08/31/2026:

CJ Abrams was scratched from the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Marlins with back tightness.

It sounds like a precautionary measure, but back issues can be complex and tricky matters that tend to linger. The 25-year-old was originally slated to start at shortstop in this one. It’ll be Nasim Nuñez taking over in his place. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

08/31/2026:

Nationals manager Blake Butera said CJ Abrams will have closer to a “50-50 split” between shortstop and second base for the rest of the season.

Butera highlighted Abrams’ strong play at shortstop recently as a motivating factor behind the decision to reverse course on their original plan. There’s a chance the Nationals bring up top prospect Seaver King when rosters expand later this week, which would further complicate the equation. Regardless, it sounds like the club is slowly backing away from a permanent move off the position for Abrams, which is going to be a variable to monitor during the offseason and spring training.

08/31/2026:

Rangers recalled LHP Robby Ahlstrom from Triple-A Round Rock.

Ahlstrom returns to Texas’ bullpen with both Cole Winn (shoulder) and Peyton Gray (elbow) landing on the injured list. The 27-year-old southpaw posted an underwhelming 6.03 ERA across 31 1/3 innings for the Rangers earlier this season.

08/31/2026:

Pete Alonso left Sunday’s game against the Athletics after being hit in the head by a pitch.

Alonso was removed for pinch-runner Jackson Holliday, but it sounds like it was more precautionary than anything else. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said that Alonso was “fine” in the dugout, so he should be back in the lineup ASAP.

08/31/2026:

Samuel Basallo (hand) is back in the lineup at DH for Monday’s series opener against the Rockies.

Basallo’s return comes at a fortuitous time for fantasy managers with Baltimore kicking off a three-game series at high-octane Coors Field. He’s back in the lineup after missing Sunday’s game with a hand contusion. The 22-year-old backstop’s presence at DH pushes Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the bench with Blaze Alexander getting the nod at third base. Things are only going to get more crowded with Luis Robert Jr. coming over from the Mets off waivers in the next few days.

08/31/2026:

Kyle Bradish will have his next start pushed back to Tuesday against the Rockies.

Cade Povich will start Monday’s series opener against the Rockies at Coors Field with Bradish taking the ball on Tuesday instead. There doesn’t appear to be a physical issue at play here, but the Orioles want to give him some extra rest. The 29-year-old is coming off a disastrous outing against the Cardinals last week where he was torched for seven runs over 4 1/3 innings. It’s challenging to trust Bradish in Coors Field, especially in shallow mixed leagues. There’s a chance his next outing against the Red Sox this weekend could also get pushed back, eliminating a two-start week in the process. There are superior alternatives on the waivers wire in most shallow mixed leagues.

08/31/2026:

Chase Burns yielded three runs — two earned — and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings Sunday night in the Reds’ 7-5 win over the Cubs.

Burns got his 15th victory in what sounds like it will be his final traditional start of the year. This one put him at 145 1/3 innings for the season, an increase of 36 from his first professional season last year. Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley said on Sunday Night Baseball that the plan is for Burns to pitch about three innings at a time in his remaining outings, which would leave him ineligible for wins unless he pitches in relief. Burns, the first Reds starter to win 15 games since Luis Castillo in 2019, is due to face the Brewers next time out.

08/31/2026:

Reds manager Terry Francona said Chase Burns with have an innings limit during his next start against the Brewers on Saturday.

Francona declined to elaborate on the exact innings limit. This latest development was alluded to by Reds analyst Jeff Brantley during Burns’ latest start against the Cubs on Sunday night. The hard-throwing 23-year-old, who has delivered top-10 fantasy value among starters this season, has already thrown 145 1/3 innings, which is nearly 40 more than he posted during last year’s professional debut. The move is designed to allow Burns to make his final handful of starts without a shutdown prior to the end of the season. It’s a tough development for fantasy managers in the middle of the playoffs, but he’s still worth hanging onto and starting outside of extremely shallow mixed leagues.

08/31/2026:

Athletics’ OF prospect Drew Burress went 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks, two RBI, and a stolen base for Single-A Stockton on Sunday.

We don’t usually blurb players who are in lower levels of the minors, but Burress was just the eighth overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and has seven home runs, 15 RBI, and 11 steals in his first 82 professional at-bats, while hitting .280/.449/.610. There was a thought that Burress was a high-floor prospect who would move quickly through the minor leagues. He’s certainly making that seem possible right now.

08/31/2026:

Michael Busch struck out all four times up against the Reds on Sunday night.

Busch has been fairly disappointing in hitting .239/.349/.391. It’s the final number there that’s the real problem; Busch hit 34 homers and slugged .523 in 592 plate appearances last season. This year, with his bat speed and his exit velocity numbers all down, he has 17 homers in 607 plate appearances.

