Philadelphia Phillies shortstop prospect Aidan Miller (back), the team's second overall prospect at MLB Pipeline, will play five innings at shortstop on Saturday for Low-A Clearwater, according to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer. It is a notable benchmark for Miller after he had surgery on his troublesome back in early June. This will be the 22-year-old former first-rounder's first game action in the minors this year. The right-handed-hitting infielder batted .264/.392/.433 with an .825 OPS, 14 home runs, 42 RBI, 59 stolen bases, and 82 runs scored in 116 games and 526 plate appearances last year at Double-A Reading (108) games and Triple-A Lehigh Valley (eight games). With time running out in the minor-league season, it would be a surprise if Miller heads back to Lehigh Valley in September. Miller has intriguing raw power and excellent instincts on the basepaths to give him plus stolen-base upside. He is the heir apparent in Philly to Trea Turner, who has shown signs of decline in 2026. Barring another injury, Miller is expected to make his major-league debut with the Phillies in 2027.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (ribs) took on-field batting practice at Petco Park on Friday before the team's series opener against the San Diego Padres, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Judge is on the verge of returning from the stress fracture in his rib that has kept him sidelined since early in the first half of the season, but he is not expected to make his return during the three-game series in San Diego. In a best-case scenario, the three-time MVP could return for the start of a new series on Tuesday back in the Bronx against the Colorado Rockies. The 34-year-old eight-time All-Star is running out of time to make an impact in fantasy baseball, but there is still time. He has only played in 59 games in 2026 in his 11th year in the majors because of his rib injury, hitting .248/.375/.533 with a .907 OPS, 17 home runs, 38 RBI, 43 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 261 plate appearances. Judge still has the opportunity to be a difference-maker for fantasy managers when it matters most in September.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he is "hopeful, but I wouldn't say confident" that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) will avoid a trip to the injured list, according to Maddie Lee of The Los Angeles Times. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to a nagging left-knee injury and a left-biceps issue, and he is sitting out as the designated hitter for a second straight game in Friday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals after feeling more discomfort in his biceps during Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The four-time MVP and six-time All-Star is being considered day-to-day for now, but fantasy managers may want to prepare for an extended absence with the postseason coming up. The Dodgers' primary goal is to have Ohtani ready for two-way duties in October. It is much more likely that he will not pitch again until the playoffs. Although he has not looked like his typical dominant self at the plate lately, Ohtani still sports a strong .279/.381/.525 overall slash line with 30 bombs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 499 at-bats in 2026.

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Atlanta Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (knee) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to rejoin the team's starting rotation at some point next week, according to Jesus Cano of The Athletic. Lopez's first start back off the IL could line up to come next Wednesday against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, which would not be ideal for fantasy streaming purposes. The 32-year-old veteran has been sidelined with inflammation in his left knee since the end of July, but he is ready to rejoin the big-league roster after throwing 93 pitches in five scoreless innings for Triple-A Gwinnett in a minor-league rehab start on Thursday. The Dominican hurler will be making just his 12th start this year for the Braves next week and will be returning to a 4-3 record, 3.64 ERA (4.32 FIP), and 1.34 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 29 walks in 71 2/3 innings over his 24 appearances. Since rejoining Atlanta's rotation on June 26, Lopez posted a 3.86 ERA (3.88 FIP) with 28 hits allowed (four homers), eight walks, and 27 strikeouts in 28 innings across six starts. Lopez will be a matchup-based streamer to close things out in 2026 if he stays in the Braves' rotation through the end of September.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is sitting out of the starting lineup for the second straight game on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com. Outfielder Alex Call will serve as the designated hitter again and will bat seventh against Nationals left-hander Jackson Kent. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to recurring left-knee and right-biceps injuries, and until Thursday, the four-time MVP had been serving as the Dodgers' regular DH. But the Japanese superstar has been dealing with more biceps discomfort in recent days, which has prompted L.A. to give him two straight days off. Manager Dave Roberts thinks it is unlikely that Ohtani will land on the injured list, but he is not ruling it out if the injuries continue to linger. The six-time All-Star is still hitting a strong .279/.381/.525 on the year with a .906 OPS, 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs, and 11 stolen bases, but he has not been himself at the plate in recent weeks as he battles through multiple injuries. For now, Ohtani is considered day-to-day. Check back on his status for Saturday's contest against the Nats.

