6 days agoMinnesota Twins infielder
Edouard Julien is off to a shaky start at the plate, but he has turned it around recently. On Thursday, Julien went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the win over the Chicago White Sox. His slash line is at an ugly .213/.308/.513, but Julien does have seven home runs and nine RBI this season. The Twins are banged up right now, so expect Julien to continue playing everyday. His pop alone makes him worth snagging off the waiver wire.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSan Diego Padres infielder
Ha-Seong Kim has shown some unexpected pop in his bat early in the season. On Thursday, Kim went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in the loss to the Colorado Rockies. The 28-year-old now has four homers on the season, which is nice to see. It's also worth noting that Kim has stolen seven bases as well. He's struggling a bit in other areas, but has done enough to keep himself fantasy relevant.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoDetroit Tigers starting pitching prospect
Jackson Jobe tallied six strikeouts across four no-hit innings in Thursday's victory. This outing lowered Jobe's ERA to 2.63 and his WHIP to 1.17. Jobe, the top pitching prospect in the Detroit system and number two right-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball, has looked sharp in Double-A as he has a cumulative 1.83 ERA and 1.02 WHIP across 19 ⅔ total innings over the past two seasons. The former third-overall pick should be promoted to Triple-A later this summer if he continues this strong play. While Jobe is not projected to reach the major leagues until 2025, he should remain a coveted piece in dynasty leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitching prospect
Owen Murphy threw seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts en route to his third victory of the season. Murphy brought a no-hitter into the seventh inning but surrendered a leadoff triple to second baseman
Loidel Chapelli. The 20-year-old is now riding a stellar 1.13 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in 24 innings at High-A. This season has been a major turnaround for Murphy, as he posted a 4.76 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 17 innings at High-A last year. The fifth-ranked prospect in the Atlanta system, according to MLB Pipeline, is not projected to reach the major leagues until 2026 but should continue to raise his dynasty stock as he moves through the minor leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoNew York Mets starting pitching prospect
Tyler Stuart tossed six innings of one-run ball and struck out 12 batters on Thursday. He allowed four hits and one free pass. This performance was the deepest he has gone in a game this season, and his 12 punchouts are a new single-game career-high. This dominant outing brings him to a 3.45 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 15 2/3 innings at Double-A this season. The 24-year-old posted a similar 3.60 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 35 innings at Double-A last season. Stuart could make a late-season push for a promotion to Triple-A and the majors, and this performance is an excellent step in that direction.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoTexas Rangers pitching prospect
Jack Leiter was electric in his outing for Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday, throwing six innings of shutout ball. Leiter allowed one hit, struck out eight, and walked three to round out his line. After a rough first outing in the majors last week, Leiter got himself back on track with a dominant outing that showcased the upside he has. He will need to continue pitching well in Triple-A, but a call back to the big leagues is still a possibility if someone in the Rangers rotation hits the injured list, which will likely happen at some point.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoMinnesota Twins relief pitcher
Griffin Jax shut the door on the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, helping secure a 6-3 victory. Jax came in with the bases loaded and one out with a four-run lead and managed to escape with only one runner crossing home (on an error), picking up his fourth save in the process. Jax has filled in admirably as the impromptu closer after
Jhoan Duran went down before the season started, posting a 2.53 ERA and 0.94 WHIP while striking out 15 batters in 10 ⅔ IP. He is also 4-for-5 in save chances. Unfortunately for Jax and his fantasy managers, Duran could be back at any point as he is currently on a rehab assignment. Once he is back, Jax will likely shift back to a set-up role.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher
Hector Neris notched his third save on Thursday, slamming the door on the Houston Astros in a 3-1 win. Neris was a little shaky in his inning of work, walking a pair before getting out of it. Since manager Craig Counsell said that
Adbert Alzolay was being taken out of the closer role last weekend, Neris has converted on all three of his save opportunities and apparently taken that role over. He should be added in most leagues where saves are important.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher
Andres Munoz picked up his third save of the season on Thursday, locking down the Texas Rangers in a 4-3 win. Munoz tossed up goose eggs across the board in his inning of work as he didn't allow a baserunner and didn't strike anyone out either. It was the 25-year-old's first save since April 6, as he has been used in non-save situations and has also blown a save since then. It seems like Munoz is still Seattle's highest-leverage pitcher and should see the most save chances, but his season total might be held back by being used in the seventh or eighth innings on occasion.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies relief pitcher
Justin Lawrence threw a perfect ninth inning in a 10-9 victory over the San Diego Padres, picking up his second save in the process. Lawrence struck out one and didn't allow a baserunner in his inning of work. Although he hasn't been good this year, as evidenced by his 5.59 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, Lawrence still might be the best Colorado has in its bullpen. He has the team's last two saves and is likely to remain in that role. He doesn't need to be owned in standard leagues, but deeper league managers who play in saves-only formats might want to give Lawrence a look.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers closer
Evan Phillips locked down the Washington Nationals on Thursday, helping secure a 2-1 win. Phillips looked great in this one, striking out a pair in a perfect ninth inning. For the season, the 29-year-old has been excellent, posting a 0.84 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 10 ⅔ IP. Phillips should continue getting the bulk of the Dodgers save chances, making him an elite closing option in fantasy.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoOakland Athletics closer
Mason Miller showed off his absurd stuff again on Thursday, picking up his sixth save in the process. Miller got the final four outs in a 3-1 win over the New York Yankees, allowing just a hit and striking out three in the process. Miller touched 102 mph in this one, but that has become almost routine for the fireballer. He lowered his ERA to 1.59 and his WHIP to 0.97 in this one and has cemented himself as one of the elite closers in the majors already.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTexas Rangers first baseman
Nathaniel Lowe clubbed his first home run of the season on Thursday despite taking a 4-3 loss at the hands of the rival Seattle Mariners. The 28-year-old appeared in only his fifth game of the season due to an oblique injury suffered late in spring training but he's been off to a hot start in a small sample. Lowe is hitting .294 (5-for-17) with a homer, a double, three walks, three runs scored, and .929 OPS across his first 20 trips to the plate. Armed with pop and plenty of patience at the plate, Lowe hit .262 with 17 home runs, 89 runs, 82 RBI, a 12.8% BB%, and a .774 OPS while appearing in 161 games in the 2023 season, the third straight season in which he has appeared in at least 157 contests.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez slugged his sixth home run of the season on Thursday as part of a narrow 2-1 win over the hosting Washington Nationals. Hernandez clubbed a solo shot to get the scoring started in the top half of the second inning while Yoshinobu's six scoreless innings helped keep the Nationals' offense at bay. After a mild season, by his standards, in his lone campaign with the Mariners in 2023, Hernandez is back to his slugging ways with a .255 average alongside those six home runs and an .807 OPS across 27 games his first 114 trips to the plate in a Dodgers uniform. Even with a 35.1% K% on the season, Hernandez is providing quality returns to those fantasy managers who invested in a bounce-back in 2024.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoKansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans managed to earn his first win of the season as part of a weather-shortened, five-inning, 2-1 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. It turns out the 26-year-old was the only pitcher the club needed on the afternoon as Ragans tossed five innings of one-run ball on three hits and three walks while striking out four on the day. The outing lowered his ERA to 3.90 through six starts while he has recorded 37 strikeouts against 10 walks across 30 innings of work. Claimed off waivers from the Rangers last season, Ragans broke out with a 2.64 ERA with 89 strikeouts against 27 walks across 12 starts and 71 2/3 innings in the Royals' rotation, making him a sought-after fantasy asset in drafts this spring.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
RADIO
