6 days agoNew York Yankees relief pitcher
Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) is expected to be recalled from Double-A Somerset on Wednesday, per the Athletic's Chris Kirschner. Left-handed pitcher
Clayton Andrews was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Tuesday's game in a corresponding move. Kahnle has been out with shoulder inflammation since last season but compiled a solid 2.66 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 29.1% strikeout rate with 14 holds in 40 2/3 innings pitched. Given his higher-leverage usage and strong team context, Jahnle will be worth a look in deeper saves-plus-holds leagues.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Chris Kirschner - X.com
6 days agoCleveland Guardian relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase continued his dominant campaign, earning the save in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the New York Mets. The 26-year-old allowed a hit over a scoreless inning, notching his 15th save of the season. His ERA now lies at 0.36, with a 0.59 WHIP on the season to accompany his league-leading 15 saves. This is everything a fantasy manager could hope for in a fantasy baseball closer who is one of the first relievers off draft boards. Relievers can be so volatile on a year-to-year basis, but with a career 1.84 ERA, Clase continues to show why he is arguably the best closer in the game. There's not much more to say about Clase except that you can expect to keep reaping the rewards of rostering the top fantasy closer in the game.--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoNew York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that lefty reliever
Brooks Raley (elbow) has opted to undergo an elbow operation that will likely end his season. The 35-year-old, who was an anchor for the team's bullpen, was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 21. Mendoza said it is unclear if Raley will undergo Tommy John surgery or an internal brace procedure, which carries a shorter recovery timeline but would still likely leave Raley out for the rest of the 2024 season.
Jake Diekman is currently the only lefty reliever in the Mets' bullpen, who has posted a respectable 3.86 ERA and 12.67 K/9 rate but has struggled with walks at a 7.71 BB/9 rate.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo - MLB.com
6 days agoNew York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos went 2-fo-4 Tuesday night while recording two hits, including a solo home run, and an additional run scored in a 7-6 loss against the Cleveland Guardians. The multi-hit game was his third in five games since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on May 15th. Vientos was promoted due to Joey Wendle being designated for assignment, and the rookie has been productive thus far. Unfortunately, he remains on the short side of a platoon with left-handed hitting Brett Baty and will need more at-bats to be worthy of a roster spot sometime soon. Fantasy managers need to keep an eye out. If more at-bats were to open up at third base or designated hitter, Vientos could be worth a roster spot but is mainly an option in deep-league formats. --Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoChicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (5-4) dominated the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday night, picking up a win while allowing only two hits and one walk with four strikeouts in a 5-0 victory. Crochet's ERA dipped to 3.75 after the outing, and he has only allowed one run in 23 innings pitched in May. Crochet had a small rough patch towards the end of April, where he allowed 17 runs in 9 2/3 innings pitched, but if you take those three starts away, Crochet has been spectacular with only seven runs allowed in 46 innings pitched (1.37 ERA). The southpaw will look to continue his hot May on Sunday against a powerful Baltimore Orioles lineup that leads the league in home runs hit during the season.--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoChicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that veteran right-hander
Kyle Hendricks will be moved to the bullpen for now, but the hope is to get Hendricks back on track to eventually return him to the starting rotation. With a bullpen-type game coming on Wednesday against the visiting Atlanta Braves, the 34-year-old could be used in a relief role as perhaps the bulk reliever. Hendricks has already spent time on the injured list this year and just has not looked at all like the pitcher he was in 2023, when he had a 3.74 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in his 24 starts. Through seven starts in 2024, he's gone 0-4 with a rough 10.57 ERA (6.93 FIP) and 1.99 WHIP with 11 walks and 25 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Even if Hendricks eventually returns to a starting role, it will be hard to recommend him in standard 12-team fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Sahadev Sharma
6 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran did a little bit of everything in Tuesday night's 5-2 win versus the Tampa Bay Rays. He went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk, and an additional run scored in Tuesday's victory. The stolen base, his 11th on the season, was part of a double steal of home in the eighth inning, giving the Red Sox a 4-2 lead. Duran's slash line lies at .274/.342/.462, as he's been excellent at handling the Red Sox leadoff job in 2024. He's well on pace for about 40 stolen bases but has yet to produce much in the power department. Fantasy managers have to be pleased with Duran's all-around production during the season, and he should be in lineups every day.--Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington gave right-handed reliever a vote of confidence before their game on Tuesday against the Houston Astros. "He's our closer," Washington said. Estevez has been shaky for more of the year, holding a 5.17 ERA through his first 15 games entering Tuesday's contest. He has seven saves and three blown saves. Estevez picked up his seventh save on Monday but allowed a run and would have allowed another if not for
Jo Adell robbing a home run. If the Angels change their tune after Estevez took the loss in one-third of an inning in the extra-inning defeat to the Astros on Tuesday,
Hunter Strickland would most likely get the next chance at saves. He has a 2.25 ERA and 28 career saves in 10 big-league seasons. Fantasy managers speculating on saves may want to stash Strickland now if he's available. Estevez has only walked two this year but said his four-seam fastball "is a little off."
