5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers infielder
Tyler Black is making an early case for a big-league promotion. Through the first few weeks of the 2024 season, Black is hitting .333/.432/.467 with a homer and two steals. The Wright State product is coming off a breakout 2023 season with 18 home runs and 55 steals and appears to be knocking on the door in Milwaukee. With
Jake Bauers struggling at the plate, The Brew Crew could be looking for more production at first base. Black is a potential multi-category contributor for fantasy managers and the situation should be monitored closely.
--Steve SmithSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoAccording to NBA insider Michael Scotto, San Antonio Spurs forward/center
Zach Collins (shoulder) will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Collins is no stranger to surgical procedures. However, it's a tough blow, considering the 26-year-old has appeared in at least 63 games in each of the last two seasons. Fortunately, he's expected to be ready to go for the 2024-25 campaign. Collins remained productive last season despite the arrival of
Victor Wembanyama, averaging 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He should continue to hold a spot in the rotation and get some starts when the new season begins in October, so he should have value for those in deeper fantasy formats.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto
5 days agoMiami Heat guard
Duncan Robinson (back) is probable for Friday's meeting with the Chicago Bulls. The sharpshooter missed time to close the regular season but returned for Wednesday's Play-In loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he didn't see any action in that one. With that in mind, the Heat won't have
Terry Rozier (neck) or
Jimmy Butler (knee) against the Bulls, so Robinson may need to get involved. But If he doesn't see the floor,
Delon Wright,
Jaime Jaquez Jr., and
Nikola Jovic could get more involved on the scoring end.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoMiami Heat guard
Terry Rozier (neck) won't play on Friday night versus the Bulls. The former Hornet has played well since getting traded to the Heat. However, he missed time to end the regular season and sat out Wednesday's one-point Play-In loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. As a result,
Tyler Herro remained the primary ball handler, finishing with 25 points and nine assists. However, he had five turnovers and had trouble shooting the ball, going 9-for-27 from the field and 4-for-14 from deep. Nonetheless, with Rozier and
Jimmy Butler (knee) out, Herro is a lock for DFS contests. In addition,
Delon Wright, who had six points, six rebounds, two steals, and one block against the Sixers, remains a viable DFS value option.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoMiami Heat forward
Jimmy Butler (knee) was diagnosed with a sprained MCL. Butler amassed 19 points, five assists, and five steals in Wednesday's one-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he injured his knee during the contest. As a result, Butler will be sidelined for at least a few weeks, which isn't an ideal scenario for the Heat if they manage to pull off the win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Nonetheless, Miami also won't have
Terry Rozier (neck), meaning
Tyler Herro and
Bam Adebayo could take over as the team's top scorers. There's also room for
Duncan Robinson (back),
Jaime Jaquez Jr., and
Nikola Jovic to see a significant increase in DFS production.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoChicago Bulls center
Andre Drummond (ankle) is questionable for Friday's Play-In meeting with the Miami Heat. Drummond sprained his ankle near the end of the regular season and missed some games. However, he returned for Wednesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks. But the veteran logged only 11 minutes, ending the night with four points, three rebounds, three blocks, and one steal. Nonetheless, Drummond should be on the floor for Friday's pivotal contest. While the ailment makes him a risky DFS option, he'll still have some value for the limited two-game slate. Yet, if Drummond can't play, the Bulls may need to go small, opening the door for
Torrey Craig to get more involved.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoChicago Bulls guard
Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps) is considered questionable for Friday's matchup with the Heat. He missed the last four games of the regular season because of a right quad injury. Fortunately, he returned for Wednesday's Play-In win over the Atlanta Hawks, logging 41 minutes and scoring 19 points. Nonetheless, it would be surprising if Dosunmu isn't on the floor on Friday evening. But if he's unavailable,
Alex Caruso (ankle), who is questionable, and
Javonte Green would be the favorites to absorb the surplus minutes.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoChicago Bulls guard
Alex Caruso (ankle) is questionable for Friday's Play-In battle with the Miami Heat. The 30-year-old suffered a "significant" left ankle sprain in Wednesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that his status versus the Heat is in doubt. Caruso plays a pivotal role in Chicago's rotation, averaging 10.1 points and 1.7 steals during the regular season. Fortunately, it appears he's doing a little better than he was. But Caruso will have some hurdles to clear before he gets the green light to suit up. However, if he's not on the floor,
Javonte Green will immediately see a substantial increase in fantasy potential.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoChicago Cubs third baseman
