4 days agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Dane Dunning (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and looks as though he could return quickly from his injured-list stint. This was Dunning's first bullpen session since going on the 15-day injured list on May 8 with a right rotator-cuff strain. If the 29-year-old doesn't have any setbacks after throwing a couple of bullpen sessions, he could be ready to return to the Rangers when he's eligible to return next Monday. Before landing on the shelf, Dunning opened the year 3-2 with a 4.10 ERA (4.88 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP while walking 17 and striking out 43 in 37 1/3 innings over his seven starts. Dunning has been successful with a high whiff rate so far this year, but he's also allowing lots of hard contact, which makes him a volatile fantasy option as a streamer when he's back in Texas' rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: RangersToday.com - Jeff Wilson
4 days agoJoaquin Niemann has been outstanding on the LIV Tour this year. He has seven straight top-25 finishes, including four top-five finishes, two top-10 finishes, and one win. His most recent appearance on the PGA Tour was at the Masters Tournament, where he finished T22. Niemann's performance at the PGA Championship has been mixed; he missed the cut in 2023 but finished T23 in 2022 and T30 in 2021. One important thing to note is that over the last year, Niemann ranks in the 93rd percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from over 150 yards in the rough. Niemann could be overlooked this week, but his recent form makes him worth considering for DFS lineups.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
4 days agoThe San Francisco Giants recalled infield prospect
Marco Luciano from Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday after they placed catcher
Patrick Bailey (head) on the seven-day concussion list for the second time in the month. Luciano, the club's top prospect
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4 days agoThe San Francisco Giants placed catcher
Patrick Bailey (head) on the seven-day concussion injured list (retroactive to May 12) on Monday and recalled infielder
Marco Luciano from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. Bailey suffered a concussion earlier this month but had already returned from his IL stint, but the 24-year-old backstop recently missed two games for the Giants, with the illness apparently related to his head injury. It's nothing to mess around with, so the Giants will play it safe and sideline Bailey again for another week.
Blake Sabol will take over the primary catching duties for the beat-up Giants moving forward. Sabol is 8-for-21 in his first eight games for the Giants this year and is now worth a look in two-catcher leagues, especially since Bailey could be out for an extended amount of time.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Giants
4 days agoHouston Astros right-hander
Ronel Blanco was ejected from his start against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday before the start of the fourth inning after umpires checked his glove for foreign substances. As a result, the 30-year-old will be suspended by Major League Baseball for 10 games if it's confirmed that he used an illegal substance on his glove. Before being ejected, Blanco had thrown three scoreless innings while walking one and striking out four to lower his season ERA to 2.09. It's more bad news for an Astros' starting rotation that has really been thinned this year by injuries. Blanco came into Tuesday's solid matchup against Oakland with a 2.23 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 20 walks and 41 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings. Even though he's set to miss his next start while on suspension, fantasy baseball managers are going to want to keep Blanco on their rosters.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
4 days agoCollin Morikawa has been performing well recently, with two top-10 and two top-25 finishes in his last four appearances. After a rough patch, he seems to have found his form. He struggled at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and missed the cut, finished T45 at THE PLAYERS Championship, and T75 at the Valero Texas Open. However, he has had success at the PGA Championship, finishing T26 in 2023, T55 in 2022, and tying for eighth in 2021. It's worth noting that Morikawa's greens in regulation percentage on approach shots from over 150 yards in the rough ranked in the 70th percentile over the past year. This could be crucial due to the small size of the greens at Valhalla. Morikawa's recent good form and past success at this event make him a strong contender for DFS lineups this week.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
4 days agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers dazzled in Tuesday's extra-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers, hurling eight scoreless innings on three hits and no walks with four strikeouts for a tough-luck no-decision. Weathers was flawless through five innings on Tuesday before
