5 days agoMinnesota Twins third baseman
Royce Lewis continued his power surge on Monday against the Colorado Rockies. He was 1-for-4 at the plate with a two-run home run and two runs scored in the 5-0 win. Lewis has now gone deep in three of the past six games since returning from a strained quadriceps muscle. There is no denying the power potential in the 25-year-old's bat, but staying healthy has eluded Lewis for the past few seasons. He is slashing .333/.375/.952 across seven games in 2024 and should be started with confidence while he has a clean bill of health.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoRintaro Sasaki, the top power-hitting prospect from Japan, will take part in the MLB Draft League as a member of the Trenton Thunder and make his debut on Tuesday. Sasaki set the Japanese high school record for most home runs in a career with 140 (previous record was 111) but chose to forego the NPB Draft, deciding to attend Stanford instead and, hopefully, taking a quicker path to the MLB. Had he gone to the NPB, he would have been under team control for nine years. The "Japanese
Prince Fielder" is known to have a terrific eye as well, having collected twice as many walks than strikeouts during his high school career. Many players use the MLB Draft League to enhance their potential draft stock, so he'll look to put his power on display. If he lives up to the hype, the left-handed slugger could be a power-hitting star in the MLB, so dynasty managers would be wise to keep an eye on his performance, which will conclude in mid-July.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Michael Clair
5 days agoMinnesota Twins starting pitcher
Chris Paddack was sharp during Monday's 5-0 win over the Colorado Rockies. He scattered six hits across 6 1/3 scoreless innings without issuing a walk. He also struck out six batters. It was a nice bounce-back performance for the 28-year-old after he was shelled for seven runs in his previous start. He now owns a 4.79 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 67:14 K:BB across 13 starts in 2024. Paddack is a fine streaming option in the right matchups, but he is prone to the occasional disastrous outing. That being said, he is a worthwhile streamer in his next projected start this weekend at home against the Oakland Athletics.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays starter
Ryan Pepiot surrendered four runs on nine hits across six innings during Monday's 5-2 loss against the Baltimore Orioles. He did not issue a walk and struck out nine batters. The main damage against Pepiot was two solo home runs, but he continued to generate whiffs at a high rate. The 26-year-old's 4.17 ERA is a far cry from his 2.88 xERA, but his 1.01 WHIP and 68:16 K:BB help tell the full story. Pepiot has pitched quite well in 2024 and can be a useful fantasy asset for the rest of the season, although he has another tough matchup on deck against the Atlanta Braves this weekend.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Corbin Burnes allowed two runs (none earned) on five hits across seven innings of work during Monday's 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Burnes struck out six batters while issuing one walk. It was the ninth straight quality start for Burnes and his seventh win of the season. The 29-year-old has posted a stingy 2.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 82:22 K:BB across 14 starts during his first season in Baltimore. He is lined up for a tough test against the Philadelphia Phillies in his next start, but there is no reason to doubt Burnes against any lineup at this point.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles shortstop
Gunnar Henderson was 3-for-5 with a solo home run and three runs scored in Monday's 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 22-year-old took the first pitch of the game over the center field wall for his 21st home run of the season. Henderson is putting together a dynamic fantasy campaign in his sophomore year. He is slashing .274/.375/.599 with 46 RBI, 55 runs scored, eight stolen bases and a .974 OPS. Henderson can be started with confidence on a nightly basis.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics rookie shortstop
Darell Hernaiz (ankle) is out of his walking boot and will begin a strength and fitness program this week. The next step in Hernaiz's rehab process will be to resume baseball activity, which the A's will determine at a later date. The A's moved the 22-year-old infielder to the 60-day injured list on May 15. Hernaiz is listed on MLB Pipeline as Oakland's No. 4 prospect, but a severe left ankle sprain has kept him sidelined since May 7. He's mostly a candidate to keep stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues, as it remains to be seen how much playing time he'll see in Oakland when he's healthy enough to return. Hernaiz received his first major-league promotion earlier this year and went 12-for-66 (.182) with no home runs, six RBI and a stolen base in his first 29 big-league contests before injuring his ankle.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics right-hander
Paul Blackburn (foot) is out of his walking boot and is expected to begin a throwing program this week. However, there is no timetable for his return to the A's starting rotation at this time after he landed on the injured list with a right-foot stress reaction. Blackburn is making notable progress, but he still has a ways to go before being reinstated from the injured list, and he won't be an option for fantasy managers again until the second half of the season. The 30-year-old former first-rounder of the Chicago Cubs in 2012 will require at least a handful of minor-league rehab starts before the A's eventually return him to their rotation. Blackburn went 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (4.19 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with a 36:13 K:BB in 46 innings and eight starts for the A's before injuring his foot.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics left-hander
