MLB News

Athletics rookie left-hander Gage Jump (shoulder) is likely heading to the 15-day injured list, which would end his first year in the majors a bit early, according to Jason Burke of Inside the A's. The determination will be made on Tuesday. Jump dealt with shoulder tightness in his last start on Saturday against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, when he allowed five earned runs on five hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out only two in two innings for his 11th loss of the season. The 23-year-old southpaw, a former second-rounder in 2024 from LSU, definitely had his ups and downs in the first 20 starts of his major-league career with a bad team. In his 98 2/3 innings pitched, Jump has gone 6-11 with a 5.47 ERA (4.02 FIP) and a 1.52 WHIP with 108 strikeouts and 46 walks. He had an especially tough time at home at Sutter Health Park, posting a 6.27 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 27 walks in 51 2/3 frames. Jump has some intriguing skills but will need to show better command of his arsenal to take the next step with the A's in 2027.

Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that right-hander Cal Quantrill (back) was having back tightness towards the end of his start on Sunday in the 7-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. The Rangers were going batter-to-batter and inning-to-inning with him for a bit, but the Rangers' concern level "seems low." For what it is worth, Quantrill says he is planning on taking his next turn in the starting rotation "no matter what." He still managed to get a quality start for his fantasy managers, allowing just two earned runs on five hits while walking none and striking out four in six innings of work to pick up his ninth win of the year. We will consider him day-to-day for now, but fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on Quantrill's progress over the next couple of days. The matchup at home against Toronto for Quantrill's next start (if he makes it) is a solid one, with the Blue Jays ranking fourth-worst in OPS in 2026. On June 27, Quantrill took a no-decision in Toronto, throwing four shutout innings with a walk and five strikeouts.

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello said that the team will have a conversation about whether or not to shut right-handed veteran Logan Webb down for the year, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. It has been a rough season for Webb in 2026, with his season starting early while playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. The 29-year-old three-time All-Star came into his start in Sunday's series finale against the division-rival San Diego Padres with a 4.10 ERA (3.46 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, and 127:40 K:BB in 155 2/3 innings over his 26 starts, and he allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings in a loss to drop his record on the year to 8-8. It might be time for Webb to call it a season, as he nearly has a 10.00 ERA in his last five starts down the stretch. It might not make sense to throw Webb out there again with the Giants eliminated from the playoffs already. Fantasy managers still playing for a championship might have already jumped ship. In addition to the long year in 2026, Webb went over the 200-inning mark in his previous three seasons in San Francisco.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) is set to make a rehab appearance with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Nicholson-Smith reports that Yesavage could be on track to return to the Blue Jays on Monday, September 21, if all continues to go well with his progression. The 23-year-old has been sidelined by a knee injury since early August. Given the speed at which Yesavage looks to be moving through his rehab, it appears as though Toronto may be looking to deploy him in a relief role in the final week of the regular season. Yesavage has been effective when on the mound this season, recording a 5-5 record with a 3.65 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts across 93 2/3 innings (18 starts). If Yesavage does get a chance to make a start or work in a scheduled bulk relief appearance before the end of the year, he could be a worthy starting pitcher streamer for fantasy managers.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka will rejoin the team's rotation on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins, per Jack Sommers of Sports Illustrated. After suffering a shoulder injury that forced him onto the injured list in mid-August, Soroka worked out of the bullpen in his return from the IL on Wednesday. However, Sommers reports that Arizona is moving veteran right-hander Zac Gallen to the bullpen to accommodate Soroka's return to the rotation. Soroka has been effective when healthy this season, recording an 8-5 record with a 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts across 99 1/3 innings (18 starts). The 29-year-old has posted a respectable 23.1% strikeout rate with an excellent 6.1% walk rate. Now that he's back to working as a starting pitcher, Soroka profiles as a quality innings-eater for deep-league fantasy managers.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hamstring) was activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of his team's matchup against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. The 34-year-old batted fourth and went two-for-three with a walk and a run scored in his return. Contreras was placed on the 10-day injured list in late August with a hamstring strain, but he was able to return almost immediately after he was first eligible. Across 521 plate appearances this season, Contreras is hitting .277/.387/.517 with 26 home runs, 79 RBI, 67 runs scored, and three stolen bases. He's posted a stellar 13.4% barrel rate and has taken advantage of the hitter-friendly Fenway Park, posting a 1.003 OPS with 14 home runs across 255 plate appearances at home. Now that he's back with the Red Sox, Contreras is a must-start fantasy first baseman across all league formats.

Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards (thumb) was activated off the 10-day injured list ahead of his team's matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. The 27-year-old batted fifth in his return and went one-for-three with a walk and a run scored. Edwards had been sidelined since late August by a sprained thumb. Across 578 plate appearances this season, Edwards has hit .282/.362/.376 with six home runs, 51 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. The speedy switch-hitter brings almost no power to the table, as he's logged a 3.2% barrel rate and 28.7% hard-hit rate in 2026. However, he's struck out in just 13.3% of his plate appearances while posting an 11.4% walk rate. Now that he's back in action, Edwards profiles as a speed and batting average asset for fantasy managers.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (abdomen) has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to lower abdominal discomfort, per an announcement from the team. With only 14 days remaining in the Orioles' regular season, Bradish's year is likely done. Across 155 innings (29 starts) in 2026, the 30-year-old recorded a 7-15 record with a 4.12 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 142 strikeouts. Bradish has struggled mightily in the second half of the season, recording a 5.29 ERA with just a 16.7% strikeout rate across 47 2/3 innings after the All-Star break. Still, it's a positive sign for Bradish's long-term outlook that he was able to reach 150 innings after failing to reach the 40-inning mark in either 2024 or 2025 due to arm issues. With Bradish sidelined, Orioles left-hander Cade Povich could be in line for a promotion from Triple-A to the Baltimore rotation.

San Francisco Giants first baseman/designated hitter Rafael Devers (abdomen) has been placed on the 60-day injured list due to a core muscle injury, per Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News. delos Santos reports that Devers has played through the issue for much of the season. Following his placement on the 60-day injured list, Devers' 2026 campaign is over. Across 633 plate appearances this year, the 29-year-old hit .258/.340/.525 with 37 home runs, 98 RBI, and 88 runs scored. Despite apparently playing through an injury, Devers dominated in the second half of the season. Across 226 plate appearances after the All-Star break, the lefty slugger hit .275 with 18 home runs and a .987 OPS. With Devers sidelined, Giants outfielder Scott Bandura could be in line for more playing time at designated hitter.

Pro Publica's Gus Garcia-Roberts reports that Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz rear-ended a motorcycle six years ago, killing all three of its passengers and jeopardizing his major-league baseball career. Cruz's parents brought in a fixer to pay off the victims' families so they would not sue and would not demand that prosecutors pursue the case. The fixer, Santo Caraballo, essentially saved Cruz's career and launched his own as one of the most powerful figures in Dominican baseball. Caraballo had also become business partners with Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz. A judge released Cruz on a bond of $34,000 after the incident. In court, a lawyer emphasized that Cruz was one of baseball's "five highest-ranked prospects internationally" and that the accident "hurts the whole town, Oneil above all, who for this will have to go to professional therapy so that he can cope with the trauma." Caraballo ultimately negotiated payments to the three victims' families that totaled nearly $70,000 in exchange for getting them to withdraw their claims against Cruz. The document filed in court states that the families sought to "withdraw" all legal claims against Cruz and that they had not received any "pecuniary interest" for withdrawing the claims. A Pro Publica review of the documents signed shows key differences between paperwork filed with the court and the document NOT filed with the court. It is unclear if Major League Baseball will look further into the matter or if Cruz will be subject to any kind of discipline.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (shoulder) was scratched ahead of his scheduled start against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. An MRI came back negative for any structural damage, and Luzardo is hopeful to get back on the mound next week, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. The southpaw is dealing with some shoulder stiffness after throwing a complete game during Monday's outing. The Phillies will give him rest and hope that Luzardo can return to the mound at some point next week. The expectation is that Luzardo will return at some point during the four-game series against the New York Mets next weekend. Fantasy managers will need to continue checking back for updates throughout the week.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) was activated off the 10-day Injured List on Saturday. Eovaldi is back in the mix after going down on August 10 due to right elbow inflammation. The Rangers will have Eovaldi return to the pitching staff as a reliever. There's a chance that he'll build up towards a starter workload again, but for now, Eovaldi will be used out of the bullpen. The 36-year-old figures to be used in a multi-inning role, which likely won't result in a ton of fantasy value. The right-hander could become a cut candidate, with him unlikely to return to the starting rotation in time to help fantasy managers in the playoffs.

According to Chandler Rome, Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said the team is hopeful that outfielder Yordan Alvarez (ankle) will be back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Alvarez missed his second straight game on Saturday after sustaining an ankle injury during Thursday's contest. It sounds like a minor issue that isn't going to require Alvarez to land on the Injured List. Fantasy managers will need to check back ahead of the first pitch for another update on Alvarez. Yainer Diaz served as the designated hitter during Saturday's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The expectation is that Diaz would remain there if Alvarez is unable to play.

Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper (shoulder) was removed from Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. He was pulled from the contest after getting hit by a pitch in the upper back. The X-rays came back negative, so the team is considering Culpepper day-to-day with a shoulder contusion, according to Aaron Gleeman. Ryan Kreidler took over for Culpepper at shortstop for the rest of Saturday's game. The expectation is that Kreidler will see the bulk of the playing time there until the rookie shortstop is back in the mix. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Sunday's contest for another update on his status.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Houston Astros are considering moving third baseman Carlos Correa (ankle) over to second base. Correa has been sidelined since undergoing left ankle surgery in mid-May. The organization is hopeful that Correa will be able to return for the final week of the regular season. He has been playing third base in Houston, but the Astros would like to shift him over to second base. If Correa plays second base, Jose Altuve can serve as the designated hitter. Most fantasy leagues might end before Correa gets back to the field. If not, Correa could be worth stashing in deep leagues for the final stretch of the season.

The Texas Rangers announced on Saturday that they activated third baseman Josh Jung (calf) from the 10-day injured list and optioned catcher Logan O'Hoppe to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. Jung will return to the Rangers' starting lineup immediately on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander Brandon Pfaadt on Saturday, as he is starting at third base and batting third. The power-hitting right-hander is back in Texas after going 3-for-15 with a home run and two RBI in four minor-league rehab games with Round Rock. The 28-year-old should return to starting third base duties in Texas as the team looks to get into the postseason in the final couple of weeks of the regular season. The former first-rounder from Texas Tech was hitting very well earlier this year, but he has missed most of the second half with his strained calf, so it could be difficult for him to get back in a groove with a short turnaround. Jung is returning to a .294/.361/.441 slash line with an .802 OPS, nine home runs, 35 RBI, 46 runs scored, and a stolen base across his 354 at-bats in 2026. After his long layoff, Jung is only rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues.

The Athletics announced that they activated catcher Shea Langeliers (knee) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder Darell Hernaiz to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Langeliers will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat cleanup in his return on Saturday in Sacramento against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and right-hander Bryan Woo. It is a bit of a surprise that Langeliers is back with the A's before the end of the 2026 season after he had surgery on the meniscus in his right knee in late July. But now that he is back, fantasy managers should check to see if he is available on the waiver wire, as he could still make an impact at the plate for those still playing for a championship late in the season. The 28-year-old right-handed slugger returns to an eight-game hitting streak and a .263/.332/.497 slash line with an .829 OPS, 23 home runs, 51 RBI, 55 runs scored, and two stolen bases in his 376 at-bats this year. The first-time All-Star in 2026 is one of the best power-hitting backstops in baseball, and he is only rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues. Langeliers has hit just .083 with a .166 OPS in 12 career at-bats against Woo.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (ankle) is out of the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, according to MLB.com. Catcher Yandy Diaz will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup, with Christian Vazquez doing the catching for right-hander Peter Lambert and hitting ninth against Rays left-hander Ian Seymour. The Astros are labeling Alvarez as day-to-day for now after he was also held out of Friday's series opener in Tampa with a right-ankle injury. Houston cannot afford to be without the MVP front-runner in the American League down the stretch, so they could play it safe with the 29-year-old left-handed slugger and keep him out for the entire series on the turf in Tampa this weekend. Fantasy managers should check back on Sunday to see if he is active. Alvarez, a four-time All-Star and former AL Rookie of the Year, has been arguably the best overall hitter in all of baseball in 2026, leading the league in walks (100), batting average (.310), on-base percentage (.427), slugging percentage (.590), OPS (1.017), and total bases (308) in 145 games played in his eighth year in the majors.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) is set to throw a bullpen in Chicago in front of the team's pitching coaches on Sunday. This will give the team a chance to get a good, hard look at the 31-year-old as he continues to work hard toward returning to the mound for the Cubs in 2026. From there, it has been decided that he will throw at least one more outing for Triple-A Iowa, at which time a decision will likely be made regarding what lies ahead. Over three rehab appearances thus far, Steele has thrown 5.2 innings while allowing four earned runs on 10 hits. The good news is that he has recorded six strikeouts and has not walked any batters, backing the fact that he is still working through some rust. If and when he does return this year, it will be as a reliever, as there is not enough time for him to build himself back up to a starter's workload. As such, his fantasy value is minimal.

The Tampa Bay Rays are calling up right-handed pitching prospect Brody Hopkins to the big leagues from Triple-A Durham on Saturday, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Per MLB Pipeline, Hopkins, 24, is ranked as Tampa's No. 7 overall prospect and their top pitching prospect. The former sixth-round selection by the Seattle Mariners in 2023 from Winthrop University has gone 4-8 this year for the Bulls with a 5.17 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, and 122:92 K:BB in 94 innings across 31 appearances (19 starts). The numbers obviously do not look great on the surface, but Hopkins had been pitching great recently for Durham in a relief role, where he will likely continue in his first taste of the major leagues. Hopkins gets the call to Tampa after throwing six straight shutout innings out of the bullpen at Triple-A, and he will look to stay hot with the Rays. For fantasy purposes, Hopkins should be ignored in single-year formats with the regular season wrapping up at the end of September.