Sep 3, 2026, 10:43 PM ET

After missing the previous three games with an elbow injury, Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman broke a recent slump and returned with a bang on Thursday to help beat his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, by a score of 6-5 at Camden Yards. Rutschman went 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs and three RBI on the night to raise his season average to .240 and his OPS to .741. It was a much-needed turnaround for a player who has never really been able to hit his stride in 2026 due to injuries. The 28-year-old switch-hitter and former first overall pick in 2019 from Oregon State came into Thursday's series opener against Baltimore with a weak .237/.318/.400 slash line with a .718 OPS, only nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 300 at-bats. The three-time All-Star had been even worse in 15 games since being traded to the BoSox, going 9-for-59 (.170) with a homer, six walks, and 15 strikeouts. The Red Sox gave up a lot to secure Rutschman as their catcher of the future, and they are hoping his bat begins to heat up as they push to make the postseason.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 10:37 PM ET

Minnesota Twins infielder Brooks Lee is suddenly up to a career-high 22 home runs entering play on Thursday after homering again in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Athletics. In his last 11 games, the switch-hitting infielder has hit .319 (15-for-47) with a .930 OPS, four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, and eight runs scored to boost his overall 2026 slash line to .250/.299/.435 with a .734 OPS, 77 RBI, 62 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in his second full season in the big leagues. The 25-year-old former eighth overall pick from Cal Poly in 2022 has been much better as a lefty against right-handed pitchers, going 91-for-345 (.264) with 19 of his 22 homers, as opposed to a .218 average (34-for-156) with just three long balls as a right-handed hitter against southpaws. With eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop, Lee is also valuable for his infield versatility in fantasy baseball, and he's available in 40% of Yahoo leagues with the playoffs approaching quickly.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Sep 3, 2026, 10:26 PM ET

Miami Marlins first baseman/outfielder Griffin Conine is not flashy by any means, but he could help fantasy managers down the stretch in September as a left-handed-hitting outfielder against right-handed pitching in the right matchups in deeper leagues. Going into Thursday's game against the Kansas City Royals, Conine entered play with a career-high 14 home runs and 32 RBI in 72 games (238 plate appearances) while hitting .254/.357/.488 with an .845 OPS. Conine has limited overall fantasy appeal because of his struggles against southpaws -- he is hitting only .178 (8-for-45) in limited exposure against lefties. He was nothing special in August, either, going 18-for-80 (.225) in 26 games, although he did have five home runs and 11 RBI after hitting six homers in 25 games in July. The 29-year-old former second-rounder by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018 out of Duke also still strikes out a third of the time, although he is sporting a career-high 12.2% walk rate in 2026. At best, Conine is worth a look off the waiver wire in deeper fantasy leagues to close out the season. He is rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Sep 3, 2026, 10:16 PM ET

Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) left Thursday's game against the Kansas City Royals early with tightness in his left hamstring, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Before hitting the showers early, Stowers went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and two strikeouts before he was replaced at first base by Deyvison De Los Santos. Stowers has already been on the injured list this year due to hamstring issues, and he could be headed back to the shelf, depending on what tests show on Friday. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his first full season in Miami, slashing .288/.368/.544 with a .912 OPS, a career-high 25 home runs, 73 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 117 games. Through 103 games this year going into Thursday's action, he has posted a .247/.331/.470 slash line, .801 OPS, 18 homers, 59 RBI, 48 runs scored, and one steal in 433 plate appearances. Stowers played in just 15 games in August due to injury and did not have a home run, but he did go 15-for-51 (.294) in 59 plate appearances. If he is forced back to the IL with another hamstring injury, it could be a wrap on Stowers' 2026 campaign.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola

Sep 3, 2026, 10:07 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk got the day off on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, but it had nothing to do with his offensive performance of late. The 27-year-old missed over a month of action early in the first half of the season due to injury, but he has been back since June and just finished a highly productive month in August, slashing .341/.412/.534 with a .946 OPS, five home runs, two doubles, 20 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 25 games played. It was by far Kirk's best month of the 2026 season as he rounds into form for the final month of the regular season as Toronto looks to sneak into a wild-card spot in the American League. The 27-year-old Mexican backstop is now hitting .271 (59-for-218) overall with eight long balls, 32 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a stolen base in only 63 games played this season. Kirk is the Jays' primary catcher and can help fantasy managers in two-catcher formats who are trying to win a championship. He is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .282 with a career-high 15 home runs and 76 RBI in 130 regular-season games. Despite his red-hot month in August, Kirk is still rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Sep 3, 2026, 9:57 PM ET

Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has been hit or miss in his first 30 major-league games since making his debut on July 31 against the Athletics with a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. The 21-year-old former third overall pick in 2023 came into Thursday's slate with a .257 average (27-for-105) with two home runs, seven doubles, three triples, 14 RBI, 14 runs scored, a stolen base, nine walks, and 25 strikeouts in 118 plate appearances. The left-handed-hitting outfielder came into Wednesday's game against the division-rival Minnesota Twins with a .179 average over his previous 10 games, but he reminded us why he has plenty of upside to close out the 2026 campaign with a 3-for-4 performance with three doubles, an RBI, three runs scored, and two walks. Clark became the first Tigers player with three doubles in a game since Miguel Cabrera did it in 2018. The Tigers' top overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has high-end power-speed potential and is only rostered in 19% of Yahoo leagues. There will be growing pains, but fantasy managers should ride the upside.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Sep 3, 2026, 9:46 PM ET

Right-hander Tyler Mahle went 3-9 with a 5.13 ERA (4.37 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 89 strikeouts and 37 walks in 94 2/3 innings and 18 starts to begin the 2026 season with the San Francisco Giants before the Atlanta Braves acquired him in a trade at midseason. Since the move to the first-place Braves, the 31-year-old veteran has looked like a different pitcher, going 2-1 with a 1.48 ERA (2.87 FIP) and 0.96 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and only five walks in 30 1/3 frames over five starts. Mahle has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his five starts so far for Atlanta, and he gave up only one earned run with no walks and a season-high nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings in his last outing on Sunday, Aug. 30, against the Colorado Rockies. He will have a pretty big test his next time out this weekend against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. In two starts already this year against the Phils, Mahle allowed five earned runs on nine hits while walking seven and striking out nine in 10 2/3 innings. Mahle will be a riskier fantasy streamer in that matchup, but regardless, he deserves more waiver-wire attention down the stretch. Mahle is currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Sep 3, 2026, 7:51 PM ET

Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) as day-to-day, and further discussions will determine whether he is available off the bench in Thursday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals or as the designated hitter for Friday's series opener versus the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com's Sonja Chen. Roberts still views a stint on the injured list as unlikely for Ohtani, "but not impossible." The four-time MVP has not pitched since July 3 due to left-knee and right-biceps injuries, but he has stayed in the lineup as the team's primary DH. The Japanese superstar's health has been declining, though, and he was primarily feeling discomfort in the right biceps and neck areas while striking out four times in Wednesday night's loss to St. Louis, per Roberts. How quickly the 32-year-old returns to the starting lineup as a hitter remains to be seen, but as a pitcher, fantasy managers should not be as hopeful that he will return to the mound in September. Despite playing at less than 100% for a good chunk of the season, Ohtani is still batting .279/.381/.525 overall with a .906 OPS, 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 steals in 499 at-bats. However, his production has declined over the last month, and he was noticeably wincing after swings on Wednesday evening.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen

Sep 3, 2026, 7:44 PM ET

Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) threw a successful bullpen session on Thursday, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Eovaldi is working his way back slowly from inflammation in his right elbow that landed him on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 10, but he is making progress and should rejoin the Rangers' starting rotation before the end of September, barring a setback. However, time is running out for him to make an impact in fantasy baseball leagues. The 15-year veteran has been solid when healthy in 2026 in his fourth year with the team, going 10-9 with a 4.21 ERA (4.26 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 137 strikeouts and 32 walks in 132 2/3 frames over 22 starts. Despite time running out in the season, Eovaldi is rostered in just over 80% of Yahoo leagues. He has not been quite as good in just four second-half starts, posting a 5.06 ERA with six walks and 17 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant

Sep 3, 2026, 7:37 PM ET

Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (neck) has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. This should not come as a huge surprise, since Brown has been sidelined on the injured list since June with a stress reaction in his neck, something that he has dealt with in the past. The 26-year-old former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 will finish his 2026 campaign with a 4-2 record, a sharp 1.85 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, one save, 65 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 68 innings pitched across 20 appearances (eight starts) for the Cubbies. Brown has good stuff and plenty of potential, but because he has been unable to stay healthy, his future could be as a full-time reliever in 2027 and beyond. In 25 outings (15 starts) last year for Chicago, Brown had a career-worst 5.92 ERA (4.08 FIP) but also 121 strikeouts and 32 walks in 106 1/3 innings pitched. Barring another setback with his neck injury, he should be ready in plenty of time for spring training in 2027, barring a league lockout.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor

Sep 3, 2026, 7:23 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's game against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals due to ongoing left-knee and right-biceps injuries, per MLB.com. Outfielder Alex Call will serve as the designated hitter and bat eighth against Cardinals left-hander Quinn Mathews. Manager Dave Roberts said it is unlikely that the Dodgers will completely shut Ohtani down and place him on the injured list, but clearly he is not himself at the plate after going hitless in six plate appearances with four strikeouts in Wednesday's loss to St. Louis. In fact, Ohtani hit .241/.322/.472 with a .795 OPS (his lowest of the season) with six homers, three doubles, two triples, 13 RBI, 16 runs, and four steals in 27 games in the month of August, and he has just one hit in 10 plate appearances in two games in September. Ohtani is clearly not himself right now, and he has not made a start as a pitcher since July 3. The Dodgers are holding out hope that the Japanese superstar will pitch again for the team this year, but with only several weeks left in the regular season, he is unlikely to help when it matters most in fantasy. If Ohtani cannot shake his knee and biceps injuries, the Dodgers may be forced to put him on the IL. After all, their primary goal is to have him 100% for the postseason run as the Dodgers look for an unprecedented third straight World Series title.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 4:30 PM ET

Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (elbow) is back behind the plate to catch left-hander Jake Bennett and will hit third in Thursday's series opener against his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, and right-hander Brandon Young, according to MLB.com. Rutschman is returning to action after missing the last three games with an elbow injury that also caused him to miss three games last week. It is an injury that the 28-year-old switch-hitter might have to battle for the remainder of the 2026 season, which is not what fantasy managers want to hear in what has already been a disappointing campaign for the former first overall pick from Oregon State. In 300 total at-bats this year, Rutschman is slashing .237/.318/.400 with a .718 OPS, nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored for the O's and Red Sox. The three-time All-Star has been even worse since being traded to Boston, going 9-for-53 (.170) with a homer, a double, four RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts in 15 games played. Fantasy managers may want to keep him benched until he shows signs of life at the plate.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 4:24 PM ET

Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) is out of the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, per MLB.com. Rafaela will sit out at least one game after he was pulled in the seventh inning in Wednesday's contest with tightness in his quad muscle. For now, fantasy managers should consider the young outfielder to be day-to-day and check back on him to see if he is available for Game 2 of the series in Baltimore on Friday. Eli White will make the start in center field for the BoSox and will bat eighth against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. The 25-year-old Rafaela has been a must-start in fantasy leagues as a first-time All-Star in 2026, as he entered Thursday's tilt with a .282/.317/.443 slash line with a career-best .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored across 135 games and 569 plate appearances. Rafaela has been just as solid so far in the second half of 2026, hitting .285 (55-for-195) with eight homers, 10 doubles, 31 RBI, 26 runs scored, and five steals in 45 games. Hopefully, he will be back in Boston's lineup on Friday.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 3:37 PM ET

Miami Marlins outfield prospect Kemp Alderman is slumping at the wrong time, going 6-for-35 (.171) over his last 10 games at Triple-A Jacksonville with just one extra-base hit (a double). Perhaps most concerning is the strikeout rate, though, which stands at a high 32.5 percent for the year but came in at a whopping 41.0 percent during the recent 10-game slump. The Marlins' eighth-ranked prospect has big-time raw power and has tallied 18 home runs in 94 games for the Jumbo Shrimp this season, but the 6-foot-3 slugger doesn't look like he's going to force his way to the majors this season unless he turns things around in a hurry. The home run potential makes him intriguing for fantasy, but he'd be a drain on batting average, and with a low likelihood of getting called up at this point, the 24-year-old is more of a desperation stash for managers looking for power production.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com