September 18, 2025
San Francisco Giants right-hander
Justin Verlander plans to pitch in 2026, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Although Verlander will turn 43 in February, the future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner remains an effective starter. He turned in seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball with three strikeouts and two walks in a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, continuing a spectacular start to September. Verlander has taken the ball three times this month and allowed a mere one earned run on 10 hits and six walks (13 strikeouts) over 20 innings. Despite an unsightly 3-10 record, Verlander has registered a respectable 3.75 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP, 127 strikeouts, and 49 walks in 141 2/3 frames this season. The nine-time All-Star has pitched for four different teams since he began his decorated career in 2005, and as a soon-to-be free agent, he could add to that total over the winter. In the meantime, Verlander is scheduled to make his next start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.
--Connor ByrneSource: Bob Nightengale - USA Today
September 17, 2025
Atlanta Braves first baseman
Matt Olson homered for the fifth time in six games to help the team to a 9-4 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Along with his solo shot off right-hander
Sauryn Lao, Olson added two singles to finish 3-for-5 with an additional run scored. Olson has gone an eye-popping 23-for-60 (.383) with 12 extra-base hits (seven HRs, three doubles, two triples), 15 RBI, and 15 runs scored in 16 games this month. Over 153 games and 682 plate appearances this season, the 31-year-old has slashed .281/.372/.497 with 28 homers, 92 RBI, and 92 runs. With the roll he's on, Olson has a strong chance to swat 30-plus HRs for the fifth time in his career and an outside chance to reach 100 RBI for the fourth time
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 17, 2025
Los Angeles Angels first baseman
Nolan Schanuel (wrist) began a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday, the team announced. Schanuel has been on the 10-day injured list with a left-wrist contusion since Aug. 24, but barring setbacks, he should return before the Angels' season wraps up. The 23-year-old has hit a modest .266/.355/.383 with 10 homers, 49 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five stolen bases over 535 plate appearances in his second full season in the majors. The Angels have started five different players at first base in Schanuel's absence.
--Connor ByrneSource: Los Angeles Angels
September 17, 2025
Chicago Cubs closer
Daniel Palencia (shoulder) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday. The right-hander has been on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain since Sept. 8, leaving
Andrew Kittredge as the Cubs' primary choice for saves over the past week-plus. Palencia was tattooed for five earned runs on four hits (including two homers) in his most recent appearance on Sept. 7, when he failed to record an out in a loss to the Washington Nationals. However, the 25-year-old has still logged an impressive 3.00 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP, 59:16 K:BB, and 22 saves in 51 innings. There's no word on how many rehab appearances he'll need before the playoff-bound Cubs activate him.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 17, 2025
Kansas City Royals right-hander
Ryan Bergert (forearm) will head to the 15-day injured list with forearm tightness, manager Matt Quatraro announced. Bergert's season will come to an end after he began feeling discomfort during a bullpen session on Wednesday. He had been in line to start Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays, but righty
Michael Lorenzen will get the ball instead. Acquired from the San Diego Padres in July, the 25-year-old Bergert totaled 19 appearances (15 starts) and went 2-2 with a 3.66 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and 73:35 K:BB over 76 1/3 innings in his first major league season. Without Bergert, the Royals still have five healthy starters in Lorenzen,
Michael Wacha,
Cole Ragans,
Noah Cameron, and
Stephen Kolek.
--Connor ByrneSource: Jaylon Thompson - The Kansas City Star
September 17, 2025
Texas Rangers right-hander
Tyler Mahle (shoulder) will come off the 60-day injured list to start on Friday against the Miami Marlins, according to Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News. Mahle, who last pitched for the Rangers on June 10, has missed over three months with shoulder fatigue. The Rangers are convinced that the 30-year-old is ready to return after he looked sharp in his final rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock on Sept. 12. Mahle tossed four scoreless innings in that game, and while he only threw 52 pitches, manager Bruce Bochy believes he'll be good for 75 or more against the Marlins. Across 14 starts and 77 innings this season, Mahle has gone 6-3 with a 2.34 ERA (4.35 xERA), a 1.13 WHIP, 56 strikeouts, and 27 walks.
--Connor ByrneSource: Shawn McFarland - Dallas Morning News
September 17, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Taijuan Walker will start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, while fellow righty
Walker Buehler will follow in relief. The Phillies are going with a Walker-Buehler piggyback arrangement to line up left-hander
Cristopher Sanchez for Tuesday and Sunday starts next week, which will put him on schedule to toe the rubber in their first playoff game. Walker has made 31 appearances (20 starts) this season and gone 5-8 with a 4.17 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and 79:37 K:BB in 116 2/3 innings. Buehler struggled so badly with the Boston Red Sox that they released him in late August, but the Phillies scooped him up shortly after that. He started and won in his Phillies debut on Sept. 12, tossing five innings of one-run, five-hit ball with 3:1 K:BB against the Kansas City Royals.
