September 16, 2025
San Diego Padres infielder
Luis Arraez (head) is starting at second base and will hit second in Tuesday's series opener in New York against the Mets and right-hander
Clay Holmes. Arraez was hit in the head by a throw during warmups on Saturday and got the day off in Sunday's series finale against the Colorado Rockies, but he's back in there at Citi Field after a travel day on Monday. As always, the 28-year-old offers virtually zero power, but he does make contact often and helps fantasy managers with a high batting average. He's been swinging a hot bat for the Friars of late, so you'll want to get him back into your starting lineups. Arraez has gone 7-for-17 in his last four games and is batting a cool .333 in 12 games in September. He has hit .600 with a 1.714 OPS and two RBI in just five career at-bats against Holmes.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 16, 2025
Athletics outfielder
Tyler Soderstrom (groin) is still out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's game at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.
Max Schuemann is making the start in left field and will hit ninth against Red Sox left-handed rookie
Connelly Early. This will be the fifth straight game that Soderstrom has missed due to groin tightness, so he's definitely a candidate to go on the injured list and potentially miss the rest of the season if he cannot get back on the field soon. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter has been one of the bright spots for a young A's ball club this year, hitting .275 (144-for-523) with 24 home runs, 88 RBI, 70 runs, and eight stolen bases. The former first-rounder will be even more valuable in fantasy going into 2026 with outfield eligibility. Schuemann will be a weak DFS sleeper in the nine-hole. He's hitting just over .200 with two homers in his 167 at-bats.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 16, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop prospect Elijah Hainline was promoted to Double-A Tulsa on Monday, just in time for the Double-A playoffs, which will begin Tuesday night. The 2024 seventh-rounder began the season at Single-A and was promoted to High-A after 66 games. The Oregon State product played in 40 games for the Loons, batting .273 with four home runs and seven steals, while maintaining a strong 15.2 percent walk rate that helped him to a .394 OBP. He even had a brief five-game stint at Triple-A midseason when
Alex Freeland went on the injured list. Double-A is where he'll likely spend his time next year, with the possibility of a major league debut by 2027, although he is not considered a dynasty stash at this point.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com - Transactions Page
September 16, 2025
Seattle Mariners infield prospect
Colt Emerson is getting promoted to Triple-A Tacoma to finish out the 2025 season. The Mariners' top-ranked prospect began the season at High-A and was promoted after 90 games in early August, logging 34 games at Double-A Arkansas. All in all, the former first-round draft pick slashed .281/.380/.446 with 14 home runs and 13 steals in 124 games. He also registered better-than-average strikeout (17.3 percent) and walk rates (11.9 percent). The 20-year-old was riding a nine-game hit streak before his promotion and was hitting .360 (18-for-50) in September, with five doubles, five steals, and an 8:9 BB:K in 11 games this month. The left-handed slugger could start at Triple-A next season and should make his major league debut at some point in the 2026 campaign.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tacoma Rainiers
September 16, 2025
Boston Red Sox pitching prospect
Luis Perales (elbow) is expected to make his debut at Triple-A Worcester this week. Boston's ninth-ranked prospect made his season debut at Double-A on Saturday, pitching one inning where he allowed one walk, no hits, and he did not strike out a batter. The 22-year-old is returning from Tommy John surgery, which he needed after throwing just 33 2/3 innings in 2024. The right-hander has big-time strikeout stuff, fanning 32.3 percent of batters he's faced during his time in the minors, and the walk rate improved a great deal in his limited action in 2024. The 6-foot-1 Venezuelan could make his MLB debut as soon as next year, so even redraft managers should be familiar with him, and if he can keep the walks down, it should be as a starter and not as a reliever.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tommy Cassell
September 16, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates first base/catcher prospect
Rafael Flores is getting called up from Triple-A Indianapolis for what will be his major league debut. The Pirates' eighth-ranked prospect came over to Pittsburgh in the trade that sent
David Bednar to the Yankees in early August. During his time at Indianapolis, the 24-year-old hit .281 with six home runs in 36 games, and for the season, he is slashing a solid .280/.354/.470 with 22 home runs. The strikeout rate is somewhat elevated at 25.7 percent, but if he can continue to hit for power while drawing walks at a decent rate, it may not matter. Current Pirate backstops
Joey Bart and
Henry Davis have combined for eight home runs this season and are hitting a combined .201, so Flores could provide an offensive boost at the position, although he won't be fantasy relevant unless he's getting regular starts, which remains to be seen.
--Jarod RuppSource: Noah Hiles
September 16, 2025
Washington Nationals pitching prospect
Jarlin Susana (lat) underwent surgery on his ailing right lat sometime last week. The Nats' third-ranked prospect exited his last start on August 30 in clear pain and was placed on the injured list on September 3. The right-hander also missed two months in the middle of the season due to a UCL sprain, so he's been limited to just 11 starts at Double-A this year, where he posted a 3.61 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings pitched. It isn't clear how long he'll need to recover, but expect the 21-year-old to be back at Double-A next season whenever he returns, with Triple-A and a major league debut at some point both on the table as well.
