September 12, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn (knee) is starting at shortstop and will bat in the six-hole for Friday night's divisional contest against the hosting Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Quinn Priester. Winn will return to the field on Friday after missing the last three games with a meniscus tear in his knee. While the 23-year-old will need surgery in the offseason on his knee, he plans on playing through it for the final couple of weeks of the 2025 campaign. It doesn't exactly give fantasy managers a vote of confidence, especially since he has hit .164 (11-for-67) with no home runs, a double, five RBI, nine runs, and two steals in 18 games played since Aug. 17. Winn has faced Priester only two times in his career and has two hits off of him.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman
Ketel Marte (foot) has been scratched from the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins.
Ildemaro Vargas is now starting at the keystone and will hit second against Twins right-hander
Pablo Lopez at Target Field. Marte was expected to return to action on Friday after he left Wednesday's game with a foot injury, but he apparently wasn't feeling quite 100 percent after pre-game workouts. Fantasy managers will need to remove him from their lineups and check back on Friday to see if he's able to return. Marte is a must-start second baseman in fantasy when he's active and in the lineup. Vargas, 34, is in a nice spot at the top of the order, but he'll still be a low-upside DFS streamer in Minnesota. He has gone 19-for-73 (.260) in limited action in 2025 with only three homers and 15 RBI.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
September 12, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals activated infielder
Brendan Donovan (groin) from the 10-day injured list on Friday, and he's in the starting lineup for the series opener against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Quinn Priester. Donovan is manning second base and will hit leadoff in his return. The 28-year-old is back on the diamond in the big leagues after missing almost a month with a strained left groin. Now that Donovan is back, he should start regularly for the Red Birds after hitting .279/.348/.402 with a .750 OPS, nine home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs, and three steals in 110 games. Donovan is more useful in real life than in fantasy because of his lack of both power and speed as a utility man in St. Louis. With Donovan back in the fold down the stretch, young infielder
Thomas Saggese will return to more of a bench role.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - John Denton
September 12, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers catcher
William Contreras (forearm) is back behind the plate on Friday to catch right-hander
Quinn Priester and will hit cleanup in the series opener against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander
Andre Pallante at American Family Field. Contreras was hit by a pitch on his forearm on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers and was held out as a precaution on Wednesday before a team day off on Thursday. The 27-year-old backstop is now in there and will face Priester, whom he is hitting .167 against with an RBI in just six career at-bats. The Venezuelan catcher hasn't been as good as he was last year, but he should be returned to starting fantasy lineups for the weekend. Contreras has looked good so far in September, going 10-for-30 with a double, two RBI, and seven runs scored in eight games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers are reshuffling their starting rotation and will push right-hander
Brandon Woodruff back to next Wednesday in a fine matchup for fantasy purposes against the Los Angeles Angels. Woodruff was originally on track to make his next start on Saturday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals after last pitching on Sept. 6, but they'll give him extra rest and use rookie
Jacob Misiorowski on Saturday instead. It's not a big surprise after the 32-year-old Woodruff didn't make his 2025 debut until July while recovering from offseason surgery on his shoulder. He's been solid for fantasy managers upon his return, though, going 6-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 0.955 WHIP with 74 strikeouts in 59 2/3 frames over his 11 starts. Start him next week against the Halos.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Todd Rosiak
September 12, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies are placing left-handed reliever
Jose Alvarado (forearm) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 11) on Friday with a left-forearm strain and are adding right-hander
Walker Buehler to the active roster in a corresponding move, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Alvarado has only appeared in 28 games out of the bullpen for the Phillies this year after serving a lengthy suspension, and now he'll miss at least the next two weeks with an injury. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw may not be able to make it back until the postseason in October. In his 26 innings of relief in his fifth year in Philly, he has a 3.81 ERA (3.60 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with seven saves, 32 strikeouts, and seven walks. The Phillies still have a formidable bullpen, but they'll rely on lefty
Matt Strahm more against lefties in a high-leverage role now.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
September 12, 2025
Boston Red Sox infielder
Romy Gonzalez (knee) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the division-rival New York Yankees at Fenway Park.
