Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (shoulder) will pitch in a simulated game on Friday at the team's spring training complex in Arizona, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Soroka is scheduled to go four innings and/or 60 pitches in the outing, and he could be an option to return from the 15-day injured list next week during the team's series in Kansas City against the Royals. The 29-year-old Canadian could end up spending the minimum of 15 days on the IL after landing on the shelf last week with inflammation in his right shoulder. The D-backs are right in the thick of the hunt for the final wild-card spot in the National League, so getting Soroka back as a starter down the stretch could be huge. He has had a resurgent 2026 season in the desert for the Snakes, going 8-4 with a 3.40 ERA (2.95 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 24 walks in 95 1/3 frames across his 18 starts in his seventh year in the majors. Soroka has only made three starts since the All-Star break due to injuries, though, and he has posted a 5.40 ERA with seven walks and 12 K's in 13 1/3 innings over those three starts. He could be a sneaky streaming option in the last few weeks of 2026.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) will likely throw a bullpen session this weekend, interim manager Chad Tracy told Marcos Grunfeld of ElEmergente.com. Crochet is ready to take the next step in his throwing program after playing catch off the mound at Fenway Park on Tuesday. With the Red Sox still in the hunt for a playoff spot in September, they have not shut down Crochet, who has been sidelined since late May with shoulder and lat issues. Once the 27-year-old southpaw returns -- he will likely need a short minor-league rehab assignment first -- he is expected to be used in a relief role, which will pretty much kill what little remaining fantasy value he has left. Crochet finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Beantown after going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 255:46 K:BB in 32 starts, but he has managed to start only six games in his second year with the BoSox. In those six games, he posted a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37:11 K:BB in 30 innings. Crochet is still rostered in 77% of Yahoo leagues.

The Tampa Bay Rays announced that they activated right-hander Griffin Jax (elbow) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Alex Cook to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move. Jax is set to start Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets. The 31-year-old veteran ended up making just one minor-league rehab start and will rejoin Tampa's starting rotation for the first time since going on the IL in early August with discomfort in his right elbow. He started the year as the favorite for saves at the back end of Tampa's bullpen, but he was quickly moved to a starting role. In 29 total appearances (18 starts) this year, the former third-rounder by the Minnesota Twins in 2016 from Air Force Academy has gone 6-9 with a 3.63 ERA (3.94 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with a career-high 100 strikeouts and 30 walks in 91 2/3 innings pitched in his first year with the Rays. Despite the layoff, Jax will be an intriguing fantasy streamer against the Mets in his return to action. In four of his last five starts before going on the IL, Jax allowed exactly one earned run, and he combined for 18 strikeouts and only three walks in his last two appearances.

Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (elbow) will miss another game on Wednesday against the visiting Seattle Mariners, per MLB.com. Connor Wong will do the catching for left-hander Patrick Sandoval and will hit out of the nine spot in the batting order against Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller. It will be the third straight missed game for Rutschman, who has played in just three of the team's last nine games due to a hyperextended right elbow that he suffered on a swing early last week. It has been that kind of year for the former first overall pick from Oregon State. Rutschman only has 300 at-bats in his fifth year in the league and is slashing .237/.318/.400 with a .718 OPS, nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 82 games with the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. He has not been able to get on track offensively amidst his injuries in 2026, and he has gone just 9-for-53 (.170) with a homer, a double, four RBI, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts in 15 games since joining the BoSox in a blockbuster trade in early August. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if Rutschman is ready to rejoin the lineup for the series opener at Camden Yards against his former team, the Orioles.