4 days agoTexas Rangers first baseman
Jared Walsh was designated for assignment on Saturday. The move was correlated with activating
Nathaniel Lowe off of the injured list. Walsh hit below league average in his early season stint, slashing .226/.317/.321 in 60 PA and has been a subpar hitter since his breakout years in 2020 and 2021. With the lefty off of the Rangers active roster, Lowe will take on the starting role at first base. Utility player
Ezequiel Duran will see decreased playing time as well. Fantasy managers should only have interest in Lowe at this time.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers
4 days agoSportsbooks have pegged Ryan Blaney as one of the favorites to win the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, and for good reason: last year's Cup Series Champion has finished first or second in each of the last three races at this track and has led a total of 283 laps in his career there--which is the fourth-most among active drivers. Specifically at Daytona and Talladega--the two big superspeedways on the schedule--Blaney has the third-best average running position since the start of 2023 and the second-most laps led. This weekend, he qualified back in 21st for the GEICO 500, which gives Blaney solid place differential potential in DFS contests. At $11,000 on DraftKings, he is an expensive option, but the scoring upside is huge. Don't be afraid to roster Ryan Blaney this weekend--although keep in mind that he's likely to be one of the most popular picks on the slate.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Win The Race
4 days agoChase Briscoe believes that his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing team is further ahead and they've ever been, and the results point to that being true. Coming off the worst season of his career in 2023, Briscoe currently sits 12th in the points standings with an average finish of
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4 days agoTexas Rangers first baseman
Nathaniel Lowe (oblique) was activated off the injured list today and is in the Rangers lineup for their tilt against the Atlanta Braves. Lowe has been out since early March after experiencing side tightness during spring training. The 28-year-old will bat fifth in his season debut against Braves right-hander
Charlie Morton. Lowe is projected to hit for a .269/.352/.431 slash line in 2024 and joins a Rangers lineup that continues to be one of the most productive lineups in the majors. Fantasy managers should look to snag Lowe if possible. With Lowe active, expect decreased playing time for
Jared Walsh going forward.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers
4 days agoBoston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas exited early in the Red Sox game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. Casas took a swing on a 3-1 count in the top of the first, fouled the ball off and then appeared to grab at his left side. Casas eventually drew a walk and still ran the bases before exiting.
Pablo Reyes entered the game for the 24-year-old. More should be known about the extent of Casas' injury after the game but fantasy managers are hoping the highly-ranked first baseman won't miss much time if any. The Red Sox are already dealing with a swath of injuries to key contributors in
Trevor Story and
Rafael Devers and another blow to a productive member of their lineup would be a gut punch to Boston.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Chris Cotillo
4 days agoCincinnati Reds first baseman
Christian Encarnacion-Strand is back in the Reds lineup on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. Encarnacion-Strand had been out the last two games with a scheduled day off on Wednesday and an illness on Friday. The 24-year-old will get a matchup against Angels lefty
Patrick Sandoval. Encarnacion-Strand has struggled this season, putting up a .192/.197/.329 slash line in 76 PA. He hasn't been good against lefties either, hitting for just a .095 batting average. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect much in his return today and may need to exercise some patience before getting Encarnacion-Strand back in their lineups.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
4 days agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Cedric Mullins is out of the Orioles lineup on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals. This appears to be a matchup decision as the Royals are starting their dynamic lefty
Cole Ragans.
Jorge Mateo will be starting in center field in place of Mullins. Mateo has been much stronger against lefties, hitting for a .908 OPS compared to Mullins' .388 OPS in 16 PA. The 29-year-old should be expected to be back in the lineup on Sunday as the Orioles will face off against Royals right-hander
Seth Lugo.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
4 days agoKyle Busch could definitely contend for the win in this weekend's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, but that doesn't make him a slam-dunk DFS play. Rowdy qualified fourth for this weekend's race at 'Dega, and while he did win this event one year ago (in addition to finish third the year prior), Busch will likely need to get to victory lane and lead plenty of laps this weekend in order to make it into the optimal lineup on DraftKings. Therefore, it's probably better to stay away from Rowdy in DFS this weekend. With that being said, Busch can still challenge for the win at Talladega, as he has been strong on superspeedways as of late; he has the fourth-best average running position at Daytona and Talladega since the start of the 2023 season. Many sportsbooks have Kyle Busch's odds of winning the GEICO 500 in the 16-to-1 range heading into race day.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Win The Race
4 days agoBaltimore Orioles second baseman
Jackson Holliday and outfielder
Colton Cowser are out of the Orioles lineup on Saturday against Kansas City Royals lefty
Cole Ragans. Holliday has had a rough start to his MLB career, hitting for a .037 batting average in 28 PA. Cowser has been Baltimore's best hitter, on the other hand, posting a 1.178 OPS in 51 PA.
