2 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander
James Paxton recorded his fourth win of the season against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in a 5-1 victory. Paxton went 6 ⅓ innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three. He has now recorded back-to-back wins in two starts. The 35-year-old has pitched 32 ⅓ innings in six starts, holding a 3.06 ERA with a 5.01 K/9 and 6.68 BB/9 rate. His next projected start is against the San Diego Padres, who had already given him troubles earlier this season. Despite surrendering eight walks in last start against the Padres, Paxton has pitched well enough recently to be used as a streamer in most league formats.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoNew York Yankees infielder
DJ LeMahieu (foot) hit a little bit over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, according to manager Aaron Boone, but the skipper wasn't ready to say whether LeMahieu is close to going on a minor-league rehab assignment. "I don't know if he's that close to being ready for rehab," Boone said. It's good news that LeMahieu is doing baseball activities, but the 35-year-old veteran still doesn't appear close to coming off the injured list to make his 2024 debut. He was originally shut down late in April after more swelling in his injured foot. When healthy, LeMahieu is expected to be the team's starter at third base while hitting at the top of the batting order, but fantasy managers are running out of patience. Until LeMahieu is able to return,
Oswaldo Cabrera will continue to see most of the playing time at the hot corner in the Bronx.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
2 days agoMiami Marlins outfielder
Nick Gordon had a day at the plate in Sunday's 12-3 victory against the Oakland A's. Gordon went 4-for-4 with one homer, two runs, and three RBI with one walk. The 28-year-old has had a rough start to the season, hitting .207 (17-for-82) with three doubles, four homers, eight runs, 15 RBI, four walks, and 17 strikeouts in 31 games this season. On Monday, Miami will start a three-game road trip against the Los Angeles Dodgers, bringing more challenges for the struggling team. Gordon does frequent the starting lineup but is mainly an option in NL-Only or deep-league formats.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoCarolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho finished Sunday's 4-3 loss in Game 1 against the Rangers with two assists. He helped Jaccob Slavin get an equalizer early in the game and collected his second assist when Seth Jarvis scored the final goal late in the third. The Hurricanes star broke a mini-slump with the effort, having gone scoreless in the final two games of the first-round series against the Islanders. Aho also celebrated a franchise record on Sunday, passing Ron Francis for the most points in series-opening games in Hurricanes/Whalers history. He's on two goals and five points through his first six postseason appearances in 2024.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad led the charge as the team opened its second-round series against Carolina with a 4-3 victory at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Zibanejad needed less than three minutes of action at the start of the game to open the scoring and totaled two goals and an assist in the contest. He had all of his points in the first period, collecting two with the man advantage. This was Zibanejad's second career three-point playoff game. After picking up only four points (one goal, three assists) in seven postseason appearances a year ago, Zibanejad has been a changed man in the 2024 playoffs with a team-high 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in five games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger played his part in Sunday's 2-1 victory in Game 7 against Vegas with 22 saves. Brett Howden found a way past him late in the second period, but Oettinger played a rock-solid game from start to finish. The Stars' No. 1 had a big role in the team's comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the series, allowing only eight goals across the final five games. He finished the series with a 1.95 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. Oettinger will need to tame the Avalanche's fierce offense in Round 2. He was 1-2-0 in the matchup during the regular season, giving up nearly five goals per game (4.74).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Stars center Radek Faksa scored the decisive goal as the team took down Vegas 2-1 in Sunday's Game 7. After missing three games with an undisclosed injury and being a healthy scratch for Game 6 of the series, Faksa popped up with a memorable goal with 44 seconds played in the third period. Faksa's playoff goals don't come around too often, with this being only his ninth postseason marker in 74 appearances. Sunday's goal gave him 20 career postseason points.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoFlorida Panthers center Sam Bennett (upper body) won't be available for the start of the second-round series against Boston. He was initially expected to be good to go for Monday's Game 1, but Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has officially ruled Bennett out, adding that he is considered day-to-day. The 27-year-old was sidelined for the final three games of the opening-round series against Tampa Bay. Before suffering an upper-body injury on April 23, Bennett notched a goal and an assist across the first two games of the series. Anton Lundell will continue to fill in for him as the second-line center on Monday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: David Dwork
