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
September 1, 2025
Miami Marlins reliever
Lake Bachar will open against the Washington Nationals on Monday. The 30-year-old has made 43 appearances this season and recorded a 3.39 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP, 65 strikeouts, and 27 walks in 58 1/3 innings. Considering Bachar hasn't gone past the three-inning mark in any appearance this year, the Marlins are sure to rely heavily on their bullpen on Monday. Bachar & Co. will face a Washington team that has dropped eight in a row. The Nats' offense ranks 25th in the majors in runs and 26th in OPS.
--Connor ByrneSource: Miami Marlins
September 1, 2025
Cleveland Guardians infielder
Gabriel Arias (hand) remains out of action for Monday's series opener at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.
Brayan Rocchio will make yet another start at the 6 on Monday and will hit ninth against Red Sox right-hander
Brayan Bello. Arias suffered a bruised right hand when he was hit by a pitch on Friday against the Seattle Mariners, and this will be his third straight game starting on the bench. X-rays came back negative on the 25-year-old, though, so hopefully he will be able to return at some point during the series in Boston. Daniel Schneeman is making the start at second and will hit second in the series opener. Neither Arias nor Rocchio are much to look at from an offensive standpoint for fantasy managers. Rocchio, 24, is currently hitting .231 (60-for-260) with only three home runs, 34 RBI and six steals on the season.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 1, 2025
Cincinnati Reds first baseman
Spencer Steer (leg) is out of the lineup on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Manager Terry Francona said the Reds are resting Steer because he has been playing through a leg injury. Top infield prospect
Sal Stewart, making his major league debut, will fill in for Steer at first base and bat sixth against right-hander
Chris Bassitt. Stewart has slashed a superb .309/.383/.524 with 20 homers, 80 RBI, 78 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in 494 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A this season. The 21-year-old is versatile enough to play multiple positions in the infield, and Francona indicated that he'll receive plenty of opportunities during the final month of the season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Charlie Goldsmith
September 1, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho (hand) is returning to the lineup on Monday against Cincinnati Reds right-hander
Hunter Greene. Varsho will play center field and bat fifth in his first game since Friday. The 29-year-old left that contest - a 7-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers - after taking a pitch off the right hand, but X-rays came back negative. While injuries have limited Varsho to 48 games this year, he has been a tremendous source of power over 182 plate appearances, having slashed .226/.280/.567 with 15 homers, 42 RBI, and 26 runs scored. Despite the missed time, Varsho has a shot at his third 20-HR campaign. However, with just one stolen base, he's unlikely to post a fourth straight season with double-digit steals.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September
1,
2025
According
to
Chris
Hatfield
of
SoxProspects.com,
Boston
Red
Sox
left-hander
Kyle
Harrison
was
initially
set
to
start
Sunday
in
Triple-A,
and
now
he
is
not.
With
the
report,
the
Red
Sox
plan
to
keep
rookie
read more...
September 1, 2025
The Chicago Cubs plan to use right-hander
Aaron Civale out of the bullpen after claiming him off waivers from the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. Civale has struggled in 2025, logging a 5.26 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 74/33 K/BB ratio in 89 innings pitched with the Milwaukee Brewers and the White Sox. Ironically, the reason the Brewers traded Civale was that he was reluctant to pitch out of the bullpen for them, and he wanted to be a starting pitcher. Fast forward a few more months, and he is now pitching out of the bullpen for his third team in 2025. Civale's value is lessened as a long reliever, and for now, it appears that the Cubs will continue to stroll out
Colin Rea and
Javier Assad while
Jameson Taillon (groin) and
Michael Soroka (shoulder) return from the IL.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Jesse Rogers
September 1, 2025
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that
Jake Meyers (calf) could return from the 10-day injured list "in another week or so," Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. Meyers has been on the shelf nursing a calf injury since July 11, but once he's activated, he should take over center field duty for the Astros upon his return. The Astros' center field position has been a revolving door, with
Jacob Melton, Mauricio Dubón, and
Chas McCormick filling in for Meyers' absence from the lineup. In his first three games in Triple-A with the Sugar Land Cowboys, Meyers has gone 1-for-9 with two walks. On the season, Meyers is slashing .308/.369/.405 with three home runs, 21 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 47 runs scored in 289 at-bats.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Matt Kawahara
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