New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez will make another start for the Yankees on Monday on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Rodriguez, the team's No. 3 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, made his return to the big leagues on Wednesday for only his fifth MLB start, and the 23-year-old allowed three earned runs on two hits while walking two and striking out a career-high six batters to pick up a quality start in a no-decision against the Houston Astros. The Puerto Rican hurler will stick around in New York's starting rotation for at least one more start, and the matchup is as good as they come against the lowly Angels, making the former fourth-rounder by the Boston Red Sox in 2021 a nice streaming candidate in hopes that he can put together back-to-back nice starts. After his nice outing against Houston, Rodriguez now has a 4.70 ERA (4.91 FIP) and 1.52 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and 13 walks in 23 innings in his first five starts with the Yanks this year. As with most young hurlers, Rodriguez's lack of control is what has hurt him so far in the majors. He is only rostered in 3% of Yahoo leagues and will be worth a look as a streamer to begin next week.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll entered Friday's game against the division-rival San Francisco Giants with an 0-for-14 stretch over his previous four games, but he broke out of his funk by going 1-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run, three RBI, a walk, and a strikeout in the team's 10-6 win in the Bay Area. The 26-year-old former first-rounder and National League Rookie of the Year hasn't had the kind of power he displayed last year, when he hit a career-best 31 home runs, but the left-handed hitter continues to produce across the board for fantasy managers, slashing .248/.344/.486 with an .830 OPS, 19 home runs, 61 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 82 runs scored in his fifth year in the league in 2026. Carroll has been a bit more mediocre since the All-Star break with a .238 average (35-for-147) with six homers, nine doubles, six triples, 16 RBI, 10 steals, and 28 runs in 39 games played, but he's been better in August, going 24-for-95 (.253) with four homers, six doubles, four triples, 12 RBI, 17 runs scored, and five steals in 26 games. The five-category contributor is unlikely to reach the 30-homer mark in back-to-back seasons, but a fourth-straight 30-steal campaign is still within reach for the five-category contributor.

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Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is having another phenomenal season for the Rays and fantasy managers in 2026 in his fourth season in the big leagues after breaking out with 45 home runs, 110 RBI, 93 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 154 games played in 2025. Caminero is currently slashing .280/.366/.528 with a career-best .895 OPS, 35 home runs, 85 RBI, 82 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 134 games and 584 plate appearances. The 23-year-old Dominican is one of the best young hitters in the game, and he is riding an 11-game hitting streak into Game 2 of the weekend series in Tampa against the San Diego Padres on Saturday. During his current streak, Caminero has gone 15-for-43 (.349) with zero home runs, two doubles, six RBI, and five runs scored in 46 plate appearances. Although he has only hit seven home runs in 40 games since the All-Star break, he is still hitting a strong .282 (44-for-156) with an .821 OPS in 173 plate appearances. Caminero is not slowing down whatsoever and is a fantasy staple at the third base position.

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There were reasons to be skeptical going into the 2026 season that Houston Astros veteran left-handed closer Josh Hader might be fading as a top-tier fantasy closer. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw got a late start to his season due to left-shoulder issues, but once he put that in the rearview mirror, he has not looked back. The six-time All-Star threw a perfect inning in Friday's 3-1 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field with two strikeouts to pick up his 20th save of the season. In his 10th year in the big leagues (third with the Astros), Hader has been electric, going 4-1 with a 0.76 ERA (1.67 FIP) and 0.68 WHIP with 48 strikeouts and 11 walks in 35 1/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Hader has yet to blow a save in 2026, with his last blown save dating all the way back to July 12 of 2025. Since the All-Star break, he has allowed just one earned run on seven hits while walking three and striking out 23 in 20 innings for a win and 10 saves. Hader has allowed a run in just three of his 36 appearances this year and has been reliable as ever.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki may not reach the heights that he showed last season, when he hit a career-high 32 home runs and drove in 103 runs in 151 regular-season games, but his fantasy managers are not really complaining in 2026. After going 3-for-5 at the plate with two doubles, two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk in Friday's 10-8 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field, the Japanese outfielder is now slashing .274/.366/.484 on the year with a career-high .851 OPS, 22 home runs, 77 RBI, 78 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 117 games and 516 plate appearances in his fifth year in the big leagues. The 32-year-old veteran has three multi-hit games in his last five contests for a 1.173 OPS during that span. Suzuki is hitting .285 (41-for-144) with seven home runs in 37 games since the All-Star break and sports a .287/.385/.521 slash line with a .907 OPS, four homers, 10 doubles, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored, and two steals in 24 games in August. If he can keep this up going into September, Suzuki could be the difference for fantasy managers chasing championships.

