4 days agoAs expected, Cincinnati Reds first baseman
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) and catcher
Tyler Stephenson (hand) are both back in the lineup on Friday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and left-hander
Cole Irvin. Encarnacion-Strand is at first base and batting fifth, while Stephenson is behind the plate and batting cleanup. Both Encarnacion-Strand and Stephenson hadn't played since being hit by pitches last weekend. After hitting 13 homers in 63 games in his rookie season last year, CES has been a disappointment so far in 2024, slashing .196/.222/.314 with two homers and 16 RBI in 25 games. Stephenson will return to a .231/.338/.415 slash line with three homers and 10 RBI. Neither Encarnacion-Strand nor Stephenson have faced Irvin in their careers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jonny DeLuca (hand) will make his team debut on Friday when the team takes on the visiting New York Mets and left-hander
Jose Quintana. The 25-year-old was part of the return in a trade that sent
Tyler Glasnow and
Manuel Margot to the Los Angeles Dodgers this past offseason. He suffered a broken hand on a hit-by-pitch in spring training but raked on his Triple-A rehab assignment, hitting .300 with two homers, six RBI, a stolen base, and a 1.090 OPS across 25 trips to the plate with the Durham Bulls. DeLuca debuted with a solid .262 average with two homers, a stolen base, and a .740 OPS across 24 games with the Dodgers last season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Gavin Stone has a tough matchup on his hands on Friday as he takes the mound for a start against the high-octane Atlanta Braves. The 25-year-old has had an uneven start to this season that includes a 4.68 ERA through five starts but was excellent his last time out when he tossed seven innings of one-run ball with just two hits and two walks allowed in a win over the Toronto Blue Jays. However, Stone has just 18 strikeouts and 12 walks surrendered in his 25 innings of work on the season after striking out just 22 across 31 innings in his debut last season. Fantasy managers will continue to look for more punchouts from the righty after posting big-time strikeout totals in his minor-league tenure.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoAtlanta Braves right-hander
Charlie Morton will be aiming for more success on Friday when he takes the mound for a road contest against the difficult Los Angeles Dodgers. The 40-year-old dominated the Cleveland Guardians his last time out, tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and a walk against six strikeouts but took a tough-luck no-decision in an eventual 4-2 extra-inning loss. The veteran has had an up-and-down season that includes 5 2/3 shutout innings in his first start of the season before he allowed 10 earned runs over his next two outings and 11 1/3 innings of work. However, he has not allowed just two earned runs over 13 innings in his last two starts and owns a 3.60 ERA through five starts. He will take on a Dodgers team that ranks first in baseball with a .354 wOBA versus right-handed pitching.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoCleveland Guardians right-hander
Tanner Bibee will be in search of another excellent start on Friday when he takes on the visiting Los Angeles Angels. The 25-year-old dominated a tough Atlanta Braves offense his last time out, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing just a pair of hits and zero walks against nine strikeouts on the day. He has now allowed just three earned runs over his last three starts spanning 17 2/3 innings of work with only four walks against 20 strikeouts in that time. For the season, Bibee sports a 3.45 ERA across six starts with 35 strikeouts and 12 walks across 31 1/3 innings of work. He will take on an Angels lineup that sits 14th with a .308 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoWashington Nationals left-hander
Patrick Corbin will look to get straightened out on Friday when he toes the rubber against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The 34-year-old yielded seven runs his last time out against the Miami Marlins, and while only four were earned, it's the fifth time in six starts this season in which he had yielded at least four earned runs. He coughed up eight hits, including a homer, alongside a pair of walks in just four innings his last time out. The ugly outing raised his ERA to 6.82 through six starts this season after he tossed a 5.20 ERA across 32 starts last season. He will take on a Jays team that sports a .314 wOBA versus left-handed pitching this season, good for a share of 13th league-wide.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that catcher
Gary Sanchez (hamstring) is "good to go" but not at 100 percent yet.
