3 mins agoToronto Blue Jays rookie right-hander
Yariel Rodriguez (back) will make a minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday. Manager John Schneider said the team wants to build Rodriguez's pitch count to at least 80 before reinstating him from the injured list. The Blue Jays were initially considering using Rodriguez to start for the major-league team this weekend against the Cleveland Guardians, but they'll instead take the cautious approach after the 27-year-old Cuban hurler fanned 10 in four shutout innings in his last rehab start. There's a lot to like about Rodriguez in the long term, but Toronto is going to take it slow with him in terms of his overall pitch count in 2024. Rodriguez made four starts before landing on the IL, going 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.76 WHIP with 16 K's and eight walks in 15 1/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Kaitlyn McGrath
9 mins agoAtlanta Braves outfielder
Michael Harris II (hamstring) was pulled from Friday's game against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays due to left-hamstring tightness. Harris suffered the injury while running the bases in the first inning. Before departing with a trainer, Harris recorded a hit in his only at-bat and was replaced in center field by
J.P. Martinez. The Braves can ill-afford to lose Harris for any amount of time with
Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) already out for the year with a torn ACL. Fantasy managers should check back later on Friday or early Saturday for more news on the severity of the 23-year-old Harris' injury. He came into Friday's contest hitting .247 (64-for-259) with five homers, 20 RBI and eight stolen bases in 2024. Martinez could become Atlanta's primary center fielder if Harris is forced to the injured list.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
22 mins agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander
Zac Gallen (hamstring) threw a 37-pitch bullpen session on Friday and will throw a 45-pitch simulated game on Tuesday. Gallen's bullpen session on Friday was his second time throwing off a mound since he suffered a right-hamstring strain and was put on the injured list on May 31. Hamstring issues have bothered the 28-year-old this year, but he's been good otherwise, going 5-4 on the year with a 3.12 ERA (3.25 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with a 60:15 K:BB in 57 2/3 frames over his 11 starts. If his sim game goes well next week, Gallen could be cleared to start a short minor-league rehab assignment, and he should be able to come off the IL before the All-Star break in mid-July. Gallen has the potential to be a fantasy ace when he's healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
30 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Jakob Junis (shoulder) will pitch in another simulated game in Arizona on Monday before potentially rejoining the Brewers later on during next week's West Coast road trip. It's unclear, though, whether he'll make an abbreviated start or join the team's big-league bullpen. Junis will only be relevant in fantasy if he returns to Milwaukee's starting rotation. The 31-year-old veteran was taken off his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville due to concerns about his velocity as he recovers from a right-shoulder injury, but if he looks good on Monday, he should be back in the majors. In his only start for the Brew Crew in 2024 on April 2 against the Minnesota Twins, Junis looked good, giving up an earned run in four innings while walking one and striking out four in a no-decision.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
37 mins agoColorado Rockies veteran outfielder
Jake Cave (head) was hit in the side of the head by a line drive during batting practice before Friday's contest versus the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and was scratched from the lineup. Cave was taken off the field on a cart with a towel pressed to his head, but there's no word from the Rockies about the severity of his injury. The 31-year-old outfielder will most likely be put through the league's concussion protocols and could land on the injured list, depending on the results. In his place in right field on Friday,
Charlie Blackmon will get the start and bat leadoff against Pirates right-hander
Carmen Mlodzinski. Cave is hitting just .238 (25-for-105) on the year with no home runs, seven RBI and 14 runs scored in 51 games in his first season with the Rockies. He's not really a fantasy option in mixed leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Denver Post - Patrick Saunders
46 mins agoTexas Rangers shortstop
Corey Seager (hamstring) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second on Friday against the division-rival Seattle Mariners and right-hander
Luis Castillo.
Ezequiel Duran is at shortstop and is batting seventh. The Rangers held Seager out of Thursday's lineup against the Chicago White Sox as a precaution after he felt some tightness in his hamstring. The team didn't want to take any chances after the 30-year-old recently missed four games due to hamstring issues. Fantasy managers need to get him back in their lineups immediately with the way he's been swinging the bat of late. Since May 19, Seager has gone 19-for-53 (.359) with a whopping nine home runs, two doubles and 17 RBI in 15 games. Against Castillo in his career, Seager is hitting .250 with a .607 OPS in 12 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
54 mins agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) will start his minor-league rehab assignment for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday. Kershaw tossed a three-inning simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Thursday and has been cleared to begin his rehab assignment. The 36-year-old southpaw's southpaw was sitting in the upper-80s in his simulated game, which is right where the Dodgers expected him to be. The future Hall of Famer is well ahead of schedule, but he's still not going to make his 2024 debut until the second half of the season. Given all of his injuries in recent seasons, the Dodgers aren't going to rush the three-time Cy Young winner back. The 10-time All-Star is no longer a high-end fantasy ace, but he still has the potential to be a solid midrange starter in mixed leagues if he stays healthy after he makes his debut.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Times - Mike DiGiovanna
1 hour agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander
Bobby Miller (shoulder) will return to the Dodgers' starting rotation on Wednesday at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. Miller didn't look great on his minor-league rehab assignment, posting a 7.80 ERA and 1.80 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and eight walks in 15 innings, but he did hit 99 mph with his fastball his last time out, so the Dodgers are ready for him to return to their rotation. The 25-year-old has only made three starts in the big leagues in 2024 and landed on the injured list in mid-April with right-shoulder inflammation. He tossed six scoreless innings in his season debut against St. Louis but then allowed seven earned runs in 5 2/3 innings his next two starts before getting hurt. With Miller, the high-end strikeout upside will be worth the risk in a matchup against Colorado, even at Coors Field.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Times - Mike DiGiovanna
1 hour agoThe Philadelphia Phillies are being vague about when shortstop
Trea Turner (hamstring) will return from the 10-day injured list, but it's a possibility that he'll be back on Sunday or Monday. Turner ran at close to 100 percent intensity on Thursday and did some more running again on Friday. The 30-year-old All-Star made excellent progress from a left-hamstring strain that he suffered in early May and should be back for next week's series at home against the visiting San Diego Padres without even going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The former 13th overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2014 out of North Carolina State is a must-start in all fantasy leagues when he's healthy. In 137 at-bats before getting injured, Turner was swinging a hot bat with a .343 average (47-for-137) with 10 steals, two homers and nine RBI.
