RADIO
Josh Naylor Breaks Out of Mini-Slump With Two Long Balls Against Rays
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor broke out of a little 0-for-9 mini-slump in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park by going 3-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs to boost his season batting average to .262 and his OPS to .699. Naylor had been in a little funk offensively over his previous three games, but since the All-Star break, he has hit .311 (23-for-74) with an .830 OPS, two home runs, five doubles, six RBI, nine runs scored, and five stolen bases in 20 games and 81 plate appearances. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger hit a career-high 31 home runs in 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians before falling to 20 homers last year with Seattle and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Naylor is sitting at just 10 round-trippers this year after his two-homer game on Saturday as he continues to see a decline in the power department. He's making up for it with his speed, which is rare for a first baseman, as he currently sits with 23 steals (eight away from a new career high). He's now slashing .262/.326/.372 with a .699 OPS and is more of a threat for his wheels than his power.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jake McCarthy Continues Excellent Season With Two Homers on Saturday
Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy put on a show in the team's 8-6 victory over the hosting St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night, going 4-for-5 at the plate out of the leadoff spot with two home runs, three RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases. It continues a fantastic season for the 29-year-old in his first season in Denver. McCarthy is now hitting .305/.341/.516 with an .858 OPS, 13 home runs, 67 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored in 102 games across 394 plate appearances in his sixth year in the majors. He got the action going in the top of the first inning at Busch Stadium by sending the first pitch he saw from lefty Matthew Liberatore over the fence, and he later had a two-run bomb in the sixth inning. McCarthy has been red-hot so far in August, recording a hit in all seven games played while going 15-for-32 (.469) with a 1.298 OPS, three home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, 10 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Despite McCarthy's career-best season, he's somehow only rostered in 68% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Stays Hot, Homers Twice in Win Over Cubs
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone had his fourth multi-homer game of the season in Saturday's 6-3 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs, two doubles, and four RBI to raise his season average to .264 and his OPS to an even .800. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick from the University of Florida in the 2024 MLB draft got off to a slow start in 2026 in his first full season in the majors, but he has come on strong with more experience and is red-hot so far in the month of August, hitting .429 (12-for-28) with three home runs, four doubles, nine RBI, and a stolen base. Caglianone is an emerging young source of power who has been regularly hitting in the heart of the Royals' batting order. That should continue through the remainder of the season. After Cags' strong game to help beat the Cubbies on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium, he's hitting .264 on the season with 20 home runs, 49 RBI, and four stolen bases across his 390 at-bats. Caglianone should be rostered in more than 65% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Joey Ortiz Exits Early with Neck Tightness
Milwaukee Brewers infielder Joey Ortiz (neck) was forced to make an early exit on Saturday, according to Hunter Baumgardt. Ortiz exited the game after one at-bat due to neck tightness. He struck out in his lone plate appearance and appears to have tweaked his neck in the process. David Hamilton replaced him at third base in the fourth inning. For now, fantasy managers should consider Ortiz as day-to-day. If he misses any time, Hamilton or Cooper Pratt could see an extended look at the hot corner. Pratt could be worth scooping up in deep leagues, especially with extended playing time.
Source: Hunter Baumgardt
Source: Hunter Baumgardt
Carlos Rodon Tagged for Three Runs During Rehab Start
New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (elbow) made his first rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. It didn't go great for Rodon, who gave up three runs on three hits across 2.2 innings of work. There was some positive as well with Rodon striking out four batters on Saturday. This was the first time that Rodon has thrown on a mound since landing on the Injured List on June 3 due to left elbow inflammation. The expectation is that Rodon will need at least one more start before being cleared to return to the Yankees' starting rotation. If he's available, fantasy managers should stash him with Rodon likely returning to the big league mound before the end of August.
