MLB News

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (head) is absent from Saturday's starting nine against the division-rival New York Yankees, per MLB.com. Guerrero apparently took a knee to the head from Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. when he was sliding into third base in the sixth inning of Friday night's game and was pulled early. The 27-year-old was placed in the league's concussion protocol, and manager John Schneider said that the right-handed slugger was dealing with a headache. Fantasy managers should not be surprised if Guerrero is forced to the seven-day concussion injured list if his symptoms don't clear up soon. For now, we'll consider him day-to-day. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Sunday to see if he's cleared to return to the starting lineup. Charles McAdoo is starting at first base and batting ninth on Saturday against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler. Not much has gone right for Vladdy in 2026, as he's been one of the biggest fantasy busts, hitting .263/.337/.356 with a .693 OPS, only seven home runs, 46 RBI, 61 runs, and seven stolen bases across his 430 at-bats.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (finger) is making significant progress with his hitting program in Fort Myers, Fla., and is closing in on a minor-league rehab assignment, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. Interim manager Chad Tracy said Anthony won't go on a rehab assignment this weekend, but it could happen next week. The former top outfield prospect last played on May 4, when he suffered a partially torn tendon in the joint that connects to his right ring finger. He improved to the point where he could reinitiate a hitting program a couple of weeks ago, and he's been doing all other baseball drills such as running and fielding. Anthony has hit off the Trajekt machine recently, and "everything's going well so far," Tracy said. If the 22-year-old starts a rehab assignment early next week, he could be back with the BoSox by next weekend. Having Anthony's power/speed threat would be huge for Boston as they attempt to get into the playoffs down the stretch. Although he was hitting just .229 (25-for-109) with one homer before his injury, Anthony is one of the better young power/speed outfield threats in baseball and is absolutely worth stashing now if he's floating around on your league's waiver wire.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (neck) took on-field batting practice on Friday before the team's game against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Smith has been on the injured list for over two months, but he's slowly making progress after being cleared to resume baseball activities at the end of July. The 31-year-old veteran backstop will eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, but if he can avoid any setbacks once he resumes playing in games, it seems plausible that he could be back in the Dodgers' starting lineup by the end of August. It's been a tough 2026 season for the three-time All-Star and former first-rounder, as Smith has played in just 52 games (201 plate appearances) and has hit .249 (43-for-173) with six home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored. Once back to full health, though, he'll be L.A.'s primary catcher in one of the best lineups in the league. Smith is rostered in only 68% of Yahoo leagues now after his extended stay on the sidelines due to a frustrating neck injury that initially wasn't even expected to land him on the IL.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) looks about ready to return to the Dodgers' starting rotation after a dominant showing in his latest minor-league rehab start on Friday night with Triple-A Oklahoma City. In his third rehab start, Glasnow threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings with no hits allowed, two walks, and eight strikeouts against Triple-A Albuquerque. The 32-year-old veteran threw 39 of his 67 pitches for strikes on the night after giving up just one run in 4 2/3 innings in his first two rehab outings. The Dodgers are expected to have Glasnow make one more rehab appearance in the minors next week before reinstating him from the 60-day injured list. The former All-Star has high-end stuff when he's healthy on one of the best teams in baseball, so he should be scooped up immediately if he's available on the waiver wire in your league. Glasnow went 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings across seven starts before he landed on the IL back in early May. He's only available in 10% of Yahoo leagues.

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (hand) was pulled after just one inning on Friday night against the division-rival Texas Rangers after being hit by a pitch on the hand, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Alika Williams entered as a pinch-hitter to replace Wilson at the 6. Wilson scored a run after being hit in his only plate appearance of the night in Sacramento. The A's are saying that he's dealing with a hand contusion, which suggests that tests came back negative for any broken bones in his hand. For now, fantasy managers should consider Wilson to be day-to-day and check back on Saturday to see if he's active as the series continues at Sutter Health Park. The 24-year-old former sixth overall pick from Grand Canyon University in 2023 has had an injury-plagued and frustrating second full season in the majors in 2026, as he came into Friday's tilt with a .269/.299/.392 slash line with seven homers, 37 RBI, 36 runs scored, and four steals in 78 games played. Wilson is tough to strike out, but for fantasy purposes, he doesn't do enough in the power and speed categories to make much of a difference. He's barely rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues. UPDATE: Wilson is considered day-to-day after X-rays on his left hand came back negative. He had some swelling in his pinky.

