September 1, 2025
San Diego Padres pitching prospect Humberto Cruz (elbow) underwent an internal-brace procedure last week to repair his UCL, officially ending his season, and with a nine- to 12-month recovery timeline, it likely will cause him to miss most of next season as well. The Padres' third-ranked prospect is just 18 years old, though, so he has plenty of time to make a full recovery and continue his climb towards the majors. The right-hander made 14 starts this year between the Complex League and Single-A, recording a 7.58 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and a 10.5 percent K-BB% in 38 innings pitched.
--Jarod RuppSource: Jeff Sanders
September 1, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect Christian Zazueta made his first start for High-A Great Lakes on Sunday, although he pitched just one inning for the Loons. The Dodgers' 16th-ranked prospect did not allow a hit or a walk in his lone inning of work, striking out one batter on a 97 mph fastball. The 20-year-old was superb at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga before his promotion, recording a 2.44 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 23.8 percent K-BB% in 16 starts (66 1/3 innings pitched). The 6-foot-3 right-hander gets plenty of swing-and-miss, which is combined with quality control, a trait he's shown throughout his minor league career, even posting a minuscule 5.9 percent walk rate this season. Zazueta is a couple of years away from the majors, but he should start ascending prospect rankings lists and is worth monitoring in dynasty formats.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 1, 2025
Miami Marlins outfielder
Derek Hill (hamstring) left Monday's game early in th third inning against the Washington Nationals in D.C. with right-hamstring discomfort, according to Stephen Strom of Marlins Radio. Hill injured his hamstring while running to first base on a groundout to shortstop in his only plate appearance.
Jakob Marsee shifted from left field to center field, while
Victor Mesa Jr. entered the contest to man left field for the Fish. The Marlins will likely send the 29-year-old for testing, which will determine if he'll need a stint on the injured list. Hill hasn't been relevant in mixed fantasy leagues in his first full year in Miami, as he came into Monday's action slashing .214/.277/.333 with three home runs, 10 RBI and seven steals in only 52 games. Mesa could be a lineup regular for Miami going forward if Hill lands on the IL.
--Keith HernandezSource: Marlins Radio - Stephen Strom
September 1, 2025
Los Angeles Angels pitching prospect
Mitch Farris was called up from Double-A Rocket City on Monday. The 24-year-old's 2025 numbers don't jump off the page, recording a 4.27 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and a 17.2 percent K-BB%, but he had pitched better since mid-July, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 22.3 percent K-BB% over his last seven starts (40 2/3 innings pitched). The southpaw even racked up 13 punchouts in his latest outing for the Trash Pandas, registering an 11.02 K/9 on the year. The southpaw will likely draw a start for the Angels during their upcoming road trip in Kansas City, but is a risky streaming and DFS option.
--Jarod RuppSource: Angels PR
September 1, 2025
Seattle Mariners catching prospect
Harry Ford has been called up to the majors from Triple-A Tacoma for what will be his major-league debut. The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect was having a productive season for the Rainiers, hitting .283 with 16 home runs while boasting a .408 OBP thanks to a phenomenal 16.2 percent walk rate. After stealing 82 bases over the prior three seasons, Ford's production took a dip there this year with just seven steals in 97 games, but if he gets back to swiping bags, it is a trait that would set him apart from most other catchers, making him even more appealing for fantasy. With
Cal Raleigh blocking his current path to playing time, it's unclear how regular his at-bats with the Mariners will be, so fantasy managers in redraft leagues don't need to overspend on the 22-year-old, but the former first-round draft pick's arrow still points up in dynasty leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: Mariners PR
September 1, 2025
Colorado Rockies rookie infielder
Warming Bernabel (knee, quadriceps) is not in the team's starting lineup at Coors Field for Monday's series opener against the division-rival San Francisco Giants.
