5 days agoThird baseman
Gio Urshela (hamstring) is traveling with the Detroit Tigers for their six-game road trip as he gets closer to a return from injury. Urshela is going through hitting and defensive drills, while also continuing to run as he looks to return from a right-hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since April 19. He's currently on the 10-day injured list. Before the injury, Urshela was the Tigers' everyday third baseman and was slashing .298/.310/.333 with six RBI. In place of Urshela, Detroit has been starting
Matt Vierling at third base. Once Urshela returns from injury, he will resume being the everyday third baseman, but despite that, he is under 5 percent owned in Yahoo and ESPN fantasy leagues.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
5 days agoThe Milwaukee Brewers are set to call up prospect
Tyler Black. The infielder is the Brewers' No. 4 ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Black has been hitting well as of late, as in his last 17 games, he's slashing 328/.425/.612 with five home runs and three stolen bases. Black has been primarily playing first and third base in the minors but is expected to challenge
Jake Bauers for time at first base. Bauers has struggled as he's slashing .200/.250/.633 with two home runs. If Black can get consistent playing time, he is a viable fantasy option due to his on-base ability. Black is not on the 40-man roster so a corresponding move will need to be made by the Brewers.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
5 days agoThe Minnesota Twins have activated right-hander
Jhoan Duran (oblique), who has missed the start of the season due to an oblique injury. Last season, the right-hander had 27 saves with a 2.45 ERA. Duran is one of the top closers in fantasy baseball and is expected to resume his role as the closer after his two-game rehab stint in Triple-A, as his fastball clocked in at an average of 101.8 mph. In a corresponding move, the Twins have designated right-hander
Matt Bowman for assignment. Bowman had a 2.35 ERA in five games in 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs out of the bullpen.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
5 days agoHouston Astros outfielder
Chas McCormick is dealing with soreness in his hamstring. Astros manager Joe Espada said it is a day-to-day injury for the time being. McCormick is slashing .236/.325/.278 this season with 8 RBIs. With McCormick out of the lineup,
Joey Loperfido will be getting some starts in the outfield, the manager revealed. Loperfido was expected to play some first base due to the struggles of
Jose Abreu, but will now get some reps in the outfield due to the injury to McCormick. In the minors, Loperfido slashed .287/.393/.713 with 13 home runs in 25 games before the callup and is a fantasy option due to his power.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
5 days agoThe Colorado Rockies placed outfielder
Nolan Jones (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 29) with a lower-back strain. With Jones going to the IL, Colorado selected the contract of outfielder
Jordan Beck to the major league roster, and left-hander pitcher
Lucas Gilbreath has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. This season, Jones is slashing .170/.243/.277 with one home run, as he last played on April 28 and went 1-for-2 with one strikeout. Beck is the Rockies No. 4 prospect, per MLB pipeline, will likely play everyday while Jones is on the IL.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
5 days agoThe St. Louis Cardinals moved starting pitcher
Drew Rom (biceps) to the 60-day injured list on Tuesday to make room for pitcher
Kyle Leahy as the 27th man for Tuesday's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Rom is dealing with a left-biceps injury and is scheduled to visit with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas on Tuesday. Now that the 24-year-old left-hander is on the 60-day injured list, he won't be eligible to return to the Cardinals' bullpen until at least late May. The former fourth-round selection by the Baltimore Orioles in 2018 went 1-4 in his big-league debut in St. Louis last year and had a rough 8.02 ERA (5.75 FIP) and 2.08 WHIP with 19 walks and 32 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings over his eight starts. Rom showed plenty of strikeout potential in the minors, but his control has also been lacking.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
5 days agoThe Chicago White Sox signed first baseman
Jared Walsh to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. He will report to Arizona before being assigned to Triple-A Charlotte. Walsh began the year with the Texas Rangers and went 12-for-53 (.226) with a home run, seven RBI and nine runs scored in 17 games while filling in at first base with
Nathaniel Lowe starting the year on the injured list. Once Lowe returned from his injury, the Rangers cut Walsh. At this point, the White Sox are just looking for warm bodies with potential. For the time being, the 30-year-old Walsh will provide minor-league depth at first base. The former 39th-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2015 out of Georgia has a career .239/.301/.438 slash line with 59 home runs and 191 RBI in six seasons, including this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - LaMond Pope
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers designated hitter
Shohei Ohtani contributed to Monday's 8-4 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ohtani went 2-for-4 with one run, one RBI, and walked once. He continues to be a huge contributor to an already powerful Dodgers lineup this season. He is slashing .341/.406/.635 through 31 games. He is 43-for-126 with 14 doubles, one triple, seven homers, 19 RBI, 25 runs, 15 walks and 25 strikeouts. There is no question about the power that Ohtani brings to the plate and, fantasy managers already know to continue locking him in.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoCincinnati Reds shortstop
