New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that shortstop/second baseman Anthony Volpe could see some playing time at third base this week, per the Talkin' Yanks podcast. Volpe has mostly played shortstop in his MLB career, but he recently filled in at second base while Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was sidelined by a thumb injury. With Chisholm Jr. back, it appears that New York could work Volpe into the mix at third base. The Yankees have gotten underwhelming production at the hot corner from Ryan McMahon, who has hit .210 with 11 home runs across 356 plate appearances in 2026. Volpe's numbers don't appear much better on the surface, as he's hit .244/.321/.335 with two home runs, 26 RBI, 24 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 234 plate appearances. However, the 25-year-old has been better in September, hitting .263 with four stolen bases across 40 trips to the plate this month.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns (groin) was working on a sinker in his final starts before being placed on the 15-day injured list with a groin strain, per Charlie Goldsmith of the Charlie's Chalkboard Substack. Burns put together a dominant season in 2026, recording a 15-3 record with a 2.86 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 185 strikeouts across 154 1/3 innings (29 starts). However, Burns threw almost exclusively four-seam fastballs and sliders, mixing in the occasional changeup as well. Burns told Goldsmith that adding the sinker and continuing to develop his changeup should help him go deeper into games. If Burns can successfully add a sinker to his repertoire over the offseason, he could take his production to an even higher level in 2027.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) will not appear in a regular-season game this week but is still in play to return during the postseason, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Crochet is currently on the 60-day injured list and has not pitched since late April due to shoulder and lat issues. However, he's been working toward a return and could be a factor out of the bullpen for Boston at some point in the playoffs. While 2026 has been a lost year for the 27-year-old, Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2025. Across 205 1/3 innings (32 starts), he recorded an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts. Crochet also has experience as a reliever, making 54 appearances out of the bullpen for the Chicago White Sox in 2021.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (shoulder) played catch for a fourth straight day on Wednesday and is expected to progress to mound work "very soon," per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Luzardo has been sidelined since early September by shoulder inflammation, but it appears he has a chance to work out of the bullpen for the Phillies in the National League Wild Card Series. Across 178 2/3 innings (29 starts) before the injury, the 28-year-old recorded a 14-5 record with a 2.87 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 221 strikeouts. Luzardo posted a career-best 30.4% strikeout rate and an elite 23.2% K-BB rate. While the talented left-hander is unlikely to be fully built up as a starter, getting Luzardo back in any capacity would still be a major boost for Philadelphia.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) said he intends to be ready for Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Judge is currently on the 10-day injured list as he battles a calf strain, but it appears he has a chance to be on the field when the Yankees open postseason play next Tuesday. It's been an injury-marred 2026 season for Judge, who was sidelined from late May until early September by a stress fracture in his rib and then immediately went back on the IL with the calf issue. He's also been below his incredibly lofty standard when healthy enough to play, hitting .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs, 41 RBI, 45 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 285 plate appearances. Still, getting Judge back would obviously be a massive boost for a Yankees lineup that has largely struggled without its best player.

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Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that left-hander Shane McClanahan (forearm) is "not in play" for the team's American League Division Series roster, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. McClanahan has been sidelined since early September with left forearm tightness. While Cash did not rule McClanahan out if Tampa Bay advances past the ALDS, it appears the 29-year-old's return is not imminent. Injuries are nothing new for McClanahan, who missed all of 2024 and 2025 due to elbow and triceps issues. He was productive when healthy in 2026, recording a 10-7 record with a 3.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts across 118 innings (24 starts). If McClanahan is able to return at some point in October, it seems likely that he would work out of the bullpen rather than attempting to build up as a starter.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (hamstring) left Wednesday's game early against the Cleveland Guardians due to tightness in his right hamstring, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Before Rafaela was replaced in center field by Jarren Duran, he went 1-for-1 at the plate in his first game back from a stay on the 10-day injured list this month due to a right-quadriceps injury. The Red Sox initially reported that Rafaela left the game at Fenway Park due to cramping, so hopefully it is nothing serious with the playoffs set to start next week. The 26-year-old's next chance to return to the starting lineup will be for Thursday's series finale against Cleveland. If Rafaela cannot finish out the final week of the 2026 regular season, he could be up in the air for the wild-card series next week against the division-rival New York Yankees. He was an All-Star for the first time this year and came into Wednesday's tilt hitting a nice .282/.317/.443 with a .760 OPS, career-high-tying 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 steals, and 67 runs scored across 135 games played and 569 plate appearances in his third full season in the majors.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Wednesday that they placed right-hander Dylan Cease (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 20) with inflammation in his right shoulder and recalled right-handers Chase Lee and CJ Van Eyk from Triple-A Buffalo in corresponding moves. With the Blue Jays eliminated from postseason contention, they will shut Cease down for the final week of the regular season. The Blue Jays already announced this week that the 30-year-old All-Star will not need surgery on his shoulder, so he should be ready in plenty of time for spring training next year. Cease really liked pitching north of the border in his first year with the Jays in 2026, as he went 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA (league-best 2.55 FIP) and 1.10 WHIP with a career-high 239 strikeouts and 78 walks in 169 innings across 29 starts in his eighth season in the majors. He now has six straight seasons with 200-plus strikeouts, making Cease an extremely attractive strikeout arm in fantasy baseball drafts next spring.

