6 days agoLos Angeles Angels infielder
Luis Rengifo (illness) was diagnosed with a viral infection in early May that caused him to suffer from painful blisters on his feet. He was ultimately placed on the injured list on May 9. However, Rengifo took ground balls on the field on Monday and could return to the Angels as soon as Friday, May 17. The 27-year-old Venezuelan switch-hitter was fortunate to hit .330 in his first 91 at-bats before going on the injured list, but Rengifo should return to a regular role on the Angels' infield when he comes off the IL with both
Anthony Rendon (hamstring) and
Brandon Drury (hamstring) both out with injuries, which will at least make him useful as middle-infield depth in AL-only leagues. In his first 28 games this year, Rengifo has two homers, 11 RBI, a career-high nine stolen bases and 14 runs scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Dane Dunning (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and looks as though he could return quickly from his injured-list stint. This was Dunning's first bullpen session since going on the 15-day injured list on May 8 with a right rotator-cuff strain. If the 29-year-old doesn't have any setbacks after throwing a couple of bullpen sessions, he could be ready to return to the Rangers when he's eligible to return next Monday. Before landing on the shelf, Dunning opened the year 3-2 with a 4.10 ERA (4.88 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP while walking 17 and striking out 43 in 37 1/3 innings over his seven starts. Dunning has been successful with a high whiff rate so far this year, but he's also allowing lots of hard contact, which makes him a volatile fantasy option as a streamer when he's back in Texas' rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: RangersToday.com - Jeff Wilson
6 days agoThe San Francisco Giants recalled infield prospect
Marco Luciano from Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday after they placed catcher
Patrick Bailey (head) on the seven-day concussion list for the second time in the month. Luciano, the club's top prospect
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6 days agoThe San Francisco Giants placed catcher
Patrick Bailey (head) on the seven-day concussion injured list (retroactive to May 12) on Monday and recalled infielder
Marco Luciano from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. Bailey suffered a concussion earlier this month but had already returned from his IL stint, but the 24-year-old backstop recently missed two games for the Giants, with the illness apparently related to his head injury. It's nothing to mess around with, so the Giants will play it safe and sideline Bailey again for another week.
Blake Sabol will take over the primary catching duties for the beat-up Giants moving forward. Sabol is 8-for-21 in his first eight games for the Giants this year and is now worth a look in two-catcher leagues, especially since Bailey could be out for an extended amount of time.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Giants
6 days agoHouston Astros right-hander
Ronel Blanco was ejected from his start against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday before the start of the fourth inning after umpires checked his glove for foreign substances. As a result, the 30-year-old will be suspended by Major League Baseball for 10 games if it's confirmed that he used an illegal substance on his glove. Before being ejected, Blanco had thrown three scoreless innings while walking one and striking out four to lower his season ERA to 2.09. It's more bad news for an Astros' starting rotation that has really been thinned this year by injuries. Blanco came into Tuesday's solid matchup against Oakland with a 2.23 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 20 walks and 41 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings. Even though he's set to miss his next start while on suspension, fantasy baseball managers are going to want to keep Blanco on their rosters.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
6 days agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers dazzled in Tuesday's extra-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers, hurling eight scoreless innings on three hits and no walks with four strikeouts for a tough-luck no-decision. Weathers was flawless through five innings on Tuesday before
Wenceel Perez singled to open the sixth frame and break up the perfecto bid, but it was certainly a dominant outing nonetheless. The 24-year-old former San Diego Padre has now logged three consecutive quality starts, putting together a respectable 3.81 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 38:16 K:BB with two wins over 49 2/3 innings (nine starts) from Miami's injury-ravaged rotation on the season as a whole. His next start is projected to come on Monday in a tough assignment at home against the Milwaukee Brewers, who rank as a top-five offense in most metrics at the quarter mark of the campaign, which makes Weathers a dangerous fantasy bet for that one.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoMiami Marlins relief pitcher
A.J. Puk closed out the Detroit Tigers in Tuesday's extra-inning win, tossing a clean 10th inning for his first save of the year. It was actually closer
Tanner Scott who was called upon for the ninth inning in a scoreless game, which indicates he's still the preferred ninth-inning man, but this was certainly an encouraging performance out of Puk. The 29-year-old left-hander pumped in nine of this 13 pitches for strikes in Tuesday's sharp outing and just his second appearance since coming off the injured list with a shoulder issue, lowering his ERA to 8.40 with a 2.40 WHIP and a ghastly 12:17 K:BB across 15 innings for the Marlins this season. Puk is worth keeping an eye on in all fantasy leagues, as he appears to be the next in line for save opportunities out of Miami's bullpen in situations where Scott may be unavailable.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoWashington Nationals closer
Kyle Finnegan secured Tuesday's win on the road over the Chicago White Sox, tossing a scoreless ninth inning for his 13th save of the season during Game 1 of a doubleheader. After getting
Eloy Jimenez to ground out, Finnegan ran into some trouble by allowing two singles to get the tying run to the plate but was able to stymie a potential rally by striking out
