May 5, 2025
New York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) said that he's on track to start throwing in August after speaking on Monday for the first time since undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. In addition to having TJ surgery, the 34-year-old veteran and former Cy Young winner had an internal-brace procedure done to fix the UCL in his right elbow. There is no target date in mind for Cole to pitch next season, and we probably won't have a better idea of that until he resumes throwing off the mound, which might not come at all this year. The six-time All-Star won the American League Cy Young award in 2023 but then only made it through 17 starts (95 innings) for the Yankees last year, going 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 99:29 K:BB. There's no guarantee that Cole will be ready for the start of the 2026 season, which will put a cloud over his fantasy value.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
May 5, 2025
New York Yankees shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) is back at shortstop and is hitting sixth in Monday's series opener against the visiting San Diego Padres and right-hander
Nick Pivetta in the Bronx. Volpe dove for a ball in the hole on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays and felt a pop in his left shoulder. He stayed down on the ground before being looked at by a trainer, but he eventually remained in the game. An MRI exam and X-rays showed no structural damage. The Yankees held the 24-year-old out as a precaution on Sunday, but he's back in there to begin the week against the Padres. While likely being less than 100 percent on Monday against a pitcher that has been pretty dominant early this year, fantasy managers may want to fade Volpe in this one. He enters Monday's game hitting .233/.326/.442 with five homers, 19 RBI, 16 runs and four steals in 120 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 5, 2025
Miami Marlins outfielder
Jesus Sanchez (back) is back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and left-handed opener
Jack Dreyer, playing right field and batting cleanup for the Fish. Sanchez will be returning to the lineup for the first time since April 30 due to back tightness. The 27-year-old also opened the 2025 season on the injured list with an oblique strain, so injuries have been a problem early on this year. When the Dominican has been on the field, he hasn't looked great, going 10-for-51 (.196) with only one home run, four RBI, three runs scored, a stolen base and 15 strikeouts in 15 games played. When he's right, Sanchez squares the ball up regularly and hits the ball as hard as anyone. But until he gets his feet under him and starts performing more consistently, fantasy managers might want to keep him benched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 5, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers rookie infielder
Hyeseong Kim is making his first career start in Monday's series opener against the hosting Miami Marlins, starting at second base and batting in the nine-hole against Marlins right-hander
Sandy Alcantara. Kim was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday and appeared as a defensive replacement in his first MLB appearance on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. The 26-year-old South Korean native appeared as a pinch-runner in Sunday's loss to Atlanta and stole his first career base. He'll be looking for his first career hit on Monday in Miami. Manager Dave Roberts plans to have Kim mostly come off the bench until
Tommy Edman (ankle) is back from the injured list, but he'll get the occasional start. Speed and defense are his primary calling cards, making him a poor DFS bet in his first career start.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 5, 2025
Miami Marlins catcher
Agustin Ramirez is sitting on Monday. The 23-year-old had been designated hitter on days when he wasn't catching since his recent call-up, but has gone ice-cold after a torrid start. The right-handed hitter went 9-for-19 (.474) with seven extra-base hits over his first five games, but has since gone 1-for-24 (.042).
Nick Fortes, who recently returned from injury, will catch and bat eighth, while
Connor Norby will start at DH and bat fifth. Fortes doesn't offer much with the bat, and Norby is mired in a 2-for-21 (.095) slump of his own, so DFS players may want to look elsewhere for offense tonight. Ramirez managers will want to get him out of the lineup if they have another option is available.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Miami Marlins
May 5, 2025
Atlanta Braves closer
Raisel Iglesias secured the victory in the team's 4-3 win over the Dodgers on Sunday. The first batter reached on an infield single, but Iglesias struck out the next three batters to slam the door and end the threat, logging his sixth save of the season in the process. The righty wasn't as effective as the Braves or fantasy managers had expected earlier this year, but looks to be getting back on track lately, with three straight scoreless appearances in which he's allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out six over three innings pitched. The ERA isn't pretty at 4.85, but the 35-year-old owns a 1.00 WHIP and a strong 25.5 percent K-BB% now, and with the Braves righting the ship after an 0-7 start to the season, there should be plenty more save chances in the future for the 6-foot-2 hurler.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Washington Nationals closer
Kyle Finnegan sat down the Reds in order during the ninth inning of Sunday's 4-1 victory, striking out two on the way to earning his 11th save of the season. After racking up 38 saves last season for the Nats, the righty is well on his way to that number again this year, while also helping fantasy managers' ratios with a 2.63 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 13 2/3 IP. If he can clean up the walks, the 33-year-old could also have a solid WHIP, but for now it stands at 1.39. On a team with the second-highest bullpen ERA, Finnegan has been a bright spot and has no competition for saves at the moment, so fantasy managers are getting a great return on investment from the 6-foot-2 hurler.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman
Jonathan Aranda reached base five times on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two walks in six plate appearances during the 7-5 victory over the Yankees. The 26-year-old hit his fifth home run of the season in the contest and collected three RBI. After a week-and-a-half lull where he went 4-for-27 (.148) in nine games, Aranda has gone 5-for-11 (.455) over his past three, now slashing .316/.414/.561 with a .423 wOBA and 183 wRC+ in what is looking like a true breakout season. The left-handed hitter's average exit velocity and hard-hit rates rank 97th-percentile or better thus far, and together with a 14.9 percent barrel rate, fantasy managers should expect the extra-base hits to keep on coming. While he doesn't get much play versus lefties, Aranda is eligible at both 1B and 2B on Yahoo!, and only rostered in 43 percent of leagues for those looking for some production at one of those positions.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Cody Bellinger went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run in Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Rays. It has been a disappointing season so far for the left-handed slugger who was supposed to be able to take advantage of Yankee Stadium's "short porch" in right field, now with four home runs on the season and pacing for no more than the 18 home runs he hit last season in Chicago. The 18 RBI and 15 runs scored that the former MVP has tallied to this point are fine, but would be higher if he could hit for better than a .200 average in the middle of the Yankee lineup. His current contact rate stands at 77.6, the lowest since 2022, but he's chasing less and walking more, while his barrel and hard-hit rates are above where they've been in a long time, which is at least a sign that maybe he can still turn things around.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May
5,
2025
St.
