6 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Jacob Young (back) left Friday's game early against the Toronto Blue Jays with back spasms. He's getting treatment, and the team will see how he's doing on Saturday. Young was hitting leadoff in Friday's game for the first time since April 19, going 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored in the eventual 9-3 victory before departing early. If the 24-year-old continues to swing the bat well, he could find himself atop Washington's batting order more often against left-handed pitchers as a right-handed swinger. Young raised his batting average to .311 and his OPS to .732 on the year with the one-hit night. It doesn't sound like his injury is very serious, but if the back spasms linger and Young is forced to the injured list, the Nats could bring up outfield prospect
James Wood, who is hitting .314/.422/.461 at Triple-A Rochester.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Jose Soriano recorded his first win of the 2024 regular season in Friday's 6-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, firing six scoreless innings on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts. The Angels gave Soriano plenty of run support on Friday, and he most notably escaped from a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning with no damage. It was a great rebound performance after Soriano was chased for four runs and couldn't get through two innings in his last appearance at home against the Minnesota Twins. With the effort, the 25-year-old right-hander now sports a decent 3.77 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while fanning 26 and walking 15 over 28 2/3 frames (seven appearances) for the Halos this year. Soriano will aim to build on this showing in Wednesday's projected start on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are scoring a pathetic 2.4 runs per game over their last 22 contests since April 9.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoNew York Mets third baseman
Brett Baty erupted for nine total bases in Friday's 10-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. Baty homered to deep right field in the second inning to score
Jeff McNeil and
Tyrone Taylor and give the Mets a temporary 3-0 lead before going yard to right field once more in the ninth to make things interesting late. It's been an up-and-down season for Baty, but the 24-year-old former top prospect is producing a respectable .271/.340/.385 triple-slash line with three long balls, two doubles, 13 RBI, and 13 runs scored over 96 at-bats (30 games) for the Mets during his second full year in the major leagues. He's only a viable fantasy option for those in NL-only leagues, holding limited upside while batting in the lower part of New York's lineup, but Baty's certainly worth watching in all leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies starting pitcher
Cal Quantrill silenced the Pittsburgh Pirates in Friday's 3-1 victory, tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings of three-hit ball with no walks on a season-high nine strikeouts en route to his first win of the year. Although he's not known for his bat-missing stuff, Quantrill dominated Pittsburgh for his longest start of the 2024 regular season on Friday and a big bounce-back effort after surrendering six runs in his last appearance at home versus the Houston Astros. The soft-throwing 29-year-old right-hander improved his ERA to 4.31 with a 1.29 WHIP and 26:14 K:BB over 39 2/3 frames (seven starts) this season from Colorado's rotation. Despite the strong showing, Quantrill still won't be the most exciting streaming option for fantasy purposes in his next projected start on Thursday at Coors Field against the division-rival San Francisco Giants.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitchers
Jeffrey Springs (elbow) and
Drew Rasmussen (elbow) are both scheduled to throw in an extended spring game around May 20. The Rays' rotation is arguably ruined by injury more than any other in baseball, but at least two of their key arms are progressing toward a return at some point later this summer. Springs is likely closer to doing so in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and barring any setbacks, he could be in line to rejoin Tampa Bay's rotation by July's All-Star break. Rasmussen, on the other hand, is a weaker stash in fantasy leagues because his return from a hybrid internal brace procedure last July is not expected to arrive until the final months of the year. Over his last three seasons (196 innings), Springs owns a 2.53 ERA (3.14 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, and 231:49 K:BB and can be stashed in deep competitive leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
George Kirby (knee) has been dealing with a right knee issue, manager Scott Servais said following Friday's 5-3 road loss to the division-rival Houston Astros. Servais said that it's not a major problem, but it's one that the team is monitoring. It likely explains why the M's opted to turn to their bullpen with Kirby pitching well on just 88 pitches through six innings, as the hurler had given up only one run on four hits and zero walks with three strikeouts for a no-decision on Friday. The 26-year-old right-hander's status is worth keeping an eye on ahead of his next scheduled start, which tentatively lines up for Wednesday against the surging Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Over his last four starts, Kirby holds a 1.13 ERA with a sparkling 28:2 K:BB across 24 innings, but the Twins are scoring 7.3 runs per game during their current 11-game winning streak.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Daniel Kramer - MLB.com
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (pectoral) made his second and perhaps final minor-league rehab appearance on Friday with Triple-A Durham, throwing six scoreless innings of two-hit ball on two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. After throwing 94 pitches in this outing, Bradley's next appearance could very well come with the big-league club as he enters the final stages of his recovery from a strained right pectoral. While the 23-year-old former top prospect mostly floundered during his first taste of major-league action with a 5.59 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over 23 starts during his rookie year last season, he struck out 129 batters and walked only 39 across 104 2/3 frames. If Bradley's next start comes with the Rays, he would likely be making his 2024 regular-season debut at home next Friday versus the division-rival New York Yankees, where a wait-and-see approach would be recommended from a fantasy perspective.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Eric Cross
