5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers catcher
Will Smith added to his homer total in a 9-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Smith went 1-for-5 in the contest with a solo homer in the fifth inning off of Cincy starter
Graham Ashcraft. The blast traveled 369 feet and had an exit velocity of 99.3 MPH. Smith continues to solidify his case as one of the top fantasy catchers in the game, hitting .298 with an .850 OPS, six homers, 27 runs, and 33 RBI across 168 at-bats. He sets up as a must-start in fantasy whenever he's in the lineup.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoAtlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. turned in a productive performance in an 11-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. Acuna went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in the loss. The veteran's blast came in the eighth inning, traveling 397 feet with an exit velocity of 103.6 MPH. Off to a slow start this season, by his lofty standards, Acuna is now hitting .247 with four homers, 38 runs, 15 RBI, and 15 steals across 186 at-bats. With that being his first homer in over a week, Acuna will look to stay hot moving forward.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoMiami Marlins left-hander
Braxton Garrett turned in an excellent performance in a 3-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Garrett threw a complete-game shutout, striking out six, walking none, and allowing just four hits in the win. The veteran lefty appears to be rounding into form after he opened the season on the injured list with a left shoulder impingement. He has now made three starts for Miami this season, with his best effort coming in Friday's shutout win over Arizona. Garrett now has a 1-0 record, 5.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings of work. Fantasy gamers will want to check waivers to see if Garrett is available now that he's shown he's over his early-season injury.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoMinnesota Twins closer
Jhoan Duran got back on track in Friday's win over the visiting Texas Rangers, earning his fifth save of the year with one strikeout in the ninth inning.
Travis Jankowski walked to get the tying run aboard, but Duran got
Marcus Semien to ground out to secure the Twins' 3-2 win. Duran needed a bounce-back effort in the worst way after giving up five runs over his past three appearances, and while the 26-year-old fire-balling right-hander's 4.02 ERA through 10 2/3 innings overall out of Minnesota's bullpen in 2024 leaves a lot to be desired, his 1.03 WHIP is more encouraging. Duran has converted each of his five save opportunities for the Twins as well, and he's starting to get more ninth-inning work following a delayed start to the season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants closer
Camilo Doval nearly blew the save in Friday's win on the road over the New York Mets, but he held on to record his ninth save of the year despite a one-run ninth inning.
DJ Stewart first doubled to get the tying run to the plate in the ninth, scoring on a
Francisco Lindor single. Doval may have been the one to ultimately seal the deal on Friday, but it was
Matt Chapman's stunning bare-handed throw to first base to retire
Mark Vientos for the final out that completed the adventure. The flame-throwing 26-year-old right-hander features a 3.05 ERA with 27 punchouts through 20 2/3 innings as San Fran's stopper this year, but his 1.50 WHIP is a cause for some concern. Despite the shaky outing, Doval should still be viewed as one of fantasy’s preeminent closers going forward.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher
Bailey Falter produced a strong outing in Friday's victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves, striking out four and allowing three runs on six hits (one home run) and two walks over 7 1/3 innings for his third win of the season. This was Falter's third consecutive quality start, and this one should be viewed as all the more impressive when you consider Atlanta's buzz saw of a lineup. On the season as a whole, the 27-year-old right-hander owns a serviceable 3.55 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 33:14 K:BB over 58 1/3 frames (10 starts) as a pleasant surprise from Pittsburgh's rotation. Falter will carry a decent level of streaming appeal for fantasy purposes in his next scheduled start against a disappointing Toronto Blue Jays next Friday at the Rogers Centre.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoCleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez went yard twice in Friday's win on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, walloping his 13th and 14 home runs of the season. After crushing a
Patrick Sandoval sinker for a two-run home run to make the score 4-1 Guardians in the third inning, Ramirez tagged Sandoval for another long ball to extend the Cleveland's lead to 7-2 in the fourth. Over his last 18 games, the 31-year-old fantasy superstar is batting .329 with nine round-trippers, 24 RBI, and three stolen bases as the engine to Cleveland's offense. Ramirez should continue beating up on the Halos this weekend; in 24 games against the Angels since 2021, he's hitting a scalding .353 with 10 bombs, 23 RBI, 20 runs scored, and seven steals.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher
MacKenzie Gore dominated the Seattle Mariners in Friday's victory, throwing seven innings of one-run ball on four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts for his third win of the campaign. Make it three straight quality starts for Gore, who has given up greater than two runs just two times over his 10 starts in 2024. The 25-year-old former No. 3 overall pick sports a steady 3.04 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 53 1/3 innings overall for the Nationals, fanning 62 batters and walking 17 this season. With that said, Gore might be better suited on fantasy benches against the vaunted Atlanta Braves lineup when his next scheduled start rolls around on Wednesday.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez smashed his 12th home of the year in Friday's loss on the road to the Cincinnati Reds, adding a double and two walks in the defeat. Hernandez tried to make things interesting in the ninth inning, smashing a solo home run to right field off Reds left-hander
