 2.84 ERA over his last three starts ... Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Ryan Braun (calf) was dealing with a cramp on Saturday. Braun lobbied to stay in the game but Counsell decided to play it safe by giving him the rest of the afternoon off. It doesn't sound like anything serious but with the All-Star break coming up, Braun will probably ride the pine Sunday against the Yankees ... Stephen Strasburg said he feels fine after leaving Saturday's start against the Braves with a hip injury. Strasburg took a comebacker off the bony part of his hip in the third inning and didn't come out for the next frame. He had a rough afternoon, allowing six runs (three earned) and seven hits before exiting. When asked if the injury would affect his availability for Tuesday's All-Star Game in Miami, Strasburg responded with a simple "no" ... Dodgers manager Dave Roberts plans to give Clayton Kershaw an extended rest following the All-Star break. Kershaw will start Sunday's first-half finale versus Kansas City, which prohibits him from pitching in Tuesday's All-Star Game (teammate Alex Wood has already replaced him on the NL All-Star roster). The left-hander has logged 123 1/3 innings this year, his most in the first half since 2013, and could probably use some time to recharge his battery. Nothing is set in stone, but it looks like Kershaw's next start after Sunday will come against the White Sox on July 18. That will give Kershaw nine days between starts ... Mets activated OF Michael Conforto from the 10-day disabled list. Conforto made it through a rehab game on Thursday without any issues, though he was not in Saturday's starting lineup. Prior to landing on the shelf with the hand injury, he was hitting .285/.405/.548 with 14 homers, 41 RBI and two stolen bases ... Hunter Renfroe left Saturday's game against the Phillies with a neck injury. He felt his neck tighten up on a swing in the seventh inning. Renfroe stayed in to run the bases after hitting a leadoff double but was replaced by Matt Szczur in right field to begin the next half-inning. He's likely to miss Sunday's series finale ... Julio Teheran rattled off seven scoreless frames during a 13-0 demolition of the Nationals on Saturday. He spaced out four base hits and two walks while fanning five in the sterling effort ... Shrimp! Cody Bellinger went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored, and his bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning gave the Dodgers a 5-4 win over the Royals on Saturday. The 21-year-old has had plenty of heroic moments in a debut season to remember thus far, batting .264/.346/.626 with the second-most homers in the National League heading into the All-Star break.

American League Quick Hits: Rangers activated SS Elvis Andrus from the paternity leave list. He returned after a two-game absence. He celebrated his return by going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in a Rangers win ... Avisail Garcia (finger) was not in the White Sox's lineup Saturday against the Rockies. Garcia was out of the lineup with a sprained middle finger for the second straight game. He's hoping to return Sunday, which would put him on track to play in Tuesday night's All-Star Game ... Alex Cobb made it through 7 2/3 innings without allowing a run to beat the Red Sox 1-0 on Saturday. He gave up just two base hits and one walk while striking out three in the gem outing. He tossed 111 pitches and kept opposing batters off-balance and befuddled all afternoon. Cobb will take a 7-6 record with a 3.75 ERA into the All Star break ... Mike Clevinger held the Tigers scoreless over six innings en route to a 4-0 Indians victory Saturday. It was the third consecutive start in which he's gone six innings with zero or one run allowed, lowering his ERA to 3.00 in the process. The 26-year-old heads into the break on a three-game winning streak, sitting at 5-3 overall ... Rick Porcello allowed just one run in an eight-inning complete game but was hit with a tough luck loss to the Rays on Saturday. He let in a run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning and that was all it took to lose the game when his teammates got shut out. Porcello registered seven punchouts without issuing a base-on-balls in the masterful effort. He falls to 4-11 on the season with a 4.75 ERA ... Clint Frazier crushed a three-run walk-off homer in the ninth inning on Saturday, propelling the Yankees to a 5-3 victory over the Brewers. The rookie outfielder is slashing a cool .300/.318/.850 with two homers and six RBI in his first 22 plate appearances at the major league level.

