August 17, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. This comes a day after Lowe was scratched ahead of Saturday's contest due to oblique tightness. The organization is hopeful to avoid a stint on the injured list, but oblique issues sometimes are tricky.
Everson Pereira will take over center field while
Jake Mangum moves to right field against right-hander
Logan Webb on Sunday. Fantasy managers should check back on Tuesday for another update on Lowe. The Rays are off on Monday before beginning an important series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
August 17, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect
Nathan Church has been called up from Triple-A Memphis for his major league debut. The Cardinals' 14th-ranked prospect has hit well all season, including a .336 batting average at Double-A Springfield before earning a promotion to Triple-A at the beginning of June. The 25-year-old slashed .332/.396/.517 with seven home runs and eight steals in 52 games for the Redbirds, hitting safely in six of his last seven games before the promotion to the big leagues. The left-handed slugger will get the start in center field on Sunday and will bat ninth in the order. The former 11th-round draft pick doesn't strike out much, with a career 11.0 percent strikeout rate in the minors, and has some speed, but a lack of power and hitting at the bottom of the order are drawbacks for fantasy. As such, the UC-Irvine product should only be considered in deeper and NL-only leagues for now.
--Jarod RuppSource: John Denton
August 17, 2025
San Francisco Giants third baseman
Casey Schmitt (forearm) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Schmitt was hit by a pitch on the forearm during Friday's contest. The X-rays came back negative, so Schmitt shouldn't require a stint on the injured list. He sat out on Saturday and is absent on Sunday as well. Hopefully, Schmitt will be back in the mix early next week. In his absence,
Christian Koss will cover third base and bat sixth against right-hander
Ryan Pepiot on Sunday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
August 17, 2025
New York Yankees first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt (knee) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Goldschmidt is back in the mix after missing three games due to right knee soreness. He missed the first two games of this series, but will at least get to play one game against his former team. Goldschmidt was struggling at the plate before this injury, so maybe some extra rest will help him get back on track. Goldschmidt will bat sixth and play first base against right-hander
Miles Mikolas on Sunday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
August 17, 2025
Minnesota Twins pitcher
Thomas Hatch will take the mound against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The Twins are in desperate need of pitching with
Simeon Woods Richardson (illness) and
Pablo Lopez (shoulder) both sidelined right now. Hatch should be able to offer some length after throwing 4.1 innings in each of his last two outings. It's worth noting that Hatch allowed four earned runs and walked seven batters during his latest outing. He's not a recommended streaming option for Sunday's game.
--Andy WebbSource: Evan Woodbery
August 17, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder
Victor Scott II (ankle) on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle and promoted outfielder
Nathan Church from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. It's no surprise that Scott will miss time after injuring his ankle in a 12-8 loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday. Scott had to exit a few innings after crashing into the center field wall while trying to take a home run away from
Aaron Judge. The 24-year-old has been an asset in the field and on the bases (31 steals), but he has only managed a .223/.311/.312 line with five homers, 35 RBI, and 49 runs scored in 402 plate appearances this season. Church, 25, is making his major league debut Sunday and starting in Scott's place in center field.
--Connor ByrneSource: John Denton - MLB.com
August 17, 2025
Kansas City Royals first baseman/designated hitter
Vinnie Pasquantino (illness) is in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Pasquantino exited the Royals' 6-2 win over the White Sox early on Saturday with a heat-related illness, but he's making a quick return. The 27-year-old will DH and hit third against right-hander
Davis Martin, while
Salvador Perez will man first base and bat fifth. Pasquantino has put together a respectable .259/.320/.448 line with a career-high 22 homers, 80 RBI, and 48 runs scored in 513 plate appearances this season. He's 3-for-7 with a pair of HRs against Martin.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 17, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Cody Bellinger (illness) is back in the lineup on Sunday after missing Saturday's 12-8 win over the St. Louis Cardinals with an illness. Bellinger will play right field and hit cleanup in a meeting with Cardinals starter
Miles Mikolas. The 30-year-old is mired in a slump this month, having gone 7-for-50 (.140) with two home runs and six RBI in 13 games in August. Despite that, Bellinger's first season as a Yankee has been a success. The former MVP has slashed .267/.322/.485 with 22 homers, 69 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 482 plate appearances. Mikolas has had Bellinger's number, though, as he's just 2-for-20 with three RBI, five strikeouts, and one walk against the right-hander.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August
17,
2025
The
Cincinnati
Reds
announced
that
they
have
designated
outfielder
Jake
Fraley
(knee)
for
assignment.
