Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez made his first start in over three months on Friday and held his own in a 2-1 defeat against the Kansas City Royals. Lopez (5-4) took a hard-luck loss, his fourth of the year, after tossing six innings of two-run, six-hit ball and logging four strikeouts against one walk on 92 pitches (58 strikes). It was the first start since June 3 for Lopez, who had been on the injured list with a teres major strain in his shoulder. After a successful return, the 29-year-old now owns a 2.84 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP, 65 strikeouts, and 15 walks over 66 2/3 innings this season. The Twins haven't announced a date for Lopez's next start yet.

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Los Angeles Dodgers closer Tanner Scott fell to 1-3 on the season in a 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The left-hander entered a 1-1 game in the bottom of the ninth inning and struck out the first two hitters he faced before yielding a 433-foot walk-off home run to catcher Samuel Basallo. It was Scott's first appearance since last Sunday, when he allowed three earned runs in one inning and picked up a blown save in a win over Arizona. Poor outings have been a surprisingly frequent occurrence this season for Scott, who was a lights-out reliever with Miami and San Diego from 2023-24. In his first season with the Dodgers, the 31-year-old has blown eight of 28 save chances and posted a 4.56 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 52:12 K:BB in 49 1/3 innings. Scott has already given up 10 homers this year after surrendering a combined 11 in 213 1/3 frames over the previous three seasons.

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Milwaukee Brewers reliever Abner Uribe closed out a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday to collect his fifth save of the year. The right-hander made quick work of the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth inning, inducing three groundouts to retire the side in order on eight pitches. Uribe has converted all three of his save opportunities since closer Trevor Megill (elbow) went on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain on Aug. 25. Megill is on track to return by Sept. 16, which will push Uribe back into a setup role. With a league-leading 36 holds, Uribe has thrived pitching in front of Megill this season. The 25-year-old also boasts a sparkling 1.84 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and 81:26 K:BB in 68 1/3 innings.

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San Diego Padres right-hander Randy Vasquez will come up from Triple-A El Paso to start against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, according to Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Vasquez has made 23 appearances (22 starts) for the Padres this season and gone 3-6 with a 3.96 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 59:49 K:BB in 111 1/3 innings. He'll pitch at Coors Field for the second time this year on Saturday. The 26-year-old picked up a win in Colorado on May 9, when he limited the Rockies to two earned runs on six hits and logged five strikeouts against one walk over six innings.

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The San Diego Padres announced that they have placed left-hander Nestor Cortes (biceps) on the 15-day injured list with biceps tendonitis, retroactive to Sept. 4. The club recalled righty Ron Marinaccio from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. This is the second IL stint of the season for Cortes, who missed four months with a flexor strain while with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Padres acquired Cortes at the July 31 trade deadline when he was still on the IL, and since debuting with them on Aug. 6, he has recorded a 5.47 ERA over six starts and 26 1/3 innings. Cortes lasted just 2 1/3 innings in his most recent start on Wednesday, when the Baltimore Orioles lit him up for six earned runs on seven hits (including four homers). Between Milwaukee and San Diego, the 30-year-old has gone 2-4 with a 6.29 ERA, a 1.63 WHIP, and 29:20 K:BB in 34 1/3 frames. Depending on the severity of his injury, Cortes might not have enough time to return this season.

