Kyle Tucker's Progress has "Plateaued"
Kyle Tucker (calf) is seeking additional, outside treatment for an injured left calf that has "plateaued," manager Craig Counsell said. Tucker is dealing with a strain that has kept him out since Sept. 2, and he has not recovered as quickly as anticipated. It's now in question whether the 28-year-old will be able to make it back before the regular season ends. The Cubs are close to securing a wild-card spot, giving them little incentive to rush Tucker back before October. While Tucker did endure a severe slump earlier this summer, he has been a key contributor to the team's success this season. The four-time All-Star has slashed .270/.381/.472 with 22 homers, 73 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases across 133 games and 585 plate appearances. Willi Castro and Seiya Suzuki have gotten most of the playing time in right field in Tucker's absence.
Source: Patrick Mooney - The Athletic
Chicago Cubs outfielder Source: Patrick Mooney - The Athletic
Isaac Paredes has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
Isaac Paredes (hamstring) has "an outside chance" to return from the 60-day injured list this weekend, according to general manager Dana Brown. Paredes has been participating in baseball activities in Florida, and while the GM admitted that it "may be a long shot," getting him back for a series against the Seattle Mariners would be a significant development for the Astros. They trail the surging Mariners by a half-game in the race for the AL West title and have gone almost two months without Paredes, who strained his right hamstring on July 19. The 26-year-old slashed .259/.359/.470 with 19 homers, 50 RBI, and 51 runs scored over 409 trips to the plate in the first few months of the season en route to his second straight All-Star nod. If Paredes does come back soon, it could soften the blow of a potentially lengthy Yordan Alvarez (ankle) absence. The designated hitter is dealing with a "severe" ankle sprain that will force him to miss an undetermined amount of time.
Source: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros third baseman Source: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
Willson Contreras Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Willson Contreras (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right shoulder, retroactive to Sept. 16. The team recalled infielder Jose Fermin from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Contreras exited a loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday with what was believed to be a biceps injury, but it turns out his shoulder will send him to the IL and keep him out for the rest of the season. The 33-year-old former catcher amassed 563 plate appearances in 2025 and slashed an above-average .257/.344/.447 with 20 homers, 80 RBI, 70 runs scored, and five stolen bases. With Contreras out of commission, Alec Burleson should get the majority of playing time at first base for the remainder of the Cardinals' season, which will leave the corner outfield to Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker.
Source: Katie Woo - The Athletic
The St. Louis Cardinals have placed first baseman Source: Katie Woo - The Athletic
Seiya Suzuki Back in Lineup on Wednesday
Seiya Suzuki (illness) is back in the lineup on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Suzuki will play right field and hit fifth in a meeting with right-hander Johan Oviedo. The 31-year-old slugger missed the Cubs' previous five games while dealing with bronchitis. Before then, he opened September an ice-cold 7-for-34 (.206) with no extra-base hits, two RBI, nine strikeouts, and six walks over nine games. Suzuki has taken 611 trips to the plate this season and hit .244/.324/.461 with career highs in homers (27) and RBI (91), 69 runs scored, and five stolen bases. He's just 1-for-9 with three strikeouts against Oviedo.
Source: MLB.com
Chicago Cubs outfielder Source: MLB.com
Connelly Early Fans Seven In No-Decision Tuesday
Connelly Early turned in another strong start in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Athletics. Early pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and no walks with seven strikeouts. He also hit a batter. Unfortunately, his offense couldn't give him and run support, sticking him with a no-decision. The 23-year-old has carried his success from Triple-A Worcester to his first two big-league starts, compiling a 0.87 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 10 1/3 IP. Early is tentatively lined up for a start at the Rays. Fantasy managers should check probable pitchers in the coming days for confirmation, but there is no reason not to start him in that matchup.
Source: MLB.com
Boston Red Sox rookie starting pitcher Source: MLB.com
Dominic Canzone Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Dominic Canzone. Canzone had an outstanding day at the plate, going 5-for-5 with two singles, two solo home runs, and a two-run HR. The 28-year-old has not been able to carve out a routine role with the Mariners, but he has made the most of his at-bats, slashing .304/.363/.491 with 10 HR, 28 RBI, and two stolen bases in 237 plate appearances. His inconsistent playing time makes him a difficult fantasy option to rely on for the final few weeks, but he could be a useful play in daily leagues when he draws starts.
Source: MLB.com
The Seattle Mariners had two players with multi-homer games in Tuesday's 12-5 win over the Royals, including outfielder/designated hitter Source: MLB.com
Hogan Harris Earns Four-Out Save Tuesday
Hogan Harris earned his third save of the season in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Red Sox. Harris entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning up by one with two outs and a runner on first. Harris picked Nick Sogard off while trying to steal second, ending the inning. He stayed on to pitch the bottom of the ninth. He got the first out on a pop-out, allowed a single, and induced a ground-ball double-play to end the game. Harris has only seen three save opportunities this season but has converted them all. He has two wins and three holds to go with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP, a 9.00 K/9 rate, and a 5.12 BB/9 rate in 58 innings pitched. His lack of consistent high-leverage exposure and his high walk rate have limited his fantasy value this season.
