September 5, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge (elbow) is making the start in right field on Friday against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander
Kevin Gausman in the Bronx and is hitting third in the batting order. This will be the first time that Judge has handled outfield duties since late July when he went down with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The 33-year-old reigning MVP has been working through a throwing program for a while, but the Yankees were never in a rush to get him back on defense until he was fully ready. Now that Judge is able to play defense again, it will open up the designated hitter spot for right-handed slugger
Giancarlo Stanton. Judge should obviously be in all starting fantasy lineups on Friday, and he's hitting a robust .356 with a 1.322 OPS, six home runs and 12 RBI in 45 career at-bats against Gausman.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 5, 2025
Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Grant Umberger was promoted to High-A Winston-Salem after having a terrific season at Single-A Kannapolis. The 23-year-old appeared in 24 games for the Cannon Ballers (17 starts), where he pitched to a 2.56 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and struck out 113 batters in 102 innings pitched, which was the second-most in the Carolina League. The 6-foot-4 southpaw recorded a 19.5 percent K-BB% and astoundingly only allowed one home run all season. Umberger is not currently listed in Chicago's top 30 prospects, but could find himself in there at some point next season.
--Jarod RuppSource: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
September 5, 2025
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Cam Caminiti put an exclamation point on his 2025 season on Thursday, tossing six innings of shutout ball for Single-A Augusta. The southpaw allowed two hits and three walks while striking out seven in the contest. The Braves' top-ranked prospect will finish the year with a 2.08 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a 20.9 percent K-BB%, striking out 75 batters in 56 1/3 innings pitched (11.98 K/9). The 19-year-old will surely get a shot at High-A hitters next year and could even get to Double-A if he has continued success. The 6-foot-2 hurler should be stashed away as soon as possible in dynasty leagues, as he also pitches for an organization that isn't shy about bringing pitchers up from Double-A if they believe they are ready, although he'll still be 19 for most of next season, so perhaps 2027 is a more reasonable ETA.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 5, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Kendall George went 3-for-4 at the plate on Thursday, and he also walked once. Reaching base four times was not the most impressive feat he accomplished during the game, though, as he also stole four bases in the contest. That put him over 100 steals for the season, giving him 101 steals in 111 games at High-A Great Lakes. The Dodgers' 25th-ranked prospect has been wreaking havoc on the basepaths all season, recording six steals in a single game earlier this year, and he swiped 15 bags in just his last five games alone. However, the 20-year-old is not just a one-trick pony, as he is also batting .295 with a phenomenal .409 OBP, which is partially propped up by a 16.3 percent walk rate that is also better than his strikeout rate of 15.2 percent. The former first-round draft pick will be running wild at the upper levels of the minors next year and could be in the majors by 2027. With his ability to put the bat on the ball, keen eye, and lightning speed, he's a name dynasty managers should consider stashing away.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 5, 2025
Per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, it sounds as though St. Louis Cardinals first baseman
Willson Contreras' six-game suspension has been reduced to four games. Contreras will begin serving his four-game suspension on Friday night and will not be available for the series opener versus the visiting San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. He will not be eligible to return to the field until the second game of the series next Tuesday in Seattle against the Mariners. The 33-year-old veteran was tossed out of a game on Aug. 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he tossed his bat, which ended up hitting the home-plate umpire.
Alec Burleson (wrist) is currently on the injured list, so it's possible we'll see
Nolan Gorman shift to first base, with
Cesar Prieto or
Jose Fermin starting at third this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
September 5, 2025
Athletics outfield prospect
Henry Bolte (wrist) was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, and he is expected to undergo surgery this week on his injured wrist. It is an unfortunate end to a strong season that saw the Athletics' sixth-ranked prospect earn a promotion from Double-A and go on to hit .300 with a .404 OBP thanks to a strong 11.3 percent walk rate and steal 13 bases in 34 games for the Aviators. There is some concern about his strikeout rate, which is 32.8 percent during his minor league career, but his speed and ability to draw walks help to offset that, while there could also be more power to be unlocked. The 22-year-old will likely start 2026 at Triple-A, but has a real shot to make his major league debut next season, and he could become an intriguing fantasy asset down the line.
--Jarod RuppSource: Bill Moriarity
September 5, 2025
Miami Marlins third baseman
Connor Norby (undisclosed) is going back on the 10-day injured list with an undisclosed injury on Friday, according to Craig Mish. In a corresponding move, the Fish are recalling infielder
Maximo Acosta from Triple-A Jacksonville, and he'll be a candidate to see playing time at the hot corner going forward. It's been an injury-plagued year for the 25-year-old Norby, who has played in only 77 games in his first full year in Miami while slashing .247/.298/.373 with a below-average .671 OPS, six home runs, 31 RBI, 36 runs scored and seven stolen bases. Depending on the specific nature of Norby's injury, he could very well miss the rest of the regular season with less than a month left of play. In addition to Acosta,
Javier Sanoja could also see regular playing time at third in Miami with Norby out again.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
September 5, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect Rainel Rodriguez was promoted to High-A Peoria on Thursday, his second promotion of the year. The Cards' fourth-ranked prospect cruised through the Complex League, and although he hit just .249 at Single-A Palm Beach, he hit .304 (24-for-79) over his last 20 games there, including four doubles and seven home runs. The 18-year-old struck out at a better-than-average rate of 17.7 percent at Single-A while registering a strong 14.0 percent walk rate that helped him to a .373 OBP. With 20 home runs on the year and at such a young age, the Dominican backstop has some serious pop, and was not intimidated in his first game at High-A, going 3-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored in his debut. Rodriguez could start flying up top prospect lists, and dynasty managers should be keeping a close eye on him.