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The Philadelphia Phillies announced that infielder Bryson Stott (personal) has been scratched from Friday night's lineup against the division-rival Atlanta Braves due to a personal matter. Edmundo Sosa will now make the start at third base and will bat sixth versus Braves left-hander Chris Sale. Stott probably will not mind taking a seat against Sale, but it is unclear if he will be available as the series continues at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. The day off will also give Stott a chance to clear his head after a rough stretch at the plate recently. The 28-year-old former first-rounder has gone 7-for-45 (.156) with a homer, two doubles, two RBI, five runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and 10 strikeouts in his last 13 games to drop his overall line for the season to .255/.331/.403 with a .734 OPS, 10 home runs, 61 RBI, 61 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases. Stott is mostly useful in fantasy leagues for his speed and his versatility at second base, third base, and shortstop. Since the Phillies acquired Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline, Stott has moved over to third base full-time in Philly.

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The Tampa Bay Rays announced on Friday that they placed left-hander Shane McClanahan (forearm) on the 15-day injured list with tightness in his left forearm and recalled right-hander Alex Cook from Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move. Because of the timing of his injury, McClanahan is unlikely to pitch again for the Rays in the regular season, and he might not be available in the postseason either. The move comes after the southpaw struggled in his most recent start on Thursday against the Texas Rangers, when he allowed four earned runs in just five innings pitched. The 29-year-old two-time All-Star will head to the shelf for the second time this year with a 10-7 record, 3.36 ERA (3.49 FIP), and 1.12 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and 39 walks in 118 innings across his 24 starts. All things considered, it was a successful campaign for McClanahan after missing all of the 2024 and 2025 seasons due to arm injuries. It is concerning that he is dealing with another forearm injury, but hopefully it is nothing serious and he can avoid going under the knife. Stay tuned for an update on his condition.

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Amidst a current slump, Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang is being moved down to the sixth spot in the batting order for Friday's contest on the road against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Rhett Loweder, per MLB.com. Turang is still being affected by a knee injury that caused him to miss four games in the middle of August, so that help explains why he has not been himself at the plate recently. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter has gone 5-for-37 (.135) with a homer, a double, four RBI, five runs scored, four walks, and 13 strikeouts in his last nine games to drop his season line to .250/.344/.419. Turang has added 17 total long balls, 79 RBI, 83 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in his 511 at-bats, and he just needs three home runs and two more steals to reach the 20-20 mark for the first time in his fourth big-league season. He remains a staple for the first-place Brewers, but Friday's game is the first time all year he has hit lower than third as Milwaukee looks to get him going. Turang has gone hitless in his first six career at-bats against Lowder.

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Miami Marlins first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) will take a seat for Friday's contest at home against the visiting Chicago Cubs, according to MLB.com. Deyvison De Los Santos will make the start at first base for the Fish and hit seventh against Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga. Stowers will take the day off after being pulled early in Thursday's contest due to tightness in his left hamstring. The left-handed slugger has been on the injured list already this year with hamstring issues, so the Marlins will play it safe and hold him out on Friday night. For now, fantasy managers should consider Stowers as day-to-day and check back on him on Saturday. The 28-year-old former second-rounder by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 from Stanford was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his first full year in South Beach, slashing .288/.368/.544 with a .912 OPS, 25 homers, 73 RBI, 61 runs, and five stolen bases. Stowers has not been quite as good in 2026, but he also has not been as healthy. He enters Friday's action with 18 homers, 59 RBI, and 48 runs scored to go with a .247/.333/.471 slash line in 104 games and 437 plate appearances.

