2 mins agoTampa Bay Rays left-hander
Tyler Alexander picked up a quality start in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Alexander allowed three runs on three hits over 7 1/3 innings while striking out four on the way to earning the win. The veteran southpaw kept the Toronto lineup off balance for most of the game, with most of the damage coming via a two-run homer by
Davis Schneider in the eighth inning. Alexander now has a 2-2 record, 5.17 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts over 47 innings of work this season. Alexander isn't a must-start in fantasy but he's worth a look as a streaming option in deeper leagues.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 mins agoSan Diego Padres right-hander
Matt Waldron turned in a dominant performance in a 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday. Waldron allowed just one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out 10 and walking two. The veteran did well in limiting a dangerous Atlanta offense to just one run while racking up double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his MLB career. Overall, Waldron has a 2-5 record, 5.00 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts over 45 innings of work. Waldron is worth a look in deeper leagues moving forward as he gears up for his next start.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
18 mins agoTampa Bay Rays infielder
Richie Palacios went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Palacios launched a two-run shot off of Toronto starter
Chris Bassitt in the sixth inning as part of a three-run frame for the Rays. The veteran infielder has been productive for the Rays this season, hitting .259 with four homers, 19 runs, 11 RBI, and six steals across 112 at-bats. Palacios has been scuffling a bit at the plate of late, hitting just .185 over his past seven games, so hopefully his homer on Friday night will get him going.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
26 mins agoNew York Yankees left-hander
Nestor Cortes turned in an excellent outing in a 4-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Cortes allowed just one unearned run on five hits over seven innings while striking out six and walking one in the start. The veteran southpaw looked excellent on the mound while bouncing back from an uneven performance in his last outing. Overall, Cortes has a 2-4 record, 3.56 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts over 60 2/3 innings of work in 2024. He will look to keep it going in his next start, which is scheduled to come against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
31 mins agoChicago White Sox outfielder
Tommy Pham went 3-for-5 with a double, a run, and a stolen base in a 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday. Pham was one of the few bright spots on offense as the White Sox were held to just two runs in the loss. The veteran outfielder has been swinging a hot bat since having his contract selected from Triple-A back on April 26. On the year, Pham is hitting .338 with two homers, 11 runs, 10 RBI, and two steals across 74 at-bats. Pham brings a productive blend of power and speed to the table in fantasy, making him a quality option as a reserve outfielder in most leagues. Hitting .385 over his last seven games, Pham should be locked into fantasy lineups while he's on a hot streak.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
37 mins agoMiami Marlins left-hander
Jesus Luzardo turned in a dominant performance in an 8-0 win over the New York Mets on Friday. Luzardo struck out seven over six innings of shutout ball while allowing just five hits. The 26-year-old lefty has been excellent in his two starts since returning from the injured list, having allowed just two earned runs while striking out 15 across 11 2/3 innings of work. Overall, Luzardo has a 1-3 record, 5.02 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts over 37 2/3 innings of work in 2024. He has plenty of potential in his arm and should be a solid starting option for his next start, which is scheduled to come against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
44 mins agoMiami Marlins catcher
Nick Fortes went 3-for-3 with a homer, a walk, three runs, and three RBI in an 8-0 win over the New York Mets on Friday. Fortes turned in his best offensive performance of the season in the lopsided win over New York. The veteran catcher launched a three-run homer off of Mets starter
Christian Scott in the second inning as part of a four-run frame for Miami. Overall, Fortes is hitting just .159 with two homers, seven runs, and eight RBI across 82 at-bats. He will look to stay hot moving forward, although he only had six homers in 294 at-bats in 2023, so don't expect frequent power displays from the 27-year-old.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
51 mins agoDetroit Tigers left-hander
Tarik Skubal tossed six innings of shutout ball while striking out six and allowing just one hit in a 13-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. Skubal was efficient in the outing, needing just 74 pitches to cruise through his six innings of work. He didn't allow a baserunner until the fifth inning when he gave up a double to Randal Grichuck. Skubal has been dominant in 2024, posting a 6-0 record, 1.80 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts over 55 innings of work. Skubal has to be considered a must-start in fantasy moving forward. His next start is scheduled to come against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoCleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez cracked his 10th home run of the season in Friday's win over the division-rival Minnesota Twins, delivering a go-ahead blast in the eighth inning. Ramirez took Twins closer
Jhoan Duran yard for some two-out thunder and a 3-2 Guardians advantage, opening the door for stopper
Emmanuel Clase to slam the door for the save in the ninth inning. Over his last 12 outings, the 31-year-old fantasy superstar is batting a strong .311 with five homers, 13 RBI, and three stolen bases as Cleveland's everyday No. 3 hitter. Ramirez deals with the Twins two more times this weekend. In 16 games against Minnesota since 2023, he's hitting just .175 with the lone long ball and five RBI.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoMinnesota Twins closer
Jhoan Duran was saddled with his first loss of the campaign in Friday's defeat to the division-rival Cleveland Guardians, surrendering his first run of the season. Summoned in the eighth inning to try and keep the game tied, Duran served up a go-ahead home run to
Jose Ramirez before striking out
Josh Naylor. Although the 26-year-old fire-balling right-hander has converted each of his three save opportunities while striking out nine and walking just one across his first eight innings of the year, his usage has been questionable from a fantasy perspective also with three holds for the Twins. Duran should still be viewed as the favorite for saves in Minnesota's bullpen, but manager Rocco Baldelli has shown a tendency to use him in the highest-leverage situations at times so far this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoCleveland Guardians closer
Emmanuel Clase shut the door on the division-rival Minnesota Twins in Friday's win, picking up his 13th save of the year with a clean ninth inning and one strikeout.
