Spencer Strider Scratched from Sunday's Start
Spencer Strider has been scratched ahead of his scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners. Instead, Joey Wentz will take the mound for Sunday's contest. The plan is for Strider to be pushed back and start during the upcoming series versus the Chicago Cubs. This doesn't sound like it's injury related, but the Braves want to give Strider extra rest. Strider has struggled as he's allowed five runs or more in three of his last five starts. He gave up three runs and walked three batters during his most recent start against the Cubs. Strider is no longer a must-start fantasy option given his struggles this season.
Source: Mark Bowman
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Source: Mark Bowman
Framber Valdez to Start on Sunday
Framber Valdez will make the start against the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Previously, Luis Garcia was scheduled to start, but will have his outing pushed back. Now, Valdez is slated to take the mound for this important divisional matchup. Garica isn't dealing with an injury, so this move was either matchup related or to give Garcia extra rest. The expectation is that Garcia will move into Valdez spot in the rotation which was Tuesday versus the Toronto Blue Jays. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.
Source: Brian McTaggart
Houston Astros starting pitcher Source: Brian McTaggart
Michael Arroyo Exits With Apparent Hamstring Injury
Michael Arroyo exited Friday's game at Double-A Arkansas with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. The Mariners' sixth-ranked prospect suffered the injury attempting to beat out a grounder in the fourth inning of that contest. He has yet to be placed on the injured list, however, he was absent from the lineup on Saturday. If the injury requires an IL stint, it would likely end his season at this point. The 20-year-old began the year at High-A and earned a promotion to Double-A in June, where he hit just .255, but he lowered his strikeout rate from 21.1 percent to 15.6 percent while drawing walks at a 12.0 percent rate, allowing him to boast a .376 OBP. The 5-foot-10 Colombian also stole nine bases in 56 games for the Travelers, finishing with a .349 wOBA and 123 wRC+ at that level. Hitting .313 over his last nine games, the arrow is still pointing up for Arroyo, who has looked like a solid under-the-radar stash in dynasty formats and could be in the big leagues as early as late next season.
Source: MLB.com
Seattle Mariners infield prospect Source: MLB.com
Bobby Witt Jr. Considered Day-to-Day
Bobby Witt Jr. (back) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game. As a result, Witt sat out of Saturday's game due to back spasms. Luckily, the MRI showed no structural damage, so Witt isn't dealing with anything too serious. For now, fantasy managers should consider Witt as day-to-day. It wouldn't be shocking to see Witt miss a handful of games. Right now, it doesn't sound like this issue will force Witt onto the injured list. In his absence, Maikel Garcia and Nick Loftin should help try to fill the void at shortstop.
Source: Anne Rogers
Kansas City Royals shortstop Source: Anne Rogers
Luis Garcia a Healthy Scratch on Sunday
Luis Garcia won't make his scheduled start against the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Garcia is healthy, but the team has decided to push him back in the rotation. Instead, Framber Valdez will get the ball versus the Texas Rangers on Sunday. It sounds like Garcia will probably be pushed back until the Toronto Blue Jays series next week. Garcia tossed six innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out six batters during his season debut last Monday. The expectation is that the Astros are going to be careful with Garcia down the stretch of the season. Fantasy managers who have Valdez rostered should get him starting on Sunday.
Source: Chandler Rome
Houston Astros starting pitcher Source: Chandler Rome
Dean Kremer to Skip Next Start
Dean Kremer (forearm) is not expected to miss significant time. He was forced to make an early exit from Friday's start due to forearm discomfort. The right-hander was lifted after three scoreless innings, but doesn't appear to be dealing with anything serious. The MRI came back clean and didn't show any signs of structural damage. The O's plan to have Kremer skip his next turn in the rotation in order to rest. It sounds like the O's want to avoid placing Kremer on the injured list. The O's aren't in the playoff race and there's only three weeks left in the regular season. That being said, it's unclear if Kremer will actually take the mound again this season. The O's haven't said who will take over the vacant spot in the rotation.
Source: Danielle Allentuck
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Source: Danielle Allentuck
Hunter Brown Fires Six Scoreless Innings in Victory
Hunter Brown (11-7) earned his 11th win of the season with a lights-out performance against the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The Astros cruised to an 11-0 victory behind Brown, who threw six scoreless, four-hit innings and recorded eight strikeouts against three walks. The 27-year-old hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in a game since July 20 - an eight-start span - and has yielded just eight ER in 48 2/3 innings since July 26. Brown now boasts a 2.25 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP and 190:52 K:BB over 167 2/3 frames this season. He'll have a good chance to stay on a roll against a middling Atlanta Braves offense on Sept. 13.
Source: ESPN
Houston Astros ace right-hander Source: ESPN
Julio Rodriguez Reaches 30-Home Run Mark in Win
Julio Rodriguez starred in a 10-2 blowout of the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. Rodriguez finished 3-for-5 with team highs in homers (two), RBI (four), and runs scored (three) to continue an early September power surge. The 24-year-old has gone deep four times in five games this month and has now reached the 30-HR mark for the second time in four major league seasons. Rodriguez has added 86 RBI, 90 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases for good measure. The three-time All-Star is also slashing a solidly above-average .265/.317/.375 over 628 plate appearances.
