RADIO
Kevin Kiermaier Sitting Versus Lefty
2 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the New York Yankees. Kiermaier is getting the day off against the left-handed starter. Guillermo Heredia will draw the start in center field and bat ninth versus lefty CC Sabathia. Heredia doesn't have enough upside with the bat and is hitting too low in the batting order to warrant even looking at in DFS contests.Source: MLB.com
Daniel Murphy is Absent on Friday
2 days agoColorado Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rockies will play matchups and go with the right-handed bat against the lefty starter. Mark Reynolds will draw the start at first base and bat cleanup versus lefty Cole Irvin. Reynolds hasn't done enough with the bat worth using in fantasy formats.Source: MLB.com
Adam Eaton is Out Against Lefty
2 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton (rest) is out of the starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. This is not a surprising move as the Nats are facing veteran left-hander Cole Hamels. Michael A. Taylor will draw the start in center field and bat eighth against Hamels. Taylor can be ignored in fantasy contests.Source: MLB.com
Trevor Story is Back in the Lineup
2 days agoColorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (knee) is back in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Story left Wednesday's game due to a bruised left knee. The Rockies didn't play on Thursday, so Story is refreshed and ready to roll in this contest. He'll bat second and play shortstop versus lefty Cole Irvin. Story could be an interesting DFS option at the top of the lineup against a young pitcher making his second career start.Source: MLB.com
David Price on Track to Return Monday
2 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher David Price (elbow) is on track to return to the starting rotation against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Price has been making solid progress, and there was some hope that he could even return this weekend. He's been sidelined the last two weeks due to elbow tendinitis. Fantasy owners can go ahead and get ready to use Price again on Monday.Source: Chris Cotillo
Anibal Sanchez Placed on Injured List
2 days agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez was officially placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a left hamstring strain, as expected. Pitcher Kyle McGowin was called up from Triple-A Fresno to replace him. Pitcher Erick Fedde is expected to take Sanchez's spot in the rotation. Despite a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 relief innings this year, Fedde has a 6.01 ERA and 5.13 FIP in his career and should not be rostered unless he shows something as a starter, even though he will likely only be a starter as long as Sanchez is out.Source: Washington Nationals Twitter
Trea Turner Activated
2 days agoAs expected, Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. Infielder Wilmer Difo was optioned to Triple-A to make room. Turner only played in four games before breaking his finger, but had already posted two home runs and four stolen bases in that span. He should be inserted back in fantasy lineups everywhere now, although it might take him a few days to readjust after a six-week absence.Source: Washington Nationals Twitter
Anthony Rizzo Returns Friday
2 days agoChicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (back) is returning to the starting lineup on Friday and is hitting third against Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer. Rizzo has been out since last Saturday with a stiff back, but you'll want to return him to your lineups on Friday, even in the tough matchup against Mad Max. Rizzo has hit .267 with a home run in 15 career at-bats against Scherzer and has begun to heat up in the month of May.Source: Baseball Press
Matt Beaty, Kyle Garlick Coming Up For Dodgers
2 days agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers are calling up utility player Matt Beaty and outfielder Kyle Garlick from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday with starting pitcher Kenta Maeda (thigh) going on the injured list. It's Beaty's second call-up, while it's the first for Garlick. Beatty, the team's No. 29 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was hitting .299 in 28 games on the farm. Garlick, 27, was hitting .280 with 10 home runs and 20 RBI in 35 games at Triple-A. Both players will simply be bench depth for the Dodgers in the short term, so you can ignore them both in all fantasy formats.Source: Los Angeles Daily News - J.P. Hoornstra
Nelson Cruz Placed On Injured List
2 days agoThe Minnesota Twins placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Friday with a sore left wrist and recalled second baseman Luis Arraez from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move. Cruz missed the last five games after aggravating his left wrist on Saturday, but an MRI exam showed no serious damage. The slugger was swinging a bat on Wednesday. Cruz is hitting .270 with seven home runs and 22 RBI on the season and needs to remain stashed everywhere. Arraez, 22, has shown that he can hit in the minors, but he has zero power and won't have much value in a utility role.Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Phil Miller
Jesse Winker Out Against Lefty
3 days agoCincinnati Reds outfielder Jesse Winker is not in the starting lineup on Friday against Dodgers left-handed starting pitcher Rich Hill. Jose Peraza is starting in left field and is hitting eighth, while Kyle Farmer is at the keystone and batting sixth. Neither Peraza nor Farmer have done much of anything at the plate this year and are both very poor DFS picks on Friday night. Peraza is slashing just .208/.261/.312 with three home runs, nine RBI and four stolen bases in 125 at-bats.Source: Baseball Press
Twins Calling Up Luis Arraez
3 days agoThe Minnesota Twins are calling up second baseman Luis Arraez from Triple-A Rochester on Friday. The 22-year-old, ranked as the team's No. 17 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is a two-time minor league batting champion. He went 5-for-14 at Rochester but hit .344 with no homers, six doubles and a triple in 160 at-bats for Double-A Pensacola. The left-handed hitting Venezuelan is more of a singles hitter that will likely function in a utility role for the Twins, limiting his fantasy value significantly. Arraez never hit below .309 in a single season before 2018, when he hit .298.Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Phil Miller
Alex Gordon Leaning Toward Playing In 2020
3 days agoKansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon said that he's currently 60-40 toward returning for another season in 2020. He has a $23 million mutual option for the 2020 season that will certainly be declined for a $4 million buyout. The 35-year-old has had a renaissance this year so far after switching to a more upright, athletic stance late last season. Gordon led the team with 22 RBI in the final 33 games of 2018 and also had 10 doubles, four home runs and a .788 OPS. He's hitting .289 with eight long balls, 33 RBI and a .904 OPS so far in 2019. Gordon wants to finish his career in KC, but he might be a trade candidate at the deadline this summer. Either way, Gordon needs to be owned in all leagues at least until he slows down.Source: MLB.com - Jeffrey Flanagan
Sandy Leon Goes On Paternity Leave
3 days agoThe Boston Red Sox placed catcher Sandy Leon on the paternity list on Friday and called up catcher Oscar Hernandez from the minors in a corresponding move. Pitcher Chandler Shepard was designated for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Hernandez. Leon could be out a maximum of three games on the paternity list. Hernandez was hitting .111/.216/.178 in 16 games for Double-A Portland and Pawtucket this year. He'll back up Christian Vazquez this weekend.Source: Mass Live - Chris Cotillo
Clayton Richard To Go On Rehab Assignment
3 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Clayton Richard (knee) will not start for the Blue Jays on Saturday but will instead make at least one rehab start in the minor leagues before making his season debut. The 35-year-old left-hander has yet to pitch in the majors this year. He went 7-11 with a 5.33 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 6.1 K/9 in his 27 starts for the Padres in 2018. With a career 5.8 K/9, Richard just doesn't miss enough bats to be relevant in mixed leagues at this stage of his career. Pitching at hitter-friendly Rogers Centre in the American League East might be a nightmare for him.Source: Sportsnet.ca - Ben Nicholson-Smith