08/31/2026:

Cole Carrigg is not in the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Orioles.

It’s a bit unclear based on remarks by Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer whether Carrigg is sitting out his second consecutive contest for disciplinary reasons. The 24-year-old rookie was benched for Sunday’s series finale against the Braves after making an inappropriate gesture towards fans earlier in the weekend. It’s worth noting that he pinch-hit during Sunday’s game, so he’s presumably available off the bench during Monday’s contest as well.

08/31/2026:

Evan Carter went 0-for-5 on Sunday to finish off a hitless series against the Brewers.

Carter has hit .145/.188/.197 in 82 plate appearances this month, lowering his OPS from .672 to .608. His defense in center still grades out well, and he’s not going to make much money as a first-time arbitration-eligible player next year, so September isn’t necessarily a make-or-break month for his future in Texas. It sure would be nice to see something encouraging from him offensively, though.

08/31/2026:

White Sox acquired OF Jake Cave from the Rays for cash.

Cave joins Tommy Pham as additional outfield depth for Chicago at Triple-A Charlotte. The 33-year-old journeyman hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since the 2024 campaign. He signed a minor league deal with the Rays back in late June. He’s merely organizational fodder at this stage of his career.

08/31/2026:

Red Sox placed 1B Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.

According to the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, Contreras has been dealing with a hamstring issue for about a month. Between that and getting hit in the head against the Dodgers on August 1st, Contreras has slashed 217/.330/.386 since then. Perhaps a two-week reset will help the first baseman recapture some of his previous form before the end of the season.

08/31/2026:

Mariners activated RHP Cooper Criswell from the 60-day injured list.

Criswell returns to Seattle’s relief mix for Monday’s series opener against the Red Sox, his former club, after missing nearly two months with a right shoulder strain. The 30-year-old swingman has posted a serviceable 3.52 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 23/8 K/BB ratio across 30 2/3 innings this season.

08/31/2026:

Cardinals optioned C Jimmy Crooks to Triple-A Memphis.

Crooks has been shipped back to the minors, which seems to signal that catching prospect Leo Bernal is coming up from Triple-A Memphis once rosters expand on Tuesday. Nothing official, but all signs point to Bernal getting his chance for the final month.

08/31/2026:

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit another leadoff homer and added a solo shot in the ninth Sunday night against the Reds.

Crow-Armstrong’s first homer shouldn’t have happened; Chase Burns’ 2-2 pitch caught the corner, but the ump called it a ball and the Reds declined to challenge it. PCA took the next one 417 feet to right for his 37th homer of the year. No. 38, on an Emilio Pagán fastball right down main street, came with two outs and the Cubs down by three, so it didn’t lead to much. However, Crow-Armstrong is now all alone in second place for the MLB lead in homers, two behind Kyle Schwarber.

08/31/2026:

Kaelen Culpepper is at shortstop and hitting eighth against the Tigers on Monday.

It feels like only a matter of time before Culpepper gets a look towards the top of Minnesota’s intriguing lineup. He won’t supplant Luke Keaschall in the leadoff spot, but he might make more sense than Brooks Lee in the second spot while Byron Buxton (hip) is out. The 24-year-old top prospect has lived up to fantasy managers’ lofty expectations so far. He hasn’t stolen any bases, which is a surprise, but he’s hitting .313 (21-for-67) with three homers in 19 games since being called up a few weeks ago.

08/31/2026:

Mariners placed RHP Nick Davila on the 15-day injured list with an SC joint sprain.

Davila is highly likely to miss the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old allowed three runs during his lone inning of work against the Blue Jays on Sunday shortly after being recalled from the minors. He’s made 24 relief appearances for Seattle this season, posting a respectable 4.94 ERA across 27 1/3 innings of work.

08/31/2026:

Elly De La Cruz (quad) is in the lineup at DH for Monday’s series opener against the Padres.

It’s a massive development for fantasy purposes after De La Cruz made an early exit from Sunday’s game against the Cubs with left quad tightness. Reds manager Terry Francona told reporters De La Cruz has been diagnosed with a small strain, but the expectation is that he’ll be able to manage and play through the injury unless it gets worse. There’s always a chance that De La Cruz ultimately winds up requiring a trip to the injured list, but it sounds like the Reds are going to let him play through the minor ailment for now.

08/31/2026:

Elly De La Cruz was lifted from Sunday night’s game in the seventh inning.

It’s unclear what was wrong. The Reds were up by four runs at the time, but it’s very unusual for De La Cruz to come out of anything but a true blowout. Ivan Johnson replaced him, with Matt McLain moving from second to short.

08/31/2026:

Elly De La Cruz left Sunday night’s game with left quad tightness, according to the Reds.

