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Max Muncy Battling Power Outage in Recent Games
Across 474 plate appearances entering play on Tuesday, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy had hit .251/.347/.494 with 26 home runs, 68 RBI, 69 runs scored, and two stolen bases. While the 36-year-old's numbers for the year remain strong, he's run into some struggles of late. Across his last 10 games played dating back to August 18, Muncy has recorded just seven hits and one home run. Muncy has also seen his strikeout rate rise to 28.4% across 137 plate appearances after the All-Star break, after posting a 23.5% strikeout rate across 336 plate appearances in the first half. The Dodgers routinely take Muncy out of the lineup against left-handed starting pitchers, which limits his run production upside for fantasy managers despite his high-end power. In stretches where Los Angeles is facing multiple lefties, fantasy managers may want to take Muncy out of their lineups until he turns things around.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
James Wood Likely to Return to Nationals Lineup on Wednesday
Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera said that outfielder James Wood (oblique) will "be back in the Nationals lineup (on Wednesday) if he feels good in the AM," per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. Wood has been sidelined by an oblique injury since early August. However, the 23-year-old has now made a couple of rehab appearances with Double-A Harrisburg and appears to be ready to return to the big leagues. Across 535 plate appearances before the injury, Wood slashed .265/.393/.535 with 30 home runs, 73 RBI, 100 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases. Wood owns an elevated 28.6% strikeout rate, but he's walked in 16.8% of his plate appearances and owns elite barrel (20.8%) and hard-hit (57.6%) rates. Once activated, Wood profiles as a must-start fantasy outfielder.
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Brandon Marsh Losing Playing Time Amidst Second-Half Slump
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh has had a solid season overall in 2026, hitting .271/.318/.426 with 17 home runs, 57 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 511 plate appearances. However, the 28-year-old has run into a rough patch of late. After hitting .301 with 15 homers across 363 plate appearances in the first half of the season, Marsh has hit just .195 with two long balls across 148 trips to the plate since the All-Star break. The lefty-swinging Marsh has also been significantly worse against same-handed pitching this season, posting a .624 OPS with a 36.9% strikeout rate against southpaws. If his overall struggles persist, Marsh could continue to lose playing time against left-handed starting pitching. Fantasy managers should monitor Marsh closely as we hit the final month of the regular season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joe Ryan Throws 42 Pitches, Strikes Out Four in Rehab Outing on Tuesday
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (glute) allowed one earned run and recorded four strikeouts across three innings in a rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday. The 30-year-old has been sidelined by a glute strain since early August, but it appears he is nearing a return to the big leagues. Across 125 2/3 innings (23 starts) before the injury, Ryan recorded a 6-8 record with a 3.65 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts. Ryan rarely allows free passes (5.2% walk rate) while also being a consistent source of strikeouts (26.4% strikeout rate) for fantasy managers. It's unclear whether Ryan will require a second rehab outing before returning to the Twins, but either way, he will need at least one more start before being built up to a full starter's workload. Once he's fully healthy, Ryan profiles as a must-start fantasy pitcher.
