MLB News

Reynaldo López • SP • Braves

No Structural Damage For Reynaldo Lopez

Atlanta Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez's (shoulder) MRI exam came back clean for any structural damage, and he's just dealing with inflammation, according to manager Brian Snitker. The Braves will let Lopez take a few days off before starting a throwing program. His progress in the throwing program will determine when he can return from the 15-day injured list. Atlanta is hoping the 30-year-old can return once his 15-day stint on the IL is up, but even if that comes to pass, there's a good chance that the Braves have him return in a relief role. Lopez was excellent for the Braves in the first half on his way to making his first All-Star team, but he's slowed down in the second half and has gone over 100 innings pitched in 2024 in a return to a full-time starting role for the first time since 2019. Having him healthy for a potential playoff run has to be Atlanta's top priority right now.

Sep 11

Merrill Kelly • SP • Diamondbacks

Merrill Kelly Leaves Early With Apparent Cramping

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (undisclosed) was forced to leave his outing early on Wednesday at Chase Field against the Texas Rangers with a trainer in the fifth inning. The injury didn't appear to be arm-related for Kelly, but he has dealt with cramping issues in the past. We'll pass along any updates on Kelly's condition when they become available. Before leaving with a trainer, the 35-year-old veteran allowed three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out three, so it clearly has not been a great day for him. As long as Kelly's exit wasn't actually arm-related, he could make his next scheduled start. Injuries have limited him to only 10 starts in 2024, and he entered his outing on Wednesday with a 4.08 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. Losing Kelly for an extended period of time could make him unavailable for a potential postseason run.

Sep 11

Paul DeJong • SS • Royals

Paul DeJong Sitting For Royals

Kansas City Royals infielder Paul DeJong is out of the team's starting lineup on Wednesday for a contest against the New York Yankees in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium. With DeJong on the bench, Maikel Garcia will start at third base and bat eighth against Yankees right-hander Luis Gil. DeJong could find himself riding the pine more often moving forward due to a recent slump offensively. So far in six games in September, he has gone 3-for-19 (.158) with no homers, an RBI, no walks and six strikeouts. The 31-year-old veteran was acquired from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline at the end of July and has been better with KC, though, batting .244 (22-for-90) with six home runs and 15 RBI. In deeper leagues, fantasy managers will want to keep DeJong on their benches until he pulls out of his slump with the Royals in a midst of a run for a wild-card spot in the American League.

Sep 11

Lawrence Butler • RF • Athletics

Lawrence Butler Back In The Lineup

Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (illness) is back in right field and is batting leadoff for the A's on Wednesday against the division-rival Houston Astros and right-hander Hunter Brown at Minute Maid Park. Butler was under the weather on Monday but is feeling better on Tuesday and will return atop Oakland's batting order. The 24-year-old former sixth-round selection in 2018 is having a breakout campaign in just his second year in the majors and in his first full season in the big leagues. He comes into Wednesday's game slashing .270/.324/.523 with an .847 OPS, 21 home runs, 54 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 110 games played. Butler's second half has been more impressive, as he's hit .328/.368/.638 with a 1.006 OPS, 12 homers, 29 RBI and eight stolen bases in 46 games. Get him back into your lineups on Wednesday now that he's feeling better.

Sep 11

Kyle Tucker • RF • Astros

Kyle Tucker Takes A Seat On Wednesday

Houston Astros outfielders Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick will head to the bench on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The Astros are being careful to ease Tucker back into action after he returned last Friday from a lengthy stint on the injured list due to a fractured shin that he sustained in early June. With Tucker and McCormick both out, Ben Gamel is starting in right field and batting seventh, while Mauricio Dubon draws into left field and is hitting ninth against A's right-hander Joey Estes. Tucker is one of the best all-around hitters in baseball, but he has struggled at the plate in his three games back, picking up only one hit in 10 at-bats with an RBI, two walks and four strikeouts over the weekend. So far, the 27-year-old has only served as a designated hitter and has yet to start in right field.