Nicky Lopez to end the game. It's been a great first quarter of the year for the hard-throwing 32-year-old right-hander, who now sports a 1.56 ERA and 0.92 WHIP while fanning 17 and walking eight with an MLB-high 13 saves over 17 1/3 innings as Washington's clear-cut closer. Finnegan's been one of fantasy's top value picks to this point, but it might be time to sell high when you consider his .113 BA and .247 xBA, .268 SLG and .464 xSLG, as well as his 1.65 ERA and 4.41 xERA on Baseball Savant entering Tuesday's action.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Savant
6 days agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw "about 36 pitches" in a bullpen session on Tuesday at the team's facility in Tampa, Florida. Manager Aaron Boone said Cole would next return to New York and characterized the outlook for Cole as "just onward and upward." That hopefully means Cole is close to facing live hitters in batting practice, considering he's now tossed several successful bullpen sessions. The 33-year-old six-time All-Star remains firmly on course to return to New York's rotation sometime in mid-June, assuming a minor-league rehab assignment begins in late May. Right-hander
Luis Gil has filled in admirably during Cole's absence for the Yankees, boasting a 2.51 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 48:26 K:BB across 43 innings (eight starts) in 2024, and he's gotten himself into must-roster fantasy territory ahead of Saturday's cushy assignment at home versus the last-place Chicago White Sox.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Greg Joyce - New York Post
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers closer
Evan Phillips (hamstring) is set to throw off a mound on Wednesday. Working his way back from a strained right hamstring, Phillips is ready for his first bullpen session since hitting the injured list and should be able to re-enter LA's bullpen in late May if all continues to go well in his recovery. In 14 appearances before going down, the 29-year-old right-hander was electric while yielding a lone run and striking out 17, walking four, and converting each of his eight save chances over 13 2/3 innings of work. Veteran
Daniel Hudson is likely the best bet for fantasy managers trying to pick up some saves in Phillips' stead, notching a 3.18 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a sparkling 19:1 K:BB with two saves over 17 innings for the Dodgers this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
6 days agoSeattle Mariners designated hitter
Mitch Garver (undisclosed) has been scratched from Tuesday's lineup versus the visiting Kansas City Royals. There's no word yet from the M's on the status of Garver, who was initially batting third as the DH on Tuesday against the Royals. Consider him day-to-day until more information comes to light ahead of Wednesday's series finale.
Mitch Haniger is now functioning as the DH and batting sixth against right-hander
Michael Wacha, with
Sam Haggerty entering the lineup and parking in left field to hit ninth.
Ty France is set up as the biggest fantasy beneficiary of Garver's absence, as he's moved up to the third spot in the lineup and has gone 9-for-15 with five doubles and two RBI in 15 plate appearances against Wacha in his career.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Daniel Kramer - MLB.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Bobby Miller (shoulder) will throw two simulated innings at Camelback Ranch in Arizona on Wednesday, manager Dave Roberts said. While Miller's next step in his throwing program has not yet been determined as he recovers from inflammation in his right shoulder, it will either be a three-inning sim game or a minor-league rehab assignment. The 25-year-old flame-throwing right-hander remains on track to rejoin LA's rotation sometime in late May or early June, barring any setbacks. Former top prospect
Gavin Stone should get another couple of turns in the Dodgers' rotation until Miller is back in the fold, and he's worth streaming in all fantasy leagues with a solid 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts with three wins through 38 innings (seven starts) this season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
6 days agoTop Tampa Bay Rays prospect
Junior Caminero is playing second base on Tuesday night for Triple-A Durham. The 20-year-old Dominican can also play third base and shortstop, but the Rays could be planning ahead for Caminero to take over at the keystone this year with
Brandon Lowe (oblique) still not close to a return. He's currently hitting a strong .304/.379/.554 with a .933 OPS, six home runs, 17 RBI and 14 runs scored in 23 games for the Bulls on the farm after missing two weeks early in the year with a quadriceps injury that he has since recovered from. Caminero made his big-league debut in 2023 and went 8-for-34 (.235) with a homer and seven RBI in just seven games. His power upside makes him worth stashing right now in deeper fantasy leagues, and he should resurface in the majors at some point in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
6 days agoNew York Mets right-hander
Adrian Houser warmed up in the ninth inning in Tuesday's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies when
Sean Reid-Foley got hit. As a result, Houser will not start in Philadelphia on Wednesday against the Phillies. The Mets currently don't have a starting pitcher listed for Wednesday's contest. The 31-year-old Houser has made six starts for the Mets this year but was recently demoted to a relief role out of the bullpen and currently carries a rough 7.63 ERA (5.29 FIP) and 1.83 WHIP with 22 walks and 16 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Houser is going to need to display better command to have a shot at returning to New York's starting rotation and sticking around beyond just an emergency spot start. The Mets will likely roll with a bullpen game against Philly on Wednesday now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Daily News - Abbey Mastracco
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder/designated hitter
Jorge Soler (head, shoulder), who was hitting on the field on Tuesday for the first time since going on the injured list, fouled a ball off the top pipe of the batting cage that ricocheted and hit him in
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