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Adley Rutschman Goes Deep Twice in Return From Injury
After missing the previous three games with an elbow injury, Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman broke a recent slump and returned with a bang on Thursday to help beat his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, by a score of 6-5 at Camden Yards. Rutschman went 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs and three RBI on the night to raise his season average to .240 and his OPS to .741. It was a much-needed turnaround for a player who has never really been able to hit his stride in 2026 due to injuries. The 28-year-old switch-hitter and former first overall pick in 2019 from Oregon State came into Thursday's series opener against Baltimore with a weak .237/.318/.400 slash line with a .718 OPS, only nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 300 at-bats. The three-time All-Star had been even worse in 15 games since being traded to the BoSox, going 9-for-59 (.170) with a homer, six walks, and 15 strikeouts. The Red Sox gave up a lot to secure Rutschman as their catcher of the future, and they are hoping his bat begins to heat up as they push to make the postseason.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Alejandro Kirk a Viable Catching Addition for Final Month of the Season
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk got the day off on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, but it had nothing to do with his offensive performance of late. The 27-year-old missed over a month of action early in the first half of the season due to injury, but he has been back since June and just finished a highly productive month in August, slashing .341/.412/.534 with a .946 OPS, five home runs, two doubles, 20 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 25 games played. It was by far Kirk's best month of the 2026 season as he rounds into form for the final month of the regular season as Toronto looks to sneak into a wild-card spot in the American League. The 27-year-old Mexican backstop is now hitting .271 (59-for-218) overall with eight long balls, 32 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a stolen base in only 63 games played this season. Kirk is the Jays' primary catcher and can help fantasy managers in two-catcher formats who are trying to win a championship. He is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .282 with a career-high 15 home runs and 76 RBI in 130 regular-season games. Despite his red-hot month in August, Kirk is still rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Adley Rutschman Returns From Elbow Injury to Face Old Team
Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (elbow) is back behind the plate to catch left-hander Jake Bennett and will hit third in Thursday's series opener against his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, and right-hander Brandon Young, according to MLB.com. Rutschman is returning to action after missing the last three games with an elbow injury that also caused him to miss three games last week. It is an injury that the 28-year-old switch-hitter might have to battle for the remainder of the 2026 season, which is not what fantasy managers want to hear in what has already been a disappointing campaign for the former first overall pick from Oregon State. In 300 total at-bats this year, Rutschman is slashing .237/.318/.400 with a .718 OPS, nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored for the O's and Red Sox. The three-time All-Star has been even worse since being traded to Boston, going 9-for-53 (.170) with a homer, a double, four RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts in 15 games played. Fantasy managers may want to keep him benched until he shows signs of life at the plate.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Josue Briceno Firmly Off Stash Radar with New Injury
Detroit Tigers catcher/first base prospect Josue Briceno (undisclosed) was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Toledo with an undisclosed injury. He looked to have injured his ankle trying to get back to second base and subsequently had to leave the game this past Sunday, so it could be related to that. Regardless, it has all but guaranteed that the Tigers' fifth-ranked prospect will not debut in 2026. It has been a rough year anyway, with the left-handed hitter being limited to 42 total games due to injuries, only 15 of which came with the Mud Hens, where he hit .196 with zero home runs and a 32.2 percent strikeout rate. The 6-foot-4 slugger will hopefully be healthy to begin 2027 and could make a case for an MLB debut, but for now, the 21-year-old can be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues.
