RADIO
Shane Bieber Coughs Up Five Runs on Friday
4 days agoCleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings on Friday. He struck out six and threw 103 pitches. Bieber had allowed just two runs through five innings, but the Royals bats put together a three-run sixth inning and knocked Bieber out of the game. He'll take a 3.69 ERA and .218 opponent's batting average into his next start.Source: MLB.com
Luis Urias Rejoining Padres Saturday
4 days agoSan Diego Padres prospect infielder Luis Urias will be called up Saturday, per The Athletic’s Dennis Lin. For Friars fans, this is a long time coming. Urias, the team’s No. 2 prospect and No. 20 overall has been hammering Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .998 OPS and 19 homers. He’ll likely supplant Ian Kinsler and Greg Garcia as the preferred option at the keystone. The 22-year-old has yet to establish himself in the bigs with just a .167 average in 82 plate appearances, but he possesses the hit tool to succeed. Urias is worth a speculative add in any format.Source: Twitter - Dennis Lin
Jon Duplantier Activated, Optioned to Minors
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jon Duplantier (shoulder) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. Duplantier was activated, but optioned to Triple-A Reno following his activation from the injured list. He's pitched decent in both the starting rotation and bullpen for the D-Backs this season. He shouldn't be in the minors for too long, so fantasy owners should watch Duplantier the rest of the season. He should be a big piece to the D-Backs staff in the near future.Source: CBS Sports
Taylor Clarke Activated, Starting Friday
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Taylor Clarke (back) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. He'll draw the start against the Milwaukee Brewers, but shouldn't be used in most fantasy leagues. Clarke heads into this start with a 6.21 ERA on the year. He's not expected to have much success against the Milwaukee offense.Source: MLB.com
Garrett Richards Targeting Late-August Return
4 days agoSan Diego Padres starter Garrett Richards (elbow) made his first rehab start on Wednesday and could return by late-August. Recovering from Tommy John surgery, Richards put three pitches on display over two frames with a fastball riding between 93-95 MPH. The intent will be for Richards to have a 30-day rehab stint before determining if he’s ready. Richards last pitched in July 2018 and has been successful on the diamond with a 3.54 career ERA, but has been unable to avoid injuries. The 31-year-old was signed by the Friars with a long-term tint this offseason, but he could contribute earlier than expected. With his return on the horizon, Richards may be worth an IL stash if there’s room on the roster.Source: MLB.com - Russell Dorsey
Buster Posey is Absent on Friday
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the New York Mets. This appears to be just a routine day off for the veteran catcher. Stephen Vogt will draw the start behind the plate and bat cleanup versus righty Jacob deGrom. Vogt is not really worth a look against an elite pitcher like deGrom.Source: MLB.com
Mike Montgomery Making Debut for Royals
4 days agoKansas City Royals starting pitcher Mike Montgomery will make his debut with the team versus the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Montgomery was traded to the Royals from the Chicago Cubs earlier in the week in exchange for catcher Martin Maldonado. He has a rough 5.67 ERA, but hasn't pitched much this season. Montgomery is under control through 2021. He has experience in both the bullpen and starting rotation. He's not a great fantasy option at the moment, but should get plenty of chances to start in Kansas City.Source: MLB.com
Didi Gregorius Out Versus Lefty
4 days agoNew York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Gregorius will get a routine day off here against the left-handed starter. Gleyber Torres will draw the start at shortstop and bat seventh versus lefty Kyle Freeland. Torres has been tough to slow down at the plate this season, so he should continue to be reliable for fantasy leagues.Source: MLB.com
Jesse Chavez Demoted to Bullpen
4 days agoTexas Rangers pitcher Jesse Chavez has been demoted to the bullpen after his rough outing during his last start. Chavez hasn't pitched well lately, so a move to the pen could help him out. Joe Palumbo will draw the start against the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Palumbo is expected to take over in the starting rotation for Chavez, but he's not worth grabbing in fantasy leagues yet.Source: Evan Grant
David Dahl Scratched on Friday
4 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl (foot) has been scratched from the starting lineup on Friday. Dahl left Wednesday's game after fouling a ball off his foot and still isn't ready to play yet. However, he's considered day-to-day, so he shouldn't land on the injured list. Garrett Hampson will draw the start in left field and bat ninth versus lefty J.A. Happ. Hampson hasn't done much with the bat this season, so he's not worth a look in most formats.Source: Patrick Saunders
Nick Senzel Remains Out on Friday
