7 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Max Kepler (knee) will start his minor-league rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday. Kepler landed on the injured list with a right-knee contusion but was able to run the bases this week and will now start playing in minor-league games to end the week. Barring a setback with St. Paul, the 31-year-old left-handed outfielder could be able to return from the IL by early next week. When healthy, Kepler should play regularly against right-handed pitchers despite getting just one hit in his first 20 at-bats of the season. Until Kepler is able to return, the likes of
Alex Kirilloff,
Trevor Larnach and
Manuel Margot will battle for extra playing in right field for the Twins.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
7 days agoChicago White Sox third baseman
Yoan Moncada (groin) is feeling better and is heading to extended spring training in Arizona to continue his full rehab process. Moncada landed on the 60-day injured list with a left-groin strain, so he's most likely not going to return for the White Sox or fantasy managers until after the All-Star break. It's getting hard to justify holding onto the oft-injured 28-year-old third baseman in mixed fantasy leagues, even though he started the year hitting .282 (11-for-39) with no home runs and no RBI in his first 11 games before getting hurt.
Braden Shewmake got the start at the hot corner on Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, but
Gavin Sheets is also an option at the position when he's not serving as the designated hitter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
7 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies right-hander
Taijuan Walker (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session on Friday and could be activated from the injured list after that. It sounds as though the Phillies have liked what they've seen from Walker's two minor-league rehab starts after they initially said they wanted to see him make four rehab starts before joining the big-league starting rotation. The 31-year-old veteran could make his 2024 debut for the Phils on Monday in what would be an excellent matchup at home against the punchless Chicago White Sox. Even though it would be Walker's first start of the year, he'd be a pretty attractive fantasy streamer in the great matchup. The most in danger of losing their current rotation spot in Philly could be
Spencer Turnbull with Walker's return on the horizon.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Todd Zolecki
7 days agoBaltimore Orioles right-hander
Kyle Bradish (elbow) looked good in his first minor-league rehab start with Double-A Bowie on Tuesday, tossing three shutout innings with just one hit allowed, no walks and four strikeouts. It was a very promising first appearance for a pitcher that is trying to avoid needing surgery after being diagnosed with a partially torn UCL in spring training. The 27-year-old is going to need probably a few more starts in the minors before the Orioles feel comfortable activating him from the injured list for his season debut in the big leagues. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should consider stashing Bradish soon for extra pitching depth after he had a breakout for the O's in 2023. The former fourth-rounder in 2018 by the Los Angeles Angels out of New Mexico State went 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 44 walks and 168 K's in 30 starts a year ago.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
7 days agoChicago Cubs right-hander
Jameson Taillon (back) is penciled in to make his season debut on Thursday in the series opener against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Taillon started the 2024 regular season on the 15-day injured list but is ready to get his season started. The 32-year-old veteran only threw 68 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in his final minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa last Friday, so nobody should be expecting him to go very deep in his first big-league start of the year. The matchup against Miami is enticing from a streaming standpoint, but Taillon doesn't figure to go deep into this one, making him a pretty low-upside streamer. Now that Taillon is getting ready to return, the impressive
Ben Brown could be out of a rotation spot.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoLeft-hander
A.J. Puk (illness) has been confirmed as the Miami Marlins' starter for Thursday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. After dealing with an illness in recent days, Puk was back at the ballpark on Wednesday playing catch and working out. The 28-year-old southpaw was pushed back twice in the rotation this week while feeling under the weather. It's good news that Puk is feeling good enough to start on Thursday, but most fantasy baseball managers will probably be wanting to stay away from him against Chicago after he's started the year by going 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA (6.90 FIP) and 2.44 WHIP with a league-leading 14 walks and just eight strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings in his first three starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
7 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said on WEEI that third baseman
Rafael Devers (knee) is feeling good and there's a chance he'll play on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians as the designated hitter. Devers was removed from Tuesday's contest early due to left-knee discomfort but appears to have avoided a long-term injury with his knee. Fantasy baseball managers will want to check back soon to see if the 27-year-old is officially back in the lineup. If he is, put him back into your lineups against Guardians right-hander
Ben Lively, who will be making his season debut. A shoulder caused Devers to miss some games last weekend, and the two-time All-Star has gotten off to a slow start by his standards by slashing .205/.352/.409 with two homers, three doubles, five RBI and five runs scored in his first 12 games in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
7 days agoLos Angeles Angels infielder
Brandon Drury (hamstring) is still out of the team's starting lineup on Wednesday versus the Tampa Bay Rays.
Luis Rengifo will start at second base again and bat seventh against Rays right-hander
Zack Littell. This will be Drury's second straight game on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury. The 31-year-old said he was available off the bench on Tuesday, so it doesn't sound like a very serious injury. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues will need to check back on Thursday to see if Drury is able to return for the series finale with the Rays. Rengifo doesn't have a hit in three career at-bats against Littell and is a low-cost, low-upside DFS play near the bottom of the Angels' lineup. In his first 42 plate appearances in 2024 Rengifo has 10 hits, no homers, three RBI and four stolen bases.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoCincinnati Reds first baseman
Christian Encarnacion-Strand is getting his first day off this season on Wednesday when the team takes on the Seattle Mariners.
Spencer Steer is getting the start at first base and is hitting cleanup, while center fielder
Stuart Fairchild is batting in the three-hole against Mariners right-hander
Bryce Miller. Encarnacion-Strand went 0-for-4 on Tuesday to drop his season average to .192 (14-for-73) in the early going, while he's added two home runs, 12 RBI and seven runs scored. With a scheduled day off for the team on Thursday, he'll get two days to rest before likely returning to action on Friday to face the Los Angeles Angels. Fairchild has had a pretty nice start in 2024, going 8-for-29 (.276) with no homers, three RBI and five stolen bases.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
7 days agoCincinnati Reds infielder
Jeimer Candelario (illness) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Wednesday in Seattle against the Mariners. Candelario was scratched from Tuesday's lineup, and it appears he's still under the weather.
Santiago Espinal is manning the hot corner for the second straight day for the Reds and is hitting ninth against Mariners right-hander
Bryce Miller. With an off day coming on Thursday, perhaps Candelario is feeling better on Friday for the start of a series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. The 30-year-old switch-hitter has gotten off to a slow start in his first year in Cincinnati, going 11-for-58 (.190) with two home runs, seven RBI and seven runs scored. Espinal has never faced Miller in his career and should be avoided in DFS at the bottom of the Reds' lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoArizona Diamondbacks catcher
Gabriel Moreno (thumb) was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs in the series finale. Moreno suffered a right-thumb contusion on a wild pitch on Monday night and was then scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup as well before appearing later in the extra-inning win as a defensive replacement. The 24-year-old appears to be not quite comfortable enough swinging a bat to return to action for the Snakes, so
Tucker Barnhart will catch again and bat eighth against Cubs left-hander
Jordan Wicks. Fantasy baseball managers will want to check back on Thursday to see if Moreno is able to return to the field when the team faces the division-rival San Francisco Giants on the road.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
7 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals rookie outfielder
Victor Scott II will start on the bench again on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. The 23-year-old is now starting on the bench for the second game in a row, with
Michael Siani getting the start in center field and hitting ninth for the Cardinals against A's right-hander
Paul Blackburn. Scott's defense has been strong for St. Louis in center field, but he's gone just 5-for-65 (.089) with three doubles, two RBI, two stolen bases and 14 strikeouts in his first 62 big-league plate appearances over 18 games. He could begin to lose more playing time in center field if he doesn't pick it up offensively, and Scott will eventually head back to the minors when
Tommy Edman (wrist) and
Dylan Carlson (shoulder) return.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoCleveland Guardians right-hander
Ben Lively (illness) has been reinstated from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday's contest in Boston against the Red Sox. The Guardians signed the 32-year-old to a one-year contract this winter after he made his big-league return with the Reds in 2023. Lively spent three seasons in the KBO before returning to North America for the 2022 season but stayed at Triple-A with the Reds that year. He worked to a 5.38 ERA across 19 outings (12 starts) for the Reds last season and has made a pair of starts with Triple-A Columbus this season, posting a 3.24 ERA across 8 1/3 innings of work.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Zack Littell will look to keep his fast start going on Wednesday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Littell has yielded just two earned runs across his first three starts of the season spanning 15 1/3 innings, striking out 15 against five walks in that time. The 28-year-old has been solid for the Rays since the club claimed him from the Red Sox last season as he tossed a 3.93 ERA in 26 outings (14 starts) with the club last season before starting this season with a 1.17 ERA, albeit alongside a 3.90 SIERA. He takes on an Angels offense that is tied for 16th with a .314 wOBA and 19th with a 23.6% K% on the young season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Kris Bryant (back) has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a lower-back strain. The move is retroactive to April 14 while outfielder
Sean Bouchard has been recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take his spot on the active roster. Bryant left Saturday's contest against the Blue Jays with back/rib soreness and was originally listed as day-to-day before landing on the injured list Wednesday afternoon. It's been a slow start to the season for the 2016 NL MVP who is hitting just .149 with one homer and a .528 OPS across 13 games and 55 trips to the plate.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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