21 hours agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Victor Robles (hamstring) will travel with the team as he continues to rehab a left-hamstring strain, which he suffered running from first to third base on April 3. Robles is throwing and hitting without pain and has regained full range of motion. Manager Dave Martinez hopes he will begin running drills soon. Robles had returned to full health during spring training after back spasms limited him to 36 games in 2023. It's good news that the 26-year-old is making progress, but when he's ready to rejoin the big-league roster, he's probably going to need to produce to continue playing regularly, especially given the fact that Washington has several big-name prospects that are itching to make their major-league debuts.
Jacob Young has been serving as Washington's center fielder with Robles out and has gone 11-for-42 (.262) with no homers, two RBI and six steals in 15 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
21 hours agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers struggled in Monday's 3-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Weathers went for 5 2/3 innings pitched while allowing six hits, one homer, and three runs while walking three batters and only striking out one. The 24-year-old moves to 2-2 on the season with a 3.16 ERA, an 8.1 K/9 rate, and a 4.1 BB/9 rate through five games. The Marlins played it safe in his previous start against the San Francisco Giants where they pulled him due to cramping in his left hand. While it wasn't a huge concern before, fantasy managers will want to watch him in his next start versus the Washington Nationals to see if the left-hand cramping is an issue.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
21 hours agoAn MRI exam that Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (rib) underwent on Monday confirmed the expectation that he's going to miss a significant amount of time with his injury. Casas was placed on the 10-day injured list, but it's basically a foregone conclusion that he'll miss much more time than that. The former 26th overall pick in 2018 out of high school needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for now, as he had already cleared the fences six times while driving in 10 in his first 78 at-bats of the 2024 season while hitting .244 (19-for-78). Until Casas is able to return, the Red Sox will move forward with some combination of
Bobby Dalbec,
Pablo Reyes and
Rob Refsnyder at first base in Beantown. With none of the trio likely to see consistent playing time, they aren't very attractive in mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Julian McWilliams
22 hours agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Keaton Winn had a strong performance in Monday's 5-2 win over the New York Mets. Winn pitched well through six innings with six strikeouts while allowing just four hits, one homer, and one batter walked. After a rough start to the season, the Giants pitcher has mellowed out and secured two-straight wins, bringing his season record to 2-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 7.39 K/9 rate through his first five starts. He is a pitcher to keep stashed across all formats, with a nice matchup versus the Pirates in his next start.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
23 hours agoLos Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe had a team-high two points in Monday's playoff opener against the Oilers, logging a goal and an assist in a 7-4 defeat. He bagged the team's second goal late in the second period and assisted Pierre-Luc Dubois on the Kings' third with three minutes left in regulation. Kempe now boasts a seven-game postseason scoring streak. He totaled five goals and three assists in six meetings with Edmonton in last year's opening round. Kempe also had six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games against Edmonton in the playoffs two seasons ago, so this is a matchup that suits him very well.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
23 hours agoEdmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique bagged a goal and an assist when the team opened its 2024 playoff campaign with a comfortable 7-4 victory over Los Angeles Monday night. Lining up on the first line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, Henrique scored Edmonton's second goal in the middle of the first period and tallied the assist when Hyman put the Oilers 3-0 up early in the second. The veteran hadn't scored a postseason goal since Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. The 4,333 days between the two Henrique strikes mark the longest stretch without a postseason goal by a player in NHL history. It's an unpleasant record to have, but after going 12 years without a single goal, Henrique should get plenty of joy in front of the net in 2024 with McDavid next to him.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
23 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov played his part in Monday's comeback victory against the Islanders with two assists. A poor start put Carolina in a 3-0 hole, but the team found a way to turn the game on its head and grabbed a 2-0 series lead with a 5-3 victory. Svechnikov came up with his first assist when Sebastian Aho tied the game at the 17:45 mark in the third period, and he collected his second helper on Jake Guentzel's empty-net goal. These are Svechnikov's first points of the series. He's sitting on the top line with Aho and Guentzel and should do a lot more damage in the 2024 playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
23 hours agoBoston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak scored his 36th career postseason goal in Monday's 3-2 defeat against the Maple Leafs. The Czech star entered the contest with a season-worst six-game goal drought. He went 22 consecutive shots without a goal before getting on the board late in the first period on Monday. Only eight players in Bruins history have scored more playoff goals than Pastrnak, and he's had a lot of success against Toronto throughout the years with eight postseason goals. The series continues in Canada on Wednesday, with Pastrnak sitting on one goal, one assist, and six shots through the first couple of encounters.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