2 days agoNoah Gragson, who started third in Sunday's AdventHealth 400, finished in ninth place, marking his first top-10 finish at Kansas in the Cup Series. Despite having a strong weekend from the racing side, in fantasy, he was a disappointment. While a ninth-place finish sounds great, it comes with a consequence when you start the race so high and offer little in terms of laps led and fastest laps to offset the loss of place differential. This is what happened with Gragson in this weekend's race, as he only managed to record two fastest laps on the day, finishing with a score of 29.90 on DraftKings, but at a salary of $7,400. Nevertheless, the big takeaway from this race is that the Stewart-Haas Racing star has now finished in the top 10 in three consecutive races, making him a driver that we will want to continue to take notice of moving forward, perhaps even as soon as this weekend when the Cup Series returns to Darlington Raceway for the Goodyear 400 on Sunday afternoon.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Jayski.com
2 days agoVancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (knee) has been ruled out for Game 1 of the second-round series against Edmonton. He was sidelined for the final five games against Nashville in the opening round and won't be ready for the start of the new series either. Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday. Arturs Silovs is on track to make his fourth consecutive start between the sticks. The 23-year-old has filled in admirably for Demko, going 2-1-o against the Predators with one shutout and only five total goals allowed. But he faces a much tougher challenge in the second round against Connor McDavid & Co.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Brendan Bachelor
2 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Brandon Ingram isn't expected to be extended by the team this offseason. The 2020 All-Star is eligible to sign a four-year, $208 million deal. However, it looks like the Pelicans are ready to move on from Ingram, who has one year left to go on his current contract. Ingram, who will be making around $36 million in 2024-25, has enjoyed a solid career in New Orleans, averaging 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists across five seasons. But the 26-year-old has battled various injuries, with 64 regular-season appearances in 2023-24 being the most he has managed across a single campaign, and he was a major letdown for the team in the 2024 playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Evan Sidery
2 days agoOn Sunday evening, Alex Bowman finished seventh in the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Heading into the weekend, there was a lot of hype surrounding Bowman as he had averaged 54.17 DraftKings in his three previous starts in the Next Gen car at this track, the third most in the Cup Series. While the 48.90 DraftKings points that he scored on Sunday did fall below his previous average, it was still enough to deliver value on his $8,000 salary for the 22.48% that rostered him. Although he did not do anything spectacular in the race, the consistency that he continues to show at this track makes him a driver we will want to keep our eye on when NASCAR returns to The Sunflower State in the fall. Up next for the Hendrick Motorsports star is a trip to Darlington, a track he crashed out at in two of his last three starts.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Jayski.com
2 days agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
P.J. Tucker is expected to exercise his $11.54 million player option for the 2024-25 season. Tucker had a miserable time in L.A., making only 30 appearances across the regular season and playoffs. He even requested a trade publically midseason, resulting in a $75k fine from the NBA. However, Tucker is unlikely to fetch a similar salary on the open market, making this a no-brainer decision for the veteran. Considering how things have worked out for him with the Clippers since Tucker arrived in town in the
James Harden trade, it would probably suit both sides if they parted ways at the first opportunity.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto
2 days agoBoston Celtics forward/center
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) has told The Athletic he expects to recover at a "historic rate." The Latvian big man suffered a right soleus strain in Game 4 of the first-round matchup against Miami on April 29. There isn't a specific timeline set for Porzingis' return, and he also said at the weekend that he isn't "super close yet," but Boston is hoping to see him again in the Conference Finals. With Porzingis out,
Al Horford is set to play a huge role against Cleveland's well-equipped frontcourt in the second round. The series kicks off on Tuesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jared Weiss
