Even when you're a fan of one specific major league baseball team, it can be difficult to keep track of all of the news that surrounds your favorite club on a daily basis.
However, when you're a fantasy baseball owner and you now have to multiply that effort by 30 in order to be as up to date as possible with each and every club? It's a fool's errand that borders on the impossible.
Fear not! We'll be here each and every week to give you a snapshot of what's going on in the world of baseball, with one fantasy takeaway from each of the league's 30 teams. Think of it as your one-stop shop for the week ahead.
Arizona Diamondbacks: A.J. Pollock is ahead of schedule in his recovery from April surgery on his fractured elbow. And while there's no reason to rush him back to the majors anytime soon given the Diamondbacks' last-place standing, the outfielder does want to play again in 2016. "It's not my call, obviously, but I play baseball," Pollock said. "If something is ready to go, for me, there's no sense in not playing just to not play. In one-and-done leagues, a stash for September could be in order.
Atlanta Braves: Closer Arodys Vizcaino went on the 15-day disabled list thanks to a strained oblique, an injury which came after the reliever missed some time with an infected elbow. Jim Johnson should get save chances for the time being, but Atlanta is hoping Vizcaino will return to the role after missing a minimum of time. As for trade rumors involving the closer, interim manager Brian Snitker dismissed them, saying "what (Vizcaino) brings is going to be valuable to (us) for a long time."
Baltimore Orioles: Although Hyun Soo Kim has avoided the disabled list for the time being, and will make the trip with the team as they head to New York for a series with the Yankees, there's a chance he won't be able to play in the Bronx. Kim's hamstring is not yet at full strength, but it's close enough that manager Buck Showalter is willing to gamble that the outfielder will be able to return to action in some capacity at some point this week. Fantasy-wise, he's a sit in leagues with weekly lineup locks.
Boston Red Sox: Newly acquired Drew Pomeranz, had he not been traded, would likely have pitched against the Giants this weekend. San Francisco will still get a chance to see Pomeranz on the mound, as his first start with his new team will be against the Giants at Fenway on Wednesday. Change of scenery shouldn't bother the pitcher, as this is his fourth different team since 2013.
Chicago Cubs: Already in first place by eight games, it may be impossible for the rest of the division to catch Chicago once they begin to get healthy again. It appears that's the case as both Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler are ready to start rehab assignments this week as they make their way back from hamstring injuries. Matt Szczur and Albert Almora may be the roster casualties when that pair is ready to return to the Cubs.
Chicago White Sox: Alex Avila is expected to return from his hamstring injury on Thursday, and the catcher should be able to provide Dioner Navarro with a little relief behind the plate. Navarro hit just .129 as he played in 10 straight games before Sunday. Before getting hurt, Avila was hitting .271 with an OPS of .907 in his previous 15 starts.
Cincinnati Reds: Brandon Phillips didn't let a fractured hand sideline him earlier this month, so you can't question his toughness. Nevertheless, the second baseman has now missed two games with a strained calf, with Jose Peraza filling in for him in the Reds' lineup. Manager Bryan Price believes Phillips will be back as soon as Monday, citing his player's improvement from Saturday to Sunday.
Cleveland Indians: A day after taking part in a mock Pedro Serrano-esque ceremony to try and wake up his slumping bat, Yan Gomes did indeed break an 0-for-27 hitless streak with a double. However, the celebration was short-lived, as the catcher had to be carted off the field yesterday after falling and landing on his shoulder while running out a grounder. His next stop will be the disabled list. Chris Gimenez will have to handle the majority of backstop duties for the next few weeks.
Colorado Rockies: The team feels they may have found an ace in Jon Gray, who threw seven scoreless innings on Sunday, only to be denied a win because his offense also failed to score any runs for him. Gray struck out eight batters and raised his K/9 rate to 9.7 on the season. Take away his (pardon the pun) rocky start to the season, and he's held opposing batters to just a .205 batting average since May 1.