Patrick Wisdom (back) was activated off of the 10-day injured list on Thursday evening. The 32-year-old slugger recently embarked on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa and will be back with the big club ahead of Friday's series opener against the Miami Marlins. Wisdom is a boom-or-bust bat that combines serious home run power with undesirable strikeout numbers. The Cubs infield is already crowded with
Christopher Morel and the recently surging
Michael Busch, so it is unclear exactly where Wisdom fits in. He would have slightly more value if he found an everyday role, but until then, he is a waiver-wire option for fantasy managers needing power in deeper leagues.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Cubs
5 days agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor had a dreadful start to the 2024 season, but signs of life are finally starting to show. The 30-year-old kicked off his campaign mired in a remarkable 1-for-31 slump. Thankfully, since April 7 he has managed to bat .261 with one home run, eight runs scored and a 5/3 BB/K. His production is still a far cry from the 31 homer, 31 stolen base season he produced in 2023, but Lindor is simply too talented to not turn things around. Fantasy managers should expect him to hit a true hot streak soon.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoColorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen will be the starting goaltender for Thursday's regular-season finale against the visiting Edmonton Oilers. The Avs will give No. 1 netminder Alexandar Georgiev a breather ahead of a first-round matchup with the Winnipeg Jets. For the season, Annunen has been excellent when called upon, working to a 2.35 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage across 13 outings, 11 of which were starts. The Avalanche will take on the Jets after finishing third in the difficult Central Division but will not rest any other players, according to head coach Jared Bednar.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Ryan Boulding
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (concussion) told reporters on Thursday that he hopes to be activated off of the 7-day injured list on Tuesday when he is first eligible. O'Neill was diagnosed with a concussion on Thursday and admitted he has been dealing with dizziness and lightheadedness, but he still seemed confident about a quick return. There is no guarantee that O'Neill will be back for Tuesday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians as head injuries are notoriously finicky. Nevertheless, it seems like fantasy managers will not have to wait too long to get one of the hottest early hitters back in their lineups. He should remain rostered in all formats until that time.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: Gabrielle Starr
5 days agoCalgary Flames netminder Dustin Wolf will be between the pipes for Thursday's contest against the visiting San Jose Sharks. The 23-year-old has appeared in 16 games for the Flames this season, turning in a 3.30 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage while going 6-7-1 in that time. He has been excellent with the American Hockey League's Calgary Wranglers, however, turning in a 2.43 GAA and a .923 save percentage across 35 games. Wolf is firmly the goaltender of the future in Calgary but Jacob Markstrom still has two years and a $6 million annually left on his contract.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Pat Steinberg
5 days agoCleveland Guardians second baseman
Andres Gimenez went 2-for-5 with two RBI during Thursday's 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. The 25-year-old has not cleared the fences yet this season, but he is enjoying a strong start nonetheless. Gimenez is slashing .293/.360/.387 with 11 RBI, 13 runs scored and two stolen bases through 19 games. He should continue to add in all those categories for the remainder of 2024 while reaching double-digits in home runs for the third straight year. Gimenez is comfortably a top-10 second base option for the rest of the season.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates reliever
Aroldis Chapman was hit with a two-game suspension and fine for his actions during Monday's game against the New York Mets. The veteran fireballer got into an altercation with one of the umpires and was ejected from the game in the eighth inning. Chapman is permitted to appeal the suspension, but there is no word yet whether he will. The 36-year-old has pitched well in a set-up role this season, although he was tagged with the loss on Monday after giving up three runs. He is worth rostering in any leagues that track holds as a scoring category as he has five holds and one save through nine appearances in 2024.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
5 days agoSan Jose Sharks goaltender Devin Cooley will be between the pipes for Thursday's series finale on the road against the Calgary Flames. Cooley and Mackenzie Blackwood have shared the crease of late but it will be the 26-year-old getting the nod on Thursday. It was a tough outing his last time out as Cooley yielded eight goals on just 22 shots (.636 save percentage) in a 9-2 loss against the Edmonton Oilers. It's been a tough go for the youngster in his brief NHL tenure this season as he sports a 4.37 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage in five games of work. He also struggled to a 3.77 GAA and an .891 Sv% across 14 games with Rochester in the AHL before a move into the San Jose organization.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Curtis Pashelka
5 days agoThursday's game between the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, with games at 1:20 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. in Chicago. The probable starters from today,
A.J. Puk and
Jameson Taillon, will likely pitch tomorrow in the series opener.
