Hunter Greene will undergo elbow surgery after being diagnosed with a partial UCL tear — whether he needs full Tommy John or an internal brace procedure won't be confirmed until surgeons get a direct look. His 2026 season ends at 27.2 innings and a 6.83 ERA. No timeline can be set until the procedure is complete.
Matt Chapman will have surgery on Tuesday, August 11 for a hernia and abdominal muscle tear on his right side. He hasn't played since June 30, and his attempted progression back stalled last weekend when he felt discomfort while running. Chapman posted a career-worst .235/.324/.368 slash in 84 games — and is now the third Giants position player declared out for the season in eight days.
Los Angeles acquired Tarik Skubal from Detroit in exchange for outfielder Zyhir Hope and pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith. Skubal brings a 2.79 ERA and 0.91 WHIP into his Dodgers debut, joining a rotation that now also includes the returning Blake Snell. The Dodgers have outscored the Tigers by 67 runs this season.
Blake Snell will come off the IL when the Dodgers host the Royals on Tuesday, August 12. He started the season on the IL with shoulder fatigue, made one start in May, then required elbow surgery to remove loose bodies. Four strong rehab starts later, he's been cleared to return.
Who's Hot This Week
The Twins' top prospect is knocking on the door. The 21-year-old lefty-swinging outfielder is batting .421 in August at Triple-A with a two-homer game in his last outing, and Minnesota just promoted No. 2 prospect Kaelen Culpepper — Jenkins could be next in line. He pairs elite pitch recognition with a smooth swing that profiles as a perennial .290-.310 hitter with gap power. Stash in 14+ leagues if you have a bench spot.
Worth Reading
Cross goes through his favorite adds under 40% rostered for the week ahead, covering both hitters and pitchers. Good starting point for wire moves before the Sunday FAAB deadline.
Comprehensive breakdown of hitters with favorable schedules and matchups this week. Useful if you're streaming at flex or utility spots in the final stretch of the regular season.
Dollar-amount blind-bid recommendations for leagues with FAAB. Covers top targets and appropriate bid ranges — essential reading if you don't want to overpay in an August bidding war.
Partial UCL tear confirmed; surgery scheduled imminently. Whether Greene needs full Tommy John or an internal brace won't be known until surgeons get in. Either way he will not pitch again in 2026 and his 2027 availability is uncertain. He made just 27.2 IP this season with a 6.83 ERA.
Hernia plus abdominal muscle tear on his right side. Surgery scheduled for Tuesday, August 11. Chapman has not played since June 30; a return attempt stalled last weekend when he felt pain while running. His 2026 season is over.
Paul Skenes owns a 5.18 ERA over his last 14 starts — a steep drop from the Cy Young winner who baffled hitters in 2025. The culprit isn't bad luck alone: his four-seamer has shed nearly two full ticks, averaging 96.9 mph this year versus 98.8 in 2025. Fewer elite fastballs mean more contact, and more contact has produced a career-high 13 home runs allowed. His Stuff+ has fallen to 44th among starters with at least 70 innings pitched.
The underlying metrics compound the velocity concern. His groundball rate has dropped from 51.1% as a rookie to 39.7% in 2026 — hitters are lifting him far more often. His walk rate has crept to a career-worst 6.3%. None of these changes is catastrophic in isolation, but together they tell the story of a pitcher whose margin for error has narrowed significantly without the overpowering fastball to bail him out.
The saving grace: Skenes' 24% K-BB% still ranks sixth among all pitchers, and his 3.6 fWAR confirms real value even in a down stretch. The Pirates haven't panicked, and the path back is a mechanical adjustment rather than a wholesale rebuild — this is a pitcher whose feel for commanding his arsenal dipped, not one who lost his stuff entirely. He's still a viable starter, but the sell-high window is open.
The Royals' two-man committee headlined another night of save-situation volatility. Nate Pearson nailed down Kansas City's win on 19 pitches (73.7% strike rate) for his second save, while Steven Cruz worked the eighth for a hold. Elsewhere, Edwin Diaz blew his third save for the Mets after allowing back-to-back triples to open the ninth, and Jack Dreyer earned his first save of the season for the Dodgers.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Pearson | KC | 🔴 Committee | Two saves in three chances since arriving from Houston on July 22. Sharing high-leverage duties with Steven Cruz in a genuine committee — neither has a firm grip on the role. Effective but a 1.29 WHIP warrants caution. Stream only in save-needy leagues. |
| Steven Cruz | KC | 🔴 Committee | 2.25 ERA over 28 IP since June 1, three saves since July 22. Cruz looked like he was taking over after Alex Lange imploded, but Pearson's arrival split duties again. Both are streamable if you need saves; neither is a set-and-forget option. |
| Jonathan Loáisiga | ARI | 🟡 Watch | Has allowed a run in five of his last 10 outings. He's already appeared in 50 games this season — matching his previous three-season total — and fatigue is a legitimate concern. Roster at your own risk in the final two months. |
| Grant Taylor | CWS | 🟡 Watch | Inherited the closer role after Seranthony Dominguez was traded to Seattle. Recorded his first save opportunity on August 9. Completely unproven in the role — monitor closely before spending meaningful FAAB this week. |