2 days agoDallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has signed a multi-year extension with the team. "We are excited to have Coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension," said Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont. "Kidd led our team to two playoff appearances in three seasons, and we are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise." Kidd has compiled a 140-106 regular-season record with the Mavericks. Dallas announced the extension just a few days after Kidd had been strongly linked with the freshly vacant Los Angeles Lakers coaching position. Before joining the Mavericks in 2021, Kidd worked in Los Angeles for two years as an assistant, helping the Lakers to the 2020 championship. He has also held head coaching positions in Brooklyn and Milwaukee, posting a 323-296 career record.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoOrlando Magic guard
Markelle Fultz had an efficient 4-for-6 shooting performance while providing eight points off the bench in Sunday's Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers. He finished with eight points across 13 minutes of action, completing his line with one rebound and one steal. Fultz started the season well, but he quickly landed on the shelf with a knee problem, which ended up ruining his campaign. The former first-overall pick was limited to only 48 appearances in the regular season, averaging 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. After being a regular starter throughout his career, the Magic had Fultz in the first unit only 18 times in 2023-24. Fultz had a career year just a season ago, but the 2023-24 campaign leaves quite a few question marks hanging over his head. The 25-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoOrlando Magic forward
Jonathan Isaac couldn't provide a spark off the bench as the team's season ended with a Game 7 loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Isaac was back in the second unit following
Gary Harris' return to action. He contributed only two points in 18 minutes and had two rebounds with one assist. It was an awful finish to the series from Isaac, who was held scoreless in Game 6. However, he showed his full potential through the first five games of the matchup. The 26-year-old averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals in 21.4 minutes. Isaac is an outstanding defensive presence when he's healthy. In 2023-24, he once again had some injury problems but managed to play in 58 regular-season games, his most since 2018-19.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoOrlando Magic center
Wendell Carter Jr. made a mark under both baskets in Sunday's Game 7 against Cleveland. He provided 13 points with 5-for-10 shooting and snagged three steals as the Magic's season ended with a 106-94 loss. The big man from Duke, who shot 2-for-4 from outside, also recorded seven rebounds and one assist in 35 minutes. After struggling initially, Carter Jr. had a strong finish to the series. In a sense, it summed up his entire campaign, as the Magic center was fairly inconsistent in 2023-24. Carter Jr. averaged 11.0 points and 6.9 rebounds in seventh year in the NBA. He was a double-double machine only a couple of seasons ago, so the 25-year-old should have plenty of potential to do better in 2024-25.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoChristopher Bell knew his car was losing speed and grip on Sunday night at Kansas Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing car took the pole on Saturday but never truly had that late-run speed needed to win on Sunday. Bell only led five laps but did net seven stage points when he finished fourth in Stage 1. The No. 20 Toyota slipped to 12th after Stage 2. Late in the race, Bell was losing huge chunks of time before the caution came out. That final caution preserved a sixth-place result ultimately. Bell heads to Darlington on Sunday where he ran well early but faded out of the top 10 in last year's Spring race.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 days agoMichael McDowell endured an up and down night in the Front Row Motorsports Ford. However, he ended up tenth when all was said and done on Sunday night. The AdventHealth 400 needed to go into overtime which caused McDowell to lose a few positions. It did seem like the Toyota cars had more on the throttle. However, the No. 34 car kept it together long enough for a nice result. McDowell started eighth but missed out on any stage points (11th in Stage 1, 15th in Stage 2). Darlington looms this upcoming weekend where McDowell had accidents in both races last year.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Alek Manoah got rocked in his first start of the season against the Washington Nationals on Sunday. Manoah allowed seven runs (six earned) in just four innings, giving up six hits and walking four while striking out six. He showed glimpses of his former self, but overall it was a lackluster performance for the big righty. The Jays have already committed to Manoah for at least one more start, but he will have to be much better to instill confidence that they can keep rolling with him. Fantasy managers should not consider starting Manoah until he can consistently deliver good outings, and he can be dropped outside of the deepest of leagues.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoTampa Bay Rays shortstop
Jose Caballero went nuts on the basepaths on Sunday, swiping four bags in a 7-6 win over the New York Mets. Caballero didn't actually get a hit in this one, going 0-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored to go with the four steals. He now has 13 stolen bases on the season, putting him fourth in the majors in that category. For his speed alone, he should be rostered in most category leagues.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoHouston Astros closer