Detroit Tigers: Steven Moya was sent back to Triple-A over the weekend, in the hopes that the youngster will rediscover his swing. The outfielder started July hitting .303, but struck out 14 times in 24 plate appearances, dropping down to .258 on the year. Tyler Collins, who hit safely in all three games over the weekend, will see more playing time in right field, with Mike Aviles coming off the bench as the No. 4 outfielder.
Houston Astros: The team has opened up the vault, signing coveted Cuban free agent Yulieski Gurriel to a five-year, $47.5 million deal. There are still a few visa issues to work out, but the team is hoping to have their new player in an Astros uniform by the start of August at the latest. With the DH spot at their disposal, Houston is hoping to move players around until they figure out what configuration will work best going forward. Gurriel is an infielder, with second and third base on his resume.
Kansas City Royals: As a precautionary move to avoid a recurrence of his hamstring woes, Lorenzo Cain may move to right field when he returns from the disabled list, manager Ned Yost said. Cain is almost ready to begin a rehab assignment and could be back by the start of next week. If Cain moves to right, either Jarrod Dyson or Paulo Orlando would get the call in center field.
Los Angeles Angels: Geovany Soto, just back in the Angels' lineup after right knee surgery, is now having discomfort in his left knee and is day-to-day. Jett Bandy may see an uptick in playing time this week while Soto's situation gets dealt with, but Los Angeles would prefer to showcase the veteran prior to the trade deadline in the hope that they receive offers for Soto.
Los Angeles Dodgers: While the Dodgers haven't yet confirmed who might be starting for them on Thursday, manager Dave Roberts has all but ruled out Clayton Kershaw. However, while the team wants to give the pitcher a few more days before activating him from the disabled list, they may be leaning toward having him take the mound in the weekend series against St. Louis that starts Friday.
Miami Marlins: The 10-day countdown for Dee Gordon's return begins Monday, as the suspended second baseman is now allowed to take part in a minor-league stint in order to prepare for his reinstatement. Gordon will play at Triple-A New Orleans. If you've gotten good value out of Derek Dietrich over the past three months, this might be the last chance you have to sell high on him before less-attentive owners realize that his days as a second-base starter for Miami are likely numbered.
Milwaukee Brewers: Could the Brewers be ready to sell off their bullpen for parts? Both Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith are reportedly on the market, with reports showing the Mets as being among those teams interested in a potential deal before the deadline. Brewers scouts are believed to be checking out some of New York's lower-level prospects in anticipation of an offer.
Minnesota Twins: As we've been writing about catchers getting hurt, available options to be had via trade are starting to dwindle, so Kurt Suzuki may end up getting moved. Suzuki has a $6 million vesting option in his contract that kicks in if he gets 485 plate appearances, and the Twins certainly do not seem inclined to let that happen. If free agency is on the horizon anyway, why not get something for Suzuki before he goes?
New York Mets: The Mets recalled Michael Conforto from Triple-A and sent Brandon Nimmo back down in his place, but that doesn't necessarily mean guaranteed playing time for Conforto going forward. Yoenis Cespedes, who has been dealing with a right quad strain, wants to play left field in order to relieve stress on his leg. If Terry Collins is on board with that plan, sending Nimmo down may just be a way to allow the youngster to play every day, while Conforto could be limited to pinch-hitting duties and occasional spot starts.
New York Yankees: X-rays taken on Mark Teixeira's foot -- injured on a foul ball at the plate -- proved to be negative, which as we all know, is a positive result for the patient. He sat out Sunday's game in favor of Rob Refsnyder, but should be back in action soon, as it looks as though a trip back to the disabled list has been avoided. Still, fantasy owners have to deal with the first baseman's 2-for-23 slump and may wish to look elsewhere this week anyway.
Oakland Athletics: Five pitches. That's how long Rich Hill's "trade showcase" outing lasted before a blister on the pitcher's finger opened up, forcing him to leave the mound Sunday. Certainly, there's still time for Hill to get back in action and show scouts his stuff prior to the deadline, but if this becomes a lingering issue, the A's may not be able to get full return for the veteran.
