6 days agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Patrick Sandoval tallied 10 strikeouts in Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, tossing five innings of two-run ball on four hits and two walks en route to a loss. It was Sandoval's first game with double-digit punchouts since 2022, but
Kyle Schwarber's two-run single in the second inning proved to be enough to saddle the hurler with a loss on a day the Phillies struck out 18 times. The 27-year-old southpaw will take an underwhelming 5.91 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and 38:16 K:BB over 32 frames (seven starts) for the Halos into in his next scheduled appearance on Tuesday on the road against the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates, who are scoring just 2.4 runs per game over their last 21 contests.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoCincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder
Spencer Steer got the scoring started in Wednesday's 6-2 loss on the road to the San Diego Padres, smashing his fourth home run of the 2024 regular season and stealing a base. Steer took Padres right-hander
Joe Musgrove yard for a 412-foot bomb to deep left center in the first inning, continuing what has been a prolific start to the campaign for him. The 26-year-old left fielder is building on his 2023 breakout thus far, slashing .252/.364/.450 with four long balls, 22 RBI, 18 runs scored, and eight stolen bases through 132 trips to the plate (31 outings) for the Reds. On tap for Steer is a three-game weekend series starting on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. In three games against Baltimore last season, Steer hit .400 (4-for-10) with one big fly, three RBI, three walks, and one pilfer.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher prospect
AJ Smith-Shawver threw five strong innings for Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. The righty allowed no runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five. The 21-year-old now has a 5.09 ERA and 1.36 WHIP on the season with 21 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched. Ranked as the Braves' top prospect, he'll surely make an appearance in Atlanta this season after making his MLB debut in 2023, starting five games for the Braves while recording a 4.26 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and a 20:11 K:BB. Fantasy managers should scoop him up once he does get the call, as he should be a solid starter on a team that produces plenty of run support.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Tyler Glasnow (hand) is set to make his next start on six days of rest this Saturday against the visiting Atlanta Braves. Glasnow dealt with cramping in his hand in his last start last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays but is good to go for a showdown against the Braves this weekend. In his first season with the Dodgers, the 30-year-old has been as advertised, going 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (2.75 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with 12 walks and a league-high 53 strikeouts in 43 innings over his seven starts. Despite dealing with cramping issues in his hand in Toronto last weekend, Glasnow picked up the win against the Jays by giving up just one earned run, walking three and striking out nine in six innings for his fifth win of the year. He's a must-start in fantasy this weekend despite facing the tough Braves lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SB Nation - Eric Stephen
6 days agoSan Diego Padres first baseman
Jake Cronenworth slapped a go-ahead grand slam in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds, propelling his team to victory with four RBI. Cronenworth's round-tripper came in the seventh inning, taking Reds right-hander
Fernando Cruz deep to right field for a 400-foot blast. On the season, the 30-year-old righty masher is slashing a healthy .265/.343/.470 with five homers, seven doubles, 24 RBI, and 17 runs scored in 137 plate appearances (31 games) for the Friars and remains a solid mixed-league fantasy asset in San Diego's high-scoring lineup. A three-game set against three right-handed pitchers and the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks begins on Friday. In 13 games against Arizona in 2023, Cronenworth hit a strong .313 (15-for-49) with a homer, seven RBI, and six runs scored.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Joe Musgrove logged a quality start in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds, hurling six innings of two-run ball on four hits and no walks with nine strikeouts for a no-decision. The Friars didn't grab the lead until a four-run seventh inning, which prevented Musgrove from netting the win, but it was a much-needed bounce-back effort after the hurler was knocked around for seven runs in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 31-year-old right-hander holds a 6.37 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and 36:13 K:BB across 41 frames (eight starts) for San Diego this season following Wednesday's excellent showing, and he'll look to improve on those numbers in a tough matchup during Tuesday's scheduled start on the road against the Chicago Cubs. In two appearances (11 IP) against the Cubs since 2022, Musgrove is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA and 14:4 K:BB.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black says outfielder/infielder
Kris Bryant (back) is hoping to soon resume baseball activities. Bryant has ramped up his activity level and is getting closer to swinging, but he's still not yet cleared to resume all baseball activities. With that said, Bryant has no timetable for a return from a strain in his lower back and should be considered out indefinitely. Considering the 32-year-old former All-Star was slashing just .149/.273/.255 with one home run, two doubles, six RBI, and three runs scored in 55 plate appearances (13 games) for the Rocks before heading to the injured list, fantasy managers can find better stashes on waiver wires.