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Minnesota Twins top outfield prospect Walker Jenkins made his major-league debut in the team's 7-4 loss on Friday night to the division-rival Chicago White Sox at Target Field and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The Twins are hoping that Jenkins, the No. 15 prospect in all of baseball, can give them the spark they need to sneak into a wild-card spot in the American League with veteran outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) potentially going back on the injured list for a third time this year. The 21-year-old former fifth overall pick in 2023 will play regularly for the Twins down the stretch, even if Buxton can return, and his power/speed upside from the left side of the plate could be a difference-maker for fantasy managers chasing a championship. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder hit .308/.407/.532 with a .940 OPS, 12 home runs, 28 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored in his 69 games played at Triple-A St. Paul before getting the call to the Show on Friday. The 21-year-old hit out of the nine-hole in his MLB debut, but he could quickly move up Minnesota's order if he continues to produce like he did on the farm. Jenkins is only rostered right now in 19% of Yahoo leagues, so he is widely available.

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Astros' SP Hunter Brown recorded 10 strikeouts in 6.2 innings with the win in a 3-1 win over the Mets on Friday, Aug. 28.

Royals' SP Michael Wacha recorded 10 strikeouts in 8 innings getting the win in a 3-0 win over Cleveland on Friday, Aug. 28.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (hamstring) is hopeful to begin a minor league rehab assignment as early as this weekend, according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said on Friday that Greene is doing really well, and he should be ready for game action this weekend. Greene has been out since August 12 due to a left hamstring strain. The hope is that Greene won't require a lengthy rehab stint. The expectation is that he'll be back in the Tigers lineup by early September. Fantasy managers should check back for another update after the weekend.

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According to Daniel Kramer, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller is temporarily being moved to the bullpen. Mariners manager Dan Wilson confirmed the news on Friday that the struggling right-hander will shift to the pen for now. Over his last eight starts, Miller is 0-6 with a horrendous 7.19 ERA. It doesn't sound like Miller is fully healthy right now, so they might move him to the Injured List if he continues to struggle. The Mariners will go with a traditional five-man rotation with Miller getting the boot. Miller will likely pitch in low-leverage spots, which won't result in much fantasy value.

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According to Mark Bowman, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Waldrep had surgery in February to remove loose bodies from his elbow. He made three appearances for the Braves before heading to Triple-A Gwinnett. Waldrep suffered a setback with his elbow during his first outing back in the minors. It has been determined he'll require Tommy John surgery, which will likely knock him out until 2028. This is tough news for the 24-year-old, but hopefully he'll get healthy and back on the mound soon.

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According to Mark Bowman, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a fracture in his right elbow. Schwellenbach hasn't pitched all season after he underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs earlier this spring. It sounds like the issue didn't go away, so he'll need elbow surgery to fully repair the problem. Schwellenbach hasn't pitched in 14 months, and his status for the beginning of the 2027 season is now in doubt. Schwellenbach can safely be dropped in all redraft formats now. Hopefully, the Braves will be able to get something out of Schwellenbach next season.

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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (elbow) is unlikely to get back on the mound this season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. Strider has been sidelined since the middle of June due to right elbow inflammation. He has resumed throwing, but it doesn't sound like he has made enough progress to make it back to the mound this season. It's worth noting that the Braves haven't officially ruled out Strider yet, but it seems unlikely that he'll pitch again in 2026. If his season is done, Strider will finish the year with a 5.31 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and a 46/20 K/BB ratio across eight starts. Fantasy managers in redraft formats are probably safe to move on.

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Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) is scheduled to undergo season-ending left-shoulder surgery on Sept. 16, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. Wilson was placed on the Injured List last Friday due to shoulder soreness. It was revealed that the soreness was related to a shoulder separation he suffered earlier in the season. Wilson has elected to undergo surgery and get healthy for the 2027 season. It's a lost season for the A's anyway, so they might as well get Wilson back to full health. Across 80 games, Wilson slashed .266/.298/.388 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, and four steals. Alika Williams will likely see a majority of the playing time at shortstop down the stretch of the regular season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) threw a short bullpen session on Friday, according to The Associated Press. "I think it was like 20 pitches," manager Dave Roberts said. "I really don't know what to make of it. I didn't put eyes on it." It is unclear right now, but if the Dodgers liked what they saw, Ohtani could return to the starting rotation on Sunday for the series finale in Detroit against the Tigers. The four-time MVP has not pitched since July 3 against the division-rival San Diego Padres due to a left-knee injury. The injury has not prevented Ohtani from serving as the Dodgers' primary designated hitter, but they have been extra cautious with him as a pitcher in the second half of the season as they try to get him to 100% for the postseason. Before his knee issues cropped up, Ohtani was in the National League Cy Young conversation, going 8-2 with a 1.79 WHIP and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings pitched. Even if Ohtani is not cleared to return as a pitcher this weekend, he needs to be stashed for high-end strikeout upside in the final month of the regular season as the fantasy playoffs quickly approach.