De La Cruz was 2-for-4 before departing in the seventh. Consider him to be day-to-day. If he can’t go Monday, the Reds figure to play Matt McLain at short and probably Edwin Arroyo at second.

08/31/2026:

Rafael Devers clobbered his 30th home run of the season on Monday, propelling the Giants to a 7-3 win over the Braves.

Devers took Braves starter Bryce Elder deep in the opening frame for his eighth round-tripper since the start of August, reaching the lofty 30-homer plateau for the second straight season and fifth time since 2019. He also walked twice in this contest. The 29-year-old slugger is one of the few legitimate threats in an injury-depleted Giants lineup and it wouldn’t be shocking to see more teams pitch around him during the final month of the season. He has a real shot at surpassing his previous career-high mark of 38 round-trippers, which he set with the Red Sox back in 2021.

08/31/2026:

Tigers recalled RHP Yilber Díaz from Triple-A Toledo.

Díaz returns to Detroit’s middle relief mix after allowing seven runs over 1 2/3 innings across a pair of relief appearances earlier this month. The 26-year-old former starter can be ignored in all fantasy formats.

08/31/2026:

Ezequiel Duran homered, doubled and knocked in three runs to lead the Rangers past the Brewers 7-4 on Sunday.

Duran’s 15th homer overtook his previous high of 14 from 2023. His .273/.331/.450 line this year is a near match for his .276/.324/.443 line from his one other nice season as a big leaguer. He hit just .237/.278/.309 with three homers over 504 plate appearances in the two years in between.

08/31/2026:

Marlins placed INF Xavier Edwards on the 10-day injured list with a left thumb sprain.

Edwards left Sunday’s game after colliding into Jorbit Vivas’ shoulder when he was sliding into second. He’ll now be out for at least the next 10 days, but the Marlins have not given an exact timeline for his return as of Monday afternoon. They remain just 3.5 games out of the playoffs, so we don’t believe Edwards is at risk of being shut down just yet.

08/31/2026:

Bryce Elder was charged with five runs over 5 1/3 innings on Monday in a loss to the Giants.

Elder surrendered eight hits, including home runs to Rafael Devers and Osleivis Basabe. He finished with three strikeouts and also issued three walks. It was the second time in his last four starts that he’s allowed five runs or more. It qualifies as a massive letdown considering the lackluster makeup of San Francisco’s lineup after he tossed six strong frames against the Dodgers last week. He won’t get the ball again until he faces the Phillies in a road matchup next Monday with Atlanta moving to a six-man rotation.

08/31/2026:

Mariners transferred SS Colt Emerson to the 60-day injured list.

Emerson is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing left wrist tendon repair surgery earlier this month. The 21-year-old former top prospect is expected to have a mostly normal offseason and be ready for spring training. He projects as Seattle’s shortstop of the future with J.P. Crawford set to reach free agency in the offseason.

08/31/2026:

Diamondbacks optioned INF Jose Fernandez to Triple-A Reno.

Fernandez draws the short straw with Arizona needing to add Ketel Marte back onto their active roster. The 22-year-old figures to be back in a couple days when first eligible to return. He’s hit .262/.305/.356 with three homers and nine steals in 207 plate appearances over 65 games as a rookie this season.

08/31/2026:

Red Sox recalled C/1B Mickey Gasper from Triple-A Worcester

Gasper was just sent back to Triple-A on Sunday with Roman Anthony off the injured list, but he’s eligible to return to Boston because Willson Contreras (hamstring) is now going on the IL. Gasper has hit a solid .278/.374/.466 with five homers and 19 RBI in 156 plate appearances with the Red Sox. He’s starting at first base and batting second on Monday against the Mariners.

08/31/2026:

Marlins recalled LHP Cade Gibson from Triple-A Jacksonville

Gibson has a 5.87 ERA in 38 1/3 innings with the Marlins so far this season. He’ll work in low-leverage innings.

08/31/2026:

White Sox optioned LHP Tyler Gilbert to Triple-A Charlotte

Gilbert has allowed eight runs on 12 hits in six innings for the White Sox this season. He also has a 4.64 ERA in 20 games for the Knights this year.

08/31/2026:

Twins RHP Woo-Suk Go elected free agency.

Go heads to the open market after passing through waivers unclaimed over the weekend. He’ll wind up being the answer to a trivia question in Minnesota if Walker Jenkins winds up becoming an iconic figure in Twins history.

08/31/2026:

Marlins option RHP Wikelman González to Triple-A Jacksonville.

González was just called up over the weekend and did not appear in an MLB game. He will return to a 6.62 ERA in 34 Triple-A innings this year.

08/31/2026:

Rangers placed RHP Peyton Gray on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to August 30, with right elbow inflammation.

