4 hours agoSan Diego Padres right-hander
Yu Darvish (neck) threw a side session on Wednesday, after which "reports were favorable," according to manager Mike Shildt. "He was on the gas, but didn't have it to the floor... it was a positive first step." Darvish was put on the 15-day injured list on April 17 (retroactive to April 15) and last pitched on April 14 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 37-year-old was shut down in September of last year with a stress reaction in his right elbow and has dealt with back and neck issues in the past. It sounds like Darvish is improving, but at 37 years old, his recurring neck issue is something to keep an eye on when he returns. Before hitting the IL, he had a 4.18 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks in 23 2/3 frames over his first five starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell couldn't get much going and the team as a whole could only muster up 83 points in a blowout loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday. The star combo guard posted just 13 points on 6-for-16 shooting and only knocked down one out of six three-point attempts. Throughout Mitchell's playoff career, which consists of 47 games, he's only scored fewer than 13 points five times. Despite the rough shooting night, he didn't produce many turnovers as he only committed two of them and registered seven assists with five rebounds.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
4 hours agoKansas City Royals outfielder
Hunter Renfroe finds himself on the bench again on Friday against the Detroit Tigers. This will be the second straight game that Renfroe will be starting on the bench. In his absence, the left-handed-hitting
Adam Frazier will make the start in right field for the Royals and will hit eighth against Tigers right-hander
Reese Olson. The 32-year-old Renfroe has hit just .149 (10-for-67) with two home runs, 10 RBI, five walks and 16 strikeouts in his first 72 plate appearances in 2024 and is quickly losing playing time in Kansas City's outfield rotation. Frazier, also 32, hasn't been much better, going 11-for-55 (.200) with no homers, four RBI and one stolen base in 22 games. He's never faced Olson in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
4 hours agoMiami Marlins right-handed pitching prospect
Anthony Maldonado has been called up from Triple-A Jacksonville to start on Friday against the Washington Nationals after left-hander
Jesus Luzardo was scratched after experiencing left-elbow discomfort. Maldonado, the team's No. 18 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will be making his major-league debut and won't be a recommended streamer for fantasy managers. The 26-year-old has posted a 2.31 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and four walks in 11 2/3 innings at Jacksonville this year, but he hasn't gone more than two innings in any of his eight outings on the farm in 2024. Don't expect that to change in what will essentially be a bullpen game for the Fish to start the series against the Nats.
Kyle Tyler is probably the best bet for the bulk role for Miami on Friday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ElExtraBase - Daniel Alvarez-Montes
4 hours agoMiami Marlins left-hander
Jesus Luzardo (elbow) was scratched from his scheduled start on Friday versus the Washington Nationals and will undergo testing for left-elbow discomfort, according to the team. The Marlins can ill-afford another injury to one of their starting pitchers, but the good news is they should be getting left-hander
Braxton Garrett (shoulder) back soon. For now, fantasy managers that have the 26-year-old Luzardo rostered must keep him stashed and hope for the best. It's more bad news for a pitcher that has gotten off to a tough start in 2024, as he's posted a 6.58 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and 13 walks in five starts covering 26 innings. In Luzardo's place, pitching prospect
Anthony Maldonado will make the spot start against the Nats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
5 hours agoAtlanta Braves second baseman
Ozzie Albies (toe) was activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday after he needed only the 10 days to recover from a fractured right big toe. Albies will be back in Atlanta's starting lineup on Friday for the series finale against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Logan Allen, and fantasy managers will want to get him back into all starting lineup this weekend. The 27-year-old switch-hitter was hitting a strong .317/.386/.492 with two home runs and two stolen bases in 15 games played before injuring his toe and remains one of the better fantasy second baseman in a potent Braves lineup.
