6 hours agoToronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider says that closer Jordan Romano (elbow) "didn't bounce back" from his last outing on Wednesday, so he wasn't available for Friday's series opener against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Schneider described it as right elbow soreness for Romano, and the club will know more on Saturday. It needs to be noted that Romano's start to the season was delayed due to a bout with inflammation in the same elbow, so it's not what the Jays or fantasy managers want to hear. The hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander has struggled to a 6.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 13:4 K:BB over 13 2/3 innings this year, so it's fair to wonder if he isn't fully recovered. Yimi Garcia pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a tie ballgame on Friday, and he figures to split save chances with Chad Green if Romano needs to miss additional time. Garcia and Green registered two saves apiece during Romano's absence earlier this year.Source: Scott Mitchell - TSN.ca
6 hours agoSan Francisco Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (elbow) will pitch in an Arizona Complex League game next week as part of his rehab from Tommy John surgery in May of last year. Ray threw live batting practice last weekend after he initially started throwing bullpen sessions during spring training. Slowly but surely, Ray has worked his way back to pitching in games, although he still has a ways to go and probably isn't going to be an option for the Giants' starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. The 32-year-old southpaw, a former 12th-round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2010, was the American League Cy Young in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays and has racked up five 200-strikeout seasons in his 10 MLB seasons. Ray could be even more erratic when he returns in 2024, but the strikeout upside alone makes him worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
6 hours agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Conforto (hamstring) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Sacramento, and shortstop Nick Ahmed (wrist) will join him in Sacramento on Saturday. Both Conforto and Ahmed could rejoin the Giants early next week if they get through their rehab assignments this weekend without any setbacks. Conforto was hitting a solid .280 (40-for-143) with seven home runs and 20 RBI before he suffered a right-hamstring strain on May 11 against the Cincinnati Reds. Conforto will be a lineup regular for the Giants when he returns. Ahmed, meanwhile, was the regular shortstop in San Fran before spraining his left wrist against the Braves on May 9. The 34-year-old vet is more of a defensive asset and was hitting a mere .236 with 11 RBI on the year before his injury.Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
7 hours agoLos Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel (thumb) was scratched from Friday's starting lineup on the road against the division-rival Seattle Mariners with left-thumb soreness. In his place, Willie Calhoun got the start at first base and was hitting cleanup against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, with Matt Thaiss serving as the DH and batting seventh. Until we know more, fantasy managers should consider Schanuel to be day-to-day and check back to see if he's in there on Saturday. The 11th overall pick last year made a quick rise to the majors in 2023, although he hasn't been much of a fantasy option in mixed leagues at first base with limited power on a bad team in Anaheim. If Schanuel's thumb injury ends up sending him to the injured list, both Calhoun and Luis Guillorme would be options for the Halos at first base.Source: Angels PR
10 hours agoThe injury to Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter's back is now being described as a "lumbar spine stress fracture," according to the team's medical report. Carpenter's injury was originally described as lumbar-spine inflammation. It's bad news for the Tigers and fantasy managers, as Carpenter will obviously miss well behind 10 days on the injured list with a pretty significant injury. The 26-year-old doesn't exactly have a timetable for a return, but we wouldn't be surprised if he's not able to return until sometime after the All-Star break. In the meantime with Carpenter out, Akil Baddoo is likely to benefit the most with more playing time. He got the start in left field for Detroit and was batting sixth on Friday against the Boston Red Sox and right-hander Tanner Houck. Before getting hurt, Carpenter had a healthy .283 average with eight homers and 29 RBI in 145 at-bats.Source: MLive - Evan Woodbery
10 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips (hamstring) is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Friday's game. The right-hander is set to make his return after missing time due to a hamstring strain. The expectation is that Phillips is going to slide back into the closer role. Daniel Hudson and Blake Treinen did a solid job covering for Phillips, but they should slide back into set-up roles now. Fantasy managers should make sure to get Phillips off the IL and back in their lineups on Friday.Source: Mike DiGiovanna
