September 12, 2025
Cleveland Guardians infielder
Gabriel Arias (wrist) is back at shortstop and is hitting sixth in Friday's contest against the division-rival Chicago White Sox and left-hander
Martin Perez at Progressive Field. Arias is returning to action after he missed the last three games with inflammation in his right wrist. Now that he's back,
Brayan Rocchio will shift back to second base for the Guards. The 25-year-old Arias is a defense-first middle infielder, so he doesn't carry much value in fantasy. The Venezuelan is returning to a .223/.280/.363 slash line with a .643 OPS, 10 home runs, 48 RBI, 39 runs, and six stolen bases in 372 at-bats this year. Arias is hitless in just one career at-bat against the veteran Perez. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups should have better sleeper options at the position on Friday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect
Charlie Condon is headed to the Arizona Fall League (AFL) this October as one of eight prospects who will represent the Rockies, playing for the Salt River Rafters squad. The 2024 third-overall draft pick got a late start to the season after suffering a wrist injury in spring training, and earned a promotion to Double-A after slashing .312/.431/.420 in 35 games at High-A. The Rockies' top-ranked prospect's wrist injury appears to be behind him, as the power stroke was abundant at Double-A, hitting 11 home runs and slugging .479 in 53 games. A high 28.9 percent strikeout rate limited his batting average (.240) at that level, but an 11.0 percent walk rate still helped him to a solid .346 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-6 slugger will use the AFL to make up for lost at-bats and hopefully prep him for a likely 2026 major league debut.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
San Diego Padres catching prospect
Ethan Salas (back) will head to the desert this October to take part in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). Salas is the highest-ranking of eight Padres prospects who will participate in the AFL. The Padres' top prospect missed all but 10 games this season due to a stress reaction in his back and will use the AFL to make up some at-bats in preparation for the 2026 campaign. The 19-year-old ended 2024 as the eighth-ranked prospect in all of baseball, but underperformance and injury have sent him down the list, now sitting at No. 82 overall. Since coming into the minors in 2023, the left-handed slugger owns just a .221/.305/.347 slash line in 187 career games. He'll look to get back on track this fall, and at his age, there's still plenty of time to figure it out.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Boston Red Sox infielder/outfielder
Kristian Campbell continues his push to get back on the major league roster, going 3-for-5 on Thursday with a double, two runs scored, and a stolen base for Triple-A Worcester. The 23-year-old has three multi-hit efforts in his last four games, and is hitting .329 with a .913 OPS over his last 18. The 6-foot-3 slugger was sent down to Triple-A in June after struggling at the major league level, however, with this recent hot stretch, he could be vying for a late-season call-up to help Boston make a postseason run. If that happens soon enough, he could also be in line to help fantasy managers with their playoff runs, and is eligible at 2B and OF for those interested in stashing away.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 12, 2025
Cleveland Guardians second base prospect
Travis Bazzana (oblique) was removed from Thursday's game at Triple-A Columbus with left oblique soreness. The Guardians' top-ranked prospect missed two months earlier this season due to an oblique injury, although that was on his right side. The 2024 top draft pick was promoted to Triple-A in mid-August, and although he was hitting just .225 at the time of the injury, the left-handed slugger had recently popped four home runs over a four-game stretch, seemingly starting to find his footing at that level. There is no indication as to the severity of the injury, and he has yet to be placed on the injured list, but obliques typically result in missed time. It is looking like 2026 is when we'll see him in the majors, and redraft managers will have to get familiar with him as he has an all-around skillset that will make him fantasy relevant, whether that's at the beginning of the season or later.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tim Stebbins
September 12, 2025
Right-hander
Michael Soroka's (shoulder) next outing will come with the Chicago Cubs, according to Andy Martinez of Watch Marquee Sports. The Cubs are ready to activate Soroka from the 15-day injured list after he threw 38 pitches over 2 1/3 innings with Triple-A Iowa on his minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday. Since Soroka isn't stretched out and the Cubs' starting rotation is currently full, he will most likely pitch in a long-relief role in his return to the Cubs. The Canadian hurler has made just one start for Chicago since they acquired him at this year's trade deadline from the Washington Nationals in late July. In his lone start for the Cubbies, he allowed a run on a solo homer with a walk and a strikeout in just two innings. Soroka has a 4.86 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 90:25 K:BB in 79 2/3 total innings in 2025. He can be ignored in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Watch Marquee - Andy Martinez
September 12, 2025
Minnesota Twins catching prospect
Eduardo Tait helped High-A Cedar Rapids to a 5-3 playoff victory over High-A Beloit (Miami) on Thursday, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of doubles, driving in two runs and scoring twice in the contest. The win evened the series at one game apiece in the best-of-three series, with the winner headed to the Midwest League championship. Tait was a big riser in the prospect ranks this year, debuting at No. 93 overall and now sitting at No. 52. The Panamanian backstop began the season at Single-A in the Philadelphia organization, coming to the Twins in the
Jhoan Duran trade, and moved to High-A in late July. The 19-year-old got going in late August, hitting .281 over his final 14 games, which included seven multi-hit efforts. Look for the Twins' second-ranked prospect to test the upper levels of the minors next season, and the offensive-minded catcher should be monitored in dynasty leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 12, 2025
Updating a previous report, Chicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (illness) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at Wrigley Field due to an illness.
