6 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar homered in his first game of 2024, a two-run shot in the third inning of Friday's 9-6 win over the Diamondbacks. It was his only hit of the contest though, going 1-for-4 with a walk, two RBI, and a run scored. Nootbaar had been dealing with a rib injury, but now that he's back he can provide fantasy managers with a significant run boost, also adding a little pop and a little speed. Last season the lefty hitter belted 14 home runs, stole 11 bases, and came across the plate 74 times in 117 games. The 26-year-old also has a keen eye at the plate with a career 14.0% BB%. He's rostered in just 41% of Yahoo leagues, so he'll probably become a popular waiver wire add.Source: ESPN
6 days agoOakland Athletics reliever Dany Jimenez was called upon to lock down the game in the ninth inning on Friday against the Nationals, only to blow the save opportunity, although thankfully the A's hung on to win the game 2-1. With their closer Mason Miller unavailable to pitch due to recent workload, Jimenez was tasked with holding down a 1-0 lead and promptly gave up a home run to the first batter he saw. It was the only run he allowed in the inning, but the righty also allowed a double while striking out two batters. The 30-year-old saved 11 games for the A's back in 2022, but just once last year and he probably won't get many more opportunities this season with Mason Miller looking like a legit stopper in the ninth.Source: ESPN
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks recorded his third save of 2024 on Friday in a 2-1 win over the Giants. It was his third straight conversion, although the 30-year-old has been shaky to start the season with a 9.00 ERA, 2.20 WHIP, and a 6:8 BB:K in six games (five IP). In Friday's appearance, he walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, and half of the 18 pitches he threw were balls despite not allowing a hit or another runner to get on base. His role as closer seems secure for now though. Last season Fairbanks saved 25 games for the Rays with a 2.58 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, but the righty did have a high BB% of 10.9%, so that part of his game doesn't seem like it's going away.Source: ESPN
6 days agoKansas City Royals starting pitching prospect Ben Kudrna threw six no-hit innings en route to his first victory of the season at High-A. Kudrna allowed two base runners in the opening frame, one via a walk and the other via a hit-by-pitch, but then kept the bases empty for the remainder of his start. This was an excellent bounce back performance for the number three overall prospect in the Kansas City system, as he allowed two runs in just three ⅔ innings in his first start. The 21-year-old is projected to make his major league debut sometime in 2025 and is worth kicking the tires on if available in your dynasty and keeper leagues.Source: MiLB.com
6 days agoHouston Astros outfield prospect Joey Loperfido entered Friday's game with the most home runs in professional baseball. After Friday's game, he increased his lead with three more. Loperfido's three home runs brought in seven runs, raising his long-ball total to nine. The former Duke Blue Devil has a .320/.390/.880 stat line across his first 12 games of the season. Loperfido is making a case for an immediate call-up and is well worth stashing in redraft formats simply due to how well he is hitting the ball. He could also provide a much-needed spark to a struggling Astros team. When given the promotion, the 24-year-old could slot in the Astros outfield or at first base.Source: MiLB.com
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar locked down the ninth inning for his second save of the season on Friday in a 5-2 win over the Phillies. After blowing three save opportunities already in the early going, manager Derek Shelton stayed true to his word that Bednar would still be the one he'd call on if a save opportunity arose in Philadelphia, and Bednar answered the call by pitching a clean inning. The 29-year-old didn't allow a hit or a walk and struck out one in the appearance. Hopefully the righty is back on track now. The Pirates (10-4) are a surprisingly competitive team thus far so they'll need Bednar to lock down more games for them. He did so last season for them 39 times to the tune of a 2.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 21.3% K-BB%. So far in 2024, he holds a 10.13 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 23.1% K-BB%.Source: ESPN
6 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitching prospect Jack Leiter tallied ten punchouts across six innings in a loss on Friday evening. Leiter surrendered three earned runs and allowed six hits and no walks. Across 14 ⅓ innings at Triple-A, Leiter is riding a 3.77 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with three walks and 25 strikeouts. This is a big step for his development, not only because he is holding his own at Triple-A and showcasing great strikeout potential but also because he has lowered his ratios significantly compared to his 5.19 ERA and 1.46 WHIP from last season. The former number two overall pick from Vanderbilt is putting all of the pieces together, and if he can continue his success at Triple-A, he could be in contention to make his major league debut this summer.Source: MiLB.com
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo launched his fourth and fifth home runs of the season on Friday evening. Mayo has been one of many Baltimore prospects crushing the ball at Triple-A. The 22-year-old is now sporting a .386/.444/.754 stat line through his first 13 games. He also has 10 RBI. Mayo is proving himself to be an elite power prospect as he is nearing double-digit home runs already and launched 29 last season. Mayo may have to wait a bit longer to make his major league debut, as the Orioles have a deep infield that just welcomed Jackson Holliday. Nonetheless, the third baseman will be a popular waiver-wire add when he receives the call to the majors later this summer, especially due to his power potential.Source: MiLB.com
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes continued his dominance in Triple-A on Friday, throwing three ⅓ shutout innings with three hits, one free pass, and eight strikeouts. The number three overall prospect is yet to surrender a run this season and has a minuscule 0.64 WHIP across nine and ⅓ innings, with a total of 19 punchouts. Skenes, often touted as the best pitching prospect in baseball, is on the verge of making his major league debut, showcasing his elite fantasy ceiling with his dominant swing-and-miss potential. Already rostered in all dynasty and keeper formats, Skenes is a player worth checking your waiver wire for in shallower re-draft formats, as he will be a valuable player down the stretch.Source: MiLB.com
6 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher Ryne Stanek allowed one run on one hit and no walks across a scoreless inning in Friday's 4-2 win against the Chicago Cubs. He did not record a strikeout in Friday's victory. Stanek entered the ninth inning to protect aread more...
6 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) will likely sit out Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Devers has missed the last two games due to left shoulder soreness. The 27-year-old is considered day-to-day, with his next chance of returning to the lineup being the series finale against Los Angeles on Sunday. Devers is expected to avoid the injured list. He is slashing .184/.326/.395 with two home runs, three RBI, and five runs across 10 games in 2024. Bobby Dalbec batted fifth and started at third base for Devers in Friday's 7-0 loss to the Angeles. The 28-year-old is likely to handle third base for Boston and see an uptick in at-bats while Devers is sidelined. Dalbec has yet to log a hit in seven games this season and can be left on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues.Source: Mac Cerullo
6 days agoBoston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (shoulder) underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a fractured glenoid in his left shoulder. When diving for a ball on the infield, the 31-year-old suffered a left-shoulder subluxation on April 5 versus the Los Angeles Angels. Story is expected to miss the rest of the season, but it gives him a chance to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. Since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox in 2022, Story has been limited to 145 games over the past three seasons. David Hamilton will see an uptick in at-bats with Story sidelined. Hamilton is a speculative add-in deep-leagues after slashing .214/.267/.429 with a home run and a stolen base over five games in 2024.Source: Boston Red Sox
7 days agoColorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard (knee, elbow) had a setback rehabbing and will undergo season-ending right flexor tendon surgery. After recently throwing off a mound, the banged-up Bard's season suddenly ends before it even begins while also recovering from a cleanup procedure on his left knee. The 38-year-old veteran right-hander is a free agent following the 2024 campaign, and it's unlikely that he'll draw very much interest after walking more batters (49) than he struck out (47) a season ago. Bard spent seven years away from the major leagues before latching on with Colorado in 2020. Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley are the names to watch for fantasy purposes for saves-needy managers, but Lawrence has yielded seven runs across five appearances, and Kinley has given up eight runs over six innings thus far.Source: Thomas Harding - MLB.com
7 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (elbow) threw a bullpen session in Arizona on Friday. Ray has been pleased with his progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he's still not likely to be a factor for the Giants until the second half of the 2024 season. After being acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Mitch Haniger and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (forearm) this past offseason, the 32-year-old former American League Cy Young Award winner has enough strikeout upside alongside a pitcher-friendly ballpark to deserve being stashed for fantasy managers who can afford the roster spot. Former reliever Jordan Hicks has allowed just two earned runs and three walks over 18 innings as a starter in San Fran's rotation to this point, and he's worth rostering in all mixed leagues right now.Source: MLB.com
7 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitchers Taj Bradley (pectoral) and Shane Baz (elbow) recently threw a two-inning live batting practice session, manager Kevin Cash said on Friday. Sidelined for the past month due to a strained right pectoral, Bradley still has to go through the process of rebuilding his stamina and increasing his pitch count before he's ready to return. The 23-year-old right-hander fanned 129 batters across his 104 2/3 innings of work during his rookie year in 2023, but he gave 23 home runs in 21 starts and posted a poor 5.59 ERA. Bradley is probably about a month out from returning to the Rays, while Baz could return at some point in May after two oblique setbacks slowed his progress from Tommy John surgery recovery. Zack Littell and Tyler Alexander will occupy rotation spots in the meantime, with the former having only given up two runs through his first 15 1/3 frames of the campaign.Source: MLB.com