5 days agoCincinnati Reds manager David Bell said on Tuesday that left-hander
Brandon Williamson (shoulder) has been considering options that include season-ending surgery for a lesion in his left shoulder. Williamson hasn't pitched for the Reds at all this season and was pulled off a minor-league rehab assignment recently due to a setback with his throwing shoulder. Even if the 26-year-old southpaw avoids going under the knife, it would probably be a while before he's even an option for the big-league starting rotation. Fantasy managers that had been stashing him in mixed leagues may want to consider a change. The former second-rounder by the Seattle Mariners in 2019 out of TCU made his first 23 starts in the big leagues in 2023 and went 5-5 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with a 98:39 K:BB in 117 innings pitched for the Reds.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Sheldon
5 days agoCincinnati Reds manager David Bell said on Tuesday that infielder
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) has been considering options that include season-ending surgery to fix ligament damage in his fractured hand. Encarnacion-Strand went on the 10-day injured list in early May and could now miss the remainder of the 2024 regular season. In addition to his injury, the 24-year-old power hitter was batting just .190/.220/.293 with two home runs in 29 games before fracturing his hand. Even if CES avoids surgery, it doesn't sound like he'd be able to return to the Reds' lineup anytime soon. Until we know for sure that Encarnacion-Strand is done for the year, continue to stash him in fantasy leagues. His injury has allowed the Reds to give
Spencer Steer playing time at first base, opening up more playing time in the outfield for others.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Sheldon
5 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that catcher
J.T. Realmuto (knee) will miss around a month. Realmuto has been playing hurt and was placed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday to undergo right-knee meniscectomy surgery on Wednesday in Philadelphia. It's a big blow to the Phillies and fantasy managers alike, as the 33-year-old veteran backstop continues to be one of the most valuable all-around catchers in the game in 2024. Its even more impressive that he has been playing at a high level while battling through a knee injury that requires surgery. Keep Realmuto stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. In the meantime, the Phillies will move forward with
Garrett Stubbs as the primary catcher, with
Rafael Marchan backing him up. Realmuto is currently slashing .261/.309/.411 with seven homers, 20 RBI and 28 runs scored in 207 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Philadelphia - John Clark
5 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Jack Flaherty (back) received an injection on Monday, and his turn in the starting rotation is being skipped. However, he's expected to return for the series against the Houston Astros this weekend. It's unclear exactly what day Flaherty will return to the mound this weekend after being pulled from his most recent start last Tuesday due to back tightness. The 28-year-old still threw five scoreless inning in that outing and has had a career resurgence in Detroit in 2024. Flaherty thought he could start on Tuesday against the Washington Nationals, but the Tigers are playing it safe with the veteran right-hander. He's been money for fantasy managers this year, but Flaherty will be a bit more risky this weekend in a tough matchup against Houston. He's currently 3-4 on the year with a 3.22 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 94 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings over his 12 starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLive - Evan Woodbery
5 days agoChicago Cubs right-hander
Adbert Alzolay (forearm) played catch on Monday in Arizona for the first time in his rehab and threw from a distance of 60 feet. Alzolay was initially shut down on May 22 and was moved to the 60-day injured list on June 2, so he won't be eligible to return to the Cubs' bullpen until after the All-Star break in mid-July. It sounds like Alzolay is making progress, but he still has a ways to go and will need at least several minor-league rehab appearances before he's ready to go in the second half of the season. With Alzolay on the shelf, veteran reliever
Hector Neris has become Chicago's primary options for saves late in games. Before his injury, Alzolay had four saves, a 4.67 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 13 K's and six walks in 17 1/3 relief innings. The Cubs could choose to ease him back into the closing mix when he's ready to return.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Maddie Lee
5 days agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks have reinstated shortstop prospect
Jordan Lawlar (thumb) from the 60-day injured list and returned him to Triple-A Reno. In 16 games with Reno last year, the No. 8 overall prospect in MLB per MLB Pipeline, hit .358 with 24 hits and 19 RBI. The 21-year-old will be making his 2024 debut when he plays for the Aces on Tuesday after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb in spring training that required surgery. In seven rehab games in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, he hit .320. The D-backs aren't going to rush Lawlar back to the big leagues after he struggled in 14 games at the tail end of last year in his major-league debut. However, he's still the long-term solution at the 6 in the desert and is even worth stashing in deep-mixed leagues in 2024 if you have the room. If he avoids any more injuries in the minors, it would be a surprise not to see Lawlar back in Arizona in the second half.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Reno Aces
5 days agoThe Detroit Tigers announced on Tuesday that they have placed infielder
Javier Baez (spine) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 9) with lumbar spine-inflammation and recalled infielder
Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. The hits just keep coming for Baez. The 31-year-old veteran has been bothered by back issues for most of the season and will now get some time off to heal up. Given the nature of the injury, fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't expect Baez to return in 10 days. For however long he's away from the team, expect
Zach McKinstry and Kreidler to share playing time at shortstop in Detroit. Baez's fantasy value has cratered since he joined the Tigers in 2022, and he's batting a weak .183/.209/.247 on the year with just one homer, 25 RBI and six stolen bases in 53 games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tigers PR
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (knee) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Tuesday versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. This will be the third straight game that O'Neill has missed due to a right-knee injury that started bothering him again last Friday. O'Neill just returned from a stint on the injured list due to a right-knee injury, but he's already feeling better and is hoping to return to action on Wednesday.