Willi Castro made the start in right field and is hitting eighth against Rays right-hander
Shane Baz. Suzuki started in each of the team's last 12 games. It's a good time for him to rest, as he's gone 7-for-34 (.206) with no homers, two RBI, a steal, and nine strikeouts in 41 trips to the plate in nine games so far in September. There's a good chance he'll be back in there in right field for Game 2 of the series against Tampa on Saturday. The 31-year-old's recent cold spell at the plate has dropped his season slash line in 2025 to .244/.324/.461 with 27 home runs, 91 RBI, 69 runs, and five steals. The Japanese outfielder has already set career highs in homers and RBI in his fourth MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever
Daniel Palencia (shoulder) played catch at Wrigley Field on Friday, according to Andy Martinez of Watch Marquee Sports. It's a notable step for Palencia, as it's the first time the closer has thrown a ball since he suffered a strained right shoulder on Sunday. Currently on the 15-day injured list, the 25-year-old is eligible to return to the big-league bullpen on Sept. 23, but it's unclear if he'll be ready by then. Before his injury, Palencia was serving as Chicago's primary ninth-inning man while posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 59:16 K:BB, and a career-high 22 saves in 51 innings pitched. Since he landed on the shelf,
Andrew Kittredge has the Cubs' only save, but veteran
Brad Keller could also factor into the short-term saves picture.
--Keith HernandezSource: Watch Marquee - Andy Martinez
September 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Kyle Tucker (calf) is hitting and throwing, but he will not begin running until after the weekend and is "unlikely" to come off the 10-day injured list when he's eligible on Tuesday, according to manager Craig Counsell. Tucker is making progress from a left-calf strain, but he won't return early next week for fantasy managers. The Cubs will be pretty careful with the 28-year-old All-Star, but barring a setback, he should be back with Chicago before the end of September. With Tucker out lately, the Cubs have been mixing and matching in right field with
Seiya Suzuki and
Willi Castro. Tucker went through a little slump at the plate last month, but had bounced back nicely right before injuring his calf. When he's healthy and back with the Cubs, the former first-rounder will be a must-start in all fantasy lineups.
--Keith HernandezSource: Watch Marquee - Andy Martinez
September 12, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman
Ketel Marte (foot) is scheduled to be in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports. The Diamondbacks will see how Marte is feeling when he comes in before the game. Marte is hitting .171 (6-for-35) in a small sample size so far in September and left Wednesday's game early against the San Francisco Giants with a right-foot bruise. Thankfully, X-rays were negative, and the 31-year-old All-Star should be back in there on Friday. Fantasy managers will want to make sure Marte isn't scratched just before first pitch, and they'll also be hoping he can turn it around at the plate against Twins right-hander
Pablo Lopez on Friday. He's gone 1-for-3 with an RBI in his career against Lopez.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - John Gambadoro
September 12, 2025
The Houston Astros are promoting outfielder Zach Cole from Triple-A Sugar Land ahead of Friday's game against the Atlanta Braves, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Cole joined the organization as a 10th-round pick in 2022, and he's now the Astros' 19th-ranked prospect at MLB Pipeline. The 25-year-old has divided the season between Double-A and Triple-A (mostly the former) and slashed an outstanding .279/.377/.539 with 19 homers, 65 RBI, 63 runs, and 18 steals in 416 plate appearances. However, Cole's success has come despite a bloated 35.1% strikeout rate. He'll give the Astros some extra outfield depth over the final couple of weeks of the season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Brian McTaggart - MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman
Brandon Lowe is not in the lineup on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
Richie Palacios will handle the keystone in Lowe's absence and hit seventh in a meeting with left-hander
Matthew Boyd. Lowe, who's out of the lineup for the first time since Aug. 4, has slumped in his first 10 games this month. He's 8-for-38 (.211) with four doubles, three RBI, and a whopping 16 strikeouts against two walks in September. The 31-year-old has still been among the league's most productive second basemen this season, though, having slashed .260/.312/.478 with 28 homers, 74 RBI, 72 runs, and three steals in 506 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe is not in the lineup on Friday against Chicago Cubs left-hander
Matthew Boyd.
Jake Mangum will take over for Lowe in right field and hit fifth, while
Everson Pereira will play center and bat sixth. It's logical to sit Lowe against a tough lefty, as southpaws have held him to a miserable .496 OPS in 104 plate appearances in 2025. The left-handed Lowe has had far more success versus righties (.777 OPS), leading to an overall line of .236/.301/.399 with 11 homers, 39 RBI, 54 runs, and 17 steals in 387 trips to the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs third baseman
Matt Shaw is back in the lineup on Friday against Tampa Bay Rays right-hander
Shane Baz. He'll play third base and bat ninth. Shaw was scratched from the lineup for the Cubs' 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday while dealing with a personal matter, though he did pinch hit. After a productive August (.839 OPS, five home runs, 10 RBI), Shaw has slumped in his first nine games this month. He's 5-for-24 (.208) with a double, four RBI, eight strikeouts, and four walks. Overall, the 23-year-old rookie has batted .226/.292/.388 with 11 homers, 39 RBI, 47 runs, and 16 steals in 383 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
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