MLB News

Will Smith  • RP  •  Royals

William Smith Has Been Playing Catch

The Kansas City Royals want left-handed reliever William Smith (back) fresh for the last month of the 2024 regular season, so a rest on the injured could help his cause. Smith has been playing catch to keep his arm in shape. He had been dealing with back issues for a few weeks before the team placed him on the 15-day IL on Aug. 26. Smith had been trying to pitch through it, but it was impacting his performance on the mound, and his back spasms got worse after the appeared on back-to-back days against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 24 and 25, when he surrendered seven runs in just two innings. In his previous five appearances, the 35-year-old southpaw allowed 14 runs in just 4 2/3 innings, so he has clearly been bothered by his back issues. If Smith is healthy down the stretch as the Royals try to secure one of the final wild-card spots in the American League, he'll operate as a key lefty setup man.
Sep 3   
Michael Lorenzen  • SP  •  Royals

Michael Lorenzen Has Yet To Throw A Bullpen

Kansas City Chiefs right-hander Michael Lorenzen (hamstring) has been keeping his arm in shape by playing catch, but he still needs time for his left hamstring to fully heal before he throws a bullpen session and figures out the best time to return in the final month of the regular season. Lorenzen suffered a left-hamstring strain on Aug. 27 against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians, and an MRI exam on Aug. 28 confirmed a Grade 2 hamstring strain. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with a two- to three-week timeline for a return. The 32-year-old veteran was excellent in his first five starts with the Royals before his injury, posting a 1.85 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 17 K's and 10 walks in 24 1/3 innings, but he's quickly running out of time to make an impact as a deep-league streamer with the regular season ending at the end of September.
Sep 3   
Hunter Renfroe  • RF  •  Royals

Hunter Renfroe Could Return By This Weekend

Kansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) hit on the field with the team before the game on Monday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium and also ran the bases. The Royals need to decide whether to send Renfroe on a minor-league rehab assignment, but either way, he could be back by this weekend. Renfroe strained his right hamstring while running in the outfield on Aug. 24 and was placed on the 10-day injured list a day later. The Royals were hopeful it wasn't going to be a long stint on the IL. The 32-year-old veteran slugger doesn't offer much upside anywhere for fantasy managers in mixed leagues, but he could see regular playing time at first base when he returns now that Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) is out for the rest of the regular season. Renfroe will return to a weak .237/.312/.398 slash line with 12 homers and 47 RBI in his 334 at-bats in 2024.
Sep 3   
Vinnie Pasquantino  • 1B  •  Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino Hoping To Return For Potential Playoff Run

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb), who is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the regular season due to a broken right thumb, said he's going to do everything in his power to push to get himself back or a potential postseason run in October. The Royals gave Pasquantino a six- to eight-week timeline for his return, meaning they'd have to make a deep playoff run to give him time to return. He was supposed to have surgery on his thumb over the weekend, but there was too much swelling. Pasquantino had a meeting scheduled with a surgeon on Monday and was hoping to have surgery on Tuesday. The 26-year-old lefty slugger figures to be aggressive with his rehab in hopes of returning in October, but fantasy managers can already count him out for the year. With Pasquantino sidelined, the Royals will rely on some combination of Yuli Gurriel (hamstring), Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman to help pick up the slack offensively. UPDATE: Pasquantino had successful surgery on his thumb on Tuesday, according to acting manager Paul Hoover.
Sep 3   
Max Kepler  • RF  •  Twins

Max Kepler Out On Tuesday

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler (knee) is out of the starting lineup again on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Kepler will miss his second straight game after he was scratched from Monday's lineup with more soreness in his left knee. In his place, rookie Michael Helman will make his major-league debut, starting in right field and batting ninth against Rays left-hander Jeffrey Springs. It's an issue that Kepler has been dealing with recently. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. The 31-year-old German has provided very little to fantasy managers in 2024 with a .253/.302/.380 slash line with a below-average .682 OPS and just eight homers and 42 RBI in 368 at-bats. Helman, a former 11th-round pick in 2018 out of Texas A&M, got the call-up to the big leagues after hitting .283 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and 10 steals in 63 games for Triple-A St. Paul this year.
Sep 3   
Juan Soto  • RF  •  Yankees

Toronto To "Take A Shot" At Juan Soto This Winter

USA TODAY baseball columnist Bob Nightengale reported on Tuesday the Toronto Blue Jays will "take a shot" at signing New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto once he becomes a free agent this fall. The Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets are expected to compete with the Yankees for Soto, who is hitting .293/.420/.585 with 37 homers, 96 RBI, a league-leading 110 runs scored, and five stolen bases in eight attempts with the American League East Division leaders, who acquired him in a trade with the San Diego Padres last winter. Fantasy managers can envision a Blue Jays lineup with Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr in the middle of the lineup if the Blue Jays can bring in Soto.
Sep 3   
Francisco Alvarez  • C  •  Mets

