Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (hand) is out of Friday's starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to a hand injury that he suffered on Thursday night, manager Matt Quatraro told Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg. "It was in the dugout after one of the at-bats. It was my decision to not play him today," Quatraro said. Nick Loftin is making the start in right field for the Royals and will bat eighth in the order against Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. For now, fantasy managers should consider Caglianone to be day-to-day and check back to see if he is available to play as the series continues in the Steel City on Saturday. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick from Florida has had a great first full season in the big leagues in 2026, hitting .277/.328/.483 with an .811 OPS, 23 home runs, 70 RBI, 66 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 484 at-bats. However, he has been banged up lately and is limping to the finish line. Cags has gone 4-for-27 (.148) with four RBI, a walk, and 11 strikeouts in 10 games so far in September.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) is going on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a strained right calf, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. It will be the second time that Judge has gone on the IL this year, with the first time coming from a stress fracture in his rib that cost him most of the season. The three-time MVP injured his calf during Wednesday's contest against the Minnesota Twins. The right-handed slugger will now rest up until the playoffs begin in October, but there is no guarantee that he will be ready to roll by then either. In Judge's absence for the rest of September, Heliot Ramos should see most of the playing time in right field in the Bronx. Former top prospect Jasson Dominguez should also be called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to give the Yanks more outfield depth. Judge will finish his 11th year in the majors with a .241/.360/.511 slash line, an 871 OPS, 18 home runs, 41 RBI, 45 runs scored, and five stolen bases in just 66 games played and 285 plate appearances.

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Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (oblique) has been activated from the 10-day injured list, with third baseman BJ Murray Jr. being optioned to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune. Swanson is starting at shortstop and batting ninth in Friday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Chase Burns, per MLB.com. He will make his first start since being sidelined in mid-August with a Grade 2 left-oblique strain. Swanson will return as Chicago's primary shortstop, pushing Nico Hoerner back to second-base duties. Without going on a rehab assignment, fantasy managers should not be surprised if Swanson struggles at the plate upon his return. The 32-year-old veteran is returning to a .216/.300/.404 slash line with a .704 OPS, 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 78 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases in his 403 at-bats this season. Hitting in the nine-hole against Burns will definitely not endear him to any DFS managers on Friday.

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The Washington Nationals announced on Friday that they agreed to a four-year contract extension with right-hander Cade Cavalli through the 2030 season that includes a club option for the 2031 season. The deal is worth $47 million guaranteed and $70 million if the options are picked up, according to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. The 28-year-old secures his future in D.C. after a breakout 2026 campaign. The former 22nd overall pick from the University of Oklahoma in 2020 has gone 12-5 this year with a 3.12 ERA (3.33 FIP), 1.17 WHIP, and 194:48 K:BB in 164 2/3 innings pitched across his 31 starts in his first full season in the big leagues. Cavalli only made one start in his debut season in 2022 with the Nats, did not pitch at all in 2023 due to Tommy John surgery, and made only 10 starts in Washington last year. He has posted a career-high 28.2% strikeout rate and maintained the command that he showed in a small sample size in 2025 by walking 7.0% of the batters he has faced. With a longer leash in 2027, Cavalli could be even better if he stays healthy.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, according to MLB.com. Nick Sogard will man first base for the BoSox and bat second against Rays left-hander Ian Seymour. It should not be a huge surprise that Contreras is not starting on Friday after he was pulled from Thursday's win over the Texas Rangers after being hit on the right hand by a pitch late in the game. Thankfully, X-rays came back negative, and Contreras was diagnosed with a bruised hand. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back on him to see if he is playing in Game 2 of the series in Tampa on Saturday. The 34-year-old veteran and former catcher has battled through some injuries this year but has still been one of Boston's best bats in 2026, as he is currently hitting .276/.387/.518 with a .905 OPS, 27 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs scored, and three steals in his 446 at-bats in his first year in Beantown. However, he did hit just .217 (18-for-83) with three homers, 12 RBI, 11 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 23 games in August, and he has played in only four games so far in September.

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Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) is starting in right field and batting third for the Guardians on Friday against the visiting Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett, per MLB.com. DeLauter has missed some time in recent weeks with a sprained right wrist, but he is back in action to begin the weekend series against the A's after missing each of the last two games on Tuesday and Wednesday against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old former first-rounder has been money for Cleveland in his first year in the big leagues in 2026, slashing .289/.362/.453 with an .815 OPS, 14 home runs, 62 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across his 464 at-bats. DeLauter has only gone deep three times in 45 second-half games, but he has hit lefties well and is coming off a month of August in which he slashed .363/.440/.538 with a .977 OPS, two homers, and nine RBI in 22 games played. If his wrist injury does not impact him the rest of the way, DeLauter will be looking to put a bow on a strong first year in the bigs.

