5 days agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Jon Gray will officially make the start on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gray returned from the injured list due to a right-groin strain last weekend and threw 2 1/3 innings of relief in last Saturday's loss to the San Francisco Giants. He'll now make his first start since coming off the injured list last week, and it comes in one of the worst matchups you can find. On short rest, the 32-year-old veteran will be a pretty risky option for fantasy lineups on Wednesday's slate. In 12 appearances (10 starts) for Texas in 2024, Gray has been great, going 2-2 with a 2.12 ERA (2.46 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with a 60:18 K:BB in 59 1/3 innings pitched. Start Gray at your own risk against LA.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn is hitting out of the leadoff spot for St. Louis on Wednesday against left-hander
Bailey Falter and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Winn has essentially become the team's leadoff hitter against left-handers. The former second-round pick in 2020 has excelled in his first full season as the team's starting shortstop and is batting .271 (19-for-70) with all three of his home runs on the season against southpaws. Overall, the 22-year-old is slashing a cool .305/.353/.432 with three home runs, 23 RBI, eight stolen bases and 22 runs scored in 197 at-bats. Winn has been just as good so far in June, going 11-for-37 (.297) with a homer, five RBI and a stolen base in nine games played. He becomes more intriguing for DFS lineups when he's batting out of the leadoff spot for the Red Birds.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (knee) is serving as the designated hitter and will bat third for the BoSox on Wednesday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander
Cristopher Sanchez. O'Neill is back in the lineup after missing three straight games due to a flare-up of a knee injury last Friday. The 28-year-old had just returned from the injured list early last week, but everything is good to go now and he's back in there for Boston. With O'Neill back, the left-handed-hitting
Masataka Yoshida will head to the bench against the lefty starter. O'Neill has only played in three games in June and has hit just .174 (4-for-23) with no homers, one RBI and 12 strikeouts in seven games dating back to May 20. Fantasy managers will be hoping that he can get back to how he was swinging the bat early this year for the Red Sox.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Randy Arozarena (hamstring) remains out of the starting lineup on Wednesday versus the visiting Chicago Cubs after he was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to a tight right hamstring. With Arozarena out again, first baseman
Yandy Diaz will serve as the designated hitter and bat leadoff, while
Isaac Paredes plays first base and hits third against Cubs right-hander
Javier Assad.
Jose Caballero is at third and batting seventh, while
Taylor Walls is at short and in the nine-hole. The fact that Arozarena pinch hit in Tuesday's win over the Cubs is an indication that his injury isn't too serious, so he could be back for Thursday's series finale against Chicago. The 29-year-old Cuban outfielder has had a tough go in 2024, batting just .175/.283/.319 with eight home runs, 20 RBI and seven stolen bases in 229 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg will retreat to the bench on Wednesday for the Orioles against the visiting Atlanta Braves. Westburg doesn't appear to be dealing with any sort of injury, so it's a normal day of rest after the 25-year-old started in each of the team's last 11 games. With Westburg out,
Ramon Urias will start at the hot corner and bat seventh for Baltimore against Braves rookie right-hander
Spencer Schwellenbach. Westburg gets overshadowed by some of the team's other big hitters like
Gunnar Henderson and
Adley Rutschman, but the former first-rounder has handled himself quite well in 2024, hitting .274 (65-for-237) with 10 home runs, 39 RBI, six stolen bases and 34 runs scored. Westburg is fantasy relevant in all leagues in his second MLB season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics outfielder/designated hitter
Brent Rooker will take a day off in Wednesday's series finale against the hosting San Diego Padres. Rooker is one of the team's better hitters, but he's gone cold so far in the month of June and is batting .189 (7-for-37) with two homers, five RBI, four walks and 16 strikeouts in 10 games since the calendar flipped to June. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Tuesday night's walk-off loss in San Diego and will now get a mental day off.
JJ Bleday is serving as the DH on Wednesday and will hit second, while
Daz Cameron enters the lineup in center field and in the seven-hole for the A's against Padres right-hander
Michael King. Bleday had two hits on Tuesday night but is hitting just .184 (7-for-38) with a homer, two RBI and nine K's in 10 games in June.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Diego Padres outfielder
Jurickson Profar (knee) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Oakland Athletics. It will be the first time this season that Profar hasn't been in the starting lineup for the Friars, and it comes after he was removed from Tuesday night's walk-off win early due to left-knee soreness. Apparently, the 31-year-old has been battling some knee issues of late, and his left knee buckled after a swing-and-miss in the eighth inning on Tuesday night. For now, consider Profar day-to-day and check back to see if he's in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the New York Mets after an off day on Thursday. Profar has been a must-start in fantasy leagues in 2024 in what has been a career year to this point.
Jose Azocar is manning left field and batting ninth against A's left-hander
Hogan Harris on Wednesday with Profar out.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Diego Padres
5 days agoSan Diego Padres reliever
Jeremiah Estrada (illness) is at Petco Park on Wednesday and said he's feeling better but is still fighting through an illness. Estrada thinks he'll be available out of the bullpen for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The 25-year-old was unavailable in a high-leverage situation late in Tuesday night's 4-3 walk-off win, but the could be back in action on Wednesday. The former sixth-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2017 hadn't done much in 17 relief appearances in Chicago the last two years, but he's burst onto the scene in San Diego in 2024, allowing only two earned runs on 10 hits while fanning a whopping 35 hitters and walking only seven in 21 innings of work out of the bullpen. Estrada also picked up his first career save this year and has some value for his high strikeout rate in deep fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants first baseman/outfielder
LaMonte Wade Jr. (hamstring) is taking grounders and has started some light running. Wade was expected to be out until late June because of a strained hamstring, but he is pushing hard to return from the 10-day injured list to play in the game in Alabama next Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 20, even as just a designated hitter. The 30-year-old was put on the IL on May 28 with a Grade 2 left-hamstring strain, but Wade has made nice progress and could return to San Fran's lineup late next week. Wade will return to a near-everyday role for the Giants when he's healthy. Although he has just two home runs, 17 RBI and 22 runs scored in 129 at-bats this year, he's helped fantasy managers in deeper mixed leagues with his .333 batting average (43-for-129).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Andrew Baggarly
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Merrill Kelly (shoulder) has been throwing out to 70 feet as he works his way back from a right-shoulder strain that sent him to the 15-day injured list. Kelly is progressing, but his rehab is moving slowly and he probably isn't a realistic candidate to come off the IL to rejoin the big-league starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. When the 35-year-old veteran is ready, though, he'll return to the top of Arizona's rotation alongside
Zac Gallen (hamstring), who is also currently on the IL. Before his injury earlier this year, Kelly had been fantastic in his four starts, going 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with six walks and 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings of work. He shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks left-hander
Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) is currently throwing out to 105 feet and will continue to receive imaging in conjunction with his throwing program. Rodriguez began the 2024 season on the injured list with a left-shoulder injury and was shut down in early April when he experienced more pain in his left arm during a bullpen session. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw is making progress of late, though. However, he probably won't be an option to come off the 60-day injured list to join Arizona's starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Given his lengthy absence, expect E-Rod to need a rather lengthy minor-league rehab assignment before the D-backs feel comfortable activating him. When he's healthy, Rodriguez could be useful as a matchup-based streamer in deep mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
5 days agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks plan on outfielder
Alek Thomas (hamstring) playing in minor-league rehab games this week as he continues to work back from a hamstring strain. Thomas is on track to serve as the designated hitter in an Arizona Complex League game on Thursday if he feels good leading up to that day. "He's running the bases and doing most of the things that we're looking for," manager Torey Lovullo said. "Some of the moves on the bases and some of the moves in the outfield are still coming." Thomas was put on the 10-day injured list on April 1 and went on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno on May 3, but he was shut down after three games with more hamstring pain. The 24-year-old has yet to really make a mark offensively in the big leagues, so he can probably be left to the waiver wire in most mixed leagues, even after he returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
5 days agoA Houston Astros spokesman said that outfielder
Kyle Tucker (leg) is unlikely to return from the 10-day injured list and to the starting lineup by Friday against the visiting Detroit Tigers, but he's feeling better. Tucker fouled a ball off his right shin early last week and hasn't played since. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger avoided a serious injury, but the Astros are playing it safe with one of the best hitters in all of baseball. Tucker must be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues while he recovers, and hopefully he can start baseball activities at some point this weekend. With Tucker out, the left-handed-hitting
Trey Cabbage has seen most of the playing time in right field against right-handers, with
Chas McCormick stepping in against lefties. Tucker is currently batting .266 (57-for-214) with 19 homers, 40 RBI and 10 thefts on the season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
5 days agoAccording to Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider, the team is considering reinstating rookie right-hander
Yariel Rodriguez (back) from the 15-day injured list on short rest on Saturday to take on the Cleveland Guardians. The Blue Jays could also push right-hander
Jose Berrios up to Saturday on regular rest and start Rodriguez on Sunday, but they don't want to take away Berrios' extra rest. Schneider said Rodriguez had a "damn good outing" for Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday night, and his progress is "driving" how the team will fill
Alek Manoah's (elbow) spot in the rotation, which is due up this Saturday. The 27-year-old Cuban hurler fanned 10 in four shutout innings for Buffalo and appears ready to return to the big leagues, but fantasy managers should be wary of throwing him back into the fire immediately on short rest and against one of the best teams in baseball.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
5 days agoHouston Astros catcher
Yainer Diaz (finger) remains out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale in San Francisco against the Giants.
Victor Caratini will once again do the catching for left-hander
Framber Valdez and will bat seventh against Giants right-hander
Logan Webb. Diaz is missing a third straight game due to a right-index finger injury that he suffered while taking a foul tip over the weekend. The 25-year-old is considered day-to-day, and fantasy managers will need to check back on Friday to see if he's ready for the series opener against the Tigers after an off day on Thursday. Diaz has excelled as Houston's primary catcher this year and is currently slashing .257/.283/.408 with seven homers and 33 RBI in 218 at-bats. He's hit in all six games in June so far, going 8-for-25 (.320) with four homers and 10 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
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