4 days agoCincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Senzel (hamstring) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This is the second game in a row that Senzel has missed due to a hamstring strain. It's unclear when Senzel will get back in the lineup, but hopefully he'll be able to avoid landing on the injured list. Jesse Winker will bat leadoff and cover center field versus righty Adam Wainwright. Winker is worth considering in DFS contests on Friday.Source: MLB.com
Jonathan Schoop Remains Out on Friday
4 days agoMinnesota Twins second baseman Jonathan Schoop (abdominal) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Oakland Athletics. Schoop has not played since Tuesday due to an abdominal strain. Luiz Arraez will bat seventh and play second base versus righty Chris Bassitt. Arraez has been hitting over .300 in the last week, but doesn't have much power in his bat.Source: Phil Miller
Justin Holiday Signs With Pacers
4 days agoFree agent guard Justin Holiday has signed a one-year deal with the Indiana Pacers, where he joins his brother Aaron. Last year, Holiday split time between Chicago and Memphis, playing in 82 games with 77 starts and putting up averages of 10.5 points and 3.9 rebounds on 38.6 percent shooting. Indiana's a better team and because of that won't afford Holiday with the same amount of minutes, but he gives the Pacers a bench option who can hit a ton of threes. There's late round fantasy value here, but not as much as there was for Holiday last season.Source: Shams Charania
Andrew Benintendi Won't Play on Friday
4 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Benintendi has been struggling with the bat this month, so he'll get the day off. Sam Travis will cover left field and bat sixth versus lefty John Means. Travis doesn't have enough upside to warrant ownership in most leagues.Source: MLB.com
Willy Adames Sits on Friday
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays shortstop Willy Adames (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Adames will get a routine day off here, so he should be back in the lineup next game. Joey Wendle will draw the start at shortstop and bat eighth versus righty Reynaldo Lopez. Wendle has three hits in his last 23 at-bats, so he's not a great fantasy option right now.Source: MLB.com
Eagles Sign Darren Sproles
4 days agoThe Eagles are bringing back running back Darren Sproles for one more season. After playing in just six games last year, it looked like Sproles might be done in the NFL, but the Eagles decided to bring Sproles back to an already crowded backfield that features Jordan Howard, Corey Clement, and Miles Sanders. Clement might be in the most trouble from the Sproles signing, but overall it's looking more and more like this is a running back committee that fantasy owners should stay away from. This move does almost guarantee that either Josh Adams or Wendell Smallwood are cut before the season opens.Source: Ian Rapoport
Nick Pivetta Demoted to the Pen
4 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta is expected to be demoted to the bullpen after the Drew Smyly signing becomes official. Pivetta or Vince Velasquez were going to head to the pen, but it appears Velasquez has more value in the rotation. Pivetta has a 5.73 ERA through 13 starts this season for Philly. He's better off in the bullpen right now, but he won't gain much fantasy value there.Source: Jim Salisbury
Matt Chapman Remains Out on Friday
4 days agoOakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman (ankle) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. Chapman will sit out his second straight game due to a sore ankle. However, Chapman is expected to return on Saturday, so that's good news for fantasy owners. Chad Pinder will cover third base and bat ninth against righty Jake Odorizzi. Pinder is not a solid fantasy option for this contest.Source: Susan Slusser
Max Scherzer Won't Pitch Against Braves
4 days agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) will not make his scheduled start against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. Scherzer continues to deal with a lingering back issue. He is expected to throw off the mound again at some point this week. There is a chance that he makes his next scheduled start, assuming everything goes well.Source: Mark Zuckerman
Javier Baez Goes Yard Versus Padres
4 days agoChicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored on Friday versus the Padres. Baez had been in a bit of a funk of late, but Friday’s performance will hopefully kickstart his second half. Baez remains one of the best middle infield options and is now hitting .287 with 23 home runs, 64 RBI and five stolen bases on the season.Source: MLB.com
Jon Lester Goes Six Innings Versus Padres
4 days agoChicago Cubs starting pitching Jon Lester toughed it out on a simmering hot day versus the Padres on Friday. The lefty managed to complete six innings and allowed 12 hits, four runs, zero walks and struck out six on the afternoon. Lester now owns a respectable 3.87 ERA and is lined up to face the Giants on the road on Wednesday.Source: MLB.com
Craig Kimbrel Gets Fifth Save
4 days agoChicago Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel picked up his fifth save of the season on Friday versus the Padres. It was Kimbrel’s eighth appearance with his new club and the sixth time that he didn’t allow a run. Kimbrel looked a bit rusty early on in his Cubs tenure, but has looked more like himself as he has pitched more. Kimbrel can safely be played and is one of the better options at the closer position.Source: MLB.com
