MLB News

The Los Angeles Dodgers are placing right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (upper body) back on the injured list on Tuesday, less than a month after he was activated from the 60-day IL for a right-elbow injury, multiple team sources told Katie Woo of The Athletic. The specific injury has not been disclosed, but it is believed to be an upper-body injury for the struggling veteran reliever. Right-hander Emmet Sheehan will be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move to give the Dodgers some length in their bullpen. Since coming back from elbow surgery in late July, Diaz allowed 11 earned runs on 16 hits for a nightmarish 12.91 ERA during that span. And since Sept. 7, he has blown three of his five save opportunities and has given up nine earned runs in five innings. Manager Dave Roberts said over the weekend that he still had faith in Diaz, who was signed to a $69 million deal in the offseason. Diaz's newest injury could stem from a mechanical issue due to a significantly lower arm angle than in years past. It is unclear how long he will be on the IL this time around, but in the meantime, left-hander Tanner Scott will become a priority waiver-wire pickup as the primary closing option in Diaz's absence. UPDATE: The California Post's Jack Harris reports that Diaz is dealing with neck inflammation.

Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) will undergo season-ending hip surgery on Friday, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Soderstrom can now be dropped in all single-year fantasy leagues after the A's placed him on the 10-day injured list on Sunday due to a left-hip impingement. With the A's out of the playoff picture in the American League, they will have the left-handed slugger get surgery now and get a head start on his rehab as he attempts to be ready for spring training in 2027. The 24-year-old former first-rounder in 2020 finishes his fourth year in the majors (second full season) with a .245/.338/.472 slash line with an .810 OPS, 19 home runs, 56 RBI, 58 runs scored, and two stolen bases across his 109 games and 453 plate appearances. In the end, it came up short of his breakout season in 2025, but Soderstrom has proved that he is one of the better young power bats who resides in a hitter-friendly home ballpark in Sacramento (for one more season). Carlos Cortes and Zack Gelof are the primary options to replace Soderstrom the rest of the way as the team's primary designated hitter.

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) will sit out again on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals with shoulder soreness, according to MLB.com. Darell Hernaiz is starting at shortstop and will bat ninth against Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch IV at Kauffman Stadium. Wilson is missing a second straight game after being scratched from Monday's series opener in KC. Fantasy managers should consider him to be day-to-day for now and check back on Wednesday to see if he is back in action. The 24-year-old former sixth overall pick from Grand Canyon University in the 2023 MLB draft is now only rostered in half of Yahoo leagues during what has been an injury-plagued and non-productive year at the plate. He comes into Tuesday's game slashing .266/.298/.388 with a .685 OPS, only seven home runs, 37 RBI, 37 runs scored, and four steals across his 320 at-bats. Wilson is still hard to strike out, but outside of that, there is not much he offers for fantasy managers with the last-place A's.