10 hours agoCleveland Guardians outfielder Estevan Florial has been designated for assignment by the organization on Friday. This news comes after the team activated fellow outfielder Steven Kwan (hamstring) from the injured list. Florial becomes the odd man out after playing 36 games for Cleveland. During that time, Florial slashed .173/.264/.367, which included three home runs and 11 RBI. Florial was once a top prospect in the New York Yankees organization. He has been unable to establish himself in the big leagues. It remains to be seen if he'll get another shot elsewhere or if he'll remain in the Guardians' system.Source: Sports Illustrated
10 hours agoChicago Cubs shortstop prospect Jefferson Rojas is on pace to have the best minor league season of his career at High-A and is making a strong case to join Double-A Tennessee by the end of the summer. Rojas spent all of last with Single-A and opened this season with High-A Myrtle Beach. Through 42 games, the number seven prospect in the Chicago system has posted a strong .272/.316/.353 line with two home runs, 31 RBI, and an 11:27 BB:K ratio. This is a major improvement compared to the similar 31 RBI and much worse 23:61 BB:K ratio he held across 70 games at Single-A last summer. While Rojas is still several seasons away from his major league debut, he could become a name to monitor when he joins Double-A later this summer.Source: MiLB.com
11 hours agoSan Francisco Giants shortstop Marco Luciano (hamstring) has been placed on the injured list, retroactive to May 30. The 22-year-old sufferd a right hamstring strain during Wednesday's game. At the moment it's unclear how long Luciano is going to be sidelined. In a corresponding move, Casey Schmitt has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. The expectation is that Schmitt and Brett Wisely will see increased playing time with Luciano sidelined.Source: San Francisco Giants
11 hours agoTampa Bay Rays third base prospect Brayden Taylor has produced well in his first look at High-A pitching. Across 41 games this season with High-A Bowling Green, the former TCU product as put up a .252/.395/.469 with six long balls, 20 RBI, and ten stolen bases. In addition, through his past eleven games, he has only gone hitless in two of them. While the former 19th overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft is still several seasons away from the major leagues, it is promising to see him perform well against tougher competition through the early part of the season. The 22-year-old could make a case to join Double-A later this summer, but the Rays may err on the side of caution with their budding star.Source: MiLB.com
11 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (hamstring) has been activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The 31-year-old slugger will make his return to the lineup on Friday. He'll bat sixth and serve as the designated hitter versus right-hander Erick Fedde. This season, Hoskins is slashing .233/.340/.474 with nine home runs and 27 RBI in 38 games. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups with Hoskins back in the mix.Source: mlb.com
11
hours
agoThe
Oakland
Athletics
officially
placed
right-hander
Lucas
Erceg
(forearm)
on
the
15-day
injured
list
(retroactive
to
May
26)
on
Friday
and
recalled
right-hander
Dany
Jimenez
and
left-hander
Brady
Basso
from
Triple-A
Las
Vegasread more...
11 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) is likely to miss an extended period of time. On Friday, Cards manager Oli Marmol told reporters that Nootbaar is dealing with a moderate oblique strain that is expected to force him to miss several weeks. An extended absence usually requires a stint minor league rehab stint as well. Fantasy managers should expect Nootbaar to be out at least a month. In the meantime, Alec Burleson should see increased playing time going forward.Source: John Denton
11 hours agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis (forearm) is currently being considered to take right-hander Alek Manoah's (elbow) next turn in the starting rotation after he was put on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a right-elbow sprain. In Francis' last minor-league rehab outing on Tuesday for Triple-A Buffalo, he picked up the win while giving up an unearned run on one hit while walking one and striking out five in 3 2/3 innings of work. The 28-year-old has been out since late April with forearm tendonitis, but his outing on Tuesday with the Bisons was likely his last before he returns to the big-league roster. Francis will be returning to an ugly 8.59 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings over five appearances (two starts) for Toronto before his injury, but he could be worth a look as a deep-league streamer now that Manoah is out for an extended amount of time.Source: Milb.com
11 hours agoChicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros has looked very comfortable in his first extended look against Double-A pitching and is making a case to join Triple-A Iowa later this summer. After playing in just four games with Double-A Tennessee last summer, Ballesteros has put up a solid .273/.358/.424 line with five home runs, 26 RBI, and an 18:22 BB:K ratio through 42 games this season. The young backstop recently moved into the top-100 ranking on MLB Pipeline in their latest update and could even climb higher as the summer progresses. He is currently projected to reach the Northside of Chicago next season and could very well develop into the future backstop of the franchise.Source: MiLB.com