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Starling Marte RF | KC
Mets' Starling Marte: Timeline remains uncertain
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Marte is without a timeline for a return from the 10-day injured list while his recovery from a bone bruise in his right knee remains "slow still," Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Nearly three weeks removed from landing on the IL on June 25, Marte is still dealing with pain in his knee and hasn't yet been cleared to resume baseball activities. The Mets had been hoping that Marte would be ready to come off the IL in around four weeks in a best-case scenario, but based on where he currently stands in his recovery, it's apparent that he'll need more time to heal up. On a positive note, Marte has been able to work out in the weight room while he's been sidelined, but a clearer target date for his return from the IL won't emerge until he's able to take part in hitting, running and fielding drills.
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Emilio Pagan RP | CIN
Reds' Emilio Pagan: Starts throwing again
Pagan (lat) began a throwing program July 2, MLB.com reports.
Pagan's throwing progression is expected to last most of the month before he reports to a minor-league affiliate for a rehab assignment. The right-hander is on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain and won't be eligible for activation until Aug. 7.
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TJ Friedl CF | CIN
Reds' TJ Friedl: Eyeing July 26 return
Friedl (hamstring) will head to the Reds' training facility in Arizona this week to increase his baseball activities, and manager David Bell said Sunday that the outfielder is trending toward a July 26 return from the 10-day injured list, MLB.com reports.
Friedl was placed on the IL for the third time this season June 24 after he strained his right hamstring June 17 and played through the injury for about a week. The 28-year-old seems to be progressing as expected from his latest setback on the health front, but he still has a few more hurdles to clear in the recovery process before being activated. Once he's ready to rejoin the Reds, Friedl should step back in as the club's everyday center fielder.
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Stuart Fairchild CF | SEA
Reds' Stuart Fairchild: Expected back after All-Star break
Reds manager David Bell said Sunday that Fairchild (spine) is expected to return from the 10-day injured list following the All-Star break, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Fairchild was placed on the IL on Monday with a spinal disc injury, but he seems to be progressing well and tracking toward an abbreviated absence. He'll head to the Reds' complex in Arizona during the break to increase his baseball activities, and barring a setback, he should be ready to go when Cincinnati opens its second-half schedule Friday in Washington. Fairchild had been serving as the Reds' everyday center fielder in the absence of TJ Friedl (hamstring) prior to getting hurt, but he may be limited to a short-side platoon role upon his activation now that Cincinnati has added Rece Hinds and Austin Slater to its outfield mix in addition to getting Jake Fraley back from the family medical emergency list.
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Taijuan Walker SP | LAA
Phillies' Taijuan Walker: Throwing off mound again
Walker (finger) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is scheduled to throw another Wednesday at his home in Arizona, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Walker "looked great" in Saturday's throwing session in Philadelphia, and the right-hander has received the green light to continue throwing on his own over the All-Star break. He'll link back up with the Phillies following the break before the club determines whether he's ready to face hitters. Walker is expected to require multiple starts on a minor-league rehab assignment as he looks to move past a blister and inflammation on his right index finger, so he doesn't look to be on pace for a return from the 15-day injured list until at least early August.
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Mike Yastrzemski LF | ATL
Giants' Mike Yastrzemski: Three extra-base hits in win
Yastrzemski went 3-for-3 with a triple, two doubles and a walk in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Twins.
Yastrzemski's triple was the decisive play, as it turned into a Little League home run when he scored on a throwing error by Brooks Lee. Neither power nor speed have been notable for Yastrzemski this year, though this was his third multi-hit effort in his last four games. The outfielder is slashing .241/.316/.436 with eight home runs, 31 RBI, 29 runs scored, nine doubles, five triples and one stolen base across 78 contests.
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Ryan Walker RP | SF
Giants' Ryan Walker: Picks up sixth win
Walker (6-3) retired both batters he faced and earned the win Sunday over the Twins.
Walker was called on for damage control after Camilo Doval blew a save chance. Walker got Willi Castro to ground out and Brooks Lee to fly out, keeping the game tied at 2-2 before Mike Yastrzemski tripled and scored on an error to win it for the Giants. Aside from a three-run stumble versus the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Walker continues to be quite steady in a high-leverage role. He's at a 2.32 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 62:10 K:BB through 50.1 innings while adding 17 holds and two blown saves this season. While reliever wins can be tricky to project, Walker's steady ratios, high strikeout rate and setup duties make him a reliable option for fantasy managers.
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Tyler Phillips SP | MIA
Phillies' Tyler Phillips: Receiving another start
Phillips is scheduled to make his next start either Saturday or Sunday in Pittsburgh, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Phillips will get a second turn through the rotation after he held his own in his first MLB start Saturday, when he earned a win over the Athletics while striking out five and allowing four runs on six hits and no walks over six innings. Whether Phillips pitches Saturday or Sunday will depend on how extensively left-hander Cristopher Sanchez is used in Tuesday's All-Star Game, but the Phillies are already committed to having the 26-year-old right-hander pitch next weekend against the Pirates. Unless he implodes against the Pirates, Phillips should get at least one more start after that, as the Phillies don't seem to be counting on Taijuan Walker (finger) returning from the injured list until August.
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Camilo Doval RP | SF
Giants' Camilo Doval: Blows save Sunday
Doval allowed two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out one over one-third of an inning, taking a blown save in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Twins.
Doval's poor performance didn't stop the Giants from winning, but it made things a bit hairy in the ninth inning. The closer had gone five scoreless innings since his last blown save June 28, though he continues to put too many batters on base. For the season, Doval has a 4.38 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 49:24 K:BB over 37 innings while going 17-for-21 in save chances. If manager Bob Melvin changes his approach to the closer job, Doval could lose some of his save share to Ryan Walker or Tyler Rogers.
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Ranger Suarez SP | BOS
Phillies' Ranger Suarez: Hurting but won't miss start
Suarez won't be available for Tuesday's All-Star Game while he recovers from back tightness, but the Phillies expect him to be available to make his first start of the second half July 22 or 23 in Minnesota, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Suarez hasn't been forced to miss any time due to the back issue and likely would have been available to start during the upcoming week if the Phillies needed him, but he'll instead use the All-Star break to heal up while he's less than 100 percent healthy. Though he's in the midst of a career-best season and was looking forward to pitching in his first Midsummer Classic, Suarez clearly hasn't been at his best of late, as he has struggled to an 8.62 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and 13:7 K:BB in 15.2 innings over his last three starts, two of which have come against sub-.500 clubs in the Marlins and Athletics. Suarez won't travel to Arlington, Texas, for the All-Star Game and will instead remain in Philadelphia to continue throwing. Zack Wheeler is also tending to a back issue and will skip the All-Star Game, but both he and Suarez are expected to take the hill in some order when the Phillies next require fourth and fifth starters July 22 and 23.