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The Kansas City Royals announced that shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) left their 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday with lower-back spasms. Witt went 0-for-3 before the team replaced him at short with Maikel Garcia in the seventh inning and brought in Nick Loftin to play third. It's unclear if Witt will play on Saturday. The durable superstar hasn't appeared in fewer than 150 games in any of his three full seasons, and he's on pace to reach that mark again this year. Over 138 games and 605 plate appearances, Witt has slashed an excellent .294/.352/.503 with 21 homers, 77 RBI, 90 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (leg) exited a 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday with a contusion in his lower right leg. X-rays came back negative, but Rushing was on crutches after the game and will go for a CT scan, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports. The timing of Rushing's injury is terrible for the Dodgers, who may have to go without starting catcher Will Smith (hand) for the weekend after he suffered a bone bruise in his right hand on Wednesday. Rushing was in the lineup in Smith's place Friday, but the Dodgers had to bring in Ben Rortvedt to fill in behind the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. With Rushing and Smith down, Plunkett notes that they'll add another catcher to the roster in the next day. Chuckie Robinson, who's with Triple-A Oklahoma City, is the most likely candidate.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong returned to the lineup with a bang on Friday. Crow-Armstrong was absent from the starting lineup during the previous two games due to his slump at the plate. The 23-year-old was able to break out of that slump versus the Washington Nationals on Friday. Crow-Armstrong went 2-for-3 with two singles, two RBI, and a stolen base in the win. His production certainly took a hit in the second half, but Crow-Armstrong is still putting together a strong campaign. Crow-Armstrong has 28 home runs and 32 steals, so a 30-30 season isn't out of the question at this point. Fantasy managers need to keep starting Crow-Armstrong despite his slump at the plate.

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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (knee) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Rushing needed to be carried off the field after fouling a ball off his leg in the sixth inning. The fact he wasn't able to get off the field under his own power isn't a good sign. However, Rushing will likely undergo further testing before they determine the next step for him. Rushing went 0-for-2 at the plate before exiting the contest. The Dodgers are also without Will Smith (hand) right now, which puts them in a bad spot. Ben Rortvedt could be asked to make a few starts behind the plate.

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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (undisclosed) made an early exit from Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. According to Joel Goldberg, Witt was taken out after the seventh inning. Before exiting he went 0-for-3 at the plate. Witt didn't appear to have suffered any injuries and it was a one-run game at the time. There should be another update on his status shortly. Hopefully, it's a minor issue as fantasy managers cannot afford to lose Witt right now. Fantasy managers should check back after the game for another update on his status.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (knee) is trending towards returning to the mound next week. On Thursday, King made a start in the Arizona complex league. He tossed five innings and appears to have pitched well enough that he's on the verge of returning to the big league mound. King reportedly pushed to pitch against the Colorado Rockies this week, but the Padres took the cautious approach instead. It's possible that King makes a start during the series against the Cincinnati Reds early next week. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update.

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer (forearm) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kremer was pulled after three innings due to right forearm discomfort. It's a shame because Kremer tossed three scoreless innings, allowing one walk while striking out four batters before exiting. The expectation is that Kremer will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. At this point in the season, Kremer landing on the injured list would probably mean he's done for the season. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on Kremer.

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Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (shoulder) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Ragans is scheduled to throw two innings with Triple-A Omaha, according to manager Matt Quatraro. It's been pretty much a lost year for Ragans in 2025 due to multiple injuries, but it's been a rotator-cuff strain in his left shoulder that has kept him on the 60-day injured list since the middle of June. It's good to hear that he's close to throwing in real games again, and Ragans is hoping to rejoin the Royals before the end of September. However, for fantasy purposes, the ship has pretty much already sailed this year. Ragans was a first-time All-Star in 2024 but has made only 10 starts this year and has posted a bloated 5.18 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, although he did have a nice 76:16 K:BB in 48 2/3 frames.

