MLB Player News

India had been battling a knee injury, but he returned to action on Sunday, so this decision could be due to a lack of production. The 27-year-old is coming off a month of July where he hit .207 in 23 games. He did have just an 18 percent strikeout rate and connected on three home runs, but he has also started August cold, going 5-for-40 (.125) in 10 games with a 37 percent strikeout rate. Perhaps he’s not fully healthy, but Spencer Steer will lead off and play second base, which will allow Will Benson to enter the lineup as the left fielder and ninth hitter.

Mancini hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since the 2023 campaign when he got into 79 games for the Cubs. The 34-year-old figures to see action at first base and DH, with Vaughn Grissom (oblique) on the injured list and Nolan Schanuel dealing with a lingering ankle issue, after batting .273/.377/.464 with six homers in 224 plate appearances over 52 games at the Triple-A level this season.

Guzman earns another opportunity with the Angels as their primary third baseman after slashing a robust .336/.403/.571 with 12 homers and nine steals across 268 plate appearances over 58 games in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this season. The 22-year-old infielder batted .190 (8-for-42) with two homers during a 13-game cameo with Los Angeles late last season. He’s an interesting talent, but he’ll need to show something at the highest level to earn an everyday role and sustained fantasy value.

Grissom heads to the injured list after missing three consecutive contests over the weekend with side tightness. No word yet on the severity of the strain, which will determine how much time he misses. The 25-year-old has proven to be a worthwhile reclamation project for a perpetually rebuilding Los Angeles franchise, hitting .246/.325/.410 with four homers and 27 RBI across 155 plate appearances through 40 games.

Frazier is merely a role player at this advanced stage of his baseball life, but he might be nearing the end of the metaphorical road. The 34-year-old has hit just .210/.297/.333 with one homer and six RBI in 93 plate appearances across 41 games this season. It’s not what you want.

Moncada is facing a lengthy absence after hitting the shelf with right knee inflammation back in late May. He’ll be out until at least late July following this latest procedural move.

Richard Lovelady will serve as Washington’s opener. Mikolas was tagged for six runs over six innings by the Marlins his last time out. The 37-year-old veteran holds a cringe-inducing 6.39 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 36/16 K/BB ratio across 56 1/3 innings this season. He’s not a recommended streaming option.

It sounds like a precautionary decision, but back issues are notoriously complex matters. It’ll be Cole Young moving over to cover shortstop in his absence. Emerson’s absence comes at a challenging time for Seattle’s middle infield mix since veteran J.P. Crawford hit the injured list with a hand contusion earlier on Monday. The 20-year-old prodigy has gotten off to a nice start in his rookie campaign, hitting .242/.319/.548 with four homers and 10 RBI through 19 games. There should be an update on Emerson’s status following the contest. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

Alcántara will head back to the minors with Matt Shaw coming off the injured list for Tuesday’s series opener against the Rockies. The 23-year-old top prospect entered Sunday’s series finale against the Giants as a pinch-runner and made a costly baserunning mistake, getting hung up between third base and home plate, which resulted in a double play. He figures to get another shot with the Cubs later this summer based on his impressive power numbers at the Triple-A level this year.

Whitcomb gets the call to replace an injured Nick Allen (hamstring) on Houston’s bench. The versatile 27-year-old has gone 2-for-17 with one round-tripper and four RBI in 14 games at the big-league level this season. He’s always been an intriguing talent, and has posted some huge power/speed combo numbers at the Triple-A level, but it’s never really come together at the highest level.

Allen heads to the shelf after leaving Sunday’s contest against his former team with hamstring discomfort. No word on the severity yet. He’s played for the Astros more than originally anticipated this season and has put together his most productive stretch at the dish, slashing .266/.304/.344 with one homer and one steal through 70 plate appearances over 37 games. The 27-year-old is merely a defensive specialist at this stage of his career, but he’s having a decent season considering his track record.