Everything that happens in and around MLB has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy baseball perspective. From lineup changes to minor league call-ups to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy baseball.
Our fantasy baseball buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around MLB.
Key links: RP depth chart | Player Rater | Scoring leaders
Sunday’s lineup advice | 10-day hitting forecaster
August 10: What you need to know for Sunday
Todd Zola: The first of 14 matinees gets started at 1:05 p.m. ET with the Minnesota Twins hosting the Kansas City Royals. The ESPN Sunday night affair is the rubber game of the weekend set between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals defended their home turf on Friday, then the Cubs captured yesterday’s tilt.
Luis Severino was scratched from today’s start and was placed on the 15-day IL with a left oblique strain. Hogan Harris was called up to fill the roster spot, though Luis Morales will pick up the start, but he’ll likely be more of a multiple-inning opener before turning the game over to the bullpen. Morales worked as a reliever for the last month. Osvaldo Bido is slated to log multiple frames as well.
Wenceel Perez was forced out of Saturday’s game after he fouled a ball off his foot. The early diagnosis is just a bruise, but the area is still swollen so he’ll likely undergo further tests today. Perez is considered day-to-day. He’s been wielding a hot bat, posting a .387/.441/.710 line over his prior nine games. He clearly won’t keep up that pace, but the streak cemented full time status for the 25-year-old switch-hitting outfielder.
Carlos Narvaez sat out for the fourth time in five games last night as he’s nursing a sore knee. The Boston Red Sox regular backstop has a respectable .726 OPS while playing solid defense. The disappointing Connor Wong has filled in for Narvaez this week, though the club did claim Ali Sanchez off waivers, but he hasn’t garnered any action yet. Manager Alex Cora anticipates that Narvaez will miss today’s game, though Cora indicated that Narvaez could catch in an emergency.
Matt Wallner will be away from the Twins for up to three days after being placed on paternity leave yesterday. Carson McCusker was summoned from Triple-A St. Paul to fill the roster spot.
With Devin Williams yielding multiple runs for the third time in his last five appearances on Friday night, New York Yankees manager turned to David Bednar for last night’s save against the Houston Astros. He was brought in with one out and the bases loaded in the eighth inning with the Yankees nursing a 4-3 lead. Bednar walked in the tying run, then fanned the next two batters. Trent Grisham put the Yankees back in the lead with a home run in the bottom of the frame, then Bednar notched a clean ninth inning to capture the win (after being credited with a blown save). With Bednar throwing 23 pitches, he’s probably unavailable today. Camilo Doval also tossed 25 pitches yesterday, with Luke Weaver needing 11 to handle the seventh inning. With everyone but Williams probably unavailable, it will be interesting to see how Boone navigates the late innings if it is a close affair. Max Fried gets the start and has logged at least seven innings eight times this season, but the last instance was June 25.
Aug. 9: What you need to know for Saturday
Todd Zola: Saturday’s slate opens with the first game of a separate admission doubleheader as the Atlanta Braves host the Miami Marlins. Action gets underway at 1:15 p.m. ET with only two more afternoon affairs to follow. The remaining 13 matchups are evening contests.
Logan Henderson was slated to start Saturday when the Milwaukee Brewers entertain the New York Mets, but he was placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow flexor strain. Tobias Myers was summoned from Triple-A Nashville to take the hill. This was supposed to be Jacob Misiorowksi‘s outing, but he was placed on the 15-day IL earlier in the week with a bruised tibia.
Thairo Estrada‘s season is over as the Colorado Rockies transferred him to the 60-day IL. He was placed on the 10-day IL earlier in the week with a strained right hamstring. Adael Amador should handle second base down the stretch, with some help from Aaron Schunk. The club will also be without its third baseman, with Orlando Arcia needing an IL stint for right elbow inflammation. He last played Tuesday, with Kyle Farmer filling in at the hot corner, though prospect Kyle Karros was called up Friday and made his debut. The 22-year-old began the season with Double-A Hartford, batting .294/.399/.462 in 55 games. After being advanced to Triple-A Alburquerque, Karros posted a .306/.368/.500 line in 16 games.
