5 days agoMinnesota Twins starting pitcher
Joe Ryan allowed one run on four hits across seven innings of work during Monday's 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals. He struck out nine batters and did not issue a walk. The Twins bullpen made things closer than they should have been in this one, but Ryan still thankfully came away with the win. The 27-year-old has now produced a quality start in six of his last seven outings. Ryan is quickly becoming a must-start option every time he takes the mound as he now owns a 2.96 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 73:9 K:BB through 11 starts this season. His next projected outing is scheduled for Saturday on the road against the Houston Astros. Fantasy managers should fire him up again with confidence.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoHouston Astros outfield prospect
Pedro Leon has shown tremendous offensive prowess in Triple-A Sugar Land to start the 2024 season. Through 47 games, he's slashing .290/.376/.546 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, and 12 stolen bases. He also leads the minor leagues with 51 RBI. Currently ranked #27 on the Astros' list of top prospects, it's hard to imagine that he won't ascend the rankings soon. According to MLB.com, he's expected to make his big-league debut sometime this year. If he keeps producing at this rate, there's a chance it could come sooner rather than later.
--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
5 days agoThe Seattle Mariners promoted first base prospect
Tyler Locklear to Triple-A Tacoma, and he will report to the Rainiers on Tuesday. Locklear, who is considered the club's No. 8 prospect per MLB Pipeline, earned the promotion after slashing a strong .291/.401/.532 with eight home runs, 12 doubles, one triple, 26 RBI, four stolen bases and 30 runs scored in 188 plate appearances and 41 games for Double-A Arkansas. If he continues to hit at the Triple-A level, Locklear could be a candidate for a late-season promotion to the big leagues. The 23-year-old former second-round pick in 2022 out of Virginia Commonwealth University hits from the right side has raw power at first base but also uses the entire field to drop hits in. In order to keep his strikeout rate low as he climbs the ladder in Seattle's organization, he's going to need to improve his plate discipline and improve against offspeed pitches.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Future Star Series - Joe Doyle
5 days agoMinnesota Twins infield prospect
Brooks Lee (back) will continue his rehab assignment at Single-A Fort Myers this week and is on track to rejoin Triple-A St. Paul next week, barring any setbacks with his back injury. For the Florida Complex League team, Lee had nine hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, so he looks to be just fine. The 23-year-old switch-hitter is the team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and was taken with the eighth overall pick in 2022 out of Cal Poly. Lee is working his way back from a herniated disc in his back but should return to St. Paul soon. If he stays healthy the rest of the season, don't be surprised if Lee makes his major-league debut for the Twins later this season. Because of his back injury, Lee has yet to play with St. Paul in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals infield prospect
Thomas Saggese had a solid April in Triple-A Memphis, slashing .272/.333/.407 in 90 plate appearances with five doubles, two home runs, and four stolen bases. However, he's taken a step back in May. In 89 plate appearances, he's slashing .215/.292/.367 with three doubles, three homers, and a stolen base. Part of his decrease in production is that his BABIP went from .333 in April to .255 in May. Whether due to poorer contact quality or lousy luck, far fewer of Saggese's batted balls have resulted in base hits this month. Overall, the former fifth-rounder is slashing .234/.305/.371 with eight doubles, five homers, and five stolen bases. Though he's spent a majority of his games at shortstop, Saggese has also had a few starts at second and third base.
--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
5 days agoNew York Mets relief pitcher
Drew Smith (shoulder) has restarted his minor-league rehab assignment and threw a scoreless innings for High-A Brooklyn on Sunday. Smith is penciled in for a couple more rehab appearances and is due back in the big leagues in around a week. The 30-year-old reliever is nearing a return after suffering a setback with his right shoulder in early May. The former third-round selection by the Detroit Tigers in the 2015 MLB draft out of Dallas Baptist will return to a prominent late-inning bullpen role for the Mets when he's officially reinstated. Before his injury, he had a 2.70 ERA (3.03 FIP), one save, a 1.70 WHIP, seven walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief innings. Smith will have some fantasy value in holds leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
5 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Bowden Francis (forearm) will pitch in another minor-league rehab game on Tuesday for Triple-A Buffalo in what feels like the last rehab outing that he'll need before being reinstated from the injured list. The 28-year-old reliever gave up three runs (two earned) while striking out six and walking one in 6 2/3 innings in his first three rehab appearances. In what will most likely be a middle-relief/long-relief role in Toronto when he returns, Francis will have very little fantasy value. Before going on the injured list this year, he had gone 2-2 with an 8.59 ERA (5.99 FIP) and 1.70 WHIP with seven walks and 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings over five outings (two starts). Francis will always be an option for a spot start, too, if Toronto needs it.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
5 days agoToronto Blue Jays infield prospect
Orelvis Martinez has been struggling at the plate over the last two weeks in Triple-A Buffalo. In 43 plate appearances, he's gone 4-for-37 with only three walks and 16 strikeouts. Interestingly, each of his four hits has been for extra bases (two doubles and two home runs). While he's had trouble making contact, he's been noticeably unlucky when he puts the ball in play. During this stretch, Martinez has a .100 BABIP. The league average BABIP is generally around .300, suggesting that some of his woes resulted from misfortune. Despite this recent slump, he's still having a solid year. In 192 plate appearances, Martinez is slashing .240/.325/.515 with 10 doubles, 12 home runs, and 36 RBI.