Wenceel Perez singled to open the sixth frame and break up the perfecto bid, but it was certainly a dominant outing nonetheless. The 24-year-old former San Diego Padre has now logged three consecutive quality starts, putting together a respectable 3.81 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 38:16 K:BB with two wins over 49 2/3 innings (nine starts) from Miami's injury-ravaged rotation on the season as a whole. His next start is projected to come on Monday in a tough assignment at home against the Milwaukee Brewers, who rank as a top-five offense in most metrics at the quarter mark of the campaign, which makes Weathers a dangerous fantasy bet for that one.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoScottie Scheffler will tee it up in the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club this week, returning to action after his victory at last month's RBC Heritage. Scheffler has been in incredible form in 2024, winning four of his previous five tournaments. Notably, he secured a second-place finish at last year's PGA Championship. Over the past 12 months, Scheffler ranks in the 84th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from over 150 yards in the rough. Given his recent success and past performance at this event, Scheffler could be a valuable addition to DFS lineups this week.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
4 days agoMiami Marlins relief pitcher
A.J. Puk closed out the Detroit Tigers in Tuesday's extra-inning win, tossing a clean 10th inning for his first save of the year. It was actually closer
Tanner Scott who was called upon for the ninth inning in a scoreless game, which indicates he's still the preferred ninth-inning man, but this was certainly an encouraging performance out of Puk. The 29-year-old left-hander pumped in nine of this 13 pitches for strikes in Tuesday's sharp outing and just his second appearance since coming off the injured list with a shoulder issue, lowering his ERA to 8.40 with a 2.40 WHIP and a ghastly 12:17 K:BB across 15 innings for the Marlins this season. Puk is worth keeping an eye on in all fantasy leagues, as he appears to be the next in line for save opportunities out of Miami's bullpen in situations where Scott may be unavailable.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe Denver Broncos and rookie third-round linebacker Jonah Elliss (shoulder) agreed to a four-year, $5.87 million rookie contract on Tuesday that includes a $1.09 million signing bonus. The 21-year-old pass-rusher had 12 sacks in just 10 games in his final year at Utah in 2023. His injury ultimately required surgery to fix a torn labrum in his shoulder, but Elliss took part in walkthroughs and individual periods during the team's rookie minicamp last weekend. Barring a setback, he should be ready to go for training camp this summer and the start of his first year in the NFL this fall. He's the son of former NFL player Luther Elliss and could factor in as a situational pass-rusher in Denver in his rookie campaign if he's able to stay healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 9 News - Mike Klis
4 days agoWashington Nationals closer
Kyle Finnegan secured Tuesday's win on the road over the Chicago White Sox, tossing a scoreless ninth inning for his 13th save of the season during Game 1 of a doubleheader. After getting
Eloy Jimenez to ground out, Finnegan ran into some trouble by allowing two singles to get the tying run to the plate but was able to stymie a potential rally by striking out
Nicky Lopez to end the game. It's been a great first quarter of the year for the hard-throwing 32-year-old right-hander, who now sports a 1.56 ERA and 0.92 WHIP while fanning 17 and walking eight with an MLB-high 13 saves over 17 1/3 innings as Washington's clear-cut closer. Finnegan's been one of fantasy's top value picks to this point, but it might be time to sell high when you consider his .113 BA and .247 xBA, .268 SLG and .464 xSLG, as well as his 1.65 ERA and 4.41 xERA on Baseball Savant entering Tuesday's action.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Savant
4 days agoWashington Commanders second-round defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (foot) had successful surgery on his Jones fracture on Tuesday in New York City, according to sources. The surgery was done by Dr. O'Malley, and Washington is optimistic that Newton will make a full recovery before his rookie season this fall. Newton has now had surgery on both of his feet for Jones fractures. It's not a great start in his first NFL offseason, but the 21-year-old defensive tackle will have a chance to make an impact in his first year in the league as long as he can stay on the field this fall. If not for his foot injury, Newton may have been a first-round consideration, but he ultimately fell to the Commanders at pick No. 36. If he puts his foot injuries behind him, Newton could be a steal in the trenches of Washington's D-line.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Bleacher Report - Jordan Schultz
4 days agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw "about 36 pitches" in a bullpen session on Tuesday at the team's facility in Tampa, Florida. Manager Aaron Boone said Cole would next return to New York and characterized the outlook for Cole as "just onward and upward." That hopefully means Cole is close to facing live hitters in batting practice, considering he's now tossed several successful bullpen sessions. The 33-year-old six-time All-Star remains firmly on course to return to New York's rotation sometime in mid-June, assuming a minor-league rehab assignment begins in late May. Right-hander
Luis Gil has filled in admirably during Cole's absence for the Yankees, boasting a 2.51 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 48:26 K:BB across 43 innings (eight starts) in 2024, and he's gotten himself into must-roster fantasy territory ahead of Saturday's cushy assignment at home versus the last-place Chicago White Sox.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Greg Joyce - New York Post
4 days agoThere has been a sizable shift in the golf game of Russell Henley over the last month and a half. He began the year by saving most of his rounds on the greens, which has now transitioned to the irons, as he is averaging 1.102 strokes gained on approach over his last four starts. The flat stick has still kept up, though only at 0.207 strokes gained over that same span compared to the 1.27 average he gained in the three events he played in March. He may not do much off the tee distance-wise, but accuracy is usually the name of the game in major championships. It remains to be seen whether this one will play out similarly, however, being the 8th most accurate player off the tee on the PGA Tour means Henley should have more opportunities from the fairway than most in the field, which is exactly what you want at such a demanding venue like Valhalla.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
4 days agoVeteran free-agent wide receiver
Martavis Bryant is scheduled to work out for the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, according to a source. Bryant was released last week by the Dallas Cowboys, whose former defensive coordinator is now the head coach for the Commanders. The former fourth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014 out of Clemson has had his NFL career ruined by off-the-field issues that have led to suspensions, and he hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2018 with the Raiders. The 32-year-old would merely serve as receiver depth heading into training camp and the postseason in Washington behind the likes of
Terry McLaurin,
Jahan Dotson, rookie
Luke McCaffrey,
Dyami Brown and others if he were to sign with the Commanders. In four NFL seasons, Bryant has caught 145 passes for 2,183 yards and 17 touchdowns in 44 games (18 starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
4 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers closer
Evan Phillips (hamstring) is set to throw off a mound on Wednesday. Working his way back from a strained right hamstring, Phillips is ready for his first bullpen session since hitting the injured list and should be able to re-enter LA's bullpen in late May if all continues to go well in his recovery. In 14 appearances before going down, the 29-year-old right-hander was electric while yielding a lone run and striking out 17, walking four, and converting each of his eight save chances over 13 2/3 innings of work. Veteran
Daniel Hudson is likely the best bet for fantasy managers trying to pick up some saves in Phillips' stead, notching a 3.18 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a sparkling 19:1 K:BB with two saves over 17 innings for the Dodgers this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
4 days agoDetroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said this week on The Rich Eisen Show that second-year running back
Jahmyr Gibbs could have an even bigger role in 2024. "I definitely would expect him to see more of a load, but
David Montgomery will still be here too," Holmes said. "Dan and I love that 1-2 punch of him and David." The former first-round pick in 2023 was third among running backs with 5.2 yards per carry in his rookie campaign, so fantasy managers that were already fond of Gibbs' stock in a rising Lions offense will be pleased that he could be even more valuable as an RB1 in 2024. Not only should the 22-year-old former Alabama back see more carries, but he should also be more involved in the passing attack, where he can really excel with yards after the catch in open space. Only seven RBs saw more targets than Gibbs' 71 in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rich Eisen Show
4 days agoSeattle Mariners designated hitter
Mitch Garver (undisclosed) has been scratched from Tuesday's lineup versus the visiting Kansas City Royals. There's no word yet from the M's on the status of Garver, who was initially batting third as the DH on Tuesday against the Royals. Consider him day-to-day until more information comes to light ahead of Wednesday's series finale.