Orlando Arcia is getting the nod at first base and will bat ninth for the Rockies against Giants right-hander
Kai-Wei Teng. Bernabel is missing a second straight game after he was foced to leave Saturday's contest against the Chicago Cubs with a bruised left knee and quad muscle. He's considered day-to-day for now. Check back to see if the 23-year-old is active for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday. Although the matchup is a good one and it's at hitter-friendly Coors Field, DFS managers can't realistically consider Arcia for their lineups on Monday. The Venezuelan veteran is hitting just over .200 with only three home runs and 13 RBI in 179 at-bats with Atlanta and Colorado this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 1, 2025
San Francisco Giants third baseman
Matt Chapman (foot, shin) is starting at third base and batting fifth for Monday's series opener against the hosting Colorado Rockies and right-hander
Chase Dollander at Coors Field. Chapman was pulled out of Sunday's series finale against the Baltimore Orioles early after he fouled a ball off his foot/shin, but he avoided any broken bones and is feeling fine to play a day later. Although the 32-year-old veteran isn't having quite the year that fantasy managers had hoped for, he should be in starting lineups to begin the week at one of the most hitter-friendly environments in baseball against an inexperienced pitcher. The former first-rounder is two homers shy of a 20-homer season, but he also hit just .203 (13-for-64) with two homers, eight RBI and two steals in 19 games in the month of August.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 1, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals activated outfielder
Victor Scott II (ankle) from the 10-day injured list on Monday, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. However, Scott is not in the starting lineup for the series opener against the visiting Athletics at Busch Stadium, with rookie
Nathan Church making another start in center field and hitting in the nine-hole. The 24-year-old Scott is back in the big leagues after missing the last few weeks with a sprained left ankle. The Cardinals could ease him back in to regular center field duties, but fantasy managers will be hoping that his ankle injury won't mean fewer stolen base attempts in the final month of the season. Scott is hitting only .223 (78-for-349) on the year with five home runs and 35 RBI, but his 31 stolen bases have made him useful in all fantasy formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Katie Woo
September 1, 2025
Athletics rookie first baseman
Nick Kurtz remains sidelined for Monday's series opener on the road at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Tyler Soderstrom will make another start at first base and will bat cleanup against Cardinals right-hander
Sonny Gray. Kurtz will be missing his third straight start on Monday due to an oblique injury, but the good news for fantasy managers is that an MRI exam on Saturday came back clean. It doesn't mean that Kurtz won't be forced to the injured list eventually, but you can consider him day-to-day for now. Check back to see if he's available for Game 2 of the series in St. Louis on Tuesday. The former fourth overall pick in 2024 out of Wake Forest is the real deal from a power standpoint. In his first 94 games with the A's this year, he's hit .308/.402/.632 with a 1.033 OPS, 27 homers and 70 RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 1, 2025
The Chicago White Sox called up left-hander
Fraser Ellard from Triple-A Charlotte to have him serve as their opener for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The White Sox also recalled infielder
Bryan Ramos from Charlotte. Ellard should be avoided as a fantasy streamer on Monday, as he will likely only go an inning or two in this one. The 27-year-old southpaw has only thrown 7 2/3 innings at the big-league level in 2025 and has allowed five earned runs on one hit while walking six and striking out 11. He was better in his major-league debut for the White Sox last year, posting a 3.75 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, his first career save and a 26:12 K:BB in 24 innings in a late-inning role. Ellard also hasn't been good at Charlotte in 2025 with a 6.48 ERA. Avoid him.
--Keith HernandezSource: SI.com - Jack Ankony
September 1, 2025
Kansas City Royals left-hander
Bailey Falter (biceps) threw from the mound on Saturday for the first time since he went on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 23. Falter has been out with a biceps contusion, which he suffered when he took a line drive off the arm in a 7-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 22. The Royals acquired Falter from the Pittsburgh Pirates in July, but between his injury and performance, the move hasn't panned out so far. Falter has yielded 15 earned runs on 20 hits and seven walks (11 strikeouts) in four appearances and 12 innings with Kansas City. The team demoted him to a relief role in mid-August. Barring setbacks, he should return sometime this month.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 1, 2025
Kansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (shoulder) is one step closer to starting a minor-league rehab assignment after he threw approximately 40 pitches in a two-up bullpen session on Sunday. Ragans will face live hitters sometime soon, and if he gets through that without issues, he'll head to the minors. The 27-year-old landed on the injured list on June 8 with a strained rotator cuff and has missed almost three months since then. After performing like an ace in 2024, Ragans has only managed a 5.18 ERA across 10 starts and 48 2/3 innings this season. However, he has totaled a whopping 76 strikeouts against 16 walks, and he allowed an unsustainable .382 batting average on balls in play before going on the shelf. Ragans probably would have been in line for positive regression had he stayed healthy. He'll still have a chance to end the season on a positive note if he rejoins the Royals later this month.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 1, 2025
Cleveland Guardians left-hander
John Means (elbow) made his fourth minor-league rehab start on Sunday and pitched well for Triple-A Columbus. Means tossed four innings of two-hit ball, allowed one unearned run, and recorded four strikeouts against two walks on 58 pitches (37 strikes). The former Baltimore Oriole hasn't gone past 61 pitches in any of his rehab outings, so he'll likely need at least one more start in the minors before potentially joining the Guardians' rotation. The 32-year-old last pitched in the majors on May 22, 2024, and underwent Tommy John surgery that June.
--Connor ByrneSource: MiLB.com
September 1, 2025
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Taylor Ward (head) is doing better after he collided with the left-field wall in Houston on Sunday. Ward, who was bleeding and had to be carted off the field, told Sam Blum of The Athletic that he needed stitches for a cut above his right eye. Ward was fortunate to avoid a more significant injury, but he's not in the lineup on Monday against Astros right-hander Luis Garcia.
Matthew Lugo will fill in for Ward in left field and bat seventh. The 31-year-old Ward has reached the 30-homer mark for the first time in his career this season and slashed .228/.318/.476 with 94 RBI and 75 runs scored in 575 plate appearances.
UPDATE: Ward has around 20 stitches above his right eye but is otherwise OK and has been cleared of a concussion. He slept well on Sunday night and thinks he just needs a couple days of rest before returning to the lineup.--Connor ByrneSource: Sam Blum - The Athletic
September 1, 2025
San Diego Padres outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. (hamstring) expects to play Monday against the Baltimore Orioles despite hamstring tightness, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Tatis grabbed at his right hamstring in the seventh inning of a 7-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, and the three-time All-Star said after the game that he's dealing with "a little tightness, nothing crazy." Tatis has played in 134 of the Padres' 137 games this year and slashed .264/.370/.430 with 18 homers, 57 RBI, 93 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases over 600 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Kevin Acee - San Diego Union-Tribune
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