6 days agoCleveland Guardians rookie outfielder
Johnathan Rodriguez is making his major-league debut on Tuesday against the visiting New York Mets and right-hander
Adrian Houser, starting in right field and batting seventh. Rodriguez enters the starting lineup in Cleveland for the first time after being called up from Triple-A Columbus on Monday. The 24-year-old could see a decent amount of at-bats for the Guardians until
Steven Kwan (hamstring) is able to return from the injured list, making him worth a look off the waiver wire in AL-only leagues. MLB Pipeline has Rodriguez ranked as the team's No. 16 prospect. The Puerto Rican outfielder earned his call-up by hitting .276/.389/.449 with an .838 OPS, seven homers, 28 RBI and four steals in 43 games for Columbus.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
6 days agoCleveland Guardians right-hander
Xzavion Curry was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to make a spot start on Tuesday against the visiting New York Mets after the team placed right-hander
Carlos Carrasco (neck) on the 15-day injured list. Curry may not be a very attractive streamer in fantasy on Tuesday, but he did toss five scoreless innings with one walk and three strikeouts in a no-decision in his only start of the year for the Guardians on April 15 against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 25-year-old has gone 0-5 with an 8.79 ERA and 1.81 WHIP with 14 walks and 27 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings over seven outings (six starts) for Columbus, though, which explains why he'll be an extremely volatile deep-league streamer on Tuesday despite the good matchup. If Curry pitches well on Tuesday, he could stick around in Cleveland's rotation until Carrasco returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Mike Puma
6 days agoCleveland Guardians right-hander
Carlos Carrasco (neck), who was scheduled to start on Tuesday against the visiting New York Mets, has been scratched and placed on the 15-day injured list with an acute neck spasm.
Xzavion Curry has been recalled from Triple-A Columbus and will make the spot start on Tuesday. The 37-year-old Carrasco will be out for at least the next two weeks and possibly longer given his age. Although he currently has an ERA of 5.16 and a WHIP of 1.46 in 45 1/3 innings this year, Carrasco had been pitching better of late in his last three starts. However, he's also sporting a weak 17.2 percent strikeout rate and doesn't have a ton of fantasy upside in deeper leagues when he's in Cleveland's starting rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Zack Meisel
6 days agoThe Miami Marlins will activate shortstop
Tim Anderson (back) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and have optioned infielder
Tristan Gray to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move, according to sources. Anderson ended up missing the minimum 10 days on the injured list due to lower-back tightness and should be back at shortstop on Tuesday for the team's contest against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and rookie left-hander
Robert Gasser. The 30-year-old went 4-for-9 with a home run in two minor-league rehab games with Jacksonville, so hopefully he can use that as a springboard for better offensive performances in the big leagues after really struggling since the start of last season. Anderson is returning to a .197/.234/.221 slash line with no homers, six RBI and three steals in his first 122 at-bats with the Fish.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Fish On First - Isaac Azout
6 days agoOne American League executive thinks it's possible that the Toronto Blue Jays could move one or both of shortstop
Bo Bichette and first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this summer given the team's 21-25 start and the competitive state of the AL East. "I don't think they're opposed to it," the executive said. "They've talked to teams about it. The asks were ridiculous, but I think they're going to try to retool a lot, and using those guys to get pieces may be the way to do it." Both players are scheduled to reach free agency after the 2025 season, so any acquiring team would have them for the rest of this year and another full season. Bichette, a two-time All-Star, has had a sluggish start with a .230 average, only two homers and 16 RBI in 43 games. Guerrero is hitting .286 but with only four homers and 21 RBI in 45 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
6 days agoNew York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said last week that he's willing to negotiate a contract extension for outfielder
Juan Soto during the season. But with Soto in a contract year in 2024, most MLB executives see it as highly unlikely that he and his agent, Scott Boras, will sign an extension before he reaches the open market. "There's no chance," an American League executive said. "I think he ultimately signs back with the Yankees, but Scott takes his guys into free agency." Another AL executive put the Yankees' chances of signing Soto before the end of the year at 5%. The 25-year-old left-handed slugger is liking the Bronx so far, hitting .311/.411/.552 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI in his first 48 games in pinstripes, so he definitely has a reason to stick around. Obviously, Soto is a must-start in all fantasy lineups when he's healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Bowden Francis (forearm) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday and throw two to three innings or 45 pitches, according to manager John Schneider. If Francis comes out of that appearance without any issues, the Blue Jays are hoping he'll be ready to come off the injured list after that and rejoin the pitching staff this weekend. In his first two rehab appearances, Francis threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings with two hits allowed, five strikeouts and just one walk. The 28-year-old was in Toronto's starting rotation to open the year due to injuries to other pitchers, but he's likely to return in a long-relief role this weekend, which puts him off the fantasy radar in the vast majority of leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever
Chad Green (shoulder) said he felt good during a nine-pitch minor-league rehab outing on Sunday for Triple-A Buffalo. Green will throw another inning for the Bisons on Wednesday, and the Blue Jays are hoping he'll be ready to return from the injured list after that. The 32-year-old veteran tossed a scoreless inning on Sunday and struck out one. He landed on the injured list in the middle of April after straining his right shoulder, but Green appears to be healthy now and ready to rejoin Toronto's bullpen as a late-inning setup man in front of closer
