6 days agoNew York Mets catcher
Luis Torrens smashed two home runs in Wednesday's win over the division-rival Washington Nationals, launching his first homers of the year in the victory. Torrens provided a spark on Wednesday, first putting the Mets on the board with a solo shot in the third inning and later taking Nationals left-hander
Patrick Corbin deep again for his second long ball of the game in the sixth frame. The 28-year-old journeyman backstop is serving as catching depth alongside veteran
Tomas Nido for New York at the moment, but it's hard to envision Torrens maintaining consistent playing time once starter
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) is reinstated from the injured list, which could happen as early as Tuesday.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Aaron Nola was in top form Wednesday, blanking the Brewers over seven superb innings in a 2-0 win. Nola allowed just two hits, struck out five, and walked none, lowering his season ERA to 2.77. After driving fantasy managers mad in 2023 with inconsistency, Nola has reminded everyone why the Phillies invested in him last offseason, allowing two runs or less in his previous five starts and only allowing more than three runs twice in 13 trips to the mound this season. Nola is a must-start in all formats; with his next outing scheduled at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, Nola should be confidently penciled into all fantasy lineups.
--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Heliot Ramos was busy in Wednesday's win over the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks, reaching base safely six times and hitting his fifth home run of the year. Ramos walked four times on Wednesday, also tagging struggling D-backs left-hander
Jordan Montgomery for a two-run homer to center field to give the Giants a 2-1 lead in the third inning. The 24-year-old former first-round pick has carved out a significant role in San Fran's outfield and is worth a look in all fantasy leagues while he's running this hot. Over 26 games this season, Ramos is slashing a potent .304/.407/.511 with five long balls, four doubles, 19 RBI, and one stolen base.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies top prospect
Adael Amador continued his recent run of hot hitting on Wednesday, going 2-for-5 with a walk for Double-A Hartford. One of his two hits was a three-run blast, which was the switch-hitter's fifth home run in his last seven games after clubbing just one over his first 37 games. The 21-year-old also stole a base for the fourth game in a row and now has 22 on the year. Despite going 12-for-30 (.400) over his last seven games, Amador's batting average is still .193 on the season. What has not been an issue all season is his patient eye at the plate, walking at a 16.6% rate (19.3% K%) and posting a .342 OBP. He's likely not going to see the majors this year, but with that kind of power-speed combo, he may soon earn a promotion to Triple-A if he can keep up this recent turnaround.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoSan Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said on Wednesday that starting pitcher
Joe Musgrove (elbow) will continue to be shut down from throwing for the next couple of weeks. Musgrove is in the healing process with right elbow inflammation for the second time this season, and Shildt has also said the current recovery process will be longer than it was the first time around. The 31-year-old right-hander can be safely ruled out of action for the remainder of June at this point, and a return to the Friars sometime around the All-Star break should be viewed as a best-case scenario. For fantasy managers short on stash spots or struggling in the standings, the 31-year-old veteran right-hander is not looking like a must-stash player with a 5.66 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and 15 walks over 49 1/3 innings this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: 97.3 The Fan
6 days agoArizona Diamondbacks starter
Jordan Montgomery's woes on the mound continued Wednesday after getting rocked for six runs in two innings against the Giants. Montgomery was solid for the first two innings before the wheels fell off in the third, allowing six hits and two HRs, including a grand slam to
Wilmer Flores. Montgomery finished the night with one strikeout and three walks. We all know Montgomery is better than this, and there's still a lot of season left for him to turn it around; while "droppable" isn't the word to describe him yet, "startable" isn't either. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his next few starts for any signs of life before inserting him into their lineups. Montgomery will look to turn things around in his next scheduled start against the Los Angeles Angels early next week.
--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor brought the fireworks on Wednesday, leading the Mets to a smooth, 9-1 victory over the Washington Nationals. The four-time all-star went 2-for-5 with a home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday’s win. Lindor set the tone in the sixth inning by teaming up with catcher,
Luis Torrens, for back-to-back jacks against
Patrick Corbin. The 428-foot moonshot was Lindor's 10th HR of the season. While his average remains lower than expected at .235, the power-speed combination makes Lindor an intriguing fantasy option. He's an experienced veteran who can rack up homers and steals quickly; Lindor needs to be active in all lineups and should finish the year somewhere close to the 25 HR/25 SB mark.
