7 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Whitlock (oblique) exited Tuesday's start versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians due to tightness in his left oblique. Whitlock threw 54 pitches, 36 for strikes, before left-hander
Joely Rodriguez relieved him, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk in four innings of work. Look for the Red Sox to provide another update on the 27-year-old right-hander's status either after Tuesday's game or sometime in the coming days. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Sunday on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but it remains to be seen if his turn in the rotation needs to be skipped. Whitlock has been great as a starter for Boston this year, logging a superb 1.96 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 17 punchouts over 18 1/3 frames (four starts) to begin the 2024 season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Ian Browne - MLB.com
7 days agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique), who went on the injured list on Monday with a right-oblique strain, will be sidelined "in the four-week range," but the Cubs will have a better timeline for his return once he's symptom-free, according to manager Craig Counsell. It means that the 29-year-old won't be ready to return when he's eligible to come off the 10-day IL, but fantasy managers should still keep him stashed in all leagues, especially after he started the year 18-for-59 (.305) with three home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored. With Suzuki set to miss at least several weeks, outfield prospect
Alexander Canario, the club's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is going to get his first extended look in the big leagues. He's starting in right field and hitting ninth on Tuesday against Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander
Tommy Henry.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
7 days agoDetroit Tigers right-handed pitching prospect
Sawyer Gipson-Long (forearm) is getting further evaluation for forearm tightness, which usually doesn't bode well. The 26-year-old is also battling a left-groin strain, so he's not going to return to minor-league action for a while. The Tigers' No. 10 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, left a rehab start with Single-A Lakeland when he experienced right-forearm tightness. Gipson-Long made four starts for the Tigers in his major-league debut in 2023 and impressed by going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with eight walks and 26 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. With Detroit having more rotation depth this year, there's no way they are going to rush Gipson-Long back to the big leagues if his forearm injury doesn't require surgery.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
7 days agoColorado Rockies left-hander
Kyle Freeland (shoulder) said he's fine on Tuesday after getting injured in Monday night's extra-inning loss while sliding into home plate as a pinch-runner late in the game. Freeland will throw like normal in between his starts and be good to go at some point this weekend for a matchup against the Seattle Mariners. The 30-year-old southpaw's injury was to his right, non-throwing shoulder, so it shouldn't affect his next start at all. Even though Seattle's offense hasn't looked good at all early this year, Freeland will still be a shaky streaming option in fantasy after posting a rough 13.21 ERA and 2.55 WHIP with eight walks and nine strikeouts in his first four starts. Freeland currently leads the league in hits allowed (32) and earned runs allowed (23).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Denver Gazette - Luke Zahlmann
7 days agoArizona Diamondbacks catcher
Gabriel Moreno (thumb) was scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs with a right-thumb contusion, according to manager Torey Lovullo. The skipper said that Moreno is day-to-day, so check back on Wednesday to see if he's back in the lineup. The injury occurred on the wild pitch that Moreno tried to block in the top of the ninth inning that ended up tying the game in Tuesday's extra-inning loss to the Cubbies. The 24-year-old Venezuelan backstop has gone 11-for-45 (.244) to start the year with no homers and six RBI for the Snakes.
Tucker Barnhart is catching left-hander
Tommy Henry on Tuesday and is hitting ninth against Cubs right-hander
Kyle Hendricks.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: PHNX Sports - Jesse Friedman
7 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Andy Pages is starting in center field and batting seventh in his major-league debut on Tuesday versus the visiting Washington Nationals and left-hander
Patrick Corbin. The Dodgers called Pages up from Triple-A Oklahoma City after finding out that
Jason Heyward is going to miss more time with his back injury. The 23-year-old Pages already had five home runs and a 1.146 OPS in 15 games for Triple-A before his call-up. Most of his playing time with the Dodgers in his first taste of the majors will likely come when the team is facing a left-handed pitcher and
James Outman retreats to the bench, which will limit his fantasy upside to deeper leagues as a short-term depth piece. The Cuban outfielder is mostly attractive in dynasty/keeper leagues for his plus power upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers called up pitching prospect
Kyle Hurt from Triple-A Oklahoma for him to make the start against the visiting Washington Nationals on Tuesday in his big-league starting debut. Hurt, the club's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is stretched out to around 45 pitches. Expect left-hander