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Washington Nationals infield prospect Seaver King hit his 20th homer of the season on Wednesday night at Triple-A Rochester to put an exclamation point on his breakout 2026 season in the minor leagues. Between Double-A Harrisburg and Rochester this season, King has hit .306 with those 20 homers and 73 RBI to go with 85 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. It's a complete stat line from the Wake Forest grad, but he hasn't received a call-up yet from the Nationals. He is the No. 4 prospect in the Nationals system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 45-grade power and 70-grade speed. Look for King's strong minor league season at age 23 to give him a shot at breaking camp with the major league team in 2027. He has done everything he can to prove worthy of the opportunity and would be a good fantasy player to target in 2027 drafts.

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Cincinnati Reds catcher prospect Alfredo Duno came back from a right hamstring injury on August 26 and since then has been red-hot with the bat for Double-A Chattanooga. Since that return date, Duno has hit 20-for-55 (.364) with no homers and six RBI. Altogether this season, between two levels of the minors, the 20-year-old is hitting .281 with 19 homers and 61 RBI in 363 at bats with 64 runs scored. The right-handed hitter is the top overall prospect in the Reds system and figures to be their catcher of the future. He has a 55-grade hit tool with 55-grade power. At just 20 years old, Duno has done a nice job so far in the minor leagues. While there is growth to be had, he looks like a future big league star and a plus fantasy contributor. It's nice to see him hit so well coming back from his injury to close out the season. He appears to be a few years away from a big-league debut.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Eduardo Quintero had a nice season in the minor leagues in 2026 at age 21, but nothing stood out more statistically than his 44 combined stolen bases with a combined .308 batting average. Quintero spent pretty much the whole season with High-A Glendale and hit 13 homers with 70 RBI and scored 108 runs. The Venezuelan is the No. 3 prospect in the Dodgers' organization and boasts 60-grade speed with a 55-grade hit tool and 55-grade power. The right-handed hitter proved he can be a huge stolen base threat and with his ability to get on base as he showed with his high batting average, that make for a great combination. Quintero showed why he is so highly regarded with an excellent season at 21 years old and should bring that to the major leagues and the Los Angeles Dodgers in a few years.

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Atlanta Braves outfield prospect Eric Hartman has had a good minor league season at age 20, but has struggled since his call-up in early August to Double-A Columbus. In 34 games with Columbus, the left-handed hitter has two homers and 10 RBI while hitting just .182. He does, however, have 18 stolen bases, which is a great sign despite the struggles in the batting average department. Hartman is the top prospect in the Braves' system and boasts 70-grade speed with a 55-grade hit tool and 50-grade power. Between Columbus and High-A Rome this season, Hartman has shown off that speed with 56 combined stolen bases to go with 26 homers and 74 RBI and a combined .249 batting average. Hartman looks like the real deal with his stolen base threat and that makes him a potential five-tool player and fantasy contributor a few years down the road.

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Boston Red Sox left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) was unavailable to pitch in Thursday night's game in Texas against the Rangers due to a lat issue, interim manager Chad Tracy told The Boston Globe's Tim Healey. Chapman had been dealing with it for a couple of days, and the Red Sox will be "conservative" with it, according to Tracy. With Chapman unavailable on Thursday night, right-hander Garrett Whitlock came in to pick up the save, throwing a clean inning with one walk to lower his season ERA to 1.78. The Red Sox will need Chapman down the stretch as they hunt for a playoff spot in the American League, but it sounds like the veteran closer might not be available going into Friday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. The nine-time All-Star and two-time closer of the year has been excellent for the BoSox as their primary closer in 2026, posting a 1.95 ERA (2.60 FIP), a 1.14 WHIP, 34 saves, 68 strikeouts, and 23 walks in his 50 2/3 innings pitched in his 17th year in the big leagues. Fantasy managers desperate for some saves at this juncture should look to pick up Whitlock off the waiver wire.

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Updating a previous report, Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) was diagnosed with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning in Thursday night's comeback win over the Texas Rangers, interim manager Chad Tracy told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Contreras is considered day-to-day after X-rays on his hand came back negative, so there could be a chance that he will be available for the start of a new series on Friday against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. If the four-time All-Star does miss any time this weekend, expect Nick Sogard to take over at first base for Boston. Contreras came into Thursday's game with a strong .275/.386/.519 slash line on the year with a .906 OPS, a career-high 27 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 128 games across 529 plate appearances. Fantasy managers are hoping that he can finish strong after slumping to a .217 average (18-for-83) in 23 games in August. The 34-year-old veteran has been a must-start in all traditional fantasy leagues in 2026 in his first year with the BoSox.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) was removed from Thursday's game early against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning after he was hit on the hand by a pitch, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Before leaving, Contreras went 1-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout in the eventual 4-3 win at Globe Life Field. Fantasy managers will want to be on the lookout for Contreras' X-ray results, which will determine how much time he might have to miss. Hopefully, X-rays come back negative, and he will be able to return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Tampa against the division-rival Rays. The 34-year-old Venezuelan and four-time All-Star has had an excellent first year in Boston in 2026, going into Thursday's game with a .275/.386/.519 slash line with a .906 OPS, a career-high 27 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 128 games and 529 plate appearances. Nick Sogard slid over to first base from second base on Thursday after Contreras left, and he could be the favorite for playing time at first if Contreras misses any time late in the season.

