6 days agoHouston Astros outfield prospect
Joey Loperfido entered Friday's game with the most home runs in professional baseball. After Friday's game, he increased his lead with three more. Loperfido's three home runs brought in seven runs, raising his long-ball total to nine. The former Duke Blue Devil has a .320/.390/.880 stat line across his first 12 games of the season. Loperfido is making a case for an immediate call-up and is well worth stashing in redraft formats simply due to how well he is hitting the ball. He could also provide a much-needed spark to a struggling Astros team. When given the promotion, the 24-year-old could slot in the Astros outfield or at first base.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates closer
David Bednar locked down the ninth inning for his second save of the season on Friday in a 5-2 win over the Phillies. After blowing three save opportunities already in the early going, manager Derek Shelton stayed true to his word that Bednar would still be the one he'd call on if a save opportunity arose in Philadelphia, and Bednar answered the call by pitching a clean inning. The 29-year-old didn't allow a hit or a walk and struck out one in the appearance. Hopefully the righty is back on track now. The Pirates (10-4) are a surprisingly competitive team thus far so they'll need Bednar to lock down more games for them. He did so last season for them 39 times to the tune of a 2.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 21.3% K-BB%. So far in 2024, he holds a 10.13 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 23.1% K-BB%.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitching prospect
Jack Leiter tallied ten punchouts across six innings in a loss on Friday evening. Leiter surrendered three earned runs and allowed six hits and no walks. Across 14 ⅓ innings at Triple-A, Leiter is riding a 3.77 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with three walks and 25 strikeouts. This is a big step for his development, not only because he is holding his own at Triple-A and showcasing great strikeout potential but also because he has lowered his ratios significantly compared to his 5.19 ERA and 1.46 WHIP from last season. The former number two overall pick from Vanderbilt is putting all of the pieces together, and if he can continue his success at Triple-A, he could be in contention to make his major league debut this summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles third base prospect
Coby Mayo launched his fourth and fifth home runs of the season on Friday evening. Mayo has been one of many Baltimore prospects crushing the ball at Triple-A. The 22-year-old is now sporting a .386/.444/.754 stat line through his first 13 games. He also has 10 RBI. Mayo is proving himself to be an elite power prospect as he is nearing double-digit home runs already and launched 29 last season. Mayo may have to wait a bit longer to make his major league debut, as the Orioles have a deep infield that just welcomed
Jackson Holliday. Nonetheless, the third baseman will be a popular waiver-wire add when he receives the call to the majors later this summer, especially due to his power potential.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect
Paul Skenes continued his dominance in Triple-A on Friday, throwing three ⅓ shutout innings with three hits, one free pass, and eight strikeouts. The number three overall prospect is yet to surrender a run this season and has a minuscule 0.64 WHIP across nine and ⅓ innings, with a total of 19 punchouts. Skenes, often touted as the best pitching prospect in baseball, is on the verge of making his major league debut, showcasing his elite fantasy ceiling with his dominant swing-and-miss potential. Already rostered in all dynasty and keeper formats, Skenes is a player worth checking your waiver wire for in shallower re-draft formats, as he will be a valuable player down the stretch.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
6 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher
Ryne Stanek allowed one run on one hit and no walks across a scoreless inning in Friday's 4-2 win against the Chicago Cubs. He did not record a strikeout in Friday's victory. Stanek entered the ninth inning to protect a
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6 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said third baseman
Rafael Devers (shoulder) will likely sit out Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Devers has missed the last two games due to left shoulder soreness. The 27-year-old is considered day-to-day, with his next chance of returning to the lineup being the series finale against Los Angeles on Sunday. Devers is expected to avoid the injured list. He is slashing .184/.326/.395 with two home runs, three RBI, and five runs across 10 games in 2024.
Bobby Dalbec batted fifth and started at third base for Devers in Friday's 7-0 loss to the Angeles. The 28-year-old is likely to handle third base for Boston and see an uptick in at-bats while Devers is sidelined. Dalbec has yet to log a hit in seven games this season and can be left on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Mac Cerullo
6 days agoBoston Red Sox shortstop
Trevor Story (shoulder) underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a fractured glenoid in his left shoulder. When diving for a ball on the infield, the 31-year-old suffered a left-shoulder subluxation on April 5 versus the Los Angeles Angels. Story is expected to miss the rest of the season, but it gives him a chance to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. Since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox in 2022, Story has been limited to 145 games over the past three seasons.
David Hamilton will see an uptick in at-bats with Story sidelined. Hamilton is a speculative add-in deep-leagues after slashing .214/.267/.429 with a home run and a stolen base over five games in 2024.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
7 days agoColorado Rockies relief pitcher
Daniel Bard (knee, elbow) had a setback rehabbing and will undergo season-ending right flexor tendon surgery. After recently throwing off a mound, the banged-up Bard's season suddenly ends before it even begins while also recovering from a cleanup procedure on his left knee. The 38-year-old veteran right-hander is a free agent following the 2024 campaign, and it's unlikely that he'll draw very much interest after walking more batters (49) than he struck out (47) a season ago. Bard spent seven years away from the major leagues before latching on with Colorado in 2020.
