RADIO
Trey Mancini Hits Two Home Runs Wednesday
1 hour agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini had a big day at the plate in Wednesday's 9-2 win over the Nationals, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a two-run HR, and a walk. Mancini took Erick Fedde deep for a solo blast in the fourth inning and then got Javy Guerra for a two-run shot in the eighth. The power display was a welcome sight, as Mancini had been in a bit of a slump lately. The 27-year-old is now hitting .285 with 19 HR and 43 RBI in 381 plate appearances. He should be in fantasy owners' lineups at all times as long as he continues to pick things up.Source: ESPN.com
Donovan Solano Plates Two On Four Hits Wednesday
1 hour agoSan Francisco Giants second baseman Donovan Solano went 4-for-5 with a single, two doubles, a solo home run, and two RBI in Wednesday's 11-8 win over the Rockies. The veteran has performed surprisingly well this season and now owns a .337/.368/.469 slash line with two home runs and 12 RBI in 106 plate appearances. While his numbers have been good to the point, playing time and power are lacking in Solano's game, rendering him irrelevant in fantasy.Source: ESPN.com
Stephen Vogt Hits Two-Run Home Run Wednesday
1 hour agoSan Francisco Giants catcher Stephen Vogt went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run, and a walk in Wednesday's 11-8 win over the Rockies. Vogt took Jon Gray deep in the fifth inning for his fourth long ball of the season. The veteran has been serviceable in a shallow position this season and now owns a .271/.338/.525 slash line with 18 RBI in 133 plate appearances. He is worth a look in deeper two-catcher leagues at this time.Source: ESPN.com
Shaun Anderson Turns In Another Mediocre Start Wednesday
1 hour agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher Shaun Anderson took a no-decision in Wednesday's 11-8 win at the Rockies. Anderson allowed five runs on eight hits (including a two-run home run) and two walks with one strikeout in 4 1/3 innings pitched. The 24-year-old started out the season strong but now owns a poor 4.87 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 22 walks in 64 2/3 IP. Fantasy players can ignore Anderson except perhaps in deep leagues. His next matchup will be a not-so-favorable one against the Cubs at home.Source: ESPN.com
Mallex Smith Swipes 26th Bag Wednesday
2 hours agoSeattle Mariners outfielder Mallex Smith went 2-for-4 in Wednesday’s contest versus the Oakland Athletics, swiping his 26th bag in the process. He sits comfortably in second place in the majors in this category, making him a must-own player in fantasy. The rest of Smith’s stats don’t necessarily stand out (.235 AVG, five HR, 44 runs, 23 RBI), but he’s cemented into the leadoff role and has hit much better over the last month and a half. A terribly slow start has weighed his average down, but he’s hit .274 since the beginning of June and will slowly continue to bring that average up over the remainder of 2019. Expect the runs and stolen bases also to continue to flow despite the lack of punch the M’s team has had recently.Source: MLB.com
Titans Plan To Feature Derrick Henry In 2019
3 hours agoTennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry finished the 2018 season on a tear, rushing for 625 yards and eight touchdowns in the month of December alone. New Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has stated that he plans to "ride" Henry going forward, but perhaps expectations should be tempered. While the Titans did improve their offensive line through free agency and the draft this offseason, Henry's involvement should remain game-script sensitive with receiving back Dion Lewis still in Tennessee. Henry is likely going to win you some matchups this season with his big play ability and touchdown upside, but he is also likely to lose you some weeks should the Titans fall behind early, making Henry a risky pick in the late second or early third rounds of fantasy drafts.Source: Jim Wyatt
Jason Day Could Contend In Northern Ireland
4 hours agoIn eight career Open Championship attempts, Jason Day has yet to miss a cut and has finished no worse than a share of 27th place over the past four seasons. Part of the reason for his success stems from the fact that he is arguably the best player in the world in adverse conditions. If we look at how players have performed in moderate to severe winds during their past 50 rounds, only Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy have gained more strokes than Day. In fact, when we add in who the top performers have been in rainy conditions since 2014, Day ranks fourth - behind only McIlroy, Stenson and Koepka. The 31-year-old enters the Open Championship this year as motivated as we have ever seen him and could surprise with a run towards the title. Source: PGA Tour
Francisco Lindor Hits His 15th Home Run on Wednesday
