3 mins agoTampa Bay Rays infielder Jose Caballero is taking the day off on Friday for the start of a series in Toronto against the Blue Jays. With Caballero starting on the bench, Amed Rosario will start at shortstop and hit seventh against Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt. This will only be Caballero's fifth game on the bench to start a game for Tampa this year, as he's been the team's primary shortstop in 2024 in the wake of Wander Franco's off-the-field issues. The 27-year-old from Panama doesn't have much power and is hitting just .252/.309/.360 in 139 at-bats, but he's useful in fantasy leagues for his speed (17 steals in his first 40 games with the Rays). Rosario isn't in an ideal lineup spot for those in DFS, but he is sporting a .300 average (42-for-140) on the year with two homers, 18 RBI, five stolen bases and 12 runs scored.Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
11 mins agoNew York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (illness) remains out of the starting lineup on Friday for the start of a series in Miami against the Marlins. Nimmo was scratched from Thursday's lineup against the Philadelphia Phillies due to a stomach bug and clearly is still not feeling well a day later. The 31-year-old should be considered day-to-day. Check back on Saturday to see if he's back in the Mets' lineup. Tyrone Taylor will make another start in left field and will head leadoff against Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo. Taylor has two hits and two RBI in just three career at-bats against Luzardo. However, Taylor is also hitting just .191 (4-for-21) with no homers and seven strikeouts in his 10 games played in May. Because he's hitting out of the leadoff spot, he'll have slightly more appeal as a DFS sleeper.Source: MLB.com
18 mins agoToronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Turner (illness) is back in the lineup on Friday, serving as the DH and batting cleanup against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and left-hander Tyler Alexander. Turner missed a few games this week while feeling under the weather, but he's back in there for the start of a series against the Rays. The 39-year-old veteran should be returned to starting fantasy lineups in redraft leagues. He's gone hitless in his last 16 plate appearances over four games but does have two home runs and five RBI in five career at-bats against Alexander. On the year, Turner has slashed .246/.317/.405 with four home runs, 16 RBI and 17 runs scored in 126 at-bats.Source: Toronto Blue Jays
24 mins agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins remains out of the starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Seattle Mariners and right-hander Bryce Miller. It's the third time in the last five games that Mullins has started on the bench for the Orioles. Rookie Colton Cowser is in center field and is hitting sixth on Friday, while Kyle Stowers is starting in left field and batting eighth against Miller. Mullins' fantasy stock is obviously down with his loss of playing time coming due to his .183/.234/.349 slash line on the year with six home runs, 18 RBI and six stolen bases in 126 at-bats. Since April 22, Mullins has gone 5-for-59 (.085) with a home run, three RBI, two stolen bases, four walks and 19 strikeouts in 63 plate appearances over 18 games played. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues need to keep Mullins on their bench until he starts producing again.Source: BaltimoreBaseball.com - Rich Dubroff
30 mins agoWashington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young is not in the team's starting lineup on Friday against the Phillies in Philadelphia. Victor Robles will take over for the Nationals in center field and will hit ninth against Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. Young had started in eight of the team's last nine games, with six of them coming out of the leadoff spot. The 24-year-old has held his own with a .257 average (54-for-210) in his first 67 major-league games, dating back to his debut in 2023, but he's still searching for his first home run while driving in 20 and stealing 27 bases. The former seventh-round pick in 2021 out of Florida should continue to be valuable for his speed in all fantasy formats, especially if he continues to hit atop the order. Robles has very little DFS upside at the bottom of the order in a tough matchup on Friday.Source: MLB.com
2 hours agoChicago Cubs right-hander Yency Almonte (shoulder) is shut down from throwing and is in a strengthening program. However, the hope is that his strengthening program will be relatively short and he can start throwing again next week. The 29-year-old reliever was placed on the 15-day injured last week with a right-shoulder strain but he shouldn't be out for too much longer, barring a setback. The former 17th-round selection by the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 was 1-0 with a 3.45 ERA (3.31 FIP), a 1.08 WHIP, one save, eight walks and 20 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings out of the Cubs' bullpen this year before going on the IL. Almonte isn't really on the fantasy radar in any formats and holds a career 4.44 ERA (4.41 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with three saves in 223 innings out of the bullpen.Source: CHGO Sports - Ryan Herrera
2 hours agoThe Washington Nationals reinstated first baseman/outfielder designated hitter Joey Gallo (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned rookie infielder Trey Lipscomb to Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move. It remains to be seen if Gallo will be included in Friday's starting lineup against the Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Zack Wheeler. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger has recovered from a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder and should play mostly in right field or as the DH on most days against right-handed pitching for the Nats, at least until Lane Thomas (knee) returns from his injury. Gallo has elite power but struggles to make consistent contact at the plate. He's returning to a .122/.286/.311 slash line with three homers and five RBI in the 23 games he's played in this year.Source: Washington Nationals
