Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (triceps) will make the start on Thursday against the Washington Nationals, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. The Rangers pulled deGrom from his last start early last Thursday against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels after just two innings due to fatigue in his right triceps, but he has responded well since then and will toe the rubber against the Nats on Thursday. The 38-year-old veteran hurler still has enough strikeout upside to be relevant in nearly all fantasy baseball leagues, but a potential short leash on Thursday will limit his DFS upside against Washington as he returns from another injury. In his 23 starts for Texas this year over 120 2/3 innings pitched, the two-time Cy Young winner has gone 8-8 with a 3.95 ERA (3.25 FIP) and a 1.17 WHIP with 147 strikeouts and 31 walks. Fantasy managers need to keep in mind that he has not gone beyond five innings since his final start in June.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder Taylor Ward (quadriceps) is back in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's game on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers, serving as the designated hitter and batting eighth against right-hander Dustin May, per MLB.com. Ward is returning to action after missing each of the last five games due to a quad injury. Dominic Canzone is starting in right field and will bat third for the M's. Fantasy managers who have Ward rostered might want to think about keeping him benched until he can show some signs of life at the plate. The 32-year-old right-handed slugger has not been able to find his power stroke this year and has only seven long balls after clubbing a career-high 36 homers and driving in 103 in a career year with the Los Angeles Angels in 2025. Since joining Seattle at the trade deadline, Ward has gone 5-for-32 (.156) at the plate with zero homers, zero walks, and six strikeouts in eight games. He has one hit in just three career at-bats against May.

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Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (concussion) is going through a full workout today that consists of running, fielding groundballs, and taking on-field batting practice, and the team is still targeting Saturday for his activation from the seven-day concussion injured list, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. Guerrero could play in a minor-league rehab game on Thursday or Friday with Single-A Dunedin if he clears his concussion testing. Fantasy managers can only hope that the 27-year-old six-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner can reset offensively after his short stint on the concussion IL to finish strong in 2026. Through his first 430 at-bats this year, Vladdy has been one of the biggest busts in fantasy, slashing .263/.337/.356 with a career-worst .693 OPS, only seven home runs, 46 RBI, 61 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 115 games and 486 plate appearances. Despite how bad he has been, especially in the power department, Guerrero should remain rostered in all fantasy leagues. He is rostered in 96% of Yahoo leagues.

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Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) will sit out another game on Wednesday on the road against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, according to MLB.com. Donovan Walton will get the nod at the 6 for the A's and will hit eighth against Royals veteran right-hander Seth Lugo. Wilson will start on the bench for a third straight game due to soreness in his left shoulder. The 24-year-old Wilson's fantasy stock continues to slide in what has been a disappointing and injury-plagued 2026 season. The former first-rounder from Grand Canyon University is currently slashing .266/.298/.388 with a .685 OPS, seven home runs, 37 RBI, 37 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 80 games and 337 plate appearances in his second full season in the majors. Dating back to last year, Wilson has homered just 20 times with nine stolen bases, leaving little upside in fantasy at the premier shortstop position. In 10 games so far in August, Wilson has gone 7-for-37 (.189) with zero homers, four RBI, no walks, and six strikeouts. He is now rostered in just under 50% of Yahoo leagues.

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (back) is starting at shortstop and batting third in Wednesday's contest on the road against the Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Parker Messick, per MLB.com. Adames will return for the first time in exactly a week due to recurring back spasms. Christian Koss, who was filling in at the 6 with Adames out, will slide over to third base on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Adames still has pop at the shortstop position -- he has hit 19 home runs in 116 games -- but he's hitting only .224 (100-for-446) with a .285 on-base percentage and career-worst .697 OPS in 485 plate appearances. Adames hit just over .200 in 24 games in July with four homers, 13 RBI, 10 walks, and 28 strikeouts, and he has gone 8-for-38 (.211) with a homer, three RBI, seven walks, and 10 K's in 11 games so far in August. He is returning on Wednesday in Cleveland against a pitcher he has never faced. Against lefties in 2026, Adames is hitting a soft .186 (21-for-113) with only three of his 19 home runs.

