April 29, 2025
Houston Astros designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (undisclosed) is back in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday and is batting third against the Detroit Tigers and right-hander
Reese Olson at Daikin Park. Alvarez exited Monday's game against the Tigers early after hitting a single in the seventh inning, but the Astros never gave an official injury designation for the 27-year-old All-Star. Obviously, the move to pull Alvarez in the series opener on Monday was precautionary, and fantasy managers will want to keep him in their starting lineups on Tuesday. Alvarez has gotten off to a poor start at the plate, especially considering his high standards, as he comes into Tuesday's contest with a .217/.319/.359 slash line, a .677 OPS and only three home runs in his 92 at-bats. The Cuban slugger should turn it around eventually. He has never faced Olson in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 29, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn is hitting second on Tuesday against the hosting Cincinnati Reds and right-hander
Brady Singer at Great American Ball Park. With Winn moving up from the nine-hole that he's occupied all season, the Cardinals will move center fielder
Victor Scott II down to ninth on Tuesday. Although Winn hasn't done much with a .231/.311/.308 slash line in his first 65 at-bats of 2025, the 23-year-old being moved up to the No. 2 spot makes him much more attractive for DFS purposes. In his last six games, he's gone 5-for-20 with two doubles, two RBI, a steal and three runs scored for the Red Birds. Winn has never faced Springer in his MLB career. In his last nine games, Scott has gone 7-for-29 with three doubles, three RBI, two steals and four runs scored in 31 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 29, 2025
Chicago Cubs shortstop
Dansby Swanson has been dropped to eighth in the batting order for Tuesday's contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates and left-hander
Andrew Heaney at PNC Park. Swanson had been batting fifth all year for the Cubbies, but he'll drop a couple spots this week while hitting just .181 (21-for-116) in his first 29 games played in 2025. It's more reason to stay away from the scuffling 31-year-old veteran in fantasy for the time being. In the last two weeks, Swanson has gone 8-for-42 (.191) with no homers, three RBI, two steals, two walks and 20 strikeouts. Catcher
Carson Kelly will move up the lineup on Tuesday and will bat out of the cleanup spot for Chicago. For what it's worth, Swanson does have a hit and two RBI in his two career at-bats against Heaney and has hit .278 (5-for-18) with two of his four homers against lefties this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 29, 2025
New York Mets outfielder
Brandon Nimmo had a career day at the plate on Monday but finds himself on the bench for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks with left-hander
Eduardo Rodriguez on the bump.
Jose Azocar will start in left field and will bat ninth against Rodriguez. Nimmo went 4-for-6 with two home runs and nine RBI in the 19-5 thrashing of the Washington Nationals on Monday. It was a nice offensively explosion for the 32-year-old veteran, who is still hitting only .218 (24-for-110) on the season with 21 RBI and 13 runs scored. He ranks tied for 14th in MLB with his 21 RBI. Expect to see Nimmo back in the Mets' starting lineup on Wednesday. Azocar has four hits in his first 10 at-bats this year but will be a low-upside DFS play in the nine-hole on Tuesday against a pitcher he has never faced.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 29, 2025
After signing left-handed reliever
Brooks Raley (elbow) to a one-year major-league deal earlier this month with a team option for the 2026 season, the New York Mets placed him on the 15-day injured list. The Mets also moved left-hander
Sean Manaea (oblique) to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster spot for Raley. The 36-year-old Raley is recovering from Tommy John surgery and probably isn't going to be a relief option for New York's bullpen until the second half of the season. He spent the last two seasons with the Mets but only appeared in eight games out of the bullpen in 2024 before being shut down with his elbow injury. Raley was a key member of the bullpen in 2023, when he had a 2.80 ERA (3.68 FIP), a 1.26 WHIP, three saves, 61 strikeouts and 25 walks in 54 2/3 innings. He will continue to build up his arm after TJ surgery.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
April 29, 2025
New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said that right-handed reliever
Dedniel Nunez's post-spring ramp-up if finished and he can be recalled to the major leagues whenever he's needed. Nunez was eligible to be called up from Triple-A Syracuse on April 11, but he remains on the farm for now after missing the majority of the second half of last season with right-forearm issues. When the Mets deem the 28-year-old read to rejoin the big-league bullpen, he will be one worth rostering in fantasy leagues that reward points for holds. The Dominican hurler was a key member of New York's bullpen in his rookie season in 2024 before his late-season injury, as he went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA (2.22 FIP), a 0.91 WHIP, one save, 48 strikeouts and only eight walks in 35 relief innings. Nunez should make his 2025 debut at some point in May.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Tim Britton
April 29, 2025
Cleveland Guardians shortstop
Brayan Rocchio is out of the lineup on Tuesday against the Twins. The 24-year-old has been cold at the plate to start the year, but more so as of late, going 1-for-17 (.059) over his last five games. Gabriel Arias will slide over and man short while
Daniel Schneemann will occupy the keystone, with Arias batting second and Schneemann batting seventh.