Eric Haase is currently with the team as catching insurance, but it sounds like Sanchez is available off the bench for Friday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 31-year-old veteran backstop was removed from Tuesday's game early with right-hamstring tightness, but it appears he will stay with the team and will avoid a trip to the injured list. Sanchez will continue to work as
William Contreras' backup and is worth rostering in two-catcher leagues for his power potential from the right side of the plate. Through his first 18 games with Milwaukee, Sanchez has gone 10-for-48 (.208) with three home runs and six RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals left-hander
Steven Matz (back) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 1) on Friday with a lower-back strain. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. It's unclear how long it will take the 32-year-old veteran southpaw to return, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's out longer than two weeks. Matz attempted to pitch through his back issue in his latest start on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers but wasn't effective. He's opened the year 1-2 with a bloated 6.18 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with only 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 27 2/3 innings over six starts for the Cardinals. Matz isn't a must-hold in deep-mixed leagues, especially if he's out longer than two weeks. It's unclear who might take his rotation spot in St. Louis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Cardinals
4 days agoChicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander
Kyle Hendricks' (back) minor-league rehab start with Double-A Tennessee on Thursday was "encouraging," but Hendricks will make another rehab start on Tuesday with Iowa. The 34-year-old veteran gave up two runs while fanning seven batters in five innings for Tennessee on Thursday, but the Cubs want to see more before bringing him back to the big-league starting rotation. In his five starts with Chicago before landing on the IL, Hendricks had a disastrous 12.00 ERA (7.71 FIP) and 2.09 WHIP with seven walks and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. Given how bad Hendricks was with the Cubs, it's fair for fantasy managers in mixed leagues to not want anything to do with him when he's back in Chicago's rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
4 days agoUpdating a previous report, Chicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) will come off the injured list and start on Monday at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Diego Padres, assuming his bullpen session on Saturday goes well. Steele made just one minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and gave up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings while throwing 63 pitches, so the 28-year-old southpaw will almost certainly be on a lowered pitch count in his return on Monday. Steele isn't dealing with an arm injury, but he'll be a pretty risky fantasy starter on Monday against the Friars regardless. Monday's start will be his first since he injured his hamstring on Opening Day on March 28.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
4 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Eddie Rosario is hitting .086 in 23 games so far this year, including an 0-for-2 performance with two strikeouts in Thursday's loss to the Texas Rangers. Despite his slow start, manager Dave Martinez plans to stick with the nine-year big-leaguer who has a history of struggling at the plate in March and April. "It's early," said Martinez. "You've got to give him a chance, you really do. I'm not going to sit him down yet right now. He's got to go out there and play. … I've seen him play before. This kid can hit. He can put you on his shoulders." The 32-year-old is a career .265 hitter, but he's hit just .205 in March and April. But Rosario's average exit velocity (88.6 mph) and hard-hit rate (38.5%) are below league average, and fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't have the same patience as Martinez.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato
5 days agoChicago Cubs left-handers
Jordan Wicks (forearm) and
Drew Smyly (hip) have been cleared to resume playing catch. Wicks just landed on the 15-day injured list this past Sunday with a left-forearm strain, while Smyly has been out for two weeks due to a right-hip impingement. Wicks' injury is obviously a bit less serious, but it's good news for the Cubs pitching staff that both southpaws are ramping back up. It's unclear when either hurler will be able to return to the big-league roster, but when Wicks is ready, he should return to the rotation. The 24-year-old went 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 28 K's in 23 innings in his first five starts. Smyly has plenty of starting experience, but he figures to return to the Cubs' bullpen when he's activated.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) took batting practice on the field this week and continues to progress from the right-oblique strain that he suffered on April 14. It was the first time that Suzuki took batting practice, so he's certainly getting closer to a return from the injured list. The 29-year-old said he's around 80 percent recovered from the injury and he could start a minor-league rehab assignment next week as long as he doesn't suffer a setback. The Japanese outfielder was hitting a cool .305 (18-for-59) with three home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored at the time of his injury, and he'll return to an everyday role with the Cubs when he's healthy, so he shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires.
Mike Tauchman could be the biggest loser in terms of playing time for the Cubs once Suzuki returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
5 days agoChicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) is slated to throw a bullpen session on Saturday in Chicago and will be re-evaluated from there. Manager Craig Counsell said that Steele had a successful minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday despite giving up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings pitched. He appears to be progressing well, and there's a chance he's activated from the injured list if everything goes well with his bullpen session this weekend. However, the fact that the 28-year-old southpaw didn't even go four full innings in his last rehab start would suggest that he'll need to make at least one more start in the minors before returning to Chicago's rotation. Regardless, Steele needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues after breaking out in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
5 days agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi (groin) is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Friday after being forced to leave his start early on Thursday against the visiting Washington Nationals with a groin injury. Manager Bruce Bochy said the club is "being cautious" with the 34-year-old veteran starter, but it doesn't mean the oft-injured pitcher won't require a stint on the injured list and miss a couple turns through the rotation. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Eovaldi to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday in Oakland against the Athletics, but we should know more on that this weekend. If we had to guess, we'd expect Eovaldi to go on the shelf. Despite his groin injury on Thursday, he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with eight strikeouts to pick up his second win of the year. Eovaldi should be stashed in all fantasy formats if he does land on the IL.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
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