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Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (back) remains out for the series opener on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. With Happ out again, Mike Tauchman will start in left field and bat leadoff for the Cubbies against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Happ was scratched from Chicago's lineup on Sunday in the series finale against the Washington Commanders due to lower-back tightness and will now miss a second straight game. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger should be considered day-to-day for the final week of the regular season. Happ needs one more home run to set a new career-high mark of 26 and is one steal shy of his previous career-high in that category, which he set in 2023. Happ already has a career-high 85 RBI in 148 games this year. Tauchman is in a nice lineup spot but has a tough matchup against Nola for DFS purposes.

From RotoBaller

After much speculation about whether the Atlanta Braves would have left-hander Chris Sale make two starts -- Tuesday and Sunday -- on regular rest in the final week of the regular season, manager Brian Snitker announced that Sale will start on Wednesday against the division-rival New York Mets on an extra day of rest. It's something Sale, the presumptive National League Cy Young winner, and the other Braves starters have done for most of the season. If Atlanta makes the postseason, Sale would be in line to start a wild-card series opener. The plan presumably rules Sale out of pitching in the season finale on Sunday against the Royals, because he'd be on short rest, something no Braves starter has done all year. Sale's fastball velocity was down 2.1 mph from his season average in his last start on Thursday against the Reds. Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start on Tuesday and Sunday in the final week.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) is absent from the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Minute Maid Park against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. The left-handed-hitting Jason Heyward is starting in left field and is batting eighth, with Jon Singleton serving as the DH and batting fifth against Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller. Victor Caratini is at first base and is hitting sixth. It's not a surprise that Alvarez is out on Monday after leaving Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels due to a right-knee contusion that he suffered while sliding. Until we know the results of the 27-year-old's MRI exam, consider him day-to-day. The Astros can ill-afford to lose one of the best hitters in baseball with the playoffs beginning next week. The three-time All-Star is currently hitting .308/.392/.567 with a .959 OPS, 35 homers, 86 RBI and even six steals in 147 games.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (back) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup on Monday against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Chris Bassitt at Rogers Centre. A back injury caused O'Neill to rest for both contests during Sunday's doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins, but he's back in action to start the series opener against the Jays to begin the final week of the 2024 regular season. The left-handed-hitting Masataka Yoshida will begin the game on the bench. O'Neill has gone hitless in his last four games and is hitting under the Mendoza Line with 25 strikeouts in 72 plate appearances in 17 games in September, but he has managed to clear the fences six times while driving in 11. DFS managers may want to avoid him, though, as he's hitting .083 with a .250 OPS in 12 career at-bats against Bassitt.

From RotoBaller

Oakland Athletics right-hander Ross Stripling (back) came away feeling healthy from a 30-pitch bullpen session on Saturday at Oakland Coliseum and is scheduled to face live hitters on Tuesday. If all goes well with that session, Stripling is expected to be activated from the injured list in time for the team's final series of the season against the division-rival Seattle Mariners on the road this weekend, which starts on Friday, Sept. 27. It's unclear if the A's will use Stripling for a traditional start or just out of the bullpen for the final series of the year this weekend, but fantasy managers should stay away regardless. When the 34-year-old veteran hasn't been hurt this year, he's been way too hittable, going 2-11 with a 6.08 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with only 49 strikeouts and 21 walks in 21 appearances (14 starts) covering 84 1/3 innings in his first year in Oakland.

From RotoBaller

The Detroit Tigers are calling up right-hander Jackson Jobe, the best pitching prospect in baseball, from Triple-A Toledo on Monday. Jobe will join the bullpen as the Tigers try to lock down the final wild-card spot in the American League in the final week of the regular season. Detroit controls their own destiny this week and will face the Tampa Bay Rays for three games before finishing with a weekend series versus the division-rival Chicago White Sox. The Tigers and Kansas City Royals enter Monday with identical 82-74 records, with the Minnesota Twins a game back for the final wild-card spot. The 22-year-old Jobe will push for a rotation spot in 2025, but for now he'll help in a relief role. The former third overall pick in 2021 has gone 5-3 this year with a 2.36 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, 96 strikeouts and 45 walks in 91 2/3 innings (21 starts) at three minor-league levels in 2024.

