3 hours agoCleveland Guardians rookie first baseman
Kyle Manzardo is serving as the designated hitter and is batting seventh on Monday in his major-league debut against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander
Jack Flaherty. Cleveland called Manzardo up from Triple-A Columbus to add another bat to their lineup with outfielder
Steven Kwan (hamstring) going on the injured list. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter was done nothing but hit in the minors since coming over in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays last year, and his mix of power potential and plate discipline make him an immediate waiver-wire pickup in at least deep-mixed fantasy leagues with a chance to play every day between DH and first base. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, could stick around after Kwan returns, too. It isn't the best matchup for his big-league debut, though, as Flaherty has so far been dominating hitters in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians outfielder
Steven Kwan (hamstring) is expected to miss four weeks with an acute hamstring strain, according to Mandy Bell of MLB.com. Kwan left Saturday's 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels with hamstring tightness in the top of the fourth inning. However, an MRI revealed a strain for the outfielder, which will cause him to be out for approximately one month. The 26-year-old has been one of the best hitters this season, batting .353 with three home runs, 11 RBI, six doubles, and two triples in 32 games. Fantasy managers should place him in one of their injured list spots and expect a return sometime at the beginning of June.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Mandy Bell
4 hours agoThe Cincinnati Reds optioned left-handed pitcher
Sam Moll to Triple-A Louisville on Monday. Moll has been great out of the bullpen for the Reds in 2024, allowing zero earned runs across five innings since making his season debut in late April. However, with Cincinnati needing a roster spot to officially activate
Frankie Montas (forearm) for Tuesday's start, the southpaw is the odd man out. The left-hander has a career 3.31 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 147 appearances in his MLB career.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Mark Sheldon
4 hours agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique/hamstring) was activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of the team's series opener against the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Lowe has battled through some injuries so far this season and spent most of spring training dealing with an oblique issue. Then, the outfielder felt some hamstring tightness a couple of weeks ago, which delayed his activation. However, the 26-year-old is now healthy enough to make his season debut on Monday. The left-handed slugger should be rostered in all formats heading into Week 7, especially after a breakout campaign in 2023. He hit .292 at the plate with 20 home runs, 83 RBI, and 32 stolen bases across 135 games last season.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Rays
5 hours agoSan Francisco Giants catcher
Tom Murphy (knee) is expected to miss the next four to six weeks with a left knee sprain, according to manager Bob Melvin. Murphy suffered the injury in Saturday's 14-3 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies and now will be out for the next couple of weeks after undergoing an MRI on Sunday. The veteran catcher was hitting just .118 with one home run and two RBI in 13 games this season. With
Patrick Bailey (concussion) also on the injured list, look for
Blake Sabol to get more opportunities behind the plate.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Maria Guardado
5 hours agoSan Francisco Giants designated hitter
Jorge Soler (shoulder) is not in the lineup for the team's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. Soler is currently battling a shoulder issue, which also kept him out of action in Sunday's 5-4 loss. The slugger's shoulder injury doesn't appear to be a long-term issue. However, fantasy managers should keep an eye on his status before Tuesday's game. The 32-year-old has gotten off to a slow start at the plate in 2024, hitting just .202 with five home runs and eight RBI in 34 games.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Maria Guardado
6 hours agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander
Logan Webb had another rough outing Sunday in the 5-4 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies. Webb threw for four innings on Sunday, allowing five runs, one homer, and six hits, with six strikeouts and two walks. This makes it his second straight game where he was pulled early after allowing multiple runs. The 27-year-old right-handed pitcher recorded two clean starts before the Boston Red Sox series but has taken a turn for the worst. He now owns a 3.50 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and a 36: 12 K: BB across 46 1/3 innings in 2024. Webb's next projected start is against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, and they hold a batting average of .210 against right-handed pitchers, giving Webb a perfect bounce-back spot as a streaming option for fantasy managers.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
6 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman
Bryce Harper hit a three-run homer Sunday in the 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Harper went 1-for-3, with his only hit being the three-run homer off
Logan Webb in the third inning. He is hitting .234 (26-for-111) with five doubles, seven homers, 17 runs, 21 RBI, 24 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 31 games. Fantasy managers should continue to roll with Harper, and he will have favorable matchups in Week 7, facing the Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and ending it against the Miami Marlins.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoTexas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said on Saturday that right-hander
Max Scherzer (back, thumb) is still in a holding pattern until his right-thumb soreness subsides. The Rangers pushed Scherzer's scheduled minor-league rehab start for Double-A Frisco on April 30 back a few days because of his thumb soreness. He traveled with the team to Kansas City on Friday but has yet to throw off a mound since being pushed back. "He's not at a point where he can play catch. Every day he's getting a bit better, but it's slower than he would like. You can't rush it. It's day to day with this thing before he gets on the mound," Bochy said. Scherzer was originally slated to return in late June/early July after having surgery on his back for a herniated disc on Dec. 15, but his timeline has accelerated and he should be able to rejoin Texas' rotation in May, barring any further setbacks.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi (groin), who was placed on the 15-day injured list after leaving his start last Thursday with a right-groin strain, isn't expected to be on the IL for long or need a minor-league rehab assignment once he's able to return. "He's feeling pretty good. We're optimistic this will be a short little stint on the IL. We are just making sure we are covering all the bases," manager Bruce Bochy said. It's great news for the Rangers and Eovaldi's fantasy managers. The veteran hurler needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats after he's started the season with a 2-2 record with a 2.61 ERA in his seven starts. Until Eovaldi returns, there's a chance pitching prospect
Jack Leiter will take his spot in Texas' starting rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 hours agoSeattle Mariners right-hander
George Kirby (knee) has been cleared to make his next start this Wednesday to face the Twins in Minnesota. Kirby threw 88 pitches in his most recent start last Friday against the Houston Astros but dealt with a right-knee injury, which put him up in the air to make his next start. Apparently the 26-year-old's injury isn't serious enough to keep him from taking his next turn in Seattle's rotation, but fantasy managers may want to be a little extra careful when deploying him against a Twins team that just had their 12-game winning streak snapped on Sunday by the Boston Red Sox. Kirby has been good in his seven starts so far in 2024, going 3-2 with a 3.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings, so fantasy managers in most single-year leagues will probably want to keep him in their starting lineups.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoCincinnati Reds right-hander
Frankie Montas (forearm) is listed as the team's starter for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. It appears Montas will be activated from the injured list to make his return to Cincy's starting rotation on Tuesday. He's been on the IL since April 22 with a right-forearm issue and threw a couple of bullpen sessions last week. The fact that he didn't make any minor-league rehab starts before being thrown back into the fire should make fantasy managers hesitant to throw him back into their starting lineups immediately, especially against an Arizona offense that currently ranks 12th in baseball with a .714 OPS. The 31-year-old is attempting to bounce back from injuries the last two years and has so far gone 2-2 with the Reds with a 4.19 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 14 K's in 19 1/3 innings over five starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Dean Kremer struck out six in a dominating fashion on Sunday in the 11-1 win against the Cincinnati Reds. Kremer continued racking up the strikeouts while recording his third-straight win, moving to 3-2 on the season. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out six. Kremer holds a 3.57 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 37:11 K: BB in seven starts. Since getting torched for eight runs by the Brewers on April 13, Kremer has bounced back and allowed seven runs (2.63 ERA) over his previous four starts (24 innings). The 28-year-old next projected start is against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have had more difficulties against right-handed pitchers this season, making Kremer a solid streamer in most league formats.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
7 hours agoKansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (calf) is slated to make his next start on Monday against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Ragans dealt with cramping in his left calf in his most recent start last Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays after throwing 6 2/3 innings. It was obviously just a minor injury, and the 26-year-old southpaw is ready to go for his next turn through KC's rotation. With a two-start week on tap, fantasy managers are going to want to lock Ragans into their starting lineups this week despite coming off an injury in his last start. He's set to face the Los Angeles Angels this Saturday. Ragans is currently 2-2 with a 3.44 ERA and 1.36 WHIP while walking 13 and striking out 46 in 36 2/3 innings over his first seven starts of the season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Chris Martin (shoulder) hasn't pitched since last Wednesday and is a candidate to land on the injured list this week because of lingering soreness in his left shoulder. The Red Sox are concerned the injury will alter his mechanics and lead to issues with his right throwing arm. The good news is that the 37-year-old's injury isn't to his throwing arm, but nevertheless, he may be forced to miss a couple of weeks. The Red Sox have a scheduled day off on Monday, so if Martin does go on the IL, that move will likely come on Tuesday before the series opener against the Braves in Atlanta. Martin has so far gone 1-1 on the season with a 5.11 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 13 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings out of Boston's bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Pete Abraham
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