Elly De La Cruz hit a home run in Monday's victory against the San Diego Padres. The 22-year-old shortstop went 1-for-4 with his only hit being a solo home run. De La Cruz has had some rough stretches this season but has also been able to make an impact at times for the Reds. He is hitting .280 (28-for-100) with five doubles, one triple, eight homers, 19 RBI, 26 runs, 17 walks, 36 strikeouts, and 18 stolen bases through 29 games. With matchups in his favor against San Diego and Baltimore, De La Cruz should remain a starter in your lineups.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
5 days agoDetroit Tigers shortstop
Javier Baez is not in the team's starting lineup for Game 1 of a doubleheader on Tuesday against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. With Baez resting,
Zach McKinstry will get the nod at shortstop and will hit seventh in the lineup against Cardinals right-hander
Kyle Gibson. It seems like ages ago that Baez was a two-time All-Star with the Chicago Cubs. He's really fallen on hard times in Detroit and is hitting just .193/.233/.277 in 25 games this year with just one home run, nine RBI, six stolen bases, four walks and 21 strikeouts in 90 plate appearances. Now that Baez's power production is down -- he hit just nine long balls in 2023 -- it's hard to justify starting him in mixed fantasy leagues. McKinstry is hitting .220 (9-for-41) and doesn't have a homer this year, but he has a solo home run in six career at-bats against Gibson.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
5 days agoAtlanta Braves second baseman
Ozzie Albies brought in the only run on Monday in the 2-1 loss against the Seattle Mariners. Albies went 1-for-4, with his only hit being a double, but he also brought in the only run for Atlanta. The 27-year-old has provided production for a powerful Braves lineup this season, hitting .325 (26-for-80) in 19 games. He has nine doubles, two homers, 16 runs, 17 RBI, five walks, and 14 strikeouts. Albies returned from the 10-day injured list (fractured toe) four days ago and picked up where he left off for fantasy managers, remaining a consistent starter.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoOakland A's third baseman
Tyler Nevin was locked in during Monday's 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nevin went 2-for-3 with one run, one homer, two RBI, and one strikeout. The 26-year-old continues to provide production after a slow start to the season. He's now hitting .301 (22-for-73) with two doubles, three homers, eight runs, eight RBI with five walks and 16 strikeouts through 23 games. At best, Nevin is an option in AL-only leagues, but he still has more to prove for those considering him off the waiver wire in deep-mixed leagues, especially since he plays for one of the worst teams in baseball.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
5 days agoThe Chicago Cubs are promoting prized pitching prospect
Cade Horton, who is ranked as the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, from Double-A Tennessee to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. Horton, 22, dominated in his four starts with Tennessee this year to the tune of a 1.10 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with just two walks and 18 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings pitched. The Cubs' top pitching prospect was taken seventh overall in 2022 out of Oklahoma. He's quickly risen through the team's farm system and is now knocking at the door for a big-league promotion. Last year, he had a 2.65 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 27 walks and 117 strikeouts between Single-A Myrtle Beach, High-A South Bend and Tennessee. Depending on how he fares at Iowa, Horton is certainly a candidate to join Chicago's starting rotation later this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Des Moines Register - Tommy Birch
5 days agoMinnesota Twins right-hander
Josh Winder (shoulder) is set to start a minor-league rehab assignment with Low-A Fort Myers on Tuesday. Winder was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 26 with a scapular stress fracture in his right shoulder that he suffered late last year. It means the 27-year-old reliever won't be able to rejoin Minnesota's bullpen at the big-league level until at least late May. Winder made his major-league debut for the Twins in 2022 and even started 11 games that year, but all 19 of his appearances last year came in a relief role. In his 101 2/3 total innings pitched the last two seasons in Minnesota, he has recorded a 4.51 ERA (4.57 FIP), one save, a 1.34 WHIP, 32 walks and 75 strikeouts. Winder is currently off the fantasy radar everywhere.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: John Vittas
5 days agoNew York Mets shortstop
Jett Williams (wrist), the team's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been placed on the seven-day injured list at Double-A Binghamton due to right-wrist soreness. Williams hasn't played in over a week and will now miss more time in the minors. On top of the injury, the 20-year-old infielder has hit a weak .180/.360/.308 with no home runs, two RBI, two stolen bases and nine runs scored in 11 games for Binghamton in 2024. Williams' primary position is shortstop, but the Mets have moved him around so far this year and he's also played second base and center field on the farm. He's undersized at 5-foot-7, 175 pounds, but he has impressive power despite his size and also displays a solid understanding of the strike zone at a young age. Right now, he's just a stash candidate in dynasty leagues and isn't expected to debut in the big leagues until 2025 or later.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Metsmerized - Mike Mayer
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