56 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher
Sonny Gray (8-4) picked up a quality start in a no-decision Monday night fanning four batters while allowing four runs on five hits and two walks in an extra-inning 7-6 victory over the Miami Marlins. Gray continues to flourish with his new team to the tune of a 2.95 ERA and 1.02 WHIP on the season to go along with 95 strikeouts in 76.1 innings pitched. Last season Gray finished with 183 strikeouts in 184 innings pitched, but so far in 2024 Gray is racking up the strikeouts with about 20 more than innings pitched. Fantasy managers should feel great with Gray moving forward especially with a matchup against the San Francisco Giants coming up this weekend.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
56 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn went 2-for-6 and belted a game-winning two-run home run in the 12th inning of Monday night's extra-inning victory over the Miami Marlins. Wynn has been excellent in his sophomore season with a .295 batting average and a .339 OBP. The young shortstop only has eight stolen bases which is a little low considering he averaged over 30 stolen bases in his last three seasons combined. Hopefully, with the combination of his high batting average and OBP, he will get the green light more often moving forward. The counting stats right now are lagging a bit though which makes Winn more of a deep-league add or injury replacement than a must-start player at this time.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
58 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers second baseman
Brice Turang belted his fourth home run of the season Monday night going 2-for-4 in the 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Turang doesn't provide much in the power department, but what he lacks in power he's beyond making it up in the stolen base and batting average department this season. Turang is ranked second in MLB in stolen bases with 26 and 17th in batting average at .291 during his breakout campaign. The speedy lefty has been a mainstay at the leadoff spot versus right-handed pitchers and has played well enough this season to warrant an everyday spot in fantasy lineups despite the lack of at-bats versus left-handed pitching. Look for the 24-year-old to keep stealing bases as the Brewers have the second most stolen bases in the league at 103 just two behind the run-heavy Cincinnati Reds.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
58 mins agoLos Angeles starting pitcher
Zach Plesac (1-0) picked up the quality start and win in his 2024 debut Monday night giving up three runs in six innings on four hits and two walks with one strikeout in a 5-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers. Plesac was incredibly efficient on the night as he only needed 86 pitches to get through six innings. The only two blemishes on his stat sheet were a pair of home runs by
Jake Bauers and
Brice Turang. The veteran right-hander signed a minor league deal in the offseason and has been pitching for the Triple-A Salt Lake City Bees since the beginning of the season. Plesac produced a 5.42 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 13 starts in Triple-A this season and only drew the start due to
Jose Soriano being a late-scratch (abdomen) earlier in the day. Although Plesac had an encouraging start there's no clarity on whether he will remain in the rotation moving forward.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 hour agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Yusei Kikuchi (4-6) surrendered five runs in four innings pitched allowing seven hits and no walks with seven strikeouts in a 7-3 loss Monday night to the Boston Red Sox. The home run ball was the Japanese left-hander's worst enemy giving up four of them on the evening. Kikuchi's ERA has progressively gotten worse over the season with a 4.86 June ERA after having a 3.62 ERA in May and a 2.45 ERA in April. Kikuchi will look to right the ship in a tough matchup against the Cleveland Guardians this weekend.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 hour agoBoston Red Sox centerfielder
Ceddanne Rafaela continued his torrid June Monday night going 2-fo-3 with a solo shot and a pair of runs scored in a 7-3 win against the Toronto Blue Jays. Rafaela's home run, his eighth on the season, was just his first of the month, but the rookie has made up for it with an impressive .351 batting average and .389 OBP. The speedy outfielder will continue to have his limit suppressed by how low he hits in the lineup but Rafaela has raised his batting average from .183 to .243 on the season in the last two months and has a solid 40 RBI on the season. He remains rostered in only 49% of leagues and could be a player to be looked at as an addition in deeper leagues or as an injury replacement in shallow leagues.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoAtlanta Braves relief pitcher
Joe Jimenez picked up his first save of the season in Monday's 2-1 win over the Tigers. Jimenez came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one and turned in a 1-2-3 outing with a strikeout to end the game. Closer
Raisel Iglesias had pitched in three of the team's last four games, so Jimenez was called upon to close things out. The 29-year-old has pitched well this season, earning 14 holds with a 2.89 ERA, a 9.64 K/9 rate, and a 3.21 BB/9 rate in 28 innings pitched. He may not produce enough fantasy value for traditional leagues, but his overall high-leverage role should make him a worthwhile fantasy option in saves-plus-holds leagues.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoAtlanta Braves second baseman
Ozzie Albies made his one hit count in Monday's 2-1 win over the Tigers. Albies went 1-for-4 with a go-ahead solo home run and a strikeout. The 27-year-old deposited an eighth-inning
Shelby Miller fastball deep into the right-field seats to put the Braves ahead for good. The HR was a welcome sight for fantasy managers, as Albies has not provided the power they are accustomed to. He is now slashing .260/.318/.400 with five HR, 33 RBI, and four stolen bases in 274 plate appearances. The entire Braves' lineup has started to pick things up lately, so hopefully Albies can get in on the action as well.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoBoston Red Sox second baseman prospect
Nick Yorke was promoted to Triple-A Worcester earlier this month, and in 11 games there, the 22-year-old is 17-for-42 (.405) with four doubles, two home runs, nine RBI, 11 runs scored, three stolen bases, and a 9:11 BB:K.