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New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange (shoulder) is traveling to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre, where he will report and continue his rehab, according to Francys Romero. Lagrange is expected to throw a live bullpen session before being activated from the seven-day minor-league injured list. The Yankees have kept their No. 4 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) out since early July after he was diagnosed with a capsular sprain in his right shoulder. The 23-year-old Dominican prospect has gone 1-4 with a 4.55 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 83:33 K:BB in 63 1/3 innings across 18 appearances (11 starts) for the Rail Riders this year at the Triple-A level. The 6-foot-7, 248-pounder is unlikely to be a call-up option for the Yankees this year as they battle for a playoff spot in the American League, but barring another injury, he should be in a great position to make his major-league debut early in 2027 if there is no lockout. Not only does Lagrange feature a high-90s fastball, but he has impressive secondary pitches that miss bats consistently. More consistency is still needed, but at his best, Lagrange has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation arm in the Bronx sooner rather than later.

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Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) remains out of the starting lineup for the contest on Friday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, per MLB.com. Eli White will make another start in center field for the BoSox and will bat ninth against Orioles right-hander Shane Baz. It will be the second straight game that Rafaela will sit out after he was pulled from Wednesday's tilt against the Seattle Mariners early with tightness in his quad muscle. Rafaela is being considered day-to-day for now, and he could return for Game 3 of a four-game series in Baltimore on Saturday. Fantasy managers will want to check back then. The 25-year-old from Curaao is on the verge of his first 20-20 campaign in the big leagues this year, as he is currently slashing .282/.317/.443 with a .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored in his 135 games and 569 plate appearances. Rafaela has been pretty consistent each month of the season and is a must-start in all fantasy formats when active for his contributions across the board in all categories.

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The New York Yankees' current plan is to have right-hander Will Warren piggyback left-hander Max Fried in Friday's series opener in San Diego against the Padres, manager Aaron Boone told Greg Joyce of the New York Post. Warren could slide back into the team's starting rotation after that, but the Yankees are still trying to sort everything out with a few days off upcoming. Fried is still making the start, but this means that he could be in for more of an abbreviated start at Petco Park, making it more difficult for the 32-year-old southpaw to earn a quality start for his fantasy managers. The three-time All-Star has been strong in his 16 starts (90 innings) in 2026 with the Yanks, going 4-4 with a 2.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts in his second year in the Bronx. Fried has been on the injured list twice with left-elbow issues, though, and he went only 3 2/3 innings in his first start off the IL on Aug. 29 against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. The good news is that Fried has not allowed more than an earned run in any of his last four outings, but fantasy managers should not be banking on him going five or six innings on Friday night in SD against his former team.

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Colorado Rockies prospect Charlie Condon has gone nearly a month without hitting a home run at Triple-A Albuquerque. Condon, a 23-year-old out of Georgia, hit his last home run on August 6, but still does have 22 homers and 79 RBI on the season for Albuquerque with a .269 batting average and 95 runs scored. It has been a bit of a struggle at the plate recently for Condon who hit just .221 in August with two homers and 14 RBI after a strong start to the season. The right-handed hitter is the No. 3 prospect in the Colorado system with a 55-grade hit tool and 55-grade power. Condon was passed over for a September call up, maybe in part due to his recent struggles, but he still is a call-up candidate this year and offers high fantasy upside because of his strong tools as a hitter in a good hitting environment.

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Milwaukee Brewers third base prospect Andrew Fischer has two homers in his last three games and now has 44 combined homers and 106 RBI between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi with a combined .270 batting average and 98 runs scored. In 63 games with Biloxi, Fischer is hitting .245 with 24 homers and 56 RBI to go with 47 runs scored. At just 22 years old, Fischer is having a great minor-league season and is the No. 5 prospect in the Milwaukee organization. He boasts 65-grade power and a 40-grade hit tool. So for fantasy purposes he looks like a strong future contributor in homers, RBI, and potentially runs, but could be a drag for batting average. Fischer is a very strong play in dynasty leagues formats and looks to be a year or two away from joining the Brewers in the major leagues.

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Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) has officially been activated from the 60-day injured list on Friday, according to Danny Demilio of PGH Baseball Now. Griffin should be making his return to the 6 in the starting lineup for the Bucs for their series opener on Friday night at PNC Park against the Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Ryan Johnson. Fantasy managers who need middle-infield help in all formats should scoop Griffin up immediately, as he is only rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues at the moment. The 20-year-old former top prospect got off to a bit of a slow start in his first major-league season, but he was beginning to figure things out offensively before tearing the sagittal band on his left ring finger two months ago. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 will return to a .276/.332/.404 slash line with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored. Griffin's power is still developing, but he is one of the top young power/speed assets at a premium position in MLB.

