RADIO
JJ Wetherholt Activated And Starting on Wednesday
The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Wednesday that they activated rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) from the 10-day injured list. Wetherholt is right back in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the visiting San Francisco Giants and right-hander Anthony Molina, starting at second base and batting leadoff in his return. He will return for the first time since late August while dealing with tendinitis in his right wrist. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder can still help fantasy managers battling for a championship in the final week and a half of the regular season. The former seventh overall selection from West Virginia in 2024 will return to a .242/.343/.370 slash line with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across his 505 at-bats. Wetherholt struggled in August before he was shut down, going 19-for-95 (.200) with a homer, four doubles, seven RBI, 19 runs scored, two steals, 15 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 25 games played. Hopefully, he will have better results on offense to close out the year with his wrist issues behind him.
Source: St. Louis Cardinals
Source: St. Louis Cardinals
Fernando Tatis Jr. Riding Extended Hot Streak to Begin September
Across 659 plate appearances in 2026, San Diego Padres outfielder/second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .288/.356/.465 with 23 home runs, 78 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases. The 27-year-old struggled through an extended power outage at the start of the year, hitting just one home run in 245 plate appearances through the end of May. However, Tatis Jr. has been scorching hot in the second half of the season, slashing .307/.383/.623 with 18 homers across 243 plate appearances since the All-Star break. He's been particularly molten in September, hitting .358 with six home runs and four stolen bases over his first 59 trips to the plate this month. Now that Tatis Jr.'s early-season struggles are fully behind him, he profiles as a five-category superstar for fantasy managers in the final weeks of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Maikel Garcia Reinstated and Starting on Tuesday
The Kansas City Royals announced on Tuesday that they reinstated infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Matthew Lugo to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Garcia will immediately return to Tuesday's starting lineup against the hosting Houston Astros and right-hander Hunter Brown, starting at third base and batting cleanup for the Royals. The 26-year-old Venezuelan returns for the final couple of weeks of the regular season as he looks to turn his season around in short order. Garcia has been a major disappointment for fantasy managers this year, playing in only 73 games due to injury and hitting .269/.324/.385 with a .709 OPS, only three home runs, 32 RBI, 34 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 309 plate appearances in his fifth year in the big leagues. It is especially disappointing when considering that Garcia was a first-time All-Star in 2025, when he slashed .286/.351/.449 with 16 homers, 74 RBI, 23 steals, and 81 runs scored in 160 games.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
JJ Wetherholt to Go Through Full Workout on Tuesday
St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) is scheduled to go through a full pre-game workout on Tuesday after he hits off a pitching machine on Monday, according to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wetherholt is working his way back from tendinitis in his right wrist that had been bothering him for some time. The 24-year-old is making good progress, but if he returns for the Cardinals this year, it might only be for the final homestand of the 2026 campaign, so fantasy managers should not bank on any production from him during the postseason. All in all, it was a successful first year in the big leagues for Wetherholt, as he has hit .242/.343/.370 with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and 88 runs scored across 130 games and 586 plate appearances. Wetherholt has clear 20-20 potential going into his sophomore season in 2027 as the Cardinals' regular option at second base.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Daniel Guerrero
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Daniel Guerrero
Xavier Edwards Makes Return to Marlins Lineup on Sunday
Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards (thumb) was activated off the 10-day injured list ahead of his team's matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. The 27-year-old batted fifth in his return and went one-for-three with a walk and a run scored. Edwards had been sidelined since late August by a sprained thumb. Across 578 plate appearances this season, Edwards has hit .282/.362/.376 with six home runs, 51 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. The speedy switch-hitter brings almost no power to the table, as he's logged a 3.2% barrel rate and 28.7% hard-hit rate in 2026. However, he's struck out in just 13.3% of his plate appearances while posting an 11.4% walk rate. Now that he's back in action, Edwards profiles as a speed and batting average asset for fantasy managers.