Shota Imanaga is expected to start one of Saturday's games for Chicago, while
Jesus Luzardo and
Edward Cabrera could take the mound for Miami. Fantasy managers should remove any players from these teams from their Thursday lineups.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: Maddie Lee
5 days agoPittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby will discuss a contract extension with the team as he will be on the final season of a 12-year, $104.4 million deal with the team in the 2024-25 season. The average annual value of that deal was a unique $8.7 million, an homage to his No. 87 and his birth year in 1987. "Obviously, I'm going to talk to [general manager Kyle Dubas] and have a conversation with him," Crosby said. "We'll see. I think it's just something I'll have a conversation with him about." The future Hall of Famer led the Penguins with 94 points in his 19th NHL season. The Penguins fell just shy of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2023-24 campaign, finishing three points back of the Washington Capitals for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has undergone surgery to repair a triceps tendon rupture. The veteran blueliner hasn't appeared in a game since Feb. 10 against the Seattle Kraken and endured a career-worst offensive season in the 2023-24 campaign. In his age-29 season, Ristolainen recorded just one goal and four points across 31 games in an injury-shortened season. He had maxed out with six goals and 45 points across 79 games while with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016-17 season but his production at the offensive end of the ice has dropped dramatically in recent seasons. The Finn is expected to be ready for the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jordan Hall
5 days agoIt was announced on Wednesday night that Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever
Robert Stephenson (elbow) would miss the rest of the 2024 season, and now we know why. The Angels revealed on Thursday that Stephenson will undergo elbow surgery, although the exact nature of the elbow surgery isn't known. If it's Tommy John surgery, the 31-year-old probably won't be able to return until next summer at some point. The Halos signed Stephenson in the offseason hoping that he could be a strong late-inning bridge to closer
Carlos Estevez, but instead, Stephenson wasn't able to appear in a single big-league game in 2024. The former 27th overall pick in 2011 by the Cincinnati Reds had one of the best cut fastballs in baseball in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Bally Sports West - Erica Weston
5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates right-hander
Quinn Priester is expected to be called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to make his first major-league start of the year on Friday against the Boston Red Sox, according to a source. The former 18th overall pick in 2019 out of high school struggled in his big-league debut last year by going 3-3 with a 7.74 ERA (6.74 FIP) and 1.70 WHIP with 27 walks and 36 strikeouts in 50 innings over 10 appearances (eight starts) for the Bucs. However, the 23-year-old was looking better with a 3.95 ERA, five walks and 20 K's in 13 2/3 innings in his first three starts for Indy this year. Priester could stick in Pittsburgh's starting rotation until left-hander
Marco Gonzales (forearm) is able to return, but at best, he'll be a shaky streaming option in deeper fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh PG - Noah Hiles
5 days agoIt wasn't the major-league debut that Texas Rangers right-hander
Jack Leiter was hoping for on Thursday in Detroit against the Tigers. The former second overall pick in 2021 out of Vanderbilt only made it through 3 2/3 frames in his first big-league start, surrendering seven earned runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out three. This one start won't define Leiter's first year in the majors or his career, but he wasn't missing many bats and gave up a lot of hard contact on the day. It remains to be seen if Leiter will get another turn through Texas' rotation after the disappointing performance, but if he does, it should come next week against the Seattle Mariners in a good matchup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoVeteran free-agent offensive tackle Germain Ifedi is signing with the Cleveland Browns, according to NFL.com. The former first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M spent time with five organizations before joining Cleveland's roster. He has 102 games of experience with 83 starts, but he has not seen game action since 2022 or started since 2021. Cleveland recently traded Leroy Watson to the Tennessee Titans for a 2024 seventh-round pick, so Ifedi is likely being brought in to add depth to the tackle room for offseason activities and training camp. He is not guaranteed to make the 53-man roster ahead of Week 1.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoIn an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL insider Peter Schrager said the Indianapolis Colts could be active in moving up for a top wide receiver in the 2024 NFL draft. "I think there's a chance the Colts move up for
Marvin Harrisonread more...
