1 hour agoNew York Yankees pitching prospect
Trystan Vrieling threw seven ⅔ no-hit innings on Friday evening with six punchouts and two free passes. The former third-round pick has made his professional debut this spring and has thrown 18 ⅔ innings at Double-A to the tune of an incredible 0.48 ERA and 0.59 WHIP. Vrieling, who is the 23rd-ranked prospect in the New York system and a former third-round pick, is projected to make his major league debut in 2026. He is worth keeping tabs on in dynasty leagues, especially if this dominance continues at Double-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
1 hour agoWashington Nationals shortstop prospect
Brady House has yet to hit a roadblock in the minor leagues. The 11th overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft progressed through three levels of the minor leagues, Low-A, High-A, and Double-A last season, holding a solid .312/.365/.497 line. House has begun the season at Double-A and is picking up right where he left off, posting a .311/.404/.467 line. The 20-year-old has shown a strong eye at the plate and has drawn seven walks and only struck out eleven times. While House is projected to make his major league debut in 2025, at the rate he is going, do not be surprised if he is in the nation's capital this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoToronto Blue Jays designated hitter
Justin Turner hit his second home run of the season in Friday's 5-1 win over the Padres. It was a solo shot, and he also added an RBI single. The veteran has six multi-hit games on the year and is now batting a robust .345 on the young season, with two home runs, 11 RBI, and eight runs scored.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 hours agoBaltimore Orioles pitching prospect
Cade Povich threw 5 1/3 shutout innings with nine punchouts en route to his second victory of the season. Povich holds a cumulative 0.83 ERA and 0.74 WHIP across 21 2/3 innings with 33 total strikeouts. The southpaw is making significant strides at Triple-A this season compared to the high 5.36 ERA and 1.35 WHIP he held last season and is quickly approaching his major-league debut. Povich should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and is even worth looking into in deeper redraft formats, as he will have high strikeout upside when he receives his final promotion.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoTexas Rangers pitching prospect
Dane Acker tossed 4 2/3 no-hit innings with seven punchouts on Friday evening. Acker allowed only two walks. This was his third start of the season, which continued a similar trend as he holds an incredible 0.68 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across 13 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old is sporting an excellent 18:5 K:BB ratio. The 27th-ranked prospect in the Texas system should be expected to debut in Triple-A soon and could very well push for a late-season promotion as the Rangers prepare for another deep playoff run. The former fourth-round pick is worth looking into if he's not rostered in your dynasty league.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoDetroit Tigers outfielder
Wenceel Perez went 3-for-5 with two singles and a triple in Friday's 5-4 win over the Twins. Perez also drove in two runs, scored twice, and stole a base. In a tie ballgame, the 24-year-old's last hit came in the ninth inning after the Twins intentionally walked the batter in front of him, and it drove in what would be the winning run. Perez has only played in seven MLB games, but is 5-for-16 (.313), including a double and a triple, along with two RBI, three runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases. He had 26 steals in the minors last season, so he does have some speed. If he keeps this up he'll certainly put himself on the fantasy radar.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals infield prospect
Thomas Saggese is swinging a hot bat to open the 2024 campaign. The 22-year-old is riding a solid .286/.349/.464 stat line with two home runs and 11 RBI. Saggese struggled in his first taste of Triple-A last season with a .207 AVG, so it is nice to see the 96th overall prospect begin to turn things around. The number four ranked prospect in the St. Louis pipeline is expected to make his major league debut later this summer and is worth stashing in keeper and dynasty leagues as he should find plenty of playing time in an infield utility role when given the call.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoBaltimore Orioles catcher
Adley Rutschman went 3-for-5 with two singles and a grand slam home run in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Royals in Kansas City. The slam cut the Orioles' deficit to 6-4 in the seventh inning, but it would end up being the only runs the O's would push across the plate in the contest. It was just the second home run of the season for the backstop, but he's hitting a solid .297 on the season with 11 RBI and 13 runs scored. After being drafted as the top catcher off the board in fantasy leagues this year, the 26-year-old is nearly holding up his end of the bargain, ranking as the second-highest scoring catcher in Yahoo leagues behind only
William Contreras.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 hours agoColorado Rockies pitching prospect
Carson Palmquist threw six shutout innings on Friday. He allowed only four hits, one free pass, and struck out ten. The number 15 overall prospect in the Colorado system has been dominant to begin the season as he has yet to allow a run and holds a minuscule 0.94 WHIP across 16 innings at Double-A. This is a vast improvement compared to the 22 ⅓ innings he logged at Double-A last season, where he posted a 4.43 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. Palmquist is a name worth monitoring in dynasty leagues and could make a push for a late-season promotion if he continues to dominate the minor leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Juan Soto went 1-for-4 with a three run home run in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rays. It was his only hit in the game, but sent the fans into a frenzy and gave the Yankees the cushion they needed after going up 2-1 earlier in the inning. It was also the 25-year-old's twelfth straight game getting on base at least once via hit or walk. The perennial All-Star is now slashing .347/.468/.600 with five home runs, 20 RBI, 13 runs scored, and a stolen base. He's also walking at an incredible rate, even for Soto's standards, with an 18:11 BB:K.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 hours agoAtlanta Braves catcher
