Chicago White Sox right-hander Jared Shuster will serve as the team's opener for Monday's matchup against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field. Shuster could very well end up going multiple innings for the Pale Hose in this one, but he won't be a recommended fantasy streamer against the division-leading Guardians. The 26-year-old has started just two of his 34 appearances for the team in 2024, with his last "start" coming back on July 14 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he went 1 2/3 shutout innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Shuster hasn't allowed an earned run in his last three relief appearances over six innings while walking one and striking out six, but there just isn't any real fantasy upside here in a bad matchup. Avoid Shuster on Monday.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/first baseman Pavin Smith had a game to remember on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with three homers and eight RBI in a 12-6 win over the Houston Astros. Smith did all of his damage in the first five innings, hitting a three-run homer in the 2nd, a grand slam in the third, and a solo shot in the fifth. The monster game brings the 28-year-old up to a .270 AVG and .905 OPS in 89 at-bats this season. Those numbers aren't too shabby, but the lefty hasn't been able to get into the starting lineup consistently and has spent most of his time in the minors. With a game like this, maybe the D-Backs will get him in the lineup more often. Still, it's hard to trust that one game will change things, so he isn't of much value in fantasy.

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Osvaldo Bido will rejoin the starting rotation on Tuesday against the Houston Astros. Bido was skipped on Saturday, potentially to reduce his workload as he is nearing his total from last year. This is an important move for fantasy, as Bido becomes a two-start pitcher this week (as long as the A's don't skip his next start as well) with the second matchup being against the lowly White Sox. He is a solid option in standard-size leagues, especially points leagues. Also noteworthy is that JP Sears is no longer a two-start pitcher and will lose the juicy White Sox matchup.

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman and designated hitter smashed a two-run homer in a pinch-hit appearance during the Pirates' 5-3 loss on Saturday in the first game of their doubleheader. Tellez pinch-hit for Connor Joe in the bottom of the seventh and hit the two-run shot, his 13th of the season, off Nationals' right-hander Jacob Barnes. The lefty added on a walk in the bottom of the ninth before being pinch-ran for. The 29-year-old has started to turn things around after starting the season off very cold in April and May, hitting for an .853 OPS and knocking 11 of his 13 HR since June. Tellez's fantasy value is still somewhat subsided as he's mainly used as a platoon option vs right-handers, but he remains a solid option going forward. He's in the starting lineup for game two against Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker and will likely sit on Sunday against Nationals' lefty Patrick Corbin. Fantasy managers should plan appropriately.

Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas (eye) is returning to the starting nine on Saturday afternoon and will bat in the eight-hole. Vargas has been kept out of the lineup for the past two games with an eye abrasion that was caused by a collision on September 3. In his past eight games, the 24-year-old has held a .200/.333/.300 line with just four total hits. Fantasy managers should expect Vargas to continue to serve as the everyday second baseman for the remainder of the regular season on the Southside. Vargas does have a favorable matchup this afternoon against Boston right-hander Cooper Criswell who carries a 4.14 ERA but is best to leave off your DFS lineup.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes and catcher Miguel Amaya are not in the starting nine on Saturday afternoon as the Cubs continue a three-game set against the New York Yankees. The third baseman is in the midst of a rough 2-for-17 slide since the start of the month, while Amaya has tallied just one hit since September 1. As a result, Patrick Wisdom will cover the hot corner and bat in the eight-hole, and Christian Bethancourt will be behind the dish batting ninth. Fantasy managers should expect Paredes and Amaya to return to the starting nine tomorrow as they are scheduled to face Yankee ace, Gerrit Cole. Both Wisdom and Bethancourt could be sneaky plays in DFS this afternoon as they will face Clarke Schmidt who will be making his return to the mound after not pitching since May due to a strained lat.

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez finds himself on the bench for Game 1 of a doubleheader on Saturday at PNC Park against the Washington Nationals with a left-hander on the mound. Connor Joe will make the start at first base and will bat seventh for Pittsburgh against Nationals rookie left-hander DJ Herz. Tellez has only 42 plate appearances against southpaws in 2024 and has gone 8-for-37 (.216) against them with two of his 12 homers on the year, so it's no surprise he's on the bench in this one, especially with two games on tap on Saturday in Pittsburgh. Joe, 32, represents a low-upside, deep-sleeper option for DFS lineups in the first game of the twin bill to kick off the action on Saturday. He has never faced Herz in his career and is hitting .245 (34-for-139) with three of his nine home runs on the year against left-handed pitching.

