6 days agoSan Francisco Giants left-hander
Robbie Ray (elbow) will face live hitters on Saturday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of last year. It's a pretty major development for the veteran southpaw. The 32-year-old began throwing bullpen sessions for the Giants during spring training but still isn't expected to be an option for their starting rotation until around the All-Star break in the middle of July. For a pitcher that has had issue with control in the past, fantasy managers may want to temper expectations for Ray for the second half of the 2024 campaign. On the flip side, the American League Cy Young winner in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays has plenty of strikeout upside with a 28.9% strikeout rate in 10 big-league seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
6 days agoAtlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley (intercostal) is unlikely to play until Monday's series opener against the Washington Nationals. Riley is taking batting practice on Friday, and the Braves are just being extra cautious in keeping the right-handed-hitting slugger out for his 11th straight game. Manager Brian Snitker said he isn't surprised if Riley ends up missing two weeks, and if the team needed somebody to ride the bench, they would have already put him on the injured list. The 27-year-old suffered a left-intercostal strain on May 12 against the New York Mets and hasn't played since, although it still sounds like he won't go on the IL. Until Riley returns,
Zack Short should continue to play the hot corner in Atlanta, although new signee
Joey Wendle could also be an option there. Riley was hitting .245/.319/.388 with three homers, eight doubles and 18 RBI in 163 plate appearances before his injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
6 days agoBoston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (ribs) will take ground balls on Friday, according to manager Alex Cora. Casas said that he recently started a running program and has been lifting weights as well, so he's clearly making good progress as he recovers from a tricky rib injury. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter is currently on the 60-day injured list and won't be able to return to Boston until June 21, though, so fantasy managers are going to need to stay patient and keep him stashed until then. The last step of his rehab will likely be throwing before he's cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Until Casas is able to return to Beantown, expect the BoSox to continue rotating players like
Garrett Cooper,
Dominic Smith and
Romy Gonzalez in at first base.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
6 days agoMinnesota Twins third baseman
Royce Lewis (quadriceps) got through his workout well on Friday and will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Saturday as the designated hitter. Lewis will return to game action for the first time since straining his right quadriceps on Opening Day back on March 28. It's great news for the Twins and the 24-year-old, but he's probably going to need at least a handful of minor-league games before he's reinstated from the injured list. When he's back in Minnesota, Lewis will return to starting duties at the hot corner and needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues. He's been injury-prone early in his career, but Lewis' power/speed upside cannot be ignored.
Jose Miranda will most likely revert to a bench role when Lewis is back, although the Twins could choose to ease Lewis back into the fold.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
6 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander
Dean Kremer (triceps) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 21) on Friday with a right-triceps strain and recalled pitchers
Dillon Tate and
Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk in corresponding moves. Additionally, pitcher
Jonathan Heasley was optioned to Norfolk. The Orioles placed lefty
John Means (forearm) on the IL on Thursday, so Baltimore's rotation depth has taken a big hit this week. It is unclear if the 28-year-old Kremer will be able to return to the rotation when he's eligible in early June. Kremer has been serviceable in his nine starts this year, going 3-4 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 18 walks over 50 innings pitched. It's unclear who might take Kremer's spot in the big-league rotation, but
Albert Suarez feels like the best bet.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles catcher
Adley Rutschman and rookie outfielder
Colton Cowser are both out of the lineup on Friday against the Chicago White Sox.
James McCann will do the catching and bat ninth, while
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6 days agoWashington Nationals outfield prospect
James Wood (hamstring) is dealing with right-hamstring tightness after he was forced from Triple-A Rochester's game early as a precaution on Thursday night, according to manager Dave Martinez. The Nationals skipper said he didn't have an update on how Wood was feeling on Friday. It sounds like the 21-year-old left-handed slugger isn't dealing with a serious injury, but it's unclear how this might delay his inevitable major-league debut in 2024. The team's top prospect and the fifth-ranked prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline, has been destroying Triple-A pitching this year to the tune of a .355/.465/.596 slash line with a 1.062 OPS, nine home runs, 31 RBI, 10 steals and 39 runs scored in 45 games played. Wood's massive fantasy upside makes him stash-worthy in most leagues, as he could make an immediate impact in D.C. when he's eventually called up.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Bobby Blanco
6 days agoNew York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga (shoulder, triceps) will be shut down for three to five days. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday, but that was shut down due to inflammation in his triceps area. Senga played light catch on Tuesday but apparently had yet another setback as he tries to return from a right posterior shoulder capsule strain. The 31-year-old starter has been sidelined since spring training and will now be pushed back a little longer. Senga had his scheduled bullpen session last Sunday pushed back due to right-triceps tightness. We'll have to wait and see if Senga can get back on a mound again after the next three to five days. If he can't, there's a chance we may not see him until after the All-Star break.