Anthony Rizzo Hits Grand Slam
4 days agoChicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk on Friday versus the San Diego Padres. Rizzo has been on fire since the All-Star break and is now hitting a healthy .288 with 20 home runs and 65 RBI. The lefty slugger remains one of the top first baseman on a yearly basis.Source: Chicago Cubs
Alex Wood Could Return After Tuesday
4 days agoCincinnati Reds starting pitcher Alex Wood (back) is scheduled to throw 75-80 pitches during his rehab start on Tuesday. Wood threw 38 pitches during his third rehab outing on Wednesday. He's been out all season due to lingering back issues, but could return to the starting rotation after Tuesday. Wood is someone worth considering stashing in most formats.Source: Bob Nightengale
Michael Brantley is Absent on Friday
4 days agoHouston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Texas Rangers. Brantley is most likely out of the lineup due to the fact left-handed Mike Minor is on the mound for Texas. Tony Kemp will bat eighth and play left field against Minor. Kemp doesn't have enough upside with the bat to warrant using in DFS contests.Source: MLB.com
Tyrell Williams Ready To Thrive With Raiders
4 days agoOakland Raiders wide receiver Tyrell Williams is poised for a stellar season in his debut year with the Silver and Black. Lining up across the field from Antonio Brown, Williams will serve as the deep threat for the offense and will undoubtedly get his share of targets with Brown drawing most of the attention from opposing defenses. The 6-foot-4 wideout is a boom or bust player on a weekly basis but has the potential to surpass his value on his current 156 ADP. Williams caught 41 balls for 653 yards and five touchdowns with the Chargers last season despite being nearly non-existent in the second half of the year. He does own a 1,000-yard season under his belt, so he has sneaky potential on a team lacking a depth of weapons. As the bonafide number two receiving option for quarterback Derek Carr, Williams is a good late-round target, but the week-to-week consistency is a question mark.Source: Silverandblackpride.com
Will Fuller Expected To Be Ready For Start Of Season
4 days agoHouston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller (ACL) is expected to be ready to go for the start of the 2019 season. Fuller's played just 17 games over the past two seasons, but when he's on the field he's one of the NFL's best downfield weapons and has developed great chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson. Even with serious injury concerns, the upside is too great with Fuller to pass up on him in the middle rounds of the draft. He has 11 touchdown catches over the past two seasons and with DeAndre Hopkins playing across the field from him, defenses aren't able to double Fuller, allowing him to get open deep on a routine basis.Source: Houston Chronicle - Aaron Wilson
D'Onta Foreman Will Play Complementary Role
4 days agoHouston Texans running back D'Onta Foreman had a disastrous 2018 season, rushing for negative yardage on seven carries while adding two catches for 28 yards and a touchdown. Recovering from an Achilles tear, Foreman appeared in just one regular season game, playing 31 snaps in a loss to the Eagles. Foreman is expected to play a much bigger role this year now that Houston's long time backup, Alfred Blue, is gone, and Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle expects 2019 to be an audition of sorts for Foreman in preparation for Lamar Miller's impending free agency, with Foreman seeing a decent amount of work this season. Foreman makes sense as a late round pick for this reason, though questions about how he'll play after the Achilles injury loom large.Source: Houston Chronicle - Aaron Wilson
Amir Garrett To Make Rehab Appearance Friday
4 days agoCincinnati Reds relief pitcher Amir Garrett (left lat strain) has been on the Injured List since July 3, but after throwing a live batting practice session this week, he's set for a rehab appearance at Triple-A on Friday. Garrett has had a fantastic season as a setup man for the Reds. He has a 1.70 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 14 holds. His 35.3% strikeout rate and 2.6% barrel rate rank amongst the top 5% in the league. He should be owned in all leagues where elite setup men and holds specialists are highly coveted as he's likely to return to the Reds within the next week or so, assuming he doesn't have any setbacks.Source: Cincinnati Reds
Noah Syndergaard Strong In No-Decision
4 days agoThe New York Mets and San Francisco Giants played a marathon game Thursday night concluding with a 16th-inning walk-off for the home team. Hours earlier, however, the two starting pitchers put on a worthy duel. Noah Syndergaard went seven innings for the Mets, allowing just one run on six hits. He struck out eight in the process, throwing 108 pitches on the night. It was a terrific performance, but the opposing pitcher matched and then exceeded him in a game that went into extra innings tied at one. The performance was Syndergaard's best in over a month and the third start this season in which he allowed one run or fewer.Source: Newsday
