News: Bogaerts returns to Padres for season's final week

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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September 22: What you need to know for Monday

Todd Zola: MLB wanted to safeguard against some teams not being able to play a full 162-game schedule, so they left today open for 24 of the 30 clubs in case they needed to squeeze in a last-minute makeup game. However, all required postponements have been played, leaving just three evening affairs -- all in the National League. Action gets going at 7:15 p.m. ET with the Atlanta Braves hosting the Washington Nationals.

• When teams clinch playoff berths and/or division titles, they often rest their regulars the following day. Yesterday, the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers all donned goggles and popped celebratory champagne. However, only the Brewers are in action on Monday and they're still aiming to lock down the NL's top seed, so they may continue to play their regulars, even knowing they've already earned a bye. Freddy Peralta has been announced as today's starter, suggesting the club will indeed play their best lineup. The NL Central champs currently enjoy a three-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, with each squad having six contests remaining.

• Regardless of the Brewers' intentions on securing the top seed, William Contreras is questionable for tonight's road tilt with the San Diego Padres. The regular backstop is nursing a sore hand, resulting from being hit by a swing on Saturday. He didn't appear in yesterday's 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

• CJ Abrams missed yesterday's game after jamming his shoulder on Saturday. Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo indicated that Abrams could still pinch-hit, but he wasn't needed in the team's 3-2 win over the New York Mets. Still, his availability lends optimism to a quick return to the lineup, perhaps even tonight.

• The day after hitting the first two home runs of his MLB career, Nacho Alvarez Jr. missed yesterday's matinee due to a cut on his thumb. Alvarez has been manning the hot corner for the Braves with Austin Riley out for the season. Vidal Brujan filled in yesterday, but he left that contest as a result of a hip injury, leaving Luke Williams to handle third base. Alvarez and Brujan are both questionable for this evening's tilt.

• Xander Bogaerts is slated to return to the Padres lineup tonight. He was ticketed to come back over the weekend, but his Friday workout was cancelled due to rain, pushing his routine up a day. Bogaerts is expected to be re-inserted as the team's shortstop. The Padres enter play three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for NL West supremacy, but it's essentially four games as the Dodgers hold the tiebreaker.