RADIO
Giancarlo Stanton Resumes Jogging
New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (calf) took part in some jogging on Friday as a way to reintroduce him to base running. The 36-year-old has been out of action since the end of April with what was diagnosed as a low-grade calf strain and has suffered through various setbacks and shutdown periods along the way. As such, the team has been cautious when handling his progress so as not to suffer any more setbacks and to have him and his bat ready for the playoffs. He did face live pitching last week when he went up against Carlos Rodón, signaling yet another step closer to a return. Still, with an extensive injury history such as his, coupled with the amount of time he has been away from action, it's hard to imagine him having much time left in the season to make an impact for fantasy baseball managers.
Source: Bryan Hoch
Source: Bryan Hoch
Jack Leiter Throwing Live BP on Saturday
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (ankle) is set to throw live batting practice on Saturday. The 26-year-old has been out of action since the middle of June with right ankle posterior impingement but is set to take a big step forward in his recovery with this planned session. The hope is that he can log around 45 pitches, which would give both him and the team confidence to begin a rehab assignment shortly afterward. The belief is that, if all goes according to plan, he may only need two rehab appearances, putting him in line to return by the end of August. With the Rangers having a potential opening at the back end of their bullpen, he would be a welcome addition for pitching stability, with the hope that he can build toward next season with a strong showing in the final month of this year.
Source: Jeff Wilson
Source: Jeff Wilson
Joey Bart to Miss Over a Month of Action
Chicago White Sox catcher Joey Bart (hand) is set to miss "over a month" of action while recovering from a left-hand fracture. The 29-year-old catcher, who was recently acquired from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline, was hit on the hand by a pitch last Thursday, likely sidelining him for most of the rest of the season. In fact, there is a chance that Bart's season may be over if there are any setbacks. With only six weeks remaining in the season, everything has to go according to plan in order for him to provide any fantasy value. With Kyle Teel also out of action with a high ankle sprain of his own, manager Will Venable said that the catcher position would be a fluid one for the rest of the season. That means we will likely see a mixture of both Edgar Quero and Drew Romo taking turns behind the plate. Both remaining backstops have struggled to do much of anything offensively this season, and if either were to show some semblance of offensive prowess, they could run away with the job here, as the White Sox are looking to win the American League Central title and could use some stability behind the plate.
Source: James Fegan
Source: James Fegan
Willson Contreras Back in the Lineup Saturday
Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (illness) is back in the lineup and batting fourth on Saturday after missing the last two games. The 34-year-old left Wednesday's game early with dizziness and a high temperature, but now, three days later, he is back in the starting lineup and batting fourth for the surging Red Sox. The 11-year veteran is having a career-best season, already hitting 23 home runs, which is one shy of his career-best total of 24 in 2019. He is looking to continue his personal-best hot streak while helping the team keep its winning streak alive and is a must-start in all formats when healthy.
Source: Chris Cotillo
Source: Chris Cotillo
Michael Arroyo Producing at Triple-A But Has Tough Path to MLB Playing Time
Seattle Mariners second base/outfield prospect Michael Arroyo has been good since his promotion to Triple-A Tacoma, batting .324 in 24 games with the Rainiers to go with four homers, 22 RBI, and 22 runs scored. Arroyo is the No. 5 prospect in the Mariners system and boasts a 55-grade hit tool with 55-grade power and a 50-grade run tool. The 21-year-old second base/outfielder is making a real push for a chance at an MLB debut. Cole Young is currently atop the depth chart at second base for Seattle, and the outfield is full of some veteran players. Barring an injury, it might be a hard path to clear playing time for Arroyo. He's looking like he might be a wait-and-see at this point, especially after Seattle traded for Taylor Ward in the outfield. Arroyo, at just 21 years old, is showing great signs at Triple-A, so the Mariners may want to give him a shot at the big leagues, but it's difficult to stash him late this season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Jonathon Long Looks To Make Waves With New Organization in Majors
Miami Marlins first base/outfield prospect Jonathon Long is looking to jump-start his career after being traded to the Marlins from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. Long was productive this season for Triple-A Iowa in the Cubs organization, playing 99 games and hitting .283 with 12 homers and 62 RBI to go with 67 runs scored. Long has been assigned to Triple-A Jacksonville after coming over to the Marlins. He slots in as the No. 14 prospect with the Marlins and has a 55-grade hit tool with 50-grade power. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter can play first base or the outfield, giving him added versatility for a potential call-up to the Marlins. The Marlins have some decent outfield and first base depth but could look to Long for some added firepower with the bat this year. Long is a solid stash with a decent path to some playing time at the big league level.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Jonah Tong a Good Stash Candidate Despite Rough Last Start