Source: milb.com
Source: milb.com
Devin Taylor Being Promoted to Triple-A
Athletics outfielder Devin Taylor is being promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Las Vegas, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. A second-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Taylor opened the 2026 season at High-A and logged an .851 OPS across 254 plate appearances. He's continued to hit following his promotion to Double-A in early June, hitting .323/.409/.534 with 14 home runs, 54 RBI, 52 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 325 plate appearances at the level. Swing-and-miss is an issue for the 22-year-old, as he posted a 28.6% strikeout rate at Double-A. However, he also walked in 12.6% of his plate appearances and carries high-end power potential. With less than a month to go before the end of the regular season, Taylor seems unlikely to factor at the big league level in 2026. Still, he could be in the mix for a role with the Athletics in 2027 if he closes this year strong at Triple-A.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Athletics Promoting Jamie Arnold to Triple-A
Athletics pitching prospect Jamie Arnold is being promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Las Vegas, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. A 22-year-old left-hander who was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Arnold is considered one of the top prospects in the A's system. Across 113 1/3 innings (23 starts) at Double-A this season, he's recorded a 6-5 record with a 3.57 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 125 strikeouts. Arnold is known for having an excellent slider and has struck out 25.1% of the batters he's faced so far this season. The Athletics could potentially bring Arnold up for a start or two at the end of the year if he pitches well at Triple-A, but more likely he will be in the mix for a spot in the team's big-league rotation entering 2027.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
White Sox Call Up Pitching Prospect Tanner McDougal on Tuesday
With rosters expanding on Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox called up right-handed pitching prospect Tanner McDougal from Triple-A Charlotte, according to the team. The 23-year-old former fifth-round selection in 2021 made his major-league debut for the Pale Hose on Aug. 13 against the Cincinnati Reds and allowed an earned run on three walks in just one-third of an inning. The team's seventh-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline, went 1-2 with a 4.57 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 47:27 K:BB in 41 1/3 innings pitched across 22 outings (six starts) for High-A Winston-Salem and Charlotte this year. The 6-foot-5, 185-pounder has not exactly been dominant in the minors in 2026, so he is unlikely to have anything more than a low-leverage role out of the bullpen for the White Sox in his return to the Show in the final month of the regular season. McDougal does feature a high-90s fastball that touches triple digits, and he really knows how to spin his breaking pitches. The pure stuff is intriguing, but McDougal still needs plenty of refinement with his command and control.
Source: Chicago White Sox
Source: Chicago White Sox
Pete Fairbanks Throws Off a Mound on Tuesday
Miami Marlins right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks (hand) got in some mound work on Tuesday, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Fairbanks is no lock to return to the Marlins' bullpen to close out the 2026 regular season, as the team is clinging to playoff hopes while back four games of the final National League wild-card spot entering play on Tuesday. The 32-year-old Fairbanks was placed on the 15-day injured list with a recurring nerve issue in his right throwing hand, and he required injections to help him move past the issue. The former ninth-rounder by the Texas Rangers in 2015 from the University of Missouri has been a headache to roster this year for saves, closing out 18 games but also sporting a bloated 6.02 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP with 57 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings pitched. As long as Fairbanks remains out, the Marlins figure to continue rolling with a closer committee that will primarily involve Calvin Faucher and Michael Petersen. Fairbanks is not a must-roster reliever in the final month of the regular season.
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
Edwin Diaz Approaching a Rehab Assignment
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Tuesday that right-handed reliever Edwin Diaz (neck) will likely throw another live bullpen session in the coming week and then head out on a minor-league rehab assignment, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Diaz has had a disaster of a 2026 season after signing as a big free-agent addition for the Blue in the offseason to serve as their primary closer. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican veteran has only appeared in 16 games and has gone 2-2 with an 11.85 ERA, 2.56 WHIP, seven saves, 19 strikeouts, and 10 walks in 13 2/3 innings pitched. The three-time All-Star has not looked like himself at all and missed most of the season after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. It is believed that Diaz's elbow and neck issues stem from a lowered arm slot this year. When Diaz is reinstated from the 15-day injured list, he is expected to be eased back in lower-leverage situations, which means fantasy managers should not expect much from him the rest of the way. Lefty Tanner Scott is the closer to roster in fantasy leagues to close out the 2026 campaign.
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Trey Yesavage to Throw a Bullpen Session on Friday
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) has been throwing on flat ground and will throw his first bullpen session on Friday, roughly three weeks following knee surgery, according to Hazel Mae of Sportsnet. Yesavage had surgery on Aug. 11 to fix a torn meniscus in his knee, but he has made good progress since and is tracking towards a return before the end of the regular season in September. Toronto is last in the American League East division, but they are just 1.5 games back of the final wild-card spot in the AL, so they still have plenty left to play for in 2026. Although the 23-year-old former first-rounder is still hoping to pitch this year, when/if he returns to the Jays' starting rotation, he might only have a start or two to help fantasy managers out. In his first full year in the majors in 2026, Yesavage has gone 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA (4.07 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 46 walks in 93 2/3 innings across 18 starts. Yesavage only made one start in August and struggled the most in five starts in July, posting a 4.81 ERA with 15 walks and 30 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings pitched.
