7 hours agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder/designated hitter Anthony Santander went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in the team's 8-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night on the road. The home run was his eighth of the season, and his first long ball since May 11, but the switch-hitting Venezuelan outfielder is still batting just .206 (35-for-170) on the year with 27 RBI and 23 runs scored for the O's in 45 games played. The homer was a good sign for the 29-year-old, though, as he's recently been dealing with a bruised knee. In the month of May, he's struggled to the tune of a .194/.265/.419 slash line with four homers, nine RBI and 13 strikeouts in 17 games. Santander will continue to play regularly in a strong Baltimore lineup when he's healthy, but he's also squaring the ball up on just 18.2% of his swings in 2024, which ranks 200th in baseball.Source: MLB.com
7 hours agoChicago Cubs outfielder Alexander Canario launched his fifth and sixth long balls of the season on Thursday evening. Through 24 games with Triple-A Iowa, the 24-year-old has posted a strong .286/.375/.571 slash line. Canario spent 13 games in the major leagues this spring and performed quite well in his limited opportunities with a .273 average. Since returning to Triple-A on May 9, Canario has been swinging an awfully hot bat with a .304/.373/.674 line with four home runs and one swiped bag. The young outfielder should get another shot in the majors later this summer but may have to wait for an injury to occur, as the Cubs have four capable starting outfielders on their roster in Cody Bellinger, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Mike Tauchman. Canario could be worth an addition in NL-only formats if/when he rejoins Chicago.Source: MiLB.com
7 hours agoThe Kansas City Royals reinstated right-hander Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Friday and designated right-hander Tyler Duffey for assignment in a corresponding move. Hernandez will be making his 2024 debut when he gets into a game after suffering a pinched nerve in his right shoulder at the beginning of spring training. The 27-year-old went on an eight-game minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha and will now rejoin KC's bullpen this weekend. The Venezuelan hurler had his first four career saves and 17 holds in 2023 in his fourth year with the team but also had a 5.27 ERA (4.28 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP with 31 walks and a career-high 77 strikeouts in 67 outings (four starts) covering 70 innings.Source: Kansas City Royals
7 hours agoTexas Rangers rookie outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) is expected to start a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend, perhaps as soon as Friday, which could make him an option to come off the injured list for the start of a series in Texas on Monday against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Langford has been out for almost three weeks due to a strained hamstring, but as long as he doesn't encounter any setbacks this weekend, he should rejoin the Rangers early next week and return to being an everyday player. The Rangers could certainly use the offensive help after just getting swept in Philadelphia by the Phillies. Last year's No. 4 overall pick out of Florida has started his MLB career with just 26 hits in 116 at-bats (.224 average) and one homer, but his power upside from the right side of the plate is undeniable and he should be rostered in all fantasy leagues. UPDATE: Langford will begin his rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Round Rock.Source: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
8 hours agoThe Atlanta Braves recalled left-hander Ray Kerr from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, and he will make the start in the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. It will be the first start of Kerr's major-league career, although he's appeared in 33 games the last three seasons in a relief role for Atlanta and the San Diego Padres, sporting a 4.57 ERA (4.42 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 13 walks and 48 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He's made four appearances in relief for the Braves in 2024, allowing three earned runs on nine hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out 10 in 9 1/3 frames. In his last outing on Monday against his former team, the Padres, Kerr went 3 1/3 innings and allowed two runs. Although it's a solid matchup, Kerr isn't going to go very deep into Friday's contest and should be avoided as a fantasy streamer.Source: Atlanta Braves
8 hours agoThe Atlanta Braves signed free-agent infielder Joey Wendle to a major-league contract on Friday and optioned infielder Luke Williams to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. Wendle has landed with another team quickly after he was released by the Mets earlier this week after going 8-for-36 (.222) with no home runs, one RBI and three runs scored in limited playing time as a utility infielder. The former sixth-round pick in 2012 out of West Chester by the Cleveland Guardians has not been able to replicate his All-Star campaign in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Rays, when he hit .265/.319/.422 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI and eight stolen bases in 136 games played. Since then, he's hit .237/.273/.331 with five homers, 53 RBI and 20 steals in 231 games and will find playing time even more difficult to come by, although he could immediately see action at third base if Austin Riley (intercostal) lands on the injured list.Source: Atlanta Braves
8 hours agoThe Atlanta Braves placed rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (oblique) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a strained left oblique muscle and recalled left-hander Ray Kerr from Triple-A Durham in order to start on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith-Shawver must have injured his oblique in his start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in which he threw 4 1/4 scoreless innings. It was the 21-year-old's first start of the 2024 season in the big leagues. Oblique injuries are usually tricky to come back from, so fantasy managers that picked Smith-Shawver up shouldn't be surprised if he's not ready to return in 15 days. And when he is ready to come back, the Braves may choose to send him back to Gwinnett. It's a tough break for the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline.Source: Atlanta Braves
