5 days agoPhoenix Suns guard/forward Devin Booker had a team-high 20 points in Tuesday's Game 2 loss to the Timberwolves. He finished 6-for-13 shooting from the field and went 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. Phoenix had a miserable night offensively in a 105-93 loss, and it was summed up well by Booker's 1-for-6 effort from deep. The Suns star also collected three rebounds, five assists, and two steals with six turnovers before fouling out with a couple of minutes remaining in the game. Head coach Frank Vogel's team is now down 2-0 in the series, and Phoenix will need a lot more from Booker to turn things around. He's shot below 40 percent in the series so far, averaging 19.0 points.Source: ESPN
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman went 2-for-3 with a walk and four RBI in Tuesday's victory against the Houston Astros. Both of the outfielder's hits were home runs, his first and second of the season. Tauchman has been on a heater lately and has nine hits over his last 20 at-bats. For the season, Tauchman is hitting a respectable .283 with two homers and seven RBI to go along with 13 runs scored. With Seiya Suzuki (oblique) sidelined, Tauchman has gotten every day reps and has taken the most of the opportunity. As long as he keeps hitting, he is worth a look in deeper leagues. The outfielder will look to stay hot on Wednesday in a rematch against the Astros and rookie starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards couldn't replicate his Game 1 performance in the second game of the first-round series against Phoenix, settling for 15 points on 3-for-12 shooting in Tuesday's 105-93 win. He made two shots from outside with six attempts and was 7-for-8 at the line. Edwards couldn't get going shooting-wise but helped out well in other areas, delivering a game-high eight assists and notching five rebounds with three steals and one block. Karl-Anthony Towns also struggled to make an impact offensively, but Minnesota still dominated the contest, which must be very encouraging for the team going forward. The series shifts to Phoenix on Friday, with Edwards looking to produce a bounce-back performance in Game 3.Source: ESPN
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Logan S. Allen received his first career save in Tuesday's 14-1 rout against the St. Louis Cardinals. Allen tossed the final three innings to earn the save and looked good. The lefty allowed one hits, no runs, one walk and struck out two on the evening. Allen is in the swingman role for Arizona and it may be a while until he sees another save opportunity. He can safely remain on the waiver wire in all formats.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith started as the designated hitter on Tuesday versus the St. Louis Cardinals and had himself a big game. Smith went 2-for-5 with two runs, a home run and six RBI. His home run was a grand slam against Zack Thompson in the top of the sixth inning. Smith was recalled on April 19 and was 0-for-5 entering Tuesday's contest. Smith has shown power in the past, but that is about it and without regular playing time, he can remain on the waiver wire.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers middle infielder Brice Turang went 1-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases on Tuesday versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Turang's two stolen bases lifts his total to 12 on the season. He is also hitting a respectable .319 with two homers and nine RBI. Turang is unlikely to help much in the power department, but he has been playing every day and so far, has held his own. His true value comes in the speed department and managers looking to improve in that category should consider Turang. He is now tied with Elly De La Cruz for the league lead in stolen bases and will look to take sole control of the lead on Wednesday versus the Pirates.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz got rocked in Tuesday's loss versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The left-hander tossed 4 1/3 innings and got hit hard for six hits, seven runs and three walks. He also had four strikeouts on the evening. Matz has really struggled to open the 2024 campaign and has allowed 16 runs (13 earned runs) over his last three outings. He has also failed to get past 5 1/3 innings on the season. Matz has a lot that needs to be figured out and can be avoided in all formats, even with a favorable matchup against the Detroit Tigers to begin next week.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoCleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively put together a strong outing against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. It was his second outing of the season and both have come against the Red Sox. On Tuesday, Lively tossed 6 1/3 innings and allowed five hits, one run, zero walks and struck out seven on the evening. The 32-year-old has now allowed just three runs with 14 strikeouts and one walk over 11 1/3 innings. The Guardians always seem to have a pitcher factory churning and Lively could be the latest diamond in the rough for the franchise. It is still very early and both his starts have come against a injury plagued Red Sox lineup, but if Lively can toss another gem against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, he will be worth rostering in most formats.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher Yency Almonte recorded his first save of the season in Tuesday's victory against the Houston Astros. Almonte got the final four outs of the contest with one strikeout and no hits or walks allowed. The Cubs bullpen has been a bit of a mess in the early goings with closer Adbert Alzolay struggling to open the season, but managers should not expect Almonte to be the new closer with Alzolay still in the picture and Mark Leiter Jr. and Hector Neris ahead of him. Almonte can safely remain on the waiver wire.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoChicago White Sox starting pitcher Erick Fedde suffered a tough luck no-decision on Tuesday versus the Minnesota Twins. Fedde tossed six innings for a quality start and allowed three hits, one run, no walks and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Unfortunately for Fedde, his hard work went to waste as the White Sox bullpen blew a big lead and eventually the game. Despite the White Sox having a very tough season, Fedde has been one of the lone bright spots and boasts a respectable 2.73 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP in his first five starts. Fedde won't get many wins for managers, but he can help in other categories. He is worth a look with his next matchup coming against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoDetroit Tigers closer Jason Foley stayed perfect in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Rays, earning his seventh save. Foley came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by two and delivered a 1-2-3 performance with a strikeout. The 28-year-old has had a spotless start to the season, converting all of his save opportunities with a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA, a 9.00 K/9 rate, and a 4.91 BB/9 rate. The walk rate is higher than fantasy managers would prefer, but everything else has been fantastic.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoKansas City Royals relief pitcher James McArthur picked up his fifth save of the season in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays. McArthur came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning up by one. He got the first out on a groundout, allowed a walk, and induced a double play to end the inning. He started the ninth inning with a groundout, allowed a single, and got consecutive ground-ball outs to end the game. The 27-year-old has emerged as a useful fantasy option on a surprisingly competitive team and has now converted all but one save opportunity with a 3.09 ERA, a 9.26 K/9 rate, and a 1.54 BB/9 rate.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoSeattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh continued his strong offensive start to the season in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Rangers. Raleigh went 2-for-4 with a single, a two-run home run, and two strikeouts. The 27-year-old has hit for power as expected but has also provided average, slashing .271/.350/.529 with six HR and 13 RBI in 80 plate appearances. It remains to be seen if he can keep the average up with a 30.0% strikeout rate, but fantasy managers will enjoy it as long as it lasts.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoSeattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez finally got on the board in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Rangers. Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk, and a strikeout. The 23-year-old has started hitting for average but is still searching for power, slashing .278/.323/.344 with 10 RBI and six steals in 96 plate appearances. It's only a matter of time before he finds his power swing, so fantasy managers shouldn't be worried.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck continued his strong start to the season in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Guardians. Houck pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. The 27-year-old has been excellent to start the season, going 3-2 with a 1.65 ERA, an 8.82 K/9, and a 1.38 BB/9 in his first five starts. His next start will be a middling matchup against the Cubs, but he has pitched well enough to earn the nod in most matchups at this time.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoCleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase picked up his seventh save of the season in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Red Sox. Clase came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by three and shut things down by striking out the side. The 26-year-old has looked more like his old self this season, converting all but two save opportunities with a 0.75 ERA, a 9.75 K/9 rate, and a 0.75 BB/9 rate. Clase was still a high-end fantasy option in 2023 with slightly less impressive numbers overall, so he can be even more valuable if he reverts to how he performed early in his career.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried looked like his old self in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Marlins. Fried made the most of a favorable matchup, pitching a complete-game shutout with three hits, no walks, and six strikeouts on just 92 pitches. It was a great outing for the 30-year-old, who has struggled out of the gate this season. He is now 2-0 with a 4.97 ERA in his first five starts. He will look to build on his success in his next projected start, which will be at a middling Mariners lineup.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King did not last long in Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Rockies. King pitched just 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits (including a grand slam) and three walks with five strikeouts. The 38-year-old has had an up-and-down start to the season with his new team, going 2-2 with a 4.11 ERA, a 9.98 K/9 rate, and a 5.28 BB/9 rate in five starts. He will look to rebound in his next start in a tougher matchup against the Phillies.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoColorado Rockies relief pitcher Justin Lawrence picked up his first save of the season in Tuesday's 7-4 win over the Padres. Lawrence came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by three. He got the first two outs on a lineout and groundout, allowed a single, and ended the game on a flyout. Lawrence has pitched poorly overall this season with a 6.23 ERA and a 4.15 K/9 in nine appearances. The Rockies may not see many save opportunities this season, as this was just their fourth. However, Jake Bird has seen two of them and has pitched better than Lawrence, so he may be the best fantasy option right now in deeper roto leagues.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones (back) exited Tuesday's 7-4 win over the Padres early with a stiff back, per MLB.com's Thomas Harding. The 25-year-old went 1-for-4 with a single, an RBI, and a strikeout before being replaced by Jake Cave. Fantasy managers should keep an eye out for further updates, but Jones can be considered day-to-day for now. He has been highly disappointing to start the season, slashing just .148/.219/.250 in 96 plate appearances.Source: Thomas Harding - Twitter.com
