5 days agoCincinnati Reds outfielders
Jake Fraley and
Will Benson are not in Saturday's lineup against the Chicago White Sox. Benson and Fraley will sit versus White Sox left-hander
Garrett Crochet. Both outfielders should be available off the bench and will look to re-enter the starting lineup for the series finale on Sunday.
Bubba Thompson and
Stuart Fairchild will replace Benson and Fraley in the outfield. Thompson is starting in center field, batting eighth, and is hitting .250 (2-for-8) with four stolen bases over nine games this season. Fairchild is starting in right field, hitting fifth and slashing .304/.385/.304 with four stolen bases over nine games in 2024. Fairchild and Thompson are deep-league streamers at best in a tough matchup against Crochet.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Cincinatti Reds
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles second baseman/shortstop
Jackson Holliday will be on the bench as the Orioles continue a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Holliday, who is the top prospect in baseball, started in each of the last three games. However, the 20-year-old has yet to tally his first hit and has struck out seven times. As a result,
Jorge Mateo will slot into the nine-hole and play second base. In eight games, Mateo has a .333/.375/.533 stat line and is worth looking at in DFS today as he will face Brewers pitcher
DL Hall, who has a 4.82 ERA and 1.93 WHIP across nine ⅓ innings this season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies catcher
J.T. Realmuto will be resting on Saturday as the Phillies continue a four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Realmuto went 0-3 with a walk last night and has a cumulative .267/.327/.400 stat line. He has hit two home runs and brought in four runs.
Garrett Stubbs will catch for
Spencer Turnbull and comes into today's game batting a .250 AVG with one swiped bag. Stubbs will face the left-handed pitcher
Marco Gonzales, who is riding a solid 2.45 ERA and 1.00 WHIP.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill will be on the bench in the second game of the three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels. O'Neill has been one of the best hitters of the season so far, posting an excellent .279/.426/.698, and is tied at the top in home run leaders with six. As a result,
Wilyer Abreu will be batting in the two-hole and playing in right field. Abreu is off to a slow start to begin the season with a .190 AVG and just one extra-base hit. However, Abreu is a sneaky play in DFS as he should see plenty of at-bats and has a great matchup against
Griffin Canning, who comes into today's game with a hefty 8.38 ERA.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoKansas City Royals first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino is not in Saturday's lineup as the Royals continue a three-game set in Queens. Pasquantino was off to a slow start, as he tallied just five hits in his first eleven games. Since then, Pasquantino has hit for a .583 AVG with two doubles and one home run.
Salvador Perez will shift to first base today, and
Freddy Fermin will serve as the backstop for pitcher
Alec Marsh. This will be Fermin's sixth start of the season and will have a difficult matchup as he faces southpaw
Sean Manaea, who has a dominant 0.82 ERA and 0.73 WHIP across his first two starts.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoNew York Mets backstop
Francisco Alvarez will be getting the day off on Saturday as the New York Mets continue a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals. Alvarez went 1-4 in last night's victory and has an overall .293/.326/.463 line with one home run to begin the season. Veteran catcher
Omar Narvaez will receive the start and bat eighth against
Alec Marsh. Narvaez is worth consideration in DFS as he has put together a strong start to the 2024 season with a .385/.429/.462 line with three RBI.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton will be getting some rest during the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Buxton has appeared in all 11 games so far, batting a cumulative .220/.273/.293 stat line with no home runs. Buxton is expected to be starting in center field for the second game later this afternoon and is projected to face
Matt Manning. As a result,
Austin Martin will man center field and bat in the nine-hole. Martin is a sneaky play in DFS as he will take on
Kenta Maeda, who has struggled in his first two starts, pitching to the tune of a 9.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoAtlanta Braves ace
Spencer Strider (elbow) underwent surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow on Friday and will miss the rest of the season. He is expected to be sidelined for up to 12 to 14 months after undergoing internal brace surgery on his pitching elbow. The 25-year-old will be sidelined for 2024 and is expected to miss the early part of 2025. Strider finishes the 2024 season with a 7.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts over nine innings. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues can safely cut Strider while he remains a must-stash in dynasty and keeper leagues. The Braves called up
Darius Vines from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday to take Strider's place in the rotation. Vines owned a 3.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and an 11:3 K: BB across 12 innings for Triple-A Gwinett. The 25-year-old is a speculative add in deep leagues for fantasy managers searching for pitcher help.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Colton Cowser homered for the third time in two games on Friday in a 12-1 loss to the Brewers. It was a solo shot in the fourth off of Brewers' ace
Freddy Peralta and would
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5 days agoHouston Astros outfielder