Travis d'Arnaud had a career night on Friday in an 8-3 win over the Rangers, going 3-for-4 with three home runs, six RBI, and three runs scored. The first two were solo shots, however, the third was a grand slam that broke a 3-3 tie. The veteran backstop didn't have a home run on the season before Friday's game. He hit a career-high 18 home runs in 2022, but just 11 last season. The Braves are hoping he can continue to produce while primary catcher
Sean Murphy is out with an injury and likely not back until sometime May. d'Arnaud now has a .245-3-10-8-0 line on the season and has five doubles in addition to his three home runs, so there is still pop in that 35-year-old bat.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
10 hours agoAtlanta Braves right-hander
Spencer Strider's (elbow) UCL ligament was compromised by the unavoidable development of a bone fragment. But instead of having Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career, Dr. Keith Meister fixed Strider's damaged UCL by inserting an internal brace last week. It could allow the Braves' hurler to pitch again early next season. The 25-year-old was the top-ranked fantasy starter coming into the 2024 season after leading all of baseball with 483 strikeouts from 2022-23. Strider was told he might have been pitching with the fragment in his ligament for at least a couple of years. He initially felt discomfort in his elbow in spring training before things deteriorated quickly early in the regular season. In single-year fantasy leagues, Strider can be dumped since he won't pitch again in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
10 hours agoNew York Mets starting pitcher
Tylor Megill (shoulder) threw his first bullpen assignment on Friday. Megill is ramping up his throwing activity as he recuperates from a strained right shoulder that's held him to one start so far in the 2024 regular season, which came in New York's opening series of the campaign. The big 28-year-old right-hander is probably not going to be activated from the injured list before the end of April at this rate, but Megill could be an option for the Mets sometime in early May. With righty
Jose Butto beginning to emerge in the rotation, Megill could be facing a long-relief role upon his eventual return. Butto has yielded a lone run while fanning 15 hitters and walking four covering 12 innings (two starts) in Queens this year, but he's a dangerous fantasy bet in Saturday's scheduled start against a high-powered Los Angeles Dodgers offense at Chavez Ravine.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoBaltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said before Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals that starting pitcher
John Means (forearm) still needs to get stretched out more in his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk. Means' fourth rehab start on Wednesday compounded on his recent struggles, as he was blown up for five earned runs in one-third of an inning. He's now given up 15 runs (five homers) and five walks in 7 1/3 innings in the minors, so the O's likely want to see him sharpen things up before considering activating him from the injured list. The 30-year-old left-hander is working his way back from a strained left forearm and should still be able to rejoin Baltimore's rotation in late April or early May. After posting a 2.66 ERA (5.24 FIP) and 0.71 WHIP with 10 K's over 23 2/3 frames (four starts) late last season, Means is someone to consider stashing in mixed fantasy leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jacob Calvin Meyer - The Baltimore Sun
11 hours agoWashington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before Friday's game versus the Houston Astros that starting pitcher
Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) was able to increase his throwing distance up to 60 feet on Thursday and Friday. Gray has been on the 15-day injured list since April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, and while he's eligible to come off the IL after the weekend, fantasy managers should not expect Gray to be available before May. The Nats could opt to send him on a brief minor-league rehab assignment before returning him to the big-league roster, as it's fair to expect a cautious approach after the 26-year-old former top prospect allowed 13 runs in his first 8 1/3 innings of the year before going down. Rookie left-hander
Mitchell Parker is occupying Washington's rotation for now, but he won't be a recommended streamer in a tough matchup for Sunday's scheduled start against Houston.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports
11 hours agoWashington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before Friday's game versus the Houston Astros that catcher
Keibert Ruiz (influenza) is feeling a lot better after he recently played catch and took batting practice. Martinez said the backstop lost 20 pounds while battling the flu, so Ruiz still needs to build his strength back up. With that said, he's eligible to be reinstated from the 10-day injured list as early as Tuesday's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers and seems unlikely to need a minor-league rehab assignment before getting back behind the dish for the Nats. The 26-year-old former top prospect was off to a sluggish start, however, batting .194 (6-for-31) with one home run and three RBI over eight games.