Luis Guillorme and
David Fletcher were splitting time at the keystone with Albies out. Fletcher was sent to the minors on Thursday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Justin Toscano
5 hours agoOrlando Magic forward
Paolo Banchero dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers en route to a blowout win in Game 3 on Thursday night. After producing two high-turnover totals in the first two playoff games of his career, Banchero settled in and didn't turn the ball over once on Thursday. The Duke product finished this contest with 31 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and one steal while shooting 13-for-26 overall and 4-for-9 from downtown. Banchero is the driving force of the Magic offense, so when he gets into a rhythm, the Magic look a lot better as a unit. He's also produced fewer turnovers and better shooting percentages when playing at home this season.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
5 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers center/forward
Anthony Davis put together a big-time performance but couldn't get the help he needed from the rest of the team to get into the win column. He shot 14-for-23 from the floor and registered 33 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two turnovers. Davis has not only been the most consistent player for the Lakers so far this postseason, he's also been their best. Over the first three games of this series, Davis averages 32.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 61.5% from the floor.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
5 hours agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic almost registered his 18th postseason triple-double in their Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The two-time MVP finished the game with 24 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and three turnovers. In his 13 shot attempts, Jokic only missed four of them and added 6-for-7 from the line. Jokic continues to put up some big numbers in the first half of each game and continues the momentum through the fourth quarter. The Lakers have yet to find any sort of answer to Jokic's abilities despite having one of the best defensive big men in the league in
Anthony Davis.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
5 hours agoDenver Nuggets forward
Aaron Gordon was the high-man in terms of scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. The veteran wing finished the game with 29 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and one steal while shooting a red-hot 12-for-18 from the floor. He also knocked down five of his six free throw attempts. Gordon was getting all sorts of easy dunks and buckets in the lane which accounts for the fact that he only took one three-point shot and didn't make it. Gordon was a big part of the Nuggets' success over the past few seasons and he'll likely remain a top contributor in this postseason.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
6 hours agoVancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (illness) is expected to return to the lineup for Game 3 against Nashville on Friday. He missed the second game of the series after catching a flu bug. Noah Juulsen came in for Myers on Tuesday and logged 11:24 of ice time on the second defensive pairing. Myers' return will likely push him out of the lineup again. It was a scoreless start to the postseason for Myers in Game 1, but he racked up five hits and three blocks with two shots on goal in 19:08 of action.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Adam Kimelman
6 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes right wing Jesper Fast (upper body) isn't expected to play in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was injured in the team's regular-season finale against Columbus and hasn't featured in any of the first three games against the Islanders in the first round. The 32-year-old posted six goals and 19 points in 73 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. A year ago, Fast led Carolina with six goals in the playoffs and had nine points across 15 postseason outings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Walt Ruff
6 hours agoFlorida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk took care of two goals as the team defeated Tampa Bay 5-3 in Game 3 on Thursday. The Panthers star started and finished the scoring, with the latter goal coming in an empty-net situation. He's now the first player in franchise history with three multi-goal games in the playoffs. Tkachuk, who was huge for the team throughout the 2023 postseason, has been in hot form again, racking up five points (three goals, two assists) in the first three games. There are only six other players with multiple goals and assists through the first few playoff games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 hours agoTampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos continued his good start to the 2024 postseason with another goal in Thursday's 5-3 loss to Florida. The Lightning captain put his team on the board early in the second period, becoming the third player in franchise history to start a playoff campaign with a three-game goal streak. Thursday's strike marks Stamkos' first even-strength goal of the series. Sitting on four points overall, the Lightning captain has put in a big effort to make the series competitive, but Tampa Bay is facing a sweep in Game 4 on Saturday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 hours agoNew York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin struggled in his 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs debut on Thursday against Carolina in a 3-2 loss. He coughed up three goals on 14 shots before being replaced by Semyon Varlamov. Looking to shift momentum in the series with his team 2-0 down, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy made a change between the sticks, but it backfired badly. Sorokin managed only two saves before allowing the first goal, and his night finished after he had logged only 27:14 of action. Varlamov stopped all eight shots he faced. The team will likely return to Varlamov for Game 4.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen continued his perfect start to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 29-save effort in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Islanders. He became only the second goaltender in franchise history to open a postseason campaign with three consecutive victories. Andersen has saved 71 of 77 shots in total in the series, frustrating the Islanders with a .922 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average. Combined with the regular season, Andersen is now 16-2-0 in 2023-24. He will look to lead the team to a sweep in Game 4 on Saturday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
7 hours agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher
MacKenzie Gore had an impressive performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Thursday's tough luck loss. The lefty tossed six quality innings and allowed seven hits, one run, two walks and recorded four strikeouts. Gore's only run allowed was a home run from outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez in the top of the second inning. Gore has really taken a step forward in 2024 and is now 2-2 with a 3.12 ERA to go along with 31 strikeouts and eight walks in 26 innings. Despite the walks, Gore is looking like the pitcher many projected him to be when he was the top pitching prospect in the league as a prospect. Gore will look to keep it going in another tough matchup versus the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoMinnesota Twins third baseman
Jose Miranda went 2-for-4 with two runs and a solo home run in Thursday's victory against the Chicago White Sox. The home run would be Miranda's second in the year and gives him four RBI. The once heralded prospect opened the season in Triple-A St. Paul, but he has been playing most days with
