Xander Bogaerts is on the injured list with a fracture in his foot, forcing Jose Iglesias to fill in at shortstop and Mason McCoy to be recalled for depth as San Diego opens a road series against Minnesota. The Padres have hope Iglesias can stabilize the middle infield while Bogaerts recovers, with a quick return in sight for Bogaerts though the timetable remains a couple of weeks. The club sits two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and will lean on depth pieces to maintain momentum.

Iglesias has been the Padres’ go-to infield defender this season (94 games, 254 at-bats, .228/.579 OPS in that span), while Bogaerts has posted a solid .717 OPS overall. For fantasy managers, McCoy is a long-shot depth option, Iglesias offers some real gloves but limited offense, and the series vs. the Twins provides a test of SD’s ability to stay afloat without their spark plug

Bradish returned with a 94.9 mph sinker and nasty sliders, stacking six efficient innings on 81 pitches. The rebound mirrored his prime form from 2023-24, suggesting velocity, control, and spin are back post-Tommy John.

Baltimore may not need a full rotation rebuild in 2026, as Kremer and Bradish form a solid core, while the offense still needs a winter overhaul. Beavers, Holliday, and Basallo offer upside as the farm’s ascent continues, and plans to add a playoff-tested arm loom in the offseason.

Septembers’ context includes Roansy Contreras and Dietrich Enns in the linked pieces and a pipeline surge in Basallo-Dylan Beavers. The mix hints at a brighter, more balanced future for the Orioles beyond 2025.

Astros outfield depth is about to get a boost as Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo begin rehab stints at Sugar Land this week, returning from calf and left-hand injuries respectively. Meyers is set to report Wednesday after a July 6 game and an attempted return on July 9 re-aggravated the calf; Dezenzo has been out since June 1 with a left hand capsule strain. Yordan Alvarez has already been activated, paving the way for a healthier lineup as the club nears full strength.

Meyers owns a .308/.369/.405 line in 89 games and has been Houston’s everyday center fielder when healthy. The Astros’ outfield rotation—including Taylor Trammell, Chas McCormick, and rookie Jacob Melton—will increasingly hinge on ramp speed and performance as Dezenzo returns to provide power, while Luis Garcia progresses on rehab starts. Emphasize OBP, runs, and potential stolen-base pace as the lineup stabilizes.

Week 22 in fantasy baseball centers on assessing drop candidates and cautious holds. Zack Wheeler’s blood clot and thoracic outlet surgery push redraft value toward zero, while Josh Hader’s shoulder issues threaten a late-season return. Nick Castellanos shows a revival pattern but may fall prey to roster depth in shallow leagues. Yordan Alvarez wields big upside when healthy, yet injury chatter tempers expectations. Yusei Kikuchi’s solid underlying metrics keep him viable; Mike Trout remains matchup-insensitive when healthy, though durability looms. Seth Lugo, Brandon Pfaadt, and Matt McLain offer speculative depth and streaming potential as the season winds down.

Overall, the Cut List blends patience with strategic risk. Hold relative veterans who still carry upside; drop or replace aging or injured assets in redraft formats while preserving dynasty assets with longer recovery horizons. Readers are welcome to submit players for next week’s scrutiny, keeping the focus on high-leverage priorities for Week 23 and beyond.