4 days agoTampa Bay Rays relief pitcher
Jason Adam worked around a walk with three strikeouts in Monday’s 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox to earn his third save of the season. The 32-year-old right-hander has been Tampa Bay's best reliever on the season with an excellent stat line of 1.47 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a .138 batting average allowed. It's important to note that the regular closer,
Pete Fairbanks (finger), was unavailable due to a cut on his finger. If Adam keeps this dominance up and Fairbanks' early season struggles continue, don't be surprised if Kevin Cash turns this bullpen into a closer-by-committee situation or, better yet, Adam takes over as the everyday Tampa Bay closer.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Garrett Whitlock (oblique) will make his first and possibly only minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday morning. Manager Alex Cora said that if all goes well for Whitlock on Wednesday, he'll only need one rehab start. In addition, the skipper reiterated that Whitlock is a starting pitcher moving forward The 27-year-old is getting close to a return from the 15-day injured list and should be rostered in most fantasy leagues after getting off to a 1-0 start with a 1.96 ERA (3.30 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with seven walks and 17 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings over his first four starts this year before going on the injured list. Whitlock is attempting to return from a left-oblique strain that has kept him out for almost a month. When he's back,
Cooper Criswell is the most in jeopardy of losing his rotation spot in Beantown.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
4 days agoTexas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter (back) said his MRI exam showed only inflammation in his lower back. He will get a cortisone injection on Tuesday and hopes to return to the lineup in a few days. Ultimately, it's good news for Carter, who hasn't played since last Friday, but fantasy managers may still be without him for a few more days. And if Carter still doesn't feel good by then, the Rangers will surely consider placing him on the injured list. With Carter out on Monday,
Ezequiel Duran drew the start in left field and hit eighth in the order, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout to drop his season average to .297 in the 7-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The 21-year-old Carter is an everyday player when healthy despite hitting just .216 (27-for-125) to begin his first full season in the big leagues. Carter has added five homers, 15 RBI, two steals and 23 runs scored in his first 37 games in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: RangersToday.com - Jeff Wilson
4 days agoAtlanta Braves relief pitcher
A.J. Minter picked up his first save of the season in Monday's 2-0 win over the Cubs. Minter entered the game to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two. He allowed a leadoff single and a walk but induced a ground-ball double play and ended the game with a flyout.
Raisel Iglesias had pitched in two of the team's last three games, so Minter got the nod to close this one out. Minter has had closing experience in the past but has only converted one of four opportunities this season with a 3.57 ERA in 17 2/3 innings of work. He is worth a look in deeper roto leagues and saves-plus-holds leagues, but his fantasy value will remain limited overall if Iglesias is healthy.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Jordan Hicks worked around a tough matchup in Monday's 6-4 extra-innings loss to the Dodgers. Hicks pitched five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits (including a solo home run) and no walks with four strikeouts. The 27-year-old has re-adjusted to a starting role quite well with a 3-1 record and a 2.44 ERA in nine starts and 48 IP. His next start should be much more favorable in a home matchup against the Rockies.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies second baseman
Bryson Stott brought the late-inning heroics in the Monday night 5-4 win by hitting a game-tying solo home run against New York Mets closer
Edwin Diaz. Stott also included an infield single to make that three games in a row with a multi-hit effort. He is now sporting a .270 batting average with three home runs, 23 RBI, and 10 stolen bases over 36 games. In the past week, he's been doing it all for fantasy managers with 10 hits, nine runs batted in, and four stolen bases. Look for Stott to keep it rolling with three more games on tap against the Mets and three against the Nationals to cap off the week.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSeattle Mariners closer
Andres Munoz earned his sixth save of the season in Monday's 6-2 win over the Royals. Munoz entered the game in the top of the eighth inning up by two with two outs and a runner on second. He ended the inning with a strikeout and stayed on to pitch the ninth, delivering a 1-2-3 inning with two more strikeouts. The save count hasn't been as high as fantasy managers were hoping for, but the 25-year-old has pitched very well, converting all but one save opportunity with a 1.62 ERA, an 11.34 K/9 rate, and a 3.78 BB/9 rate in 16 2/3 innings of work.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