Source: Sportsnet - Hazel Mae
Source: Sportsnet - Hazel Mae
Carlos Estevez to Have Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery Next Week
Kansas City Royals veteran right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (shoulder) is set to have season-ending right-shoulder surgery next week, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Estevez had been throwing in Arizona, but he was not progressing much. It is very unlikely that he was going to get back to the Royals this year, but this will officially end his 2026 season and likely his time with the Royals with the club option for 2027. The 33-year-old Dominican hurler officially has a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Estevez, a two-time All-Star who had a league-high 42 saves with the Royals last year, appeared in just one game in 2026, allowing six earned runs in one-third of an inning against the Atlanta Braves on March 28 for a blown save and a loss. His issues started way back in spring training, when his velocity was way down. Estevez actually hit the injured list initially after being hit by a comebacker, and then he suffered a shoulder injury while rehabbing. A bounce-back season could be coming with a new team in 2027, but at this point, we have most likely seen the best that Estevez has to offer as a late-inning reliever.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Riley Greene Reinstated and Starting Against Twins
Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (hamstring) has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and is starting in left field and batting cleanup for Tuesday's divisional clash at Target Field against the hosting Minnesota Twins and right-hander Andrew Morris, according to MLB.com. Greene is ready to rejoin the big-league starting nine after going 1-for-6 in two minor-league rehab games. The 25-year-old was placed on the IL back on Aug. 12 with a hamstring strain, but now that he is back, he will look to get back on track for the Tigers and fantasy managers in the final month of the regular season. The former first-rounder hit just .214 (6-for-28) with a homer, a double, an RBI, seven runs scored, three walks, and 12 strikeouts in just eight games in August before his hamstring injury. The three-time All-Star's power has been down after he hit a career-high 36 bombs in 2025. He is returning to a .273/.366/.450 slash line with an .816 OPS, 16 homers, 54 RBI, 65 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 117 games played in 2026. Greene is hitless in just one career at-bat versus Morris.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
CJ Abrams Returns From Back Injury on Tuesday
Washington Nationals middle infielder CJ Abrams (back) is starting at shortstop and will bat leadoff in Tuesday's contest at home against the division-rival Atlanta Braves and right-hander A.J. Smith-Shawver, per MLB.com. Abrams, who continues to slowly transition over to second base on defense, was scratched from Monday's series opener against Atlanta with back tightness. He is back a day later, though, and fantasy managers need to get him back into their starting lineups as one of the most productive shortstops in the game this year. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter is slashing .267/.343/.506 this year with an .849 OPS, 29 home runs, 92 RBI, 26 stolen bases, and 81 runs scored across his 498 at-bats in his fourth full season in D.C. August was Abrams' worst month of the year, though, batting .173 (17-for-98) with a .519 OPS, one homer, five doubles, a triple, nine RBI, 12 runs scored, seven steals, seven walks, and 38 strikeouts in 24 games. He will try to turn things around over the final month in September. Abrams has hit .286 with an RBI in seven career at-bats against Smith-Shawver.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Eugenio Suarez to Miss Next Two Games for US Naturalization Test
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez will miss the team's next two games to close out the series against the visiting San Diego Padres on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to take the US naturalization test, according to Theo DeRosa of MLB.com. Suarez is a Venezuelan native who makes his home in Miami, and he is seeking US citizenship. The 35-year-old is choosing to remain in the US for good after signing with the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent at the age of 17 in 2008. Suarez has played for the Tigers, Reds, Seattle Mariners, and Arizona Diamondbacks during his 13-year major-league career. The Reds recently put Suarez on outright waivers as a way to get out of paying him his remaining salary for the 2026 season, but there were no takers on waivers, so he is set to close out the year in Cincy. He signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Reds after hitting 49 home runs last season, but he is currently slashing just .206/.298/.410 with 20 homers and 59 RBI in 2026. Suarez still has pop, but his high rate of swings and misses makes him a major drain on average and on-base percentage.
Source: MLB.com - Theo DeRosa
Source: MLB.com - Theo DeRosa
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
