6 days agoArizona Diamondbacks closer
Paul Sewald (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday, and the team will likely have him appear in another rehab game if all goes well there. There was some optimism that Sewald's next appearance would come for the major-league club, but it sounds like fantasy managers will have to wait a few more days before the hurler is reinstated from the 15-day injured list due to a strained left oblique. Look for the 33-year-old right-hander to re-enter Arizona's bullpen and reclaim his closing gig sometime during Week 5 of fantasy baseball, which begins on Monday with a three-game series versus the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Righty
Kevin Ginkel owns a solid 3.48 ERA (2.85 FIP), 1.16 WHIP, and 11:2 K:BB with four saves through 10 1/3 innings, but fantasy managers should be trying to make other arrangements for saves before he reverts to a setup role upon Sewald's return.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Blake Snell (groin) resumed playing catch on flat ground on Friday, which is a good sign for a player who is dealing with a multi-week absence due to a strained left groin. Snell believes he can rejoin San Fran's rotation right around May 7, when he's first eligible for activation from the 15-day injured list. The 31-year-old reigning National League Cy Young Award winner has obviously been a massive fantasy bust with an 11.57 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, and 12:5 K:BB through 11 2/3 innings (three starts), but his elite strikeout upside when healthy means he can't be jettisoned to any waiver wires. In the interim, former second-round pick
Sean Hjelle may be needed as a starter for the Giants and has a 5.79 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with two punchouts and one walk in 4 2/3 frames this year. He'd line up for a decent matchup with the Boston Red Sox at some point next week in this case.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Alex Pavlovic - NBC Sports Bay Area
6 days agoThere is no timetable yet on Seattle Mariners shortstop
J.P. Crawford (oblique), but general manager Justin Hollander said the team doesn't anticipate him being ready by the time he's eligible to be activated from the injured list. In a best-case scenario, it sounds like Crawford will be out at least two to three weeks with a Grade 1 right-oblique strain. The Mariners aren't going to rush the 29-year-old shortstop back with an injury that isn't easy to come back from, even if it's the least-severe variety. It's been a rough year so far for Crawford, as he's hit just .198 (17-for-86) with two home runs, nine RBI and 13 runs scored in his first 22 games. Until he's able to return,
Dylan Moore should see most of the playing time at the 6 and will have elevated short-term fantasy value in deeper leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays first baseman
Yandy Diaz (hand) was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning and was subsequently removed.
Niko Goodrum pinch-ran for the 32-year-old after he was hit. Diaz took a 99 mph fastball from White Sox pitcher
Michael Kopech to his hand as the Rays worked to dig themselves out of a 7-3 hole. Diaz had put together a decent day at the plate before exiting, going 1-2 with two walks. If Diaz is to miss any time, then the beneficiaries of his absence will be
Austin Shenton and Goodrum. Shenton has slashed .143/.217/.238 on the season, and Goodrum has slashed .167/.286/.452. Neither option is great from a fantasy perspective, but Shenton has generally been the starter when Diaz gets rest. Prioritize Shenton if you're looking directly for a replacement from the Rays, but there are likely better options you can snag off the waiver wire.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Evan Closky
6 days agoNew York Yankees center fielder
Jasson Dominguez (elbow) increased his throwing length to 135 feet and is "a few weeks away" from beginning to play in minor-league rehab games, per Yankees manager Aaron Boone. The 21-year-old has been recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in September of 2023. With an anticipated recovery time of nine to 10 months, Dominguez is on track to be back around the All-Star break. The Yankees outfield is a bit crowded, but if Dominguez can replicate his .980 OPS from 2023, then he should be able to find a spot alongside
Aaron Judge and
Juan Soto. Fantasy managers needing a late-season stash should keep an eye on Dominguez's progress, especially if his rehab starts go well.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Bryan Hoch
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Alex Cobb (hip, shoulder) has been held back from throwing activities the last few days as he's still experiencing soreness in his shoulder. He is scheduled to see Dr. Ken Akizuki Friday night. Cobb had been working his way back from a hip surgery he had in October and started to experience some setbacks after throwing a bullpen session a few weeks ago. The 36-year-old won't be eligible to come off the injured list until late May, but these setbacks may push his return further into June. This isn't the news the Giants wanted to hear after needing to put newly acquired
Blake Snell on the 15-day injured list this week. Cobb will have a rotation spot available for him when he returns, but fantasy managers and Giants fans will need to exercise patience for a couple more months for that moment.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Maria Guardado
6 days agoSan Francisco Giants second baseman
Thairo Estrada (hamstring) is not in the Giants' lineup for their Friday night tilt against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Estrada was removed from Wednesday's game against the Mets after dealing with hamstring tightness. As of now, Estrada is considered day-to-day. The 28-year-old is slashing .232/.253/.400 on the year so his impact to the Giants and fantasy managers' lineups may be fairly negligible.
