7 days agoCincinnati Reds first baseman
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (illness) was scratched from the team's lineup on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners due to an illness. He was the second Reds starter in as many days to be held out of the lineup with an illness, as
Jeimer Candelario was scratched on Tuesday with flu-like symptoms. Candelario was also out on Wednesday, so it appears there's a bug going around Cincy's clubhouse right now. The good news is that the Reds are off on Thursday, so hopefully Candelario, Encarnacion-Strand and anyone else not feeling well will be feeling good enough on Friday to play against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. CES has two home runs and 12 RBI so far this year, but he's off to a slow start, hitting .192 (14-for-73) in his first 17 games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoTexas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said that there isn't a firm number of rehab at-bats that first baseman
Nathaniel Lowe (hamstring) needs, but said it could be "about 30, could be more." As of right now, Lowe has only had 16 at-bats on his minor-league rehab assignment for Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock, so the 28-year-old left-handed slugger may not necessarily be ready to return from the 10-day injured list to make his 2024 debut with the Rangers this weekend. Barring a setback, though, Lowe should be able to make his season debut with Texas at some point next week. When he returns, Lowe will be the team's regular first baseman, pushing
Jared Walsh to a bench role. If he isn't already, Lowe should be rostered in all fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
7 days agoBoston Red Sox infielder
Romy Gonzalez's (wrist) MRI exam came back clean, according to manager Alex Cora. The Red Sox sent Gonzalez for testing after he felt pain in his left wrist when swinging the bat on Wednesday, but the 27-year-old has dodged a bullet in terms of structural damage in his wrist. He's still on the 10-day injured list, though, and probably isn't going to be ready to return to the big-league club when he's eligible to return. Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in his two games played with the BoSox this year before getting hurt. When healthy, he'll serve as middle-infield depth (mainly at second base) and isn't much of a fantasy asset.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
7 days agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Nick Pivetta (elbow) is throwing at 120 feet on Thursday and Friday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. Pivetta is on the 15-day injured list due to a right-elbow sprain, and while he's making progress in his throwing program, he still has a ways to go and will eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to Boston's starting rotation. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't expect the 31-year-old to make it back before the calendar flips to May, but Pivetta should be stashed after looking excellent in his first two starts of 2024. He allowed just one earned run on eight hits (one home run) while walking one and striking out 13 in 11 innings pitched for a 0.82 ERA.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
7 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (head) remains out of the lineup on Thursday in the series finale against the Cleveland Guardians. O'Neill has passed the league's concussion protocols after colliding with third baseman
Rafael Devers in the outfield on Monday but needed stitches for a cut on his head and hasn't played since. The 28-year-old should be able to avoid going on the seven-day concussion list and he could even return to the lineup as early as Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Jarren Duran is starting in left field again and batting leadoff, while
Wilyer Abreu is in right and hitting third against Guardians right-hander
Carlos Carrasco. Fantasy managers are hoping O'Neill can return as soon as possible, as so far he's hitting .313 (15-for-48) with seven home runs, eight RBI and one stolen base.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Ian Browne
7 days agoLos Angeles Angels catcher
Logan O'Hoppe and outfielder
Aaron Hicks will both start on the bench for Thursday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays. It's not surprise that O'Hoppe is out for the day game following a night game.