Riley Adams will get the bulk of the catching work in DC in the interim and is worth a look for fantasy managers in deep two-catcher leagues, hitting .306 (11-for-36) with two homers and five RBI in 10 outings this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports
11 hours agoNew York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) departed Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning with an apparent injury to his left thumb. The injury occurred while Alvarez was hustling to second base on an errant
Yoshinobu Yamamoto throw to first base, and he went 0-for-1 with a run scored before veteran
Omar Narvaez replaced him and took over behind the plate. The Mets should offer another update on Alvarez's status following Friday's contest, and fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day until more is known about the issue. Expect the 22-year-old former top prospect to at least get the day off in the second matchup of the series on Saturday. Alvarez is off to a slow start at the dish this season, batting .236 (13-for-55) with one home run, four doubles, eight RBI, eight runs scored, and one stolen base over 16 appearances.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo - MLB.com
11 hours agoMiami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said on Friday that starting pitcher
Braxton Garrett (shoulder) is playing catch at 90 feet. Braxton could next advance to a bullpen session, but the Marlins will first re-evaluate him after the catch session before he moves ahead in his progression. Working his way back from a left shoulder impingement, Garrett made two minor-league rehab starts earlier in April before experiencing a "dead arm" after Monday's bullpen session. His return timetable is murky at the moment, but the team should provide another update in the coming days. The 26-year-old left-hander fully broke out a year ago, registering a 3.66 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a wonderful 156:29 K:BB through 159 2/3 innings (31 appearances) and should be stashed in the majority of fantasy leagues. The scuffling
A.J. Puk would be a prime candidate to move back to Miami's bullpen when Garrett ultimately makes his 2024 season debut.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Isaac Azout - Fish on First
11 hours agoCleveland Guardians manager
Stephen Vogt said before Friday's game versus the Oakland Athletics that starting pitcher
Gavin Williams (elbow) will pitch on Saturday in Arizona. After throwing his first simulated game on Monday, Williams appears to be closing in on a minor-league rehab assignment if all continues to go smoothly in his recovery from right elbow discomfort. Although he has a chance to be activated from the injured list before April's end, an early-May return is probably more realistic. The 24-year-old former top prospect recorded a 3.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 81:37 K:BB across 82 innings (16 starts) for the Guards in his rookie season in 2023, and it's about time to make sure he's not floating around any waiver wires in fantasy leagues. In the meantime, veterans
Carlos Carrasco and
Ben Lively will keep battling to hold down spots in Cleveland's rotation when Williams eventually makes his 2024 regular-season debut.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: CLEology on X
11 hours agoChicago Bulls forward
DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 22 points in Friday's Play-In loss to the Miami Heat. Despite the veteran's solid showing, the Bulls lost to a Miami team that didn't have
Jimmy Butler (knee) or
Terry Rozier (neck). With another season in the books, DeRozan will hit the open market this summer. But he's still productive as ever, ending the 2023-24 campaign with averages of 24.0 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds. The 34-year-old also played more minutes this season than anyone in the National Basketball Association. However, DeRozan has made it known he wants to win, so he may have played his final game with the Bulls.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
12 hours agoMiami Heat guard
Tyler Herro scored a game-high 24 points in Friday's Play-In win over the Chicago Bulls. The 24-year-old nearly had a triple-double, adding 10 boards and nine assists to his scoring total. While he still had issues taking care of the ball, he shot better than he did in Wednesday's loss to the 76ers. With that said, Herro should continue to benefit from a production standpoint while
Jimmy Butler (knee) and
Terry Rozier (neck) remain sidelined. Unfortunately, the Heat will advance to meet the Celtics in the opening round, which is never an easy matchup for anyone.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
12 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Craig Porter Jr. (ankle) won't play in Saturday's postseason clash with the Magic. He tweaked his ankle during Cleveland's final game of the regular season. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear Porter will be back anytime soon, with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff reporting that the 24-year-old is currently on crutches. With that said, the Cavs will have
Donovan Mitchell and