Tyler Fitzgerald is getting the start in his place and will bat eighth. Should Estrada return this weekend he would see
Martin Perez on Saturday and Pirates rookie
Jared Jones on Sunday.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Maria Guardado
6 days agoKansas City Royals third baseman
Maikel Garcia hit two singles, drew a walk, drove in two runs and scored a run in the Royals' 8-0 win on Friday. Garcia now has multiple hits in four of his last seven games, a good sign after going through a bit of a slump over the past couple weeks. The 24-year-old is now hitting for a .651 OPS and has 18 RBI on the season. If Garcia is able to avoid another major slump, then he may be someone fantasy managers want to keep on their radar as an option to stash on their bench. Garcia will get matchups against
Casey Mize on Saturday and Tigers ace
Tarik Skubal on Sunday.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoKansas City Royals shortstop
Bobby Witt Jr. notched three RBI in the Royals 8-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday afternoon. Witt Jr. went 1-4 with a two RBI triple and an RBI sacrifice fly. He also scored a run in the Royals' seven-run ninth. The 23-year-old now has 14 RBI on the season with a .915 OPS and leads the league in triples with four. As a top option in fantasy baseball, Witt Jr. is delivering for fantasy managers who took him in the first round. Witt Jr. faces
Casey Mize on Saturday and will have a tough matchup against Tigers ace
Tarik Skubal on Sunday.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever
Chad Green (shoulder) is rehabbing for three to seven more days, at which point the team is hopeful that he can resume throwing. Green is recovering from a teres major strain in his right shoulder after landing on the injured list. The 32-year-old veteran hurler is probably at least several weeks away from being able to return to Toronto's bullpen. Green opened the 2024 season with increased fantasy importance because of injuries to both
Jordan Romano and
Erik Swanson. He took advantage of the short-term opportunity for save chances in Toronto, recording two saves with a 2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while walking two and striking out seven in 7 2/3 frames. When Green returns from the IL, he'll return to a late-inning setup role in front of Romano.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Kaitlyn McGrath
6 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Alek Manoah (shoulder) will make another minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo next Tuesday. Not only is Manoah rehabbing from a right-shoulder injury, but he hasn't been good in three of his four rehab starts to this point. In his last outing with Buffalo on Wednesday, the 26-year-old allowed six runs on seven hits while walking four in just three innings of work. Even if Manoah is getting healthier, his performances don't exactly endorse him for a big-league call-up to enter Toronto's starting rotation. Hi rehab assignment will be up on May 6, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him activated from the injured list and optioned back to Buffalo. Manoah's 2023 nightmare season has so far carried over to 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Kaitlyn McGrath
6 days agoBoston Red Sox middle infielder
Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) will play back-to-back minor-league rehab games with Triple-A Worcester on Saturday and Sunday and has at least a chance to be activated from the injured list for the start of a series against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. So far on his rehab assignment, the 23-year-old has gone 5-for-22 with two doubles and two stolen bases. Before hurting his hamstring, Grissom was projected to be Boston's regular second baseman. That should still be the case once he's finally able to return from the IL at some point next week, especially given all of the Red Sox's injury woes so far in 2024. With 15/15 potential at the plate, Grissom is a must-add off the waiver wire if he's available in your fantasy league.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Ian Browne
6 days agoLos Angeles Angels third baseman
Anthony Rendon (hamstring) said he has a high-grade partial tear of his left hamstring and doesn't have a timetable to return. The Angels placed Rendon on the 10-day injured list on Sunday, but the 33-year-old is certainly going to be out for an extended amount of time. Ever since signing a seven-year deal with the Halos, Rendon has mostly been in the trainer's room and has been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball after recording a league-high 126 RBI and a career-high 34 home runs in his final year with the Nationals in 2019. Before the injury, he was hitting .267 (20-for-75) with no homers, three RBI and three steals. We wouldn't blame you for dumping Rendon to the waiver wire at this point.
Miguel Sano has been playing third since Rendon went down, but
Brandon Drury could also see time there moving forward.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
6 days agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Giancarlo Stanton (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This appears to be a routine rest day for the veteran slugger. Stanton has started in five straight games, so the team has decided to give the 34-year-old the night off. In the meantime,
Aaron Judge will serve as the designated hitter while
Trent Grisham will cover center field versus right-hander
Colin Rea.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoSan Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill (groin) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 21-year-old was held out of Thursday's game as well due to a lingering groin issue. The organization is hopeful that Merrill will be able to avoid the injured list. For now,
Jose Azocar will cover center field and bat ninth versus right-hander
Aaron Nola.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Sanders
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