Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (wrist) is back at first base and is hitting third for the Dodgers in Friday's series opener on the road in Arizona against the division-rival Diamondbacks and right-hander Merrill Kelly, according to MLB.com. Freeman was pulled from Wednesday's series finale against the Chicago Cubs after injuring his hand/wrist at Wrigley Field, but thankfully, X-rays came back negative, and he will return on Friday without missing a game following L.A.'s scheduled day off on Thursday. Fantasy managers in all traditional formats will want to get Freeman back into their starting lineups for Friday's tilt in the desert, especially since Freeman has hit .333 with a 1.112 OPS, two home runs, and three RBI in 30 career at-bats against Kelly. The 36-year-old is hitting over .300 on the season with 15 home runs and is in the midst of a 15-game hitting streak in which he has gone 27-for-58 (.466) with four doubles, three RBI, five runs scored, and two stolen bases in 60 plate appearances.

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Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt is giving fantasy managers two things that can be tough to find together on the wire: batting average and steals. The 21-year-old is hitting .289 with two home runs, 17 RBI, 20 runs, and 10 steals through 128 at-bats after scoring and driving in a run Thursday. Milwaukee has kept him in the lineup at shortstop, and there is enough speed here to matter without chasing empty at-bats. The power is a different story. Pratt hit six homers in 58 Triple-A games before his promotion, and that part of his game is still developing. This is not a five-category breakout call. It is a useful middle infielder who can run and has held his own against big-league pitching. RotoBaller now has Pratt in the 12-team add tier, while he remains rostered in only 19% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Minnesota Twins announced on Friday that they placed right-hander Joe Ryan (glute) on the 15-day injured list with a left-glute strain and recalled right-hander Zebby Matthews, who will start on Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. The Twins initially were saying that Ryan was dealing with right-arm fatigue, but an MRI exam on Thursday showed his glute strain, which was making it difficult for him to repeat his delivery on the mound. It helps explain why he has struggled mightily in his three starts since the All-Star break, allowing 17 runs (16 earned) on 25 hits (seven home runs) while walking two and striking out 10 in 15 1/3 innings of work. Overall, the 30-year-old veteran is 6-8 in 2026 with a 3.65 ERA (3.42 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 138 strikeouts and 27 walks in 125 2/3 frames across 23 starts. It's unknown if Ryan might be ready to return from the IL when he's eligible in two weeks, but fantasy managers in all league formats need to keep him stashed for the stretch run.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers (abdomen) is starting at first base and batting third in the order for Friday's series opener against the visiting Minnesota Twins and right-hander Zebby Matthews, according to MLB.com. Bauers will return to the starting nine on Friday evening after missing the last three games with abdominal soreness. Fantasy managers in traditional formats will want to get the left-handed slugger back in their starting lineups for the weekend, especially against a right-handed pitcher. The 30-year-old will return to a .270/.375/.503 slash line on the season with an .878 OPS, 20 home runs, 64 RBI, 68 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across his 344 at-bats in what has been a career year in 2026. Bauers has never faced Matthews in his career, but he has hit .277 (72-for-260) with 17 of his 20 long balls on the year against right-handed pitching. He's also carrying a current nine-game hitting streak in which he's gone 13-for-31 (.419) with two homers, a double, a triple, five RBI, 11 runs, and two stolen bases. Bauers is red-hot.

