6 days agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Reynaldo Lopez didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Marlins but pitched another great game, throwing seven strong innings while allowing just one run on three hits (one home run) and a 2:6 BB:K. That makes four straight quality starts to begin the season and the 30-year-old has stepped up big at a time when the Braves needed it after
Spencer Strider was lost for the year and
Max Fried got off to a rough start. The 30-year-old hasn't been a regular starter since 2019 when he made 33 starts for the Chicago White Sox, but he looks the part so far in 2024 with a 0.72 ERA (2.71 FIP), 0.88 WHIP, and a 17.4% K-BB% in 25 IP. His next start lines up Tuesday in Seattle, the team that currently has the highest amount of strikeouts per game this season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoBoston Red Sox catcher
Connor Wong went 4-for-4 with two home runs in Wednesday's 8-0 win over the Guardians. Wong also was hit by a pitch in the game, making it a perfect 5-for-5 at getting on base. In addition to the two home runs, Wong also had a pair of singles, drove in three runs, and scored twice. Wong's batting average is now up to .370 on the season, with five home runs (all in his last 10 games), 11 RBI, and seven runs scored. The backstop doesn't draw many walks, however, with just one walk compared to 15 strikeouts so far this season. Regardless, he ranks as the seventh-highest scoring catcher in Yahoo leagues as of now, so is certainly a useful fantasy asset, although the 27-year-old has been splitting time with
Reese McGuire to start the year. McGuire is getting the start in Thursday's day game against the Guardians.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoTampa Bay Rays reliever
Garrett Cleavinger picked up his second save in four days in Wednesday's 7-5 victory over the Tigers. With closer
Pete Fairbanks on the IL, Cleavinger has been used to close out games and has
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6 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Landon Knack earned his first career win on Wednesday in an 11-2 victory over the Nationals. The righty made his first career start against these same Nationals last week but came away with the loss despite pitching well. This time, the 26-year-old went six innings, allowing just three hits (one home run) while walking three batters and striking out five on his way to the win. With
Walker Buehler nearing his return, however, Knack likely heads back to the minors. If these two starts were any indication though, he could be a viable DFS play or streaming option if he were recalled again, depending on the matchup.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoChicago White Sox pitching prospect
Drew Thorpe improved to 4-0 on Wednesday for Double-A Birmingham. Thorpe tossed six innings and allowed one run, one walk and struck out three on the evening. Thorpe's strong outing improved his ERA to a miniscule 0.75 on the season. Thorpe, 23, was a popular name this offseason as he was first traded by the San Diego Padres in the
Juan Soto deal and then dealt to the White Sox when they acquired
Dylan Cease. Regardless, Thorpe hasn't let the switching of homes deter him from dominating on the mound. Thorpe is behind fellow pitching prospect
Noah Schultz as far as pitching rankings go, but he looks more ready for the big-leagues with Schultz still in High-A. Thorpe should get an opportunity at some point for an embarrassing White Sox club, but don't expect many wins when that happens. Outside of dynasty leagues, Thorpe can be avoided.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
6 days agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Brennen Davis went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday. His home run came off
Alek Manoah in the top of the third inning. This was the outfielders first game in Iowa this season after returning from an arm injury that he suffered in spring training. Davis, 24, has slowly dropped from the Cubs top prospect over the past few seasons and injuries have been a big reason as he likely would have made his debut sometime in the past two seasons. Davis offers good power potential, but the Cubs have already promoted outfield prospects
Alexander Canario and
Pete Crow-Armstrong, so for now Davis will continue to swing the bat for Iowa. Outside of deeper dynasty leagues, Davis can be ignored for now.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
6 days agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Yanquiel Fernandez went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in Wednesday's contest for Double-A Hartford. The home run for Cuban was absolutely crushed and marked his second of the season. The 21-year-old is a consensus Top-100 prospect is now hitting .243 with 12 RBI on the season. Fernandez is a very aggressive hitter, but he makes good contact and is only beginning to tap into his power potential, which should play very well in his future home of Coors Field. It is unlikely that Fernandez will make his big-league debut in 2024, but it is realistic that 2025 could be a big year for him. The Rockies do not have much to be excited about at the big-league club, but Fernandez offers excitement for patient fans. He should be rostered in dynasty leagues and redraft managers should file his name away for the future.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB Pipeline
6 days agoPittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect
Paul Skenes proved he was human on Wednesday when he gave up his first run of the season. Last year's first overall tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed five hits, two runs (one earned), one walk and struck out seven. Skenes, 21, continues to be as advertised and now have a 0.53 ERA with 34 strikeouts in just 17 innings. The right-hander is one of the top prospects in the game and doesn't have much left to prove, but the Pirates are going to be extra cautious with their future ace before taking the training wheels off and promoting him to the big-league. Skenes is worth stashing ahead of time in most leagues.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