4 hours agoCleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, playing as the designated hitter for Wednesday's game, hit his 15th home run of the season. He ended up 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Lindor's blast led off the eighth inning and helped pad the lead in what would eventually be a 7-2 win for Cleveland. After a slow start delayed by injury, Lindor has been exactly what those who drafted him expected. He's slashing .289/.347/.500 and producing consistently at the top of the Cleveland order.Source: MLB.com
Jose Ramirez Puts Up a Three-Hit Game on Wednesday
4 hours agoCleveland Indians infielder Jose Ramirez had a strong offensive game on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with a double and two singles. He scored two runs and stole his 20th base of the year. After a very slow start to the season, Ramirez has turned it on lately and brought his slash line up to .232/.314/.370. He still has work to do, but he's starting to resemble the Jose Ramirez his fantasy owners expected when they drafted him.Source: MLB.com
Nick Wittgren Earns a Save on Wednesday
4 hours agoCleveland Indians relief pitcher Nick Wittgren earned a save on Wednesday, tossing the final 1 2/3 innings of a 7-2 victory. It was a much closer game when Wittgren entered, and he made it through his five outs while allowing a solo home run and a walk. He struck out three and ended up with his second save of the season and an ERA of 3.19. Wittgren has been a solid bridge to closer Brad Hand all season and should be seen as the top backup to Hand in case an injury were to strike the Cleveland closer.Source: MLB.com
Mike Clevinger Strikes Out a Dozen on Wednesday
4 hours agoCleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger struck out a dozen Detroit Tigers hitters on Wednesday, tossing six innings while allowing just one run on six hits and a walk. Clevinger was tough to hit in this one, improving his record to 3-2 with the win and lowering his ERA to 3.57. He'd been showing positive signs since returning from the IL, but this was his first true dominant start since coming back. It's just a peek of what Clevinger is capable of doing in the second half. He needs to be owned and started in every fantasy league.Source: MLB.com
Chris Paddack Brilliant Wednesday
5 hours agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher Chris Paddack was spectacular Wednesday night allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts while earning his sixth win. Paddack flirted with a no-hitter through seven innings but Starlin Castro homered to lead off the eighth. The start was the latest in a long line of good starts for the rookie phenom as he lowers his ERA to 2.70. He's struck out 26.7 percent of batters with an 11 percent swinging-strike rate. Paddack is must-own in all formats and should be started in virtually any matchup. He'll look to stay hot next time out next Wednesday at the Mets.Source: MLB
Mike Clevinger Dominant Over Six Innings
5 hours agoCleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger dominated the Tigers Wednesday night firing six innings of one-run ball. Clevinger scattered six hits and a walk while striking out 12 in the dominant effort. Clevinger has spent a ton of time on the injured list this season and gave up 12 earned runs in his first two starts back. Since then, however, Clevinger has allowed only two runs in 17 innings with a whopping 27 strikeouts. Clevinger broke out last season with a 3.02 ERA across 200 innings with a 25.6 percent strikeout rate and has been able to build on that success when he's been able to pitch this season. If Clevinger stays healthy from here fantasy owners can expect a borderline ace who should be started every time he toes the rubber.Source: ESPN
Jesse Chavez Hammered by Diamondbacks
5 hours agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher Jesse Chavez had a night to forget Wednesday vs the Diamondbacks. Chavez allowed seven earned runs while only recording two outs before being relieved by Adrian Sampson. Chavez has now had three straight rough outings allowing 17 earned runs in only 11 innings. His 4.51 FIP coming into the game was much higher than his ERA and now the latter number is inflated to 4.72. He's allowing hard contact at a near 40 percent rate, that number and his 35.2 percent fly-ball rate are a bad combination pitching half his games in Texas. He's droppable in all formats.Source: MLB
Craig Kimbrel Notches Fourth Save
6 hours agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts against the Reds Wednesday to earn his fourth save of the season. This is now four straight scoreless appearances for Kimbrel after allowing five runs in his first 2 2/3 innings. It appears Kimbrel is hitting his stride after missing the first half of the season and should be owned and started in all formats where saves are a priority.Source: MLB
Homer Bailey Picks Up Win In A's Debut
