May 12, 2025
Houston Astros designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (hand), who is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, hit in the cages before Monday's series opener at Daikin Park against the Kansas City Royals, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is on the IL with a muscle strain in his right hand, and while it's not considered overly serious, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to be back in the lineup for Game 2 of the series against KC. However, the 27-year-old left-handed slugger could be back from the IL for the start of the team's road trip in Texas against the Rangers on Thursday. The three-time Cuban slugger hasn't looked like himself at the plate so far in 2025, perhaps because of his hand injury, slashing a weak .210/.306/.340 with an uncharacteristically low .646 OPS, three home runs, 18 RBI and seven runs in his 100 at-bats. Hopefully, Alvarez will be more productive when he returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
May 12, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Jose Altuve (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at home against the visiting Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Michael Wacha, playing second base and batting second.
Zach Dezenzo is in left field and hitting eighth. Altuve will return to the field after leaving Saturday's game early against the Cincinnati Reds due to tightness in his hamstring and the sitting out Sunday's series finale. Fantasy managers will want to plug the nine-time Venezuelan All-Star back into their starting lineups despite the fact that he's only hitting a mediocre .259 (38-for-147) with four home runs, 14 RBI, 18 runs and three steals on the year. He's also hitting .200 (6-for-30) with two doubles and three runs in eight games so far in May. In a limited sample size of six career at-bats against Wacha, Altuve is hitting .167 with an RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 12, 2025
Texas Rangers left-hander
Cody Bradford (elbow) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, according to the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland. Bradford has been throwing just fastballs and changeups on flat ground as he ramps back up and said that he's been feeling good. The 27-year-old southpaw has yet to make his 2025 debut due to a sprained UCL in his left elbow that he suffered in spring training. He's making progress but still has a ways to go and will eventually need to go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment, which means fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back in Texas' starting rotation until sometime in June in a best-case scenario. Bradford was solid in 14 outings (13 starts) in 2024 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, but he missed 16 weeks with a stress fracture in his rib cage. When he gets closer to a return, he'll be a strong waiver-wire consideration in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
May 12, 2025
Texas Rangers infielder/outfielder
Josh Smith (back) was originally scheduled to play in Monday's series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field, but he was a late scratch due to back soreness, according to the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland. With Smith out and
Corey Seager (hamstring) appearing likely to go back on the injured list,
Ezequiel Duran is starting at the 6 on Monday and batting ninth against Rockies rookie right-hander
Chase Dollander. As long as the 27-year-old Smith's back injury isn't too serious, he should end up making most of the starts at shortstop if Seager indeed goes back on the IL. Smith doesn't have much power or speed but has been very valuable to fantasy managers in AL-only leagues so far in 2025 by hitting .316/.395/.474 with an .869 OPS in 114 at-bats as a utility man in Texas.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
May 12, 2025
The Texas Rangers announced on Monday that they recalled infielder
Jake Burger from Triple-A Round Rock and optioned infielder
Blaine Crim to Round Rock in a corresponding move. Burger is starting at first base and batting seventh for Monday's series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies and rookie right-hander
Chase Dollander. Although Burger was demoted to the minors after hitting .190/.231/.330 with three homers, 12 RBI, 13 runs and 32 strikeouts in his first 30 games with the team, fantasy managers in deeper leagues looking for power at the corner infield spots should give the 29-year-old some waiver-wire consideration now that he's back in Texas. In his six games with Round Rock on the farm, Burger went 9-for-23 with two home runs, a double, six RBI and five runs scored in 26 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
May 12, 2025
DLLS Sports' Jeff Wilson writes that it appears likely that Texas Rangers shortstop
Corey Seager (hamstring) will go back on the 10-day injured list, with catcher
Kyle Higashioka (ribs) likely returning from the IL in a corresponding move. Seager is missing another game in Monday's series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies after sitting out Sunday's contest with more hamstring tightness. This would be the 31-year-old's second trip to the IL already in 2025 with hamstring issues. He missed two straight games on Thursday and Friday before returning on Saturday to hit two home runs, but Seager was removed from the lineup on Sunday with more right-hamstring tightness.
Ezequiel Duran is starting at the 6 again on Monday and is hitting ninth against Rockies rookie right-hander
Chase Dollander. Duran and
Josh Smith should share shortstop duties if Seager goes back on the IL.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: DLLS Sports - Jeff Wilson
May
12,
2025
The
Miami
Marlins
announced
on
Monday
that
they
placed
outfielder
Dane
Myers
(oblique)
on
the
10-day
injured
list
(retroactive
to
May
11)
with
a
right-oblique
strain
and
reinstated
outfielder
Derek
Hillread more...