Brent Suter to cut the deficit to 9-6, but it wasn't enough as the team fell in the high-scoring affair. The 31-year-old veteran slugger is slashing a prolific .254/.329/.487 with 12 big flies, 38 RBI, 31 runs scored, and three stolen bases through 197 at-bats (53 games) as an everyday corner outfielder in the heart of LA's star-studded lineup this year. Hernandez will remain a great fantasy play across the board through the weekend series against the Reds, now hitting .393 with two blasts and four RBI in eight games versus Cincinnati since 2023.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants catcher
Patrick Bailey sunk the New York Mets in Friday's win on the road, blasting a go-ahead grand slam to give his team a 7-6 lead in the eighth inning. Bailey got a hold of a fastball from Mets right-hander
Reed Garrett on a 2-0 count with the bases loaded in a high-leverage spot, cranking his fourth home run of the year. The 24-year-old switch-hitting backstop is now hitting .301 (28-for-93) with four long balls, six doubles, 16 RBI, and two stolen bases in 30 games as San Fran's top catcher following the trade of
Joey Bart earlier this year. With a unique skill set, Bailey is certainly worth a look as an option for fantasy managers in deep two-catcher leagues with the way he's performing for the Giants right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoCincinnati Reds second baseman
Jonathan India halted a slump in Friday's win over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, mashing his third home run of the season. India smacked a grand slam to left field off Dodgers left-hander
Alex Vesia, giving the Reds a 9-5 lead in the fifth inning. Entering Friday's action just 1-for-21 in his last seven outings, India raised his triple-slash line to what's still a weak .223/.335/.318 to go with three homers, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored, and four stolen bases over 185 plate appearances (44 games) as Cincy's everyday second baseman this season. India's playing time is still locked in until
Noelvi Marte (suspension) returns later this summer, and he's now batting .302 with two long balls, seven RBI, five runs scored in 12 games versus the Dodgers since 2022 with two more outings against LA on tap this weekend.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher
Josiah Gray (elbow/forearm) will throw a two-inning live batting practice on Saturday. It's been a longer absence than originally anticipated for Gray, who was placed on the 15-day injured list back on April 9 due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. A May return isn't a reasonable expectation at this stage, as Gray will likely need a handful of minor-league rehab appearance before he rejoins Washington's rotation. Considering the 26-year-old former top prospect has yielded 13 runs over 8 1/3 innings (two starts) in 2024, the club is likely in no hurry to push him back into the fray. Rookie southpaw
Mitchell Parker has been a nice surprise for the Nats this year, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 32:8 K:BB across seven starts (38 innings), and he's worth streaming in fantasy in favorable conditions.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Golden - Washington Post
5 days agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Edward Cabrera (shoulder) has been shut down from throwing for five to seven days. Cabrera's rehab from a right shoulder impingement found a hitch in the road when he didn't recover well from last Friday's bullpen session, so the Marlins will err on the side of caution with the former top prospect. At this point, fantasy managers should probably not be expecting Cabrera to be an option until late June at the earliest. The hard-throwing 26-year-old right-hander has all the talent to develop into an upper-echelon fantasy starter with 31 punchouts through 21 1/3 innings this year, but his lack of control has always prevented him from reaching his full potential. With a 7.17 ERA and 1.59 WHIP over three starts, Cabrera isn't looking like the most convincing stash in redraft leagues right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Christina De Nicola - MLB.com
5 days agoCleveland Guardians manager
Stephen Vogt said starting pitcher
Gavin Williams (elbow) threw a live batting practice session on Friday and will throw another one in a few days. Barring any setbacks, Williams will begin a minor-league rehab assignment before the end of May. Williams has not yet made his 2024 regular-season debut due to an extended absence with discomfort in his right elbow, but he's finally tracking toward rejoining Cleveland's rotation before the end of June. Due to the long layoff, he figures to need multiple rehab appearances before doing so. The 24-year-old former top prospect registered a promising 3.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 81:37 K:BB across 82 innings (16 starts) for the Guardians during his rookie season in 2023, and Williams' upside to contribute across the board in fantasy means he deserves to be stashed in the majority of leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Kyle Glaser
5 days agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said before Friday's game versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies that outfielder
Nolan Jones (back, knee) is still a few days away from resuming full baseball activities. Jones was running and stretching at Coors Field on Friday, but he's still not ready to take swings. After heading to the injured list on April 30 with a strained lower back, Jones then experienced swelling in his knee during his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque last weekend and remains without a clear timeline for a return at this point. Even though the speedy 26-year-old slugger was slashing a miserable .170/.243/.277 with one home run, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, and two stolen bases through 26 games (94 at-bats) as Colorado's everyday left fielder before hitting the shelf, his five-category upside when healthy makes him worth stashing in all fantasy leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Patrick Lyons
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