4 days agoThe Chicago Cubs are calling up first baseman
Matt Mervis and right-hander
Hayden Wesneski from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. Wesneski has to replace an injured player for the Cubs since he hasn't been down in the minors for 10 days yet after previously being optioned. Mervis will join the Cubs after hitting .288 with five home runs in his first 82 plate appearances at Iowa and could see some at-bats with Chicago as their designated hitter if outfielder
Ian Happ (hamstring) is forced to the injured list. Wesneski made his first appearance of the year in the majors on April 17 against the Arizona Diamondbacks out of the bullpen and picked up a win by tossing four scoreless innings with no walks and two strikeouts. It's unclear what role he's going to have this time around.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Des Moines Register - Tommy Birch
4 days agoThe Texas Rangers optioned pitching prospect
Owen White to Triple-A Round Rock on Monday and activated pitcher
Jonathan Hernandez (lat) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. White, the team's No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was with the Rangers' big-league club for the first time in his career for a few days, but he didn't make a single appearance and will now head back to the minors to continue his development. The 24-year-old has been slowed by injuries early in his career. He pitched in the All-Star Futures game but didn't look too good in the second half of 2023 when he was promoted to Triple-A. White allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in just 12 1/3 innings with seven walks and 11 strikeouts in his first three starts for Round Rock, so he's going to need to turn it around on the farm if he wants another call-up to the big leagues later this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks third baseman
Eugenio Suarez's plate vision was displayed in Monday's 5-3 loss against the St. Luis Cardinals. Suarez went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run, finally connecting at the plate after going hitless in back-to-back games over the weekend against the Giants. He is 21-for-85 (.247) with five doubles, two homers, 16 RBI, 16 runs, eight walks and 24 strikeouts through 23 games. The season has had ups and downs for the third baseman and with his recent slump, the matchup against St. Luis favors him. With the favorable matchups for this week, Suarez is a strong stash option with upside across all formats.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander
Tristan Beck (arm) has been cleared to increase his conditioning, but he isn't expected to resume throwing until May as he recovers from an upper right-arm aneurysm. He is scheduled to see Dr. Jason Lee for another follow-up exam at Stanford on May 1. The 27-year-old felt his hand go cold after throwing some bullpen sessions early in spring training, prompting the Giants to send him back to San Francisco to be evaluated by team doctors on Feb. 27. Beck was moved to the 60-day injured list on March 3 and underwent surgery at Stanford the next day to address the issue. Beck is hoping to return at some point in 2024, but that's unlikely to happen until the second half of the season. And if Beck does return this year, there's no guarantee he'll have a spot in the rotation waiting for him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Bryce Elder came out strong in Monday's 3-0 win against the Miami Marlins. Elder struck out four and allowed eight hits while allowing no runs in 6 ⅔ innings pitched in his first start of the season. The 24-year-old started three games in the minors this season and recorded a 3.31 ERA while allowing 14 hits (one homer), six runs, five walks and 18 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings pitched. He makes for a solid streaming option and a great roster spot if he can solidify his position in the starting rotation for Atlanta.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander
Alex Cobb (hip, shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list on April 20, so he won't be eligible to return until May 27. Cobb was progressing well in his rehab from offseason hip surgery, but he hit another minor setback when he felt mild shoulder irritation before throwing a bullpen session on April 16. He "felt OK" when he resumed throwing but saw team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki as a precaution on April 18, according to manager Bob Melvin. Cobb said the imaging on his shoulder came back clean, and he's currently throwing out to 75 feet on flat ground. The 36-year-old also had a "baby setback" when he was briefly shut down with a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. Cobb should have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's healthy, but he can stay on the waiver wire for now in most mixed leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher
Keynan Middleton (forearm) has been on a two days on, one day off throwing program and has been stretched out so far to 110 feet. He's not throwing off a mound yet, though. Meanwhile,
Drew Rom (biceps) did some plyometric work but didn't respond well late last week and hasn't made any progress from his injury. Middleton should be cleared to throw off a mound again soon and could then move to a short minor-league rehab assignment after that if all goes well. The 30-year-old hasn't pitched since getting hurt on March 7 during spring training, but when healthy, he could have some fantasy value in leagues that count holds. He'll be one of the team's primary setup men in front of closer
Ryan Helsley.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals designated hitter