Gray is probably finished for the rest of the season. The 31-year-old has compiled a respectable 3.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 58/16 K/BB ratio across 55 innings over 48 appearances in low-leverage work.

08/31/2026:

Sonny Gray is being skipped Tuesday and will likely next pitch Saturday against the Orioles.

Gray’s velocity was down slightly last Wednesday against the Marlins, and while the Red Sox aren’t committing to a specific injury here, they’re giving him several extra days between starts. The Red Sox figure to call up someone to replace him Tuesday when rosters expand, though they’re lacking options.

08/31/2026:

Riley Greene (hamstring) will be activated from the injured list for Tuesday’s game against the Twins.

The Tigers are going to give Greene a day off to rest and recover after playing in a pair of minor league rehab contests for Triple-A Toledo over the weekend. He’s been on the shelf with a hamstring strain since early August. He’ll return to the heart of Detroit’s lineup once rosters expand this week.

08/31/2026:

Riley Greene singled and walked twice in his second game for Triple-A Toledo on Sunday.

Greene played left field today after DHing on Saturday. Expectations are that he’ll come off the injured list and rejoin the Tigers lineup when rosters expand on Tuesday.

08/31/2026:

Konnor Griffin went 1-for-3 and played seven innings at short Sunday in his first appearance for Double-A Altoona.

Griffin, out with a finger injury, will rejoin the Pirates on Monday before likely playing in a couple of more minor league games. He’s eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Friday.

08/31/2026:

Michael Harris II went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in Monday’s loss to the Giants.

Harris took a curveball from Giants starter Anthony Molina out to left-center field with a 401-foot blast that extended his on-base streak to 15 consecutive games. It was his 23rd round-tripper of the season and seventh time he’s left the yard in 43 games since the All-Star break. He’s gone deep three times in his last eight games.

08/31/2026:

Shota Imanaga was tagged for six runs in five innings by the Reds on Sunday night.

Imanaga followed up three scoreless innings by giving up a three-run homer to Héctor Rodríguez in the fourth. He then allowed two more homers with his velocity having diminished in the fifth. Imanaga, now 8-10 with a 4.01 ERA on the season, just isn’t at his best right now, and the Cubs could give him some extra rest with rosters expanding. As is, he’s due to face the Marlins on Saturday.

08/31/2026:

Walker Jenkins is in center field and hitting ninth against the Tigers on Monday.

Jenkins remains at the bottom of Minnesota’s lineup after going 2-for-9 with one RBI and a stolen base in three games since being called up from Triple-A last week. The 21-year-old top prospect projects as an extremely impactful fantasy contributor based on his talent and minor league production. The early results haven’t quite been there, but he’s put together some quality at-bats and hasn’t looked overmatched at all so far.

08/31/2026:

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said “it’s possible” Aaron Judge (rib) could return during their next homestand.

The Yankees kick off their next homestand on September 8. Boone declined to put down a specific return date for Judge, who is ramping up baseball activities after spending the last nearly three months on the injured list with a rib fracture. It sounds like there’s a decent chance that Judge is ready to return at some point around mid-September. Obviously, the Yankee icon’s return would have a significant impact on their ability to contend in a pretty wide open American League heading into the postseason.

08/31/2026:

Tigers optioned OF Corey Julks to Triple-A Toledo.

Julks went 2-for-7 during four games with the Tigers while Riley Greene (hamstring) was on the injured list. There’s a chance he’s back as a bench option later in September.

08/31/2026:

Orion Kerkering allowed one run over 1 1/3 innings while earning a save against the Angels on Sunday.

Kerkering entered in the eighth inning with the Phillies holding a 4-1 lead, so even though Philadelphia scored a run in the ninth, he still gets the save. It’s the second save of the year for the 25-year-old, and there’s a decent chance it’ll be the last.

08/31/2026:

Yusei Kikuchi allowed just two runs over seven innings and still took a loss to the Phillies on Sunday.

Kikuchi pitched well, but Zack Wheeler pitched better, so Kikuchi is now 0-5 on the season. The 35-year-old gave up a pair of solo homers, and unfortunately for the southpaw and the Angels, that was enough to prevent the victory. Kikuchi will hope to get some run support and pitch at a similar level against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

08/31/2026:

Jacob Latz retired the side in order in the ninth for a save Sunday against the Brewers.

Latz fanned one and got a couple of easy flyballs to end the game. It’s the first time in eight appearances this month that he went without walking a batter. Only the first of those appearances was a bad one, though. He’s pitched nine scoreless innings and collected six saves in his last seven outings.

08/31/2026:

Jordan Leasure underwent surgery to repair a UCL tear in his right elbow earlier this month.

It sounds like Leasure underwent a full Tommy John ligament replacement procedure since he isn’t expected back until spring training in 2028, according to a team statement. The 28-year-old struggled to an inflated 6.27 ERA across 18 2/3 innings for the White Sox this season.

