Domingo Santana Goes Oppo Taco For Fourth Homer

Seattle Mariners outfielder Domingo Santana continued his red-hot start Friday with a bomb to the opposite field off of White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez. He finished the day going 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI groundout as the M's lost 10-8. Santana now has 13 RBI, tying him for the major league lead as […]

Yusei Kikuchi Roughed Up Friday

Seattle Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi was touched up for six runs (four earned) over five innings of work as the club was edged out 10-8 to the White Sox on Friday. The lefty ended up with a no-decision, but it wasn't his sharpest outing to date as the Sox scored three runs in each of […]

Nomar Mazara Back In Starting Lineup On Friday

Texas Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara (quad) will serve as the designated hitter and bat fourth against Felix Pena and the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. Mazara missed Thursday's contest after bruising his quad on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old is carrying a .300 average with two home runs and seven RBI through 20 at-bats in […]

Justin Smoak A Late Scratch From Friday's Lineup

Changing an earlier report, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak (neck) will be scratched on Friday night against Shane Bieber and the Cleveland Indians. Smoak also missed Thursday's game with the same ailment. The 32-year-old slugger has produced a .200 average to go along with one home run and four RBI through 25 at-bats. […]

Kyle Zimmer (SP/RP, KC) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 1% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Royals' bullpen is, predictably, a mess. Brad Boxberger, Wily Peralta, and Jake Diekman all sport ERAs of 8.00 or higher, and while both Boxberger and Ian Kennedy have successfully nailed down a save, they've each blown one as well. None of the […]

Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues OWNED IN: 35% of leagues ANALYSIS: Thus far the victim of a logjam in the Padres outfield, Hunter Renfroe may not be the best use of a roster spot in leagues with shallow benches or deep waiver wire pools. However, assuming your format is less constrained, there are few […]

Travis Shaw Sitting Out On Friday

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw is absent from Friday's lineup against Jose Quintana and the Chicago Cubs. Shaw has a .227 average with a home run and two RBI through the early going. He is also 1-for-16 in his career against Quintana. Mike Moustakas is starting at third base and batting fifth while Hernan […]

Matt Chapman Back In The Lineup On Friday

Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman (wrist) was not in the starting lineup on Thursday, but he will be back and batting second against Collin McHugh and the Houston Astros on Friday night. Chapman has had a solid start to the season with a .303 average, three home runs, and six RBI through 10 games. […]

Anthony Swarzak (RP, SEA) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: Why recommend a 33-year-old reliever with middling ratios (4.30 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) and a pedestrian strikeout rate (6.6 K/9) over nearly 600 career innings? Because, to paraphrase the Wu-Tang Clan, saves rule everything around us. Hunter Strickland's lat strain opened the door to another […]

Ramon Laureano (OF, OAK) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 36% of leagues ANALYSIS: With 14 strikeouts in his first 35 plate appearances of 2019, it's fair to say there is room for improvement in Ramon Laureano's first full MLB season. After leading off for the A's in the first game of the season, he's also been relegated […]

Dee Gordon Injured Friday

Seattle Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon was taken out of the game early on Friday due to a leg injury. He tweaked his leg diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt in the fourth inning. Gordon had two walks, a stolen base and a run scored before leaving the game, but a lower-body […]

Albert Almora Jr. Sitting Out Again

Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. remains out of the starting lineup for the second straight day on Friday. Jason Heyward is in center field and is hitting eighth, while Zobrist is in left field and is batting leadoff against Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff. Almora was expected to see more consistent playing time this […]

Jackie Bradley Jr. Sitting In NL Park

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is not in the starting lineup on Friday in an interleague series in a National League park without the designated hitter. Mookie Betts is in center field and batting second, while J.D. Martinez is in right field and is hitting fourth against Arizona starter Zack Godley. Bradley, known […]

Jose Ramirez Not Playing Friday

Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez (foot) is not in the starting lineup on Friday after fouling a ball off his left foot in Thursday's game. Max Moroff is at the hot corner and is hitting eighth against Blue Jays starting pitcher Trent Thornton. Ramirez's injury doesn't appear to be too serious, so consider him […]

Justin Smoak Back In Lineup Friday

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak, who was scratched from the lineup on Thursday with a stiff neck, is back in the starting lineup on Friday. He is at first base and is batting third against Indians starter Shane Bieber. Smoak is just 5-for-25 (.200) with a homer and four RBI in the early […]

