Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton is not in the team's starting lineup on Saturday as they take on the visiting San Diego Padres in the second game of the weekend series. Ceddanne Rafaela is starting at shortstop and batting ninth, while Enmanuel Valdez is at the keystone and hitting seventh against Padres right-hander Michael King. Hamilton has stepped up big time in the absence of both Trevor Story (shoulder) and Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) this year and is currently hitting .273 (44-for-161) with five homers, 15 RBI, 21 stolen bases and 28 runs scored, but he'll get a breather after going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in Friday night's 9-2 loss to the Friars. Hamilton has been slumping of late, going 6-for-31 (.194) with a homer, double, four RBI, two walks, six strikeouts and seven steals in 11 games since June 14.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho will retreat to the bench on Saturday with the team facing the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Nestor Cortes. Although Varsho is hitting a respectable .260 (13-for-50) against left-handers this year, he has just one of his 11 home runs against them and will get the day off on Saturday after recently returning from a back injury that cost him three games. The 27-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is right at the Mendoza Line (.200) this year but has added 11 home runs, eight stolen bases, 35 RBI and 40 runs scored to make him useful in most fantasy formats. Since returning from his back ailment, he's gone 0-for-8 with five punchouts. Veteran Kevin Kiermaier will draw back into center field and hit ninth against Cortes. Kiermaier has three hits and three RBI in six career at-bats against Cortes but is a weak DFS play in the nine-hole.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer (hand) is back in the starting lineup on Saturday against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Nestor Cortes after leaving Friday's contest early after he was hit in the left hand by a pitch in the fifth inning. He is hitting fifth in the batting order. Springer's overall numbers this year -- .207 average, eight home runs, 25 RBI, eight stolen bases, 34 runs scored -- leave a lot to be desired, but he's been heating up at the dish of late. The 34-year-old veteran has two three-hit performances in his last three games with three home runs and nine total RBI. Still, in the month of June, he's hit only .205 (17-for-83) but with four home runs, two doubles, 13 RBI and a stolen bases in 24 games. In his career against Cortes, he has two hits (a solo homer) in 10 at-bats.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (calf) is back in right field and is batting in the cleanup spot for the Reds on Saturday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Sonny Gray. Fraley was scratched from Wednesday's lineup with a bruised calf but will return to action on Saturday after missing each of the last three games. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has never faced Gray in his career, but he's a notorious righty killer and is hitting in the heart of the batting order. He's currently sitting on a career-best .277 batting average (51-for-184) this year with 11 stolen bases, but he has just one home run and nine RBI on the year. Fraley has actually been slightly better against lefties in 2024, but he's hitting .272 (41-for-151) with eight doubles and a triple against right-handers.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Jeimer Candelario (hamstring) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Saturday as they take on the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals for Game 2 of the weekend series. The good news is that manager David Bell said on Friday that Candelario is expected to return to the field on Sunday. With the 30-year-old sitting out another game, rookie infielder Noelvi Marte will make a second straight start at third base and will hit fifth in the order against Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray. Marte was reinstated on Thursday after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and made an immediate impact, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI before going 0-for-4 on Friday with a strikeout in a 1-0 loss. Even when Candelario returns from his hamstring injury, Marte is expected to be a regular in Cincy's lineup the rest of the year.