Source: Emily Waldon
Source: Emily Waldon
Adley Rutschman Sitting Out Another Day With Elbow Injury
Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (elbow) will miss another game on Wednesday against the visiting Seattle Mariners, per MLB.com. Connor Wong will do the catching for left-hander Patrick Sandoval and will hit out of the nine spot in the batting order against Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller. It will be the third straight missed game for Rutschman, who has played in just three of the team's last nine games due to a hyperextended right elbow that he suffered on a swing early last week. It has been that kind of year for the former first overall pick from Oregon State. Rutschman only has 300 at-bats in his fifth year in the league and is slashing .237/.318/.400 with a .718 OPS, nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 82 games with the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. He has not been able to get on track offensively amidst his injuries in 2026, and he has gone just 9-for-53 (.170) with a homer, a double, four RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts in 15 games since joining the BoSox in a blockbuster trade in early August. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if Rutschman is ready to rejoin the lineup for the series opener at Camden Yards against his former team, the Orioles.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Carter Jensen Has Been a Batting-Average Drain in the Second Half
Across 516 plate appearances in 2026, Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen is hitting .224/.310/.412 with 19 home runs, 62 RBI, 61 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The 23-year-old has shown off impressive power for a young backstop at times this season, posting a 10.3% barrel rate for the year. However, Jensen's batting average ceiling is limited by his 28.5% strikeout rate. He's also been working through an extended slump at the plate, as he hit just .187 across 102 plate appearances in July and .165 across 106 plate appearances in August. Jensen still hit four home runs and scored 14 runs last month, so he's not completely without value for fantasy managers. Still, managers may want to look to sell high on him ahead of the stretch run of the season, while his overall numbers still look better than his current production.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cooper Ingle Falls from Stash Radar Amid Prolonged Slump
Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfield prospect Cooper Ingle's chances of returning to the majors this season are fading as a prolonged slump has cooled him off at the plate ever since a torrid stretch of multi-hit games that lasted from mid July to early August. Since that hot stretch, the Guardians' fifth-ranked prospect has gone 11-for-64 (.172) over his last 19 games, and hasn't recorded an extra-base hit since August 12, a period of 13 games. The silver lining here is that he continues to draw walks in bunches, tallying another two on Tuesday night and 25 during the 19-game "slump" (compared to 26 strikeouts), which allowed him to produce an on-base percentage of .417 over that same period. The left-handed hitter's season-long numbers at Triple-A still look good, with a .297/.433/.531 slash line, but there are likely better stash options available on the waiver wire in redraft leagues that have a better chance of being recalled.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Adley Rutschman Out With Ongoing Elbow Injury
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said on WEEI on Tuesday that catcher Adley Rutschman's (elbow) hyperextended elbow is still an issue and probably will be for the rest of the season, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Rutschman is out of the starting lineup on Tuesday for the second day in a row against the visiting Seattle Mariners as a result. Connor Wong will do the catching for right-handed rookie Jedixson Paez and will bat ninth against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Rutschman hyperextended his elbow on a swing last week and missed two games. It does not sound like it is an injured list situation for the 28-year-old switch-hitter, but it is not going to help him get back on track offensively to close out what has been a frustrating 2026 campaign for the former first overall pick. Since joining the BoSox from the Orioles at the trade deadline, the three-time All-Star has gone just 9-for-53 (.170) at the plate with a homer, a double, four RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts in 15 games played. Overall, he is slashing a disappointing .237/.318/.400 with a .718 OPS, nine homers, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 82 total games.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Dodgers Activate Catcher Will Smith From Injured List
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Tuesday that they activated catchers Will Smith (neck) and Dalton Rushing (elbow) from the injured list on Tuesday. Catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Smith is finally back from a neck injury that cost him three months, and he went 4-for-16 at the plate with two doubles and a home run in five minor-league rehab games. The Dodgers will likely ease Smith back into the fold with both Rushing and Hunter Feduccia on the roster and capable of splitting time behind the dish. The return of the 31-year-old Smith, a three-time All-Star, definitely makes an already strong Dodgers lineup stronger. He will be looking to turn things around offensively after hitting just .249 (43-for-173) with six home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored in his first 173 at-bats before he injured his neck. Smith did not look great at the plate earlier this year, but he has the potential to make an impact down the stretch in single-catcher fantasy leagues. He is currently rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
