Teel rolled his left ankle applying a tag in Monday's second inning and was helped off the field. Manager Will Venable confirmed the diagnosis as a high ankle sprain and said Teel would "likely" head to the IL with a 6–12 week absence. Drew Romo and Edgar Quero take over the catching duties in Chicago. Teel has played just 19 games this year due to a parade of hamstring, knee, and now ankle problems.
Ohtani has not thrown a pitch since July 3 due to left knee irritation. Dave Roberts now says the earliest a bullpen session could happen is this weekend, meaning a start would be two-plus weeks away at minimum — and that estimate assumes no setbacks. Roberts has been careful not to set any firm dates, and there is no MRI or imaging planned. Ohtani remains in the lineup daily as the Dodgers' DH.
With Zac Gallen (elbow), Michael Soroka (glute), and Ryne Nelson (elbow) all on the IL, Arizona called up left-hander Kohl Drake to start tonight against the Athletics. Drake is the #10 prospect in the D-backs system and posted a 6.92 ERA in 17 Triple-A appearances this year, but has allowed just two earned runs over his last 8.2 innings. Gerardo Carrillo was also recalled. Corbin Carroll (hyperextended elbow) is expected back in the lineup tonight after missing one game.
Who's Hot This Week
Drake makes his MLB debut tonight against the Athletics and steps into an Arizona rotation that has lost Gallen, Soroka, and Nelson to IL stints. He's the #10 prospect in AZ's system, posted a rough 6.92 ERA in Triple-A overall, but has been sharp over his last two outings (8.2 IP, 2 ER). If he performs at all tonight, he likely has a guaranteed 4–6 starts while the rotation rebuilds — a stash window this wide does not open often in July. Add in all 12-team-plus leagues; there is essentially no roster cost at 4% owned.
Worth Reading
RotoBaller's full Week 17 FAAB breakdown with specific bid recommendations for five hitters and five pitchers. The most useful piece in the slate for FAAB leagues, particularly for managers trying to decide how aggressively to pursue Mead, Eldridge, or the emerging arms on the wire.
The best same-day wire article for today — Fantasy Alarm leads with Mead and Eldridge and works through additional position-by-position adds with fresh ownership percentages. Good companion read to the FAAB piece above if you want to know specifically who to prioritize in your league size.
Broader list-style format with quick takes on seven adds spanning all positions. Solid for managers who want a fast scan across all formats rather than deep dives on individual players.
Teel suffered a high ankle sprain applying a tag in the second inning of Monday's game against the Rangers. White Sox manager Will Venable described the injury as serious and said an IL stint is expected, with a 6–12 week absence cited as the likely timeline. This is Teel's third IL stint of 2026 — he has now played just 19 games all season due to hamstring, knee, and ankle problems. Drew Romo and Edgar Quero will handle catching duties going forward.
Kurtz was placed on the IL retroactive to July 10 with a right thumb capsule strain. As of July 22, he has not resumed any baseball activities, and his return timeline remains unspecified. The injury caused him to miss the All-Star Game as the starting AL first baseman. Oakland has also lost Brent Rooker to a season-ending knee surgery and Zack Gelof to a knee laceration — the A's infield depth is severely depleted.
Ohtani has not taken the mound since July 3 due to left knee irritation. Dave Roberts indicated a bullpen session could happen this weekend, but confirmed Ohtani would not pitch again until the knee is fully healed — no firm timeline has been set. He is not on the IL and continues to play as the Dodgers' DH with no apparent restriction at the plate. An early August return to starting is possible in the best-case scenario.
Gawlowski opens by establishing just how unexpected this is: Brandon Valenzuela entered 2026 with a 63 FV and a scouting report built around defense and framing, with the bat projected as a clear weakness. The piece details how that changed on April 30, when Valenzuela debuted adjusted swing mechanics that reduced his load and created a cleaner contact path. The pre-adjustment line was unplayable — .147/.171/.235 with a 29% whiff rate on fastballs. The post-adjustment line tells a different story: .265/.355/.470 over 59 games, with the strikeout rate falling to 23% and fastball whiff dropping to 20%.
