Chandler Simpson Unlikely to Play Until ALDS 0mLink copied!

Sep 26, 2026, 6:58 PM ET

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson (foot) is not in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game in Philadelphia against the Phillies, per MLB.com. Victor Mesa Jr. is starting in left field for the Rays and is batting fifth against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. The Rays are being cautious with the speedster, giving him a day off in Game 2 of the series at Citizens Bank Park after Simpson fouled a ball off his right foot during the win on Friday night. The Rays already have a first-round bye locked up in the American League, so Simpson will have plenty of time to heal before the start of the AL Division Series. If the 25-year-old does not play in the regular-season finale on Sunday, he will finish his second big-league season in 2026 with a very nice .306/.333/.356 slash line, .689 OPS, zero home runs, 38 RBI, and 66 runs scored across 151 games and 612 plate appearances. Simpson has no power to speak of, but he leads the league with 46 stolen bases after swiping 44 bags as a rookie in 2025. His speed in the outfield and on the basepaths is a game-changer for the first-place Rays.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 26, 2026, 5:28 PM ET

New York Mets superstar outfielder Juan Soto (hand) left Saturday's game against the division-rival Washington Nationals early after being hit on the right hand by a 91.7 mph sinker, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Soto was in some clear discomfort, but X-rays on his hand came back negative. Before leaving the game, Soto went 2-for-4 at the plate with a strikeout. He was replaced in left field by Nick Morabito. It sounds like Soto avoided a serious injury, but with just one more game in the 2026 regular season, the Mets might hold the left-handed slugger out to close out another disappointing season for the Mets. The 27-year-old five-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger winner missed extended time this year with two separate calf injuries, but he still came into Saturday's contest with a solid .276/.395/.522 slash line, .917 OPS, 27 home runs, 68 RBI, 63 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across his 391 at-bats. With better health in 2027, Soto could quickly get back to elite five-category production for his fantasy managers.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo

Sep 26, 2026, 2:09 PM ET

Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers (abdomen) is out of the lineup on Saturday due to an abdominal injury. The 28-year-old has been battling through injuries all season long, and this latest ailment comes on the heels of his absence from Friday's lineup. It's unclear how serious the issue is at this time, but with only two games remaining in the season, it's quite possible that he has already played his last game of 2026. Fantasy baseball managers would be wise to stay updated with Sunday's lineup to see if he can return for one final game this year. Despite missing time earlier in the season, Stowers has still managed to hit 21 home runs, albeit with a discouraging .239 batting average. Should he be able to return healthy to start next season, he could be a sleeper pick in some drafts due to his power upside and dual eligibility, as he also qualifies at first base.--Dave Funnell - RotoBaller
Source: Daniel Álvarez-Montes

Sep 26, 2026, 1:53 PM ET

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (forearm) is set to be activated from the 60-Day Injured List on Sunday and start for the Tigers in their season finale. The 30-year-old last pitched on July 20 and has been out of action recovering and rehabbing ever since. He has made just two rehab appearances, striking out five batters over 3.2 scoreless innings across various minor league levels. He also tossed a two-inning simulated game last week, giving the Tigers enough confidence to put him on the mound for the final day of the regular season. Should he pitch effectively without any setbacks, this would be a good "peace-of-mind" way to finish the year and head into a normal offseason. The 30-year-old is set to become a free agent this offseason, and a solid performance here would go a long way toward helping him secure his next big contract, wherever that may be.--Dave Funnell - RotoBaller
Source: Chris McCosky

Sep 26, 2026, 1:37 PM ET

Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards (thumb) will miss his sixth consecutive game on Saturday as he continues to deal with a thumb injury. The 27-year-old re-aggravated his left thumb in a game last week, just a few days after returning from a left thumb sprain. It's unclear if he will return at all this season, and with just one game remaining on the schedule, he very well may have played his last game. That said, until the team places him on the Injured List, there is still a chance that he returns for Sunday's season finale. In his place on Saturday, Jared Serna will get the start at second base and bat ninth in the Miami lineup.--Dave Funnell - RotoBaller
Source: Miami Marlins

Sep 26, 2026, 1:28 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease (shoulder) said that he will take some downtime over the next few weeks to allow the inflammation in his shoulder to subside. However, the 30-year-old also expects to have a relatively normal offseason, hopefully alleviating any long-term concerns about a major injury. With surgery currently off the table, the belief is that time away from throwing will give his shoulder what it needs to return to full health. With the expectation that he will be ready for Opening Day in 2027, he is someone to remember at the top end of drafts come draft day, as his track record for endurance is unparalleled. That being said, how he responds to a ramp-up in the winter will be a key indicator of whether this shoulder issue is truly behind him. He will finish the 2026 season with 239 strikeouts over 169.0 innings pitched, along with an impressive 2.40 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 11 wins.--Dave Funnell - RotoBaller
Source: Arden Zwelling