Matt Carpenter (oblique) received a platelet-rich injection on Monday for his strained right oblique, according to manager Oliver Marmol. The plan is for Carpenter to have three days of no activity followed by hitting coach thrown batting practice and then machine work before they look at getting him live at-bats. The 38-year-old veteran had three hits in 10 at-bats over three games at the beginning of the season before getting hurt and landing on the injured list. When healthy, Carpenter will strictly be a bench bat and a DH option for the Cards when they are facing right-handed pitching. In 76 games with the San Diego Padres in 2023, he slashed a miserable .176/.322/.319 with five home runs and 31 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Lynn Worthy
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Dylan Carlson (shoulder) has taken swings, including some in the cage off batting practice tosses, and has gone through defensive work that includes throwing. However, he's still feeling some pain on the follow-through of his right-handed swing, but throwing has gone better than expected. There remains no timetable for his 2024 debut, but he's making progress and could start a minor-league rehab assignment in a few days. The 25-year-old is making slow progress and appears to be ahead of
Tommy Edman (wrist) in his rehab, so he could be set for a starting role in center field when he's able to come off the injured list. The switch-hitting former 33rd overall pick in 2016 has disappointed in recent seasons, and injuries haven't helped his cause. When Edman is ready, Carlson figures to be a fourth outfielder in St. Louis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
4 days agoWashington Nationals right-hander
Josiah Gray (elbow, forearm) played catch up to 60 feet for two days in a row late last week, according to manager Dave Martinez. Gray was put on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 6) after an MRI exam showed a right elbow/forearm flexor strain before his scheduled April 9 start against the San Francisco Giants. He is 0-2 on the year with a 14.04 ERA in two starts, so he may have already been dropped in a lot of fantasy leagues after he landed on the IL. The 26-year-old is without a clear timetable to return and has plenty of steps to go through before the Nationals will seriously consider activating him from the IL and throwing him back into their starting rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Victor Robles (hamstring) will travel with the team as he continues to rehab a left-hamstring strain, which he suffered running from first to third base on April 3. Robles is throwing and hitting without pain and has regained full range of motion. Manager Dave Martinez hopes he will begin running drills soon. Robles had returned to full health during spring training after back spasms limited him to 36 games in 2023. It's good news that the 26-year-old is making progress, but when he's ready to rejoin the big-league roster, he's probably going to need to produce to continue playing regularly, especially given the fact that Washington has several big-name prospects that are itching to make their major-league debuts.
Jacob Young has been serving as Washington's center fielder with Robles out and has gone 11-for-42 (.262) with no homers, two RBI and six steals in 15 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers struggled in Monday's 3-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Weathers went for 5 2/3 innings pitched while allowing six hits, one homer, and three runs while walking three batters and only striking out one. The 24-year-old moves to 2-2 on the season with a 3.16 ERA, an 8.1 K/9 rate, and a 4.1 BB/9 rate through five games. The Marlins played it safe in his previous start against the San Francisco Giants where they pulled him due to cramping in his left hand. While it wasn't a huge concern before, fantasy managers will want to watch him in his next start versus the Washington Nationals to see if the left-hand cramping is an issue.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
4 days agoAn MRI exam that Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (rib) underwent on Monday confirmed the expectation that he's going to miss a significant amount of time with his injury. Casas was placed on the 10-day injured list, but it's basically a foregone conclusion that he'll miss much more time than that. The former 26th overall pick in 2018 out of high school needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for now, as he had already cleared the fences six times while driving in 10 in his first 78 at-bats of the 2024 season while hitting .244 (19-for-78). Until Casas is able to return, the Red Sox will move forward with some combination of
Bobby Dalbec,
Pablo Reyes and
Rob Refsnyder at first base in Beantown. With none of the trio likely to see consistent playing time, they aren't very attractive in mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Julian McWilliams
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Keaton Winn had a strong performance in Monday's 5-2 win over the New York Mets. Winn pitched well through six innings with six strikeouts while allowing just four hits, one homer, and one batter walked. After a rough start to the season, the Giants pitcher has mellowed out and secured two-straight wins, bringing his season record to 2-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 7.39 K/9 rate through his first five starts. He is a pitcher to keep stashed across all formats, with a nice matchup versus the Pirates in his next start.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
