17 hours agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (shoulder) is likely to start the season on the injured list, according to manager John Schneider. Manoah threw 34 pitches in two simulated innings on Wednesday, and his next steps will depend on how he feels after Wednesday's session as the team looks to continue building him up. The 26-year-old doesn't have any structural damage in his right shoulder, but starting the year on the IL is another setback after he had an absolutely disastrous 2023 campaign. Manoah's command completely deserted him last year, which led to him being demoted to the minors two separate times. There was lots of optimism from the Blue Jays that he'd be able to bounce back in 2024, but the fact is that Manoah won't be guaranteed a rotation spot once he comes off the IL if he continues to pitch poorly.Source: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
17 hours agoTSN's Scott Mitchell writes that the Toronto Blue Jays will use a closer-by-committee setup and matchup-based choices to open the season with relievers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) starting the year on the injured list. Mitchellread more...
17 hours agoToronto Blue Jays relievers Jordan Romano (elbow) and Erik Swanson (forearm) will officially open the 2024 season on the injured list, according to manager John Schneider. As a result, Nate Pearson and Wes Parsons will open the year in Toronto's bullpen. Swanson has already resumed playing catch, while the Blue Jays hope Romano can begin throwing off a mound next week. Hopefully, both pitchers will be able to return in the middle of April, but there's no guarantee. Romano should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues for the time being. With both Romano and Swanson on the shelf, the Blue Jays are expected to roll with a closer-by-committee approach, consisting of arms like Chad Green, Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza.Source: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
17 hours agoToronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that the team still hasn't decided on when right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will make his first start of the season, but it will be either Sunday in Tampa Bay against the Rays or on Monday in Houston versus the Astros. Gausman came out of his only Grapefruit League start on Monday fine and will not need to open the regular season on the injured list after dealing with shoulder fatigue in spring training. Neither matchup is ideal for the 33-year-old's first start after missing time in spring training, so he'll be more risky than normal in season-long fantasy leagues and in DFS in his first start of 2024. But fantasy managers should feel comfortable that the Blue Jays' ace can put his shoulder injury in the rearview and put forth another strong season as a No. 1 starter.Source: TSN Sports - Scott Mitchell
18 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher Noah Song (elbow) is set to miss the entire upcoming 2024 season. This is a tough blow as the 26-year-old will need to undergo Tommy John surgery. This is frustrating for Song who missed most of last season due to a back issue. Song returned to professional baseball last season after leaving after the 2019 campaign to fulfill his military obligations with the Navy.Source: Chris Hatfield
18 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser (elbow) is expected to miss significant time due to injury. The left-hander is reportedly out indefinitely due to a bone spur in his left elbow. This is a tough blow to the Brewers as Gasser was looking close to MLB ready. The 24-year-old was likely to start the year in the minors but probably would've been one of the first reserves to be called up. The Brewers should give a timetable on Gasser at a later time.Source: Todd Rosiak
18 hours agoThe Boston Red Sox acquired pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. The right-hander will head to a divisional rival after failing to make the Opening Day roster in Tampa Bay. The Rays will receive cash considerations for Uwasawa who they signed to a minor-league deal this offseason. The 30-year-old looks like additional bullpen depth and will probably be put in low leverage situations right away.Source: Jeff Passan
19 hours agoNew York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres is set to bat leadoff against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it official that Torres will take the first at-bat of the regular season for New York. It won't be an easy task against left-hander Framber Valdez. Boone said that Juan Soto is batting second and Aaron Judge hitting third. The move to the leadoff spot should give Torres a boost in fantasy value until DJ LeMahieu (foot) returns to the lineup.Source: Bryan Hoch
19 hours agoTampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda (finger) has been placed on the 10-day injured list. As expected, Aranda is going to miss some time after suffering a broken finger last week. The expectation is that Aranda should return around late April or early May. As a result, infielder Austin Shenton has been recalled from the minors. He'll likely be in the mix with Curtis Mead, and Harold Ramirez for more playing time with Aranda sidelined.Source: Ryan Bass
19 hours agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) continues making progress from his offseason back surgery and was able to play catch on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander won't be ready for Opening Day, but might not miss too much time. Rangers manager Chris Young doesn't believe that Scherzer will need to be placed on the 60-day injured list. Instead, Young suggested that Scherzer could be back as early as May. The Rangers are likely going to be cautious with the 39-year-old. His injury might push him back into the later rounds of fantasy drafts.Source: Buster Olney
20 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks shortstop Jordan Lawlar (thumb) tore a ligament in his right thumb while trying to pick up a ball off the ground during a minor-league spring training game on Sunday and will need surgery, which will sideline him for at least the first two months of the season. It's bad news for the team's top prospect, who is slated to open the year at Triple-A Reno. He will have surgery on Thursday and could have a "full return to baseball activity in eight to 10 weeks," farm director Shaun Larkin said. The 21-year-old is the future at the shortstop position for the D-backs, but this injury news makes it very hard to recommend stashing the young infielder in single-year fantasy leagues because of the fact that if he does join the Snakes in the big league in 2024, it probably won't be until the tail end of the season now.Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
22 hours agoThe Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies will be postponed on Thursday due to anticipated rain in the Philadelphia area. The game will be made up at 12:35 pm ET on Friday as outdoor clubs schedule an off day following Opening Day for this reason. Spencer Strider will get the ball for the Braves while Zack Wheeler will get the nod for the Phillies. The Braves won the NL East with a 104-58 record while the Phillies finished second with a 90-72 mark. However, the Phillies upset the Braves 3-1 in the NLDS before bowing out to the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS.Source: Mark Bowman
22 hours agoOpening Day between the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday will be postponed due to heavy rain in the forecast in New York. The contest will be made up at 1:40 pm ET on Friday as outdoor teams schedule a buffer day following Opening Day for this reason. Left-hander Jose Quintana is scheduled to get the ball for the Mets while right-hander Freddy Peralta is the scheduled starter for the Brewers following the offseason trade that sent Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. The Mets disappointed to a 75-87 record after owner Steve Cohen invested heavily in the team in 2023 while the Brewers took down the NL Central with a 92-70 record.Source: Anthony DiComo
22 hours agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Will Smith are finalizing a 10-year, $140 million contract extension. The 28-year-old has been one of the most productive offensive catchers since entering the big leagues in the 2019 season, putting together a career .263 average with 91 home runs and an .842 OPS across 486 games played. Most recently, he hit .261 with 19 home runs, 80 runs, 76 RBI, and a .797 OPS across 554 trips to the plate in the 2023 season. ATC projects Smith to club 21 home runs along with 74 RBI and an .823 OPS in 124 games in the 2024 season as he is every bit worthy of his 80.46 ADP as the fourth catcher off the draft board this spring.Source: Jeff Passan
22 hours agoThe Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt from the New York Yankees on Wednesday in a three-team deal that also included the Miami Marlins, according to a source. The Marlins landed prospect Shane Sasaki from the Rays and prospect John Cruz from the Yankees. Rortvedt, 26, was out of minor-league options and wasn't going to make New York's Opening Day roster as a third catcher, so he now moves to Tampa, where he's expected to be the backup to starter Rene Pinto. He is more of a defense-first catcher and has hit just .146/.234/.255 with five home runs and 11 RBI in 71 major-league games in two seasons with the Yankees and Minnesota Twins. Rortvedt will be off the fantasy radar in two-catcher and AL-only leagues unless Pinto gets hurt and misses time.Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola