5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals right-handed reliever
Keynan Middleton (forearm) threw a bullpen session off a mound on Saturday for a second straight day. He said he'll throw twice more in St. Louis next week and then head to Double-A Springfield for a minor-league rehab assignment. Middleton has been pain-free since receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right arm on April 6, and it looks like the 30-year-old is getting close to making his season debut out of the Red Birds' bullpen. He had a 3.38 ERA (4.20 FIP), a 1.24 WHIP, two saves, 23 walks and a career-high 64 strikeouts in 50 2/3 relief innings last year with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees and figures to hold a late-inning setup role for the Cardinals when he's healthy, making him an option for those in holds leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - John Denton
5 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Dylan Carlson (shoulder), who is close to a return from his sprained left shoulder, is in the team's clubhouse on Saturday before their game against the visiting Chicago White Sox. It means that Carlson is likely on the verge of officially being activated from the injured list, although he's not in the team's lineup. The 25-year-old played nine innings in the field for Triple-A Memphis on Friday and went 3-for-11 with a solo home run in four rehab games with Memphis. With
Tommy Edman (wrist) still on the IL, Carlson is expected to take over center field duties from rookie
Michael Siani when he's officially active on the Cardinals' roster. The former first-round switch-hitter so far hasn't lived up to expectations in his four years in the big leagues, but he's certainly worth a waiver-wire pickup in deep-mixed leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - John Denton
5 days agoThe Chicago White Sox placed infielder
Danny Mendick (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 2) with lower-back tightness on Saturday and recalled infield prospect
Bryan Ramos from Double-A Birmingham in a corresponding move. Mendick was scratched from Friday's lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals and will now be forced to miss at least 10 days. In the meantime, Ramos, the club's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, could see ample playing time at the hot corner until Mendick is recovered. For what it's worth, infielder
Braden Shewmake is starting at third on Saturday. The 30-year-old Mendick will hit the shelf after hitting .256 (10-for-39) with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base in limited action for the Pale Hose this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago White Sox
5 days agoThe Chicago White Sox called up infield prospect
Bryan Ramos from Double-A Birmingham on Saturday and placed infielder
Danny Mendick (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 2) in a corresponding move. Ramos, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, wasn't hitting the ball very well in the minors, slashing just .182/.265/.307 with 11 RBI in his 98 plate appearances. However, the 22-year-old infielder could get a chance for the rebuilding White Sox in the short term while Mendick is sidelined. Despite never playing at the Triple-A level, Ramos could play regularly at the hot corner in Chicago, making him worth a pickup in AL-only leagues right now. He's obviously still young and inexperienced, but Ramos has the potential for above-average power and an above-average hit tool. He is not in the starting lineup on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago White Sox
5 days agoChicago Cubs outfielders
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) and
Cody Bellinger (ribs) are hitting and taking part in defensive drills on Saturday. Suzuki is recovering from a right-oblique strain that he suffered on April 14, while Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 24 with a fractured right rib. Suzuki also took on-field batting practice on Friday and is 80 percent recovered. The 29-year-old should be able to go on a minor-league rehab assignment soon, so he will likely return before Bellinger does.
Pete Crow-Armstrong and
Mike Tauchman are seeing more playing time in Chicago with both Suzuki and Bellinger injured, and both outfielders are swinging the bat well. When healthy, Suzuki and Bellinger will be everyday players for Chicago and should be stashed in all fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
5 days agoNew York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Saturday, his first bullpen session since he was shut down from throwing in spring training back in March. Cole was giddy while talking about it and said he was looking forward to this step for a long time, his first taste of pitching in an extended stretch. It's a big step for the 33-year-old, who won the American League Cy Young award in 2023. He was put on the 60-day injured list with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow in late March, meaning he won't be eligible to return to the Yankees until May 27. Cole is reportedly targeting a return in mid-June, so fantasy managers are going to have to remain patient and keep him stashed in all leagues until then.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NJ Advance Media - Max Goodman
5 days agoBoston Red Sox second baseman
Vaughn Grissom is getting a scheduled day off on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins after returning from the injured list to make his season debut in Friday's loss. Grissom will be back in the lineup on Sunday as the Red Sox look to ease him back in.