Rank your starters

Starting pitcher Rankings

July	SP	Team	2017	May	June
1	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	1	1	1
2	Max Scherzer	Nationals	3	2	2
3	Chris Sale	Red Sox	4	3	3
4	Corey Kluber	Indians	7	5	8
5	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	13	9	5
6	Jacob deGrom	Mets	10	4	4
7	Yu Darvish	Rangers	9	8	6
8	Carlos Carrasco	Indians	17	13	10
9	Carlos Martinez	Cardinals	18	17	18
10	Zack Greinke	Diamondbacks	47	28	17
11	Jon Lester	Cubs	11	11	11
12	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	6	33	26
13	Dallas Keuchel	Astros	38	15	7
14	Lance McCullers	Astros	22	21	19
15	Jose Quintana	White Sox	21	20	25
16	Masahiro Tanaka	Yankees	16	14	15
17	Jake Arrieta	Cubs	5	7	12
18	Aaron Nola	Phillies	15	19	24
19	Chris Archer	Rays	28	25	23
20	David Price	Red Sox	19	18	16
21	Alex Wood	Dodgers	74	71	38
22	Justin Verlander	Tigers	12	12	13
23	Gerrit Cole	Pirates	20	10	9
24	Jameson Taillon	Pirates	31	23	32
25	Marcus Stroman	Blue Jays	34	27	27
26	Jeff Samardzija	Giants	37	43	30
27	Robbie Ray	Diamondbacks	58	50	36
28	James Paxton	Mariners	24	6	20
29	Michael Fulmer	Tigers	40	36	29
30	Johnny Cueto	Giants	14	16	14
31	Rick Porcello	Red Sox	27	24	28
32	Rich Hill	Dodgers	30	37	42
33	Sonny Gray	Athletics	78	70	47
34	Mike Montgomery	Cubs	63	62	70
35	Brandon McCarthy	Dodgers	41	32	31
36	Luis Severino	Yankees	114	38	37
37	Michael Pineda	Yankees	42	22	22
38	Steven Matz	Mets	54	54	48
39	Jake Odorizzi	Rays	48	47	34
40	Eduardo Rodriguez	Red Sox	76	66	39
41	Ivan Nova	Pirates	55	41	44
42	Lance Lynn	Cardinals	82	49	40
43	Jon Gray	Rockies	46	60	51
44	Matt Shoemaker	Angels	33	40	33
45	Alex Cobb	Rays	43	53	49
46	Danny Duffy	Royals	49	44	71
47	Felix Hernandez	Mariners	36	58	54
48	Taijuan Walker	Diamondbacks	53	52	57
49	Danny Salazar	Indians	39	30	45
50	Sean Manaea	Athletics	60	78	65
51	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	8	29	21
52	Marco Estrada	Blue Jays	56	45	35
53	Jose Berrios	Twins	122	100	64
54	Carlos Rodon	White Sox	65	89	74
55	Joe Ross	Nationals	26	57	41
56	Aaron Sanchez	Blue Jays	50	55	61
57	Kenta Maeda	Dodgers	44	61	58
58	Cole Hamels	Rangers	25	34	60
59	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	61	46	56
60	J.A. Happ	Blue Jays	62	77	66
61	John Lackey	Cubs	32	39	43
62	Drew Pomeranz	Red Sox	73	65	68
63	Jacob Faria	Rays	265	NR	NR
64	Gio Gonzalez	Nationals	85	68	76
65	Mike Leake	Cardinals	84	67	62
66	Brad Peacock	Astros	289	136	106
67	Noah Syndergaard	Mets	2	31	50
68	Jimmy Nelson	Brewers	146	146	121
69	Patrick Corbin	Diamondbacks	69	48	63
70	Jordan Montgomery	Yankees	226	91	91
71	Francisco Liriano	Blue Jays	70	73	75
72	Julio Teheran	Braves	29	42	53
73	Dan Straily	Marlins	98	93	80
74	Kevin Gausman	Orioles	52	75	73
75	Tanner Roark	Nationals	64	59	59
76	Mike Foltynewicz	Braves	90	79	78
77	Ervin Santana	Twins	135	76	72
78	Luke Weaver	Cardinals	104	104	97
79	Jason Vargas	Royals	168	97	90
80	Matt Moore	Giants	45	51	55
81	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	51	72	69
82	Jaime Garcia	Braves	80	90	82
83	Jerad Eickhoff	Phillies	66	63	84
84	Zack Godley	Diamondbacks	213	NR	110
85	Blake Snell	Rays	77	81	115
86	Ian Kennedy	Royals	95	86	99
87	Luis Castillo	Reds	356	NR	NR
88	Vince Velasquez	Phillies	57	69	95
89	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	83	96	112
