Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) was forced to leave Monday's game early against the San Francisco Giants with more tightness in his lower back, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Before being replaced at the 6 by Nick Loftin, Witt went 0-for-1 at the plate with a walk and a strikeout. The Royals held Witt out of Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres due to back tightness, but he was included in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against SF. After being pulled early with the same issue, the 26-year-old three-time All-Star could be headed for a stint on the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday for an update on his condition. If Witt is forced to miss more time going forward with his back injury, Loftin and Tyler Tolbert would both be candidates to see more playing time at shortstop going forward for KC. Witt is one of the top offensive players, regardless of position, in all of baseball, but he came into Monday's contest hitting just .200 (11-for-55) with a .532 OPS, one homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, two steals, three walks, and 12 K's in 13 games so far in July.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Los Angeles Angels are expected to make both right-hander Jose Soriano and left-hander Reid Detmers available at this year's trade deadline in early August. Soriano allowed just one earned run in his first six starts of the season, but he's come down to Earth since, posting a 5.15 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 72:40 K:BB in 73 1/3 innings over his last 14 starts. The 27-year-old Dominican is 8-6 overall with a 3.49 ERA (3.97 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, and 115:53 K:BB in 111 innings over 20 starts. Soriano leads the league with 53 walks in his fourth year in the majors in Anaheim. Detmer, meanwhile, has had a solid return to a starting role in 2026 after being demoted to the bullpen last year. The 27-year-old southpaw is 3-6 with a 4.16 ERA (3.21 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, and 130:35 K:BB in 114 2/3 frames across 20 starts. Both hurlers should attract plenty of interest on the trade market as the deadline approaches, and both of them could have a higher fantasy ceiling down the stretch with contenders.

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (thumb) is with the team during their current road trip and has started a hitting progression, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Kurtz also took groundballs on Monday. If he continues to progress, there's a chance that he could come off the 10-day injured list for this weekend's series in Minnesota against the Twins, although manager Mark Kotsay said that might be a bit of an accelerated timeline. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger was still limited to range-of-motion and strengthening exercises over the weekend, but he has progressed in his recovery from a right-thumb capsule sprain and could return for fantasy managers this weekend or early next week, barring a setback. Kurtz has been on the IL since July 11. When active, the former fourth overall pick in 2024 from Wake Forest University is an elite source of power from the left side of the plate, especially in the minor-league band box in Sacramento that the A's currently call home. Through 334 at-bats in his first full big-league season in 2026, Kurtz has hit .266/.405/.497 with a .902 OPS, 20 homers, 66 RBI, 61 runs, and seven stolen bases.

San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (abdomen) went through his most strenuous day yet while rehabbing an abdominal strain on Monday, according to Evan Webeck of The California Post. Manager Tony Vitello said "it went well" and that Chapman is in "really good spirits." The skipper also said that it's "reasonable to think" that Chapman could return from the 10-day injured list on the team's next homestand, but he wouldn't make any promises. San Francisco will return home this Friday, July 24, and will stay in the Bay Area until Wednesday, July 29. It sounds as though the Giants won't ask the 33-year-old veteran to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before potentially returning this weekend. The former 25th overall pick in 2014 by the Athletics out of Cal State Fullerton has left a lot to be desired from his fantasy managers in 2026, slashing .235/.324/.368 with a career-low .692 OPS, seven home runs, 42 RBI, and 35 runs scored through his first 84 games and 352 plate appearances in his third year with the Gigantes and 10th in the majors.