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The Baltimore Orioles reinstated catcher Samuel Basallo (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list, and he is starting at first base and batting cleanup for the O's in Wednesday's contest against the division-rival New York Yankees and right-hander Will Warren at Camden Yards, manager Craig Albernaz told Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. Basallo is back in the big leagues after going 1-for-9 with a double in two minor-league rehab games. Wednesday will be his first game action back with Baltimore since July 19. The 22-year-old Dominican backstop will be returning to a .241/.305/.450 slash line with a .756 OPS, 16 home runs, 46 RBI, and 34 runs scored in his 282 at-bats in just his second year in the majors. The left-handed hitter is one of the better young power options at the catcher position, and he is the club's long-term option behind the plate after they traded Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox earlier this month. If you need help at catcher, Basallo should be scooped up off the waiver wire immediately. He is rostered in only 36% of Yahoo leagues right now. Basallo has four hits and an RBI in 10 career at-bats against Warren.

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Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen was non-committal on Wednesday on whether second baseman Ketel Marte (knee, personal) will return this year, although he did say he was hopeful he would be back, according to Diamondbacks reporter Jody Jackson. Hazen said he plans to talk to Marte face to face on Thursday. Arizona placed the All-Star second baseman on the restricted list before their series opener on Monday at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox when he did not show up to the stadium due to an undisclosed personal matter. It was later discovered that Marte flew back to Arizona to have an MRI exam on his left knee without telling the team. We should have a better idea of whether the 32-year-old will return this season after his MRI results and after the team's brass sits down and talks with him. Losing Marte for the rest of 2026 would be a major blow to Arizona's playoff chances. The switch-hitting Dominican infielder is currently slashing .249/.314/.446 with a .760 OPS, 21 home runs, 67 RBI, 65 runs scored, and four steals in his 469 at-bats. Fantasy managers need to sit tight and hold him for now.

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Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) will sit out again on Wednesday against the visiting San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field, according to MLB.com. With Jo Adell (knee) also out, Angel Martinez will start in right field and bat cleanup for the Guards against Giants rookie left-hander Matt Wilkinson, who is making his major-league debut. DeLauter has not played since leaving Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres with tightness in his left hamstring. The good news is that an MRI exam came back negative, so DeLauter could be back as early as Thursday's series finale against San Francisco. The 24-year-old first-rounder from James Madison University deserves to be rostered in most fantasy leagues during his strong rookie campaign. DeLauter enters play on Wednesday hitting .285/.358/.442 with a .799 OPS, 13 home runs, 57 RBI, 49 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his 403 at-bats. He's been strong in 14 games in August, too, going 19-for-56 (.339) with two homers, two doubles, six RBI, three steals, and 11 runs scored.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jo Adell (knee) will start Wednesday's game at Progressive Field on the bench against the visiting San Francisco Giants, according to MLB.com. With Chase DeLauter (hamstring) also missing a third straight contest, Angel Martinez will start in right field and hit cleanup against Giants rookie left-hander Matt Wilkinson, who is making his MLB debut. Adell had a monster game in Tuesday's win over the Gigantes, going 3-for-4 with a home run and six RBI before he fouled a ball off his left knee and was pulled early. The injury is not considered serious, though, so Adell could return to the starting nine for Thursday's series finale against San Francisco. The 27-year-old is now slashing .237/.290/.405 on the year with a .695 OPS, 19 home runs, 73 RBI, 52 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 469 at-bats in 2026. Since being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline earlier this month, Adell has gone 10-for-46 (.217) with three homers, 11 RBI, and six runs scored. The former 10th overall pick in 2017 has never hit for average in the big leagues, but he has plenty of pop and is in a better lineup to boost his counting stats the rest of the way.

