Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki (finger) was removed from his start against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday due to a blister, per an announcement from the team. Sasaki struggled before getting pulled, allowing six hits, two walks, and four earned runs across 3 1/3 innings. The severity of his blister issues is not yet clear, but it would not be surprising if Sasaki requires a short stint on the injured list. Across 119 1/3 innings (23 starts) on the year, the 24-year-old has recorded a 5-5 record with a 4.60 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 117 strikeouts. Sasaki had been in the midst of a hot streak heading into his start on Wednesday, pitching to a 2.31 ERA with 34 strikeouts across his previous 35 innings pitched (six starts). If Sasaki is forced to miss time, Dodgers left-hander Eric Lauer could be a candidate to rejoin the team's rotation.

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New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette (foot) was removed in the fifth inning of his team's 8-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday due to a left foot contusion, per an announcement from the team. Bichette walked once in two plate appearances before exiting the game. Across 568 plate appearances on the year, Bichette is hitting .264/.312/.393 with 14 home runs, 66 RBI, 64 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 28-year-old has rebounded after a rough start to the season and has looked like his usual self of late, hitting .291 with four home runs and 15 RBI across 153 plate appearances since the All-Star break. However, he may now be facing some missed time. Bichette was replaced at third base on Wednesday by Christopher Morel, who could be in line for more playing time if Bichette requires a trip to the injured list.

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Pittsburgh Pirates catcher/first baseman Endy Rodriguez (hip) had season-ending surgery to fix the labrum in his left hip on Wednesday, the team announced. Rodriguez is expected to resume baseball activities within seven to nine months, which will likely delay his start to next season. The 26-year-old switch-hitting Dominican backstop will finish his third year in the majors with a .267/.373/.467 slash line, an .840 OPS, a career-high seven home runs, 20 RBI, 20 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 45 games across 159 plate appearances. In three total seasons with the Pirates, Rodriguez has only played in 120 games while hitting .231 (86-for-373) with 10 homers, 35 RBI, 52 runs, and six steals. His 2024 season ended prematurely, too, after having right-elbow surgery last June. Until Rodriguez can stay healthy and prove himself over a full season, he will be tough to get behind, even in two-catcher fantasy leagues. The Pirates will roll with Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr. behind the plate the rest of the way in 2026.

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San Diego Padres right-hander Casey Mize (ankle), who sprained his right ankle in his last outing on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, came out of his bullpen session this week feeling good and will make the start on Friday on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, manager Craig Stammen told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Overall, Mize has had a strong 2026 season, his sixth in the majors, going 5-7 with a 3.44 ERA (4.15 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 104 2/3 innings pitched across 20 starts with the Padres and Detroit Tigers. Injuries have still been an issue, though, and he has not exactly been trustworthy in his first four starts for the Friars since being acquired from the Tigers at the trade deadline at the start of August. Mize has a 7.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and seven walks in his first four starts with SD. He will not get an easy matchup coming off an ankle sprain either against the first-place Rays, who hold the sixth-best OPS (.732) in MLB. Mize is rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues with August nearly over.