Source: MLB.com
Athletics relief pitcher Source: MLB.com
Brad Keller Earns Third Save Of Season Tuesday
Brad Keller picked up his third save of the season in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Pirates. Keller came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by three and delivered a 1-2-3 performance with two strikeouts. The 30-year-old has had a resurgent season out of the bullpen for the Cubs and has split save opportunities with Andrew Kittredge since Daniel Palencia (shoulder) was placed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain. Kittredge pitched a clean seventh inning in Tuesday's win. Keller now has four wins and 25 holds to go with a 2.16 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and a 9.59 K/9 rate in 66 2/3 innings of work.
Source: MLB.com
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Source: MLB.com
Riley O'Brien Notches Fifth Save Of Season Tuesday
Riley O'Brien picked up his fifth save of the season in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Reds. O'Brien came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning and turned in a 1-2-3 outing with a strikeout. The 30-year-old has split save opportunities with JoJo Romero lately, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning in Tuesday's game. O'Brien has now converted five of eight save opportunities on the season with a 2.08 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and an 8.52 K/9 rate in 43 1/3 innings of work. He is currently widely available, making him a viable option for fantasy managers desparate for a final few saves in roto leagues.
Source: MLB.com
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Source: MLB.com
Bryan Abreu Earns Four-Out Save Tuesday
Bryan Abreu picked up his seventh save of the season in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Rangers. Abreu came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning up by two with two outs and a runner on second. He allowed a walk and an RBI single, then got the third out on a pop-out. He stayed on to pitch the top of the ninth inning. He allowed a leadoff single, got the first two outs on a strikeout and a fly-out, allowed another single, and ended the game with a strikeout. The 28-year-old has struggled at times since filling in for Josh Hader (shoulder) as the team's closer, converting six of seven save opportunities but with a 5.84 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. Overall, Abreu has still been an effective fantasy reliever, earning 25 holds to go with a 2.37 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a 13.57 K/9 rate in 68 1/3 innings of work.
Source: MLB.com
Houston Astros interim closer Source: MLB.com
Michael Busch Has Big Night in Cubs 4-1 Win Over Pirates
Michael Busch had an extremely productive night in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Busch led off the game with his 29th home run of the season and didn't stop there, finishing 3-for-4 with an additional run scored and a walk. The 29-year-old has put together a very strong season in his second year with Chicago, slashing .259/.337/.498 with an .835 OPS. The lefty has picked up nine hits in his last six games and is heating up at the right time for a Cubs team looking to make a strong push in the playoffs.
Source: MLB.com
Chicago Cubs first baseman Source: MLB.com
Anthony Santander Nears Blue Jays Return as Rehab Assignment Continues
Anthony Santander (shoulder) has served as the designated hitter in all four games of his Triple-A rehab stint with the Buffalo Bisons as he works back from a left shoulder injury. The 30-year-old has been on the injured list since May 30 but hopes to rejoin the Blue Jays before the end of the season. Santander has struggled in his first year with Toronto, slashing .179/.273/.304 after arriving from the Baltimore Orioles. There was speculation that he attempted to play through injury earlier in the year, so this extended break could provide a needed reset. A healthy Santander would give the Blue Jays a much-needed boost as they look to push deep into October.
Source: MLB.com
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Source: MLB.com
Jose Suarez Shines in First Start, Strengthens Case for Larger Role
Jose Suarez (2-0) worked seven strong innings in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Washington Nationals. The 27-year-old struck out nine while allowing two runs on five hits and two walks, earning the victory. It was his first start of the season after three relief appearances for the Braves. Suarez now owns a 2.51 ERA and 1.19 WHIP as he continues to find his groove with his new team. This latest outing should spark optimistic conversations about his role on the pitching staff as he builds on his early success and proves he can handle a larger workload.
Source: MLB.com
Atlanta Braves southpaw Source: MLB.com
Cal Raleigh Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Cal Raleigh made history in Tuesday's matchup against the Kansas City Royals by hitting his 55th and 56th home runs of the season, passing Mickey Mantle for the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single year. Mantle's mark stood for more than six decades before Raleigh surpassed it with his latest power display. The 28-year-old slugger leads the majors in home runs and is firmly in the American League MVP conversation. Raleigh is slashing .248/.362/.592 with a .954 OPS in his fifth major league season and continues to launch baseballs with authority, providing the Mariners with a consistent source of power during their late-season push.
Source: MLB.com
Seattle Mariners catcher Source: MLB.com
Ronald Acuna Jr. Sparks Braves in 6-3 Win Over Nationals
Ronald Acuna Jr. delivered three hits in Tuesday's 6-3 victory over the Washington Nationals, going 3-for-4 with a walk. All three hits were singles, marking his third multi-hit effort in his last seven games. After a sluggish opening to September, Acuna has found some rhythm at the plate and is now slashing .281/.403/.498 in his eighth major league season. The 27-year-old missed most of last year with a torn ACL, but he is steadily building a strong campaign to regain his elite form. Acuna's recent surge is a bright spot for a Braves club that has struggled to stay consistent and remains outside serious postseason contention.
Source: MLB.com
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Source: MLB.com