5 days agoCincinnati Reds second baseman
Jonathan India (illness) is back in the starting lineup on Thursday and is serving as the designated hitter while batting sixth against Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler. India returns to the field for the first time since last Saturday after dealing with an illness. The Reds are easing him back in as the DH, with
Santiago Espinal still playing second base and batting eighth. The 27-year-old India probably should be left on benches in his first game back in a tough matchup against a pitcher that he's hitless against in seven career at-bats. He's also gotten off to a slow start offensively this year, going 12-for-69 (.174) with no home runs, four RBI, two stolen bases and 10 runs scored for the Reds.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoThe Philadelphia Phillies reinstated first baseman
Bryce Harper from the paternity list on Thursday and optioned infielder
Kody Clemens to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move after Wednesday's game. Harper is playing first base and batting third in his return in the series finale against the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander
Nick Martinez on Thursday. Fantasy baseball managers will want to put the two-time MVP back in their starting lineups in all formats. He's hitless in two career at-bats against Martinez. The seven-time All-Star returns to a .241/.330/.443 slash line with four home runs, four doubles, 14 RBI, one stolen base and 10 runs scored in 91 plate appearances over his first 21 games of 2024. Harper will be hoping to extend his current six-game hitting streak in his return on Thursday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Phillies
5 days agoBoston Red Sox catcher
Connor Wong, who went 4-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Wednesday's win over the Cleveland Guardians, is taking a seat for the series finale against Cleveland on Thursday in a matinee contest. With Wong out for this one,
Reese McGuire will catch right-hander
Chase Anderson and will hit eighth against Guardians right-hander
Triston McKenzie. In three career at-bats against McKenzie, McGuire has gone hitless. The 27-year-old Wong has been a popular waiver-wire pickup in fantasy leagues at the catcher position early in the 2024 season after his scorching-hot start at the plate. After Wednesday's huge performance, he's now hitting .370 (20-for-54) with five long balls, 11 RBI and seven runs scored in his first 16 games played. The hot start has pushed him past McGuire on Boston's catching depth chart.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielders
Tyler O'Neill and
Masataka Yoshida are not in the lineup for the matinee game on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.
Rob Refsnyder is in left field and is batting
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5 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Reynaldo Lopez didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Marlins but pitched another great game, throwing seven strong innings while allowing just one run on three hits (one home run) and a 2:6 BB:K. That makes four straight quality starts to begin the season and the 30-year-old has stepped up big at a time when the Braves needed it after
Spencer Strider was lost for the year and
Max Fried got off to a rough start. The 30-year-old hasn't been a regular starter since 2019 when he made 33 starts for the Chicago White Sox, but he looks the part so far in 2024 with a 0.72 ERA (2.71 FIP), 0.88 WHIP, and a 17.4% K-BB% in 25 IP. His next start lines up Tuesday in Seattle, the team that currently has the highest amount of strikeouts per game this season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoBoston Red Sox catcher
Connor Wong went 4-for-4 with two home runs in Wednesday's 8-0 win over the Guardians. Wong also was hit by a pitch in the game, making it a perfect 5-for-5 at getting on base. In addition to the two home runs, Wong also had a pair of singles, drove in three runs, and scored twice. Wong's batting average is now up to .370 on the season, with five home runs (all in his last 10 games), 11 RBI, and seven runs scored. The backstop doesn't draw many walks, however, with just one walk compared to 15 strikeouts so far this season. Regardless, he ranks as the seventh-highest scoring catcher in Yahoo leagues as of now, so is certainly a useful fantasy asset, although the 27-year-old has been splitting time with
Reese McGuire to start the year. McGuire is getting the start in Thursday's day game against the Guardians.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays reliever
Garrett Cleavinger picked up his second save in four days in Wednesday's 7-5 victory over the Tigers. With closer
Pete Fairbanks on the IL, Cleavinger has been used to close out games and has