Matt Thaiss is doing the catching and batting fifth, while
Mickey Moniak is in right field and batting sixth against Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot. Neither Thaiss nor Moniak have faced Pepiot in their careers. O'Hoppe has been very hot to start the year, going 18-for-53 (.340) with two home runs and seven RBI in his first 16 games, while Hicks has been the opposite, going 7-for-44 (.159) with a homer and four RBI in his first 13 games with the Halos. Hicks has started just one of the team's last four games and is losing fantasy value quickly in AL-only leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
7 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Randy Arozarena is not in the team's starting lineup on Thursday for the series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. With Arozarena starting on the bench,
Harold Ramirez will start in left field for the Rays and will hit cleanup against Angels right-hander
Griffin Canning. Arozarena could use a day off, as he's hitting just .174 (12-for-69) with two homers, six RBI, four steals and 19 strikeouts in his first 18 games, and he's currently in a 2-for-23 slump. Hopefully, the day off helps the 29-year-old get right heading into this weekend. Ramirez has gone 18-for-71 (.254) in the early going with a homer, eight RBI and a stolen base. He has never faced Canning in his career but could be a nice producer at a low cost in DFS on Thursday out of the cleanup spot for Tampa.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers will undergo an MRI on his left knee after he felt discomfort. Devers was pulled from the game on Tuesday but gave it a go as designated hitter on Wednesday. Manager Alex Cora states that the MRI is precautionary in nature to make sure the knee is structurally sound. Devers is not in the lineup Thursday, so we'll await to see the results of the MRI to get a better understanding of the injury and whether or not he'll be able to play this weekend. The 2x All-Star is off to a slow start at the plate, hitting just .188 with two home runs, five RBI, and five runs scored through 13 games. On the bright side he's got a 9:10 BB:K, with three of those strikeouts coming on Wednesday alone.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: The Springfield Republican - Christopher Smith
7 days agoNew York Yankees closer
Clay Holmes notched his seventh save of the season in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Blue Jays, tying him for the league lead in all of baseball. Holmes allowed one hit but did not allow a run, a feat he's managed in all of his appearances so far this season, resulting in a perfect 0.00 ERA. The 31-year-old also has a 1.11 WHIP, although he isn't striking out many batters at just 15.4%. As long as he's locking down saves though, fantasy managers won't mind. After two straight 20+ save campaigns with New York, Holmes appears well on his way to 20+ again and is a top option at closer.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
7 days agoTampa Bay Rays closer
Pete Fairbanks blew the save in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Angels. Fairbanks came on in the ninth with a 4-3 lead and recorded an out to the first batter he faced, then the wheels came off. The 30-year-old proceeded to allow three singles and two walks (one was an IBB to
Mike Trout) which resulted in two runs coming across the plate and a blown save. It was only his first blown save of the season, but he's been up and down so far to start the year. Over eight appearances (seven IP) the righty has allowed seven earned runs on eight hits with a BB:K of 8:10. Fairbanks does have three saves to his name thus far and his job doesn't seem to be in jeopardy, but a couple more outings like this and fantasy managers might consider picking up
Jason Adam as insurance.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
7 days agoThe long-awaited arrival of Houston Astros pitching prospect
Forrest Whitley was short-lived. Houston's 2016 first-round draft pick and former top pitching prospect has battled injuries over the years but finally got the call, only to face five batters in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Braves before being sent back down to Triple-A Sugar Land. The righty allowed a double, a walk, and hit a batter, but was able to record two outs in the inning. Even when healthy, Whitley hasn't been very effective, so we'll see where he goes from here. He's still just 26 years old, so perhaps a change of scenery would serve him well. For fantasy, however, he remains irrelevant.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
7 days agoArizona Diamondbacks designated hitter
Joc Pederson homered for the second straight game in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Cubs. Pederson came on to pinch hit in the sixth for
Blaze Alexander, lining out to first in his initial at-bat before homering in the next at-bat in the bottom of the ninth off of lefty
Drew Smyly. Pederson is off to a solid start this season, hitting .333 (11-for-33) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, and seven runs scored. Last season, Pederson saw an increase in his BB% by 3.7% over the prior year, up to 13.4%, and it appears he's brought the keen eye into 2024, having walked nine times while striking out just once. The result is a superb .467 OBP thus far.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
7 days agoGolden State Warriors forward
Andrew Wiggins could be heading toward the exit this summer. The Ringer reports that league sources believe Wiggins will be included in trade talks in the offseason as the Warriors look to improve their roster following a disappointing campaign. Golden State's season ended on Tuesday when the team suffered a blowout loss in the play-in tournament against Sacramento. Wiggins has spent four and a half seasons with the Warriors, winning the NBA championship in 2022. However, he had a rough campaign in 2023-24, and a divorce might be mutually beneficial. Wiggins is coming off the first season of a four-year, $109 million contract.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: The Ringer
