56 mins agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) is scheduled to throw two innings in a simulated game at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday. Kershaw is getting extremely close to beginning an official minor-league rehab assignment after tossing an inning of live batting practice last Saturday. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer is apparently "way ahead of schedule," according to manager Dave Roberts but is still likely "about six weeks" from being ready to make his 2024 debut for the Blue. Fantasy managers that have been holding Kershaw all year have to be getting excited, but don't expect him to be an option for your starting lineup until after the All-Star break. The 10-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner went 13-5 last year with a sharp 2.46 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 137 K's and 40 walks in his 24 starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 570 LA Sports - David Vassegh
1 hour agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Bobby Miller (shoulder) is scheduled to make another minor-league rehab start on Friday for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Miller experienced a drop in velocity in his last rehab outing last Saturday with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, when he allowed four runs on five hits while walking one in 3 1/3 innings. The good news is the drop in velocity doesn't appear related to his shoulder injury, so he will continue rehabbing this weekend. The 25-year-old is likely going to need at least another rehab start following Friday's appearance, but once Miller is deemed ready, he will have a rotation spot waiting for him in LA. Given the team he pitches for and his high-end strikeout upside, Miller is worth stashing in all fantasy leagues while he's hurt.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 570 LA Sports - David Vassegh
1 hour agoSt. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn (back) is back at shortstop and in the leadoff spot for the Red Birds on Thursday against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander
Cal Quantrill. Winn has been playing through a nagging back injury recently and was given Wednesday off after he had three hits, including his third home run of the year, on Tuesday in Houston against the Astros. The 22-year-old's back injury is worth watching as the season progresses, but for now, he's a must-start in all fantasy leagues as he continues a breakout first full season in the big leagues. Winn is returning to a .309/.359/.446 slash line with an .805 OPS, three homers, 21 RBI, eight stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 175 at-bats. Winn has never faced Quantrill in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 hour agoChicago Cubs third baseman
Christopher Morel (foot) is back at third base and is batting cleanup for the Cubbies on Thursday versus the hosting Cincinnati Reds and right-hander
Hunter Greene. Morel was removed late in Wednesday' contest after fouling a ball off his left foot, but it was pretty clear after the game that the 24-year-old right-handed slugger wasn't dealing with a significant injury, and he didn't even require any X-rays. The streaky Morel is barely hitting over the Mendoza Line so far this year but does have 11 long balls, 37 RBI and six stolen bases in 61 games played. Since May 19, he's hitting .152 (7-for-46) with two homers, five RBI, 11 walks and 15 strikeouts in 15 games played. In nine career at-bats against Greene, Morel is hitting .222 with a .697 OPS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Cubs
1 hour agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-hander
Quinn Priester (lat) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 3) on Thursday with a right lat muscle injury and also moved pitcher
Ryan Borucki (wrist) to the 60-day injured list. In a corresponding move, left-hander
Justin Bruihl was called up from the minors. It remains to be seen if Priester will be able to come off the IL when he's eligible on June 18. Lat injuries can be pretty tricky for pitchers to recover from. The 24-year-old has been up and down in six starts so far in 2024, going 0-5 with a 4.83 ERA (5.70 FIP) and 1.55 WHIP with a 20:10 K:BB in 31 2/3 innings pitched. In his last two starts against the Brewers and Blue Jays, Priester surrendered eight earned runs on 17 hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out eight in 10 2/3 frames. It's unclear who will take his place in the rotation in Pittsburgh.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
2 hours agoThe Colorado Rockies officially placed infielder/outfielder
Kris Bryant (rib) and outfielder
Sean Bouchard (ankle) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday and recalled infielder/outfielders
Greg Jones and
Michael Toglia from Triple-A Albuquerque in corresponding moves. Bryant is dealing with a left-rib contusion, and Bouchard suffered a right-ankle sprain on Wednesday. Back soreness kept Bryant out the last three games, but he heads to the IL with a rib injury, and there's no timetable for the struggling slugger's return. The 32-year-old also missed a month in 2024 with a back/rib injury. Along with recurring injuries, Bryant hasn't been able to contribute much with his bat for fantasy managers. Toglia is starting in right field and batting ninth on Thursday for Colorado and could see decent playing time between outfield, first base and DH. Jones is the club's No. 22 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rockies Club Information
2 hours agoThe Minnesota Twins will give third baseman
Royce Lewis a day of rest on Thursday in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. Lewis suffered a serious quadriceps injury on Opening Day and just returned from the injured list on Tuesday. The 25-year-old wasted no time getting involved at the plate for the Twins, as he's hit a home run in each of his first two games back. But the oft-injured infielder and former first-round pick will get Thursday off for the series finale against the Bombers.
