August 20, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays left-hander
Eric Lauer will be available out of the bullpen this weekend in the series against the Miami Marlins, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. "This is not a [permanent] move to the bullpen," manager John Schneider reiterated. It's unclear when Lauer will make another start, but it sounds like the Blue Jays are going to be flexible with his role down the stretch. The 30-year-old southpaw is essentially being bumped from the starting rotation for now with right-hander
Shane Bieber (elbow) set to make his team debut in Friday's series opener in Miami. Lauer has been great for the first-place Jays this year, going 8-2 with a career-best 2.76 ERA (3.54 FIP), 1.08 WHIP and 87:25 K:BB in 88 innings over 20 apparances (14 start). He's been a bit lucky to have an ERA under 3.00, though, and may one make a start or two the rest of the way.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
August 20, 2025
Cincinnati Reds catching prospect
Will Banfield has been called up from Triple-A Louisville for his big league debut as
Tyler Stephenson (thumb) heads to the injured list with a broken thumb. The 25-year-old is spending his first season in the Reds' organization this year after spending the first part of his career with Miami ever since being drafted in 2018. The 6-foot backstop is a .236 hitter during his time at Triple-A over the last two seasons, although he was hitting well recently, riding a four-game hit streak during which he was 8-for-16 (.500), including a pair of doubles. He did hit 23 home runs at Double-A in 2023, so there is some pop in his bat, but he's got just two long balls this year in 73 games and will settle in as the backup to
Jose Trevino. As such, he does not hold any fantasy value and can remain on the waiver wire in all leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: Louisville Bats
August 20, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander
Jared Jones (elbow) could begin a throwing program in September if his meeting with surgeon Dr. Keith Meister goes well early in the month, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Jones is almost four months removed from having surgery to fix a torn UCL in his right elbow, which he had on May 21. The 24-year-old so far has not had any setbacks in his rehab, and if that continues once he resumes throwing, there's an outside chance that he'll be ready early in the 2026 season. The Pirates will most likely be extra cautious with one of their best young arms, though, so it might be more realistic to expect Jones to return next year around midseason. Jones' ascent to the big leagues in 2024 was overshadowed by
Paul Skenes, but he did show plenty of upside with 132 strikouts in 121 2/3 innings over his first 22 MLB starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
August 20, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Oneil Cruz (concussion) has been ramping up his activities of late, according to senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. However, Cruz still isn't ready to come off the seven-day concussion list. "He's making progress and he's improving and he's feeling a lot better," Tomczyk said. The 26-year-old went on the seven-day IL last Wednesday. While he's not ready to return when eligible, it sounds like he might not be far off from a return to the big leagues. Until Cruz comes back,
Jack Suwinski should continue to see most of the starts in center field in Pittsburgh. The Dominican outfielder is batting a lowly .207 (81-for-392), but he has still managed to stay fantasy relevant because of his power/speed contributions. Cruz has clubbed 18 home runs, driven in 51, scored 58 runs and stolen a league-high 34 bases in 108 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
August 20, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani will be off for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, according to manager Dave Roberts. Catcher
Will Smith will likely serve as the designated hitter, which means
Dalton Rushing should be behind the plate. It will be Ohtani's first true day off of 2025 after he missed two games in April while on the paternity list. The 31-year-old Japanese legend will be taking the mound in Colorado on Wednesday, so that also probably has something to do with Ohtani getting his first true day off on Thursday. The three-time MVP continues to be one of the best hitters in baseball this year, slashing .285/.392/.621 with a 1.014 OPS, 43 home runs, 81 RBI, 118 runs and 17 steals in 478 at-bats. He's slashing .381/.506/.746 with six homers, 10 RBI, 20 runs and four steals since the All-Star break.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
August 20, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds announced on Wednesday that they placed catcher
Tyler Stephenson (thumb) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 17) with a left-thumb fracture and selected the contract of catcher
Will Banfield from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. If Stephenson requires surgery on his thumb, it's possible he won't be back again during the 2025 regular season. In the meantime, the Reds will move forward with
Jose Trevino as their starting catcher, with Banfield backing him up. It's been a disappointing and injury-plagued year for the 29-year-old Stephenson, who has hit .226/.313/.393 with a .705 OPS, nine home runs, 36 RBI and 32 runs scored in 252 at-bats. The 32-year-old Trevino won't be an option in single-catcher leagues, as he's hitting .256 (56-for-219) with four homres and 19 RBI in his first year in Cincy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cincinnati Reds
August 20, 2025
San Francisco Giants reliever
Erik Miller (elbow) has been diagnosed with inflammation in his left elbow after undergoing an MRI. The southpaw will take two weeks off from throwing before the Giants re-evaluate him, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Miller has already been out for a month and a half since going on the 15-day injured list on July 3 with a sprained elbow, and he had been rehabbing in the minors until suffering this setback last Friday. With the clock ticking on the Giants' season, it's now fair to wonder if Miller will pitch again in 2025. Despite totaling almost as many walks (20) as strikeouts (22), the 27-year-old has recorded a minuscule 1.50 ERA in 30 innings this season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Susan Slusser - San Francisco Chronicle
August 20, 2025
Baltimore Orioles infielder/outfielder
Jorge Mateo (elbow/hamstring) will begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Wednesday. Mateo originally went on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his left elbow on June 7, but after straining his left hamstring in a rehab game on June 29, the team moved him to the 60-day IL. If he completes this rehab assignment without any issues, Mateo could rejoin the Orioles in early September and try to end 2025 on a positive note. Along with battling multiple injuries, the 30-year-old has hit an ugly .180/.231/.279 with one homer, three RBI, seven runs scored, 14 stolen bases, and a 35.4% strikeout rate in 65 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 20, 2025
Washington Nationals right-hander
Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) threw live batting practice on Tuesday. It's the first time the 27-year-old has faced hitters since he underwent Tommy John surgery and internal-brace procedure in July 2024. Even if Gray is unable to return this year, it's a good sign heading into the offseason. Gray only took the ball twice a season ago after setting career-high marks in starts (30) and innings (159) in 2023. He put up a 3.91 ERA (5.03 xERA) that year with a 1.46 WHIP and 143 strikeouts against 80 walks. If healthy, Gray should be in the running for a rotation spot in 2026.