Rob Refsnyder is manning right field for the BoSox on Tuesday and will hit third against Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler. O'Neill remains relevant in most fantasy formats when he's healthy, but he's cooled off considerably since his hot start in Boston. Since May 20, he is batting .174 (4-for-23) with no homers, one RBI, one walk and 12 strikeouts in 24 plate appearances and seven games to drop his season slash line to .250/.354/.500.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
5 days agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers (knee) is back at third base and is batting cleanup on Tuesday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander
Zack Wheeler. After an off day on Monday, Devers will return to Boston's starting lineup and hit in the heart of the order after missing Sunday's contest with left-knee soreness. The 27-year-old All-Star has had some knee problems this year, so it's something to keep an eye on, but fantasy managers in all leagues need to get Devers back in there, even in the tough matchup against Wheeler. Devers is hitting .200 with an RBI in five career at-bats against Wheeler. The Dominican third baseman continues to be an excellent source of average (.284), power (13 home runs) and run production (32) RBI in 201 at-bats in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
5 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles optioned rookie infielder/outfielder
Connor Norby to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday to make room for the return of infielder/outfielder
Jorge Mateo from the seven-day concussion injured list. Now that Norby is back on the farm, Mateo should see the lion's share of the playing time at the keystone in Baltimore moving forward. The 24-year-old Norby had begun to see his playing time decline after making his major-league debut on June 3. In just four games played in his first taste of big-league pitching, the club's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, went 3-for-14 with a homer, two RBI and three strikeouts. There's a chance we could see the former second-rounder in 2021 out of East Carolina later this year, but for now, he's mostly just a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Austin Hays (back, ribs) is back in the starting lineup on Tuesday for the series opener against the visiting Atlanta Braves, playing left field and batting fifth against Braves left-hander
Max Fried. Hays will make his return to the lineup for the first time since he was hit by a pitch in his ribs last Thursday, although he did make a pinch-hitting appearance since then. The 28-year-old outfielder will be hoping to pick up where he left off recently when he finally started to get going at the plate this year. Rookie
Colton Cowser will move back to center field on Tuesday, moving the struggling
Cedric Mullins back to the bench against a lefty. Since the calendar flipped to June, Hays has gone 6-for-15 (.400) with two homers, three doubles and three RBI in six games. He's facing a tough matchup against Fried in his return to the lineup, though.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
5 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles activated infielder
Jorge Mateo (concussion) from the seven-day concussion injured list on Tuesday, and he's right back in the starting lineup against the visiting Atlanta Braves and left-hander
Max Fried, starting at shortstop and batting sixth. He's at the 6 on Tuesday with the Orioles giving
Gunnar Henderson a day off. Now that Mateo is back in the fold, the 28-year-old should return to seeing most of his playing time at second base in Baltimore. He's returning to a .246/.294/.447 slash line with only three home runs, 12 doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 19 runs scored in 42 games in his third full season in Baltimore. The Dominican infielder is mostly useful for his speed as a middle-infield depth option in deep-mixed or AL-only leagues. DFS gamers can probably look elsewhere on Tuesday in a tough matchup against Fried.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles shortstop
Gunnar Henderson is getting the day off on Tuesday against the visiting Atlanta Braves. It will be the first day off of the season for Henderson. In the first 65 games of the 2024 season, Henderson's third in the big leagues, he's been an All-Star-caliber player for the O's and fantasy managers, slashing .274/.375/.599 with a .974 OPS, 21 home runs, 11 doubles, four triples, 46 RBI, eight stolen bases and 55 runs scored in 296 plate appearances.
Jorge Mateo (concussion) has returned from the seven-day concussion injured list and will start at shortstop and bat six for the O's against Braves left-hander
Max Fried. Henderson obviously remains a must-start in all fantasy formats when he's active. Mateo will be a tough DFS recommendation in his first start back in a tough matchup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Masataka Yoshida (thumb) is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, batting fifth in the order as the team's designated hitter. Yoshida was activated from the 10-day injured list while designating infielder-outfielder
Garrett Cooper for assignment in a corresponding move. Meanwhile, the team will be without outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (knee) for a third straight game. Yoshida has been out of the lineup since April 28 with a sprained left thumb. He is hitting .275/.348/.388 with two homers, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 24 games, making him a welcomed return for fantasy managers who have missed his production.
--Brandon Williams - RotoBallerSource: Christopher Smith, MassLive
5 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto (knee) will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair his right knee meniscus. The Phillies placed him on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 10) and called up catcher Rafael Marchan from Triple-A. There is no timetable for a return for Realmuto, who is slashing .261/.309/.411 with seven homers, 20 RBI, and 28 runs scored in 51 games for the National League East leaders. Garrett Stubbs and Marchan should see an uptick in playing time while Realtmuto is sidelined. Stubbs is slashing .173/.271/.192 across 19 games in 2024. Neither Phillies catcher is on the fantasy radar outside of deep two-catcher formats. --Brandon Williams - RotoBallerSource: Todd Zolecki, MLB.com
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