5 days agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers' (knee) MRI exam showed only a bone bruise, and the Red Sox don't expect him to need a trip to the injured list. Devers was pulled from Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians early with left-knee discomfort and served as the club's designated hitter on Wednesday and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts before being held out for the series finale on Thursday while he had an MRI exam. There's thankfully nothing structurally wrong with the 27-year-old's knee, but fantasy managers will need to check back on Friday to see if he's back in there for the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Devers has started slow in 2024 and is currently hitting just .188 (9-for-48) with two homers and five RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
5 days agoWashington Commanders general manager Adam Peters said the team is "real close" to finalizing their decision of who they will select on Thursday when the 2024 NFL draft begins and confirmed they will not trade out of the No. 2 overall pick. The Commanders desperately need a franchise quarterback, and they are presumably deciding between LSU's
Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's
Drake Maye. The 21-year-old Maye is viewed as more of a project with a sky-high ceiling, while Daniels, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, is 23 years old and ready to contribute right away. Either quarterback will have plenty of fantasy football intrigue in Washington, as both have plenty of mobility and could be throwing passes to
Terry McLaurin in their rookie season.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays reliever
Colin Poche picked up his second save of the year in Thursday's 2-1 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Angels by tossing a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout. It wasn't perfect, though, as he did allow two hits. The 30-year-old got the save opportunity in the series finale after regular closer
Pete Fairbanks tossed 28 pitches in a save attempt on Wednesday. The left-handed Pache gave up four runs in his first three outings of the 2024 campaign, but since then he hasn't given up a run in five straight appearances out of Tampa's bullpen. As long as Fairbanks and
Jason Adam remain healthy, Poche isn't going to see very many save chances for the Rays.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoThe NFL reinstated Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney and free agents C.J. Moore, Rashod Berry,
Quintez Cephus, and Demetrius Taylor on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The five players were suspended for the entire 2023 campaign for violating the league's gambling policy. Toney is the only player who remained on an NFL roster following the suspension, and it could be tough for the other four players to find landing spots considering their actions from last offseason. With major sports leagues trying to crack down on any suspicious gambling activity, this will be a situation worth monitoring over the next few years.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
5 days agoThe New York Yankees claimed outfielder
Taylor Trammell off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Yankees designated infielder
Kevin Smith for assignment. The Dodgers dumped Trammell off their 40-man roster earlier this week after going hitless with three strikeouts in six plate appearances with them over five games. The former 35th overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2016 out of high school just has not been able to figure out major-league pitching in 121 games, batting .165 (51-for-310) with 15 home runs, 39 RBI and four stolen bases. For now, he'll ride the pine in the Bronx while providing outfield depth behind
Aaron Judge,
Juan Soto,
Giancarlo Stanton,
Alex Verdugo and
Trent Grisham.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yankees PR Department
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot shut down the Los Angeles Angels in Thursday's series finale to win his second game of the year. In his six innings of work, Pepiot allowed just one earned run on three hits while walking three and striking out seven to drop his season ERA to 4.37. The 26-year-old needed a good performance after he gave up five runs to the San Francisco Giants his last time on the bump. The lone run that Pepiot allowed on Thursday to the Angels came on a sacrifice fly in his sixth and final inning. He has walked eight and struck out 27 so far in his four starts while posting a 1.01 WHIP. Pepiot will now look for a second straight strong start his next outing in what has so far been an up-and-down year for the former Dodger.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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