The
team
recalled
outfielder
Will
Benson
from
Triple-A
Louisville
to
take
his
roster
spot.
Fraley
hyperextended
his
read more...
August 17, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies optioned infielder/outfielder
Otto Kemp to Triple-A Lehigh Valley before Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals. Philadelphia made the move to clear room for the return of third baseman
Alec Bohm (ribs) from the 10-day injured list. The 25-year-old Kemp has provided defensive versatility with double-digit appearances in left field and at both corner infield positions. However, he hasn't offered much with the bat in his first 46 games in the majors. Across 161 plate appearances, Kemp has hit a subpar .228/.298/.359 with four homers, 17 RBI, 17 runs scored, and a 30.4% strikeout rate. He got off to a 4-for-23 start with 11 strikeouts in eight games this month before the Phillies sent him down.
--Connor ByrneSource: Philadelphia Phillies
August 17, 2025
The Texas Rangers announced that they have placed right-hander
Jon Gray (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list. Gray is going on the shelf with thoracic outlet syndrome, manager Bruce Bochy revealed. It's an ominous injury that continues a brutal season for Gray. The 33-year-old suffered a fractured forearm in spring training and didn't make his debut until July 23. Since then, opposing offenses have crushed Gray in six appearances out of the bullpen. He has logged a 7.71 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB across 14 innings. It was reported on Saturday that Gray went through waivers unclaimed and would remain with Texas. Now, in light of this injury, it wouldn't be a surprise if he's done for the year.
--Connor ByrneSource: Shawn McFarland - Dallas Morning News
August 17, 2025
Houston Astros designated hitter/outfielder
Yordan Alvarez (hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, manager Joe Espada told reporters. Alvarez has made a slow recovery from a fractured right hand that has shelved him since May 2. There's finally light at the end of the tunnel for the star slugger, though, with the Astros expecting him back later this month if he doesn't suffer any setbacks. Alvarez batted an uncharacteristically poor .210/.306/.340 line with four home runs and 18 RBI in 121 plate appearances before he went on the injured list. Nevertheless, considering the four-time 30-HR hitter's stellar track record, the Astros and fantasy managers will be thrilled to get him back for the last few weeks of the regular season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
August 17, 2025
The Baltimore Orioles announced that they have reinstated outfielder
Colton Cowser (head) from the seven-day concussion injured list. He'll play center field and hit fifth Sunday against Houston Astros right-hander
Cristian Javier. Cowser, who last played Aug. 6, will try to get back on track after going 3-for-20 with one RBI, 11 strikeouts, and one walk in six games this month prior to his IL stint. The 25-year-old smacked 24 home runs and put up a .768 OPS as a rookie in 2024, but multiple injuries (including a broken left thumb) have limited him to 56 games this season. Cowser has taken 215 trips to the plate and hit a below-average .213/.279/.401 with nine homers, 22 RBI, 23 runs scored, and six stolen bases.
--Connor ByrneSource: Baltimore Orioles
August 17, 2025
The Texas Rangers recalled infield/outfield prospect
Cody Freeman from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday, and he will start at third base and bat eighth in the series finale against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander
Jose Berrios. Freeman will get the nod at the hot corner with
Josh Jung taking a day off, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to receive everyday playing time moving forward. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter and former fourth-rounder in 2019 will be playing in just his fifth major-league game. In four games earlier this season, he had a double and RBI with two strikeouts in seven plate appearances. Freeman has slashed an impressive .336/.382/.549 with 19 home runs, 71 RBI and eight steals in 97 games at Round Rock this year in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He's ranked by MLB Pipeline as Texas' No. 24 prospect.
--Keith HernandezSource: Texas Rangers PR
August 17, 2025
Texas Rangers second baseman
Marcus Semien (wrist) is back at second base and will hit sixth for Sunday's series finale in Toronto against the Blue Jays and right-hander
Jose Berrios. Semien was hit by a pitch on his right wrist in Friday's loss and then was held out of Saturday's contest as a result. X-rays on the 34-year-old veteran's wrist came back negative, though, which will allow him to return for the final game of the series as Texas looks to avoid a sweep. It's been a disappointing 2025 campaign for the three-time All-Star, as he enters Sunday's tilt slashing .223/.299/.353 with a career-worst .652 OPS, 14 home runs, 59 RBI, 58 runs and 11 stolen bases in his 122 games played. He's been much worse in August, hitting .157 (8-for-51) with a homer, six RBI and seven strikeouts in 13 gaems. Semien has hit .250 with a homer and two RBI in 12 career at-bats versus Berrios.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
RADIO
