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
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed a gem on Thursday, working six shutout innings on four hits and just one walk while punching out seven as part of a narrow 2-1 win over the hosting Washington Nationals. After allowing five earned runs in his MLB debut against the San Diego Padres on March 21, the 25-year-old has now allowed a total of just six earned runs over his last five starts. As a result, he has managed to lower his ERA to 3.54 through six starts with 37 strikeouts against just six walks across 28 innings of work, going 2-1 in that time. His next start is scheduled for Tuesday in Arizona to take on the D-backs in a key NL West clash.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Brenton Doyle was all over it on Thursday as part of a 10-9 win over the visiting San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases on the day, scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as well. The massive outing raised his average to a hefty .330 on the season while he has three homers, four stolen bases, 16 runs scored, and an .898 OPS across 25 games and 97 trips to the plate. Doyle flashed signs of a nice power and speed combination with 10 homers, 16 doubles, five triples, and 22 stolen bases across 126 games in his rookie season in 2023 but also hit just .203 and struck out in 35% of his plate appearances. He has just five walks against 28 strikeouts on the season but remains a solid fantasy asset if he continues to provide value in the power and speed departments.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies right-hander
Zack Wheeler was brilliant on Thursday, tossing six shutout innings while allowing just one hit while punching out eight on the afternoon as part of a 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He walked four on the day and was at 103 pitches by the end of his outing but managed to earn his second decision of the season. With the outing, the 33-year-old lowered his ERA to a tidy 1.93 mark on the season through six starts, striking out 46 while walking 11 across 37 1/3 innings of work. Somehow, he has managed to go just 2-3 on the young season. He lines up to take on the Angels in his next scheduled start next Tuesday in Los Angeles.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman
Bryce Harper celebrated the birth of his second child with a home run on Thursday in his return from the paternity list. Harper's third-inning two-run shot was his fifth of the season and gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead as part of an eventual 5-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Interestingly, Harper also homered in his first game back from the birth of his first child five years ago. The 31-year-old is now hitting .256 with those five long balls alongside 16 RBI and an .835 OPS across 22 games on the season. The two-time NL MVP has made a full-time transition to first base this season to take pressure off of his surgically-repaired elbow and has provided his typical big-time offense for fantasy managers early in the 2024 season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB
6 days agoChicago Cubs top prospect
Pete Crow-Armstrong blasted the first home run of his major-league career during Thursday's 3-1 win over the Houston Astros. The 22-year-old came to the plate with a man on in a tie game and smoked a
Bryan Abreu offering into the seats. Crow-Armstrong is one of the top outfield prospects in baseball and should see steady playing time with
Cody Bellinger (rib) sidelined for a while. Crow-Armstrong was struggling in Triple-A prior to being called up, but his speed and power blend make him worthy of a speculative add in the short-term.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoHouston Astros starter
J.P. France was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday evening ahead of the team's trip to Mexico City. France has struggled to the tune of a 7.46 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 0-3 record so far this season. His demotion opens up a roster spot for
Framber Valdez (elbow), who is set to return for Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. It is unclear how the rest of the Astros rotation will shake out, but it looks like rookie right-hander
Spencer Arrighetti will stick in the majors for the time being. France can be dropped in all formats.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
6 days agoCleveland Guardians closer
Emmanuel Clase picked up his eighth save of the year after firing a perfect ninth inning during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Clase entered the game with the top of the Red Sox order due up, but quickly sat them down after 12 pitches. The 26-year-old is enjoying a phenomenal start to the season, as evidenced by his 0.69 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 14/1 K/BB. Clase struggled a bit last season, but he is back to being one of the top closers in baseball. Fantasy managers can expect him to finish the year near the top of the saves leaderboard.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoCleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez was 3-for-4 with a grand slam, stolen base and two runs scored during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Ramirez smoked a ball to right field in the second inning after battling through a 10-pitch at-bat against