Mitch Haniger is now functioning as the DH and batting sixth against right-hander
Michael Wacha, with
Sam Haggerty entering the lineup and parking in left field to hit ninth.
Ty France is set up as the biggest fantasy beneficiary of Garver's absence, as he's moved up to the third spot in the lineup and has gone 9-for-15 with five doubles and two RBI in 15 plate appearances against Wacha in his career.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Daniel Kramer - MLB.com
4 days agoIn the world of "safe plays," it doesn't get much better than Corey Conners. He's 12-for-12 on made cuts in 2024 and is coming off a solid performance at Quail Hollow, ranking second in the field in strokes gained on approach (1.75) and fifth in strokes gained from tee to green (1.86). The course setup at Valhalla fits Conners' game as well, as any major venue could. He's inside the top 100 in nearly all approach yardages for the year, most notably ranking eighth from 200-225 yards. That distance was seen 20.2% of the time here in 2014 and is the median yardage for most par-threes. The 32-year-old will need to find a little magic on and around the greens, as do most notoriously gifted ball-strikers. However, the intangibles everywhere else make him an extremely intriguing play at $8,900 on FanDuel.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
4 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Bobby Miller (shoulder) will throw two simulated innings at Camelback Ranch in Arizona on Wednesday, manager Dave Roberts said. While Miller's next step in his throwing program has not yet been determined as he recovers from inflammation in his right shoulder, it will either be a three-inning sim game or a minor-league rehab assignment. The 25-year-old flame-throwing right-hander remains on track to rejoin LA's rotation sometime in late May or early June, barring any setbacks. Former top prospect
Gavin Stone should get another couple of turns in the Dodgers' rotation until Miller is back in the fold, and he's worth streaming in all fantasy leagues with a solid 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts with three wins through 38 innings (seven starts) this season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
4 days agoIt has been a good run for Sungjae Im over his last three events. A few quality finishes to go along with a win on the KPGA circuit have him riding some high waves into Louisville, Ky. Most of the recent success has resulted from a scorching-hot putter that gained him over six strokes on the field at Quail Hollow. What's more impressive is the pedestrian approach numbers he's put up over that same span that has statistically only measured out to 0.315 strokes gained on approach over his last two PGA Tour starts. That is a testament to how well the flat stick is rolling. However, it's also the glaring issue that makes him hard to trust this week. Im is nowhere near long enough to overpower Valhalla (134th in driving distance: 292.9), and his play into greens--aside from a 38th ranking in approaches from 200-225 yards--leaves much to be desired. Expect him to do enough to play the weekend but not enough to be worth the chalk at $9,200 on FanDuel.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
4 days agoTop Tampa Bay Rays prospect
Junior Caminero is playing second base on Tuesday night for Triple-A Durham. The 20-year-old Dominican can also play third base and shortstop, but the Rays could be planning ahead for Caminero to take over at the keystone this year with
Brandon Lowe (oblique) still not close to a return. He's currently hitting a strong .304/.379/.554 with a .933 OPS, six home runs, 17 RBI and 14 runs scored in 23 games for the Bulls on the farm after missing two weeks early in the year with a quadriceps injury that he has since recovered from. Caminero made his big-league debut in 2023 and went 8-for-34 (.235) with a homer and seven RBI in just seven games. His power upside makes him worth stashing right now in deeper fantasy leagues, and he should resurface in the majors at some point in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
4 days agoNew York Mets right-hander
Adrian Houser warmed up in the ninth inning in Tuesday's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies when
Sean Reid-Foley got hit. As a result, Houser will not start in Philadelphia on Wednesday against the Phillies. The Mets currently don't have a starting pitcher listed for Wednesday's contest. The 31-year-old Houser has made six starts for the Mets this year but was recently demoted to a relief role out of the bullpen and currently carries a rough 7.63 ERA (5.29 FIP) and 1.83 WHIP with 22 walks and 16 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Houser is going to need to display better command to have a shot at returning to New York's starting rotation and sticking around beyond just an emergency spot start. The Mets will likely roll with a bullpen game against Philly on Wednesday now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Daily News - Abbey Mastracco
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder/designated hitter
