RADIO
Manuel Pena Impressing In Minors to Warrant Stash Look
Arizona Diamondbacks first base prospect Manuel Pena is adjusting well to Triple-A Reno and looks like a potential stash candidate with the potential for a call-up to Arizona. In 51 games with Reno, Pena is hitting .297 with five homers and 27 RBI with 25 runs scored. Between two levels of the minors this year, Pena has 31 combined homers with 91 RBI and 73 runs scored while hitting a combined .305. Most of that damage was done at Double-A but Pena nonetheless looks like a prime candidate for a promotion as rosters expand. Pena is the No. 29 prospect for the Diamondbacks with 55-grade power and for the most part has outperformed his expectations this season. Look for that to be rewarded with a shot in Arizona this September and the pop in his bat could play for fantasy teams.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Tim Tawa Emerging as a Priority Waiver-Wire Target
Across 248 plate appearances entering play on Wednesday, Arizona Diamondbacks utility man Tim Tawa was slashing .248/.301/.404 with eight home runs, 32 RBI, 26 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. The 27-year-old has emerged as an everyday piece of the Diamondbacks lineup in August, hitting .299 with four home runs and five stolen bases across 96 plate appearances this month. Tawa's underlying batted ball metrics are rock solid, as he's posted a 9.2% barrel rate and a 45.7% hard-hit rate. Tawa has also lowered his strikeout rate to 22.0%, a much more manageable figure than his 28.4% strikeout rate across 225 big-league plate appearances in 2025. With his ability to produce across all categories and his multi-positional eligibility, Tawa profiles as a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Manuel Pena Has Power Numbers to Warrant Stash Look
Arizona Diamondbacks utility prospect Manuel Pena has hit for power all this season with 31 combined homers between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno. He has combined for 91 RBI while hitting .294. Since being recalled to Reno on June 16, Pena has hit five homers with 27 RBI for the Aces with a .269 batting average. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 29 prospect for the Diamondbacks and has 55-grade power with just a 40-grade hit tool. So the power numbers look legit while the overall hitting (and batting average) could leave something to be desired. Pena has a lot of position flexibility with the ability to play multiple infield positions as well as the outfield. So he could be useful if Arizona wants to give him a big-league opportunity the rest of the way. In deep leagues, he could be worth a stash look for the potential power output.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Ildemaro Vargas Remains Out of Diamondbacks Lineup on Sunday
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (thigh) remains out of the starting lineup for his team's Sunday matchup against the Washington Nationals. The 34-year-old has not made a start since colliding with Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy on Thursday. Vargas has emerged as a key piece early on in 2026 for Arizona, hitting .282/.313/.441 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, 30 runs scored, and one stolen base while logging near-everyday playing time at first base. However, Vargas has cooled off considerably after a red-hot start to the year. The veteran hit just .227 with one home run in May after finishing April with a .378 average and six long balls. In Vargas' absence on Sunday, recently promoted Diamondbacks prospect LuJames Groover will make his third straight start at third base and bat eighth.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ildemaro Vargas Out of Lineup Saturday
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (thigh) is out of the starting lineup against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. The 34-year-old has endured a rough week, first colliding with Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy on Thursday and then being hit by a pitch while pinch-hitting on Friday. As a result of those incidents, the veteran will get a day of rest on Saturday in hopes of recovering fully. There have been no reports suggesting that Vargas will need more than a day or two to heal, and there has been no indication that a stint on the Injured List is being considered. In his place, recently promoted LuJames Groover will start at first base and look to record the first hit of his major-league career.
Source: Arizona Diamondbacks
Source: Arizona Diamondbacks
Ildemaro Vargas Out on Friday After Scary Collision on Thursday
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (thigh) is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's game against the visiting Washington Nationals after colliding at first base with Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy in Thursday's walk-off win, according to MLB.com. LuJames Groover, who was called up from Triple-A Reno on Friday, will make his major-league debut on Friday, starting at first base and batting fifth against Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin. Vargas should be considered day-to-day with his thigh injury, and he could be back in Arizona's starting nine as early as Saturday at Chase Field against the Nats. After a strong start at the plate that came out of nowhere for the 34-year-old Venezuelan infielder, Vargas has predictably cooled down offensively. He's hitting .283 (60-for-212) on the season with seven home runs, but he's been ice-cold in his last 15 games, going 5-for-50 (.100) with a double, six RBI, two runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. There's a good chance we may have already seen Vargas' peak in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ildemaro Vargas Leaves Early After Collision at First Base
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (undisclosed), who was starting at first base on Thursday in the series finale against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, left the game early after colliding with Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy in the fifth inning during a play at first base, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Both players were removed from the game and looked to be in plenty of discomfort on the ground before trainers came out to check on them. Vargas was helped to the dugout and appeared to be holding his leg, although it's unclear exactly what his injury is. He went 0-for-2 at the plate before being replaced at first base by Pavin Smith. The 34-year-old Venezuelan veteran was one of the hottest hitters in baseball early in the 2026 season, but he has come back down to Earth lately, going 5-for-48 (.104) with a double, six RBI, two runs scored, three walks, and five strikeouts in 14 games going into Thursday's series finale at Chase Field. At the very least, Vargas will probably sit out of Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals, but fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day until we know more. UPDATE: Manager Torey Lovullo said that Vargas is day-to-day with a bruised left thigh and rib cage, according to Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic.
Source: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
Source: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
Pavin Smith is Returning on Monday
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith (elbow) was activated off the 60-day Injured List ahead of Monday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Smith hasn't played since the opening series of the season after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. He'll serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth during his return on Monday. The expectation is that Smith will split up time between DH and first base against right-handed pitching. He slashed. 258/.362/.434 with eight home runs and 28 RBI last season. Smith could be a potential option in deep leagues. In a corresponding move, infielder Tim Tawa has been optioned to Triple-A.
Source: Aaron Hughes
Source: Aaron Hughes
