2 days agoHouston Astros right-hander Jose Urquidy (forearm) allowed three runs on three hits while striking out three in 2 2/3 innings in his first minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday. Urquidy threw 28 of his 46 pitches for strikes and will make another rehab start this Saturday with Double-A Corpus Christi, where he's expected to throw 70 pitches. "When I finished the game, I didn't feel anything bad," said Urquidy, who was topping out at 90-93 mph. "I wasn't thinking to not put too much stress on my arm, but I think I've got more than that. I think next outing, I'm going to have more velocity for sure." The Mexican hurler went 3-3 with a 5.29 ERA in 16 games (10 starts) in 2023 and spent three months on the injured list with right-shoulder discomfort. Given all the injuries to Houston's rotation early this year, Urquidy figures to have a spot waiting for him when he's healthy enough to return.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoHouston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick (hamstring) went 2-for-5 at designated hitter in his first minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday. He said he tested his injured right hamstring on a double and had no issues. McCormick will continue his rehab assignment on Tuesday and Wednesday for Double-A Corpus Christi and is expected to play the outfield both days. "I felt really good," McCormick said. "I could stick in the ground and use my hamstring when I'm swinging, and that's really important. I hit a couple of balls hard and I was happy with my swing. I still feel like I need to play a couple of more games, work on some things and know where I'm at. The outfield tomorrow will be a good test." If McCormick doesn't suffer any setbacks while playing the outfield, he could return to the Astros lineup this weekend in Milwaukee. He has yet to homer in 72 big-league at-bats in 2024 and is carrying a .236/.325/.278 slash line.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoNew York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (elbow) is scheduled to start his minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A Tampa on Tuesday. Dominguez is scheduled to serve as the designated hitter for the Tarpons for the first two weeks of his rehab assignment, according to manager Aaron Boone. He's fully expected to use the maximum of 20 days on a rehab assignment as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery before being an option to start in center field for the big-league club around the All-Star break. Once his rehab assignment is over, there's a good chance the Yankees will send him back to the minors to continue working his way back. The 21-year-old they call the Martian is eventually expected to be the team's starting center fielder in the second half this year and should be rostered in all fantasy formats while we wait.Source: Tampa Tarpons
2 days agoNew York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader and second baseman Jeff McNeil are both sitting out of Tuesday's contest against the visiting division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. With both players starting on the bench, Tyrone Taylorread more...
2 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (knee) is out of the starting lineup once again on Tuesday versus the New York Mets. Garrett Stubbs is behind the plate again and is batting ninth against Mets right-hander Jose Butto. Although Realmuto is missing his third straight game with a right-knee injury, manager Rob Thomson said that Realmuto's knee is feeling better and he was able to do some work on the field and in the batting cage prior to Tuesday's game. However, the 33-year-old isn't a lock to return to action on Wednesday, so fantasy managers may have to wait another day or to get him back. Stubbs is a poor DFS choice at the catching position, especially while hitting ninth. He's currently hitting just 4-for-30 (.133) on the year with no home runs and one RBI.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoChicago Cubs outfielder David Peralta opted out of his minor-league deal with the Cubs and became a free agent. Peralta chose to sign a minor-league deal with Chicago in the offseason after having surgery on the flexor tendon in his left elbow last October. The 36-year-old veteran left-handed hitter was batting just .217 (15-for-69) with two home runs, eight RBI and 10 runs scored in 20 games for Triple-A Iowa before opting out of his deal. Peralta will now be hoping he can latch on with another team where he'll have a better shot at making it back to the Show. The Venezuelan outfielder also underwhelmed last year in 133 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, slashing .259/.294/.381 with seven home runs, 55 RBI, four stolen bases and 47 runs scored in 422 plate appearances. For now, Peralta is well off the fantasy radar.Source: Milb.com