Sep 11

Christian Vázquez • C • Twins |

Manuel Margot • RF • Twins

Twins Activate Manuel Margot, Christian Vazquez

The Minnesota Twins activated outfielder Manuel Margot (groin) from the 10-day injured list and catcher Christian Vazquez from the paternity list on Wednesday and optioned infielder Michael Helman and catcher Jair Camargo to the minors in corresponding moves. Vazquez will do the catching and bat ninth on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Jack Kochanowicz at Target Field. It's a promising matchup for Vazquez and the Twins, but the 34-year-old Puerto Rican backstop has very little fantasy upside in the nine-hole. He's hitting .228 (60-for-263) on the year with seven homers and 27 RBI. Vazquez will serve as Ryan Jeffers' backup now that he's back. Margot is recovered from a mild right-groin strain and will return to reserve outfield duties that fantasy managers can ignore in mixed formats.

Sep 11

Yandy Díaz • 1B • Rays

Yandy Diaz Not Present On Wednesday

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz appears to be getting a normal day of rest on Wednesday versus the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Jonathan Aranda will take over at first base and will hit sixth against Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. Unless he's dealing with an injury we don't know about yet, Diaz should return on Thursday for the start of a new series against the Cleveland Guardians. He's been hot so far in September, going 11-for-32 (.344) with two home runs, a double, and six RBI in eight games played. Aranda has only received 73 at-bats in the big leagues with Tampa in 2024 and hasn't done much at the plate, slashing .205/.284/.315 with only one homer, five RBI and 13 runs scored. In a tough matchup against Wheeler on the road, Aranda is a low-upside sleeper pick for DFS lineups on Wednesday.

Sep 11

Brandon Lowe • 2B • Rays

Brandon Lowe Returns Against Phillies

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (finger) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Zack Wheeler at Citizens Bank Park. Lowe has been dealing with inflammation in his ligament on both sides of his middle finger and missed the previous five games as a result. The 30-year-old is feeling better now, though, and will return in a tough matchup on the road. Lowe has came in to pinch hit the last couple of days and even saw some time at second base, so he's clearly improving and shouldn't need a trip to the injured list. In 10 career at-bats against Wheeler, Lowe has taken him deep once and driven in two, but he has only two total hits. The left-handed hitter has gone just 4-for-21 (.191) with a homer, RBI and seven strikeouts in September and isn't a recommended DFS play given the matchup against Wheeler.

Sep 11

Coby Mayo • 3B • Orioles

Coby Mayo On The Bench Against Red Sox

Baltimore Orioles rookie infielder Coby Mayo finds himself on the bench for Wednesday's contest at Fenway Park against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Mayo will start on the pine in favor of Emmanuel Rivera at the hot corner, and he'll hit in the nine-hole against Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta. It continues to be a platoon setup at the hot corner in Baltimore between Mayo and Rivera with both Jordan Westburg (hand) and Ramon Urias (ankle) on the injured list. Mayo, the team's top prospect and eighth overall in all of MLB, has not taken advantage of his opportunity with both Westburg and Urias out and has looked overmatched at the plate in his first 32 at-bats with the O's. Mayo has gone 3-for-32 (.094) with no homers, no RBI, no stolen bases and three runs scored in his first 13 games at the major-league level.

Sep 11

Luis García Jr. • 2B • Nationals

Luis Garcia Jr. Not Playing On Wednesday

Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and outfielder/designated hitter Joey Gallo are both out of the lineup on Wednesday at Nationals Park against the division-rival Atlanta Braves and left-hander Max Fried. Ildemaro Vargas is starting at second base and batting eighth, while Andres Chaparro serves as the DH and bats out of the three-hole against Fried. Garcia is in the midst of the best season of his career by far, as he came into Wednesday slashing .284/.322/.443 with career-highs in OPS (.766), home runs (15), RBI (63) and stolen bases (21) in a career-high 126 games played as Washington's starting second baseman. None of his 15 long balls on the year have come against southpaws, though, and he's also hitting just .167 (5-for-30) with eight strikeouts in 10 games over the last 14 days. It's a good day to get Garcia off his feet against a tough lefty.

