New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole received a no-decision in the team's 5-3 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday in Game 1 of their doubleheader, but he also had his third straight quality start for his fantasy managers. Cole allowed three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out a season-high 11 batters in seven innings of work to lower his ERA on the year to 3.92. The 35-year-old former Cy Young winner was dominant with his fastball on the day and now sits with a 3-5 record, 3.92 ERA and 66:12 K:BB in his 62 innings and 11 starts after getting a late start to the year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. While Cole obviously hasn't been perfect in 2026, he has yet to give up more than three earned runs in any of his 11 outings, and he's now struck out at least six batters in all four of his starts in July. He came into Wednesday's outing with just a 23.9% strikeout rate, but his career-low 5.2% walk rate has to be extremely encouraging that he can perform like a fantasy ace for the rest of the 2026 season.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) threw a 31-pitch bullpen session and used all of his pitches on Wednesday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletics. Ohtani last started as a pitcher on July 3 against the San Diego Padres due to a balky left knee that he had drained just before last week's All-Star break. The Dodgers don't have a timeline for when the four-time MVP will be able to pitch in a game again, and it will probably be at least a few weeks. The good news is that the 32-year-old six-time All-Star continues to serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter. With that said, he has hit just .237 (14-for-59) with four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, six runs scored, five walks, and 16 strikeouts in 15 games in July. Fantasy managers are going to need to remain patient, as it definitely won't be until some point in August when Ohtani makes another pitching start. Remember, the Dodgers, with their big lead in the National League West, don't have any incentive to push Ohtani back. Their main priority is to have him healthy as a pitcher for the postseason.

Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that left-hander Ranger Suarez (groin, illness) isn't ready to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Game 2 of the team's doubleheader on Wednesday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. However, it's more due to an illness than his groin injury. Suarez is nearing his return from a groin injury that initially landed him on the IL on July 9, and with a scheduled day off for the team coming on Friday, it's possible that he could be ready to return and start in Friday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Rookie left-hander Eduardo Rivera will start Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader as the BoSox look for their 16th straight victory. Suarez has been a must-start fantasy pitcher in all leagues in 2026 in his first year in Beantown, as he has gone 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA (2.61 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 97 strikeouts (career-high 25.8% strikeout rate) and 26 walks in 91 1/3 innings across his 17 starts to earn his second All-Star nod in the last three years.

Chicago White Sox infielder Colson Montgomery (shin) is starting at shortstop and is batting cleanup for the White Sox in Wednesday's contest at Globe Life Field against the Texas Rangers and left-hander Tyler Alexander, per MLB.com. Montgomery fouled a ball off his right shin in Monday's series opener in Texas, which is why he was scratched from the starting nine before Tuesday's loss. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is now back in action and should be returned to most fantasy lineups for his power. The former 22nd overall pick in 2021 has a 32.4% strikeout rate and is hitting just .222 (79-for-356) with a .304 on-base percentage, but fantasy managers can't argue with his 45 home runs in his first 166 big-league games since debuting with the Pale Hose in 2025. Montgomery has hit 24 homers, driven in 57, and scored 48 runs across 95 games and 398 plate appearances this year in his first full season in the majors. In 14 games so far in July, he's gone 13-for-57 (.228) with a .688 OPS, three homers, two doubles, eight RBI, eight runs, three walks, and 21 strikeouts.