4 days agoLos Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe had a team-high two points in Monday's playoff opener against the Oilers, logging a goal and an assist in a 7-4 defeat. He bagged the team's second goal late in the second period and assisted Pierre-Luc Dubois on the Kings' third with three minutes left in regulation. Kempe now boasts a seven-game postseason scoring streak. He totaled five goals and three assists in six meetings with Edmonton in last year's opening round. Kempe also had six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games against Edmonton in the playoffs two seasons ago, so this is a matchup that suits him very well.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoEdmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique bagged a goal and an assist when the team opened its 2024 playoff campaign with a comfortable 7-4 victory over Los Angeles Monday night. Lining up on the first line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, Henrique scored Edmonton's second goal in the middle of the first period and tallied the assist when Hyman put the Oilers 3-0 up early in the second. The veteran hadn't scored a postseason goal since Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. The 4,333 days between the two Henrique strikes mark the longest stretch without a postseason goal by a player in NHL history. It's an unpleasant record to have, but after going 12 years without a single goal, Henrique should get plenty of joy in front of the net in 2024 with McDavid next to him.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoCarolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov played his part in Monday's comeback victory against the Islanders with two assists. A poor start put Carolina in a 3-0 hole, but the team found a way to turn the game on its head and grabbed a 2-0 series lead with a 5-3 victory. Svechnikov came up with his first assist when Sebastian Aho tied the game at the 17:45 mark in the third period, and he collected his second helper on Jake Guentzel's empty-net goal. These are Svechnikov's first points of the series. He's sitting on the top line with Aho and Guentzel and should do a lot more damage in the 2024 playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak scored his 36th career postseason goal in Monday's 3-2 defeat against the Maple Leafs. The Czech star entered the contest with a season-worst six-game goal drought. He went 22 consecutive shots without a goal before getting on the board late in the first period on Monday. Only eight players in Bruins history have scored more playoff goals than Pastrnak, and he's had a lot of success against Toronto throughout the years with eight postseason goals. The series continues in Canada on Wednesday, with Pastrnak sitting on one goal, one assist, and six shots through the first couple of encounters.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi registered a goal and an assist as the team tied the first-round series against Boston with a 3-2 victory on Monday. Domi got the Maple Leafs on the board in the middle of the first frame and registered the primary assist when Auston Matthews hit the game-winner with eight minutes left to play in regulation. Sitting on the first line with Matthews, Domi finds himself in a superb spot to make a big impact in the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce suffered a lower-body injury in Monday's Game 2 win over the Islanders and might be shelved for a while. "That's not looking good," said Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour about Pesce's injury postgame. The 29-year-old blue-liner was minus-one across 8:47 of action before leaving the contest on Monday. Pesce doesn't provide a lot fantasy-wise, but he has been a valued member of the team and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time during the regular season as a member of the second defensive pairing. Tony DeAngelo is looking at an opportunity to join the lineup for Game 3 on Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Walt Ruff
4 days agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic cooked up a special line against the Lakers in Monday's 101-99 win, leading the team with 27 points and bagging 20 rebounds and 10 assists. It's his fourth career playoff game with at least 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. There have been only four other occasions in NBA playoff history when a player has managed to record these numbers. Jokic's night included a pair of steals in 41 minutes on the floor, as he shot 9-for-16 from the field and 2-for-4 from downtown. The reigning Finals MVP fills up the stat sheet with ease and should continue to do so as the series shifts to L.A. later in the week.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect
Tink Hence has adjusted positively in his second go-around for Double-A Springfield. Over his first three starts, he has a pristine 1.17 ERA in 15 1/3 innings. He has also struck out 17 batters with just two walks on the season. Hence, 21, split time in 2023 between High-A Peoria and Springfield, but struggled in Springfield with a 5.47 ERA in 12 starts versus a 2.81 ERA for Peoria. Hence offers good velocity on his fastball that registers in the mid-90s to go along with a nice changeup and slider. Hence has shown the ability to be a very productive pitcher, but durability remains a concern in the long-term with Hence never throwing more than 100 innings in a season or 82 pitches in a single game. If Hence can improve his stamina, he has the future makings of a MLB starter, but if he continues to have durability issues, Hence would be best suited as a relief pitcher. He remains an intriguing option for dynasty managers to monitor.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoDenver Nuggets point guard
Jamal Murray salvaged his bad night with a strong finish and the game-winning shot in Monday's 101-99 victory over the Lakers. Murray put the Nuggets 2-0 up in the series by hitting a tough step-back 15-foot shot over