Source: ESPN
Seattle Mariners outfielder Source: ESPN
Ryan Walker Implodes in Loss
Ryan Walker had an outing to forget in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. After Giants hurlers Justin Verlander, Joey Lucchesi, and Jose Butto combined for eight scoreless innings, Walker entered in the ninth to preserve a two-run lead. He wasn't up to the task. The right-hander faced five hitters and failed to retire any of them. Along with hitting a batter, he gave up four hits - including a walk-off double by Jordan Walker - en route to his fifth loss and sixth blown save of the season. The 29-year-old entered the game having surrendered just four earned runs since the start of July, but he nearly matched that total on Saturday. Walker now has a 3.93 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP, 55:14 K:BB, and 14 saves in 2025.
Source: ESPN
San Francisco Giants closer Source: ESPN
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Falls One Out Shy of No-Hitter
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was brilliant on Saturday in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Yamamoto came within one out of a no-hitter, throwing 8 2/3 near-spotless innings before Jackson Holliday spoiled his bid for history with a solo home run. That was the 112th pitch of the night for Yamamoto, whom the Dodgers immediately removed from the game. The 27-year-old left in position to collect his 12th win of the season, but the Dodgers' bullpen melted down in a shocking defeat. Yamamoto finished the night with 10 strikeouts and two walks in his second straight start with double-digit punchouts. He has now recorded four quality starts in a row and dropped his ERA to 2.72 with a 1.05 WHIP, 177 strikeouts, and 50 walks in 155 1/3 innings. The ace hurler will make his next start against the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 13. Yamamoto fired seven shutout innings against the Giants on July 13, but they teed off on him for five earned runs in 4 2/3 frames on June 13.
Source: ESPN
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Source: ESPN
David Bednar Nails Down Four-Out Save
David Bednar looked sharp in closing out a 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Bednar entered with two down and a man on second in the top of the eighth, and he put out the fire with a strikeout of Nathan Lukes. The right-hander stayed in for the ninth and retired the side in order, striking out Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Alejandro Kirk along the way. It took Bednar 21 pitches to collect his 21st save of the season and his fourth since the Yankees acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the July 31 trade deadline. Bednar has given up a mere four runs in 14 2/3 innings as a Yankee and has logged a 2.52 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 76:16 K:BB in 53 2/3 frames this season.
Source: ESPN
New York Yankees reliever Source: ESPN
Wilyer Abreu Begins Running
Wilyer Abreu (calf) ran for the first time in more than a week on Friday and did so again Saturday, manager Alex Cora told reporters. "He feels OK," Cora said. "It wasn't full speed, but better than last time he tried." Cora didn't indicate when Abreu could return from the 10-day injured list. The 26-year-old has been on the shelf with a right-calf injury since Aug. 18, and the hope then was that he would only require a minimum stay on the IL. Unfortunately for the Red Sox and fantasy managers, Abreu's absence is nearing the three-week mark with no clear end in sight. Abreu has set career highs in homers (22) and RBI (69) while slashing .253/.325/.486 with 52 runs scored and six stolen bases in 395 plate appearances.
Source: Tim Healey - Boston Globe
Boston Red Sox outfielder Source: Tim Healey - Boston Globe
Bubba Chandler to Make First Start on Sunday
Bubba Chandler is scheduled to make his first career big-league start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, according to interim manager Don Kelly. Chandler has made three four-inning outings for the Pirates since being recalled in late August. Now, Chandler is scheduled to make his first official big league start this weekend. It's unclear how deep he'll pitch into the game, but a four or five inning outing seems likely. Since being recalled, Chandler has allowed three runs on nine hits while striking out nine batters across 12 innings of work. He has promising long-term upside and is worth a look as a streaming option on Sunday.
Source: Danny Demilio
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Source: Danny Demilio
Jesus Luzardo Racks Up Eight Strikeouts
Jesus Luzardo had his swing-and-miss stuff going for him during Saturday's outing. Luzardo was brilliant early on as he tossed three scoreless innings. He was hit around for two runs on four hits in the fourth inning. However, Luzardo settled down and continued to have success after that. He finished with six innings of work, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out eight batters in the win over the Miami Marlins. He was a bit wild with four walks, but overall it was a good day for fantasy managers. Luzardo will take a 4.01 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 190/56 K/BB ratio into his next outing against the New York Mets.
Source: mlb.com
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Source: mlb.com
Tarik Skubal Looks Outstanding on Saturday
Tarik Skubal was excellent on the mound during Saturday's outing against the Chicago White Sox. Coming into this start, Skubal had allowed one earned run over his last three starts. His excellent pitching continued during Saturday's start. Skubal tossed seven shutout innings, allowing two hits while striking out six batters in the win. He only threw 90 pitches in this one, so he probably could've pitched deeper, but the Tigers didn't need him to do that. Skubal will take a 2.10 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 222/28 K/BB ratio into his next outing against the Miami Marlins.
Source: mlb.com
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Source: mlb.com