Kyle Tucker homered twice in Friday's 12-8 loss to the Rangers. The lefty was 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. He now has four home runs on the season, with his other two home runs coming in a single game back on April 1. It has been somewhat of a mixed bag to start the year for Tucker, having seven multi-hit games over his first 15, but also six games without a hit, resulting in a modest .258 average. His xBA checks in at .341 though, so perhaps he's been a little unlucky and this is the beginning of some more consistent hitting for the 2x All-Star. The lefty has also stolen just one base thus far, and fantasy managers who took him with a first-round draft selection are hoping the pace picks up there as well.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Lars Nootbaar homered in his first game of 2024, a two-run shot in the third inning of Friday's 9-6 win over the Diamondbacks. It was his only hit of the contest though, going 1-for-4 with a walk, two RBI, and a run scored. Nootbaar had been dealing with a rib injury, but now that he's back he can provide fantasy managers with a significant run boost, also adding a little pop and a little speed. Last season the lefty hitter belted 14 home runs, stole 11 bases, and came across the plate 74 times in 117 games. The 26-year-old also has a keen eye at the plate with a career 14.0% BB%. He's rostered in just 41% of Yahoo leagues, so he'll probably become a popular waiver wire add.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOakland Athletics reliever
Dany Jimenez was called upon to lock down the game in the ninth inning on Friday against the Nationals, only to blow the save opportunity, although thankfully the A's hung on to win the game 2-1. With their closer
Mason Miller unavailable to pitch due to recent workload, Jimenez was tasked with holding down a 1-0 lead and promptly gave up a home run to the first batter he saw. It was the only run he allowed in the inning, but the righty also allowed a double while striking out two batters. The 30-year-old saved 11 games for the A's back in 2022, but just once last year and he probably won't get many more opportunities this season with Mason Miller looking like a legit stopper in the ninth.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays closer
Pete Fairbanks recorded his third save of 2024 on Friday in a 2-1 win over the Giants. It was his third straight conversion, although the 30-year-old has been shaky to start the season with a 9.00 ERA, 2.20 WHIP, and a 6:8 BB:K in six games (five IP). In Friday's appearance, he walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, and half of the 18 pitches he threw were balls despite not allowing a hit or another runner to get on base. His role as closer seems secure for now though. Last season Fairbanks saved 25 games for the Rays with a 2.58 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, but the righty did have a high BB% of 10.9%, so that part of his game doesn't seem like it's going away.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoKansas City Royals starting pitching prospect
Ben Kudrna threw six no-hit innings en route to his first victory of the season at High-A. Kudrna allowed two base runners in the opening frame, one via a walk and the other via a hit-by-pitch, but then kept the bases empty for the remainder of his start. This was an excellent bounce back performance for the number three overall prospect in the Kansas City system, as he allowed two runs in just three ⅔ innings in his first start. The 21-year-old is projected to make his major league debut sometime in 2025 and is worth kicking the tires on if available in your dynasty and keeper leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoHouston Astros outfield prospect
Joey Loperfido entered Friday's game with the most home runs in professional baseball. After Friday's game, he increased his lead with three more. Loperfido's three home runs brought in seven runs, raising his long-ball total to nine. The former Duke Blue Devil has a .320/.390/.880 stat line across his first 12 games of the season. Loperfido is making a case for an immediate call-up and is well worth stashing in redraft formats simply due to how well he is hitting the ball. He could also provide a much-needed spark to a struggling Astros team. When given the promotion, the 24-year-old could slot in the Astros outfield or at first base.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates closer
David Bednar locked down the ninth inning for his second save of the season on Friday in a 5-2 win over the Phillies. After blowing three save opportunities already in the early going, manager Derek Shelton stayed true to his word that Bednar would still be the one he'd call on if a save opportunity arose in Philadelphia, and Bednar answered the call by pitching a clean inning. The 29-year-old didn't allow a hit or a walk and struck out one in the appearance. Hopefully the righty is back on track now. The Pirates (10-4) are a surprisingly competitive team thus far so they'll need Bednar to lock down more games for them. He did so last season for them 39 times to the tune of a 2.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 21.3% K-BB%. So far in 2024, he holds a 10.13 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 23.1% K-BB%.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitching prospect
Jack Leiter tallied ten punchouts across six innings in a loss on Friday evening. Leiter surrendered three earned runs and allowed six hits and no walks. Across 14 ⅓ innings at Triple-A, Leiter is riding a 3.77 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with three walks and 25 strikeouts. This is a big step for his development, not only because he is holding his own at Triple-A and showcasing great strikeout potential but also because he has lowered his ratios significantly compared to his 5.19 ERA and 1.46 WHIP from last season. The former number two overall pick from Vanderbilt is putting all of the pieces together, and if he can continue his success at Triple-A, he could be in contention to make his major league debut this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles third base prospect
