August 19, 2025
San Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill (ankle) is not in the lineup on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants.
Ramon Laureano will take over in center field and hit sixth versus Giants right-hander
Kai-Wei Teng, while
Gavin Sheets will play left and bat seventh. This is the second straight night off for Merrill, who rolled his left ankle in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday. He started the Padres' next two games against the Dodgers over the weekend, but he left early on Sunday and hasn't played since. While it doesn't appear likely that Merrill will require a stint on the 10-day injured list, fantasy managers should check back on Wednesday to see if he returns to the lineup.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 19, 2025
Cincinnati Reds catcher
Tyler Stephenson (thumb) will miss his fourth straight game on Tuesday as a result of a sore left thumb.
Jose Trevino will do the catching and hit seventh against Los Angeles Angels right-hander
Kyle Hendricks. Stephenson, who hasn't played since last Friday, has hit a woeful 3-for-27 (.111) with one home run and two RBI in eight games this month. This has been a disappointing campaign overall for the 29-year-old, owner of a .226/.313/.393 line with nine homers, 36 RBI, and 32 runs scored across 288 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: mlb.com
August 19, 2025
Texas Rangers catcher
Kyle Higashioka (hamstring) remains out of action for Tuesday's game on the road against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Jonah Heim will do the catching again for right-hander
Merrill Kelly and will bat ninth against Royals right-hander
Seth Lugo. Higashioka is dealing with what is considered a mild hamstring injury, but it has now caused him to miss the last four games. It could quickly become an injured list situation if the 35-year-old veteran cannot return to the diamond soon. Higgy hasn't been as productive at the plate in Texas while sharing time behind the dish with Heim as he was for the San Diego Padres last year. He's currently batting .256 (57-for-223) with eight homers, 33 RBI and 24 runs. Heim has one more homer than Higashioka but is hitting a meager .218 (70-for-321) in 97 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August
19,
2025
Kansas
City
Royals
catcher
Salvador
Perez
(illness)
is
out
of
the
starting
lineup
for
the
second
straight
day
due
to
an
illness
in
the
second
game
of
the
series
on
Tuesday
against
the
visiting
Texas
Rangers.
read more...
August 19, 2025
Texas Rangers starting pitcher
Jacob deGrom (shoulder) has been scratched from Wednesday's start against the Kansas City Royals. This is never something you want to see given deGrom's injury history. The reasoning for deGrom being pulled off this start is because of right-shoulder fatigue. It sounds like this move is more precautionary with deGrom already at 140 1/3 innings this season. This is the first time that deGrom has surpassed 100 innings in a single season since 2019. He'll likely be evaluated by the team before pitching again. If everything comes back clean, deGrom should be in line to start against the Los Angeles Angels next week.
--Andy WebbSource: Kennedi Landry
August 19, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) appears to have avoided a serious injury. Guerrero was forced to make an early exit from Monday's game due to a hamstring issue. He underwent an MRI that only revealed left hamstring inflammation. For now, Guerrero is being considered day-to-day, so it sounds like he'll avoid a trip to the injured list. He'll likely take a few days off and the team will re-evaluate him then. In the meantime,
Ty France will take over at first base during Tuesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
--Andy WebbSource: Arden Zwelling
August 19, 2025
Houston Astros starting pitcher
Lance McCullers Jr. (finger) will be activated from the 15-day injured list and start against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, according to manager Joe Espada. McCullers has been sidelined since mid-July due to a blister on his finger. The right-hander looked good during his most recent rehab outing where he allowed one run over five innings with five strikeouts. There was no word on McCullers being limited, so he figures to have a full workload on Friday. The right-hander hasn't been much of a fantasy option this season, so he won't be a recommended streaming option.
--Andy WebbSource: Matt Kawahara
August 19, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher
Johan Oviedo will be recalled to take the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, according to interim manager
Don Kelly. Oviedo has only pitched one inning for the Pirates this season. He tossed one inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits in an outing against the San Francisco Giants in early August. He figures to get a fair chance to earn a spot in the rotation down the stretch. Oviedo was a decent option for the Pirates during the 2023 campaign. The 27-year-old isn't an ideal streaming option against a tough Blue Jays lineup.