6 hours agoOakland Athletics starter Homer Bailey allowed two runs on seven hits across six innings of work during a 10-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. He struck out six batters while walking none. The Athletics acquired Bailey in a trade with the Kansas City Royals on July 14. The veteran right-hander has produced a 4-0 record with a 2.85 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 35/13 K/BB rate over his past seven starts. His overall numbers are far less inspiring, but the improvement is encouraging to see. Nevertheless, he has a tough task in his next projected start against the potent Houston Astros.Source: MLB.com
Rogelio Armenteros Will Start Sunday For Astros
6 hours agoHouston Astros pitcher Rogelio Armenteros will start against the Rangers on Sunday according to beat writer Jake Kaplan. Armenteros pitched well as the bulk reliever on Tuesday tossing four scoreless innings against the Angels. Armenteros had a 5.05 ERA in Triple-A, but those numbers are inflated pitching in the Pacific Coast League. He averaged 9.95 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors and was the victim of a .348 BABIP against. So far in the Majors, he's allowed two runs in nine innings and could be worth taking a shot on in AL-Only or deep leagues if chasing wins or strikeouts late in the week.Source: Jake Kaplan
Jurickson Profar Smacks Two Home Runs To Down Mariners
6 hours agoOakland Athletics second baseman Jurickson Profar was 2-for-3 with two home runs, four RBI, three runs scored, and a walk during a 10-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has been tough to trust at the plate this season. He is slashing .217/.280/.400 with 13 HRs and 45 RBI. He regularly bats near the bottom of the lineup and is just a .235 hitter for his career. Despite the offensive outburst, Profar is only fantasy relevant in deep formats or AL-Only leagues.Source: MLB.com
Dallas Keuchel Surrenders Five Runs In Wednesday's Loss
6 hours agoAtlanta Braves starter Dallas Keuchel allowed five runs - four earned - on six hits across 5 2/3 innings of work during Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He struck out five batters while walking two. Keuchel had been stellar to start July, allowing five earned runs across 21 1/3 innings in his first three starts of the month. The 31-year-old now has a 3-3 record on the season to go along with a 3.58 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 22/12 K/BB rate. Luckily, Keuchel will see a more favorable matchup in his next projected start against the Kansas City Royals. He is worthy of ownership in all formats.Source: MLB.com
Ramon Laureano Homers Again Wednesday
6 hours agoOakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored Wednesday vs the Mariners. Laureano has been on fire lately batting .368 with a .842 slugging percentage since June 30. Laureano has been a solid fantasy contributor this season with 19 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 95 games. Despite the hot streak, Laureano is only making hard contact at a 31.1 percent rate and has been the beneficiary of a 41.7 percent home run to fly-ball rate. Those numbers are due for a bit of regression, but he's worth starting in fantasy to ride the hot bat. Laureano is set for a four-game weekend series in Minnesota against four right-handed pitchers.Source: MLB
Dustin Johnson Searches For Second Major
6 hours agoIt has been a long, hard road for Dustin Johnson in major championship events, which has been evident by some of the misfortunes he has suffered in his quest over the years. Johnson is arguably the best player in the world, but his inability to close the deal during the most significant events has been concerning. The Open Championship has never been Johnson's best major, but there will be a contrarian approach to be had with the big-hitting American this week. We don't have an issue playing Johnson in GPP events but would be hesitant using him in our cash-game lineups. Source: PGA Tour
Josh Donaldson Produces Four RBI In Loss To Brewers
6 hours agoAtlanta Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and four RBI during Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The veteran infielder has been dynamite over his past seven games, slashing .360/.467/1.000 with five HRs and 12 RBI. The hot stretch has seen his batting average rise to .255 for the season to go along with 22 HRs and 55 RBI. So long as Donaldson remains healthy, he will continue to produce on one of the best teams in the National League. He is worthy of ownership in all formats.Source: MLB.com
Jordan Lyles Could Be Traded
6 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jordan Lyles could be on the move according to Jon Heyman. Pittsburgh has lost five of their last six games and have fallen 6.5 games behind the Cubs, so they'll likely become sellers at the deadline if they're not there yet. Lyles has gotten shelled each of his past two starts allowing 14 earned runs over only 4 2/3 innings raising his ERA to 5.16 so a return would likely be minimal for the Bucs. Despite the bad ERA, Lyles is a decent streamer in fantasy when he has a good matchup and could gain more value if he winds up in the right situation. His 4.38 xFIP is lower than his ERA and he's striking out 9.6 batters per nine innings.Source: Jon Heyman