Austin Hays will get the start in left field for Cowser.
Jordan Westburg will slide over from third base to second base and
Ramon Urias will start at third. Both Holliday and Cowser should be expected to be back in the lineup on Sunday against Royals right-hander
Seth Lugo.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
4 days agoCorey Lajoie has cemented himself as one of the better superspeedway racers in the NASCAR Cup Series, which means you often have to look his way when the series stops at Daytona or Talladega. And that's exactly the case this weekend with the GEICO 500. Lajoie qualified 31st for this weekend's race, and at just $6,600 on DraftKings, he has huge FPTS scoring upside at a relatively low price. Looking at recent results here at Talladega, Lajoie finished fourth last fall and came home 14th in the first race here during the 2022 season. He has ended up 16th or better in six of the last seven races over at Daytona. Don't be afraid to roll the dice with the No. 7 Chevrolet this weekend at Talladega. Lajoie certainly has a knack for this type of racing.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: DriverAverages
4 days agoMinnesota Twins third baseman
Royce Lewis (quadriceps) has started to begin baseball activities according to the Twins head trainer Nick Paparesta. "We're looking to get him in a running progression probably the end of next week. He's still got some boxes to check, but heading in the right direction," the trainer said. No timetable has been set for the 24-year-old's return though it's still likely he won't be back until closer to the All Star Break.
Kyle Farmer and
Jose Miranda have been splitting time at third base in Lewis' absence. Farmer has hit for a paltry 15 wRC+ in 41 PA while Miranda has hit for a 119 wRC+ in 28 PA. Fantasy managers shouldn't rush to add either player in Lewis' absence, though Miranda shows more potential currently.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Aaron Gleeman
4 days agoMiami Heat guard
Terry Rozier (neck) has progressed since going on the shelf. However, he's still not healthy enough to play. Fortunately, the issue isn't expected to jeopardize his career. But there haven't been any updates on when the Heat can expect to get him back on the floor. One thing is for sure; the team needs him, considering
Jimmy Butler (knee) is also out for at least a few weeks. With that in mind, until Rozier is cleared to suit up,
Tyler Herro should continue to hold things down at the one, with
Delon Wright playing the support role.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Barry Jackson
4 days agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (elbow) threw a bullpen session on Saturday. This marks the first time Valdez has thrown off of a mound since he was put on the injured list. The Astros will wait to see how the lefty responds to the bullpen session before taking next steps, though there is a chance he will be activated without needing a rehab start. The Astros are desperate for his return as their staters have posted a 4.93 ERA to begin the season, 5th worst in the majors. The lefty posted a 2.19 ERA in his two starts before hitting the injured list so his return will provide a boost to the Astros, who also welcomed back
Justin Verlander on Friday. Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on Valdez's progress in the event a rehab assignment isn't necessary.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Julia Morales
4 days agoAccording to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, there is "increasing doubt" regarding the availability of Los Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard (knee) for Sunday's postseason meeting with the Mavericks. The multi-time All-Star still hasn't gone through contact at practice since going on the shelf with another knee injury. There also haven't been any concrete updates regarding the nature of his ailment. But things don't look good for Leonard, who has battled knee injuries throughout his career. While it's too early to speculate, his absence could extend beyond Game 1. As expected,
James Harden and
Paul George should be the team's top offensive contributors while Leonard is out. Guys like
Russell Westbrook,
Norman Powell, and
Ivica Zubac could also benefit from a production standpoint.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski
4 days agoSan Jose Sharks forwards Mike Hoffman, Kevin Labanc, and Alexander Barabanov will all walk as free agents this offseason, according to general manager Mike Grier. It was a difficult season for the trio and the Sharks overall as the team finished dead last with 47 points on the season. Hoffman notched 10 goals and 23 points in 66 games. Labanc's struggles were immense this season as he tallied just two goals and nine points in 46 games, a far cry from the 17 goals and 56 points he tallied in 82 games in 2018-19. As for Barabanov, the Russian tallied just four goals and 13 points in 46 games. All three forwards served as healthy scratches regularly throughout the season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Curtis Pashelka
4 days agoSan Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture said on Saturday that he is optimistic he can return to full health this fall and plans to begin skating again in July. Couture appeared in just six games in the 2023-24 season after suffering a groin injury while off-ice training prior to training camp. He didn't make his season debut until Jan. 20 against the Ducks, recording an assist, before going pointless across his next five games. He was shut down for the rest of the regular season after a Jan. 31 contest against the same Ducks team. The Sharks finished the regular season dead last in the NHL with 47 points and have the best chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Curtis Pashelka
