Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Martin Perez (groin) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis and make a start on Saturday. Perez is getting close to a return to the big-league starting rotation after landing on the injured list in late May with a strained left groin. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw is expected to throw around 75 pitches on Saturday in what is expected to be his only rehab start before rejoining the major-league roster. The soft-tossing Perez has a low fantasy ceiling because of his lack of strikeouts. Before his injury, he had gone 1-3 with a 4.71 ERA (4.68 FIP) and 1.55 WHIP with only 46 strikeouts and 19 walks in 57 1/3 frames over his 11 starts. The 13-year veteran is sporting a weak 18% strikeout rate in 2024 and has a 16.1% strikeout rate in his career.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon was shelled during Friday's start in the Bronx against the visiting Atlanta Braves, surrendering a season-worst seven runs on 11 hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings for his fourth loss of the year. After giving up 14 runs over six starts (34 1/3 innings) in the entire month of May, Rodon has now allowed 15 runs across four appearances (21 2/3 innings) in June. The 31-year-old left-hander will look to regather his early-season form when he takes a 3.86 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 84 punchouts and 25 walks through 88 2/3 frames on the season into his next scheduled showing in Thursday's favorable matchup on the road against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale was stellar during Friday's start in the Bronx against the hosting New York Yankees, striking out eight and allowing just one run on one hit across five innings for his 10th win of the season. Staked to an early three-run lead, Sale gave up a lone hit, which was a fluky Jahmai Jones triple as left fielder Adam Duvall lost track of a fly ball, with three walks against a team he mostly struggled against back during his Boston Red Sox days. Well on his way his eighth career All-Star nod, the 35-year-old veteran southpaw has a scintillating 2.91 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 107:16 K:BB over 86 2/3 innings (14 starts) for the Braves during his debut season in Atlanta. Sale's next scheduled start comes in Wednesday's clash with the Cardinals in St. Louis.

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario achieved his second two-homer game of the month in Friday's win over the visiting Boston Red Sox, walloping two solo shots. After belting his first solo blast off Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford to right field to open the scoring and give the Reds a 1-0 lead in first inning, Candelario took the righty yard once more by crushing another solo jack to right field in the third frame. It's been a ridiculous month for the 30-year-old veteran switch-hitter, who's hitting a sizzling .347 (25-for-72) with eight long balls, four doubles, 17 RBI, and three stolen bases over 18 games in June. He's simply one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now, and fantasy managers should enjoy the ride while it lasts.

The San Diego Padres say that outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (triceps) exited Friday's game against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a left triceps contusion. After being hit by a pitch in the third inning, Tatis stayed in the contest for two more frames before he was pulled for Tyler Wade. Although it's promising to hear he's only dealing with a contusion, expect the Friars to proceed with caution with their 25-year-old superstar right fielder, considering he's already managing a quad issue to begin with. Tatis is slashing .279/.354/.468 with 14 home runs, 36 RBI, 50 runs scored, and eight stolen bases over 308 at-bats this season, and he should be viewed as day-to-day before he's re-evaluated ahead of Saturday's meeting with Milwaukee.