MLB News

Texas Rangers outfielder Joc Pederson (hand) is dealing with a small fracture of a bone in his left hand, but he will attempt to play through the injury based on pain tolerance, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. The immediate issue for the Rangers is to reduce swelling in the area to allow him to properly grip and swing a bat. With Texas facing Boston Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval on Tuesday, Pederson will start on the bench, with catcher Elias Diaz serving as the designated hitter and batting eighth. Pederson's injury is the result of being hit by a fastball from Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt on Saturday. The lefty slugger was wearing an infrared glove designed to promote circulation and recovery, and he is also loading up on compression fabric to boost circulation while taking anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling in his hand. The 34-year-old veteran shares the team lead in homers with Jake Burger at 26, but he is coming off a month of August where he hit .138 (9-for-65) with four homers, seven RBI, seven runs, nine walks, and 21 strikeouts in 27 games. Despite his power from the left side, Pederson is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.

The Kansas City Royals announced on Tuesday that they reinstated infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Matthew Lugo to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Garcia will immediately return to Tuesday's starting lineup against the hosting Houston Astros and right-hander Hunter Brown, starting at third base and batting cleanup for the Royals. The 26-year-old Venezuelan returns for the final couple of weeks of the regular season as he looks to turn his season around in short order. Garcia has been a major disappointment for fantasy managers this year, playing in only 73 games due to injury and hitting .269/.324/.385 with a .709 OPS, only three home runs, 32 RBI, 34 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 309 plate appearances in his fifth year in the big leagues. It is especially disappointing when considering that Garcia was a first-time All-Star in 2025, when he slashed .286/.351/.449 with 16 homers, 74 RBI, 23 steals, and 81 runs scored in 160 games.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) felt his right-wrist issue again in his final at-bat on Monday night and came in sore on Tuesday, which is why he is out of the starting lineup against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. Manager Stephen Vogt said that DeLauter is day-to-day. Outfielder Angel Martinez (side) is also day-to-day and is out of the starting nine, giving Jo Adell a start in right field while he bats third for Cleveland on Tuesday against White Sox left-hander Chris Murphy. DeLauter's wrist injury caused him to miss four straight games recently, and he apparently is not fully recovered. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is day-to-day for now, but if he cannot play through the end of the week, the Guards might be forced to shut him down for the remainder of the 2026 season. DeLauter has been excellent in his first 464 major-league at-bats this year, slashing .289/.362/.453 with an .815 OPS, 14 homers, 62 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. He has cooled off a bit after a blistering month of August, though, and has gone 9-for-37 (.243) with a homer, four doubles, two RBI, two runs, and two steals in 10 games so far in September.

Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (shoulder) and corner infielder Royce Lewis (shoulder) are both back from their shoulder injuries on Tuesday against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Max Fried at Target Field, according to MLB.com. Culpepper is starting at short and batting second, with Lewis manning first base and hitting fifth for the Twins. Culpepper has never faced Fried, while Lewis is hitless against him in just three at-bats. The 23-year-old Culpepper missed the last two games after being hit by a pitch on his shoulder on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians, but he is back now and looking to continue his strong start in his MLB debut late this season. The former 21st overall pick in 2024 from Kansas State has gone 30-for-106 (.283) with three home runs, 11 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base in Minnesota in his first 30 MLB games, and he will close out the year as the Twins' primary shortstop.

New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange (shoulder) is expected to see action on Tuesday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he returns from a stay on the seven-day injured list, according to Francys Romero. It will be Lagrange's first official appearance since June 28. Lagrange, the team's No. 4 overall prospect at MLB Pipeline, will return to a 1-4 record, 4.55 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 83:33 K:BB in 63 1/3 innings across 18 appearances (11 starts) for the Rail Riders in 2026. He is coming off a sprained right shoulder that shut him down in early July. If not for his shoulder injury, Lagrange might have been a candidate to join New York's starting rotation late in the year, but because of all the time he missed this summer, the Yankees have already stated that he is unlikely to join them for the remainder of the year, even in the postseason. The 6-foot-7, 248-pounder has a fastball that can hit triple digits and three secondary pitches that also miss bats, so he will certainly be in the mix for an early-season MLB debut in 2027.