Francisco Alvarez Returns To The Lineup

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is in the lineup and will bat ninth in Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox, returning to the lineup after sitting out on Monday. Alvarez is hitting .233/.294/.369 with six homers, 30 RBI, and 28 runs scored in 79 games, but is in the midst of a stretch that has seen him hitting .169/.213/.239 with a homer, three RBI, and nine runs scored over the last 30 days. Daily fantasy managers should avoid him while those in standard formats should look elsewhere for production until Alvarez begins tapping into the potential that once made him an elite prospect.
Sep 3   
Kyle Tucker  • RF  •  Astros

Kyle Tucker Admits Shin Injury Was A Fracture

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) confirmed his injury was a fracture when he fouled a ball of it against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 3. Tucker has not played since then but did tell the Houston Chronicle he feels a return is near. Tucker hinted he could be activated from the injured list on Thursday when the American League West leaders close a series at the Cincinnati Reds. Tucker is hitting .266/.395/.584 with 19 homers, 40 RBI, 42 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases, and his return to the lineup is excellent news for fantasy managers who have been without one of the game's most exciting players.
Sep 3   
Michael Helman  • 2B  •  Twins

Michael Helman To Make Major-League Debut

The Minnesota Twins will have Michael Helman batting ninth and starting in right field in Tuesday's game at the Tampa Bay Rays and left-hander Jeffrey Springs, marking the major-league debut for the 28-year-old. Helman, an 11th-round pick in the 2018 draft by the Twins, hit .283/.367/.508 with 13 homers, 43 RBI, and 45 runs scored along with 10 stolen bases in 11 attempts with Triple-A St. Paul. While Helman won't entice many in standard fantasy leagues, daily fantasy managers might want to consider a low-risk investment in the former Texas A&M University standout.
Sep 3   
Miguel Andujar  • LF  •  Athletics

Miguel Andujar Done For The Season

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay confirmed that outfielder Miguel Andujar (core) will have surgery to fix a core-muscle injury and will miss the rest of the season. Andujar was moved to the 60-day injured list on Saturday. "Miguel's been playing with this issue for a few weeks," Kotsay said. "It's a credit to Miguel and testament to the character of the young man, really, to continue to play. It just got to a point where it was uncomfortable sleeping and impacting his daily life as well." Andujar has played in 75 games this year, the second-highest total of his eight seasons in the majors, and he was slashing a solid .285/.320/.377 with four home runs and 30 RBI. With Andujar out for the rest of the 2024 season, it should allow the left-handed-hitting Seth Brown to play more regularly in Oakland's outfield. Brown has been hot lately, going 8-for-22 (.364) with two homers and eight RBI in his last six games.
Sep 3   
Austin Adams  • RP  •  Athletics

Austin Adams Scheduled For Two More Bullpens

Oakland Athletics right-handed reliever Austin Adams (forearm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday and another one on Friday. The team will wait to see how he comes out of each of those sessions before determining whether he'll need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before coming off the injured list. Adams is attempting to return from right-forearm tendinitis that has kept him out since Aug. 13. Even if the 33-year-old veteran needs a rehab assignment, it will likely be a short one, which will allow him to return to Oakland's bullpen in short order. He's been a valuable setup man for the A's this year with 22 holds, a 3.92 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 53 strikeouts and 23 walks in 41 1/3 innings in his first year in Oakland. Adams is only relevant to fantasy managers in deeper holds leagues when he's healthy.
Sep 3   
Scott Alexander  • RP  •  Athletics

Scott Alexander Looks Ready To Return

Oakland Athletics left-handed reliever Scott Alexander (shoulder) came away from his live batting practice session on Monday at the Oakland Coliseum feeling healthy. The team will wait a couple of days after his throwing session to decide Alexander's next step as he attempts to return from left rotator-cuff tendinitis. The 35-year-old veteran also tossed a successful bullpen session last Friday, so he appears ready to either go out on a short minor-league rehab assignment or come off the 15-day injured list to rejoin Oakland's major-league bullpen. Alexander has been solid in relief in his first year in Oakland in 2024, posting a 2.51 ERA (3.95 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and 10 walks in 28 2/3 innings pitched, but he won't really be on the fantasy radar when he's back with the A's for the rest of the season.
Sep 3   
Tyler Soderstrom  • 1B  •  Athletics

Tyler Soderstrom To Take Batting Practice On Tuesday

Oakland Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom (wrist), who is on the 10-day injured list with a stress reaction in his left wrist, will take batting practice on Tuesday at the Oakland Coliseum. If that goes well, Soderstrom is expected to join Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday to start a minor-league rehab assignment. Since he hasn't played in a major-league game since July 9, manager Mark Kotsay said Soderstrom will require several rehab games, which could make it tough for him to return before the end of the 2024 season. "He's missed quite a bit of time," Kotsay said. "He'll need some at-bats. We'd like to, hopefully, get him back here at some point. But I don't want to say that's set in stone. Wrist injuries and hand injuries always take time. I'll leave it as, when he gets started, we'll get an accurate assessment of what he needs."
Sep 3   
Lance Lynn  • SP  •  Cardinals