08/31/2026:

George Lombard Jr. (knee) remains out of the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Angels.

The Yankees aren’t going to take any chances with Lombard as he sits for a second straight game with knee inflammation. The 21-year-old underwent a precautionary MRI over the weekend that didn’t reveal any structural damage. It appears that he’ll avoid a trip to the injured list with rosters expanding this week. It’ll be José Caballero taking over at shortstop for the second straight game. It’s been surprising to see him struggle defensively with a couple prominent errors since being called up earlier this month, but he’s managed to hold his own at the plate so far.

08/31/2026:

Reynaldo López (knee) will make another minor league rehab start this week.

López got up to five innings during his latest minor league rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett last Friday. Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters they want to keep him stretched out as a starter heading into the home stretch. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since late July due to left knee inflammation.

08/31/2026:

Diamondbacks activated 2B Ketel Marte from the 10-day injured list.

FanGraph’s Eric Longenhagen wrote that Marte didn’t appear to be having any issues with his troublesome left knee during a couple bridge league games in Arizona last week. That’s a positive sign. The 32-year-old second baseman is back at DH and hitting cleanup following a bizarre two-week saga that included his absence from Fenway Park, a knee injury subplot and a trip to an Arizona casino that generated plenty of social media buzz. At the end of the day, Marte appears healthy and ready to help Arizona with their playoff push, which means fantasy managers shouldn’t hesitate to put him back in their lineups.

08/31/2026:

Francys Romero reports that Ketel Marte (knee) is coming off the injured list on Monday.

Romero claims that Marte will DH on Monday and also address his teammates before the game. While the second part may not seem important in fantasy, locker room dynamics can absolutely impact player and team performance, and this has been one of the more unique situations we’ve seen. We assume the Diamondbacks will be happy to have Marte back in the lineup as they try to hold off the Padres for the final NL Wild Card spot.

08/31/2026:

Dustin May surrendered four runs in 4 1/3 innings Sunday in a loss to the Rangers.

May had decent enough stuff today after leaving his last start because a comebacker got him in the shoulder, but the five hard-hit balls he allowed all did damage, turning into a homer, three doubles and a single, and he hurt the cause by walking three batters and hitting another. He dropped to 6-9 with a 4.69 ERA. He’ll face the Reds next weekend.

08/31/2026:

Coby Mayo hit a three-run homer in a victory over the Athletics on Sunday.

Mayo got the Orioles back into the game with a three-run homer off Jeffrey Springs that made it 5-4 A’s in the fourth inning. It gives Mayo his 19th homer in his first full season, and he’s driven in 55 runs. The .218 average leaves a lot to be desired, but Mayo’s power is readily apparent.

08/31/2026:

Curtis Mead (wrist) played catch before Monday’s game.

Mead no longer has a cast on his left wrist after fracturing it back on July 27th. It’s nice to see him playing catch without the cast on his glove hand, but we’ll need to see him hit before we have a better sense of exactly when he’s going to return to Boston’s lineup.

08/31/2026:

Anthony Molina recorded six strikeouts and allowed three runs over five innings in a win over the Braves on Monday.

Molina’s six punchouts were a career high as he managed to limit his former team to just six hits, including a second-inning solo shot by Michael Harris II, in his first start of the year. The 24-year-old isn’t a recommended fantasy option at this point, but he’s going to get an opportunity to show what he can do over the final month of the season with San Francisco looking ahead to the future. He’s a name to watch in NL-only formats.

08/31/2026:

Orioles optioned RHP Anthony Nunez to Triple-A Norfolk.

Nunez returns to the minors to make room for Cade Povich to come up and make a spot start against the Rockies on Monday night. The 25-year-old has posted a respectable 4.29 ERA across 50 1/3 innings of work this season in his first exposure to the majors.

08/31/2026:

Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette reports that Red Sox RHP prospect Jedixson Paez is “an option for Boston for Tuesday.”

The team is skipping Sonny Gray’s start on Tuesday, so they are likely going to need a spot starter. Paez was given another day off this weekend and is “probably” going to pitch for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. That lines him up with Gray’s schedule if the Red Sox choose to make the move. He’s made three starts in Triple-A since being promoted but has allowed just four runs on seven hits in 12 1/3 innings while posting an 18/2 K/BB ratio. He would not be a recommended fantasy streamer, but it would be interesting to see how close he is to throwing meaningful innings in 2027.

08/31/2026:

Emilio Pagán survived a Pete Crow-Armstrong solo homer to record his 19th save Sunday night against the Cubs.