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Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (wrist) is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game on the road against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, per MLB.com. Nick Allen is getting the start at shortstop and will hit ninth against Mariners right-hander George Kirby. Pena was pulled late in Tuesday's contest against the Mariners after he was hit by a pitch on his right wrist earlier in the game. It is unclear if X-rays came back negative for the 29-year-old, so for now, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. Check back to see if Pena is available to return for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Athletics in Sacramento. It is bad timing for the Astros for Pena to be dinged up with the Astros battling the Texas Rangers for the American League West division with just five games left to play. Pena has been great for Houston when he has been healthy in 2026, hitting .275/.325/.469 with 20 home runs, 51 RBI, 77 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 426 at-bats. Hopefully, he will be ready for the final series of the regular season this weekend in Sacramento.

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Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (face) remains out of the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's game at Wrigley Field against the visiting Miami Marlins, per MLB.com. Pedro Ramirez is making the start at the hot corner and will bat seventh against Marlins right-hander Ryan Gusto. Bregman suffered multiple facial fractures on Sunday against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds when he was struck in the face by a foul ball while in the on-deck circle. Thankfully, the 32-year-old veteran will not need surgery, and the Cubs are not ruling out a return for Bregman before the end of the week to close out the 2026 regular season. Chicago would like to get Bregman some at-bats going into next week's wild-card series. In his first year with the Cubbies, the three-time All-Star is hitting .262/.352/.452 with an .804 OPS, 26 home runs, 89 RBI, 89 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 153 games and 693 plate appearances. Although Bregman is not a lock to return by the end of the weekend, the Cubs should have him available next week for the start of the playoffs.

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Baltimore Orioles middle infielder Jackson Holliday (wrist) said he will need surgery to fix his left wrist, either later this week or next week, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. The good news is that Holliday is not dealing with a complete tear. "Hopefully just go in there and clean it up, and that'll be that," Holliday said. He has been told to expect about a 10-week recovery, so it should not impact his timeline for next season. The 22-year-old was diagnosed with a triangular fibrocartilage complex tear in his wrist. His 2026 season got off to a bad start when he needed surgery to remove a broken hamate bone in his right hand, causing him to get a late start to the campaign. The former first overall pick in 2022 was unable to fully recover, playing in just 98 games for the O's while hitting a disappointing .229/.300/.340 with a .640 OPS, seven home runs, 30 RBI, 45 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 354 plate appearances. Holliday has yet to reach the potential that made him the first overall pick, but with a fully healthy season in 2027, he could be a deep-league sleeper at middle infield.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (shin) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's contest at home against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, per MLB.com. Brewer Hicklen is making the start in right field for the Braves and will bat eighth against Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott. Acuna was pulled from Tuesday's game early against Cincinnati after fouling a ball off his left leg. Thankfully, X-rays came back negative, and he was diagnosed with a shin contusion. The Braves are giving Acuna a precautionary day off on Wednesday, but he could be back as soon as Thursday's series finale in Atlanta. The Braves' primary concern will be for Acuna to be ready to roll for the start of the postseason next week. The 28-year-old former MVP and five-time All-Star missed more time due to injuries in 2026, but he still managed to reach the 20-homer mark in just 104 games played while slashing .259/.352/.462 with an .814 OPS. Acuna has added 55 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 60 runs scored. He has been seeing the ball well in September, going 25-for-74 (.338) with seven home runs, five doubles, 19 RBI, 13 runs scored, and a stolen base in 19 games.