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Tuesday that the team could be without starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) for at least a month. Kelly was placed on the injured list earlier in the day with a right shoulder strain. When asked if the 35-year-old would be back by the All-Star break, Lovullo said, "I don't know. Hard to say." This is a big blow to the Diamondbacks and fantasy managers, as Kelly had a 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 22.8% strikeout rate in his first four starts. Tommy Henry figures to slot into the rotation in Kelly's place, but fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere for immediate replacements.Source: Theo Mackie - Twitter.com
5 days agoDallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back) returned to Tuesday's matchup with the Clippers. He logged just three minutes before exiting in the first quarter with back soreness. But it appears Gafford is at least feeling well enough to return, although there's a chance he could be limited. The 25-year-old also tweaked his ankle on Sunday in Game 1, so he may appear on the injury report heading into Game 3 on Friday night.Source: Jared Greenberg
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns went cold offensively in Tuesday's postseason win over Phoenix. He scored only 12 points, going 3-for-7 from the field and 1-for-4 from deep. Fortunately, the 2015 No. 1 overall pick at least added eight rebounds and a steal. At any rate, Towns hasn't looked the same since returning from knee surgery. However, he should turn things around at some point during this series, so DFS managers should keep him on the radar.Source: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels scored a game-high 25 points in Tuesday's win over the Suns. He shot the ball well, going 10-for-17 from the field, and added eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal. The 23-year-old had just nine points in Game 1, which isn't unusual. Yet, with production like this, his popularity will increase heading toward Game 3 on Friday night. However, his rostering cost should also rise after the efficient performance.Source: ESPN
5 days agoDallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back) is questionable to return to Tuesday's matchup with the Clippers. The 25-year-old lasted three minutes before being escorted to the locker room with back soreness. The Mavs lost Game 1, so the team is certainly hoping he can get back out there. But if Gafford is done for the evening, Dereck Lively II and Maxi Kleber would likely absorb most of the surplus minutes.Source: Jared Greenberg
5 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher Jon Gray made a surprise relief appearance in Saturday's loss to the Atlanta Braves, but he's scheduled to take the ball as a starter for Wednesday's game at home versus the division-rival Seattle Mariners. After yielding five runs in his first start of the 2024 regular season, Gray is getting on a roll in April with a 1.10 ERA (2.47 FIP) and 23:7 K:BB over his last 16 1/3 innings (four appearances). The 32-year-old veteran right-hander dominated Seattle a season ago, logging a pristine 0.64 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, and 13:1 K:BB across 14 frames (two starts) against the division foes in 2023. The current M's roster is batting a paltry .159 (14-for-88) against Gray, who looks like a solid streaming option and a worthy pickup during Tuesday night's waiver runs in fantasy ahead of Wednesday's full slate.Source: Baseball Savant
5 days agoBoston Celtics center Luke Kornet (calf) won't play on Wednesday versus the Heat. The 28-year-old sustained a calf injury at practice and wasn't available for the series opener, with his absence likely to extend at least a few more contests. While Kornet had a semi-consistent role in the rotation during the regular season, head coach Joe Mazzulla only utilized three players outside of the starting lineup in Game 1, so he probably won't do much for DFS managers once he's healthy enough to return.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen (lung) is starting a rehab assignment this week, and he will need three or four outings before he's ready to return to the major-league roster. On the mend from a bruised lung that he sustained on March 9, Treinen should be back to help LA's bullpen by the beginning of May. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander missed most of the 2022 campaign and all of last season following shoulder surgery, and while he'll be in line for the occasional save opportunity based on closer Evan Phillips' availability, Treinen's fantasy value will be more pronounced in leagues that count holds. With right-handers Joe Kelly and Ryan Brasier struggling to begin to 2024 regular season, look for Treinen to become the Dodgers' primary righty setup man before long. In his last full season during 2021, Treinen posted a 1.99 ERA (2.88 FIP), 0.98 WHIP, and 85:25 K:BB over 72 2/3 innings.Source: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
5 days agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli (elbow) threw a 60-pitch bullpen session at the team's spring complex in West Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, and his velocity reached 96 mph. Cavalli is recovering from last year's Tommy John surgery and isn't expected to be available for the Nats until sometime later this summer, but it's encouraging to hear he's progressing in his throwing program. The 25-year-old former first-round pick is Washington's No. 5 prospect for 2024, per MLB Pipeline, and figures to eventually pick up starts on a rebuilding club and carry some mixed-league fantasy relevance at some point during the second half of the season, but his time may not come until the late stages of the campaign. Dynasty managers should be keeping a closer eye on his status than those in redraft settings.Source: Andrew Golden - Washington Post
5 days agoPhoenix Suns forward Grayson Allen (ankle) won't return to Tuesday's postseason meeting with Minnesota. He tweaked his right ankle during the Game 1 loss on Saturday night and was considered day-to-day. However, the former Blue Devil managed to suit up for this one, although he reinjured the same ankle, ending his night after logging only 17 minutes. With Game 3 on Friday night, Allen may not be healthy enough to get on the floor. The Suns already lack depth, so the starting lineup would presumably get plenty of work if that's the case. In addition, Royce O'Neale and Eric Gordon would be the favorites to absorb the surplus minutes.Source: Amanda Pflugrad