May 8, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (thumb) completed a bullpen session on Wednesday. This was a significant step for the right-hander as he has been sidelined since his first start with a right thumb injury. He was initially placed on the 15-day IL but was recently shifted to the 60-day IL earlier in May. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, but it is an excellent sign to see him facing live hitters. Currently, the 40-year-old would be eligible to return from the IL in late May. However, given the time he has missed, Fantasy managers should not expect Scherzer to return until June, as he would likely need a lengthy rehab assignment. Last summer, Scherzer was also limited by numerous injuries, but was productive when on the bump, logging a 3.95 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. Given his unclear timetable, he should only be stashed in deeper 12+ team formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andres Soto
May
8,
2025
The
Pittsburgh
Pirates
have
fired
manager
Derek
Shelton.
The
Pirates
have
had
a
disappointing
start
to
the
season,
holding
a
12-26
record,
which
puts
them
at
the
bottom
of
the
NL
Central.
He
is
being
replaced
by
read more...
May 8, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitching prospect Trey Yesavage tossed five innings of three-run ball (one earned) on Wednesday to pick up his second-straight victory. Yesavage allowed just two hits and no walks. He struck out seven. Through his first taste of professional baseball, last year's 20th overall pick has flashed elite strikeout upside. Through his first 28 1/3 innings of work in Low-A, Yesavage has struck out 43 batters and served up just eight walks. During this stretch, he has held a 2.22 ERA with a stellar 0.81 WHIP. He has allowed just one long ball. Fantasy managers should expect the East Carolina product to be in contention to move up to High-A in the coming weeks, given his elite production at Low-A. Dynasty managers should continue to monitor his progression as he appears to be developing into one of the top arms in the lower levels of the minor leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
May 8, 2025
Detroit Tigers catcher
Dillon Dingler will take a seat for Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader at Coors Field versus the hosting Colorado Rockies.
Tomas Nido will do the catching for right-hander
Casey Mize and will hit eighth against Rockies left-hander
Kyle Freeland. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should expect Dingler to return to the starting lineup for Game 2 of the twin bill. The 26-year-old backstop has swung the bat well for the upstart Tigers so far this year, slashing .292/.313/.479 with a .792 OPS, four home runs, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored in 96 at-bats. Although the 31-year-old Nido has hit .360 (9-for-25) for Detroit, he'll be a low-upside DFS play in the eight-hole, even at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Nido is still searching for his first homer of the year and is hitless in four career at-bats against Freeland.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 8, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Zyhir Hope went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run during Wednesday's contest against High-A Dayton. This outing snapped a 15-game power drought for the 20-year-old outfielder. Hope spent his 2024 campaign at Low-A and posted a strong .287/.415/.490 slash line and was rewarded with a promotion to High-A to begin the 2025 season. Through his first 29 games with High-A Great Lakes, Hope has held a .282/.368/.518 slash line with nine doubles, five home runs, and four stolen bases. He has held a 31:15 K:BB. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring Hope's production at High-A as he continues to climb prospect boards. He currently sits as the No. 6-ranked in the Dodger system and the No. 72-ranked in the sport on MLB Pipeline.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
May 8, 2025
Baltimore Orioles right-hander
Zach Eflin (lat) will "more than likely" return from the 15-day injured list this weekend to face the Los Angeles Angels in the series finale on Sunday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles announced on Wednesday that Eflin would be returning from the IL this weekend after throwing a successful bullpen session, but now we know the exact date. Although the matchup will be an excellent one for the 31-year-old veteran -- the Angels rank 25th in MLB with a .665 team OPS -- but Eflin could be limited pitch-count wise in his first start back after throwing only 58 pitches in his only minor-league rehab start. Still, Eflin is tempting for fantasy lineups after posting a 3.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with eight strikeouts in 18 innings over his first three starts this year before injuring his lat.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Baltimore Sun - Matt Weyrich
May 8, 2025
Cleveland Guardians infield prospect
Angel Genao (shoulder) is set to begin participating in simulated games early next week. Genao has been on the 7-day injured list through the early part of the MiLB regular season. However, it appears the No. 4-ranked prospect in the Cleveland system is nearing a return to game action. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his progression as he should be in the mix to return to Double-A in the coming weeks. Last summer, Genao spent his time at Low-A and High-A. Across 44 games at Low-A, Genao held a .341/.383/.553 slash line with 14 doubles and six home runs. He was then given the call to High-A, where the No. 59-ranked prospect in the sport held a strong .322/.377/.463 line. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his progression as he could be in the mix to reach Triple-A by the second half of the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
May 8, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera (knee) is expected to come off the 10-day injured list before Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold. The Cardinals have already sent
Luken Baker to Triple-A Memphis to free up a roster spot for Herrera's impending return. The 24-year-old backstop has gone 9-for-23 with a home run and a double in six minor-league rehab games for Memphis and appears ready to go. The Cardinals could ease him in at first with more starts as the designated hitter following a month-long absence due to a bone bruise in his left knee, but when he returns, Herrera will be a lineup regular for the Cardinals. Before his injury, he was the team's starting catcher and had gone 8-for-21 with four homers, 11 RBI and six runs scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
May 8, 2025
Detroit Tigers outfielder
Riley Greene is resting for Game 1 of a doubleheader at Coors Field on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies.
