5 hours agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to throw his first bullpen session on Saturday, with the new target for his return now being "mid-June." Cole is all set to resume throwing off the mound, which is a big step forward in his throwing progression, and a mid-June return is pretty much in line with his original recovery timetable from discomfort in his right elbow. The 33-year-old reigning American League Cy Young Award winner still needs to build up his stamina and then start a minor-league rehab assignment, which could begin sometime in the next few weeks if all continues to go well. Cole notched a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 222:48 K:BB over 209 innings (33 starts) a year ago. Until he's ready to rejoin New York's rotation, right-handers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil should continue getting starts for the Yankees as fantasy streaming options in favorable matchups.Source: Jon Heyman - New York Post
5 hours agoLos Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (leg) is questionable for Friday's postseason encounter with the Mavericks. As expected, Kawhi Leonard (knee) remains out, so the team needs Mann to help fill the void in the lineup. The 27-year-old has posted double-digit scoring performances three times during the series. However, Mann is not a consistent fantasy producer, although the upside is there for the DFS managers willing to take a risk, assuming he plays. If he doesn't, Norman Powell, Amir Coffey, and Russell Westbrook should absorb most of his minutes.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 hours agoLos Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) won't play on Friday against the Mavericks. There isn't any new information concerning his ailment. However, the Clippers need to win the next two games to advance to the next round, although they will likely need to do it without Leonard in the lineup. As usual, Paul George and James Harden will do their best to lead the offense in Game 6. But Norman Powell, Russell Westbrook, and Terance Mann should continue to get more minutes and shot opportunities. With that said, nobody on the Clippers' roster has been consistent from a fantasy standpoint throughout this series.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 hours agoNew York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will be available for Game 6 against Philadelphia on Thursday. He has missed one game in the series with an ankle injury, but Robinson has been upgraded from questionable to available ahead of the Game 6 tip-off. Robinson has an important role to play behind starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, as the Knicks' success depends a lot on how well they deal with Joel Embiid.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will be in the lineup for Thursday's Game 6 clash against the Knicks. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Embiid has yet to miss any playoff action after returning from a left knee injury, and another big performance is expected from him in Thursday's elimination game. The 76ers superstar looked quite lethargic in Tuesday's survival battle but still produced a triple-double. He's averaging close to 32 points in the postseason with 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals.Source: NBA Injury Report
6 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Mitch Jebb had his best game of the season as he launched two home runs and tallied five RBI in Wednesday's victory. Jebb has now hit a home run in back-to-back performances. Overall, on the season, the number eight ranked prospect in the Pittsburgh system, according to MLB Pipeline, has a .250/.318/.388 line with four swiped bags in his first season at High-A. The former Michigan State Spartan is finally showing his power potential after going through his first professional season at Single-A with only one round-tripper. For now, Jebb should be monitored in dynasty leagues and could emerge as a potential stash if he can reach Double-A this summer.Source: MiLB.com
6 hours agoNew York Yankees second base/shortstop prospect Jared Serna had a monster day at the plate on Wednesday, tallying three home runs and six RBI to power the Hudson Valley Renegades over the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Following this big performance, the 21-year-old has an overall .231/.351/.474 with five home runs, 17 RBI, and one stolen base across 21 games at High-A. Serna also has a strong 15:10 BB:K ratio. It is very promising to see Serna display his power potential, as he did not tally one home run in 27 games at the High-A level last season. Serna could reach Double-A by the end of the summer if he continues this trajectory, and he is worth keeping an eye on in dynasty formats.Source: MiLB.com
6 hours agoBoston Red Sox catching prospect Kyle Teel launched his third home run of the season in Wednesday's victory. Teel went 2-4 at the plate with four RBI. The fifth overall catching prospect in baseball now sits with a solid .231/.351/.400 with 12 RBI and a 21:11 K:BB ratio across the first 17 games of the season. This is the 22-year-old's first full test in Double-A, as he only appeared in nine games at this level last season. The former Virginia Cavalier should be rostered in all dynasty leagues but should not be expected to make his major league debut until 2025, especially since he may not reach Triple-A until later this summer.Source: MiLB.com