4 days agoTampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev practiced in a regular jersey for the first time on Saturday after suffering a gruesome leg injury on Feb. 7 against the New York Rangers. The Russian blueliner underwent surgery the following day to stabilize fractures in his left tibia and fibula and resumed skating on March 18. He has been practicing in a noncontact jersey since April 8. However, he is not expected to play in the team's first-round series against the rival Florida Panthers. For the season, Sergachev notched two goals and 19 points across 34 games on the campaign after tallying a career-high 64 points in 79 games last season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoWashington Capitals defensemen Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen both practiced in noncontact jerseys on Saturday and are possibilities for Game 1 of their first-round series against the top-seeded New York Rangers on Sunday. Both players have been sidelined with upper-body injuries and skated on their own on Thursday and Friday before joining the team for Saturday's session. "Trending in the right direction," bench boss Spencer Carbery said on Saturday. "Both practiced today and were a part of essentially everything we did on the ice, so it's a good step." Sandin notched three goals and 23 points in 21:07 of average ice time per game while Jensen tallied one goal and 14 points in 19:38 of ice time per game across 78 contests on the season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoVegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was a full practice participant on Saturday after undergoing an appendectomy. He is expected to dress for Game 1 of the team's first-round series against the Dallas Stars on Sunday. The veteran notched four goals and 33 points on 141 shots on goal while he also blocked a hefty 160 shots across 64 games on the season. Vegas finished in the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, setting up a road matchup with the top-seeded Stars in the first round.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoVegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone (upper body) is a possibility to return for Game 1 of the postseason against the hosting Dallas Stars. The veteran's potential return is once again a curious situation, as Stone missed the remainder of the regular season due to an upper-body injury suffered in a 5-3 loss to the Predators on Feb. 20 but has been physically cleared for contact just in time for Game 1 of the playoffs, just as he was last season after missing the remainder of the regular season with a back injury. The team had him on long-term injured reserve and would not have been able to afford his salary cap hit in the regular season, but there is no salary cap in the postseason. Stone tallied 16 goals and 53 points in 56 games this season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoColorado Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin will miss the first round of the team's playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets due to a lower-body injury. The veteran left the team's final regular-season game on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period and did not return. "Super unfortunate. I feel really bad for him," Avalanche center and often linemate Nathan MacKinnon said. Obviously it [stinks] for the team, but for him as a person it's just so sad. Hopefully we get him back sooner than later, but just more motivation, if we can find a way to win this series, that we get some help coming." Drouin enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Avs this year, noticing 19 goals and 56 points across 79 games.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoCincinnati Reds infielder
Jeimer Candelario (illness) is back in the starting lineup Saturday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Patrick Sandoval. The veteran has been out since being scratched from Tuesday's contest with an illness, but he appears to be feeling better and will man the hot corner and hit cleanup against the southpaw on Saturday. It's been a slow start to the season for the 30-year-old, who is hitting just .190 with a couple of homers and a .649 OPS across his first 64 trips to the plate after he set career-highs with 22 homers and eight stolen bases across 140 games between the Nationals and Cubs in the 2023 campaign.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoPittsburgh Pirates right-hander
Mitch Keller will look to keep up the good work in a Saturday outing versus the visiting Boston Red Sox. After allowing four earned runs in each of his first two starts of the season, the 28-year-old has allowed just two earned runs in each of his last two starts and 13 innings of work. He has 13 strikeouts against just four walks in that time and did not walk a batter across seven innings his last time out. Fantasy managers should certainly be encouraged by his start to the season, even if his 19.8% K% leaves something to be desired as he posted a 25.5% K% last season alongside a healthy 18.8% K-BB%. He should see continued positive ERA regression moving forward as his 3.87 xFIP and 4.09 SIERA sit well below his 4.50 ERA on the young season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoOakland A's left-hander
Alex Wood will be in search of better results as he takes on the hosting Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. The club's Opening Day starter, Wood was tagged for six earned runs in that outing and has pitched to a 8.10 ERA through his first four starts of the season. He lasted just 4 1/3 frames his last time out, yielding four earned runs on seven hits, including a homer, with four walks and four strikeouts in a no-decision against the Washington Nationals. Wood has struggled with his control via an 11.8% BB% while his ground-ball rate has plummeted to just 32.7%. However, his results should improve once his bloated .442 BABIP normalizes.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoLos Angeles Angels shortstop
Zach Neto is on the bench to start Saturday's contest against the hosting Cincinnati Reds and right-hander
Graham Ashcraft. Neto's slow start to the season continued in on Friday as he went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts as part of a 7-1 loss in the series opener. The 23-year-old is hitting just .185 without a homer and four stolen bases alongside a .495 OPS across his first 72 plate appearances on the young season. Neto needed just 48 minor-league games before making his MLB debut last season when he hit .225 with nine homers, five steals, and a .685 OPS across 84 contests.
