6 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Michael Conforto (hamstring) has been cleared for on-field batting practice and is nearing a return from the injured list. A right-hamstring strain put Conforto on the 10-day injured list over a week ago, but he appears to be making good progress. The last hurdle that the 31-year-old probably will have to clear is running the bases at full speed, and it remains to be seen if he'll be sent out on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to San Francisco. Conforto is eligible to return next Wednesday. The Giants could really use him back after recently losing rookie
Jung Hoo Lee (shoulder) for the entire season. The left-handed-hitting Conforto was slashing a strong .280/.331/.490 with an .821 OPS, seven home runs and 20 RBI in 143 at-bats for the Giants before tweaking his hammy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
6 days agoWashington Nationals outfield prospect
James Wood launched his eighth home run of the season in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday. The top prospect in the Washington system has been on fire all season at Triple-A with a stellar .348/.456/.571 with ten stolen bases and a 33:37 BB:K ratio. This is a significant improvement compared to the hefty 39:124 BB:K ratio he held last season at Double-A. The number five overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, is on the verge of making his major league debut and should be rostered in all leagues as he will provide fantasy managers with a high-upside combination of power and speed.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoThe San Francisco Giants reinstated catcher
Patrick Bailey (head) from the seven-day concussion injured list on Tuesday and optioned catcher/outfielder
Blake Sabol to Double-A Richmond in a corresponding move. The Giants also added outfielder
Ryan McKenna to the active roster. Although Bailey was brought back from the IL on Tuesday, it was
Curt Casali who got the start behind the plate for the Giants in Pittsburgh against the Pirates with a left-hander on the mound. Now that he's back, Bailey should return to primary catching duties in San Francisco after opening the year with a strong .280/.340/.451 slash line in 95 plate appearances. The former 13th overall pick in 2020 out of North Carolina State has added three home runs, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored in his 82 at-bats in 2024. Bailey should be back in the starting lineup on Wednesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Giants
6 days agoMinnesota Twins third baseman
Royce Lewis (quadriceps) ran the bases for the first time on Monday after faring well during change-of-direction work, according to athletic trainer Nick Paparesta. It's another big step in Lewis' rehab process, and the Twins should have a better sense of his progress when they return home on Friday. The 24-year-old strained his right quadriceps muscle on Opening Day on March 28 and has been out ever since. Because of the long layoff, fantasy managers should expect Lewis to be required to go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment before the Twins reinstate him from the injured list. In a best-case scenario, he's probably not going to make his return until at least early June. Despite his injury, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2017 should continue to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his power upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Paul Pioneer Press - Betsy Helfand
6 days agoNew York Mets starting pitching prospect
Brandon Sproat was promoted to Double-A on May 13 and has already begun to showcase his elite strikeout upside. Through two starts (12 innings) he has totaled 15 punchouts with only three walks. He also sports a solid 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. In his first start with Double-A Binghamton, he tossed a five-inning shutout and allowed just three hits and two free passes, and struck out six. The former Florida Gator is not projected to reach the majors until 2026 but could shift that ETA to 2025 with his recent success at Double-A. Dynasty managers should pay close attention to Sproat as he continues to adjust to Double-A bats this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Jake Snider was promoted to High-A Spokane on Tuesday, May 21. Snider got off to a great start with Single-A Fresno this season and was rewarded with an early-season call-up. In 34 games this season at Single-A, the 26-year-old posted a .311/.497/.495 slash line with two home runs, 20 RBI, eight stolen bases, and a 33:21 BB:K ratio. The former 20th-round selection spent the entirety of last season with Single-A and posted a .261/.369/.403 line with six long balls. This is a great sign for Snider as he made a significant leap in production in the batter's box this season at Single-A and is already being rewarded for it. Snider should remain on all wavier wires for the foreseeable future but could become a name to monitor in dynasty leagues if he carries this momentum into High-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB Central
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Bobby Miller (shoulder) threw a three-inning simulated game consisting of 51 pitches on Tuesday. Manager Dave Roberts said that next up for Miller will be a minor-league rehab game with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday. Because Miller has been out since April 13 with right-shoulder inflammation, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to return to LA's starting rotation after just one rehab start. However, the 25-year-old is getting much closer to making his return and should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues because of his high-end upside on one of the best teams in baseball. The former 29th overall pick in 2020 out of Louisville went 11-4 with an ERA under 4.00 and 119 K's in 124 1/3 innings in his first 22 MLB starts for the Blue in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dodger Insider
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers infielder
Max Muncy (oblique) took ground balls before the game on Monday and is starting up baseball activities after a Grade 1 right-oblique strain landed him on the 10-day injured list last Friday. It's good news that the 33-year-old veteran is already resuming baseball activities, but swinging a bat will be the true test with an oblique injury. It's unclear if the Dodgers will want him to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect Muncy to be back from the IL when he's eligible to return. He's currently slashing .223/.323/.475 with nine home runs, 28 RBI and 24 runs scored in his first 139 at-bats on the year. Muncy is going to hurt your fantasy team's batting average, but you can't argue against his pop and RBI opportunities in a loaded Dodgers lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
6 days agoThe New York Yankees transferred outfield prospect
Jasson Dominguez's (elbow) minor-league rehab assignment from Single-A Tampa to Double-A Somerset on Tuesday. Dominguez played in four games for Tampa and went 5-for-13 with a double and four walks before being moved up to Double-A. The 21-year-old they call the Martian is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had last year. Manager Aaron Boone recently disclosed that once Dominguez's 30-day rehab assignment is up, the team will option him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to continue his rehab/development. If Dominguez swings the bat like he did in 2023, though, it might not be long before he becomes the starting center fielder in the Bronx. He's worth stashing in most redraft leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Yankees
6 days agoNew York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is expecting infielder
DJ LeMahieu (foot) to return from the 10-day injured list for a series that begins next Tuesday, May 28, against the Los Angeles Angels. When he returns, LeMahieu will be the team's everyday third baseman, which will be bad news for
Oswaldo Cabrera, who has been playing regularly at the hot corner this year with LeMahieu sidelined. LeMahieu had his minor-league rehab assignment moved from Double-A Somerset to High-A Hudson Valley after going 2-for-3 with three walks in six plate appearances at Somerset. The 35-year-old is going to be mixed into regular playing time when he returns to the Bronx, but at the very least, LeMahieu deserves to be rostered in deep-mixed fantasy leagues now that he's a week away from making his 2024 debut.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Talkin' Yanks
6 days agoNew York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw a live batting practice session on Tuesday and said he'll throw two to three more live sessions. Cole's next live batting practice will come this weekend after he threw 20 pitches on Tuesday. The reigning American League Cy Young winner isn't ruling out a June return. It's the first time that the 33-year-old has faced live hitters, a significant step along the way in his recovery since being diagnosed with right-elbow inflammation. Because of how long Cole has been sidelined, he's going to require a lengthy minor-league rehab stint and will not be ready to come off the 60-day injured when he's eligible to return later this month. Cole should not be available on the waiver wire in any fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
6 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Nolan Jones (back, knee) has had his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque halted due to right-knee soreness that he sustained on a slide. Jones had an MRI exam come back clean, but he will still rest for a few days before getting back on the field. It's a delay in his rehab assignment, but his knee injury doesn't appear to be too serious. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger was originally put on the 10-day injured list on April 30 with a lower-back strain. If he only misses a few more days, there's still a chance that he could return to the Rockies' lineup at some point next week. Fantasy managers are hoping the former second-rounder's slow start in 2024 has more to do with his back injury than anything else. Jones is currently hitting .170 (16-for-94) with just one homer and seven RBI after being a 20-20 guy last year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Thomas Harding
6 days agoThe Colorado Rockies reinstated first baseman/outfielder
Kris Bryant (back) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned outfielder
Sean Bouchard to Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move. The Rockies also outrighted infielder
Julio Carreras to Albuquerque after he wasn't claimed by another team. Bryant will make his return to the starting lineup on Tuesday, playing first base and batting fifth against Oakland Athletics right-hander
Aaron Brooks. The 32-year-old former MVP has been out since being put on the IL on April 17 with a lower-back strain. Since signing a big deal with the Rockies before the 2022 campaign, the four-time All-Star has had trouble staying on the field because of injuries. On top of it, he hasn't played well when he's been on the field. Bryant is returning to a .149/.273/.255 slash line with a homer, six RBI and 18 strikeouts in 13 games in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: DNVR Sports - Patrick Lyons
6 days agoThe Houston Astros activated outfielder
Chas McCormick (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned outfielder
Trey Cabbage to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. McCormick is right back in the starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and right-hander
Griffin Canning, playing left field and batting ninth. The 29-year-old went 5-for-23 with two doubles and a stolen base in six minor-league rehab games before returning to Houston. Rookie
Joey Loperfido could cut into some of his playing time, but McCormick should see plenty of at-bats now that he's back with the Astros. The former 21st-round pick in 2017 out of Millersville has little DFS appeal in the nine-hole on Tuesday and will be looking for his first home run of the year after missing all of May to this point.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
6 days agoChicago Cubs middle infielder
Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is back at second base and is hitting sixth in the order on Tuesday against the visiting Atlanta Braves and right-hander
Charlie Morton in the series opener. The Cubs now have their starting middle infield back with Hoerner at the keystone and
Dansby Swanson at shortstop. This will be Hoerner's first start in more than a week while he dealt with a left-hamstring injury. Hoerner, 27, has been solid at the plate this year and has gone 13-for-45 (.289) with two home runs and five RBI in his 12 games played in May before he suffered a hamstring injury. He might have to knock off a little rust after taking a week off, but fantasy managers in redraft leagues will want to get him back into their lineups. He's hitting .333 in nine career at-bats against Morton.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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