7 days agoNew York Mets relief pitcher
Drew Smith earned his first save of the season in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Pirates. Smith came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning up by two and delivered a 1-2-3 outing with two strikeouts.
Edwin Diaz had pitched each of the last two days, so Smith was called upon to close things out. The 30-year-old has pitched well this season, going 1-0 with two holds and a 1.08 ERA in 8 1/3 IP. However, he has not seen enough high-leverage situations to warrant fantasy attention at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher
Jared Jones turned in another strong start in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Mets. Jones pitched five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no walks with seven strikeouts. The 22-year-old rookie has been stellar through his first four big-league starts, compiling a 3.13 ERA and 12.52 K/9 rate with just two walks in 23 IP. He will look to keep his hot streak going in his next scheduled start against the Red Sox.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoSan Diego Padres middle infielder
Ha-Seong Kim got the game started in Tuesday's 6-3 win against the Brewers. Kim went 1-for-3 with a first-inning three-run home run and a walk. The 28-year-old has provided a bit of everything except hit for average, slashing .225/.341/.451 with three HR, 12 runs scored, 12 RBI, and four stolen bases in 86 plate appearances. Hopefully, his average will come around, but he is still offering fantasy value at this time.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoMilwaukee Brewers relief pitcher
Abner Uribe did not serve his typical late-inning role in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Padres. Uribe relieved
Wade Miley in the fourth inning and pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts. The 23-year-old has seen the most save opportunities on the team with
Devin Williams (back) on the injured list and has converted three of five opportunities, but has a bloated 5.87 ERA in 7 2/3 IP. Fellow teammate
Joel Payamps has also struggled lately, so it remains to be seen who the Brewers may turn to next when a save opportunity presents itself.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman
Bryce Harper had a nice game at the plate in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Rockies. Harper went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run, three RBI, and a strikeout. The 31-year-old has hit for power but not average to start the season, slashing .215/.301/.462 with four HR and 11 RBI in 73 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should be patient with Harper given his excellent career. Hopefully, his average will start to catch up to his power production.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Ranger Suarez continued his strong start in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Rockies. Suarez pitched a complete game shutout, allowing seven hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. The 28-year-old is now 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA, a 9.35 K/9 rate, and a 1.38 BB/9 rate in his first four starts. He is rostered in 67% of leagues, so fantasy managers should pick him up if available. He will look to keep things rolling in his next start, which projects to be a tougher matchup at the Reds.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Zac Veen went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two stolen bases for Double-A Hartford on Tuesday. It was the 22-year-old's third straight multi-hit game and fourth in his last five. Over that five-game span, the lefty hitter is 10-for-19 (.526) with two doubles, two triples, a home run, five RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. A wrist injury limited the former first-round draft pick to 46 games in 2023, yet he still managed to swipe 22 bags. In 2022 he stole 55 bases in 126 games, and had 36 the year before in 106 games. Veen has yet to see any time at Triple-A but with his hot hitting could see a promotion sooner rather than later. Veen was ranked as the 27th overall prospect in all of baseball last season but has since dropped out of the Top 100. Nevertheless, dynasty managers, especially those in need of speed, should have the speedster on their radar if he wasn't already.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
7 days agoMiami Marlins left-hander
Ryan Weathers (hand) was removed from his start on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants for precautionary reasons due to cramping in his left hand. Before departing, Weathers was in command, allowing two earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out a career-high 10 batters while matching his career-high with six innings pitched in his second win of the season. The 24-year-old threw 90 pitches in the outing and probably wasn't going to go much deeper into the game regardless. It sounds like his injury isn't anything serious, so fantasy managers should expect Weathers to make his next scheduled start this Sunday in Chicago against the Cubbies. With the strong effort on Tuesday, Weathers is now 2-1 on the year with a 2.70 ERA for the Fish.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
7 days agoUpdating a previous report, Boston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers (knee) left Tuesday's game against the visiting Cleveland Guardians with left-knee discomfort. Devers went 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks before being replaced at the hot corner in the eighth inning by
Bobby Dalbec. The 27-year-old missed several games last weekend due to a shoulder injury but returned to action on Monday before an injury scare when he collided with outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (head), who was forced to leave the game. For now, fantasy managers should consider Devers as day-to-day while checking back on Wednesday to see if he's back in the starting lineup. The Red Sox can ill-afford another injury to their infield after losing shortstop
