5 days agoTampa Bay Rays first baseman
Yandy Diaz has been dropped from leadoff to the two-hole on Tuesday against the visiting Oakland Athletics and right-hander
Mitch Spence. Outfielder
Richie Palacios is starting in right field and will take over the leadoff duties for Diaz. Almost all of Diaz's at-bats this year have come in the top spot of the batting order for the Rays, but his move down one spot comes during what has so far been a disappointing year for Diaz's standards. He's batting .249/.316/.354 with four home runs, 25 RBI and 22 runs scored in 231 plate appearances. However, Diaz has been more himself this month, going 26-for-91 (.286) with three homers, five doubles and 14 RBI in 23 games. The move down one spot in the batting order shouldn't worry fantasy managers at all. Diaz has never faced Spence in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
5 days agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates placed catcher
Joey Bart (thumb) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 27) on Tuesday and selected the contract of catcher
Grant Koch from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move. It's unclear exactly what the specific nature of Bart's thumb injury is, but he hurt his thumb on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves and was removed early. With former first-rounder
Henry Davis still working on his swing at Indianapolis, Koch will head to the big leagues to serve as veteran
Yasmani Grandal's backup in Pittsburgh for however long Bart remains on the IL. Bart was a first-round bust with the San Francisco Giants but has already looked better in 22 games with the Bucs, hitting .267 (16-for-60) with four homers and 12 RBI. When he's healthy, he could be the odd-man out if Davis returns to Pittsburgh before he comes off the IL.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
5 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (knee) remains out of the starting lineup on Tuesday as the team takes on the Orioles in Baltimore at Camden Yards. O'Neill will now miss his third straight game with a sore knee that kept him out of a couple of games over the weekend. The 28-year-old's injury seems very minor, though, so he should be considered day-to-day with a shot at returning as soon as Wednesday. With O'Neill out again on Tuesday,
Rob Refsnyder will serve as the designated hitter and will bat third in the lineup versus Orioles right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez. After a strong start in his first year in Beantown, O'Neill has cooled off some and is now slashing .236/.343/.500 with an .843 OPS, 11 homers and 17 RBI in 148 at-bats. Refsnyder has been great so far for Boston, going 24-for-71 (.338), but he lacks power upside that fantasy managers are looking for.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that designated hitter
Shohei Ohtani will not start the second game of the team's doubleheader on Tuesday against the hosting New York Mets at Citi Field. Catcher
Will Smith will serve as the DH for the nightcap of the twin bill, with
Austin Barnes likely doing the catching against Mets veteran left-hander
Jose Quintana. Ohtani is the DH and is batting in the two-hole for Game 1 against Mets right-hander
Tylor Megill, but he'll get to rest in the second game with a southpaw on the mound. It's been a pretty successful year at the plate so far for the two-way superstar in his first year in LA, as Ohtani currently leads the league in average (.336), slugging percentage (.621), OPS (1.024) and total bases (131) while also adding 13 homers, 35 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 53 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 570 LA Sports - David Vassegh
5 days agoNew York Mets shortstop prospect
Jett Williams (wrist) received a second cortisone injection in his right wrist, according to president of baseball operations David Stearns. If his latest injection doesn't help, the Mets will have to consider surgery for the infielder. It's unclear how long surgery would keep the 20-year-old out of action, but there's a chance it could end his 2024 campaign. Williams had his first cortisone injection in early May. In addition to his wrist injury, Williams was hitting just .180/.360/.308 with no homers, two RBI and two stolen bases in 11 games played for Double-A Binghamton before his injury. The Mets' top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, bats from the right side and also has played the outfield. Williams doesn't have tons of raw power but commands the strike zone and could surface in the big leagues as early as next year, perhaps at second base.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
5 days agoNew York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga (shoulder) was on the field playing catch on Tuesday before the first game of a doubleheader against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time since he was shut down for a few days due to another setback with his right arm. Senga remains on the 60-day injured list due to a posterior right-capsule strain. The 31-year-old received a cortisone injection last week and will now resume a throwing program that will likely take six weeks. If Senga can avoid any further setbacks, the Japanese hurler still may not make his 2024 debut for the Mets until after the All-Star break. Given all the time he's missed, he's going to need a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment, and the Mets certainly aren't going to rush him back. He's been a huge disappointment so far this year for fantasy managers, but Senga must remain stashed in an IL spot in all leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
5 days agoNew York Mets outfielder
Harrison Bader will take a seat for Game 1 of a doubleheader on Tuesday against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. With Nimmo out,
Tyrone Taylor will play center field and bat in the six-hole against hard-throwing right-hander
Tyler Glasnow. Bader should be back in the lineup for the nightcap to face Dodgers right-hander
Gavin Stone. The 29-year-old has only cleared the fences two times this year while driving in 16 and scoring 17 runs in 147 at-bats, but fantasy managers aren't complaining about his .279 batting average (41-for-147) or his eight stolen bases. Bader has value in all fantasy leagues given his propensity to make a lot of contact at the plate. He's hitting .281 (18-for-64) with a homer, nine RBI and three thefts in 21 games in the month of May. Get him back into your lineups for Game 2 of the doubleheader on Tuesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Max Fried looks to build on his recent string of success in Tuesday's scheduled start against the division-rival Washington Nationals. After a shaky start to the season, Fried is on a roll with a 1.70 ERA and 36:11 K:BB over his last 42 1/3 innings (six starts) with two complete games for the Braves during this stretch. The current Nationals roster is batting a career .176 (13-for-76) with just two extra-base hits against Fried, setting the hurler up in a highly favorable position. Treat the 30-year-old All-Star left-hander as one of the top pitching options on Tuesday's slate.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Savant
6 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Lars Nootbaar (hamstring) is back in Tuesday's lineup against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and left-hander
Andrew Abbott. After dealing with tightness in his left hamstring for the past two games, Nootbaar will return for the Cardinals sooner than expected to start in right field and bat second on Tuesday. The 26-year-old on-base machine is slashing a modest .227/.338/.409 with five home runs, 19 RBI, 14 runs scored, and three stolen bases over 155 plate appearances (37 games) as an everyday player in St. Louis' outfield this season, so he's been very limited from a fantasy perspective. The lefty-hitting Nootbaar has gone just 8-for-44 (.182) with no homers against left-handed pitching, and he won't be a recommended DFS option against Abbott.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Tuesday's series opener against the hosting New York Mets that if all goes well with closer
Evan Phillips (hamstring), he will return on Friday for the start of a weekend series against the division-rival Colorado Rockies. Phillips has logged one outing on his minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga as he works his way back from Grade 1 right hamstring strain, and he'll likely make another appearance or two before the Dodgers activate him from the injured list. Over 14 appearances before going down, the 29-year-old right-hander allowed a single run with a 17:4 K:BB and converted each of his eight save chances over 13 2/3 innings of work as LA's established closer. Veteran
Daniel Hudson figures to be first in line for save opportunities for the early part of Week 10 of fantasy baseball.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: David Vassegh - AM 570 LA Sports
6 days agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is out of Tuesday's lineup against the hosting Texas Rangers. It's a maintenance day for the 30-year-old veteran, who will be replaced by the speedy
Jake McCarthy in left field on Tuesday. Gurriel was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and got off to a hot start in 2024, but he's cooled off considerably over the past month, hitting .168 (17-for-101) with just one home run, five doubles, and seven RBI across his last 26 outings. Look for him to rejoin Arizona's lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Rangers and left-hander
Andrew Heaney. The righty-hitting Gurriel is batting .323 with two homers, five doubles, and 10 RBI in 65 at-bats against left-handed pitching this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoNew York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said ahead of Tuesday's game against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers that catcher
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday with Double-A Binghamton. Alvarez will catch five to seven innings, and it's a great sign that's already good to go to for game action after he had no issues swinging in batting practice amid his recovery from surgery on his left thumb. Alvarez is firmly on track to return to the Mets in late June, or perhaps even a bit earlier if all continues to go well. The 22-year-old former top prospect may have been hitting just .236 (13-for-55) with one home run as New York's primary catcher before getting hurt, but he did have four doubles and one stolen base over 16 games and is worth stashing in all fantasy leagues for his power potential at the catcher position.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jorge Castillo - ESPN.com
6 days agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates activated third baseman
Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) from the 10-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the hosting Detroit Tigers. Hayes is back from a bout of inflammation in his lower back, and he didn't need a minor-league rehab assignment before the Pirates reinstated him. Despite an absurd spring training that suggested his breakout was on the way, the 27-year-old former top prospect is slashing a weak .240/.322/.318 with one home run, seven doubles, 11 RBI, and 15 runs scored over 149 plate appearances (34 games) in the regular season this year but should immediately resume his duties as Pittsburgh's everyday third baseman. Fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach before activating Hayes or adding him from waiver wires.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates on X
6 days agoWashington Nationals outfield prospect
James Wood (hamstring) has been placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Rochester. Wood has been sidelined with tightness in his right hamstring since Thursday, when he was removed from the Red Wings' game in the fifth inning. The setback is going to slightly delay the major-league debut of the dynamic 21-year-old slugger, who's slashing a torrid .355/.465/.596 with nine home runs, 13 doubles, 31 RBI, and 10 stolen bases through 202 plate appearances (45 games) in the minors this season. Wood is Washington's No. 1 prospect and the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball for 2024, per MLB Pipeline, and he now isn't likely to be called up until sometime in the middle of June at the earliest at this point.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Bobby Blanco - MASNSports.com
6 days agoBoston Red Sox first base/third base prospect
Tyler Miller is being promoted to Double-A Portland. Miller opened this season with High-A after playing 91 games at that level last season. Through a cumulative 127 games with High-A Greenville, he posted a .266/.317/.430 line with 13 long balls, 68 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. However, he did hold an ugly 34:118 BB:K ratio. Dynasty managers should monitor how the former ninth-round selection holds up at Double-A to see if he can continue to showcase his strong power and speed combination and, more importantly, lower his hefty strikeout rate.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB Central
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