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Milwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers (foot) will sit out a second straight game on Wednesday on the road in Queens against the New York Mets, per MLB.com. Christian Yelich will serve as the team's designated hitter and will hit cleanup against Mets right-hander Robert Stock at Citi Field. Andrew Vaughn is making another start at first base for Milwaukee and will hit seventh in the batting order. Although Bauers' injury is not considered serious, the Brewers will give him a second straight day off after he fouled a ball off his foot in the Williamsport game on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. He could be back as soon as Thursday's series finale in New York against the Mets. The 30-year-old Bauers is having a career year in 2026 and is currently hitting .284 (19-for-67) with a .931 OPS, four homers, three doubles, 12 RBI, 11 runs, and a stolen base in 20 games in August. He has not struggled against lefties this year either, batting .280 (30-for-107) against them with six of his career-high 23 home runs. Check back on Thursday to see if Bauers is cleared to start against the Mets.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (ankle) is starting in right field and batting third on Wednesday against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Spencer Miles at the Rogers Centre, according to MLB.com. Caglianone will return to action after missing the last two games with minor soreness in his right ankle. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups in all leagues, especially after the young left-handed slugger has been crushing baseballs in August. The 23-year-old returns to an overall .276/.328/.491 slash line with an .819 OPS, 22 home runs, 60 RBI, 59 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 434 at-bats in his first full season in the big leagues. Cags, a first-rounder in 2024 and former two-way player at the University of Florida, has never faced Miles, but he's gone 29-for-72 (.403) with five home runs, six doubles, 20 RBI, 12 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 19 games during the month. He's one of the hottest hitters in baseball, with 15 of his 22 long balls on the year coming against right-handed pitchers.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) was removed from Tuesday's game early after he experienced discomfort in his right hip while chasing down a ball in the gap, per MLB.com, and he is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest in Sacramento against the Athletics. Luke Keaschall will start in center field and bat leadoff for Minnesota, with Josh Bell serving as the designated hitter and batting third against A's right-hander J.T. Ginn. It is a concerning injury for the veteran Buxton, who has already been on the injured list twice in the last two months with a right-hip impingement. The good news is that the Twins have a day off on Thursday, although that does not necessarily mean Buxton will be back in action for Friday's series opener versus the division-rival Chicago White Sox. It has been another strong year overall for Buxton, who is hitting .254 (94-for-370) with 25 home runs, 46 RBI, 65 runs scored, and seven steals in his 12th year in the majors. However, he has played in only 18 games in the second half and has hit .172 (11-for-64) with zero homers, an RBI, eight runs, seven walks, and 17 strikeouts. Buxton is limping towards the finish line in 2026.

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Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (elbow) will sit out for a second straight game on Wednesday versus the Miami Marlins, per MLB.com. Connor Wong will do the catching for right-hander Sonny Gray and will hit ninth for the BoSox against Marlins right-hander Ryan Gusto. Rutschman's elbow injury is not considered serious after he hyperextended his arm on a swing in the series opener in Miami on Monday. Boston has a scheduled day off on Thursday, so Rutschman could be back in the starting nine for Friday's big series opener against the division-rival New York Yankees. The 28-year-old switch-hitting backstop, who was the first overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Oregon State, has been unable to get into a groove in 2026 and has been set back by injuries along the way. He enters Wednesday's action with a .236/.320/.406 slash line with only nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 33 runs scored in 79 games and 331 plate appearances. Since joining the Red Sox at the trade deadline on Aug. 3, Rutschman has gone 6-for-41 (.146) with a homer, a double, four RBI, three runs scored, six walks, and 12 strikeouts. Boston is banking on the three-time All-Star eventually turning things around at the plate.

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New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (calf) is facing a live pitcher at Citi Field on Wednesday, according to Chelsea Janes of SNY. Janes has heard that Sept. 1 could be a loose target for Soto's return from the 10-day injured list. If Soto is facing live pitching, his return might not be far off after missing the last month with a Grade 2 strain of his left calf, the second time he has gone on the IL this year with a calf issue (his other calf strain was to his right leg). The way things are trending, the All-Star left-handed slugger could come off the IL and rejoin the Mets' starting lineup without going on a minor-league injured list, much like how it went down in the first half of the season. The 27-year-old Dominican remains a must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues when he is healthy, as he has slashed .283/.408/.539 with a .947 OPS, 21 home runs, 52 RBI, 46 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 84 games across 359 plate appearances in 2026 in his second year in Queens. Soto last played for the Mets back on July 24 and was hitting just .218 (12-for-55) with an .842 OPS, four home runs, 13 RBI, eight runs, a stolen base, 18 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 17 games in July.