Philadelphia Phillies: On June 5, Aaron Nola had a 2.65 ERA. Since then, in five starts, he's had a .427 BAA and a 13.50 ERA in a disastrous 0-4 stretch that the team is blaming on a dead arm. Enter a 15-day period of rest, thanks in part due to the All-Star break, and Nola will finally retake the mound today against the Marlins. Pitching coach Bob McClure thinks this type of treatment should become standard for young pitchers: "They should have a point during the season where they actually do take two or three starts off. Just chill out for a little bit, mentally and physically."
Pittsburgh Pirates: Josh Bell's brief stay with the team lasted just four at-bats, but the first-base prospect has been sent back to Triple-A to get comfortable with regular outfield play. Gregory Polanco has been dealing with a strained hamstring and hasn't played since July 8. The team is hoping Polanco can play by Tuesday, but if not, it will be a trip to the disabled list and an opening in the outfield. Do the math.
St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals have no plans to call up Alex Reyes, the team's highly-touted pitching prospect. General manager John Mozeliak said that Reyes is likely to be used as a starter when he does get the call, but "unless he's taking someone's spot here (due to an injury), I'd rather him continue to develop down in Memphis." However, if the trade deadline comes and goes without the team getting additional bullpen help, there's always a chance Reyes could serve in that capacity.
San Diego Padres: Andrew Cashner could be the next Padres player to get shipped out of town. The Rangers are believed to be looking at the free agent-to-be, given that Cashner is from Texas and played his college ball at TCU. As Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram writes, the Rangers also believe Cashner "would be a good fit with pitching coach Doug Brocail."
San Francisco Giants: The team is "slow-playing" Hunter Pence's return from hamstring surgery, sitting the outfielder as a precaution on Sunday after he had to leave Saturday's rehab game after only three innings. The Giants are chalking up this latest setback to Pence feeling scar tissue and are not all that concerned. Still, as manager Bruce Bochy put it, "You've got to be careful... You're trying to stay away from setbacks." Pence should be back in action for Sacramento today.
Seattle Mariners: Felix Hernandez (strained calf) is now slated to return to the Seattle rotation Wednesday against the White Sox. It will be his first start since May 27. In his final minor league tune-up over the weekend, Hernandez threw 75 pitches, striking out seven batters, six swinging. ""I felt really, really good," Hernandez said after the game. "Everything was good. Everything was working tonight. I'm ready to go."
Tampa Bay Rays: In two starts at catcher over the weekend, Luke Maile went 3-for-6. Promoted from the minors primarily to provide a defensive upgrade over Hank Conger, if Maile proves potent at the plate, he is likely to get even more playing time over Curt Casali. As manager Kevin Cash noted, "The last thing that we want is for Luke to come up here and put too much pressure on himself and be something that he's not. But any additional hitting (helps). This is something that's he's worked on and had reaped some rewards as of late, and we expect that to continue."
Texas Rangers: Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo continues to miss time with a bad back, as he's yet to take the field in the second half of the season. Manager Jeff Banister is not yet considering a trip to the DL for Choo because the discomfort is limited to when he throws and doesn't seem to bother him when swinging the bat. Headed into the break, Choo had hit .313 with three home runs in 32 at-bats.
Toronto Blue Jays: Management insists that the decision to ink Justin Smoak to a two-year contract extension over the weekend does not preclude the possibility of them retaining Edwin Encarnacion as well. "Edwin could be a DH and Justin could be playing regularly at first base, as he was earlier this year. There's a lot of different alternatives there," general manager Ross Atkins said. We'll have to wait and see.
Washington Nationals: Although the Nationals have an opening in their rotation on Tuesday, thanks to Joe Ross' shoulder inflammation, they will not be calling upon Lucas Giolito. Instead, Reynaldo Lopez has been tabbed to make his major league debut. A pitcher with a 100-mph fastball, the 22-year-old threw at the Futures Game in San Diego, and retired all three batters he faced in that contest.