Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman is getting the day off for Friday's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park. Mauricio Dubon will take over at the hot corner and will bat ninth for the Astros against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Bregman missed five games in August and another four games recently due to renewed soreness in the back of his right elbow, but his absence on Friday appears to just be maintenance related. The 30-year-old is going to be managing his elbow injury the rest of the way in 2024, so it's something to watch, but Bregman remains a must-start in fantasy when he's on the diamond. Since the start of August, Bregman has looked great despite is elbow issue, going 28-for-95 (.295) with seven homers, seven doubles and 10 RBI in 23 games played.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is back at third base and is hitting cleanup for the Astros on Wednesday at Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Nick Martinez. Bregman will be back in action after missing the last four games due to renewed soreness in the back of his right elbow. It's an issue that already caused the 30-year-old veteran to miss five straight games in August, and he admitted it's something he's going to have to manage the rest of the season. Now that he's back, though, fantasy managers will want to reinsert him into their starting lineups in a good matchup. In 12 career at-bats against Martinez, Bregman has hit .333 with an RBI. Despite dealing with this elbow issue of late, Bregman hit .303 (27-for-89) with seven home runs, six doubles, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored in 21 games in the month of August.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) remains out of the starting lineup for Sunday's contest against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park. Rookie Shay Whitcomb will get the start at the hot corner and will bat in the eight-hole against Royals right-hander Alec Marsh. After missing five straight games earlier in August, Bregman will miss his third straight contest on Sunday with renewed soreness in his right elbow. It's an issue that the 30-year-old already admitted will likely need to be managed for the rest of the season, but there's also a chance he could need a stint on the 10-day injured list. It's unfortunate for his fantasy managers, as Bregman hit .303 (27-for-89) with seven homers and 10 RBI in 21 games in August. This will be just Whitcomb's 12th big-league game. He's gone 7-for-28 (.250) so far with three doubles, four RBI, five walks and six strikeouts.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is not in the team's starting lineup on Friday at Minute Maid Park against the Kansas City Royals. Right-elbow soreness has returned for Bregman, pushing him to the bench for the second game of the series against Houston. This is pretty concerning for the Astros and fantasy managers after the 30-year-old missed five games earlier this month with swelling in his right elbow. After starting each of the team's last nine games, the issue has returned, and it's unclear when he'll be able to join the starting lineup. Bregman did admit that his elbow issues would be something he'd need to manage the rest of the year. Since missing five straight games, he's gone 9-for-36 (.250) with two homers, two RBI and eight K's in nine games. Mauricio Dubon is at third and batting ninth on Friday against Royals veteran right-hander Seth Lugo.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is returning to duties at third base and will hit second on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles and rookie left-hander Cade Povich at Camden Yards. Bregman missed the team's whole series last weekend against the Chicago White Sox and a few games earlier this week with soreness in the back of his right elbow before serving as the designated hitter the last two contests. The 30-year-old is feeling good enough to give it a go on defense on Friday, but he admitted that his elbow injury is going to require maintenance the rest of the year, so the Astros could be using him at DH occasionally. Fantasy managers just want Bregman to stay hot with the bat, as he's gone 20-for-61 (.328) with six home runs, five doubles, nine RBI and 13 runs scored in 14 games in August. When Bregman is used as a DH, rookie Shay Whitcomb is likely to get another start at third.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman's (elbow) availability to play third base will "kind of be a fluid situation" for the rest of the season, he said on Wednesday. Bregman returned to action on Wednesday after a five-game absence due to swelling in his right elbow and was able to hit a homer in his first at-bat as the designated hitter. He said there is no structural damage to his UCL, but swelling remains a problem, and it's something he's going to need to manage the rest of the year. It's unclear if this situation is related, but Bregman did have arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in the same elbow after the 2018 season. He doesn't feel pain while swinging or throwing. Bregman had a .534 OPS on May 13, but he's since raised it to .768 and has been red-hot in August. With Bregman limited to DH duties for now, the Astros will like use a combination of rookies Shay Whitcomb or Zach Dezenzo at third.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman made his return to the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox. Bregman showed no signs of rust following a five-game absence due to elbow inflammation. He made some noise early on by taking starting pitcher Cooper Criswell deep in the first inning. It was his lone hit of the day but also his 20th home run of the season. Bregman served as the designated hitter on Wednesday, but he should shift back to third base soon. He's hitting .261 with 20 home runs and 60 RBI in 116 games this season. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable getting Bregman right back into their lineups.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is back in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox and right-hander Cooper Criswell at Minute Maid Park, serving as the designated hitter and batting leadoff. Rookie Shay Whitcomb is getting yet another start at third base and is hitting in the eight-hole. Bregman had missed each of the team's last five games due to swelling in the back of his right elbow, but he was adamant all along that it wasn't that serious and that he'd avoid a trip to the injured list. The 30-year-old could play third base if needed, but the Astros have elected to ease him back into the fold as the DH. Fantasy managers will want to get Bregman back in their starting lineups, as he's been on a tear in August, hitting .340 (18-for-53) with five homers, five doubles and eight RBI in 12 games. Hopefully, he can pick up where he left off.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. Bregman has now missed five straight games due to swelling in the back of his right elbow. The 30-year-old two-time All-Star said it happened from sleeping on his arm wrong. He has been hitting and taking ground balls, so it seems like any day now he could return to the field. But for now, rookie Shay Whitcomb will make a fourth straight start at the hot corner and will bat eighth on Tuesday against Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta. Whitcomb, 25, made his big-league debut on Saturday and has gone 3-for-10 with a double, two walks and five strikeouts in his first 12 major-league plate appearances. Bregman hasn't been ruled out for Wednesday's series finale against Boston, but it's more likely he's back on Thursday against Baltimore.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow), who was ruled out for the weekend series against the Chicago White Sox after he came down with a swollen right elbow, "hit, took ground balls and is asking, 'Put me in coach,'" manager Joe Espada said. However, the Astros held Bregman out for a fourth straight game in Monday's win over the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. Espada said Bregman also hit in the cages before Monday's contest. The two-time All-Star said on Friday that he slept on his arm "wrong" and had some swelling in the back of his elbow. An MRI exam showed no structural damage, and he stressed it's not an injury that will land him on the injured list. Rookie Shay Whitcomb has made three straight starts at the hot corner in Bregman's absence. Fantasy managers will want to check Houston's lineup on Tuesday to see if Bregman is back in there.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) remains out of the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at Minute Maid Park against the Boston Red Sox. Rookie infielder Shay Whitcomb will make his third straight start at the hot corner and will bat ninth against Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck. This will be Bregman's fourth straight missed start, and even though he initially said he didn't expect to miss much time due to swelling in the back of his right elbow, this could turn into a stint on the injured list if he's not able to get back on the field by later this week. Whitcomb had two hits in his MLB debut on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox but went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his second game on Sunday in the series finale. Bregman's fantasy managers are keeping their fingers crossed he can return soon, as the 30-year-old two-time All-Star has been on a tear in August, going 18-for-53 (.340) with five homers, five doubles and eight RBI in 12 games.

As expected, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is out of the series finale on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox at Minute Maid Park. Rookie Shay Whitcomb will make a second straight start at third base and will hit fifth against White Sox left-hander Ky Bush. Bregman is dealing with swelling in the back of his right elbow and is now missing a third straight game, although he considers himself day-to-day, and he could be back for Monday's series opener against the Boston Red sox. Whitcomb, who made his big-league debut on Saturday, went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored and will be a low-cost DFS sleeper in his second career game. Bregman has hit .340 (18-for-53) with five homers, five doubles and eight RBI in 12 games in August, so fantasy managers would like him back as soon as possible.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (elbow) is out of Friday's starting lineup at Minute Maid Park against the Chicago White Sox due to swelling in the back of his right elbow, according to the team. It's unclear if this is an injury that will keep Bregman out for multiple games or even potentially send him to the injured list. Utility man Mauricio Dubon will start at the hot corner on Friday and bat eighth against White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet. It's bad timing for the 30-year-old Bregman to be injured, as he's been hot in August with a .340/.375/.717 slash line with five long balls, five doubles, eight RBI and 12 runs scored in 12 games. Dubon won't have much DFS upside in the eight-hole for Houston, but he does have an RBI and one hit in three career at-bats against Crochet.UPDATE: Bregman said he "slept on (his elbow) wrong" and underwent tests that showed no ligament damage. He said he hopes to miss "a few days."