7 hours agoNew York Yankees pitching prospect Clayton Beeter tallied a season-high of nine strikeouts to earn his third victory of the season in Triple-A. This was his best start of the season, putting the 25-year-old in a good opportunity to return to the major leagues. Beeter was named to the Yankees Opening Day Roster but only threw one inning while with the major league team this season before returning to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. However, after being sent back down to Triple-A, Beeter has posted a strong 2.74 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 35 punchouts across 23 innings. The former Texas Tech Red Raider should be a name to monitor in deeper AL-only formats, as he could see opportunities later in the summer to start games for the Yankees.Source: MiLB.com
7 hours agoCleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (elbow) has been cleared to begin throwing and did so on Thursday pain-free, according to manager Stephen Vogt. An elbow injury has kept Williams from making his 2024 debut with the Guardians after a fine rookie season in 2023 in which he went 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA (4.05 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP with 81 strikeouts and 37 walks in 82 innings in his first 16 major-league starts. He allowed just one earned run in 4 2/3 spring training innings over two appearances as well before getting hurt and landing on the injured to open the year. The 24-year-old former 23rd overall pick in 2021 out of East Carolina isn't exactly close to joining Cleveland's rotation, but he showed enough last year to be worthy of stashing in mixed fantasy leagues if you have the room on your roster.Source: MLB.com - Mandy Bell
7 hours agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks (side) is scheduled to make the start on Friday in the series opener in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Hicks felt some tightness in his side in his last start on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he managed it well and struck out a season-high nine batters while giving up just one earned run in six innings. There was a lot to be skeptical about from Hicks from a fantasy perspective with his move to a full-time starting role in 2024, mainly because of his history with injuries as a hard-throwing reliever. However, he's excelling so far in San Fran and has gone 2-0 with a fantastic 1.59 ERA (3.08 FIP) and 0.91 WHIP with 27 K's and 10 walks in 34 innings over his six starts. He'll face a tough matchup in a hostile environment on Friday against a Phillies offense that ranks seventh in MLB in OPS (.742), but he's been a must-start through the first month.Source: MLB.com
7 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers third base prospect Mike Boeve was recently promoted to Double-A Biloxi after having a great start to the season at High-A. Boeve posted a dominant .553/.642/.632 stat line with a 13:5 BB:K ratio across 13 games at High-A Wisconsin. Boeve has carried the momentum into his first nine games at Double-A with an excellent .306/.405/.583 line and has already tallied four doubles and three triples. The 14th-ranked prospect is beginning to make headlines and is worth monitoring in dynasty leagues as he is quickly progressing through the minor leagues. Even though MLB Pipeline projects the 21-year-old to reach the majors in 2026, with the rate he is currently going at, do not be surprised if he is knocking on the door by next summer.Source: MiLB.com
7 hours agoChicago Cubs outfielder Christopher Morel went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run and a walk during Thursday's extra-innings loss to the New York Mets. The 24-year-old is now slashing .209/.287/.383 with five homers, 17 RBI and three stolen bases in 31 games. Morel has not had the breakout campaign some pundits were expecting as he has struggled to find consistency at the plate. There is still value in his bat due to his power potential and positional versatility, but he is becoming more of a liability in shallow formats.Source: MLB.com
7 hours agoNew York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong has pitched 23 ⅔ shutout innings to open the 2024 season. Tong began in Single-A and tossed 18 ⅔ clean innings to the tune of a 0.64 WHIP and 36 punchouts. Then, the 20-year-old was promoted to High-A earlier this week and looked just as stellar in his debut on May 2 with the Brooklyn Cyclones. In his first start, he pitched five innings and allowed two hits and three free passes with seven punchouts. Tong remains a name to monitor in deep dynasty leagues, as he is expected to remain in High-A for the entire summer. If he continues this course, he could develop into a top prospect in the Mets system.Source: MiLB.com