6 days agoHouston Astros outfield prospect
Joey Loperfido continued his dominant season for Triple-A Sugar Land by going 3-for-5 with three runs and two solo home runs on Wednesday. The homers were Nos. 11 and 12, and by doing so, Loperfido tied a Triple-A record with
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6 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Whitlock (oblique) still hasn't been cleared to throw off a mound yet. Although Whitlock played catch on Saturday, fantasy managers should not be expecting him to be activated from the 15-day injured list when first eligible on May 1 at the pace he's progressing through his throwing program. The 27-year-old right-hander left with a strained left oblique in April 16's start versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians, and his 1.96 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 17 strikeouts through 18 1/3 innings (four starts) for the BoSox make him a worthwhile stash in all mixed fantasy leagues. Boston will likely turn to a heavy dose of openers and long relievers until some of their arms return to their injury-depleted rotation. After throwing five scoreless innings in Wednesday's win over Cleveland, right-hander
Cooper Criswell might get himself into streaming conversations in the proper matchups.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (back) made his first appearance of 2024 in Wednesday's minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock, surrendering three runs on five hits (two home runs) with four punchouts. The long ball plagued Scherzer a year ago as well, serving up 28 homers over 27 starts, so fantasy managers hope he's getting those issues out of his system before he rejoins the major-league roster. With Scherzer's target being an early-May return to Texas' rotation after offseason back surgery, he appears likely to make at least two more rehab starts before becoming available to fantasy managers. Even so, the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer has a chance to crush the late-round ADP he carried in the spring due to concerns he'd be out until midseason. Last season, Scherzer recorded a rock-solid 3.20 ERA (3.41 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, and 53:15 K:BB over 45 frames (eight starts) after joining the Rangers.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 days agoBaltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde says the team is discussing whether starting pitcher
John Means' (forearm) next start will come in Triple-A Norfolk or for the major-league club. The O's don't have a starter scheduled for Sunday's series finale versus the visiting Oakland Athletics, so there's a chance Means makes his 2024 regular-season debut in that one. While the 31-year-old left-hander struggled mightily with a 13.89 ERA, 2.31 WHIP, and 14:6 K:BB over 11 2/3 innings (five starts) during his minor-league rehab assignment, a matchup at home against the lowly A's would certainly put him on the streaming radar right off the bat in fantasy leagues. Means is on the mend from a strained left forearm, but if he needs one last rehab appearance, veteran right-hander
Albert Suarez has fired 11 1/3 scoreless frames with nine strikeouts in two starts for Baltimore and would get the ball on Sunday instead.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Andy Kostka - The Baltimore Banner
6 days agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher
Hector Neris got the call in Wednesday's save situation against the visiting Houston Astros, allowing a run but holding on to safeguard the 3-2 win. After Neris relieved setup man
Mark Leiter Jr.,
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6 days agoUpdating a previous report, Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that X-rays came back negative on right-hander
Alec Marsh (elbow, forearm) after he was forced to leave his start early on Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays when he was hit by a comebacker on his right elbow/forearm in the fifth inning. Marsh was in a lot of pain initially, but the feeling came back in his arm quickly after he was pulled. "We feel like we got pretty lucky. Everything is good. X-rays are negative," Quatraro said. The 25-year-old could still be forced to miss his next scheduled start on Monday against these same Blue Jays, but it's obviously good news he avoided any kind of fracture in his arm. Before leaving on Wednesday, Marsh tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings with two hits allowed, two walks and only one strikeout to drop his season ERA to a strong 2.70.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Joel Goldberg
6 days agoKansas City Royals closer
James McArthur continued cementing his status atop the club's bullpen hierarchy in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, collecting his sixth save of the season after fanning two hitters in a clean ninth inning to preserve the victory. McArthur was summoned to sit down the lower part of Toronto's batting order and made the game a bit interesting by letting pinch-hitter
Justin Turner reach on a single to get the tying run aboard, but he prevented things from getting out of hand. The big 27-year-old right-hander is starting to leave veteran
William Smith in the dust when it comes to handling save opportunities for the Royals going forward, as he's now rattled off eight consecutive scoreless appearances while going 6-for-6 on save chances over his last 9 2/3 frames since April 5. There's no reason for McArthur to be on any fantasy waiver wires at this point.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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