George Kirby got things back on track in Monday's 6-2 win over the Royals. Kirby turned in seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks with six strikeouts. He also hit two batters. The 26-year-old is now 4-3 with a 3.58 ERA, a 9.12 K/9 rate, and a 0.89 BB/9 rate in nine starts and 50 1/3 IP. He will face a tougher matchup in his next scheduled start at the Orioles, but fantasy managers should feel comfortable starting him unless they have the luxury of better alternatives.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Jose Alvarado picked up his eighth save of the season in Monday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Mets. Alvarado came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th inning up by one with an automatic runner on second and shut the door with a 1-2-3 outing. The 28-year-old has pitched well overall this season and has seen the majority of save opportunities for the Phillies, converting all of them with a 3.57 ERA, an 8.15 K/9 rate, and a 3.57 BB/9 rate. While other Phillies relievers offer fantasy value in deeper leagues and saves-plus-holds leagues, Alvarado is the pitcher to roster in conventional fantasy leagues at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoNew York Mets closer
Edwin Diaz was not sharp in Monday's 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Phillies. Diaz came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two. He allowed a leadoff solo home run, allowed a single and a walk, got the first out on a strikeout and the second out on a pop-out, allowed another walk, hit a batter to bring the tying run in, and ended the inning with a strikeout. The 30-year-old, who did not pitch last season due to injury, has not looked as sharp, converting five of seven save opportunities with a 3.24 ERA, a 13.50 K/9 rate, and a 3.24 BB/9 rate. However, he should be given a long leash with his history of excellence and fantasy managers should not panic at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga has done it again in Monday’s 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. The lefty tossed five more shut-out innings against a powerful Braves lineup with eight strikeouts, seven hits allowed, and three walks. He did not factor into the decision. This would generally be a top stat line for any other starting pitcher this season, but not for Imanaga. It's only the third time he didn't make it past six innings in the young season and the first time he has walked three batters in a game. He wasn't as efficient with his pitch count, which is the reason for his shorter outing, but with no runs allowed, he lowered his earned run average to an absurd 0.96 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP. Although his insane run is impossible to sustain, you can feel great as a fantasy manager knowing his next matchup this weekend against a Pittsburgh Pirates lineup that is batting .220 against lefties on the season.
--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoDetroit Tigers relief pitcher
Jason Foley earned his 10th save of the season in Monday's 6-5 win over the Marlins. Foley came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by one and delivered a 1-2-3 outing with a strikeout. After starting the season as the team's closer, the Tigers have mixed up their bullpen usage over the past couple of weeks. However, Foley has been the team's best reliever, converting all but one save opportunity with a 2.20 ERA, an 8.27 K/9 rate, and a 3.86 BB/9 rate. He still seems like the pitcher to roster for fantasy purposes and may be able to earn the closer's role back if he can string together several solid performances.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe Chicago Cubs are reportedly trading infielder Jake Slaughter to the Seattle Mariners for relief pitcher
Tyson Miller, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 28-year-old Miller was designated for assignment and will join the Cubs in the bullpen. He put together strong numbers in limited action with the Mariners, compiling a 3.09 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 26.7% strikeout rate in 11 2/3 innings pitched. The 27-year-old Slaughter had slashed .297/.392/.486 with five home runs, 17 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 130 plate appearances with Triple-A Iowa. Neither player should be on the fantasy radar until their roles are established.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan - Twitter.com
4 days agoChicago Cubs first baseman prospect
Matt Mervis hit his eighth home run of the season and third in his past two games on Sunday for Triple-A Iowa. The 26-year-old is hitting .474 (9-for-19) in the last five games since being sent back to Triple-A. Unfortunately, the left-handed hitter hasn't hit well during his time with the big league club, going 15-for-90 (.167) in 2023 and 3-for-26 (.115) in 2024. With
Michael Busch excelling and blocking him at first base, Mervis was used as designated hitter while with the Cubs, but they decided to give
Miles Mastrobuoni a shot when they sent Mervis back down. Mastrobuoni hasn't seen any more success, hitting .150 over 20 at-bats. If Mervis can keep it up, it's probably not the last time we see him in Chicago this year.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
4 days agoSeattle Mariners second baseman
Jorge Polanco (hamstring) exited Monday's game against the Royals in the fifth inning with right hamstring tightness, per the team's Twitter account. Polanco went 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, and a strikeout before being replaced in the field by
Luis Urias. Fantasy managers should look for further updates on Polanco's status once the game has ended. The 30-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his career, so hopefully this one will not be serious.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Seattle Mariners Communications Department - Twitter.com
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