2 hours agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers acquired left-hander Anthony Banda from the Cleveland Guardians on Friday in exchange for cash considerations. Banda will head to the Dodgers after posting a 2.12 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with six walks and 25 strikeouts in 17 relief innings for Triple-A Columbus this year. The 30-year-old southpaw will likely report to Triple-A Oklahoma City now and will operate as left-handed relief depth for the Dodgers moving forward. Banda was originally a 10th-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012 out of San Jacinto College. He made his big-league debut back in 2017 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and has pitched in the majors with seven different teams since then. Overall, he has a 5.69 ERA and 1.63 WHIP with one save, a weak 19.9% strikeout rate and an 8.9% walk rate.Source: GuardsInsider
2 hours agoOakland Athletics right-hander Mitch Spence will make the start for Friday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals. Spence last pitched on Monday against the Houston Astros, giving up two runs on two hits (one homer) while walking one and fanning one in just two-thirds of an inning. The 26-year-old former Rule 5 pick will be making his first major-league start on Friday in a tough matchup, so we would recommend avoiding him as a streamer in deeper fantasy leagues. The former 10th-round selection of the New York Yankees in 2019 out of South Carolina Aiken has allowed 13 runs (12 earned) on 21 hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out 22 in 25 1/3 relief innings so far in his rookie season. Spence will essentially be an opener for the A's on Friday, with Kyle Muller likely being the bulk reliever out of the bullpen.Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
2 hours agoNew York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto said on Thursday that he would give his blessing to contract talks during the season if the Yankees want to approach his agent, Scott Boras, about a long-term contract. Owner Hal Steinbrenner said he'd consider such a tactic for the three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger, who is just 25 years old. "We'd like to see him here for the rest of his career. I don't think there's any doubt in that," Steinbrenner said. Soto is currently hitting a strong .302 with nine homers, 34 RBI and a .920 OPS in his first 45 games in pinstripes. Neither Steinbrenner nor Boras typically do in-season contract extensions, but the Yankees are willing to make an exception with such a special player. If the two sides don't reach an extension before free agency this winter, Soto will be a highly sought-after free agent.Source: The Associated Press
2 hours agoChicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever Julian Merryweather (ribs, shoulder) will start throwing in Arizona on Monday. Merryweather still has a long ways to go to get up to speed, but it's a good sign that he's ready to resume throwing. The 32-year-old veteran was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his ribs in early April and is currently on the 60-day injured list, meaning he's not eligible to return until early June. Given the severity of his injury and the fact that he's starting his throwing program next week, Merryweather is unlikely to be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible. The former fifth-round pick by Cleveland in 2014 out of Oklahoma Baptist has a 3.29 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, two saves and 104 K's in 76 2/3 relief innings for the Cubs the last two years and will be a useful high-leverage arm out of their bullpen when he's ready to come back.Source: Chicago Daily Herald - Mike McGraw
3 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) will resume baseball activities on Monday, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk. The plan is for Hayes to play catch and field ground balls on Monday and then swing the bat on Tuesday. The 27-year-old landed on the injured list with a back injury that doesn't sound too serious, so as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, Hayes could be back with the Pirates before the calendar flips to June. Until Hayes is able to return, expect the Pirates to continue to lean on Jared Triolo at the hot corner. Triolo is hitting ninth for the Bucs on Friday against Chicago Cubs veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Before his injury, Hayes was hitting a modest .240/.322/.318 with only one home run and 11 RBI in 34 games played.Source: Pittsburgh PG - Andrew Destin
4 hours agoThe Chicago Cubs placed right-hander Colten Brewer (back) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a lower-back injury and recalled right-handed pitcher Porter Hodge from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Brewer last pitched against the Pittsburgh Pirates last Sunday. In a middle-relief role for the Cubs this year, the 31-year-old has been solid for the team, posting a 3.09 ERA (3.20 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with four walks and 12 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. In six years in the big leagues, Brewer has a 4.78 ERA (5.06 FIP) and 1.70 WHIP with a very mediocre 20.2% strikeout rate and 12.7% walk rate. Hodge, 23, was a 13th-round pick by the Cubs in 2019 and will be making his big-league debut when he enters a game out of the Cubs' bullpen.Source: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
4 hours agoOakland Athletics outfielder Miguel Andujar (knee) went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI while serving as the designated hitter in his first minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday evening. Andujar didn't play the entire game, but it was a good first test for the 29-year-old as he attempts to return from a knee injury that has sidelined him all year to this point. Andujar was swinging the bat well in spring training with the A's before injuring his knee, so it looks like he picked up where he left off. Because of the long layoff, the A's are going to make sure he gets enough at-bats in the minors before he makes his 2024 debut. Andujar's role with the A's is to be determined, but he could at least be worth considering in AL-only leagues.Source: Milb.com
4 hours agoThe Houston Astros are calling up left-hander Parker Mushinski from the minors before Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, according to a source. Shawn Dubin threw three innings on Thursday, so he's the most likely candidate to be optioned down to the farm in a corresponding move. Mushinski, 28, will give the Astros a fresh arm out of their bullpen but is not at all on the fantasy radar. The former seventh-round pick in 2017 out of Texas Tech has allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits while walking three and striking out two in his four relief innings in the big leagues so far this year. In his three years in the majors, Mushinski has a 5.88 ERA and 1.54 WHIP while walking 10 and striking out 25 in 26 innings out of the bullpen.Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome