5 days agoPittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal is making his first start of the season and will bat in the six-hole against Colorado Rockies southpaw Austin Gomber. Grandal was activated from the injured list on Friday after recovering from plantar fasciitis, a move that also sent Henry Davis down to Triple-A. The 35-year-old catcher posted a .234/.309/.339 stat line with eight long balls last season and should be expected to split duties behind the dish with Joey Bart for the time being. Grandal could emerge as an option in NL-only leagues if he can produce at the plate, especially from a power standpoint. Grandal is worth consideration as a sneaky pay in DFS as Austin Gomber enters Saturday with a hefty 4.50 ERA.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoToronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (hip) has been activated from the 10-day injured list and will start in Saturday's lineup as the Blue Jays continue a three-game set against right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin and the Washington Nationals. Kiermaier only stayed on the injured list for a minimum of ten days and should be expected to return to his everyday role in center field. The 34-year-old struggled at the plate to open the season with a .193/.246/.228 line but put up a solid .265/.322/.419 line last season, so fantasy managers should expect a nice turnaround. He swiped 14 bags last season and already stole two before being placed on the injured list and remains on pace to smash his 2023 total. Kiermaier remains an AL-only option but could be deployed in a good matchup in DFS.Source: Toronto Blue Jays
5 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff is not in Saturday's lineup as the Twins are slated to face Boston southpaw Brennan Bernardino. Kirilloff has yet to make a start this season against a left-handed pitcher, and Saturday will be no different. As a result, Willi Castro will play left field, which opens the hot corner for Jose Miranda. Kirilloff has put up a solid .247/.310/.449 slash line with three home runs this season. The 26-year-old should be expected to return to the Twins lineup on Sunday, as they are scheduled to face right-hander Cooper Criswell. Both Castro and Miranda are sneaky plays in DFS on Saturday, as they are batting in the two- and three-holes, respectively, and should see plenty of RBI and scoring opportunities.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoChicago Cubs infielder Miles Mastrobuoni was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Saturday in a corresponding move that sent Cubs first base prospect Matt Mervis back down to the minor leagues. Mervis disappointed fantasy managers in his second major league stint and will most likely not receive another chance until later in the summer. Mervis posted a .115/.148/.154 line in nine games with the Cubs this season, which is not too different from his .167/.242/.289 line he had across 27 games last year. Mastrobuoni played in 61 games last season with the Cubs and put up a modest .241/.308/.301 stat line. The 28-year-old should be expected to reclaim his utility role once again this season after starting games at second base, third base, and in the outfield last season. He is nothing more than a desperation play in DFS when he is in the Cubs lineup.Source: Patrick Mooney
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder Joey Wiemer (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with left knee discomfort. Infielder Andruw Monasterio was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Wiemer was removed from Friday's game after injuringread more...
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals right-handed reliever Keynan Middleton (forearm) threw a bullpen session off a mound on Saturday for a second straight day. He said he'll throw twice more in St. Louis next week and then head to Double-A Springfield for a minor-league rehab assignment. Middleton has been pain-free since receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right arm on April 6, and it looks like the 30-year-old is getting close to making his season debut out of the Red Birds' bullpen. He had a 3.38 ERA (4.20 FIP), a 1.24 WHIP, two saves, 23 walks and a career-high 64 strikeouts in 50 2/3 relief innings last year with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees and figures to hold a late-inning setup role for the Cardinals when he's healthy, making him an option for those in holds leagues.Source: MLB.com - John Denton
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder), who is close to a return from his sprained left shoulder, is in the team's clubhouse on Saturday before their game against the visiting Chicago White Sox. It means that Carlson is likely on the verge of officially being activated from the injured list, although he's not in the team's lineup. The 25-year-old played nine innings in the field for Triple-A Memphis on Friday and went 3-for-11 with a solo home run in four rehab games with Memphis. With Tommy Edman (wrist) still on the IL, Carlson is expected to take over center field duties from rookie Michael Siani when he's officially active on the Cardinals' roster. The former first-round switch-hitter so far hasn't lived up to expectations in his four years in the big leagues, but he's certainly worth a waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues.Source: MLB.com - John Denton