The Colorado Rockies announced on Tuesday that they placed All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 15) with a strained left shoulder and recalled catcher Braxton Fulford from Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move. Fulford will do the catching for right-hander Ryan Feltner on Tuesday and will bat eighth against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Eric Lauer. Goodman will go on the shelf after sitting out with his shoulder injury since Aug. 12. Hopefully, he will require only a minimal stay on the IL, but the Rockies also do not have any real reason to rush him back down the stretch of the 2026 campaign. With Goodman on the IL, Fulford and Brett Sullivan will split playing time behind the dish in Denver, with Sullivan likely seeing primary duties. Losing the 26-year-old Goodman for any amount of time is a big blow for fantasy managers, as he leads all MLB catchers with a career-high 34 home runs while also adding 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, and five steals in 414 at-bats. Keep him stashed in all fantasy leagues.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (rib) will begin a hitting progression this week, manager Aaron Boone told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Judge had already been playing catch and running, but this is a big step in his recovery from a stress fracture in his rib that has kept him sidelined since late May. However, there remains no timetable for the three-time MVP's return from the 60-day injured list, and he will almost certainly require a minor-league rehab stint before being activated. It means that fantasy managers should not necessarily expect him to be back with the Yankees before the end of August. The 34-year-old veteran hit .248 (53-for-214) with 17 home runs, 38 RBI, 43 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 59 games and 261 plate appearances in 2026 before his rib injury. Judge should not be floating around on any waiver wires in fantasy leagues, even though he might not return until September.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Taylor Ward (quadriceps) is missing a fifth straight game on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers on the road, per MLB.com. Victor Robles, who is returning from a shoulder injury, will start in right field for the M's and will hit eighth against Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison. Ward's disappointing season continues, and he now must be considered a prime candidate to land on the injured list if he cannot return during the series this week in Milwaukee. The 32-year-old right-handed slugger hit .246/.383/.346 with a .730 OPS, seven home runs, 30 RBI, 64 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 111 games to begin the year with the Baltimore Orioles before being traded to Seattle at the deadline earlier this month. Since landing with the Mariners, Ward has gone 5-for-32 (.156) with no walks and six strikeouts as he continues to be dropped in fantasy leagues. He is now only rostered in 64% of Yahoo leagues after setting career highs with 36 homers and 103 RBI in 2025 in his final season with the Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (concussion) went through a light on-field workout at Tropicana Field on Tuesday and finished with some higher-intensity running, which is a good indication that he's making swift progress through MLB's concussion protocol, according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. The Blue Jays placed Guerrero on the seven-day concussion injured list on Saturday, and it is unclear if he might make enough progress to have a chance to return this weekend against the New York Yankees when he is eligible. The 27-year-old Canadian has had a trying 2026 campaign and has been a massive bust for fantasy managers, slashing .263/.337/.356 with a career-worst .693 OPS, only seven home runs, 46 RBI, 61 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 115 games across 486 plate appearances. Fantasy managers who have Guerrero rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues can only hope that his poor campaign has been the result of nagging injuries. He has yet to hit more than two home runs in any month this year and was hitting .244 (11-for-45) in 11 games in August before suffering a concussion.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Bellinger thinks he will play at least one more game after that, but it is still undetermined. If Bellinger avoids any setbacks with his hamstring, he could rejoin the big-league lineup as early as this weekend during the home series against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. The 31-year-old left-handed slugger has not been as good in 2026 as he was last year in his first season in the Bronx, but the Yankees will welcome him back with open arms as they look for more offense down the stretch. Bellinger will be returning to a .259/.350/.420 slash line with a .770 OPS, 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 52 runs scored in his 374 at-bats in 2026. The former MVP and three-time All-Star remains rostered in 95% of Yahoo leagues for his power/speed abilities in the outfield.

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (back) remains sidelined for the series opener in Cleveland on Tuesday against the Guardians, according to MLB.com. Christian Koss will make yet another start at the 6 for San Fran and will hit ninth against Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin. The 30-year-old Adames will miss a fourth straight start since he reinjured his back last Wednesday. At this point, with the Giants well out of postseason contention, it might only be a matter of time before the Giants place Adames on the 10-day injured list. The Dominican shortstop is hitting just .224 (100-for-446) in 116 games and 485 plate appearances in 2026 in his second year in the Bay Area, but he does have 19 home runs and 48 RBI. His back injury might have been affecting him for longer than we know, as he hit just .207 (18-for-87) with 10 walks and 28 strikeouts in 24 games in July and has gone 8-for-38 (.211) with a homer in 11 games so far in August.

New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong has strung together a pair of back-to-back solid outings for Triple-A Syracuse, yielding a total of two earned runs on seven hits and six walks while striking out 12 batters in 8 2/3 innings pitched. The Mets' top pitching prospect has had an underwhelming season overall, pitching to a 5.15 ERA (6.10 FIP), 1.47 WHIP, and a 14.2 percent K-BB% in 21 starts (94 1/3 IP). The right-hander made three appearances for the Mets earlier this year out of the bullpen, but was mostly ineffective with a 3.60 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a 7:7 BB:K in 10 IP. If these last two starts are the beginning of a trend in the right direction, then the 6-foot-1 hurler could find himself back in Queens before the year is out. There is plenty of strikeout potential, but until he shows better control and effectiveness in upcoming starts, the 23-year-old is merely a speculative stash option in deeper leagues in hopes he can help out as the fantasy playoffs approach.