90	Mike Clevinger	Indians	185	159	113
91	Matt Andriese	Rays	136	126	86
92	Daniel Norris	Tigers	75	80	79
93	Jesse Hahn	Athletics	101	56	67
94	Ariel Miranda	Mariners	196	155	152
95	Jharel Cotton	Athletics	67	74	94
96	Dylan Bundy	Orioles	97	83	81
97	Charlie Morton	Astros	108	92	117
98	Mike Fiers	Astros	127	156	NR
99	Seth Lugo	Mets	118	116	104
100	Dinelson Lamet	Padres	297	NR	103
101	Junior Guerra	Brewers	100	111	89
102	Zach Davies	Brewers	93	101	105
103	Zack Wheeler	Mets	123	103	93
104	Chad Kuhl	Pirates	126	130	149
105	Nick Pivetta	Phillies	318	144	NR
106	Kendall Graveman	Athletics	99	82	96
107	Trevor Bauer	Indians	107	106	109
108	Tyson Ross	Rangers	115	115	108
109	Nate Karns	Royals	110	114	107
110	David Phelps	Marlins	92	132	102
111	Joe Biagini	Blue Jays	82 RP	50 RP	92
112	Trevor Cahill	Padres	134	113	126
113	Sean Newcomb	Braves	212	NR	NR
114	Eddie Butler	Cubs	186	157	122
115	Garrett Richards	Angels	59	134	128
116	Andrew Moore	Mariners	281	NR	NR
117	JC Ramirez	Angels	276	122	111
118	Ricky Nolasco	Angels	109	112	118
119	Robert Gsellman	Mets	72	88	100
120	CC Sabathia	Yankees	140	140	144
121	Andrew Triggs	Athletics	96	85	85
122	Steven Brault	Pirates	179	NR	NR
123	Jeremy Hellickson	Phillies	106	98	125
124	Matt Harvey	Mets	23	35	52
125	Luis Perdomo	Padres	167	NR	131
126	Jordan Zimmermann	Tigers	112	133	159
127	Anthony DeSclafani	Reds	89	95	88
128	Adam Warren	Yankees	124	119	132
129	Francis Martes	Astros	220	NR	NR
130	Josh Hader	Brewers	120	121	147
131	Brock Stewart	Dodgers	132	NR	NR
132	Erasmo Ramirez	Rays	130	129	101
133	German Marquez	Rockies	188	NR	141
134	Tyler Glasnow	Pirates	71	84	87
135	Tyler Skaggs	Angels	94	NR	142
136	Collin McHugh	Astros	131	NR	NR
137	Scott Kazmir	Dodgers	121	141	148
138	Brent Honeywell	Rays	128	110	119
139	Chase Whitley	Rays	125	127	139
140	Matt Boyd	Tigers	137	123	137
141	Chase Anderson	Brewers	177	148	157
142	Trevor Williams	Pirates	286	NR	NR
143	Brett Anderson	Cubs	103	102	136
144	R.A. Dickey	Braves	145	152	NR
145	Doug Fister	Red Sox	211	NR	NR
146	Lucas Sims	Braves	354	142	133
147	Paul Blackburn	Athletics	406	NR	NR
148	Joe Musgrove	Astros	81	109	129
149	Scott Feldman	Reds	156	NR	NR
150	Matt Cain	Giants	181	120	130
151	Ross Stripling	Dodgers	144	139	140
152	Hisashi Iwakuma	Mariners	91	108	138
153	Jose Urena	Marlins	160	NR	160
154	Jeff Hoffman	Rockies	357	NR	NR
155	Chad Green	Yankees	164	NR	NR
156	Edinson Volquez	Marlins	141	143	154
157	Brent Suter	Brewers	305	NR	NR
158	Tyler Chatwood	Rockies	171	154	156
159	Derek Holland	White Sox	157	147	120
160	Chris Tillman	Orioles	133	117	116
161	Ben Lively	Phillies	235	NR	NR
162	Tyler Beede	Giants	247	NR	NR
163	Jose De Leon	Rays	113	135	123
164	Jhoulys Chacin	Padres	102	131	NR
165	Kris Medlen	Braves	154	NR	NR
166	Brandon Finnegan	Reds	193	137	134
167	Tyler Anderson	Rockies	116	150	114
168	Reynaldo Lopez	White Sox	151	NR	NR
169	Antonio Senzatela	Rockies	232	NR	151
170	Ty Blach	Giants	150	124	127
171	Chris Bassitt	Athletics	224	NR	NR
172	Homer Bailey	Reds	158	NR	NR
173	Jason Hammel	Royals	129	145	NR
174	Adalberto Mejia	Twins	294	NR	NR
175	Tim Adleman	Reds	324	NR	NR
176	Jesse Chavez	Angels	147	153	158
177	Josh Tomlin	Indians	139	NR	155
178	Sam Gaviglio	Mariners	362	NR	NR
179	Cody Reed	Reds	143	151	NR
180	Anibal Sanchez	Tigers	180	NR	NR