Source: milb.com
Source: milb.com
Vinnie Pasquantino Could Begin Rehab Assignment on Tuesday
Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (wrist) could begin a minor league rehab assignment as early as Tuesday, according to manager Matt Quatraro. Pasquantino has been sidelined since the end of July due to right wrist soreness. He underwent surgery in mid-June for a fractured hamate bone. The soreness in his wrist is likely related to the surgery, so hopefully Pasquantino can put this entire injury behind him soon. This season, Pasquantino is slashing .232/.318/.345 with six home runs and 33 RBI across 79 games. Fantasy managers seeking another slugger should consider stashing Pasquantino with his return on the horizon.
Source: Jaylon Thompson
Source: Jaylon Thompson
Shohei Ohtani Plays Catch on Saturday
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) was able to play catch in the outfield ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, per The Los Angeles Times' Maddie Lee. This is a step in the right direction for Ohtani, who has been battling a knee issue for weeks. Ohtani hasn't pitched since his last start against the San Diego Padres on July 3. It sounds like he is working his way back, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be starting on the mound anytime soon. He'll continue to serve as the everyday designated hitter, but it's unclear what fantasy managers are going to get from Ohtani as a hitter for the rest of the year.
Source: Maddie Lee
Source: Maddie Lee
Gage Jump has Much-Needed Strong Outing, Fans Career-High 11 Batters
Athletics rookie left-hander Gage Jump showed his upside on the mound in Saturday's 7-3 win over the red-hot Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, allowing only two earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out a career-high 11 hitters in six innings for his fifth win of the year. It was Jump's fifth quality start in his first 14 major-league starts for the A's. The young southpaw has been up and down since the All-Star break, going six innings in two of his four starts and allowing 12 runs in 8 1/3 innings pitched in the other two appearances. Through his first 14 starts in the big leagues, Jump now sports a 4.46 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 84:33 K:BB in 72 2/3 innings pitched. Jump will have a middling matchup his next time out against the division-rival Texas Rangers, a team that he has yet to face so far in his first season in the majors. Jump has a decent 25.3% strikeout rate and plenty of upside in that department, but unsurprisingly, his command has been spotty with a 10.8% walk rate going into his start in Boston on Saturday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Griffin Jax Scratched from Saturday's Start With Elbow Discomfort
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax (elbow) was scratched ahead of his scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Jax was pulled ahead of this outing due to right elbow discomfort, so the Rays will be forced to go with a bullpen game. Casey Legumina will be used as an opener with Jax unavailable. The hope is that this is a minor injury that won't force Jax onto the Injured List. This season, Jax owns a 3.63 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 100/30 K/BB ratio across 91.2 innings of work this season. Jax has been a stud lately and is picking up steam in fantasy leagues. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on his status.
Source: Ryan Bass
Source: Ryan Bass
George Springer Scratched on Saturday With Shoulder Tightness
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer (shoulder) has been scratched from Saturday's starting lineup against the hosting Philadelphia Phillies due to tightness in his left shoulder, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Springer has been dealing with shoulder tightness for the last couple of days. With Springer starting on the bench, outfielder Jesus Sanchez will serve as Toronto's designated hitter and bat cleanup against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola at Citizens Bank Park. Springer's injury doesn't sound all that serious, but don't be surprised if he's held out again in Sunday's series finale in Philly as a precaution. The Jays start a new series back at home on Monday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. The four-time All-Star hasn't had quite the bounce-back season he had in 2025, as he's hitting just .234/.317/.396 with a .714 OPS, 12 home runs, 36 RBI, 40 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across 86 games and 378 plate appearances in 2026. Springer did, however, hit .290 (18-for-62) with four homers, two doubles, 13 RBI, nine runs scored, and a steal in 16 games in the month of July.
