2 hours agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Lane Thomas (knee) will continue rehabbing his knee in the minor leagues and will be re-evaluated after the weekend, per Nationals manager Dave Martinez. Thomas is currently with Double-A Harrisburg but could also make his way to Triple-A Rochester. The righty has been recovering from a sprained MCL for the past month. Washington's offense is in need of some offensive firepower, scoring over three runs just three times in their past nine games. Thomas had been performing well below his norms prior to his injury, but if he returns to his .783 OPS from 2023 it'd be a great help to a desperate Nationals offense. Fantasy managers should be prepare for his return in the next week or so under the assumption that no setbacks happen over the weekend.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Golden
2 hours agoThe Cubs-Cardinals game on Friday night has been postponed due to rain in the St. Louis area and will be made up as part of a July 13th doubleheader.
Shota Imanaga and
Miles Mikolas were set to face off but that will now have to wait until Saturday. The Cubs came into St. Louis on a 2-5 slide while the Cardinals have turned things around and are on an 8-2 heater. With the make-up game being scheduled for July, fantasy managers should prepare for the same pitching matchup in tomorrow night's game, though no starting pitcher adjustments have been announced as of yet.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Derrick Goold
2 hours agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Jose Urquidy (forearm) exited his rehab start early on Friday. Urquidy had thrown just 56 pitches in his start. Urquidy attempted a warmup pitch, lobbed it in and then walked off the mound. He was also seen flexing his hand and fingers before the trainers visited him. This is a bad sign for the right-hander who was very close to rejoining an Astros rotation that's desperately needing help. Urquidy has also been battling injuries for much of the past two seasons and missed the majority of the 2023 season. Fantasy managers should stand pat on Urquidy's status and hope for the best when doctor's evaluate his arm. Regardless, it doesn't seem like the right-hander will be joining the Astros' rotation any time soon.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
2 hours agoKansas City Royals second baseman
Michael Massey exited Friday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays with low back tightness according to the team. Massey was replaced in the bottom of the 6th inning after going two-for-three with a three-run home run in the Royals 8-1 victory. Massey had been having a very solid month of May for the upstart Royals, hitting for a .906 OPS. The lefty should be considered day-to-day until more info is released on the seriousness of his back tightness. If Massey is forced to miss much time,
Adam Frazier should be expected to pick up playing time against righties while
Garrett Hampson should find time against lefties.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
2 hours agoColorado Rockies starting pitching prospect
Sean Sullivan continued to showcase his elite strikeout potential with eight punchouts in Thursday's victory. Through his first 40 ⅓ innings at High-A, the 21-year-old has tallied 50 punchouts and only allowed three free passes. He has tallied at least eight punchouts in three of his starts, with his season-high being 13. Overall, he holds a solid 2.68 ERA and 0.99 WHIP through seven starts. Sullivan logged only two innings at Single-A last season and was immediately sent to Double-A to begin this season. The right-hander is projected to reach the majors in 2026, but that window could change thanks to the elite command he has shown in the first two months of the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (elbow) will throw another live batting practice on Saturday per Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Cole threw a live batting practice on Tuesday without setbacks so another positive session on Saturday would be a great sign for the Yankees' ace. When Cole is able to return from the injured list at the end of May he will likely need multiple rehab starts before being able to rejoin the Yankees' rotation. New York has surprisingly been able to succeed without Cole pitching at all this season, finding themselves atop the AL East with a 35-17 record and a three game lead over the Baltimore Orioles. This gives a little bit more cushion for Cole to not rush his return and take his time. Fantasy managers should continue stashing the Cy Young winner on their bench until he's active, likely at some point in late June or early July.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Chris Kirschner
3 hours agoSeattle Mariners starting pitching prospect
Logan Evans was dominant once again on Thursday as he tossed six clean frames with eight strikeouts. He allowed four hits and no walks. Evans began this season at Double-A after ending last season with Single-A, which was very unexpected. However, Seattle looks like they made the right call as their young right-hander looks on track to reach Triple-A this summer. Through 45 ⅓ innings with Double-A Arkansas, he has posted a near-perfect 1.39 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 14:41 BB:K ratio. Evans is ranked as the number 19 prospect in the Seattle system on MLB Pipeline, but that is sure to change through the summer as the former 12th-round selection has looked near unhittable through the early part of the summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
