The New York Yankees brought shortstop Anthony Volpe back from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after they placed infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (thumb) on the 10-day injured list this week. Hitting out of the nine-hole while starting at second base on Thursday in his return, Volpe went 3-for-4 at the plate with a grand slam and five RBI to help the Yankees handle the Rockies easily in the Bronx by a score of 10-3. It was the 25-year-old's first time playing the keystone in the big leagues, and he figures to split time at the position with Jose Caballero until Chisholm can return from his thumb injury. Volpe is hitting .251/.333/.349 with only two home runs, 24 RBI, and eight stolen bases in his 198 plate appearances for the Yankees this year. It was a nice night for him in his return to the Bronx, but with shared playing time likely at second base with Chisholm out, Volpe is unlikely to move the needle enough to be a must-have off the waiver wire during the fantasy playoffs.

Across 153 1/3 innings (27 starts) in 2026, Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen has recorded a 14-5 record with a 2.88 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 156 strikeouts. The 31-year-old battled through a brief rough patch in the middle of the season, allowing 13 earned runs across 19 1/3 innings in July. However, Rasmussen has gotten back to dominance since the All-Star break, recording a 2.17 ERA with 58 strikeouts across his last 54 innings pitched. Rasmussen has posted a stellar 26.1% strikeout rate for the season while also logging an elite 4.5% walk rate. With his standout command, the veteran right-hander profiles as one of the most reliable sources of high-end WHIP for fantasy managers. Rasmussen has also proven an ability to go deeper into games this season, going at least six full innings in six of his last eight starts. Ahead of the final few weeks of 2026, Rasmussen should be viewed by fantasy managers as a high-end starting pitcher option.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball in 2026, pitching to a 1.24 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP with 89 strikeouts and 33 saves across 72 1/3 innings (66 games). Varland is averaging 98.9 miles per hour on his fastball and has struck out 31.3% of the batters he's faced this season. The 28-year-old has allowed only two home runs for the entire year and has also blown only one save chance. Varland has been slightly less dominant of late, pitching to a 2.20 ERA and recording fewer than a strikeout per inning since the start of August. Still, the hard-throwing righty looks like an excellent late-inning reliever and remains an elite closer option for fantasy managers heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.

Detroit Tigers shortstop/third baseman Kevin McGonigle has had an excellent rookie season in 2026, slashing .273/.373/.420 with 16 home runs, 62 RBI, 90 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases across 635 plate appearances. The 22-year-old has been remarkably consistent for a young player thanks to his elite plate approach, as he's logged nearly as many walks (86) as strikeouts (87) this year. McGonigle profiles as a contact-over-power bat, logging middling barrel (7.0%) and hard-hit (36.4%) rates. However, the young infielder has been hot of late, slugging two home runs in his last 13 plate appearances. Even without a late-season power surge, McGonigle's everyday presence at the top of the Tigers lineup and his balanced production profile make him a high-end infield option for fantasy managers.