New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (calf) does not anticipate needing to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning from the 10-day injured list, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Soto said he is just about ready to rejoin the major-league roster, but he will know more after Friday. DiComo thinks that Soto's return from the IL "could happen in a matter of days." The left-handed slugger will not be back for Friday's series opener at home against the Houston Astros, but he could rejoin the starting lineup at some point this weekend. That is great news for managers with the fantasy playoffs coming soon. The 27-year-old Dominican All-Star has been on the IL two separate times in 2026 due to calf injuries in both legs, but he still has time to be a difference-maker in the final month of the regular season. Soto will be returning to a .283/.408/.539 slash line with a .947 OPS, 21 home runs, 52 RBI, 46 runs scored, and seven steals in 293 at-bats and will immediately be a must-start in all traditional fantasy leagues.

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Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (elbow) will get his first taste of the division rivalry against the New York Yankees in Friday's series opener as he returns from a hyperextended elbow earlier this week. Rutschman will do the catching for left-hander Patrick Sandoval and will hit fifth against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler. Fantasy managers should not be itching to get the 28-year-old backstop back into their starting lineups on Friday, especially going up against Schlittler, who has been one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2026. It has been a frustrating season for Rutschman, who has been banged up and has hit just .236 (68-for-288) with nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 33 runs scored in 79 games and 331 plate appearances. Since coming to Beantown in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 3, Rutschman has gone just 6-for-41 (.146) at the plate with a homer, a double, four RBI, three runs scored, six walks, and 12 strikeouts. He has faced Schlittler only three times in his big-league career and has one hit against him.

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New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette (foot) is starting at third base and will hit third for the Mets in the series opener on Friday against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander Hunter Brown at Citi Field, according to MLB.com. Bichette did not play in Thursday's series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers after injuring his foot on Wednesday, but he is back for the weekend series against Houston and should be returned to fantasy lineups this weekend. Overall, it has been a disappointing first year in Queens for the 28-year-old, who signed a one-year, $42 million contract with the Mets in January that included player options for 2027 and 2028. The two-time All-Star got off to an icy start and is currently slashing .264/.312/.393 with a .704 OPS, 14 home runs, 66 RBI, 64 runs scored, and one stolen base in 132 games and 568 plate appearances. Bichette has been much better in the second half, though, and he comes into Friday's game hitting .306 (26-for-85) with an .895 OPS, four home runs, five doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, and 11 runs scored in 22 games in August. He has hit .125 with a .347 OPS in eight career at-bats versus Brown.

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Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second in his return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Kansas City Royals and veteran right-hander Michael Wacha, per MLB.com. DeLauter is returning to Cleveland's starting nine after missing the last three games with a tight hamstring, although he did enter the last game against the Los Angeles Angels for a clutch single in the ninth inning. Fantasy managers will want to get the 24-year-old former first-rounder back into their starting lineups to begin the weekend against a right-handed pitcher. In his first year in the big leagues, DeLauter has looked like he belongs, slashing .289/.363/.451 with an .814 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI, 52 runs scored, and nine stolen bases for the Guards. He has especially looked great at the plate in August, going 24-for-68 (.353) with a .972 OPS, two homers, two doubles, two triples, eight RBI, 14 runs, and three stolen bases in 19 games. DeLauter is hitless in just two career at-bats against Wacha.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is still hitting with power in the minor leagues, with nine homers and 19 RBI in August with Triple-A Tacoma. This season, between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, Montes has combined to hit .248 with 37 homers and 93 RBI with 96 runs scored. The power-hitting skills are elite for Montes, the No. 5 overall prospect for the Mariners. He is blessed with 65-grade power but just a 45-grade hit tool. So he will need to improve his overall batting skills before he is able to earn a promotion to the big leagues. But the Mariners could use the power that he provides, making him a tempting call-up at the end of this season. Fantasy managers will want to monitor closely how the Mariners use Montes as this season winds down.

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San Francisco Giants outfield prospect Bo Davidson has produced in a big way during the month of August at Triple-A Sacramento, hitting .341 with six homers, 23 RBI, and 30 runs scored. Davidson is the No. 8 prospect in the Giants' system with a 50-grade hit tool, 55-grade power, and 55-grade speed. Davidson has combined for 19 stolen bases between two levels of the minors this season, proving that he could be a stolen base threat at the major-league level. Davidson is doing his best to force his way into a call-up to the Giants this season. The 24-year-old is doing everything in his power to prove he is ready. If the Giants feel he is ready, he would be a big boost to fantasy managers down the stretch of the season. Keep an eye on Davidson's progress the rest of the way.

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Washington Nationals infield prospect Seaver King is putting together an excellent month of August at Triple-A Rochester with a .356 batting average, eight homers and 16 RBI. King's red-hot hitting month could force the hand of the Nationals and he could be a priority pickup in fantasy leagues down the stretch this season. King is the No. 4 prospect in the Nationals system and the 23-year-old has a 50-grade hit tool with a 70-grade run tool. King brings a stolen base threat to the table and has combined for 14 stolen bases among the two minor league levels he has played at this season. He can bring that threat to the major leagues and give fantasy managers that extra category help with stolen bases being a possibility at the big leagues. King could be a difference maker late in the fantasy season.