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The Texas Rangers are moving right-hander Jon Gray (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Friday, which will officially end his 2025 season, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Gray initially went on the shelf in the middle of August with a right-shoulder injury, and we won't see him again until 2026. It was yet another disappointing campaign in 2025 in the 33-year-old veteran's fourth year in Texas, as he only appeared in six games (all in relief) while allowing 12 earned runs on 15 hits (five homers) with 12 strikeouts and six walks in 14 innings pitched. Gray just has not lived up to expectations in his time with the Rangers after spending the first seven years of his MLB career with the Colorado Rockies. After his injury-plagued 2025 campaign, fantasy managers will be avoiding him in mixed leagues next year.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that catcher Will Smith (hand) is dealing with a bone bruise in his right hand that he will likely have to manage for the rest of the season, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. Smith was hit by a pitch on his hand earlier this week in Pittsburgh and is unlikely to return to the lineup until next week. The good news, though, is that a CT scan on the 30-year-old All-Star catcher's injured hand showed no fractures. The Dodgers won't push Smith and will just hope that his hand will be feeling better for another potential deep playoff run in October. In the meantime, rookie backstop Dalton Rushing will get more opportunities behind the plate for the first-place Dodgers. Ben Rortvedt will back Rushing up. Smith has once again been one of the best hitting catchers in baseball in 2025 in one of the best lineups in the league.

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Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) was scratched from his scheduled start in Friday's series opener against the hosting Baltimore Orioles due to back tightness. The Dodgers' plan is to push Glasnow back "a few days" and have him start "early next week" in a home series against the division-rival Colorado Rockies. In Glanow's place on Friday, two-way star Shohei Ohtani will take the mound after he had his start earlier this week scratched in Pittsburgh due to a minor illness. If the 32-year-old Glasnow is feeling better by early next week, it will definitely be an upgrade in opponent against the worst team in baseball. Glasnow didn't allow more than three earned runs in his five August starts, but he's been a bit wild in his last two outings before his back issues cropped up on Friday.

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The Texas Rangers are placing outfielder Adolis Garcia (quadriceps) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a right-quad strain and will recall outfielder Dustin Harris from Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move, according to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. Manager Bruce Bochy said the team is optmistic that Garcia will be able to return after a minimal stay on the IL after missing the last three games. With Garcia sidelined, Ezequiel Duran is manning right field on Friday and will hit seventh against the visiting Houston Astros and left-hander Colton Gordon. Fantasy managers won't get much from the 32-year-old Garcia the rest of the way, but it's possible he will return for the final few weeks of the season for a final playoff push. The Cuban outfielder is two homers shy of the 20-homer mark with 73 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 125 total games for Texas.

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Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (undisclosed) has been scratched from his scheduled start in Friday's series opener at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles for undisclosed reasons. Manager Dave Roberts should provide clarity on Glasnow when he speaks with the media before Friday's contest. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who was scratched from his start earlier this week in Pittsburgh due to an illness, will now make his return to the mound. It's possible that Glasnow isn't dealing with an injury at all, which is what fantasy managers are hoping for, and that the Dodgers just wanted to get Ohtani back on the bump with him feeling better. If that's the case, the hard-throwing 32-year-old could pitch in Game 2 of the series on Saturday. Glasnow didnt' give up more than four earned runs in his five starts in August, but he's struggled with command in his last two starts.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich (back) remains out of the team's starting nine for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Jake Bauers will serve as the DH and will hit seventh against Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo. Yelich was scratched from Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies and also sat out in the series finale on Thursday, so this will be his third straight missed game. While the 33-year-old veteran is considered day-to-day for now, fantasy managers should be a little worried given his lengthy history with back injuries. If Yelich can't get back on the field soon, don't rule out a stint on the injured list as Milwaukee looks to get him fully healthy for what they hope will be a lengthy playoff run. An extended absence for Yelich would give Bauers a path to regular playing time.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (illness) will make his return to the mound for Friday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles at Camden Yards after the Dodgers scratched previously scheduled starter Tyler Glasnow for undisclosed reasons. Ohtani was scratched from his previously scheduled start this week in Pittsburgh because he was feeling under the weather. The Dodgers announced on Thursday that the 31-year-old three-time MVP would make his next start on Monday against the Colorado Rockies, but he'll now be moved up with Glasnow out. Ohtani will also serve as the designated hitter in his usual leadoff spot on Friday. Even though the O's are coming off a sweep of the Padres, Ohtani should be started in his return to the bump. He went a season-high five innings his last time out against the Reds and had a season-high nine strikeouts.

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