Source: Miami Marlins
Source: Miami Marlins
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Going on Injured List With Sprained Thumb
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (thumb) will require a stint on the injured list after suffering a sprained right thumb in Tuesday's game, according to Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record. Chisholm will not do any baseball activities for seven to 10 days. With the starting second baseman going on the shelf, shortstop Anthony Volpe is an option to be called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more middle-infield depth at the big-league level. The speedy Jose Caballero is starting at the keystone on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. It is bad timing for Chisholm to go down with an injury, but the good news is the Yankees just got All-Star slugger Aaron Judge back for the first time since a stress fracture in his rib in late May. Given the timing of Chisholm's injury, he may not be back for the Yankees in the regular season to close out September, and fantasy managers definitely should not expect him to help in playoff matchups. The 28-year-old leads the league with 40 stolen bases in 461 at-bats in 2026 while also slashing .232/.312/.403 with 19 home runs, 55 RBI, and 68 runs scored.
Source: The Bergen Record - Pete Caldera
Source: The Bergen Record - Pete Caldera
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Out With Thumb Injury on Wednesday
New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (thumb) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against the visiting Colorado Rockies, per MLB.com. Chisholm will sit out after being pulled from Tuesday's series opener in the Bronx early due to a right-thumb injury that he suffered on a slide into second base. Jose Caballero will make the start at the keystone on Wednesday and will hit out of the nine-hole against Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. As of now, fantasy managers should consider Chisholm to be day-to-day and check back on him on Thursday to see if he is available to return for the series finale against Colorado. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger and two-time All-Star is one of the best power/speed options in fantasy at the second base position, but he also has third base eligibility in Yahoo leagues. The seven-year veteran enters play on Wednesday with a .232/.312/.403 slash line, .715 OPS, 19 home runs, 55 RBI, a league-high 40 stolen bases, and 68 runs scored across his 134 games and 520 plate appearances. Chisholm's power has been down after hitting a career-high 31 homers in 2025 in his first year in the Bronx, but he has made up for it by tying his career high with 40 thefts.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jacob Lombard Shows Off Tools in Professional Debut
Miami Marlins infield prospect Jacob Lombard capped off his professional debut with a home run and a stolen base in his last game at Single-A. It was an uneven showing through the first 22 games for the Marlins' fourth-ranked prospect, collecting six multi-hit efforts, including four home runs and 11 stolen bases, but he hit just .220 with a 39.4 percent strikeout rate. Even so, the future is still bright for the former first-rounder, who should show improvements in his first full season of professional baseball next year. There is 55-grade pop in his bat per MLB.com, along with 65-grade speed, so there is plenty to like about the 6-foot-3 slugger in terms of fantasy potential. The hit tool is the wild card here, but with his pedigree (brother of George Lombard Jr., who is already in the majors at age 21), assume he'll make the proper adjustments, and the power/speed upside is worth the batting average risk, leaving the 18-year-old as a worthy top-five pick in first-year player drafts.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jefferson Rojas Puts Exclamation Point on 2026 Campaign
New York Mets infield prospect Jefferson Rojas ended his 2026 campaign with a bang, going 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of singles, a double, and a home run. The Mets' top prospect showed well during his time with the team since coming over in the Clay Holmes trade in early August, slashing .286/.342/.619 with nine home runs in 26 games for the Rumble Ponies. Including his time with the Cubs organization, the 5-foot-11 Dominican hit .273 with 24 home runs and 19 steals in 117 games, while striking out at just a 16.2 percent clip (8.8 percent walk rate). MLB's No. 76 overall prospect should see time at Triple-A in 2027 and will be knocking on the door to the majors. The Mets were willing to give several young prospects a chance in 2026, and could do so again next year; with Rojas' ability to play third base, second base, or shortstop, there are multiple pathways to the majors. With a solid all-around skill set and the potential to be an early contributor next year, the 21-year-old maintains solid value in dynasty formats.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Nick Sogard a Versatile Deep-League Depth Piece to Target
Across 213 plate appearances this season, Boston Red Sox infielder Nick Sogard is hitting .267/.364/.406 with four home runs, 16 RBI, and 26 runs scored. The 29-year-old's power upside is limited, as he's posted just a 4.9% barrel rate and a 29.9% hard-hit rate. However, Sogard has kept his strikeout rate under 20% while also walking in 13.1% of his plate appearances. Sogard also has the ability to line up at every defensive spot in the infield, which helps keep him in the Red Sox lineup on a near-everyday basis. Sogard's lack of power and speed caps his fantasy upside and his utility in shallower leagues. Still, in deeper-league formats, his multi-positional eligibility and balanced plate approach make him a useful depth piece to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eli Willits Will Finish Off 2026 at Double-A Harrisburg
Washington Nationals infield prospect Eli Willits was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday after a strong campaign split between Single-A and High-A, per Spencer Nusbaum of the Athletic. The Nats' top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 4) slashed .300/.418/.500 in 47 games at Single-A, then .230/.392/.420 in 64 games at Double-A. Though the batting average took a dip at the higher level, his strikeout rate improved by more than four percent, settling in at 19.0 percent, which was also right around his walk rate of 18.7 percent. The speed was evident regardless of level, with the former first-overall draft pick swiping 60 bags in all this season. With a strong combination of contact, power, and speed, there's a reason why the switch-hitter is so highly regarded, and although the 18-year-old won't debut for a couple of years, he's a prized dynasty asset.
Source: Spencer Nusbaum
Source: Spencer Nusbaum
JJ Wetherholt Could Return This Weekend
St. Louis Cardinals rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt (wrist) swung the bat on Monday before the team's game against the San Francisco Giants and is hoping to be activated from the 10-day injured list during the team's upcoming homestand that runs from Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 20, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It appears that the anti-inflammatory injection that Wetherholt received recently helped with his right-wrist tendinitis. With St. Louis' homestand kicking off this weekend, it does not look like the Cardinals will require Wetherholt to go on a short minor-league rehab assignment. The 23-year-old former seventh overall pick from West Virginia University has had a strong rookie campaign in 2026 and has been the Cardinals' primary second baseman all year. He will return to a .242/.343/.370 slash line with a .713 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 88 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in his 505 at-bats. It has been a struggle for Wetherholt in the second half, possibly because of the wrist issue he was playing through, as he has hit only .201 (31-for-154) with four homers, four doubles, 12 RBI, 30 runs, five stolen bases, 23 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 40 games since the All-Star break.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
Max Anderson Hitting Well in Minors, Hopes For Promotion
Detroit Tigers infield prospect Max Anderson has had a very consistent 2026 season in the minors, hitting .303 between Triple-A Toledo and Single-A Lakeland. Anderson missed some time in April with an undisclosed injury but has combined between the two minor league levels to hit 16 homers with 56 RBI with 64 runs scored in 389 at bats. The 24-year-old is the No. 11 prospect in the Tigers system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 50-grade power. The Tigers recently called up infielder John Peck ahead of Anderson so it is still a question mark whether Detroit will turn to Anderson prior to the end of this season. He has largely proven himself in the minors this year and would be a good addition to fantasy teams in terms of batting average and runs scored plus a little bit of pop in his bat.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Angel Genao Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire in Deeper Leagues
Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao's underlying metrics make him an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire, especially in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. On the surface, Genao's stats look mediocre at best. In 27 games since his promotion to the majors on August 5, he is slashing .255/.314/.362 with two homers, six RBI, 12 runs, a 6.9% walk rate, a 12.7% strikeout rate, and 92 wRC+. However, a few things stand out as reasons why managers should be optimistic about Genao going forward. First of all, the 92 wRC+ is slightly below league average, but not by much. That could very easily trend upward as he gets more games under his belt. Additionally, his 12.7% strikeout rate reveals that he's seeing the zone well and putting the ball in play. That strikeout rate ranks in the 93rd percentile among MLB batters. Finally, what the box score won't show is that Genao has been producing a very high quality of contact. His 91.0 mph average exit velocity, 52% hard-hit rate, and 33% squared-up rate all rank within the upper echelon of hitters. All of these factors help solidify Genao's case as a late-season waiver wire pickup. He's available in 96% of leagues and has eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jeff McNeil an Everyday Option with Positional Versatility
Athletics infielder Jeff McNeil has delivered an uptick in production lately, making him an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Since the start of August, he's 38-for-112 (.339) with four homers, seven doubles, 19 RBI, four walks, 12 strikeouts, and five steals. Those numbers are substantially better than his season-long statistics, although his "back of the baseball card" numbers aren't necessarily concerning. This year, he owns a .271/.321/.378 slash line with eight homers, eight steals, 52 RBI, a 6.0% walk rate, an 11.3% strikeout rate, and 89 wRC+. Since the start of August, his slash line and home run total have increased while his strikeout rate has remained relatively constant. Because of his recent improvements at the plate, McNeil is an intriguing fantasy baseball waiver wire target in deeper leagues. He has played mostly first base and second base for the A's, but he also has fantasy eligibility in all three outfield spots. The 34-year-old is currently available to be picked up in 80% of leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