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Seattle Mariners new top position prospect Michael Arroyo is an accomplished infielder who could make a difference as a late-season call-up to the Mariners. The 21-year-old has hit well since his promotion to Triple-A Tacoma. In 41 games with Tacoma, Arroyo has eight homers and 35 RBI while hitting .271 with 31 runs scored. At Double-A Arkansas this season, Arroyo hit 10 homers and drove in 40 runs while hitting .287. The right-handed hitter is the No. 3 prospect in the Mariners system behind pitchers Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan. Arroyo was signed out of Colombia and has a 55-grade hit tool and 55-grade power with 50-grade speed. Arroyo could be a nice addition to fantasy teams down the stretch and could provide five-category contributions to fantasy rosters.

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Minnesota Twins top outfield prospect Walker Jenkins has massive potential in fantasy leagues prior to his promotion to the major leagues. The talented outfielder has the ability to win fantasy leagues for managers late in the season following news of his call-up. Jenkins played 69 games for Triple-A St. Paul before his call-up and hit .308 in 263 at-bats with 12 homers and 28 RBI. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter has five-category upside for fantasy leagues with a 60-grade hit tool, 60-grade power and 55-grade speed. Jenkins will likely reward fantasy managers who stashed him in redraft leagues. He has the potential to be a difference-maker and provide that extra boost to fantasy teams in all five categories. Jenkins missed some time this season with a shoulder injury but is back, fully healthy, and ready to contribute at the big-league level.

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Philadelphia Phillies right-handed closer Jhoan Duran continues to be a high-end fantasy closer for a team that is currently locked into the second National League wild-card position. Since Duran's last blown save on July 27 against the division-rival Miami Marlins, he has gone 4-for-4 in save opportunities, including three saves in a row from Aug. 16 through Aug. 19. In 12 appearances (12 innings pitched) in the month of August, Duran has allowed just one earned run on 11 hits while walking two and striking out 14 batters. The 28-year-old Dominican hurler is 1-4 in his first full season in the City of Brotherly Love with a sparkling 1.71 ERA (1.22 FIP) and a 1.03 WHIP with 67 strikeouts and only eight walks all year in 47 1/3 innings out of the Phillies' bullpen. Duran's 28 saves are only four off his career high, set last year with the Phillies and Minnesota Twins. His 28 saves are tied with Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias for the eighth-most in the league. Duran has blown only two of his 30 save opportunities in 2026 and should have many more chances to set a new career high in saves over the final month of the regular season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been one of the best and most consistent pitchers in baseball again in 2026, even after a heavy postseason workload last fall to help the Dodgers win their second straight World Series title over the Toronto Blue Jays. Yamamoto took a tough-luck loss on Thursday night against the Atlanta Braves, allowing just a solo home run and four hits while walking one and striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings for his eighth loss of the year. The only run the 28-year-old Japanese hurler allowed was a solo home run to catcher Drake Baldwin on the first pitch of the game. The reigning World Series MVP was otherwise dominant, generating 20 swings and misses for his third straight quality start. Yamamoto is now 12-8 with a 2.56 ERA (3.26 FIP) and 0.89 WHIP with 153 strikeouts and 36 walks in 158 innings across 24 starts in his third MLB season. Since the All-Star break, he has not allowed more than two earned runs in an outing for a 1.90 ERA with 11 walks and 47 strikeouts in 47 1/3 frames across his seven starts. It will be interesting to see how Yamamoto holds up as we get closer to the postseason, but right now, his heavy workload from last year doesn't appear to be affecting him at all.

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MLB.com's Anthony DiComo writes that New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong, who is ranked as the team's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, could supplant Robert Stock in the major-league rotation if he pitches well this weekend at Triple-A Syracuse. "I think we'll continue to keep an eye on him, continue to watch, continue to see how he performs," interim manager Andy Green said. "Definitely somebody that we think highly of and will be excited when the time comes." The 36-year-old Stock does not factor into the Mets' future plans in a meaningful way. Mets officials want to make sure that when Tong returns to the majors for the third time, he is well-prepared to stick around. When Tong was called up earlier in 2026, he had a 5.68 ERA at Syracuse. He had a 3.60 ERA in three appearances with the Mets in May and early June, but he was shaky on the mound. The 23-year-old Canadian has expanded his arsenal this year and has added a cutter to the mix. In his last six minor-league starts, Tong has a 2.48 ERA while holding opponents to a .198 average. If he returns to the majors, Tong will be a risky fantasy option because of his inconsistent control -- he has issued 15 free passes in a 29-inning stretch in his last six starts at Syracuse.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (finger) is unlikely to return from the 60-day injured list before the team's series opener on Friday against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Tommy Cassell. Anthony is still at Triple-A Worcester on Friday and could continue his minor-league rehab assignment through the weekend. If Anthony remains with the WooSox through the weekend, he could come off the IL for Monday's series opener at Fenway Park against the Seattle Mariners. Fantasy managers have been patient all year long, as the former top outfield prospect has been out since early May due to a partially torn tendon in his right ring finger. The good news is that the left-handed power/speed threat is on the verge of a return to the big leagues, and he has gone 7-for-23 at the plate with two home runs in seven rehab games on the farm. Although the 22-year-old was hitting just .229 (25-for-109) with a homer, five RBI, and 12 runs scored in 109 at-bats this year before his injury, he should be picked up off the waiver wire everywhere that he is available. Anthony is currently rostered in just under 80% of Yahoo leagues.