Jose Miranda will get the start at third base and will bat sixth for the Twins against Yankees right-hander
Marcus Stroman. Miranda has gone hitless in just two career at-bats against Stroman. Lewis has homered in all three of his games played so far in 2024 and is a must-start in fantasy lineups when he's active for the Twins.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minnesota Twins
2 hours agoAtlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy (elbow) is back behind the dish and is hitting sixth for the Braves on Thursday against the Washington Nationals and rookie left-hander
Mitchell Parker. Murphy took a pitch to his right elbow in Tuesday's contest against the Nats and was held out on Wednesday as a precaution. The former A's backstop was injured in the first game of the year due to a pretty serious oblique injury and didn't return to action until May 27. Since coming off the injured list, Murphy has gone 4-for-19 (.211) with no homers, a double, three RBI and five strikeouts in six games played. He has yet to settle in but is Atlanta's primary catcher when healthy and made his first All-Star team in his first year with the Braves in 2023, when he hit .251/.365/.478 with career-highs in homers (21) and RBI (68).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoThe Cincinnati Reds optioned right-hander
Graham Ashcraft to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday and activated right-hander
Emilio Pagan (triceps) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. Ashcraft will go down to the farm to work on some things before potentially rejoining Cincy's starting rotation later this year. The 26-year-old gets sent down after giving up at least three earned runs in each of his last six starts, dating back to May 8. In that same span, Ashcraft allowed 21 earned runs on 35 hits (four homers) while walking 12 and striking out 19 in 27 2/3 innings pitched. He can obviously be dumped to the waiver wire in deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Moving forward, swingman
Nick Martinez is the best bet to benefit in the Reds' rotation with Ashcraft losing his spot, although lefty
Brandon Williamson's (shoulder) return could be on the horizon.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
4 hours agoOakland Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers is resting on Thursday for the matinee affair against the visiting division-rival Seattle Mariners. With Langeliers on the bench,
Kyle McCann will do the catching for left-hander
JP Sears and will bat sixth against Mariners right-hander
Bryan Woo. Langeliers has started only three of the team's last six games as he's cooled off considerably at the plate of late. In his last 11 games dating back to May 21, Langeliers has gone 5-for-39 (.128) with two home runs, four RBI, four walks and 16 strikeouts in 43 plate appearances to drop his season slash line in 2024 to .202/.266/.464 in 203 plate appearances. Despite his high whiff rate and low batting average, the 26-year-old catcher remains relevant in fantasy for his power stroke (12 homers).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoColorado Rockies left-hander
Lucas Gilbreath (elbow, shoulder) did some throwing at Coors Field on Monday after a weekend of prescribed rest and recovery, and manager Bud Black characterized Gilbreath as "progressing." The 28-year-old is recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow and should discomfort and is still a ways from a return in 2024. He didn't pitch at all in 2023 after going under the knife and has a 3.78 career ERA (3.92 FIP), a 1.39 WHIP, one save, 49 walks and 93 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings over 94 appearances (one start) since debuting in the big leagues with Colorado in 2021. Gilbreath was originally drafted in the seventh round in 2017 out of the University of Minnesota. He's well off the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that left-hander
Kyle Freeland (elbow), who had a simulated game on Tuesday at Coors Field in which he used his full pitch mix for two innings (roughly 40 pitches), might have another bullpen session at the team's Scottsdale, Ariz., complex before pitching in game conditions in Arizona. The 31-year-old southpaw, who is recovering from a left-elbow strain suffered earlier this year, is getting closer to pitching in real games. However, given his long layoff, don't be surprised if the Rockies require a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment from him. No fantasy managers are eagerly awaiting Freeland's return to the big-league rotation after he posted an ugly 13.21 ERA and 2.55 WHIP with nine strikeouts in only 15 2/3 innings in his first four starts for the Rockies in 2024 before getting hurt.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 hours agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Zac Veen (back) was off to a solid start for Double-A Hartford this year before leaving a May 18 game with back soreness. Veen was hoping the injury was only temporary, but he's now on the seven-day minor-league injured list and is at the team's complex in Scottsdale, Ariz. He has been limited to strengthening and playing catch until he is cleared for baseball activities. According to MLB Pipeline, Veen is Colorado's No. 6 prospect and the No. 90 prospect in all of baseball. The 22-year-old was hitting a strong .326/.418/.568 with five home runs and nine steals in 28 games for Hartford before his injury, so hopefully he'll be back sooner than later. Veen also missed significant time in 2023 with a hand injury, setting his development back a bit.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that right-hander
Jake Bird's (elbow) bullpen session on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., went well and that he's making progress from right-elbow inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injured list. While on the IL, both Bird and reliever
Justin Lawrence (shoulder) have been making mechanical tweaks. Hopefully the mechanical tweaks work, as the 28-year-old wasn't very effective in 20 2/3 relief innings for Colorado before his injury, allowing 15 runs (14 earned) on 21 hits (three homers) while walking 15 and striking out only 12 with one save. The back end of the Rockies' bullpen is a mess, but fantasy managers shouldn't be holding out hope that Bird will suddenly gain control of primary closing duties when he's healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that right-handed reliever
Justin Lawrence (shoulder) will accompany the team on its road trip to St. Louis and Minnesota, starting on Thursday, and will begin throwing bullpen sessions during the road trip. While on the injured list with a right-shoulder strain, Lawrence has been tweaking his mechanics. Barring a setback, the 29-year-old reliever should be able to come off the IL to rejoin Colorado's bullpen by the middle of June. Lawrence opened the year as Colorado's primary closer but has struggled with a 5.91 ERA (4.12 FIP), a 1.83 WHIP, two saves, 15 walks and 20 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. It remains to be seen what role Lawrence will operate in when he returns to the majors, but right now, the Rockies have a messy closer committee going on involving
Jalen Beeks,
Tyler Kinley and
Nick Mears. It's a situation to avoid.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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