• Gerrit Cole just might be my most frustrating player this year. I was rather lukewarm going into the spring, but then he came out with his best velocity ever and it seemed like he was going to recapture 2015 form after missing time and struggling some last season. Instead, he’s 6-7 with a 4.51 ERA in 17 starts. In his last six outings, he’s allowed seven runs three times and one run three times. How does that make sense? He’s given up as many homers in 102 innings this year (18) as he did in 324 innings the previous two years. Cole’s velocity remains strong. His groundball rate is OK. His strikeout rate is disappointing, but still near the league average. His walk rate is good. He’s actually been blessed with the best BABIP of his career. He should be a quality starter the rest of the way, but with no decent explanation of why he hasn’t been one so far, I certainly can’t continue ranking him where I had been.

• Done with waiting for a rotation spot to open up, the Cardinals promoted Luke Weaver on Monday and will use him out of the pen. Weaver had been 7-1 with a 1.93 ERA for Triple-A Memphis, but there has long been doubt about how well his stuff will translate to the majors. I think he’s a No. 4 starter, but one who could have some future mixed-league value in St. Louis. While he’s interesting, he’s not such a good bet for this year to make it worth carrying him in shallow leagues in the hopes that someone ahead of him gets hurt.

Freedom at last

When the Braves placed Freddie Freeman on the disabled list May 18 with a fractured left wrist, the expectation was that he would miss 8-10 weeks. But there he was in the starting lineup for Atlanta on Tuesday night against the visiting Astros, just over six weeks after suffering the injury.

Freeman played in just two minor league rehab games -- Saturday and Monday at Triple-A Gwinnett -- but he started at third base in both and went 2-for-3 with two walks in five plate appearances. The hot corner is where Freeman plans to get the majority of his playing time in the second half, with Matt Adams sticking at first base. Though it’s likely Adams will become a trade candidate for the rebuilding Braves around the July 31 deadline given that he carries only one more year of contractual control and has mashed at a career-best clip since being acquired May 20 from the Cardinals.

Freeman singled to center field Tuesday in his first plate appearance since coming off the disabled list and he played all nine innings at third base in Atlanta’s 16-4 blowout loss to Houston.

The 27-year-old is slashing .338/.456/.734 in 169 plate appearances this season, including Tuesday night’s 1-for-4. He had racked up 14 home runs in his first 37 games before landing on the disabled list, making good use of SunTrust Park’s short right-field porch.

Britton Back, Will Be Eased In

Good news if you’ve stuck it through with Zach Britton during his 60-day stay on the disabled list.

As planned, the left-hander will be activated ahead of Wednesday night’s series finale at Milwaukee’s Miller Park and Orioles manager Buck Showalter told the Baltimore Sun on Tuesday afternoon that a return to closer duties in the cards … eventually.

“We’ll move towards returning to that role,” Showalter said. “We’ll see what the game allows us to do.”

Britton will probably make a few low-leverage appearances out of the gate, but if those go well he could unseat Brad Brach in the ninth inning before the All-Star break. Brach has mostly been excellent as a fill-in closer, with a 2.72 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 36 1/3 total innings, but he blew his fourth save of the season on June 30 and hasn’t pitched since.

Britton had a brilliant 0.54 ERA in 67 innings last season and tallied an American League-best 47 saves, finishing fourth in the AL Cy Young Award voting. He was sporting a 1.00 ERA through nine innings this season when he landed on the disabled list May 6 with a left forearm strain and he allowed just one run in seven minor league rehab appearances.

Trout Nearing Minor League Rehab

Angels general manager Billy Eppler offered this promising status update on injured superstar Mike Trout through the Angels’ public relations Twitter account on Tuesday evening …

“Mike successfully went through a full workout today with our Inland Empire affiliate. He reports continued improvement in his thumb and he will continue workouts tomorrow with the Inland Empire team, potentially playing either Wednesday or Thursday.”

Trout and the Angels have already announced that the perennial MVP candidate will not participate in the 2017 All-Star Game, but he should return to action right after the break -- a little over six weeks after his May 31 surgery for a torn left thumb ligament.

Trout was on pace for a career year before the injury, if you can believe that, with his .337/.461/.742 batting line, 16 home runs, 36 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 36 runs scored in 47 games.

The type of thumb injury Trout suffered can sometimes stunt offensive output for months, but it would be foolish to regard him as anything other than a top-tier fantasy performer for the second half. Not that owners in respectable fantasy leagues would ever sell low on Trout.

