4 days agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Yu Darvish blanked the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers in Sunday's victory. The veteran tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed two hits, one walk and struck out seven. It was an impressive start for the 37-year-old against one of the toughest offenses in the league. Darvish has been putting together a strong season over his first eight starts and owns a 3-1 record to go along with a 2.43 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 37 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings. He should be rostered in all formats, but draws a tough matchup against the Atlanta Braves this weekend.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals closer
Ryan Helsley recorded his 12th save of the season versus the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Helsley worked a perfect 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. The right-hander remains one of the best closers in the league and hasn't allowed an earned run since April 8. Overall, Helsley has a rock solid 1.42 ERA to go along with a 0.84 WHIP and 21 strikeouts over 19 innings. Managers should continue to enjoy rostering one of the best closers in the game, but also be aware that the Cardinals could be sellers as the season progresses. If Helsley were to be dealt.,
Andrew Kittredge and Giovanni Gallegos would likely be the next men up for saves.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoTexas Rangers infielder/outfielder
Ezequiel Duran kept a hot bat on Sunday versus the Colorado Rockies. Duran went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double. His two hits marked his fourth straight multi-hit performance. Duran has seen an uptick in play with rookie outfielder
Wyatt Langford (hamstring) and third baseman
Josh Jung (wrist) both on the injured list and has taken advantage of it with 13 hits over his last 26 at-bats. He doesn't have any homers this year and only has four RBI with one stolen base, but managers looking for hits should consider Duran. With eligibility at first baseman, third base, shortstop and outfielder, Duran can be a helpful player for managers in deeper leagues until he cools off with the bat.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoMaking his second start of the season on Sunday, Colorado Rockies pitcher
Ty Blach earned his first victory of the season. Blach went five innings against the Texas Rangers and allowed seven hits, one run, zero walks and recorded a pair of strikeouts. It was a good start for the veteran against a good Rangers offense, but managers should not be running to the waiver wire to grab the southpaw. The 33-year-old has been operating as a swingman for the Rockies and with a career ERA of 5.09, Blach can remain on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoPittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder
Connor Joe went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs and a two-run homer in Sunday's loss against the Cubs. Joe came up big in the bottom of the 10th inning when he opened it up with a two-run rocket to the bleachers off
Adbert Alzolay to open the frame, but it would not be enough to secure the Pirates a victory. Joe has quietly been off to a very good start for the Pirates and has mostly hit no lower than fourth in the lineup this season. For the year, he is hitting .292 with five homers, 20 RBI and two stolen bases to go along with a healthy .866 OPS. Although he isn't the sexiest name, Joe has been having a good enough season to be rostered in deeper mixed leagues.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoChicago Cubs corner infielder/outfielder
Patrick Wisdom had a big day in Sunday's victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The slugger went 3-for-4 with a walk, stolen base and solo home run. The home run would occur in the top of the 10th inning off
Aroldis Chapman to help propel the Cubs to a win. Wisdom had a slow start to the season with it beginning on the injured list, but he is now hitting .321 with two homers, seven RBI and three stolen bases over his first 28 at-bats. Wisdom has gone on power surges in the past and he is a joy to roster during those times, but he also does not provide much outside of the home run ball. With Wisdom operating as a bench player, he can be avoided for now.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Walker Buehler was knocked around against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, taking the loss in a 4-0 defeat. Buehler pitched just 3 ⅓ IP and allowed three runs. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out two. The 29-year-old was making his second start on the season after coming back from Tommy John surgery, and although it wasn't a disastrous outing, it certainly wasn't encouraging either. His limited pitch count and overall rustiness are to be expected, but fantasy managers were likely looking for a step in the right direction from his last outing, and that didn't happen on either front. It might be a while before we see the Walker Buehler that competed for a Cy Young, if we even see him at all this year.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoDetroit Tigers relief pitcher
Alex Lange got destroyed on Sunday, allowing four runs in just ⅔ IP in a 9-3 loss to the Houston Astros. Lange allowed five hits and two walks while failing to record a strikeout. The 28-year-old had been pitching well recently and seemed to be making a case to be re-inserted into the closer discussion, but a lot of that goodwill went away today with this disastrous performance. The Tigers will likely continue to use
Jason Foley in the ninth inning, although they don't seem to fully trust him of late. Still, a lack of other options makes Foley the go-to guy for now.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals closer
Ryan Helsley cruised to his 12th save on Sunday, slamming the door on the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4-3 win. Helsley pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out a pair in the process. The fireballer has been one of the best closers in baseball this season, converting 12 of his 13 save opportunities (his only blown save came on his first chance) while pitching to a 1.42 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 19 IP. He should remain an elite closing option as long as he can stay healthy.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoBoston Red Sox closer
Kenley Jansen tossed a clean ninth inning to pick up the save in a 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals. Jansen allowed just a hit in his inning of work, with no walks or strikeouts to account for. The veteran closer pitched on a third consecutive day for the first time this season, a move made possible because of his sparse usage in May, with only one other appearance before this weekend. Although he's had a few shaky outings, Jansen has been mostly solid for the Red Sox this season and should continue to see the bulk of their save opportunities. He is a good closing option in fantasy.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Yu Darvish was excellent again on Sunday, tossing seven shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-0 victory. Darvish allowed just two hits and one walk while punching out seven in this one. The 37-year-old is turning back the clock since returning from neck tightness in late April, going 3-0 in his three starts while not allowing any runs and generating a 15:2 K:BB ratio. Darvish is always a tough pitcher to analyze, but he is a must-start while he is on this heater. Looking to sell high on the righty might be a shrewd move, but it is also a risk.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSeattle Mariners outfielder
Julio Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a homer and a double in an 8-4 win over the Oakland Athletics. Rodriguez added a walk, two runs, and two RBI to round out his line. The 23-year-old is still struggling to find consistency this season, with small hot streaks mixed into a mostly disappointing overall performance. His .255/.310/.323 slash line leaves a lot to be desired, and his paltry 16 runs, two homers, 13 RBI, and nine steals are nowhere close to what fantasy managers expected. Still, the immensely talented outfielder could come alive at any time and provide elite stats, so selling him low is a risky move.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoNew York Mets outfielder
Brandon Nimmo (ribs) hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth against the Atlanta Braves to give the Mets a 4-3 win. Nimmo, who was sitting out on Sunday due to intercostal irritation, came in as a defensive sub in the eighth inning and stayed in to hit in the ninth. The veteran lefty said in an interview earlier in the game that he would be good to go Monday, but apparently he was already feeling well enough to make a major impact on this game. Nimmo should be started in weekly leagues next week barring any news of a setback.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoAtlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley (back) was removed during Sunday's game against the New York Mets. The slugging infielder appears to have injured himself during a swing in the third inning. As a precaution, the Braves decided to remove Riley from the game before the bottom of the fourth inning. Braves' manager Brian Snitker reportedly said that Riley was dealing with tightness in his side before the game. The team obviously doesn't want to take any chances with their young superstar. Fantasy managers shouldn't hit the panic button quite yet. There should be more information on his status following Sunday's game.
Orlando Arcia,
Luke Williams, and
Zack Short would be options to play third base if Riley does miss time.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Justin Toscano
5 days agoKansas City Royals relief pitcher
James McArthur was called upon to hold a three-run lead versus the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The right-hander allowed a solo blast to cut the lead down to two runs. McArthur would retire the next three batters he faced to earn his ninth save of the season. The 27-year-old now holds a 4.42 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and an 18/3 K/BB ratio across 18 1/3 innings. McArthur has converted nine of his 12 save chances this season. Despite some struggles, the Royals appear to be sticking with McArthur as the closer going forward.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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