According to Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Pirates infield prospect Termarr Johnson (knee) has suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. Johnson suffered a knee injury on August 8 when he landed awkwardly after stumbling over first base. He's scheduled to be examined by Dr. Dan Cooper next week, but it sounds like bad news for Johnson. This season, Johnson was slashing .199/.336/.319 with eight home runs, 37 RBI, and 24 stolen bases across 96 games with Triple-A Indianapolis. The former first-round pick is going to miss the rest of this season, and it's unclear when he'll be ready to play again.

Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (wrist) was placed on the 10-day Injured List, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. It was originally reported that Emerson was on his way back to Triple-A Tacoma. Instead, Emerson will head to the Major League Injured List due to left wrist inflammation. When healthy, Emerson was struggling with a .190/.246/.335 slash line since being called up to the MLB in May. In a corresponding move, infielder Brock Rodden will head to the Mariners and serve as infield depth. It's unclear when Emerson will return, but he can likely be dropped in redraft formats anyway.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax (elbow) was able to throw from 120 feet on Friday, according to Marc Topkin. This is encouraging news after Jax recently got an injection in his right elbow. Rays manager Kevin Cash described the throwing session as "very, very good" and noted the team will begin ramping up Jax's activity. The right-hander is eligible to return from the IL on August 21, but it's unclear if his stint will be that quick. Given his progress, fantasy managers should have Jax back in the mix before the end of the month. Fantasy managers looking for pitching help should scoop Jax up off the waiver wire in leagues where he was dropped.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Abner Uribe (forearm) was placed on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to August 11. Uribe hasn't taken the mound since Sunday, and now we know why. The right-hander heads to the shelf with a right forearm flexor strain. There is no word on how long Uribe is going to be sidelined. A minimum stint would get him back in the bullpen by the end of August, but it's unclear at the moment if that'll be the case. In a corresponding move, reliever Grant Anderson was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to take over the empty spot in the bullpen. Trevor Megill figures to get all the save chances with Uribe on the shelf.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (head) was removed early during Friday's game against the New York Yankees. According to Mitch Bannon, Guerrero was removed after suffering a head injury while sliding into third base. Guerrero collided with the knee of George Lombard Jr., which resulted in Guerrero being pulled from the game for precautionary reasons. Before leaving, Guerrero went 1-for-3 at the plate with a single and a run scored. The Jays will likely continue to evaluate him, but for now, fantasy managers should consider Guerrero as day-to-day. There should be another update on his status ahead of Saturday's game. UPDATE: MLB.com's Keegan Matheson reports that Guerrero is going through the league's concussion protocol. Manager John Schneider said Guerrero had a "bit of a headache."