Chase Anderson. The five-time All Star is now slashing .260/.271/.471 with five homers, 23 RBI, three stolen bases and 18 runs scored. He has had a more aggressive approach at the plate this season which has resulted in only two walks through 24 games. Despite the lower than normal OBP, Ramirez seems to be recovering nicely from a slower start to the year and remains one of the best third-base options in fantasy.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers reliever
Trevor Megill tossed a scoreless ninth inning to notch the first save of his career during Thursday's 7-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 30-year-old has been a pleasant surprise out of the bullpen for the Brewers and has been trusted to face the heart of the opponent's order multiple times this season. He has only given up one run in five appearances thus far and has picked up three holds. The Brewers ninth-inning situation has been a bit sporadic with
Devin Williams (back) still recovering from injury, but Megill is now in the mix for saves alongside
Joel Payamps. Both players deserve to be rostered in deeper leagues, while Megill holds even more value in formats that count holds as a scoring category.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoMilwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Freddy Peralta surrendered five runs on five hits across 4 2/3 innings of work during Thursday's 7-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He struck out five batters and allowed a season-high five walks in the no-decision. It was not the sharpest outing for the 27-year-old, who saw his season ERA balloon from 1.90 to 3.18 with the performance. Peralta remains one of the premier arms in fantasy baseball and today's outing was merely a blip on the radar. He should still be confidently started in all formats going into his next projected outing against the Tampa Bay Rays.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoThe Seattle Mariners transferred right-hander
Gregory Santos (lat) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday to open up a roster spot for infielder Leo Rivas, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Tacoma. The 24-year-old Santos has yet to make his debut with the Mariners due to a right-lat strain, although he has started a throwing program. Now that he's officially on the 60-day IL, he won't be able to return to the Mariners bullpen until at least late May. When he's healthy, Santos will be an option as a high-leverage reliever late in games as a bridge to
Andres Munoz and
Ryne Stanek, and he could even enter the picture for saves. The Dominican reliever had a career-best 3.39 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, his first five career saves, 17 walks and a career-high 66 K's in 66 1/3 relief innings in 2023 with the White Sox.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Mariners PR
6 days agoThe Texas Rangers activated right-hander
Josh Sborz (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Thursday and optioned right-hander
Grant Anderson from Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. Sborz is returning from a right rotator-cuff strain after making one minor-league rehab appearance for Double-A Frisco on Tuesday. The 30-year-old reliever had 2 2/3 scoreless innings for Texas with no walks and three strikeouts earlier this month before going on the shelf with his right-shoulder injury. Now that he's back, Sborz will return to a high-leverage relief role late in games as a setup man alongside
David Robertson and
Jose Leclerc ahead of closer
Kirby Yates. In 44 relief outings for Texas in the regular season in 2023, Sborz had a 5.50 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 17 walks and 66 K's in 52 1/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
6 days agoChicago White Sox right-hander
Mike Clevinger is starting for Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday night. This will be Clevinger's first minor-league start after previously pitching in extended spring training to try and get stretched out after re-signing with the club on a one-year deal on April 2. The 33-year-old is scheduled to throw four innings or 60 pitches on Thursday and then move to five innings or 75 pitches in his next minor-league start. If Clevinger looks good after those two outings on the farm, he could be called up to the big-league roster and start make his 2024 debut for the White Sox early in May. The former fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2011 went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while striking out 110 and walking 40 in 24 starts for Chicago last year. He'll be a deep-league streaming option, at best, once he returns to the majors.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Daryl Van Schouwen
6 days agoThe Oakland Athletics placed second baseman
Zack Gelof (oblique) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 24) on Thursday with a strained left oblique and recalled infielder
Darell Hernaiz from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Gelof was scratched from the lineup on Wednesday with the oblique injury and will now miss at least the next 10 days. Given the nature of the 24-year-old's injury, fantasy managers should be prepared to be without him for longer than 10 days. Despite playing every day for the A's in 2024 in his second big-league season, Gelof has disappointed to this point, slashing .196/.260/.337 with three home runs, seven RBI and four stolen bases in 92 at-bats. Hernaiz is getting the start at third and batting ninth on Thursday against left-hander
Nestor Cortes and the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Oakland A's Communications
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