John Means (forearm) will be seeking a second opinion on his throwing elbow according to Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. On Thursday the Orioles placed Means on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain, the same strain that caused him to miss the beginning of the season. Given that the forearm injury is now causing concern for his throwing elbow, it's not a great sign for the lefty. Means could likely stay on the injured list for much longer than 15 days if the second opinion delivers similar news as the first opinion. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Means to be active any time in the near future.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Andy Kostka
3 hours agoNew York Yankees starting pitching prospect
Cade Smith pitched a season-high seven innings on Thursday en route to his second victory of the campaign. He did not allow a run and surrendered just two hits and two free passes. He struck out five. This was a big bounce-back outing for the young right-hander, as he has allowed multiple runs in his previous two starts. Through his first seven starts of professional ball at Single-A (37 ⅓ innings), he holds a 2.41 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and an 18:46 BB:K ratio. Smith is still several seasons away from the major leagues but with the strong start that he has had, he could develop into one of New York's top pitching arms. The 22-year-old remains a name to monitor in dynasty leagues, especially if he reaches High-A by the end of the summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
3 hours agoCincinnati Reds infield prospect
Ricardo Cabrera has been performing quite well in his first extended look at Single-A ball and could be approaching his promotion to High-A. In his past six games the 19-year-old is riding a .391/.462/.565 slash line with three extra-base hits and one stolen base. Overall, through 35 total games this season, he has posted a .285/.363/.454 line with three long balls and four swiped bags. The number nine ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline in Cincinnati, hit for a strong .300 AVG in the Rookie League and is looking just as producing in Single-A. He remains several seasons away from his major league debut but is worth a follow in dynasty leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
3 hours agoMiami Marlins outfield prospect
Victor Mesa Jr. went 3-4 at the dish on Thursday with his eighth long ball of the season. The 22-year-old has looked quite comfortable through his first 39 games at Triple-A with a .289/.360/.484 slash line this season. In the past week, Mesa Jr. has been especially outstanding with a .357/.455/.571 with two home runs, two stolen bases, and a 5:5 BB:K ratio. Mesa Jr. spent all of last season with Double-A Pensacola and posted a modest .242/.308/.412 line with 18 home runs. This is a great sign, as the number four prospect in Miami has been playing his best against harder competition this season. MLB Pipeline projects him to reach the majors in 2025 but with the way he is performing, that promotion could come this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 hours agoLos Angeles Angels shortstop
Zach Neto (elbow) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. The 23-year-old was removed early during Wednesday's game due to soreness in his elbow. Neto underwent an MRI that showed inflammation, which means Neto hopefully avoided a more serious injury. The plan is for Neto to throw during warmups to test out his elbow. He hasn't been placed on the injured list yet, so hopefully he's able to avoid the stint.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Fletcher
5 hours agoColorado Rockies starting pitcher
Kyle Freeland (elbow) has been transferred to the 60-day injured list on Friday. The left-hander hasn't made much progress in his recovery efforts lately. Freeland was able to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. However, the 31-year-old is still a month or two away from returning. He was shifted to the 60-day injured list in order to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Freeland back until around the All-Star break.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Patrick Lyons
5 hours agoThe San Francisco Giants have signed relief pitcher
Drew Pomeranz to a one-year deal. The veteran southpaw was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. Pomeranz struggled to the tune of a 6.00 ERA in eight appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 35-year-old hasn't pitched in the majors since 2021 due to multiple injuries. This is a low-risk signing for the Giants to see if Pomeranz has anything left in the tank.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Giants
5 hours agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Alex Cobb (shoulder) is set to resume a throwing program during the weekend. The 36-year-old suffered a setback in his recovery process roughly a week ago. Now, the Giants are ramping up Cobb's activities again in hopes that he can join the Giants rotation. However, Cobb is not close to being ready to pitch in the MLB again. It's good to see him throwing again, which is a step in the right direction.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Alex Pavlovic
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