8 hours agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Jesus Luzardo (elbow) is scheduled to make a minor-league rehab start with Single-A Jupiter on Sunday in Port St Lucie. After tossing 22 pitches in Thursday's bullpen session, Luzardo has a target of four innings and 60 pitches for Sunday's appearance as he works his way back from tightness in his left elbow. Assuming all goes well there, and he only needs one outing in the minors before rejoining Miami's rotation, Luzardo is a candidate to start at some point during next weekend's three-game series at home versus the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. With the 26-year-old former top prospect struggling to a 6.58 ERA and 1.42 WHIP while fanning 27 batters and walking 13 through 26 innings (five starts) for the Fish this season, Luzardo would be a risky fantasy play across the board if he faces this difficult matchup for his first start back.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
9 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Christian Yelich's (back) goal is to return to play before the end of the team's current road trip, which runs until Wednesday's series finale against the Kansas City Royals. Yelich had already been doing better running and throwing before having his best session yet swinging the bat in the cage before Friday's game versus the division-rival Chicago Cubs, giving him a chance to re-enter Milwaukee's lineup in the middle of next week. A strained lower back has kept Yelich on the shelf since mid-April, but the 32-year-old star outfielder is returning first-round value on a .333/.422/.744 triple-slash line with five home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases in 46 plate appearances (11 games) this year. Until Yelich returns, the switch-hitting
Blake Perkins is worth a look for fantasy managers in NL-only leagues for his decent power/speed combination.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoHeading into Friday night's series opener against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, San Diego Padres second baseman
Xander Bogaerts was hitting just .217/.284/.287 with two home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 141 plate appearances over 32 games. The Friars made a big trade to acquire second baseman
Luis Arraez from the Marlins on Friday night, but Bogaerts, who is a superior defender, should remain as the starter at second moving forward. But the 31-year-old four-time All-Star will likely drop further down the batting order with the addition of Arraez. Bogaerts managed to hit 19 homers and steal 19 bases in his first year in SD in 2023, but a lot more was expected from him after he signed an 11-year, $280 million deal last offseason. He's going to need to start making more consistent hard contact at the plate to turn around his slow start now that the calendar has flipped to May.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
10 hours agoThe Miami Marlins sent All-Star second baseman
Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres on Friday night in exchange for outfield prospects
Dillon Head,
Jakob Marsee and
Nathan Martorella, and relief pitcher
read more...
10 hours agoThe Miami Marlins traded second baseman
Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for relief pitcher
Woo-Suk Go and three prospects on Friday. The prospects are outfielder
Dillon Head, outfielder
read more...
10 hours agoColorado Rockies third baseman
Ryan McMahon went 2-for-5 and hit a solo shot in the Rockies' 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. The solo shot was McMahon's fifth homer of the season, and he's now hitting for a .920 OPS on the season. This would be the best mark of the lefty's career. Fantasy managers weary of starting McMahon on the road should note that the 29-year-old is hitting for a higher OPS on the road (.956) than he is at Coors Field (.878). That may be put to the test on Saturday, though, as McMahon gets a matchup against dominant Pirates rookie
Jared Jones.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoChicago Cubs third baseman
Christopher Morel went 1-for-4 and smashed a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning against Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Joe Ross in the Cubs' 3-1 loss on Friday. Morel's sixth homer of the season, and second in as many games, gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead at the time. The 24-year-old now has a .689 OPS on the season. Morel is hitting below his 2023 levels, but a .295 wOBA with a .338 xwOBA point towards some positive regression for the righty. He will get a matchup against Brewers rookie
Tobias Myers on Saturday.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Hayden Wesneski recorded eight strikeouts and gave up no runs in 6 1/3 innings pitched in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The eight strikeouts matched a career-high for Wesneski, who was recently called up. The 26-year-old has been used in both the bullpen and as a starter in his career, but he has now made two starts in a row for the Cubs. Wesneski may make a decent bench option for fantasy managers needing help in deeper leagues, but he could be bumped from the rotation when
Justin Steele (hamstring) returns from the injured list next week. Wesneski's next scheduled start is Wednesday, May 8, against the San Diego Padres.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers designated hitter
Shohei Ohtani is back in the Dodgers' lineup and batting second on Friday night after sitting vs Arizona Diamondbacks lefty
Jordan Montgomery on Wednesday night. It marked Ohtani's first day off of the 2024 season. The lefty gets a matchup against Atlanta Braves right-hander