7 days agoMilwaukee Bucks point guard
Damian Lillard (groin) was able to practice on Wednesday in a limited capacity and is expected to get a full session under his belt on Friday. Lillard is trying to get ready for Game 1 of the team's first-round series against Indiana, which starts on Sunday night. It's unlikely that we will see
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in the lineup at the weekend, and Lillard's unavailability would be another huge blow for Milwaukee. However, the star guard appears to be trending in the right direction. If he's cleared to play, we should see fireworks from Lillard, as he'll be expected to do a lot more without Antetokounmpo. Lillard averaged a big 34-point, 10-assist double-double during his last playoff campaign in 2021.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
7 days agoLos Angeles Clippers guard/forward
Kawhi Leonard (knee) hasn't yet been cleared for five-on-five practice, but head coach Tyronn Lue appears to be confident of having him in the lineup when playoff action starts this weekend. "I'm preparing to have him on the court," Lue said on Wednesday. "We just take it day-by-day. He's getting better and we'll see how much he continues to progress." Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in his right knee. The Clippers start their first-round series against Dallas on Sunday. Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, is known as a great post-season performer and has averaged at least 30 points in three of his last four playoff campaigns.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Associated Press
7 days agoCleveland Cavaliers shooting guard
Sam Merrill (neck) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice as he continues to work his way back from injury. A neck problem kept him out for the final three regular-season games, but Merrill looks to be on track to return to the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 8.0 points in 17.5 minutes during the regular season, shooting 40.4 percent from downtown. Merrill's shooting ability makes him a good option to have on the bench, but the rotations get tighter during the postseason, and he likely won't see a lot of time on the court.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chris Fedor
7 days agoCleveland Cavaliers forward
Dean Wade (knee) isn't expected to play in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. He missed the end of the regular season, making his last appearance on March 8, and Wade wasn't in Wednesday's practice. Wade's absence means more minutes to
Georges Niang and
Marcus Morris Sr. off the Cavaliers bench. However, neither player doesn't carry any significant fantasy value as long as
Evan Mobley stays healthy.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: P.J. Ziegler
7 days agoAccording to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Chicago Bulls guard
Alex Caruso suffered a "significant" left ankle sprain in Wednesday's play-in contest against Atlanta and is doubtful to play on Friday versus Miami. Caruso suffered the injury in the first quarter on Wednesday when he collided with teammate
Andre Drummond. Following a visit to the locker room, Caruso was able to return to the court, but he didn't see any action since the 9:43 mark in the third quarter. The injury will likely bring
Javonte Green into the starting unit on Friday. He was a late addition to the Bulls squad during the regular season but had a productive time with the team. In five starts, Green notched 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds with 1.2 steals in 29.2 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski
7 days agoMiami Heat forward
Jimmy Butler (knee) is feared to have suffered an MCL injury in Wednesday's 105-104 loss to Philadelphia in the play-in tournament. He was hurt near the end of the first quarter when Philadelphia's
Kelly Oubre Jr. landed on Butler's right knee. The Heat star managed to complete the contest and logged a productive 40 minutes, but the injury could sideline Butler for an indefinite period. He's scheduled to have an MRI on the knee on Thursday.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. and
Caleb Martin should carry a bigger load if Butler is forced to come out of the lineup for Friday's contest against Chicago.
Tyler Herro and
Bam Adebayo will be asked to do more on the offensive end.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
7 days agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Kevin Alcantara went 2-for-4 with a home run on Wednesday for Double-A Tennessee. The home run would be the first of the year for the 21-year-old. Alcantara has been off to a very slow start this year, hitting just .086 with a stolen base and hopefully Wednesday round-tripper will get him going. It is only nine games in, so there is no concern for the talented outfielder. Alcantara offers loads of potential and the power should continue to blossom as his body fills out, but he needs to become more disciplined at the dish to reach his full potential. The Cubs have plenty of outfield depth throughout their system, but Alcantara has arguably the most upside. If he can improve his vision at the plate, Alcantara could be a star at the next level. Dynasty managers should consider Alcantara moving forward.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
7 days agoChicago Cubs shortstop prospect
Matt Shaw is a name for dynasty managers to take note of, as he has been on fire to open the season for Double-A Tennessee. The Cubs first-round pick of 2023 had a great Spring Training with the club
read more...
