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
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Alek Manoah (shoulder) is slated to start for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday or Thursday, per manager John Schneider. Schneider liked Manoah's fastball command and slider movement when he watched his latest rehab start on video, but the Jays want the hurler to get one more minor-league rehab appearance under his belt before deciding what's next for Manoah. The big 26-year-old right-hander threw 92 pitches of two-run ball in his latest rehab outing and is essentially built up in his recovery from soreness in his right shoulder, and he figures to be an option for Toronto's starting rotation early next week if he bounces back well from the start. Rookie right-hander
Yariel Rodriguez will get at least one more start, which is scheduled for Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals, sporting a promising 2.35 ERA (4.38 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, and 13:3 K:BB across 7 2/3 innings (two starts).
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Ben Nicholson-Smith - Sportsnet.ca
6 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles placed outfielder
Austin Hays (calf) on the 10-day injured list on Monday, retroactive to Sunday. After leaving Saturday's win over the Kansas City Royals, Hays needs to miss some additional time with a strained left calf. The 28-year-old left fielder was already trending down due to a feeble .111/.200/.111 triple-slash line with just two RBI over 45 at-bats (19 games) as well as the emergence of former top prospect
Colton Cowser for the O's, so fantasy managers shouldn't feel inclined to stash Hays while he's sidelined. Cowser's playing time in left field becomes even more solidified in the absence of Hays. Hitting .373 (19-for-51) with five home runs, six doubles, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases to this point, Cowser is a player with five-category upside in Baltimore's potent lineup for the foreseeable future.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles on X
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan Mountcastle (knee) is out of Monday's lineup for the start of a three-game series on the road against the Los Angeles Angels as a precaution due to knee soreness. Skipper Brandon Hyde says Mountcastle is available to pinch-hit from Baltimore's bench if needed, so there's no need for fantasy managers to be alarmed by the infielder's absence. The 27-year-old slugger is slashing a stellar .324/.388/.500 with two home runs, seven doubles, 11 RBI, and 14 runs scored through 74 at-bats (19 games), and he can be expected back in the starting lineup as soon as Tuesday's matchup in Anaheim. Utility man
Ramon Urias will slide in to bat fifth against Halos left-hander
Reid Detmers and cover the cold corner for Mountcastle on Monday, but he's not the most exciting fantasy option while batting .219 (7-for-32) with just one extra-base hit and two RBI this season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Steve Melewski - MASN Sports
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers pitching prospect
Robert Gasser (elbow) could be ready to pitch for Triple-A Nashville as soon as this week after being on the shelf for almost a month in the minors due to a bone spur in his left elbow. The Brewers could really use some help in their big-league starting rotation with
DL Hall (knee),
Wade Miley (elbow) and
Jakob Junis (head, shoulder) all on the injured list, but the 24-year-old Gasser is going to need to prove he's healthy at Nashville before he's a consideration for a big-league call-up.
Bryse Wilson is likely to jump into the Brewers' rotation, but other options in the minors could be
Aaron Ashby,
Tobias Myers and
Janson Junk. Gasser is listed as the Brewers' No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Bryse Wilson is likely to move from the bullpen into the team's starting rotation for now with
DL Hall (knee),
Wade Miley (elbow) and
Jakob Junis (head, shoulder) all on the injured list right now. Wilson made a spot start on the last homestand when the Brewers had a hole in their rotation and tossed 3 2/3 innings of scoreless ball while walking one and striking out two in a no-decision against the San Diego Padres. The former fourth-rounder of the Atlanta Braves in 2016 has been solid in his seven appearances for the Brewers so far in 2024, posting a 3.29 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 12 strikeouts in his 13 2/3 innings pitched. In NL-only leagues for sure, he's worth a pickup if he officially joins Milwaukee's rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
6 days agoMiami Marlins left-hander
Braxton Garrett (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Sunday and is scheduled to throw another one in the next few days. Garrett has yet to make his 2024 debut in the big leagues after being put on the 15-day injured list out of spring training with a left-shoulder impingement. The 26-year-old southpaw then had a setback when he was briefly shut down after his second minor-league rehab appearance with Triple-A Jacksonville on April 12 with dead arm. He's now building his arm back up and will hopefully be ready to make another rehab start sooner than later. Garrett isn't going to be ready to join Miami's starting rotation until May, but when he does, he's not a bad waiver-wire pickup in mixed leagues with plenty of strikeout upside. The former seventh overall pick in 2016 had a 3.66 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 156 K's in 159 2/3 frames last year in 31 outings (30 starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays infielder
Taylor Walls (hip) is taking 10 to 14 days off from baseball activities due to hip inflammation. The Rays moved Walls to the 60-day injured list over the weekend while he recovers from surgery on his right hip. There's no clear timetable for his return, with manager Kevin Cash saying on April 13 that Walls is "just not going as quick as maybe we had originally anticipated." Given the amount of time he has missed, it seems likely Walls will have to essentially recreate a progression similar to spring training whenever he gets back to game action. The 27-year-old had surgery on Oct. 27 to fix a labral tear in his right hip. He said he had been dealing with a "noticeable hip impingement" for more than a year. It would probably be a surprise if we saw Walls in the big leagues before June.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Evan Closky
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) started a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham over the weekend and hit a home run in his second game back on Saturday with a Statcast-projected 106.4 mph, 403-foot shot to right-center field. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBI for the Bulls. The 26-year-old strained his right oblique during spring training and was forced to open the year on the injured list. Lowe is expected back around early May, and there's no reason he should be on your league's waiver wire after breaking out in 2023 with 20 home runs and 32 stolen bases. When Lowe is able to return to Tampa,
Amed Rosario and
Richie Palacios will likely be hurt the most in terms of playing time in the Rays' outfield. Lowe essentially needs a full spring training's worth of at-bats to get ready.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles rookie infielder
Jackson Holliday is out of the team's starting lineup on Monday against the Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Reid Detmers. Holliday has yet to face a left-handed starter since making his MLB debut recently. The Orioles aren't going to put too much on the 20-year-old's plate early on, even if he is the consensus top prospect in the big leagues. Fantasy managers that have invested in the former first overall pick in 2022 for the long term shouldn't be panicking just yet, but Holliday has done very little in the start of his first season in the big leagues with just one hit and an RBI in his first 30 at-bats in Baltimore while walking three times and striking out 15 times.
Jorge Mateo is at the keystone on Monday and is hitting ninth against Detmers. Mateo is hitting .222 in nine career at-bats versus Detmers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays infielder
Jonathan Aranda (finger) could be making his way back to the field soon. Recent reports are that Aranda is nearing a rehab assignment, which is positive news in his recovery process. Aranda was placed on the injured list in late March due to a broken right ring finger. The 25-year-old should be able to back get on the field and be ready around early or mid-May. Aranda figures to play a significant role on the Rays once he's healthy.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Evan Closky
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (pectoral) appears to be making solid progress in his recovery process. The right-hander is reportedly scheduled to head to Triple-A soon to begin a rehab assignment. Bradley has been sidelined since late March due to a pectoral strain. The organization's original timetable was that Bradley would miss at least six weeks of action. It seems like Bradley should be able to beat that timetable, but fantasy managers should stay tuned for more information.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Evan Closky
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