Charlie Morton, who's posting up another solid season with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Ohtani is one-for-seven in his career against Morton and has struck out against the veteran in three of those at-bats. Fantasy managers should keep Ohtani in their lineups, but there may be sneakier options with cheaper costs in the late slate for DFS players.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
11 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner (hamstring) was removed from Friday's game early against the San Francisco Giants with left-hamstring soreness. Turner was removed prior to the top of the fifth inning after scoring from second base on a passed ball that resulted in a walk to
Bryce Harper in the bottom of the fourth. The 30-year-old was replaced by
Edmundo Sosa after going 2-for-3 at the plate and scoring a run. Should Turner be forced to miss any time, Sosa would be the likely starter at shortstop. With just hamstring soreness, Turner should be expected to be day-to-day until the soreness subsides.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Matt Gelb
12 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Bobby Miller (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Friday, but manager Dave Roberts was unsure how many bullpens Miller will need before he's cleared to face live hitters. However, the skipper said Miller can ramp up quickly once that starts. The 25-year-old is trying to work his way back from right-shoulder inflammation that landed him on the injured list on April 13. Friday was the first time that Miller has thrown off a mound, so it's a notable step in his recovery. The former 29th overall pick in 2020 out of Louisville has a 5.40 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in his first three starts in 2024, but his elite strikeout upside makes him stash-worthy in all fantasy formats. Miller struck out 18 and walked just six in 11 2/3 innings over his first three outings before going on the shelf.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
12 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) threw his first bullpen session post-surgery on Friday, according to manager Dave Roberts. Kershaw threw only 15 pitches in the session, but it's notable progress for the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer after he underwent left-shoulder surgery in the offseason. He still has a ways to go in his recovery, but Roberts said Kershaw "came out well" from the bullpen session. Fantasy managers stashing Kershaw in deeper leagues will need to remain patient, as the three-time Cy Young winner isn't expected to return to LA's big-league starting rotation until around the All-Star break in July. The 10-time All-Star is no longer at his peak, but he still went 13-5 last year with a 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 24 starts when he was healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
13 hours agoThe Toronto Blue Jays optioned third baseman/outfielder
Addison Barger to Triple-A Buffalo on Friday and recalled outfielder
Nathan Lukes in a corresponding move. Barger, the team's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, didn't fare well in his first taste of big-league pitching, so he'll go back to the minors and work on his craft before potentially helping the Blue Jays as a utility option later in the year. In his first 18 major-league at-bats, the 24-year-old former sixth-rounder in 2018 had just one hit, a run scored, no walks and six strikeouts in five games played. Barger certainly has the look of a major-leaguer and is a physical specimen at 6-foot, 210 pounds, but he has some work to do before he's an option for fantasy managers outside of dynasty/keeper formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
13 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that outfielder
Alek Thomas (hamstring) is expected to come off the injured list and be back with the team at the start of the team's road trip to Cincinnati against the Reds that starts on Tuesday. Thomas is serving as the designated hitter on a minor-league rehab assignment for Triple-A Reno on Friday, so as long as he doesn't have a setback with his strained left hamstring over the weekend, he'll be back with the Snakes next week. The 24-year-old is more valuable to Arizona on defense in center field than he's been with his bat, as he's hit just .230/.273/.362 with 18 home runs, 82 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 242 games at the big-league level since debuting in 2022. When Thomas returns, it will mean less playing time for the likes of
Pavin Smith and
Jake McCarthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - John Gambadoro
13 hours agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Joey Gallo (shoulder) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Low-A Fredericksburg on Saturday. Gallo will return to live games after recently landing on the injured list due to a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. If the 30-year-old left-handed slugger can avoid a setback with his shoulder, he could be off the injured list and back with the Nationals by early next week. Gallo still has plenty of power and is a lineup regular for the Nats when healthy, but it's hard to ignore his low batting average and swings and misses. Before going on the shelf, Gallo was sporting a .122/.286/.311 slash line with three home runs, five RBI, one stolen base and eight runs scored in 74 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Washington Post - Andrew Golden
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