5 days agoSeattle Mariners second baseman
Jorge Polanco is getting a breather on Friday in the series opener against the visiting Oakland Athletics.
Josh Rojas will get the start at the keystone for the M's as a result and will hit leadoff against A's right-hander
Paul Blackburn.
Luis Urias is at third base and is batting ninth for the M's. Polanco is in need of a little break after recording only two hits in 18 at-bats with seven strikeouts in the recent four-game series this week against his former team, the Minnesota Twins. The 30-year-old Dominican switch-hitter's poor recent stretch has dropped his season slash line to a weak .182/.291/.299 with five home runs, 13 RBI and 14 runs scored in 137 at-bats. Rojas continues to get more playing time around the diamond for Seattle after his .348/.417/.533 start at the plate in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Seattle Sports - Shannon Drayer
5 days agoNew York Mets starting pitching prospect
Brandon Sproat pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a hard-luck loss on Thursday. He struck out eight and allowed just two hits and three free passes. This was his longest outing of the season. The 23-year-old now has an excellent 1.07 ERA and 1.11 WHIP through 25 1/3 innings in his first professional season. The former Florida Gator has been dominating High-A and is making the case to be moved up to Double-A this summer. However, the Mets may lean on the side of caution for their young prospect, who is not projected to reach the major leagues until 2026.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals right-hander
Keynan Middleton (forearm) threw off a mound again on Friday at Busch Stadium and will start a minor-league rehab assignment next week, according to manager Oliver Marmol. Middleton will report to either Double-A Springfield or Triple-A Memphis. The 30-year-old reliever is getting close to being able to make his 2024 debut with the Cardinals, and he should return to a key late-inning, high-leverage setup role in front of closer
Ryan Helsley. Middleton is eligible to come off the 15-day injured list on May 17, a week from Friday. At the very least, Middleton could be worth a waiver-wire pickup in deep holds leagues after he posted a 3.38 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, two saves and a career-high 64 strikeouts in 50 2/3 relief innings in 2023 with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - John Denton
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals left-hander
Steven Matz (back) played catch off the mound at Busch Stadium on Friday, according to manager Oliver Marmol. Matz will throw at a much higher intensity on Monday. Matz is dealing with a protruding disc in his lower back and was placed on the 15-day injured list a week ago with a lower-back strain. Given the severity of the 32-year-old veteran southpaw's injury, fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't be expecting Matz to return when he's eligible to come off the IL. In addition to Matz's pretty serious injury, he wasn't good in his six starts before getting hurt, going 1-2 with a 6.18 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with only 17 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. Matz probably isn't worth holding onto in shallow-mixed fantasy leagues at this point.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - John Denton
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Brendan Donovan and second baseman
Nolan Gorman are both out of the lineup on Friday with the team facing Milwaukee Brewers rookie left-hander
Robert Gasser, who is making his major-league debut. Rookie
Michael Siani is starting in center field and is batting ninth, while
Jose Fermin is at second base and hitting leadoff for the Cardinals on Friday night. Donovan has struggled so far this year, hitting .217 (31-for-143) with four homers and 19 RBI. Gorman has been even worse, slashing .172/.256/.319 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 116 at-bats. Fermin will be a deep DFS sleeper on Friday night out of the leadoff spot. The 25-year-old Dominican has three hits in only 11 at-bats in eight games this year after making his MLB debut in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
5 days agoThe Milwaukee Brewers acquired right-hander
Mitch White from the San Francisco Giants on Friday in exchange for cash considerations and designated right-hander
Corbin Martin for assignment in a corresponding move. White started the year with the Toronto Blue Jays and is now on his third organization in the first month and a half of the year. The 29-year-old will likely be a swingman for Milwaukee after recording a rough 7.63 ERA (5.71 FIP) and 1.76 WHIP with nine walks and seven strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings with the Blue Jays and Giants this year, all of which have come out of the bullpen. If the former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 out of Santa Clara makes any starts for the Brewers because of their banged-up rotation, White will merely be a shaky deep-league streaming option in fantasy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Brewers
5 days agoThe Milwaukee Brewers placed right-hander
Joel Payamps on the bereavement list on Friday. In other moves, the Brewers selected left-hander
Robert Gasser's contract from Triple-A Nashville, recalled right-hander
Janson Junk from Nashville, optioned
read more...
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers closer
Devin Williams (back) is scheduled to start playing catch within the next two weeks, according to manager Pat Murphy. Williams has a checkup with a doctor for his back injury in the coming days. The Brewers' bullpen took a big hit when it was announced that the 29-year-old All-Star closer wouldn't be ready to make his 2024 debut until around the All-Star break due to a serious back issue that has been bothering him for a while. The good news is that Williams appears to be making progress. Given how elite he's been as a closer when healthy, he should be stashed in an injured list spot in all fantasy formats.
Joel Payamps and
Abner Uribe have been called on in a few save situations, but as of right now,
Trevor Megill is the favorite for saves in Milwaukee with Williams still out of the picture.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers outfield prospect
Jackson Chourio remains out of the team's starting lineup on Friday as the club faces the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. It's the third straight game that the struggling 20-year-old has started on the bench for the Brew Crew since
Christian Yelich returned from the injured list.
Blake Perkins is starting in center field for Milwaukee and will hit seventh against Cardinals veteran right-hander
Lance Lynn. Chourio is going to be back in the starting lineup at some point, but right now he's the odd man out after starting the year with a .205/.275/.387 slash line while adding four home runs, 13 RBI, six stolen bases and 14 runs scored in his first 33 games in the big leagues. Fantasy managers should keep Chourio on their benches until he gets going.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher
Matt Brash (elbow) underwent successful Tommy John surgery this week. The right-hander had his UCL repaired and is expected to be sidelined until June of 2025. That timeline seems a bit optimistic, but it's possible he returns around then if he doesn't suffer any setbacks. The loss of Brash is a significant hit to the Mariners bullpen considering how well he has pitched in the past. His absence won't mean much for fantasy purposes with
Andres Munoz locked into the closer role.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Daniel Kramer
5 days agoTexas Rangers outfielder
Evan Carter (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies. The rookie outfielder will sit out for the third time this week against a left-handed starting pitcher.
Ezequiel Duran will get the start in left field and bat seventh versus
Austin Gomber. Carter has the potential to be a solid big league player, but his fantasy value is limited with him stuck in a platoon role.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants shortstop
Nick Ahmed (wrist) has been placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. This news comes after Ahmed was hit by a 108-mph line drive during Thursday's game. The team is calling it a left wrist sprain, so hopefully Ahmed won't miss significant time.
Casey Schmitt has been recalled from Triple-A to take the spot on the active roster. Both Schmitt and
Tyler Fitzgerald figure to see increased playing time with Ahmed sidelined.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Baggarly
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) has been activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been out since mid-April due to an oblique issue. Suzuki is not in the Cubs' lineup on Friday after appearing in two straight rehab games. This appears to be a travel day or rest day for Suzuki, so the expectation is that he'll play on Saturday. In the meantime,
Mike Tauchman will cover right field and bat second versus right-hander
Jared Jones on Friday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates third baseman
Ke'Bryan Hayes (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Fantasy managers don't need to worry, as this appears to be a routine day off for Hayes. In his absence,
Jared Triolo will cover third base and bat seventh versus right-hander
Javier Assad on Friday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoHouston Astros outfielder
Joey Loperfido (rest) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers. The rookie outfielder has missed three of the last four games. This doesn't appear to be injured related, so it's uncertain why the Astros are keeping him on the bench.
Jake Meyers will cover center field and bat ninth versus right-hander
Casey Mize on Friday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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