Sep 11

Kyle Schwarber • DH • Phillies

Kyle Schwarber Scratched From Wednesday's Lineup

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (elbow) was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup at Citizens Bank Park against the Tampa Bay Rays. Schwarber still feels something in his left elbow when he swings after leaving Tuesday's game early after diving back to first base on a pickoff. Manager Rob Thomson said he isn't concerned about it, and Schwarber could be back in the lineup on Friday for the start of a big series against the division-rival New York Mets after a scheduled day off on Thursday. The 31-year-old All-Star slugger did go deep on Tuesday before departing the contest early, and fantasy managers should consider him to be day-to-day for now. If he cannot return to action this weekend, then you can start worrying about his status the rest of the way. Bryce Harper is the DH on Wednesday, with Kody Clemens starting at first against the Rays.

Sep 11

Bo Bichette • SS • Blue Jays

Bo Bichette Will Play In Another Rehab Game On Thursday

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that reports on shortstop Bo Bichette's (calf) first minor-league game with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday night were that "he felt good." Bichette went 1-for-3 and played four defensive innings at the 6. He was on his feet more than planned, though, so he will not play on Wednesday but will "get back after it tomorrow," Schneider said. After the 26-year-old plays in around four or five games on the farm and if he can avoid any setbacks with a calf injury that has landed him on the injured, he should be able to return to the Blue Jays for the final several weeks of the season. Bichette, a two-time All-Star, has been one of the biggest fantasy busts in 2024 and will return to a .222/.275/.320 slash line with only four homers, 30 RBI and five steals on the year. Fantasy managers that have been holding him all this time are holding out hope he can finish strong.

Sep 11

Jesse Winker • LF • Mets

Jesse Winker Sitting On Wednesday

New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker is sitting out the team's game on Wednesday at Rogers Centre against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays. Brandon Nimmo is starting in left field for the Mets and is batting cleanup against Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis. Most of Winker's off days typically come when the Mets are facing a left-handed pitcher, but he also finds himself on the bench to start Wednesday's contest against a righty. The veteran left-handed-hitting outfielder has looked better in 35 games since being acquired in a trade at the deadline from the Washington Nationals, as he's hit .284 (27-for-95) with three homers, five doubles and 13 RBI for the Mets as they look to sneak into the playoffs in the National League. So far in September, though, Winker has struggled, going 2-for-22 (.091) with a homer, four RBI and seven strikeouts in nine games played.

Sep 11

Daulton Varsho • LF • Blue Jays |

Spencer Horwitz • 2B • Blue Jays

Daulton Varsho, Spencer Horwitz Sitting Against A Lefty

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho and rookie first baseman Spencer Horwitz are out of the starting lineup on Wednesday at Rogers Centre against the New York Mets with a left-hander on the mound. Rookie Joey Loperfido will handle center-field duties and will bat eighth, while George Springer will serve as the designated hitter and bat leadoff against Mets lefty Sean Manaea. Nathan Lukes is in right field and is hitting in the two-hole. Springer has the quite the history against Manaea in 37 career at-bats, hitting .324 with a .768 OPS and six RBI, so he'll be a nice under-the-radar DFS sleeper while hitting leadoff. Horwitz has hit well in just his second MLB season in Toronto, but he's batting .193 (11-for-57) with none of his 12 home runs against southpaws in 2024, hence why he is on the bench on Wednesday.

Sep 11

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. • LF • Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks Hoping Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Will Return Soon

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (calf), who left the team's game on Sept. 1 with left-calf tightness, has hit off the Trajekt pitching machine and is scheduled to do some running on Thursday. Gurriel was put on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 2) after testing showed his calf strain. The good news is that both he and manager Torey Lovullo said the injury isn't serious, and the hope is that Gurriel can return after missing the minimal amount of time on the IL. The 30-year-old is the club's regular left fielder when healthy, so the Snakes will want him back as they make their final push for another postseason appearance in September. The Cuban slugger was a first-time All-Star in 2023 in his first year in the desert and is currently hitting a respectable .274/.316/.428 with 17 homers, 70 RBI and seven stolen bases in his 125 games.