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
6 days agoHouston Astros right-hander
Jose Urquidy (forearm) will make his next minor-league rehab start on Friday at Triple-A Sugar Land and he's set to throw around 70 to 75 pitches, according to manager Joe Espada. The Astros are slow-playing a pitcher that missed a big chunk of the 2023 campaign with an arm injury. Urquidy is now recovering from a right-forearm injury but is on the cusp of making his 2024 debut. The 29-year-old Mexican hurler reached 59 pitches in his last rehab outing on Saturday and should be cleared to join the Astros' starting rotation if he gets out of this weekend's outing without any setbacks. Given all the injuries to Houston's rotation this year, Urquidy's return will be a welcomed sight. Urquidy had a career-worst 5.29 ERA in 63 innings in 2023 and holds a subpar 19.6% strikeout rate in five big-league seasons, but he'll be in play as a matchup-based streamer in deeper fantasy leagues when he's back in the fold.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
6 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton blasted his second and third home runs Tuesday night while going 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in a 10-0 dominating performance over the Washington Nationals. Since being activated off the injured list after a knee injury, Buxton has been 4-for-13 with two home runs, four RBI, and four runs scored. The speedy center-fielder dominated with the bat on Tuesday, but overall, his 2024 has been underwhelming. He's currently on pace for just above 10 home runs during the season while making little contribution in RBI, runs, and stolen base categories. His .257 batting average is an improvement over last year's .207 batting average. Still, until he can put together a longer streak of production, he remains a bench or waiver-wire player at best in most league formats. --Joey Inglese - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoHouston Astros right-hander
Ronel Blanco will likely make his return from a 10-day suspension to start on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics, according to manager Joe Espada. Blanco was ejected from his last start after just three innings against the A's after umpires found an illegal substance on his glove. He threw three scoreless innings against Oakland his last time out and has been excellent this year for the Astros, going 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA (4.02 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP with 21 walks and 45 strikeouts in 47 1/3 frames over eight starts. Blanco's FIP of over 4.00 shows that he's due some regression in 2024, but fantasy managers must continue to roll with him in starting lineups, especially against an A's offense that ranks 22nd in baseball with a .674 OPS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot (leg) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox. As expected, Pepiot will make his return to the Rays' starting rotation after initially landing on the injured list with a bruised lower left leg after he was hit by a comebacker in his last start on May 5. The 26-year-old didn't require any minor-league rehab starts because he wasn't dealing with an injury to his arm, so fantasy managers should feel a bit more comfortable throwing him back into their starting lineups right away. The matchup against the Red Sox isn't a great one, however, as they rank eighth in all of baseball with a .724 team OPS. Since giving up six earned runs in his season debut on April 1, Pepiot has looked better and will return on Wednesday to a 3.68 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 41 K's in 36 2/3 innings over his seven starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
6 days agoThe Chicago White Sox are planning to recall pitching prospect
Nick Nastrini from Triple-A Charlotte in order to join their major-league starting rotation, according to sources. Nastrini could start as soon as Wednesday in Toronto against the Blue Jays. The 24-year-old is the team's No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He looked overmatched in his first two big-league starts last month, picking up two losses, allowing eight runs (seven earned), walking seven and striking out eight in eight total innings against the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies. His third MLB start on Wednesday will be a better matchup against the struggling Jays offense, but the rookie hurler will still have plenty of risk as a deep-league streaming option. If Nastrini shows improvement, perhaps the White Sox will consider giving him another turn through the rotation with
Michael Soroka now in the bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Daryl Van Schouwen
6 days agoChicago White Sox outfielder
Luis Robert Jr. (hip) is scheduled to play five innings on Wednesday in a minor-league rehab game in the Arizona Complex League. Robert will then take Thursday and play this weekend in Arizona before going on a rehab assignment with a higher affiliate, according to manager Pedro Grifol. It's likely that the White Sox will let the 26-year-old right-handed slugger play in plenty of rehab games before they consider bringing the oft-injured outfielder back to the majors. He's been out since April 6 with a Grade 2 right hip-flexor strain, but Robert should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues because of his power/speed upside when he's healthy. Even without a setback, the best bet is that Robert won't return until early June. The Cuban outfielder was a first-time All-Star in 2023, hitting .264 with a career-high 38 home runs, 80 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Daryl Van Schouwen
6 days agoTexas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said that right-hander
Dane Dunning (shoulder) will be ready to come off the injured list and start on Wednesday in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Dunning is making his return from a right rotator-cuff strain that put him on the injured list earlier this month. The 29-year-old didn't go on a minor-league rehab assignment and has gone beyond five innings just twice (in his first two starts) so far in 2024, so fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to go very deep in one of the tougher matchups in his return on Wednesday. The former 29th overall pick by the Washington Nationals in 2016 out of Florida has a decent 4.10 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 43 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings over his seven starts. Dunning has a 48.9% hard-hit rate but also a strong 31% whiff rate, making him a pretty polarizing fantasy asset.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
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