May 4, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop
Masyn Winn will take a seat for the team's first game of a doubleheader on Sunday against the visiting New York Mets at Busch Stadium.
Jose Barrero will start at the 6 and hit ninth for the Cards against rookie right-hander
Blade Tidwell, who will be making his major-league debut. Winn has been red-hot at the plate since returning from the injured list and has been hitting near the top of the batting order as a result. The 23-year-old has gone 12-for-36 (.333) with two homers, four doubles, five RBI, two stolen bases and eight runs scored in his last 10 games since April 22. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their lineups for Game 2 of the doubleheader later on Sunday. Barrero should be avoided in DFS in the nine-hole for St. Louis. He has just three at-bats with St. Louis this year and is hitless.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher
Shane Bieber (elbow) threw live batting practice on Friday. According to manager
Stephen Vogt, the session went "well," but he still has a "ways to go." Bieber is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Bieber underwent the surgery after logging just 12 innings during the start of the 2024 season. During those 12 innings, Bieber looked sharp as he struck out 20 batters, did not allow a run, and held a 0.92 WHIP. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, but the 29-year-old will likely not be in the mix to return to the majors until the second half of the campaign. However, seeing that he is already throwing live batting practice, the right-hander could be in line to make his first rehab appearance in June. When he does return, he should hold solid value in standard formats, as he posted a 3.80 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP across 128 innings in 2023.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
New York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez will take a seat in the first game of their doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Alvarez was given the start on Friday and went 3-for-5 at the plate. The young backstop missed nearly the first month of the season, recovering from a bone fracture in his left hand. Through his first six games of the season, Alvarez has posted a .269/.321/.423 slash line with one double and one home run. He has brought in six RBI and held a 9:2 K:BB. Fantasy managers should expect the 23-year-old to return to the starting nine for Game 2 this evening. In that match, he is set to face St. Louis right-hander
Andre Pallante. In Game 1,
Luis Torrens will be behind the dish and bat in the six-hole. He is worth a look in DFS facing
Erick Fedde, who carries a 4.68 ERA.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
New York Yankees shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) is not in Sunday's lineup when the Yankees face the Tampa Bay Rays. Volpe suffered a shoulder injury during Saturday's contest but remained in the game. However, after the contest, the shortstop underwent X-rays, which came back negative. Still, the Yankees will opt to give him the day to rest. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his status leading up to their next game on Monday against the San Diego Padres. Instead,
Oswald Peraza will be covering shortstop on Sunday and bat in the nine-hole. Volpe has held a solid .233/.326/.442 with 10 doubles, five home runs, and four stolen bases. Peraza is best to fade in DFS this afternoon as he enters this contest holding a modest .206 AVG.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jim Bowden
May 4, 2025
Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers is not in Sunday's lineup when the Athletics play the rubber match of a three-game set against the Miami Marlins. Instead, the Athletics will give catching duties to
Jhonny Pereda, who will bat in the nine-hole. Langeliers has gone 0-for-9 at the plate during the first two games of the series. Fantasy managers should expect him to return to the starting nine on Monday when they begin a series against the Seattle Mariners. Through the first 29 games of the campaign, Langeliers has held a .223/.285/.420 slash line with six home runs. He has drawn walks at a solid 8.1 percent rate and has only struck out at an impressive 15.4 percent rate. Pereda is worth a look as a value option in DFS this afternoon, facing
Edward Cabrera, who enters this game holding a high 7.23 ERA.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
Kansas City Royals catcher
Salvador Perez (hip) is back in action on Sunday when the Royals continue a series against the Baltimore Orioles. The veteran backstop has been held out of the lineup for the first two games of this series due to a minor hip injury. Perez will serve as the team's DH and bat this afternoon in the cleanup spot. Before his injury, Perez was beginning to heat up at the plate, holding a .400/.419/.633 slash line with seven doubles and six RBI over his last eight contests. Prior to this recent surge, the 34-year-old held an underwhelming .182/.234/.295 slash line with just four doubles and two home runs over his first 23 games of the regular season. Under the hood, Perez has generated an elite .412 xwOBA, which suggests he should continue to produce at the plate. He is a strong option in DFS this afternoon, facing Baltimore right-hander
Kyle Gibson.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays closer
Pete Fairbanks closed the door on the Yankees in a 3-2 victory on Saturday, dispatching New York on three consecutive grounders in the ninth inning to pick up his seventh save of the season. The righty has been good this season, logging a save in four straight appearances now with zero blown saves to this point, posting a 2.19 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. However, the strikeout rate is the lowest of his career, and the walk rate the highest, leading to a paltry 8.0 percent K-BB%, not something you see from your prototypical closer. Still, collecting saves while not crushing your fantasy team's ERA is what managers are looking for, so as the team's unquestioned closer, he remains one of the preferred options for saves in fantasy.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Boston Red Sox second base prospect
Kristian Campbell (ribs) is returning to the starting nine on Sunday afternoon when the Red Sox face the Minnesota Twins. Campbell has been held out of action for the last three games due to this minor injury. However, the infielder has progressed well and will not face an extended absence. The top prospect will cover the keystone and bat cleanup. Over his last nine contests before his injury, the Georgia Tech product has posted a .324/.425/.529 slash line with four doubles and one home run. Through his 29 games in the major leagues, Campbell has performed quite well, holding a .301/.407/.495 slash line with four home runs and two stolen bases. Fantasy managers should view Campbell as a strong option this afternoon, and he is worth a look in DFS facing Minnesota right-hander
Chris Paddack.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
Athletics outfielder
JJ Bleday went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored in Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Marlins. It was his fourth home run of the year, and he's now homered in back-to-back games. Hitting in the middle of the Athletics' lineup should continue to keep him relevant for fantasy, now with 13 RBI and 22 runs scored for the year as well. If the former first-round draft pick can improve upon his .231 AVG to go along with a strong 12.6 percent walk rate, then even more production could be in the offing, although a .214 xBA doesn't instill confidence that much improvement will be made, limiting his roster-worthiness to deeper fantasy leagues.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies catcher
J.T. Realmuto went 2-for-4 at the plate in Saturday's 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks, smacking a double and a three-run home run in the game. It was the second home run in the last three games for the veteran and third of the year. Despite a decline in power and stolen base production over the last couple of years, the 3x All-Star can still be relevant for fantasy at a position starved for offense, with his modest .240-3-11-11-4 stat line putting him within the top 12 scoring options at the position. The 34-year-old's 79.9 percent contact rate is the highest mark since 2017, so he can still put the bat on the ball even though 20-home run seasons may be a thing of the past.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI, and a run scored in Saturday's 7-2 loss to the Phillies. It was the 6-foot-3 slugger's third multi-hit game in his last four, going 8-for-16 (.500) over that stretch with three doubles, a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored. Hitting just .214 on the season, his xBA of .260 suggests the results should have been better (.196 BABIP), and perhaps this four-game stretch is the beginning of a turnaround that gets him back to a more respectable batting average. The Cuban's 83.5 percent contact rate and 11.2 percent strikeout rate are the best of his career, so look for him to add to his .214-5-18-11-1 line.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Cincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley reached base three times in Saturday's 11-6 loss to the Nationals, going 1-for-2 with two walks, a solo home run, and two runs scored in the contest. It was some much-needed production after coming into the game 0-for-14 over his previous five starts (1-for-2 as a pinch hitter on Friday). The left-handed hitter is off to a slow start, hitting .216 and slugging .378, but has a strong 13:15 BB:K, which has helped him get on base, while also stealing three bases so far in 2025. The 29-year-old has stolen at least 20 bases in each of the last two seasons despite playing in no more than 116 games, so he could have some relevance in NL-only leagues, but low barrel and hard-hit rates will limit the home run potential.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder
Max Kepler went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Saturday's 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks. The home run was his fifth of the year, with four of them coming in his last seven games (and three in his last four), and now riding a mini four-game hit streak. After spending his entire career in Minnesota, the 32-year-old is having somewhat of a renaissance in Philadelphia, as he's now on pace for more than 15 home runs, which would easily surpass the eight that he hit last season. The left-handed slugger owns an 11.9 percent barrel rate and 52.4 percent hard-hit rate, so expect the power output to continue. In a platoon role, the 6-foot-4 slugger may be a bit frustrating in season-long fantasy, but is a viable DFS play, especially while he's hitting so well.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 4, 2025
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-4 with a three-run shot during their victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. Crow-Armstrong went deep in the fourth inning off Milwaukee southpaw
Jose Quintana. His three-run shot scored catcher
Carson Kelly and second baseman
Nico Hoerner. Over his last 10 games, the former top prospect has begun to flash upside power as he has gone deep six times, tallied two doubles, and brought in 16 RBI. Before this power surge, Crow-Armstrong posted a .258/.310/.462 slash line over his first 24 games of the season. The 23-year-old has generated a solid .361 xwOBA and a .273 xBA, which suggests he should continue to enjoy a breakout season. He remains a must-start player on Sunday facing
Freddy Peralta.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 4, 2025
Washington Nationals infielder
Amed Rosario was busy at the plate on Saturday evening, going 3-for-6 with a double, a home run, and four RBI in their victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Rosario would hit an RBI double in the fourth inning, which scored
Jacob Young. Later in the sixth, Rosario would go deep for the second time this season, which scored Young once again and shortstop
CJ Abrams. Rosario has struggled to find consistent playing time through the opening month but has been productive when on the field. Through his first 19 games of the campaign, Rosario has posted a .276/.288/.488 slash line with four doubles, two round-trippers, and a stolen base. He has also generated a strong .327 xBA, which suggests he should continue to find success at the plate. On Sunday, he will look to stay hot at the plate, facing Cincinnati right-hander
Nick Martinez.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
RADIO
