August 25, 2025
Chicago White Sox pitching prospect
Hagen Smith was tagged for four earned runs on four hits and five walks while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings of work for Double-A Birmingham on Sunday. It was the fifth time this season in 17 total starts that the southpaw walked at least four batters in an outing. Sometimes pitchers are working on new pitches, so it's hard to blame it all on his control, but the first half numbers looked far better than the second half. In his first eight starts (27 1/3 innings pitched), the lefty posted a 1.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 21.2 percent K-BB%, however, over the last nine starts (35 1/3 IP), he's recorded a 5.35 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and an 11.8 percent K-BB%. Hopefully Chicago's fifth-ranked prospect can end the season on a high note, which would put him in a position to see Triple-A next season and potentially make his major league debut.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
August 25, 2025
New York Mets outfielder
Brandon Nimmo (neck) is starting in left field and will bat sixth for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander
Cristopher Sanchez at Citi Field. It will be the first time that Nimmo has started for the Mets since he exited last Wednesday's loss to the Washington Nationals with neck stiffness. However, the 32-year-old veteran did serve as a pinch-hitter in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Braves and will return to begin the week for the start of a crucial divisional series. Nimmo has hit a nice .308 with two RBI and a .708 OPS in 13 career at-bats against Sanchez, but it's probably a left-lefty matchup fantasy managers setting DFS lineups will want to avoid. Nimmo has hit .236 (33-for-140) on the year against lefties with only six of his 20 home runs and a 37:11 K:BB in 158 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
August 25, 2025
New York Mets outfield prospect John Bay has been promoted to High-A Brooklyn after a short but productive stint at Single-A this year. The 24-year-old joined St. Lucie in late July and hit .333 (18-for-54) with three home runs and four stolen bases in 17 games. His 10 hits over the last week earned him Mets Minor League Player of the Week honors as well. He posted a concerning 30.4 percent strikeout rate, but paired it with a strong 13.0 percent walk rate. Bay hit .360 with 16 doubles, five triples, 22 home runs, and 12 steals in 59 games for Austin Peay State University earlier this year, so it will be interesting to see how his power-speed profile plays out at the next level.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
August
25,
2025
With
Athletics
rookie
left-hander
Jacob
Lopez
(forearm)
suffering
from
left-forearm
tightness
in
his
last
start
and
fellow
rookie
Jack
Perkins
(shoulder)
going
on
the
15-day
injured
list
with
a
right-shoulder
strain,
read more...
August 25, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks third base prospect
Yassel Soler (undisclosed) was placed on Single-A Visalia's 7-day injured list on Sunday. It's unclear what the injury was, but it appears to have happened during his at-bat in the third inning of Saturday's game, and depending on the severity, it could end his season with the injury happening so late in the campaign. Arizona's 24th-ranked prospect's 2025 numbers don't jump off the page, as he's hitting .240 with a .737 OPS, but he does have 12 home runs on the year, and he was walking at a 10.4 percent rate, which are both solid for a 19-year-old. The right-handed slugger had been hitting the ball even better as of late, batting .358 (24-for-67) with a 1.073 OPS and walking (11) more than he was striking out (10) during a 19-game stretch from July 24 through August 16. He'll look to start climbing the ranks next season, but for now, he's not on the dynasty radar for fantasy.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
August 25, 2025
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Kyle Bradish (elbow) will come off the 60-day injured list to make his season debut on Tuesday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. It will be Bradish's first start in the big leagues since June 14 of 2024 because of Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The 28-year-old posted a 4.91 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 22 innings over six starts on his minor-league rehab assignment, although he looked better towards the end of his rehab assignment. Bradish is worth a look for starting depth in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues now that he's back, but he'll be a pretty risky streamer right out of the gates against the BoSox in Baltimore. He threw 89 pitches in his final rehab start and should be pretty stretched out. Bradish had an ERA of under 3.00 in both 2023 and 2024 and has a 332:105 K:BB in 61 starts over his three MLB seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
August 25, 2025
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they reinstated second baseman/outfielder
Michael Massey (ankle, back, wrist) from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder
John Rave to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. It's unclear yet if Massey will be in the starting lineup for Monday's serie opener against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, but the 27-year-old will now at least provide the Royals with depth at the keystone and in the outfield for the stretch run. Massey initially landed on the IL in early June with a left-ankle sprain before he also suffered a back injury and fractured his right wrist on a rehab assignment. The left-handed hitter could have a little more fantasy appeal in AL-only leagues if he plays regularly against right-handed pitchers before rookie
Jac Caglianone (hamstring) returns. Massey has hit only .202 (40-for-198) with two homers and 14 RBI this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Kansas City Royals