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Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list on Friday before the series opener against the Seattle Mariners, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Palencia was the Cubs' primary closer earlier this year before he landed on the injured list on June 16 with a flexor strain in his right elbow, but it remains to be seen how manager Craig Counsell will manage the back end of his bullpen down the stretch with Palencia back in the fold. Jacob Webb has emerged as a trusted source of saves for the Cubbies, having converted seven straight saves while giving up zero runs in his last 23 outings out of the bullpen. At the very least, Palencia will be eased into high-leverage situations in Chicago as he returns from yet another injury. The 26-year-old Venezuelan had a career-high 22 saves in the regular season in 2025, but he has appeared in only 19 games in 2026 while saving three games in 16 2/3 innings pitched. Fantasy managers scrounging for saves should be interested in stashing Palencia, who is rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues.

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Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (glute) threw an encouraging bullpen session on Tuesday, his first since landing on the 15-day injured list with a mild left-glute strain, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The All-Star hurler threw all fastballs and sinkers in a 25-pitch session that pleased his coaches. "It's a step in the right direction for sure," Ryan said. "Very encouraging," Twins manager Derek Shelton said. "He looked free and easy. He's a very important part of our team. To see him out there and be healthy -- (it's the) first step in the progression to getting him back." Ryan has been solid all year for the Twins, but he allowed seven home runs and 16 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings in three starts after the All-Star break before landing on the IL. Pitching coach Pete Maki said that Ryan has implemented some delivery fixes while throwing on flat ground, and Maki has been encouraged. Ryan is happy to have resumed throwing off a mound, but he's still a bit cautious, and he has some more boxes to check before the Twins will clear him to rejoin the big-league starting rotation.

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New York Mets interim manager Andy Green said that infielder Jorge Polanco (ankle) will have season-ending surgery on his ankle after the team placed him on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with left-ankle bursitis, according to Steve Gelbs of SNY. Polanco has been dealing with ankle bursitis basically all year and tried to play through it in his first year in Queens. The 33-year-old Dominican switch-hitter is just another one of the many disappointments for the Mets this year. In his first season with the team, Polanco ended up playing in only 37 games (145 plate appearances) while going 20-for-135 (.148) with two home runs, six RBI, seven runs scored, nine walks, and 36 strikeouts. He also dealt with Achilles issues early in the season. Polanco is under contract for one more year with the Mets in 2027 and will be owed $23 million. He can obviously be dropped in any redraft leagues where he was still being rostered.

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Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris had a rough outing on Tuesday night, allowing three runs (two earned) and blowing the save in his team's 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals. However, Harris has now appeared in the ninth inning in each of his last five appearances and looks to have established himself as the Athletics' preferred closer. Across 54 2/3 innings (58 games) for the year, Harris has recorded a 3.79 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 72 strikeouts, and 12 saves. His 13.8% walk rate is a definite red flag in his profile and has been the driver of his elevated WHIP. However, Harris has limited opposing batters to a 5.7% barrel rate and 31.9% hard-hit rate while also logging a 28.5% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers should be prepared to absorb some ratio damage, but Harris remains a deep-league waiver wire target due to his saves upside.

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New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga got off to an awful start to the 2026 season, pitching to a 9.00 ERA across 20 innings (five starts) through the end of April before being placed on the injured list with a back issue. However, the Mets transitioned Senga into a high-leverage bullpen role at the start of August, and the 33-year-old has thrived. Across his last five outings, Senga has allowed just one hit and zero earned runs while recording seven strikeouts and three saves. With Mets closer Devin Williams (shoulder) currently on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain, Senga has emerged as the team's preferred ninth-inning option. The veteran right-hander always could miss bats, and working in short stints should allow him to stay healthier. In fantasy leagues where he's available, Senga profiles as a priority saves target.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) will play in a minor league rehab game on Thursday and could return to the big leagues as soon as Sunday, per the Talkin' Yanks podcast. Bellinger has been sidelined since late July due to a hamstring strain. Across 434 plate appearances before the injury, the 31-year-old slashed .259/.350/.420 with 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. Bellinger's power production had tailed off significantly before he went down, as he did not record a single home run across 78 plate appearances in July. The veteran outfielder has also been caught six times in 16 stolen base attempts this season and may not look to run much upon his return from a hamstring ailment. Still, Bellinger should provide balanced production for fantasy managers once healthy. His return will likely lead to reduced playing time and/or a demotion to Triple-A for Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones.

