2 weeks agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Reid Detmers delivered another solid performance in Monday's 6-2 win over the Twins. Detmers pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits (including a solo home run) and two walks with eight strikeouts. The 25-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on September 3 and has allowed four runs in 12 IP with 18 strikeouts in his two starts back. Detmers has shown fantasy promise at times throughout his career but has also been very inconsistent. Fantasy managers may not be willing to trust him, but his next start could be an excellent one against the White Sox. Given the strong matchup and recent performance, he may be worth a fantasy start consideration if he were to make the start.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoPittsburgh Pirates rookie starting pitcher
Paul Skenes continued to dazzle in Monday's 3-2 win over the Marlins. Skenes pitched six innings, allowing one run on six hits and a walk with nine strikeouts. The 22-year-old has lived up to all the hype that came with being a No. 1 overall pick and is 10-2 with a 2.10 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and an 11.33 K/9 rate (151 strikeouts) in 20 starts and 120 IP. Not only did the start help Skenes break the Pirates franchise record for strikeouts by a rookie, but it put him in a select group of all historical pitchers with more strikeouts in their first 20 games. Skenes' next start is slated to be a favorable matchup at the Cardinals, although the team does not strike out much.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Alex Stumpf - MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees catcher
Austin Wells continued his strong offensive second half in Monday's 10-4 win over the Royals. Wells went 2-for-5 with a double, a three-run home run, four RBI, and a strikeout. The 25-year-old backstop broke a seventh-inning tie by driving a
James McArthur fastball deep into the right-field seats for his 13th long ball of the season. While he has cooled off in September, Wells has put together a .295/.380/.511 second-half slash line with seven HR and 29 RBI in 135 at-bats. His current performance and exposure to an excellent Yankees lineup make him a potential fantasy option in most fantasy leagues down the stretch.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoCleveland Guardians starting pitcher
Joey Cantillo turned in the best start of his young career in Monday's 5-3 win over the White Sox. Cantillo, who was recalled from Triple-A Columbus ahead of the start, pitched seven innings, allowing one run on two hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts, earning his first career win. The 24-year-old prospect has made six appearances (five starts) with the Guardians and owns a bloated 5.96 ERA in 25 2/3 IP. He has pitched better at Triple-A, but it does not seem he necessarily has a clear path to playing time down the stretch in the big leagues. It is possible he could make a few more spot starts, but he seems to be a more relevant player in dynasty or keeper fantasy leagues at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoBoston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter
Tyler O'Neill continued his second-half power surge in Monday's 12-3 win over the Orioles. O'Neill went 3-for-5 with a double, a pair of solo home runs, three RBI, and a strikeout. The 29-year-old went back-to-back with
Rob Refsnyder off
Cade Povich in the third inning and then again off
Cole Irvin in the eighth inning. O'Neill has provided power throughout the season with 29 HR, but he has really gotten things going in the second half. He now owns a .360/.448/.880 slash line with four HR and six RBI in 25 September at-bats. O'Neill could give fantasy managers an extra lineup boost down the stretch, particularly if the Red Sox continue to hit better as a team overall.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Rob Refsnyder had an excellent day at the plate in Monday's 12-3 win over the Orioles. Refsnyder went 4-for-4 with a single, a double, a solo home run, a two-run HR, five RBI, and a walk. The 33-year-old veteran took
Cade Povich deep to straightaway center in the third inning and took
Cole Irvin just beyond the Pesky Pole in the eighth inning. Refsnyder has put together a solid season slash line in limited playing time and is batting .400 with an .867 slugging percentage in September. However, he has managed just 15 at-bats in the month. Refsnyder could provide a hot bat to cap off the season, but he will need to translate his success into more playing time to put him in the fantasy roster conversation.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Mets pitcher
Tylor Megill turned in a solid outing in Monday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays. Megill, who got the nod after
Paul Blackburn (hand, back) faced a delay in his return from the injured list due to a lower back issue, pitched six scoreless innings. The 29-year-old allowed just one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts. Megill was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse at the end of August and has compiled a stellar 2.34 ERA in three starts. However, the Mets have stated that they are giving Blackburn a 48-hour window to assess his response to back treatment and that he will slot back into the starting rotation if able, with Megill moving to the bullpen. Even if Blackburn is unable to return, the next time around the rotation would be a tough matchup at the Phillies, so fantasy managers may want to avoid whoever makes the start.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Julia Kreutz - MLB.com
2
weeks
agoNew
York
Mets
right-hander
Paul
Blackburn
(back,
hand)
was
originally
expected
to
come
off
the
15-day
injured
list
to
start
on
Monday
in
Toronto
against
the
Blue
Jays,
but
those
plans
were
scrapped
due
to
a
back
issue,
and
Blackburn
will
not
pitch
read more...