Ryan Yarbrough to follow Hurt in his MLB debut as the "bulk" reliever in LA's bullpen game on Tuesday. The 25-year-old right-hander has already thrown 4 2/3 relief innings in 2024 and has allowed two runs (one earned) while walking one and striking out six in 6 2/3 innings since making his MLB debut in 2023. Hurt is interesting in dynasty/keeper leagues, but fantasy managers in season-long leagues and in DFS should avoid him on Tuesday in his spot start. Hurt is likely to be sent right back to Triple-A after Tuesday's game or on Wednesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
7 days agoTuesday's contest between the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals in Chicago has been postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a straight doubleheader on Wednesday, starting at 1:10 pm CT. Rookie right-hander
Jonathan Cannon was set to make his major-league debut and start for the White Sox, while right-hander
Brady Singer was the Royals' scheduled starter on the mound. Both pitchers will presumably be pushed to one of the games of the doubleheader on Wednesday. Fantasy baseball managers obviously need to make sure that they remain any players from these two teams that might have been in their starting lineups for Tuesday's action.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
7 days agoAtlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that second baseman
Ozzie Albies (toe) won't need surgery on his fractured big toe but doesn't have a specific timetable for a return from the injured list. It sounds like there's a chance Albies could be back in two weeks, which means three weeks might be the safer bet, especially this early in the season. It's ultimately good news for the 27-year-old after he was hit by a pitch in Monday's 6-1 win over the Houston Astros. Fantasy baseball managers must be patient with the All-Star second baseman and keep him stashed in an IL spot in all formats. In the meantime, outfielder
Michael Harris II will hit near the top of the batting order, boosting his short-term fantasy stock.
Luis Guillorme, who is starting at second on Tuesday, and
David Fletcher figure to split playing time at the keystone in Atlanta with Albies hurt.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
7 days agoWith second baseman
Ozzie Albies (toe) going on the injured list on Tuesday, Atlanta Braves outfielder
Michael Harris II has moved up to second in the batting order against the Houston Astros and right-hander
Hunter Brown. Meanwhile,
Luis Guillorme will get the start at the keystone and will bat eighth. Guillorme and
David Fletcher figure to split playing time at second with Albies out, but Harris could be the biggest fantasy beneficiary in Atlanta if he continues to hit at the top of the lineup while Albies is on the shelf. This is the first time this year the 23-year-old has hit higher than sixth. Harris is off to a fine start in 2024, slashing .290/.333/.468 with two home runs and a stolen base. He has never faced Brown in his career but will become a much more popular DFS lineup piece with Albies out.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoChicago White Sox outfielder
Eloy Jimenez is back as the designated hitter and is batting third on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Brady Singer, while first baseman
Andrew Vaughn is getting the day off. Jimenez was activated from the injured list on Monday but wasn't in the starting lineup before getting a pinch-hit appearance later in the game. The White Sox are going to ease him back into the fold, but he could see more appearances in the outfield after starting there only 14 of 118 times in 2023. Vaughn has gone 1-for-16 in the last four games and 10-for-58 with no homers and three RBI to begin the year, so he's deserving of a rest.
Gavin Sheets is at first base and is batting cleanup on Tuesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: CHGO Sports - Vinnie Duber
7 days agoOakland Athletics outfielder
Esteury Ruiz (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This seems a bit odd after Ruiz blasted a solo home run off the bench during Monday's game. It'll be
JJ Bleday continuing to start in center field with
Lawrence Butler and
Seth Brown in the corners. Ruiz should get his chance to start everyday at some point, but a bench role certainly hurts his fantasy value right now.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 days agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Tyler Wells (elbow) has been placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. The right-hander will take a few weeks off while he recovers from right elbow inflammation. Wells hasn't looked too good this season with a 5.87 ERA and 1.37 WHIP through three starts. Despite that, Wells is still worth rostering in mixed leagues given his good track record. In a corresponding move, catcher
David Banuelos has been recalled from Triple-A to take the spot on the roster.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Roch Kubatko
7 days agoChicago White Sox starting pitcher
Nick Nastrini will stick in the rotation for at least one more start. The organization has announced that Nastrini will make the start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. The right-hander has earned the chance to stay in the rotation after a solid MLB debut on Monday. The 24-year-old allowed two runs over five innings of work against the Kansas City Royals. He's not a recommended fantasy option against the strong Phillies lineup.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Scott Merkin
7 days agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Justin Verlander (shoulder) is set to make his return from the injured list. The veteran right-hander will make his season debut either Friday or Saturday versus the Washington Nationals. The 41-year-old has been brought along slowly while he recovers from a shoulder injury. He's finally ready to return after having no issues during a recent bullpen outing. It's uncertain if the Astros will have Verlander on a pitch count or limited in some capacity. Regardless, fantasy managers in season-long formats can get him back in their lineups this weekend.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Brian McTaggart
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