New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong had a rough outing in his last start for the Syracuse Mets on Wednesday, giving up five home runs and five earned runs in five innings pitched. Tong has pitched with mixed results for Triple-A Syracuse this season, going 3-6 overall with a 5.46 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. He does have 103 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings which is a good sign that he has greater than a strikeout per inning. Tong had a three-game stint with the big league club earlier this season out of the bullpen and allowed four earned runs in 10 innings pitched. Tong, however, has pitched primarily as a starter at the Triple-A level and has struggled to find his top-notch form. It's still worth monitoring Tong because he could be a useful pitcher if he is given a shot to start again for the Mets. The 23-year-old right-hander has shown flashes at the major league level and could be good if called upon again.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Luke Adams Slumping at Triple-A Nashville
Milwaukee Brewers third base prospect Luke Adams has gone into a prolonged slump to start off the month of August, hitting .167 in six games this month. At this point it's looking like a longshot for Adams to contribute to the big league club. The 22-year-old right-handed hitter is best left on the waiver wire at this point as he looks to right himself at the plate at the Triple-A level. He is the No. 13 prospect for the Brewers at this point so he is not looking like a priority add to the team late this season. He does have decent power and a solid bat, hitting 15 homers this year between two minor league teams with 39 RBI in 209 at bats while hitting .254. The Brewers look like they have infield prospects like Jesus Made and Jett Williams ahead of Adams in the pecking order. Next year might be the year for Adams to get a debut opportunity.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Michael Forret Looks for Big-League Shot With New Organization
Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Michael Forret is looking to establish himself with his new club after he was traded over from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for relief pitcher Tyler Wells. Forret had an impressive season with the Rays organization before coming over to the Orioles. With two minor league teams, Forret combined to go 7-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 102 strikeouts in 93 innings pitched. He has been assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides but has yet to make a start for his new club. He slots in at No. 6 on the Baltimore top prospect list and has three 55-grade pitches in his fastball, slider, and changeup. The 22-year-old right-hander is looking like an interesting late-season stash with his new club. He could produce for fantasy managers who take a late chance on him. With three elite pitches and a high strikeout rate, he's looking like a good fantasy option.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Jaxon Wiggins Looking to Find Consistency at Triple-A
Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins struggled in his latest start, giving up five runs in 2 2/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. In his last five starts with Iowa, Wiggins has given up at least three earned runs in each start. Wiggins has been dealing with right elbow inflammation and it caused him to miss about two months of this season. The 24-year-old is the Cubs No. 5 overall prospect and has a 60-grade fastball with a 55-grade slider and a 50-grade changeup. Wiggins has struggled this season coming back from his elbow inflammation and is having a bit of a tough go lately with Iowa. Wiggins has major league stuff but he is looking to get into a rhythm after missing so much time. In Triple-A at age 24, it's a good sign for Wiggins and the Cubs, but he might need more time in the minors before he makes his MLB debut.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Cam Smith Seeing it Well in August, Homers Twice Against Padres
Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith kept his strong start to the month of August going in Friday's 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, three runs scored, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .222 and his OPS to .686. Both of Smith's home runs on the night were of the solo variety, with his first one coming in the second inning off lefty starter Robbie Ray, and his second coming in the sixth frame off lefty reliever Yuki Matsui. It was Smith's second multi-homer performance of the 2026 season. The 23-year-old former 14th overall pick in 2024 from Florida State University has lowered his strikeout rate to 24.1% in his second MLB season, but the results haven't really followed. On the bright side, Smith is now up to 15 home runs on the year, and he is now 10-for-20 with two home runs, a double, four RBI, and five runs scored in a small sample size of six games to begin August. Fantasy managers desperate for some power in deeper leagues might want to look Smith's way if he stays hot this month. He's rostered in just 9% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Michael Soroka Expected to Return on Monday