--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles pitching prospect
Cade Povich has been confirmed as the starter for Thursday's matchup against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
Kyle Bradish, who was originally the starter for that game, has been pushed back to Friday's game against the Rays in Tampa Bay. Povich has been pitching well for Triple-A Norfolk this season, posting a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a stellar 23.4% K-BB% in 11 starts (56 2/3 IP). Toronto is in the bottom-third in terms of team batting average against LHP and has the second-fewest runs scored versus LHP, but on the road against a divisional foe can be a tough environment to make your first big league start. The southpaw could be a decent streaming option, however, for fantasy managers in need of some pitching help.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
6 days agoColorado Rockies first baseman/designated hitter
Kris Bryant (back) didn't respond well to treatment for his injured back on Wednesday and is likely headed to the injured list on Thursday. Manager Bud Black said earlier in the day that Bryant would likely go on the IL if his condition didn't improve at all by the end of the day. The 32-year-old veteran missed his third straight game on Wednesday and is now expected to miss another 10 days.
Sean Bouchard (ankle) is likely to join him there after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Wednesday's loss to the Reds. Bryant, a former MVP and National League Rookie of the Year, is well past his prime and hasn't been able to stay healthy since signing with the Rockies before the 2022 campaign. He has played in just 24 games in 2024 and is slashing a weak .186/.307/.279 with two home runs and 10 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Denver Gazette - Luke Zahlmann
6 days agoSeattle Mariners closer
Andres Munoz (back) said he was feeling better a day after exiting Tuesday's game early after a collision at home plate and is optimistic that he'll avoid the injured list. However, that could hinge on the results of the MRI exam he had on Wednesday. "Some days I feel like it's getting worse, getting better," Muñoz said. The right-hander also said the back strain is one that he's been dealing with since the second game of the season, but he's been able to pitch through it while receiving treatment on a daily basis and wearing a back brace when pitching. Munoz's right ankle was fine after an awkward role during his home-plate collision. Munoz is unlikely to be available if a save chance arises on Wednesday against the A's, and fantasy managers scrounging for saves may want to speculate and pick up Tyler Saucedo or
Ryne Stanek. Saucedo picked up his second save of the year after Munoz was pulled on Tuesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
6
days
agoChicago
Cubs
third
baseman
Christopher
Morel
(foot)
was
removed
from
Wednesday's
game
against
the
visiting
Chicago
White
Sox
in
the
seventh
inning
after
fouling
a
pitch
off
his
left
foot.
Morel
stayed
in
the
game
long
enough
to
draw
a
walk
to
put
two
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6 days agoIt was Cincinnati Reds first baseman/outfielder
Spencer Steer's first game in June with less than two hits, but his one Wednesday was a doozy. He went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday’s 12-7 win over the Rockies. Steer crushed a two-run, two-out, 439-foot blast to left field off Rockies closer
Jalen Beeks in the top of the ninth to give the Reds an 8-7 lead. From a fantasy perspective, what is not to love about Spencer Steer? He's locked into the middle of order in one of the most explosive offenses in all of baseball. He qualifies at four different positions in Yahoo leagues and three in ESPN leagues, and he's been producing as a top 75 player and was commonly being drafted past round 10. Fantasy managers should enjoy the HRs, SBs, and lineup flexibility that's coming their way this summer.
--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoNew York Mets starting pitcher
Christian Scott threw five innings of one-run ball on Sunday for Triple-A Syracuse, allowing just one earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out seven. It was the righty's first start in the minors since being sent down and he looked sharp. The Mets are off until Saturday when they play a two-game series in London, so this start keeps him in rhythm and he will hopefully be back with the big league team soon. The former fifth-round draft pick fared well in his five-game MLB debut, posting a 3.90 ERA (3.49 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, and a 17.0% K-BB% in 27 2/3 IP. He's worth stashing in anticipation of his return to the majors for managers who have a spot to spare.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoSan Diego Padres third baseman
Manny Machado (leg) appeared to have suffered some sort of leg injury in the fourth inning while running hard down the line to beat out a double play in Wednesday's contest against the hosting Los Angeles Angels. Machado was removed from the contest after receiving attention from team trainers down the line. We should get more of an update on the specific nature of Machado's injury after the game on Wednesday night, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect the All-Star third baseman to be available for the series opener at Petco Park on Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Before leaving, Machado went 0-for-2 to drop his season average to a disappointing .249. If Machado is forced to miss extended time with this injury,
Donovan Solano would likely see most of the playing time at the hot corner, with
Tyler Wade also being an option.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
6 days agoCincinnati Reds second baseman
Jonathan India put the finishing touches on a six-run comeback against the Rockies on Wednesday. After
Spencer Steer hit a two-out, two-run home run to give the Reds the lead in the top of the ninth, India came to the plate with the bases loaded and crushed his second grand slam in 11 games over the left field wall. The grand slam was India's only hit, but he scored two runs and added a sac fly for his fifth RBI of the night. Even though India has struggled to start the season, over his last 15 games, his bat has shown signs of life with a .318 average, two home runs, 13 RBI, and a stolen base. Currently available in 50% of Yahoo leagues and 89% of ESPN leagues, India can break out at any time and can provide a spark to both, the Reds and fantasy lineups.
--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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