--Connor ByrneSource: Mark Zuckerman - MASNsports.com
August 20, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) expects to rejoin the team's lineup on Wednesday against the New York Yankees. "I'm good to go," said Lowe, who has been out since last Friday with tightness in his right oblique. Lowe seemed to break out in 2023 with a .292/.335/.500 line, 20 homers, 83 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 501 plate appearances. His production has dropped off since then, though, and he has slashed an uninspiring .229/.295/.369 with seven HRs, 29 RBI, 40 runs, and 12 steals in 309 trips to the plate this season. The 27-year-old will go up against Yankees rookie right-hander
Cam Schlittler on Wednesday. Righties have held the lefty-swinging Lowe to a .236/.310/.385 line in 2025.
--Connor ByrneSource: Marc Topkin - Tampa Bay Times
August 20, 2025
Seattle Mariners outfielder
Dominic Canzone (wrist/hand) is taking a seat for the second straight game on Wednesday.
Dylan Moore will play right field in Canzone's place and hit eighth against Philadelphia Phillies left-hander
Jesus Luzardo. Canzone hasn't played since he left Monday's 12-7 loss to the Phillies after suffering a bruised left arm on a hit by pitch. The 28-year-old has done far more damage against righties (.862 OPS) than lefties (.619), so Luzardo may not have been a great matchup for him anyway. After producing below-average numbers in each of his first two seasons, Canzone has slashed a strong .289/.348/.546 with seven homers, 20 RBI, and 19 runs scored in 198 plate appearances this year.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 20, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) is out of the lineup against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
Ty France will take over at first base and bat sixth in a meeting with right-hander
Johan Oviedo. Guerrero hasn't played since he left a 5-2 loss to the Pirates early on Monday with tightness in his left hamstring, but the Blue Jays don't regard it as a serious injury. The team is off on Thursday, which will give Guerrero an extra day to recuperate, and the five-time All-Star slugger could return to the lineup Friday in Miami.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August
20,
2025
The
Pittsburgh
Pirates
will
promote
prized
right-handed
pitching
prospect
Bubba
Chandler
to
the
majors
before
Friday's
game
against
the
Colorado
Rockies,
Noah
Hiles
of
the
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette
reports.
While
Chandler
will
initially
work
as
a
long
reliever
read more...
August 20, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever
Daniel Palencia recorded his 17th save of the season in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning. The hard-throwing right-hander threw 11 of his 17 pitches for strikes and ended the game on a slider that produced a game-ending double play. Palencia has been rock-solid overall with a 1.81 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 17 saves, and a 47/12 K/BB through 44 2/3 innings pitched. However, he has been somewhat inconsistent in August, allowing runs in three of his six appearances with a blown save in four opportunities. Still, he appears to have a firm hold on the Cubs' closer job and remains a top closing option for fantasy managers down the stretch.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: MLB.com
August 20, 2025
Athletics right-hander
Luis Severino was unexpectedly placed on the injured list on August 12, retroactive to August 6. According to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com, on Tuesday, Severino continued a throwing program. Severino is eligible to return from the injured list on Thursday, but it does not appear that will be the case with him, as he has yet to throw bullpens or face live hitters. His injury came up unexpectedly, and although he landed on the injured list, it did appear that he avoided a series-ending injury.
Luis Morales has slotted in for Severino in his absence. Severino has put up modest numbers in 2025, with a 4.82 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings pitched. With the timeline for Severino's return looking more like late August or early September, fantasy managers can drop him in redraft formats to build their teams for the fantasy playoffs that are quickly approaching.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Martín Gallegos
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