6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher
Jared Jones turned in another strong start in Monday's 4-2 win over the Brewers. Jones pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits (including a solo home run) and two walks with seven strikeouts, one of which was true highlight material. The 22-year-old rookie has been excellent to start the season, going 2-2 with a 2.79 ERA, a 12.10 K/9 rate, and a 1.24 BB/9 rate in five starts and 29 IP. He should have a chance to turn in another solid outing in his next scheduled start at the Giants.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSan Diego Padres outfield prospect
Jakob Marsee went 0-for-4 on Sunday for Double-A San Antonio, bringing his season batting average down to .138. So far, the reigning Arizona Fall League MVP has failed to carry over the success he had last fall into 2024, with just one home run, four RBI, and nine runs scored over 15 games. On the bright side, he has worked 12 walks and stolen eight bases thus far, which were two of his calling cards during his tenure in the minors over the last two seasons. In 2022, Marsee had a BB:K of 30:25 and 15 steals in 31 games, while in 2023 he had a BB:K of 98:97 and 46 steals in 129 games. The 22-year-old has an ETA of 2024 per MLB.com's top prospect list, but he'll need to pick up the pace for that to happen, especially with no Triple-A at-bats to his name yet.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoMinnesota Twins starting pitcher
Chris Paddack earned his first win of the season in Monday's 7-0 game against the White Sox. Paddack took advantage of a favorable matchup, pitching seven innings while allowing six hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts. Despite this good start, the 28-year-old's return to the starting rotation has not been very successful. He is now 1-1 with a 5.57 ERA in his first four starts. While he was a fantasy prospect early in his career, fantasy managers should wait to see more consistency from him before trusting him. Paddack will look to build on his success in a decent matchup at the Angels.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoCincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Hunter Greene pitched deep into his start Monday but came away with a loss in Monday's 7-0 game against the Phillies. Greene pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts. The 24-year-old is now 0-2 with a 4.55 ERA, an 11.71 K/9 rate, and a 3.92 BB/9 rate in his first five starts. The strikeout skills are evident, but Greene is still looking to take the next step toward becoming a consistent fantasy contributor. That may be difficult in his next scheduled start, which will be a tough matchup at the Rangers. This may be a matchup fantasy managers want to avoid.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Ranger Suarez continued his hot streak in Monday's 7-0 win over the Reds. Suarez pitched seven innings, allowing just two hits and a walk with five strikeouts. The 28-year-old is now 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA, an 8.73 K/9 rate, and a 1.36 BB/9 rate in five starts. He has been a top fantasy performer early on and will look to continue his stellar performance in his next start at the Padres.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers first baseman prospect
Tyler Black went 2-for-4 with a home run for Triple-A Nashville on Sunday. He also had four RBI, a walk, and a run scored in the contest. The 23-year-old keeps making his case for a promotion to the big league club, now with a .315-2-13-14-2 line on the young season. With
Rhys Hoskins splitting his time between DH and 1B, and
Jake Bauers and
Owen Miller doing nothing of note with their time manning first base, Black could get the call to the Show sooner rather than later. The lefty could instantly add a boost to the offense with his power-speed combo after belting 18 home runs and stealing 55 bases last season between Double and Triple-A in just 123 games. Fantasy managers with an open bench spot could stash him ahead of his call-up.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander
Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is "most likely" headed to the injured list to make room for the call-up of left-hander
Tommy Henry, who will start on Tuesday on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals. Kelly was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants and is now most likely going to have to miss the next couple weeks at the very least due to a shoulder strain. The 35-year-old veteran should be stashed in most fantasy leagues while he's on the injured list, as he's currently 2-0 with a strong 2.19 ERA (3.82 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with six walks and 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings over his first four starts. Henry should fill in in Arizona's rotation in the short-term, but the soft-tossing southpaw has minimal fantasy upside and was sporting a 6.87 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in his first four starts before being optioned to the minors.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Arizona Republic - Theo Mackie
6 days agoSeattle Mariners right-hander
Bryan Woo (elbow) tossed three shutout innings with no hits allowed, no walks and five strikeouts in his first minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday. It was a great first rehab start for Woo, who could be ready to make his 2024 debut in Seattle's starting rotation in early May. The 24-year-old threw 35 pitches in the outing and wasn't quite there with the velocity on his fastball, but nonetheless it was a good first outing in the minors. We'll keep you in the loop on how he does in his next minor-league start as he continues to build his pitch count up. Woo, a former sixth-rounder in 2021, should have a spot in the rotation waiting for him after he went 4-5 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 93 strikeouts in 87 2/3 innings over 18 starts in his first taste of the big leagues last year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
6 days agoNew York Mets shortstop prospect
Luisangel Acuna is showing off the speed at Triple-A, but not much power yet. The 22-year-old hit a home run in his first game of the season, however, has not hit one since. Ronald's brother went 2-for-5 with a single, a triple, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored for Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, bringing his season slashline to a pedestrian .211/.253/.310. Acuna has stolen seven bases so far this year and 40 or more each of the past three seasons.
