Bubba Chandler Shines on Saturday
Bubba Chandler turned in the best start of his young career in a 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Chandler, who did not factor into the decision, took a perfect game into the sixth inning before allowing two singles and an earned run. The Pirates pulled him after six, and Chandler finished the game with seven strikeouts and no walks on 81 pitches (56 strikes). It was an encouraging bounce-back performance by the 22-year-old, who the Milwaukee Brewers rocked for nine earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his first career start last Sunday. In five appearances since the Pirates promoted him on Aug. 22, Chandler has recorded a 5.66 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP, 19 strikeouts, and four walks over 20 2/3 frames. He's scheduled to make his next start on Friday against the Athletics.
Source: ESPN
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Source: ESPN
Salvador Perez Reaches 300 Home Runs, 1,000 RBI
Salvador Perez had a Saturday afternoon to remember in an 8-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 35-year-old finished 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and three runs batted in, giving him 300 HRs and 1,000 RBI for his career. Perez, the eighth primary catcher to reach the 300-HR mark, entered Saturday mired in a severe slump that has lasted for over a month. After putting up a .621 OPS in August, Perez has gone just 8-for-45 (.177) in September, though he has smacked four HRs in that 12-game span. Despite an unspectacular .235/.277/.445 line in 584 plate appearances this year, Perez ranks third among catchers in RBI (84) and fourth in homers (27). He has a shot at the second 30-HR campaign of his career.
Source: Jaylon Thompson - The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Royals catcher Source: Jaylon Thompson - The Kansas City Star
Jose Altuve Exits Early With Foot Discomfort
Jose Altuve (foot) left early in a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday with discomfort in his right foot. Altuve went 1-for-2 with a single before the Astros brought in Ramon Urias to replace him at second in the bottom of the third inning. Manager Joe Espada said afterward that the Astros were being "cautious" in taking out Altuve, who's now being evaluated. Although Altuve has only hit .212 since the start of August, this has been yet another productive season for the nine-time All-Star. He has slashed .264/.327/.443 with 25 homers, 70 RBI, 77 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 612 plate appearances. The Astros should have an update on his status before Sunday's series finale against the Braves.
Source: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros second baseman/outfielder Source: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
Juan Soto Smashes 40th Home Run on Saturday
Juan Soto crushed his 40th home run of the season in a 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers on Saturday. Along with his 414-foot solo shot, Soto singled during a 2-for-5 day. The Mets have been in free-fall mode and may miss the playoffs despite Soto's best efforts to keep the team afloat in September. He has gone 17-for-47 (.361) with five homers, 13 RBI, 10 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 12 games this month. In his first season as a Met, the 26-year-old superstar has slashed a superb .264/.398/.529 with 97 RBI, 113 runs, and a shocking 32 steals. Soto entered 2025 with a career high of 12 SBs, but he now has the first 40-30 season of his remarkable career.
Source: ESPN
New York Mets outfielder Source: ESPN
Shawn Armstrong Earns Ninth Save
Shawn Armstrong closed out a 3-2 win over the New York Mets on Saturday to record his ninth save of the season. The right-hander came on in relief of Phil Maton with one out and a runner on first in the bottom of the ninth inning. Armstrong allowed a single, but he struck out the other two hitters he faced (Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo) to secure the victory for the Rangers. Armstrong has converted all four of his save opportunities in September while giving up just one run in 6 2/3 innings. He owns a 2.43 ERA with a .83 WHIP, 66 strikeouts, and 19 walks over 66 2/3 frames this season.
Source: MLB.com
Texas Rangers reliever Source: MLB.com
Dominic Smith Placed on 10-Day Injured List, Likely Done for Regular Season
Dominic Smith (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring. It appears he'll sit out longer than that, though, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Smith will probably miss the final 15 games of the Giants' regular season. Smith injured himself on a stretch play on Friday, forcing him to leave early in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants are now tied for the last NL wild-card spot, so Smith may be able to help them in October if they earn a playoff berth. The 30-year-old has been a nice in-season pickup for the Giants, who signed him in early June. Smith has hit .284/.333/.417 with five homers, 33 RBI, 26 runs, and two steals in 65 games and 225 plate appearances as a Giant. With Smith out, Wilmer Flores should see an increase in playing time. He started at DH against the Dodgers on Saturday.
Source: Susan Slusser - San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Giants have placed first baseman Source: Susan Slusser - San Francisco Chronicle
Trey Yesavage Heading to Big Leagues
Trey Yesavage is set to be promoted to the big leagues. Yesavage is a former first-round pick of the organization from the 2024 draft. The right-hander has been impressive during his first season in pro ball. He holds a 3.12 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 160/41 K/BB ratio across 25 games (22 starts) between four different minor league levels this season. The 22-year-old appears ready to take the next step into the big leagues. At the moment, it's unclear when Yesavage will make his MLB debut. The plan is for Jays' manager John Schneider to address the situation on Sunday. It depends on the circumstances, but Yesavage should be worth a look as a streaming option in mixed leagues at the minimum.