Coby Mayo launched his fourth and fifth home runs of the season on Friday evening. Mayo has been one of many Baltimore prospects crushing the ball at Triple-A. The 22-year-old is now sporting a .386/.444/.754 stat line through his first 13 games. He also has 10 RBI. Mayo is proving himself to be an elite power prospect as he is nearing double-digit home runs already and launched 29 last season. Mayo may have to wait a bit longer to make his major league debut, as the Orioles have a deep infield that just welcomed
Jackson Holliday. Nonetheless, the third baseman will be a popular waiver-wire add when he receives the call to the majors later this summer, especially due to his power potential.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect
Paul Skenes continued his dominance in Triple-A on Friday, throwing three ⅓ shutout innings with three hits, one free pass, and eight strikeouts. The number three overall prospect is yet to surrender a run this season and has a minuscule 0.64 WHIP across nine and ⅓ innings, with a total of 19 punchouts. Skenes, often touted as the best pitching prospect in baseball, is on the verge of making his major league debut, showcasing his elite fantasy ceiling with his dominant swing-and-miss potential. Already rostered in all dynasty and keeper formats, Skenes is a player worth checking your waiver wire for in shallower re-draft formats, as he will be a valuable player down the stretch.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher
Ryne Stanek allowed one run on one hit and no walks across a scoreless inning in Friday's 4-2 win against the Chicago Cubs. He did not record a strikeout in Friday's victory. Stanek entered the ninth inning to protect a
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5 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said third baseman
Rafael Devers (shoulder) will likely sit out Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Devers has missed the last two games due to left shoulder soreness. The 27-year-old is considered day-to-day, with his next chance of returning to the lineup being the series finale against Los Angeles on Sunday. Devers is expected to avoid the injured list. He is slashing .184/.326/.395 with two home runs, three RBI, and five runs across 10 games in 2024.
Bobby Dalbec batted fifth and started at third base for Devers in Friday's 7-0 loss to the Angeles. The 28-year-old is likely to handle third base for Boston and see an uptick in at-bats while Devers is sidelined. Dalbec has yet to log a hit in seven games this season and can be left on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Mac Cerullo
5 days agoBoston Red Sox shortstop
Trevor Story (shoulder) underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a fractured glenoid in his left shoulder. When diving for a ball on the infield, the 31-year-old suffered a left-shoulder subluxation on April 5 versus the Los Angeles Angels. Story is expected to miss the rest of the season, but it gives him a chance to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. Since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox in 2022, Story has been limited to 145 games over the past three seasons.
David Hamilton will see an uptick in at-bats with Story sidelined. Hamilton is a speculative add-in deep-leagues after slashing .214/.267/.429 with a home run and a stolen base over five games in 2024.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
6 days agoColorado Rockies relief pitcher
Daniel Bard (knee, elbow) had a setback rehabbing and will undergo season-ending right flexor tendon surgery. After recently throwing off a mound, the banged-up Bard's season suddenly ends before it even begins while also recovering from a cleanup procedure on his left knee. The 38-year-old veteran right-hander is a free agent following the 2024 campaign, and it's unlikely that he'll draw very much interest after walking more batters (49) than he struck out (47) a season ago. Bard spent seven years away from the major leagues before latching on with Colorado in 2020.
Justin Lawrence and
Tyler Kinley are the names to watch for fantasy purposes for saves-needy managers, but Lawrence has yielded seven runs across five appearances, and Kinley has given up eight runs over six innings thus far.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Thomas Harding - MLB.com
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Robbie Ray (elbow) threw a bullpen session in Arizona on Friday. Ray has been pleased with his progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he's still not likely to be a factor for the Giants until the second half of the 2024 season. After being acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder
Mitch Haniger and right-hander
Anthony DeSclafani (forearm) this past offseason, the 32-year-old former American League Cy Young Award winner has enough strikeout upside alongside a pitcher-friendly ballpark to deserve being stashed for fantasy managers who can afford the roster spot. Former reliever
Jordan Hicks has allowed just two earned runs and three walks over 18 innings as a starter in San Fran's rotation to this point, and he's worth rostering in all mixed leagues right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitchers
Taj Bradley (pectoral) and
Shane Baz (elbow) recently threw a two-inning live batting practice session, manager Kevin Cash said on Friday. Sidelined for the past month due to a strained right pectoral, Bradley still has to go through the process of rebuilding his stamina and increasing his pitch count before he's ready to return. The 23-year-old right-hander fanned 129 batters across his 104 2/3 innings of work during his rookie year in 2023, but he gave 23 home runs in 21 starts and posted a poor 5.59 ERA. Bradley is probably about a month out from returning to the Rays, while Baz could return at some point in May after two oblique setbacks slowed his progress from Tommy John surgery recovery.
