3 days agoOrlando Magic forward
Paolo Banchero led the way with 39 points in Tuesday's 104-103 Game 5 loss to Cleveland. He shot 14-for-24 from the field and 4-for-7 from downtown en route to becoming the third-youngest player ever with 39-plus points in a playoff game, behind only
LeBron James and Magic Johnson. Banchero's night included eight rebounds and four assists with five turnovers. The Magic star now boasts two 30-point efforts in the series and is averaging 24.8 points overall, along with 7.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Orlando will need similar numbers from him in Friday's Game 6 to survive for another day.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoOrlando Magic guard/forward
Gary Harris suffered a hamstring strain in Tuesday's Game 5 against Cleveland. After averaging 28 minutes in the first four games of the series, the veteran was limited to a 19-minute outing. Harris came up with a pair of blocks in the contest but didn't contribute anything else on the box score, shooting 0-for-3.
Jalen Suggs went close to 40 minutes on the night with Harris out of the lineup for the fourth quarter.
Markelle Fultz and
Cole Anthony could be looked at for bigger contributions in Friday's Game 6 if Harris is unavailable.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Cody Taylor
3 days agoNashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg posted an assist on both of his team's goals in their Game 5 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The Preds stayed alive in the series with a 2-1 win, pushing the Canucks to Game 6, which will take place in Nashville. Forsberg has been the Predators' best player so far this series, tallying six points (two goals, four assists) in four games, but he's going to need more help if they want to complete the comeback, as Nashville has had major difficulties with scoring in this series.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros had a solid performance in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Vancouver Canucks, picking up a 2-1 victory. Saros helped the Preds stave off elimination, stopping 19 of 20 shots in his best outing of the series. The Predators will need their veteran goaltender to keep having performances like this if they want to come back and win this series, as his current .879 SV% isn't good enough to win the team two more games. It has been a low-scoring series so far and the difference could easily be which goaltender is better, so Saros could have to steal a game or two.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoColorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had another solid showing in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets, helping the team to a 6-3 win that ended the series. MacKinnon put up a pair of helpers on two Mikko Rantanen third-period goals that sealed the deal for the Avs. He put up a herculean effort in the series, notching nine points (two goals, seven assists) in five games. The Avalanche will now face the winner of the Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights series.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoColorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen scored two goals and added an assist in a 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 5 of their first-round series. Rantanen scored both his goals in the third period, with the first breaking a 3-3 tie and the second coming as an important insurance tally. The 27-year-old had a huge first round, posting nine points (two goals, seven assists) while playing on the Avs first line and first powerplay unit. Rantanen, Mackinnon, and Nichushkin looked absolutely dominant for the entire series and will be extremely hard to shut down for any team they come across.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoToronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll was at his best in Game 5 of the team's first-round series against the Boston Bruins, backstopping the Leafs to a 2-1 overtime victory. Woll stopped 27 of 28 shots, including a few game-savers late in the third and in overtime. The 25-year-old was thrust into a difficult position on Tuesday, as he was asked to start his first game of the playoffs with the team down 3-1 in the series. Ilya Samsonov started the first four games of the series but had some difficulties and was pulled after the second period of Game 4. The Leafs decided to go with Woll for Game 5 and it paid dividends, so they will likely return to him for the remainder of the series.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoToronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies kept the team's playoff hopes alive in a 2-1 Game 5 win over the Boston Bruins. Knies pounced on a rebound in front of the net early in overtime and cut their series deficit to 3-2. The 21-year-old was the first rookie to score an overtime-winner in an elimination game for the Leafs, a fact that is hard to believe for a franchise that has been around for over 100 years. Knies now has a pair of goals in the series and should continue to see top-six ice time, even if Auston Matthews returns to the fold.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoCarolina Hurricanes center Evgeny Kuznetsov picked up two points in a 6-3 win over the New York Islanders in Game 5 of their first-round series. Kuznetsov scored on a penalty shot late in the first to give the Canes a 3-1 lead and then assisted on Stefan Noesen's third-period marker that made the game 5-3 and out of reach for the Islanders. Kuznetsov played most of the series on the team's fourth line, but that isn't much of an insult on a team as deep as the Hurricanes. He was able to post four points in five games even with limited ice time and was a key part of a solid bottom six.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoCarolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored a goal and added two assists in a 6-3 win over the New York Islanders in Game 5 of their first-round series, helping clinch a second-round appearance against the New York Rangers. Jarvis was electric in the series, posting seven points (three goals, four assists) in five games. The 22-year-old had a breakout season and is an integral part of the Cane's offensive game as part of their second line and first powerplay unit. He will be an important part of their success, both in these playoffs and for years to come.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoOakland Athletics closer
Mason Miller continued to flash his electric stuff in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Pirates, picking up his eighth save of the season. Miller entered to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by three and struck out the side to end the game. The 25-year-old has been stellar to this point, converting all of his save opportunities with a 1.35 ERA and an 18.90 K/9 rate. His strikeout upside alone provides fantasy value, and he should continue to be a solid fantasy contributor if the A's keep playing relatively well.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoHouston Astros closer
Josh Hader put the work in to earn his first win of the season in Tuesday's 8-9 extra-innings win over the Guardians. Hader came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning with the game tied. He allowed a leadoff walk but got the next three hitters out. He allowed the automatic runner to score in the 10th inning off a double but escaped otherwise. The Astros walked it off in the bottom half of the inning, making Hader the pitcher of record. His final stat line was one unearned run in two innings of work on one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. Hader has been inconsistent to this point and is now 1-2 with two saves, a 6.39 ERA, a 14.92 K/9 rate, and a 4.26 BB/9 rate in 12 2.3 IP.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoHouston Astros catcher
Victor Caratini played the hero in Tuesday's 9-8 extra-innings win over the Guardians. Caratini came into the game to pinch-hit in the bottom of the 10th inning with the game tied, two outs, and a runner on third. He lined a fastball just over the right-center wall to end the game. The 30-year-old has hit well in limited playing time, slashing .314/.368/.571 with two HR and eight RBI in 38 plate appearances. He will likely need to get more frequent at-bats before he can provide meaningful fantasy value in deeper two-catcher leagues.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Jose Berrios pitched well but took the loss in Tuesday's 4-1 game against the Royals. Berrios pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits (including a two-run home run) and a walk with three strikeouts. He also hit a batter. The 29-year-old has been excellent overall this season, going 4-2 with a 1.44 ERA in seven starts and 43 2/3 IP. He will look to keep things going in his next start, which will likely be at the Phillies.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoKansas City Royals closer
James McArthur picked up his seventh save of the season in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Blue Jays. McArthur entered the game to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by three and shut the door with two pop-outs and a strikeout. The 27-year-old has provided plenty of fantasy value this season, converting all but one of his save opportunities with a 2.63 ERA, a 9.88 K/9 rate, and a 1.32 BB/9 rate. He should continue to serve as a reliable fantasy option if the Royals keep playing well.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Logan Webb did not have his best stuff in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to the Red Sox. Webb pitched just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Despite the poor outing, the 27-year-old has pitched well to start the season, going 3-2 with a 2.98 ERA, a 6.38 K/9 rate, and a 2.13 BB/9 rate in seven starts. He will look to rebound in his next scheduled start, which will be a middling matchup at the Phillies.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoMilwaukee Brewers infield prospect
Tyler Black had a memorable MLB debut in Tuesday's 8-2 win over the Rays. Black entered the game to play designated hitter after
Gary Sanchez (hamstring) exited with a hamstring injury and went 2-for-4 with a single and a double. The 23-year-old is the Brewers' No. 4 ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He was hitting well with Triple-A Nashville and could earn playing time if that translates to the big leagues. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his performance and playing time in the coming days.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoMilwaukee Brewers shortstop
Willy Adames had a nice game at the plate in Tuesday's 8-2 win over the Rays. Adames went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run, four RBI, and a walk. The 28-year-old has had a solid offensive start to the season, slashing .270/.369/.441 with four HR, 17 RBI, and four stolen bases in 130 plate appearances. Power has always been in his repertoire, but Adames' fantasy value could jump even higher if he can maintain a decent batting average while peppering in some steals.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoTuesday was an eventful day for Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jose Siri in an 8-2 loss to the Brewers. Siri went 1-for-2 with a solo home run but was ejected in the eighth inning for getting into a fight with
Abner Uribe. Siri was hit earlier in the game and had words with Uribe after grounding out to first. The 28-year-old has had a disappointing season, slashing .186/.276/.302 with two HR, 11 runs scored, even RBI, and six stolen bases in nine attempts. Fantasy managers should watch for more news on potential suspensions in the coming days.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher
Jacob Webb earned his first save of the season in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Yankees. Webb came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning up by two with two outs and a runner on first. He struck out
Aaron Judge and stayed on to pitch the ninth, delivering a 1-2-3 performance with two more strikeouts.
Craig Kimbrel (back) is day-to-day with back tightness, so Webb was called upon to close things out. The 30-year-old has pitched well this season, compiling a 2.03 ERA with a 10.13 K/9 rate and two holds in 13 1/3 innings of work. He could be useful in deeper saves-plus-holds leagues, but his save opportunities will be limited once Kimbrel returns.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Jordan Montgomery will not make his scheduled start in Tuesday's game against the Dodgers because the game was delayed to deal with a bee infestation by home plate.