2 days agoAnother week, another disappointing Sunday for Xander Schauffele. The 30-year-old PGA Tour superstar entered the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship with a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy, but he eventually succumbed to the pressure yet again en route to a runner-up finish. While his recent results have been disappointing for outright bettors in the community, fantasy managers capitalized once again on Schauffele's top-10 upside and overall DraftKings value. Last week's result marked Schauffele's eighth top-10 finish in his last 12 starts, and he ranks inside of the top-20 in a number of key statistical categories this week, including weighted strokes gained on approach and around-the-green, par 5 scoring, bogey avoidance, and strokes gained on long and difficult courses. Perhaps most impressive, he's made the cut and finished inside of the top-20 in eight consecutive Major appearances. Schauffele is unlikely to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy this year, but he's once again one of the safer bets to land inside of the top-10 when all is said and done on Sunday.Source: PGA Tour
2 days agoThanks to his third-place finish at this year's Masters, Max Homa has seemingly shed the narrative that he doesn't have the ability to contend in Majors. With that pressure gone, the 33-year-old Tour superstar will have his sights set on the Wanamaker Trophy at Valhalla. Fantasy managers should be salivating at the thought of rostering Homa at his $9,700 salary this week, as he enters the week on the heels of a T8 result at last week's Wells Fargo Championship, marking his fifth top-10 finish of the 2023-2024 season. While off-the-tee play is not typically a strength of his, he has gained strokes in that category in three-straight Major appearances, and his ability to spike on approach and putting is second to none in this field. Homa should garner plenty of ownership and attention this week, and fantasy managers should roster him with confidence this week. Source: PGA Tour
2 days agoWill Zalatoris' resume still lacks a Major Championship victory, but it certainly hasn't been for lack of effort. The 27-year-old Wake Forest alum has been a staple on Major leaderboards over the years, having posted seven top-10 finish in his 12 career Major appearances, including most recently with a T9 finish at this year's Masters. Those seven results include three solo-runner up finishes, including one that came in the 2022 version of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club. While Zalatoris' return from back surgery a little over a year ago has produced some inconsistent results, he has certainly shown flashes of his pre-injury form with three top-10 finishes in just 11 starts in the 2024 calendar year. Fantasy managers will have a tough time facing Zalatoris given his pedigree and Major track record, although limited exposure may be the sensible route to take given his recent form.Source: PGA Tour
2 days agoSam Burns looked solid in his first action back following the birth of his first child, gaining close to three strokes from tee-to-green and over two strokes putting en route to a T13 finish at the Wells Fargo Championship last week. Fantasy managers may no longer have to worry about him withdrawing mid-tournament to attend his baby's birth, but they have plenty of reasons to worry about his recent form and Major Championship track record. Prior to last week's T13 result, the five-time PGA Tour winner posted a T44 at the RBC Heritage and consecutive missed cuts at the Masters and the Valspar Championship. Burns has also failed to finish inside of the top-20 in his 15 career Major appearances, and he's missed the cut in three of his last four Major appearances. Statistically, he ranks outside of the top-40 golfers in the field in driving distance, driving accuracy, overall approach, around-the-green, putting on Bentgrass, and par 5 scoring. Fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere for upside in the mid-$8,000 salary range on DraftKings this week.Source: PGA Tour
2 days agoDustin Johnson is likely to be a polarizing option for fantasy managers this week. The 24-time PGA Tour winner and two-time Major champion undoubtedly has the pedigree and skill set to contend at any event anywhere in the world, just as he's proven on the LIV Tour inread more...
2 days agoMin Woo Lee is likely to be a popular option for fantasy managers at the PGA Championship this week, and perhaps rightfully so. The up-and-coming 25-year-old Tour star has posted nine top-25 finishes in his seven starts in the 2024 calendar year, including back-to-back top-25 finishes at the Masters and The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He's also impressively gained strokes off-the-tee in all nine of those starts, a metric that will be crucial to success at Valhalla. Lee profiles well for this golf course, as he ranks 39th in driving distance, eighth in approach from 175-200 yards, 16th in approach from 200+ yards, 28th in Bentgrass putting, and 12th in par 5 scoring. He's shown the ability to contend in Majors, with five finishes inside of the top-25 in just 10 Major appearances, including his personal best T5 finish at the 2023 U.S. Open. Lee offers plenty of upside for fantasy managers at a mere $7,700 DraftKings salary and should be given plenty of roster consideration this week.Source: PGA Tour
2 days agoThe 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla produced one of the most memorable Major finishes in recent golf history, with Rory McIlroy making a late charge in the near darkness to capture his fourth Major title. Sometimes forgotten in that story is PGA Tour veteran Rickie Fowler, who heldread more...
