May 14, 2025
The Boston Red Sox placed right-hander
Tanner Houck (forearm) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 13) on Wednesday with a right flexor pronator strain and recalled right-hander
Cooper Criswell from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. This could be one of those phantom injury situations in Beantown, with the BoSox shutting the 28-year-old down as he searches for answers after a rough start to his 2025 campaign. He allowed 11 earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers on Monday to raise his season ERA to 8.04 and WHIP to 1.69 over nine starts. As Houck tries to get healthy and figure some things out of the next couple of weeks, Criswell could replace him in Boston's starting rotation. In 4 1/3 relief innings earlier this year, Criswell allowed eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits while walking one.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: WEEI - Rob Bradford
May 14, 2025
Cincinnati Reds catcher
Tyler Stephenson will retreat to the bench for Wednesday's game against the visiting Chicago White Sox at Great American Ball Park. Veteran
Jose Trevino will do the catching for left-hander
Nick Lodolo and will bat sixth against White Sox right-hander
Davis Martin. Stephenson got a late start to the 2025 season due to injury and has yet to find his footing offensively after he hit a career-high 19 home runs and drove in a career-high 66 runs in 138 games in 2024. Through his first 10 games in 2025, the 28-year-old backstop has gone just 7-for-34 (.206) with a homer, five RBI and four runs scored in 40 trips to the plate. Trevino, who was serving as Cincy's starting catcher when Stephenson was on the injured list, has been much better with a .307 average (27-for-88) with three homers, 10 RBI and 15 runs scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 14, 2025
Los Angeles Angels catcher
Logan O'Hoppe is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres. This appears to be a routine rest day for O'Hoppe who is currently in a slump at the plate. O'Hoppe has only two hits over his last seven games, so hopefully a night off will help him get back on track.
Travis d'Arnaud will start behind the plate and bat sixth versus right-hander
Randy Vasquez on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly ahead of first pitch.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 14, 2025
Kansas City Royals outfielder
Kyle Isbel is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. Isbel will head to the bench with left-hander
Colton Gordon taking the mound for Houston. The Royals will play matchups and have right-handed slugger
Mark Canha take over in left field and bat sixth versus Gordon. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly, but Isbel isn't worth rostering in most fantasy formats. However, it's worth noting that Isbel carried a six-game hitting streak into Tuesday's game, but it ended with his 0-for-3 performance in that contest.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 14, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Cam Smith is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Kansas City Royals. This appears to be a regular off day for Smith who has started in each of the last four games. During that span, Smith collected three hits with one RBI and three walks. The Astros have high hopes for Smith that he can be legitimate threat in this lineup soon. Right now, Smith is struggling with a .214/.313/.347 slash line with three homers and 11 RBI coming into Wednesday's contest. He is only worth a look in deep leagues at the moment.
Zach Dezenzo will take over in right field and bat eighth versus right-hander
Michael Lorenzen on Wednesday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 14, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman
Ke'Bryan Hayes (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the New York Mets. This appears to be a routine rest day for Hayes who has been hot with the bat lately. Hayes has recorded eight hits over his last eight games with two RBI and two stolen bases during that time. Unless he comes in as a pinch-hitter, Hayes will carry a four-game hitting streak into Friday's contest.
Jared Triolo will cover third base and bat ninth versus right-hander
Clay Holmes on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly with Hayes sidelined.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 14, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Oneil Cruz (back) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the New York Mets. Cruz is set to miss his fourth game in a row due to back soreness that he suffered over the weekend. It doesn't sound like the Pirates want to place him on the injured list, but they might be forced to if he doesn't start getting better. In his absence,
Ji Hwan Bae will cover center field and bat eighth versus right-hander
Clay Holmes. The Pirates are off on Thursday, so fantasy managers will need to check back on Friday for another update on Cruz.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb
May 14, 2025
Chicago Cubs catcher
Moises Ballesteros is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins. Ballesteros will head to the bench after going 0-for-4 during his MLB debut on Tuesday. The rookie catcher is likely out of the lineup due to the fact the Cubs are facing left-hander
Ryan Weathers in this one. Ballesteros figures to see regular playing time at designated hitter against right-handed pitching.
