Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong returned to the lineup with a bang on Friday. Crow-Armstrong was absent from the starting lineup during the previous two games due to his slump at the plate. The 23-year-old was able to break out of that slump versus the Washington Nationals on Friday. Crow-Armstrong went 2-for-3 with two singles, two RBI, and a stolen base in the win. His production certainly took a hit in the second half, but Crow-Armstrong is still putting together a strong campaign. Crow-Armstrong has 28 home runs and 32 steals, so a 30-30 season isn't out of the question at this point. Fantasy managers need to keep starting Crow-Armstrong despite his slump at the plate.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (knee) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Rushing needed to be carried off the field after fouling a ball off his leg in the sixth inning. The fact he wasn't able to get off the field under his own power isn't a good sign. However, Rushing will likely undergo further testing before they determine the next step for him. Rushing went 0-for-2 at the plate before exiting the contest. The Dodgers are also without Will Smith (hand) right now, which puts them in a bad spot. Ben Rortvedt could be asked to make a few starts behind the plate.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (undisclosed) made an early exit from Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. According to Joel Goldberg, Witt was taken out after the seventh inning. Before exiting he went 0-for-3 at the plate. Witt didn't appear to have suffered any injuries and it was a one-run game at the time. There should be another update on his status shortly. Hopefully, it's a minor issue as fantasy managers cannot afford to lose Witt right now. Fantasy managers should check back after the game for another update on his status.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (knee) is trending towards returning to the mound next week. On Thursday, King made a start in the Arizona complex league. He tossed five innings and appears to have pitched well enough that he's on the verge of returning to the big league mound. King reportedly pushed to pitch against the Colorado Rockies this week, but the Padres took the cautious approach instead. It's possible that King makes a start during the series against the Cincinnati Reds early next week. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update.

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer (forearm) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kremer was pulled after three innings due to right forearm discomfort. It's a shame because Kremer tossed three scoreless innings, allowing one walk while striking out four batters before exiting. The expectation is that Kremer will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. At this point in the season, Kremer landing on the injured list would probably mean he's done for the season. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on Kremer.

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Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (shoulder) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Ragans is scheduled to throw two innings with Triple-A Omaha, according to manager Matt Quatraro. It's been pretty much a lost year for Ragans in 2025 due to multiple injuries, but it's been a rotator-cuff strain in his left shoulder that has kept him on the 60-day injured list since the middle of June. It's good to hear that he's close to throwing in real games again, and Ragans is hoping to rejoin the Royals before the end of September. However, for fantasy purposes, the ship has pretty much already sailed this year. Ragans was a first-time All-Star in 2024 but has made only 10 starts this year and has posted a bloated 5.18 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, although he did have a nice 76:16 K:BB in 48 2/3 frames.

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The Texas Rangers are moving right-hander Jon Gray (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Friday, which will officially end his 2025 season, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Gray initially went on the shelf in the middle of August with a right-shoulder injury, and we won't see him again until 2026. It was yet another disappointing campaign in 2025 in the 33-year-old veteran's fourth year in Texas, as he only appeared in six games (all in relief) while allowing 12 earned runs on 15 hits (five homers) with 12 strikeouts and six walks in 14 innings pitched. Gray just has not lived up to expectations in his time with the Rangers after spending the first seven years of his MLB career with the Colorado Rockies. After his injury-plagued 2025 campaign, fantasy managers will be avoiding him in mixed leagues next year.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that catcher Will Smith (hand) is dealing with a bone bruise in his right hand that he will likely have to manage for the rest of the season, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. Smith was hit by a pitch on his hand earlier this week in Pittsburgh and is unlikely to return to the lineup until next week. The good news, though, is that a CT scan on the 30-year-old All-Star catcher's injured hand showed no fractures. The Dodgers won't push Smith and will just hope that his hand will be feeling better for another potential deep playoff run in October. In the meantime, rookie backstop Dalton Rushing will get more opportunities behind the plate for the first-place Dodgers. Ben Rortvedt will back Rushing up. Smith has once again been one of the best hitting catchers in baseball in 2025 in one of the best lineups in the league.