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Miami Marlins prospect Cam Cannarella has hit two homers in his last two games with Triple-A Jacksonville after failing to hit a home run in the month of August. In 34 games with Jacksonville, Cannarella has three homers and eight RBI with 25 runs scored and 11 stolen bases while hitting .289. Cannarella's speed is his greatest asset but he has shown off the power a bit late in the year. The left-handed hitting outfielder is the Marlins' No. 6 prospect and has 60-grade speed with a 55-grade hit tool and just 45-grade power. The Marlins have a very deep outfield at the major league level and Cannarella looks like he might take a year or two to make his debut in Miami. But when he does, he will offer plus stolen base potential and a solid batting average.

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Since he came over to the Baltimore Orioles organization from the Boston Red Sox in the Adley Rutschman deal, pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson has been lights-out pitching for the Orioles' Double-A affiliate, the Chesapeake Baysox. In five starts with Chesapeake, Eyanson has a 2-1 record with a 2.00 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 40 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. The right-hander was equally dominant with the Red Sox this season, pitching to a 4-0 record at Double-A Portland with a 1.69 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Eyanson is now the No. 2 prospect on the Orioles and features a 60-grade fastball with a 65-grade slider and 55-grade curveball. The 21-year-old has shown great strikeout upside in the minor leagues, with his slider being a big potential wipeout pitch. He still looks maybe a year away, however, from joining the Orioles and potentially featuring in their starting rotation.

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Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez is serving as the designated hitter and is batting fifth for Friday's contest against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander Shane Drohan at Great American Ball Park, per MLB.com. Suarez missed the final two games of the series against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday and Wednesday to take his US naturalization test, but he is back now and ready for the weekend series in Cincy. The Reds placed the 35-year-old Venezuelan on outright waivers recently, but he was not picked up and will finish out the 2026 season with the Reds before becoming a free agent this winter. Suarez still has some pop, but he is striking out 35% of the time in his 13th MLB season. The two-time All-Star is also hitting just .206 (77-for-373) with a .298 on-base percentage, 20 home runs, 59 RBI, and 36 runs scored across 107 games and 426 plate appearances this year. It has been a steep decline for Suarez, who tied a career high with 49 round-trippers in 2025 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners.

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Miami Marlins middle infielder Xavier Edwards (thumb) has done rotational work in the cages and can throw without playing catch, according to manager Clayton McCullough. However, he still has some inflammation in his left thumb when trying to fully squeeze his hand. Edwards departed the Aug. 30 game early after his glove caught the sliding Jorbit Vivas of the Washington Nationals, and he was diagnosed with a sprained thumb and placed on the 10-day injured list the following day. Barring a setback, Edwards is expected to come off the IL in mid-September to try to help the Fish make a push for the final wild-card spot in the National League. It is good news that the 27-year-old speedster should return before the end of the regular season, but he is running out of time to help fantasy managers. In 500 at-bats this year, Edwards has provided a .282/.361/.376 slash line with a .737 OPS, six home runs, 51 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 59 runs scored. Edwards does not have much pop at all, but he is an excellent source of average and can also run. He is still rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues while on the shelf.

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Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber (shoulder) is scheduled to play catch on Friday, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. No return timeline has been given for Bieber yet. The Blue Jays are hoping that he can return this year, but it is unclear if it will be a September thing or a "maybe in the playoffs" thing. Fantasy managers definitely should not be holding out hope that the veteran hurler will be able to help them down the stretch. If Bieber pitches at all again this year, it will most likely be if the Blue Jays make it into the postseason. The 31-year-old former two-time All-Star and Cy Young winner has gone 5-2 in his second year with the team with a 4.37 ERA (5.14 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and 24 walks in 55 2/3 innings across his 11 starts. Arm issues have hampered Bieber in recent seasons, and he has not reached the 20-start mark since 2023 with the Cleveland Guardians. Bieber was actually better in seven second-half starts for the Blue Jays before being shut down with a shoulder injury, posting a 2.84 ERA with 14 walks and 31 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched. He is rostered in only 38% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.

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