The Baltimore Orioles outfield is down a couple of key contributors with Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser sidelined. O’Neill is on the 10-day IL with a wrist injury, while Cowser is on the 7-day concussion IL. The club’s depth was already thinned after dealing Cedric Mullins at the trade deadline. Dylan Carlson and Jeremiah Jackson should play regularly, with Greg Allen and Jordyn Adams rounding out the fly chasers. The lineup received a boost with the return of Ryan Mountcastle. The veteran right-handed slugger homered in his first game since May 30. Mountcastle is expected to garner most of the DH playing time.
With Johan Oviedo optioned to the minors to continue knocking the rust off after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, the Pittsburgh Pirates called up Braxton Ashcraft to start Saturday’s NL Central tussle with the Cincinnati Reds. Oviedo started earlier in the week, but after he struggled, the club opted to send him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Ashcraft has a 4.84 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 48⅓ Triple-A innings. Fantasy managers clamoring for the club to call up top prospect Bubba Chandler need to remain patient. The 22-year-old right-hander has pitched better lately and might get a look before the end of the season, but he continues to exhibit command and control issues.
Aug. 8: What you need to know for Friday
Todd Zola: All 15 of today’s games will be contested under the lights, starting at 6:40 p.m. ET with the Pittsburgh Pirates hosting the Cincinnati Reds. The good news is that early forecasts around the league indicate that there are no weather concerns this evening.
Josh Naylor left last night’s game early after hurting his shoulder on a third-inning swing during the Seattle Mariners‘ 4-3 extra inning win over the Chicago White Sox. Naylor was diagnosed with a sore shoulder and is considered to be day-to-day, pending possible imaging later today. Donovan Solano and Dylan Moore both filled in at first base in Naylor’s absence.
The White Sox placed Chase Meidroth on the 10-day IL due to a lingering thumb issue. His only appearance since July 30 was as a defensive replacement last Sunday. With Meidroth out, rookie Colson Montgomery slides over to shortstop with Brooks Baldwin handling third base duties.
Down on the farm, Mariners’ right-hander Bryce Miller threw 66 pitches over 3 2/3 innings while rehabbing with Triple-A Tacoma. He last appeared in a major league game over two months ago as he’s been recovering from right elbow inflammation, likely due to a small bone spur. Miller’s velocity was down earlier in the season but was at 2023 and 2024 levels last night. It’s unclear when Miller will rejoin the Mariners rotation and/or if the bone spur will induce further issues.
Aug. 7: What you need to know for Thursday
Todd Zola: Two matinees and two evening affairs constitute the entirety of an abbreviated Thursday ledger. Action gets underway at 12:05 p.m. ET with the Washington Nationals and the Athletics playing the rubber game of their three-game interleague series at Nationals Park.
Paul Skenes is slated to make his 24th start of the season tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates open a home series against the Cincinnati Reds. He started just 23 games in his rookie season so this will mark a career high, although he’s already compiled five more innings than last year. The club doesn’t plan on skipping any of Skenes’ turns, but they may give him extra rest between starts, when possible, along with cutting some outings short. That said, the 23-year-old right-hander threw 99, then 94 pitches in his first two games after the break. He had averaged only 81 in his prior four outings, so look for Skenes to start having his workload managed — perhaps as soon as tonight.
Lake Bachar collected his second save for the Miami Marlins last night, with usual closer Calvin Faucher handling the eighth inning for his sixth hold in the club’s 6-4 home win over the Houston Astros. The deployment may have been based on matchups with Faucher slated to face Houston’s 4-5-6 hitters, ostensibly leaving the bottom of the order for Bachar. However, Faucher allowed the Astros to load the bases before escaping with a scoreless frame, so Bachar had to navigate the top of Houston’s order. He gave up a hit, but that was it. With Eury Perez on the hill for tonight’s road date with the Atlanta Braves (and with only four games on the MLB docket), rostering both Faucher and Bachar for today’s contest is a solid play.
Chase Meidroth was on the bench for the fifth straight game last night as he continues to nurse a sore thumb. The Chicago White Sox rookie was hit by a pitch the previous Wednesday and hasn’t played since. Lenyn Sosa filled in at second base again last night and clubbed his fourth home run over his last seven games.