Luis Rengifo will handle shortstop duties on Saturday.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoCleveland Guardians second baseman
Andres Gimenez is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's contest against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The 25-year-old went 1-for-4 with a run scored, two RBI, and a stolen base during Friday's 10-2 victory but will begin Saturday's game on the bench. Gimenez has shown a nice combination of power and speed over the last couple of seasons, slugging 32 homers and stealing 50 bags over the last two campaigns. He has hit .291 on the young season and while he has yet to hit a home run, he does have three stolen bases and a .736 OPS across his first 91 trips to the plate. The Guardians are off to a hot start, sitting atop the AL Central with a 14-6 record on the young season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants third baseman
Matt Chapman is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's afternoon contest against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander
Zac Gallen. Chapman did his part on Friday by going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk but his team was blown out to the tune of a 17-1 final score as the Giants mustered just four hits on the night. The 30-year-old has flashed some power with four homers and five doubles on the young season but is also hitting just .205 with a .677 OPS across his first 90 trips to the plate in a Giants uniform. The Giants are just 9-12 on the young season despite a busy offseason that saw them add a number of notable free agents, including Chapman.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoBeard Motorsports doesn't race many events in the NASCAR Cup Series, so seeing the No. 62 Chevrolet on the track this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway may seem unfamiliar, but don't count out Anthony Alfredo from getting a good finish in the GEICO 500. Alfredo actually has a solid track record here at Talladega, as posted finishes of 12th and 10th in the two races he ran here back in 2021 while with Front Row Motorsports. This weekend, he qualified 24th for the GEICO 500, which makes "Fast Pasta" a great tournament option in DraftKings DFS contests. Because so many players will be flocking toward the bigger names starting outside of the top 20 for this race, Alfredo's ownership on DraftKings is likely to be quite low despite his place differential upside from starting 24th. Alfredo is a very good low-dollar DFS option this weekend in tournaments.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: DriverAverages
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks catcher
Gabriel Moreno is on the bench for Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants and left-hander
Kyle Harrison. Moreno started and went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, two runs, and three RBI as part of a massive 17-1 blowout win over the Giants but will get a break in a day game following a night game on Friday. The young backstop is hitting .241 without a homer on the season but his impressive 14.3% BB% is roughly double his tiny 7.9% K% across his first 63 trips to the plate on the young season. Moreno has dealt with a thumb injury that cost him a couple of starts earlier in the week but he is back to health and is a batting average-first fantasy asset.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoFront Row Motorsports showed up with speed this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, as Michael McDowell qualified on the pole for this weekend's GEICO 500 while Todd Gilliland ended up third-fastest. But will they race well? Gilliland has shown prowess on the superspeedways this season, leading 16 laps in the season-opening Daytona 500 and then leading 58 laps at Atlanta the week after. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get the finishes he deserved in those events, ending up 35th and 26th, respectively. This weekend at Talladega, Gilliland may seem like a sleeper option in DraftKings contests, especially at his low salary of $6,100, but it would be wise to stay away. At tracks like Talladega, place differential is king, and Gilliland barely has any room to improve there. While the young underdog could surprise with a decent finish in this weekend's GEICO 500, his chances of ending up in the optimal DFS lineup on DraftKings are extremely low due to his starting position, so it'd be best for fantasy players to stay away.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Jayski
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