--Jarod RuppSource: Spencer Nusbaum
September 16, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever
Daniel Palencia (shoulder) threw off a mound on Monday for the first time since going on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 8 with a right-shoulder strain. Palencia resumed playing catch on Sept. 12 and has continued his rehab with positive results. While there's no timetable on the 25-year-old's return, it seems he has a good chance to return before the end of the month if he can avoid setbacks as he continues to ramp up. Palencia will be a big part of Chicago's bullpen for the postseason, as he has converted 22 of his 25 save opportunities this year and has a 3.00 ERA in 52 games pitched. With Palencia sidelined, both
Brad Keller and
Andrew Kittredge have picked up saves, but Kittredge is manager Craig Counsell's preferred option in the ninth inning, having saved three games in the last week.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Associated Press
September 16, 2025
Chicago Cubs catcher
Miguel Amaya (ankle) is not back to 100 percent, but MLB.com reports he will start at designated hitter for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. Manager Craig Counsell is hopeful that Amaya will be able to catch in rehab games later in the week. The 26-year-old backstop landed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 14 with a left-ankle sprain, but barring a setback on his rehab assignment, he should be able to rejoin the Cubs before the end of September. Amaya suffered an ankle injury in his first game back from the IL since late May due to a strained left oblique, so it's been an injury-plagued year for him, to say the least. When he returns, he'll give the Cubbies another option behind starter
Carson Kelly at catcher for the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. Amaya has played in only 28 games this year and has gone 27-for-96 (.281) with four homers and 25 RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 16, 2025
Houston Astros right-hander
Lance McCullers Jr. (hand) went on the 15-day injured list last Friday with right-hand soreness, and he might not be able to return before the end of the regular season. "There's a chance that this is the last that we've seen of him," general manager Dana Brown said. "Is it possible he could get back for the last couple of games? There's probably an outside chance, but highly unlikely." The Athletic's Chandler Rome writes there are "few permutations" that exist where McCullers is a logical fit for potential playoff rosters, too. The 31-year-old just hasn't been able to stay healthy and had a 6.88 ERA and 1.85 WHIP in his 52 1/3 innings for the Astros this season. His usage before his injury came as basically a last resort out of the bullpen. McCullers will need a completely healthy offseason -- something he hasn't had since 2021 -- to have any hope of bouncing back next year.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
September 16, 2025
Detroit Tigers ace
Tarik Skubal (side) exited a loss to the Miami Marlins last Friday with pain in his left side. After imaging came back clean over the weekend, Skubal has gotten through the past few days without any problems and remains "penciled in" to start on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, manager A.J. Hinch told MLB Network Radio. In the latest positive step, Skubal threw a "normal bullpen" session on Monday, Hinch said. Barring any unforeseen issues, he should be ready to take on the Guardians, whom he has thrived against this year. Skubal has thrown 16 scoreless, five-hit innings with 23 strikeouts and no walks versus Cleveland in two starts. Overall, the reigning AL Cy Young winner has gone 13-5 with a 2.26 ERA, a .86 WHIP, and 224:28 K:BB in 183 1/3 frames.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB Network Radio
September 16, 2025
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Dean Kremer (forearm) will start against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Kremer exited his most recent outing on Sept. 5 with forearm soreness, leading the Orioles to skip his next turn through the rotation. The 29-year-old will return after missing one start to take on a Chicago offense that ranks 26th in the majors in runs and 28th in OPS. Kremer faced the White Sox on May 31 and fired six innings of one-run ball with 7:2 K:BB to pick up a win. He has gone 9-10 with a 4.43 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and 132:41 K:BB in 158 1/3 innings this season.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 16, 2025
San Francisco Giants left-hander
Carson Whisenhunt (back) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento and throw two innings on Tuesday. The rookie has been on the 15-day injured list with a back strain since Aug. 28, and he could rejoin a shorthanded Giants rotation when he returns. The Giants are also without
Landen Roupp (knee), who suffered a season-ending knee injury in late August, leaving them scrambling to fill in their rotation as they vie for an NL wild-card spot. They'll start reliever
Tristan Beck in a crucial game against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Whisenhunt, 24, has gone 2-1 with a 5.01 ERA, a 1.46 WHIP, and 16:12 K:BB over five starts and 23 1/3 innings since he received his first promotion to the majors in late July.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 16, 2025
San Francisco Giants right-handed reliever
Tristan Beck will start on Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. It'll be the first start of the season for Beck, who has made 26 appearances in relief this year and amassed 48 innings of 4.88 ERA ball with a 1.10 WHIP, 36 strikeouts, and 14 walks. The 29-year-old has thrown multiple innings in four straight appearances, maxing out at 63 pitches, so he should be able to give the Giants a little bit of length in what will be a bullpen game for the NL wild-card contenders.
--Connor ByrneSource: Shayna Rubin - The San Francisco Chronicle
September 16, 2025
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Kyle Tucker (calf) began running on Monday, according to MLB.com. However, he admitted that his recovery from a strained left calf is taking longer than anticipated. "It hasn't gone as quickly as I would have hoped," he said. Manager Craig Counsell revealed that there hasn't been "much progress" since Tucker went on the 10-day injured list on Sept. 9 (retroactive to Sept. 6). While the 28-year-old has been able to hit and throw without issue, his return does not look imminent. It's unclear if Tucker will return during the regular season, but with the Cubs all but guaranteed an NL wild-card spot, they don't have to rush him back this month. With Tucker down,
Willi Castro has gotten the lion's share of starts in right field.
--Connor ByrneSource: Patrick Mooney - The Athletic
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