Luis Robert Off To Strong Start In Minors

Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert, who didn't hit a single home run over 186 at-bats in 2018, hit two home runs and drove in four runs in his 2019 season debut with High-A Winston-Salem on Thursday. The No. 39 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will be up in the big leagues sooner than later […]

White Sox Have Contract Talks With Dylan Cease

The Chicago White Sox have had preliminary contract talks with pitcher Dylan Cease about an extension during spring training, according to a source. However, nothing is close to happening. Cease is the No. 21 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and figures to be called up at some point in 2019. The 23-year-old had 124 strikeouts […]

Jake Lamb Placed On Injured List

The Arizona Diamondbacks placed corner infielder Jake Lamb on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a left quadriceps strain, retroactive to April 4. Infielder Ildemaro Vargas from Triple-A Reno in a corresponding move. Lamb was already losing playing time to Christian Walker at first base to begin the season and was only an NL-only […]

Jeremy Jeffress (RP, MIL) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Jeffress was an All-Star in 2018 and had the best season of his career, going 8-1 with a 1.29 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 89 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings and 15 saves. It helped that Corey Knebel's struggles allowed Jeffress to tally some saves late […]

Wilmer Flores Not Playing Friday

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Wilmer Flores is not in the starting lineup on Friday. Ketel Marte is starting at second base and is batting sixth, while Jarrod Dyson is in center field and is hitting leadoff against Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello. Flores hasn't gotten as much playing time at second base as everyone expected, […]

Yandy Diaz (1B/3B, TB) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 14% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: It's hard not to love what we've seen out of Yandy Diaz in a short sample this season. He's slashing a blistering .310/.394/.621 with a 12.1% walk rate and just a 9.1% strikeout rate. He's always shown strong plate discipline, high contact […]

Zach Eflin (SP, PHI) - Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in all leagues OWNED IN: 33% of leagues ANALYSIS: Eflin was fantastic in his season debut on Tuesday against the Nationals, allowing three hits in five scoreless innings while walking only one and striking out a career high-tying nine for his first win of the 2019 campaign. The right-hander, who will turn 25 on […]

Chris Davis' Fall Continues

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis struck out in all three of his at-bats and was booed by the fans during the team's home opener on Thursday. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. Davis has twice led the majors in home runs with Baltimore, but he's struggled ever since a seven-year, […]

Byron Buxton Absent On Friday

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (back, ribs) remains out of the starting lineup on Friday. Max Kepler remains in center field and in the leadoff spot, while Jake Cave is getting another start in right field and is batting sixth against Phillies starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. Buxton needs another day off after colliding with the […]

Colin Moran Draws Start Friday

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Colin Moran is starting in left field and is batting sixth on Friday against Reds starting pitcher Sonny Gray. J.B. Shuck is in right field and is hitting seventh. Corey Dickerson and Gregory Polanco are both on the injured list, so the Pirates are having to get creative in the outfield. […]

Carlos Martinez Hopes To Throw Off Mound Next Week

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (shoulder) will continue his rehab in St. Louis and is throwing at a distance of 120 feet. He's hoping to throw off a mound next week. Martinez was on the disabled list twice last year with shoulder issues, and they cropped up again this spring. It's a disappointment […]

Kevin Gausman Activated To Start Friday

The Atlanta Braves are activating starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (shoulder) from the injured list in order for him to make his season debut against the Marlins. The 28-year-old threw 90 pitches in a minor league start last Saturday without complications after he fought through shoulder soreness in spring camp. Gausman had a 2.87 ERA with […]

Scott Schebler Sitting Against Righty

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Scott Schebler is not in the starting lineup on Friday. Jesse Winker will slide over to center field and hit leadoff, while Matt Kemp is starting in left field and is batting fifth against Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove. Schebler is off to a brutal 1-for-20 (.050) start with eight strikeouts in […]

No Timetable For Jon Jay

Chicago White Sox outfielder Jon Jay (groin) said that there is no timetable for his return, although he is feeling much improved. The veteran outfielder should see decent playing time in Chicago's outfield when he's ready, but he doesn't offer much fantasy appeal outside of AL-only leagues. The 34-year-old hit a mediocre .268/.330/.347 with three […]

Marcell Ozuna Back In Lineup Friday

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Marcell Ozuna (side) is back in left field and is hitting cleanup on Friday against Padres left-handed starter Nick Margevicius. Ozuna went for an MRI exam on Thursday, but it was reassuring and he's back in the lineup after missing just one game. He has just five hits in his first […]