MLB News

Tanner Banks • RP • Phillies

Tanner Banks To Start On Tuesday

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that left-hander Tanner Banks will make the start for Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park instead of right-hander Taijuan Walker after the club locked up the National League East title on Monday night for the first time since 2011. Walker and Kolby Allard are expected to pitch at some point on Tuesday after Banks. The Phillies will most likely be resting a lot of their regulars on Tuesday against the Cubbies after winning the division title and celebrating late into the evening. The 32-year-old Banks will most likely work just an inning or two on Tuesday as the opener before giving way to either Walker or Allard. He's posted a 3.78 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 75 strikeouts in 69 innings in 2024, with both of his saves coming with the White Sox. Banks has allowed seven earned runs with 20 K's and nine walks in 21 relief innings for the Phillies.

0 hour ago

Yordan Alvarez • LF • Astros

Yordan Alvarez Diagnosed With Knee Sprain

After undergoing an MRI exam on Monday, Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) was diagnosed with a right-knee sprain. Alvarez did not play in the series-opening loss to the division-rival Seattle Mariners on Monday and will not be available for the entire series. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger was removed from Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels when he injured his right knee on a slide. While it's not great Houston won't have one of the best hitters in MLB available for their crucial series against the M's, the Astros' primary objective will be to have Alvarez ready to go for the start of the playoffs next week. It wouldn't be a surprise if Alvarez is also unavailable this weekend against the Cleveland Guardians. The left-handed hitting Jason Heyward made the start in left field on Monday and should see more run until Alvarez is able to return.

0 hour ago

Ryne Nelson • SP • Diamondbacks

Ryne Nelson To Throw Bullpen Session On Tuesday

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson (shoulder) will throw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, according to manager Torey Lovullo. If Nelson's bullpen goes well on Tuesday, it sounds like he could make his return this weekend for the final regular-season series at Chase Field against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Lovullo said that whether Nelson returns as a starter or reliever depends on what pitch count the team feels he can safely reach. At this point in the year with less than a week until the postseason, it's likely that the 26-year-old will be brought back for a relief role if Arizona gets into the playoffs as a wild-card team in the National League. Nelson was put on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 14 with right-shoulder inflammation. He's been a back-end starter for Arizona with a career-best 5.5% walk rate, a 20.1% K rate and a 4.33 ERA in 27 outings (25 starts) in his third MLB season.

2 hours ago

Orelvis Martinez • SS • Blue Jays

Orelvis Martinez Sent To Minors After Serving Suspension

The Toronto Blue Jays optioned infield prospect Orelvis Martinez to the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday after he finished serving his 80-game suspension. Martinez will now return to the team's spring training complex to close out the year after being suspended for 80 games due to performance-enhancing substances. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, made his big-league debut this year but played in just one game. In 74 games at Triple-A Buffalo, he hit .267/.346/.523 with an .869 OPS, 17 home runs, 49 RBI and 54 runs scored in 319 plate appearances. The 22-year-old Dominican will likely stick at either second or third base at the next level and has great power despite his shorter stature. Martinez has already shown impressive improvement in the plate-discipline department and seems likely to have a regular role in the big leagues in 2025 for a team looking for more offense.

2 hours ago

Yordan Alvarez • LF • Astros

Yordan Alvarez Has MRI Exam

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) had an MRI exam on Monday afternoon after X-rays on Sunday showed "inflammation" in his knee, according to manager Joe Espada. The skipper said that Alvarez woke up on Monday morning "pretty sore." The 27-year-old left-handed slugger was removed from Sunday's game early against the Los Angeles Angels due to discomfort in his right knee after a slide. He was not in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park and should be considered day-to-day until further notice. The Astros would be dealt a huge blow if Alvarez, one of the best hitters in the game, isn't ready for the start of the playoffs next week, so he may not play much, if at all, the rest of the week. Jason Heyward got the start in left field for the Astros on Monday against the M's.

3 hours ago

Charlie Blackmon • DH • Rockies

Charlie Blackmon Announces His Retirement

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Monday. Blackmon has decided to hang up his cleats at the conclusion of the 2024 season after an iconic 14-year career with the Rockies. Blackmon represented Colorado in four All-Star games and also won two Silver Slugger awards. Chuck Nazty is 38 years old but hit homers in back-to-back games over the weekend against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and has 11 homers and 48 RBI in 118 at-bats this year. Blackmon is the team's career leader in triples with 67, and his 1,797 hits, 2,942 total bases, 333 doubles and 1,618 games played rank second in team history only to Hall of Famer Todd Helton. During the bearded outfielder's six-year prime from 2014-19, he hit .306 with a 120 OPS-plus, 163 home runs and 472 RBI. Blackmon was aided by Coors Field, but it definitely didn't define his greatness.

