12 hours agoAtlanta Braves catcher
Sean Murphy (elbow) is back behind the dish and is hitting sixth for the Braves on Thursday against the Washington Nationals and rookie left-hander
Mitchell Parker. Murphy took a pitch to his right elbow in Tuesday's contest against the Nats and was held out on Wednesday as a precaution. The former A's backstop was injured in the first game of the year due to a pretty serious oblique injury and didn't return to action until May 27. Since coming off the injured list, Murphy has gone 4-for-19 (.211) with no homers, a double, three RBI and five strikeouts in six games played. He has yet to settle in but is Atlanta's primary catcher when healthy and made his first All-Star team in his first year with the Braves in 2023, when he hit .251/.365/.478 with career-highs in homers (21) and RBI (68).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
14 hours agoThe Cincinnati Reds optioned right-hander
Graham Ashcraft to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday and activated right-hander
Emilio Pagan (triceps) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. Ashcraft will go down to the farm to work on some things before potentially rejoining Cincy's starting rotation later this year. The 26-year-old gets sent down after giving up at least three earned runs in each of his last six starts, dating back to May 8. In that same span, Ashcraft allowed 21 earned runs on 35 hits (four homers) while walking 12 and striking out 19 in 27 2/3 innings pitched. He can obviously be dumped to the waiver wire in deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Moving forward, swingman
Nick Martinez is the best bet to benefit in the Reds' rotation with Ashcraft losing his spot, although lefty
Brandon Williamson's (shoulder) return could be on the horizon.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
14 hours agoOakland Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers is resting on Thursday for the matinee affair against the visiting division-rival Seattle Mariners. With Langeliers on the bench,
Kyle McCann will do the catching for left-hander
JP Sears and will bat sixth against Mariners right-hander
Bryan Woo. Langeliers has started only three of the team's last six games as he's cooled off considerably at the plate of late. In his last 11 games dating back to May 21, Langeliers has gone 5-for-39 (.128) with two home runs, four RBI, four walks and 16 strikeouts in 43 plate appearances to drop his season slash line in 2024 to .202/.266/.464 in 203 plate appearances. Despite his high whiff rate and low batting average, the 26-year-old catcher remains relevant in fantasy for his power stroke (12 homers).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
14 hours agoColorado Rockies left-hander
Lucas Gilbreath (elbow, shoulder) did some throwing at Coors Field on Monday after a weekend of prescribed rest and recovery, and manager Bud Black characterized Gilbreath as "progressing." The 28-year-old is recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow and should discomfort and is still a ways from a return in 2024. He didn't pitch at all in 2023 after going under the knife and has a 3.78 career ERA (3.92 FIP), a 1.39 WHIP, one save, 49 walks and 93 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings over 94 appearances (one start) since debuting in the big leagues with Colorado in 2021. Gilbreath was originally drafted in the seventh round in 2017 out of the University of Minnesota. He's well off the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
14 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that left-hander
Kyle Freeland (elbow), who had a simulated game on Tuesday at Coors Field in which he used his full pitch mix for two innings (roughly 40 pitches), might have another bullpen session at the team's Scottsdale, Ariz., complex before pitching in game conditions in Arizona. The 31-year-old southpaw, who is recovering from a left-elbow strain suffered earlier this year, is getting closer to pitching in real games. However, given his long layoff, don't be surprised if the Rockies require a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment from him. No fantasy managers are eagerly awaiting Freeland's return to the big-league rotation after he posted an ugly 13.21 ERA and 2.55 WHIP with nine strikeouts in only 15 2/3 innings in his first four starts for the Rockies in 2024 before getting hurt.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
14 hours agoColorado Rockies outfield prospect
Zac Veen (back) was off to a solid start for Double-A Hartford this year before leaving a May 18 game with back soreness. Veen was hoping the injury was only temporary, but he's now on the seven-day minor-league injured list and is at the team's complex in Scottsdale, Ariz. He has been limited to strengthening and playing catch until he is cleared for baseball activities. According to MLB Pipeline, Veen is Colorado's No. 6 prospect and the No. 90 prospect in all of baseball. The 22-year-old was hitting a strong .326/.418/.568 with five home runs and nine steals in 28 games for Hartford before his injury, so hopefully he'll be back sooner than later. Veen also missed significant time in 2023 with a hand injury, setting his development back a bit.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that right-hander
Jake Bird's (elbow) bullpen session on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., went well and that he's making progress from right-elbow inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injured list. While on the IL, both Bird and reliever
Justin Lawrence (shoulder) have been making mechanical tweaks. Hopefully the mechanical tweaks work, as the 28-year-old wasn't very effective in 20 2/3 relief innings for Colorado before his injury, allowing 15 runs (14 earned) on 21 hits (three homers) while walking 15 and striking out only 12 with one save. The back end of the Rockies' bullpen is a mess, but fantasy managers shouldn't be holding out hope that Bird will suddenly gain control of primary closing duties when he's healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15 hours agoColorado Rockies manager Bud Black said that right-handed reliever