2 weeks agoToronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (foot) fouled a ball off his toes on his left foot during Monday's 3-2 loss to the New York Mets at the Rogers Centre and underwent X-rays in the middle of the game, which came back negative. The Blue Jays will see how Guerrero feels on Tuesday, but it sounds like he has avoided a serious injury. Guerrero, who was serving as the designated hitter in this one, played the entire game and finished 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in the loss. Fantasy managers should consider Vlad to be day-to-day for now, but don't be surprised if Toronto holds him out of the starting lineup as a precaution on Tuesday. If the 25-year-old misses any time, rookie
Spencer Horwitz will see more time at first. Guerrero, who has been an All-Star each of the last four seasons, is having a great season with a .324/.395/.554 slash line, 28 homers and 94 RBI in 141 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
2
weeks
agoNew
York
Yankees
outfielder
Alex
Verdugo
made
the
start
in
left
field
while
batting
ninth
on
Monday
in
the
series
opener
at
Yankee
Stadium
against
the
visiting
Kansas
City
Royals,
but
it
seems
likely
that
he's
going
to
be
the
odd
man
out
read more...
2 weeks agoChicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that left-hander
Justin Steele's (elbow) catch play has gone well of late and that a bullpen session is next, and it could happen "on this road trip." The Cubs' current road trip ends this Sunday at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. If the 29-year-old southpaw can get through a successful bullpen session this week, he could move to a simulated game or live bullpen session next. Steele is currently on the 15-day injured list due to left-elbow inflammation, but barring a setback, he should be able to return at the end of the month of September for a start or two to close out the year. Steele, a first-time All-Star in 2023, has been similarly as good in 2024 despite spending some time on the IL due to injuries. He has an ERA just over 3.00 with a career-high 24.9% strikeout rate as a trusted weapon at the top of Chicago's starting rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Maddie Lee
2 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde thinks that first baseman
Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) will be able to come off the 10-day injured list before the end of the 2024 regular season in September. "I think he's going to come back by the end of the regular season, I just don't know when," Hyde said on Monday. Mountcastle is recovering from a left-wrist sprain that he suffered on Aug. 22 against the Houston Astros during a slide into second base. The 27-year-old started swinging a bat last Friday and is slowly working his way up in baseball activities before potentially going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The O's won't rush him back with a postseason spot pretty secure, and Mountcastle is unlikely to help much in fantasy the rest of the way if he does come back in September. His power has been down yet again in 2024 with only 13 homers after hitting a career-high 33 in 2021.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
2 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg (hand), who is recovering from a fractured right hand, was fielding grounders on Monday before the team's game at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Westburg was not wearing anything on his right hand for protection. The 25-year-old infielder is getting closer to a return from the 10-day injured list now that he's doing some light baseball activities, but there remains no timetable for his return. He has been sidelined since July 31, so we'd expect the Orioles to send Westburg on a minor-league rehab assignment before he's activated, meaning it could be another week or two before he's ready. Westburg made his first All-Star team in 2024 and is just two homers shy of his 20-homer campaign. With
Ramon Urias (ankle) also on the IL, rookie infielder
Coby Mayo is getting a shot at the hot corner down the stretch for Baltimore.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
2 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez (lat, shoulder) could face live hitters at some point during the team's road trip through Boston and Detroit that starts on Monday and runs through this coming Sunday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Rodriguez has been on the 15-day injured list since early August with a strained right lat but was able to throw off a mound next week and could go on a minor-league rehab assignment if he has a successful session throwing to live hitters this week. Barring a setback in that process, Rodriguez should be able to rejoin Baltimore's starting rotation in late September or just in time for the start of the playoffs. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 is a top-of the rotation starter next to
Corbin Burnes when healthy, so the O's really will need him to be at the top of his game come October if they want to make a deep postseason run.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (toe) threw off a makeshift mound in the outfield at Dodger Stadium on Monday before the game against the Chicago Cubs. During the session, Kershaw didn't wear a shoe on his left foot to test out his injured toe. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer is attempting to return from the 15-day injured list before the end of the regular season in September after dealing with a bone spur in his big left toe. The Dodgers are basically approaching this hoping to have Kershaw 100% for the postseason in October, but if he does return from the IL this month, he's unlikely to be able to make more than a start or two for fantasy purposes. Kershaw allowed eight earned runs on 12 hits while walking three and striking out five in his last two starts before landing on the IL, and his playoff struggles have been well-documented.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
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