Chicago Cubs veteran third baseman Alex Bregman came to play on Wednesday on the road against the Washington Nationals, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with three home runs, a career-high seven RBI, and two walks to boost his season average to .256 and his OPS to .759. It was the first three-homer game of Bregman's career and his second multi-homer performance of the 2026 season. The 32-year-old three-time All-Star has mostly been mediocre offensively for the Cubbies this year in his first season with the team, as he entered Wednesday's contest with a .251/.341/.388 slash line, a career-low .729 OPS, 13 home runs, 54 RBI, 66 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 117 games across 537 plate appearances. Bregman is heating up since the start of August, though, as he's now sporting a 1.123 OPS with five home runs and 14 RBI in just 11 games played. His underlying batted-ball metrics don't exactly point to a massive turnaround before the season's end, but fantasy managers should definitely be riding his current hot streak at the dish.

Pittsburgh Pirates infield prospect Termarr Johnson (knee) is expected to be placed on the 7-day Injured List, according to Danny Demilio. Johnson will head to the shelf after suffering a left knee injury on August 8. He stumbled over first base and landed awkwardly, which resulted in Johnson being carted off the field. It doesn't sound like the young slugger is going to be back anytime soon. In 96 games at Triple-A Indianapolis, Johnson is slashing .199/.336/.319 with eight home runs, 37 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. He was a first-round pick of the Pirates from the 2022 draft. Given the timing of this injury, Johnson is unlikely to play in Pittsburgh this season. There should be more information on his injury in the coming days.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax (elbow) received an injection in his right elbow after a visit with Dr. Keith Meister, according to Ryan Bass. Jax appears to be in a good place after landing on the 15-day Injured List on Sunday due to right elbow discomfort. Rays' manager Kevin Cash said they plan to give Jax a few days off to rest and then get him back to throwing. This is looking like a best-case scenario where Jax avoids surgery and could return when first eligible on August 21. Fantasy managers who panic dropped Jax might want to consider adding him again. The right-hander could be back in the rotation in a few weeks, assuming everything goes well. He's worth a stash in fantasy formats where he was dropped.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday. This is encouraging news on Garcia, who has been sidelined since June 22 due to a strained muscle in his left hand. He was nearing a return before experiencing renewed soreness in his left in late July and needed to be pulled off his rehab assignment. It's unclear how long Garcia will need before rejoining the Royals, but he should be back in the mix within the next week or so. In the meantime, Nick Loftin should continue getting everyday reps at third base until Garcia is ready. Fantasy managers looking for help for a playoff push should consider stashing Garcia.