47 seconds agoVeteran ace Max Scherzer will start tonight for the Texas Rangers' AAA Round Rock squad as he works his way back to the major leagues after back surgery this winter. Scherzer is yet to pitch in MLB this season. Expectations seem to be that Scherzer will be back by the end of June. On Monday, Scherzer threw 53 pitches and struck out five while throwing four scoreless innings. He also gave up one run and one walk in the outing. Scherzer was consistently hitting 94-95 with his fastball as he nears a return to the Rangers.Source: Texas Rangers PR on X
8 mins agoTexas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim was moved to the paternity list on Saturday. In a corresponding move, the Rangers recalled catcher Sam Huff from AAA Round Rock. Heim is hitting .234 with six home runs and 31 RBI, getting the bulk of the starts behind the plate due to his great defense and handling of the pitching staff. Heim can miss up to three days as his family awaits the birth of their third child. Be sure to get Heim out of your lineup for the next few days.Source: Texas Rangers PR on X
16 mins agoChicago Cubs starter Jordan Wicks was placed on the injured list Saturday with a right oblique strain. In a corresponding move, the team recalled veteran righthander Keegan Thompson. Wicks left his start on Friday with the apparent injury after facing only seven batters covering a little more than one inning. It's not immediately known who will take Wicks' spot in the rotation. The Cubs have both veteran Kyle Hendricks and youngster Hayden Wesneski in the bullpen who could step back into the rotation. Wicks has started six games this season, winning one and posting 32 strikeouts in 28 innings with a 4.18 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.Source: Chicago Cubs on X
25 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy announced to the media today that star closer Devin Williams "remains on track" to be ready to pitch in the major leagues after the All-Star Break. There is no other specific timeline on it. Murphy stated that Williams would be pitching from a mound soon as he takes the next step in his rehabilitation from a back injury that has kept him on the injured list all season. Williams had eight wins, 36 saves with a 1.53 ERA, a .92 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts in 58 innings in 2023. In his absence, Trevor Megill has 11 saves and has locked down the closer role in Milwaukee. The first-place Brewers would welcome Williams back to highest leverage role in their bullpen.Source: Jack Stern on X
44 mins agoBoston Red Sox shortstop David Hamilton will be on the bench Saturday night. Hamilton is hitting .281 with four home runs, 14 RBI, 22 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. Rookie Ceddanne Rafaela will get the start instead and hit in the ninth spot. Hamilton has had a solid June, hitting .283 with two homers, five RBI, and five stolen bases in 47 plate appearances. This is likely a day off for the left-handed hitting Hamilton as the Red Sox face lefty Carlos Rodon and the New York Yankees on Saturday night. Look for the speedy shortstop to be back in action Sunday afternoon in the series finale.Source: Boston Red Sox on X
2 hours agoLos Angeles Angels reliever Ben Joyce will open Sunday's series finale with the San Francisco Giants as the club hopes to get two innings out of the right-hander. Joyce has made just four appearances so far this season for the Angels and also pitched in another 18 contests with Double-A Rocket City, tossing a 12.27 ERA in the majors but also a 4.26 ERA in the minors alongside a 2.32 xFIP that suggests he was far better in the minors than his surface ERA indicates. The flame thrower's 2023 season was cut short due to an elbow injury as he posted a 5.40 ERA in 10 outings a season ago with a four-seam fastball that consistently reached triple digits.Source: Jeff Fletcher
2 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (forearm) is targeting a late June return to action and is also hoping to begin a rehab assignment around June 18. The veteran backstop suffered a gruesome break of his forearm when he was struck on a swing by Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez on May 7. The fairly swift potential return is excellent news for fantasy managers considering how the injury looked as it appears Contreras is approaching a best-case scenario. The 32-year-old has enjoyed a big season at the plate, hitting .280 with six homers, two stolen bases, and a career-high 14.1% BB%, helping him to a sterling .949 OPS while his 171 wRC+ checks in 71% above the league average.Source: Fox Sports MLB
2 hours agoOutfielder Harold Ramirez has signed a minor-league contract with the Washington Nationals and he will report to Triple-A Rochester. The 29-year-old was recently designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays and was released on Friday but it didn't take him long to land with a new club roughly 24 hours later. Ramirez has been a productive hitter in each of the last two seasons with Tampa Bay and enjoyed a career year in 2023 that saw him hit .313 with 12 homers and an .813 OPS across 434 trips to the plate. However, he has taken a major step back in 2024, hitting .268 with just one homer alongside five steals and a .589 OPS across 48 games.Source: Mark Zuckerman
