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Kazuma Okamoto Scratched With Knee Contusion
Toronto Blue Jays corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto (knee) was scratched from Monday's starting lineup against the division-rival Boston Red Sox due to a left-knee contusion, according to the team. After being called up from Triple-A Buffalo, Charles McAdoo will start at third base for Toronto and bat seventh against Red Sox veteran right-hander Sonny Gray. It doesn't sound like Okamoto's knee injury is all that serious, so hopefully he can avoid going on the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday to see if he's active for Game 2 of the series in Toronto. Overall, it's been a very strong first year in the big leagues for Okamoto, who comes into Monday's series opener hitting .225/.299/.429 with a .728 OPS, 24 home runs, 70 RBI, 61 runs, and a stolen base across his 116 games and 475 plate appearances. The 30-year-old Japanese right-handed slugger has a strikeout rate over 30%, though, and has been swinging and missing more in the second half of the season. Still, he leads Toronto in homers, RBI, and runs scored, and remains a must-start in most fantasy baseball leagues when he's in the lineup.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Karson Milbrandt Has Been Hit Hard in August at Triple-A
Miami Marlins pitching prospect Karson Milbrandt has given up 11 combined earned runs in his last two August starts for Triple-A Jacksonville to bring his record to 0-5 in his last six starts. The right-handed pitcher is clearly talented but has found the going tough at Jacksonville. In Double-A Pensacola prior to his promotion, Milbrandt was 4-1 with a 1.34 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, but he's yet to find a win at Jacksonville. Despite his struggles, Milbrandt is ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect for the Marlins and has four 55-graded pitches in his fastball, curveball, slider, and cutter. Milbrandt might need to work through his struggles that he is experiencing in his first taste of Triple-A. He is still a highly ranked prospect and could debut for Miami at some point next season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
James Tibbs III Looking To Break Through For MLB Opportunity
In eight August games, Los Angeles Dodgers first base/outfield prospect James Tibbs III has eight RBI while going 12-for-31 (.387) at the plate at Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 23-year-old has produced in a big way for Oklahoma City this season with 22 homers and 83 RBI to go with a .295 batting average and 88 runs scored. The left-handed hitter can play first base or in the outfield but has had a tough time making it up to the Dodgers for a big-league debut. The Dodgers are obviously loaded at the MLB level, but could turn to Tibbs III for a spark as he has done nothing but produce all year long. He's the No. 7 prospect in the Dodgers system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 50-grade power. He makes for a decent stash in mid to deep leagues with the shot he breaks through and gets an MLB debut this year.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Kemp Alderman Slowing Down A Bit At Triple-A
Miami Marlins first base/outfield prospect Kemp Alderman is having a rough August so far for Triple-A Jacksonville. In seven games this month, Alderman is hitting just .125 with one homer and five RBI. Altogether, he is 3-for-24 at the plate as he's cooled down a bit from a good, solid season at age 23 at Jacksonville. In 282 at-bats for Jacksonville, Alderman has 15 homers and 48 RBI while hitting .277. With the ability to play first base or the outfield, the right-handed hitter could potentially see time with the Marlins. The Marlins have a lot of depth at first base and the outfield but could look to Alderman for a potential spark despite his recent downturn. Alderman is graded out with 60-grade power and is the No. 7 prospect in the Marlins system. It could be worth taking a look at him just in case he is given a big-league opportunity late this season
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Jaxon Wiggins Struggling to Find Consistent Results Amid Injury Setback
Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins is looking for results at Triple-A Iowa and was saddled with a tough loss on Tuesday with five earned runs and six walks in 2 2/3 innings. Wiggins has had a tough time all season dealing with right elbow inflammation, and it has caused some inconsistency issues for the right-hander. At 24 years of age, Wiggins is knocking on the door for a major league debut, but this year might be tricky for him as he has dealt with the injury and hasn't seen the dynamic results he is used to seeing. He is getting back in the mix though at Triple-A and is gaining valuable Innings. It might be best, however, to leave him off the stash radar as he works his way back and gains more confidence with his right throwing arm. Right now, he is best left on waiver wires in redraft leagues with an eye toward dynasty leagues.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Lazaro Montes Having Red-Hot Month Of August at Triple-A
