3 hours agoWith Chicago White Sox left-hander
Garrett Crochet opposing them on Monday in the series opener, the Minnesota Twins are resting second baseman
Edouard Julien and outfielders
Alex Kirilloff,
Trevor Larnach and
Max Kepler, who all hit from the left side. As a result,
Ryan Jeffers is serving as the designated hitter and batting leadoff,
Kyle Farmer is playing second base and hitting ninth,
Manuel Margot is in right field and is batting fifth, and
Willi Castro is in left field and is hitting seventh against Crochet. Castro notably has a homer and three RBI against Crochet in his career, albeit in just four at-bats. Jeffers will be a sneaky DFS play out of the leadoff spot, as he's gotten off to a .305 average (25-for-82) with five home runs and 17 RBI in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minnesota Twins
3 hours agoNew York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga (shoulder) faced live hitters on Monday for the first time since February, when he was diagnosed with a strained right shoulder capsule. Senga said he'll need to throw to live hitters two more times before going on a minor-league rehab assignment. "As long as things keep going well, I think I'll be back right around [May 27]," Senga said through an interpreter. It's something to look forward to for fantasy managers that have been stashing the 31-year-old hurler since drafting him this spring. When healthy, Senga will be New York's ace after the Japanese pitcher went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA (3.63 FIP) and 1.22 WHIP with 77 walks and 202 strikeouts in 29 starts in his first MLB season last year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
3 hours agoNew York Mets third baseman
Brett Baty is on the bench on Monday against the visiting Chicago Cubs. Baty will take a seat against Cubs right-hander
Jameson Taillon in favor of
Mark Vientos, who hit a walk-off home run to help the club beat the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Vientos is hitting seventh for the Mets on Monday. Baty is also slumping, going 3-for-25 in his last nine games to drop his season line to .256/.322/.317 in his first 82 at-bats. The 24-year-old has added just one home run, nine RBI and nine runs scored. Vientos, who made his season debut with the Mets over the weekend, went 3-for-4 with the game-winning home run and two RBI in his first two games played. It's been a nice start, but playing time is going to be hard to come by for Vientos as long as
J.D. Martinez stays healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 hours agoToronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette is getting a day off on Monday against the visiting Kansas City Royals. With Bichette getting a blow,
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is starting at shortstop and is hitting eighth against Royals right-hander
Jonathan Bowlan. Rookie
Addison Barger will play third base and bat in the nine-hole for Toronto. It's a good time for the 26-year-old Bichette to take a day off, as he has just one hit in 18 at-bats in his last five games to drop his season slash line to .210/.263/.305 with just one home run and 10 RBI in 105 at-bats. Kiner-Falefa will be a pretty mediocre, low-upside DFS option on Monday against the Royals. The 29-year-old has never faced Bowlan and is hitting .240 (18-for-75) on the year with a homer, six RBI and two stolen bases.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Toronto Blue Jays
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles outfield prospect
Heston Kjerstad is not in the starting lineup yet again on Monday as the team takes on the visiting New York Yankees at Camden Yards. This will be the fifth straight game that Kjerstad is not in the O's starting lineup after he started the first two contests following his promotion from Triple-A Norfolk. If this continues to be the case, don't be surprised if the Orioles send the 25-year-old left-handed hitter back to the minors so that he can play every day. The former second overall pick in 2020 out of Arkansas has gone hitless in his first five major-league at-bats with three strikeouts. It's been hard for manager Brandon Hyde to find Kjerstad consistent playing time with
Colton Cowser playing so well.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 hours agoBaltimore Orioles infielder
Jordan Westburg (illness) is back in the starting lineup on Monday against the visiting New York Yankees after missing the series finale on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics with a stomach illness. Westburg is starting at second base and batting seventh against Yankees right-hander
Clarke Schmidt. Fantasy managers will want to get the 25-year-old back into all starting fantasy lineups, as he's hit a strong .304/.360/.543 on the year with a .903 OPS, five home runs, 19 RBI and four stolen bases in 92 at-bats over his first 25 games played. Westburg isn't as attractive in DFS formats in the seven-hole. He has one hit in his two career at-bats against Schmidt.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera will not start in the team's series opener against the Detroit Tigers. With
Willson Contreras starting behind the plate and
Paul Goldschmidt starting as the designated hitter, Herrera will take a sit for the second time in three days. The young catcher was off to a hot start at the plate but has since cooled down. He is hitless over his last 15 at-bats with six strikeouts. The 23-year-old doesn't have much fantasy value right now, considering he is behind Contreras on the depth chart. So, he is likely only a fantasy option in extremely deep formats.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez will return to the lineup and hit fourth on Monday against the Chicago Cubs. After coming off the bench in Sunday's 4-2 extra-innings win and flying out in a pinch-hit at-bat in the ninth inning, the veteran will start in the Mets' series opener. Martinez got a late start to the season after signing with New York in late March and dealing with a back issue a couple of weeks ago. However, he officially made his season debut on Friday, where he went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one double. Expect the 36-year-old to take some days off here and there over the next few weeks since he didn't have a spring training. Nonetheless, he's a player whom fantasy managers should be looking to pick up in fantasy, given his potential to hit 25-30 home runs atop the Mets' lineup.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Nolan Jones (back) is likely headed to the 10-day injured list, according to Luke Zahlmann of the Denver Gazette. Jones has been dealing with a back issue for a couple of days now but played through it on Saturday and Sunday in Mexico City. However, the 25-year-old exited Sunday's game early due to back stiffness and appears to be headed to the IL. The young outfielder is off to a rough start in 2024, hitting just .170 at the plate with one home run, seven RBI, and two stolen bases. In his place, the Rockies are expected to call up their No. 4 prospect, outfielder
Jordan Beck.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Luke Zahlmann
5 hours agoSan Francisco Giants designated hitter
Jorge Soler had a rough go Sunday in the 3-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Soler couldn't connect at the plate, striking out all three times. He continues to struggle at the plate, hitting .171 (6-for-35) with four runs, three RBI, two homers, three walks, and 13 strikeouts in his last 10 games. He's slashing .216/.314/.402 with four doubles, 14 RBI, 14 runs, five homers, 14 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 29 games this season. Fantasy managers should continue to bench Soler until he can turn things around at the plate.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 hours agoAccording to Luke Zahlmann of the Denver Gazette, the Colorado Rockies could call up outfielder
Jordan Beck, the team's No. 4 prospect on MLB Pipeline, ahead of their three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. The expectation is that the young outfielder would replace
Nolan Jones (back) -- who could be headed to the injured list with a back issue -- on the active roster. Beck has gotten off to a hot start at Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .307 with five home runs and 28 RBI through 25 games. His promotion would be his MLB debut after being drafted 38th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft. If he officially gets called up on Tuesday, the outfielder would be someone to keep an eye on in fantasy due to his quick ascension to the majors.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Luke Zahlmann
5 hours agoThe New York Yankees placed outfielder
Alex Verdugo on the paternity list ahead of their four-game set against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday. Verdugo will now miss between one to three games as he welcomes a new baby into the world. That means the latest we can expect the left-handed slugger back is Thursday in the team's series finale. The Yankees will surely miss his bat in the lineup for the next couple of days, considering he is hitting .267 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and six doubles through 29 games this year. But he should be back later this week for your fantasy teams. In his place, New York called up catcher
Carlos Narvaez.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: New York Yankees
5 hours agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton was a part of the scoring action Sunday in the 11-5 win against the Los Angeles Angels. Buxton went 1-for-4 with three runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. He has now connected with at least one hit in eight games out of his last 10. Buxton is hitting .244 (21-for-86) on the season with seven doubles, one triple, one homer, 10 runs, 11 RBI, two walks, and 31 strikeouts across 92 plate appearances in 2024. The strikeouts have been a concern for Buxton but his overall consistency at the plate makes him a solid starter for fantasy managers. The Twins will face the Chicago White Sox to start the week with a three-game series for the 30-year-old outfielder.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 hours agoTampa Bay Rays second baseman
Jose Caballero is slashing .264/.292/.407 with five doubles, one triple, two homers, 12 RBI, 12 runs, one walk, nine stolen bases, and 23 strikeouts across 26 games in 2024. The 27-year-old has elite speed, and his nine steals are sixth in the majors. Before getting the day off on Sunday against the White Sox, he started the previous 12 games and hit .217 (10-for-46) with two doubles, one triple, six RBI, five runs, one homer, one walk, and 13 strikeouts. He remains a solid starter for fantasy managers as he continues to find ways to get on base, but the strikeouts compared to his walks may be something to monitor throughout the season. Caballero will look to continue his solid production on Monday in a tough matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.Com
6 hours agoTampa Bay Rays shortstop
Amed Rosario struggled in Sunday's 4-2 loss against the Chicago White Sox. Rosario went 1-for-4 with one strikeout and a hit-by-pitch to end a tough weekend series. The Rays shortstop went 2-for-12 (.167) with one RBI, one run, two walks, and three strikeouts in the three games against the White Sox. He has been a solid starter for fantasy managers this season, though, hitting .320 (31-for-97) with five doubles, one triple, 13 RBI, eight runs, two homers, 13 walks, and fourteen strikeouts in 26 starts. He'll kick the week off with a tough matchup versus Milwaukee, but his fantasy upside remains high and desirable for managers.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
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