The Miami Marlins announced on Monday that right-hander Max Meyer (neck) will be shut down for the rest of the 2026 season, according to MLB.com's Jesse Borek. Meyer, who is currently on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain, has discontinued his throwing program and will undergo further evaluation. "He tried to get back going there, and he just wasn't able to get past the hump as he started throwing again," manager Clayton McCullough said of Meyer. "Even if we have a miracle finish here and we're able to play beyond the regular season, Max just wasn't going to have the time necessary to build up and get back to pitching." His last start will end up being on July 18, in which he lasted only three innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. It is a frustrating end to Meyer's 2026 season, but it does not take away from the fact that he was a first-time All-Star. He ranked tied for 10th among qualifying National League pitchers in fWAR (2.3) and held opposing hitters to a .206 average in the first half, mostly on the back of his nasty sweeper/slider combination that ranked in the 98th percentile in breaking ball run value (13).

Just two days after returning from the injured list, Miami Marlins right-handed closer Pete Fairbanks (hand) left his save opportunity early on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks with more nerve irritation in his right hand, according to Jesse Borek of MLB.com. Fairbanks recently missed time due to a right median nerve irritation, an issue that caused his hand to go numb after throwing a pitch. "He's certainly frustrated," said manager Clayton McCullough. "I feel bad for Pete. He's worked hard to try to come back from this, and then to go back out, second appearance off the IL, and have a similar feeling that he did, I feel for him right now." The issue first popped up all the way back on April 27, and he was put on the IL the following day. Fairbanks said the latest bout of irritation was the worst that the injury has been. When he has been available, it has been a rocky year, as he entered Monday night with a 6.10 ERA, which is on pace to be the highest of his big-league career since he had a 6.86 ERA in 21 innings in 2019. Right-hander Jack Ralston was brought in to try to lock down his first major-league save, but he gave up a walk-off home run to outfielder Corbin Carroll. Fairbanks figures to be shut down for the rest of the season with limited time remaining on the schedule.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) is throwing out to 105 feet, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The plan is to "re-evaluate for mound readiness at the end of September." Woodruff's return to the Brewers this year is still to be determined. Woodruff avoided season-ending shoulder surgery for a capsule injury in his right arm in July, and he has been working his way back ever since. The 33-year-old veteran will not rejoin the Brew Crew for the end of the regular season in September, but there is still a chance that he could be an option for them (most likely as a reliever) in the postseason in October. The two-time All-Star has had trouble staying healthy since 2023, as he made just 11 starts that year before missing all of the 2024 campaign. Woodruff has made 21 starts in the last two seasons combined, including just nine in 2026, going 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 47:10 K:BB in 45 1/3 innings. The Brewers probably are not holding their breath in hopes that Woodruff will make a significant impact for them in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that left-hander Shane McClanahan (forearm) has resumed playing catch, but that he still has a "long way to go" before being reinstated from the 15-day injured list, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays probably are not going to rush McClanahan back, so there is merely a small chance that he will make it back before the end of September. The 29-year-old southpaw has been sidelined since earlier this month with tightness in his left forearm. The Rays' primary goal is most likely to have McClanahan available as either a starter or a reliever for the start of the postseason in October. McClanahan missed all of 2024 and 2025 due to Tommy John surgery, but he returned this year and has made 24 starts (118 innings), going 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA (3.50 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and 39 walks. Getting him back as a starter for the postseason would be huge for the Rays, but fantasy managers should not expect anything else out of him in 2026 in what has been a successful return from elbow surgery.