Zach McKinstry will join the lineup in left field and will bat in the three-hole against Rockies left-hander
Kyle Freeland. Fantasy managers should expect Greene to return in the second game of the twin bill. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting-outfielder has been swinging a hot bat recently for Detroit, going 13-for-32 (.406) with four home runs, eight RBI and eight runs scored in eight games since April 28 to raise his season slash line to .266/.315/.475 in 139 at-bats. McKinstry is in a lefty-lefty matchup, which usually isn't a good thing, but he's had reverse splits so far in 2025 and has gone 12-for-33 (.364) with three RBI against southpaws this year. Treat him as a DFS sleeper at Coors Field in a prime lineup spot on Thursday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 8, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays right-handed pitching prospect
Trevor Harrison enjoyed a strong bounce-back outing on Wednesday against Low-A Columbia. In this start, Harrison allowed just two hits and one run (unearned) across six innings of work. He struck out three batters but did not allow a free pass. In his previous start, Harrison allowed six hits and six runs across three innings of work. Through 26 innings of work at Low-A Charleston, Harrison has posted a 4.15 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP. During this stint, Harrison has struck out just 28 batters and served up 15 walks. Last summer, the No. 11-ranked prospect in the Tampa Bay system logged 40 innings at Low-A to the tune of a 3.15 with a 1.25 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Harrison to compete for his High-A debut in the second half of the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
May
8,
2025
Texas
Rangers
shortstop
Corey
Seager
and
catcher
Jonah
Heim
will
both
retreat
to
the
bench
for
Thursday's
series
finale
at
Fenway
Park
against
the
Boston
Red
Sox.
read more...
May 8, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Harrison Bader (illness) is starting in left field and is hitting eighth for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander
Dean Kremer at Target Field. Bader will be back in action for the Twins after missing the last two games due to an illness. The 30-year-old veteran has hit well so far in his first season with Minnesota, going 27-for-94 (.287) with four home runs, four doubles, 16 RBI, two stolen bases and 14 runs scored in 33 games played. Additionally, he enters Thursday's contest riding a nine-game hitting streak in which he's gone 13-for-29 (.448) with a homer, three doubles, four RBI, a steal and seven runs scored. Bader has hits in both his career at-bats against Kremer, too, but the fact he's hitting at the bottom of the lineup isn't great news for his DFS upside on Thursday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 8, 2025
Boston Red Sox right-handed pitching prospect Juan Valera logged his best outing of the High-A regular season on Wednesday against Rome. In this outing, the 18-year-old tossed five 2/3 shutout frames. He allowed just four hits and served up one walk. He struck out a season-high eight batters. This was the first time Valera did not allow a run in a start this season. Entering this contest, the right-hander carried a modest 6.97 ERA with a 1.60 WHIP across 20 2/3 innings of work. During this stint, the No. 19-ranked prospect in the system struck out just 22 batters. Fantasy managers should expect Valera to continue to spend most of the campaign at the High-A level. Given his modest start, he could eventually push for a late-season taste of Double-A if he is able to build off Wednesday's start.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
May 8, 2025
Baltimore Orioles second baseman
Jackson Holliday is hitting out of the two-hole for Thursday's series finale against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field with both catcher
Adley Rutschman and
Cedric Mullins sitting out. It's the highest that Holliday has batted for Baltimore this year after recently being bumped up to the six-hole. The 21-year-old has picked things up offensively of late, going 8-for-22 with two home run, three RBI and four runs scored in seven games since April 28. Overall, the former first overall pick in 2022 is slashing .263/.333/.421 with a .754 OPS, four home runs, 11 RBI, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases in 95 total at-bats. Fantasy managers hoping for more are just hoping that he can stay hot out of the two-spot against a pitcher that he has yet to face in the big leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 8, 2025
Baltimore Orioles catcher
Adley Rutschman and outfielder
Cedric Mullins are both taking the day off in Thursday's series finale against the hosting Minnesota Twins.
Maverick Handley will be the catcher and hit ninth, while
Ramon Laureano will patrol center field and hit fifth against Twins right-hander
Bailey Ober. Rutschman will take the day off after starting each of the last eight games for the O's. Like most of the team's bats this year, the switch-hitting backstop has been cold, hitting .212 (25-for-118) with four homers, 10 RBI and 15 runs on the year. Mullins will sit out for the first time since April 27. The 30-year-old has been one of the O's most productive offensive players with seven homers, 21 RBI and five steals in 33 games in 2025. Handley has never faced Ober, while Laureano is hitless against him in just two career at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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