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Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao has made an immediate impression, going 5-for-9 through his first two major-league games. The 22-year-old became the first player in franchise history to collect four hits in his MLB debut Wednesday, then added another hit Thursday. He earned the promotion after batting .300 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 11 stolen bases across 96 games between Double-A and Triple-A. There is more here than a two-game hot streak. MLB Pipeline ranks Genao 40th overall and gives him a 60-grade hit tool and 55-grade speed, while his ability to play shortstop, second base, and third gives Cleveland options for keeping him involved. Gabriel Arias was also designated for assignment when Genao arrived. Genao is rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues, making him one of the more intriguing high-upside bats still sitting on waiver wires.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (illness) is missing a second straight game on Friday in the series opener against the Athletics at Fenway Park due to an illness, per MLB.com. Nick Sogard will make another start at first base for the BoSox while batting leadoff on Friday against A's right-hander Jack Perkins. Contreras was pulled from Wednesday's contest early due to an illness and hasn't played since, but he should be back at some point for the series this weekend against the A's. When the 34-year-old Venezuelan returns, he'll need to be reinserted into all fantasy lineups in traditional formats as one of Boston's best all-around hitters in 2026 in his first year with the team. Contreras is currently batting a steady .288/.395/.540 with a .936 OPS, 23 home runs, 70 RBI, 57 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 361 at-bats in 2026. Since the beginning of July, Contreras has hit .319 (23-for-72) with a 1.056 OPS, five homers, four doubles, 17 RBI, 16 runs, and a stolen base in 23 games.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (right elbow) will have his rehab progression paused for a few days after experiencing tightness during Tuesday's start with Single-A Lake Elsinore. Pivetta threw just 14 pitches before leaving the mound, although he was able to throw another 20-30 pitches in the bullpen afterward. He did not throw his scheduled bullpen Thursday and will not make his next rehab start on time while the Padres determine whether anything needs to change. The 33-year-old has been out since April with a flexor strain after going 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 16 innings. Pivetta posted a 2.87 ERA and finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting last season. There is no timetable for his next rehab appearance, so fantasy managers will have to keep waiting.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene (right elbow) will undergo surgery after seeking a second opinion, according to Pat Brennan. Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said the procedure will involve the area around the ligament, though doctors will not know exactly what needs to be repaired until the operation begins. Greene already underwent surgery in March to remove bone chips and loose bodies from the same elbow before returning July 4. He made only five starts, going 2-2 with a 6.83 ERA, nine walks, and 33 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings before returning to the injured list Aug. 5. Fantasy managers can move on in redraft leagues. His outlook for 2027 will depend heavily on what surgeons find and the type of procedure ultimately performed.

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Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (right hip) is progressing slower than expected as he works back from another flare-up of his hip impingement, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Buxton is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list this weekend in Milwaukee, but he has yet to resume baseball activities after receiving an unspecified injection last week. The 32-year-old has increased his loading, isometric, and weight-training work and hopes to carry that progress onto the field over the next few days. This is Buxton's second IL stint because of the same hip issue. He is batting .263 with 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs, and seven steals in 82 games. Fantasy managers should keep him stashed, as there is still no firm timetable for his return.

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Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (left hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, according to Alex Stumpf. Cruz has been out since early June with non-displaced fractures of the fourth and fifth metacarpals in his left hand and was transferred to the 60-day injured list July 18. This will be his first game action in roughly two months. The 27-year-old was hitting .264/.350/.472 with 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs, and 21 stolen bases in 64 games before getting hurt. Pittsburgh has not announced how many rehab games Cruz will need before being activated. Still, getting him back into competitive games is a significant step, and fantasy managers should continue holding him as he works toward a return.

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Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) remains out of the starting lineup Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, marking his third straight absence. Guerrero last played Tuesday against the Houston Astros, going 0-for-3 with a walk before sitting Wednesday and Thursday. Manager John Schneider said earlier this week that Guerrero had been dealing with hamstring tightness but did not expect the issue to require a trip to the injured list. The 27-year-old is batting .259 with six home runs and 44 RBI this season. Kazuma Okamoto will start at first base Friday.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (right knee) is back in the starting lineup Friday against the Colorado Rockies. Walker was scratched shortly before Tuesday's game against the New York Yankees because of right knee inflammation and remained out Wednesday before the Cardinals had Thursday off. The 24-year-old was batting .285 with 22 home runs and 81 RBI when the issue surfaced. He had also collected two hits, including a triple, in Monday's series opener at Yankee Stadium. Walker's return after missing only two games is good news for fantasy managers, who can get him back into their lineups Friday.

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Los Angeles Angels right-handed pitcher George Klassen was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday and will start against the Miami Marlins. The 24-year-old gets another shot after a difficult two-start stint in April, when he allowed six earned runs and walked 10 batters in just 4 2/3 innings. Klassen has been much better since returning to Salt Lake, particularly in July. He posted a 2.48 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 38 strikeouts across 36 1/3 innings and was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month. The strikeouts led the PCL during that stretch. Klassen's first trip to the majors showed how quickly his control can unravel, but his recent run makes this return worth watching. He is a risky streamer for Friday and more of a deep-league option until he shows he can throw enough strikes against major-league hitters.

