19 hours agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher Hector Neris earned his sixth save of the season in a 6-5 win against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday afternoon. Neris gave up two hits and an earned run with a walk and a strikeout to notch the save in the ninth inning. Neris has taken over the closer role for the ineffective Adbert Alzolay. Despite some shaky peripherals, including a 20.8 walk rate and an xERA of 7.15, Neris continues to get the job done for the Cubs. He should remain in the role for the foreseeable future.Source: Chicago Cubs
19 hours agoSeattle Mariners outfielder/first baseman/designated hitter Luke Raley will head to the bench on Saturday night with the Mariners facing Houston Astros' lefty Framber Valdez. The left-handed hitting Raley is hitting .224 with no home runs, three RBI, and four runs scored in 60 plate appearances. Sam Haggerty gets the start in left field. Raley and Haggerty appear to be in a left-field platoon at this time. Raley will look to be the starter when the Mariners face right-handed pitching.Source: Seattle Mariners
19 hours agoInfielder Luis Arraez, acquired by the San Diego Padres for prospects on Friday night from the Miami Marlins, is in the designated hitter slot and is batting leadoff on Saturday night. Arraez is hitting .299 with no home runs, five RBI, and 22 runs in 148 plate appearances this season. Arraez could also see time at first base and second base in San Diego. The Padres face off against right-hander Brandon Pfaadt and the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, and Arraez should be in all starting fantasy lineup. Although he lacks power, the move to a more potent lineup in San Diego is a boost to his fantasy value everywhere.Source: San Diego Padres
19 hours agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser is out of the lineup for Saturday night's tilt against Andrew Abbott and the Cincinnati Reds. Ryan McKenna is starting in left field in Cowser's place. This shouldn't a cause for concern for fantasy owners as this appears to be Cowser being in a platoon situation. The lefty has only hit for a .348 OPS against southpaws in 2024. With Reds' lefty Nick Lodolo on deck for Sunday's game, Cowser shouldn't be expected to be back in the lineup until Tuesday in Washington against Nationals right-hander Trevor Williams.Source: Baltimore Orioles
19 hours agoKansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh (elbow) is set for a rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Sunday. Marsh is expect to throw between 60-65 pitches in the start. As of now it's unclear if Marsh will need multiple rehab starts before rejoining the Royals, so there is a chance that if all goes well then he will rejoin Kansas City when he can be activated off the IL on May 10th. Marsh had been having a solid season before getting drilled with a liner when facing the Toronto Blue Jays. The right-hander has posted up a 2.70 ERA and recorded three wins in five starts. Marsh may be a sneaky add that fantasy managers can stash on their bench until he returns.Source: Anne Rogers
20 hours agoWashington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (elbow) felt good after throwing a bullpen on Saturday, according to manager Dave Martinez. He threw around 30-35 pitches and will be throwing another bullpen on Tuesday or Wednesday. There currently isn't a timetable set for Gray's return or when to expect him to begin rehab starts, but this is a positive sign for the 26-year-old. Gray had a very rocky start to the 2024 season, giving up 13 runs in just over eight innings across two starts. With Gray out, the Nationals starters have posted a 4.40 ERA, though three of their starters have posted an ERA below 3.50. They will have to hold down the fort until Gray comes back.Source: Andrew Golden
20 hours agoThe San Francisco Giants announced Saturday that they have placed catcher Patrick Bailey on the 7-day concussion injured list and have recalled catcher Blake Sabol from Triple-A Sacramento. Bailey was removed from Friday night's game after a foul tip on a 95 mph fastball hit off his mask in the bottom of the first inning. Tom Murphy will be starting in Bailey's place on Saturday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. Murphy is hitting for a .121 average and a .458 OPS. Sabol put up much better numbers in 2023, hitting for a .695 OPS in 344 plate appearances. While both catchers should be expected to split time while Bailey's out, Sabol should be the higher priority for the next week with the expectation that he will be more productive than Murphy. Both should make for good streaming options next week as the Giants open up a series at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.Source: San Francisco Giants
20 hours agoThe Philadelphia Phillies announced Saturday that shortstop Trea Turner (hamstring) will be put on the 10-day injured list with a left-hamstring strain. The shortstop was quoted as saying he expects to miss six weeks and that it would "be a win" if he returned any earlier than that. Turner was pulled after the bottom of the fourth inning in Friday night's game. Turner had been having a fantastic season, slashing .343/.392/.460 with 10 stolen bases and 27 runs. Edmundo Sosa is starting Saturday night against the San Francisco Giants in Turner's place. Sosa should be expected to be the starter for the next six weeks. Sosa is hitting for an .824 OPS in 21 at-bats this season, above his career norms, and should be on all fantasy managers' radars as a waiver-wire pickup while Turner recovers from injury.Source: Matt Gelb