Justin Lawrence and
Tyler Kinley are the names to watch for fantasy purposes for saves-needy managers, but Lawrence has yielded seven runs across five appearances, and Kinley has given up eight runs over six innings thus far.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Thomas Harding - MLB.com
7 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Robbie Ray (elbow) threw a bullpen session in Arizona on Friday. Ray has been pleased with his progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he's still not likely to be a factor for the Giants until the second half of the 2024 season. After being acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder
Mitch Haniger and right-hander
Anthony DeSclafani (forearm) this past offseason, the 32-year-old former American League Cy Young Award winner has enough strikeout upside alongside a pitcher-friendly ballpark to deserve being stashed for fantasy managers who can afford the roster spot. Former reliever
Jordan Hicks has allowed just two earned runs and three walks over 18 innings as a starter in San Fran's rotation to this point, and he's worth rostering in all mixed leagues right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitchers
Taj Bradley (pectoral) and
Shane Baz (elbow) recently threw a two-inning live batting practice session, manager Kevin Cash said on Friday. Sidelined for the past month due to a strained right pectoral, Bradley still has to go through the process of rebuilding his stamina and increasing his pitch count before he's ready to return. The 23-year-old right-hander fanned 129 batters across his 104 2/3 innings of work during his rookie year in 2023, but he gave 23 home runs in 21 starts and posted a poor 5.59 ERA. Bradley is probably about a month out from returning to the Rays, while Baz could return at some point in May after two oblique setbacks slowed his progress from Tommy John surgery recovery.
Zack Littell and
Tyler Alexander will occupy rotation spots in the meantime, with the former having only given up two runs through his first 15 1/3 frames of the campaign.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) played extended spring training games in Port Charlotte, Florida on Thursday and Friday. After a few more games there, he should join Triple-A Durham to begin a rehab assignment. Lowe only took three Grapefruit League at-bats this past spring, however, so he'll require a fairly lengthy rehab to get ready for game action, setting him up for a return in early May. The 26-year-old former top prospect should not be floating around any fantasy waiver wires after hitting .292 with 20 home runs, 33 doubles, 83 RBI, and 32 stolen bases over 466 ABs a year ago. Veterans
Amed Rosario and
Harold Ramirez will continue splitting action in right field until Lowe returns, but neither have done enough in the early goings to warrant attention in most leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoTexas Rangers relief pitcher
Jose Leclerc will be working low-leverage situations temporarily, per manager Bruce Bochy. The Rangers were pleased with Leclerc's outing during Friday's 12-8 win over the division-rival Houston Astros after the right-hander struck out two batters, but it was an extremely low-leverage spot against the seventh, eighth, and ninth hitters with Texas up 12-3 in the sixth inning. It's bad news for fantasy managers hoping to get saves out of Leclerc, who holds a dismal 12.00 ERA and 2.33 WHIP with one blown save over six frames. The 30-year-old is not an instant drop candidate in fantasy, as he could work his way back into the ninth-inning mix with improved play, but
David Robertson and
Kirby Yates both have plenty of closing experience. Robertson, only rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues, has given up just one run over 8 1/3 innings and should be added across all formats until this situation is settled.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Wilson - RangersToday.com
7 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-handed pitcher
Yariel Rodriguez is starting Saturday's game versus the visiting Colorado Rockies, says manager John Schneider. Rodriguez is all set to be called up from Triple-A Buffalo and make the first major-league start of his career on Saturday against the Rockies, as the Jays hope to get better results than
Bowden Francis' 12.96 ERA in his two starts to begin the season. The 27-year-old Cuban right-hander threw 6 1/3 innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts during his lone start in the minor leagues this season, and he's in a pretty favorable position at home against a beatable Colorado lineup. Rodriguez is a fine streaming option for fantasy managers in AL-only or deep mixed leagues, and he could keep his rotation spot with a successful performance.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Shi Davidi - Sportsnet.ca
7 days agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) is having his rehab paused after recently experiencing more tightness in his shoulder following a bullpen session. An MRI showed that there is still an issue with the strained left lat of Rodriguez, who has been shut down from throwing. After bagging a four-year, $80 million with the D-backs this past offseason, Rodriguez has had a miserable start to his tenure in the desert following an abysmal spring training. The 31-year-old Venezuelan left-hander's setback leaves his return timeline very murky, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back before the end of April at this point.
Tommy Henry and
Ryne Nelson will serve as starters in Arizona's rotation until E-Rod is ready to return, but the two hurlers are only low-end streamers in favorable matchups.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Nick Piecoro - The Arizona Republic
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