Sep 26, 2026, 1:16 PM ET

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (hand) suffered a fractured right hand, according to X-rays after an early removal from Friday's game. A pitch hit the 28-year-old in the first inning of a pivotal game against Minnesota, and the testing later confirmed the injury. He will miss time while he heals, ending his 2026 season on a sour note. Still, despite battling multiple injuries all season, he will finish with a .299 batting average and 12 home runs over 104 games. While nothing has been confirmed, it would appear that he will be ready for Spring Training next season. He remains in the mix for late-round fantasy upside heading into 2027, with the potential for more should he be able to stay healthy. That said, his draft price will surely take his extensive injury history into account.--Dave Funnell - RotoBaller
Source: Evan Grant

Sep 26, 2026, 12:47 PM ET

New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez will pitch on Sunday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles in the final game of the 2026 regular season, weather permitting, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. It will be Rodriguez's seventh start in his first year in the big leagues, and his first since he allowed four earned runs in 3 2/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on the road on Aug. 31. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican native is 0-3 with the Yankees this year with a 5.40 ERA (4.86 FIP) and 1.57 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and 16 walks in 26 2/3 innings pitched over his six starts. The former fourth-rounder by the Boston Red Sox in 2021 went 8-4 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 105:54 K:BB in 106 1/3 innings across 21 starts in the minors for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez is the team's No. 2 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but his lack of control at the major-league level in a small sample size will make him extremely risky for fantasy managers still vying for a championship on the final weekend of the regular season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch

Sep 26, 2026, 12:39 PM ET

The Minnesota Twins placed right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman (forearm) on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with inflammation in his right forearm, according to Aaron Gleeman. The Twins activated shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. After blowing the save in Game 7 of last year's World Series against the Dodgers, Hoffman finishes his 2026 campaign with a 6-8 record, 3.55 ERA (2.47 FIP), a 1.32 WHIP, only six saves, a career-high 102 strikeouts, and 30 walks in 66 innings out of the bullpen for the Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. He had five of his six saves on the year in Toronto, but also an ERA near 4.00. Although Hoffman was used as more of a late-inning setup man after being acquired in a trade by Minnesota, he fared better in his 20 relief outings with the Twins, with a 2.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 27:12 K:BB in 18 innings pitched. Despite not seeing many save chances, Hoffman picked up a career-high 22 holds and was still very valuable in fantasy formats that reward points for holds.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Aaron Gleeman

Sep 26, 2026, 12:32 PM ET

The Minnesota Twins officially activated shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Saturday and placed right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman (forearm) on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right forearm in a corresponding move, according to Aaron Gleeman. The Twins have elected to bring Culpepper back for the final two games of the regular season after he was placed on the IL on Sept. 16 with a left-hamstring strain. He should be back in action on Saturday evening at home against the Texas Rangers and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. The 23-year-old former first-rounder in 2024 from Kansas State University is viewed as the team's shortstop of the future, and MLB Pipeline has him ranked as Minnesota's No. 3 overall prospect, behind only outfielder Walker Jenkins and catcher Vahn Lackey. Culpepper has looked good in his first 109 major-league at-bats, hitting .275 with three home runs, 11 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base. He brings a strong contact-oriented approach with good bat speed and the ability to send line drives to all parts of the field.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Aaron Gleeman

Sep 26, 2026, 12:27 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that catcher Gabriel Moreno (hamstring) left Friday night's win over the division-rival San Diego Padres with a tender left hamstring, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The skipper expects Moreno to be in the starting lineup on Saturday night at Petco Park as the designated hitter. The D-backs will call up a catcher to have another backup just in case. Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was designated for assignment to open up a spot on the roster. In the Snakes' 11-4 victory on Friday night, Moreno went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk before being replaced behind the dish by James McCann. The D-backs can ill-afford to lose their starting catcher with just two games remaining in the regular season, as the Venezuelan backstop is hitting over .300 on the year with 16 home runs. Arizona enters play on Saturday just one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the final wild-card spot in the National League with two games left to play.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert

Sep 25, 2026, 10:00 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (illness) was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Friday, retroactive to Tuesday. Before Friday's game, Vaughn had been sidelined for four straight games due to a lingering illness. The Brewers decided to place him on the shelf now, so Vaughn will be eligible to return before the postseason on October 3. This season, Vaughn slashed .306/.390/.444 with six home runs and 43 RBI across 331 plate appearances. In a corresponding move, outfielder Brandon Lockridge has been recalled to give the Brewers a fresh body for the final few games of the regular season.--Andy Webb
Source: Milwaukee Brewers

Sep 25, 2026, 9:53 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Friday. Burnes was expected to make his final start of the season on Sunday, but instead, he'll go to the shelf due to right shoulder inflammation. Burnes only made three starts this season as he missed most of the year while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was lit up for a 7.84 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across his 10.1 innings of work this season. The D-Backs still have a chance to make the postseason, so there's a chance that Burnes can contribute in October. His regular season is over, and it's unclear what exactly fantasy managers should expect out of Burnes next season.--Andy Webb
Source: Arizona Diamondbacks

Sep 25, 2026, 9:43 PM ET

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson (foot) was forced to make an early exit during Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Marc Topkin reports. Simpson sustained an injury after fouling a ball off his foot in the sixth inning. He attempted to stay in the game, but he was pulled in the seventh inning. He was hitless during his three plate appearances during the victory over the Phillies. The expectation is that he'll undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury. For now, Simpson should be considered day-to-day until more information is known.--Andy Webb
Source: Marc Topkin

Sep 25, 2026, 9:25 PM ET

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (hand) was removed from Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. Jung was taken out of the game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand, Kennedi Landry reports. He remained in the game to run the bases and play the field, but Jung was removed for a pinch-hitter once his spot in the batting order came up again. Before being removed, Jung went hitless with a run scored. The assumption is that Jung will undergo X-rays to determine the severity of the injury. Cody Freeman would likely see more starts at third base if Jung is forced to miss any time. Fantasy managers should check back on Saturday for another update on Jung.--Andy Webb
Source: Kennedi Landry

Sep 25, 2026, 9:16 PM ET

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andres Munoz (knee) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Friday, Ryan Divish reports. Munoz hasn't pitched since Sunday and now goes to the shelf due to right knee inflammation. His inconsistent 2026 season will now come to an end with a few games left in the regular season. He'll finish the season with a 4.24 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and an 89/24 K/BB ratio with 28 saves across 57.2 innings of work. The expectation is that Jose A. Ferrer and Seranthony Dominguez will work in save situations over the final few days of the regular season. Fantasy managers should expect Munoz to be back in the closer role and fully healthy for the start of next season.--Andy Webb
Source: Ryan Divish

Sep 25, 2026, 6:07 PM ET

Miami Marlins middle infielder Xavier Edwards (thumb) remains out of the starting nine for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, per MLB.com. Jared Serna will make another start at second base for the Fish and will hit in the nine-hole against Braves left-hander Ray Kerr. This will be Edwards' fifth straight missed game after he aggravated a left-thumb injury last Saturday against the San Diego Padres. The Marlins have not rushed the 27-year-old back after being eliminated from playoff contention. At this point, he only has two more chances to return before the end of the regular season on Saturday and Sunday against Atlanta. The switch-hitting middle infielder was having a second straight solid season for the Fish this year, slashing .280/.360/.371 with a .730 OPS, a career-high six home runs, 52 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored across 142 games and 595 plate appearances. You are not going to get any power from Edwards, but he remains useful for his speed and contact-oriented approach at the dish in fantasy leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 25, 2026, 6:01 PM ET

Philadelphia Phillies infielder Luis Arraez (ankle) is out of the team's starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, and the report on his ankle injury from Thursday night is "not a great one," interim manager Don Mattingly told Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Mattingly did not give a grade on the sprain, and the Phillies have not decided on an injured-list placement, which would take Arraez out until at least Oct. 5, or around Game 3 of the divisional round. X-rays on Arraez's left ankle came back negative on Thursday night, but his sprained ankle is still stiff and sore, which is why he will not play on Friday. Bryson Stott is at second base and batting fifth on Friday, with Edmundo Sosa at third base and hitting ninth against Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta. The Phillies would obviously love to avoid putting the 29-year-old All-Star on the IL, but if he cannot play at all this weekend, they might have no choice. The four-time All-Star and three-time batting champion has hit only .278 (49-for-176) in his 46 games with the Phillies this year after being traded from the San Francisco Giants in early August, but he is still the league's leading hitter at .310 overall. Not having Arraez available next week for the start of the playoffs (if the Phillies qualify) would be a big loss for Philadelphia.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer - Scott Lauber

Sep 25, 2026, 1:46 PM ET

Detroit Tigers new top outfield prospect Zyhir Hope showed off plenty of promise with Double-A Erie following his trade from the Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Hope was the headline piece coming back to Detroit after dealing away their ace, and he proved his potential with a massive minor-league season at the Double-A level between the Dodgers and Tigers. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter combined to hit .287 with 29 homers and 111 RBI to go with 86 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. Hope has a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade power and 55-grade speed. The future is bright for Hope, and he could make his debut with the Tigers in 2027. Expect the five-category skills Hope has shown in the minors to translate to the big leagues, making him a great target for fantasy managers as soon as next season.--Brian Buckey - RotoBaller
Source: Minor League Baseball

Sep 25, 2026, 1:38 PM ET

Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Caden Hunter turned in a dominant 2026 minor-league season between three levels. Finishing up at Double-A Chesapeake in his age-22 season, Hunter combined to pitch to a 5-3 record with a 2.01 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 151 strikeouts in 103 innings pitched. In his first professional season out of USC, Hunter dominated to hold opposing hitters to a .171 batting average. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound left-hander is the No. 4 overall prospect of the Orioles and boasts a 60-grade fastball and a 55-grade slider and changeup combination with a 45-grade curveball. Hunter looks like a future fantasy star with the size and skills to be a dominant force on the mound with the Orioles in the future. Look for more of Hunter in the minors in 2027, with the potential to make his MLB debut as soon as next season.--Brian Buckey - RotoBaller
Source: Minor League Baseball