MLB News

Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper has been fantastic at the plate ever since being called up for his MLB debut less than one month ago. Culpepper has played in 24 games (all at shortstop), and he's had no trouble living up to the hype that he possessed as a top prospect. So far, he owns a .307/.361/.466 slash line with three home runs, 10 RBI, a 6.2% walk rate, a 19.6% strikeout rate, and 133 wRC+. He's slugged eight extra-base hits, and although he's walking less than he did in the minors, his strikeout rate hasn't increased by much since his promotion. Culpepper's near-everyday role and impressive offensive contributions have helped him emerge as a top waiver wire option in fantasy baseball. He's still available in 89% of fantasy leagues, and he ranks as the #24 shortstop in RotoBaller's rest-of-season rankings.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Walker Jenkins has been relatively quiet at the plate since being called up for his MLB debut, but he still possesses the upside necessary to be an everyday fantasy baseball option. Therefore, fantasy managers should still consider picking him up off the waiver wire for the month of September, especially in deeper leagues. He owns a .590 OPS through eight games, and he has already recorded both his first home run and his first stolen base. He's striking out at a suboptimal 21.4% clip, but he's also showing on-base skills with his 17.9% walk rate. Over a larger sample size, Jenkins should pan out to be a productive fantasy baseball outfielder. As it stands, he's available to grab off the waiver wire in 89% of leagues.

Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen has been swinging a hot bat lately, and he's on the fantasy radar as a very appealing waiver wire target. Over his last six games, Jensen is 9-for-23 with three home runs, six RBI, two walks, and five strikeouts. The bulk of his hits have been of the extra-base variety. In addition to his three homers, he's slugged three doubles and a triple during that six-game window. Over the full season, he has a .755 OPS with 22 homers, a 10.9% walk rate, a 28.1% strikeout rate, and 107 wRC+. Jensen gets the day off Sunday, but he's expected to be back in the lineup Monday against the Diamondbacks. In doing so, he'll look to extend his on-base streak to 12 games. He is rostered in 49% of leagues and currently ranks as the #8 catcher in RotoBaller's rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings. Managers looking to strengthen or solidify their catcher position should consider picking up Jensen off the waiver wire if he's available.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Kade Anderson was called up to make his MLB debut two weeks ago. His three starts since the call-up haven't been otherworldly, but he still has the strikeout upside necessary to make him an impactful starting pitcher in fantasy baseball for the final stretch of the season. Anderson has a 5.40 ERA through his three starts, but the 3.17 FIP doesn't look quite as bad. The ball-in-play metrics are solid, but we'd like to see him harness his strikeout, walk, and home run rates over a larger sample size. His 6.60 K/9 rate in the majors is essentially half of his rate from the minors this year, and his 4.20 BB/9 and 1.80 HR/9 rates are both key reasons why his ERA is so high. Getting called up midseason could be the main reason why Anderson has been a little shaky in the majors, and we have no concerns about his ability to produce long-term. Meanwhile, in the short-term, there's still a window for him to turn things around if he can attack the strike zone and miss more bats. He's an intriguing stash in September because if he makes those corrections, he'll have a huge fantasy baseball impact. He currently ranks as the #30 starter in RotoBaller's latest rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Edward Florentino homered on Saturday for his second homer in four games with High-A Greensboro. Florentino has had a good minor league season at age 19 between two minor league levels, combining to hit .236 with 27 homers and 84 RBI with 84 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. The left-handed hitter is the No. 2 prospect in the Pirates system with a 50-grade hit tool, 60-grade power, and 55-grade speed. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Florentino is a bit wiry but has room to put on some more muscle, which will only likely add to his power. His average is a bit low this season, but that could be due to adjusting to the minors in only his third professional season. Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Florentino looks to have high fantasy upside and be a high priority dynasty league pickup.

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop prospect Aidan Miller (back) made his season debut on a rehab assignment with Single-A Clearwater on Saturday. The 22-year-old was 1-for-2 at the plate in his debut with a run scored. Miller returned to action on a rehab assignment for his back injury. The right-handed hitter is the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies system and has a well-rounded game with a 55-grade hit tool, 60-grade power, and 50-grade speed. The Phillies first round pick in the 2023 MLB draft out of a Florida high school, Miller has good size at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds and made it all the way to Triple-A during the 2025 season. With a chance to get some games under his belt at the end of this season, Miller looks to be a solid dynasty league target. He promises to be one of the up-and-coming players at the shortstop position.