7 hours agoNew York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto went 2-for-4 in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles and extended his hit streak to 10 games. Soto's streak is currently the third-longest active streak in the majors. He has only gone hitless in seven of his first 33 games this year. The 25-year-old is enjoying a strong first season in the Bronx, as he is slashing .331/.441/.589 with eight homers, 25 RBI, and four stolen bases. He has also scored 22 runs and owns a ridiculous 26:20 BB:K. Soto is unquestionably one of the top fantasy assets in baseball and should be locked into lineups whenever he takes the field.Source: MLB.com
7 hours agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back, thumb) is likely to make his next minor-league rehab start next week. He started a rehab game at Triple-A Round Rock last Wednesday and dealt with some lingering thumb soreness that pushed his next appearance back a few days. Apparently, that outing will come sometime in the next seven days as Scherzer said his thumb is improving. The 39-year-old is a risky fantasy asset due to potential injury reoccurrence, but he is still worthy of a roster spot if he has a place to be stashed. Scherzer still probably needs a couple of starts to build his arm up before joining the Rangers. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers can anticipate his return sometime in mid-May.Source: Jeff Wilson
7 hours agoSan Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval struck out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. The 26-year-old is six-for-six on save opportunities this season to go along with a 3.09 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 15/6 K/BB. Doval has not been flawless this year, but he has found a way to work around trouble when it pops up. The right-hander remains a premium fantasy option as he tries to usurp last season's career-high of 39 saves.Source: MLB.com
7 hours agoMiami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera allowed four runs on three hits across four innings of work during Thursday's 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. Cabrera struck out nine batters in the shortened outing while issuing four walks. A three-run shot by Jacob Stallings in the second inning put a sizeable blemish on the 26-year-old's day. He also struggled with his command, as he only tossed 56-of-91 pitches for strikes. Cabrera owns a bloated 6.05 ERA through four starts in 2024, although he still possesses significant strikeout upside. He should be sat in all fantasy formats heading into his next start against the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.Source: MLB.com
8 hours agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon had a start to forget on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles. The left-hander was tagged for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts. He did not issue a walk, but he gave up three homers in the defeat. Prior to this outing against a tough Orioles lineup, Rodon had not allowed more than three runs in any outing this season. He will carry a 3.68 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 36/14 K/BB into his next projected start against the underperforming Houston Astros. Rodon still deserves to be rostered in most fantasy formats.Source: MLB.com
8 hours agoNew York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (illness) did not start Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs, but he still managed to make a massive impact. The talented infielder came off the bench in the sixth inning and proceeded to hit a two-run double to bring the Mets within a run. In extra innings, Lindor smacked another double to cash in two runs and earn the walk-off win. It was one of Lindor's stronger games this season, as he has struggled at the plate in the early going. His .207/.287/.380 slash line is rather uninspiring, so hopefully this performance kick-starts the four-time All-Star.Source: MLB.com
8 hours agoIndiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back) will be good to go for Thursday's Game 6 against Milwaukee. An issue with his lower back has kept Haliburton on the injury report for the past few games, but the team has upgraded him from questionable to available ahead of Thursday's action. The young Pacers star will aim to produce a big finish to the series. Through five games, he's gotten to the 20-point mark only once, averaging 15.8 points in the first-round matchup with 5.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists.Source: Indiana Pacers
8 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley (oblique) has been upgraded from probable to available for Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana. Beverley is set to make up Milwaukee's starting backcourt with the returning Damian Lillard (Achilles). He will likely take a backseat offensively, but Beverley's tenacity on the defensive end is a big asset for the Bucks, and he should continue to get a healthy dose of action. Through the first five games in the series, Beverley has averaged 34.0 minutes a night, posting 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 steals.Source: NBA Injury Report