Darius Garland handling things in the backcourt, so Porter wasn't figured to see much action anyway.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Tommy Wild
12 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
Cam Reddish (ankle) won't play in Saturday's postseason battle with the Nuggets. The 24-year-old has been on and off the injury report throughout the 2023-24 campaign, so this update isn't surprising. But Reddish's absence should at least open up some minutes for
Taurean Prince. However, Prince hasn't been a reliable DFS producer.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
12 hours agoSacramento Kings forward
Keegan Murray (hip) returned to Friday's Play-In matchup with the Pelicans. He exited in the second quarter. While details were scarce initially, the team reported Murray was battling hip soreness. The 23-year-old appears to be in line to finish the contest. However, it's something for DFS managers to continue monitoring, especially if the Kings advance.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Anthony Slater
12 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James (ankle) is probable for Saturday's matchup with the Nuggets. This has been the norm for the veteran throughout the season, as he's making another appearance on the injury report because of the same ankle issue that's bothered him for months. At any rate, he is coming off two potent performances versus the Pelicans. That trend could continue in Game 1, with James averaging 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.7 steals in three meetings with the champs during the 2023-24 campaign.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
12 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center
Anthony Davis (back) is listed as probable ahead of Saturday's Playoff matchup with the Denver Nuggets. AD has made frequent appearances on the injury report throughout the 2023-24 campaign. But this time, he's battling a sore back. With that said, barring a significant setback Davis will be out there for Game 1. Unfortunately, he's had a tough time in his three meetings with the champs this season, at least compared to his production versus other clubs, averaging 22.0 points, 9.3 boards, and 3.0 blocks. He's also shot 47.4% from the field and 20.0% from deep during those contests, meaning DFS managers may want to consider other options.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
13 hours agoSacramento Kings forward
Keegan Murray (undisclosed) left Friday's Play-In matchup with the Pelicans. There isn't much information regarding the nature of the injury. But Kings' radio reporter Sean Cunningham reported that Murray favored his hip while walking toward the locker room. There should be more information soon. In the meantime,
Sasha Vezenkov should be in line for more minutes.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Sean Cunningham
13 hours agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Ceddanne Rafaela blasted a two-run home run for his first HR of the season in the Red Sox 8-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rafaela was starting at shortstop as Boston works to cover the absences of
Trevor Story and
Rafael Devers. Rafaela had a very subpar start to the season with just a .464 OPS coming into Friday, so hitting a bomb was a good sight to see for Rafaela and the Red Sox. The 23-year-old may not hold much current fantasy value but may be worth a stash in deeper leagues for fantasy managers who are willing to be patient. Rafaela will look to be in Boston's lineup tomorrow night vs Pirates starting pitcher
Mitch Keller.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
13 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitching
Spencer Turnbull took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and recorded a win in the Phillies 7-0 victory on Friday night. Turnbull struck out six and only yielded one hit to
Gavin Sheets to end his no-hit bid. The righty bounced back from a so-so start in his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates and continued a very strong start to his 2024 campaign. Turnbull now has a 1.23 ERA in four starts and is posting up a 0.77 WHIP. Fantasy managers are certainly going to be interested in adding Turnbull if he's available on the waiver wire. By expected stats we can expect some negative regression to come his way, but at a 3.39 xERA the negative regression won't hit him too hard. Turnbull is worth the addition to your roster, even if it's just stashing him for a little longer. His next start will be Wednesday at Great American Ballpark against the Cincinnati Reds.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
13 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies third baseman
Alec Bohm blasted two three-run home runs to record six RBI and two runs in the Phillies' 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. Both of Bohm's HR came in his first two at-bats and was all the Phillies would need to win the game. The 27-year-old bumped his OPS up to .834 on the season and is outpacing his 2023 season when he posted just a .727 OPS. Bohm will look to continue his solid homestand on Saturday night when he gets to face White Sox right-hander
Michael Soroka.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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