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Miami Marlins outfield prospect Cam Cannarella has produced since being called up to Triple-A Jacksonville. He has shown off his elite speed at Jacksonville with five stolen bases in 14 games with the Jumbo Shrimp. Cannarella is the No. 6 prospect for the Marlins and has a 60-grade run tool with a 55-grade hit tool. Between three levels of the minor leagues this season, Cannarella has 13 homers and 48 RBI in 244 at bats and has added 51 runs and 15 stolen bases while hitting .344. At age 22, the left-handed hitting Cannarella is showing off his skills in the minors, but might need more time at Triple-A before given an opportunity for a shot at Miami. He is okay to leave on the waiver wire at this point but could be useful in dynasty-league formats.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has performed all season at Triple-A Memphis, and it is starting to look like there is a realistic opportunity for him to make his MLB debut. Baez has 32 homers and 84 RBI at Memphis this season and has added 75 runs scored and 18 stolen bases with a .252 batting average. Baez is the No. 3 prospect in the Cardinals organization and is graded out at 60 for his power with a 50-grade hit tool and 50-grade run tool. St. Louis has an opening in the outfield, Baez's position, and they will likely add Baez to their outfield among Jordan Walker and Nathan Church. A highly productive power-speed combination, Baez makes an elite stash candidate, and given a chance to debut, he could produce in a big way for fantasy managers.

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Colorado Rockies first base/outfield prospect Charlie Condon hit a home run on Thursday night for Triple-A Albuquerque as he continues to produce at a high level ahead of a pending promotion to the MLB club. The homer was already Condon's second in August, and he has 22 total this season with 69 RBI while hitting .284. He also has 83 runs scored and six stolen bases. Condon is 23 years old and is the No. 3 prospect in the Rockies' system. The 2024 first-round draft pick is pushing for a chance at an MLB debut, and it's starting to look likely that he will be called up to Colorado, as he has some position flexibility at first base and outfield. He could provide an instant impact bat for the big league team as he has proven himself with a highly productive season at Triple-A. He is a priority name to stash away and add on the waiver wire.

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Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins is coming off a two-homer game for Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday and has been red-hot so far in August. In four August games, Jenkins has a .421 batting average with those two homers and two RBI with four runs scored. Jenkins missed a lot of action this season in May with an injury but has been solid in his performance for St. Paul. In 209 at-bats with St. Paul, Jenkins has six homers and 17 RBI with 39 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Jenkins, now 21-years-old, is knocking on the door for a promotion to Minnesota. Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, the No. 2 prospect for the Twins behind Jenkins, was recently promoted, and Jenkins might not be far behind. There aren't many better stash candidates than Jenkins right now before the end of the season, and he could make a big impact in five categories for fantasy managers given a call-up.

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Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson has been lights-out all season long at Double-A Arkansas, and following the big-league club's trade of Luis Castillo at the deadline, there could be room for the talented left-hander in Seattle. Anderson has a 9-1 record this season with Arkansas and a 1.20 ERA and 0.66 WHIP. He also has 119 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings for an extremely enticing strikeout rate. Anderson, now 22 years old, is the No. 1 prospect in the Mariners' system and boasts a 60-grade fastball and changeup with a 55-grade curveball and slider. Anderson looks like a great late-season stash in all fantasy leagues, and his upside is extremely high with his minimal ERA and WHIP coupled with his elite strikeout rate. The only question is whether the Mariners take a chance and call up Anderson to the big leagues.

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The New York Yankees called up infield prospect George Lombard Jr. from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make his major-league debut on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, and he immediately made an impact, going 1-for-2 at the plate with a solo home run in the team's 2-0 victory. In his first two major-league games, Lombard has gone 2-for-6 in seven plate appearances. The club's top overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is here to stay and will be taking over the starting shortstop job in the Bronx from Anthony Volpe, who was sent down to Triple-A when Lombard came up. The former first-rounder in 2023 hit .268 (56-for-209) with six home runs, 21 RBI, 10 steals, and 44 runs scored in 56 games and 262 plate appearances with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before his call-up. The 21-year-old is patient with advanced plate discipline as a hitter, and his power upside makes him an immediate waiver-wire priority in a starting role at a premium position in fantasy. Right now, Lombard is rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues.

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Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young had a recent eight-game hitting streak from July 26 through Aug. 2 that saw him go 15-for-34 (.441) with a home run, a double, two triples, three RBI, and six runs scored across 37 plate appearances. He capped it off with a 4-for-5 night against the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 2. Young has gone 0-for-9 with three walks in three games since losing his eight-game hitting streak, but the recent hot stretch had fantasy managers giving the 23-year-old a look off the waiver wire for middle-infield help in deeper leagues. The former 21st overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft is now hitting .263/.323/.412 with a .736 OPS, 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 54 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 116 games played and 465 plate appearances as a regular for the M's in his first full MLB season in 2026. Young has definitely taken a step forward in his second season in the big leagues, and he's quietly become a steady second base option in counting-stat leagues with improved power at the plate. And with a .280 expected batting average and .334 xwOBA, Young still has time to do more damage before his sophomore season comes to an end. He's rostered in only 21% of Yahoo leagues.

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