Pagán had a three-run lead to work with tonight. He did give up another long shot to Seiya Suzuki after PCA’s homer with two outs, but it was caught just in front of the ivy-covered wall at Wrigley. Pagan has a 2.33 ERA and is 12-for-12 saving games since coming off the injured list two months ago.

08/31/2026:

Rangers recalled RHP Ben Peoples from Triple-A Round Rock.

Peoples restocks the Rangers’ bullpen after losing both Peyton Gray (elbow) and Cole Winn (shoulder) to the injured list. The 25-year-old rookie has posted a strong 2.51 ERA across 14 1/3 innings at the highest level this season. He came over from the White Sox in a small trade back in late June.

08/31/2026:

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the White Sox are acquiring outfielder Tommy Pham from the Phillies.

Since Pham is not on the 40-man roster, he is eligible to be traded despite the fact that the trade deadline has passed. Pham is expected to join the White Sox when rosters expand on Tuesday. He was 0-for-13 in his brief stint with the Mets earlier this season, and hit .245/.330/.370 in 120 plate appearances for the Pirates last year.

09/01/2026:

Cade Povich yielded one run in five innings Monday versus the Rockies.

Povich did solid work in limiting the Rockies to one double and four singles in his 87-pitch outing. The Orioles aren’t committed to sticking with a six-man rotation, so Povich might return to Triple-A after this. He’ll still likely play some sort of role in September, though.

08/31/2026:

Orioles recalled LHP Cade Povich from Triple-A Norfolk.

Povich draws the starting assignment for Monday’s game against the Rockies in Coors Field’s extremely hitter-friendly environment. He’s an obvious stay-away for fantasy purposes in this spot. The 26-year-old lefty has posted a pedestrian 4.45 ERA across 28 1/3 innings of work for the Orioles this season. It’s likely to be a one-and-done spot start unless Baltimore decides to move to a six-man rotation.

08/31/2026:

Tigers designated RHP Tanner Rainey for assignment.

The Tigers are moving on from Rainey after he allowed just three runs with a 6/8 K/BB ratio across seven innings of work. The well-traveled 33-year-old former high-leverage reliever has made 217 appearances in the big leagues dating back to 2018.

08/31/2026:

Pedro Ramírez is out of the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Brewers with back spasms.

Matt Shaw gets a look at the keystone for the first time since coming off the injured list. Ramírez is day-to-day for the final three games of the series. The 22-year-old rookie has been excellent for the Cubs, hitting .285/.347/.436 with four homers, 24 RBI and seven steals across 191 plate appearances. He’s emerged as a viable everyday option at second base with Nico Hoerner covering shortstop while Dansby Swanson is out.

08/31/2026:

Luis Rengifo has been diagnosed with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Rengifo is facing a lengthy absence after an MRI revealed a complete ACL tear in addition to an MCL sprain. The 29-year-old infielder suffered the injury over the weekend while making a throw from the outfield. It’s unfortunate timing since he was emerging as an impactful midseason addition for San Diego. He’ll undergo surgery at some point in the near future and is facing a roughly 9-12 month recovery timeline.

08/31/2026:

Orioled claimed OF Luis Robert Jr. off waivers from the Mets.

This is a bit of a surprise. Robert is hitting well in August, slashing .267/.321/.520 with six home runs, 10 runs scored, and 11 RBI; however, the Orioles have been getting solid production from Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser, and Leody Taveras in the outfield. Their DH spot has also been filled by Coby Mayo since Christian Encarnacion-Strand has emerged as the regular third baseman. Somebody who is playing well is going to be bumped from the starting lineup now, and you have to wonder if this is a sign that the Orioles plan to pick up Robert’s $20 million team option for 2027.

08/31/2026:

Kumar Rocker was lifted after allowing two runs and walking four in three innings Sunday against the Brewers.

86 pitches to get nine outs. Rocker struck out seven of the 17 batters he faced today, but four walked and the six who put the ball in play against him collected four singles. Rocker finishes August with a 6.00 ERA, 31 strikeouts and 17 walks in 27 innings over six starts. It’d seem to be time to try him in relief if either Nathan Eovaldi or Jack Leiter were ready to return, but since they’re clearly not, Rocker should face the Rays next weekend.

08/31/2026:

Héctor Rodríguez hit a three-run homer off Shota Imanaga in Sunday night’s victory over the Cubs.

Rodríguez was benched for four straight games, three of them against righties, a week into his major league career, but two weeks later, here he is starting five games in a row, including two against lefties. He has a chance to be useful in mixed leagues in September if Terry Francona keeps him in the lineup.

08/31/2026:

Héctor Rodríguez is leading off on Monday against the Padres.

Rodríguez is one of the more tantalizing power/speed combo talents to enter the fantasy landscape this season and appears to finally be finding his footing after experiencing some initial turbulence at the highest level. The 22-year-old rookie is leading off for the third time in the last five games after launching a three-run homer during Sunday’s lopsided game against the Cubs. He’s homered four times in his last seven games and is hitting .370 (10-for-27) during that span.