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5 days agoVegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel picked up two points in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Dallas, becoming the fastest U.S.-born player in NHL history to reach 30 career postseason points. Eichel skated in his 23rd Stanley Cup Playoffs game and helped out offensively with an assist and an empty-net goal. He was also tied for most shots on goal in the contest with five. Dating back to last season, Eichel has now gone for multiple points in four of his last six playoff appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoBoston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand tallied three points as the team defeated Toronto 4-2 in Game 3 of the first-round series on Wednesday. He did all of his work in the third period, setting up Jake DeBrusk for a power-play goal with 1:07 played and scoring twice. Marchand put the Bruins 3-2 up at the 11:53 mark before notching an empty-netter inside the final minute. The savvy veteran now boasts the third-most three-point efforts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in franchise history (11). Marchand is flying in the series, having averaged two points per game across three contests. He's sitting on two goals and four assists ahead of Saturday's Game 4.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Landon Knack earned his first career win on Wednesday in an 11-2 victory over the Nationals. The righty made his first career start against these same Nationals last week but came away with the loss despite pitching well. This time, the 26-year-old went six innings, allowing just three hits (one home run) while walking three batters and striking out five on his way to the win. With
Walker Buehler nearing his return, however, Knack likely heads back to the minors. If these two starts were any indication though, he could be a viable DFS play or streaming option if he were recalled again, depending on the matchup.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoEdmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl couldn't score with eight attempts on goal but had two assists in Wednesday's dramatic 5-4 overtime loss to the Kings. Draisaitl's contributions helped the Oilers work back from a 2-0 deficit, with his second assist coming in a power-play situation. The German superstar now boasts four points (one goal, three assists) through two games in the playoffs, although the series is still tied at one despite his sensational form. The battle between the two teams continues on Friday in Los Angeles, where Draisaitl posted only one point in two games during the regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoLos Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar had a big performance in Game 2 against the Oilers on Wednesday, scoring the game-winning goal and bagging two assists in a 5-4 overtime victory. Playing in his 94th Stanley Cup Playoffs game, which ties a franchise record, Kopitar set up a pair of Adrian Kempe goals in the first period and popped up with the game-winner 2:07 into overtime. At 36 years and 244 days, Kopitar became the oldest player in Kings history with an overtime goal in the playoffs. Wednesday's prolific outing came after Edmonton had nullified Kopitar in Game 1.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoDallas Stars center winger Mason Marchment left Wednesday's Game 2 against the Golden Knights early due to an undisclosed injury. The 28-year-old, who bagged a career-high 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists) during the regular season, recorded a game-high eight hits before being forced off after logging 10:22 of ice time. There were no updates on Marchment postgame, leaving him in doubt for Saturday's Game 3. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer will need to change up his second line if Marchment isn't healthy enough to play.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lia Assimakopoulos
5 days agoDallas Stars center Radek Faksa couldn't complete Wednesday's Game 2 against Vegas due to an undisclosed injury. He was hurt in the third period, exiting after soaking in 8:41 of action on the fourth line. Faksa didn't contribute offensively in the contest and finished with a minus-one rating, but he won four of five faceoffs and delivered six hits. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer didn't have an update on Faksa postgame. Craig Smith should join the lineup in Saturday's Game 3 if Faksa can't play.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lia Assimakopoulos
5 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Trey Murphy III had an eight-point outing on Wednesday as the team suffered a blowout loss in Game 2 against the Thunder. The 23-year-old saw his shot disappear after leading the Pelicans with 21 points in the series opener. He finished with 3-for-8 shooting and made only two of six attempts from three-point land. Murphy III grabbed five rebounds and swatted away one shot while handing out two assists. The Pelicans will look to produce a bounce-back performance on Saturday at home, with Murphy III set to remain
