September 4, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher
Will Smith (hand) is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale at PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates after taking a pitch off his right hand in Wednesday's loss. Rookie
Dalton Rushing will do the catching for left-hander
Blake Snell and will bat ninth against Pirates right-hander
Paul Skenes. X-rays on Smith's right hand came back negative, so hopefully he'll be available to play in the series opener on Friday in Baltimore against the Orioles. Smith has been a must-start in fantasy when he's in the lineup as one of the best hitters at a weak position. Rushing, meanwhile, is hitting only .190 (22-for-116) with three home runs and 21 RBI in his first 43 big-league games this year. In the tough matchup against Skenes, we'd recommend fading Rushing as a DFS sleeper.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 4, 2025
New York Mets infield/outfield prospect
A.J. Ewing delivered his second consecutive three-hit performance on Wednesday for Double-A Binghamton, extending his current hit streak to 12 games for the Rumble Ponies. During that time, he's gone 25-for-53 (.472), and is now slashing .386/.424/.482 at that level with 11 steals in 19 games. After starting out the season at Single-A, he was promoted to High-A, and now he's performing at Double-A. In all, the Mets' seventh-ranked prospect owns a .322/.412/.438 slash line with 25 doubles, nine triples, three home runs, 69 steals, and a strong 12.8 percent walk rate complemented by a better-than-average 17.7 percent strikeout rate. If he can grow into more power, he's got some mult-category fantasy potential in his bat and is an under-the-radar prospect for dynasty managers to consider.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 4, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates infield prospect
Yordany De Los Santos was promoted to High-A Greensboro on Wednesday after a productive 116 games at Single-A Bradenton. The Pirates' 14th-ranked prospect hit just .249 with a .699 OPS, but belted 11 home runs and stole 51 bases for the Marauders, which was second-most in the Florida State League. The 20-year-old will need to work on limiting his strikeouts at High-A if he's going to have any success, as he held a 26.8 percent K% this season at Single-A, which was combined with a slightly below-average walk rate of 7.8 percent. The 6-foot-2 Dominican is still a few years away from the majors, though.
--Jarod RuppSource: Bradenton Marauders
September 4, 2025
New York Yankees pitching prospect
Kyle Carr was promoted to Double-A Somerset on Wednesday after a strong season at High-A Hudson Valley. The Yankees' 13th-ranked prospect recorded a 1.96 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts in 119 1/3 innings pitched over 22 starts for the Renegades. Things began smoothly in his Double-A debut, not allowing a hit over the first three innings, but the southpaw ended up yielding four earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four in 3 2/3 innings of work. The former third-round draft pick will likely start at Double-A next year and has an outside chance of making his big league debut if he hits the ground running, but a low 8.05 K/9 for his minor league career dampens his potential fantasy outlook.
--Jarod RuppSource: Hudson Valley Renegades
September 4, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping that right-handed reliever
Riley O'Brien (shoulder) will be available out of their bullpen this weekend during their series against the visiting San Francisco Giants, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. O'Brien has been dealing with a right-shoulder injury and hasn't pitched for the Cardinals in over a week, but he was cleared to resume throwing earlier this week and it looks like he will avoid a trip to the injured list. How effective the 30-year-old will be in his return is another question, but he should continue to be in the mix for saves for St. Louis the rest of the way if he can stay healthy. O'Brien has been fantastic in his second season for the team in 2025 with a 1.69 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, his first two career saves, 35 strikeouts and 17 walks in 37 1/3 innings of relief. He also had three holds last month.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
September 4, 2025
Chicago Cubs pitching prospect
Jaxon Wiggins has been promoted to Triple-A Iowa following a successful 10-game stint at Double-A Knoxville. The Cubs' fourth-ranked prospect (MLB No. 81) began the season at High-A, pitching to a 1.71 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 17.1 percent K-BB% over six appearances (five starts, 26 1/3 innings pitched), then followed that up with a 1.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and a 21.3 percent K-BB% at Double-A in 42 innings pitched. The 6-foot-6 hurler is now in a position to make a run at a big league debut next year and has the potential to be a solid starter in the majors. With big strikeout stuff, he could be fantasy relevant as soon as next year, but he'll need to limit the walks to be successful.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tommy Birch
September 4, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder
Nick Castellanos will retreat to the bench for Thursday's series finale against the hosting Milwaukee Brewers. The left-handed-hitting
Max Kepler will make the start in right field for the Phillies and will bat seventh against Brewers right-hander
Freddy Peralta. This will be the fourth time in the last 10 games that Castellanos will start on the bench for the first-place Phillies. Since Aug. 6, the 33-year-old veteran has fallen on hard times at the plate, going 12-for-75 (.160) with only one home run, two doubles, one RBI, 12 runs scored, six walks and 19 strikeouts in 20 games. Castellanos last homered on Aug. 17, although he did go 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Wednesday's 6-3 loss. Kepler has only faced Peralta seven times in his career, but he's hitting .429 against him with a 1.214 OPS.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 4, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect
Orelvis Martinez (undisclosed) was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, retroactive to September 2. The nature of the injury is not known, but at his point in the season, it will all but end his 2025 campaign. The Blue Jays' 12th-ranked prospect has had a rough go of it in 2025 and even worse up until the injury, going hitless in 14 of his last 18 games, during which time he went 4-for-54 (.074). The 23-year-old owns a .176/.288/.348 slash line with 13 home runs in 99 games for the Bisons and will look to make another attempt to get back to the majors in 2026 after making a one-game debut there in 2024, but right now, his arrow is pointing down.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com - Transactions Page
September 4, 2025
The Chicago White Sox announced on Thursday that they recalled right-hander