08/31/2026:

Joe Ryan (glute) will make a minor league rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.

Twins manager Derek Shelton said the plan is for Ryan to throw roughly 50 pitches over three innings. The 30-year-old upper-echelon fantasy starter figures to rejoin Minnesota’s rotation next week, assuming he’s feeling ready from a physical standpoint. He hit the injured list with a glute strain back in early August. There should be a definitive update on his return timeline coming out of Tuesday’s tune-up outing.

08/31/2026:

Gary Sánchez hit his 200th career homer off former batterymate Jordan Montgomery in Sunday’s loss to the Rangers.

It’s been slow going in recent years, but Sánchez is the 21st catcher (min. 50 percent of career games) to reach 200 homers. Four of those catchers barely made it (200 for Bill Freehan, 201 for Gene Tenace and 202 for Bill Dickey and Todd Hundley), so Sánchez should move up a few spots quickly. He will, however, also get overtaken by Willson Contreras, who is at 198 and is still a couple of years away from no longer qualifying here.

08/31/2026:

Yankees claimed RHP John Schreiber off waivers from the Royals.

Schreiber had a successful run with the division-rival Red Sox earlier in his career. He was cut loose by Kansas City over the weekend after posting a respectable 3.72 ERA across 48 1/3 innings this season. He’ll help solidify New York’s questionable middle relief depth.

08/31/2026:

The New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports that the Yankees are signing RHP John Schreiber.

Schreiber was waived by the Royals on Saturday and now joins a bullpen in the thick of the playoff race. The 32-year-old hurler holds a 3.72 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 48 1/3 innings on the season, but that has come with a 4.54 SIERA and 4.52 xFIP. That being said, he is holding right-handed hitters to a .143 batting average and .231 slugging percentage, so he can be great against right-handed pockets.

08/31/2026:

White Sox activated LHP Tyler Schweitzer from the paternity list.

The left-hander has a 3.64 ERA in 29 2/3 innings with the White Sox this season and has really struggled in his last two outings, allowing five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Perhaps he had other, more important things on his mind. He’ll come back to a middle relief role for the White Sox.

08/31/2026:

Christian Scott will have his next start pushed back to Friday against the Giants.

Justin Hagenman (rib) will will be activated to start Wednesday’s series finale against the Rays, which enables the Mets to push Scott back to Friday’s series opener against the reeling Giants. It’s a nice bonus for fantasy managers since he’ll get to face one of the weakest lineups in baseball at Citi Field.

08/31/2026:

Marlins recalled INF Jared Serna from Triple-A Jacksonville

Serna was one of three players acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade. He has hit .221/.303/.378 with 12 home runs and 14 steals for Triple-A Jacksonville so far this season.

08/31/2026:

Ian Seymour recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings in a loss to the Mets on Monday.

Seymour relentlessly pounded the strike zone, throwing 65 of 88 pitches for strikes, while notching his second double-digit strikeout performance of the season. He generated an absurd 19 swinging strikes, including 12 on his fastball and changeup combination, to finish with a near-elite 36 percent CSW. He limited New York’s lineup to just a single run into the middle innings before coughing up a solo homer to Mark Vientos in the seventh. He was charged with an additional run after teammate Casey Legumina gave up an RBI single to Francisco Alvarez later in the frame. The 27-year-old southpaw has allowed three earned runs or more in four consecutive starts since August 9. He’s offset that by striking out at least seven batters in four of those five outings. He’ll close out a two-start week with a road matchup against the Rangers on Sunday.

08/31/2026:

Justin Steele (elbow) will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday.

Steele is attempting to make it back to Chicago as a reliever for the postseason after suffering a flexor strain a couple months ago that delayed his return from last year’s elbow surgery. The 31-year-old lefty can be ignored in fantasy leagues, but his return should provide a lift for the Cubs in the postseason. He’s going to need at least a week or two of rehab appearances before he’s an option for Chicago’s bullpen.

08/31/2026:

Robert Stock hurled 5 1/3 shutout innings in a win over the Rays on Monday.

It’s highly unlikely any fantasy managers were trusting Stock in this spot after he was lit up for seven runs by the Brewers his last time out. He kept putting zeroes on the scoreboard against one of the more potent lineups in the American League in this one, allowing just six hard-hit balls with exit velocities over 95 mph, while scattering five singles in the process. He finished with four strikeouts and didn’t hand out a free pass, throwing 50 of 72 pitches for strikes. The 36-year-old journeyman isn’t overpowering, but he fills up the strike zone and has managed to avoid getting burned by the long ball. This was his first win since April 5, 2019. Seriously. He gets a favorable road matchup against the Marlins his next time out on Monday.