From RotoBaller

The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated outfielder Richie Palacios (knee) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and optioned infielder Austin Shenton to the spring training complex in a corresponding move. Palacios will return for the final week of the 2024 regular season after being out since the middle of August due to a sprained right knee. The 27-year-old played in five games on a minor-league rehab assignment and could return to the team's starting lineup for Tuesday's series opener versus the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Palacios has mainly been useful in AL-only leagues for his speed in his first year in Tampa and third year in the big leagues. Before his knee injury in a career-high 88 games played, Palacios hit .233/.350/.332 with a below-average .682 OPS, only five home runs, 21 RBI and a career-high 19 stolen bases in 301 trips to the plate.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is not in the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Chase Field against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Kevin Newman will get the start at the keystone and will bat eighth against Giants rookie right-hander Hayden Birdsong. The D-backs have somewhat eased Marte back into the fold since he returned from an ankle injury in early September, as this will be his third game sitting since Sept. 6. The All-Star second baseman has homered in his last three games and has hit .271 (13-for-48) with five home runs, two doubles, 12 RBI and a stolen base in 14 games since returning from his ankle injury. Marte is having the best year of his career in 2024 and is a must-start in fantasy lineups when he's active. Newman is hitting .282 (80-for-284) but has only three homers on the year. He'll be a low-upside DFS sleeper play on Monday.

From RotoBaller

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) is expected to be placed on the 10-day injured list and miss the final week of the 2024 regular season. Jung, who fractured his wrist in early April and needed surgery, hasn't played since last Wednesday due to recurring discomfort in his surgically repaired right wrist. The 26-year-old will visit with a hand specialist on Thursday to get an update on what is bothering him. It's been a disappointing 2024 campaign for Jung after being named an All-Star in his first full MLB season in 2023, as he's only played in 46 games this year. He's hit .264/.298/.421 with a .719 OPS, seven homers, 16 RBI and four steals in 188 plate appearances. Ezequiel Duran is most likely to see the majority of the starts for Texas at the hot corner with Jung out for the final week of the season as the Rangers play out the string.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) had right-forearm surgery in June of last year to fix his right flexor tendon and remove a bone spur, but he suffered a setback in July of this year and was shut down for the rest of the season. McCullers hasn't pitched since the 2022 World Series but is expected to resume throwing at the end of September. The good news for the oft-injured 30-year-old hurler is that no new structural damage was found in his right arm before he was shut down, so if he can avoid further setbacks this offseason, he could be ready to roll for the start of the 2025 campaign. The former first-rounder in 2012 was an All-Star in 2017 and has always had plenty of fantasy intrigue with a 26.5% career strikeout rate, but it's hard to put too much faith into a pitcher that consistently has dealt with arm injuries in recent seasons.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros right-hander Penn Murfee's (elbow) chances of a return this year went up in smoke after he tossed 19 pitches (12 strikes) in a minor-league rehab game for Single-A Fayetteville on Aug. 15 at Augusta. Murfee was shut down from throwing after that outing but was expected to face hitters in late September. He was claimed off waivers on March 27 from the Atlanta Braves. The last time Murfee pitched in the big leagues was last year with the Seattle Mariners, when he had a sharp 1.29 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 16 strikeouts in just 14 innings. The 30-year-old reliever had a 2.99 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 64 appearances for the Mariners in his rookie season in 2022. Murfee will now try to have a healthy offseason this winter after undergoing surgery on his right elbow.

