Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Julian Merryweather picked up his second save of the season on Sunday in a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies. Merryweather struck out one and walked a pair but escaped unscathed. After Adbert Alzolay went on the IL, it appeared as though Merryweather was in line for some save opportunities. Unfortunately, the Cubs haven't won many close games recently and Merryweather only has a couple saves in his absence. With Alzolay likely coming off the IL Tuesday, it will be tough to decipher which Cubs reliever will be relied upon in save situations in the final week of the season.

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Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Jose Leclerc picked up his fourth save Sunday in a 9-8 win over the Seattle Mariners. Leclerc allowed a hit, but struck out two and didn't allow a run in his inning of work. The 29-year-old has been a big part of the Rangers bullpen late in the season, notching three saves and five holds since August 24. Although Aroldis Chapman appears to be the favorite for saves still, Leclerc could get some opportunities when the lineup they are facing is righty-heavy. He is a potential save source in deeper leagues for the final week of the season.

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Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Ian Gibaut recorded a rare save on Sunday, shutting the door on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 4-2 victory. Gibaut pitched a clean ninth inning, allowing no baserunners and striking out none. It is noteworthy that usual closer Alexis Diaz was used in the eighth inning of this one, something the Reds don't typically do. With their postseason chances hanging on the line, though, they went with what they thought would give them the best chance of winning. This sets up a potentially frustrating final week for Diaz owners, who may see the 26-year-old appear in more non-save situations if the Reds' feel it is necessary.

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San Francisco Giants infielder Wilmer Flores left Sunday's game early with right knee discomfort. Flores exited in the fourth inning after collecting a pair of hits in his first two at-bats. It appears to be a minor issue, as Gabe Kapler said after the game that he doesn't believe it will be a lingering concern. Flores has been excellent for the Giants this season, slashing .285/.356/.509 with 22 homers in 393 at-bats. Fantasy managers will want to make sure Flores is in the starting lineup on Monday before setting their own lineups.

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Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan picked up his 27th save of the season on Sunday, closing out a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Finnegan allowed a two-out homer to Sean Murphy, but managed to escape without further damage. The 32-year-old has been extremely shaky in September, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) over 8 IP. He has a blown save and two losses in his eight appearances this month. He will surely close out the season as the Nats closer, but they may look elsewhere next year and there will almost certainly be competition for his job in spring training.

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Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien was phenomenal on Sunday, belting two solo home runs as the Rangers collected a 9-8 victory over the Mariners, capping off a three-game sweep. With seven games left in the season, Semien can reach a 30-homer year, needing just three more long balls. The 33-year-old has stepped to the plate 642 times in 2023 and has posted a slash line of .277/.350/.475 with 27 home runs and 97 RBI.

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Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda is being moved to the bullpen for the coming week, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. Maeda was originally slated to pitch on Tuesday against Oakland, but Baldelli appears to be setting up his postseason rotation and wants to see Maeda get some reps out of the bullpen in preparation for that. It is a tough break for Maeda's fantasy managers, as a tasty matchup against the A's in the championship week could've made for a nice stat line. Bailey Ober will start in his place on Tuesday and is worth a look in leagues where he is available.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan struck out 10 batters while conceding just three runs over six innings in a victorious outing against the Angels on Sunday. Ryan didn't give up a walk in the contest. As the regular season winds down, he is considered the front-runner to be the Twins' third starter in the postseason. However, final decisions have yet to be made. The 27-year-old's last regular-season start is scheduled for next Saturday in Denver against the Colorado Rockies.

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In Chicago's rain-shortened victory over Boston on Sunday, White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus was 1-for-3 at the plate while driving in two crucial runs. Filling in for Tim Anderson at shortstop and batting in the leadoff spot, Andrus provided a two-run double off right-hander Kutter Crawford, propelling the White Sox to a 2-1 lead in a game shortened to six innings. Throughout the season, Andrus has maintained a respectable batting line of .255/.309/.364, establishing himself as a reliable and versatile asset for the team.

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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen recorded his first save in 2023 as he closed out the Mets on Sunday. He needed just 13 pitches to shut down Mets batters in the ninth. Lorenzen has worked out of the bullpen before, as he's collected 15 saves in his major league career. His last save was in the 2021 season. The 31-year-old has posted a 4-2 record with a 5.89 ERA in 44/1 innings since joining the Phillies.

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New York Mets C Francisco Alvarez (hand) left Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies due to a hand injury.

Tampa Bay Rays 3B Yandy Diaz (hamstring) left Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays due to a hamstring injury.

Chicago White Sox OF Luis Robert (knee) left Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox due to a sore left knee, and he will be re-evaluated Monday, Sept. 25.

Arizona Diamondbacks SS Ketel Marte (illness) did not play Sunday, Sept. 24 against the New York Yankees due to illness.

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher James McArthur was called upon to hold a one-run lead versus the Houston Astros on Sunday. This was not an easy task, but McArthur was able to get the job done. McArthur allowed one hit, but was able to get out of the jam and record his third save of the season. The 26-year-old has quality pitches and could be a legitimate option as a long term closer. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Royals add some depth in the bullpen this offseason. However, McArthur should get a legitimate look as the full time closer next season.

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San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto put together a strong performance against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The left-handed slugger opened up the scoring with a three-run home run off Drew Rom in the opening frame. It was a 461-foot blast that marked Soto's 33rd home run of the season. Soto also recorded a double in the fourth inning, while going 3-for-5 at the plate during the 12-2 win. Soto is slashing 273/.408/.514 with 33 home runs and 105 RBI this season.

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows smacked two hits as his team blanked Oakland 2-0 on Sunday. One of Meadows two hits was a double and he also logged a run scored. The 23-year-old double sparked a rally in the third frame. He is just 31 games into his big-league career and carries a slash line of .212/.325/.333 in 99 trips to the plate. Meadows has also shown some speed on the base path with seven swiped bags in eight attempts.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez looked nearly unhittable on the mound versus the New York Mets on Sunday. The left-hander threw seven innings of two-run baseball with 10 strikeouts in the win. The 26-year-old only allowed three hits in this game and the only damage done was a two-run home run by Ronny Mauricio. Sanchez now holds a 3.48 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 95/16 K/BB ratio across 98 1/3 innings this season. His final start of the regular season will come against the New York Mets on Saturday.

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Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen originally joined the team as a starter, but was recently moved to the bullpen. The Phillies called upon Lorenzen to protect a three-run lead versus the New York Mets on Sunday. The right-hander needed only 13 pitches to close out this contest. He earned his first save of the season and it might not be his last. He now holds a 4.26 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 108/46 K/BB ratio over 150 innings on the season.

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New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) was forced to exit early during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The young catcher was taken out of the game after taking a couple of foul balls off his left hand. The team removed him as a precaution and will likely have him undergo additional testing. The Mets aren't playing for anything at this point, so they don't want to risk the health of their possible franchise catcher. In the meantime, Omar Narvaez will likely see more playing time if Alvarez misses time.

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