Zion Williamson's (hamstring) fill-in in the starting unit.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard
CJ McCollum was limited to 15 points in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Thunder, shooting 6-for-14 from the field and 1-for-5 from outside. Nine points came in the second quarter following a zero-point effort in the first. McCollum posted half of the team's four steals and picked up five rebounds with four assists. The veteran is now 3-for-14 from downtown through the first two games of the series. A big improvement is needed from him in home games for New Orleans to have a shot in the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Brandon Ingram finished Wednesday's Game 2 loss against Oklahoma City with a full line after initially struggling in the contest. Ingram had only four points in the first half before finding his rhythm in the second and finishing with 18 points on 5-for-10 shooting. He nailed all eight free throws and tallied four rebounds with three assists, one steal, and one block. Ingram hasn't looked quite himself since returning from a knee injury in the regular-season finale. The talented scorer has yet to make a three-pointer in the series against OKC and averages a measly 15.0 points on 37 percent shooting.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans center
Jonas Valanciunas finished Wednesday's heavy 124-92 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 as the team's top scorer, netting 19 points in 23 minutes on 8-for-14 shooting. The Lithuanian big man had an incredible start to the contest, scoring all of New Orleans' first 11 points. A
Herbert Jones triple broke Valanciunas' scoring run at the 7:58 mark in the first quarter. After gobbling up 20 rebounds in Game 1, Valanciunas settled for seven boards this time, adding two assists to his tally. The Pelicans center has been productive in the series, but his defensive shortcoming resulted in
Chet Holmgren getting 20 first-half points in Game 2. The veteran definitely has to improve at that end to earn consistent playing time.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward
Jalen Williams was effective all over the court in Wednesday's Game 2 victory over the Pelicans, scoring 21 points and registering five rebounds and one steal with a game-high seven assists. He was 1-for-3 with the three-ball and shot 10-for-17 from the field. Williams played a significant role as the Thunder had a historic outing -- for the first time ever in the NBA playoffs, a team had all of its points scored by players aged 25 or younger. It's been a strong start for Williams in the series, as he is averaging 20.0 points with 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoOklahoma City Thunder forward/center
Chet Holmgren had an amazing 20-point first half in Game 2 against New Orleans on Wednesday, adding six further points after the break to help the team to a blowout win. Holmgren exchanged buckets early on with Pelicans center
Jonas Valanciunas and already matched his Game 1 tally of 15 points in the first quarter. He finished with 9-for-13 shooting, including 3-for-6 from downtown. Holmgren's efforts included the Thunder's only two blocks in the game, and he wrapped up his line with seven rebounds and one assist. The 21-year-old rookie has a tough matchup in the series against Valanciunas, but he's stood tall in the battle so far and boasts some outstanding numbers. With two games played, Holmgren is averaging 20.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks with 41.7 percent shooting from deep.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoUros Medic (9-2) is set to face Tim Means in the main card opener of UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Medic is coming off a submission loss to Myktybek Orolabi in November, which was his second fight at 170lbs. In his welterweight debut, Medic scored a knockout win over Matthew Semelsberger. Against Means, DraftKings has Medic as the favorite at a salary of $9,100. In the UFC, Medic is 3-2 with all three wins coming by knockout, and both losses by submission.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
5 days agoTim Means (33-15-1 and one no contest) is set to open the UFC Vegas 91 main card against Uros Medic. Means is coming off a third-round knockout over Andre Fialho, which snapped his three-fight losing skid. Means enters the bout as a sizeable underdog, as DraftKings has him at a salary of $7,100. The veteran is 15-12 with a no contest in the UFC and has won eight of his fights by stoppage, while out of 12 losses in the UFC, six have come by stoppage.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