--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
5 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Chad Green (shoulder) could be activated from the injured list as early as Tuesday, according to manager John Schneider. Green has been out since the middle of April with a right-shoulder strain but is ready to return to the big-league bullpen after throwing three scoreless innings for Triple-A Buffalo on his minor-league rehab start. Green opened the season as Toronto's primary ninth-inning guy, but that was with
Jordan Romano on the injured list. The 33-year-old reliever could still be valuable in fantasy leagues that count holds, but as long as Romano is healthy, Green will serve in a late-inning setup role for the Jays. Before going on the IL, Green went 1-0 with two saves, a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and seven strikeouts in 7 2/3 frames.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
5 days agoCincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that outfielder
TJ Friedl (thumb) could return from the injured list as soon as later this week or early next week. Friedl has had pretty awful injury luck this year after also missing time with a fractured right wrist. But the 28-year-old has recovered very quickly from his thumb injury and should be back with the big-league club in short order. If he's going to return to Cincinnati this weekend, it will mean that he'll forego a minor-league rehab assignment. When healthy and on the major-league roster, Friedl should see regular playing time against right-handed pitchers, which is bad news for both
Jake Fraley and
Will Benson. Friedl has gone just 4-for-22 (.182) in six games this year but has plenty of fantasy value after hitting 18 homers, driving in 66 and stealing 27 bases in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Charlie Goldsmith
5 days agoMiami Marlins pitching prospect
Max Meyer threw well in three starts at the big-league level to start the 2024 season. In 17 innings, he had a 2.12 ERA (3.71 FIP), 0.82 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts. Despite his success, Meyer was demoted to Triple-A Jacksonville after facing the Atlanta Braves on April 13. Since then, he hasn't been nearly as sharp, posting a 6.86 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 19.2 MiLB innings. One reason for his struggles is that he's given up 10 walks. He's also had some bad luck. Meyer currently has a .392 BABIP in Triple-A. The league-average BABIP is generally considered to be .300, so the rate at which he's surrendering hits on balls-in-play is almost certainly unsustainable. Thus, Meyer could have more success going forward. However, he'll likely need to improve his control before rejoining the Marlins' rotation.
--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants shortstop
Nick Ahmed (wrist) will start taking batting practice in the next few days, according to the team. Ahmed is beginning baseball activities after being out since early May due to a left-wrist sprain. Before the 34-year-old veteran is able to return from the injured list, he'll need to go out on a minor-league rehab start, so he might not be back with the Giants before the end of May this weekend. Until Ahmed is able to return, infield prospect
Marco Luciano will continue to play regularly at the 6 in the Bay Area. Ahmed's biggest contributions for the Giants come with his glove, so he's mostly a middle-infield option in NL-only leagues. Before his injury, he hit just .236/.274/.291 with no home runs and 11 RBI in 110 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
5 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Michael Conforto (hamstring) could start a minor-league rehab assignment later this week, according to the team. Meanwhile, outfielder
Austin Slater (concussion) will start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday if he is cleared on Monday. Conforto is trying to recover from a right-hamstring strain but was cleared to resume baseball activities last week. The 31-year-old left-handed hitter has been out for more than two weeks and is going to need to prove he can run full speed before he's cleared to play in games at the minor-league level. If Conforto doesn't suffer a setback this weekend, he could return to San Fran's lineup early next week. Conforto's fantasy managers can only hope he'll return and pick up where he left off after he hit .280 (40-for-143) with seven homers and 20 RBI before being put on the injured list.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
5 days agoMilwaukee Brewers first baseman
Rhys Hoskins (hamstring) plans to hit on the field on Monday for the first time since going on the injured list. "I feel as good as I can," Hoskins said. This will be the first time that Hoskins has hit on the field since being placed on the injured list with a right-hamstring strain. The 31-year-old might need to show a little more before the Brewers send him on a minor-league rehab assignment, mainly with running the bases, but it doesn't sound like Hoskins is far off from a return to the starting lineup as the team's primary first baseman. When Hoskins is finally ready to come off the IL,
Jake Bauers will lose considerable playing time in Milwaukee. Before landing on the shelf, Hoskins was slashing .233/.340/.474 with an .813 OPS, nine home runs, 27 RBI and 17 runs scored in his attempt at a bounce-back campaign in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
5 days agoChicago White Sox shortstop prospect
Colson Montgomery saw one of the largest jumps in contact rate between April and May. In April, 71.7% of his swings had resulted in contact. In May, it increased to 80.1%. As a result, he's seen more success in May, especially with his strikeout rate. At the end of April, he was slashing .211/.324/.358 with five doubles, three home runs, 13 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 112 plate appearances. Through 88 plate appearances in May, he's slashing .233/.352/.425 with three doubles, three home runs, 13 walks, and only 20 strikeouts. Montgomery began the month on a hot streak, but he's cooled off over his last two series in Double-A Charlotte. Since May 14, he's 8-for-39 with two doubles, four walks, and 12 strikeouts, resulting in a .545 OPS. Overall, he's slashing .220/.337/.387 with eight doubles, six homers, 26 walks, and 58 strikeouts through 200 plate appearances in 2024.
--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
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