Romy Gonzalez came off the IL and got the start at second base for Boston on Monday, but it's just a matter of time until the Red Sox see what they have in Yorke at the major league level and it should be this season.
Vaughn Grissom, who was supposed to be Boston's second baseman this season, recently began baseball activities but doesn't seem close to returning. Regardless of when, though, Yorke should be opening eyes in dynasty leagues if not already stashed.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates closer
David Bednar picked up his 15th save of the season in Monday's 4-1 win over the Reds. Bednar entered the game to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by three and delivered a 1-2-3 performance with a strikeout to end the game. The 29-year-old has converted all but three of his save opportunities this season, but he has not delivered as much as fantasy managers were expecting with a 5.34 ERA in 33 appearances and 30 1/3 innings pitched. The encouraging news is that Bednar has been much better in June, allowing just two runs in seven IP. Bednar has been a useful fantasy option each of the last two seasons and appears to have solid job security, so fantasy managers should continue to put their trust in him as he improves.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher rookie sensation
Paul Skenes continued to impress in Monday's 4-1 win over the Reds. Skenes pitched six innings, allowing one run on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. The 22-year-old has looked every bit like one of the top fantasy prospects in baseball, going 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA, a 12.13 K/9 rate, a 1.60 BB/9 rate, and four quality starts in seven starts and 39 1/3 IP. He should have a good opportunity to add another quality start to his season in his next scheduled start, which will be a favorable matchup against a struggling Rays lineup.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoBoston Red Sox closer
Kenley Jansen earned his 12th save of the season in Monday's 7-3 win over the Blue Jays. Jansen entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning up by four with two outs and runners on first and second. He induced a pop-out from
Davis Schneider to end the game. The 36-year-old veteran has once again been a steady fantasy contributor, converting all but one of his save opportunities with a 2.70 ERA, an 11.57 K/9 rate, and a 4.24 BB/9 rate in 23 1/3 innings pitched. The walks are on the high side for Jansen, but his strikeouts have taken a jump up and his ERA is lower than it has been the past several seasons. Overall, Jansen is still the high-end fantasy closer he has always been.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoBoston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter
Tyler O'Neill was in the middle of the home run parade in Monday's 7-3 win over the Blue Jays. O'Neill went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs, a walk, and an intentional walk. The 28-year-old clobbered a first-inning
Yusei Kikuchi fastball deep into the left-field seats and took him deep again to center field in the third. O'Neill has been somewhat of a fantasy disappointment since his stellar 2021 season, but he has slashed a solid .258/.354/.534 with 14 HR, 37 runs scored, 25 RBI, and one stolen base in 206 plate appearances this season. The stolen bases are not close to what he has provided before, but fantasy managers can't complain given his respectable batting average and high power contribution.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Owen Caissie belted his fifth home run in the month of June and eighth of the season on Sunday for Triple-A Iowa. The 21-year-old also drove in four runs, giving him 16 RBI in June and 40 on the season. Pete-Crow Armstrong and
Alexander Canario have had multiple shots to make an impact with the big league club without great results, and with the offense scuffling, Caissie may be the next to get the call to the majors. Said to have some of the best power in the minors, the Cubs' top offensive prospect per MLB.com could have an immediate impact once he gets a shot, and the way he's hitting might force their hand.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
7 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez rebounded nicely in Monday's 9-2 win over the Padres, improving his record to 4-3. Sanchez pitched seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts. The 27-year-old has been a fantasy asset again this season with a 2.91 ERA, a 7.68 K/9 rate, and a 2.79 BB/9 rate in 14 starts and 77 1/3 IP. His low win total is a bit surprising given how well the Phillies' offense has performed, but everything else has been solid from a fantasy perspective. Sanchez is slated to face a hot Diamondbacks offense in his next start, but he has pitched well enough to make him worth starting to maximize his two-start week.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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