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (knee) was pulled from Friday's game early against the Atlanta Braves with soreness in his left knee, the team announced. Marte appeared to injure himself on defense in the bottom of the first inning and was pulled in the second inning. Ildemaro Vargas moved from first base to second base, with Tim Tawa moving from center field to first base, and Jorge Barrosa entering the game to play center field. We should have more details on the severity of Marte's knee injury after the game. Until then, fantasy managers should consider the All-Star second baseman to be day-to-day. The 32-year-old switch-hitter entered the day hitting .252/.315/.449 with a .765 OPS, 21 home runs, 67 RBI, 64 runs scored, and four stolen bases across his 465 at-bats in 2026. Marte continues to be one of the more productive fantasy second basemen, but he entered the day hitting only .231 (9-for-39) with two homers, two doubles, five RBI, six runs, eight walks, and eight strikeouts in 11 games in the month of August.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) is throwing a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium on Friday, his first in more than three weeks, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. A nagging left knee injury has kept Ohtani from starting a game on the mound since July 3 against the division-rival San Diego Padres. The four-time MVP has continued to serve as the team's regular designated hitter, though, so it obviously isn't a serious knee injury, and the Dodgers continue to be overly cautious with the Japanese sensation. L.A.'s primary goal is to have the 32-year-old six-time All-Star at 100% as a pitcher by the start of the postseason in October. They will continue to slowly ramp him up as a pitcher, with the expectation that he'll eventually return to the starting rotation sometime in September in the final month of the regular season. Ohtani has gone 8-2 on the mound in his 14 starts, with a sharp 1.79 ERA (2.59 FIP) and 0.95 WHIP with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 85 2/3 innings pitched. Despite having not pitched since early July, Ohtani is being stashed in 97% of Yahoo leagues.

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly strongly considering promoting left-handed pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann to the big-league roster, and it could happen as soon as Saturday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Due to ongoing injuries, the 23-year-old southpaw has only appeared in seven games (two starts) in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and at Single-A Dunedin and Triple-A Buffalo, but he hit 96.7 mph earlier this month at Buffalo and could be joining the Blue Jays' bullpen for the remainder of the 2026 season. Tiedemann, who was once one of the team's top overall prospects, has struggled to stay healthy as a pro and had Tommy John surgery on his elbow in 2024. He'll be making his major-league debut whenever he gets into a game, but the Jays will most certainly handle him with great care, and he's unlikely to have any fantasy baseball appeal in what will likely be a low-leverage role out of the bullpen. To keep Tiedemann healthy going forward, the Blue Jays might keep him in a relief role permanently.

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (knee) will miss a second straight game against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday due to pain in his left knee, according to MLB.com. David Hamilton is making another start at the keystone and will hit eighth against Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Turang's knee issue could eventually turn into an injured-list situation, but for now, the Brewers are considering him day-to-day. Fantasy managers should check back to see if he's in the starting nine for Game 3 of the series in L.A. on Saturday night. The 26-year-old has been one of the most consistent offensive producers at the second base position in fantasy for the second straight season in 2026, slashing .268/.360/.450 with an .810 OPS, 16 long balls, 16 stolen bases, 76 RBI, and 74 runs scored in his 451 at-bats for the first-place Brewers. Turang's knee injury could be plaguing him in 12 August games, though, as he's hit .245 (12-for-49) with no homers, three doubles, eight RBI, three runs, and a steal.

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (back) is not in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Colorado Rockies due to a back injury, per MLB.com. Christian Koss will start at the 6 and will bat ninth against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. Adames has been bothered by a back injury for a bit now, with an MRI exam showing a lower-back strain. For now, the 30-year-old veteran will avoid a trip to the injured list, but if Adames cannot return during the weekend series against Colorado, the Gigantes might be forced to deactivate him. The Dominican shortstop is in danger of breaking his two-year streak of 30-plus-homer seasons in his second year in the Bay Area. Adames is currently slashing just .224/.285/.413 with a career-worst .697 OPS, 19 home runs, 48 RBI, 59 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 116 games across 485 plate appearances. He continues to struggle to hit for average and has gone 8-for-38 (.211) with just one homer, a double, three RBI, three runs scored, one steal, seven walks, and 10 strikeouts in 11 games so far in August. Check back on Saturday to see if he's back on the field for San Fran.