Jonathan Cannon and left-hander
Tyler Gilbert from Triple-A Charlotte and placed left-hander
Bryan Hudson (back) on the 15-day injured list with a lower-back strain in a corresponding move. Right-hander
Bryse Wilson was also designated for assignment. Cannon is expected to serve in a bulk-relief role for Thursday's contest against the division-rival Minnesota Twins at Target Field behind left-handed opener
Fraser Ellard. Although Cannon has more streaming appeal than Ellard in this one, fantasy managers should still have better options than Cannon despite the small slate of games on Thursday. The 25-year-old has gone 4-9 at the big-league level in 2025 with a 5.34 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and a 76:35 K:BB in 96 innings over 19 outings (17 starts) in his second MLB season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago White Sox
September 4, 2025
Kansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (shoulder) threw a two-up live batting practice session at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday that consisted of around 30 pitches and could embark on a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend if everything checks out in the coming days, according to MLB.com. It was the first time that Ragans has faced hitters since being diagnosed with a torn left rotator cuff and placed on the injured list on June 11. The Royals are taking it slow with the 27-year-old left-hander, who is in the midst of an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. Ragans has a shot to rejoin the Royals before the end of September as they look to get into the postseason, but at this point, fantasy managers shouldn't be holding their breathe for him. He was an All-Star in 2023 but pitched to a 5.18 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 76 K's and 16 walks in 10 starts before being shut down.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 4, 2025
The Atlanta Braves announced on Thursday that they reinstated outfielder
Jurickson Profar from the paternity list and also recalled right-hander
Daysbel Hernandez from Triple-A Gwinnett. In corresponding moves, the team designated infielder
Luke Williams for assignment and released right-hander
Cal Quantrill. Right-hander
Wander Suero was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets. Profar will return to Atlanta after he missed the final two games of the series in Chicago this week against the Chicago Cubs, but he's back now and will be in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners. The 32-year-old veteran switch-hitter has played in only 58 games in his first season with the Braves due to a PED suspension and is slashing .258/.362/.472 with 12 homers, 37 RBI, 44 runs and eight steals.
--Keith HernandezSource: Atlanta Braves
September 4, 2025
The New York Mets will promote right-handed pitching prospect
Brandon Sproat to start Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds. Struggling righty
Kodai Senga had been penciled in for that game, but the Mets will instead turn to Sproat for his debut. MLB Pipeline ranks the former second-round pick (2023) as the fifth-best prospect in the Mets' system and their No. 3 pitcher behind fellow righties
Nolan McLean and
Jonah Tong. Both McLean and Tong earned call-ups in recent weeks and have been successful, leading the Mets to try their hand again with another well-regarded minor-league hurler. The 24-year-old Sproat has recorded a 4.24 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP, 113 strikeouts, and 53 walks over 121 Triple-A innings this season. He has been much more impressive lately, though, having pitched to a 2.59 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 11 appearances (10 starts) and 59 innings since June 28. Sproat will look to continue his recent success in a meeting with the Reds, who rank 14th in the majors in runs and 17th in OPS.
--Connor ByrneSource: Chase Ford
September 4, 2025
The Boston Red Sox will place right-hander
Jordan Hicks (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder issue and recall lefty
Chris Murphy from Triple-A Worcester, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. The injury may bring about the end of Hicks' season, according to Cotillo. The Red Sox acquired the 28-year-old reliever as part of their return from the San Francisco Giants for star slugger
Rafael Devers in June, but Hicks has fallen flat with his new team. Hicks has logged 18 1/3 innings over 21 appearances as a member of the Red Sox and pitched to a 6.95 ERA with a 1.98 WHIP, 15 strikeouts, and 12 walks. He gave up four earned runs on four hits in a third of an inning in an 8-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. That could go down as his last appearance of 2025.
--Connor ByrneSource: Chris Cotillo - MassLive.com
September 4, 2025
Baltimore Orioles outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (wrist) is expected to participate in all baseball activities this weekend before embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment. O'Neill has already missed almost a month after going on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Aug. 6 with inflammation in his right wrist. The offseason free-agent pickup has been on the IL two other times - once for neck inflammation, once for a shoulder impingement - and has played in just 43 games in his first year with the Orioles. When he has been in the lineup, the 30-year-old slugger has hit a disappointing .210/.293/.434 with eight homers, 23 RBI, 20 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 164 plate appearances. Even if O'Neill makes it back sometime this month, 2025 will largely go down as a lost season for him.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 4, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers reliever
Shelby Miller (elbow) will "likely" require Tommy John surgery on his injured right UCL, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Miller's season ended abruptly when the team placed him on the 60-day injured list with a sprained UCL on Wednesday, and the next step is to visit renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion when the Brewers go to Texas next week. If Meister confirms that Miller needs Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career, it would probably shelve him until 2027. Miller, who will turn 35 next month, could decide to retire as a result. "Probably not going to play if (surgery) is the route we go," Miller said. "So, we'll see where I'm at." Miller showed he had plenty left in the tank before the injury cut him down, which makes this situation especially unfortunate. Between Arizona and Milwaukee, he logged 46 innings of 2.74 ERA ball with a 1.04 WHIP, 54:15 K:BB, 10 saves, and nine holds. Miller is due to become a free agent in the offseason, but instead of going through an arduous rehab and seeking a new contract, he may call it a career.
--Connor ByrneSource: Todd Rosiak - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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