6 days agoOakland Athletics infield prospect
Cooper Bowman went 1-for-4 on Tuesday for Double-A Midland, extending his hit streak to 17 games. The 24-year-old hit just .152 over his first 21 games with three extra-base hits (two HR), but during the 17-game hit streak he is slashing .357/.451/.629 with 11 extra-base hits (four HR). What has been a constant is his speed, having swiped eight bags during the initial slump and 11 during the breakout, for a total of 19 already on the season. Last season, the former fourth-round draft pick stole 35 bags at Double-A and 47 at High-A the season before. MLB.com's prospects list has an ETA of 2024 for Bowman, but he'll probably make a stop at Triple-A first. Zach Gelof has been unable to recreate the success he had in 2023, so there's certainly an opportunity for someone to fill the offensive void. It might be
Nick Allen at first, but later in the year it could be Bowman.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Max Fried threw his second complete game of the season in Wednesday's victory on the road over the Chicago Cubs, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with a season-high nine strikeouts en route to his fourth win of the year. Fried needed 105 pitches to go the distance in Wednesday's masterful performance, carrying a bid for a perfect game into the sixth inning before
Ian Happ's leadoff double broke it up. Even though it's been an up-and-down campaign for the 30-year-old star left-hander, he owns a strong 3.38 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 48:20 K:BB with a career-best .197 average against through 10 starts overall (58 2/3 frames) for the Braves in 2024. Monday's series opener at home against the division-rival Washington Nationals marks Fried's next projected start. He gave up two runs over 9 1/3 innings (two starts) with a 9:1 K:BB against Washington in 2023.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Shane Baz (elbow) looked sharp during his fourth minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, giving up one run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over four innings. This was Baz's fourth start in the minors as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, so there's an outside chance that his next appearance will come in the major-league rotation after tossing 76 pitches on Wednesday. In all likelihood, however, Baz will throw in one more rehab game before likely rejoining the Rays in early June. For his big-league career, the 24-year-old former top prospect sports an encouraging 4.02 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while punching out 48 and walking 12 through 40 1/3 frames (nine starts) for Tampa Bay. Baz is worth stashing in the majority of competitive fantasy leagues with his return on the horizon.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Durham Bulls on X
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Garrett Mitchell (finger) will begin taking swings off a tee ahead of Friday's series opener against the Boston Red Sox. The next major steps would be for Mitchell to first log at-bats in the Arizona Complex League and then head out on a minor-league rehab assignment as he progresses from a fractured left index finger. Mitchell's goal is to return to the Brewers during a series against the Los Angeles Angels that begins on June 17. The speedy 25-year-old was in line to be Milwaukee's starting center fielder and leadoff hitter in 2024, and he could still slot into those roles upon his activation from the 60-day injured list. In 47 career major-league games, Mitchell is slashing a formidable .278/.343/.452 with five home runs, five doubles, 16 RBI, and nine stolen bases over 126 ABs. He's a decent stash in NL-only fantasy leagues with most of the club's outfielders struggling besides
Christian Yelich.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Todd Rosiak - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
6 days agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher
Adbert Alzolay (forearm) will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks, manager Craig Counsell said on Wednesday. No surprise here, as Alzolay has gone for a second opinion on his strained right flexor. The Cubs will follow a conservative treatment plan for the 29-year-old right-hander, and while surgery is not off the table, they'll know more after his down time. After posting a poor 4.67 ERA with 13 strikeouts, six walks, and six home runs allowed in 18 games over 17 1/3 innings out of Chicago's bullpen this year and getting removed from the closer's role, Alzolay looks like a drop in shallow fantasy leagues and a weak stash in deeper formats.
Hector Neris owns a 2.50 ERA with six saves across 18 frames and is the current favorite for ninth-inning work in the Windy City.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Andy Martinez - Marquee Sports Network
6 days agoNew York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) is scheduled to take batting practice when the club opens a homestand that begins on Friday, and he has been catching pitches with a splint inside his mitt. Alvarez is progressing well and perhaps ahead of schedule as he recuperates from ligament surgery in his left thumb, and he's still on course for a mid-to-late June return to the Mets. The 22-year-old slugging backstop was hitting just .236 (13-for-55) with one home run as New York's primary catcher before heading to the sidelines, but he did have four doubles and one stolen base over 16 games and is worth stashing in all fantasy leagues for his power upside at the catcher position. As long as Alvarez remains on the shelf, veterans
Omar Narvaez and
Tomas Nido will continue sharing work in a platoon for at-bats behind the dish.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Mike Puma - New York Post
6 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner (hamstring) was taking grounders ahead of Wednesday's game versus the visiting Texas Rangers. Turner has been taking batting practice and also ran arcs in the outfield on Wednesday, which typically preludes running the bases, but he'll get a "pullback day" on Thursday before resuming his ramp-up during the club's weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. Although there's no timeline yet for Turner's return from a strained left hamstring, he could potentially begin a minor-league rehab assignment before the end of May and rejoin Philly's lineup as early as June 8 for the start of the Phillies' two-game series against the division-rival New York Mets in London.
