4 mins agoCleveland Guardians first baseman
Josh Naylor had a huge night at the plate in Tuesday's 13-7 win over the Rockies. Naylor took advantage of the thin air, going 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a three-run HR, and a walk. The 26-year-old has provided the power fantasy managers were expecting but not the batting average and is now slashing .234/.321/.510 with 15 HR and 40 RBI in 221 plate appearances. It is hard to complain about the average when Naylor has provided so many counting stats and it appears that he has gotten unlucky on balls in play, as he has hit the ball hard but has a .205 BABIP. All of this points to continued fantasy production with the chance for positive regression.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 mins agoOakland Athletics pitcher
Mitch Spence improved to 4-2 in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Rays. Spence pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. The 26-year-old started the season in the bullpen but has made three consecutive starts, compiling a solid 2.08 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 13 IP. He will need some time to get stretched out and his first two starts lasted 4 2/3 IP and three IP. This may limit Spence's fantasy value in the short term, but he could become an interesting fantasy option if he continues to pitch well. He will be tested in his next projected start, which will be a tough matchup at the Braves. Fantasy managers should wait to see more from Spence before trusting him and should wait until he draws a more favorable matchup.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
18 mins agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher
Jake Irvin turned in another strong performance in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Braves. Irvin pitched six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has been a valuable fantasy option this season, going 2-5 with a 3.43 ERA, a 7.71 K/9 rate, and a 1.57 BB/9 rate in 11 starts and 63 IP. Six of his 11 starts have been quality starts, including three of five May starts. Irvin is rostered in just eight percent of leagues, so he is available for all fantasy managers looking for a solid back-of-rotation addition or a potential streamer in deeper leagues. That could come into play as early as his next scheduled start, which will be a decent matchup at the Guardians.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
24 mins agoAtlanta Braves closer
Raisel Iglesias picked up his 13th save of the season in Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Nationals. Iglesias entered the game to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two and delivered a 1-2-3 performance with two strikeouts. The 34-year-old has been pretty much what fantasy managers were expecting this season, converting all but two save opportunities with a 2.21 ERA in 20 1/3 innings pitched. His 7.08 K/9 rate is a dip from his career average, which may be due to a lack of chases and swings-and-misses. However, fantasy managers will live with that as long as Iglesias continues to anchor the end of games for one of baseball's better teams.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
32 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals third baseman
Nolan Arenado had a nice game at the plate in Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Reds. Arenado went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk. The 33-year-old lined a fourth-inning
Andrew Abbott fastball into the left-field seats for his fourth home run of the season. Arenado's offensive numbers have looked normal this season except for a significant lack of power, as he is now slashing .257/.311/.366 with 25 RBI in 222 plate appearances. He normally impacts the ball pretty well, but his average exit velocity and hard-hit rate are in the bottom 10 percent of baseball. Hopefully, this oddity will right itself over time and Arenado will return to providing power for fantasy managers.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
54 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers relief pitcher
Trevor Megill (arm) was forced to leave Tuesday's game in the 10th inning against the visiting division-rival Chicago Cubs after he was hit in the right arm by a line drive off the bat of outfielder
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1 hour agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (finger) hurt his left index finger on his bunt attempt late in the loss in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Tuesday against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Lindor's finger was swollen and looked painful, but he said X-rays came back negative for any breaks. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter clubbed a two-run home run in the Game 1 loss and went 1-for-4 in the nightcap of the twin bill, so it's clearly not a serious injury he's dealing with. However, the Mets could certainly give him the day off in Wednesday's series finale, so fantasy managers need to be on the looking to see if Lindor is in the starting lineup. Lindor went 2-for-9 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored in the doubleheader on Tuesday to extend his current hitting streak to seven games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
2 hours agoAccording to a source, the Detroit Tigers are calling up pitching prospect
Keider Montero from Triple-A Toledo to be the 27th man on Wednesday for their doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nothing is official yet, but it looks like Detroit's No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will make his major-league debut on Wednesday in a spot start in one of the games of a doubleheader after Tuesday's contest in Pittsburgh was rained out. Montero is getting his first major-league call-up after going 0-1 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 17 walks and 36 strikeouts over 30 2/3 innings and nine starts for Toledo. The 23-year-old Venezuelan hurler can spin the ball with the best of them, but his struggles to control his secondary pitches and his vulnerability to the long ball will make him a risky fantasy streaming option in his MLB debut. And there's a good chance he'll be sent back to Toledo after Wednesday's game.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit News - Chris McCosky
2 hours agoUpdating a previous report, Kansas City Royals first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino (leg) left Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Twins early with a lower left-leg contusion. X-rays came back negative and he is considered day-to-day for now. Pasquantino collided with Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton in the third inning and took a knee to the shin that forced him to hit the showers early. Thankfully, the injury doesn't appear to be very serious, although the 26-year-old left-handed-hitting first baseman could get the day off on Wednesday as a precaution. Before leaving the game, Pasquantino struck out in his only plate appearance to drop his season average to .224.