The central argument is that Valenzuela's improvements track through every contact layer, not just the surface stats. Hard-hit rate, exit velocity, and launch angle all moved in the right direction simultaneously — which Gawlowski contrasts with hitter 'heaters' driven purely by BABIP luck. His 1.6 WAR in 59 career games ranks as one of the faster offensive development arcs for catchers in the Statcast era, and the piece notes that his elite framing and arm strength were never in question — only the bat was holding him back.
Gawlowski closes with the fantasy case directly. Valenzuela is rostered in under 15% of Yahoo leagues despite being a genuine two-way asset at the thinnest position on the fantasy diamond. He's one of three catchers this season posting both above-average offense and elite framing metrics — the other two (Adley Rutschman, Salvador Perez) are both currently injured. If you're streaming catchers week-to-week and ignoring Valenzuela, this piece argues you're working too hard for worse results.
Alex Lange blew his second save of the season as Detroit outlasted Chicago on a wild Tuesday slate. Three relievers recorded their first saves of 2026 — Victor Mederos (ATL) stranded an inherited runner and worked 2.1 scoreless innings in a role-of-necessity spot, and Tom Cosgrove (WSH) retired all six batters he faced for his first save since 2023. The season total now sits at 759 saves spread across 201 pitchers, reinforcing that one quarter of the league treats the ninth inning as a committee meeting rather than a defined role.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Wells | BAL | 🔴 Committee | Ryan Helsley landed on the 60-day IL July 19 with UCL inflammation — no structural damage confirmed, but the Orioles are not ruling out surgery. Wells leads the resulting committee with the most saves and the most scoreless outings in July, but Andrew Kittredge, Rico Garcia, and Yennier Cano have all recorded saves. Baltimore has not named a closer. Roster all four in deep leagues; in 12-team formats, Wells is the closest thing to a lead option. |
| Jacob Webb | CHC | 🟡 Watch | Daniel Palencia (flexor strain) has had his return pushed to mid-August, meaning Webb continues as the leading ninth-inning option for Chicago. Webb has 2 saves and 7+ consecutive scoreless innings, but Trent Thornton and Grant Taylor have also converted saves this season. Manager Craig Counsell has not officially named Webb the closer, and a bad outing could open the door quickly. Own Webb in 12-team leagues and above; the Cubs' committee is live but Webb holds the edge. |
| Jordan Romano | COL | 🟡 Watch | Romano joined Colorado on July 4 after a minor-league deal and has recorded 2 saves since arriving. He has been used in the ninth each time, ahead of Antonio Senzatela and Brennan Bernardino. It's still a small sample, but the Rockies appear to be giving Romano a real look as the team's preferred closer. Speculative add in 15-team-plus leagues — the Rockies do not produce many save opportunities, but Romano's role is solidifying. |
| Alex Lange | DET | 🟡 Watch | Lange's second blown save of the season on Monday night is eroding confidence in his hold on the Tigers' ninth inning. Will Vest and Keider Montero have both recorded saves this year, and Lange's command has been inconsistent across his last several appearances. The Tigers have not made a formal announcement, but if there is a third blown save this week, a committee designation becomes likely. Hold in 12-team leagues but add Vest as a backup in deeper formats. |
MLB's official weekly top plays compilation capturing the best moments from the post-All-Star stretch — standout offensive performances, elite defensive plays, and the home runs worth watching twice.
The official MLB account spotting 49ers tight end George Kittle locked in courtside-style at Tuesday's Cubs game at Wrigley Field — sold-out, mid-summer, electric atmosphere.
Full game highlights from the Rays at Blue Jays on July 20 — Toronto's lineup in action, useful context for anyone considering Blue Jays hitters or scheduling decisions around their home slate.
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