2 hours agoMiami Marlins outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's contest against the hosting Washington Nationals and left-hander DJ Herz. The 26-year-old has enjoyed a nice season but has indeed been inferior against same-handed pitching. Chisholm is hitting .254 with 10 homers, 13 stolen bases, and a .754 OPS on the season but his OPS against lefties drops to .701 while his walk rate is just 6.3% against lefties versus 9.6% against right-handers. Dane Myers will take over in center field and will hit sixth against Herz and the Nats on Saturday afternoon.Source: MLB.com
2 hours agoLos Angeles Angels right-hander Adam Cimber (shoulder) is likely to land on the injured list. The news comes just a day after Cimber was rocked for four earned runs while recording just a single out in an appearance against the San Francisco Giants. The veteran was off to a nice start to the season in his first tour of duty with the Angels but has now allowed nine earned runs over his last five outings and three innings of work. Overall, the 33-year-old side-armer sports a 7.03 ERA across 28 appearances on the season, walking a hefty 13.1% of the hitters he has faced, doubling his career 6.5% BB% in the process.Source: Jeff Fletcher
2 hours agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Conforto is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's contest against the Los Angeles Angels and left-hander Patrick Sandoval. Conforto did start Friday's series opener against another lefty in Tyler Anderson and went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout but will hit the bench to begin Saturday afternoon's contest. It's been a solid season for the veteran who is hitting .242 with eight homers and a .724 OPS across 47 games and is actually hitting .311 with an .852 OPS against left-handed pitching. Austin Slater will spell Conforto in left field and will hit out of the leadoff spot for a second consecutive game on Saturday.Source: MLB.com
3 hours agoThe third game of a four-game set between the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics was postponed on Saturday due to rain. The teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday, with the first game starting at 2:10 PM EST and the second game slated for a 7:10 PM EST start time. Joey Estes and Bailey Ober were slated to be Saturday's starters and should be expected to take the mound during one of the games on Sunday. JP Sears and Chris Paddack will likely take the mound in the other game on Sunday. Athletics backstop Tyler Soderstrom is worth considering in DFS on Sunday as he is currently riding an impressive six-game hitting streak with three long balls in the stretch. In addition, Minnesota third baseman Royce Lewis is also carrying a six-game hitting streak with two home runs during the stretch and will be a popular play on Sunday.Source: Oakland A's
3 hours agoAtlanta Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic will hit in the leadoff spot for the first time this season. Due to the injuries of Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and recently Michael Harris II (hamstring), Kelenic may earn a permanent role in the leadoff spot going forward. The former top prospect has begun to find his footing in the batter's box with a .275/.326/.475 slash line since May 29. Overall, in his first season in Atlanta, the former sixth overall pick holds a .259/.305/.401 line with four home runs and one swiped bag. While Kelenic may have disappointed through the early part of the season, he has begun to string together a few solid performances and will now see even more opportunities batting in the top spot of a strong Braves lineup. He has a tough matchup Saturday afternoon against Ryan Pepiot, who carries a stellar 1.01 WHIP.Source: MLB.com
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with a right UCL sprain. Bradish left his start on Friday afternoon with right elbow discomfort and previously missed the opening month of this season with a UCL sprain. As a result, the 27-year-old is expected to be sidelined for longer than the minimum 15-day stint. Baltimore promoted southpaw Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. Through 39 ⅓ innings this season, Bradish performed well with a 2.75 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts. While Bradish remains sidelined, rookie Cade Povich should be expected to remain in the starting rotation making him an excellent waiver wire option this weekend.Source: Baltimore Orioles
3 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (hamstring) was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday and will start in left field and bat seventh against Grayson Rodriguez and the Baltimore Orioles. Marsh has been sidelined since June 2 with a right hamstring strain. Before the injury, Marsh carried a solid .265/.344/.426 slash line with six long balls and eight swiped bags. He currently holds a stellar 51.8% hard-hit rate and 92.1 mph average exit velocity, which suggests he could be in store for a big summer. Marsh is always worth a look in DFS, batting in the middle of an excellent Phillies lineup. Even though his matchup Saturday afternoon is difficult against Rodriguez, who carries a 7-2 record and 3.27 ERA, Marsh will have several prime RBI opportunities batting behind players like Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper.Source: Todd Zolecki