Trevor Story (shoulder) already for the season. In addition to Dalbec,
Pablo Reyes could play some third base if Devers is forced to miss additional time.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
7 days agoKansas City Royals starting pitcher
Michael Wacha allowed 10 hits and gave up five runs while taking a loss in last Friday's 6-1 defeat to the New York Mets, but he finds himself in prime position to bounce back in Wednesday's start on the road in one part of a doubleheader against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. Although Wacha holds a mediocre 4.00 ERA (2.75 FIP) through 18 innings (three starts) to begin his Royals debut season, his 1.05 WHIP is a cause for optimism. Since 2023, the 32-year-old journeyman right-hander is 2-0 with 14 scoreless frames and 15 strikeouts over two appearances against the White Sox. Additionally, the current Chicago roster is hitting a career .141 across 72 plate appearances versus Wacha. With the ChiSox sitting dead last in baseball with 34 runs scored, treat Wacha as a confident fantasy option on Wednesday's full slate.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Luis Garcia (elbow) threw a bullpen session at Minute Maid Park ahead of Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Continuing to recuperate from Tommy John surgery, Garcia started tossing bullpens earlier in April and is slowly progressing toward eventually heading to a minor-league rehab assignment. The expectation is that he will be able to rejoin Houston's injury-ravaged rotation at some point during the middle of the season. Before his 2023 season came to a close, the 27-year-old right-hander posted a respectable 4.00 ERA (3.63 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, and 31:10 K:BB over 27 innings (six starts). The Astros called up
Forrest Whitley on Tuesday for pitching help, but it wouldn't be surprising to see swingman
Brandon Bielak be asked to eat some innings at some point.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Brian McTaggart - Astros.com
7 days agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers was pulled during the eighth inning of Tuesday's game versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians, and
Bobby Dalbec replaced him defensively at third base. He went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI before exiting, and it's unclear at this time why Devers was removed from the contest. It's worth noting he dealt with soreness in his left shoulder that cost him four games last week, so it remains to be seen if he's dealing with some type of setback with the injury. The Red Sox should offer some clarity on the 27-year-old All-Star slugger's status shortly, and we'll provide that update when it becomes available. Devers is hitting just .205 with two home runs and five RBI over his first 44 at-bats of the season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Christopher Smith
7 days agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Alex Cobb (hip, elbow), who was briefly shut down recently with a mild flexor strain in his right elbow, has been cleared to resume throwing and tossed a bullpen session in Arizona on Tuesday. Other than that hiccup, Cobb is progressing well and believes he's ahead of schedule in his rehab from offseason surgery on his left hip. The 36-year-old right-hander was an All-Star in 2023 for the first time in his career, and despite running into trouble with the long ball in the second half, he still managed to compile a solid 3.87 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 131:37 K:BB across 151 1/3 innings (28 starts). Cobb could re-enter San Fran's rotation at some time during May, and he's a decent stash in most fantasy leagues. With
Robbie Ray (elbow) also on the shelf,
Jordan Hicks and
Keaton Winn should continue to function as starters for the Giants for the time being.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoChicago Cubs infielder/outfielder
Patrick Wisdom (back) is continuing his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa and started Tuesday's game at right field for the first time this year. It's an interesting development for fantasy managers to keep an eye on, as Chicago's everyday right fielder,
Seiya Suzuki (oblique), is expected to miss several weeks. Wisdom is essentially fully recovered from a back strain, but
Michael Busch's recent power surge (five home runs in his last five games) is likely the reason why he hasn't been activated from the IL just yet. It looks like the Cubs could be grooming Wisdom for some action in right field, however, so his return appears imminent. The 32-year-old slugger is an all-or-nothing power hitter who smashed nine homers in his final 36 outings of the season in 2023, and he could be a decent source of pop if he lands a sizable role upon his reinstatement.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Iowa Cubs on X
7 days agoThe New York Mets announced that third baseman
Brett Baty (hamstring) left Tuesday's game versus the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates due to tightness in his left hamstring. He went 0-for-2 before veteran infielder
Joey Wendle replaced him at third base. It's a tough break for the 24-year-old former top prospect, who is batting a strong .305 (18-for-59) with one home run, nine RBI, and seven runs scored over 17 games this season. With very little infield depth in Queens, Wendle and
Zack Short would figure to form a platoon for at-bats at the hot corner if Baty needs to miss additional time following Tuesday's departure. Neither of the two have done enough this season to be worth speculative fantasy adds at the moment. Consider Baty day-to-day ahead of Wednesday's series finale against Pittsburgh.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo - MLB.com
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