August 25, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Oneil Cruz (concussion) started a minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Altoona on Saturday and went 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI triple. General manager Ben Cherington expected Cruz to play again in Altoona on Sunday before flying to St. Louis to rejoin the Pirates for their series against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals that starts on Monday. It means that fantasy managers could have Cruz back in their starting lineups on Monday against Cardinals right-hander
Michael McGreevy. When the 26-year-old returns, he should at least be a regular starter in center field for the Bucs against right-handed pitching. The Dominican is hitting just .207 (81-for-392) on the year, but he also hass 18 homers, 51 RBI, 58 runs and 34 steals. Cruz has gone just 11-for-100 (.110) with one of his 18 homers and 42 K's against southpaws.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
August 25, 2025
Chicago Cubs catcher
Miguel Amaya (ankle) has been running on a treadmill as he recovers from a left-ankle sprain, but he's "still weeks away" from a return, according to manager Craig Counsell. Amaya suffered the injury in a win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 13 and immediately went on the 10-day IL. It looked worse than a sprained ankle at the time, as Amaya had to be carted off the field after stepping on first base awkwardly on an infield single. Adding insult to injury, it happened in Amaya's first game back after he missed two and a half months with an oblique strain. The 26-year-old has played just 28 games this season and hit .281/.314/.500 with four home runs and 25 RBI in 96 plate appearances. As long as he's out, the Cubs will continue with
Carson Kelly and
Reese McGuire as their tandem behind the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 25, 2025
Kansas City Royals right-hander
Alec Marsh (shoulder) has yet to resume throwing since he received an injection in his sore right shoulder in late July. With the clock ticking on the season, it appears unlikely that Marsh will pitch at all in 2025. The 27-year-old has battled shoulder troubles since the offseason and has experienced multiple setbacks over the past several months. It appears this will end up as a lost season for Marsh, who recorded a career-high 129 innings in 2024 and went 9-9 with a 4.53 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and 123:39 K:BB.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 25, 2025
Kansas City Royals starter
Cole Ragans (shoulder) threw an "up-down" bullpen session on Sunday, and manager Matt Quatraro said afterward that the left-hander "feels good." Ragans has now thrown five bullpens since he went on the injured list on June 8 with a strained rotator cuff. The next step will be facing live hitters as he aims for a return in September. Ragans enjoyed a career year in 2024, but thanks in part to the injury, he hasn't been able to build on it this season. The 27-year-old has made 10 starts and posted a bloated 5.18 ERA across 48 1/3 innings. However, Ragans boasts impressive strikeout and walk numbers (14.05 K/9, 2.96 BB/9), and his underlying metrics (2.44 FIP, 2.54 FIP, and 2.71 xERA) suggest he has easily outperformed his results. If he's healthy over the last few weeks of the season, Ragans should be in line for positive regression.
--Connor ByrneSource: MLB.com
August 25, 2025
New York Mets designated hitter
Jesse Winker (back) has not resumed baseball activities since he went on the 10-day injured list on July 11 with inflammation in his lower back. With time running out on the season, a return may not be in the cards, according to Tim Britton of The Athletic. Winker missed most of May and all of June with an oblique strain, and he landed on the shelf again after just two games because of his back issue. It could prove to be a season-ending injury for Winker, who has hit .229/.309/.400 with one home run and 10 RBI in 81 plate appearances.
Starling Marte and
Mark Vientos have gotten most of the work at DH in Winker's absence.
--Connor ByrneSource: Tim Britton - The Athletic
August
25,
2025
New
York
Mets
right-handers
Jonah
Tong
and
Tylor
Megill
(elbow)
are
candidates
to
start
Friday
against
the
Miami
Marlins,
according
to
Tim
Britton
of
The
Athletic.
Although
southpaw
David
Peterson
is
read more...
August 25, 2025
Atlanta Braves ace
Chris Sale (ribs) is in line to come off the 60-day injured list on Saturday to start against the Philadelphia Phillies, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. Sale hasn't pitched since he suffered a fractured left rib cage on June 18, interrupting another brilliant season for the 36-year-old southpaw. Before going on the IL, the reigning National League Cy Young winner recorded a 2.52 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and 114:26 K:BB over 15 starts and 89 1/3 innings. While Sale won't come back to help the out-of-contention Braves push for a championship, he could still be a major asset for fantasy managers down the stretch.
--Connor ByrneSource: David O'Brien - The Athletic
August 25, 2025
Chicago Cubs right-hander
Daniel Palencia earned his 20th save on Sunday as the Cubs went on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3. Palencia entered the game with a one-run lead and had to work his way around a leadoff single and a one-out walk. Palencia proceeded to strike out his final two batters and has now converted 20 out of 22 saves on the season to go along with six holds, a 1.89 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 54/15 K/BB ratio in 47 2/3 innings pitched. Palencia had a bit of a challenging stretch in early August, where he allowed an earned run in three of his four outings, but has since recorded four saves in his last four outings. He remains one of the top closers to own in fantasy baseball.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: MLB.com
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