10 hours agoThe Philadelphia Phillies pinch hit for outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (back) in the ninth inning of their 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday because of a sore back. Schwarber said he felt his back tighten up on his last swing in the seventh inning. He went 2-for-5 with two RBI in the victory but said, "I'll probably take tomorrow off just to make sure we're good to go." The Phillies have yet to release their lineup for Saturday's game in Miami, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect Schwarber to be in it. Kody Clemens pinch hit for Schwarber on Friday night and could get the starting nod on Saturday to give Schwarber a day to rest his back. Schwarber is still hitting only .217 (33-for-152), but he's added nine home runs and 25 RBI and will continue to be an elite source of power for fantasy managers as long as he stays healthy.Source: MLB.com
10 hours agoThe Miami Marlins activated left-hander Jesus Luzardo (elbow) from the 15-day injured list on Saturday and optioned right-hander Eli Villalobos to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. In his lone minor-league rehab start for Single-A Jupiter, Luzardo tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings with one walk and six strikeouts on May 5. The Marlins will throw the 26-year-old southpaw right back into their starting rotation on Saturday to take on the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Most fantasy managers should be hesitant to do the same with Luzardo and throw him right back into their starting lineups, as the Phillies rank second in baseball with a .762 team OPS, behind only the Dodgers. Luzardo has opened the year 0-2 with a 6.58 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 27:13 K:BB in his 26 innings, too.Source: Miami Marlins
11 hours agoThe Tampa Bay Rays reinstated relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks (arm) from the 15-day injured list on Saturday and optioned right-hander Edwin Uceta to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move. Fairbanks is ready to return to the big-league bullpen in Tampa after appearing in two minor-league rehab games for Durham. The 30-year-old has been dealing with a nerve issue in his right arm, which may have contributed to his rough start in 2024. In seven innings before landing on the injured list, he was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA, 2.29 WHIP and 10 strikeouts in eight appearances. Fairbanks also had three saves and should immediately take over as the team's closer now that he's back. Jason Adam, who was serving as the Rays' closer with Fairbanks out, will go back to a high-leverage setup role in Tampa. Fairbanks should be rostered in all fantasy formats despite his bad start in 2024.Source: Bally Sports Florida - Tricia Whitaker
11 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta has been reinstated from his five-game suspension and is making the start on Saturday against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Peralta was given a five-game suspension for throwing at Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jose Siri on April 30. The 27-year-old likely went through his in-between-starts routine this week after last starting on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, so he shouldn't have his workload limited in any way on Saturday in a good matchup against St. Louis. The Cardinals currently have the fourth-worst OPS (.631) in all of baseball. Only the offenses of the White Sox, Marlins and Pirates are worse. Peralta is 3-1 on the year with a 3.49 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 50 K's in 38 2/3 innings over his seven starts. Start him on Saturday against St. Louis.Source: MLB.com
11 hours agoToronto Blue Jays outfielders Kevin Kiermaier (illness) and George Springer (illness) remain out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the visiting Minnesota Twins for the second straight day as they remain under the weather. Daulton Varsho is back in center field and is batting second, while Cavan Biggio is in right field and is hitting eighth in the batting order against Twins rookie right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. Davis Schneider is back in left field and in the leadoff spot for the Jays. Fantasy managers need to keep both Kiermaier and Springer benched for another day and check back to see if they're feeling good enough to play in the series finale on Sunday. Nobody in Toronto's lineup has faced Woods Richardson in their careers.Source: Toronto Blue Jays
11 hours agoSan Diego Padres designated hitter Luis Arraez went 1-for-4 with a single and an RBI in Friday's 2-1 win over the Dodgers. While he had just one hit, it was a big one, as it came in the bottom of the ninth in a tie ball game and drove in the winning run. It was the perfect ending to his first home game as a Padre. The two-time batting champion is now hitting .311 on the season with a .358 OBP. He'll help fantasy managers in batting average and runs scored (27 runs scored in 2024), but doesn't hit for power and doesn't steal bases. Hopefully there will be more RBI opportunities in San Diego (only seven so far) than there were in Miami.Source: ESPN
13 hours agoSeattle Mariners second baseman Josh Rojas went 2-for-5 with a stolen base in Friday's 8-1 win over the Athletics. It was the 29-year-old's fifth multi-hit game in his last seven, going 13-for-30 (.433) during that stretch, including a double, a triple, and two stolen bases. The left-handed hitter is now slashing .351/.417/.526 on the season with a .413 wOBA and 175 wRC+. He may not hit for power but with the way he's hitting, walking (10.0%), and picking up a few stolen bases along the way, there should be plenty of run-scoring opportunities hitting leadoff. That is of course dependent on the rest of the Mariners lineup picking up the pace at the plate, as they lead the entire league in strikeouts as a team and they have the seventh-worst team batting average. Rojas could be a decent waiver add as he's eligible at both 2B and 3B for owners holding onto the likes of Gleyber Torres and Ke'Bryan Hayes.Source: ESPN
