New York Mets

Shoulder injury has sidelined Williams and opened the Mets' ninth inning to a committee. Kodai Senga converted his first save under the new arrangement on Aug. 10, with Daniel Duarte and Nate Lavender also in the mix. IL-15 designation suggests a potential return within two weeks.

Earned his first save in the Williams-less committee on Aug. 10. Daniel Duarte and Nate Lavender are also in the mix, but Senga appears to have the inside track for now. Grab him if available — this committee has real save volume behind it.

Placed on the 15-day IL retroactive to August 8 with a right shoulder strain, five days after he was held out of a game with arm fatigue. Manager Andy Green does not consider the situation long-term serious. Williams carries 16 saves and 3 blown saves in 38.2 IP this year (4.66 ERA, 3.09 FIP). If the retroactive date holds, he's eligible to return around August 23.

First career save Monday after Williams hit the IL. Green refused to name a closer, but Senga is the highest-upside option — elite swing-and-miss stuff and he's looked dominant since transitioning to a high-leverage relief role. Stream for saves while Williams is out, but expect shared chances with Pintaro and Duarte.

Started @ Pittsburgh Pirates (2W-2L, 2.88 ERA)

Started @ Cleveland Guardians (3W-3L, 2.99 ERA)

Thornton was already the quiet story of the second half; Peralta's trade to Tampa Bay sealed the deal. The 24-year-old lefty owns the No. 3 spot in the Mets' rotation with nowhere to go. Two consecutive scoreless starts before this past week. The ERA will regress slightly — chase the 3.20–3.60 range, not the current 1.93.

Two consecutive scoreless starts since the callup. The 24-year-old lefty looks like a legitimate SP2/SP3 option for the stretch run.

Back from Tommy John, Scott has allowed 1 ER or fewer in three of his last four starts. Both RotoBaller and Forbes' Mike Barner named him the top pitcher add for Week 20.

Three straight quality starts since his callup; RotoBaller flagged him as a priority add heading into Week 19 in all formats.

Scott has quietly become one of the better streamer options in the game, posting a 3.13 ERA with a 28.8% strikeout rate that's nearly 10 points above his 2024 rookie numbers — and the Mets listed him as untouchable at the trade deadline, which tells you everything. His walk rate (10.7%) and 4.01 xERA are the legitimate concerns; he hasn't completed six innings in any start and lives on the edge of trouble every time out. But in leagues where he's still available at ~48% ownership, the upside outweighs the risk as a streaming arm in a favorable matchup. Forbes named him a top Week 20 target on July 31.

Still on the 10-day IL with a Grade 2 left calf strain (placed July 25). Soto confirmed he 'expects 100%' to return but gave no target date; the Mets are taking medical opinions and projecting 4-6 weeks, which pushes any return to late August at the earliest — with September more likely. This is his second IL stint of 2026, the other being a right calf strain in April. His $765M first season has now seen him active for fewer than 90 games.

Grade 2 left calf strain confirmed by MRI; placed on the 10-day IL July 25. Second IL stint of the season for Soto in his first year on a $765M deal. The Mets project 4-6 weeks out, with a late-August return best case. No surgery expected currently, but additional medical opinions are being gathered. His confidence is high but the organization is being cautious. This is a 'wait-and-see' situation that could become a shutdown if the rehab stalls.

Grade 2 left calf strain placed him on the IL July 25. At 4-6 weeks projected, he's a late-August return at best — and this is the same calf he injured in April, raising legitimate durability questions for the stretch run. He was slashing .303/.420/.571 with 18 HR before going down.

Scott is the best SP add nobody's talking about going into Week 18. Since returning from a hip injury, his underlying numbers have been elite — 3.26 xFIP, 22.6% K-BB%, 13.7% swinging-strike rate — and the 3.18 ERA over five starts validates the peripherals. He's allowed six home runs over his last three outings, which is the one legitimate concern, but the strikeout quality hasn't slipped. At 22% owned, he's a priority add in 14-team-plus leagues this weekend.

Soto's Grade 2 left calf strain (placed on IL Friday) carries a 2-3 week recovery window — return projected around August 10-15. This is the same calf that cost him time in April, raising durability concerns for the rest of the season. He had been slashing .303/.420/.571 with 18 HR before going down.

Soto was removed in the sixth inning of Friday's game against the Dodgers after feeling discomfort running the bases. MRI on Saturday confirmed a calf strain and the Mets immediately placed him on the IL. Projected return: 2–3 weeks. This is the same calf that cost him two-plus weeks in April, making it a true recurrence and elevating concern about it becoming a chronic second-half issue. He had been slashing .303/.420/.571 with 18 home runs in his most recent stretch.

ESPN shows Scott available in 90% of their leagues despite a 2.87 ERA and 28.5% strikeout rate — that production-to-ownership gap shouldn't exist. Multiple platforms have him as the top pitching add of the week. He belongs on every 10-team-plus roster, and the window to grab him cheap is closing.

Started @ MIL (0W-0L, 2.60 ERA)

Scott missed all of 2025 but returned throwing harder with a sweeper that ranks among the nastiest breaking balls in the NL. At 62% ownership he's only available in shallow leagues — but if he's sitting in your free agent pool, add him before he crosses 80%. His trajectory points to SP1/SP2 value by September.

Traded from Chicago to New York in January, Robert has been out since April 26 with a lumbar spine disc herniation and is targeting a return just after the All-Star break. When healthy he's a 30-HR, 20-SB profile. The Mets at 41-57 are sellers, which raises a secondary angle: he could be flipped to a contender before August 3, which would only upgrade his run-scoring context. Worth a stash in 14+ team leagues if he clears a rehab assignment this week — but this is a high-risk hold that needs roster depth to absorb.

Fractured right hand after taking a Michael Wacha fastball in the second inning July 9. Expected to miss 6–8 weeks, pushing his earliest return to late August. The injury reshapes the Mets' trade deadline approach — they'll need to address the corner infield via trade.

Right hand fracture from a Michael Wacha 92-mph fastball in the Mets' July 9 win over Kansas City. Medical staff has flagged a possible hamate fracture that could require surgery with a 4-6 week post-op recovery — worst case puts him back in September. Was batting .211 with 11 HR and 35 RBI across 73 games.

Soto exited a Cubs game with left-side back tightness and was seen wearing a back brace in the dugout. Manager Carlos Mendoza has not ruled out IL placement pending further evaluation. As of this morning, he is day-to-day with no IL move announced. He was named the Mets' lone All-Star representative on July 5 despite the injury, and the organization is weighing the risk of playing him versus preserving him for the second half. His 2026 line: .299 BA, 17 HR, 38 RBI, .965 OPS across 61 games.

Soto left a June 23 Cubs game with left-side back tightness and missed both games of the June 24 doubleheader, but returned to the starting lineup on June 25 and played through the weekend. Manager Carlos Mendoza has not fully ruled out an IL trip. Soto was in the midst of an 11-game tear (.432, 4 HR) before the scare; he's batting .299 with 17 HR, 38 RBI, and a .965 OPS through 61 games.