National League Quick Hits: Cubs farm director Jaron Madison believes Kyle Schwarber is close to being ready for a return to the majors … Clayton Kershaw worked seven shutout innings Tuesday night against the Diamondbacks, lowering his season ERA to 2.19 … Daniel Murphy tortured the Mets yet again on Tuesday by going 4-for-5 with five RBI and a run scored … Brewers slugger Eric Thames belted a pair of solo home runs in Tuesday's win over the Orioles … Yasmany Tomas has been diagnosed with a mild right groin strain and will likely remain sidelined through the end of July … Yoenis Cespedes sat out Tuesday’s game against the Nationals with a hamstring cramp … Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Tuesday's victory over the Phillies … Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy (knee) is scheduled to return Saturday against the Royals … Christian Yelich hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the Marlins' win over the Cardinals on Tuesday … Jimmy Nelson yielded just one unearned run and whiffed eight over seven frames Tuesday in the Brewers’ defeat of the Orioles … Jameson Taillon set a career-high with nine strikeouts across five shutout innings in Tuesday’s win over the Phillies … Starling Marte (suspension) has moved his minor league rehab assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis … Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock was activated from the disabled list ahead of Tuesday night’s series opener at Dodger Stadium … Kyle Hendricks (hand) threw a bullpen session Tuesday for the first time since landing on the disabled list … Padres closer Brandon Maurer had a 1-2-3 inning to record his 17th save of the season in Tuesday's win over the Indians … Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong (triceps) will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Wednesday with Double-A Springfield … Felipe Rivero notched his fourth save of the season with a scoreless frame Tuesday in Philadelphia … Reds right-hander Homer Bailey limited the Rockies to one run in six innings Tuesday to pick up a win at Coors Field … Eduardo Nunez has been backed off his rehab assignment for at least the next four days due to concern over his hamstring … Dodgers placed Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day disabled list with a left foot injury … Marlins designated left-hander Jeff Locke for assignment.

American League Quick Hits: Astros shortstop Carlos Correa was pulled from Tuesday’s game against the Braves after injuring his left thumb on a head-first slide into home plate … Andrew Benintendi went 5-for-5 with six RBI and four runs scored as the Red Sox dominated the Rangers on Tuesday

 … Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma has been shut down after feeling renewed right shoulder discomfort during his most recent bullpen session … Miguel Cabrera said he expects to play Wednesday despite leaving Tuesday’s game with left hip tightness … Aaron Judge slugged his MLB-leading 28th home run Tuesday in the Yankees’ loss to the Blue Jays … Brian Dozier (back) was available off the bench Tuesday versus the Angels … Tigers closer Justin Wilson tossed a perfect ninth inning against the Giants on Tuesday for his ninth save … Yonder Alonso smashed a solo shot and a two-run homer Tuesday in the A’s victory over the White Sox … Mike Moustakas launched his 24th home run of the season Tuesday night against the Mariners … Ryon Healy was held out of action again on Tuesday due to back spasms … Charlie Morton (lat) will return to the Astros' rotation Friday at Toronto … Byron Buxton went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, a stolen base, and two runs scored as the Twins defeated the Angels on Tuesday afternoon … Mark Trumbo exited Tuesday's game against the Brewers after suffering a left calf contusion … Tim Beckham went 2-for-4 with his 11th home run of the season Tuesday in the Rays’ defeat of the Cubs … A’s youngster Franklin Barreto had an RBI triple and a walk-off solo home run in Tuesday's win over the White Sox … Danny Duffy’s first start since returning from the disabled list was a good one, as he limited the Mariners to two runs over 5 2/3 frames in a win … Corey Kluber recorded 10 strikeouts across eight innings of one-run ball but was still saddled with a loss against the Padres on Tuesday … Dallas Keuchel (neck) could begin throwing off a mound later this week … Nelson Cruz (knee) reached base in all three plate appearances and drove in two runs in his return to the Mariners’ lineup Tuesday … Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) allowed four earned runs over four innings Tuesday in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Pawtucket … Astros outfielder Josh Reddick homered, doubled, singled and knocked in four runs Tuesday against the Braves … Tigers outfielder Alex Presley (concussion) has been cleared for baseball activity … Blue Jays reliever Joe Smith (shoulder) is not expected to return until after the All-Star break … Tigers signed first-round pick RHP Alex Faedo … Yankees designated Chris Carter for assignment.

Avoidance can produce results

The Rays right-hander opted for PRP injections in attempting to avoid the surgery, but ultimately went under the knife in May of 2015. He didn't return until last September and looked very rough during a late-season stint, posting an 8.59 ERA in five starts while flashing reduced velocity.