Elehuris Montero is working as Colorado's everyday first baseman in the meantime, but he's not producing enough at the moment to warrant consideration outside of the deepest NL-only leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers optioned starting pitcher
Landon Knack back to the minor leagues on Wednesday. Although the team called up right-hander
J.P. Feyereisen in a corresponding transaction, the move likely signals that
Walker Buehler's (elbow) next start is set to come with the major-league roster. Knack, LA's No. 13 prospect for 2024, showed plenty of promise during his first taste of big-league action, logging a 2.81 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, with 11 strikeouts over 16 innings (three starts). His 5.54 FIP probably means he was due for some regression at some point, though. The 26-year-old right-hander could be back with the Dodgers at some time later this summer if former top prospect
Gavin Stone doesn't pick things up.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
6 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Lane Thomas (knee) is still working on decreasing stiffness and swelling in his left knee. It certainly doesn't sound like Thomas is currently participating in baseball activities, which means that his stay on the 10-day injured list is all but certain to extend past the minimum stint. The 28-year-old right fielder was slashing .184/.250/.253 with two home runs, 10 RBI, six runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 87 at-bats (22 games) for the Nats, and fantasy managers should be preparing for him to be sidelined with a left MCL sprain likely until mid-to-late May. Veteran
Eddie Rosario is filling in for Thomas in Washington's outfield on the strong side of a platoon with
Alex Call, but he's gone just 6-for-68 in 22 outings and can be ignored on waiver wires unless his bat starts to wake up.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks scratched catcher
Gabriel Moreno from Wednesday's lineup against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. There's no word yet from the D-backs as to whether or not Moreno is dealing with an injury, but
Tucker Barnhart is now catching left-hander
Jordan Montgomery and batting ninth on Wednesday. Until more is known, consider Moreno day-to-day with a day off on Thursday ahead of Friday's series opener at home versus the visiting San Diego Padres. The 24-year-old former top prospect is slashing a weak .238/.344/.325 with six extra-base hits, 13 RBI, and nine runs scored as Arizona's primary backstop during the 2024 regular season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Friedman
6 days agoHouston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Wednesday that starting pitcher
Cristian Javier (neck) is an option to start Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. A lot will depend on how the next few days go for Javier, who threw off the mound ahead of Wednesday’s game versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians as he recuperates from discomfort in his neck. If Javier comes away with no setbacks in his throwing progression, it looks like he won't need a brief minor-league rehab assignment before the Stros activate him from the injured list. The 27-year-old star right-hander owns a 1.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 18:11 K:BB over 23 1/3 innings (four starts) out of Houston's injury-riddled rotation, and his return would almost certainly send struggling rookie righty
Spencer Arrighetti back to the minor leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome - The Athletic
6 days agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (illness) was removed from Wednesday's game versus the visiting Chicago Cubs due to flu-like symptoms. Lindor went 0-for-1 before veteran infielder
Joey Wendle replaced him at shortstop during the third inning. It exacerbates a poor start to the season for Lindor, who's slashing .195/.278/.356 with five home runs, 11 RBI, 16 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 118 at-bats (30 games) for the Mets. The 30-year-old All-Star switch-hitter should be considered day-to-day ahead of Thursday's series finale against the Cubs, but he should be able to get back into New York's lineup if he's feeling better by then. Check back ahead of Thursday's action to see whether or not Lindor will need his first day off of the season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Tim Britton - The Athletic
6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that relief pitcher
Joe Kelly (groin) tweaked his right groin fielding a grounder in Tuesday night's loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he stayed in to finish the innings. The Dodgers plan to see how Kelly is feeling on Wednesday, but he likely wasn't going to be available anyway. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander picked up his seventh hold of the year on Tuesday by tossing a clean inning while giving up one hit and striking out one. Kelly is only valuable in deep holds leagues and isn't in the closing picture in LA. In his 13 appearances out of the Dodgers' bullpen so far this year, he's sporting a 5.25 ERA (2.75 FIP), 1.50 WHIP, five walks and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
6 days agoThe Milwaukee Brewers optioned right-handed reliever
Abner Uribe to Triple-A Nashville after Wednesday's win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Uribe is in the process of appealing a six-game suspension that was handed down by the league after he initiated a benches-clearing brawl with the Rays on Tuesday night when he tried to punch outfielder
Jose Siri following his groundout in the eighth inning. The 23-year-old was allowed to pitch on Wednesday as he appeals his suspension, and he was called into action, giving up a run on one hit with two walks in an inning of work. One of the candidates for saves to open the year with
Devin Williams (back) sidelined, Uribe has three saves but also a rough 6.91 ERA with 12 walks and 14 K's in 14 1/3 innings.
Joel Payamps and
Trevor Megill are considered the team's co-closers with Uribe out of the picture for now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
6 days agoThe Houston Astros placed outfielder
Chas McCormick (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 28) on Wednesday with right-hamstring discomfort and recalled infielder
Jacob Amaya from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. It's not considered a very serious injury for McCormick, so he'll have a good shot to return from the IL when he's first eligible on May 8. The 29-year-old outfielder is off to a rather slow start, much like the Astros team as a whole, as he's hitting .236/.325/.278 with no home runs, eight RBI and two stolen bases in his first 21 games after setting career-highs in homers (22), RBI (70) and stolen bases (19) in 2023.
Mauricio Dubon will see additional playing time in the outfield with McCormick out, while prospect
Joey Loperfido has also been added to the mix on a Houston team desperately looking for a spark.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
RADIO