--Jarod RuppSource: Minor League Baseball on X
September 5, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds announced on Friday that they activated catcher
Tyler Stephenson (thumb) from the 10-day injured list and optioned catcher
Will Banfield to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. The Reds also outrighted right-hander
Joe La Sorsa to Louisville. The Reds have not released their starting lineup yet for Friday's series opener against the visiting New York Mets, but Stephenson should be behind the plate against left-hander
David Peterson. With Stephenson now back from the IL, it will push veteran
Jose Trevino back to a backup role in Cincinnati. Stephenson suffered a fractured left thumb three weeks ago but is already back with the team as they look to get into the postseason in the final month of the regular season. Stephenson hasn't been nearly as good as he was in 2024, as he's hit just .226 with nine homers and 36 RBI in 72 games for Cincy in his sixth MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cincinnati Reds
September 5, 2025
The New York Mets announced on Friday that they optioned right-hander
Kodai Senga to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled right-hander
Wander Suero to the major-league roster in a corresponding move. The Mets had been debating this move for a while now for the struggling Senga, who had to approve the move. The 32-year-old Japanese hurler has really struggled since the All-Star break, posting a rough 6.56 ERA and 0-3 record with 35 strikeouts and 22 walks in 35 2/3 innings over eight starts, so the Mets will send him to the farm for now in hopes that he can figure it out and return to the club for the stretch run and potentially the postseason. New York has the luxury of doing so after rookie right-handed pitching prospects
Nolan McLean and
Jonah Tong have looked good since their call-ups. There's no guarantee Senga will return to the Mets' starting rotation in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Mets
September 5, 2025
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Kyle Tucker (calf) is out of the starting lineup again for Friday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field.
Willi Castro will make the start in right field and will bat sixth against Nationals right-hander
Jake Irvin. Tucker was pulled from Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves with calf tightness and will now miss a second straight game. It's somewhat concerning that Tucker isn't back in there following an off day on Thursday, but it doesn't mean he won't return at some point this weekend against the Nats. Manager Craig Counsell said the team is hopeful the 28-year-old left-handed hitter can return this weeknd, potentially as the designated hitter. Since a cold spell in August, Tucker has gotten back on track at the plate, so it's a bad time for him to sit out due to injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 5, 2025
Washington Nationals outfielder
Dylan Crews isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs and right-hander
Javier Assad.
Daylen Lile will take Crews' place in right field and bat cleanup. This season has been a struggle for Crews, the second overall pick in the 2023 draft. He got off to a poor start before sitting out almost three months with an oblique strain. Since he returned on Aug. 14, Crews has gone 13-for-62 (.210) with no homers, four RBI, 10 runs scored, three stolen bases, and 16:8 K:BB in 19 games. The 23-year-old has taken 244 trips to the plate this season and put together a .200/.279/.341 line with seven HRs, 19 RBI, 34 runs, and 14 steals.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 5, 2025
Washington Nationals outfielder
Jacob Young (back) is not in the lineup on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
Robert Hassell III will play center field and bat eighth in a meeting with right-hander
Javier Assad. Young left a 5-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday with back spasms and didn't play on Wednesday. The Nationals were idle on Thursday, and Young will get another day off before a potential weekend return. The glove-first 26-year-old has played in 105 games this season and hit .235/.303/.287 with one homer, 26 RBI, 31 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 326 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 5, 2025
The New York Yankees have reinstated outfielder
Austin Slater (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned catcher
J.C. Escarra to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. Slater is back after missing a month with a strained left hamstring - an injury he suffered less than a week after the Yankees acquired him from the Chicago White Sox. Slater is 0-for-7 as a Yankee and has hit .223/.284/.400 with five homers, 12 RBI, and 20 runs scored in 142 plate appearances in 2025. The 32-year-old will give the Yankees some extra outfield depth over the final few weeks of the season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Bryan Hoch - MLB.com
September 5, 2025
Washington Nationals right-hander
Josiah Gray (elbow) will start for High-A Wilmington on Sunday, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com. It'll be Gray's first game action since he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal-brace procedure in July 2024. Gray only made two starts last season (none after April 4), but he was an All-Star out of the Nationals' rotation in 2023. He racked up 30 starts that year and recorded a 3.91 ERA with a 1.46 WHIP, 143 strikeouts, and 80 walks in 159 innings. The 27-year-old isn't expected to return to the majors this season, but he could push for a rotation spot next spring.
--Connor ByrneSource: Mark Zuckerman - MASNSports.com
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