1 min agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that catcher
Gary Sanchez (hamstring) is "good to go" but not at 100 percent yet.
Eric Haase is currently with the team as catching insurance, but it sounds like Sanchez is available off the bench for Friday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 31-year-old veteran backstop was removed from Tuesday's game early with right-hamstring tightness, but it appears he will stay with the team and will avoid a trip to the injured list. Sanchez will continue to work as
William Contreras' backup and is worth rostering in two-catcher leagues for his power potential from the right side of the plate. Through his first 18 games with Milwaukee, Sanchez has gone 10-for-48 (.208) with three home runs and six RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
5 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals left-hander
Steven Matz (back) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 1) on Friday with a lower-back strain. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. It's unclear how long it will take the 32-year-old veteran southpaw to return, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's out longer than two weeks. Matz attempted to pitch through his back issue in his latest start on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers but wasn't effective. He's opened the year 1-2 with a bloated 6.18 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with only 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 27 2/3 innings over six starts for the Cardinals. Matz isn't a must-hold in deep-mixed leagues, especially if he's out longer than two weeks. It's unclear who might take his rotation spot in St. Louis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Cardinals
43 mins agoChicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander
Kyle Hendricks' (back) minor-league rehab start with Double-A Tennessee on Thursday was "encouraging," but Hendricks will make another rehab start on Tuesday with Iowa. The 34-year-old veteran gave up two runs while fanning seven batters in five innings for Tennessee on Thursday, but the Cubs want to see more before bringing him back to the big-league starting rotation. In his five starts with Chicago before landing on the IL, Hendricks had a disastrous 12.00 ERA (7.71 FIP) and 2.09 WHIP with seven walks and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. Given how bad Hendricks was with the Cubs, it's fair for fantasy managers in mixed leagues to not want anything to do with him when he's back in Chicago's rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
55 mins agoUpdating a previous report, Chicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) will come off the injured list and start on Monday at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Diego Padres, assuming his bullpen session on Saturday goes well. Steele made just one minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and gave up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings while throwing 63 pitches, so the 28-year-old southpaw will almost certainly be on a lowered pitch count in his return on Monday. Steele isn't dealing with an arm injury, but he'll be a pretty risky fantasy starter on Monday against the Friars regardless. Monday's start will be his first since he injured his hamstring on Opening Day on March 28.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
1 hour agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Eddie Rosario is hitting .086 in 23 games so far this year, including an 0-for-2 performance with two strikeouts in Thursday's loss to the Texas Rangers. Despite his slow start, manager Dave Martinez plans to stick with the nine-year big-leaguer who has a history of struggling at the plate in March and April. "It's early," said Martinez. "You've got to give him a chance, you really do. I'm not going to sit him down yet right now. He's got to go out there and play. … I've seen him play before. This kid can hit. He can put you on his shoulders." The 32-year-old is a career .265 hitter, but he's hit just .205 in March and April. But Rosario's average exit velocity (88.6 mph) and hard-hit rate (38.5%) are below league average, and fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't have the same patience as Martinez.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato
1 hour agoChicago Cubs left-handers
Jordan Wicks (forearm) and
Drew Smyly (hip) have been cleared to resume playing catch. Wicks just landed on the 15-day injured list this past Sunday with a left-forearm strain, while Smyly has been out for two weeks due to a right-hip impingement. Wicks' injury is obviously a bit less serious, but it's good news for the Cubs pitching staff that both southpaws are ramping back up. It's unclear when either hurler will be able to return to the big-league roster, but when Wicks is ready, he should return to the rotation. The 24-year-old went 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 28 K's in 23 innings in his first five starts. Smyly has plenty of starting experience, but he figures to return to the Cubs' bullpen when he's activated.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
1 hour agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) took batting practice on the field this week and continues to progress from the right-oblique strain that he suffered on April 14. It was the first time that Suzuki took batting practice, so he's certainly getting closer to a return from the injured list. The 29-year-old said he's around 80 percent recovered from the injury and he could start a minor-league rehab assignment next week as long as he doesn't suffer a setback. The Japanese outfielder was hitting a cool .305 (18-for-59) with three home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored at the time of his injury, and he'll return to an everyday role with the Cubs when he's healthy, so he shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires.