6 days agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Braxton Garrett (shoulder) is scheduled to throw six innings or 75 pitches at the club's Florida Complex League in rookie ball on Monday. Although Garrett tossed five scoreless innings of one-hit ball on 61 pitches with Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, his next appearance will not come with the major-league roster as some may have anticipated. The Marlins appear to be taking a cautious approach with Garrett, who has previously experienced "dead arm" on his way back from a left shoulder impingement. He's looking at a mid-to-late May return to Miami's rotation. Unheralded rookie
Roddery Munoz will get at least one more turn in the big-league rotation, carrying an impressive 2.45 ERA (3.77 FIP), 0.72 WHIP, and 14:3 K:BB over 11 innings (two starts), but he'll have his work cut out in his next projected start on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoAtlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy (oblique) swung off a tee in Seattle during the team's series earlier this week against the Mariners. Murphy felt good, and he's going to keep building up from there. There was originally some hope that Murphy would have been over his Grade 1 left oblique strain, which he suffered back on March 29, by early May, but there's no clear timeline for his return at this stage of his recovery. The 29-year-old All-Star backstop probably won't be back with the Braves until the mid-to-late portion of May. In Murphy's stead, former All-Star
Travis d'Arnaud has operated as Atlanta's primary catcher and is worth streaming in all fantasy formats in the meantime. d'Arnaud is slashing a robust .282/.358/.592 with five home runs, seven doubles, 16 RBI, and 12 runs scored in 81 trips to the plate (25 games) this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Justin Toscano - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6 days agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Jesus Luzardo (elbow) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab start with Single-A Jupiter on Sunday in Port St Lucie. After tossing 22 pitches in Thursday's bullpen session, Luzardo has a target of four innings and 60 pitches for Sunday's appearance as he works his way back from tightness in his left elbow. Assuming all goes well there, and he only needs one outing in the minors before rejoining Miami's rotation, Luzardo is a candidate to start at some point during next weekend's three-game series at home versus the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. With the 26-year-old former top prospect struggling to a 6.58 ERA and 1.42 WHIP while fanning 27 batters and walking 13 through 26 innings (five starts) for the Fish this season, Luzardo would be a risky fantasy play across the board if he faces this difficult matchup for his first start back.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Christian Yelich's (back) goal is to return to play before the end of the team's current road trip, which runs until Wednesday's series finale against the Kansas City Royals. Yelich had already been doing better running and throwing before having his best session yet swinging the bat in the cage before Friday's game versus the division-rival Chicago Cubs, giving him a chance to re-enter Milwaukee's lineup in the middle of next week. A strained lower back has kept Yelich on the shelf since mid-April, but the 32-year-old star outfielder is returning first-round value on a .333/.422/.744 triple-slash line with five home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases in 46 plate appearances (11 games) this year. Until Yelich returns, the switch-hitting
Blake Perkins is worth a look for fantasy managers in NL-only leagues for his decent power/speed combination.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoHeading into Friday night's series opener against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, San Diego Padres second baseman
Xander Bogaerts was hitting just .217/.284/.287 with two home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 141 plate appearances over 32 games. The Friars made a big trade to acquire second baseman
Luis Arraez from the Marlins on Friday night, but Bogaerts, who is a superior defender, should remain as the starter at second moving forward. But the 31-year-old four-time All-Star will likely drop further down the batting order with the addition of Arraez. Bogaerts managed to hit 19 homers and steal 19 bases in his first year in SD in 2023, but a lot more was expected from him after he signed an 11-year, $280 million deal last offseason. He's going to need to start making more consistent hard contact at the plate to turn around his slow start now that the calendar has flipped to May.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoThe Miami Marlins sent All-Star second baseman
Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres on Friday night in exchange for outfield prospects
Dillon Head,
Jakob Marsee and
Nathan Martorella, and relief pitcher
read more...
6 days agoThe Miami Marlins traded second baseman
Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for relief pitcher
Woo-Suk Go and three prospects on Friday. The prospects are outfielder
Dillon Head, outfielder
read more...
6 days agoColorado Rockies third baseman
Ryan McMahon went 2-for-5 and hit a solo shot in the Rockies' 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. The solo shot was McMahon's fifth homer of the season, and he's now hitting for a .920 OPS on the season. This would be the best mark of the lefty's career. Fantasy managers weary of starting McMahon on the road should note that the 29-year-old is hitting for a higher OPS on the road (.956) than he is at Coors Field (.878). That may be put to the test on Saturday, though, as McMahon gets a matchup against dominant Pirates rookie
Jared Jones.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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