August 20, 2025
San Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill (ankle) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants. This marks the third game in a row that Merrill has missed due to an ankle injury. He tweaked his left ankle over the weekend, but it doesn't sound like he'll require a trip to the injured list. In his absence,
Ramon Laureano will take over in center field and bat fifth versus right-hander
Landen Roupp. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday for another update on Merrill's status.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
August 20, 2025
Texas Rangers catcher
Kyle Higashioka (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Kansas City Royals. Higashioka is back in the mix after missing each of the last four games due to a hamstring issue. He'll cover behind the plate and bat cleanup versus left-hander
Noah Cameron on Wednesday. Higashioka has been crushing the ball over the last month or so, which means he's a decent streaming choice for Wednesday's slate.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
August 20, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the New York Yankees. Lowe will return to the mix after missing each of the last three games due to right oblique tightness. The 27-year-old has been struggling at the plate this month, so maybe a few days off will help him get back on track. He'll cover right field and bat fifth versus right-hander
Cam Schlittler on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should make sure to get Lowe back in there ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: lineups.com
August 20, 2025
Chicago White Sox rookie shortstop
Colson Montgomery (side) is back at shortstop and will hit fifth on Wednesday against the hosting Atlanta Braves and rookie right-hander
Hurston Waldrep. Montgomery was pulled from Monday's series opener at Truist Park early with left-side soreness, and he was held out of Tuesday's game as a result. The 23-year-old is back on Wednesday, though, and the White Sox will give fellow middle infielder
Chase Meidroth the day off.
Lenyn Sosa is starting at the keystone and is in the cleanup spot for Chicago. The former first-rounder isn't hitting for average (29-for-132) in his first 38 big-league games, but he's showed off his power stroke with 10 home runs, four doubles, a triple and 28 RBI in 145 plate appearances. Montgomery has fanned 42 times and walked only 11 times.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 20, 2025
The plan is for Minnesota Twins right-hander
Pablo Lopez (shoulder) to start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday night against Triple-A Round Rock, according to Darren Wolfson. Lopez is working his way back from a Grade 2 teres major muscle strain and was able to throw live batting practice last week. The 29-year-old Venezuelan hurler is on the 60-day injured list and has been out since June 5, so he is going to need at least a couple rehab starts before the Twins consider returning him to their starting rotation in the majors. Lopez won't have many starts to make an impact down the stretch for fantasy managers, but he's worth rostering in most leagues if he's able to recapture his pre-injury form. In his 11 starts in 2025, Lopez had a sharp 2.82 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 61 strikeouts over 60 2/3 innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: Darren Wolfson
August
20,
2025
Houston
Astros
outfielder
Taylor
Trammell
(undisclosed)
was
carted
off
the
field
during
Wednesday's
contest
against
the
Detroit
Tigers
at
Comerica
Park
after
hitting
the
wall
hard
while
pursuing
a
triple
by
Dillon
Dingler,
read more...
August 20, 2025
Texas Rangers right-hander
Caleb Boushley will make his first start in the big leagues on Wednesday againt the hosting Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. All 20 of Boushley's appearances in the big leagues this year for the Rangers have come out of the bullpen, and he's sporting a 4.91 ERA (3.61 FIP), a 1.31 WHIP, his first career save, 35 strikeouts and 10 walks in 36 2/3 innings pitched. The 31-year-old has made five starts on the farm at Triple-A Round Rock and is typically a multi-inning reliever, so he won't be your typical opener that goes just one inning. Still, fantasy managers will want to avoid him as a deep DFS streamer against a Royals squad that is looking for their seventh straight victory.
--Keith HernandezSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
August 20, 2025
Kansas City Royals catcher
Salvador Perez (illness) is back behind the plate and will hit fifth for Wednesday's contest against the visiting Texas Rangers and right-hander
Caleb Boushley. Perez was under the weather to begin the week and missed the first two games of the series against Texas on Monday and Tuesday, but he's feeling better now. The 35-year-old veteran will be hoping to get back on track offensively, as he's gone just 11-for-62 (.177) in 15 games in the month of August. However, despite the cold stick this month, the nine-time All-Star has still managed four home runs, two doubles, six RBI and nine runs scored for a hot Royals team. Perez is hitless in just one at-bat against Boushley, who will be making the first start of his career.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 20, 2025
Washington Nationals shortstop prospect Eli Willits is expected to make his professional debut at Single-A Fredericksburg on Thursday. The top selection in this year's Draft has been working out at the team's spring training facility in Florida up to this point, and will get a chance to get some at-bats against Single-A pitchers before getting a full season of work next year. The 6-foot-1 switch-hitter was slotted in at No. 18 overall in MLB.com's latest refresh of their Top 100 Prospects list this month, and is expected to show off plus hit and speed tools when he gets into game action. Fantasy managers participating in first-year player drafts should already be contemplating Willits with their top selection.
--Jarod RuppSource: Sam Dykstra - MLB.com
August 20, 2025
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect
Max Clark (hand) exited Tuesday's game for Double-A Erie after a swing-and-miss on a pitch during his at-bat in the third inning. The Tigers' second-ranked prospect left with the trainer after having his hand examined. No official word has been given on the specifics of the injury, however, he is absent from Erie's lineup for Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against Harrisburg. Hopefully the injury is not serious, but thankfully, the former third overall draft pick is just 20 years old and has plenty of time to continue his march toward the majors. For now, consider the left-handed slugger day-to-day, but the situation is one to monitor.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tigers ML Report
August 20, 2025
Detroit Tigers infield prospect
Kevin McGonigle continued to show why he's shot up the prospect ranks over the last two seasons, going 2-for-4 at Double-A Erie on Tuesday, including a double, a solo home run, and two runs scored. It was his fifth home run in his last six games and, impressively, it came off of Nationals prospect
Jarlin Susana, who struck out 13 batters in the game and was touching 103 mph on his fastball. McGonigle is slashing .294/.393/.618 with seven home runs, four steals, and is walking (18) more than he is striking out (13) in 27 games since being promoted to Double-A. The Tigers' top-ranked prospect's arrow is pointing way up, and is on track for an MLB debut next year. With one of the top hit tools in the minors, he should not be available in any dynasty leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB Pipeline
August
20,
2025
Baltimore
Orioles
right-handed
reliever
Felix
Bautista
(shoulder)
had
successful
surgery
on
Tuesday
with
Dr.
Neal
ElAttrache
in
Los
Angeles
to
fix
a
torn
rotator
cuff
and
torn
labrum
in
his
right
arm,
according
to
Roch
Kubatko
read more...
August 20, 2025
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Ty Madden (shoulder) is said to be completing a return-to-play throwing progression, however, the right-hander is not expected to return to the mound this season, even inclusive of any potential minor league rehab assignment, per manager A.J. Hinch. The 25-year-old strained his throwing shoulder in the spring and is now expected to miss the entire season. The 6-foot-3 hurler debuted with the Tigers in 2024, pitching to a 4.30 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and an 8.9 percent K-BB% in six appearances (one start, 23 innings pitched). He was unable to replicate the strikeout stuff he maintained in the minors, owning a career 28.2 percent strikeout rate below the big leagues. The Tigers are looking for him to have a "productive offseason," so it sounds like he is in the team's plans for 2026, although it is unclear whether it will be as a starter or a reliever.
--Jarod RuppSource: Evan Woodbery
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
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