
Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (back) is back behind the plate and is batting fifth on Sunday at Camden Yards against the division-rival Boston Red Sox and right-hander Kutter Crawford. Rutschman was scratched from Friday's series opener on Friday and also sat out of Saturday's contest, but he's feeling good enough to give it a go in the series finale. The 26-year-old switch-hitting All-Star catcher needs to be returned to starting lineups in all fantasy formats. He's one of the best hitting players at the weak catcher position and has gone 12-for-42 (.286) with three doubles, a triple and eight RBI in 13 games played in the month of August. And in eight career at-bats against Crawford, Rutschman is hitting .250 with an .875 OPS, one home run and two RBI.


Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper will get a much-needed rest day on Sunday as the Phillies look to complete a three-game sweep against the Washington Nationals. Harper has started 31 straight games but has gone 0-for-7 this series. As a result, Alec Bohm will cover first base, which opens up the hot corner for Edmundo Sosa. Overall, Harper has posted a strong .278/.370/.533 slash line with 26 long balls and five stolen bases. He holds a solid 47.5% hard-hit rate and a near-perfect 12.6% walk rate. Fantasy managers should expect the former MVP to return to the lineup on Tuesday as the Phillies face the Atlanta Braves. The entire Phillies lineup is worth considering in DFS as they will face Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin, who has struggled to maintain consistency over the past month, holding an underwhelming 6.23 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.


Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (ankle) will take a seat in Sunday's series finale. Marte missed three games earlier this week due to an ankle injury and but returned to the lineup on Saturday. However, the Diamondbacks will exercise caution with their star infielder and give him a day off on Sunday. As a result, Kevin Newman will cover the keystone and bat in the nine-hole. Marte has enjoyed a fantastic season and is near the top of the NL MVP odds with a .298/.370/.560 line with 30 long balls and six swiped bags. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the Arizona starting nine as Marte could be given the occasional rest day as he battles the lingering injury. Newman is worth a look as a value play in DFS on Sunday as the Rays will use the bullpen with southpaw Tyler Alexander slated to serve as the bulk option.


Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud (wrist) is unlikely to play on Sunday after being hit by a pitch in his wrist on Saturday evening. David O'Brien of The Athletic reported that the backstop had his wrist wrapped up, but he is feeling "ok." Manager Brian Snitker expressed that they will probably stay away from using him in Sunday's game. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Sean Murphy to be slotted in the starting nine and be behind the dish. The 35-year-old went 4-for-16 in his previous five games, while Murphy has been hot at the plate, holding a strong .316 AVG during this span. Murphy is worth considering in DFS contests this afternoon as he is slated to face Los Angeles right-hander Jack Kochanowicz, who enters Sunday with a hefty 7.98 ERA.


Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (finger) underwent X-rays following Saturday's game. The former MVP left the game early after jamming his finger in the sixth inning, but thankfully, the X-rays came back negative, and the star first baseman is day-to-day going forward. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Dodger starting nine before their game on Sunday afternoon, as the 34-year-old may need a day off to fully recover. Freeman has been enjoying another fantastic season as he sits with an excellent .292/.391/.488 line with 29 doubles, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, and six stolen bases. He boasts an impressive 12.4% walk rate and other impressive metrics such as a .290 xBA and a .491 xSLG. If Freeman were to miss a short period of time, Kike Hernandez is likely to cover first base.
