May 12, 2025
Los Angeles Angels infielder
Luis Rengifo is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the San Diego Padres. Rengifo will miss his second game in a row as the switch-hitter is in the middle of a rough slump at the plate. He has managed only two hits over his last seven games, so he'll take another night off on Monday. In his absence,
Tim Anderson will cover second base and bat ninth versus right-hander
Michael King. Anderson hasn't been great with the bat, but he does have four hits over his last five games. It's still not enough to warrant rostering Anderson in fantasy formats.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 12, 2025
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher
Spencer Strider (hamstring) is scheduled to throw a 70-75-pitch simulated game on Wednesday. The right-hander will be re-evaluated after that and Atlanta will determine whether or not Strider is ready to return to the big-league rotation. If not, Strider will likely make one or two rehab starts before returning to the big-league mound. There is a chance that Strider is able to take the ball for Atlanta for their weekend series, but he'll likely have heavy restrictions. Fantasy managers will need to check back on Wednesday for another update on his status. After returning from an internal-brace procedure last April, the 26-year-old made just one start in April before going on the injured list with a hamstring strain. He should not be on any waiver wires.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Mark Bowman
May 12, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder
Jordan Lawlar has been officially called up from Triple-A Reno on Monday. Lawlar won't be in Monday's lineup, but figures to get significant playing time on the D-Backs roster. The 22-year-old struggled during a 14-game sample size spot with the D-Backs in 2023. Lawlar spent all of the 2024 season in the minors, but missed significant time due to injury. Now, Lawlar has earned his way back on the D-Backs roster after slashing .336/.413/.579 with six homers and 13 steals in the minors. Sadly, there isn't an obvious everyday spot for Lawlar right now. Despite that, Lawlar should still see a fair amount of playing time while rotating positions in the infield. Lawlar is one of the top prospects in all of baseball and needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
May 12, 2025
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The superstar outfielder is expected to require a few weeks of rehab games before returning to the big league roster. Acuna is working his way back from tearing his ACL in his left knee in May of last year. The expectation is that Acuna will slowly ramp his way up the minor league system before finally making his season debut with Atlanta. The Braves haven't given a timetable on Acuna's return to the Braves, so fantasy managers will need to check back for another update. The assumption is that Acuna is going to be out until at least the end of May.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Mark Bowman
May
12,
2025
Cleveland
Guardians
manager
Stephen
Vogt
said
that
outfielder
Lane
Thomas
(wrist)
will
begin
a
minor-league
rehab
assignment
this
week
with
Triple-A
Columbus.
Outfielder/catcher
David
Fry
(elbow)
read more...
May 12, 2025
Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Ben Lively (forearm) left his start early on Monday after tossing a couple of warmup pitches in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers with right-forearm inflammation, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. Before departing, Lively had thrown three shutout innings with one hit allowed, two walks and a strikeout. We'll have an update on the severity of the 33-year-old's injury once the Guardians get test results back on Lively's arm, but fantasy managers should at least expect him to miss his next scheduled start and possibly land on the 15-day injured list. Coming into his start on Monday, Lively had gone 2-2 with a 3.46 ERA (4.58 FIP) and 1.20 WHIP with 28 strikeouts and 13 walks in 41 2/3 innings over his first eight starts. His fantasy value is limited, though, as more of a pitch-to-contact hurler.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
May
12,
2025
San
Francisco
Giants
catcher
Tom
Murphy
(back)
will
be
re-evaluated
in
six
weeks,
according
to
NBC
Sports
Bay
Area's
Alex
Pavlovic.
Murphy
is
on
the
60-day
injured
list
and
has
yet
to
make
his
debut
with
read more...
May 12, 2025
The San Francisco Giants say that infielders
Tyler Fitzgerald (rib) and
Casey Schmitt (oblique) could start their minor-league rehab assignments on Tuesday. Fitzgerald is rehabbing from a fractured left rib that he suffered in the middle of April, while Schmitt is more than three weeks removed from a Grade 2 oblique strain. Depending on how both players fare while on their rehab assignments, they could rejoin the big-league roster by this weekend or early next week. Of the two, Fitzgerald is the more attractive fantasy asset as a regular at second base for the Giants when he's healthy. The 27-year-old surprised with intriguing power and speed in 96 games in 2024 and was hitting a solid .284/.341/.432 with two long balls, seven RBI, 14 runs scored and five steals in 25 games before his injury. Fantasy managers looking for middle-infield help in deep-mixed leagues might want to snag Fitzgerald now if he's available.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic
May 12, 2025
San Francisco Giants shortstop
Willy Adames has been dropped to the sixth spot in the batting order for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander
Merrill Kelly at Oracle Park. Adames has hit slightly better in the month of May to the tune of a .244/.311/.439 slash line with two home runs, two doubles, four RBI and seven runs scored in 10 games, but overall the 29-year-old has been a disappointment both offensively and defensively in his first 41 games for the Gigantes. He comes into Monday's contest batting .217 (35-for-161) with four long balls, 19 RBI, 23 runs and two stolen bases in his 182 plate appearances. The good news is he has hit .368 with a 1.084 OPS, two home runs and three RBI in 19 career at-bats against Kelly, so Adames could end up being a nice DFS sleeper on Monday night.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 12, 2025
San Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill (illness) is back in center field and is batting in the cleanup spot for Monday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and left-hander
Yusei Kikuchi at Petco Park. Merrill was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Colorado Rockies in Denver because he was feeling under the weather, but he's good to go now and should be returned to all starting lineups in redraft leagues despite a lefty-lefty matchup against a pitcher he's never faced. The 22-year-old former 27th overall pick has been outstanding in his 56 at-bats for the Friars this year, going 25-for-56 (.446) with four home runs, 16 RBI, 12 runs and a stolen base. Since returning from an injured-list stint due to a hamstring injury, Merrill has a four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 11-for-19 with a homer, two doubles, six RBI and five runs scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 12, 2025
Houston Astros designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (hand), who is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, hit in the cages before Monday's series opener at Daikin Park against the Kansas City Royals, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is on the IL with a muscle strain in his right hand, and while it's not considered overly serious, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to be back in the lineup for Game 2 of the series against KC. However, the 27-year-old left-handed slugger could be back from the IL for the start of the team's road trip in Texas against the Rangers on Thursday. The three-time Cuban slugger hasn't looked like himself at the plate so far in 2025, perhaps because of his hand injury, slashing a weak .210/.306/.340 with an uncharacteristically low .646 OPS, three home runs, 18 RBI and seven runs in his 100 at-bats. Hopefully, Alvarez will be more productive when he returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
May 12, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Jose Altuve (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener at home against the visiting Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Michael Wacha, playing second base and batting second.
Zach Dezenzo is in left field and hitting eighth. Altuve will return to the field after leaving Saturday's game early against the Cincinnati Reds due to tightness in his hamstring and the sitting out Sunday's series finale. Fantasy managers will want to plug the nine-time Venezuelan All-Star back into their starting lineups despite the fact that he's only hitting a mediocre .259 (38-for-147) with four home runs, 14 RBI, 18 runs and three steals on the year. He's also hitting .200 (6-for-30) with two doubles and three runs in eight games so far in May. In a limited sample size of six career at-bats against Wacha, Altuve is hitting .167 with an RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 12, 2025
Texas Rangers left-hander
Cody Bradford (elbow) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, according to the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland. Bradford has been throwing just fastballs and changeups on flat ground as he ramps back up and said that he's been feeling good. The 27-year-old southpaw has yet to make his 2025 debut due to a sprained UCL in his left elbow that he suffered in spring training. He's making progress but still has a ways to go and will eventually need to go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment, which means fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back in Texas' starting rotation until sometime in June in a best-case scenario. Bradford was solid in 14 outings (13 starts) in 2024 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, but he missed 16 weeks with a stress fracture in his rib cage. When he gets closer to a return, he'll be a strong waiver-wire consideration in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
May 12, 2025
Texas Rangers infielder/outfielder
Josh Smith (back) was originally scheduled to play in Monday's series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field, but he was a late scratch due to back soreness, according to the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland. With Smith out and
Corey Seager (hamstring) appearing likely to go back on the injured list,
Ezequiel Duran is starting at the 6 on Monday and batting ninth against Rockies rookie right-hander
Chase Dollander. As long as the 27-year-old Smith's back injury isn't too serious, he should end up making most of the starts at shortstop if Seager indeed goes back on the IL. Smith doesn't have much power or speed but has been very valuable to fantasy managers in AL-only leagues so far in 2025 by hitting .316/.395/.474 with an .869 OPS in 114 at-bats as a utility man in Texas.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Shawn McFarland
May 12, 2025
The Texas Rangers announced on Monday that they recalled infielder
Jake Burger from Triple-A Round Rock and optioned infielder
Blaine Crim to Round Rock in a corresponding move. Burger is starting at first base and batting seventh for Monday's series opener against the visiting Colorado Rockies and rookie right-hander
Chase Dollander. Although Burger was demoted to the minors after hitting .190/.231/.330 with three homers, 12 RBI, 13 runs and 32 strikeouts in his first 30 games with the team, fantasy managers in deeper leagues looking for power at the corner infield spots should give the 29-year-old some waiver-wire consideration now that he's back in Texas. In his six games with Round Rock on the farm, Burger went 9-for-23 with two home runs, a double, six RBI and five runs scored in 26 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
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