May
12,
2025
Chicago
Cubs
outfielder
Ian
Happ
(oblique)
remains
out
of
the
team's
starting
lineup
for
Monday's
series
opener
against
the
visiting
Miami
Marlins
at
Wrigley
Field.
Happ
is
being
considered
day-to-day
with
oblique
discomfort,
but
this
will
read more...
May 12, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Monday that they activated infielder
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder
Liover Peguero to Triple-A Indianapolis after the team's game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. Kiner-Falefa is immediately back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener in New York against the Mets and left-hander
David Peterson, playing shortstop and batting sixth. The 30-year-old landed on the IL on May 1 with a strained right hamstring and didn't need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to Pittsburgh. He'll return to a .280/.333/.330 slash line with a below-average .663 OPS, no home runs, seven RBI, six stolen bases and 11 runs scored in his first 30 games in 2025. IKF is mainly valuable in fantasy for his positional versatility and mild speed in deeper leagues. He has never faced Peterson in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
May 12, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Oneil Cruz (back) remains out of the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Cruz will miss his second straight game after being pulled from Saturday's game early against the Atlanta Braves with lower-back tightness.
Alexander Canario is making another start in center field for the Bucs and will hit seventh against Mets left-hander
David Peterson. Cruz is considered day-to-day. Fantasy managers will want to check back to see if the 26-year-old is feeling good enough to play in Game 2 of the series in Queens. The 25-year-old Canario profiles as a low-upside DFS sleeper near the bottom of Pittsburgh's batting order against Peterson. He has never faced Peterson in his career and is sitting on just eight hits in 50 at-bats in 2025 with two home runs, three RBI and six runs scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 12, 2025
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect
JR Ritchie is being promoted to Double-A Columbus. The Braves' seventh-ranked prospect has pitched well at High-A so far this year, posting a 1.30 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 17.8 percent K-BB%, with his latest start being his best one yet -- a complete-game shutout in which he allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out nine in nine innings. MLB.com's top prospects list has a 2027 ETA for the righty, however, if he continues to perform, the Braves are no stranger to bringing up pitching prospects early, some even skipping over Triple-A altogether, a la
Spencer Schwellenbach, so he's a name for fantasy managers to keep an eye on next season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Geoff Pontes
May 12, 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers returned right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (ankle, shoulder) from his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville, but he's still on the 15-day injured list with right-ankle tendinitis that popped up before his final rehab start, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. The initial word is that it's a minor injury, though. It's unclear if it will impact the team's plan for Woodruff to come off the IL to make his 2025 season debut this weekend against the Minnesota Twins. The 32-year-old veteran only made it through 2 1/3 innings in his last rehab outing on Sunday with Nashville because of his ankle. Woodruff could still make his season debut against the Twins this weekend, but it's another reminder for fantasy managers to exercise caution with a pitcher that didn't make a single start in 2024 after having capsule surgery on his right shoulder in September of 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
May
12,
2025
New
York
Mets
outfielder
Tyrone
Taylor
is
out
of
the
team's
starting
lineup
for
Monday's
series
opener
against
the
visiting
Pittsburgh
Pirates
at
Citi
Field.
Jeff
McNeil
is
starting
in
center
read more...
May 12, 2025
Detroit Tigers infielder/outfielder
Matt Vierling (shoulder) played six innings in right field on Sunday in a minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Toledo and went 0-for-3 at the plate. It was the first time that Vierling played defense in his fifth appearance on the farm. The 28-year-old has gone 3-for-13 with two home runs, a double, two RBI and three runs scored so far with the Mud Hens as he looks to make his 2025 debut with Detroit in the near future. If he is able to avoid a setback with his shoulder, it's possible Vierling could rejoin the major-league roster this weekend or early next week. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues looking for help in the outfield or at third base should take notice, as Vierling should play regularly between center field and the hot corner when he's back. In his two seasons with the Tigers, he's slashed .259/.320/.406 with 26 homers, 101 RBI and 12 steals in 278 games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
May
12,
2025
Detroit
Tigers
right-hander
Keider
Montero
has
a
locker
room
in
the
team's
clubhouse
on
Monday
and
is
likely
to
be
recalled
from
Triple-A
Toledo
to
start
Tuesday's
game
against
the
visiting
Boston
Red
Sox
at
Comerica
read more...
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