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Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) was scratched from his scheduled start in Friday's series opener against the hosting Baltimore Orioles due to back tightness. The Dodgers' plan is to push Glasnow back "a few days" and have him start "early next week" in a home series against the division-rival Colorado Rockies. In Glanow's place on Friday, two-way star Shohei Ohtani will take the mound after he had his start earlier this week scratched in Pittsburgh due to a minor illness. If the 32-year-old Glasnow is feeling better by early next week, it will definitely be an upgrade in opponent against the worst team in baseball. Glasnow didn't allow more than three earned runs in his five August starts, but he's been a bit wild in his last two outings before his back issues cropped up on Friday.

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The Texas Rangers are placing outfielder Adolis Garcia (quadriceps) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a right-quad strain and will recall outfielder Dustin Harris from Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Manager Bruce Bochy said the team is optmistic that Garcia will be able to return after a minimal stay on the IL after missing the last three games. With Garcia sidelined, Ezequiel Duran is manning right field on Friday and will hit seventh against the visiting Houston Astros and left-hander Colton Gordon. Fantasy managers won't get much from the 32-year-old Garcia the rest of the way, but it's possible he will return for the final few weeks of the season for a final playoff push. The Cuban outfielder is two homers shy of the 20-homer mark with 73 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 125 total games for Texas.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (undisclosed) has been scratched from his scheduled start in Friday's series opener at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles for undisclosed reasons. Manager Dave Roberts should provide clarity on Glasnow when he speaks with the media before Friday's contest. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who was scratched from his start earlier this week in Pittsburgh due to an illness, will now make his return to the mound. It's possible that Glasnow isn't dealing with an injury at all, which is what fantasy managers are hoping for, and that the Dodgers just wanted to get Ohtani back on the bump with him feeling better. If that's the case, the hard-throwing 32-year-old could pitch in Game 2 of the series on Saturday. Glasnow didnt' give up more than four earned runs in his five starts in August, but he's struggled with command in his last two starts.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich (back) remains out of the team's starting nine for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Jake Bauers will serve as the DH and will hit seventh against Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo. Yelich was scratched from Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies and also sat out in the series finale on Thursday, so this will be his third straight missed game. While the 33-year-old veteran is considered day-to-day for now, fantasy managers should be a little worried given his lengthy history with back injuries. If Yelich can't get back on the field soon, don't rule out a stint on the injured list as Milwaukee looks to get him fully healthy for what they hope will be a lengthy playoff run. An extended absence for Yelich would give Bauers a path to regular playing time.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (illness) will make his return to the mound for Friday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles at Camden Yards after the Dodgers scratched previously scheduled starter Tyler Glasnow for undisclosed reasons. Ohtani was scratched from his previously scheduled start this week in Pittsburgh because he was feeling under the weather. The Dodgers announced on Thursday that the 31-year-old three-time MVP would make his next start on Monday against the Colorado Rockies, but he'll now be moved up with Glasnow out. Ohtani will also serve as the designated hitter in his usual leadoff spot on Friday. Even though the O's are coming off a sweep of the Padres, Ohtani should be started in his return to the bump. He went a season-high five innings his last time out against the Reds and had a season-high nine strikeouts.

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The Detroit Tigers placed right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan (groin) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 1) on Friday with a right-adductor strain and reinstated outfielder Parker Meadows (quadriceps) from the IL in a corresponding move, according to Evan Woodbery of MLive. Finnegan will miss at least the next two weeks after injuring himself on Wednesday while warming up in the bullpen. It's a tough loss for the first-place Tigers, as the 34-year-old veteran had not allowed a run for Detroit since they acquired him in a deadline deal from the Washington Nationals. Now that Finnegan is on the shelf, Will Vest should have closing duties all to himself in Motown, with Tommy Kahnle and Tyler Holton serving in late-inning setup roles. In 14 1/3 innings with Detroit, Finnegan had 19 K's, three walks and four saves to bring his season saves total to 24.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (elbow) is making the start in right field on Friday against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman in the Bronx and is hitting third in the batting order. This will be the first time that Judge has handled outfield duties since late July when he went down with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The 33-year-old reigning MVP has been working through a throwing program for a while, but the Yankees were never in a rush to get him back on defense until he was fully ready. Now that Judge is able to play defense again, it will open up the designated hitter spot for right-handed slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Judge should obviously be in all starting fantasy lineups on Friday, and he's hitting a robust .356 with a 1.322 OPS, six home runs and 12 RBI in 45 career at-bats against Gausman.