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Across 487 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics second baseman/outfielder Jeff McNeil is hitting .268/.315/.371 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 49 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The 34-year-old does not profile as a power source, as he's logged a tiny 1.8% barrel rate this year. However, McNeil has struck out in just 11.3% of his plate appearances. The veteran lefty has been a high-end source of batting average in the second half of the season, hitting .333 across 190 plate appearances since the All-Star break. He's also moved into a prominent spot in the banged-up A's lineup, batting second in each of his last 11 games played. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, McNeil profiles as an under-the-radar source of batting average and run production for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.

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Across 492 plate appearances in 2026, Seattle Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone is hitting .257/.327/.481 with 22 home runs, 69 RBI, 55 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The lefty slugger opened the year as a big-side platoon bat, but he's held his own against left-handed pitching this season with an .833 OPS. As a result, Canzone has worked his way into everyday playing time in the heart of the Mariners lineup. The 29-year-old's underlying contact metrics support his production, as he's posted a 12.1% barrel rate and a 44.8% hard-hit rate. He's also limited his swing-and-miss, logging a manageable 21.5% strikeout rate. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Canzone profiles as a steady source of power and run production for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.

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Across 448 plate appearances in 2026, San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge hit .269/.364/.461 with 17 home runs, 57 RBI, 50 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 21-year-old owns an elevated 26.6% strikeout rate. However, he's also posted a solid 11.5% barrel rate and an excellent 52.2% hard-hit rate. Across 170 plate appearances since the start of August, Eldridge is hitting .301. Playing his home games in San Francisco's pitcher-friendly Oracle Park is not the best fit for the lefty-swinging Eldridge's power upside, but the young slugger may have enough talent to overcome the imperfect situation. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, Eldridge profiles as a must-roster first baseman who should provide power and run production for fantasy managers.

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New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga suffered through a rough start to the 2026 season while working as a starting pitcher. However, since being shifted into a high-leverage bullpen role in early August, Senga has turned his season around. Across his last 15 1/3 innings pitched, Senga has allowed just four earned runs while recording 20 strikeouts. With Mets closer Devin Williams (shoulder) sidelined by a shoulder injury, Senga has also established himself as the preferred ninth-inning option in New York. The 33-year-old has seven saves on the year, all of which have come since August 10. The veteran right-hander's average fastball velocity has climbed back up to 96.3 miles per hour, and he's posted a 26.7% strikeout rate. In any league where Senga remains available, he profiles as a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.

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Across 432 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is hitting .275/.358/.402 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. Since making his MLB debut in mid-May, the 23-year-old has emerged as an everyday staple in his team's outfield. Bolte's 28.5% strikeout rate is elevated, but he consistently hits the ball hard (47.5% hard-hit rate). Bolte also hits the ball on the ground a ton, which, when combined with his elite speed, allows him to run a high batting average on balls in play. Bolte is also in the midst of a power surge of late, as he's hit five home runs across 64 plate appearances in September. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, Bolte profiles as a must-roster fantasy outfielder with five-category upside.

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Across 261 plate appearances in 2026, New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones is hitting .252/.323/.440 with 10 home runs, 37 RBI, 32 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. Swing-and-miss is the obvious red flag in Jones' profile, as he's struck out in 36% of his plate appearances. However, the 25-year-old has also posted a 14.8% barrel rate and a 53.5% hard-hit rate. With Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) on the injured list, Jones has established himself as the everyday center fielder in New York. As long as he continues to see regular playing time, Jones profiles as a potential high-end source of both power and speed and should be added off the waiver wire in any league where he is not already rostered.

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New York Mets right-handed reliever Devin Williams (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session on Thursday, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The Mets will wait until Friday to determine if Williams is ready to be activated from the 15-day injured list. It sounds like the Mets will script Williams' appearances once he returns to the major-league roster, so he will not necessarily be closing games down the stretch of the Mets' disappointing 2026 campaign. Former right-handed starter Kodai Senga has settled down into the team's closer job with Williams on the IL late in the season, so it is possible that Williams will not see a single save chance to close out the year. The 31-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star has struggled in his first year in Queens, posting a 4.66 ERA (3.10 FIP), 1.65 WHIP, 16 saves, 51 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 38 2/3 innings out of the Mets' bullpen. Fantasy managers fighting for a championship going into next week should not have any plans to use Williams in their lineup.

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