7 days agoDetroit Tigers outfield prospect
Max Clark went 3-for-5 with four RBI for Single-A Lakeland on Wednesday. Clark now has 10 RBI on the season, but is still searching for his first home run. The 19-year-old was the third overall pick in the 2023 draft and is a consensus Top-15 prospect. Clark possesses the ability to hit for contact, swipe bases and play great defense, but he still needs to improve his power. As his body fills out and he ascends through the Tigers system, the power could start developing. Although he is a few years away from helping redraft managers, he is a name that should be strongly considered in dynasty leagues.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
7 days agoChicago White Sox pitching prospect
Jonathan Cannon earned a no-decision in his big-league debut on Wednesday versus the Kansas City Royals. Cannon, 23, was the first pitcher in the 2022 draft to make his way to the show and he put together a solid performance. Over five innings, Cannon allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out three. The 6'6, right-hander held his own on Wednesday and with the White Sox rostering one of the worst rosters in professional sports, it would make sense for the club to keep Cannon on the roster to develop. For now, Cannon is only a name for the watch-list. He is tentatively lined up to face the Minnesota Twins next week and best suited remaining on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoArizona Diamondbacks shortstop prospect
Tommy Troy went 1-for-4 on Wednesday for High-A Hillsboro. His lone hit would be his first home run of the season. Although he is hitting .188 to start the season, it is nice to see him improving after recovering from a fractured foot this summer. The 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Troy offers good bat-to-ball skills to go along with good plate discipline. Troy also plays variety infield positions which should help him ascend throughout the minor league system. For now, the consensus Top-100 prospect is a name for dynasty managers to keep tabs on, but he is a few years away from making an impact in redraft leagues.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
1 week agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner extended his hitting streak to seven games as his team held on for a 7-6 win over the Colorado Rockies, going 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored. Turner went back-to-back with teammate
Kyle Schwarber with a long ball as the Phils ambushed Rockies right-hander
Ryan Feltner for four runs in the first inning, later doubling to lead off the fifth and scoring a run during the frame. The 32-year-old fantasy superstar is off to a much better start than that of his Philly debut season in 2023, now slashing a potent .329/.386/.487 with two big flies, six RBI, 12 runs scored, and seven stolen bases through 19 outings in 2024 following Wednesday's three-hit attack. Turner looks to stay hot during an upcoming weekend series at home versus the Chicago White Sox. In six games against Chicago since 2022, Turner is hitting .292 with two homers, four RBI, and three thefts across 22 at-bats.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 week agoLos Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout continued his strong start to the 2024 campaign with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, also drawing an intentional walk in the ninth inning. Trout homered to deep right center in the first inning to get the Halos into the scoring column, which was already his eighth round-tripper of the young season. The 32-year-old perennial All-Star has been excellent so far this year, slashing .282/.363/.690 with an American League-high eight homers, 11 RBI, 12 runs scored, and three stolen bases while returning early-round numbers in all fantasy settings. His RBI upside will likely be held back by Anaheim's underwhelming lineup all season long, but the swipes are a welcome sight after the oft-injured Trout stole only three bags across 201 games from 2022 to 2023. After Thursday's series finale against the Rays, Trout gets a three-game series at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Tanner Houck spun a complete-game shutout in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over the visiting Cleveland Guardians, going the distance on just 94 pitches while giving up only three singles. This one wrapped up in just one hour and 49 minutes, which should give you an idea as to just how efficient Houck was on Wednesday. He threw 69 pitches for strikes and fanned nine on his way to posting his third win of the 2024 season. The 27-year-old right-hander is thriving in a starting role for the BoSox thus far, boasting a 1.35 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with a sparkling 28:2 K:BB covering 26 2/3 frames (four starts) to this point. Houck will square off with these same Guardians at Progressive Field sometime next week. In 14 innings against Cleveland since 2022, he now has a strong 1.93 ERA with 13 punchouts.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 week agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez fanned 10 Colorado Rockies en route to his first win of the 2024 campaign on Wednesday, firing six scoreless innings on five hits and one walk in the 7-6 victory. Spotted to an early four-run lead, Sanchez mostly cruised through Colorado's lineup on Wednesday.
Brenton Doyle reached on
Alec Bohm's fielding error in the opening frame, so
Ezequiel Tovar's score went down as an unearned run. The 27-year-old southpaw will take a strong 2.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 25:8 K:BB across 21 1/3 frames (four starts) into his next appearance that's slated for Tuesday at the Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds, which is a tough matchup for fantasy purposes.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 week agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
Bryce Miller shut down the Cincinnati Reds while tallying a win in Wednesday's 5-1 victory, tossing six innings of one-run ball on one hit with seven strikeouts. Reds star
Elly De La Cruz may have taken Miller deep in the second inning, but the hurler was perfect for his other five frames otherwise. Following the 25-year-old former top prospect's brilliant day on the mound, he sports a shiny 1.85 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 24:7 K:BB over 24 1/3 frames (four starts). Miller's next start lines up for next Wednesday on the road against the defending-champion Texas Rangers, who torched him for 13 runs in seven innings last season. Fantasy managers in season-long leagues will have a difficult decision to make for that one, but Miller might be throwing too well to sit right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 week agoMinnesota Twins outfield prospect
Gabriel Gonzalez went 3-for-3 on Wednesday for High-A Cedar Rapids. Two of the hits were doubles, he walked once, drove in two, scored twice, and stole two bases. Despite the big day at the plate, his batting average stands at .250 on the young season, but hopefully this breakout game is a sign of things to come for MLB's 72nd overall prospect. The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect hit .348 in Single-A over 73 games in 2023, but just .215 in 43 games at High-A. On the plus side he hit nine home runs at each stop, totaling 18, and he's still only 20 years old so there's time to grow into more power.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
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