5 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 33 points as the team grabbed a 2-0 series lead against New Orleans with a 124-92 victory on Wednesday. After struggling from deep in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander hit three three-point bombs with five attempts and shot a very efficient 13-for-19 overall. He also bagged a pair of steals and grabbed three rebounds while dishing out five assists. OKC's MVP candidate is averaging 30.5 points through the first couple of postseason games. The Pelicans need to find a way to slow him down if they want to advance to the next round.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoAusten Lane (12-4) is set to take on Jhonata Diniz at UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Lane is coming off a knockout loss to Justin Tafa back in September after he had a No Contest against Tafa in June in his UFC debut. Lane enters this fight as a sizeable underdog as DraftKings has him at a salary of $7,200. In his MMA career, Lane has been knocked out in all four losses while he has won all 12 of his fights by stoppage.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
5 days agoJhonata Diniz (6-0) is set to make his UFC debut on the main card of UFC Vegas 91 against Austen Lane on Saturday. Diniz got into the UFC with a first-round knockout win on the Contender Series. The Brazilian enters UFC Vegas 91 as a sizeable favorite as DraftKings has him at a salary of $9,000. Diniz has won all six fights by knockout.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
5 days agoBogdan Guskov (15-3) is set for his third UFC fight on Saturday at UFC Vegas 91 as he takes on Ryan Spann in the co-main event. Guskov is coming off a first-round knockout over Zac Pauga in February after he lost to Volkan Oezdemir by KO in his UFC debut. Guskov enters the fight as the underdog as DraftKings has him at a salary of $7,300. Guskov has won all of his fights by stoppage, and if he beats the 11th-ranked light heavyweight, a top-10 opponent could be next for him.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
5 days agoRyan Spann (21-9) is set to face Bogdan Guskov in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Spann enters the fight on a two-fight losing streak as he's coming off a split decision loss to Anthony Smith and before that, he suffered a submission loss to Nikita Krylov. Despite being on the losing streak, Spann is the favorite as DraftKings has him at a salary of $8,900. In the UFC, Spann is 7-4 and has five wins by stoppage, while three of his four losses have come by stoppage.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
5 days agoChicago White Sox pitching prospect
Drew Thorpe improved to 4-0 on Wednesday for Double-A Birmingham. Thorpe tossed six innings and allowed one run, one walk and struck out three on the evening. Thorpe's strong outing improved his ERA to a miniscule 0.75 on the season. Thorpe, 23, was a popular name this offseason as he was first traded by the San Diego Padres in the
Juan Soto deal and then dealt to the White Sox when they acquired
Dylan Cease. Regardless, Thorpe hasn't let the switching of homes deter him from dominating on the mound. Thorpe is behind fellow pitching prospect
Noah Schultz as far as pitching rankings go, but he looks more ready for the big-leagues with Schultz still in High-A. Thorpe should get an opportunity at some point for an embarrassing White Sox club, but don't expect many wins when that happens. Outside of dynasty leagues, Thorpe can be avoided.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Brennen Davis went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday. His home run came off
Alek Manoah in the top of the third inning. This was the outfielders first game in Iowa this season after returning from an arm injury that he suffered in spring training. Davis, 24, has slowly dropped from the Cubs top prospect over the past few seasons and injuries have been a big reason as he likely would have made his debut sometime in the past two seasons. Davis offers good power potential, but the Cubs have already promoted outfield prospects
Alexander Canario and
Pete Crow-Armstrong, so for now Davis will continue to swing the bat for Iowa. Outside of deeper dynasty leagues, Davis can be ignored for now.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
5 days agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Yanquiel Fernandez went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in Wednesday's contest for Double-A Hartford. The home run for Cuban was absolutely crushed and marked his second of the season. The 21-year-old is a consensus Top-100 prospect is now hitting .243 with 12 RBI on the season. Fernandez is a very aggressive hitter, but he makes good contact and is only beginning to tap into his power potential, which should play very well in his future home of Coors Field. It is unlikely that Fernandez will make his big-league debut in 2024, but it is realistic that 2025 could be a big year for him. The Rockies do not have much to be excited about at the big-league club, but Fernandez offers excitement for patient fans. He should be rostered in dynasty leagues and redraft managers should file his name away for the future.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB Pipeline
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