Source: Ben Nicholson-Smith
According to Ben Nicholson-Smith, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Source: Ben Nicholson-Smith
Zach Neto Remains Out on Saturday
Zach Neto (hand) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Seattle Mariners. This marks the second game in a row that Neto will head to the bench. He injured his hand during Thursday's game, so hopefully he won't require a stint on the injured list. For now, fantasy managers should consider Neto as day-to-day. Denzer Guzman will start at shortstop and bat seventh versus right-hander Bryan Woo on Saturday. Fantasy managers should check back on Sunday for another update on Neto.
Source: mlb.com
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Source: mlb.com
Jo Adell Returning on Saturday
Jo Adell (illness) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Seattle Mariners. Adell has missed each of the last two games while battling vertigo. In fact, Adell has been held out of the lineup in four of the last five contests due to the issue. It appears that Adell is feeling good enough to play on Saturday. He'll bat cleanup and cover right field during Saturday's contest. Fantasy managers better make sure to get him into their lineups. In September, Adell is hitting .355 with five homers and 12 RBI in nine games.
Source: mlb.com
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Source: mlb.com
Brandon Sproat Excellent in No-Decision
Brandon Sproat was outstanding on the mound during Saturday's start against the Texas Rangers. Sproat was making his second career start and looked like a pro on the mound. He tossed six scoreless innings, allowing six hits, while striking out three batters in the no-decision. Sproat exited the game after 70 pitches and in line for the win. Sadly, Edwin Diaz blew the game in the ninth inning, but that shouldn't take anything away from Sproat's excellent performance. He'll take a 2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a 10/4 K/BB ratio into his next start versus the Washington Nationals. The rookie right-hander is looking like a solid streaming choice for that one.
Source: mlb.com
New York Mets starting pitcher Source: mlb.com
Keider Montero to Start on Sunday
Keider Montero will draw the start against the Miami Marlins on Sunday. It looks like Montero will get the first chance to take the rotation spot of Sawyer Gipson-Long (neck) who landed on the injured list. Montero is no stranger to the starting rotation as he has made nine starts for the Tigers this season. He holds a 4.60 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and a 58/27 K/BB ratio across 78.1 innings of work this season. The assumption is that Jose Urquidy will follow Montero out of the bullpen as the bulk reliever. Montero won't offer much streaming appeal for this game.
Source: Danielle Bruce
Detroit Tigers pitcher Source: Danielle Bruce
Will Smith Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Will Smith (hand) was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to September 11. The Dodgers tried to avoid this, but sadly, Smith wasn't improving quickly enough. He'll head to the shelf due to right-hand soreness, but will hopefully return before the end of the regular season. The Dodgers had to make this move as they couldn't keep playing shorthanded. Smith has missed nine of the last 10 games, so it was time for him to be placed on the IL. In a corresponding move, Chuckie Robinson has been recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. He figures to split up the playing time behind the plate with Ben Rortvedt.
Source: Fabian Ardaya
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Source: Fabian Ardaya
Tyler Soderstrom Remains Sidelined
Tyler Soderstrom (groin) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Soderstrom will miss his second straight game after being scratched ahead of Friday's contest. It sounds like he's still dealing with some groin tightness, so Soderstrom will miss at least one more game. The hope is that he'll be able to avoid the injured list. Although, groin injuries are tricky, so it wouldn't be shocking to see Soderstrom head to the shelf. For now, Carlos Cortes will pick up another start in left field for the A's. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on Soderstrom on Sunday.
Source: mlb.com
Athletics first baseman/outfielder Source: mlb.com
Tommy Edman Heads to the Bench on Saturday
Tommy Edman is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Edman will get a night off after going 1-for-8 during his two games since returning from the injured list. The Dodgers don't want to push anything, so they'll give Edman some time to rest and get his mind right. In his absence, Miguel Rojas covers second base while Andy Pages, Teoscar Hernandez, and Michael Conforto play the outfield on Saturday. Fantasy managers should expect Edman back in the lineup on Sunday.
Source: mlb.com
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder/outfielder Source: mlb.com
Matt McLain Idle on Saturday
Matt McLain is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Athletics. This appears to be a routine rest day for McLain who has started in each of the last 12 games. Over the last two weeks, McLain is slashing .289/.400/.605 with three home runs and six RBI. He's swinging a hot bat at the right time as the fantasy playoffs begin. However, he'll take a seat on Saturday as Gavin Lux takes over at second base against right-hander Luis Severino. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.
Source: mlb.com
Cincinnati Reds second baseman
Source: mlb.com