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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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New York Mets starter Luis Severino has been bumped up in the rotation and is set to start Tuesday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves. With this move, Jose Quintana will be skipped and lose his two-start status for next week. Severino, on the other hand, could end up starting the final game of the season next Sunday if the Mets need to win to get into the postseason. Fantasy managers should be wary, though, because if the Mets clinch before Sunday they will likely not use Severino.

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Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (shoulder) is expected to land on the IL, ending his season. Jansen has been battling a shoulder injury for a while now and has battled control and velocity issues because of it. Manager Alex Cora said that Jansen has had some trouble bouncing back from outings, including Sunday in his inning of work against the Minnesota Twins. The righty is set to become a free agent at the end of this year, but his age combined with his recent injury history could scare teams away from him. The Red Sox will likely close by committee for the final week of the season, with Chris Martin and Justin Slaten the favorites to get saves.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (back) is not 100% sure he will play again in the regular season but feels optimistic he will. Lindor has missed the last seven games with a back injury and seemed to be on pace to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves, but that may not be the case. The Mets will surely want their MVP candidate back in the lineup for a pivotal three-game series with their division rivals, but if Lindor doesn't get the go-ahead from team doctors then the decision won't be the Mets to make. Fantasy managers will have to be active in checking updates to make sure they know if Lindor is in the lineup or not come Tuesday, and should have a backup plan in case he can't go.

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Angels' SS Zach Neto had six RBIs going 3-for-5 with two home runs in a 9-8 win over Houston on Sunday, Sep. 22.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane Baz continued his stellar second half of the season on Sunday. The right-hander allowed one run on four hits over six innings of work during the victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Baz notched six strikeouts while only walking one batter during this outing. He holds a 2.71 ERA since the All-Star break and looks to end the regular season on a strong note against the Boston Red Sox next week.

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Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman was locked in at the plate during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. The right-handed slugger went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and three RBI in what ended up being a 9-8 loss. Bregman has picked it up with the bat during the second half. He has a .811 OPS and now 13 homers since the All-Star break. Fantasy managers can continue to ride his hot bat during the fantasy playoffs.

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Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto put together an incredibly strong day at the plate during Sunday's game against the Houston Astros. Neto took over the game by himself as he went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI during the 9-8 victory. The Angels don't have a lot of things going right for them this season, but Neto is one of the bright spots. The 23-year-old has 23 long balls and 30 stolen bases to his name across 152 games this season. It looks like the Angels have found their franchise shortstop in Neto.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish was impressive on the mound during Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The veteran right-hander pitched well his last two times out and had the good times rolling again on Sunday. Darvish pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing two earned runs and striking out nine batters along the way. He basically made two mistakes which were two solo home runs by Korey Lee and Miguel Vargas. Darvish has been limited to 15 starts this season due to injuries, but looks to finish the regular season strong against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his final matchup.

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Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte has put together an unbelievable season at the plate. He's on fire with the bat right now as he pushed his home run streak to three games with another solid performance on Sunday. Marte went deep for the 35th time as he extends his career-high total. It was his only hit of the day, but Marte also scored two runs and stole a base during Sunday's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Marte deserves some MVP votes for his incredible season, but is a longshot to win the award.

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