Zack Littell and
Tyler Alexander will occupy rotation spots in the meantime, with the former having only given up two runs through his first 15 1/3 frames of the campaign.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) played extended spring training games in Port Charlotte, Florida on Thursday and Friday. After a few more games there, he should join Triple-A Durham to begin a rehab assignment. Lowe only took three Grapefruit League at-bats this past spring, however, so he'll require a fairly lengthy rehab to get ready for game action, setting him up for a return in early May. The 26-year-old former top prospect should not be floating around any fantasy waiver wires after hitting .292 with 20 home runs, 33 doubles, 83 RBI, and 32 stolen bases over 466 ABs a year ago. Veterans
Amed Rosario and
Harold Ramirez will continue splitting action in right field until Lowe returns, but neither have done enough in the early goings to warrant attention in most leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTexas Rangers relief pitcher
Jose Leclerc will be working low-leverage situations temporarily, per manager Bruce Bochy. The Rangers were pleased with Leclerc's outing during Friday's 12-8 win over the division-rival Houston Astros after the right-hander struck out two batters, but it was an extremely low-leverage spot against the seventh, eighth, and ninth hitters with Texas up 12-3 in the sixth inning. It's bad news for fantasy managers hoping to get saves out of Leclerc, who holds a dismal 12.00 ERA and 2.33 WHIP with one blown save over six frames. The 30-year-old is not an instant drop candidate in fantasy, as he could work his way back into the ninth-inning mix with improved play, but
David Robertson and
Kirby Yates both have plenty of closing experience. Robertson, only rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues, has given up just one run over 8 1/3 innings and should be added across all formats until this situation is settled.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Wilson - RangersToday.com
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-handed pitcher
Yariel Rodriguez is starting Saturday's game versus the visiting Colorado Rockies, says manager John Schneider. Rodriguez is all set to be called up from Triple-A Buffalo and make the first major-league start of his career on Saturday against the Rockies, as the Jays hope to get better results than
Bowden Francis' 12.96 ERA in his two starts to begin the season. The 27-year-old Cuban right-hander threw 6 1/3 innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts during his lone start in the minor leagues this season, and he's in a pretty favorable position at home against a beatable Colorado lineup. Rodriguez is a fine streaming option for fantasy managers in AL-only or deep mixed leagues, and he could keep his rotation spot with a successful performance.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Shi Davidi - Sportsnet.ca
6 days agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) is having his rehab paused after recently experiencing more tightness in his shoulder following a bullpen session. An MRI showed that there is still an issue with the strained left lat of Rodriguez, who has been shut down from throwing. After bagging a four-year, $80 million with the D-backs this past offseason, Rodriguez has had a miserable start to his tenure in the desert following an abysmal spring training. The 31-year-old Venezuelan left-hander's setback leaves his return timeline very murky, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back before the end of April at this point.
Tommy Henry and
Ryne Nelson will serve as starters in Arizona's rotation until E-Rod is ready to return, but the two hurlers are only low-end streamers in favorable matchups.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Nick Piecoro - The Arizona Republic
6 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Nick Pivetta (elbow) is going to test his arm and play catch on Saturday. After Pivetta was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his right elbow on Tuesday, it's encouraging to hear he's ready to resume throwing. The 31-year-old right-hander was off to a spectacular start before the Red Sox shut him down, striking out 13 over 11 innings while surrendering only one run and one walk in two starts. Pivetta has a chance to return before April ends, but it remains to be seen if he'll require a rehab assignment before doing so. It's unclear who will join the club's rotation in the interim, as Boston still hasn't formally listed a probable pitcher for Saturday's matchup versus the visiting Los Angeles Angels, so there isn't a clear fantasy beneficiary of Pivetta's absence.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jen McCaffrey - The Athletic
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