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.
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Saturday’s lineup advice | 10-day hitting forecaster
August 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 PM ET with only two more afternoon affairs to follow. The remaining 13 matchups are evening contests.
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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.
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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 their third baseman with Orlando Arcia needing an IL stint for right elbow inflammation. He last played on Tuesday with Kyle Farmer filling in at the hot corner, though prospect Kyle Karros was called up yesterday 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.
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The Baltimore Orioles outfield is down a couple of key contributors with Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser both 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.
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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 struggling, the club opted to send him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Ashcraft has a 4.84 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 48 1/3 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 may get a look before the end of the season, but he continues to exhibit command and control issues.
August 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