8 hours agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle was a hitting machine in the team's 8-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on the road on Thursday evening. Mountcastle finished the contest by going 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. The 27-year-old is now hitting a strong .272/.309/.462 with six home runs, 18 RBI and 25 runs scored in 169 at-bats this year. He hasn't been quite as good in the month of May with a .243 average (17-for-70) with no walks and 17 strikeouts, though, and he hasn't driven in a run for the Orioles since May 8. Fantasy managers shouldn't be extremely worried after a four-hit game, especially since Mountcastle has been able to stay healthy so far. The RBI should return in such a strong Baltimore lineup. Mountcastle is currently squaring the ball up on 19.9% of his swings, which ranks 187th in MLB.Source: MLB.com
9 hours agoToronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette may finally be showing signs of breaking out of his early season funk at the plate for the Blue Jays. In the team's 9-1 victory over the Tigers in Detroit on Thursday, he went 3-for-5 with three singles, an RBI and a run scored to raise his season average to .243 (43-for-177) with three home runs, 20 RBI, four stolen bases and 16 runs scored in 46 games played. He's now hitting .290 (20-for-69) with two homers, nine RBI and a stolen base in 18 games in the month of May. Since May 13, he's gone 14-for-34 (.412) with a homer, four doubles, seven RBI and a steal in 37 plate appearances. The 26-year-old two-time All-Star was dropped from the top of the batting order amid his struggles, but that could change if he continues to swing the bat well. His fantasy managers will be hoping he can keep it up to conclude the weekend series in Motown.Source: MLB.com
9 hours agoWashington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas (knee) is getting ready to return and could be reinstated from the injured list as early as Friday night's series opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners. The Nationals have managed just a .503 OPS in 22 games since Thomas sprained the MCL in his left knee a month ago, so they will certainly welcome his return. In the course of his career in D.C., Thomas has a .747 OPS. He spent the last three days on a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg, where he went 2-for-9 with a double, walk, two strikeouts and a stolen base. Most importantly, he played a full nine innings on Thursday night. If Thomas doesn't return to the big-league lineup on Friday, it will likely come later this weekend or early next week. The 28-year-old will be an everyday hitter near the top of the lineup when he returns, and he shouldn't be floating around any waiver wires in fantasy.Source: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
9 hours agoWith Washington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas' (knee) return on the horizon, both outfielder Victor Robles and first baseman/designated hitter Joey Meneses are in danger of losing their roster spot. Robles, 27, looked good in spring training, only to get hurt less than a week into the regular season. He hasn't played much since rejoining the team and has gone just 2-for-23 with five walks and nine strikeouts. Robles has been in a decline since 2019 and the Nats may finally give up on him and designated him for assignment (since he's out of minor-league options). The other option would be to send Meneses to the minors. Meneses did homer on Wednesday, but he's slashing just .234/.299/.299 while hitting in the heart of Washington's batting order.Source: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
9 hours agoAtlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (oblique), who hasn't played since injuring his oblique on Opening Day, looks to be close to making a return to the big leagues. Murphy went 2-for-6 with the second home run on his minor-league rehab assignment, a double, two RBI, a run scored and two strikeouts for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday while serving as the designated hitter. It's a great sign for the 29-year-old backstop, although Atlanta will probably want to see him catch a game in the minors before reinstating him from the injured list. Either way, fantasy managers should be happy to know that Murphy's return to the big leagues is right around the corner. He's a must-start in all fantasy leagues when he's healthy, but be aware that the Braves will likely ease him back into catching duties. Veteran Travis d'Arnaud is inevitably going to lose playing time when Murphy is back.Source: Milb.com
13 hours agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitching prospect John Michael Bertrand tossed six no-hit frames on Thursday. He allowed just two free passes and struck out five. This dominant outing brings Bertrand to a solid 2.25 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 12:33 BB:K ratio. In fact, the 26-year-old has not allowed a run in four starts this season. The former tenth-round selection has logged 100 innings at Double-A over the past two seasons and is quickly approaching his Triple-A debut. The southpaw should remain on the waiver wire in all leagues but is worth monitoring as he has showcased elite potential several times this season.Source: MiLB.com
13 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers catching prospect Dalton Rushing ended his 13-game home run drought on Thursday with a three-run shot to power Double-A Tulsa to a victory. Rushing was swinging a hot bat through April with a strong .278/.394/.556 line with three long balls and a 9:14 BB:K ratio. However, entering Thursday, he has been in a bit of a slump with a .213/.362/.319 line through the start of May. Rushing is considered to be the number two prospect in the Los Angeles system, behind only Andy Pages, who is already in the major leagues. Rushing is expected to make his major league debut sometime in 2025 but could push for a late-season promotion to Triple-A. He remains a name to monitor in dynasty leagues as he could continue to develop into one of the game's top-catching prospects.Source: MiLB.com
14 hours agoBaltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad extended his impressive multi-hit hitting streak to three games on Thursday with a three-hit performance in addition to hitting his 13th home run of the season. Kjerstad has been outstanding with Triple-A Norfolk this season, riding an overall .347/.427/.754 line with 44 RBI. The 25-year-old earned a promotion to the major leagues on April 23 but did not receive consistent playing time and was eventually sent back down to the minor leagues to further his development on May 13. Since his return to Triple-A, Kjerstad has posted a .344/.415/.781 line with three home runs. The number four prospect in the Baltimore system is clearly ready for the major leagues but does not have a spot to fill in the Baltimore lineup. For now, he will continue to dominate Triple-A but could be the first name called if needed to replace an injured player making him a solid stash option in most leagues.Source: MiLB.com