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Per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, it sounds as though St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras' six-game suspension has been reduced to four games. Contreras will begin serving his four-game suspension on Friday night and will not be available for the series opener versus the visiting San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. He will not be eligible to return to the field until the second game of the series next Tuesday in Seattle against the Mariners. The 33-year-old veteran was tossed out of a game on Aug. 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he tossed his bat, which ended up hitting the home-plate umpire. Alec Burleson (wrist) is currently on the injured list, so it's possible we'll see Nolan Gorman shift to first base, with Cesar Prieto or Jose Fermin starting at third this weekend.

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Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby (undisclosed) is going back on the 10-day injured list with an undisclosed injury on Friday, according to Craig Mish. In a corresponding move, the Fish are recalling infielder Maximo Acosta from Triple-A Jacksonville, and he'll be a candidate to see playing time at the hot corner going forward. It's been an injury-plagued year for the 25-year-old Norby, who has played in only 77 games in his first full year in Miami while slashing .247/.298/.373 with a below-average .671 OPS, six home runs, 31 RBI, 36 runs scored and seven stolen bases. Depending on the specific nature of Norby's injury, he could very well miss the rest of the regular season with less than a month left of play. In addition to Acosta, Javier Sanoja could also see regular playing time at third in Miami with Norby out again.

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The Cincinnati Reds announced on Friday that they activated catcher Tyler Stephenson (thumb) from the 10-day injured list and optioned catcher Will Banfield to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. The Reds also outrighted right-hander Joe La Sorsa to Louisville. The Reds have not released their starting lineup yet for Friday's series opener against the visiting New York Mets, but Stephenson should be behind the plate against left-hander David Peterson. With Stephenson now back from the IL, it will push veteran Jose Trevino back to a backup role in Cincinnati. Stephenson suffered a fractured left thumb three weeks ago but is already back with the team as they look to get into the postseason in the final month of the regular season. Stephenson hasn't been nearly as good as he was in 2024, as he's hit just .226 with nine homers and 36 RBI in 72 games for Cincy in his sixth MLB season.

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The New York Mets announced on Friday that they optioned right-hander Kodai Senga to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled right-hander Wander Suero to the major-league roster in a corresponding move. The Mets had been debating this move for a while now for the struggling Senga, who had to approve the move. The 32-year-old Japanese hurler has really struggled since the All-Star break, posting a rough 6.56 ERA and 0-3 record with 35 strikeouts and 22 walks in 35 2/3 innings over eight starts, so the Mets will send him to the farm for now in hopes that he can figure it out and return to the club for the stretch run and potentially the postseason. New York has the luxury of doing so after rookie right-handed pitching prospects Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong have looked good since their call-ups. There's no guarantee Senga will return to the Mets' starting rotation in 2025.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (calf) is out of the starting lineup again for Friday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field. Willi Castro will make the start in right field and will bat sixth against Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin. Tucker was pulled from Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves with calf tightness and will now miss a second straight game. It's somewhat concerning that Tucker isn't back in there following an off day on Thursday, but it doesn't mean he won't return at some point this weekend against the Nats. Manager Craig Counsell said the team is hopeful the 28-year-old left-handed hitter can return this weeknd, potentially as the designated hitter. Since a cold spell in August, Tucker has gotten back on track at the plate, so it's a bad time for him to sit out due to injury.

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