Source: Sportsnet.ca - Arden Zwelling
Source: Sportsnet.ca - Arden Zwelling
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Returns From Hamstring Injury on Saturday
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) is back at first base and is batting third in the batting order for Saturday's contest on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Aaron Nola at Citizens Bank Park, per MLB.com. Guerrero is back for the Jays after sitting out the last three games due to tightness in his hamstring, an injury that has cropped up several times this year. The 27-year-old six-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner has been one of the league's biggest fantasy baseball busts in 2026, as he enters Saturday's action with a .259/.338/.349 slash line, .687 OPS, only six home runs, 44 RBI, 56 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 108 games across 456 plate appearances. Vladdy hasn't spent time on the injured list, but one has to wonder how healthy he's been this year while seeing a massive drop-off in the power department. He hit under .200 with just one homer in 23 games in June, and he hasn't hit more than two homers in any month this season. Fantasy managers are just hoping Guerrero can come alive for the stretch run. He'll face Nola on Saturday, a pitcher he has a home run and two RBI against in eight career at-bats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Carson Benge Out With Wrist Injury on Saturday
New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge (wrist) is out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to a wrist injury that knocked him out of Friday night's game, according to MLB.com. Fellow rookie A.J. Ewing is starting in left field and will bat leadoff for the Mets against Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler. Fantasy managers should consider Benge day-to-day after X-rays came back negative on his wrist after he crashed into the outfield wall while making a sliding catch on Friday at PNC Park. It looks like he avoided a serious injury, so he could rejoin New York's starting lineup as early as the series finale on Sunday. The 23-year-old former first-rounder from Oklahoma State University has been a solid source of counting stats across the board (mostly for speed) in all fantasy baseball leagues in 2026, as he entered the day slashing .270/.330/.412 with a .742 OPS, 13 homers, 46 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored across his 422 at-bats. Benge has been swinging a hot bat lately, too, going 15-for-39 (.385) with two homers, two doubles, a triple, six RBI, seven runs scored, and two steals in his last 10 games, dating back to July 29.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Wilyer Abreu Out on Saturday With Calf/Shin Swelling
Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu's calf/shin is swollen from Friday night, so interim manager Chad Tracy said it felt like a good time to give Abreu a day off on Saturday against the Athletics, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox had been looking for the right time to give the outfielder a day off during the team's 16-game stretch without a day off. Eli White is making the start in right field on Saturday and will hit sixth against A's rookie left-hander Gage Jump. Fantasy managers should consider Abreu day-to-day for now with an injury that shouldn't send him to the injured list. Check back on Sunday to see if he's ready to return for the series finale at Fenway Park. Abreu is having another fine season for the BoSox in 2026, slashing .256/.331/.462 with a .793 OPS, 20 home runs, 62 RBI, 64 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 113 games across 492 plate appearances. He's three homers shy of setting a new career high. After slumping to a .186 average (18-for-97) with six homers and 14 RBI in 25 games in July, Abreu has gone 9-for-22 (.409) with four homers and nine RBI so far in six games in August. UPDATE: Tracy said that Abreu is feeling better and is "hopeful" to return to the lineup on Sunday.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Giancarlo Stanton Resumes Jogging
New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (calf) took part in some jogging on Friday as a way to reintroduce him to base running. The 36-year-old has been out of action since the end of April with what was diagnosed as a low-grade calf strain and has suffered through various setbacks and shutdown periods along the way. As such, the team has been cautious when handling his progress so as not to suffer any more setbacks and to have him and his bat ready for the playoffs. He did face live pitching last week when he went up against Carlos Rodón, signaling yet another step closer to a return. Still, with an extensive injury history such as his, coupled with the amount of time he has been away from action, it's hard to imagine him having much time left in the season to make an impact for fantasy baseball managers.
Source: Bryan Hoch
Source: Bryan Hoch
Jack Leiter Throwing Live BP on Saturday
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (ankle) is set to throw live batting practice on Saturday. The 26-year-old has been out of action since the middle of June with right ankle posterior impingement but is set to take a big step forward in his recovery with this planned session. The hope is that he can log around 45 pitches, which would give both him and the team confidence to begin a rehab assignment shortly afterward. The belief is that, if all goes according to plan, he may only need two rehab appearances, putting him in line to return by the end of August. With the Rangers having a potential opening at the back end of their bullpen, he would be a welcome addition for pitching stability, with the hope that he can build toward next season with a strong showing in the final month of this year.
Source: Jeff Wilson
Source: Jeff Wilson