24 hours agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi registered a goal and an assist as the team tied the first-round series against Boston with a 3-2 victory on Monday. Domi got the Maple Leafs on the board in the middle of the first frame and registered the primary assist when Auston Matthews hit the game-winner with eight minutes left to play in regulation. Sitting on the first line with Matthews, Domi finds himself in a superb spot to make a big impact in the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
24 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce suffered a lower-body injury in Monday's Game 2 win over the Islanders and might be shelved for a while. "That's not looking good," said Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour about Pesce's injury postgame. The 29-year-old blue-liner was minus-one across 8:47 of action before leaving the contest on Monday. Pesce doesn't provide a lot fantasy-wise, but he has been a valued member of the team and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time during the regular season as a member of the second defensive pairing. Tony DeAngelo is looking at an opportunity to join the lineup for Game 3 on Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Walt Ruff
24 hours agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic cooked up a special line against the Lakers in Monday's 101-99 win, leading the team with 27 points and bagging 20 rebounds and 10 assists. It's his fourth career playoff game with at least 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. There have been only four other occasions in NBA playoff history when a player has managed to record these numbers. Jokic's night included a pair of steals in 41 minutes on the floor, as he shot 9-for-16 from the field and 2-for-4 from downtown. The reigning Finals MVP fills up the stat sheet with ease and should continue to do so as the series shifts to L.A. later in the week.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
24 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect
Tink Hence has adjusted positively in his second go-around for Double-A Springfield. Over his first three starts, he has a pristine 1.17 ERA in 15 1/3 innings. He has also struck out 17 batters with just two walks on the season. Hence, 21, split time in 2023 between High-A Peoria and Springfield, but struggled in Springfield with a 5.47 ERA in 12 starts versus a 2.81 ERA for Peoria. Hence offers good velocity on his fastball that registers in the mid-90s to go along with a nice changeup and slider. Hence has shown the ability to be a very productive pitcher, but durability remains a concern in the long-term with Hence never throwing more than 100 innings in a season or 82 pitches in a single game. If Hence can improve his stamina, he has the future makings of a MLB starter, but if he continues to have durability issues, Hence would be best suited as a relief pitcher. He remains an intriguing option for dynasty managers to monitor.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
24 hours agoDenver Nuggets point guard
Jamal Murray salvaged his bad night with a strong finish and the game-winning shot in Monday's 101-99 victory over the Lakers. Murray put the Nuggets 2-0 up in the series by hitting a tough step-back 15-foot shot over
Anthony Davis at the buzzer. Denver pulled off a 20-point comeback in the game, with Murray scoring 12 of his 20 points inside the final 7:15 of play. He failed to hit a single three-pointer with five attempts and finished 9-for-24 overall from the field. However, Murray also made a big impact defensively with a pair of blocks and registered three rebounds with five assists. Murray's shot has been off at the beginning of the series, but he's known as a very good postseason performer and should kick into gear soon.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James had a vintage playoff performance in Game 2 against Denver on Monday in a 101-99 loss. He produced 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and totaled eight rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and two blocks. James was 3-for-6 with the three-ball and shot 9-for-19 overall. The NBA-s all-time leading scorer has now lost nine consecutive games against a single opponent for the first time in his 21-year career. He will try to spark a comeback in the series on Thursday when the two teams meet up in Los Angeles.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoPittsburgh Pirates second base prospect
Termarr Johnson has been off to a slow start over his first 14 games for High-A Greensboro. Johnson, 19, is coming off a strong season between Single-A and High-A in 2023 that saw him hit a combined .244 with 18 homers, 59 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 105 games. So far in 2024, Johnson has struggled to the tune of a .205 batting average with no homers, seven RBI and two stolen bases. Johnson has a keen eye at the plate and follows that up with plenty of power potential. Although second baseman aren't the biggest power hitters, Johnson can be special offensively and should be held onto in dynasty leagues, even though he may be a few seasons away from contributing at the big-league level.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center
Anthony Davis brought out all of his offensive moves to score a game-high 32 points in Monday's loss to Denver. Davis missed only five of his 19 shots and racked up 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block across 39 minutes. However, the Lakers needed one more swat from him, as