Oakland Athletics right-handed reliever Austin Adams (forearm) threw to hitters on Friday and felt good, according to manager Mark Kotsay. If Adams feels good in the coming days, he could begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas. And if he doesn't suffer a setback on what is likely to be a short rehab assignment, Adams could rejoin Oakland's bullpen by sometime next week. The 33-year-old veteran previously threw a bullpen session on Tuesday as he attempts to return from right-forearm tendinitis. When the A's feel he's ready, Adams will return to a late-inning, high-leverage setup role in Oakland's big-league bullpen in front of lights-out closer Mason Miller. Adams is currently 1-2 on the year with a 3.92 ERA (4.49 FIP), a 1.48 WHIP, 53 strikeouts and 23 walks in 41 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.

Oakland Athletics right-hander Osvaldo Bido will have his turn in the starting rotation skipped this weekend against the Detroit Tigers, with rookie left-hander Brady Basso taking the ball on Saturday instead, according to manager Mark Kotsay. The A's are opting to give the ball to Basso instead after Bido allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings in his last start on Monday against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, but the 28-year-old could also be dealing with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old Basso was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday and will be making his first major-league start on Sunday against Detroit. In three relief appearances for the A's this year, the southpaw has allowed two earned runs on three hits while walking none and striking out three in 3 1/3 innings of work. We wouldn't recommend using Basso as a streamer in fantasy, even against Detroit.

According to sources, the Miami Marlins are placing right-hander Max Meyer (undisclosed) on the 15-day injured list on Saturday due to an undisclosed ailment. Meyer will no longer be available to make his scheduled start on Sunday at LoanDepot Park in the series finale against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. If Meyer has a minimal stint on the IL, he'll only be able to provide fantasy managers with one or two more starts to close out the year. The 25-year-old former third overall pick by the Fish in 2020 out of Minnesota, Meyer has been very inconsistent in 11 starts (57 innings) in 2024 in his second year in the big leagues, going 3-5 with a 5.68 ERA (5.92 FIP), a 1.42 WHIP and a 46:19 K:BB. He missed all of the 2023 campaign after Tommy John surgery. Don't sleep on him in 2025, though, as he could be a viable back-end starter in mixed leagues another year removed from his elbow surgery.

Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia crushed his 23rd home run of the season and added a late game double in the Rockies 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Toglia's three-run shot off Frankie Montas ended up being a game winner for the Rockies. Toglia's OPS improved to .793 as he continues to be a low average, high power type of hitter for the Rockies. The switch-hitter has taken advantage of consistent playing time thanks to multiple injury stints from Kris Bryant and the Rockies' demotion of Elehuris Montero, clearing the way for Toglia to be the everyday first baseman for Colorado. Fantasy managers who need help at first base should snag up Toglia as soon as possible as his .362 xwOBA ranks in the 89th percentile, making him a must own. He'll look to continue crushing balls on Saturday when the Rockies face off against Brewers scheduled starter Tobias Myers.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Gavin Stone was placed on the 15-Day IL on Friday with right shoulder inflammation. Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of operations, said that the plan for Stone would be for him to be shut down for about 10 days and then see how Stone feels before taking the next steps. The 25-year-old hitting the IL is yet another blow to a Dodgers rotation that simply cannot find a way to stay healthy. The rookie's 3.53 ERA was a pleasant surprise to the bruised and battered Dodgers pitching staff, keeping them in games and helping keep them atop the NL West with an 11-5 record. At this point in the season fantasy managers should prepare for Stone to be out until the playoffs, negating his fantasy value in 2024. Those looking for starting pitching help from the Dodgers likely can only choose from Walker Buehler or Bobby Miller, neither of which have provided any sort of fantasy value in 2024 and are likely best left on the waiver wire.

The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-hander Gavin Stone (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with right-shoulder inflammation and recalled right-hander Landon Knack and left-hander Justin Wrobleski from the minors in corresponding moves. Right-hander Michael Petersen was also optioned. In his last start last weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, Stone gave up five earned runs on five hits while striking out four in five innings of work. There's a chance that the 25-year-old could miss the rest of the 2024 regular season, and it remains to be seen if he'll be an option for the Dodgers' rotation in the postseason. Knack is making the start for the Blue on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the visiting Cleveland Guardians, with Wrobleski likely to start on Saturday. In his first full season in the majors in 2024, Stone has gone 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP and 116 K's in 25 starts.

