2 mins agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Garrett Whitlock (oblique) will make his first and possibly only minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday morning. Manager Alex Cora said that if all goes well for Whitlock on Wednesday, he'll only need one rehab start. In addition, the skipper reiterated that Whitlock is a starting pitcher moving forward The 27-year-old is getting close to a return from the 15-day injured list and should be rostered in most fantasy leagues after getting off to a 1-0 start with a 1.96 ERA (3.30 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with seven walks and 17 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings over his first four starts this year before going on the injured list. Whitlock is attempting to return from a left-oblique strain that has kept him out for almost a month. When he's back,
Cooper Criswell is the most in jeopardy of losing his rotation spot in Beantown.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
7 mins agoTexas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter (back) said his MRI exam showed only inflammation in his lower back. He will get a cortisone injection on Tuesday and hopes to return to the lineup in a few days. Ultimately, it's good news for Carter, who hasn't played since last Friday, but fantasy managers may still be without him for a few more days. And if Carter still doesn't feel good by then, the Rangers will surely consider placing him on the injured list. With Carter out on Monday,
Ezequiel Duran drew the start in left field and hit eighth in the order, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout to drop his season average to .297 in the 7-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The 21-year-old Carter is an everyday player when healthy despite hitting just .216 (27-for-125) to begin his first full season in the big leagues. Carter has added five homers, 15 RBI, two steals and 23 runs scored in his first 37 games in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: RangersToday.com - Jeff Wilson
9 mins agoAtlanta Braves relief pitcher
A.J. Minter picked up his first save of the season in Monday's 2-0 win over the Cubs. Minter entered the game to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two. He allowed a leadoff single and a walk but induced a ground-ball double play and ended the game with a flyout.
Raisel Iglesias had pitched in two of the team's last three games, so Minter got the nod to close this one out. Minter has had closing experience in the past but has only converted one of four opportunities this season with a 3.57 ERA in 17 2/3 innings of work. He is worth a look in deeper roto leagues and saves-plus-holds leagues, but his fantasy value will remain limited overall if Iglesias is healthy.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
17 mins agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Jordan Hicks worked around a tough matchup in Monday's 6-4 extra-innings loss to the Dodgers. Hicks pitched five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits (including a solo home run) and no walks with four strikeouts. The 27-year-old has re-adjusted to a starting role quite well with a 3-1 record and a 2.44 ERA in nine starts and 48 IP. His next start should be much more favorable in a home matchup against the Rockies.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 mins agoSeattle Mariners closer
Andres Munoz earned his sixth save of the season in Monday's 6-2 win over the Royals. Munoz entered the game in the top of the eighth inning up by two with two outs and a runner on second. He ended the inning with a strikeout and stayed on to pitch the ninth, delivering a 1-2-3 inning with two more strikeouts. The save count hasn't been as high as fantasy managers were hoping for, but the 25-year-old has pitched very well, converting all but one save opportunity with a 1.62 ERA, an 11.34 K/9 rate, and a 3.78 BB/9 rate in 16 2/3 innings of work.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
28 mins agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
George Kirby got things back on track in Monday's 6-2 win over the Royals. Kirby turned in seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks with six strikeouts. He also hit two batters. The 26-year-old is now 4-3 with a 3.58 ERA, a 9.12 K/9 rate, and a 0.89 BB/9 rate in nine starts and 50 1/3 IP. He will face a tougher matchup in his next scheduled start at the Orioles, but fantasy managers should feel comfortable starting him unless they have the luxury of better alternatives.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
33 mins agoPhiladelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Jose Alvarado picked up his eighth save of the season in Monday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Mets. Alvarado came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th inning up by one with an automatic runner on second and shut the door with a 1-2-3 outing. The 28-year-old has pitched well overall this season and has seen the majority of save opportunities for the Phillies, converting all of them with a 3.57 ERA, an 8.15 K/9 rate, and a 3.57 BB/9 rate. While other Phillies relievers offer fantasy value in deeper leagues and saves-plus-holds leagues, Alvarado is the pitcher to roster in conventional fantasy leagues at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
38 mins agoNew York Mets closer
Edwin Diaz was not sharp in Monday's 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Phillies. Diaz came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two. He allowed a leadoff solo home run, allowed a single and a walk, got the first out on a strikeout and the second out on a pop-out, allowed another walk, hit a batter to bring the tying run in, and ended the inning with a strikeout. The 30-year-old, who did not pitch last season due to injury, has not looked as sharp, converting five of seven save opportunities with a 3.24 ERA, a 13.50 K/9 rate, and a 3.24 BB/9 rate. However, he should be given a long leash with his history of excellence and fantasy managers should not panic at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
