RADIO
Ben Joyce is Gaining Value After Notching Third Save
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Ben Joyce might be the closer of the future for this organization. He has been limited to six innings this season, but is quickly making an impact with the Halos. So far this season, Joyce has thrown six scoreless innings, allowing one hit, while striking out eight batters. He notched his third save of the season versus the Houston Astros on Tuesday. Joyce is looking like a decent source of saves for fantasy managers down the stretch of the season. The Angels don't win a ton of games, but Joyce is likely to remain the full-time closer as long as he keeps pitching well.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Reynaldo Lopez to Begin Rehab Assignment on Sunday
Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (knee) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, according to Chad Bishop. Lopez has been out since late July due to left knee inflammation. It's unclear at the moment how many rehab appearances he'll need before rejoining the Braves. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers should expect Lopez to be back in the mix in September. His fantasy value will be dependent on whether he returns as a starting pitcher or reliever. This season, Lopez owns a 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 66/29 K/BB ratio across 24 games (11 starts) with the Braves. Fantasy managers in deep leagues could stash Lopez as a helpful option down the stretch of the season.
Source: Chad Bishop
Source: Chad Bishop
Maikel Garcia Likely Headed to Injured List
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hamstring) is likely headed to the 10-day Injured List, according to Joel Goldberg. Royals manager Matt Quatraro said the team plans to place him on the shelf after Garcia suffered a hamstring strain during Thursday's win over the Athletics. This is a tough break for Garcia, who was playing in just his fourth game since returning from nearly a two-month absence. If he is placed on the IL, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back until some point in September. Nick Loftin figures to return to being the primary third baseman in Kansas City. Fantasy managers might want to consider moving on from Garcia, who is looking at a multi-week absence.
Source: Joel Goldberg
Source: Joel Goldberg
Ketel Marte is Placed on 10-Day Injured List
According to Nick Piecoro, Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (knee, personal) was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Thursday. Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen met with Marte on Thursday, and they've decided to place him on the shelf until he's fully healthy. The organization has failed to give much information regarding Marte's absence. He missed all of their most recent series versus the Boston Red Sox. There is no word on when Marte will come back, so fantasy managers remain in the dark. Fantasy managers should try to hold Marte if possible, but it's unclear if he'll even return this season.
Source: Nick Piecoro
Source: Nick Piecoro
Jacob Wilson Likely Done for the Season
According to Martin Gallegos, Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) is expected to be placed on the 10-day Injured List and is unlikely to play again this season. Wilson is missing his fourth straight game on Thursday while he continues to deal with a lingering shoulder injury. Given the A's place in the standings, Wilson is expected to be shut down so he can recover and get ready for next season. There's a chance that Wilson needs offseason surgery, but that shouldn't impact his status for the 2027 season. Alika Williams and Darrel Hernaiz figure to see a majority of the time at shortstop while Wilson is down. Fantasy managers in redraft formats can go ahead and replace Wilson.
Source: Martin Gallegos
Source: Martin Gallegos
CJ Abrams is Day-to-Day with Ankle Injury
Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (ankle) is being held out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers. This comes after Abrams was forced to exit early during Wednesday's game after suffering a left ankle sprain. According to Mark Zuckerman, Nats' manager Blake Butera said Abrams is day-to-day, but he could require imaging. The team will likely wait and see how Abrams feels on Friday before they decide what to do going forward. The expectation is that Nasim Nunez and Jose Tena will be asked to hold down the fort in the middle of the infield until Abrams can return. Fantasy managers should check back on Friday for another update on his status.
Source: Mark Zuckerman
Source: Mark Zuckerman
Kade Anderson to Make MLB Debut on Saturday
According to Jeff Passan, the Seattle Mariners are expected to call up top pitching prospect Kade Anderson to start Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. The Mariners selected Anderson with the third overall pick during the 2025 June Amateur Draft. The 22-year-old has been outstanding during his lone season in the minor leagues. Across 18 starts, Anderson holds a 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and a 135/13 K/BB ratio in 93.1 innings of work with Double-A Arkansas. The Mariners have been sliding in the standings recently, so they hope Anderson can give them a much-needed boost. Given his stats in the minors, Anderson is looking like a must-add in all fantasy formats over the final six weeks of the regular season.
Source: Jeff Passan
Source: Jeff Passan
Yohandy Morales Maintains Stash Appeal for Power Potential
Washington Nationals corner infield prospect Yohandy Morales has cooled off at the plate, going 3-for-24 (.125) over the last six games at Triple-A Rochester. Despite the slowdown, the Nats' 26th-ranked prospect has had a solid campaign overall, hitting .287 with an .892 OPS and 23 home runs in 94 games for the Red Wings. There is a ton of pop in his bat, with average exit velocity, max exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate all registering in the 91st percentile or better at Triple-A, so there is some intrigue for fantasy purposes, especially if he were to be placed in the middle of MLB's highest-ranking team in terms of runs scored per game (5.28). There is some batting average risk due to elevated chase and whiff rates, but the 24-year-old represents an under-the-radar stash option for home runs and RBI for a late-season run to the fantasy playoffs.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jhostynxon Garcia Falling from Stash Radar After Latest Demotion
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia was optioned back to Triple-A Indianapolis on August 14 after a brief second stint with the big-league club. The Pirates' fifth-ranked prospect is 3-for-11 (.273) in the three games since rejoining Indianapolis and is now slashing .270/.337/.419 with seven home runs and five steals in 61 games for the Indians. The right-handed hitter surged through the minors on the way to a major league debut in Boston's organization in 2025, but has done little with his limited opportunities in the majors. Coming off a 21-home-run campaign in 114 games last year and with a ball hit 113.5 mph this season (95th percentile), there is some power potential in his bat, but it comes with a lot of chase that leads to a lot of swing-and-miss and few walks. The 23-year-old could get another shot in the majors this season, but there are likely better stash options available on your waiver wire.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jacob Melton a Strong Stash for Steals When Healthy
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton (hamstring) was flashing his elite speed at Triple-A Durham before being placed on the injured list with hamstring tightness back on August 4, his second time on the IL this season. The Rays' eighth-ranked prospect was riding a six-game hit streak and had stolen bases in three consecutive games before suffering the injury, which had raised his slash line to .285/.381/.520 with five home runs and 23 steals in just 36 games for the Bulls. The former second-round draft pick has been swinging a bat recently, but there has been no official update to his status from the organization, so his timeline for return is unclear. It has been an injury-marred campaign, and if the 25-year-old could stay healthy, he'd be one of the top stashes for his stolen-base potential, but until the 6-foot-2 slugger returns to action and makes a run at a major league promotion, there is no need to roster him.