David Hamilton will make another start at the keystone and will hit seventh against Yankees right-hander
Luis Gil. Gonzalez is dealing with a sore left knee and also missed the series finale on Wednesday against the Athletics. The 29-year-old had another off day on Thursday, but he still isn't ready. Consider him day-to-day and check back if he's available against the Yanks on Saturday. Hamilton has 20 stolen bases in 84 games this year and a total of 53 swipes the last two years in Boston, but he'll be a low-upside DFS sleeper at the bottom of Boston's batting order. Hamilton has also gone hitless in seven career at-bats versus Gil.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Detroit Tigers infielder
Zach McKinstry (back) is starting at the hot corner and is batting eighth for the first-place Tigers in Friday night's game on the road against the hosting Miami Marlins and right-hander
Sergio Alcantara. McKinstry will return to the fold on Friday evening after sitting out the last three games with a back injury. With McKinstry returning, infielder
Colt Keith will serve as Detroit's designated hitter. The 30-year-old McKinstry has provided some decent power/speed numbers for fantasy managers in deeper leagues this year with a .266/.342/.447 slash line, 11 long balls, 48 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases in his 418 at-bats. He has gone 7-for-20 so far in September with three doubles, a triple, and five RBI in six games. McKinstry is hitless in two career at-bats against Alcantara.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Cleveland Guardians infielder
Gabriel Arias (wrist) is back at shortstop and is hitting sixth in Friday's contest against the division-rival Chicago White Sox and left-hander
Martin Perez at Progressive Field. Arias is returning to action after he missed the last three games with inflammation in his right wrist. Now that he's back,
Brayan Rocchio will shift back to second base for the Guards. The 25-year-old Arias is a defense-first middle infielder, so he doesn't carry much value in fantasy. The Venezuelan is returning to a .223/.280/.363 slash line with a .643 OPS, 10 home runs, 48 RBI, 39 runs, and six stolen bases in 372 at-bats this year. Arias is hitless in just one career at-bat against the veteran Perez. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups should have better sleeper options at the position on Friday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect
Charlie Condon is headed to the Arizona Fall League (AFL) this October as one of eight prospects who will represent the Rockies, playing for the Salt River Rafters squad. The 2024 third-overall draft pick got a late start to the season after suffering a wrist injury in spring training, and earned a promotion to Double-A after slashing .312/.431/.420 in 35 games at High-A. The Rockies' top-ranked prospect's wrist injury appears to be behind him, as the power stroke was abundant at Double-A, hitting 11 home runs and slugging .479 in 53 games. A high 28.9 percent strikeout rate limited his batting average (.240) at that level, but an 11.0 percent walk rate still helped him to a solid .346 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-6 slugger will use the AFL to make up for lost at-bats and hopefully prep him for a likely 2026 major league debut.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
San Diego Padres catching prospect
Ethan Salas (back) will head to the desert this October to take part in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). Salas is the highest-ranking of eight Padres prospects who will participate in the AFL. The Padres' top prospect missed all but 10 games this season due to a stress reaction in his back and will use the AFL to make up some at-bats in preparation for the 2026 campaign. The 19-year-old ended 2024 as the eighth-ranked prospect in all of baseball, but underperformance and injury have sent him down the list, now sitting at No. 82 overall. Since coming into the minors in 2023, the left-handed slugger owns just a .221/.305/.347 slash line in 187 career games. He'll look to get back on track this fall, and at his age, there's still plenty of time to figure it out.
--Jarod RuppSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Boston Red Sox infielder/outfielder
Kristian Campbell continues his push to get back on the major league roster, going 3-for-5 on Thursday with a double, two runs scored, and a stolen base for Triple-A Worcester. The 23-year-old has three multi-hit efforts in his last four games, and is hitting .329 with a .913 OPS over his last 18. The 6-foot-3 slugger was sent down to Triple-A in June after struggling at the major league level, however, with this recent hot stretch, he could be vying for a late-season call-up to help Boston make a postseason run. If that happens soon enough, he could also be in line to help fantasy managers with their playoff runs, and is eligible at 2B and OF for those interested in stashing away.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 12, 2025
Cleveland Guardians second base prospect
Travis Bazzana (oblique) was removed from Thursday's game at Triple-A Columbus with left oblique soreness. The Guardians' top-ranked prospect missed two months earlier this season due to an oblique injury, although that was on his right side. The 2024 top draft pick was promoted to Triple-A in mid-August, and although he was hitting just .225 at the time of the injury, the left-handed slugger had recently popped four home runs over a four-game stretch, seemingly starting to find his footing at that level. There is no indication as to the severity of the injury, and he has yet to be placed on the injured list, but obliques typically result in missed time. It is looking like 2026 is when we'll see him in the majors, and redraft managers will have to get familiar with him as he has an all-around skillset that will make him fantasy relevant, whether that's at the beginning of the season or later.
--Jarod RuppSource: Tim Stebbins
September 12, 2025
Right-hander
Michael Soroka's (shoulder) next outing will come with the Chicago Cubs, according to Andy Martinez of Watch Marquee Sports. The Cubs are ready to activate Soroka from the 15-day injured list after he threw 38 pitches over 2 1/3 innings with Triple-A Iowa on his minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday. Since Soroka isn't stretched out and the Cubs' starting rotation is currently full, he will most likely pitch in a long-relief role in his return to the Cubs. The Canadian hurler has made just one start for Chicago since they acquired him at this year's trade deadline from the Washington Nationals in late July. In his lone start for the Cubbies, he allowed a run on a solo homer with a walk and a strikeout in just two innings. Soroka has a 4.86 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 90:25 K:BB in 79 2/3 total innings in 2025. He can be ignored in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Watch Marquee - Andy Martinez
September 12, 2025
Minnesota Twins catching prospect
Eduardo Tait helped High-A Cedar Rapids to a 5-3 playoff victory over High-A Beloit (Miami) on Thursday, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of doubles, driving in two runs and scoring twice in the contest. The win evened the series at one game apiece in the best-of-three series, with the winner headed to the Midwest League championship. Tait was a big riser in the prospect ranks this year, debuting at No. 93 overall and now sitting at No. 52. The Panamanian backstop began the season at Single-A in the Philadelphia organization, coming to the Twins in the
Jhoan Duran trade, and moved to High-A in late July. The 19-year-old got going in late August, hitting .281 over his final 14 games, which included seven multi-hit efforts. Look for the Twins' second-ranked prospect to test the upper levels of the minors next season, and the offensive-minded catcher should be monitored in dynasty leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
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