The Pittsburgh Pirates reinstated catcher Joey Bart (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and designated outfielder Billy McKinney for assignment in a corresponding move. The Pirates have yet to release their starting lineup for Friday's contest at PNC Park against the visiting Washington Nationals and rookie left-hander DJ Herz, but Bart is likely to be in it, either behind the plate or at designated hitter. The 27-year-old former San Francisco Giants catcher returns quickly from a mild left-hamstring strain and should split playing time behind the dish in Pittsburgh the rest of the way with veteran Yasmani Grandal. Bart has been much more valuable in fantasy than Grandal and has enjoyed a change of scenery in the Steel City, hitting .272 (53-for-195) with a career-high 12 home runs and 39 RBI in 63 games since joining the Bucs.

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber had a terrific start on Thursday, tossing eight innings of one-run ball against the Atlanta Braves in a 3-1 win. Gomber allowed just five hits and had six strikeouts to zero walks. The 30-year-old has been fairly reliable lately, going at least six innings in each of his last five starts while earning a quality start in all but one of those outings. His numbers on the season aren't terrible either, especially for pitching in Coors Field. Still, he doesn't strike out a lot of batters and pitches for a dreadful team in a dreadful park for pitchers, so he doesn't warrant any long-term consideration in fantasy.

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Tejay Antone (elbow) has been working out near his home in Texas by lifting weights and undergoing physical therapy after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and arm surgery to fix tears in his UCL and flexor mass tendon on April 12. Antone has been feeling good and is not in pain and is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam and ultrasound exams in October to gauge his progress. If everything looks good, he could be cleared to start throwing with weighted plyometric balls. This is the second Tommy John surgery of the 30-year-old's career. He did not pitch at all in 2022 and has thrown a combined 7 2/3 frames in the big leagues with the Reds the last two seasons due to injuries. If healthy in 2025, Antone could provide valuable bullpen depth for Cincy after posting a 2.47 career ERA with three saves and 96 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings.

Cincinnati Reds catcher Austin Wynns (shoulder) has been throwing to the bases and is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Sept. 17. Wynns was suffered a right teres major tear in his shoulder while trying to make a throw to third base against the Kansas City Royals on July 28. The 33-year-old is not eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until Sept. 27, which is just two days before the end of the 2024 regular season, so he's highly unlikely to appear in the big leagues for the rest of the year. Wynns, a former 10th-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013 out of Fresno State, has appeared in only seven games with the Reds in 2024 in his sixth year in the big leagues and has gone 7-for-19 (.368) with four doubles, two RBI and five strikeouts.

Arizona Diamondbacks top prospect Jordan Lawlar (hamstring) could return to Triple-A Reno "soon," according to manager Torey Lovullo. The No. 8 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, reinjured his left hamstring in July to games into his rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. The initial timeline provided was for six to eight weeks. In addition to his hamstring injury, Lawlar, a first-rounder back in 2021, spent time on the injured list in the minors earlier this year due to a thumb injury. Because of his thumb ailment, Lawlar didn't make his 2024 debut until May 29. As a result of his thumb and hamstring injuries, the 22-year-old has played in just 13 games in 2024 and has essentially lost an entire season of development. Because of all the lost time, expect Lawlar to play winter ball this offseason. He's unlikely to be an option if Arizona advances deep into the playoffs again.

The Kansas City Royals reinstated outfielder Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Thursday and optioned right-hander Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. The team also designated right-hander Dan Altavilla (oblique) for assignment. Renfroe, who is hitting just .237/.312/.398 with a .710 OPS, 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 334 at-bats for the Royals this year, will be a platoon bat for the Royals against left-handed pitchers, at best, upon his return after the addition of right-handed-hitting outfielder Tommy Pham. With Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) expected to miss the rest of the regular season, some of Renfroe's playing time could come at first base down the stretch. He has been out since late August with a strained right hamstring. He went 8-for-21 (.381) with a homer and three RBI in six games before landing on the IL, so KC will be hoping he can pick up where he left off.

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that both outfielder Nick Martini (thumb) and reliever Ian Gibaut (calf, forearm) have minor-league rehab assignments scheduled. Martini is hoping to start his rehab assignment on Sept. 17 with Triple-A Louisville as he recovers from thumb surgery on his left thumb that he had in early July. With only a few weeks left in the 2024 regular season, though, it wouldn't be a surprise if we didn't see either Martini or Gibaut back for the Reds before the end of September. Gibaut, meanwhile, is scheduled to start his rehab assignment on Sept. 15 with Louisville. The 30-year-old veteran hasn't pitched at all in 2024 after having forearm surgery, and he recently had a setback when he suffered a calf strain. Because of all the time he's missed this year, Gibaut is going to need at least several outings in the minors leagues. Fantasy managers can ignore both.