Anthony Davis at the buzzer. Denver pulled off a 20-point comeback in the game, with Murray scoring 12 of his 20 points inside the final 7:15 of play. He failed to hit a single three-pointer with five attempts and finished 9-for-24 overall from the field. However, Murray also made a big impact defensively with a pair of blocks and registered three rebounds with five assists. Murray's shot has been off at the beginning of the series, but he's known as a very good postseason performer and should kick into gear soon.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James had a vintage playoff performance in Game 2 against Denver on Monday in a 101-99 loss. He produced 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and totaled eight rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and two blocks. James was 3-for-6 with the three-ball and shot 9-for-19 overall. The NBA-s all-time leading scorer has now lost nine consecutive games against a single opponent for the first time in his 21-year career. He will try to spark a comeback in the series on Thursday when the two teams meet up in Los Angeles.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoPittsburgh Pirates second base prospect
Termarr Johnson has been off to a slow start over his first 14 games for High-A Greensboro. Johnson, 19, is coming off a strong season between Single-A and High-A in 2023 that saw him hit a combined .244 with 18 homers, 59 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 105 games. So far in 2024, Johnson has struggled to the tune of a .205 batting average with no homers, seven RBI and two stolen bases. Johnson has a keen eye at the plate and follows that up with plenty of power potential. Although second baseman aren't the biggest power hitters, Johnson can be special offensively and should be held onto in dynasty leagues, even though he may be a few seasons away from contributing at the big-league level.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center
Anthony Davis brought out all of his offensive moves to score a game-high 32 points in Monday's loss to Denver. Davis missed only five of his 19 shots and racked up 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block across 39 minutes. However, the Lakers needed one more swat from him, as
Jamal Murray hit a 101-99 game-winner at the buzzer over Davis. The Lakers are now 2-0 down in the series, but Davis has been in outstanding form. He's averaged 32.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks through the first couple of games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMinnesota Twins outfield prospect
Emmanuel Rodriguez has been doing it all this season for Double-A Wichita. The 21-year-old outfielder has dealt with injuries the last two seasons, but looks fully recovered in his first 14 games of the season. Over that span, Rodriguez is hitting a healthy .289 with four homers, 10 RBI and eight stolen bases. He also has a shiny 1.219 OPS. Rodriguez has risen a level in each year of professional career with the Twins and held his own at each stop. The left-handed hitter has very good bat speed and strong plate discipline at such a young age and his power game is just developing as he fills out his body. The biggest flaw for the youngster has been his ability to stay healthy, but he has the future makings of a five-tool star, if everything clicks. He is a couple years away, but he should be looked at by dynasty managers and a name for redraft managers to file away for as early as next season.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoCleveland Cavaliers center
Jarrett Allen dominated the glass in Monday's Game 2 win against the Magic, becoming the third player in franchise history to record 20-plus rebounds in a playoff game. He joined
Kevin Love (21) and Brad Daugherty (20), gobbling up nine rebounds on the offensive end alone. The great work on the glass helped Allen to ease to a second consecutive double-double in the series, as he posted 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. It was a productive night all around for the 28-year-old, with Allen completing his line with three assists, two steals, and two blocks. Allen also had 18 rebounds in Game 1, and Orlando clearly has to do better on the glass to have a chance in the series, which continues on Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell put together a full line in Monday's 96-86 Game 2 victory over Orlando, leading all scorers with 23 points and collecting eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. It was a busy night for the Cavaliers superstar, although Mitchell struggled from downtown with a 2-for-10 effort. It dragged his overall shooting numbers down badly, as Mitchell finished 9-for-22 from the field. Mitchell's three-point shooting for the series now stands at 27.8 percent, but he's still enjoyed a good start to the playoffs, averaging 26.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect
Druw Jones has been off to a slow start in 2024 for Single-A Visalia. Early in the season, Jones is hitting a weak .171 with five RBI and no home runs or steals. The son of Andruw Jones, Druw has battled injuries in his young professional career, since being drafted second overall in 2022. Jones, 20, already plays great defense like his father and also is very smooth on the basepaths, but he needs to improve his hit tool. Since being drafted, Jones has dealt with shoulder, quad and hamstring injuries and that is a big reason why his hitting hasn't developed as planned. As Jones fully recovers from those past injuries, his hit tool should improve. For now, Jones is a name to monitor in dynasty leagues, but can be a big asset if he reaches all his potential. He remains a few years away from being talked about a big-league promotion.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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