Salvador Perez moved from catcher to first base to replace Pasquantino. He has looked better at the plate in May, but he also hasn't homered since May 9.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers first baseman
Freddie Freeman enjoyed a big day at the plate in Tuesday's win over the hosting New York Mets during Game 1 of a doubleheader, belting his sixth home run of the season with three RBI. After an RBI single in the eighth inning off left-hander
Jake Diekman, Freeman buried the Mets with a two-run homer to right off right-hander
Jorge Lopez that extended the Dodgers' lead in the 10th inning. The power hasn't really been there thus far this year for the 34-year-old fantasy sensation, who's still quietly slashing .291/.394/.461 with six long balls, 33 RBI, and one stolen base through 57 games as LA's everyday No. 3 hitter in a stacked lineup. With that said, Freeman remains a set-and-forget fantasy play on a daily basis and should pick things up soon.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 hours agoNew York Mets starting pitcher
Tylor Megill took a tough-luck no-decision in Tuesday's loss to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers during the matinee of a twin bill, throwing seven scoreless innings on three hits and one walk with nine strikeouts. Megill impressively held down a vaunted Dodgers lineup in Game 1 on Tuesday, delivering one of the best performances of his career. The big 28-year-old right-hander has been limited to three starts for the Mets this year, but he's been very effective when healthy with a 1.69 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 20:6 K:BB over 16 innings. Sunday's series finale at home against the disappointing Arizona Diamondbacks marks Megill's next projected start, and he'll carry a decent level of streaming appeal for fantasy purposes in that one to close the week.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 hours agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
TJ Friedl (thumb) took live batting practice before Tuesday's matchup against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. After taking swings against a high-velocity pitching machine on Monday, Friedl was also scheduled to run the bases and do some throwing on Tuesday. Manager David Bell has previously noted that Friedl could be reinstated from the injured list as soon as Wednesday's series finale against the Cardinals, and the outfielder looks to be making good progress from a fractured left thumb. It's been a stop-start season for the 28-year-old left-handed hitter, who missed a large chunk of time to begin the campaign due to injury and has gone just 4-for-22 (.182) with two RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases when healthy in six outings, but Friedl's power/speed potential with the ability to hit for average atop Cincinnati's lineup at a hitter-friendly ballpark offers him plenty of upside as a fantasy stash.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said prior to Tuesday's game against the division-rival Boston Red Sox that starting pitcher
Dean Kremer (triceps) is continuing to improve. Kremer isn't experiencing as much soreness as he recovers from a strained right triceps, and he's expected to play catch "soon." The 28-year-old right-hander is a streaming option in fantasy when healthy, as evidenced by his serviceable 4.32 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 49:18 K:BB, and a career-best .204 average against over nine starts (50 innings) in 2024, but that doesn't mean he's a must-stash player. Veterans
Albert Suarez and
Cole Irvin will help plug up Baltimore's banged-up rotation in the meantime, and both hurlers will be worth streaming during the upcoming weekend set at home against the Tampa Bay Rays.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jake Rill - MLB.com
3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Bobby Miller's (shoulder) next minor-league rehab start will come either on Friday or Saturday. Miller will throw four innings during that outing, and then the Dodgers will evaluate where he's at his in his recovery from inflammation in his right shoulder. After throwing 55 pitches and allowing three runs over three innings in his first rehab start with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday, Miller will likely need at least one more outing in the minors following this weekend's appearance before he re-enters LA's rotation. Although the 25-year-old fire-balling right-hander has given up seven runs over 11 2/3 innings this season, his 18:6 K:BB and top-notch strikeout upside makes him a must-stash fantasy asset with a mid-June return appearing likely. 2023 top prospect
Gavin Stone will remain worth streaming in favorable matchups until Miller is back in the mix.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jack Harris - Los Angeles Times
3 hours agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) resumed all baseball activities prior to Tuesday's game against the visiting Oakland Athletics, going through a full workout on the field and a full program in the batting cage. Both Lowe and the Rays are pleased with his progress as he works his way through a strained right oblique, and the outfielder said he will now ramp up his activity every day. Lowe still has to hit against a high-velocity pitching machine and throw to bases at game speed, but he expects to be ready to return to Tampa Bay's outfield by the time he's first eligible to return, which would be during the first week of June. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger got a late start to the season due to injury, slashing a mediocre .240/.296/.440 with two home runs, three RBI, and five runs scored through just 50 at-bats (14 games), but his five-category fantasy upside in the top-third of Tampa's lineup makes him a must-stash player in all leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin - Tampa Bay Times
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