Josh Hader was charged with the loss in a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Hader gave up a homer in the ninth inning of a tie game to
Cal Raleigh to take his third loss of the year. The lefty appeared to be figuring things out heading into this one, with no earned runs allowed in his last four innings pitched, but he can't seem to find his consistency this season. His ERA rises to 6.14 and his WHIP to 1.43, although he does have 24 strikeouts in 14 ⅔ IP. He also still only has three saves, which has to be the biggest disappointment for fantasy managers.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Anthony Santander had a big day at the dish in Sunday's 11-1 drubbing of the Cincinnati Reds. Santander finished the day 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored, and five RBI. The 29-year-old put the finishing touches on the offensive outburst, hitting a three-run homer in the ninth. Santander desperately needed the big game, as his triple slash line heading in was a dreadful .200/.276/.392 with only five homers. It's been a step back this year for the veteran, but a day like today could wake him up and turn him back into the four-category contributor that fantasy managers expected when they drafted him.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers designated hitter
Shohei Ohtani continued his ridiculous pace on Sunday, smacking a pair of homers in a 5-1 win over the Atlanta Braves. Ohtani went 4-for-4 with the aforementioned two homers, two runs scored, and three RBI. The big performance makes the two-time MVP's stat line even more incredible, with a .364 AVG, 30 R, 10 HR, 25 RBI, and seven SB rounding out the five-category beast's contributions. Ohtani could end the year with some ridiculous numbers if he can keep up a pace anywhere close to his current one, something that just might be possible for someone of his caliber.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoDetroit Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal dominated the New York Yankees on Sunday, striking out 12 while allowing just two runs over six innings. Skubal allowed just six hits and didn't walk a batter in this one, taking a tough-luck no-decision. The 27-year-old has been brilliant this season, going 4-0 with a 1.90 ERA and 0.77 WHIP along with 53 strikeouts in 42 ⅔ IP. He is a frontrunner for the A.L. Cy Young and should be considered a fantasy ace.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Jorge Soler (shoulder) was unavailable on Sunday due to a "shoulder thing," according to manager Bob Melvin. Soler was out of the starting lineup on Sunday, but the shoulder injury is a new development. It explains why the slugger wasn't used in the ninth inning with the Giants down one run. The injury doesn't sound like a major concern, but fantasy managers should check Soler's status before Monday's game and remove him from lineups if he isn't starting. With the Giants having seven games next week, including a weekend series against the Colorado Rockies, this would be an inopportune time for Soler to be hurt.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Shayna Rubin
2 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher prospect
Mason Black will make his major league debut on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Black, San Francisco's No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has performed well at Triple-A this season, pitching to a 1.01 ERA and 0.90 WHIP to go with 29 strikeouts in 26 ⅔ IP. With
Blake Snell (groin) still on the mend, Black could see at least a few turns through the rotation. If he can perform well, the Giants could keep him around even when Snell returns. He shouldn't be in fantasy lineups for Monday's start, but adding him in deeper leagues and sticking him on the bench to see what happens isn't a bad idea.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Shayna Rubin
3 days agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) returned to practice on Sunday. The veteran sniper got hurt in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Clippers, spraining his right ankle. Dallas had no trouble finishing off the Clippers in six games, but Hardaway Jr. will make a welcome return if he's ready to go for the second round against the Thunder on Tuesday. The 32-year-old was among the league's most prolific bench scorers in the regular season, averaging 14.4 points in 26.6 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Grant Afseth
3 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
Maxi Kleber (shoulder) will be re-evaluated in three weeks. He was initially expected to miss the rest of the postseason after Kleber suffered a separated shoulder in Friday's first-round clincher against the Clippers. It now looks like Kleber could be back for the Western Conference Finals if Dallas gets past Oklahoma City in the second round. In the meantime,
P.J. Washington,
Daniel Gafford, and
Dereck Lively II will share the frontcourt minutes. The Thunder have struggled in the rebounding department this season, putting the three in a position to have a productive series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tim MacMahon
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