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Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) will miss a third straight game on Wednesday on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. Jo Adell is starting in right field and will bat cleanup for the Guards against his old team and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. DeLauter is not believed to be dealing with an injury serious enough to send him to the 10-day injured list, and with a scheduled day off for the team coming on Thursday, he could be back in the starting nine for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Kansas City Royals. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is rostered in just under 70% of Yahoo leagues as we near the end of August after hitting .287/.362/.449 with an .811 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI, 52 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his first 414 big-league at-bats. DeLauter has hit a cool .313 (36-for-115) with two homers, 13 RBI, and six steals in the second half and an impressive .349 (46-for-132) with two of his 13 dingers against left-handed pitchers. Check back on Friday to see if he has been cleared to rejoin Cleveland's starting lineup.

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San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) restarted his minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday at Single-A Lake Elsinore and allowed three earned runs on four hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out four in three innings of work. It was Pivetta's second rehab start after suffering a setback in his first outing with Lake Elsinore three weeks ago. His results in his return were not exactly great, but the good news is he avoided another setback with a right-forearm injury that has limited him to only four starts in 2026. The Padres are still holding out hope that the 33-year-old Canadian veteran can join their starting rotation at the big-league level for the stretch run in September, but he's running out of time to make a significant fantasy impact, and he will likely need at least a couple of more rehab starts before he's activated from the 60-day injured list. The 10-year MLB veteran went 13-5 in 2025 in his first year in SD with a career-best 2.87 ERA (3.49 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with a career-high 190 strikeouts and 50 walks in his 31 starts. Pivetta is still being held in 65% of Yahoo leagues.

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The New York Yankees officially announced that right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez will start on Wednesday against the Houston Astros, according to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican will be making his fifth major-league start after going 8-3 this season with a 2.59 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 99:46 K:BB in 97 1/3 innings pitched across 19 starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez hasn't been as good in his four starts for the Yankees earlier this year in the majors, though, allowing nine earned runs on 19 hits (one homer) while walking 11 and striking out 10 in 17 innings pitched in starts against the Texas Rangers (twice), New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds. The 6-foot-4, 177-pounder primarily features a fastball/slider combination while also featuring a curveball and changeup. Because he is long and lanky, Rodriguez has had issues with his control and command in the past in the minors, and it has resurfaced in a small sample size at the big-league level. The team's No. 3 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, might be given another start beyond Wednesday, but he will be a very risky starter for fantasy purposes.

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Miami Marlins first base/outfield prospect Jonathon Long has played 16 games with Triple-A Jacksonville after being traded over from the Chicago Cubs. Long has managed one homer and seven RBI while hitting .260 to go with 16 runs for his new club. With Triple-A Iowa before his trade, Long was hitting .283 with 12 homers and 62 RBI to go with 67 runs in 99 games. Long slots in as the No. 19 prospect with Miami but could see some time with the Marlins when rosters expand. The path to the majors has gotten clearer for Long since the trade deadline, and he could get a September shot with the Marlins, which would have been unlikely with the Cubs. Long has a 50-grade hit tool and 50-grade power. He could be a sneaky late-season addition to fantasy rosters.

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In 27 games with Triple-A Jacksonville, Miami Marlins outfield prospect Cam Cannarella has one homer and five RBI in 99 at bats with a .273 batting average. The numbers in his most recent promotion to Triple-A are decent but nothing special meaning the Marlins will likely need to see more before promoting Cannarella to Miami. Cannarella has split time between three minor league teams this season, combining to hit 13 homers with 50 RBI with a .332 batting average. The No. 6 prospect in the Marlins' system, Cannarella would appear to be a ways away from a major-league promotion. He just arrived at Triple-A as a 22-year-old and will likely need to prove more at the plate than he already has. He is a risky addition in redraft leagues and is looking more like a dynasty league play at this point.

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For fantasy managers looking to close out their season on a high note, there many not be a better September option than Cleveland Guardians prospect Ralphy Velazquez. At Triple-A Columbus, Velazquez is coming off of a three-homer game on Saturday and has been scorching hot at the plate in August making a September call-up very likely when rosters expand. Cleveland's No. 2 overall prospect has 14 homers and 27 RBI in 70 August at bats with a .371 batting average. Given a 60-grade for power, the left-handed swinging first base prospect could be a big boost to the Cleveland lineup as well as fantasy managers who take a shot and add him ahead of the promotion news. Velazquez has hit all season long between Double-A Akron and Columbus with 27 homers and 81 RBI while hitting a combined .293. He is looking like a potential league winning waiver-wire addition.