8 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) has been officially cleared to play in Thursday's Game 6 against the Pacers. The team has upgraded him from probable to available. Middleton has been huge in the series for Milwaukee, but he will likely play a slightly lesser role offensively on Thursday as Damian Lillard (Achilles) returns to the lineup. With that said, the team needs another big performance from Middleton to survive in the series, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) still on the shelf.Source: NBA Injury Report
8 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) isn't ready to return to the lineup on Thursday against Indiana. He was considered a game-time call for the contest along with Damian Lillard (Achilles), but while Lillard will be back in action, Antetokounmpo is still left to wait for his chance to return. It won't come in the 2024 playoffs if Milwaukee loses on Thursday. Bobby Portis was one of the stars in Milwaukee's Game 5 victory, recording 29 points with 10 rebounds, and he's set for another start in Antetokounmpo's place on Thursday.Source: Chris Haynes
9 hours agoThe Baltimore Ravens have signed first-round defensive back Nate Wiggins to his rookie deal. The Ravens have also locked up second-round offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, fourth-round defensive back T.J. Tampa and seventh-round defensive back Sanoussi Kane. The Ravens made Wiggins their first pick of this year's NFL draft with the 30th overall selection out of Clemson. The 20-year-old cornerback stands a 6-foot-1, 173 pounds, so durability is going to be his primary issue as he transitions to the NFL. He'll have room to grow and get stronger, though, and his elite speed and coverage ability stood out enough for Baltimore to make him a first-rounder. As long as Wiggins doesn't get set back by injuries, he should develop into a serviceable DB for the Ravens in time.Source: ESPN.com - Field Yates
9 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) will play in Game 6 against Indiana on Thursday. Milwaukee gets its superstar guard back after Lillard sat out two games with an Achilles injury. He's set to play a huge role on Thursday as the Bucks try to fight off elimination once again. Lillard is averaging 32.3 points and 5.3 assists in the series, shooting 44.4 percent from outside.Source: Chris Haynes
9 hours agoHouston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier (neck) will embark on a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend. It was reported earlier this week that Javier had a shot to come off the 15-day injured list to start this weekend against the Seattle Mariners, but that won't be the case. Instead, the 27-year-old will make a start in the minors. If that goes well, he should come off the IL to join Houston's rotation at some point late next week. The Dominican hurler should be rostered in all fantasy formats after starting the 2024 season with a 2-0 record, 1.54 ERA (3.57 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with 11 walks and 18 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings over his first four starts. When Javier is back in the fold in Houston, rookie Spencer Arrighetti will likely be sent back to the minors.Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Ari Alexander
9 hours agoThe Tampa Bay Lightning and forward Steven Stamkos have begun preliminary discussions on his next contract. The veteran of 16 NHL seasons, all with the Lightning, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if a new deal is not hammered out. "I had a short conversation with [Lightning general manager Julien Brisebois] after [Game 5]; he reached out to my agent," Stamkos said at Tampa Bay's locker cleanout on Wednesday. "That's all that we have right now, but for sure hopefully there's some discussions and you have to start somewhere, so I'm looking forward to that." The 34-year-old tallied 40 goals and 81 points on 262 shots on goal across 79 regular-season games before tallying five goals in five first-round games against the Florida Panthers.Source: NHL.com
9 hours agoOrlando Magic guard/forward Gary Harris (hamstring) is considered a game-time call for Friday's Game 6 against Cleveland. He suffered a right hamstring strain in Game 5, exiting the contest early. Harris has started all five games for the Magic in the playoffs, averaging 26.2 minutes. However, he hasn't been very productive, posting only 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony could get more playing opportunities on Friday, but the two haven't made any noise in the playoffs and would be risky choices for DFS managers.Source: Kendra Andrews
9 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (lower body) could be available for the team's second-round series against the New York Rangers, according to general manager Don Waddell. The veteran appeared to suffer a lower-body injury while turning up ice during Game 2 of the team's first-round series against the New York Islanders. "Brett is out of his walking boot, doing things right now," Waddell said on Wednesday. "If everything goes as expected, he shall play games in this round. Maybe not right off the start, but he will play games in this round." The 29-year-old tallied three goals and 13 points alongside 113 blocked shots across 70 regular-season contests. It's unclear when the Hurricanes' series with the Rangers will begin.Source: NHL.com