9 hours agoSan Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill went 1-for-3 with a home run in Friday's 2-1 loss to the Mets. It was his sixth home run of the season and third in his last two games. The former first-round draft pick has now hit safely in eight of his last nine games, a stretch in which he's gone 12-for-34 (.353) with four doubles, three home runs, five RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. The left-handed hitter now has a .280-6-27-29-9 line on the season with a .313 wOBA and 108 wRC+.Source: ESPN
9 hours agoMinnesota Twins starting pitching prospect David Festa tallied 10 punchouts for the third time this season on Friday. He allowed two runs across five frames with five hits and one free pass. This strong outing brings him to a solid 3.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 24:81 BB:K ratio through 54 innings in his first extended look at Triple-A ball. He tossed 12 ⅓ innings at this level at the end of last summer and held a 2.92 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and 9:15 BB:K ratio. Festa currently sits at number 100 on MLB.com's prospect ranking list and number five in the Minnesota system. With his strong performance at Triple-A, Festa should reach the majors during the second half of the season and is worth stashing in deeper redraft leagues for the time being.Source: MiLB.com
9 hours agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron produced his fourth consecutive quality start in Friday's 2-1 loss to the Mets. The knuckleballer went seven innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two. It was also the seventh consecutive outing in which he allowed two earned runs or less, a phenomenal stretch in which he's posted a 1.91 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 19.1% K-BB%, and just a single home run allowed over 42 1/3 innings pitched. The righty's season ERA now stands at 3.66 with a 1.18 WHIP and a 23:70 BB:K in 76 1/3 innings (14 starts). Waldron will have a tough test his next time out, taking on the Phillies on the road next Wednesday.Source: ESPN
9 hours agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitching prospect Caden Dana continued his impressive run in June with another strong performance on Friday. He tossed seven innings of one-run ball with four hits, two walks, and struck out nine. Since June 1, the 2022 draft pick holds a 1.71 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 4:25 BB:K ratio through three starts (21 innings). Dana has looked quite sharp through his first look at Double-A this season with a 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 21:72 BB:K ratio in 70 frames. MLB Pipeline projects the number two prospect in the Angeles system to reach the majors in 2026 but could push for a debut next summer if he carries this success into Triple-A.Source: MiLB.com
9 hours agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane Baz posted another dominant outing at Triple-A on Friday evening, where he tossed six one-run frames with eight punchouts and allowed just four hits and one free pass. Baz carried his momentum from his previous outing, where he struck out 10 batters across five one-run innings on June 8. The 24-year-old has now completed his extensive Tommy John recovery process and is on the verge of returning to the major leagues. He has not pitched in Tampa Bay since the 2022 season, where he logged just 27 innings, and should be on his way back to the majors very soon. He is a must-stash candidate in all leagues, as he possesses elite strikeout upside.Source: MiLB.com
10
hours
agoHouston
Astros
outfield
prospect
Joey
Loperfido
went
3-for-5
with
a
triple
and
two
RBI
in
Friday's
victory.
The
25-year-old
recently
returned
to
the
minor
leagues
on
June
12
and
has
already
continued
his
dominance
at
this
level.
Through
three
games,
he
has
talliedread more...
10 hours agoBaltimore Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo (ribs) went 2-for-3 on Thursday evening during his second rehab game with a double and a home run. The 22-year-old has been on the injured list with a fractured rib since May 17 but recently embarked on a rehab assignment on June 13 with High-A Aberdeen. Before the injury, Mayo was on the verge of making his major league debut as he was riding a stellar .291/.359/.605 slash line with 13 long balls, 37 RBI, and three swiped bags. However, he did hold a poor 17:53 BB:K ratio. Once he completes his rehab assignment, the 19th-ranked prospect on MLB.com should be expected to return to Triple-A Norfolk but continue to be on the brink of his major league debut. He should remain stashed in all leagues.Source: MiLB.com
16 hours agoAtlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias earned Friday's save in the win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, recording the final out of the ballgame in the ninth inning. Iglesias needed just three pitches to put this one away for the Braves on Friday, gaining his 18th save of the campaign. The 34-year-old veteran right-hander remains as reliable as any stopper in the game in 2024, compiling a 2.10 ERA and 0.90 WHIP while fanning 17 batters, walking just five, and converting 18 of his 20 save opportunities over 25 2/3 innings as Atlanta's top ninth-inning arm. Despite a career-low strikeout rate, Iglesias doesn't make a habit of lending free passes, and his microscopic 1.3% barrel rate against means his four-pitch arsenal is still as effective as ever.Source: MLB.com