The Los Angeles Dodgers optioned right-hander Emmet Sheehan to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, manager Dave Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Reliever Paul Gervase has been called up in a corresponding move to give the Dodgers a fresh bullpen arm. The 26-year-old Sheehan looked great in his return to the big-league starting rotation, albeit in just two starts, allowing one earned run on five hits while walking two and striking out 15 in 11 2/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins. He will go back down to the minors for now but could resurface with the Dodgers out of the bullpen for the playoffs in October. The former sixth-rounder in 2021 from Boston College has gone 5-8 for the Blue this year with a 4.79 ERA (4.48 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with a career-high 123 strikeouts and 32 walks in 107 innings pitched across his 22 starts in just his third big-league campaign. Despite his inconsistency, Sheehan is still an intriguing developmental arm for the Dodgers with plenty of swing-and-miss stuff.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed reliever Edwin Diaz (neck), who allowed five earned runs on two hits with three walks and one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning in a minor-league rehab outing on Sunday, will have another outing for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Diaz was supposed to have a short rehab assignment before returning from the 15-day injured list, but the Dodgers have not seen enough from him. "He needs to pitch better. It hasn't been good," manager Dave Roberts said. In 3 1/3 total rehab innings, the 32-year-old veteran reliever has allowed six runs while walking four and striking out seven. Diaz also missed a large chunk of the 2026 season after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, and he has been out since the middle of August with inflammation in his neck. When active, the three-time All-Star has been a massive free-agent bust for the Dodgers, going 2-2 with an 11.85 ERA, 2.56 WHIP, seven saves, and 19 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings at the major-league level. Diaz almost certainly will be pitching in low-leverage situations out of the bullpen when he returns from the IL, and if he continues to pitch poorly, he could be left off the Dodgers' postseason roster in October.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (oblique) will play on a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday and Wednesday with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. If all goes well, Swanson will join the team for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. The 32-year-old veteran shortstop has been on the shelf since mid-August with an oblique strain, but he looks ready to return to action this weekend to try to help the Cubbies get into the playoffs for the final couple of weeks of the regular season. The two-time All-Star will be returning to a .216/.300/.404 slash line with a .704 OPS, 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 78 runs scored across his 119 games and 458 plate appearances. While Swanson still has an outside chance at his second straight 20-20 season in his 11th year in the majors, he has hit a career-worst .216 this season with just a .300 on-base percentage, which ties his career low from a season ago. In 27 games in the second half before his oblique strain, Swanson had just two home runs, eight RBI, and five steals after he hit 16 long balls in the first half of 2026.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (core) will have season-ending surgery on Tuesday in Philadelphia to fix a left-sided core-muscle injury, according to Zach Sweet of MLB.com. The Giants said they will provide an update on his recovery timeline after the surgery. The Giants placed Devers on the 60-day injured list on Sunday, putting an end to his 2026 campaign. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger will finish his first full season in the Bay Area with a .258/.340/.525 slash line, an .865 OPS, 37 home runs, 98 RBI, and 88 runs scored in 148 games and 633 plate appearances. Devers is currently leading the league with 36 doubles after a recent offensive barrage in the second half of the season. The three-time All-Star went off in August with a .272 average (28-for-103) with eight home runs, five doubles, 18 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 28 games played. Devers got off to an icy start in 2026 by hitting .207 (25-for-121), but he turned things around quickly in May and finished with his second straight 35-plus-homer season. The Dominican first baseman has reached the 30-homer mark in four of the last six seasons with the Giants and Boston Red Sox.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) will swing a bat and hit off a tee on Tuesday, according to David Vassegh of 570 AM LA Sports. Nagging left-knee and right-biceps injuries finally landed Ohtani on the injured list last Friday, but the fact that he is ready to resume baseball activities is a good sign that he will be able to return towards the tail end of the regular season at the end of September, barring a setback. The Dodgers will be hoping that the four-time MVP can finally put his knee and biceps injuries in the past and help the Blue get into a third straight World Series. The six-time All-Star has hit .277/.380/.522 this year with a .902 OPS, 30 home runs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in his 502 at-bats, but his offensive production had been tailing off before the Dodgers put him on the IL last week. Ohtani hit only .241 (26-for-108) with six homers, three doubles, two triples, 13 RBI, 16 runs, and four stolen bases in 27 games in August, but he had gone just 1-for-9 with three walks and six strikeouts in the first three games of September. Outfield prospect Josue De Paula was called up last week and has been seeing some at-bats at the designated hitter spot for L.A. with Ohtani out.

Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (shoulder) and corner infielder Royce Lewis (shoulder) both remain out of Monday's starting lineup against the New York Yankees due to shoulder injuries, according to MLB.com. Culpepper is missing a second straight start after being hit by a pitch on Saturday night. Lewis left the series finale on Sunday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians with soreness in his left shoulder. Ryan Kreidler is starting at the 6 and batting eighth on Monday, with Victor Caratini starting at first base and hitting seventh against Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Culpepper, the team's No. 3 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, has looked good so far in his first 30 big-league games with the Twins, slashing .283/.342/.415 with a .757 OPS, three home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one steal in 117 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should consider both players day-to-day for now and check back to see if they are available to return for Game 2 of the series against the Yankees on Tuesday.

Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Shane Bieber (shoulder) will throw a side session off a mound on Tuesday, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Bieber will still need to build up and face live hitters, so it will be a "time crunch" for him to get back for the final series of the regular season at the end of September. The 31-year-old former Cy Young winner and two-time All-Star is trying to work his way back to potentially help out of the Jays' bullpen to close out the regular season, but there will not be any guarantees. Bieber started only nine combined regular-season games in 2024 and 2025, but he made it back late last year to help guide Toronto to a World Series appearance. In 11 starts (55 2/3 innings pitched) in his second season with the Blue Jays in 2026, he has gone 5-2 with a 4.37 ERA (5.15 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and 24 walks. Although the Blue Jays are in fourth place in the American League East and 15.5 games out of first place, they are currently just one game back of the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild-card spot.

Athletics veteran right-hander Luis Severino (shoulder) "looked good" in a Sept. 12 bullpen session at Sutter Health Park but will not pitch again for the team in 2026, according to MLB.com. Severino, who was moved to the 60-day injured list on June 21, is expected to have a normal offseason. The 32-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star ended up making only 12 starts (62 2/3 innings) in his second year in Sacramento and went 2-6 with a 4.16 ERA (4.48 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 31 walks for the A's. Severino was able to throw a bullpen session over the weekend on Saturday, but with the A's out of the playoff picture, he will not make another start for the team this year. After a disappointing and injury-plagued year, the expectation is that Severino will pick up his $22 million player option for the 2027 campaign instead of opting out to hit a free-agent market ahead of a potential lengthy lockout.

New York Mets right-handed reliever Devin Williams (shoulder), who is on the 15-day injured list with a strained right shoulder, faced hitters at Citi Field on Monday and will do so again on Thursday, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Williams does not expect to need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, which means he could be reinstated from the IL as soon as this weekend if all goes well with his throwing session on Thursday. Even if Williams is ready to return this weekend, the Mets could stick him in a low-leverage bullpen role, with right-hander Kodai Senga successfully transitioning into the Mets' closer role of late. It is actually a bit of a surprise that the 31-year-old Williams is attempting to come back this year with the Mets out of the playoff picture. The two-time All-Star has had another underwhelming season in 2026 with the Mets, posting a 4.66 ERA (3.10 FIP), a 1.65 WHIP, 16 saves, 51 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 38 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Williams is still rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues, but there is a good chance he will not pick up another save the rest of the year.

St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) is scheduled to go through a full pre-game workout on Tuesday after he hits off a pitching machine on Monday, according to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wetherholt is working his way back from tendinitis in his right wrist that had been bothering him for some time. The 24-year-old is making good progress, but if he returns for the Cardinals this year, it might only be for the final homestand of the 2026 campaign, so fantasy managers should not bank on any production from him during the postseason. All in all, it was a successful first year in the big leagues for Wetherholt, as he has hit .242/.343/.370 with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across 130 games and 586 plate appearances. Wetherholt has clear 20-20 potential going into his sophomore season in 2027 as the Cardinals' regular option at second base.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that the team would like veteran infielder Carlos Correa (ankle) to play "a game or two" for Triple-A Sugar Land this week before he is activated from the 60-day injured list, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. It is the last week of the Triple-A regular season. Correa is scheduled to rejoin the Astros during their next homestand and visit doctors before determining the next step. The Astros begin a homestand on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals, and it runs through Sunday, Sept. 20, in the series finale against the Atlanta Braves. When Correa is ready to return, the Astros are considering using him at second base, which would allow Jose Altuve to get off his feet and serve as the designated hitter. In his first full season in Houston since 2021, Correa has hit .279/.369/.418 with a .787 OPS, only three home runs, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a stolen base in 32 games played due to injuries. Fantasy managers still playing for something should not be looking to pick Correa up this week upon his return. He is currently rostered in just 10% of Yahoo leagues.