08/31/2026:

Yankees RHP Justin Topa elected free agency.

Topa passed through waivers unclaimed after being jettisoned from New York’s relief mix over the weekend. The 35-year-old journeyman made just a pair of appearances for the Yankees during a brief stint with the club. He should be able to latch on somewhere for the final month of the season.

08/31/2026:

Brewers activated RHP Abner Uribe from the 15-day injured list.

Uribe returns to Milwaukee’s high-leverage equation after missing just over two weeks with a flexor strain. The 26-year-old has posted a sparkling 2.05 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 48/18 K/BB ratio across 48 1/3 innings of work. He’s one of the best setup specialists in baseball and has also converted six saves this season. He’ll likely continue helping bridge the gap to closer Trevor Megill heading towards the postseason.

08/31/2026:

Blue Jays optioned RHP CJ Van Eyk to Triple-A Buffalo.

The Blue Jays are off Monday, so now they’ll have three roster spots to fill prior to Tuesday’s game. Chase Lee and/or Ricky Tiedemann could join the pen then.

08/31/2026:

Orioles designated INF Luis Vázquez for assignment.

Vázquez loses his spot on Baltimore’s 40-man roster with the club claiming outfielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Mets. The 26-year-old appeared in just one game for the Orioles after being called up last week.

09/01/2026:

Mark Vientos blasted a solo homer on Monday, leading the Mets to a narrow 3-2 win over the Rays.

Vientos picked up right where he left off after homering three times during his final minor league rehab contest at Triple-A Syracuse over the weekend, taking Rays southpaw Ian Seymour deep in the seventh inning for his 12th big fly of the season. It was his lone hit in four at-bats. He’s capable of doing damage against left-handed starters, which gives him some limited appeal in deeper fantasy leagues for the final month of the year.

08/31/2026:

Mets activated 1B Mark Vientos from the 10-day injured list.

Vientos is at DH and hitting cleanup for Monday’s series opener against the Rays after missing just over seven weeks recovering from a fractured right hand. It’s fair to wonder how the hand injury will impact his results, especially from an on-field power perspective over the final month of the season. He’s been a non-factor for fantasy purposes this season, hitting .211 with 11 homers and 35 RBI in 254 plate appearances.

08/31/2026:

Mark Vientos homered three times for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.

It wasn’t even the headline for the game, though, since six Syracuse pitchers combined to no-hit Lehigh Valley. Tobias Myers got the most outs of the six, working three innings. Vientos is 9-for-23 with five homers on his rehab assignment from a fractured hand. The Mets don’t seem to have big plans for him in September, but there’s a chance he’ll force the issue. He likely will need Juan Soto, currently DHing after his calf injury, to return to the outfield in order to get significant playing time.

08/31/2026:

Zack Wheeler held the Angels to just one run over six innings to pick up a win in a 5-2 victory for the Phillies on Sunday.

Wheeler did walk three, but he was able to keep the damage to just the one run while striking out six and scattering four hits allowed. It’s a nice rebound for the right-hander after he was shellacked for four homers and eight runs in his previous outing against the Mariners. This one won’t go on Wheeler’s ‘best of’ DVD, but that’s more compliment to his previous success than insult to this one. He’ll take on Atlanta next weekend.

08/31/2026:

Brewers placed RHP Bryse Wilson on the 15-day injured list with a lower back strain.

Wilson heads to the shelf with Abner Uribe coming off the injured list. The 28-year-old has made 12 appearances during a couple of stints with the Brewers this season. He’s also pitched for the Cubs and Phillies.

08/31/2026:

Rangers placed RHP Cole Winn on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to August 28, with a right rotator cuff strain.

Winn hits the shelf for the second time this season due to arm issues. There’s a strong possibility he’s done for the season with only four weeks left. The 26-year-old has compiled a lackluster 5.63 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 49/16 K/BB ratio across 48 innings of work.

08/31/2026:

James Wood (oblique) went 1-for-3 with a home run for Double-A Harrisburg on Sunday.

It had been reported earlier that Wood would not require a rehab assignment, but, according to The Athletic’s Spencer Nusbaum, he wanted to see some live pitching before returning. He also played seven innings in left field on Sunday as well. Nationals manager Blake Butera said, “We’ll probably give him Monday off, then we’ll see from there,” so there is a strong chance that Wood will return to the Nationals lineup on Tuesday.

08/31/2026:

Blue Jays sent RHP Simeon Woods Richardson outright to Triple-A Buffalo.

Woods Richardson figures to decline the outright assignment and test the free agent waters after passing through waivers unclaimed. The 25-year-old was pitching well before getting clobbered for six runs during his lone inning of work against the Royals last Thursday.