6 days agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley (hand) is not in the team's starting lineup for the second game of the series on Wednesday against the visiting San Diego Padres. Fraley was hit by a pitch on his right hand in the first inning of Tuesday's win over the Friars and was forced to leave the contest. The good news is that X-rays came back negative, but Fraley will take a seat for this one and yield right-field duties to
Nick Martini, who was recalled from the minors on Tuesday. Martini is hitting seventh in the batting order against Padres right-hander
Michael King. Fantasy managers that have been deploying Fraley in starting lineups will need to bench him and check back on Thursday to see if he's active for the series finale. Martini comes into Wednesday's game hitting just .177 (14-for-79) with three homers and 15 RBI this year for the Reds.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoAtlanta Braves pitching prospect AJ Smith-Shawver finished April with a 7.11 ERA over 12 2/3 innings. He'd struck out 16 batters but allowed 12 hits and eight walks. After his first appearance in May, he left his struggles behind. On May 1, he threw five shutout innings and struck out five, allowing just three hits and a walk. However, the 21-year-old righty hasn't been sharp since. Over his last three outings, he's thrown 13 1/3 innings, allowed 11 runs (7.43 ERA), punched out 14 batters, and surrendered 15 hits and eight walks. On the season, he's sporting a 6.10 ERA over 31 innings with 30 hits, 17 walks, and 35 strikeouts. Smith-Shawver likely won't rejoin the Braves until he improves his control.--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Spencer Steer (ankle) is back in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the visiting San Diego Padres and right-hander
Michael King, playing first base and batting sixth in the order. A sore ankle kept Steer out for the last two games, but he'll return for fantasy managers on Wednesday in the second game of the series. The 26-year-old right-handed hitter will be hoping to get on track at the plate after last appearing on Sunday as a pinch-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) currently on the injured list, Steer is likely going to continue seeing most of his playing time at first base. Steer is batting .224 (36-for-161) with four homers, 31 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 161 at-bats on the year. He remains useful in all fantasy formats for his power/speed combination in a dangerous Reds lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles outfield/second base prospect
Connor Norby is currently on a nine-game hitting streak with Triple-A Norfolk. During this stretch, he's slashing .412/.535/.706 with seven doubles, a home run, five RBI, and eight walks over 43 plate appearances. In total, he's hitting .292/.380/.518 on the season, with 14 doubles, eight homers, 29 RBI, and 22 walks over 195 plate appearances. Throughout the 2024 season, Norby has been alternating between second base, left field, and right field. The Orioles are stacked with young talent, making it hard for Norby to reach the big-league roster. However, they could be preparing him for a potential utility role when he's ultimately promoted.
--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II started the 2024 season on the big-league roster. He hit .085/.139/.136 in 65 plate appearances and was sent down to Triple-A Memphis on April 21st to improve his offensive production. Unfortunately, Scott has continued to struggle since his demotion. In 101 MiLB plate appearances, he's hitting .180/.270/.292 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and nine stolen bases. Interestingly, his BABIP is just .206, much lower than the league-average .300. Scott may be getting unlucky when he does make contact. However, he's not making enough solid contact. Either way, he's unlikely to rejoin the Cardinals if his offensive numbers don't improve.--Wade Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates catcher
Yasmani Grandal (groin), outfielder
Jack Suwinski and first baseman
Rowdy Tellez are all sitting on Wednesday with the team facing San Francisco Giants left-hander
Blake Snell, who is making his first start off the injured list.
Joey Bart will do the catching and bat seventh,
Michael Taylor is in center field and hitting ninth, and
Connor Joe is at first base and batting third against Snell. Grandal left Tuesday's game against the Giants late with left-groin soreness. The Pirates have catcher
Grant Koch on the taxi squad, so there's a chance the 35-year-old veteran could land on the injured list. With
Henry Davis currently in the minors, Bart would become the team's primary backstop if Grandal is forced to miss more time.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
6 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Shelby Miller (elbow) completed a successful bullpen session on Tuesday. It was the first time that he had thrown off a mound since going on the injured list on May 13 with right ulnar nerve inflammation. The 33-year-old veteran will need to slowly build his arm back up with several more bullpen sessions before he's cleared to face live hitters in batting practice sessions or on a minor-league rehab assignment. Given the fact that Miller is now in a relief role, it shouldn't take him as long to return, which means he has a shot to come off the injured list before June. Miller isn't really on the fantasy radar at all and is currently 3-4 in 2024 with a 4.41 ERA (4.37 FIP) and 1.04 WHIP with six walks and 15 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings pitched in 15 appearances out of Detroit's bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
6 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Reese Olson (hip) didn't throw his bullpen session on Wednesday and will instead throw his bullpen on Thursday at Comerica Park before he returns to the rotation to start against the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend. Olson was hit on his right hip by a comebacker in his last start on Monday against the Kansas City Royals, but the injury wasn't serious enough to cause him to miss his next turn through the rotation this weekend in a better matchup against Toronto. The 24-year-old former 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 has been outstanding for the Tigers and his fantasy managers so far this year, despite being 0-5. Olson is currently sporting a 2.16 ERA (2.82 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP while walking 16 and striking out 43 in 50 innings over his nine starts in just his second MLB season. Leave him in your starting lineups this weekend.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