Jordan Romano. When Romano opened the 2024 season on the injured list himself, Green filled in as the Jays' primary ninth-inning man. Green is a handcuff option for Romano and can also be useful in holds leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
6 days agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates recalled infielder/outfielder
Ji Hwan Bae from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday and optioned right-hander
Ryder Ryan to Indianapolis in a corresponding move. Bae has earned the call-up to Pittsburgh by dominating Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .367/.479/.551 slash line with a 1.030 OPS, four home runs, 15 RBI, seven stolen bases and 23 runs scored in 27 games on the farm. The 24-year-old South Korean will essentially serve as a super-utility player for the Pirates, as he played center field, left field and second base for Indianapolis. Bae made his major-league debut for the Bucs in 2022 and has played in 121 games the previous two years, hitting .240 (88-for-367) with two homers, 38 RBI and 27 stolen bases. His speed will mainly be attractive for fantasy managers in NL-only leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
6 days agoNew York Mets third baseman
Brett Baty, who opened the year as the team's starting third baseman, has already seen his playing time cut because of a timeshare with
Mark Vientos. It's unclear how long the Mets plan to continue the platoon at third, but it's not a roster construction designed for the long haul. At some point, the Mets will need to make a decision. In four games since rejoining the Mets, Vientos is 4-for-14 with two doubles, while Baty is 2-for-10 with a double. Over the last month since April 20, Baty is 13-for-77 (.169) with a 30.2% strikeout rate. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Baty has given the team strong defense at third, but they need more from him at the plate from a position that's known for providing much more offense. If the 24-year-old Baty doesn't pick things up soon at the plate, he could start losing even more playing time to Vientos.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher
Daniel Hudson locked down Monday's win over the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks, striking out two batters in a clean ninth inning for his third save. Hudson needed 20 pitches to retire the side in order and stymie Arizona's late comeback attempt, but he got the job done in Monday's save situation. The 37-year-old veteran right-hander has flourished out of LA's bullpen this season, posting a 2.70 ERA and 0.75 WHIP while fanning 22 and walking only one with three saves over 20 innings of work. While save opportunities have been few and far between for the Dodgers as of late, Hudson should be viewed as the temporary favorite for ninth-inning work until star closer
Evan Phillips (hamstring) returns from his minor-league rehab assignment.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels closer
Carlos Estevez hung on for his seventh save of the year in Monday's win over the division-rival Houston Astros, allowing one run on two hits and one walk in the ninth inning. It was another shaky outing for Estevez, who allowed the potential game-winning run to get to the plate in the form of Astros third baseman
Alex Bregman before putting out the fire. Although the 31-year-old veteran right-hander was an All-Star in 2023, he's blown three saves to go with a 5.17 ERA (3.85 FIP) over 15 2/3 innings in 2024. Estevez and his expiring contract should make him a trade candidate for the Halos later this summer, but his 17:2 K:BB and closer's role in Anaheim means he needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues at the moment. It probably wouldn't hurt fantasy managers to field some sell-high trade offers, though.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Marcus Stroman took a tough-luck no-decision in Monday's defeat to the visiting Seattle Mariners, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings.
Dominic Canzone took Stroman deep in the eighth inning, but the hurler posted his second straight quality start despite witnessing closer
Clay Holmes implode for a blown save in the ninth. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star will take an improved 3.05 WHIP, 1.30 WHIP, and 48:26 K:BB over 56 innings (10 starts) for the Yankees into his next scheduled start against the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Petco Park. Despite the tough matchup on paper, Stroman is 3-0 with a microscopic 0.47 ERA and 21:8 K:BB in three appearances versus the Padres since 2021.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto tallied his fifth win of the year in Monday's victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, tossing 6 1/3 strong innings of two-run ball on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. Yamamoto rebounded after allowing four runs in his last start, turning in the fifth quality start in his last six appearances on Monday, and he hasn't lost since the Seoul Series with the division-rival San Diego Padres back in late March. The 25-year-old Japanese import has lived up to the hype during his first year in the major leagues, submitting a 3.17 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a superb 61:11 K:BB through 10 starts (54 innings) for the Dodgers this season. Yamamoto will look to keep the good times rolling in Sunday's scheduled start against the Cincinnati Reds, but it will come at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
6 days agoSan Diego Padres closer
Robert Suarez picked up his 13th save of the season in Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader with the Atlanta Braves, throwing a clean ninth inning on just seven pitches. The Padres came from behind to win the opener of Monday's twin bill, scoring four runs in the eighth inning to provide Suarez with the chance to convert his first save since May 8. The 33-year-old right-hander has excelled as San Diego's go-to ninth-inning man this season, going a perfect 13-for-13 on save opportunities while surrendering a lone run with an 18:4 K:BB across 20 1/3 innings. As long as he continues throwing this well, Suarez should remain the Friars' clear-cut stopper going forward.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
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