5 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Walker Buehler was knocked around against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, taking the loss in a 4-0 defeat. Buehler pitched just 3 ⅓ IP and allowed three runs. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out two. The 29-year-old was making his second start on the season after coming back from Tommy John surgery, and although it wasn't a disastrous outing, it certainly wasn't encouraging either. His limited pitch count and overall rustiness are to be expected, but fantasy managers were likely looking for a step in the right direction from his last outing, and that didn't happen on either front. It might be a while before we see the Walker Buehler that competed for a Cy Young, if we even see him at all this year.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoDetroit Tigers relief pitcher
Alex Lange got destroyed on Sunday, allowing four runs in just ⅔ IP in a 9-3 loss to the Houston Astros. Lange allowed five hits and two walks while failing to record a strikeout. The 28-year-old had been pitching well recently and seemed to be making a case to be re-inserted into the closer discussion, but a lot of that goodwill went away today with this disastrous performance. The Tigers will likely continue to use
Jason Foley in the ninth inning, although they don't seem to fully trust him of late. Still, a lack of other options makes Foley the go-to guy for now.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals closer
Ryan Helsley cruised to his 12th save on Sunday, slamming the door on the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4-3 win. Helsley pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out a pair in the process. The fireballer has been one of the best closers in baseball this season, converting 12 of his 13 save opportunities (his only blown save came on his first chance) while pitching to a 1.42 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 19 IP. He should remain an elite closing option as long as he can stay healthy.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoBoston Red Sox closer
Kenley Jansen tossed a clean ninth inning to pick up the save in a 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals. Jansen allowed just a hit in his inning of work, with no walks or strikeouts to account for. The veteran closer pitched on a third consecutive day for the first time this season, a move made possible because of his sparse usage in May, with only one other appearance before this weekend. Although he's had a few shaky outings, Jansen has been mostly solid for the Red Sox this season and should continue to see the bulk of their save opportunities. He is a good closing option in fantasy.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Yu Darvish was excellent again on Sunday, tossing seven shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-0 victory. Darvish allowed just two hits and one walk while punching out seven in this one. The 37-year-old is turning back the clock since returning from neck tightness in late April, going 3-0 in his three starts while not allowing any runs and generating a 15:2 K:BB ratio. Darvish is always a tough pitcher to analyze, but he is a must-start while he is on this heater. Looking to sell high on the righty might be a shrewd move, but it is also a risk.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoSeattle Mariners outfielder
Julio Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a homer and a double in an 8-4 win over the Oakland Athletics. Rodriguez added a walk, two runs, and two RBI to round out his line. The 23-year-old is still struggling to find consistency this season, with small hot streaks mixed into a mostly disappointing overall performance. His .255/.310/.323 slash line leaves a lot to be desired, and his paltry 16 runs, two homers, 13 RBI, and nine steals are nowhere close to what fantasy managers expected. Still, the immensely talented outfielder could come alive at any time and provide elite stats, so selling him low is a risky move.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoNew York Mets outfielder
Brandon Nimmo (ribs) hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth against the Atlanta Braves to give the Mets a 4-3 win. Nimmo, who was sitting out on Sunday due to intercostal irritation, came in as a defensive sub in the eighth inning and stayed in to hit in the ninth. The veteran lefty said in an interview earlier in the game that he would be good to go Monday, but apparently he was already feeling well enough to make a major impact on this game. Nimmo should be started in weekly leagues next week barring any news of a setback.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoAtlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley (back) was removed during Sunday's game against the New York Mets. The slugging infielder appears to have injured himself during a swing in the third inning. As a precaution, the Braves decided to remove Riley from the game before the bottom of the fourth inning. Braves' manager Brian Snitker reportedly said that Riley was dealing with tightness in his side before the game. The team obviously doesn't want to take any chances with their young superstar. Fantasy managers shouldn't hit the panic button quite yet. There should be more information on his status following Sunday's game.
Orlando Arcia,
Luke Williams, and
Zack Short would be options to play third base if Riley does miss time.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Justin Toscano
11 hours agoKansas City Royals relief pitcher
James McArthur was called upon to hold a three-run lead versus the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The right-hander allowed a solo blast to cut the lead down to two runs. McArthur would retire the next three batters he faced to earn his ninth save of the season. The 27-year-old now holds a 4.42 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and an 18/3 K/BB ratio across 18 1/3 innings. McArthur has converted nine of his 12 save chances this season. Despite some struggles, the Royals appear to be sticking with McArthur as the closer going forward.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
12 hours agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Jung Hoo Lee (shoulder) was removed early during Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. This is a shame considering Lee returned to Sunday's lineup after missing the last three games due to a foot issue. The organization is going to further exanimate Lee to determine the severity of the injury. The Giants are already down
Michael Conforto (hamstring) and
Jorge Soler (shoulder), so the outfield depth is getting thin. The mix of
Austin Slater,
Luis Matos, and
Heliot Ramos figure to be more involved with the outfield banged up in San Francisco.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Alex Pavlovic
12 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt has been flat-out awful to start the month of May. The veteran slugger entered Sunday's game 1-for-32 with 14 strikeouts. Luckily, was able to do some damage against the Milwaukee Brewers. Goldschmidt went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in the victory. This will raise his slash line to .197/.280/.279 on the season. This situation is obviously frustrating for fantasy managers, but maybe this is a sign of more good things to come.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
12 hours agoKansas City Royals starting pitcher
Seth Lugo was excellent on the mound during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. The right-hander has been outstanding lately and his success continued here. Lugo coasted through eight innings, allowing one run, and racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts. The veteran right-hander holds a 6-1 record, 1.66 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a 48/12 K/BB ratio over 59 2/3 innings. He'll look to keep the great times rolling against the Oakland Athletics next weekend.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
12 hours agoColorado Rockies relief pitcher
Jalen Beeks was called upon to hold a two-run lead versus the Texas Rangers on Sunday. He was able to earn his second save in four days with a scoreless inning during Sunday's victory. It's uncertain what the Rockies are doing with the closer situation right now. It seems that Beeks is going to be in the mix alongside
Justin Lawrence. Beeks holds a 2.33 ERA in 19 1/3 innings but has a 14/8 K/BB ratio to go along with it. Beeks isn't a great option, but could be worth a look for fantasy managers despite for saves.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
12 hours agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
TJ Friedl (thumb) was pulled out of Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. The speedy outfielder was taken out after being hit in the hand by a pitch. Luckily, the X-rays came back clean and Friedl is only dealing with a left thumb contusion. The Reds might decide to hold him out for a few days depending on the pain and swelling. If he misses time,
Jake Fraley and
Stuart Fairchild would probably see more action in the outfield.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Bally Sports
14 hours agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Michael Conforto (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a right hamstring strain. Conforto was removed from Saturday's game in the fourth inning with the ailment. The 31-year-old was leading the Giants with seven home runs and 40 hits at the time of his injury.
Luis Matos was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento as a corresponding move and figures to fit into the outfield mix while Conforto is shelved. Matos is more of a wait-and-see fantasy asset at this point since he has struggled in the minors so far this season.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: SF Giants
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