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Cleveland Guardians catcher prospect Cooper Ingle has slowed down his hitting in the month of August at Triple-A Columbus and is therefore not a high-priority stash candidate. Ingle has hit two homers in 61 August at bats with nine RBI and a .230 batting average. The catcher and outfielder already received a shot at playing in Cleveland this season. In 21 major-league at-bats, Ingle had two hits and two RBI and struck out 12 times. In all with Columbus this season, Ingle is hitting .303 with 18 homers and 61 RBI. The Guardians are currently using a catching tandem of Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey at the big league level so it will be difficult for Ingle to make it back to the majors. Ingle can be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues.

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San Francisco Giants outfield prospect Bo Davidson is having a nice month of August at Triple-A Sacramento. In 79 at bats, he has six homers and 23 RBI while hitting .342. All in all, Davidson has been called up for 34 games with Sacramento and is hitting .296 with six homers and 27 RBI. In 73 games at Double-A RIchmond, Davidson hit 19 homers with 53 RBI while hitting .277. He has shown the ability to hit for power since his promotion to Triple-A and is hoping for one more promotion to the big leagues. The left-handed hitter is the No. 8 prospect in the Giants' system. At 24 years old, Davidson has 55-grade power and 55-grade speed with a 50-grade hit tool. At 24, Davidson seems ready for a major-league shot and has the skills to back up a promotion to the big leagues. Fantasy managers will want to pay close attention.

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Across 414 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is hitting .227/.320/.365 with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, 51 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. While the 26-year-old's season-long numbers don't jump off the page, Butler's current hot streak should have him back on the radar of fantasy managers. Across 95 plate appearances in August, Butler is hitting .294 with five home runs, 12 RBI, 13 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Butler has shown an ability to be an above-average power/speed threat in the past, logging 43 home runs and 40 stolen bases across his first two full big-league seasons in 2024 and 2025. He's also made some slight improvements in his plate approach in 2026, upping his walk rate to a career-best 11.8% and lowering his strikeout rate to a more manageable 25.6%. Between his second-half resurgence and his hitter-friendly home environment in Sacramento, Butler profiles as a potential difference-maker to target on the waiver wire.

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Miami Marlins outfielder/first baseman Griffin Conine's 2026 season got off to a rough start, as he suffered a hamstring injury in early April that required surgery and sidelined him for over two months. However, the 29-year-old has quietly put together a very strong season since returning to the Marlins lineup in late June. Across 217 plate appearances on the year, Conine is slashing .259/.355/.513 with 14 home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The lefty masher has struck out in 30.3% of his plate appearances and has hit just .190 with zero home runs against left-handed pitching, both of which limit his upside. However, his 15.3% barrel rate and 53.3% hard-hit rate both support his high-end power production. For fantasy managers searching for power on the waiver wire, Conine profiles as an under-the-radar target.

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Across 341 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is hitting .276/.351/.379 with six home runs, 26 RBI, 37 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. The 23-year-old has established himself as the A's everyday center fielder and has now batted in the leadoff spot in his team's lineup in 10 out of his last 11 games. Bolte's elevated 27.6% strikeout rate is a potential red flag in his profile. However, he's logged a stellar 47.4% hard-hit rate and has logged a 63.3% ground ball rate. His tendency to hit the ball on the ground limits his power upside, but when combined with his speed, it should allow him to continue producing an elite batting average on balls in play. Bolte's BABIP across 488 minor league plate appearances in 2025 was .407, and he's logged a .379 BABIP in the big leagues in 2026. For fantasy managers in need of speed, runs scored, and some batting average, Bolte offers clear waiver wire appeal.

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