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is tearing it up at Triple-A Tacoma this month with four homers and nine RBI in seven games in August with a .367 average. Montes has hit with power all season between Double-A Arkansas and Tacoma with 32 homers and 83 RBI combined between both levels of the minors. At age 21, he is proving his 65-grade power is justified and might be worth a look in the outfield for Seattle before the season is over. The left-handed hitter hit 25 homers at Arkansas before adding seven at Tacoma in 26 games. He has proven he can hit at every level and is worth a look on waiver wires as a stash candidate. The Mariners could use his power bat at the big-league level, and it isn't out of the question that they give him his MLB debut.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Ty Johnson Has Path To MLB Innings
Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Ty Johnson is working out of the bullpen at Triple-A Durham since July 25, but there is a path to major-league innings with Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Griffin Jax now injured. Johnson, himself, was dealing with a lower back strain to begin this season, but it's looking like a high-leverage or multi-inning role could be available for him at the MLB level. Johnson has three one-inning appearances out of the bullpen in August for Durham and has not allowed an earned run. He has five strikeouts in those three innings proving that he could be a high upside reliever with the ability to strike out more than a batter an inning. Johnson hasn't started a game since July 4. He's 4-1 at Durham in 14 games (10 starts) with a 3.08 ERA and 1.04 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings. It's looking like he can be added as a potential bullpen arm with high strikeout upside.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Konnor Griffin Participating in Baseball Activities
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) suffered a torn left ring-finger sagittal band on a diving play on July 5 and was expected to be in a splint for six weeks. Griffin has been participating in baseball activities, playing catch and swinging with his top hand, according to MLB.com. He has also been standing in against the Trajekt machine. Griffin was originally placed on the 10-day injured list on July 7 and was moved to the 60-day IL on July 11. He still has a ways to go before potentially returning to the major-league roster, but barring a setback, the shortstop phenom will have a chance to be back in early September. The 20-year-old former ninth overall pick in 2024 is still rostered in over 60% of Yahoo leagues, even though he might only help fantasy managers for the last couple of weeks of the 2026 season. Before suffering a finger injury, Griffin was batting .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five homers, 25 RBI, 20 steals, and 35 runs scored across his first 225 at-bats. He's going to be a high-end, five-category contributor for a long time to come as long as he stays healthy.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Mets Place Closer Devin Williams on Injured List With Shoulder Strain
The New York Mets placed right-handed closer Devin Williams (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a strained right shoulder, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Williams missed time recently with arm fatigue, but now he'll miss at least another two weeks with a shoulder injury. In what has been a lost season for the Mets, fantasy managers should not be surprised if Williams is eventually shut down for the rest of the year. With reliever Luke Weaver now in Pittsburgh, Daniel Duarte could be the team's favorite for saves with Williams on the shelf. Duarte recorded his second career save last week when Williams was unavailable to pitch, and he's been solid with a 1.17 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts this year, albeit in a small sample size of only 15 1/3 innings pitched. The Mexican right-hander only has two career saves in four MLB seasons. Along with Duarte, former starter Kodai Senga could be an option for the Mets late in games with saves on the line.
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
Nick Pivetta Plays Catch on Sunday
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (elbow) played catch again on Sunday at Petco Park after leaving his first minor-league rehab outing last week with Single-A Lake Elsinore with a right-elbow issue, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. The Padres have paused Pivetta's rehab assignment. They have tentative plans for Pivetta to throw a bullpen session, but it's unclear when that might happen. After a career year in 2025 in his first season with the Padres, the 33-year-old veteran has been on the injured list since April 14 with a right flexor strain. It sounds like the Padres are hoping to get Pivetta back before the end of the regular season, but for fantasy purposes, it's probably unlikely that we'll see him back in SD's starting rotation before the end of August. Pivetta is running out of time to help fantasy managers in 2026, but he's still rostered in almost 70% of Yahoo leagues despite having not pitched since April.
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
George Springer Back in Monday's Lineup Against Red Sox
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer (shoulder) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Boston Red Sox and right-hander Sonny Gray, per MLB.com. Springer was held out of the final two games of the series over the weekend against the Philadelphia Phillies due to a left-shoulder injury, but he's back in the starting nine to begin the new week against a pitcher with whom he is very familiar. The 36-year-old has hit .296 with a .943 OPS, two home runs, and five RBI in 27 career at-bats against Gray. Fantasy managers are hoping that will help Springer get out of a funk at the plate. In his first nine games in August, he's gone 6-for-27 (.222) with a .633 OPS, zero home runs, a double, a triple, two RBI, three runs, one steal, three walks, and five strikeouts in 30 plate appearances. The four-time All-Star turned back the clock in 2025 with 32 homers, 84 RBI, and 18 steals during the regular season, but he has come back to Earth in 2026 with a .234/.317/.396 slash line, 12 homers, 36 RBI, and eight steals in 88 games played.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kristian Campbell Heating Up at Triple-A, Could be Nearing a Return to Boston
Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Kristian Campbell has been heating up at Triple-A Worcester and could be on the verge of returning to the big-league roster for the first time since his rookie season in 2025. Campbell, a fourth-rounder in 2023 from the Georgia Institute of Technology, hit .223/.319/.345 with a .664 OPS, six homers, 21 RBI, 24 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 67 games as a rookie last year after being signed to an eight-year, $60 million extension last April. The 24-year-old struggled in spring training this year, though, and has spent the entire 2026 season at Worcester, where he has hit .250/.377/.351 with a .728 OPS, five home runs, 38 RBI, five stolen bases, and 39 runs scored in 90 games across 384 plate appearances. After recording three hits for the WooSox on Sunday, Campbell is batting .269 (7-for-26) with a homer and five RBI in seven games so far in August. With eligibility at second base and the outfield, Campbell is a stash candidate in deeper fantasy baseball leagues ahead of his potential return to the big leagues for the last month and a half of the regular season.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Adley Rutschman Traveling With Boston, Won't Return on Monday
Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (wrist) will travel with his new team to Toronto for a series against the division-rival Blue Jays, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. However, he will not be activated from the 10-day injured list on Monday. Rutschman will run through a series of workouts with the team, and the club will assess the next steps from there. The 28-year-old switch-hitting backstop has yet to debut with his new team after the BoSox acquired him in a blockbuster trade last Monday from the Baltimore Orioles, but he's nearing a return from the IL. He started a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Saturday and has gone 1-for-5 at the plate with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored in his two games. Depending on how his workout goes on Monday, Rutschman could make his debut as Boston's primary catcher as early as Tuesday at the Rogers Centre. Rutschman has been battling injuries the last two years and only has eight home runs with a .251 average (62-for-247) in 2026, but he will be a massive upgrade at the catching position in Boston and could finish out the year strong for fantasy managers if he's completely healthy. He's rostered in just over 70% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Cody Bellinger Taking Batting Practice, "Feeling Good"
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) took on-field batting practice on Aug. 5, his first time doing so since he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain on July 27, per MLB.com. "I'm feeling good," Bellinger said on Aug. 8. "I feel like I'm right on track." Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 26. It's unclear when the 31-year-old veteran will be reinstated to the major-league roster, but he has also been doing running and throwing as he recovers from his hamstring injury. The initial expectation was that the left-handed slugger would miss four to six weeks, so barring a setback as he continues to ramp up, he could return to the Yankees before the end of August. A short minor-league assignment will probably be necessary because of his extended absence. Bellinger's return will be much-anticipated for the Bronx Bombers, even though the three-time All-Star has been a bit of a disappointment in 2026 with a .259/.350/.420 slash line, 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 10 steals, and 52 runs scored across his 102 games and 434 plate appearances in his second year with the Yanks.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Diamondbacks Designate Reliever Paul Sewald for Assignment
The Arizona Diamondbacks designated veteran right-handed reliever Paul Sewald for assignment on Monday, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports. Sewald started the year strong by converting 17 of his 18 save opportunities while striking out 29 and walking just seven in 26 1/3 innings pitched in his first 29 relief outings, but he fell out of favor quickly in the desert in the back of the bullpen with a 12.79 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, and eight home runs allowed in his last 12 2/3 innings pitched. The 36-year-old 10-year veteran was removed from Arizona's closer role, and now he's off the roster completely. The D-backs are back to a full-on closer-by-committee setup going forward, involving Brandyn Garcia, Kevin Ginkel, and Juan Morillo. Ginkel picked up the team's most recent save on Sunday, and he has the most experience with 17 career saves in his eight years in the majors. Sewald, who is 2-5 in 2026 with a 6.23 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 24 saves, and a 44:9 K:BB in 39 innings, could be an interesting waiver pickup for a team looking for veteran depth in their bullpen to close out the season.
Source: Arizona Sports - John Gambadoro
Source: Arizona Sports - John Gambadoro