--Connor ByrneSource: Todd Zolecki - MLB.com
September 17, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman
Junior Caminero (back) left the team's game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday with mid-back tightness and is considered day-to-day, according to Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Florida. The Rays subbed outfielder
Jake Mangum in for Caminero and reshuffled their defensive alignment in the seventh inning. Caminero ended his night 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, though the 22-year-old has been on fire in September. He entered the game slashing .311/.354/.566 with five homers, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored this month. During a breakout campaign, Caminero has put together a .259/.302/.537 line with 44 homers, 108 RBI, 89 runs scored, and seven stolen bases over 620 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if Caminero is in the lineup for the Rays' series finale against the Jays.
--Connor ByrneSource: Ryan Bass
September 17, 2025
Chicago White Sox left-hander
Martin Perez (shoulder) exited a 3-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday with shoulder soreness and will undergo an MRI on Thursday. The 34-year-old fell to 1-6 after giving up three earned runs on five hits while posting three strikeouts against three walks over 3 2/3 innings. Despite Wednesday's struggles, Perez has recorded a solid 3.54 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and 44:22 K:BB over 11 appearances (10 starts) and 56 innings this year. Perez missed four months of the season with a flexor strain, though, and his latest injury may prevent him from pitching again in 2025.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
September 17, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher
Will Smith (hand) will not come off the 10-day injured list when he's first eligible this weekend, manager Dave Roberts told reporters. Smith has been on the IL since Sept. 10 with a bone bruise on his right hand, and while he has been catching bullpen sessions, he hasn't resumed hitting or throwing. He suffered the injury on Sept. 3 and has only appeared in one game since then. Until the three-time All-Star comes back, the Dodgers will go with
Ben Rortvedt and
Dalton Rushing as their catchers while they attempt to fend off the San Diego Padres for an NL West crown. As one of the Dodgers' most productive players, Smith is among the main reasons they're leading their division. The 30-year-old has slashed .296/.404/.497 with 17 homers, 61 RBI, and 64 runs scored in 436 trips to the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: Sonja Chen - MLB.com
September 17, 2025
The Kansas City Royals announced that outfielder
Kyle Isbel (hamstring) exited their game against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday with left-hamstring discomfort. After Isbel grounded out in the bottom of the second inning, the Royals replaced him in center field with
Tyler Tolbert. Isbel has been a defensive standout in center this season, but the 28-year-old hasn't offered much with the bat. Over 134 games and 408 plate appearances, Isbel has hit .256/.301/.354 with four homers, 33 RBI, 42 runs scored, and four stolen bases.
--Connor ByrneSource: Kansas City Royals
September 17, 2025
Los Angeles Angels right-hander
Jose Soriano (forearm) left his start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday with a contusion on his right forearm. Soriano exited in the second inning after a line drive off the bat of
Jake Bauers struck him in the arm, but X-rays came back negative for a fracture. The Angels replaced Soriano with righty
Connor Brogdon. After giving up three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings on Wednesday, Soriano owns a 4.26 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP, 152 strikeouts, and 78 walks in 169 innings this season. The 26-year-old is scheduled to make his next start against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.
--Connor ByrneSource: Los Angeles Angels
September 17, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Trey Yesavage will pitch in this weekend's series against the Kansas City Royals, manager John Schneider told reporters. However, Schneider is still undecided on whether Yesavage will start or work out of the bullpen.
Max Scherzer,
Shane Bieber, and
Jose Berrios are currently penciled in to toe the rubber during the three-game set, but Schneider may opt to plug Yesavage in after he dazzled in his first major league start on Monday. The highly touted 22-year-old prospect threw five innings of one-run, three-hit ball and logged nine strikeouts against two walks in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Yesavage now owns the Blue Jays' franchise record for most punchouts in a debut.
--Connor ByrneSource: Shi Davidi - Sportsnet
September 17, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Jose Quintana (calf) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. Quintana was able to play catch on Tuesday without any issues. However, Quintana doesn't appear to be feeling good enough to take the mound right now. The left-hander will miss basically the rest of the regular season, but is eligible to return on September 30. Quintana was forced to exit his latest outing due a mild calf strain. The Brewers are hopeful that Quintana will be back in time for the postseason. Fantasy managers can safely drop Quintana in redraft formats. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Nick Mears has been activated off the injured list.
--Andy WebbSource: Adam McCalvy
September 17, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Giancarlo Stanton is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins. This appears to be a routine rest day for Stanton who has started in each of the last three games. During that span, Stanton went 3-for-12 with two RBI and a run scored.
Aaron Judge will slide over to the designated hitter role and bat third versus right-hander
Taj Bradley on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
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