20 hours agoLos Angeles Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo (illness) is out of the lineup on Saturday with an illness. Brandon Drury will be hitting fifth starting at third base and Ehire Adrianza will be hitting second and starting at second base against the Cleveland Guardians. Adrianza has been getting extra playing time when Rengifo or Drury are out. Rengifo should be considered day-to-day. Rengifo has been having a solid season, hitting for an .839 OPS after a slow start to the season. As long as Rengifo is feeling better on Sunday, he should be expected to be back in the lineup against Guardians starter Carlos Carrasco.Source: Jeff Fletcher
22 hours agoCleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor is getting a day off on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels and left-hander Reid Detmers. The 26-year-old has enjoyed a big start to his season and has actually fared quite well against left-handed pitching. Naylor has hit .263 with seven homers, two steals, and an .857 OPS across 132 trips to the plate on the season and has hit .300 with two homers and a 1.016 OPS across 34 plate appearances versus same-handed pitching on the season. He has also struck out in just 12.9% of his plate appearances while drawing walks at a nice 9.8% clip on the campaign.Source: MLB.com
22 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is hitting out of the two-hole for the first time this season on Saturday against the visiting San Francisco Giants and right-hander Keaton Winn. The two-hole has largely belonged to Trea Turner this season but Realmuto takes over the spot after Turner was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday due to a hamstring issue. It's been a subpar start to the season for the veteran backstop who is hitting just .239 with five homers, one steal, and a .692 OPS across 28 games and 118 trips to the plate. He has also walked in just 5.9% of his plate appearances while sporting a bloated 28.8% K% to this point in 2024.Source: MLB.com
23 hours agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (shoulder) is slated to make his season debut on Sunday afternoon against the Washington Nationals. The 26-year-old threw a side session on Friday after he was rocked for a 6.50 ERA across four starts with Triple-A Buffalo to begin his season. It's been tough sledding for Manoah since he was named a Cy Young finalist in the 2022 season as he posted a 5.87 ERA alongside a monster 14.2% BB% across 19 big-league starts. He was also optioned to the team's Florida spring training complex and refused an assignment to Buffalo after he scuffled in his big-league return. He will take on a Nationals offense that entered Saturday's action ranked 18th with a .303 wOBA on the season.Source: Keegan Matheson
23 hours agoChicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (oblique) could be activated off the injured list in the coming week, according to skipper Craig Counsell. The 29-year-old hasn't appeared since April 15 due to a right oblique strain after a fantastic start to his season. Suzuki hit .305 with three homers, 13 RBI, and an .893 OPS across his first 68 trips to the plate this season, production that graded out 52% above the league average, as per his 152 wRC+. Suzuki has been as advertised for the Cubs after signing a five-year deal prior to the 2022 season, hitting .277 with 37 homers, 15 stolen bases, and an .816 OPS across 264 games and 1,097 plate appearances. Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on his status over the next several days.Source: Patrick Mooney
23 hours agoChicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (ribs) could be activated within the next week, according to manager Craig Counsell. The 28-year-old is doing some hitting and defensive drills on Saturday as he works his way back from a right rib fracture. Bellinger suffered his injury on April 23 when he crashed into the outfield fence trying to make a catch. It's been a solid start to the season for Bellinger who is hitting .226 with five home runs, an 11.3% BB%, and a .760 OPS across 97 plate appearances. Additionally, he has struck out in just 15.5% of his plate appearances to this point after posting a career-best 15.6% K% in a rebound campaign with the Cubs in 2023.Source: Patrick Mooney
23 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured prior to Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants with a left hamstring strain. The Phillies promoted infielder Kody Clemens from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill the roster spot in a corresponding move. Turner was off to another dominant season, posting a .343/.392/.460 line with two long balls and ten stolen bases across 33 games. As a result, the Phillies will look to Edmundo Sosa to play shortstop, as he is the next man on the depth chart for the time being.Source: Philadelphia Phillies