2 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center P.J. Washington continued his successful series against the Thunder on Monday with a 21-point, 12-rebound effort in a 100-96 loss. Like many of his teammates, Washington struggled for efficiency, shooting 7-for-19, but he was outstanding with a 5-for-11 effort from three-point range. Washington's night also included one block. The 25-year-old started off the series with a fairly quiet performance in Game 1, but he has since then hit top gear to average 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds with a fantastic 51.4 percent shooting from deep. Dallas will need more of the same from him as the series heads back to Oklahoma City tied through four games.Source: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving contributed only nine points as the team was beaten 100-96 on home court by the Thunder on Monday. He finished with 4-for-11 shooting, missing both attempts from downtown. Irving's stat line also included one rebound and nine assists with one turnover and five fouls. It's been an up-and-down series for Irving, as he now boasts two nine-point duds but has gone for 20-plus points in the other two games. If the trend continues, we should see Irving bounce back in Game 5 on Wednesday. Overall, he's averaging 15.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in the matchup.Source: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic had a rough shooting night against the Thunder in Game 4 on Monday but found a way to record his second triple-double of the 2024 playoffs. He finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 6-for-20 from the field. Doncic once again shook off a questionable tag to take the court on Monday, but he was well off his best form, hitting 2-for-9 from downtown and committing seven turnovers. Defensively, Doncic contributed with two steals and one block. Following Monday night, Doncic is now shooting only 39 percent from the field in the second-round series. He's struggled for efficiency throughout the postseason, and it could end up being very costly for Dallas.Source: ESPN
2 days agoThe Buffalo Bills signed veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. MVS is no stranger to playing with elite quarterbacks between his time with Aaron Rodgersread more...
2 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams was limited to 5-for-19 shooting with zero makes from downtown against Dallas on Monday, but he still played a large part in a 100-96 win. Despite the poor shooting, Williams posted 14 points with nine rebounds, six assists, and a game-high four steals. Williams' efficiency from the field in the series has now dropped below 40 percent, but he has been one of the standout names against the Mavericks, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals.Source: ESPN
2 days agoOklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren had a good two-way outing against the Mavericks on Monday, scoring 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting and posting a second consecutive game with four blocks. He was also tied for most rebounds on the team with nine boards and recorded one steal. Holmgren is quietly filling the stat sheet each night, although he's hit the 20-point mark only once in these playoffs. The giant out of Gonzaga has put up 15.3 points per game in the series against the Mavericks with 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals.Source: ESPN
2 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Luguentz Dort made a mark with 17 points, eight rebounds, and one block in Monday's Game 4 victory against Dallas. Both teams struggled to score the basketball, and Dort finished with a 4-for-14 record from the field. Three of his makes came from 10 three-point attempts. He added six points with perfect free-throw shooting. Dort has been shooting the three-ball well in the postseason, hitting 42.9 percent of his efforts. However, his shooting numbers have started to drop in the series against the Mavericks, as Dort spends a lot of energy on the defensive end, trying to slow down Luka Doncic as much as possible. The defensive specialist averages 10.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals for the playoffs.Source: ESPN
2 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 34 points as the team tied the Western Conference semifinals series against Dallas with a 100-96 victory on Monday. He recorded a third consecutive outing with at least 30 points by shooting 14-for-27 from the field and making all six free throws. With two swats to his name, Gilgeous-Alexander also extended his run with multiple blocks to five games, and his busy 42-minute night included eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. The Thunder star has been causing nightmares for Dallas throughout the series, averaging 31.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals.Source: ESPN
2 days agoCarolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas collected two points in Monday's 4-1 victory over the Rangers. He helped Jordan Martinook get the team's third goal and finished off the scoring himself with the net empty. Facing elimination for a second time in the series, Carolina exploded for four third-period goals. Necas had gone three games without any points before getting back on track Monday night. Despite the recent drought, Necas has remained among Carolina's top scorers in the postseason, producing eight points (three goals, five assists) across 10 outings.Source: ESPN