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Athletics starting pitcher Jacob Lopez has been extremely sharp on the mound over the last month or so. Since July 10, Lopez has a 2.23 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 48:13 K:BB ratio across eight starts. During that span, Lopez has allowed two earned runs or fewer in every start. Lopez was strong during his last outing with nine strikeouts against the Houston Astros on August 22. He'll take the mound versus the Baltimore Orioles in hitter-friendly Sacramento on Friday. It's not an ideal matchup for Lopez, but he has been pitching too well on the mound to be ignored right now.

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New York Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr. came into the league swinging a hot bat, but has cooled down recently. Over the last week, Lombard is slashing .179/.207/.250 with zero home runs and one RBI. Despite a bit of a slump, Lombard's overall numbers remain fairly solid right now. The rookie infielder is slashing .264/.316/.389 with two homers and six RBI. His little slump has caused him to lose some traction in fantasy leagues. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried right now and should continue to hold Lombard through this slump. His overall upside is too good to warrant dropping him over a week slump.

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (finger) will resume his throwing program on Saturday, according to Bruce Levine. Cabrera has been sidelined since the middle of August due to a finger blister. When healthy, Cabrera has struggled this season with a 5.68 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and a 67/32 K/BB ratio across 15 starts with the Cubs. Given his durability issues and lack of success as a starter, the Cubs plan to bring Cabrera back as a reliever for the rest of the season. He shouldn't need a long rehab assignment if he's coming back as a relief pitcher. His fantasy value will be limited unless he's going to pitch in a high-leverage role, which is unlikely.

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Chicago Cubs infielder/outfielder Matt Shaw (hand) was activated off the 10-day Injured List ahead of Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Shaw has been out of action since late June due to a sprained left hand. He was hitting the ball well during his rehab assignment and appears ready to make an impact in Chicago again. It's unclear how Shaw is going to fit into the puzzle down the stretch of the season. Pedro Ramirez is playing very well, so it'll be tough for Shaw to cut into his playing time. Through 56 games, Shaw is slashing .246/.322/.415 with four home runs, 20 RBI, and four steals. Given he probably won't have a full-time role, Shaw is only worth considering in deep leagues. In a corresponding move, outfielder Kevin Alcantara was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.

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Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez has been posting unbelievable numbers at the plate this season. Through 132 games, Alvarez is slashing .319/.434/.609 with a league-leading 36 home runs and 91 RBI. His overall power numbers have declined lately, with only one long ball over the last month. Fantasy managers are hopeful that his power comes back soon, with the fantasy playoffs quickly approaching. Despite a lack of homers in August, Alvarez is still the MVP favorite in the American League and remains a great source of production in basically every other category right now.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez turned heads with a record-setting major-league debut on Aug. 15 against the division-rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, going 3-for-4 at the plate with three home runs and five RBI. But since that day, he has gone 4-for-41 (.098) with a homer, a double, four RBI, three runs scored, two stolen bases, three walks, and 20 strikeouts in 12 games for the Red Birds. St. Louis' No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, should still be on the waiver-wire radar in fantasy baseball leagues, though, for his power/speed upside to close out the 2026 season. The 23-year-old former second-rounder hit .256/.328/.573 with a .901 OPS, 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 79 runs scored in his 103 games at Triple-A Memphis this year before his call-up. Baez can struggle to make contact at times, but his power/speed upside should not be ignored for fantasy managers looking for power production in the outfield to close things out. It has been far from perfect early on, but Baez is still the Cardinals' right fielder of the future.

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The Seattle Mariners called up their top pitching prospect last weekend in left-hander Kade Anderson, and he nearly recorded a quality start in his major-league debut against the Chicago Cubs, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out five in 5 2/3 innings pitched last Saturday. The 22-year-old southpaw, who is ranked as Seattle's top overall prospect at MLB Pipeline, threw four shutout innings last Saturday before allowing two solo home runs in the sixth frame. MLB Pipeline also has Anderson ranked as the top left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball after the former third overall pick from LSU went 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and 135:13 K:BB in 93 1/3 innings across 18 starts at Double-A Arkansas this year before getting the call to the Show. Anderson, who is already rostered in nearly 60% of Yahoo leagues, can absolutely be a difference-maker for fantasy pitching staffs in the final month of the regular season in December, and he will have a plus second matchup as a member of the M's this weekend in Toronto against the Blue Jays. Scoop him up now if you need starting pitching help.

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