Angels Being Sold to Rams Owner Stan Kroenke
The Los Angeles Angels are being sold to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, pending MLB approval. Kroenke is collecting professional sports franchises at this point, as he also owns the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Mammoth, and Arsenal Football Club. It puts an end to a tumultuous ownership tenure for long-time Angels owner Arte Moreno, the first Latino majority owner in MLB, who purchased the Angels from the Walt Disney Company in 2003 on the heels of their first and only World Series championship. Moreno immediately brought in Vladimir Guerrero and Bartolo Colon. The franchise won the American League West five times in a six-year span from 2004 to 2009, but the Angels have made the playoffs once since 2010, spoiling the prime years of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Moreno was often criticized for being too heavy-handed in baseball operations. Things began to change when the Angels brought in long-time St. Louis Cardinals head of baseball operations John Mozeliak to trade controllable players and reshape the front office and coaching staff.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Padres Calling Up Catching Prospect Ethan Salas After Strong Triple-A Run
The San Diego Padres are set to call up top catching prospect Ethan Salas from Triple-A El Paso when rosters expand on Tuesday, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound 20-year-old backstop is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Padres' top prospect and the No. 23 overall prospect in all of baseball. At the catching position, he is ranked as the No. 4 prospect, behind Rainiel Rodriguez (Cardinals), Vahn Lackey (Twins), and Alfredo Duno (Reds). Salas, who hits from the left side, has turned heads in 24 games with El Paso in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, slashing .326/.410/.539 with a .949 OPS, three homers, 24 RBI, 13 runs scored, and three steals. He began the year at Double-A San Antonio and hit .286 (74-for-259) with seven homers, 37 RBI, 14 steals, and 41 runs scored in 72 games for the Missions. There are still mixed reviews as to how high a ceiling Salas has offensively, and it is unclear how much he will play in San Diego, which already has catchers Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano on the major-league roster. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should not be expecting fireworks from Salas in September.
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
Josue Briceno Not Likely To Debut in Majors Until Next Season
Detroit Tigers catcher prospect Josue Briceno has played for four minor league teams this season and has most recently logged 15 games at Triple-A Toledo. At Toledo, Briceno is hitting .196 with no homers and seven RBI as he has gotten off to a rough start. In 144 at-bats between the four levels, Briceno has combined to hit nine homers and 29 RBI with a .250 batting average. Briceno is the No. 5 prospect in the Tigers' system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade power. The power is elite for a catcher and makes Briceno an enticing fantasy prospect. But the Tigers have the productive duo of Dillon Dingler and Eduardo Valencia at the catcher position. Look for Briceno to make his debut next season, and when he does, he will likely be a bit of a drag in the batting average category but carries big-time power potential.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Cardinals to Promote No. 7 Prospect Leo Bernal to Majors
The St. Louis Cardinals are promoting catching prospect Leo Bernal to the majors, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. The 22-year-old originally signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent out of Panama in 2021. Up until this point, he had spent the entire season in Triple-A, slashing .279/.364/.469 with 16 home runs, 77 RBI, nine steals, an 11.8% walk rate, a 20.0% strikeout rate, and 116 wRC+ across 100 games. Bernal is a switch-hitter and has made impressive strides from a platoon standpoint this year. Specifically, he improved upon his ability to hit right-handed pitching, bringing his OPS against righties up from .668 to .846 this year. He's also been solid on defense, throwing out 27.4% of base stealers. Bernal should have a chance to carve out significant playing time right away, as both of the Cardinals' active catchers have a sub-.600 OPS.
Source: Francys Romero
Source: Francys Romero
Will Smith Expected to Return on Tuesday
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (neck) is expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Smith has been out since early June due to a neck injury. He began a rehab assignment on August 25 and appears to be on the verge of returning to the big league roster. His return is a welcoming sight for the Dodgers, who have struggled to find consistent production from the catcher spot lately. This season, Smith is slashing .249/.338/.382 with six home runs and 23 RBI across 52 games. It hasn't been a great year for Smith offensively, but he could be worth scooping up off the waiver wire for fantasy managers seeking help at the catcher spot.
Source: Sonja Chen
Source: Sonja Chen
Samuel Basallo is Held Out on Sunday
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (hand) is being held out of the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics. The O's have decided to keep Basallo on the bench for this one due to a hand issue, according to Matt Weyrich. Basallo was removed early from Saturday's game due to a right-hand injury that he suffered while attempting to block a wild pitch. He's considered day-to-day, so fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried at the moment. Pete Alonso will serve as the designated hitter while Carlos Narvaez does the catching during Sunday's contest. Fantasy managers should check back on Monday for another update on his status.
Source: Matt Weyrich
Source: Matt Weyrich