Royce Lewis (quadriceps) and
Carlos Correa (oblique) both sidelined. Since his call-up on April 8, Miranda is hitting .231 in 39 at-bats. He is worth watching in deeper formats, due to potential and opportunity, but he could also be optioned back to St. Paul when Correa and Lewis return if he does not start hitting more.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoSan Diego Padres outfielder
Jurickson Profar went 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk in Thursday's loss against the Colorado Rockies. Porfar took
Nick Mears deep in the top of the seventh inning for his third homer of the season. The veteran has quietly been having a nice season for the Padres with a .295 batting average and 18 RBI. Profar should eventually regress, but he is worth riding while his bat is hot. For now, Profar is worth rostering, but managers would be wise to test the trade market and try to sell-high on the veteran. Profar will look to stay warm versus the division rival San Francisco Giants and
Kyle Harrison on Friday evening.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
Luis Castillo put together a strong performance versus the Texas Rangers to pick up his second victory of the season on Thursday. Castillo tossed six innings and allowed four hits, two runs, two walks and struck out six on the evening. Castillo has steadily improved as the season has gone on and managers could put to rest any worries from his early season outings. The 31-year-old remains one of the top pitchers in the game and managers can expect to have an ace in most of his starts moving forward. Next up is a matchup versus the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. Even against a good lineup, Castillo is pretty much a must-start.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoSeattle Mariners first baseman
Ty France went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Thursday's victory against the division rival Texas Rangers. The round tripper would be the first of the season for France, who is coming off a disappointing 2023 season. France has been hitting the ball well with a .266 batting average, but he has not done much to help fantasy managers with just six RBI. He has been hitting the ball very hard this year, so more power can come along, but for now he remains a better player for the Mariners than fantasy. He is worth keeping an eye on to see if contact will turn into power, but is more of a watch-list candidate in most formats at this time.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
7 hours agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Nestor Cortes picked up the loss on Thursday versus the Oakland Athletics. The lefty tossed seven frames of three-run ball and allowed five hits with no walks and four strikeouts. The lefty earned a quality start, but didn't get much out of the Yankees offense to help him. Cortes had a rough 2023 campaign with a 4.97 ERA, but he has bounced back in 2024 thus far with a 3.50 ERA in his first six starts of the season. Cortes is worth rostering in most formats, but will face a tough Baltimore Orioles lineup in his next outing and might be best served on the bench in daily leagues for that contest.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoNew York Yankees catcher
Jose Trevino made some noise with his bat during Thursday's game against the Oakland Athletics. He went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the loss to the A's. The solo blast by Trevino was the only run the Yankees could put on the board during Thursday's loss. Trevino has been decent, slashing .273/.347/.756 with two homers and eight RBI across 44 plate appearances.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Javier Assad has been one of the most underrated pitchers this season. The right-hander continued his strong campaign against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Assad threw 5 2/3 innings while allowing only one run in a no-decision. The Cubs didn't decide to make noise with the bats until Assad was out of the game. Despite the no-decision, Assad remains a sleeper in fantasy leagues. His next matchup will come against the New York Mets next week.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoCleveland Guardians first base prospect
Kyle Manzardo continued his strong start to the season with his seventh multi-hit game on Thursday. Manzardo hit three singles, which brought in two runs to push Columbus over the Syracuse Mets. The 23-year-old has posted a .308/.387/.577 stat line across 21 games at Triple-A and has begun to hit his stride at this level after posting a .242/.343/.475 line at Triple-A last season. Manzardo is worth stashing in deeper re-draft formats for now, as he is nearing a promotion. When given the call, Manzardo should serve as the primary designated hitter for the Guardians, as
Josh Naylor will continue to man first base. Manzardo will be a popular waiver-wire add when he is called up, as he is projected to make an immediate impact.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
8 hours agoTexas Rangers infielder
Josh Smith continued his strong campaign versus the Seattle Mariners on Thursday. Smith went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run in the loss to the Mariners. He has seemingly come out of nowhere and been a reliable option for this offense. He's slashing 292/.393/.417 over 72 at-bats, but he's more of a bench option which limits his fantasy value.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoKansas City Royals catcher
Salvador Perez came up clutch for his team during Thursday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The veteran catcher blasted a two-run home run off right-hander Jose Berries. That home run ended up being enough as the Royals won the game 2-0. The 33-year-old now has seven home runs on the year and is showing no signs of slowing down.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers third base prospect
Trey Sweeney went 4-for-5 with a home run and brought in five runs on Thursday for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Sweeney brought in the first run off a sacrifice fly in the opening frame. Later in the fourth, he broke the stalemate by lining a single to left field to give Oklahoma City the lead. Sweeney then put the game out of reach in the following frame with a solo shot. This was the 24-year-old's second long ball of the season, and he is now up to 16 total RBI in 23 games. The former first-round pick is sporting a .292/.434/.461 line in his first taste of Triple-A this season and is a name to monitor, as he could make a case for a late-season promotion.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
8 hours agoMinnesota Twins infielder
Edouard Julien is off to a shaky start at the plate, but he has turned it around recently. On Thursday, Julien went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the win over the Chicago White Sox. His slash line is at an ugly .213/.308/.513, but Julien does have seven home runs and nine RBI this season. The Twins are banged up right now, so expect Julien to continue playing everyday. His pop alone makes him worth snagging off the waiver wire.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoSan Diego Padres infielder
Ha-Seong Kim has shown some unexpected pop in his bat early in the season. On Thursday, Kim went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in the loss to the Colorado Rockies. The 28-year-old now has four homers on the season, which is nice to see. It's also worth noting that Kim has stolen seven bases as well. He's struggling a bit in other areas, but has done enough to keep himself fantasy relevant.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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