San Francisco Giants third base prospect Parks Harber has had a decent season in the minors at age 24, and his promotion to Triple-A Sacramento has been followed by some success. In 41 games at Sacramento, Harber has hit .256 with five homers and 29 RBI to go with 24 runs scored. Harber has flashed his power across two levels of the minors this season with 17 combined homers and 76 RBI with a .273 batting average. The right-handed third base prospect is the No. 13 prospect in the Giants system with a 45-grade hit tool and 55-grade power. Harber has had a decent statistical season across the minors this year, and the Giants could reward him with a late-season promotion even though he didn't get the early September call-up. Harber could also be looking at a 2027 big-league debut if the Giants wait it out and let him begin the season in the big leagues next year.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III continues to hit at Triple-A Oklahoma City and completed a very strong month in August, making a promotion to the Dodgers even more possible. Tibbs III launched six homers in 92 August at-bats with 21 RBI and a .326 batting average, to go with 19 runs scored. Tibbs III has been consistently good all season at Triple-A with 28 homers and 98 RBI with a . 298 batting average and 100 runs scored. The left-handed hitter is the No. 7 prospect in the Dodgers system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 55-grade power. At age 23, the Dodgers could determine that Tibbs III is ready for a promotion to the big leagues after such a statistically strong season at Triple-A. Tibbs III is worth a stash in redraft leagues, as his potential is great with his strong overall hitting tools and plus power.

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez is hitting for power in his limited action at Triple-A St. Paul this season. In 45 games at Triple-A, Rodriguez has 11 homers and 31 RBI but is hitting just .252. Rodriguez has battled a bad thumb injury this season, which has limited his game time, but the power in his bat has shown. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 5 prospect in the Twins system and has a 45-grade hit tool with 55-grade power and speed. Rodriguez also has seven stolen bases in his little game time this season. Rodriguez has some work to do on his overall hitting and is a batting-average risk for fantasy, but his power-speed combination is real. The Twins have already called up top prospects Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper, so they might elect to keep Rodriguez in the minors the rest of this season. But if they do look his way for a promotion, he could have some late impact on the fantasy season.

Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone (elbow) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. According to Joel Goldberg, Caglianone was removed in the third inning due to left elbow soreness. It's unclear when or how Caglianone suffered the injury. He notched an RBI single during his lone plate appearance in the first inning. For now, fantasy managers should consider Caglianone as day-to-day. The Royals should give an update on his status ahead of Sunday's contest. Nick Loftin and John Rave are candidates to see increased playing time if Caglianone misses time.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (hand) was removed early during Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to Erica Weston, Trout was taken out of the game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand in the top of the ninth inning. Jose Siri replaced Trout on the basepaths. Trout finished this game 2-for-4 with two singles, an RBI, and a run scored. The X-rays reportedly came back clean, which is good news. For now, fantasy managers should consider Trout as day-to-day. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Angels give Trout the day off on Sunday. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Sunday's game for another update on his status.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Sean Burke had his scheduled start against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday moved to Tuesday, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Instead of facing the Twins this weekend, the White Sox have decided they'd rather have Burke pitch against the Pirates on Tuesday. The team has yet to name a starter for Sunday's series finale against the Twins. Since the All-Star break, Burke owns a 2.76 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a 52/21 K/BB ratio across nearly 50 innings of work. The White Sox may be trying to limit his workload over the final month of the season.

Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder Willi Castro (foot) was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Saturday. Castro missed the last three games while managing plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The Rockies finally decided to place Castro on the shelf ahead of Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He'll miss at least the next 10 days, but it wouldn't be shocking to see Castro held out longer than that. The Rockies aren't playing for anything, so they might as well give their younger players a look down the stretch of the season. In a corresponding move, Vimael Machin was promoted to the active roster. Connor Norby and Ryan Ritter are likely to gain the most playing time from the loss of Castro.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (rib) is scheduled to face live pitching on Monday, according to Bryan Hoch. Judge was able to take batting practice on the field on Friday. If everything goes well, Judge is on track to return during the team's homestand next week. It sounds like Judge is trending in the right direction, but he still needs to build up more before returning to the Yankees' lineup. The Yankees might bring the 34-year-old along slowly ahead of the postseason. Fantasy managers should check back for another update following Monday's session.

Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes (hip) is absent from the starting lineup on Saturday against the division-rival Athletics at T-Mobile Park after crashing into the outfield wall and injuring his hip on Friday night, according to MLB.com. Dominic Canzone is starting in right field and is batting in the two-hole against A's left-hander Jeffrey Springs. Montes is considered day-to-day with soreness in his left hip and appears to have avoided a significant injury, so the young outfielder could be back in action as early as Sunday's series finale against the A's. The Mariners' No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, put up big numbers in 123 minor-league games between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma this year before his call-up recently, slashing .249/.369/.558 with a .928 OPS, 38 home runs, 96 RBI, 99 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 542 plate appearances. For Montes' raw power alone, he is a worthy fantasy baseball stash in deep-mixed leagues. In his first three MLB games, the 21-year-old Cuban outfielder has gone 3-for-11 with a homer, three RBI, two runs, a walk, and four strikeouts. Montes is rostered in only 6% of Yahoo leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is officially out for a third straight game on Saturday against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com. Catcher Dalton Rushing is serving as the designated hitter and will bat seventh against Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to recurring left-knee and right-biceps injuries, and now he has been out for the last three games as the team's full-time DH, a first in his three seasons in L.A. The Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts have been hopeful that the 32-year-old four-time MVP will avoid a trip to the injured list, and the skipper revealed that Ohtani will hit in the cage on Saturday. How the six-time All-Star responds "will be telling" regarding a potential IL stint. Fantasy managers should not be holding out hope that Ohtani will pitch again during the month of September, and depending on how he feels after taking swings on Saturday, he could be shut down as a hitter, too, so that he is closer to full health for the start of the playoffs in October. The Japanese superstar has not been himself at the plate lately as he continues to play through multiple injuries, but his overall line still looks quite good in 2026 at .279/.381/.525 with a .906 OPS, 30 home runs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases.

Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) remains out of the starting lineup for the game on Saturday on the road against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, per MLB.com. Eli White is making another start in center field and will bat eighth against Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt. This will be the third straight game that Rafaela has missed due to soreness in his quad muscle that is not considered serious. He is considered day-to-day, and hopefully he will return to the starting nine for the series finale in Baltimore on Sunday. Fantasy managers will want to check back then. The 25-year-old native of Cura ao is having a strong season in his fourth year in the majors with Boston, being named to his first All-Star squad while hitting .282/.317/.443 with a .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored across 135 games and 569 plate appearances. Rafaela needs just one home run, six RBI, and four stolen bases to set career highs in all of those categories in 2026.

The New York Yankees announced on Saturday that they placed outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring and recalled outfielder Jasson Dominguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a corresponding move. Grisham will miss at least the next 10 days after being pulled from Friday's series opener against the San Diego Padres early with a right-hamstring injury. The good news is that the Yankees expect Grisham to be back with the team later in September. But for fantasy purposes, Grisham can probably be dropped in single-year formats at this point. With Grisham sidelined going forward, expect young outfielder Spencer Jones to see more playing time in center field for the Yankees. The 29-year-old Grisham failed to keep things going this year after hitting a career-high 34 home runs and driving in 74 runs in 143 regular-season games in the Bronx in 2025. In his third year in pinstripes, Grisham is currently batting only .211 (88-for-418) in 2026 with 18 round-trippers, 59 RBI, 67 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his 121 games played.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) is not in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game against the division-rival Detroit Tigers after spraining his right wrist on Friday in the second game of a doubleheader, according to MLB.com. Angel Martinez is making the start in right field and will bat second against Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez after having an injury scare of his own in the series opener on Friday. The good news is that DeLauter is being considered day-to-day, but do not be surprised if he does not play in the remainder of the series against Detroit. Cleveland cannot afford to lose the 24-year-old DeLauter to another stint on the injured list down the stretch, as he has been extremely consistent in his first year in the big leagues in 2026 with a .294/.365/.458 slash line, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across his 445 at-bats. If DeLauter sits out the rest of the weekend series, his next chance to return to the lineup will come in Monday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles.

Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryson Stott (personal) is starting at third base and will bat eighth on Saturday against the division-rival Atlanta Braves and veteran left-hander Martin Perez at Citizens Bank Park, per MLB.com. Stott was out of the starting nine for Friday's series opener against Atlanta due to personal reasons, but he is back now and looking to put a recent slump behind him. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups should consider the 28-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder an easy fade near the bottom of the batting order, even though he has hit .276 (29-for-105) against left-handed pitchers on the season. Stott has gone 7-for-45 (.156) with one home run, two doubles, two RBI, five runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and 10 strikeouts in his last 13 games, dating back to Aug. 19, to drop his season slash line to .255/.331/.403 in 526 total plate appearances. In a very small sample size, Stott is hitting 1.000 off Perez in just two at-bats.