Sep 20, 2026, 12:30 PM ET

The Cincinnati Reds announced on Sunday that they placed right-hander Chase Burns (groin) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 19) with a strained right groin and selected the contract of right-hander Carson Spiers from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. The Reds had been working to limit the young right-hander's innings in recent weeks, and now his 2026 season will come to an end with a week remaining on the schedule. The 23-year-old former second overall pick in 2024 from Wake Forest University had a fantastic first full season in the majors this year, earning his first All-Star nod while going 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA (3.24 FIP), 1.17 WHIP, and 185:56 K:BB in 154 1/3 innings pitched across his 29 starts for the Reds. Burns recorded a strong 29.4% strikeout rate while walking 8.9% of the batters he faced. He is one of the best upside arms in terms of strikeout stuff in the big leagues, as long as he can stay healthy going forward. The native of Italy was limited to exactly three innings in each of his final three starts in 2026, allowing four earned runs while walking six and striking out 14.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Cincinnati Reds

Sep 20, 2026, 12:24 PM ET

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) remains absent from the team's starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, per MLB.com. Nick Sogard is making a third straight start at first base for the BoSox and is hitting fifth against Rays right-hander Griffin Jax. Contreras is missing a third straight game after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand in Thursday's win over the Texas Rangers. The good news is that X-rays came back negative for any fractures in his hand, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day going into the final week of the 2026 regular season. With a scheduled day off coming on Monday, hopefully Contreras will be back on the field for Tuesday's series opener at Fenway Park against the Cleveland Guardians. The 34-year-old Venezuelan has a career-best 27 home runs and 81 RBI in 2026 in his first year in Boston, but he hit just .217 (18-for-83) with a .715 OPS in 23 games in August, and he has played in only four games so far in September due to various injuries.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 20, 2026, 12:54 AM ET

There is a "good chance" that Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) will be activated from the 10-day injured list for the series against the division-rival San Diego Padres at home next week, manager Dave Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Ohtani is eligible to come off the IL on Wednesday, so he could be back as the team's designated hitter for the second game of the series at Dodger Stadium. The four-time MVP apparently looked good after running the bases and taking simulated at-bats off a Trajekt machine before Saturday's game. There is still a little time for the 32-year-old Japanese native to help the Dodgers and fantasy managers in the final stretch of the 2026 regular season. However, the Dodgers probably are not going to rush him back, so it would not be a surprise to get a game or two off in the final four or five games of the year. Ohtani has hit .277/.380/.522 with a .902 OPS, 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 502 at-bats. It has been a strong season, but nagging left-knee and right-biceps injuries since early July caught up with him, and he was placed on the IL after hitting an un-Ohtani-like .241/.322/.472 with a .795 OPS in 27 games in August.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya

Sep 20, 2026, 12:47 AM ET

WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that it is "sure looking like" Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle has a "good shot" at pitching Game 1 of a wild-card series to kick off the postseason with the way the Red Sox are lining things up. It means that the 23-year-old southpaw will not get a start this weekend against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. The former second-rounder from TCU in 2024 has had a strong first full season in the big leagues with Boston in 2026, going 9-6 with a 3.02 ERA (3.04 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with 166 strikeouts and 38 walks in 143 innings across his 25 starts. Another lefty, Patrick Sandoval, is now scheduled to make the start for the BoSox in the series finale in Tampa. Tolle allowed four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 31, but he has only given up one earned run with one walk and 19 punchouts in 12 innings across his last two starts against the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals in September.--Keith Hernandez
Source: WEEI - Rob Bradford

Sep 20, 2026, 12:31 AM ET

Miami Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards (thumb) left Saturday night's game at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres early with discomfort in his left thumb, according to Christina De Nicola. The Marlins' training staff was checking Edwards' left hand out when he fouled a ball off in the seventh frame. It is worth noting that Edwards previously missed time this season with a sprained left thumb, which he might have aggravated on Saturday night. Before leaving the ballgame, Edwards went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. He was replaced at the keystone in San Diego by Jared Serna. If the 27-year-old switch-hitting middle infielder did aggravate his left-thumb sprain, there is a good chance that he will not play again for the Marlins in the final week of the 2026 season. Edwards came into Wednesday's contest with a nice .282/.361/.373 slash line with a .733 OPS, a career-high six home runs, a career-high 52 RBI, 61 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases in 141 games played. He has stolen 20-plus bases in each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 31 back in 2024.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola

Sep 20, 2026, 12:23 AM ET

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) said on Saturday that his right-calf strain is in the soleus muscle, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. However, Judge would not say what grade of strain his MRI exam revealed. "I'd like to be back by the postseason. That's definitely the plan. I got really no answers for you on any timeline or anything like that," Judge said. The New York Daily News' Gary Phillips reports that neither Judge nor manager Aaron Boone has shared much information on his injury, with the Yankees treating his calf strain like "classified CIA intel." "It doesn't matter what grade it is," Boone said. "We're at nine games left [in the season]." Because we have no idea of the exact severity of his calf injury, it is entirely plausible that Judge could miss most, or all, of any potential Yankees playoff run in October. Judge has been throwing, working out, and getting treatment, and he said he is "gonna do everything we can do to get back as soon as we can." Boone, though, merely said he is "hoping for the best." It will be difficult for the Yankees to go all the way if they do not get Judge back for the playoffs. It has been a frustrating year for the three-time MVP and all of his fantasy managers, as he has only played in 66 games due to a stress fracture in his rib, slashing .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs, 41 RBI, 45 runs, and five steals.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch

Sep 19, 2026, 10:37 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (finger) will make his return to the mound next week during the series against the San Diego Padres, David Vassegh reports. Sasaki looked good during his side session on Wednesday, so the Dodgers have cleared him to get back on the mound. It doesn't sound like the Dodgers have decided whether Sasaki will start or come out of the bullpen during his outing against the Padres. The right-hander has been out since late August due to a finger blister. The expectation is that Sasaki will likely pitch in a bullpen role for the team during the postseason.--Andy Webb
Source: David Vassegh

Sep 19, 2026, 10:31 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Trey Yesavage (knee) is scheduled to start against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. Yesavage has been out since August after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. He only made one rehab appearance at Triple-A Buffalo before getting cleared to pitch for the big league club. The Jays plan to have Yesavage pitch roughly three innings or around 45 to 50 pitches. Spencer Miles is expected to take over for the bulk of the innings after Yesavage is done. It'll be interesting to see if the Jays decide to shut down Yesavage if they do get eliminated from playoff contention. Until then, it sounds like the right-hander is going to contribute here soon.--Andy Webb
Source: Arden Zwelling

Sep 19, 2026, 10:22 PM ET

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cal Quantrill (lat) exited early during Saturday's outing against the Toronto Blue Jays. Quantrill was pulled out in the second inning due to right lat tightness, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports. He was able to record four outs before exiting this contest. Jordan Montgomery took over on the mound and threw 3.2 scoreless innings. Quantrill figures to undergo an MRI, so fantasy managers will likely have to wait for the results on that. Nathan Eovaldi could be asked to move back into the starting rotation if Quantrill is forced to miss time. UPDATE: The Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland reports that Quantrill will undergo an MRI exam on Sunday morning, per manager Skip Schumaker.--Andy Webb
Source: Kennedi Landry

Sep 19, 2026, 10:15 PM ET

New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones (foot) was not in the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Yankees decided to rest Jones on Saturday due to left foot/heel soreness, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. It sounds like a day-to-day issue, so the Yankees are just going to play it safe. Jones is 1-for-19 with nine strikeouts over his last four games, so he could probably use a day off to rest and reset. Jose Caballero takes over in center field for Saturday's game. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Sunday's game for another update on Jones.--Andy Webb
Source: Brendan Kuty

Sep 19, 2026, 10:05 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) has progressed to taking simulated at-bats off the team's pitching machine on Saturday, Jack Harris of the California Post reports. Ohtani was also able to run the bases as he works his way back from a biceps and knee issue. It's unclear if Ohtani will return when he's first eligible on Wednesday. The Dodgers have already clinched the postseason, so they don't exactly need to rush him back into the lineup. However, the Dodgers would probably like for Ohtani to play in a few regular-season games before the playoffs begin. Fantasy managers should check back for another update in a few days.--Andy Webb
Source: Jack Harris

Sep 19, 2026, 5:54 PM ET

Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (hand) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting third in Saturday's contest on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Bubba Chandler, per MLB.com. Caglianone suffered a minor hand injury before Friday's series opener at PNC Park, but he is back in action on Saturday and should be returned to fantasy lineups against a right-hander, despite his cold streak of late. The 23-year-old former first-rounder has produced a .277/.328/.483 slash line with an .811 OPS, 23 home runs, 70 RBI, 66 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 484 at-bats in 2026 in his first full big-league season with the Royals. Cags was red-hot in August, slashing .411/.429/.684 with a 1.113 OPS, six home runs, eight doubles, 26 RBI, 17 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 24 games, but he has been banged up in September and has gone just 4-for-27 (.148) with zero homers, four RBI, one walk, and 11 strikeouts. He has never faced Chandler in the majors.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 19, 2026, 3:01 PM ET

Texas Rangers top infield prospect Sebastian Walcott is expected to be promoted to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday, according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Walcott will make his debut as the designated hitter on Saturday night. The No. 9 overall prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline, has only played in 39 games in the minors this year after having surgery on his UCL, but since returning, he has slashed .322/.398/.586 with nine home runs and 11 stolen bases in 37 games for Double-A Frisco. In a playoff series with the Rough Riders, Walcott went 4-for-11 with a homer and four stolen bases. Walcott is only 20 years old, but if he continues to ascend and looks good in spring training next year, he could push for an early-season MLB promotion for the Rangers. It is impossible to ignore his 40-homer upside at the shortstop position in fantasy baseball, which makes him a must-stash already in dynasty/keeper leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry

Sep 19, 2026, 1:40 PM ET

The Baltimore Orioles are shutting down right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley (elbow) for the rest of the season, general manager Mike Elias told Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. The focus is on Helsley getting ready for next season. Elias said that Helsley is not dealing with a new injury, but the debate was over contracting his buildup timeline, and the O's opted against that. In related news, the Orioles reinstated right-handed reliever Felix Bautista (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list, and he will join the team's active roster for the first time since July of last year after he had surgery to fix a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his shoulder. Helsley's first year in Baltimore was a lost cause due to his elbow issues, as he was able to throw only 15 1/3 innings, going 0-4 with a 4.11 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 21 strikeouts, and eight saves in 17 appearances. He will not be a lock to open the 2027 campaign as Baltimore's primary closer, especially with Bautista now back and healthy.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka