6 days agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan Mountcastle (knee) is back at first base and is hitting third in the order for Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Tyler Anderson. Mountcastle will return to action after missing the last two games with knee soreness. The 27-year-old former 36th overall pick in 2015 has been swinging the bat well this year with a .333 average (25-for-75) with two home runs, 11 RBI and 14 runs scored in his first two games. Fantasy baseball managers need to make sure to get Mountcastle back into their lineups. He's only faced Anderson twice in his career and is hitless with one RBI. So far against southpaws in 2024, Mountcastle is 8-for-25 (.320) with a homer and three RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
6 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Masataka Yoshida is once again on the bench for Wednesday's contest against the Cleveland Guardians and right-hander
Carlos Carrasco. The lefty-swinging outfielder hasn't started a game since April 20 as it's unclear if he is dealing with an injury or is simply in manager Alex Cora's doghouse. He did make a pinch-hitting plate appearance on Tuesday, so it appears to be the latter. The 30-year-old isn't exactly off to a terrible start, hitting .250 with two homers, 10 RBI, a tiny 13.6% K%, and a .708 OPS in 21 games, production that grades out 6% above the league average, as per his 106 wRC+.
Rafael Devers is back in the lineup at designated hitter while
Tyler O'Neill and
Wilyer Abreu are manning the corner outfield spots.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoNew York Mets right-handed pitcher
Christian Scott has been excellent at the Triple-A level this season, posting a 2.76 xFIP, 14.81 K/9, and 1.74 BB/9. He has gone 3-0 over the course of four starts, including a strong performance on Tuesday that saw him strike out eight batters over 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs, one hit, and one walk along the way. His terrific start to the year has created plenty of buzz about a potential promotion to the majors, though he still has a couple of flaws in his game. Most notably, he allows plenty of loud contact, surrendering a whopping 2.61 HR/9 and a very low ground ball rate of 30.8%. There's no doubt that Scott is having a great year, but he could reach even greater heights (at Triple-A or the majors) if he cuts down on loud contact.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
6 days agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers (knee) is officially in the club's starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians and right-hander
Carlos Carrasco. It was reported on Tuesday that Devers would sit out one more game before returning as the team's designated hitter for Wednesday's contest. It's been a slow start at the plate for the 27-year-old who is hitting just .188 but his two homers, three doubles, and 15.5% BB% still has his production above the league average, as per his 105 wRC+. Devers last appeared in an April 17 game against the very same Guardians but reported knee discomfort the following day and was scratched from the starting lineup.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Brayan Bello (lat) has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right-lat tightness. The club has recalled right-hander
Zack Kelly to take his spot on the active roster. It's another tough injury blow to the club's starting rotation as both
Garrett Whitlock and
Nick Pivetta are sidelined. Additionally, slugger
Triston Casas recently suffered a rib fracture,
Rafael Devers hasn't played in a week since suffering a knee injury,
Trevor Story is out for the season due to shoulder surgery, and
Vaughn Grissom has yet to make his Red Sox debut due to a hamstring issue. Bello, the team's Opening Day starter, has worked to a quality 3.04 ERA across five starts, posting a solid 17.3% K-BB% in that time while generating ground balls at another healthy 51.3% rate.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
6 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Jack Flaherty will be looking for some positive regression to kick in on Wednesday in a road tilt with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 28-year-old has posted a 4.44 ERA through his first four starts in a Tigers uniform but his underlying numbers suggest he has been much better than that. Flaherty has also worked to a 2.90 xFIP, 2.74 SIERA, and a big-time 25.2% K-BB% with a 29.1% K%, as well. He has walked just 3.9% of the batters he has faced and has generated whiffs at a career-best 15.1% clip, a figure that ranks in the league's 95th percentile. He will take on a Rays team that is tied for 23rd with a .299 wOBA and 18th with a 23.1% K% against right-handed pitching on the season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Andrew McCutchen is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Bryse Wilson. The veteran homered as part of a two-hit effort on Tuesday but will give way to
Connor Joe to leadoff and man left field on Wednesday. Interestingly, McCutchen's splits lean heavily towards righties so far this season as he's hitting .295 with all three of his homers coming off of southpaws while he is just 1-for-16 (.063) with three walks in 20 plate appearances against lefties. He is seeing semi-regular playing time this season, appearing in 16 of the team's 24 games but isn't doing a ton for fantasy managers with a .233 average and 30.9% K% on the young season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles infielder
Jackson Holliday is once again taking a seat against a left-handed starter on Wednesday as the team takes on the Los Angeles Angels and southpaw
Tyler Anderson. Holliday has yet to start against same-handed pitching as the rookie gets his feet wet in the big leagues at just 20 years of age. It's been a very slow start out of the gate for the top prospect in baseball as Holliday is hitting just .059 (2-for-34) and is without an extra-base hit across his first 36 big-league plate appearances. Fantasy managers shouldn't hit the panic button yet as any investment in the 2022 first-overall pick should have been for the long haul, although it's not difficult to see the O's send him down to the minors for more seasoning if his immense struggles in the big leagues continue.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Jung Hoo Lee is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday afternoon with New York Mets left-hander
Sean Manaea toeing the rubber. The lefty-swinging outfielder has been getting regular playing time out of the leadoff spot for the club this season but will take a seat as the Giants stack right-handed bats against Manaea. It's been a solid start to the 25-year-old's big-league career as Lee is hitting .272 with two homers, two steals, and a tiny 8.7% K% across his first 103 trips to the plate. Lee had a history of elite strikeout and contact rates through a wildly successful seven-year run in the KBO.
