Harrison Bader Returns to Lineup

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader is back in the lineup batting eighth Thursday after an off day on Wednesday. Matt Carpenter, in turn, returns to the bench as his lost season continues. Eighth is obviously not the best lineup spot for DFS purposes against the Chicago Cubs and starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks. You may... Read More

Jean Segura Leaves with Apparent Hamstring Injury

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jean Segura left Thursday's day game with an apparent left hamstring injury. Segura has disappointed this season with a .283 average and 10 steals, his worst marks since 2015 and 2012, respectively, and at this point in the season any injury of even intermediate seriousness means an end to the season but... Read More

Jeimer Candelario Batting Fifth Thursday

Detroit Tigers infielder Jeimer Candelario, who has been dealing with triceps soreness, is back in the team's lineup and playing first base on Thursday. However, the Tigers are facing the Cleveland Indians and starting pitcher Mike Clevinger, so the entire Detroit lineup is a DFS fade even with a small slate. As for Candelario's value... Read More

Domingo German On Leave in Domestic-Violence Case

New York Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German has been placed by MLB on administrative leave under its domestic-violence policy. There are no details about the case itself. For what it's worth, there are obvious fantasy implications. German will miss at least one start, as the administrative leave requires at least seven days off. German's 4.03... Read More

Brandon Woodruff Experiencing Arm Soreness

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who just returned from an oblique injury on September 17, told reporters Thursday that he experienced some arm soreness after his two-inning appearance. Even though his oblique seemed okay, this is obviously not something the Brewers or fantasy managers want to hear. Woodruff would be a worthwhile fantasy option... Read More

Manny Machado Sitting Thursday

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado takes a seat for Thursday's matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers. Despite 30 home runs, this season has been a major disappointment for Machado, who is hitting just .253/.332/.456 with 79 runs scored, 82 driven in, and a 5-for-8 record stealing bases. This is his second day off in... Read More

Blake Treinen Out for Rest of 2019

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Blake Treinen will miss the rest of the 2019 season with back and shoulder issues. After posting a 0.78 ERA in 2018, Treinen lost his closing job after a June injury and did not come close to reclaiming it, and now his lost season is over. He is still owned in... Read More

Power Hitting Risers & Fallers for Week 25 - Buy or Sell?

Less than two weeks left, and if you still need an extra home run or two, time is running out to get it. Are September's risers the answer? Are the fallers going to continue to fall? Weekly reminders: EVAB (pronounced ee-vab or ev-ab) is simply exit velocity on "air balls" - meaning fly balls and... Read More

The Cut List (Week 25) - Time to Let Go?

Only two weeks to go! Not much time in roto, but enough if things are close, or if you're entering crunch time in a head-to-head playoff. If you're facing those circumstances, you know it's no time to get casual. The players themselves don't have much time to turn things around either. Players do go through... Read More

Power Hitting Risers & Fallers for Week 24 - Buy or Sell?

A lot of this week's risers aren't actually too surprising. (We were going to talk about Jurickson Profar but the May 19 game resumption appears to have irreparably damaged the reliability of his two-week splits, which show him hitting .262 in some places and .298 in others. In short, though, you can ride his streak,... Read More

Anthony Rizzo Leading Off Thursday

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is the leadoff hitter on Thursday as the team is shaking things up a bit. Kyle Schwarber is in the three-hole for the first time all season and Kris Bryant hits cleanup for just the second time. Ian Happ is also making his first start since September 3, while... Read More

Manny Machado Out Thursday

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado is not in the team's lineup Thursday, his first off day since August 21. It looks to be a standard sit for rest. Second baseman Ty France gets a rare start at third base in his place and will bat sixth. The Padres are facing the Chicago Cubs... Read More

Trevor Story, Daniel Murphy Out Thursday

Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story and first baseman Daniel Murphy are not in Thursday's lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals. Both appear to be fine health-wise. Garrett Hampson plays short batting sixth and Josh Fuentes bats seventh playing first base. Moving up in the lineup are outfielder Raimel Tapia and second baseman Ryan McMahon. It's... Read More

Kevin Newman Takes Seat Thursday

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman is off for Thursday's series finale at the San Francisco Giants. Cole Tucker will play short and bat sixth, while second baseman Adam Frazier moves to Newman's usual leadoff spot. No one usually makes for a particularly good DFS hitting play at Oracle Park, and Tucker's rookie struggles make him... Read More

Christian Yelich To Avoid Surgery

Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Christian Yelich, out for the rest of 2019 with a broken patella, will not need surgery on the fracture. Yelich is thus expected to be good to go at the start of 2020, so dynasty owners should be relieved. As is often the case in September, however, the Brewers have not... Read More

