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As MLB teams make trades and rosters change in July with contenders preparing for the postseason chase, it's time for fantasy baseball owners to stay on top of changes in the real world. If you blink, you may miss out on the next closer change or the newest addition to a starting lineup. Don't get caught snoozing this summer!
The MLB All-Star break is a chance to look back at the first half of the year and make some bold predictions for the next half of the year as well. Here are 5 bold predictions for the rest of the way.
The first half of the season is over with the All-Star game set for tonight. Let's hand out some first-half awards.
There's a rule for the All-Star Game in Major League Baseball to ensure all fans get to see at least one player from each team represented in the Midsummer Classic. This means some less-than-deserving players get picked for the MLB All-Star Game, while in fantasy baseball, only the best players get picked for our All-Star roster.
Looking at the standings in your league and finding your weakest statistical categories can make all the difference in the world come late August and September.
There may be no image more quintessentially American than baseball fans spending the Fourth of July at a baseball game, and with fans flocking to the ballpark, ticket prices are going up as well.
The Washington Nationals look like the team they're supposed to be, sweeping the New York Mets, who look nothing like the team they were.
The New York Mets, who just signed Jose Reyes, don't care how bad you are off the field as long as you produce on it... like most teams.
As we approach July, it's time to start thinking about the MLB All-Star Game. Even in fantasy baseball, All-Star players have value beyond what their stats offer. A lot of owners will trade for All-Star players even if they're not great fantasy baseball players.
It happens every year in fantasy baseball: Players get drafted every March that end up struggling during the first six weeks of the season, so owners drop them. Yet by late June, those players recover and really start to hit. They'll end up where they should by September with good stats.
Smart fantasy baseball owners will analyze the standings in their league to see where their team needs improvement—and perhaps where the team can spare some statistics in a trade. Picking up new players only makes sense if these moves help the team in the standings, after all.
The White Sox are an even .500 at 29-29 after a 23-10 start to the season.
This week, we're taking a special look at New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia. The big guy hasn't been fantasy relevant since 2012, but suddenly, Sabathia is looking good again. Currently, his ERA would be the lowest of his long career if he could keep it going through the end of the year. That begs the question: Can Sabathia keep it up through the end of the year? We think so, and we explain why in this week's fantasy baseball advice column. Read on!
First baseman Anthony Rizzo is a prime example of production without a big batting average.
Cabrera will miss the weekend series in Detroit.
The big MLB prospect news last week was the Los Angeles Dodgers' decision to call up minor-league sensation Julio Urias. The 19-year-old starting pitcher has been the star of the organization's system for awhile, but does that mean he's worth a look in your fantasy baseball league?
Arrieta was human in his last start, though he's looking to reach 10-0 on Tuesday.
Most fantasy baseball owners plan their draft around picking pitchers that threw well last year. But as we all learn, sometimes things don't go as planned. Pitchers can get hurt; their performance can drop off for a number of reasons, sometimes without rational explanation. The hardest part for the fantasy owner is accepting that the present season is different than past seasons, and it's sometimes better to just admit you drafted wrong instead of stubbornly sticking with bad pitchers all season—and losing the league.
The Astros and Cubs entered 2016 as World Series favorites. Only one team has played like it.
Most teams in MLB have played close to 40 games at this point of the season, meaning the fantasy baseball season is one quarter over. If you've been waiting for that veteran to come around and start hitting, it's time to give up on the dream. If that pitcher still has an ERA way north of five runs per game, you may need to look elsewhere for wins and strikeouts. This is the time of the year when trends become permanent, really. Sticking too long with players headed for bad seasons only can hurt your team.
Lackey took exception to Christian Bethancourt's reaction.
The Cubs could make history in more way than one.
The Cubs and Padres will play a split doubleheader on Wednesday at Wrigley Field.
We've all heard the story from a friend how he or she simply drafted their fantasy baseball team and forgot all about it until finding out they won the league in October. Generally, that doesn't happen very often thanks to injuries, slumps and inevitable bad luck. You have to stay on top of your team's roster all summer long to win.
Maddon manages with a philosophy borrowed from the corporate world.
As the 11-4 Chicago Bears prepare for their Sunday night matchup with the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers, one player earned an extra Christmas present from the league thanks to his impressive performance against the Green Bay Packers.
A Park Ridge salon owner has been cutting hair for more than 20 years, but some of her most important clients don't pay a dime.
Metra is running on a reduced schedule for Christmas Eve.
Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza closed for the season in Daley Plaza on Wednesday afternoon, wrapping up a rough year for the popular holiday market due to new capacity limits required by the city.
The main topic for shoppers was not the lines or the last-minute deals, but the warm weather.
Pope Leo XIV has revealed he privately urged Gov. JB Pritzker not to sign a bill legalizing medical assistance in dying in Illinois.
President Trump invoked a law called Title 10 to bring members of the Illinois National Guard under federal service over the objections of state and local leaders.
A host of new laws in Illinois will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. From gun safety to rogue towers, protection from squatters, medical assistance in dying, protections for immigrants and more, here are some of the most notable changes in the new year.
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday declined to veto a $16.6 billion spending plan passed by his rivals on the City Council, allowing it to go into effect without his signature.
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul over a state law restricting immigration arrests.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
It's the holiday season, which means it's the most common time of year for norovirus to spread. Here's what you need to know about this winter stomach bug.
A study conducted in part by Chicago's Northwestern Medicine found that tanning beds not only triple the risk of melanoma, but can also damage DNA across nearly the whole skin surface.
An investigation into the case of a Michigan man who contracted rabies after an organ transplant provided more details on the infection's origin.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium to Northwest Indiana, even though they already own land in Arlington Heights and have also proposed a new lakefront stadium in Chicago.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
The singer said an MRI showed a cancerous spot on one of his lungs after he recovered from a lengthy bout of bronchitis.
James Ransone, the actor who played Ziggy Sobotka in the HBO series "The Wire" and appeared in many other TV shows and movies, has died.
Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is hosting "The Phantom of the Opera," and staff offered a firsthand look at the iconic chandelier inside the theater this week.
The special features interviews with Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell and Mandy Patinkin.
The Oscars ceremony is moving to YouTube starting in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday.
The warm and above-average conditions will stick around until Sunday, which is when our next cold front will slide through. Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest.
First responders said their goal was to show these strong families they aren't alone.
Six trains were canceled on Christmas Eve due to the shortage. Riders are encouraged to check Metra's website for updates.
A Park Ridge salon owner has been cutting hair for more than 20 years, but some of her most important clients don't pay a dime.
Pope Leo XIV is celebrating his first Christmas as the leader of the Catholic church.
The main topic for shoppers was not the lines or the last-minute deals, but the warm weather.
Multiple cars were broken into this week in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Metra is running on a reduced schedule for Christmas Eve.
NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, tracks Santa's Christmas Eve flight around the world each year. Follow a live map of the tracker here.
As the 11-4 Chicago Bears prepare for their Sunday night matchup with the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers, one player earned an extra Christmas present from the league thanks to his impressive performance against the Green Bay Packers.
Cameras not working, video evidence missed by police and a psychic that leads a hit and run victim's son to a clue that changes the case
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
Lawmakers in Springfield are looking to address the high water bills being reported in some suburbs from customers of Illinois American Water.
Electric bills in the Chicago area could go up as much as $70 in the next three years because of data centers, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
Advocates and legislators are seeking solutions and and accountability for a pattern of Chicago police arresting Black gun owners on firearms charges despite valid FOID and CCL licenses.
As the 11-4 Chicago Bears prepare for their Sunday night matchup with the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers, one player earned an extra Christmas present from the league thanks to his impressive performance against the Green Bay Packers.
Travis Konecny scored and added his 300th career assist, leading the Philadelphia Flyers past the Blackhawks 3-1 and handing depleted Chicago its sixth straight loss.
The Bulls trailed 117-107 but closed the game on a 19-6 run.
Three Chicago Bears players have been named to the 2026 NFC Pro Bowl roster: safety Kevin Byard III, center Drew Dalman, and left guard Joe Thuney.
Murakami, or "Mune" as he likes to be called, was introduced on Monday on the South Side after signing a two-year, $34-million contract.
A woman was released on electronic monitoring Wednesday after authorities said she drove drunk and caused a crash that injured a family of four in Lombard, Illinois.
Multiple cars were broken into this week in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Four women have been charged with leading police on a high-speed chase after stealing from a retail store in the west Chicago suburb of Villa Park.
A woman has been charged with attacking four people at a CTA bus stop in the Lawndale neighborhood, including a woman she allegedly slashed with a broken beer bottle after threatening that woman's mother.
Three teens have been charged with sexually assaulting a classmate this past summer at a graduation party for St. Viator High School students.