Carson Kelly will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup versus Weathers on Wednesday. Ballesteros should be back in the lineup after this one and is worth an add in deep leagues.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 14, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Harrison Bader (groin) was removed from Game 2 of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles early with left-groin tightness, the team announced. Bader was removed in the third inning after grounding out. He also had an injury scare in the Game 1 win at Camden Yards during a sliding catch in the outfield.
DaShawn Keirsey Jr. replaced Bader in center field. Before leaving, the 30-year-old went 1-for-2 with a single and an RBI in Game 2. It's unclear exactly how serious Bader's groin injury is, but it's a good bet that he won't be active for the series finale in Baltimore on Thursday. His next chance to return would be for Friday's series opener versus the Milwaukee Brewers. Bader entered the day hitting a nice .298/.387/.462 with an .848 OPS, four home runs, 17 RBI, 16 runs and four steals in his 104 at-bats in his first year in Minnesota.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Minnesota Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
May 14, 2025
The Los Angeles Angels announced on Wednesday that right-handed reliever
Ben Joyce (shoulder) is expected to miss the rest of the 2025 season after having surgery to fix his right shoulder on Wednesday morning. It's a blow for the hard-throwing right-hander and for an already weak Angels bullpen. The 24-year-old former third-round pick in 2022 out of Tennessee was shut down earlier in May with more right-shoulder issues and will now undergo surgery. There's no timetable on when Joyce will be able to return, but fantasy managers shouldn't automatically expect him to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. In his five appearances out of the bullpen before his injury in 2025, Joyce allowed four runs (three earned) while walking one and striking out one in 4 1/3 innings. Depending on his health, Joyce has the stuff to be the team's closer of the future.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Angels PR
May 14, 2025
Texas Rangers infielder/outfielder
Josh Smith (back) is starting at shortstop and is batting leadoff in Wednesday's contest at home against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander
Antonio Senzatela. A sore lower back had kept Smith out of the lineup for the first two games of the series against Colorado, but he'll be back in there on Wednesday and will be a nice low-cost DFS sleeper out of the leadoff spot against the worst team in baseball. The 27-year-old utility man will also see his fantasy stock in deeper formats increase in the short term with
Corey Seager (hamstring) going back on the injured list on Tuesday. Smith has limited power and speed, but he's currently slashing an impressive .310/.389/.466 with an .855 OPS, four homers, 10 RBI, 18 runs and four steals in 116 at-bats. He has never faced Senzatela in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 14, 2025
The Miami Marlins announced on Wednesday that they reinstated left-hander
Ryan Weathers (forearm) from the 15-day injured list and optioned left-hander
Anthony Veneziano to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. Weathers will be making his first start of 2025 on Wednesday versus Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 25-year-old southpaw will be quite risky in starting fantasy lineups in his first start of the year against a Cubs offense that ranks fourth in all of baseball with a .768 OPS, but Weathers should be plucked off the waiver wire in any formats where he's still available. He had a sharp 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 minor-league rehab innings, but he only threw 57 pitches during his final rehab start and will probably be on a short leash on Wednesday. Injuries have held Weathers back early in his career, but he looked good in 2024 with career-best strikeout and walk rates.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Miami Marlins
May
14,
2025
Cincinnati
Reds
outfielder
TJ
Friedl
(wrist)
is
not
in
the
team's
starting
lineup
on
Wednesday
against
the
visiting
Chicago
White
Sox
at
Great
American
Ball
Park
after
suffering
a
right-wrist
bone
bruise
when
he
fell
on
read more...
May 14, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays catcher
Alejandro Kirk (head) is back behind the plate and is batting sixth on Wednesday against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander
Ryan Pepiot at Rogers Centre. Kirk was hit by a bat while catching on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners and was held out for Tuesday's series opener against Tampa despite clearing concussion testing. The 26-year-old has helped fantasy managers with a strong batting average (.286) by going 34-for-119 this year, but the Mexican backstop is lacking in counting stats with only two home runs, 13 RBI and six runs scored as Toronto's primary catcher. Still, you can't discount how hot Kirk has been in May, going 13-for-31 (.419) with a double and three RBI in eight games played. He has never faced Pepiot in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May
14,
2025
The
Detroit
Tigers
optioned
third
base
prospect
Jace
Jung
to
Triple-A
Toledo
on
Wednesday
and
recalled
outfielder
Akil
Baddoo
from
Toledo
in
a
corresponding
move,
according
to
the
Detroit
Free
Press'
read more...
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