10 hours agoBoston Red Sox catcher
Connor Wong continued his hot start to the season in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two doubles. Wong most notably doubled in a run on a sharp line drive that brought around
Wilyer Abreu for an insurance score in the seventh inning. The 27-year-old backstop is tearing the cover off the ball to begin the campaign, batting .366 (26-for-71) with five home runs, three doubles, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored in 21 games as Boston's primary catcher. Wong is worth a look for fantasy managers in two-catcher leagues while he's rolling ahead of a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins starting on Friday, but the wheels will likely come off a bit at some point. In six games versus the Twins last season, Wong hit .250 (5-for-20) with three RBI, and three runs scored.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks have called up 2019 first-round draft pick
Blake Walston. The left-handed pitcher is expected to provide depth to the bullpen, which he was able to do in Wednesday's 8-0 loss to the Dodgers. The 22-year-old's debut was a mixed bag, tossing three-and-two-thirds in relief of starter
Jordan Montgomery. He walked four batters but was able to strike out five Dodgers as well, giving up three hits and two earned runs during the outing. He's off the radar for season-long fantasy, but if he were able to earn a spot start (he's worked predominantly as a starter in the minors) he could be a potential DFS option depending on the matchup.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
11 hours agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga continued his seamless transition to the major leagues in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the New York Mets, firing a career-high seven scoreless innings on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts for his fifth win of the season. Imanaga was magnificent once again on Wednesday, scattering three singles and getting just enough run support via a
Pete Crow-Armstrong sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. The 30-year-old Japanese import has been nearly unstoppable over his first six starts of the campaign, toting an MLB-best 0.78 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 35:4 K:BB across 34 2/3 frames to begin his MLB career. All eyes will be on Imanaga when he toes the rubber in his next scheduled start on Monday during a difficult assignment against the San Diego Padres and fellow Japanese hurler
Yu Darvish at Wrigley Field. The Padres rank second in baseball with 163 runs scored through 34 games.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates second baseman prospect
Nick Gonzales has been doing all he can for Triple-A Indianapolis to earn another promotion to the big league club. The 24-year-old is now batting .374, which is the second-highest batting average in all of Triple-A behind only 33-year-old teammate
Jake Lamb, and Gonzales leads the circuit with 12 doubles.
Jared Triolo is the Pirates' current second baseman but is batting just .216 on the season and only .152 over his last 14 games (7-for-46 including one double and zero HR). The Pirates just dropped three in a row to the Athletics after scoring three total runs in the three-game series, so if they are looking for offense then they should look no further than Gonzales. The former first-round draft pick hit just .209 during his cup of coffee with the big league club in 2023, but he's shown an improved K% in the minors this season (18.3%) which is another sign he's ready for another shot.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
11 hours agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher
Patrick Sandoval tallied 10 strikeouts in Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, tossing five innings of two-run ball on four hits and two walks en route to a loss. It was Sandoval's first game with double-digit punchouts since 2022, but
Kyle Schwarber's two-run single in the second inning proved to be enough to saddle the hurler with a loss on a day the Phillies struck out 18 times. The 27-year-old southpaw will take an underwhelming 5.91 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and 38:16 K:BB over 32 frames (seven starts) for the Halos into in his next scheduled appearance on Tuesday on the road against the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates, who are scoring just 2.4 runs per game over their last 21 contests.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoCincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder
Spencer Steer got the scoring started in Wednesday's 6-2 loss on the road to the San Diego Padres, smashing his fourth home run of the 2024 regular season and stealing a base. Steer took Padres right-hander
Joe Musgrove yard for a 412-foot bomb to deep left center in the first inning, continuing what has been a prolific start to the campaign for him. The 26-year-old left fielder is building on his 2023 breakout thus far, slashing .252/.364/.450 with four long balls, 22 RBI, 18 runs scored, and eight stolen bases through 132 trips to the plate (31 outings) for the Reds. On tap for Steer is a three-game weekend series starting on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. In three games against Baltimore last season, Steer hit .400 (4-for-10) with one big fly, three RBI, three walks, and one pilfer.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
12 hours agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher prospect
AJ Smith-Shawver threw five strong innings for Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. The lefty allowed no runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five. The 21-year-old now has a 5.09 ERA and 1.36 WHIP on the season with 21 strikeouts in 17 2/3 IP. Ranked as the Braves' top prospect, he'll surely make an appearance in Atlanta this season after making his MLB debut in 2023, starting five games for the Braves while recording a 4.26 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and a 20:11 K:BB. Fantasy managers should scoop him up once he does get the call as he should be a solid starter on a team that produces plenty of run support.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
13 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Tyler Glasnow (hand) is set to make his next start on six days of rest this Saturday against the visiting Atlanta Braves. Glasnow dealt with cramping in his hand in his last start last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays but is good to go for a showdown against the Braves this weekend. In his first season with the Dodgers, the 30-year-old has been as advertised, going 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (2.75 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with 12 walks and a league-high 53 strikeouts in 43 innings over his seven starts. Despite dealing with cramping issues in his hand in Toronto last weekend, Glasnow picked up the win against the Jays by giving up just one earned run, walking three and striking out nine in six innings for his fifth win of the year. He's a must-start in fantasy this weekend despite facing the tough Braves lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SB Nation - Eric Stephen