Francisco Lindor is blocking his way to the majors at shortstop though, but he could make it to Queens as a second baseman or outfielder. He's not forcing the issue with his performance at the plate, however.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoCleveland Guardians outfield prospect
Jaison Chourio went 1-for-2 with two walks for Single-A Lynchburg on Sunday after going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI, two runs scored, and a walk on Saturday. The younger brother of
Jackson Chourio is now slashing .310/.500/.571 over 12 Single-A games this year, with five doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, 12 runs scored, and five stolen bases. What's more is that he's got more walks than strikeouts (14:9 BB:K). The 18-year-old is at least a year or so away from the majors, but with a 60-grade hit tool, speed to steal bases, and a keen eye at the plate, dynasty managers should make sure to keep tabs on him. The switch-hitter will likely see some Double-A action before the year is out.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoThe Kansas City Royals placed right-hander
Jordan Lyles (personal) on the inactive list on Saturday, and the team is not disclosing the reason for his absence other than describing it as a "personal matter." There's no timeline for his return, but because of the type of inactive list Lyles was placed on, it opened a 40-man roster spot for the Royals to call up veteran right-handed reliever
Tyler Duffey. Lyles has thrown five scoreless innings with three strikeouts in five appearances out of KC's bullpen during the 2024 regular season, but he hasn't pitched since April 12. With no defined role and most of his work coming in mop-up duty this year, however, the 33-year-old journeyman belongs on fantasy waiver wires while he's unavailable. There's no clear-cut fantasy beneficiary of his absence, either.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Anne Rogers - MLB.com
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays first baseman
Joey Votto (ankle) has started running more, but he's not hitting live pitching yet. There's no immediate plan for him to get into minor-league games, so until Votto resumes hitting, there's also no reason for fantasy managers to consider stashing the veteran on-base machine. After slashing .202/.314/.433 with 14 home runs and 38 RBI over 242 plate appearances (65 games) with the Cincinnati Reds a year ago, the 40-year-old former All-Star will be an option to serve as Toronto's designated hitter versus right-handed pitching when he's ultimately able to return from an ankle sprain and make his 2024 regular-season debut. Righty-mashing veteran
Daniel Vogelbach will draw the occasional start as the DH, but he's only appeared in eight games for the Jays so far and isn't receiving enough at-bats to garner any fantasy interest right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Ben Nicholson-Smith - Sportsnet.ca
6 days agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez (back) will move his rehab to Triple-A Syracuse this week, and "it's possible" the team could activate him when they get home on Friday for the start of a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals, per manager
Carlos Mendoza. After receiving a cortisone shot due to lower back tightness, Martinez returned to a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday and is on track to make his 2024 regular-season debut in Queens in Week 4 of fantasy baseball. With the Mets struggling to find consistency in the heart of their batting order, the 36-year-old All-Star slugger figures to slot right in as the No. 5 hitter in the lineup immediately upon his move to New York's active roster. After slashing .271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs, 27 doubles, and 103 RBI across 432 at-bats (113 games) with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, Martinez should be rostered for those in need of power numbers.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo - MLB.com
6 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles plan to recall outfield prospect
Heston Kjerstad from the minor leagues ahead of Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Kjerstad, the No. 42 prospect in baseball and Baltimore's No. 4 prospect, is slashing a prolific .349/.431/.744 with 10 home
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6 days agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Justin Steele (hamstring) completed a live batting practice session on Sunday at Wrigley Field. Manager Craig Counsell said everything went well, and Steele's next outing will come in an extended spring training game in Arizona on Friday. On the mend from a Grade 1 left hamstring strain that he suffered back on Opening Day, Steele continues to ramp up his activity ahead of a minor-league rehab assignment that appears to be on the horizon. Based on Steele's current progress, fantasy managers can expect the 28-year-old All-Star left-hander to rejoin Chicago's rotation at some point in the middle of May. Right-hander
Javier Assad has been a major factor in mixed leagues as a starter for the Cubs to begin the 2024 regular season, posting a 2.11 ERA (3.72 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, and 21:8 K:BB over 21 1/3 innings (four starts), but he'll face a tough matchup on paper in Thursday's scheduled home start versus the Houston Astros.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Bruce Levine - Marquee Sports Network
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