2 days agoCarolina Hurricanes center Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded the game-winning marker as the team fought off elimination for a second time with a 4-1 victory over the Rangers on Monday. He potted his fourth goal of the postseason 6:39 into the third period. Kuznetsov appears to enjoy the high-pressure environment, as he was also among the goal-scorers in Game 4. The Russian centerman has begun to build a goal streak after being a healthy scratch in the second game of the series. He's managed six points (four goals, two assists) across nine playoff games this year, skating on the fourth line and the second power-play unit.Source: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took his scoring streak to four games with a three-point outing in Monday's 5-1 win over Colorado. He registered a goal and two assists, setting a new franchise record among blue-liners with his fourth three-point game in the playoffs. The big effort also made Heiskanen Dallas' top scorer in the 2024 postseason. With 11 games played, he's tallied 12 points (four goals, eight assists). Edmonton's Evan Bouchard (13) is the lone defenseman with more points than him.Source: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston had a dominant performance against Colorado in Game 4 on Monday, finishing a 5-1 road victory with three points. He gave the Stars a 2-0 lead with a short-handed goal and a power-play marker before wrapping things up with an assist in an empty-net situation near the end of the game. Johnstone became only the fourth player in franchise history to register a three-point game in the playoffs before age 21. There had previously been only 10 players in NHL history with at least two multi-goal performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The youngster from Toronto has had a great postseason campaign, as Johnston sits among the top goal-scorers with seven markers and is averaging a point per game through 11 contests.Source: ESPN
2 days agoColorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews was unable to play in Monday's Game 4 against Dallas due to an illness. He was a late scratch for the contest. Toews has been a key cog in Colorado's success, and the defense clearly struggled without him as the Stars coasted to a 5-1 victory. Through eight appearances this postseason, Toews boasts six points (one goal, five assists) with 13 hits and eight blocks. He's been eating up nearly 24 minutes a night as one of the Avalanche's top rearguards. Sean Walker took Toews' spot on the first defensive pairing on Monday. He had a rough night, going minus-two in 19:28 of action with two blocks and three hits.Source: Colorado Avalanche
2 days agoColorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended for six months without pay. The news was announced right before the team's playoff clash with Dallas on Monday. Nichushkin will enter Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program, which carries an automatic six-month suspension. Losing Nichushkin is a bitter blow for Colorado. He's tied for most goals in the 2024 postseason with nine markers in eight games. Artturi Lehkonen replaced the Russian winger on the first line in Monday's Game 4.Source: ESPN
2 days agoArizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno went 1-for-2 in the batter's box on Monday with three walks and his first home run of the season. In 33 games this season, Moreno has a .248/.350/.356 slash line with a stellar 15:14 BB:K. The 24-year-old launched only seven home runs last season and looks to settle in around that number again this campaign. However, while Moreno lacks in power, he possesses excellent contact skills and a strong eye at the plate. Currently, Moreno has a 12.0% strikeout rate and 12.8% walk rate, which places him in the top 96th and 86th percentile, respectively, of all qualified hitters. He remains a solid contributor for batting average in standard leagues and should remain rostered in most formats.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoSan Diego Padres shortstop/outfielder Jackson Merrill went 2-for-3 at the plate on Monday with a home run. The rookie tallied a solo shot in the seventh inning, which was his third of the season. Through his first 41 games at the major-league level, the 21-year-old has a strong .291/.342/.403 slash line with six stolen bases. Merrill has played in all but one game this season for the Padres and has several strong underlying metrics, such as a 45.5% hard-hit rate and .453 xSLG, which are both significantly above-average. The former first-round selection has settled right in at the major-league level and should be rostered in all standard formats.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoSeattle Mariners outfielder Luke Raley went 3-for-4 in the batter's box with a long ball, two singles, and three RBI in Monday's victory over the Kansas City Royals. In the second frame, Raley launched his third home run of the season, which scored Cal Raleigh. Then in the third inning, he knocked an RBI single, which scored Jorge Polanco. He capped things off with another single in the eighth frame and then swiped his second bag of the season. Through 31 games, the 29-year-old has a solid .266/.310/.392 slash line. Raley is on the strong side of a platoon and is worth considering in deeper mixed leagues due to his ability to hit for power and potentially steal double-digit bases.Source: MLB.com