Lance Lynn Has Mixed Bag In Rehab Start

St. Louis Cardinals veteran right-hander Lance Lynn (knee) had a tough time in his latest minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, giving up five earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out eight in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Lynn threw 54 of his 80 pitches for strikes and should be able to return to St. Louis' starting rotation soon after being out since late July with inflammation in his right knee. However, there's also a chance that Lynn will be required to make one more rehab start after surrendering five runs on Sunday. When the 37-year-old does return to the big-league rotation, he'll be a low-upside arm for fantasy managers in deeper leagues to close out the season. The former first-rounder in 2008 out of Mississippi has a weak 20.8% strikeout rate and an ERA above 4.00 in 21 starts covering 106 1/3 innings in 2024.
Sep 3   
Trevor Story  • SS  •  Red Sox

Trevor Story Plays Defense On Monday

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (shoulder) played shortstop in a minor-league rehab game with Triple-A Worcester on Monday and went 0-for-3 at the plate. Story came out of the game after five innings, but it was the first time he had played shortstop since starting his rehab assignment on Sunday, when he served as the designated hitter. The 31-year-old veteran has gone 2-for-7 at the plate in his first two games with Worcester but is probably going to need plenty more rehab games before potentially being an option for the major-league roster towards the end of September. With time quickly running out in the regular season, fantasy managers can't realistically expect Story to make any kind of impact once he returns. In 31 at-bats earlier this year, Story was hitting .226 with no homers, four RBI and one stolen base.
Sep 3   
Clarke Schmidt  • SP  •  Yankees

Clarke Schmidt Fans Seven In Final Rehab Game

New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (lat) looked good in his final minor-league rehab start on Monday with Double-A Somerset, allowing two earned runs on three hits (one homer) while walking nine and striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings of work. Schmidt threw 46 of his 70 pitches in his third and final rehab start. Nothing is official yet, but the 28-year-old is expected to return to New York's starting rotation this weekend at Wrigley Field to face the Chicago Cubs. The former first-rounder was a fantasy asset in all leagues with a 2.52 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in his first 11 starts of the year before injuring his lat,, but he also hasn't made a start in the big leagues since May 26. Schmidt should be in play in mixed leagues down the stretch, but he may be a bit limited from a pitch-count perspective in his first start back, which should come this weekend.
Sep 3   
Jackson Chourio  • RF  •  Brewers

Jackson Chourio Hits Grand Slam Monday

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio continued his torrid offensive second half in Monday's 9-3 win over the Cardinals. Chourio went 1-for-2 with a grand slam and three walks. The 20-year-old rookie clobbered a sixth-inning Riley O'Brien slider deep into the left-center seats to clear the bases for his 18th long ball of the season. The top prospect has put together a solid rookie season, mostly fueled by his second-half performance. Chourio has compiled a .338/.387/.594 slash line with nine HR, 32 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 160 second-half at-bats. All-in-all, Chourio has lived up to the hype and has an opportunity to continue to make a good first impression down the stretch.
Sep 3   
Pedro Pagés  • C  •  Cardinals

Pedro Pages Goes Deep Twice Monday

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages continued to produce at the plate in Monday's 9-3 loss to the Brewers. Pages went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs and a strikeout. The 25-year-old crushed a third-inning Freddy Peralta fastball off the back of the Brewers' bullpen wall and later hit a Peralta curveball over the left-field fence. Pages has earned more playing time in the second half of the season with Willson Contreras (finger) on the injured list, slashing .300/.323/.483 in 60 at-bats. The lineup around him may not be enough to allow for serious fantasy contributions, but he is a name fantasy managers could keep an eye on if they desperately need a hot bat behind the plate.
Sep 3   
Shea Langeliers  • C  •  Athletics

Shea Langeliers Homers Twice, Including Walk-Off

Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers played the hero in Monday's 5-4 win over the Mariners. Langeliers went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, a solo walk-off HR, and a strikeout. The 26-year-old crushed a third-inning Logan Gilbert hanging slider into the left-field seats to put the A's up 4-3. He later took the game into his own hands, drilling a ninth-inning Austin Voth breaking pitch deep down the left-field line to end the game. Langeliers has provided plenty of power throughout the season, but he has hit better overall in the second half, slashing .248/.333/.496 with eight HR and 18 RBI in 125 at-bats. Catcher is a shallow fantasy position, so fantasy managers will take any production. Langeliers could be a key player down the stretch if he can provide power and some batting average.
Sep 3   
Logan Gilbert  • SP  •  Mariners

Logan Gilbert Fans Nine In Monday's No-Decision

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert continued to provide strikeouts in Monday's 5-4 loss to the Athletics. Gilbert pitched six innings, allowing four runs on four hits (including a three-run home run) and a walk with nine strikeouts. The 27-year-old has put together great peripheral numbers in 28 starts this season and has a career-high K/9 rate of 9.17. However, his second half of the season has been more pedestrian overall, with a 4.37 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in eight starts and 45 1/3 IP. He will look to maintain his high strikeout totals while keeping runs off the board in his next start, which will be a decent matchup at the Cardinals.
Sep 3   
LEGEND
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