16 hours agoAtlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley revived in Friday night's win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, tallying three hits with a home run and three RBI in the victory. After lining an RBI double to left field to push the Braves' lead to 4-1 in the first inning, Riley crushed a two-run homer to left field to extend Atlanta's lead to 7-1 in the second inning. The 27-year-old star slugger has been one of fantasy's biggest busts this year, so hopefully Friday's performance gets him back on track. Riley hadn't gone deep since May 3 before this one, now slashing .230/.296/.357 with four long balls, 11 doubles, and 23 RBI over 213 at-bats. He's a .271 hitter with a .496 slugging percentage for his major-league career, so there's plenty of reason to buy low on Riley before it's too late.Source: MLB.com
17 hours agoAtlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna kept crushing it in Friday night's win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, crushing his league-leading 19th home run of the season with three RBI. Taking Rays right-hander Zack Littell deep during the opening frame, Ozuna hammered a three-run homer to right field to put the Braves ahead 3-1 early on Friday. The 33-year-old Dominican slugger has been stellar in 2024, slashing .321/.396/.610 with 60 RBI, 15 doubles, and 41 runs scored over 249 at-bats for the Braves as Atlanta's primary No. 3 batter. He's shaping up as one of the best picks out of the middle rounds of fantasy drafts this past spring. Well on his way to Arlington later this summer for the third All-Star nod of his career, Ozuna's .663 xSLG on Baseball Savant is somehow better than what he's actually slugging.Source: MLB.com
17 hours agoMinnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler enjoyed a special night during Friday's extra-inning victory over the visiting Oakland Athletics, walking it off and also smashing his fifth home run of the season. Before hitting a walk-off single to right field to win the game for the Twins 6-5 in 10 innings, Kepler became Target Field's all-time leader in homers by slugging a three-run game-tying shot off Athletics right-hander Mitch Spence to right-center field to draw the game even at 4-4 in the sixth. The 31-year-old righty masher is Minnesota's primary right fielder against left-handed pitching, limiting his overall fantasy appeal with a .263/.326/.433 triple-slash line alongside 27 RBI, 14 doubles, 21 runs scored, and one stolen bag over 51 appearances (171 at-bats) this season. Despite Friday's heroics, Kepler remains more of an AL-only option.Source: MLB.com
17 hours agoKansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (knee) left Friday night's game against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers with discomfort in his right knee. Before the team removed him from the contest, Perez hammered a three-run home run to left field off Dodgers right-hander Gavin Stone to give the Royals a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning of Friday's loss. He'll be further evaluated ahead of Saturday's showdown in LA, and fantasy managers should deem the veteran slugging backstop day-to-day for now. The 34-year-old Perez has been as good as ever in 2024, slashing a robust .297/.375/.490 with 11 homers, 15 doubles, and 45 RBI covering 249 at-bats (66 games) as KC's everyday cleanup hitter. Freddy Fermin would be worth a look in two-catcher formats if Perez needs to miss more action, batting .294 (35-for-119) over 41 outings this season, and corner outfielder MJ Melendez could also see some work behind the plate in this case.Source: Kansas City Royals on X
17 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis (concussion) was removed from Friday night's game against the hosting Colorado Rockies due to concussion-like symptoms. Davis is currently being examined by Pittsburgh's medical staff, and veteran Yasmani Grandal replaced him behind the plate after Davis went 0-for-2 on Friday. The 24-year-old former No. 1 overall just hasn't been able to put it together this season and is watching his stock swiftly decline, slashing a frigid .153/.267/.235 with one home run and five RBI through 102 plate appearances for the Pirates. Consider him day-to-day until more is known ahead of Saturday's clash with Colorado. Grandal would get all the action he could handle as the backstop for any time Davis needs to miss, but the switch-hitter has gone just 14-for-85 (.165) in 27 outings and wouldn't be a viable option in two-catcher leagues.Source: Pittsburgh Pirates on X
17 hours agoNew York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo had a nice homecoming in Boston on Friday night where the lefty went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, four RBI, and a run scored in an 8-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Verdugo smacked a two-run home run in his first at-bat in his return to Fenway and followed that with an RBI double in the fifth inning and an RBI single in the ninth inning. Verdugo has been scorching-hot over the last week with four multi-hit games with a .355 batting average while driving in seven runs. Verdugo has been excellent hitting cleanup for the Yankees this season and will look to continue his hot June against the Red Sox the rest of this weekend with the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves heading to New York next week.Source: MLB.com
17 hours agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (elbow) said his elbow was bothering him after the fifth inning of Friday's game against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Manager Brandon Hyde said Baltimore will have Bradish undergo further tests to determine what the problem is. Considering Bradish missed the first month of the year with a UCL sprain during spring training, it's not exactly what the O's or fantasy managers want to be hearing. With five strong innings on Friday against the Phillies, the 27-year-old right-hander sports a 2.75 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 53 punchouts and 15 walks through 39 1/3 innings in 2024. Bradish is tentatively slated to start next Friday's matchup against the Houston Astros, though his test results would need to come back clean for that to happen.Source: Andy Kostka - TheBaltimoreBanner.com