Kansas City Royals catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (elbow) remains out of action for Friday's series opener on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. Carter Jensen is doing the catching for right-hander Seth Lugo and is batting leadoff against Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. Perez was pulled early from Wednesday's contest, and he's not ready to return just yet despite having a scheduled day off on Thursday. The 36-year-old Venezuelan veteran still has some power with 16 home runs on the year, but he comes into Friday's action hitting just .216 (94-for-436) with a 3.8% walk rate in his 473 plate appearances. The 15-year veteran and nine-time All-Star should be considered day-to-day, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if his elbow injury turns into a stint on the injured list. Perez has gone 8-for-35 (.229) with a single homer, two doubles, seven RBI, two runs scored, one walk, and two strikeouts in 10 games so far in August. His offensive decline has become very real after hitting 30 homers and driving in 100 runs just last year.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Taylor Ward (quadriceps) will miss a second straight game due to quad tightness on Friday on the road against the division-rival Houston Astros, per MLB.com. Dominic Canzone is starting in right field and batting third, Victor Robles is in center and hitting eighth, and Julio Rodriguez will be the designated hitter and bat cleanup against Astros right-hander Peter Lambert. Ward's fantasy stock is falling fast. The 32-year-old veteran has been a massive disappointment in 2026 after hitting a career-high 36 home runs and driving in 103 runs in 157 games with the Los Angeles Angels a year ago. In 111 games with the Baltimore Orioles before being dealt to the M's at the trade deadline earlier this month, Ward hit just .246 (101-for-410) with seven home runs and 30 RBI in 506 plate appearances. He's gone 5-for-32 (.156) with zero homers, no walks, and six strikeouts in his first eight games with Seattle and is now nursing an injury. There's little hope for a turnaround for Ward to close out the year at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park.

The Washington Nationals announced on Friday that shortstop CJ Abrams is going to start making the transition to second base for the rest of the 2026 season, with Nasim Nunez becoming the team's primary shortstop, according to Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com. The Nationals broached the subject with Abrams around a week ago, and he was on board with it. Abrams is at the 6 and is hitting leadoff for Friday's contest against the division-rival New York Mets, but the Nats will slowly begin to transition him over to the keystone. The 25-year-old has not played second base since he was with the San Diego Padres back in 2022. While the move will improve Washington's middle-infield defense, it will also make him more attractive in fantasy with both second base and shortstop eligibility for the 2027 season. The former sixth overall pick in 2019 is having his best year in the big leagues in his fourth full season in D.C., as he enters Friday's action with a .284/.357/.541 slash line, .898 OPS, a career-high 29 home runs, a league-leading 91 RBI, 23 stolen bases, and 76 runs scored in 119 games across 512 plate appearances.

Houston Astros second baseman/outfielder Jose Altuve (foot) is starting at second base and batting fifth on Friday for the series opener at Daikin Park against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and right-hander George Kirby, per MLB.com. Altuve fouled a ball off his left foot on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants and was held out of the series finale on Wednesday as a result. Tests came back negative, though, and Altuve is back in action on Friday after a scheduled day off on Thursday. The 36-year-old Venezuelan veteran and nine-time All-Star will return to face a pitcher that he is pretty familiar with. Altuve has faced Kirby 24 times in his career and is hitting .208 against him with a .488 OPS and just one RBI. Fantasy managers are hoping he can continue his strong month of August in which he has gone 11-for-34 (.324) with an .841 OPS, a homer, a double, five RBI, and five runs scored in only 10 games played. Overall, the former MVP has shown his age in 2026, slashing a mediocre .240/.304/.391 with 13 homers, 35 RBI, 54 runs, and only two steals in 96 total games played in his 16th year in the majors.

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the St. Louis Cardinals are promoting top outfield prospect Joshua Baez to the major leagues. Baez has enjoyed a dominant showing at the Triple-A level and is finally being rewarded with a promotion to The Show. Baez has spent the entire 2026 season at the Triple-A level, where he has flashed elite power and speed upside. Across 103 games with the Memphis Redbirds, the No. 44-ranked prospect in the sport (per MLB.com) has held a .256/.328/.573 line with 22 doubles, 34 home runs, and 21 stolen bases. Last summer, Baez hit just 20 home runs but swiped 54 bags over 117 games shared between High-A and Double-A. While his hefty 29.6% K% could translate to some going pains in the majors, his five-category profile makes him a top waiver wire target across all formats ahead of his debut.