Justin Lawrence (shoulder) will accompany the team on its road trip to St. Louis and Minnesota, starting on Thursday, and will begin throwing bullpen sessions during the road trip. While on the injured list with a right-shoulder strain, Lawrence has been tweaking his mechanics. Barring a setback, the 29-year-old reliever should be able to come off the IL to rejoin Colorado's bullpen by the middle of June. Lawrence opened the year as Colorado's primary closer but has struggled with a 5.91 ERA (4.12 FIP), a 1.83 WHIP, two saves, 15 walks and 20 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. It remains to be seen what role Lawrence will operate in when he returns to the majors, but right now, the Rockies have a messy closer committee going on involving
Jalen Beeks,
Tyler Kinley and
Nick Mears. It's a situation to avoid.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15 hours agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Nolan Jones (back, knee) went 1-for-5 as the designated hitter and stole a base on Tuesday for Triple-A Albuquerque, and manager Bud Black said Jones was scheduled to play the field on Wednesday. The current injury is to his left knee, which he suffered last month during his previous minor-league rehab assignment while trying to recover from a lower-back strain. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger was put on the injured list back on April 30, so the Rockies may keep him on a rehab assignment through the weekend given all the time he's missed. In addition to his injuries, he's hit just .170 (16-for-94) on the year with a homer and seven RBI, but his high-upside power/speed combination makes him worth stashing in all fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15
hours
agoWith
Colorado
Rockies
veteran
Kris
Bryant
(rib
cage)
likely
headed
to
the
10-day
injured
list
on
Thursday
with
rib-cage
soreness,
first
baseman/outfielder
Michael
Toglia
will
likely
be
called
up
from
Triple-A
Albuquerque
to
take
his
spot
on
the
read more...
15 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks shortstop
Geraldo Perdomo (knee) played seven innings at shortstop with Triple-A Reno on Wednesday on his minor-league rehab assignment and went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Perdomo began his rehab assignment over the weekend in the Arizona Complex League, but now he's facing top-level minor-league competition and is getting closer to a return after injuring his knee in early April. Manager Torey Lovullo already ruled out the 24-year-old from returning this weekend in San Diego for a series against the Padres, but there's a chance he could be reinstated from the injured list next week. Perdomo could be eased in initially, but he should eventually take over starting shortstop duties in Arizona despite veteran
Kevin Newman playing well there of late for the D-backs.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
15 hours agoCincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect
Julian Aguiar posted another strong performance on Wednesday, where he tossed six innings of one-run ball with four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Aguiar has been on a nice run over his past his past six starts. Through this stretch, the right-hander has logged 35 innings with a 2.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 7:27 BB:K ratio. Overall on the season, the 23-year-old holds a 2.83 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 12:45 BB:K ratio through 57 ⅓ innings at Double-A. Aguiar logged a similar 54 ⅔ innings at this level last summer but held a much higher 4.28 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Aguiar should join Triple-A later this summer but is not expected to make his major league debut until next season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
15 hours agoNew York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) is due to return from the injured list next Tuesday. Alvarez, who will be wearing a splint to protect his fractured left thumb when he returns, will catch nine innings with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday and Saturday and will then serve as the designated hitter on Sunday. After that, he's expected to join the Mets next week for a series against the Miami Marlins. The 22-year-old already caught a combined no-hitter at High-A Brooklyn on Tuesday and has drawn praise from minor-league coaches during his rehab assignment. The Mets could ease Alvarez in once he returns, but he should immediately return to the middle of New York's batting order and be a must-start in fantasy. The Venezuelan backstop will return to a .236 average (13-for-55) with one homer and eight RBI on the season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
15 hours agoCleveland Guardians catcher/outfielder
David Fry is absent from the starting lineup again on Thursday against the visiting Kansas City Royals after the contest between the two division rivals was postponed on Wednesday due to inclement weather in Cleveland.
Bo Naylor will do the catching for right-hander
Tanner Bibee and will hit eighth against Royals right-hander
Brady Singer. Fry has gotten off to an amazing start in 111 at-bats for the first-place Guardians this year by slashing .342/.479/.613 with a 1.092 OPS, eight home runs, 27 RBI, four stolen bases and 27 runs scored, but he hasn't been given an everyday role despite his hot hitting. Fry isn't going to be this good all year, but fantasy managers need to continue to ride him when he's in the lineup as long as he can keep it up. Naylor, meanwhile, has struggled to a .173/.250/.263 slash line in 133 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15 hours agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Brennen Davis snapped his five-game hitless streak on Wednesday with a two-hit performance and also launched his ninth home run of the season. After being limited by several injuries over the past few seasons, the former top prospect on the Northside is beginning to showcase his elite potential with a strong season at Triple-A. Through 32 games, the 24-year-old holds a .242/.408/.560 line with 25 RBI and an excellent 17:25 BB:K ratio. In addition, from May 10 to May 18, Davis went on an incredible power run where he launched seven home runs in eight games. Davis could make his major league debut later this summer but may have to wait to fill in for an injury as the Cubs have a crowded outfield with
Ian Happ,
Seiya Suzuki,
Cody Bellinger,
Mike Tauchman, and top prospect
Pete Crow-Armstrong.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
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