Jose Ramirez's go-ahead home run in the eighth inning gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead and created a save situation for Clase, who is now tied for MLB's lead with his 13 saves following Friday's performance. The 26-year-old former American League Reliever of the Year has been as dominant as ever in 2024, giving up a lone run and just two walks with 23 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings as Cleveland's closer. Continue treating Clase as one of fantasy's elite closers, and he's very much in the running to lead baseball in saves for a third consecutive year at this pace.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge kept rolling in Friday's win over the visiting Chicago White Sox, walloping his 12th home run of the season. Judge took White Sox right-hander
Mike Clevinger deep for a 433-foot shot in the first inning to put the Yankees on the board, also drawing three walks on Friday. The 32-year-old former American League MVP's sluggish start to the year appears to be a distant memory at this point, now batting a stratospheric .475 with six round-trippers, nine doubles, and 12 RBI across his last 12 games as New York's everyday No. 3 hitter. Look for Judge to continue terrorizing ChiSox pitching this weekend, as he's hitting .429 with five taters in 11 games against Chicago since 2022.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoBaltimore Orioles shortstop
Gunnar Henderson enjoyed a big day at the plate in Friday's win over the visiting Seattle Mariners, homering and tripling during the victory. Henderson homered on a fly ball to center field to knot the game up at one run apiece in the first inning, later tripling on a sharp line drive to left field to score
Jorge Mateo and make it a four-run ballgame in the eighth. The 22-year-old reigning American League Rookie of the Year was quieting down in May following a roaring start to the season, going just 8-for-45 (.178) with two long balls in 52 plate appearances this month before Friday's outing, but he returned to form in this one. Henderson will face Seattle two more times this series, but he's batting only .217 (5-for-23) with the aforementioned big fly and three RBI in seven career games against the Mariners.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Zack Wheeler registered his seventh quality start of the season in Friday's victory over the division-rival Washington Nationals, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six over 7 1/3 innings for his fifth win of the campaign. After being tagged for six runs in his last start against the last-place Miami Marlins, Wheeler bounced back and looked to be at his best on Friday. Through 10 starts, the 33-year-old All-Star right-hander is up to an excellent 2.52 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 71 punchouts and 19 walks over 60 2/3 innings of work this year. Wheeler has a tough assignment on deck in the form of the defending-champion Texas Rangers during his next start at home that's scheduled for Thursday, but he's a matchup-proof fantasy bet when it comes to lineup decisions.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals catcher
Willson Contreras (forearm) arrived in the clubhouse ahead of Friday's game against the Boston Red Sox without a cast. Contreras is doing conditioning work, and he is hopeful that doctors will soon let him swing a bat with his right hand. It's a pretty remarkable turnaround for Contreras, who fractured his left forearm on May 7, and he noted that he's hopeful of returning to the Cardinals before the All-Star break in mid-July. In 31 games before going down, the 32-year-old star backstop was slashing .280/.398/.551 with six home runs, 11 doubles, 12 RBI, and two stolen bases across 128 plate appearances as St. Louis' primary backstop, and he should be stashed in the majority of fantasy leagues. Backup
Ivan Herrera is worth a look in two-catcher settings for now, batting .448 (13-for-29) with five RBI during his current eight-game hitting streak.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: John Denton - MLB.com
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