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.Source: 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 aread more...
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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: 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.Source: Nick Piecoro - The Arizona Republic
7 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (elbow) is going to test his arm and play catch on Saturday. After Pivetta was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his right elbow on Tuesday, it's encouraging to hear he's ready to resume throwing. The 31-year-old right-hander was off to a spectacular start before the Red Sox shut him down, striking out 13 over 11 innings while surrendering only one run and one walk in two starts. Pivetta has a chance to return before April ends, but it remains to be seen if he'll require a rehab assignment before doing so. It's unclear who will join the club's rotation in the interim, as Boston still hasn't formally listed a probable pitcher for Saturday's matchup versus the visiting Los Angeles Angels, so there isn't a clear fantasy beneficiary of Pivetta's absence.Source: Jen McCaffrey - The Athletic
7 days agoMinnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said following Friday's loss to the Detroit Tigers that shortstop Carlos Correa (oblique) is expected to wind up on the injured list. Correa is heading for imaging after suffering a strained right oblique on Friday against the Tigers,read more...
7 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler's (elbow) third minor-league rehab start on Friday was cut short after he was struck in the right hand by a comebacker. Buehler threw only two innings before departing, but it sounds like his exit was a precautionary measure. This could have been Buehler's last rehab start on his way back from Tommy John surgery, but the Dodgers may now want him to get one final tune-up appearance before rejoining the rotation following such a long layoff. The 29-year-old All-Star right-hander should still be able to return by late April and obviously needs to be stashed in all fantasy leagues at this point. Who comes out of LA's rotation upon Buehler's comeback remains a question mark, but Ryan Yarbrough's 3.29 ERA and 1.02 WHIP through four starts may give him the upper hand over Gavin Stone's 9.00 ERA and 2.13 WHIP over his two appearances.Source: Mike DiGiovanna - Los Angeles Times
7 days agoMinnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (oblique) exited early in Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers with a right oblique strain. Correa grabbed his right side after striking out during his second at-bat in the top of the third inning. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before exiting. The severity of Correa's injury is unknown at this time, and he is considered day-to-day. Willi Castro replaced him in Friday's game. Considering Correa is dealing with an oblique injury, the veteran shortstop could likely land on the injured list. Kyle Farmer should see an uptick in playing time while Correa is sidelined. Farmer is off to a slow start this season and has yet to collect a hit over 18 plate appearances in seven games in 2024. The 33-year-old is a speculative add in deep-league formats if Correa is forced to miss any time.Source: Dan Hayes