Fantasy baseball news: White Sox place Robert on IL; Brewers shuffle pitching staff

Everything that happens in and around MLB has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy baseball perspective. From lineup changes to minor league call-ups to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy baseball.

Our fantasy baseball buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around MLB.

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August 28: What you need to know for Thursday

Todd Zola: There are only eight games on today's ledger, with five matinees and three evening affairs. Action gets underway at 1:05 p.m. ET in Camden Yards with the Baltimore Orioles attempting to avoid being swept by the Boston Red Sox.

• The Red Sox will activate Rob Refsnyder from the 10-day IL in advance of this afternoon's contest. He's been sidelined for almost two weeks due to a sore oblique. Refsnyder will likely be in the lineup with the Orioles handing the ball to lefty Cade Povich. Refsnyder replaces Nathaniel Lowe on the roster, with Lowe heading to the paternity list. Romy Gonzalez will likely handle first base until Lowe rejoins the club.

• Quinn Priester was scratched last night with the Milwaukee Brewers opting to give him a couple of extra days to deal with a wrist issue. Priester is now slated to start on Saturday. Aaron Ashby served as the team's opener with newly acquired Erick Fedde handling bulk duties in the 3-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Before the game, it was announced that closer Trevor Megill had been placed on the 15-day IL due to a Grade 1 flexor strain. Imaging revealed no damage, so Megill is optimistic he can return after the minimum IL visit.

• Yainer Diaz missed his second straight game last night with a hand issue. The Houston Astros were forced to call up Cesar Salazar from Triple-A Sugar Land to be behind the plate. Regular backup Victor Caratini is in the league's concussion protocol. Diaz's status for this afternoon's rubber game with the Colorado Rockies is unclear.

• The Chicago White Sox placed Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day IL thanks to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, likely ending his season. The club holds a $20 million team option on the oft-injured outfielder. In 110 games, Robert hit .223/.297/.364 with a career-high 33 steals. In other White Sox news, rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery missed his second consecutive game last night as a result of lingering soreness in his left side. He's day-to-day with the team hosting the New York Yankees this evening.

August 27: What you need to know for Wednesday

Todd Zola: There are four afternoon affairs on tap during the final Wednesday of August. Festivities begin in the Bronx at 1:05 p.m. ET with the New York Yankees hosting the Washington Nationals in an interleague tilt.

• Willson Contreras has appealed his six-game suspension, so he was in the St. Louis Cardinals lineup last night and will continue to be eligible until MLB hears his case. On Monday night, Contreras argued balls and strikes, then flipped his bat in the direction of the home plate umpire, hitting a Cardinals coach in the arm.

• Yordan Alvarez returned from the 60-day IL, playing left field and batting cleanup for the Houston Astros. The slugger hopes to salvage a disappointing season after spending more than four months sidelined as a result a hand fracture. He was hitting just .210/.306/.340 when he was shelved. Alvarez went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks in the Astros' 6-1 home loss to the Colorado Rockies.

• Oneil Cruz was back in the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup last night. He cleared the league's concussion protocol late last week and played in a pair of rehab games over the weekend. Cruz was with the club on Monday, but they opted to wait until last night to activate him. Cruz has a chance to hit 20 homers and steal 40 bases despite hovering around the Mendoza Line. He went 0-for-4 with a walk in his return but also collected an RBI and scored a run in the Pirates' 8-3 road win over the Cardinals.

• Texas Rangers GM Chris Young indicated Nathan Eovaldi will probably miss the rest of the regular season due to a strained rotator cuff. The veteran posted a 1.73 ERA and an 0.85 WHIP while collecting 129 strikeouts in 130 frames. Tonight would have been Eovaldi's turn, but instead Jacob Latz was summoned from Triple-A Round Rock to start what appears to be a "bullpen game" at home against the Los Angeles Angels.