13 hours agoSan Diego Padres first baseman
Jake Cronenworth slapped a go-ahead grand slam in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds, propelling his team to victory with four RBI. Cronenworth's round-tripper came in the seventh inning, taking Reds right-hander
Fernando Cruz deep to right field for a 400-foot blast. On the season, the 30-year-old righty masher is slashing a healthy .265/.343/.470 with five homers, seven doubles, 24 RBI, and 17 runs scored in 137 plate appearances (31 games) for the Friars and remains a solid mixed-league fantasy asset in San Diego's high-scoring lineup. A three-game set against three right-handed pitchers and the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks begins on Friday. In 13 games against Arizona in 2023, Cronenworth hit a strong .313 (15-for-49) with a homer, seven RBI, and six runs scored.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
13 hours agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Joe Musgrove logged a quality start in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds, hurling six innings of two-run ball on four hits and no walks with nine strikeouts for a no-decision. The Friars didn't grab the lead until a four-run seventh inning, which prevented Musgrove from netting the win, but it was a much-needed bounce-back effort after the hurler was knocked around for seven runs in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 31-year-old right-hander holds a 6.37 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and 36:13 K:BB across 41 frames (eight starts) for San Diego this season following Wednesday's excellent showing, and he'll look to improve on those numbers in a tough matchup during Tuesday's scheduled start on the road against the Chicago Cubs. In two appearances (11 IP) against the Cubs since 2022, Musgrove is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA and 14:4 K:BB.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
13 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black says outfielder/infielder
Kris Bryant (back) is hoping to soon resume baseball activities. Bryant has ramped up his activity level and is getting closer to swinging, but he's still not yet cleared to resume all baseball activities. With that said, Bryant has no timetable for a return from a strain in his lower back and should be considered out indefinitely. Considering the 32-year-old former All-Star was slashing just .149/.273/.255 with one home run, two doubles, six RBI, and three runs scored in 55 plate appearances (13 games) for the Rocks before heading to the injured list, fantasy managers can find better stashes on waiver wires.
Elehuris Montero is working as Colorado's everyday first baseman in the meantime, but he's not producing enough at the moment to warrant consideration outside of the deepest NL-only leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
13 hours agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers optioned starting pitcher
Landon Knack back to the minor leagues on Wednesday. Although the team called up right-hander
J.P. Feyereisen in a corresponding transaction, the move likely signals that
Walker Buehler's (elbow) next start is set to come with the major-league roster. Knack, LA's No. 13 prospect for 2024, showed plenty of promise during his first taste of big-league action, logging a 2.81 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, with 11 strikeouts over 16 innings (three starts). His 5.54 FIP probably means he was due for some regression at some point, though. The 26-year-old right-hander could be back with the Dodgers at some time later this summer if former top prospect
Gavin Stone doesn't pick things up.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya - The Athletic
13 hours agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Lane Thomas (knee) is still working on decreasing stiffness and swelling in his left knee. It certainly doesn't sound like Thomas is currently participating in baseball activities, which means that his stay on the 10-day injured list is all but certain to extend past the minimum stint. The 28-year-old right fielder was slashing .184/.250/.253 with two home runs, 10 RBI, six runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 87 at-bats (22 games) for the Nats, and fantasy managers should be preparing for him to be sidelined with a left MCL sprain likely until mid-to-late May. Veteran
Eddie Rosario is filling in for Thomas in Washington's outfield on the strong side of a platoon with
Alex Call, but he's gone just 6-for-68 in 22 outings and can be ignored on waiver wires unless his bat starts to wake up.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
14 hours agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks scratched catcher
Gabriel Moreno from Wednesday's lineup against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. There's no word yet from the D-backs as to whether or not Moreno is dealing with an injury, but
Tucker Barnhart is now catching left-hander
Jordan Montgomery and batting ninth on Wednesday. Until more is known, consider Moreno day-to-day with a day off on Thursday ahead of Friday's series opener at home versus the visiting San Diego Padres. The 24-year-old former top prospect is slashing a weak .238/.344/.325 with six extra-base hits, 13 RBI, and nine runs scored as Arizona's primary backstop during the 2024 regular season.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Friedman
14 hours agoHouston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday that starting pitcher
Cristian Javier (neck) is an option to start Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. A lot will depend on how the next few days go for Javier, who threw off the mound ahead of Tuesday's game versus the visiting Cleveland Guardians as he recuperates from discomfort in his neck. If Javier comes away with no setbacks in his throwing progression, it looks like he won't need a brief minor-league rehab assignment before the Stros activate him from the injured list. The 27-year-old star right-hander owns a 1.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 18:11 K:BB over 23 1/3 innings (four starts) out of Houston's injury-riddled rotation, and his return would almost certainly send struggling rookie righty
Spencer Arrighetti back to the minor leagues.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome - The Athletic
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