Alex Wood (shoulder) increased his throwing distance up to 90 feet during the week of June 3, but he experienced a setback and is currently shut down from throwing with no timetable to resume that program at this time. Wood was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 9 and will not be able to make it back to the big leagues before the All-Star break in mid-July now. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw was initially placed on the 15-day injured list on May 13 with left rotator-cuff tendonitis. Wood hasn't been much of a fantasy option for a while, and that hasn't changed in 2024 in his first year in Oakland. Before being put on the IL, he had gone 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.78 WHIP with 33 strikeouts and 19 walks in 39 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues can continue to ignore Wood for now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics right-hander
Ross Stripling (elbow) is scheduled to begin a throwing program on Tuesday, June 11, and he will gradually increase his throwing distance until the A's determine that he's ready to throw off a mound. Stripling has been shut down from throwing since May 29 due to a right elbow flexor strain, but the team feels he's finally ready to start building his arm back up. Given how long Stripling has been out, it seems unlikely that he'll be able to come off the injured list to rejoin Oakland's starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should have better options at this point. Before landing on the shelf, Stripling went 1-9 with a 5.82 ERA (4.00 FIP) and 1.59 WHIP with only 35 strikeouts and 12 walks in 55 2/3 innings over his 11 starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics left-hander
Kyle Muller (shoulder) started a throwing program last Thursday, and the next step in his rehab process from left-shoulder tendonitis is to throw off a mound, although there is no timetable for when that will happen at this time. Muller was solid for the A's in a relief role this year before his injury, as he has allowed 16 runs (13 earned) on 33 hits (five home runs) while walking only seven and striking out 24 in 33 2/3 innings in his 13 appearances out of the A's bullpen. If the 26-year-old southpaw avoids a setback with his shoulder, he should be able to return to the big-league bullpen before the end of June. Before the 2024 campaign, 24 of Muller's 33 MLB appearances with the Atlanta Braves and A's came in a starting role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland Athletics right-handed reliever
Lucas Erceg (forearm) felt healthy after a 20-pitch bullpen session on Sunday and is expected to be activated from the injured list at some point during the team's road trip through San Diego and Minnesota that begins on Monday. Erceg is eligible to come off the IL on Wednesday. The 29-year-old has been a great setup man for the A's in front of electric closer
Mason Miller this year, posting a 2.86 ERA in 21 relief appearances while striking out 27 in 22 innings of work. Erceg also has the first two saves of his career in his second season in the big leagues. Miller is the team's unquestioned closer, but he'll be a popular trade candidate this summer, and if Miller is dealt or gets injured, Erceg could be first in line for saves in Oakland.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoThe Minnesota Twins will call up right-hander
Louie Varland from the minors to make a spot start on Tuesday against the visiting Colorado Rockies. Right-handed reliever
Diego Castillo will be optioned to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. The spot start for Varland is intended to give the regular rotation some extra rest during a long stretch without off days. It will be a middling matchup against the Rockies, who rank 17th in all of baseball with a .686 OPS, although they also have the fifth-most strikeouts (617). Still, Varland will be a shaky fantasy streamer in deeper leagues. The 26-year-old hasn't looked good in his four starts in the majors in 2024, going 0-4 with a 9.18 ERA and 2.16 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings pitched. He wasn't that great at St. Paul, either, going 2-5 with a 5.31 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP with 44 K's and 14 walks in eight starts (40 2/3 frames).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman
5 days agoThe Philadelphia Phillies are promoting shortstop prospect
Aidan Miller to High-A Jersey Shore. Miller is the 47th-ranked prospect in baseball per MLB.com's Top Prospects list and the Phillies' top offensive prospect (second overall). Miller is slashing .275/.401/.483 with five home runs and 10 stolen bases but had been hitting .309 through the end of May until a cold streak befell him in June. Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time until he was promoted, but the 2023 first-round draft pick won't see the majors for a couple of years. Still, the power-speed combo makes him an intriguing player for dynasty managers to consider.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB Central
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Bobby Miller (shoulder) made his third minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday and allowed two runs (one earned) while striking out two in four innings of work. Miller came out of the outing feeling healthy and is getting closer to a return from right-shoulder inflammation. Manager Dave Roberts said he's unsure what's next for Miller, but the Dodgers could be leaning towards Miller making one more rehab start before he rejoins the Dodgers' rotation. With 13 games in a row coming up for LA, though, Miller could slot back in soon. The 25-year-old hasn't been exactly great during his rehab assignment, posting a 6.97 ERA and 1.74 WHIP with six K's and five walks in 10 1/3 innings, but his return to the big leagues isn't far off, and Miller should be rostered in all fantasy leagues due to his high-strikeout upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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