Max Scherzer Could Start Sunday
7 hours agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) could come off the injured list to make a start Sunday against the first-place Braves. Scherzer will throw a bullpen session Thursday according to manager Dave Martinez and will likely make a decision afterward based on how Scherzer feels. Scherzer, who hasn't pitched since July 6, has been his usual dominant self this season with a 2.30 ERA and 181 strikeouts across 129 1/3 innings. His FIP is even better at 2.01 and his 35.2 strikeout rate is a career-high. Even is Scherzer can't start this week, it sounds like the ace will be back sooner rather than later. If Scherzer can't go Sunday Anibal Sanchez is on regular rest to make the start.Source: Jesse Dougherty - Washington Post
Mike Trout Sitting Again Wednesday
7 hours agoLos Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (calf) is out of the lineup again on Wednesday. This is now three straight games Trout will miss after straining his calf on Sunday. Angels beat writer Jeff Fletcher reported Trout expects to play on Thursday and the benching tonight is precautionary to make sure the star slugger is healthy. Fantasy owners, however, read reports Sunday night that Trout should be fine so it's understandable if they wait to see Trout's name back in the lineup before feeling totally comfortable he'll avoid the injured list. Brian Goodwin will continue to fill in for Trout in center and is not a recommended DFS option against Gerrit Cole.Source: Jeff Fletcher - Orange County Register
Angels Option Justin Bour To Triple-A
7 hours agoLos Angeles Angels first baseman Justin Bour has been optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. Bour is hitting just .183 with eight home runs in 45 games after hitting .292 last year. The move clears a roster spot for reliever Luke Bard. Bour will probably be back in the Majors at some point this season, but at this point it's hard to see him earning everyday playing time again and is a fantasy afterthought. Matt Thaiss should see more time at first base. He'll bat eighth tonight against Astros righty Garrett Cole.Source: Jeff Fletcher - Orange County Register
Sonny Gray Strikes Out Eight In Loss
7 hours agoCincinnati Reds right-hander Sonny Gray pitched six strong innings in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Gray allowed two runs while striking out eight but wound up taking the loss. His record drops to 5-6 with a 3.40 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 120 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings of work. Gray has been a quality fantasy pitcher this season and has earned must-start status thanks to his strong work. He will look to keep it going in his next start, which will come against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.Source: www.MLB.com
Matt Chapman Leaves Early on Wednesday
7 hours agoOakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman (ankle) was removed early during Wednesday's game against the Seattle Mariners. Chapman fouled off multiple pitches towards his ankle, so that's likely where he picked up the injury. Chad Pinder took over at third base, so he could see a few games there while Chapman rests. The team will likely have Chapman undergo more testing, so right now he's considered day-to-day.Source: Martin Gallegos
Hector Neris Suspended, Will Appeal
7 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris has been suspended three games for hitting David Freese Tuesday night in the Phillies 9-8 win over the Dodgers. Neris will appeal the suspension making him available to pitch tonight. Neris was called upon to protect a two-run lead but promptly put the first two men on base. After a strikeout, Neris allowed a three-run home run to Matt Beaty. Two pitches later Neris plunked Freese and was ejected from the game after the benches cleared. It is unclear who will close for the Phillies when Neris serves his suspension, but Adam Morgan has been seeing high leverage innings lately and has 17 holds. The lefty reliever has 22 strikeouts to seven walks with a 3.65 ERA and could see a save or two if the team has a save opportunity sans Neris.Source: Meghan Montemurro
Ken Giles is Available for Wednesday
7 hours agoToronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Ken Giles (elbow) is available for Wednesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Giles has been unable to pitch since July 4 due to inflammation in his elbow. It's unclear if Giles will be able to pitch in back-to-back games yet, but he is available for Wednesday's contest.Source: Ben Nicholson-Smith