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman had a massive game on Tuesday as the Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2. Bregman went 3-for-5 with a double, a solo homer, and two runs scored. Bregman has had a mediocre season compared to his standards. However, he has been scorching hot lately. In his last seven games, he is slashing .469/.514/.969 with four homers, seven RBI, and a 3:4 BB: K. He is catching fire just at the right time, as Houston is in pursuit of securing a postseason spot. The Astros (64-55) currently have a 1.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West Division.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman smacked a two-run go-ahead home run Tuesday night and pitched in an RBI single in a close 4-3 win versus the Miami Marlins. As the summer months are heating up so is Bregman's bat. The 30-year-old veteran was looking like he was headed for a miserable season with his batting average sitting at .219 with only seven home runs at the end of May. Not so fast said Bregman. After batting .310 in June he's off to another hot start in July batting .313 which brought his batting average up to a respectable .254. Bregman may not have the pop to be a top fantasy player anymore, but he still produces in a talented, but aging Houston Astros lineup. Not only is his power down, but his on-base skills have disappeared. He's almost sitting at a career-low .315 OBP with only 30 walks on the season. Hopefully, he can continue to keep this hot streak alive with his batting average because if he doesn't it won't be surprising if his roster percent rate starts to slip as we get deeper and deeper into the season.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman was on fire at the plate during Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Bregman went 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored in the blowout win. The veteran slugger recorded two doubles and two singles but still somehow didn't come away with an RBI. Regardless, Bregman has been hot at the plate with a .364 batting average in the month of June. Fantasy managers should keep rolling him out there on a daily basis.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (hand) was hit by a pitch in his left hand in the first inning of Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Cardinals. However, he was able to play the entire game, going 1-for-3 with a single, a walk, and a strikeout. Precautionary X-rays came back negative, per the Athletic's Chandler Rome. Bregman should be considered day-to-day, but it sounds like he avoided anything serious. This is good news for fantasy managers, as the 30-year-old is finally starting to come around at the plate, batting .370 with four home runs in his last seven games.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run during Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The 30-year-old has caught fire as of late, specifically in the power department, as he has mashed four homers over his last six games. It is nice to see some signs of life from the two-time All Star as he had a dismal start to the season. He is still slashing an uncharacteristic .229/.287/.395 across 57 games to go along with eight homers, 28 RBI and two stolen bases. The boy-low window on Bregman appears to be closing fast as he continues to round into form.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman went 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, two runs, and two RBI on Thursday, driving the Astros to a 4-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. It was another positive step for Bregman, who has slowly been rounding into form in May. He now has 12 runs, five homers, and 15 RBI on the month, a big step up from his April numbers. The 30-year-old vet is normally a solid source of power and counting stats while providing a decent average, and he appears to be heading for that kind of outcome again. The buy-low window is closing quickly on Bregman, but it's still worth a shot as his overall numbers still aren't good.

Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's loss versus the Seattle Mariners. Bregman's homer off Luis Castillo in the top of the fourth inning would be the only offense for the Astros in the team's defeat. Bregman's home run was his fifth of the season. The upcoming free-agent has really struggled in his contract year and has hit a weak .212 on the season. Statcast metrics show that Bregman's struggles are real and his .208 batting average in May is a decline from his .218 average in April, however, Bregman has hit four of his five longballs in May. Regardless, Bregman has failed to give managers any sort of return on their investment. The veteran's track record suggests he can turn it around before all is said and done, but managers should consider options swinging a better bat until Bregman shows he can string together a few games.