Austin Slater will handle leadoff duties as he often does against left-handed pitching. First baseman
LaMonte Wade Jr. is also out on Wednesday against the lefty.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers infield prospect
Gregory Barrios signed out of Venezuela in early 2021. He has proven himself as a reliable hitter and defender, possessing the qualities needed to ascend through the minors. He's not a power hitter -- he has just one home run over 198 pro games -- but shows a decent understanding of the strike zone, puts the ball in play, runs the bases well, and demonstrates the glovework needed to carve out a significant career at shortstop. Last week, Barrios logged multiple hits in all five of his games. He ultimately went 13-for-18 during his big week, adding six extra-base hits, seven RBI, two walks, one strikeout, and one stolen base. The 20-year-old will need to spend a little more time at High-A before he's ready for a promotion, but Barrios is certainly a name to monitor.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
6 days agoTexas Rangers pitching prospect
Winston Santos is a 22-year-old who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2019. He gets good velocity behind his mid-90s fastball and has also shown the ability to harness his changeup for strikes and induce weak contact. However, he needs to focus on significant development for his slider. The offering is not an established pitch, and he would benefit greatly from rounding out his repertoire with a reliable third offering that generates movement. Last week, Santos made his third start of the season and showcased pure excellence. He tossed five shutout innings, allowing one hit and a pair of walks along the way. However, what stood out most were his 12 strikeouts, a clear reflection of his ability to get control of his top offerings and miss bats. If he can continue to pitch at a high level, he'll be knocking on the door of the majors early next year.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
6 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect
Nathan Church was an 11th-round pick in the 2022 draft. The UC Irvine product has terrific bat-to-ball skills and should continue to showcase both contact and power throughout all levels of the minor leagues. He's also swiped some bags. However, he does have some limitations defensively and could be bound to left field long-term. Nevertheless, Church continued to make a name for himself last week, going 9-for-25 with two homers, eight RBI, six walks, and a stolen base. As he has done for his entire career, Church showed terrific plate discipline, adding just two strikeouts to his ledger over last week's six-game span.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
6 days agoHouston Astros pitching prospect
Aaron Brown is a former ninth-round pick who joined the organization during the 2021 draft. He spent all of last season at Double-A and has consistently shuttled between a bullpen and rotation role. He boasts high strikeout rates and has managed to keep his walk rate down for the most part. Brown made his first start of 2024 last Thursday. He tossed five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and zero walks. Best of all, he managed to record 10 strikeouts along the way, good for a rate of two per inning. Brown's high strikeout rate could make him an appealing multi-inning bullpen arm for Houston next season.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
6 days agoBoston Red Sox outfield prospect
Matthew Lugo endured a subpar 2023 campaign at the Double-A level, showing a tendency to commit errors on the left side of the infield, as well as a below-average hit tool. The organization has experimented with his positional versatility and seems to have found a better home for him in left field, where he made a Gold Glove-caliber catch last week. Meanwhile, his bat has played very well so far this year as he has demonstrated an ability to put the ball in play, work walks, and even deliver a hint of power. Over five games last week, Lugo went 8-for-21 with two home runs, 11 RBI, five walks, and five strikeouts. He currently owns a seven-game hitting streak and could be pushing for his first-ever promotion to Triple-A sooner rather than later.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
6 days agoThe San Francisco Giants placed left-hander
Blake Snell (groin) on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday (retroactive to April 23) with a left-adductor strain and recalled right-hander
Landen Roupp from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. Snell was scratched from his next start on Wednesday against the New York Mets and will now miss at least the next two weeks. The 31-year-old reigning National League Cy Young winner hasn't had a good year so far in 2024 after signing with the Giants just before the start of the regular season. In his three starts so far, he's 0-3 with an 11.57 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, five walks and 12 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings. Fantasy managers need to keep Snell stashed in an IL start everywhere, but expecting him to bounce back to his Cy Young form from a year ago after he returns may be foolish.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Giants
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