September 12, 2025
The Houston Astros are promoting outfielder Zach Cole from Triple-A Sugar Land ahead of Friday's game against the Atlanta Braves, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Cole joined the organization as a 10th-round pick in 2022, and he's now the Astros' 19th-ranked prospect at MLB Pipeline. The 25-year-old has divided the season between Double-A and Triple-A (mostly the former) and slashed an outstanding .279/.377/.539 with 19 homers, 65 RBI, 63 runs, and 18 steals in 416 plate appearances. However, Cole's success has come despite a bloated 35.1% strikeout rate. He'll give the Astros some extra outfield depth over the final couple of weeks of the season.
--Connor ByrneSource: Brian McTaggart - MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman
Brandon Lowe is not in the lineup on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
Richie Palacios will handle the keystone in Lowe's absence and hit seventh in a meeting with left-hander
Matthew Boyd. Lowe, who's out of the lineup for the first time since Aug. 4, has slumped in his first 10 games this month. He's 8-for-38 (.211) with four doubles, three RBI, and a whopping 16 strikeouts against two walks in September. The 31-year-old has still been among the league's most productive second basemen this season, though, having slashed .260/.312/.478 with 28 homers, 74 RBI, 72 runs, and three steals in 506 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe is not in the lineup on Friday against Chicago Cubs left-hander
Matthew Boyd.
Jake Mangum will take over for Lowe in right field and hit fifth, while
Everson Pereira will play center and bat sixth. It's logical to sit Lowe against a tough lefty, as southpaws have held him to a miserable .496 OPS in 104 plate appearances in 2025. The left-handed Lowe has had far more success versus righties (.777 OPS), leading to an overall line of .236/.301/.399 with 11 homers, 39 RBI, 54 runs, and 17 steals in 387 trips to the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs third baseman
Matt Shaw is back in the lineup on Friday against Tampa Bay Rays right-hander
Shane Baz. He'll play third base and bat ninth. Shaw was scratched from the lineup for the Cubs' 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday while dealing with a personal matter, though he did pinch hit. After a productive August (.839 OPS, five home runs, 10 RBI), Shaw has slumped in his first nine games this month. He's 5-for-24 (.208) with a double, four RBI, eight strikeouts, and four walks. Overall, the 23-year-old rookie has batted .226/.292/.388 with 11 homers, 39 RBI, 47 runs, and 16 steals in 383 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Houston Astros right-handed reliever
Jayden Murray will serve as the team's opener against the Atlanta Braves on Friday. The 28-year-old made his major league debut last week and has since logged 2 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings with one strikeout and no walks over two appearances. Murray has spent most of the year at the Triple-A level and posted a 4.64 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP, 66 strikeouts, and 30 walks in 64 innings. He's not expected to go more than an inning or two in Friday's game, meaning the Astros will heavily rely on their bullpen against an Atlanta offense that ranks 18th in the majors in runs. The Braves have scored the fewest runs in the league (35) over the past two weeks.
--Connor ByrneSource: Matt Kawahara - Houston Chronicle
September 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs designated hitter/outfielder
Seiya Suzuki is out of the lineup on Friday against Tampa Bay Rays right-hander
Shane Baz.
Moises Ballesteros will take over as the DH and bat sixth. Suzuki is getting the day off amid a severe slump. He has just one home run since the All-Star break and has opened September 7-for-34 (.206) with no extra-base hits, two RBI, nine strikeouts, and six walks in nine games. Thanks to his excellent production over the first couple months of the season, the 31-year-old still boasts a strong .244/.324/.461 line with 27 homers, 91 RBI, 69 runs, and five stolen bases over 611 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 12, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman
Orelvis Martinez was shut down due to an unspecified injury on Monday, but his inconsistent play on the field is likely what also led to him losing his 40-man roster spot. The move comes to make room for
Alek Manoah's (elbow) activation from the 60-day injured list on Thursday. Martinez has struggled mightily in 2025, slashing .197/.288/.348 with 13 home runs, 38 runs scored, 32 RBI, a 28.4 percent strikeout rate, and two stolen bases in 394 Triple-A plate appearances. Martinez was once on MLB's top-100 prospect list in 2023 and 2024, but has since been removed from that list over the last season and will look to rebound in 2026. He remains a decent dynasty stash for the time being at only 23 years old.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Toronto Blue Jays
September 12, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Jack Suwinski (groin) went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Thursday in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Indianapolis. Suwinski has been sidelined since August 29 with a groin injury, but made his first rehab appearance on Thursday. He took
Michael Soroka (shoulder) deep in the sixth inning before being removed for defensive purposes a few innings later. While it's encouraging to see Suwinski get a hold of one in his first rehab start, he has struggled at the plate in 2025, slashing .132/.286/.240 with three home runs, eight RBI, 13 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 121 at-bats. Fantasy managers looking for outfield production will want to look elsewhere, as Suwinski is a career .199 hitter through four seasons and through 1,330 plate appearances.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: MiLB.com