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Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday and is in the starting lineup against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Foster Griffin, starting in center field and batting sixth, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Rafaela is back for the tail end of the 2026 regular season after landing on the IL earlier this month with a strained right quad muscle. He did not go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning, but instead took at-bats off a Trajekt machine. The Red Sox are hoping he will get enough at-bats in through the rest of the week to get him back up to speed for the start of the wild-card series next week against the division-rival New York Yankees. Rafaela is returning to a strong .282/.317/.443 slash line with a .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored in his 535 at-bats this year. Boston is a much scarier team with their starting center fielder and power/speed threat back in time for the postseason.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) remains out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game at Fenway Park against the visiting Cleveland Guardians, according to The Boston Globe's Tim Healey. Nick Sogard is making another start at first base and will bat second against Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin. Contreras is now out of the starting lineup for a fifth straight game after he was hit on his right hand by a pitch last Thursday against the Texas Rangers. X-rays came back negative, but apparently the right-handed slugger is still too sore to return to action. The Red Sox would love to get Contreras back on the field by this weekend so that he can get some more at-bats heading into the big wild-card series next week against the division-rival New York Yankees. The 34-year-old Venezuelan has been great for the BoSox in 2026 with a .276/.387/.518 slash line and a career-high 27 home runs, but he has barely played in September due to injuries. Contreras also hit just .217/.330/.386 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 11 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 23 games in August. He is currently limping to the finish line.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Wednesday that they placed catcher Samuel Basallo (concussion) on the seven-day concussion injured list (retroactive to Sept. 22) and recalled outfielder Heston Kjerstad from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. Basallo took a foul tip off his catcher's mask in Monday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays and was pulled from the game to undergo concussion testing. The 22-year-old Dominican backstop will finish his first full season in the majors with a .222/.291/.406 slash line with a .696 OPS, 18 home runs, 54 RBI, and 40 runs scored across 112 games and 399 plate appearances. Most of the damage that Basallo did came in the first half, as he also dealt with a shoulder injury in the second half and hit just .140 (12-for-86) with a .456 OPS in 29 games since the All-Star break. The Orioles showed their trust in Basallo at this year's trade deadline by sending former first overall pick Adley Rutschman to the division-rival Boston Red Sox. If healthy in 2027, Basallo has the skills to be one of the better power-hitting catchers in the big leagues.

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The Atlanta Braves officially announced on Wednesday that they reinstated right-handed reliever Robert Suarez (elbow) from the 60-day injured list and optioned right-hander Owen Murphy to the minors in a corresponding move. After missing more than three months with inflammation in his right elbow, Suarez is back at the back end of the Braves' bullpen for the tail end of the regular season. The Braves might ease the 35-year-old veteran Venezuelan hurler back into the fold so that he is ready to roll for the postseason next month. Before his elbow injury, Suarez, a two-time All-Star who had 76 saves in the previous two seasons with the San Diego Padres, had been pitching extremely well in Atlanta. He was 4-0 with a 0.56 ERA (2.44 FIP), a 0.84 WHIP, four saves, 26 strikeouts, and six walks in 32 relief innings. Suarez's return definitely makes Atlanta's bullpen more intimidating, just in time for the postseason in October.

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Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (back) was a late addition to the team's starting lineup for Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, according to MLB.com. Guerrero made the start at first base and is hitting second against Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt. After being pulled from Sunday's series finale against the Texas Rangers with lower-back tightness, Guerrero was not scheduled to be in Tuesday's lineup before the game was postponed due to inclement weather. He was also not initially in the starting nine for Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader at Camden Yards. Gurrero felt good while hitting before the game and convinced the coaching staff to let him play as Toronto's slim hopes of making the playoffs dim with each day. The 27-year-old is now just looking to finish strong after an extremely disappointing 2026 campaign. The six-time All-Star enters play Wednesday with just nine home runs in 529 at-bats while slashing .263/.336/.359.

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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Rico Garcia has been one of his team's most reliable bullpen arms in 2026, recording a 3.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 68 strikeouts, and 10 saves across 66 innings (74 games). The 32-year-old has mostly functioned as a high-leverage arm in a setup role for the Orioles. However, Garcia has emerged as the team's preferred option in the ninth inning of late, recording four saves in his last six appearances. Garcia has also been extremely effective in the second half of the season, allowing just three earned runs across his last 19 appearances (16 1/3 innings). For fantasy managers in need of saves in the final week of the 2026 season, Garcia profiles as a must-roster pitcher.

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Across 40 2/3 innings (eight starts) in 2026, Detroit Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe has recorded a 2-3 record with a 3.98 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts. Due to his recovery from elbow surgery, the 24-year-old did not make his season debut until early August. Jobe underwhelmed upon his return, logging a 4.63 ERA and an 18.3% strikeout rate across his first five starts. However, the 24-year-old has begun to dominate in his most recent outings. Across his last 17 1/3 innings (three starts), Jobe has recorded a 3.12 ERA and an elite 35.3% strikeout rate while allowing just a 5.9% walk rate. Jobe had previously struggled to generate strikeouts in the big leagues at the same high rates he did in the minors. If he's turning the corner in that department, the hard-throwing righty carries significant upside and profiles as a must-start pitcher in his final scheduled appearance of 2026 against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier (groin) exited his start on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners with right groin tightness, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The right-hander allowed a hit and two walks while striking out two across two scoreless innings before being pulled from the game. While the severity of Javier's injury is not yet clear, it could put his availability for the remainder of the season in jeopardy. Across 63 innings in 2026, Javier has recorded a 2-6 record with a 5.14 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts. The early portion of the 29-year-old's season was wiped out by a shoulder injury, and he struggled upon his immediate return from the injury in early July. However, Javier has been much better of late, pitching to a 1.96 ERA across 18 1/3 innings in September. Fantasy managers should check back for updates on Javier ahead of his next scheduled start on Sunday against the Athletics.

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