Miami Marlins outfield prospect Kemp Alderman is scuffling in August at Triple-A Jacksonville, going 6-for-43 (.140) in 12 games with a sky-high 37.5 percent strikeout rate. On the bright side, four of his six hits this month have gone for extra bases (one double, three home runs), but the prolonged slump is likely delaying any chance of a major league debut. The Marlins' seventh-ranked prospect possesses loads of power, with average exit velocity (93.7 mph), max exit velocity (114.6 mph), barrel rate (15.8 percent), and hard-hit rate (54.7 percent) all registering at 94th percentile or better at Triple-A, but it comes with a lot of swing-and-miss, with strikeout rate, whiff rate, and swinging-strike rate all coming in at 15th percentile or worse. Even so, for the season, the 6-foot-3 slugger is slashing a respectable .269/.350/.478 with 17 home runs and nine steals in 81 games for the Jumbo Shrimp. For managers in deep 14+ team leagues scouring the wire for home runs, the 23-year-old is a speculative stash option in an NA spot until his debut.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) is sitting out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants, per MLB.com. Jo Adell will make the start in right field for the Guards and will hit third in the batting order against Giants left-hander Carson Whisenhunt. DeLauter will miss at least one game after he was pulled from Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres with tightness in his left hamstring, and he is not feeling good enough to go following a scheduled day off on Monday. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back on Wednesday to see if he is ready to return. The 24-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 from James Madison University is having a strong first year in the majors, slashing .285/.358/.442 with a .799 OPS, 13 home runs, 57 RBI, 49 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across his 403 at-bats. DeLauter is even hitting .346 (45-for-130) with two homers against left-handed pitchers.

Boston Red Sox infield prospect Franklin Arias has settled in at Triple-A Worcester, slashing .297/.365/.514 with four home runs, 19 RBI, and 12 runs scored through 18 games there. The 5-foot-11 Venezuelan has seen success at the minors' highest level despite being one of the youngest players at that level at just 20 years old. Boston's top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 3) earned the promotion to Triple-A after slashing a robust .318/.407/.587 with 19 home runs, five steals, and a 37:46 BB:K in 75 games at Double-A Portland. The right-handed hitter has an outside shot to crack the major league club in the coming weeks, although more likely at second base rather than shortstop with the impending return of Trevor Story, and if he projects to be an everyday starter, then his talent would make him a worthwhile add in most 12-team redraft leagues and deeper once he's called up; proactive managers could consider stashing him in an NA spot ahead of time.

Colorado Rockies corner infield/outfield prospect Charlie Condon has cooled off at Triple-A Albuquerque, going 1-for-17 (.059) over his last five games with an ugly 42.9 percent strikeout rate during that time. Even so, the Rockies' second-ranked prospect is having a strong season for the Isotopes, hitting .271 with a .909 OPS, 22 home runs, and seven steals in 102 games. The organization is certainly taking its time awarding the former third-overall draft pick an MLB debut, though the emergence of other players like Cole Carrigg and Zac Veen has made for a crowded talent pool. Nevertheless, expect the 6-foot-5 slugger to make a late-season debut in the coming weeks, and it could be just in time for the fantasy stretch run. The elevated strikeout rate may limit his ability to hit for average in the majors, but his power potential in the thin air of Coors Field will be a sight to see, and the 23-year-old should be considered one of the top stashes in redraft leagues for home runs.

San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) had his minor-league rehab assignment paused after leaving an Aug. 4 outing at Single-A Lake Elsinore after only 14 pitches. He has continued to play catch and build his arm up, but his throwing program has been moved to the team's spring training complex in Arizona, per MLB.com. The 33-year-old veteran still has a chance to return for the final month of the regular season in September to help the Padres with their playoff push, but he is running out of time to make an impact for fantasy managers. After a breakout 2025 campaign in his first year in SD, Pivetta has made only four starts for the Friars this year and has been on the injured list since April 12 with a right-forearm/elbow issue. Pivetta will need to resume facing live hitters before the Padres even think about sending him back on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. He is now rostered in only 67% of Yahoo leagues and will make only a handful of starts for the Padres again this year in a best-case scenario.