3 hours ago

Mike Yastrzemski • RF • Giants

Mike Yastrzemski Sitting Against Southpaw

San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It looks like the Giants will play matchups here and give Yastrzemski a day off against left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. In his place, Heliot Ramos will cover right field and bat leadoff on Monday. Ramos is crushing left-handed pitching with a .369 batting average with nine home runs and 23 RBI in 54 games against left-handers this season. Ramos is looking like a strong fantasy option for Monday's slate.

5 hours ago

Patrick Bailey • C • Giants

Patrick Bailey Absent On Monday

San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This appears to be a routine rest day for Bailey after he started in three of the last four games. Curt Casali will do the catching and bat ninth versus left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on Monday. The veteran catcher is hitting under .200 on the season and can be avoided for fantasy purposes. The assumption is that Bailey will be back in the lineup following Monday's contest.

5 hours ago

Gabriel Moreno • C • Diamondbacks

Gabriel Moreno Could Return On Tuesday

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (groin) appears to have avoided a major injury after exiting early during Sunday's game. It looks like Moreno had a setback with a groin injury that he suffered last month. Luckily, the MRI came back clean and Moreno should be able to rejoin the lineup on Tuesday. That is great news for the D-Backs who thought they might be without Moreno for the rest of the regular season. Jose Herrera will do the catching and bat ninth versus right-hander Hayden Birdsong. Herrera is hitting .221 with 13 RBI on the season, so he'll be an avoidable fantasy option for Monday's slate.

5 hours ago

Austin Hays • LF • Phillies

Austin Hays To Be Activated On Tuesday

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Austin Hays (kidney) is expected to be activated off the 10-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. It appears Hays is almost ready to play after missing nearly a month of action due to a kidney infection. He'll rest on Monday after playing in rehab contests over the weekend. Hays is hitting .254 with one home run and five RBI over 19 games since being traded to the Phillies at the trade deadline. Fantasy managers should be able to get him back in their lineups on Tuesday.

5 hours ago

Miguel Amaya • C • Cubs

Miguel Amaya Resting On Monday

Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. This appears to be a regular rest day for Amaya, who smacked a home run during Sunday's game. In his absence, Christian Bethancourt will be behind the plate and bat eighth versus right-hander Aaron Nola. Bethancourt has been great during his short period with the Cubs. Through 22 games, Bethancourt is hitting .306 with three home runs and 15 RBI on the North Side.

5 hours ago

Dansby Swanson • SS • Cubs

Dansby Swanson Heads To The Bench

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. This is a rare day off for Swanson who has started nearly every game since June. The Cubs have been eliminated from playoff contention, so they might as well give a younger player a chance in the lineup. Luis Vazquez will fill in at shortstop and bat ninth versus right-hander Aaron Nola. It wouldn't be shocking to see Swanson get a few more rest days with only a handful of games left on the schedule.

5 hours ago

Ian Happ • LF • Cubs

Ian Happ Out Again Versus Phillies

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (back) remains out for the series opener on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. With Happ out again, Mike Tauchman will start in left field and bat leadoff for the Cubbies against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Happ was scratched from Chicago's lineup on Sunday in the series finale against the Washington Commanders due to lower-back tightness and will now miss a second straight game. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger should be considered day-to-day for the final week of the regular season. Happ needs one more home run to set a new career-high mark of 26 and is one steal shy of his previous career-high in that category, which he set in 2023. Happ already has a career-high 85 RBI in 148 games this year. Tauchman is in a nice lineup spot but has a tough matchup against Nola for DFS purposes.

6 hours ago

Chris Sale • SP • Braves

Chris Sale Won't Make Two Starts In Final Week

After much speculation about whether the Atlanta Braves would have left-hander Chris Sale make two starts -- Tuesday and Sunday -- on regular rest in the final week of the regular season, manager Brian Snitker announced that Sale will start on Wednesday against the division-rival New York Mets on an extra day of rest. It's something Sale, the presumptive National League Cy Young winner, and the other Braves starters have done for most of the season. If Atlanta makes the postseason, Sale would be in line to start a wild-card series opener. The plan presumably rules Sale out of pitching in the season finale on Sunday against the Royals, because he'd be on short rest, something no Braves starter has done all year. Sale's fastball velocity was down 2.1 mph from his season average in his last start on Thursday against the Reds. Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start on Tuesday and Sunday in the final week.

