Overview
- Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle, called up to face the Yankees on Thursday, struck out 11 over six innings in a one-run debut and now profiles as a top add with Sonny Gray on the IL.
- IL stints for Edwin Díaz (elbow) and Raisel Iglesias (shoulder) have unsettled ninth-inning jobs, pushing managers toward low-rostered relief options like Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker and Philadelphia’s Brad Keller for near-term saves.
- Hot bats are fueling pickups as Josh Jung logged a .383/.455/.745 line with three homers over his last 13 games and Ildemaro Vargas rode an everyday role to a .364/.382/.697 start with five homers.
- Catcher-needy teams are prioritizing power as Kansas City’s Carter Jensen reached six home runs in 69 at-bats, while Colorado’s Chase Dollander earned interest with a 99 mph fastball, an 11.5 K/9, and a ground-ball lean that may help in Coors Field risk.
- Rest-of-season ranks are shifting only slightly, with Josh Naylor nudged from eighth to 10th at first base yet still a must-start, and Munetaka Murakami’s five-game homer streak tempered by in-zone whiff concerns.