David Hamilton is at the keystone on Saturday and is hitting eighth in the batting order against Twins right-hander
Pablo Lopez. The 23-year-old missed the first month of the season with a hamstring injury and went hitless in three at-bats in his first game of the year with Boston on Friday. Grissom might get more frequent rest days over the course of the next couple weeks, but ultimately he's going to serve as the team's everyday second baseman for the rest of the 2024 season if he can stay healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
5 days agoDetroit Tigers shortstop
Javier Baez is not in the starting lineup on Saturday versus the New York Yankees in the Bronx. The struggling Baez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Friday night's walk-off loss and is now slashing a miserable .183/.228/.258 with one home run, nine RBI, six stolen bases, six runs scored, five walks and 22 strikeouts in 101 plate appearances over his 28 games in 2024. The 31-year-old free swinger has fallen far since his last All-Star appearance in 2019 with the Chicago Cubs, and he's been a massive bust since joining the Tigers in 2022. About the only thing fantasy managers can count on him for now is some modest stolen base numbers.
Zach McKinstry is starting at the 6 on Saturday and is hitting eighth against Yankees right-hander
Clarke Schmidt.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
5 days agoThe Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres have agreed to a trade that sends second baseman
Luis Arraez to San Diego in exchange for relief pitcher
Woo-Suk Go and three prospects. The prospects San Diego is sending to Miami are
read more...
6 days agoAtlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. went 2-for-5 with a home run in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Dodgers. The home run came in the eighth inning and knotted the game up at 2-2, although the Braves would go on to lose in extras. For managers that drafted the reigning MVP first overall, he's been a disappointment for fantasy with just two home runs and eight RBI on the year. The 26-year-old has scored 30 times and has stolen 13 bases, so it hasn't been all bad. Hopefully Acuna can up the power production going forward, although it could be a tall task Saturday against
Tyler Glasnow and his league-leading 53 strikeouts.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Andy Pages collected four hits in Friday's 4-3 win over the Braves, including a walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning. Pages was the only Dodger with more than one hit in the game and he's now riding a nine-game hit streak that includes three doubles and two home runs. The 23-year-old is now slashing .333/.354/.567 through his first 60 MLB at-bats with three home runs, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored. He's been an excellent waiver-wire addition for fantasy managers, but it will be interesting to see what they do once
Jason Heyward (back) is healthy, although with Pages hitting from the right and Heyward hitting from the left side, it could make for a good platoon situation.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoSan Diego Padres outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. had three hits in five at-bats and drove in three runs in Friday's 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks. One of the hits was a two-run home run, his seventh of the year. It was the fourth time he's collected three hits in a game in 2024, although you might not know it from his .246 batting average. Despite the low average, the 25-year-old is having a solid season with a .333 OBP, .455 SLG, and 131 wRC+. In addition to his seven home runs, the former All-Star has 20 RBI, 20 runs scored, and four stolen bases so far so he's been a multi-category contributor for fantasy.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitching prospect
Chayce McDermott led the way on Friday evening with 6 2/3 clean innings to combine for a no-hitter with relief pitchers
Nolan Hoffman and
Kaleb Ort. McDermott struck out 11 batters and allowed just two free passes. Hoffman and Ort did not allow any baserunners. This incredible outing lowered McDermott's ratios to a solid 2.89 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with 41 punchouts across 28 innings. The 25-year-old southpaw has gone under the radar this season with Triple-A Norfolk due to the emerging stars on the offensive side of the team. Nonetheless, McDermott should be expected to make his major-league debut later in the summer and may be worth picking up in AL-only leagues when he is promoted.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoDetroit Tigers second/third base prospect
Jace Jung broke out of his power slump on Friday by launching his fifth home run of the season. Jung had gone without tallying a long ball for ten games. In his first season at Triple-A, the 23-year-old has posted a solid .257/.373/.486 line with one swiped bag and 25 RBI in 30 games. Jung is on pace to fall just short of 28 home run count from last season, which he tallied across High and Double-A, but he has maintained a very similar batting average this season. The number four prospect in the Detroit pipeline and 54th overall should be expected to reach the majors this season and is worth monitoring closely in deeper redraft formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles catching prospect
Samuel Basallo has been showcasing his elite power potential this past week and added another home run on Friday. Basallo is now up to five home runs on the season and has hit four of them in his past four games. The 19-year-old has a .256/.284/.456 stat line with two stolen bases and 14 RBI in his first full taste of Double-A. He played only four games at this level last year and spent the majority of his time with Single and High-A, hitting a combined .313/.402/.551 with 20 home runs. The 16th-ranked prospect in baseball is beginning to show his incredible power at Double-A but needs to show more consistency at the plate to reach Triple-A this summer. He should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper formats but will have a hard path to seeing relevancy in redraft this year.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
RADIO
