Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers (hamstring) remains sidelined for Thursday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Rodgers will be missing his third straight game this week due to tightness in his left hamstring. The 28-year-old should be considered day-to-day heading into the final series of the regular season, which begins on Friday at Coors Field against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. With Rodgers out again, rookie Aaron Schunk is making the start at second base and will hit in the nine-hole against Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson. Schunk has never faced Gibson in his career and is a DFS option to avoid at the bottom of the Rockies' batting order. The 27-year-old is in his first year in the majors in 2024 and has hit .244 (20-for-82) with two homers, three doubles, six RBI and 26 strikeouts in 86 trips to the plate.

After returning to the lineup on Tuesday after missing the weekend series against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers due to a knee issue, Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle will get a day to rest for Thursday's series finale at Coors Field versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Sam Hilliard is getting the starting nod in center field and is batting sixth for the Rockies against Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson. The 26-year-old Doyle has been the most relevant fantasy player in the thin air of Colorado this year with a .262/.318/.450 slash line, .768 OPS, 23 home runs, 72 RBI, 29 stolen bases and 82 runs scored in 538 total at-bats. He should be back in there on Friday for the series opener versus the Dodgers at Coors Field. Hilliard has never faced Gibson in his career and enters the contest with nine long balls, 26 RBI and five stolen bases in his 130 at-bats in 2024.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado and infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan will both retreat to the bench for Thursday's series finale at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. Jose Fermin is handling the hot corner and batting eighth, while rookie Thomas Saggese starts at second base and is hitting sixth against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. Neither Fermin nor Saggese have ever faced Freeland in their careers. Donovan will get the day off after starting in each of the team's last 12 games. Fermin has done little at the plate in 63 at-bats this year, going 9-for-63 (.143) with no homers, three RBI and two stolen bases. Saggese, meanwhile, was recently called up for the first time and has gone 8-for-38 (.211) with a homer, two doubles and four RBI in his first 14 major-league games for the Red Birds.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielders Alec Burleson and Michael Siani are both out of the lineup for Thursday's series finale at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies and left-hander Kyle Freeland. Ivan Herrera is serving as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup, while Victor Scott II is in center field and in the nine-hole against Freeland. Burleson will head to the bench again for the second straight day with a lefty on the mound. The 25-year-old hasn't started against a southpaw since Aug. 6 and came into the day hitting .196 (26-for-133) against them with only three of his 21 homers on the season. Herrera will be a popular DFS sleeper on Thursday at Coors Field against a lefty. The 24-year-old Panamanian catcher is batting .297 on the year with one of his four long balls coming against a southpaw. Siani takes a seat after starting in each of the first two games in Colorado.

The New York Yankees placed right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. on the paternity list on Thursday and recalled right-hander Scott Effross from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a corresponding move before their contest at Yankee Stadium against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles. Leiter will most likely be away from the Yankees for the next three games, meaning he'll likely be back for the regular-series finale on Sunday at home in the Bronx against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. The 33-year-old veteran began the year with the Chicago Cubs before joining the Yankees at the trade deadline in late July. In 20 relief appearances out of the Yankees' bullpen since the trade, Leiter has gone 2-1 with a 5.23 ERA (5.34 FIP), a 1.64 WHIP, 30 strikeouts and seven walks in 20 2/3 innings, so he hasn't really been on the fantasy radar in pinstripes.