Brandon Hughes, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day, will fill in to start instead. Fantasy managers should keep an eye out for more news regarding Montgomery's next start. Hughes had a 1.84 ERA in 14 2/3 relief innings in Triple-A this season, but fantasy managers should not trust him against the Dodgers.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Friedman - Twitter.com
3 days agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Dean Kremer tossed seven innings of two-run ball on Tuesday against the New York Yankees en route to his second victory of the season. Kremer's damage came from two solo home runs, one from backstop
Austin Wells in the third inning and the other off outfielder
Juan Soto in the sixth. This was the second time this season that Kremer threw seven innings, and he now sits with a 4.19 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. The 28-year-old has now won back-to-back starts and hopes to keep the momentum rolling as he lined up to face the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, May 5th.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoDetroit Tigers outfielder
Wenceel Perez went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. Perez launched a solo shot in the bottom of the second and then hit a two-run blast in the seventh. The 24-year-old has performed very well in his first 15 games at the major-league level with a .302/.375/.628 stat line with three home runs and two swiped bags. Perez has now started in seven consecutive games and is worth looking into in AL-only formats and deeper mixed leagues due to his recent power surge.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoDetroit Tigers outfielder
Riley Greene hit two home runs across a doubleheader on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Greene provided the Tigers' only offense in the first game by hitting a solo shot in the fourth frame. Then, in the second game, Greene went 3-5 with two RBI. The 23-year-old wasted no time by knocking an RBI double in the opening frame, which scored
Andy Ibanez. Then, in the seventh inning, Greene would launch his second solo home run of the day. The former fifth-overall pick is riding a .250/.383/.519 stat line with seven home runs. Greene could see his home run count continue to climb throughout the summer thanks to his superb 17.9% barrel rate. He remains a must-start outfielder in all formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Wilyer Abreu went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and triple and tallied his 12th RBI of the season in Tuesday's victory over the San Francisco Giants. Abreu lined a leadoff double in the third inning and scored courtesy of a
Rob Refsnyder single. Then in the fourth inning, Abreu hit a sharp line drive to right field, which turned into an RBI triple. Later in the eighth, Abreu would hit a single to cap off his productive night at the plate. The 24-year-old has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the past two weeks and is now sitting with an excellent .316/.391/.526 stat line, making him an excellent waiver-wire target, even in shallow formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoMilwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Freddy Peralta threw 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball with one hit and seven punchouts in Tuesday's victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Peralta surrendered his first hit of the night in the third inning off a solo shot by
Jose Siri. Peralta now sports a 3.21 ERA and a stunning 0.86 WHIP across 33 2/3 innings with 45 strikeouts. The 27-year-old remains an excellent starting pitcher and an elite contributor to your fantasy team's WHIP. He is scheduled to face the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Monday, May 6, in his next start.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher
Jon Gray threw eight innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts to lead the Rangers to a victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday evening. Gray only ran into trouble in the opening frame, where he allowed a leadoff single to
CJ Abrams. Abrams then swiped second base and scored off a
Luis Garcia Jr. single. Then, later in the fifth inning,
Trey Lipscomb hit a single, which was the final hit that Gray allowed. This dominant outing lowers Gray's ERA to 2.56 and WHIP to 1.23. The 32-year-old's next start is scheduled to be on Sunday, May 5th, against the Kansas City Royals.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 days agoDon't let the third-place finish for Mark Hubbard and his partner, Ryan Brehm, at the team event in New Orleans trick you into expecting anything similar out of the San Jose State Alum this week in Texas. The lone highlight of him tapping in a three-footer for eagle amongst a handful of wonderful shots from Brehm is all that is needed to suggest that someone's back is feeling pretty sore to start this new week, and it isn't Mark Hubbard's. That isn't to say that putting him in a lineup is a wasted pick, but it's important to keep expectations heavily modest. His 24th ranking in strokes gained on approach (0.491) and top 70 rankings in strokes gained around the green (0.146) and putting (0.158) will probably carry him enough to continue his impressive streak of made cuts, but anything more exciting than that feels highly unlikely.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
3 days agoKansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (calf) left his start on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays early due to a left-calf cramp. Ragans made it through 6 2/3 innings and got the win despite his injury in the 4-1 victory, allowing four hits and one earned run while walking three and striking out nine. The 26-year-old southpaw didn't look to be too bothered by his injury after leaving the game, but fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on him as to whether he'll be available to make his next start. Ragans secured his second win of the season with the strong start against the Blue Jays on Tuesday and was able to lower his season ERA to 3.44 in the process. He's been a strong top-of-the rotation starter for KC and belongs on fantasy rosters in all formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
3 days agoMost of what Doug Ghim does from tee to green is what many fantasy players look for this week. He's ranked 19th in approaches from 175-200 yards, 27th in strokes gained off the tee (0.383), and 31st in strokes gained on approach (0.425) on the season. He's even ranked 76th in strokes gained putting (0.111), though that statistic has fallen to an average of -0.78 over his last three measured events. The more concerning part is that two were at the previous Texas stops at the Valero and Houston Opens. An added point is that he's only gained strokes on the greens in a Texas event in two of nine starts in his young PGA Tour career. With everything he does right, his surprising shortcomings in this part of the country make the former Texas Longhorn a hard recommendation at $9,400 on FanDuel.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
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