Source: Run From the OPS
Source: Run From the OPS
Gavin Cross Goes on Injured List at Triple-A Omaha
Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross (undisclosed) was placed on the 7-day injured list on August 14 with an undisclosed injury. It's a shame as the Royals' 26th-ranked prospect was heating up again, riding a five-game hit streak during which time he went 9-for-19 (.474) with three doubles, two home runs, and a stolen base over that span. The hot stretch brought his season-long slash line to .253/.319/.435 at Triple-A Omaha with 13 home runs and 23 steals in 101 games. The power/speed combo makes for an intriguing fantasy asset, and the former ninth-overall draft pick could still make a late-season debut in 2026, but there was little reason to stash him before the injury, and now, without a clear timeline for his return, there is even less reason. The 25-year-old may have a fantasy impact in 2027, but for now, he can be safely left on the waiver wire.
Source: Omaha Storm Chasers
Source: Omaha Storm Chasers
Does Ryan Ward Demand Stash Consideration Amid 10-Game Hit Streak?
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Ryan Ward, after collecting a hit in Wednesday's game for Triple-A Oklahoma City, has extended his hit streak to 10 games. The Dodgers' 17th-ranked prospect is 16-for-40 (.400) during that time with a double and four home runs, along with twice as many walks (eight) as strikeouts (four). It brings his season-long slash line to .276/.384/.486 with 17 home runs and a 55:60 BB:K in 83 games for the Comets. The left-handed hitter debuted with the Dodgers earlier this season and has spent two different stints with the club with mixed results. While this recent stretch could help propel him there again, there is no immediate opening on the major league roster, even with Kyle Tucker struggling mightily on both sides of the ball. The former eighth-round draft pick has a ton of power, logging back-to-back 30-homer seasons at Triple-A prior to 2026, so there is some intrigue for fantasy purposes, but the 28-year-old is not a realistic stash consideration in most fantasy leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Ryan Clifford Placed on Development List at Triple-A
New York Mets first base/outfield prospect Ryan Clifford was placed on the Development List on Wednesday amid a futile stretch of offense. Since returning from the injured list on August 9, the Mets' eighth-ranked prospect has been hitless in 22 consecutive at-bats over a six-game stretch with a 56.0 percent strikeout rate during that time. The struggles preceded the injured list stint, though, as he's also just 5-for-70 (.071) over his last 19 contests, which has pushed his season-long slash line to .175/.267/.344. When he connects, the ball goes a long way, with the 6-foot-3 slugger tallying 16 home runs in 104 games, but with one of the worst strikeout rates at Triple-A (38.2 percent) that culminated in a five-strikeout performance this past Sunday, the organization will now allow him to stay on the minor league roster while he works on mechanics and swing decisions outside of game action. Amid his struggles, chances of an MLB debut in 2026 were already fading, but this likely seals it, and fantasy managers need not consider the 23-year-old a stash option this year.
Source: SNY
Source: SNY
Jackson Jobe Remains a High-Upside Waiver Wire Target Following Injury Return
After undergoing hybrid Tommy John/internal brace surgery in June 2025, Detroit Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe missed the remainder of the 2025 season and the first four-plus months of 2026. However, the 24-year-old returned to the big league mound on August 8 and has now made three starts, recording a 1-1 record with a 4.50 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts across 14 innings. Jobe's stuff looks to be back to where it was before the injury, as he's averaged 98.0 miles per hour on his fastball. He also dominated in his minor league rehab outings before returning to the Tigers, recording a 1.76 ERA with 17 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings. Jobe hasn't yet figured out how to generate consistent whiffs at the MLB level, logging just a 17.6% strikeout rate across 67 career big-league innings. Still, the young right-hander was considered one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball before getting injured and remains a high-upside waiver wire target in leagues where he's not already rostered.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyler Mahle Emerging as a Waiver-Wire Target Amidst Current Surge
Since being acquired by the Atlanta Braves from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline, veteran right-hander Tyler Mahle has gotten hot on the mound. Across 18 2/3 innings (three starts) for the Braves, Mahle has allowed just three earned runs while recording 19 strikeouts. The 31-year-old's overall line for the season isn't great, as he's recorded a 4-10 record with a 4.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 108 strikeouts across 113 1/3 innings (21 starts). However, Mahle is now in a much better position to rack up wins following the move to Atlanta, and pitching for a contender may have been the jolt he needed to revitalize his 2026 campaign. Mahle had an extended stretch of high-end production as recently as 2025, when he pitched to a 2.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 86 2/3 innings (16 starts) with the Texas Rangers. As a matchup-dependent streamer, fantasy managers should consider Mahle on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