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St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy notched his 10th win of 2026 on Tuesday, throwing five scoreless innings with six strikeouts in his team's 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Across 122 1/3 innings (24 starts) this season, the 29-year-old has recorded a 10-4 record with a 3.24 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 111 strikeouts. Leahy has been particularly hot of late, as he's logged wins in each of his last three outings and has not allowed more than two earned runs in a start since June 17. The right-hander generates a lot of ground balls, which can lead to a higher batting average on balls in play and an elevated WHIP. However, he's difficult to barrel up (0.88 HR/9) and has allowed a solid 6.8% walk rate. In his last 36 innings pitched, Leahy has walked just two batters. Particularly given his pitcher-friendly home environment in St. Louis, Leahy should be viewed as a priority waiver wire candidate in any league where he remains available.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jo Adell (knee) was pulled in the eighth inning of his team's 8-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday after taking a foul ball off the knee. Per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said that Adell felt "pretty good pain" in the knee. The 27-year-old had a monster night before exiting the game, going three-for-four with a home run and six RBI. Adell has just 10 hits in 46 at-bats since being acquired by Cleveland from the Los Angeles Angels, but three of those 10 have left the yard. Across 510 plate appearances split between the two teams in 2026, Adell is hitting .237/.290/.405 with 19 home runs, 73 RBI, 63 runs scored, and three stolen bases. As long as Adell is in the Guardians lineup, he profiles as a solid power bat for fantasy managers. Stebbins reports that Cleveland will evaluate Adell on Wednesday, leaving his status as day-to-day for the time being.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Kevin Gausman (hand) was pulled in the fifth inning of his start against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday due to a hand cramp, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Gausman allowed seven hits and three earned runs while recording five strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings before exiting the game. Gausman has struggled since being traded to the Cubs by the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline, pitching to a 6.13 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 16 innings (three starts). For the season overall, the 35-year-old has recorded a 6-11 record with a 4.58 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 143 strikeouts across 143 1/3 innings (26 starts). He's pitched to a 5.52 ERA across 31 innings since the All-Star break. While Gausman appears to have avoided a serious injury, his ongoing troubles on the mound put his fantasy value in question going forward.

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Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is fitting in just fine at Triple-A Tacoma, slashing .279/.361/.581 with 10 home runs in just 33 games for the Rainiers. His 35 home runs, spread across two levels, are the second-most in the minors this season. Although there is a lot of swing-and-miss in his profile, solid walk rates (10.1 percent at Triple-A) and prodigious power make up for it, with his average exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate all coming in at 93rd percentile or better at Triple-A. There is a decent chance the left-handed slugger makes his MLB debut in the coming weeks, and he may end up being a drain on batting average in the majors, but his home run upside could be worth the risk for managers who can absorb the hit. The 21-year-old is one of the better stash options for power on the waiver wire for the stretch run.

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Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfield prospect Cooper Ingle has gone from one extreme to the other at the plate, and after hitting .425 (34-for-80) in the 19 games since being sent back to Triple-A, he's now batting .129 (4-for-31) over his last nine contests. That hasn't stopped the Guardians' third-ranked prospect from getting on base, though, as he's drawn a whopping 14 walks (.400 OBP) in that nine-game span. For the season, the former fourth-round draft pick is slashing .307/.433/.568 with 18 home runs in 79 games for the Clippers. The 24-year-old will likely have another opportunity to get back to the majors before the season is out, and with the contact, power, and keen eye he's shown at Triple-A this year, he could become fantasy-relevant, but without a clear path to playing time, there is little reason to stash him outside of very deep 14+ team and AL-only leagues.

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