43 mins agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga has done it again in Monday’s 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. The lefty tossed five more shut-out innings against a powerful Braves lineup with eight strikeouts, seven hits allowed, and three walks. He did not factor into the decision. This would generally be a top stat line for any other starting pitcher this season, but not for Imanaga. It's only the third time he didn't make it past six innings in the young season and the first time he has walked three batters in a game. He wasn't as efficient with his pitch count, which is the reason for his shorter outing, but with no runs allowed, he lowered his earned run average to an absurd 0.96 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP. Although his insane run is impossible to sustain, you can feel great as a fantasy manager knowing his next matchup this weekend against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that is batting .220 against lefties on the season.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
45 mins agoDetroit Tigers relief pitcher
Jason Foley earned his 10th save of the season in Monday's 6-5 win over the Marlins. Foley came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one and delivered a 1-2-3 outing with a strikeout. After starting the season as the team's closer, the Tigers have mixed up their bullpen usage over the past couple of weeks. However, Foley has been the team's best reliever, converting all but one save opportunity with a 2.20 ERA, an 8.27 K/9 rate, and a 3.86 BB/9 rate. He still seems like the pitcher to roster for fantasy purposes and may be able to earn the closer's role back if he can string together several solid performances.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
51 mins agoThe Chicago Cubs are reportedly trading infielder Jake Slaughter to the Seattle Mariners for relief pitcher
Tyson Miller, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 28-year-old Miller was designated for assignment and will join the Cubs in the bullpen. He put together strong numbers in limited action with the Mariners, compiling a 3.09 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 26.7% strikeout rate in 11 2/3 innings pitched. The 27-year-old Slaughter had slashed .297/.392/.486 with five home runs, 17 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 130 plate appearances with Triple-A Iowa. Neither player should be on the fantasy radar until their roles are established.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan - Twitter.com
56 mins agoChicago Cubs first baseman prospect
Matt Mervis hit his eighth home run of the season and third in his past two games on Sunday for Triple-A Iowa. The 26-year-old is hitting .474 (9-for-19) in the last five games since being sent back to Triple-A. Unfortunately, the left-handed hitter hasn't hit well during his time with the big league club, going 15-for-90 (.167) in 2023 and 3-for-26 (.115) in 2024. With
Michael Busch excelling and blocking him at first base, Mervis was used as designated hitter while with the Cubs, but they decided to give
Miles Mastrobuoni a shot when they sent Mervis back down. Mastrobuoni hasn't seen any more success, hitting .150 over 20 at-bats. If Mervis can keep it up, it's probably not the last time we see him in Chicago this year.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
58 mins agoSeattle Mariners second baseman
Jorge Polanco (hamstring) exited Monday's game against the Royals in the fifth inning with right hamstring tightness, per the team's Twitter account. Polanco went 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, and a strikeout before being replaced in the field by
Luis Urias. Fantasy managers should look for further updates on Polanco's status once the game has ended. The 30-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his career, so hopefully this one will not be serious.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Seattle Mariners Communications Department - Twitter.com
1 hour agoDetroit Tigers first baseman
Spencer Torkelson swatted his first home run of the season on Mother's Day and followed up with his second dinger in Monday’s 6-5 win over the Miami Marlins. Despite the Tiger's winning record, it's been a tough go for the 24-year-old first basemen this season, sporting a .225 batting average with only two home runs and 16 RBI. With a career batting average of .222, don't expect too much improvement in that department during the season, but after slugging 31 homers in 2023, one can only hope the last two days mean he finally found his power stroke and can keep it up moving forward. Torkelson has a great outlook over the next two days, with southpaws
Ryan Weathers (4.54 ERA) and
Trevor Rogers (6.57 ERA) toeing the rubber.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 hour agoHouston Astros third basemen
Alex Bregman torched Oakland A's pitching, going 3-for-3 with two home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored. He started his big day with a solo home run in the fourth inning, another solo shot in the seventh, and then capped off his night with a two-run double as the Astros beat the A's 9-2. It's been an underwhelming start to the season, with his slash line at .218/.288/.327 and his demotion to the seventh spot in the batting order. Hopefully, Bregman will look to carry the momentum from Monday into the following three games against the A's pitching staff to finally get out of the early season funk he has been in.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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