Sep 11

Gabriel Moreno • C • Diamondbacks

Gabriel Moreno Ramping Up His Activity

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (groin) has started running arcs at around 80 percent effort and is scheduled to catch a bullpen session on Wednesday as he begins to ramp up his activity as he recovers from a left-groin strain. Moreno left the team's Aug. 5 contest after running out a ground-ball single and landed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 6. An MRI exam revealed a strained left groin muscle. At the time, manager Torey Lovullo said the backstop would be out "weeks, not days," but there is optimism that Moreno will return before the end of the season. The Venezuelan catcher has hit a career-low .262 (72-for-275) this year and provided only five homers and 41 RBI in 86 games before his injury, but the D-backs would love to have him back as their starting catcher sooner than later as they make their final push for another postseason appearance.

Sep 11

Jordan Lawlar • SS • Diamondbacks

Jordan Lawlar Back From Minor-League Injured List

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop prospect Jordan Lawlar (hamstring), the team's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, was assigned to Double-A Amarillo and activated from the seven-day minor-league injured list on Sunday. Lawlar aggravated his left hamstring in July, two games into a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League after initially hurting it running out a triple in the ninth inning of a game on June 15 at Triple-A Reno. The 22-year-old has a bright future at the next level, but injuries continue to get in the way of his development. He has only been able to play in 15 games at three minor-league levels in 2024 and has hit .304/.403/.482 with an .885 OPS, a homer, 16 RBI and five stolen bases in his 67 plate appearances. Given how much time he's missed due to injuries the last couple seasons, it's a long shot that the Snakes will call him up late this year or for the postseason if they qualify.

Sep 11

Cavan Biggio • 2B • Braves

Braves Call Up Cavan Biggio

The Atlanta Braves selected the contract of infielder Cavan Biggio from the minors on Wednesday and optioned infielder Luke Williams to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. Ozzie Albies (wrist) is still recovering from a fractured wrist, and now Whit Merrifield (foot) could be in danger of landing on the 10-day injured list if he doesn't recover soon after fouling a ball off his foot recently. For now, the 29-year-old Biggio should see ample time at the keystone in Atlanta as the team tries to secure one of the final wild-card spots in the National League over the last few weeks of the season. Biggio was acquired from the San Francisco Giants last weekend. He's unlikely to move the fantasy needle at all the last few weeks of the season after hitting .197/.316/.306 with five homers and 19 RBI in 74 combined games with the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.

Sep 11

Reynaldo López • SP • Braves

Reynaldo Lopez Lands On 15-Day Injured List

The Atlanta Braves placed right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list with right-shoulder inflammation and recalled right-hander Daysbel Hernandez from the minors in a corresponding move. The team also designated right-hander Jimmy Herget for assignment. Lopez was forced to leave his start early on Tuesday against the division-rival Washington Nationals, and initial tests on his shoulder looked good, but further imaging showed inflammation, and he will now miss at least the next two weeks. It's been an excellent year for the 30-year-old right-hander but the elevated workload as a starter for the first time since 2019 appears to have caught up with him. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues can drop Lopez now, and it's more likely than not that Lopez will return in a relief role if the Braves secure one of the final wild-card spots in the National League.

Sep 11

Connor Norby • 2B • Marlins

Connor Norby Back In The Lineup For Marlins

Miami Marlins rookie infielder Connor Norby (foot) is back at third base and hitting leadoff on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and left-hander Bailey Falter at PNC Park. Norby fouled a ball off his foot on Monday and was scratched from the starting lineup on Tuesday as a result, but the injury obviously wasn't serious enough to keep him sidelined for more than one day. With the Fish playing out the string in 2024, the 24-year-old prospect is going to see everyday playing time at third base the rest of the way. He's the team's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and has looked good at the plate since being acquired at the trade deadline from the Orioles. Norby is already up to six home runs and has seven doubles, 13 RBI and two stolen bases in just 19 games played since coming to South Beach. Get him back into your starting lineups on Wednesday.

Sep 11

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