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    Fantasy Baseball Levels
    Ratings and Levels measure your performance against your opponents, based on your gameplay in Head-to-Head Leagues only.
    Level Rating Percentiles
    diamond level Diamond 900+ 99th
    platinum level Platinum 800-899 95th-98th
    gold level Gold 700-799 81st-94th
    silver level Silver 600-699 60th-80th
    bronze level Bronze 0-599 0-59th
  • 78-35-7 1st Place
    • Playing catch Monday
      Musgrove (elbow) will play catch Monday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

      Advice: Musgrove has been throwing plyometric balls in recent days, but Monday marks his first time playing catch since he landed on the 15-day injured list at the beginning of the month. Surgery hasn't been ruled out down the road for the right-hander, but he'll attempt to come back from the IL without an operation. Even if the non-surgical route proves effective for Musgrove, he's still several weeks away from a potential return. Rotowire.com Monday, 3:07 pm
       
    • Targeting mid-August return
      Kelly (shoulder) said Friday that he's eyeing the Diamondbacks' mid-August road trip as a target for his return from the 60-day injured list, Jake Oliver of SI.com reports. "Originally we thought it was kind of All-Star break but with how the progression lines up, it's probably a little bit later than that," Kelly said, when asked about his return timeline. "In my mind, I'm hoping I'm on that Tampa, Miami, and Boston trip. I've wanted to go on that trip all year and that seems to be around the right time that I'm back in there but obviously, things can change as we go along."

      Advice: The three-city road trip that Kelly alluded to begins Aug. 16 in Tampa and wraps up Aug. 25, so the right-hander has shifted his focus toward returning roughly a month after the All-Star break. Placed on the IL on April 23 with a right shoulder strain, Kelly has had a slow recovery thus far from what he said is the first soft-tissue injury he's dealt with during his 15-year professional career. On a positive note, Kelly reiterated that he's continuing to throw, but he remains limited to playing catch off flat ground from 75 feet and hasn't stepped back on the mound since landing on the shelf. With Kelly suggesting that his return is still likely another two months away, fantasy managers in redraft leagues with limited IL spots who have been stashing him during his prolonged absence may be best served cutting bait at this point. Rotowire.com Monday, 10:04 am
       
    • Punches out seven
      Valdez (6-5) allowed a run on six hits and two walks over seven innings Sunday, striking out seven and earning a win against Baltimore.

      Advice: Valdez rolled through five shutout frames without facing too much trouble before Jordan Westburg belted a solo shot in the sixth inning. The Astros gave Valdez plenty of run support as he halted a brief two-start losing streak. It was the third time this year he's struck out at least seven batters, and each of those outings have come in his last eight starts. He's produced an impressive 2.73 ERA through 33 innings this month, lowering his season mark to 3.68 across 80.2 frames. Valdez will carry a 63:26 K:BB into his next outing, which is projected to be on the road against the Mets. Rotowire.com Jun 23, 6:47 pm
    • Framber Valdez dazzles against Orioles
      Framber Valdez allowed one run on six hits in seven innings in a win over the Orioles on Sunday.

      Advice: Valdez struck out seven and walked two on the day. He allowed just one extra-base hit, but it happened to be a solo home run to Jordan Westburg. The left-hander induced 11 whiffs on 45 swings for a 24 percent whiff rate and 34 percent CSW against a really talented offense. That’s now back-to-back really strong starts for Valdez after a rough outing against the Giants. He’ll carry a 3.68 ERA into a plus matchup against the Mets next week. Rotoworld Jun 23, 2:44 pm
    • Nestor Cortes takes tough luck no decision
      Nestor Cortes allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings in a loss to the Yankees on Sunday.

      Advice: Cortes also struck out seven and walked nobody on the day. At times, he looked more electric than Max Fried, and it was Cortes who had more whiffs, getting 17 swings and misses on 49 swings for a 35 percent whiff rate and 36 percent CSW. Unfortunately, he allowed a solo home run to Jarred Kelenic and got himself into trouble in the fifth innings on three hits and a sac fly. It was more good than bad for Cortes on Sunday, and he’ll now take a 3.40 ERA into a solid start against the Blue Jays next weekend. Rotoworld Jun 23, 2:31 pm
    • Takes loss despite quality start
      Cortes (4-6) was saddled with the loss Sunday, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings against Atlanta. He struck out seven.

      Advice: Cortes mostly held the Atlanta bats in check to put together his third consecutive quality start and the ninth time this season he's struck out six or more batters, but the Yankees failed to provide any run support and Cortes was left with his sixth loss. Outside of a solo home run by Jarred Kelenic in the third, Cortes' only real trouble came in the fifth, when he allowed two runs on three hits. However, he finished his day strong by retiring all six batters faced in the sixth and seventh. Cortes has tossed 100.2 innings across 17 starts, accumulating 93 strikeouts. He'll take a 3.40 ERA and 1.07 WHIP into his next start, scheduled to take place when the Yankees head to Toronto for a four-game weekend set against the division-rival Blue Jays. Rotowire.com Jun 23, 2:06 pm
    • Nestor Cortes strikes out seven Braves in loss
      Nestor Cortes allowed three earned runs across seven innings Sunday against the Braves. He struck out seven and walked none as a tough-luck loser.

      Advice: Cortes was great Sunday, Max Fried was just better. Jarred Kelenic burned him for a short-porch home run early and then the bottom of the Braves’ lineup rallied in the fifth inning. Otherwise, Cortes was dotting his cutter on the edges all afternoon and kept the Braves’ big bats at bay. He’s had a fantastic season thus far with a 3.40 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings. Rotoworld Jun 23, 1:05 pm
    • Takes step toward return
      Musgrove (elbow) lightly threw weighted plyometric balls Thursday, MLB.com reports.

      Advice: A previous report indicated Musgrove could play catch around the middle of the week, but it turns out the extent of his throwing was the work he did with the plyo balls. The workout was, however, a step in his progression toward playing catch, which could happen before the end of the month. Musgrove doesn't seem close to taking part in a rehab assignment and isn't likely to be activated off the 15-day injured list until after the All-Star break. Rotowire.com Jun 22, 12:38 pm
       
    • Strong outing wasted Friday
      Kirby came away with a no-decision in Friday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Marlins, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.

      Advice: The 26-year-old right-hander reeled off his third straight quality start and ninth of the season on an efficient 85 pitches (60 strikes), but Kirby was denied his seventh win of the year when the Seattle offense went cold after the second inning. He'll take a 3.47 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and dazzling 89:9 K:BB through 93.1 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next week in Tampa Bay. Rotowire.com Jun 22, 7:01 am