Edmundo Sosa is worth a look in deep mixed or NL-only leagues in the interim, slashing .296/.406/.481 with one home run, eight RBI, 13 runs scored, and two stolen bases over 65 plate appearances this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: John Clark - NBC Sports Philadelphia
6 days agoKansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia went 2-for-5 with two runs scored on Wednesday as the red-hot Royals won their sixth straight game at home to finish their sweep of the Tigers 8-3. After a monster game Tuesday night (4-for-5, three Runs), Garcia kept the good times rolling during the finale, extending his hitting streak to 10 games and chipping in a stolen base for good measure. Hitting over .300 for May, Garcia, a late-round sleeper in most drafts before the season, is making anyone who took a flier on him look pretty smart right about now. The young speedster is pacing towards a 15 HR/40 SB campaign, but with Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez batting behind him, don't be shocked if he finishes the year in the triple digits in runs scored.--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler significantly impacted the Twins' 3-2 win over the Nationals on Wednesday. The lefty went 2-4 with a solo homer in the second inning to put the Twins in front early. Kepler doubled in the ninth and came around to score again on a single from Ryan Jeffers, who proved to be the difference maker in this one. While the .311 batting average he's currently sporting doesn't seem sustainable over the long haul, Kepler will be a valuable source of HRs & RBI for fantasy managers as long as he can stay healthy.--Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoCleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez was pivotal in igniting a six-run offensive outburst as Cleveland came from behind to sweep the New York Mets on Wednesday. Gimenez came to bat with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning against Jose Quintana and delivered a game-tying, three-run blast to help swing momentum to the Guardians dugout. Gimenez finished the day 1-for-3, scoring two runs and knocking in three while notching his fourth homer of the season. The 25-year-old is putting together a nice season for the American League Central-leading Guardians and is firmly entrenched at the top of a potent lineup. It wouldn't be surprising to see Gimenez surpass his career-highs in both runs (76) and RBI (69) in 2024. --Jay Skadooley - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoUpdating a previous report, Los Angeles Angels shortstop
Zach Neto (elbow) said he has some concern about his right elbow because he's had issues with it before, but the training staff told him they didn't think the injury he suffered in Wednesday's win over the Houston Astros was serious. Neto will get some more tests on his elbow when the team returns home to Anaheim to start a series on Friday against the Cleveland Guardians. The 23-year-old left Wednesday's game in the bottom of the fifth inning after making an errant throw to first base. He went 0-for-2 at the plate with a strikeout before departing. This could very well require a trip to the injured list for Neto, so his fantasy managers in deeper leagues need to be prepared. Both
Kyren Paris and
Cole Tucker could see playing time at short for the Halos if Neto's injury is more serious than the training staff thinks it is.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (side) was taken out of Wednesday's game against the visiting Boston Red Sox early in the second inning due to right-side tightness. Lowe is considered day-to-day for now. As of right now, it doesn't seem like a serious
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6 days agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Garrett Whitlock (elbow) will have his medical visit with Dr. Jeff Dugas next Wednesday, at which point it will be decided if he will have surgery. While on a minor-league rehab assignment to recover from a left-oblique strain, Whitlock suffered a right-elbow sprain last Wednesday with Triple-A Worcester and may now be forced to miss the rest of the 2024 season if he has to go under the knife. If the 27-year-old needs surgery to fix damage to his right UCL, he'll not only miss the rest of this year, but he probably won't be ready to go for Boston to start next year, either. It would be a serious blow for Boston's pitching depth, as the former 18th-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2017 out of Alabama was 1-0 with a stingy 1.96 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings in 2024 in his four starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Ian Browne
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels relief pitcher
Luis Garcia was tasked with holding a one-run lead in the ninth inning of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. The right-hander blew the lead during the seventh inning of Tuesday's game. Despite that, Garcia was given another chance and worked a perfect ninth inning to earn his third save of the season. Garcia has been busy pitching in four of the last five games. The Angels bullpen situation is a little messy with
Carlos Estevez as the primary closer, but
Adam Cimber and Garcia are in the mix as well.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Tyler Anderson was able to put together a solid outing during Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. The left-hander allowed only one run over eight innings of work during Wednesday's victory. Anderson did allow six hits, but he was able to limit the damage. He now holds a 5-4 record with a 2.52 ERA to begin the season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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