Chris Paddack takes the mound for the Twins, who has been better since allowing nine earned runs in his first start of the year, but Cleveland has one of the higher implied run totals of the early games, so Guardians hitters could be an appealing group to stack. Arias specifically is 1-for-3 off of Paddack in his career, with the lone hit going down as a double.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
April
29,
2025
Arizona
Diamondbacks
first
baseman
Josh
Naylor
will
take
his
first
day
off
of
the
season
in
Tuesday's
contest
against
the
New
York
Mets
at
Citi
Field.
Pavin
Smith
is
getting
the
read more...
April 29, 2025
The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Tuesday that they reinstated outfielder
Daulton Varsho (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list and optioned right-hander
Paxton Schultz and infielder
Will Wagner to Triple-A Buffalo in corresponding moves. Varsho is making his 2025 debut on Tuesday in center field while batting sixth against Boston Red Sox left-hander
Garrett Crochet. While Varsho should be avoided for DFS purposes in a tough matchup in his return, the 28-year-old will resume his role as Toronto's everyday starting center fielder with an elite glove. He missed the first month of the season after having right-shoulder surgery last September. Varsho went 3-for-25 with seven strikeouts in seven minor-league rehab games, so fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he gets out to a slow start in 2025. He hit just .214/.293/.407 with a .700 OPS, 18 homers, 58 RBI and 10 steals in 136 games a year ago.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Toronto Blue Jays
April
29,
2025
Cincinnati
Reds
catcher
Jose
Trevino
will
take
a
seat
on
the
bench
for
the
start
of
the
second
game
of
the
series
on
Tuesday
against
the
division-rival
St.
Louis
Cardinals
at
Great
American
Ball
Park.
read more...
April 29, 2025
Minnesota Twins infielder
Jonah Bride will get the start at third base in Tuesday's matchup against the Guardians. Bride, who was acquired earlier this month from the Marlins, recorded a three-hit effort on Monday and is 6-for-11 (.545) over his last three games. The Twins have a low implied run total for this one as they take on RHP
Tanner Bibee, so Bride doesn't offer too much appeal for DFS, but if you are looking for a cheap bat that has been hitting well recently, Bride could fit the bill. Brooks Lee, who has also played third base for the Twins, is also in the lineup but will man second base and bat seventh.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Minnesota Twins
April 29, 2025
Cincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley (quadriceps) is starting in right field and will bat seventh on Tuesday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander
Miles Mikolas at Great American Ball Park. A right-quadriceps bruise caused Fraley to be scratched from the series opener against St. Louis on Monday, but he's back in action a day later and will face off against Mikolas, a pitcher he's gone hitless against with one RBI in 10 career at-bats. The 29-year-old Fraley hasn't had a hit in any of his last four games and is now hitting .206 (14-for-68) on the season with two home runs, eight RBI, three stolen bases and 10 runs scored in the early going. Fraley does hit much better against right-handed pitchers, but he's not going to be a very attractive DFS option out of the seven-hole for the Reds on Tuesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 29, 2025
Minnesota Twins catcher
Ryan Jeffers is getting the day off on Tuesday as the team faces the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.
Christian Vazquez will do the catching for right-hander
Chris Paddack while batting ninth against Guardians right-hander
Tanner Bibee. The Twins announced last weekend that Jeffers would be their primary backstop over Vazquez going forward after the two essentially split the catching duties down the middle the previous two seasons. While Jeffers is by no means an offensive superstar, he definitely provides more thump with the bat than Vazquez and is hitting .257 (19-for-74) on the year with a homer, 10 RBI and seven runs scored. Meanwhile, Vazquez has gone 5-for-36 (.139) and has yet to homer in 2025. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere at catcher for DFS lineups than Vazquez.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 29, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Matt Gorski will make his second career start Tuesday, manning first base and hitting sixth in the team's matchup with the Cubs. The former second-round draft pick debuted on April 24, hitting a solo home run for his first career hit. The 6-foot-2 slugger offers a little pop and speed, hitting 23 home runs and stealing 15 bases in 113 games at Triple-A last year. He'll have a tough test against lefty
Shota Imanaga on Tuesday, but he could be a cheap DFS dart throw in hopes he hits another home run.
Enmanuel Valdez will take a seat after starting the last three games at first base for the Pirates.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
April 29, 2025
Cincinnati Reds outfielder/designated hitter
Austin Hays is not in the lineup for Tuesday's matchup against the Cardinals. The 29-year-old has been swinging a hot bat since his return from the injured list, hitting .365 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored, a stolen base, and a 6:13 BB:K over just 58 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter had collected at least two hits in three straight games before going hitless on Monday. The 5-foot-11 slugger will get a chance to take a breather, but should be back in the lineup on Wednesday against
Steven Matz, whom he is 4-for-14 off of during his career, including a double. Gavin Luz will DH and bat fourth on Tuesday, while
Santiago Espinal will man left field and bat eighth.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
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