Mike Tauchman could be the biggest loser in terms of playing time for the Cubs once Suzuki returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
1 hour agoChicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) is slated to throw a bullpen session on Saturday in Chicago and will be re-evaluated from there. Manager Craig Counsell said that Steele had a successful minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday despite giving up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings pitched. He appears to be progressing well, and there's a chance he's activated from the injured list if everything goes well with his bullpen session this weekend. However, the fact that the 28-year-old southpaw didn't even go four full innings in his last rehab start would suggest that he'll need to make at least one more start in the minors before returning to Chicago's rotation. Regardless, Steele needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues after breaking out in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
2 hours agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi (groin) is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Friday after being forced to leave his start early on Thursday against the visiting Washington Nationals with a groin injury. Manager Bruce Bochy said the club is "being cautious" with the 34-year-old veteran starter, but it doesn't mean the oft-injured pitcher won't require a stint on the injured list and miss a couple turns through the rotation. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Eovaldi to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday in Oakland against the Athletics, but we should know more on that this weekend. If we had to guess, we'd expect Eovaldi to go on the shelf. Despite his groin injury on Thursday, he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with eight strikeouts to pick up his second win of the year. Eovaldi should be stashed in all fantasy formats if he does land on the IL.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
2 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers rookie outfielder
Jackson Chourio will take another day off on Friday for the series opener against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Infielder
Joey Ortiz is also starting on the bench. Chourio is now on the bench for the second straight game as he tries to get through a slump after a strong start to his first MLB season. The 20-year-old is hitting .140/.196/.233 with no homers or RBI and 12 strikeouts in 31 plate appearances in his last 10 games since April 16 to drop his season line to .206/.257/.351 on the season. The Brewers aren't giving up on the talented Venezuelan outfielder, but hopefully the little break will get him going.
Jake Bauers is getting another start in left field and is hitting fifth on Friday against Cubs right-hander
Hayden Wesneski.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians shortstop
Brayan Rocchio went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's loss against the Houston Astros. The stolen base would be the fifth of the season for the 23-year-old. Outside of the basepaths, Rocchio has struggled to swing the bat. On the season, he is hitting a weak .218 and is homerless with four RBI. Despite playing on most days, the Guardians No. 9 prospect just hasn't done enough with the bat to convince managers to roster him. He can safely remain on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians outfielder
Will Brennan went 3-for-4 with three singles in Thursday's loss versus the Houston Astros. Brennen has now had multi-hit games in five of his last nine games. His performance on Thursday raised his batting average to .253 on the season and he has four homers, 11 RBI and two stolen bases on the young campaign. Brennan quietly has put together a good season, but he is a platoon player with outfielder
Ramon Laureano and that limits his upside. He is worth a look in deeper formats as he continues to swing well, but there are likely players with better upside and opportunity on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks have sent pitcher
Blake Walston back down to Triple-A Reno. Walston made his debut on Monday versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. Walston went 3 2/3 out of the bullpen for the Diamondbacks and was wild with four walks and two runs allowed. Walston's trip was brief, but it is likely that he will be back with the Diamondbacks when they need more pitching depth or an injury occurs. Replacing Walston on the active roster will be pitcher
Matt Bowman. Bowman was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations on Thursday. Both Walston and Bowman can remain on the waiver wire in all formats.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
4 hours agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Nick Pivetta (elbow) got roughed up in his first rehab start for Triple-A Worcester. Pivetta went three innings and allowed three hits, four runs, four walks and recorded five strikeouts. He also threw 62 pitches in the contest, as he builds up for his return to the Red Sox rotation. Pivetta has been sidelined since April with a right elbow flexor strain, but was pitching very well in his first two starts of the season with one run allowed and 13 strikeouts over his first two starts. Pivetta is inching closer to his return and that would mean that
Cooper Criswell or
Chase Anderson will be replaced in the rotation. Pivetta may need a start or two to shake off the rust, but he is worth rostering in most formats with his ability to rack up strikeouts being a big reason why.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
4 hours agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Kyle Hendricks (back) looked healthy in a rehab start for Double-A Tennessee on Thursday. The veteran tossed five innings and allowed six hits, two runs, no walks and struck out seven on the evening, Hendricks has been shelved since late April with a minor lower back injury and it has yet to be determined if this will be his one and only rehab start or if he will make another one. When on the mound for the Cubs this season, Hendricks has gotten rocked with 28 runs allowed in 21 innings. The once consistent starter has fallen on hard times and can be left on the waiver wire in all formats when he is activated.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Tennessee Smokies
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