Paul Goldschmidt Out of Thursday's Lineup

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is off on Thursday for a series finale at Coors Field. In his place is Rangel Ravelo batting fifth. As with any visit to Coors Field, the entire Cardinals' lineup is tempting for DFS purposes. Ravelo is an unknown quantity who should probably be avoided, but someone like... Read More

Adalberto Mondesi Off Thursday

Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi gets the day off on Thursday. It's his first time on the bench since returning from a shoulder injury on September 1 and there is no apparent setback, just a routine day. In his place is Nicky Lopez batting ninth, who can easily be ignored in DFS. In fact,... Read More

Daniel Palka Getting Another Shot

Chicago White Sox outfielder Daniel Palka is in the lineup and batting sixth on Thursday. He replaces Leury Garcia, who just returned from bereavement leave and is sitting after starting Tuesday and Wednesday. It's been an unfortunate campaign for Palka, who is now 1-for-54 on the year with six walks and a hit-by-pitch in 61... Read More

Jeff McNeil Off Thursday

New York Mets infielder Jeff McNeil is not in the team's lineup for Thursday's day game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It looks like a simple off day, with none of McNeil's health issues from earlier in the season at play this time. Robinson Cano returns from an off day to play second base and bat... Read More

Jarrod Dyson Returns, Batting Eighth

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jarrod Dyson, who missed two straight starts and three out of four with performance issues, is back in the lineup Thursday. But he's only batting eighth, a far cry from the leadoff spot he often occupied throughout the first five months of the season. Not surprisingly, he is someone to avoid in... Read More

Ronny Rodriguez Back Hitting Cleanup

Detroit Tigers infielder Ronny Rodriguez, after sitting Tuesday's game and Wednesday's postponement, is playing second base and batting cleanup in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees Thursday. Rodriguez has some pop but is an overall quite bad MLB hitter with a .220/.248/.451 slash line this season. He is not a... Read More

Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez Out to Open Doubleheader

New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres and catcher Gary Sanchez are sitting for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. DJ LeMahieu returns to his leadoff spot after getting the day off on Tuesday and plays second. Austin Romine catches batting ninth. The Yankees are facing homer-prone Tigers starter Matthew Boyd,... Read More

Orlando Arcia Returns to Lineup

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia is back from paternity leave and batting eighth on Thursday against the Miami Marlins. Arcia has been one of baseball's worst hitters in 2019 despite 14 home runs and eight steals, batting just .218/.283/.345. With a line like that, a terrible lineup spot, and the game played at one of... Read More

The Cut List (Week 24) - Time to Let Go?

Time is running out to make a move in your league. You're still looking to hit on categories that are close while sacrificing those where you are fairly isolated in the standings with little to gain. Achievable gaps are only getting smaller, too. Harder to make up two or three home runs in three weeks... Read More

Gary Sanchez, Luke Voit Out Wednesday

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and first baseman Luke Voit are not in the team's lineup Wednesday. It should be a standard off day for both, including Voit's first day off since returning from his sports hernia last week. Austin Romine is catching and batting eighth while Edwin Encarnacion takes first base batting cleanup... Read More

Brock Holt Batting Sixth Wednesday

Boston Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt is batting sixth on Wednesday while first baseman Mitch Moreland bats seventh and catcher Christian Vazquez hits eighth. It's a modest change from Tuesday when the six through eight hitters were Moreland, Vazquez then Holt. The Red Sox are facing the Minnesota Twins and starting pitcher Jose Berrios. The... Read More

Ryan O'Hearn Starting After Walk-Off

Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O'Hearn is batting seventh against the Detroit Tigers and starting pitcher Edwin Jackson on Wednesday, the day after his pinch-hit walk-off home run. It's rare that Kansas City hitters are solid DFS plays, but this could be one of those times, as Jackson has a whopping 9.35 ERA this... Read More

Colten Brewer Among Several Boston Call-Ups

The Boston Red Sox called up four relief pitchers on Wednesday: Colten Brewer, Bobby Poyner, Mike Shawaryn, and Trevor Kelley. All four have appeared in big league games this season already, led by Brewer with 48 innings of a 4.31 ERA and 44 strikeouts against 31 walks, down to a single three-run inning for Kelley.... Read More

Forrest Whitley Pitching From Bullpen in Triple-A Playoffs

Houston Astros starting pitching prospect Forrest Whitley will pitch for Triple-A Round Rock during their postseason, doing so out of the bullpen. Whitley has struggled in 2019, with a 7.99 ERA in 59 2/3 innings across four levels, including a 12.21 ERA in 24 1/3 innings (eight games, five starts) at Round Rock. Still only... Read More

Shane Bieber Looking At Big K's Wednesday

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber is lined up to face the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, and against the same lineup they used Tuesday night. Chicago's 25.6% strikeout rate as a club is the fourth-worst in MLB, while Bieber's 31.0% strikeout rate is eighth among qualified starters. That should be a recipe for numerous... Read More