7 hours ago

Yordan Alvarez • LF • Astros

Yordan Alvarez Absent On Monday

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) is absent from the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Minute Maid Park against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. The left-handed-hitting Jason Heyward is starting in left field and is batting eighth, with Jon Singleton serving as the DH and batting fifth against Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller. Victor Caratini is at first base and is hitting sixth. It's not a surprise that Alvarez is out on Monday after leaving Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels due to a right-knee contusion that he suffered while sliding. Until we know the results of the 27-year-old's MRI exam, consider him day-to-day. The Astros can ill-afford to lose one of the best hitters in baseball with the playoffs beginning next week. The three-time All-Star is currently hitting .308/.392/.567 with a .959 OPS, 35 homers, 86 RBI and even six steals in 147 games.

7 hours ago

Tyler O'Neill • LF • Red Sox

Tyler O'Neill Returns Against Blue Jays

Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (back) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup on Monday against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Chris Bassitt at Rogers Centre. A back injury caused O'Neill to rest for both contests during Sunday's doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins, but he's back in action to start the series opener against the Jays to begin the final week of the 2024 regular season. The left-handed-hitting Masataka Yoshida will begin the game on the bench. O'Neill has gone hitless in his last four games and is hitting under the Mendoza Line with 25 strikeouts in 72 plate appearances in 17 games in September, but he has managed to clear the fences six times while driving in 11. DFS managers may want to avoid him, though, as he's hitting .083 with a .250 OPS in 12 career at-bats against Bassitt.

7 hours ago

Ross Stripling • SP • Athletics

Ross Stripling To Face Live Hitters On Tuesday

Oakland Athletics right-hander Ross Stripling (back) came away feeling healthy from a 30-pitch bullpen session on Saturday at Oakland Coliseum and is scheduled to face live hitters on Tuesday. If all goes well with that session, Stripling is expected to be activated from the injured list in time for the team's final series of the season against the division-rival Seattle Mariners on the road this weekend, which starts on Friday, Sept. 27. It's unclear if the A's will use Stripling for a traditional start or just out of the bullpen for the final series of the year this weekend, but fantasy managers should stay away regardless. When the 34-year-old veteran hasn't been hurt this year, he's been way too hittable, going 2-11 with a 6.08 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with only 49 strikeouts and 21 walks in 21 appearances (14 starts) covering 84 1/3 innings in his first year in Oakland.

7 hours ago

Jackson Jobe • SP • Tigers

Tigers Calling Up Jackson Jobe

The Detroit Tigers are calling up right-hander Jackson Jobe, the best pitching prospect in baseball, from Triple-A Toledo on Monday. Jobe will join the bullpen as the Tigers try to lock down the final wild-card spot in the American League in the final week of the regular season. Detroit controls their own destiny this week and will face the Tampa Bay Rays for three games before finishing with a weekend series versus the division-rival Chicago White Sox. The Tigers and Kansas City Royals enter Monday with identical 82-74 records, with the Minnesota Twins a game back for the final wild-card spot. The 22-year-old Jobe will push for a rotation spot in 2025, but for now he'll help in a relief role. The former third overall pick in 2021 has gone 5-3 this year with a 2.36 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, 96 strikeouts and 45 walks in 91 2/3 innings (21 starts) at three minor-league levels in 2024.

8 hours ago

Josh Jung • 3B • Rangers

Josh Jung Shut Down For The Final Week

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) is expected to be placed on the 10-day injured list and miss the final week of the 2024 regular season. Jung, who fractured his wrist in early April and needed surgery, hasn't played since last Wednesday due to recurring discomfort in his surgically repaired right wrist. The 26-year-old will visit with a hand specialist on Thursday to get an update on what is bothering him. It's been a disappointing 2024 campaign for Jung after being named an All-Star in his first full MLB season in 2023, as he's only played in 46 games this year. He's hit .264/.298/.421 with a .719 OPS, seven homers, 16 RBI and four steals in 188 plate appearances. Ezequiel Duran is most likely to see the majority of the starts for Texas at the hot corner with Jung out for the final week of the season as the Rangers play out the string.

8 hours ago

Ketel Marte • 2B • Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte Sitting On Monday

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is not in the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Chase Field against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Kevin Newman will get the start at the keystone and will bat eighth against Giants rookie right-hander Hayden Birdsong. The D-backs have somewhat eased Marte back into the fold since he returned from an ankle injury in early September, as this will be his third game sitting since Sept. 6. The All-Star second baseman has homered in his last three games and has hit .271 (13-for-48) with five home runs, two doubles, 12 RBI and a stolen base in 14 games since returning from his ankle injury. Marte is having the best year of his career in 2024 and is a must-start in fantasy lineups when he's active. Newman is hitting .282 (80-for-284) but has only three homers on the year. He'll be a low-upside DFS sleeper play on Monday.

8 hours ago

MLB News

LEGEND