From RotoBaller

Even though Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) was ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season last month, he is throwing bullpen sessions and is set to advance to live batting practice sessions as the end of the regular season nears. Garcia suffered a setback when he experienced a sore elbow on Aug. 2, which eventually ended his return from Tommy John surgery that he had in 2023. Before needing TJ surgery, Garcia had been a workhorse for the Astros in previous seasons. Houston was hoping that they could maybe have the 27-year-old as an option in the postseason, but that won't be the case. He made just two minor-league rehab appearances this summer before being shut down. If Garcia doesn't have any more setbacks this offseason, the Venezuelan hurler could be a nice fantasy sleeper with a career 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in four MLB seasons in Houston.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said on KBME-AM in Houston on Sunday that outfielder Chas McCormick (hand) will start swinging a bat on Monday with the hope that he can return for the final weekend of the regular season against the Cleveland Guardians. McCormick suffered a small fracture in his right hand on Sept. 10 while chasing a fly ball in Houston and crashing into the outfield wall. He said the fracture is on a bone just below his index finger. Barring a setback, though, the Astros should have McCormick available for the postseason in October, although he's unlikely to have a big role. Before his injury, he had started seven games in a row and was 9-for-23. It came after the 29-year-old struggled for much of the year and was sent to Triple-A Sugar Land. McCormick has hit .211/.271/.306 with a career-worst .576 OPS, five homers, 27 RBI and eight steals in 94 games in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros right-hander Tayler Scott (spine) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2024 regular season but could return at some point in the American League wild-card series. Scott has been one of the team's best relievers this year, posting a 2.23 ERA while appearing in a career-high 62 games and throwing 68 2/3 innings, but he's currently recovering from a thoracic spine strain. The 32-year-old veteran landed on the 15-day injured list over the weekend, and his injury explains why he was pretty bad of late. In five outings in the month of September before going on the IL, Scott allowed four earned runs on nine hits (one homer) while walking five and striking out four in 5 2/3 innings. Getting Scott back for the postseason would be big for Houston's bullpen, but only if he can rediscover his form from earlier this year.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said on KBME-AM in Houston on Sunday that outfielder Ben Gamel (leg) is likely done for the year due to a left-fibula fracture. Gamel injured his knee running into the fall to make a catch against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 14. "Most likely probably takes him out for the postseason," Brown said. "It's really a shame because he was playing really well." The 32-year-old came to Houston after being cut from the New York Mets' roster. He ended up playing in just 38 total games in 2024 and hit .247 (20-for-81) with one homer and four RBI in 99 plate appearances with the Mets and Astros. He was much better in his 20 games in Houston, batting .259 (15-for-58) with a homer and four RBI. With Gamel out for the rest of the way as the club gets set for another playoff appearance, the left-handed-hitting Jason Heyward will benefit from platoon work in the outfield.

From RotoBaller

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) was taken out of Sunday's contest early against the division-rival Los Angles Angels with a right-knee contusion following a hard slide into second base in the third inning. Manager Joe Espada said that Alvarez was undergoing imaging tests after the game to determine the severity of the injury. Alvarez was massaging his right knee before he hobbled off the field. Before leaving, he went 2-for-2 at the plate. "Not what I wanted to see when I ran out there," Espada said. "It's pretty sore. Just when he slid, his weight on the knee and just the way it handled. Hopefully we get some good news here." Alvarez had arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees in August of 2020 and also had a slight tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee. For now, consider him day-to-day, but don't expect Alvarez to play on Monday against the Mariners.

From RotoBaller

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante was terrific on Sunday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball against the Cleveland Guardians en route to a 2-1 win. Pallante allowed just one hit and two walks while recording four punchouts. The 26-year-old has been a little inconsistent on a start-to-start basis, but his overall numbers are solid. He owns a 3.71 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with 90 strikeouts in 116 IP this year. Although he will likely run a high WHIP with his groundball profile, he could also manage to keep runs off the board if he can keep the walks down. He should have a shot at a rotation spot with St. Louis next year and could be a decent deep league option if he can nab it.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga was dominant on Sunday, shutting out the Washington Nationals for seven frames in a 5-0 win. Imanaga gave up six hits, walked none, and struck out four in this one. He has been a model of consistency for the Cubs, allowing three runs or less in all but three of his starts this season. His numbers are ace-like, and he should be drafted as one heading into next season. He gets the Reds in his final start of the season, where he will be a clear must-start.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas smashed a trio of homers in Game 1 of the team's doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Casas finished the game 3-for-4 with seven RBI, accounting for all but one of the team's runs. The 24-year-old could use a strong finish to the season as he has struggled since returning from injury in mid-August, hitting .230 with just four homers in 104 at-bats heading into Sunday's games. He has shown big upside and is still only 24, so there is a good chance that next year will be his coming-out party. He will likely be a popular breakout pick in fantasy drafts.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell picked up his fifth win of the season on Sunday in dominant fashion, shutting out the Kansas City Royals for six innings in a 2-0 victory. Snell allowed just two hits and a walk while racking up nine strikeouts. Other than a few blemishes where he didn't have his control, Snell has been on a tear since returning from injury in July. His ERA when he came back was 9.51, and it now sits at a stellar 3.12. When he is on his game, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. His only problem is finding that consistency for a full season.

From RotoBaller