September 12, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-hander
Michael Soroka (shoulder) allowed one earned run on one hit and no walks while striking out three across 2 1/3 innings in a rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday. Soroka was acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline and was pulled from his first start with the new ball club on August 4 with a shoulder injury. Thursday marked his first appearance in a professional game since the injury, and he was pretty sharp, as he fired 22 of 38 pitches for strikes, and the only damage was a solo home run to
Jack Suwinski. The Cubs sit comfortably up 7.5 games in the NL Wild Card race, and could use all the extra help they could get before the regular season concludes on September 28. Soroka has put together a respectable season in 2025, with a 4.86 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 90/25 K/BB ratio in 83 1/3 innings pitched.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: MiLB.com
September 12, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers rookie catcher
Dalton Rushing (lower leg) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday and went 1-for-4 with a double and caught all nine innings, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports. Rushing has been sidelined since September 6, but it appears to be a short stint, as he was able to play the whole game on Thursday. It seems he has a strong chance to be activated after a minimum stay on the injured list. Rushing has gotten his opportunities in the big leagues, slashing .194/.254/.298 with three home runs, 21 RBI, and 12 runs scored through 121 at-bats. While it appears likely the Dodgers will call him back up before the season's end, fantasy managers competing in the playoffs of their leagues will want to look elsewhere for catcher production. Rushing remains a strong dynasty stash.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Bill Plunkett
September 11, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Jesus Luzardo earned his 14th win of the season in a 6-4 victory over the Mets on Thursday. He allowed four runs on five hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts in eight innings. All of the damage against the 27-year-old came in the first inning, as he quickly settled in for seven perfect frames following the rough start. This was his sixth double-digit strikeout performance of the season, and he remains one of the most unhittable pitchers in the game when everything is working right. The lefty sits with a 4.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 200 strikeouts, and 56 walks in 169 ⅔ innings on the season.
--Jeremy HeistSource: MLB.com
September 11, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs in Thursday's 9-3 win against the Tigers, bringing his season total to 46 and his career total to 361. Those 361 long balls for New York move him into a tie for fourth-most in franchise history with the all-time great Joe DiMaggio. The slugger is slashing .322/.443/.669 with 118 runs, 100 RBI, and 11 stolen bases to go along with his 46 home runs. He is the current favorite to take home the AL MVP Award for the second year in a row and figures to once again be a top-three pick in fantasy for 2026.
--Jeremy HeistSource: MLB.com
September 11, 2025
Los Angeles Angels catcher
Logan O'Hoppe (concussion) is feeling better and is on track to return during the upcoming series against Milwaukee, reports Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. He was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Monday after being hit in the head by the backswing of
Jacob Wilson. It's positive news that he is on track for an early return, as the series against the Brewers runs from Tuesday to Thursday next week. The 25-year-old has taken a step back this season so far with a .217 batting average and .260 on-base percentage, but his 19 home runs are still above average for a backstop.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Rhett Bollinger
September 11, 2025
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher
Chase Dollander (knee) is expected to go on the injured list and miss the remainder of the season, reports Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. This is after Dollander reported knee soreness after Monday's start and underwent an MRI on Tuesday. The exact injury diagnosis isn't yet clear, but it's enough to bring his rookie season to a close. The 23-year-old struggled in his first taste of the majors, posting a 6.52 ERA and 1.55 WHIP with 82 strikeouts and 49 walks in 98 innings. Pitching in Coors Field will always be a struggle, but the former top prospect should get the chance to take a step forward in his sophomore year.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Patrick Saunders
September 11, 2025
Washington Nationals left-hander
MacKenzie Gore (5-14) was effective in his return from the 15-day injured list on Thursday. After missing two weeks with shoulder inflammation, Gore tossed five innings of two-run, four-hit ball and logged four strikeouts against two walks in a 5-0 loss to the Miami Marlins. The Nationals eased Gore back in, pulling him after 78 pitches (50 strikes), and he got no help from the Nats' offense. The 26-year-old now has a 4.14 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP and 177:57 K:BB over 152 1/3 innings this season. He's scheduled to take on the division-rival Atlanta Braves in his next start on Tuesday. It'll be the first time Gore has faced the Braves this year.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
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