The first couple of months were a mixed bag for Cobb, to be sure, and he hit rock bottom with his first start in June, in which the Mariners pummeled him for nine runs on 14 hits over five frames. Since that low point, however, he has been starting to look a whole lot more like his old self. And his outing this week was the most encouraging thing we've seen yet since he underwent surgery more than two years ago.

Facing the Pirates in Pittsburgh, Cobb took a no-hitter into the seventh before ultimately settling for eight innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. He wasn't awarded a win, since Alex Colome coughed up a two-run lead in the ninth, but it was still a tremendous performance from the rapidly improving right-hander.

Cobb's four starts since that clunker in Seattle have all been quality, and he owns a 1.63 ERA during that span. He's still available in almost 40 percent of Yahoo leagues, so this looks like a good time to snag him if you can.

 Is this the end of the road for Bartolo Colon? His age-defying extension of a two-decade playing career has been nothing short of remarkable, but at age 44, it appears he's finally out of gas. Colon, 2-8 with a hideous 8.14 ERA through 13 starts, was designated for assignment by the Braves this week.

Tethered to a $12.5 million salary, he will likely pass through waivers unclaimed, leaving his future very much in limbo. There's no chance the hurler will go pitch at Triple-A, so it might be time to hang up the cleats on a commendable run. Then again, there are some teams out there really desperate for rotation help.

 On Tuesday night, Cubs catcher Miguel Montero could not stop the running game, as the Nationals ran wild for seven steals. While he was unable to gun down base runners, he was successful in shooting himself in the foot, as a postgame rant in which he pointed fingers at Chicago's pitching staff (namely Tuesday starter Jake Arrieta in this instance) led to his being released, with Cubs president Theo Epstein outright calling him a bad teammate.

Montero's complaints might have had merit, but it's clearly bad form, and controlling the running game has been a longtime issue for him. Regardless of the bad PR, however, Montero will surely latch on elsewhere thanks to his bat, which has been producing solidly this year with a .286/.366/.439 in 45 games. It all might even work out in his favor if he winds up with a weaker timeshare partner than Willson Contreras. Toronto is one team reported to have interest.

 The injury bug has bitten the Yankees so badly that not even their replacements can stay healthy. Already without Greg Bird (foot/ankle), Starlin Castro (hamstring), Aaron Hicks (oblique) and Matt Holliday (fatigue), New York called up prospects Tyler Austin and Dustin Fowler over the past week, only to watch both go down almost immediately.

Austin was placed on the DL after four games with a high-grade hamstring strain that could sideline him for several weeks. Fowler's stay with the Yanks was even shorter, and his situation more frightful: the outfielder suffered an open rupture of his patellar tendon in a collision with the wall during his first big-league game, and required late-night surgery. He's gone for the year.

Still in one piece, for now, is the club's other recent call-up, Tyler Wade. A versatile fielder, he was hitting .313/.390/.444 with 24 steals on 28 attempts at Triple-A and holds moderate fantasy appeal if he's in the lineup regularly. At this point, what choice does Joe Girardi have?

 At long last, Carlos Rodon was activated to make his 2017 White Sox debut on Wednesday night, after losing almost the entire first half to biceps tendinitis. His first start was a rocky one, with the 24-year-old southpaw missing the zone on more than half his pitches and issuing six walks over five innings. However, he only allowed two hits and all three of his runs allowed were unearned, so it wasn't all bad.

Rodon took a big step forward with his control in 2016, so hopefully this was just a hiccup out of the gates. On the bright side, his velocity looked very good, with the fastball clocking in at 94 MPH on average. He's out there in more than half of all Yahoo leagues.

 Desperate for relief help, the Nationals signed Kevin Jepsen to a minor-league contract on Thursday. He'll report to Class-AAA Syracuse, where he'll try to impress the organization enough to earn a call-up ahead of his July 26th opt-out date.

Jepsen was a trainwreck last season and the same was true this spring, as the D-backs released him in late March with a 12.27 Cactus League ERA, but he was very good as recently as 2015. The Twins acquired him at the deadline that year and he took over at closer during the final stretch with Glen Perkins struggling. Jepsen notched 10 saves while pitching lights-out.

Still only 32, and if he can relocate that form with his mid-90s fastball he could return to fantasy relevance pretty quickly. The Nats are searching for answers at the end of games, though they haven't come across too many save opportunities thanks to an offense that steadily generates lopsided victories.

 Chase Anderson's breakout year for the Brewers is going to need to be put on ice, for the time being. The right-hander suffered an oblique strain while batting on on Wednesday and is likely out until August.