Jorge Soler (head, shoulder), who was hitting on the field on Tuesday for the first time since going on the injured list, fouled a ball off the top pipe of the batting cage that ricocheted and hit him in
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4 days agoChicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said that right-hander
Brad Keller will take right-hander
Michael Soroka's starting rotation spot moving forward. Keller will move into the back end of Chicago's starting rotation while Soroka moves to a long-relief role out of the bullpen. The 28-year-old Keller has appeared in four games (one start) for Chicago this year and has looked good, posting a 2.84 ERA (3.93 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with five walks and nine strikeouts in just 12 2/3 innings pitched. In his lone start of 2024 on May 3, Keller got over 100 pitches and has gone at least three innings in both of his relief outings since, so he's pretty well stretched out. Desperate deep-league streamers will probably want to avoid Keller in his second start of the year, which lines up for this Saturday against the New York Yankees.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Daryl Van Schouwen
4 days agoChicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said that right-hander
Michael Soroka is being removed from the starting rotation. But instead of being cut or demoted to the minors, Soroka will be moved to the bullpen. The 26-year-old has posted a 6.39 ERA (6.74 FIP) and 1.51 WHIP with 24 walks and 24 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings over nine starts. He currently leads the league in earned runs allowed (31) and home runs allowed (10), which shows even further how ineffective he had been before the demotion to a relief role. Soroka will be put into a long-relief role for the time being and will need to pitch much better than he has in order to be considered a rotation option for the Pale Hose later this season. Right-hander
Brad Keller is taking Soroka's rotation spot and will now become an option in AL-only leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Daryl Van Schouwen
4 days agoCleveland Cavaliers point guard
Craig Porter Jr. (ankle) has been listed as doubtful on the injury report ahead of Game 5 against the Celtics on Wednesday. The 24-year-old injured his left ankle in the team's regular-season finale and hasn't yet played in the playoffs. However, it looks like Porter Jr. could be available again for Cleveland on Wednesday. The Cavaliers will need all the warm bodies they can get if
Donovan Mitchell (calf),
Caris LeVert (knee), and
Jarrett Allen (rib) can't shake off questionable tags.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoChicago White Sox catching prospect
Edgar Quero is beginning to break out of his early May slump with a three-game hit streak. Quero got off to a great start at Double-A this season with a .279/.363/.544 slash line and five long balls. However, during the early part of May, he got a bit cold at the plate with a .143/.182/.286 line. This stretch did not last long, though, as the 21-year-old has tallied a hit in three consecutive games and looks to be back on track. Quero has now logged 130 games at the Double-A level across the past two seasons and could earn a promotion to Triple-A fairly soon. MLB Pipeline ranks Quero as the ninth-best catching prospect in baseball and projects him to reach the major leagues in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
4 days agoDean Burmester played his last tournament on the PGA Tour at the PGA Championship in 2023. The South African golfer wound up a respectable 54th shooting all four rounds above 70. Oak Hill Golf Club was a different animal compared to Valhalla. The Louisville, Kentucky course offers room for a few more birdies. However, Burmester did win the LIV Golf event at Miami this year. He can drive the ball long and is pretty accurate when it comes to greens in regulation (74.87% on the LIV Tour). His form seems to suggest more than his previous results.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
4 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton (knee) will test out his knee on Tuesday in front of the team, and if all goes well, he will play in some minor-league rehab games before returning to the Twins. Given the fact that Buxton has had surgery on his knee two different times, it makes sense for the Twins to test him on a minor-league assignment before activating him from the injured list. The 30-year-old has teased fantasy baseball managers with his power/speed combination for years but has coupled that with an inability to stay on the field because of injuries. Buxton was an All-Star in 2022 but has played in 100-plus games in a season just once since 2015 and doesn't run like he did earlier in his career. Until Buxton is able to get past his knee injury,
Willi Castro should continue to benefit from extra playing time in center field in Minnesota.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
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