Louis
Cardinals
closer
Ryan
Helsley
closed
the
door
on
the
Mets
in
Sunday's
6-5
victory
in
Game
1
of
their
doubleheader,
notching
his
fifth
save
of
the
season
in
the
process.
The
righty
did
allow
read more...
May 5, 2025
The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday that they reinstated infielder
Royce Lewis (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list and optioned utility man
Mickey Gasper to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Lewis strained his left hamstring in spring training and opened the 2025 campaign on the injured list. But the 25-year-old right-handed power hit is back now and will make his season debut in Tuesday's series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. Even though he went just 4-for-23 with six strikeouts on his minor-league rehab assignment, fantasy managers that have kept Lewis stashed this whole time will want to get him back into their lineups this week. The former first overall pick in 2017 has never played in over 82 games in a season since debuting in the big leagues in 2022, but he has high-end power when he's healthy and is a lineup regular for Minnesota.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minnesota Twins
May 5, 2025
The Athletic's Fabian Aradaya reports that Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Ben Casparius will either start or pitch bulk innings in Monday's series opener in Miami against the Marlins. The 26-year-old has made himself very valuable to a Dodgers pitching staff that is pretty beat up, and he can mainly thank his cutter. Casparius' fastball velocity is up this year, as he's averaging 95.8 mph and touching 99. His slider sits around 84.8 mph, while his cutter has averaged 91.5 mph, sitting between his fastball and slider with a similar enough movement profile to play off both of his primary pitches. Casparius has thrown his cutter 19.1% of the time in 2024 and has pounded the strike zone with it. Opposing hitters have gotten just four hits against the cutter on 19 at-bats, swinging and miss on 26.8% of the times they swing at it. It's an excellent matchup for Casparius, who could make multiple starts for the Blue moving forward.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
May 5, 2025
Entering Sunday's action, only six outfielders with at least 100 plate appearances had produced a lower wRC+ than Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Michael Conforto's mark of 63. In addition, all his batted-ball metrics from a year ago are down. Conforto went 8-for-26 with two home runs and four doubles in his first eight games, but he's hit into as many double plays as he's gotten hits (six) since then. The Dodgers signed Conforto for $17 million in the offseason, so they are incentivized to keep giving him chances. Manager Dave Roberts thinks the 32-year-old has been pressing at the plate. Conforto struck out two more times in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Braves, and his OPS is down to .528 after going hitless in his last 29 at-bats. The Dodgers have the luxury of being patient with Conforto, but it doesn't mean he won't find himself on the bench soon enough.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
May 5, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman
Weston Wilson went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in Sunday's 11-9 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also singled and struck out twice. The Clemson product blasted a 395-foot bomb in the bottom of the sixth inning to welcome Diamondbacks pitcher
Juan Morillo to the game and cut the Phillies' deficit to two. Wilson hasn't played much in 2025 after recovering from an oblique injury he picked up during spring training. Still, he's hammering the ball when making contact, recording four hard-hit balls (three hits) in three appearances (nine at-bats). The North Carolina native may not garner consistent playing time, but he's shown the ability to be productive when called upon, bolstering a .284 average (25-for-88) in 41 games a season ago.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter
Bryce Harper went 2-for-5 with a single and a home run in his team's 11-9 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. He scored two runs, adding a walk and two strikeouts. The former first-overall pick gave the Phillies their first run of the game with a 362-foot solo blast that he barely poked over the left-field wall. It was his first time going yard since he cranked three over four games in mid-April (13 appearances). Harper is lacking quite a bit in the average department (.234), but he's sporting a .263 xBA and is walking a healthy 16.9% of the time (top 4% of the league). If it holds, that'd be the highest mark over a full season for him since 2018. His BABIP is uncharacteristically low (.264), so seeing some positive regression over the coming weeks wouldn't be surprising.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
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