6 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Kenta Maeda (illness) threw a bullpen session at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday and is lined up to start on Saturday or Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Maeda is attempting to return to the Tigers' starting rotation after landing on the injured list with a viral illness in mid-May. The 36-year-old veteran pitched in a minor-league rehab game last week and appears to be feeling good enough to rejoin the team this weekend. The matchup against Toronto isn't a bad one, but fantasy managers should still be very hesitant to throw Maeda back into the fire as a streamer this weekend. In seven starts before going on the shelf, the Japanese hurler went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with only 23 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings pitched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
6 days agoHouston Astros outfielder
Chas McCormick will get the day off in Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. McCormick came off the injured list on Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the team's extra-inning win over the Halos, and he'll take a seat in just his second game back in the matinee affair. After a career year in 2023 in which he hit .273/.353/.489 with an .842 OPS, 22 home runs, 70 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 115 games, McCormick has started off slow in 2024 and is currently hitting just .227 (17-for-75) with no homers, eight RBI and two steals in 86 plate appearances over 22 games played. He'll be replaced in left field on Wednesday by
Mauricio Dubon, who is hitting eighth against Angels left-hander
Tyler Anderson. Dubon has two hits and an RBI in four career at-bats against Anderson but will be a low-upside sleeper in DFS lineups in the eight-hole.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Astros
6 days agoHouston Astros catcher
Yainer Diaz is out of the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. In his place,
Victor Caratini will do the catching for right-hander
Hunter Brown and will bat in the nine-hole for the Astros against Angels left-hander
Tyler Anderson. With a scheduled day off coming on Thursday for Houston, fantasy managers should expect Diaz to be back in there on Friday for a series opener in Oakland against the Athletics. Diaz is currently slashing .264/.297/.385 with three home runs, 22 RBI and 18 runs scored in 174 at-bats as the Astros' primary catcher in 2024. The switch-hitting Caratini has gone 16-for-64 (.250) this year as the backup with two homers and 11 RBI. He's hitless in three career at-bats against Anderson and should be avoided in DFS lineups.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Astros
6 days agoHouston Astros first baseman
Jose Abreu will remain in West Palm Beach and play Florida Complex League games on Wednesday and Thursday before reporting to Triple-A Sugar Land this weekend, according to manager Joe Espada. It was reported earlier this week that Abreu could rejoin the big-league roster by Friday for the series opener against the Oakland Athletics, but it looks like that won't be the case. The 37-year-old veteran Cuban slugger agreed to head to the minors after starting the 2024 season with a lowly .099 average (7-for-71) with no homers, three RBI and 18 strikeouts in his first 22 games. He's played in four games in the FCL so far, going 6-for-18 (.333) with two doubles and two RBI. When Abreu does return to the Astros, it could just be in a platoon role at first base with the left-handed-hitting
Jon Singleton.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
6 days agoAtlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy (oblique) went 1-for-3 with a 449-foot home run, two runs scored and a walk in his first minor-league rehab game on Tuesday night for Triple-A Gwinnett while playing seven innings behind the plate. Not only was it a good sign to see the 29-year-old hit a no-doubt blast to straightaway center field in this one, he also stayed in the game longer than expected at catcher, so he must be feeling pretty good after suffering a Grade 1 left-oblique strain on March 29. In addition to his monstrous long ball, Murphy threw out the only runner that attempted to steal on him. Murphy will get Wednesday off before starting again on Thursday. He's likely to play in a couple more rehab games before coming off the injured list later this weekend. Murphy will probably be eased back in with the Braves, but his impending return is going to mean less playing time for
Travis d'Arnaud.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
6 days agoKansas City Royals outfielder
Hunter Renfroe will head to the bench for Wednesday's contest as the Royals go for the sweep against the visiting Detroit Tigers in the series finale. Renfroe has gone 6-for-24 (.250) with a homer and five RBI in his last seven games since May 12, but overall he's been bad this year with a .160/.236/.282 slash line with four home runs, 18 RBI and 15 runs scored in 144 plate appearances over 43 games played in his first year in KC. With Renfroe on the bench,
Dairon Blanco is getting the start in right field and will bat seventh against Tigers left-hander
Tarik Skubal. Blanco has three hits and two RBI in six career at-bats against Skubal. The 31-year-old Cuban outfielder has been useful for his speed this year in AL-only leagues, as he has 11 thefts in just 44 at-bats in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels catcher
Logan O'Hoppe is getting a breather on Wednesday in the series finale against the Astros in Houston.
Matt Thaiss will do the catching for left-hander
Tyler Anderson and will hit sixth in the batting order versus Astros right-hander
Hunter Brown. With a scheduled off day coming for the Halos on Thursday, expect O'Hoppe to be back in action on Friday for a series opener back at home against the visiting Cleveland Guardians. The 24-year-old backstop has been solid offensively for the Angels so far this year, slashing .257/.317/.392 with four home runs, 22 RBI and 18 runs scored in 148 at-bats. Thaiss, a former first-rounder, has gone just 7-for-35 (.200) with no homers and three RBI in limited playing time as the backup to O'Hoppe in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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