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Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood (oblique) took a full round of batting practice on the field on Friday for the first time since landing on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique 3 1/2 weeks ago, according to Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com. It appears that his return to the active roster "may not be that far off." Manager Blake Butera said that Wood may not need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before he is activated, suggesting that the All-Star slugger could be back in the team's lineup within the week. "We'll probably just have him get right back with us," Butera said. Wood has been ramping up his baseball activities this week and appears to be on the verge of a return, barring a setback this weekend. Getting the 23-year-old former second-rounder back in fantasy lineups for the final month of the regular season in September could be the difference-maker, as he already has 30 homers, 73 RBI, an even 100 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, and a .265/.393/.535 slash line in 437 at-bats this year. Wood will be a must-start immediately in all leagues upon his return to the Nats' roster.

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Minnesota Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said on Friday that outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is "still truly day-to-day" and will attempt to avoid the injured list for now, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. Zoll also said that Buxton eventually undergoing offseason hip surgery "is definitely a potential option as we sort through everything." Buxton is not in the starting lineup for the series opener on Friday against the division-rival Chicago White Sox after aggravating his hip injury on Tuesday against the Athletics. The 32-year-old veteran had 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs scored, and seven stolen bases while slashing .271/.328/.575 with a .904 OPS in 75 games in the first half, but he has been on the injured list twice with his hip injury and has gone just 11-for-64 (.172) with zero homers, one RBI, seven walks, and 17 strikeouts in 18 games since the All-Star break. Minnesota is currently four games back of the final American League wild-card spot with four teams between them, so if they fall behind any further in the playoff race, Buxton is a prime candidate to be shut down early as he limps to the finish line of the 2026 season.

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New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (elbow) is set to come off the 15-day injured list to start one of the doubleheader games against the division-rival Boston Red Sox, manager Aaron Boone told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Fried will end up missing the minimum 15 days on the injured list after suffering a setback of an elbow bone bruise that kept him out for much longer earlier this season. The veteran southpaw will rejoin New York's starting rotation after throwing a four-inning live batting practice session on Monday, so he could be operating with a workload restriction on Saturday in his first game back. In his first meeting with the Red Sox back on April 22, Fried picked up his third win of the year, tossing eight shutout innings with two walks and a season-high nine strikeouts. That kind of line might be expecting a lot in his second meeting with Boston, but the 32-year-old has been solid again in 2026 when healthy, going 4-4 with a 2.81 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 79 strikeouts, and 27 walks in 86 1/3 innings across 15 starts. The three-time All-Star won a league-high 19 games last year in his first season in the Bronx and had a nice 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 189:51 K:BB in 32 regular-season starts.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers (shin) is starting at first base and batting third in Friday's series opener against the visiting Texas Rangers and left-hander Cody Bradford, per MLB.com. Bauers is returning to the starting lineup this weekend after missing the last three games due to shin splints. It will be a lefty-lefty matchup for Bauers, which is not ideal, but he has also hit .280 (30-for-107) with six of his 23 home runs on the year against left-handed pitchers in 2026. It has been a career year for the left-handed slugger, as he has posted a .272/.382/.501 slash line with an .884 OPS, 23 long balls, 75 RBI, 76 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across 119 games and 476 plate appearances. Bauers is a lineup regular for the first-place Brewers and should be returned to starting lineups in fantasy leagues despite facing a lefty on the mound on Friday. Bauers has never faced Bradford in his career. In 20 games in August, Bauers has gone 19-for-67 (.284) with four homers, three doubles, 12 RBI, 11 runs, and a stolen base.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hand) is starting at the 6 and batting leadoff for Friday's series opener on the road against the New York Mets and right-hander Christian Scott at Citi Field, per MLB.com. Pena was hit on the left hand by a pitch in the series finale on Thursday against the New York Yankees, but he stayed in the game and even hit a home run. After X-rays came back negative, he is back in the starting nine to kick off a series in Queens against the Mets. Fantasy managers will want to keep the 28-year-old Dominican infielder in their starting lineups. He has played in only 84 games (363 plate appearances) in 2026 due to various injuries, but Pena is slashing a strong .282/.336/.477 with an .814 OPS, 16 home runs, 44 RBI, 65 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. Although Pena has two homers in his last three games, he's batting .184 (16-for-87) with four homers, four doubles, a triple, 10 RBI, 14 runs, four walks, and 31 strikeouts in 21 games in August. He has never faced Scott in his MLB career.

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