UPDATE: Senga received a cortisone injection after an MRI exam showed inflammation in his triceps.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Bryse Wilson is no longer listed as the starter for Friday's contest against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, but he could end up serving as the bulk reliever following left-handed
Jared Koenig, who will serve as the opener. The 26-year-old Wilson is still worth starting in fantasy lineups on the road in Beantown. In his second season with Milwaukee, he's gone 2-1 with a strong 2.79 ERA (4.95 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 16 walks and 31 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings over 12 appearances (six starts). His 4.95 FIP shows he's been a bit fortunate so far this year, but he's been better as a starter for a Brewers rotation that has been hit hard by injuries in 2024. Even though he's not starting, Wilson will be the best candidate to pick up a win for the Brew Crew on Friday in a bulk role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley (hand) will not return to action on Friday for the start of a series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander
James Paxton. Even if Fraley were ready to go after taking a pitch off his hand during a game against the San Diego Padres earlier this week, he'd likely be on the bench on Friday against a southpaw. The 28-year-old is still dealing with some swelling in his hand but was used as a pinch-runner recently and could get back in the starting lineup later this weekend against a right-hander. When healthy, Fraley is nice for outfield depth in deeper fantasy leagues for his prowess against righties. Rookie
Jacob Hurtubise is starting in right field and batting ninth for the Reds on Friday against Paxton. Hurtubise has only three hits in his first 14 MLB at-bats this year and is low-upside dart throw in DFS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (side) remains out of the team's lineup on Friday as they face the visiting Kansas City Royals. The Rays had the day off on Thursday, but Lowe will not be able to return after having to leave
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6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates catcher
Yasmani Grandal (groin) is back behind the plate and is batting eighth for the Pirates on Friday in their series opener against the visiting Atlanta Braves and left-hander
Ray Kerr, who will be making his first career spot start. The switch-hitting Grandal has a hit in his only career at-bat against Kerr. The 35-year-old backstop missed two games this week with left-groin soreness but is ready for the weekend series in Pittsburgh. As long as former first-rounder
Henry Davis remains in the minors to work on his swing, Grandal will continue to split the catching duties with
Joey Bart. Grandal is a pretty low-upside DFS play at the catcher position on Friday, though, and he's batting just .214 (9-for-42) with two homers and eight RBI after getting a late start to the 2024 season due to injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Kevin Gorman
6 days agoAtlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley (intercostal) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. Riley will be missing his 11th straight start and will probably land on the injured list this weekend if he's unable to return by Sunday due to a left-intercostal strain. However, the 27-year-old was able to swing a bat earlier this week. Even if Riley goes on the IL, he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his power upside in one of the best lineups in baseball.
Zack Short will make another start at the hot corner for Atlanta on Friday and will hit ninth against Pirates left-hander
Bailey Falter, but
Joey Wendle could also become an option for the Braves there if Riley misses more time after the team signed Wendle on Friday. Short has only seven hits in 45 at-bats with three different teams already in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Justin Toscano
6 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Reese Olson (hip) is scheduled to make his next start on Saturday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Olson was forced to leave his last start on Monday early against the Kansas City Royals when he was hit by a comebacker in his hip, but he only suffered a bruise and is ready to take his next turn in the rotation this weekend. In the plus matchup against a Blue Jays offense that has been out of sorts for most of the early part of the year, Olson should be returned to starting fantasy lineups in most leagues. The 24-year-old former 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 has yet to win a game and has five losses, but it's not because he hasn't pitched well. He's currently sporting a great 2.16 ERA and 1.06 WHIP and has walked 16 and struck out 43 in 50 innings over his nine starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLive - Evan Woodbery
6 days agoThe Detroit Tigers announced on Friday that they have reinstated right-hander
Kenta Maeda (illness) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander
Matt Manning to Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move after Thursday night's game. Maeda is recovered from his illness and will toe the rubber against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Even against a Toronto lineup that has mostly struggled to put up runs this year, the 36-year-old Japanese starter isn't a recommended fantasy streamer in his first start off the IL and probably isn't very likely to go deep in this ballgame. In his first seven starts in 2024, Maeda has been pretty hittable and has posted a 6.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 2/3 innings. There just isn't any fantasy upside left with Maeda, especially while pitching for Detroit.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tigers PR
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