Tampa Bay's 22-year-old slugger put eight home runs across a six-game stretch, becoming the youngest player in modern baseball history to go deep in six consecutive games — surpassing Ken Griffey Jr. (age 23, 1993). Caminero entered July with 24 home runs and then committed to the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, adding star power to an already historic run.
Ramírez was removed from a game against Detroit after injuring his left hand, diagnosed with a fractured hamate bone, and underwent surgery the same day. A late-July return is the optimistic target, meaning he'll miss the All-Star Game entirely. The Guardians recalled Gabriel Arias to cover third base.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed Judge will not be ready for evaluation at the initial four-week mark, pushing his return further than originally hoped. Judge is out with a stress fracture in his right first rib and has not resumed any baseball activities. A late July or early August return is now the working target.
Strider was shut down from throwing for four weeks and transferred to the 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation. A follow-up MRI in mid-July will determine next steps; if the scan is clean, a throwing program could begin around the All-Star break. A late-August return is optimistic and an early-September one more realistic. Atlanta added Carlos Carrasco to fill the 40-man vacancy.
Who's Hot This Week
The Rockies' 10th overall pick from the 2022 draft was promoted July 1 as a long reliever, and his Triple-A numbers justify the grab: 0 ER, 26 K, and 8 BB over his last 21.2 innings across five outings. Colorado is being patient with him — no rotation spot is immediately open — but Hughes is first in line when one opens, and given the Rockies' injury history, that's a realistic scenario this season. At 4% ownership he costs almost nothing, and the dynasty and keeper upside is significant. Deep redraft managers with a bench spot should grab him before a rotation opening inflates his ownership overnight.
Worth Reading
Yahoo's Week 15 streaming guide calls out the Rockies, A's, and Mariners as the best add-and-stream farms this week. Cole Carrigg and Mickey Moniak anchor the hitter recommendations, with additional A's and Mariners pitching options for one-start streamers with favorable matchups.
RotoWire's FAAB prioritization guide for the new waiver period covers both hitters and pitchers ranked by recommended bid percentage. Useful for leagues using blind bidding to allocate budget optimally heading into the All-Star break.
Ramírez was removed from a game against Detroit after injuring his left hand and was later diagnosed with a fractured left hamate bone. He underwent surgery the same day. The initial 10-day placement is a formality — hamate surgery carries a 5–7 week recovery window, meaning a return before the All-Star break is off the table. Gabriel Arias was recalled as the corresponding move. Ramírez had been one of the most productive hitters in the American League before going down.
Judge's stress fracture in his right first rib has not progressed as quickly as hoped. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed he will not be evaluated at the initial four-week mark, extending the timeline further. Judge has not resumed any baseball activities, and a late July or early August return is now the working target, though no firm date has been set.
Cruz is sidelined with a hand injury and is not expected back until mid-to-late July. Before going down, he was one of the best values in fantasy baseball — 14 home runs and 21 stolen bases, a rare power-speed combination from shortstop. The Pirates have not provided a firm return date beyond the mid-to-late July window.
Strider was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation after being shut down from throwing for at least four weeks. A follow-up MRI in mid-July will determine next steps; if the scan is clean, a throwing program could begin around the All-Star break. A late-August return is best case; early September is more realistic. Atlanta added Carlos Carrasco to the 40-man roster as the corresponding move.
Jacob Misiorowski is doing something no starting pitcher in the history of pitch tracking has done — throwing 100 mph repeatedly, as a starter, for months, and winning. The 24-year-old Milwaukee right-hander leads all of baseball with a 1.47 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 156 strikeouts in 104 innings across 17 starts. On June 26, he broke his own velocity record with a 105.5 mph fastball against Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs — the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher since tracking began in 2008, and tied for the third-fastest pitch by any pitcher in Statcast history. His postgame reaction when told about the reading: he had slipped on the mound. 'I think I got a little bit more,' he said.
The pitch mix is built around a four-seam fastball (64%, averaging 99.7 mph) that hitters simply cannot catch up to, paired with a slider (13%), cutter (11%), curveball (11%), and a changeup (2%) deployed against left-handed batters. Opponents are hitting .151 against him — the lowest batting average against any pitcher in baseball. His expected metrics confirm the results are legitimate: 2.21 xFIP and 2.23 xERA, both first in the majors. In the June 26 start against Chicago, he struck out eight over six innings, allowed one run, and threw 58 pitches at or above 100 mph.
The one real flag is command — his 10.8% walk rate has been elevated for two consecutive seasons. On nights when his control drifts, base runners accumulate and pitch counts spike. But across 17 starts, he has given up more than three earned runs exactly twice. He leads baseball in wins among qualified starters and has not lost since early May. For fantasy managers who got in early, hold and enjoy. For those still waiting: the evidence has been here for four months.
The July 1 Leverage Ledger flagged multiple active committee situations heading into the holiday weekend. In Oakland, Elvis Alvarado (2 saves, 4 straight scoreless outings since June 5) has emerged as the A's lead arm in a season-long committee. Cincinnati's save situation is fully open after Emilio Pagan's hamstring injury, with four saves spread across four different relievers since he went down. In Arizona, Paul Sewald's struggles have Brandyn Garcia — on a 6-game scoreless streak with a save and three holds — one blown save away from inheriting the role. The Twins remain the most fragmented bullpen in baseball: 17 saves among 11 different relievers since the Jhoan Duran trade.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elvis Alvarado | OAK | 🟡 Watch | Alvarado has 2 saves and 4 straight scoreless outings since his June 5 recall and is the closest Oakland has come to a defined closer all year. Mason Barnett (1.23 ERA, 33.3% K rate) remains in the mix, but Alvarado has the hot hand. Add in 14+ team leagues and watch the committee split — two or three more clean save conversions likely locks the role down. |
| Brandyn Garcia | ARI | 🟡 Watch | Paul Sewald continues to struggle and Garcia has a 6-game scoreless streak with a save and three holds. The Diamondbacks haven't made a formal role change, but the ninth-inning usage is clearly shifting. Add Garcia in 14+ team leagues before the announcement — the next Sewald blown save could trigger an immediate handoff. |
| Cincinnati Reds committee | CIN | 🔴 Committee | Emilio Pagan's hamstring injury opened the door and nobody has walked through it — four saves since he went down, four different relievers. With Pierce Johnson and Graham Ashcraft also sidelined, there's no clear next man. Stream individual Reds ninth-inning appearances only in DFS or the deepest of redraft formats when Cincinnati is a significant favorite. |
| Minnesota Twins committee | MIN | 🔴 Committee | Since trading Jhoan Duran before last season, Minnesota has accumulated 17 saves across 11 different relievers. This is the most fragmented save situation in baseball with no resolution on the horizon. Do not spend roster space on any individual Twins arm — stream save opportunities only when the Twins are a clear favorite in a given game. |
Compilation of all 8 of Junior Caminero's home runs across his record-setting six-game streak — including the shot that made him the youngest player in modern baseball history to go deep in six consecutive games, surpassing Ken Griffey Jr.
Full game highlights from Jacob Misiorowski's record-setting start against the Cubs on June 26 — 8 strikeouts, 6 innings, 1 run, and the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher in Statcast history (105.5 mph).
The isolated 20-second clip of the exact 105.5 mph pitch — Pete Crow-Armstrong stepped in, challenged Misiorowski, and got the fastest fastball a starter has ever thrown. PCA's reaction after swinging through it is worth the click alone.
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