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (glute) threw four innings and 57 pitches for Triple-A Reno in a minor-league rehab game on Aug. 4, and he's expected to come off the 10-day injured list to start on Monday, Aug. 10, against the division-rival Colorado Rockies at home, according to MLB.com. Soroka has been sidelined since June 20 with a left-glute strain, but now that he's on the verge of a return, fantasy managers looking for rotation help should look his way. If the 29-year-old Canadian can return to his pre-injury form from this year, he'll be a real asset down the stretch for fantasy managers. In his 15 starts (82 innings pitched) in his first year in the desert, Soroka went 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA (2.92 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP with 79 strikeouts and 17 walks for the Snakes. In back-to-back starts against the Rockies (one at home, one on the road) on May 17 and May 22, Soroka allowed only three earned runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out 10 in 11 2/3 innings with one win. He'll be very tempting in starting fantasy lineups in his return to start next week in Arizona against Colorado.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Angel Martinez Drives in Six, Heating Up in August
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez nearly accounted for all of the team's runs in their 8-2 victory on the road on Friday night against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. Martinez went 2-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam, a career-high six RBI, and a strikeout. The 24-year-old had a two-run single in the first inning and then hit a grand slam in the fifth inning. Martinez struggled upon his return from the injured list in July, going hitless in 19 plate appearances with no walks and four strikeouts in six games played. The 24-year-old Dominican switch-hitter has flipped a switch so far in August, though, going 7-for-20 (.350) with a homer, two doubles, nine RBI, and three runs scored in six games played. Martinez is now batting .231/.266/.424 on the season with a career-best .690 OPS, 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 31 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 78 games and 284 plate appearances in his third year in the majors with Cleveland. He has a modest strikeout rate of 22.5%, but he has walked a career-low 2.8% of the time in 2026. If Martinez stays hot, he's worth a look in deeper fantasy leagues, and he's rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Pitching Prospect Tanner McDougal Getting the Call From the White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are calling up right-handed pitching prospect Tanner McDougal from Triple-A Charlotte, according to The Athletic's James Fegan. McDougal earned his first big-league call-up after going 1-1 with a 3.44 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 44:21 K:BB in 36 2/3 innings pitched across 17 appearances (six starts) with High-A Winston-Salem and Charlotte. The 23-year-old began his pro career as a starter, but he has since been moved to a relief role after suffering a forearm injury last month. Like left-handed prospect Hagen Smith, who is also being called up from Charlotte, McDougal will most likely work in a relief role in his first taste of the big leagues, limiting his fantasy baseball value to deep dynasty/keeper leagues as a stash. McDougal, a former fifth-rounder in 2021, posted a 2.86 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with Charlotte, but he has surrendered six runs in 8 2/3 frames down on the farm since returning from his forearm injury. Smith is the much better prospect stash with more starting-pitching upside in the long-term.
Source: The Athletic - James Fegan
Source: The Athletic - James Fegan
White Sox Calling Up Top Pitching Prospect Hagen Smith to the Majors
The Chicago White Sox are calling up left-handed pitching prospect Hagen Smith from Triple-A Charlotte, according to James Fegan of The Athletic. Smith, who is considered the team's No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, will get the call for the first time after going 1-6 with a 4.32 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 87:40 K:BB in 58 1/3 innings pitched across 20 appearances (14 starts) at Triple-A Charlotte in 2026. The White Sox moved Smith to the bullpen last month, and since then, he's been much more effective, giving up just one run while striking out 10 in 6 1/3 innings pitched. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound southpaw, who was a former fifth overall pick in 2024 from the University of Arkansas, has a bright future, but for the rest of the year in the majors, he's expected to pitch in a relief role for the Pale Hose. That means that fantasy managers in redraft leagues can most likely ignore Smith off the waiver wire. He's currently rostered in only 2% of Yahoo leagues. Smith has mostly relied on a fastball/slider combination, and he may need to develop a strong third pitch to have long-term upside as a starter in the big leagues.
Source: The Athletic - James Fegan
Source: The Athletic - James Fegan
