7 days agoMinnesota Twins closer
Jhoan Duran (oblique) said he's feeling closer to 100 percent in terms of command after throwing a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday. He's now expected to face live hitters during Friday's pre-game workouts at Target Field. An oblique strain forced the 26-year-old to the injured list to begin the 2024 season, but he recently started throwing off a mound and could be getting close to going on a short minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the Twins' bullpen. If he avoids any setbacks with his oblique, fantasy managers might get the hard-throwing closer back before the calendar flips to May. Given Duran's dominance when healthy, he should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues. In his absence, Minnesota is going with a committee approach to saves involving
Griffin Jax,
Steven Okert,
Cole Sands and
Brock Stewart.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
7 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (head) cleared the league's concussion protocols and is doing OK after being removed from Monday's game early against the Cleveland Guardians following a collision in the outfield with third baseman
Rafael Devers. O'Neill is out of the lineup on Tuesday and will also sit on Wednesday, but manager Alex Cora said he's planning to have O'Neill back in action on Thursday for the series finale against Cleveland. The 28-year-old required eight stitches to close a cut on his head above his left eye, but it appears he won't need to go on the seven-day concussion injured list and should return for fantasy managers later this week. O'Neill has enjoyed his time in Beantown so far, going 15-for-48 (.313) in the early going with seven homers, eight RBI, a steal and 14 runs scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
7 days agoMiami Marlins left-hander
A.J. Puk (illness) is still under the weather and will not make his scheduled start on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Instead, lefty
Trevor Rogers will move up to start in the series finale. Puk has now been pushed back twice this week, as he was originally scheduled to pitch in the series opener against the Gigantes on Monday. If the 28-year-old southpaw is feeling better later this week, there's a good chance he'll take the ball for the series opener on Thursday versus the Chicago Cubs. The former sixth overall pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2016 out of Florida hasn't fared too well in his transition to a full-time starting role in 2024 so far, posting a 5.91 ERA and 2.44 WHIP with a league-high 14 walks and just eight K's in his first three starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Miami Herald - Jordan McPherson
7 days agoIt's "very unlikely" that designated hitter
J.D. Martinez (back) will join the New York Mets on their upcoming West Coast road trip, according to manager
Carlos Mendoza. The Mets begin their road trip this Friday, April 19, against the Los Angeles Dodgers and will wrap it up in San Francisco against the Giants on Wednesday, April 24. Martinez didn't sign with New York until late in spring training, so he stuck around in extended spring training to get his timing down at the plate before injuring his back in early April. The 36-year-old could start a rehab assignment later this week and make his 2024 debut with the Mets later this month or in early May. When he's finally ready to return, Martinez can still provide some thump from the DH spot and will give the Mets more protection for All-Star first baseman
Pete Alonso.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
7 days agoNew York Mets outfielder
DJ Stewart will start on the bench on Tuesday as the team faces the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. This will be the third straight game that Stewart has started on the bench, although the previous two games were against left-handed pitching. Stewart does have two home runs in his first 25 at-bats of the 2024 campaign, but he's also gone only 5-for-25 (.200) with seven RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored. Catcher
Francisco Alvarez is serving as the designated hitter and batting sixth, while
Omar Narvaez is doing the catching and hitting ninth on Tuesday against Pirates rookie right-hander
Jared Jones. The 30-year-old Stewart might find himself on the bench more often than not moving forward unless he picks things up offensively.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
7 days agoPittsburgh Pirates shortstop
Oneil Cruz is getting the day off on Tuesday against the New York Mets. In his absence,
Alika Williams will get the nod at shortstop and will hit in the nine-hole against Mets veteran left-hander
Jose Quintana. Cruz will get a little breather against the left-handed hurler after going hitless in his last nine at-bats with seven strikeouts in the last two contests. The 25-year-old Dominican is now hitting .232 (16-for-69) on the year with three home runs, six RBI, one steal and eight runs scored in his first 17 games of 2024. Williams, 25, lacks power and will be a low-upside deep sleeper pick for DFS lineups on Tuesday night. He's hit just .212 (25-for-118) with no homers and eight RBI in 51 MLB games to date going back to last season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoThe Toronto Blue Jays officially activated right-handed relievers
Jordan Romano (elbow) and
Erik Swanson (forearm) from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned right-hander
Nate Pearson to Triple-A Buffalo and designated right-hander
Mitch White for assignment. Romano and Swanson came out of their short minor-league rehab assignments healthy and are ready to make their 2024 debuts with Toronto at the back end of their bullpen. While the 30-year-old Romano could be eased into his regular closer role, fantasy managers should be ready to throw him right into their starting lineups in season-long leagues after he recorded 36 saves in each of the last two seasons for the Blue Jays. Swanson has fantasy appeal as well in holds leagues and as a handcuff to Romano for his late-inning setup role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Toronto Blue Jays
7 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (head) is not in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting Cleveland Guardians after colliding with third baseman
Rafael Devers in the outfield on Monday and being pulled from the game. The
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7 days agoLos Angeles Angels infielder
Brandon Drury (hamstring) and first baseman
Nolan Schanuel are both out of the lineup on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Drury should be considered day-to-day for now after leaving Monday night's win with a hamstring injury. If the 31-year-old, who has gone just 11-for-54 (.204) in the early going with one homer, ends up going on the injured list,
Luis Rengifo would benefit from everyday playing time at the keystone. Rengifo is at second and batting seventh on Tuesday, while
Miguel Sano is at first base and hitting cleanup against Rays right-hander
Aaron Civale. Schanuel returned from a testicular contusion on Monday but is getting another day off on Tuesday. Schanuel is struggling in his first full big-league season with just four hits (one homer) in his first 42 at-bats in 2024.
UPDATE: Drury said he'll be available off the bench on Tuesday.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Sam Blum
7 days agoThe Atlanta Braves placed infielder
Ozzie Albies (toe) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right big toe fracture and selected the contract of infielder
David Fletcher from the minors in a corresponding move. Albies fractured his toe when he was hit by a pitch in Monday's 6-1 win over the Houston Astros and he's going to be forced to miss at least the next 10 days and probably more with the ailment. The 27-year-old second baseman is a big hit for fantasy managers in all formats, as the three-time All-Star was hitting .317 (20-for-63) with two home runs, 14 RBI and two stolen bases in his first 15 games in a stacked Braves lineup. For as long as he's sidelined, keep him stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues. Fletcher and
Luis Guillorme will most likely split the playing time at the keystone in the meantime in Atlanta.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
7 days agoThe Miami Marlins will be starting left-hander
Trevor Rogers on Wednesday in the series finale against the San Francisco Giants.
A.J. Puk was in line to start on Wednesday afternoon, but the left-hander is dealing with an illness so will not start. Rogers has started three games for the Marlins this season and is 0-2 with a 4.80 ERA as he's pitched 15 innings allowing nine runs, eight earned while walking eight.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
7 days agoThe Los Angeles Angels will be starting right-hander
Jose Soriano on Tuesday in the second game of a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Soriano is set to make his second start of the season, as he started back on April 10 against the Rays going four innings allowing four runs on six hits in the loss. Soriano is 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA this season, as he's pitched 10 innings allowing seven runs on 10 hits, including three homers.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
7 days agoRight-hander
Chris Paddack is set for his third start of the season as the Minnesota Twins are on the road to play the Baltimore Orioles. Paddack is coming off going 4 2/3 innings while allowing six hits and two runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his career against the Orioles, Paddack is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts but hasn't faced the team since May of 2022. Minnesota is 6-9 this season and dropped the first game of the series to Baltimore on Monday.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
7 days agoMinnesota Twins first baseman
Carlos Santana is out of the lineup on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles. Santana is off to a slow start this season as he's slashing . 135/.224/.154 in 14 games with zero home runs and just two RBIs. In replace of Santana, Minnesota will be starting
Alex Kirilloff at first base, who is batting third against Orioles right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
7 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Kris Bryant (back) remains out of the lineup on Tuesday due to a back injury. Bryant has missed the last three games after exiting Saturday's game versus the Blue Jays due to soreness in his right rib cage and back. With Bryant not in the lineup as the Rockies take on the Philadelphia Phillies,
Charlie Blackmon will start at DH,
Elehuris Montero at first base, and
Michael Toglia in right field. Bryant is slashing .149/.273/.255 this season with one home run and six RBIs.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
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