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins continues to show off the toolset that made him a fifth-overall draft pick in 2023, hitting .378 with six multi-hit efforts, a 1.107 OPS, three home runs, and three steals in 11 games in August. The Twins' top-ranked prospect missed time with an injured shoulder earlier this season, but in the 66 games he's played, the left-handed hitter owns a .289/.388/.477 slash line with seven home runs, 13 steals, and nearly as many walks (36) as strikeouts (43) at Triple-A St. Paul. The 6-foot-3 slugger is expected to make his major league debut over the final month of the season, and with a strong combination of hit, power, patience, and speed, the 21-year-old should be considered one of the top offensive stashes left in the minor leagues for redraft leagues because of his potential to be a multi-category contributor.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) came out of his Aug. 14 67-pitch minor-league rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City with no issues and is expected to go five innings or 75 pitches in another rehab outing on Wednesday, Aug. 19, before rejoining the major-league starting rotation during a road trip to Atlanta and Detroit, according to MLB.com. Glasnow was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 6 but has been out since May 8 due to lower-back spasms. Barring a setback on Wednesday, he should return to the Dodgers' rotation at some point next week. The 32-year-old veteran will likely be eased back into the big-league rotation, but he deserves to be rostered in all fantasy baseball leagues for his strikeout upside in the final month of the 2026 regular season. Before hurting his back, Glasnow had gone 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings pitched across seven starts. He is currently rostered in 91% of Yahoo leagues.

Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson's dream season continued in his latest start this past Friday, allowing zero earned runs for the fourth consecutive contest and the 13th time in 18 total starts. The performance lowered his season-long ERA to a miserly 1.08, with a 0.64 WHIP, and an elite 36.6 percent K-BB%. All of those statistics, along with his 135 strikeouts and 13.67 K/9, are all the best in the minors among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched. The former third-overall draft pick is positioned to debut in the majors in the coming weeks, with Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto confirming that the lefty will be a starter, not a reliever, whenever the team decides the time is right to call him up. At this point, it looks like he'll make the leap to the majors straight from Double-A, and it could be soon, with Bryce Miller struggling mightily over his last six starts (6.12 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 7.6 K-BB%). Anderson should be considered the top pitcher to stash in all redraft leagues for the stretch run.

The Atlanta Braves will start right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It will be only Smith-Shawver's second start in the big leagues this year after returning from Tommy John surgery. His first start with Atlanta in 2026 came on July 29 against the division-rival New York Mets, when he allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four in only 4 1/3 innings for a no-decision. The 23-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2021 has fared better in seven minor-league starts (28 2/3 innings) this year with Single-A Augusta and Triple-A Gwinnett, going 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 34:9 K:BB. Whether Smith-Shawver sticks around in Atlanta for more starts going forward could depend on how he does in his start on Wednesday against the Twins. In his first three years in the big leagues, Smith-Shawver posted a 3.77 ERA (4.79 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 34 walks in 74 innings across 16 outings (15 starts). UPDATE: Smith-Shawver is expected to stay in Atlanta's rotation behind his start on Wednesday.

The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum reports that Washington Nationals two-time All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams "remains uneasy" about the team's decision to move him from shortstop to second base, according to his agent, Mike Sanders. However, both Abrams and the Nationals' front office have a desire to find common ground despite "lingering disagreement about the timing and the necessity of the position change." "I think, first, CJ was not thrilled about the decision to move him off shortstop at this time," Sanders said. "But his priority is to win games for the Nationals and to be a team-first player, so that is what he's going to do." Abrams views himself as a shortstop long-term and plans to spend the winter focusing on improving his defense at his preferred position. The 25-year-old is in the middle of an offensive breakout in 2026 -- he ranks sixth in FanGraphs' offensive value -- but he also ranks last in baseball in several defensive metrics despite his athleticism. For fantasy purposes, if Abrams' move to second does not tank his offensive numbers, it will boost his fantasy appeal by giving him eligibility at both second and shortstop for the 2027 campaign.