5 days agoThe Chicago White Sox placed infielder Danny Mendick (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 2) with lower-back tightness on Saturday and recalled infield prospect Bryan Ramos from Double-A Birmingham in a corresponding move. Mendick was scratched from Friday's lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals and will now be forced to miss at least 10 days. In the meantime, Ramos, the club's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, could see ample playing time at the hot corner until Mendick is recovered. For what it's worth, infielder Braden Shewmake is starting at third on Saturday. The 30-year-old Mendick will hit the shelf after hitting .256 (10-for-39) with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base in limited action for the Pale Hose this year.Source: Chicago White Sox
5 days agoThe Chicago White Sox called up infield prospect Bryan Ramos from Double-A Birmingham on Saturday and placed infielder Danny Mendick (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 2) in a corresponding move. Ramos, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, wasn't hitting the ball very well in the minors, slashing just .182/.265/.307 with 11 RBI in his 98 plate appearances. However, the 22-year-old infielder could get a chance for the rebuilding White Sox in the short term while Mendick is sidelined. Despite never playing at the Triple-A level, Ramos could play regularly at the hot corner in Chicago, making him worth a pickup in AL-only leagues right now. He's obviously still young and inexperienced, but Ramos has the potential for above-average power and an above-average hit tool. He is not in the starting lineup on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals.Source: Chicago White Sox
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfielders Seiya Suzuki (oblique) and Cody Bellinger (ribs) are hitting and taking part in defensive drills on Saturday. Suzuki is recovering from a right-oblique strain that he suffered on April 14, while Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 24 with a fractured right rib. Suzuki also took on-field batting practice on Friday and is 80 percent recovered. The 29-year-old should be able to go on a minor-league rehab assignment soon, so he will likely return before Bellinger does. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Mike Tauchman are seeing more playing time in Chicago with both Suzuki and Bellinger injured, and both outfielders are swinging the bat well. When healthy, Suzuki and Bellinger will be everyday players for Chicago and should be stashed in all fantasy formats.Source: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
5 days agoNew York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Saturday, his first bullpen session since he was shut down from throwing in spring training back in March. Cole was giddy while talking about it and said he was looking forward to this step for a long time, his first taste of pitching in an extended stretch. It's a big step for the 33-year-old, who won the American League Cy Young award in 2023. He was put on the 60-day injured list with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow in late March, meaning he won't be eligible to return to the Yankees until May 27. Cole is reportedly targeting a return in mid-June, so fantasy managers are going to have to remain patient and keep him stashed in all leagues until then.Source: NJ Advance Media - Max Goodman
5 days agoBoston Red Sox second baseman Vaughn Grissom is getting a scheduled day off on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins after returning from the injured list to make his season debut in Friday's loss. Grissom will be back in the lineup on Sunday as the Red Sox look to ease him back in. David Hamilton is at the keystone on Saturday and is hitting eighth in the batting order against Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez. The 23-year-old missed the first month of the season with a hamstring injury and went hitless in three at-bats in his first game of the year with Boston on Friday. Grissom might get more frequent rest days over the course of the next couple weeks, but ultimately he's going to serve as the team's everyday second baseman for the rest of the 2024 season if he can stay healthy.Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
5 days agoDetroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez is not in the starting lineup on Saturday versus the New York Yankees in the Bronx. The struggling Baez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Friday night's walk-off loss and is now slashing a miserable .183/.228/.258 with one home run, nine RBI, six stolen bases, six runs scored, five walks and 22 strikeouts in 101 plate appearances over his 28 games in 2024. The 31-year-old free swinger has fallen far since his last All-Star appearance in 2019 with the Chicago Cubs, and he's been a massive bust since joining the Tigers in 2022. About the only thing fantasy managers can count on him for now is some modest stolen base numbers. Zach McKinstry is starting at the 6 on Saturday and is hitting eighth against Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt.Source: Detroit Tigers
5 days agoThe Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres have agreed to a trade that sends second baseman Luis Arraez to San Diego in exchange for relief pitcher Woo-Suk Go and three prospects. The prospects San Diego is sending to Miami areread more...
5 days agoAtlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. went 2-for-5 with a home run in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Dodgers. The home run came in the eighth inning and knotted the game up at 2-2, although the Braves would go on to lose in extras. For managers that drafted the reigning MVP first overall, he's been a disappointment for fantasy with just two home runs and eight RBI on the year. The 26-year-old has scored 30 times and has stolen 13 bases, so it hasn't been all bad. Hopefully Acuna can up the power production going forward, although it could be a tall task Saturday against Tyler Glasnow and his league-leading 53 strikeouts.Source: ESPN