13 hours agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie extended his hitting streak to four games with a base hit on Friday evening. In May, Caissie has a .258/.452/.452 line with a strong 10:8 BB:K ratio. Through his first 36 games at Triple-A this season, the 21-year-old has an impressive .281/.428/.438 line with three long balls and four swiped bags. The former second-round selection is making his case to see time in the major leagues later this summer. However, he is in a bit of a logjam with Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki returning from injuries, Ian Happ having an everyday role in left field, and the recent promotion of top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. Nonetheless, the third-ranked prospect in the Cubs system should be rostered in all dynasty leagues and is becoming a worthy stash candidate in deeper redraft formats.Source: MiLB.com
13 hours agoSeattle Mariners shortstop Dylan Moore went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and five RBI in Friday's 8-1 win over the Athletics. It was a bright spot in an otherwise rough season so far for Moore. Through Monday's game, the 31-year-old was hitting .192 with two home runs and six RBI, but over his last three games while filling in for the injured J.P. Crawford at shortstop, the right-handed hitter is 5-for-11 (.455) with one home run and six RBI. Hopefully he can keep it up over the next week or so until Crawford returns. Moore will get RHP Joey Estes (7.20 ERA, 1.40 WHIP in two career starts) and LHP Alex Wood (5.30 ERA, 1.74 WHIP) this weekend against the A's.Source: ESPN
13 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Esmerlyn Valdez has been performing very well at Single-A this season and is making a case to be promoted to the next level of the minor leagues. In 27 games this season with Single-A Bradenton, he has a .273/.389/.477 line with four long balls, one stolen base, and 17 RBI. Valdez performed well in his small eight-game taste of Single-A last season and has carried that into this year. In addition, the 20-year-old has launched home runs in consecutive games and has a strong 5:8 BB:K ratio through May. Valdez is still several seasons away from a major league debut but is making quite the case to be promoted to High-A. He may be worth monitoring in dynasty formats if he can continue this domination throughout the summer.Source: MiLB.com
13 hours agoHouston Astros outfield prospect Jacob Melton began the season in a bit of a cold stretch with a poor .217/.290/.327 line with just one home run through the opening 15 games of the season at Double-A. Since then, the 23-year-old has an impressive .326/.375/.698 line with four long balls and 13 RBI. Melton launched his fifth home run of the campaign on Friday evening. MLB Pipeline considers Melton to be the top prospect in the Houston system. He is projected to reach the major leagues in 2025 but should see time in Triple-A later this summer, making him an interesting stash candidate in dynasty leagues.Source: MiLB.com
13 hours agoMiami Marlins outfield prospect Jakob Marsee hit his first home run in the Miami system on Friday evening. Marsee was included in the package that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego on May 3. Across 28 games at Double-A this season, with both the San Diego and Miami affiliates, he has a .177/.360/.333 line with three home runs and a strong 26:27 BB:K ratio. However, the 22-year-old has been showcasing his power potential in May with two long balls and a .529 SLG. Marsee is ranked as the tenth overall prospect in the Miami system and could see time in the Triple-A later this summer, which opens the door for a potential 2025 major league debut.Source: MiLB.com
14 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow turned in another dominant performance in Friday's 2-1 loss to the Padres but was unable to factor into the decision. Over seven frames, the righty allowed just one hit, a solo home run off the bat of Luis Campusano, and walked two while striking out 10 batters. It was the fourth time he's struck out 10 or more batters this season, and now has a sterling 2.53 ERA (2.52 FIP), 0.86 WHIP, and an elite 26.7% K-BB%. The 30-year-old's six wins are good for second-best in the majors and he's looking like a true Cy Young contender. The former fifth-round MLB draft pick will face the Giants on the road in his next outing, whom he faced earlier this season, going six innings allowing four hits, two walks, and three earned runs while striking out seven.Source: ESPN
14 hours agoBoston Red Sox outfield prospect Natanael Yuten hit an inside-the-park-home run on Friday to continue his 2024 power surge. In 26 games at Single-A this season, Yuten has posted a .240/.327/.406 line with three round-trippers, eight total extra-base hits, and two swiped bags. Last season, the 19-year-old only tallied two total extra-base hits (one double and one triple) in 18 games at Single-A. It is promising to see the young prospect begin to showcase his elite power and speed after having a disappointing debut in Single-A last season. Yuten is still several seasons away from his major league debut but could become a name to monitor in the Boston system as he progresses through the minor leagues.Source: MiLB.com
14 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks second base prospect Jean Walters is currently riding a three-game hitting streak thanks to knocking his first triple of the season on Friday evening. This triple in the bottom of the tenth brought in the winning run. On the season, the 22-year-old has a .250/.289/.333 line through ten games at High-A this season. He has only gone hitless in three games. Walters got a small taste of High-A ball last season after moving up from the Rookie League. The switch-hitter should see time in the Double-A later this summer and could become a name to monitor in deeper dynasty leagues if he can continue to stay hot at the plate.Source: MiLB.com