It's a rough break for the first-place Brew Crew as Anderson had been leading their rotation with a 6-2 record and 2.89 ERA. He was particularly good in the month of June, where he posted a 1.56 ERA and 33-to-5 K/BB ratio. It's unclear at this point who might replace Anderson in the Milwaukee rotation.

 Making his Miller Park debut on Friday night, Stephen Vogt bashed two home runs. Given his quality track record as a hitter, we're expecting it to be the start of a much better run in Milwaukee after he was cut loose by the A's last week.

 Opposing lineups beware: Corey Kluber has found his groove. The Cleveland ace got off to a rocky start this year, and then spent most of May on the DL, but he's been completely locked in of late. With a brilliant effort on Thursday, he wrapped up a month of June in which he went 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA, notching double-digit strikeouts in four of his five starts. Kluber is on track to quickly become a factor in the AL Cy Young race despite the missed time.

 The Rays acquired shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria from the Marlins in exchange for a pair of prospects. It's a necessary move for Tampa with their infield depth eroded long-term injuries to Matt Duffy and Brad Miller. Hechavarria doesn't offer much punch, nor does he run much, but he's capable of hitting for a decent average and goes from being an option in NL-only leagues to AL-only leagues.

 The Brewers traded light-hitting shortstop Nick Franklin the Angels.

 The Phillies promoted outfield prospect Nick Williams and while he might not stick around long, he offers some deep-league appeal as long as he's up.

Clint makes an impact

Clint Frazier made headlines in spring for things like the length of his hair.

In his major league debut, he let his bat do the talking.

Frazier doubled and homered in Saturday's loss to the Astros, announcing his arrival by doing what he does well. He batted ninth and played right field in the game.

His talent, and the reason the Yankees made him the centerpiece of their return for Andrew Miller in last year's deal with the Indians, was on display, as he waited on a hanging breaking ball from left-handed reliever Tony Sipp in the seventh inning and clubbed it into Houston's Crawford Boxes, not even taking a full swing. The 22-year-old had 12 homers at Triple-A Scranton this year.

It's still not clear how long Frazier's stay in New York might be. The Yanks promoted multiple other outfielders ahead of Frazier, but injuries kept mounting -- including to one of those previously-promoted outfielders, Dustin Fowler -- and forced them to move on Frazier, possibly before they wanted to.

“We needed another outfielder,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Even so, Frazier has enough ability to similarly force the club's hand into keeping him around. He was MLB.com's No. 17 prospect at the time of his promotion Saturday.

Speaking before the game, the outfielder said he learned from the spring training incident and while he's more aware of his actions, he's also going to keep doing the things that make him the player he is.

“If I clip my own wings, I won’t be able to play the way I want,” he said. “But as long as I can be myself without being a distraction or cause harm to the clubhouse or the team, I think I’ll be in good shape.”

Rangers Remove a Bush

In a twist of fate, a former Rangers closer saved his first game for his new club Saturday while his old club opened up the ninth inning in hopes of finding a new closer capable of doing the same.

While Sam Dyson was earning the save for the Giants in their 11-inning win over the Pirates, the Rangers were busy replacing Matt Bush after he blew yet another save chance Friday. Bush allowed three runs on four hits in one-third of an inning in the loss, his fifth blown save of the year.

“We’ll use multiple pitchers out there based on who’s available to us and the set of hitters,” Banister said of the bullpen plan. “We’re not committed to one single guy.”

For those looking for a dart to throw, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said reliever Keone Kela is likely the team's best option if it were to turn to one individual in the pen as it's currently comprised. He's been sidelined recently with a nagging biceps injury, but if there's a reliever worth owning, it's Kela.

“Kela probably has the best stuff to be able to do it but at this point it might be two guys in the inning just based on the match ups,” Banister said.

Paulino Popped For PED

The Astros' ongoing search for passable rotation arms just decreased by one candidate.

David Paulino, who has made six starts for the club since being promoted on May 30, was suspended Saturday for 80 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. The 23-year-old allegedly tested positive for Boldenone.

"He feels bad about it and feels bad that he's put the organization in this position," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He'll learn from it, and I'm sure David's going to have a long and fruitful major league career. ... He's got a lot of talent."

Paulino wasn't tearing it up for the Astros -- he held a 6.23 ERA in those six starts -- but he'd shown flashes of what landed him on some prospect lists this past spring, striking out 34 batters in 29 innings of work. The 80-game ban likely precludes Paulino from pitching again this season, Luhnow said.

The suspension leaves another hole in an Astros rotation that has had a few of them this year. Nine different players have started at least one game for the team through three months. Joe Musgrove, who was recently demoted for posting a 6.01 ERA in 13 starts, may be a candidate to fill Paulino's shoes.

National League Quick Hits: Starling Marte will begin a minor league rehab assignment with High-A Bradenton on Sunday. Marte will dust off the cobwebs by spending a couple weeks in the minors as he prepares to return from his 80-game suspension, which is up on July 18. The 28-year-old was off to a slow start before his suspension (.241 AVG in 54 at-bats) but carries a lifetime .288 average and stole a career-high 47 bases last year. If he's still available in your league, now would be the time to scoop him up ... Sam Dyson pitched a scoreless 11th inning Saturday to earn the save in the Giants' 2-1 win over the Pirates. Dyson allowed a hit but nothing more, striking out one en route to the save. It was his first as a member of the Giants after saving 38 last year for the Rangers. There was some uncertainty who would close games for the Giants in the wake of Mark Melancon's injury, but Giants beat writers quickly identified Dyson, and not Hunter Strickland, as the top choice. He's flawed, but owners looking for saves can feel comfortable scooping up Dyson in Melancon's absence ... Kris Bryant (ankle) returned to the Cubs' lineup for Saturday afternoon's contest against the Reds. Bryant hadn't played since leaving Wednesday's game with an ankle sprain. He made it through agility drills on Friday without issue though and has made a quicker than anticipated recovery. Bryant went 1-for-4 Saturday ... Jason Heyward (hand) will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Low-A South Bend on Sunday. This comes only a day after manager Joe Maddon said Heyward didn't look "quite right" in the batting cage. It's surprising Heyward would begin a rehab assignment without being 100 percent, but here we are. We'll see how Heyward fares in South Bend but if he's still struggling, the team could certainly wait until after the All-Star break to activate him ... D.J. LeMahieu (groin) was not in the Rockies' lineup Saturday against the Diamondbacks. It was his third straight absence after tweaking his groin Tuesday night at San Francisco. LeMahieu remains day-to-day ... Mets placed OF Michael Conforto on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to June 28, with a bruised left hand. Conforto has already missed five games, so at this point a decision had to be made rather than continuing to play short-handed. Curtis Granderson will continue to hit atop the Mets' lineup in his absence.

American League Quick Hits: Nelson Cruz left Saturday's game against the Angels with right knee discomfort. Mike Zunino pinch-hit for him during the fifth inning. Cruz may have injured himself in the second inning when he was thrown out at second base after trying to stretch a single into a double. The Mariners are calling him day-to-day ... Angels activated RHP Bud Norris from the 10-day disabled list. Norris missed the minimum 10 days while recovering from a minor knee injury. Look for him to immediately regain his role as the Angels' closer. He needs to be owned and started in all formats.  ... according to the Boston Globe, David Price had a heated confrontation with NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley on the team's flight to Toronto. It's the second time Price has sparred with a media member in the last month following a similar altercation a few weeks ago with CSN New England's Evan Drellich. It's unclear what started it, but Price seems to be at war with the Boston media, refusing to speak to reporters except on days that he pitches. The latest incident led to a closed door meeting Friday with manager John Farrell and President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski. Does it make any difference to his fantasy stats? Probably not. But it's certainly interesting nevertheless ... CC Sabathia (hamstring) will return Tuesday against the Blue Jays. Sabathia felt he didn't need a rehab assignment after a strong showing in Thursday's simulated game and apparently the Yankees agreed. The left-hander has enjoyed a resurgent season for the Bombers, though he hasn't pitched particularly well in his two starts against Toronto (6.10 ERA) ... Justin Upton (oblique) didn't start either game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Indians. Upton was a late scratch for the first game and tested his side out between games to see if he could play, but wasn't able to get the green light. It seems he's day to day for now ... Logan Morrison hit two home runs and walked twice in a 10-3 win over the Orioles on Saturday. Both homers came against starter Dylan Bundy. He drilled a two-run blast to center in the first inning, then rocked a solo shot to right field in the third. Morrison was a fantasy dud for years but is having a major breakout at the age of 29. He has a .256 batting average with 24 bombs, 46 runs and 57 RBI. Only Aaron Judge has more home runs than Morrison this year. George Springer and Cody Bellinger also have 24 ... Elvis Andrus muscled his 11th home run of the year Saturday in the Rangers’ win over the White Sox. He broke a 2-2 tie by mashing a two-run shot off Derek Holland in the fifth inning. The 28-year-old has had a career year, batting a robust .301 with 49 RBI and 20 steals.