--Andy WebbSource: Colin Beazley
August 19, 2025
The Atlanta Braves have claimed outfielder
Jake Fraley (knee) off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. Fraley was designated for assignment by the Reds over the weekend. The veteran outfielder has struggled with a .232/.332/.387 slash line with six home runs, 23 RBI, and four steals across 67 games this season. He'll head into his final year of arbitration eligibility next year, so the Braves will have another year of control. Fraley has shown success at the MLB level before, so not a bad idea for Atlanta. The assumption is that Fraley will play a bench role, which means there won't be much fantasy value.
--Andy WebbSource: Atlanta Braves
August 19, 2025
Seattle Mariners outfielder
Victor Robles (shoulder) was issued a 10-game suspension for his actions during a rehab game on Sunday. Robles threw his bat towards pitcher
Joey Estes after getting hit by a pitch in the third inning. That resulted in Robles getting immediately ejected from the contest. The suspension must be served at the MLB level, which means it won't start until he returns from the injured list. Robles has been sidelined since early April due to a dislocated shoulder. It's unclear at the moment when Robles will be activated. He's not someone that needs to be rostered right now, especially with this suspension looming.
--Andy WebbSource: Seattle Times
August 19, 2025
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Adley Rutschman (abdomen) has been scratched from the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park due to right-abdominal discomfort, according to the team.
Alex Jackson will now do the catching for right-hander
Tomoyuki Sugano and bat ninth against Red Sox right-hander
Walker Buehler. Rutschman also did not play in the series opener on Monday, and the 27-year-old's abdominal injury could help explain why he has only three hits in his last 29 games over seven games. With an off day coming on Wednesday, fantasy managers will be hoping that he can return for Thursday's series opener against the Houston Astros. It's been Rutschman's worst MLB season in his fourth year, as he's currently slashing .227/.310/.373 with only nine homers, 29 RBI and 37 runs in just 85 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Sun - Matt Weyrich
August 19, 2025
Atlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley (abdomen) felt more soreness while working out on Tuesday, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Gabe Burns thinks it doesn't seem like Riley is going to return any time soon. The 28-year-old has missed most of the month of August while on the 10-day injured list with a strained lower abdominal muscle. Riley is still trying to return this season, but with the Braves nowhere near playoff contention, the Braves aren't going to rush him back, which means there's a possibility he could get shut down if he doesn't see improvement soon. At the very least, fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect him to return until at least some point in September. In the meantime,
Nacho Alvarez Jr. should continue to see most of the playing time at the hot corner in Atlanta. Riley has hit .260 (108-for-416) with 16 homers and 54 RBI in 102 games in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
August 19, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies announced on Tuesday that they reinstated left-handed reliever
Jose Alvarado from the restricted list and optioned right-hander
Nolan Hoffman to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move. Left-hander
Josh Walker was also designated for assignment. Alvarado will return to the big leagues for the first time since mid-May after it was announced that he was handed an 80-game suspension by MLB for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw will return to the Phillies without as much fantasy appeal now that right-hander
Jhoan Duran is the team's unquestioned closer. Alvarado should remain fantasy relevant in holds leagues, though, and the Venezuelan had a nice 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 25 strikeouts and seven saves in his 20 innings at the time of his suspension.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Phillies
August
19,
2025
Toronto
Blue
Jays
first
baseman
Vladimir
Guerrero
Jr.
(hamstring)
is
absent
from
the
team's
starting
lineup
on
Tuesday
in
Pittsburgh
against
the
Pirates
for
the
second
game
of
the
series.
Ty
France
is
read more...
August 19, 2025
Chicago White Sox rookie shortstop
Colson Montgomery (side) will take a seat for Tuesday's affair in Atlanta against the hosting Braves at Truist Park. Fellow rookie
Chase Meidroth will get the nod at the 6 and will hit ninth against Braves right-hander
Bryce Elder. Montgomery will take the day off after he was taken out of Monday's series opener early with left-side soreness. The 23-year-old is day-to-day for now, but this could easily turn into an injured list situation if it turns out to be an oblique pull. Check back on Wednesday to see if he's feeling good enough to play in the series finale in Atlanta. The former first-rounder in 2021 has gone only 29-for-132 (.220) in his first 38 big-league games this year, but Montgomery is showing plenty of power with 10 homers, four doubles, a triple and 28 RBI in his 145 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
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