Edmundo Sosa will return to a bench role when Turner is back.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
1 hour agoIt's a "possibility" that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder
Brandon Marsh (hamstring) is activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday, according to manager Rob Thomson. The Phillies will see how Marsh is feeling after his minor-league rehab game with Double-A Reading on Friday night. It could only take one game in the minors for Marsh to prove that he's ready to rejoin the big-league starting lineup after being sidelined since earlier this month with a right-hamstring strain. When he's ready, the 26-year-old left-handed hitter will take back over as the team's primary center-field option against right-handed pitching. He was hitting .265/.344/.426 with six home runs, 26 RBI, eight steals and 21 runs scored in 162 at-bats before his injury. With Marsh out,
Johan Rojas has seen more starts in center field in Philly.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
1 hour agoThe Colorado Rockies placed catcher
Elias Diaz (calf) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 11) with a left-calf strain on Friday and reinstated outfielder
Nolan Jones (knee) from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move. Diaz will head to the shelf after injuring his calf while running to first base back on Monday against the Minnesota Twins and hadn't played since. The 33-year-old could miss more than the 10 days on the injured list, so fantasy managers must make plans to be without him until later this month. In Colorado,
Jacob Stallings will take over starting catching duties, with
Hunter Goodman providing some depth. Diaz has been one of the better hitting catchers in fantasy in 2024 and needs to be stashed in an IL spot while he heals. He's currently hitting .303/.352/.439 with five homers and 28 RBI in 198 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rockies Club Information
2 hours agoThe Colorado Rockies reinstated outfielder
Nolan Jones (knee) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and placed catcher
Elias Diaz (calf) on the 10-day IL (retroactive to June 11) with a left-calf strain in a corresponding move. Jones is right back in the lineup on Friday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander
Carmen Mlodzinski, playing left field and batting fifth for the Rockies. The 26-year-old lefty swinger initially went on the IL on April 30 with back stiffness but had his minor-league rehab assignment stopped with he dealt with right-knee soreness. He went 8-for-33 with a homer and five RBI for Triple-A Albuquerque after restarting his rehab assignment. Despite hitting .170 (16-for-94) with a homer and seven RBI before going on the IL, Jones has enormous power/speed upside and should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rockies Club Information
2 hours agoBaltimore Orioles right-hander
Dean Kremer (triceps) will start his minor-league rehab assignment and make a start for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on Sunday. Manager Brandon Hyde said Kremer would go "four-ish" innings in his first rehab appearance. Kremer landed on the 15-day injured list due to a right-triceps strain three weeks ago but is now nearing a return to Baltimore's starting rotation. Depending on how he looks in his rehab outing on Sunday, the 28-year-old could take his next turn on the mound back in the big leagues with a potential tough matchup on tap next weekend in Houston against the Astros. Kremer lost two straight games before landing on the IL while giving up 11 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits (two homers) while walking seven and fanning 12, so he won't exactly come recommended as a streamer if he faces the Astros in his first game back next weekend.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
2 hours agoBaltimore Orioles infielder
Jackson Holliday (elbow), the top prospect in baseball, is heading to the seven-day injured list with Triple-A Norfolk on Friday with right-elbow inflammation. It hasn't been the season Holliday or his fantasy managers had hoped for so far in 2024. The 20-year-old did make his major-league debut earlier this season, but he stuck around for only 10 games in Baltimore and looked overmatched at the plate, going 2-for-34 (.059) with no homers, one RBI, two walks and 18 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. The former first overall pick in 2022 out of a high school in Oklahoma and the son of
Matt Holliday has hit .270 (51-for-189) with seven home runs, 28 RBI and five stolen bases in 50 games for the Tides in the minors, although he had been a bit cold before his injury. It's unclear how long Holliday will be out with his injury, but he doesn't appear close to another stint in the big leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
3 hours agoHouston Astros catcher
Yainer Diaz (finger) is back in the starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Detroit Tigers and left-hander
Tarik Skubal, serving as the designated hitter and batting fifth.
Victor Caratini will do the catching and hit eighth for the Astros. Diaz took a foul tip to his right index finger last weekend and missed three games as a result, but he's back in there for the start of a weekend series in Houston as the DH. His injury impacts his throwing most of all, so he will have to wait to get back behind the plate. The 25-year-old backstop is returning to a tough matchup against Skubal, but he'll be looking to extend his current hitting streak to seven games on Friday. During his streak in June, Diaz has gone 8-for-25 (.320) with four home runs and 10 RBI in 25 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Astros
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