Jamal Murray hit a 101-99 game-winner at the buzzer over Davis. The Lakers are now 2-0 down in the series, but Davis has been in outstanding form. He's averaged 32.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks through the first couple of games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoMinnesota Twins outfield prospect
Emmanuel Rodriguez has been doing it all this season for Double-A Wichita. The 21-year-old outfielder has dealt with injuries the last two seasons, but looks fully recovered in his first 14 games of the season. Over that span, Rodriguez is hitting a healthy .289 with four homers, 10 RBI and eight stolen bases. He also has a shiny 1.219 OPS. Rodriguez has risen a level in each year of professional career with the Twins and held his own at each stop. The left-handed hitter has very good bat speed and strong plate discipline at such a young age and his power game is just developing as he fills out his body. The biggest flaw for the youngster has been his ability to stay healthy, but he has the future makings of a five-tool star, if everything clicks. He is a couple years away, but he should be looked at by dynasty managers and a name for redraft managers to file away for as early as next season.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoCleveland Cavaliers center
Jarrett Allen dominated the glass in Monday's Game 2 win against the Magic, becoming the third player in franchise history to record 20-plus rebounds in a playoff game. He joined
Kevin Love (21) and Brad Daugherty (20), gobbling up nine rebounds on the offensive end alone. The great work on the glass helped Allen to ease to a second consecutive double-double in the series, as he posted 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. It was a productive night all around for the 28-year-old, with Allen completing his line with three assists, two steals, and two blocks. Allen also had 18 rebounds in Game 1, and Orlando clearly has to do better on the glass to have a chance in the series, which continues on Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell put together a full line in Monday's 96-86 Game 2 victory over Orlando, leading all scorers with 23 points and collecting eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. It was a busy night for the Cavaliers superstar, although Mitchell struggled from downtown with a 2-for-10 effort. It dragged his overall shooting numbers down badly, as Mitchell finished 9-for-22 from the field. Mitchell's three-point shooting for the series now stands at 27.8 percent, but he's still enjoyed a good start to the playoffs, averaging 26.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoArizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect
Druw Jones has been off to a slow start in 2024 for Single-A Visalia. Early in the season, Jones is hitting a weak .171 with five RBI and no home runs or steals. The son of Andruw Jones, Druw has battled injuries in his young professional career, since being drafted second overall in 2022. Jones, 20, already plays great defense like his father and also is very smooth on the basepaths, but he needs to improve his hit tool. Since being drafted, Jones has dealt with shoulder, quad and hamstring injuries and that is a big reason why his hitting hasn't developed as planned. As Jones fully recovers from those past injuries, his hit tool should improve. For now, Jones is a name to monitor in dynasty leagues, but can be a big asset if he reaches all his potential. He remains a few years away from being talked about a big-league promotion.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward
Kyle Anderson (hip) has been listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 2 against Phoenix. Anderson hurt his right hip in the series opener at the weekend, playing only five minutes.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker earned extra trust off the bench and had an outstanding day at the office on Saturday with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, and four steals. Everybody's favorite sixth man,
Naz Reid, should also eat up a few more minutes on Tuesday if Anderson can't play.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoVegas Golden Knights winger Mark Stone got his team off to a good start in their Game 1 win over the Dallas Stars, scoring the first goal of the game in a 4-3 win. In Stone's first game back from a lacerated spleen, he found the back of the net just 1:23 into the contest. The powerplay goal sent social media into a frenzy, as Stone has now come back from injury just in time for the playoffs to begin three times during his Golden Knights tenure, allowing the team to load up at the trade deadline while his salary cap hit sits on injured reserve. Whether this is fair play or some underhanded tactics by Vegas is up for debate, but Stone being a huge addition to their team is certainly not.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoCarolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho was instrumental in the team's comeback 5-3 win in Game 2 over the New York Islanders, scoring the game-tying goal and assisting on the empty-netter that iced the game. Aho tied the game up with just 2:45 remaining in the third period, and the Canes scored again just nine seconds later to put themselves ahead for good. Carolina's top scorer showed why he is one of the most underrated players in the league in Monday's win and is part of the reason why the Hurricanes are a decent bet to go deep in these playoffs.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoCarolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis posted a goal and two assists in a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders in Game 2 of their first-round series. After going down 3-0, Jarvis posted points on the Canes' first three goals. The 22-year-old was a revelation for the Hurricanes this year, posting 67 points (33 goals, 34 assists) in 81 games. If he can continue that level of play in the playoffs, it should give Carolina some of the scoring they will need to advance deeper than they've been able to in recent years. With the comeback win, the Canes grabbed a 2-0 stranglehold on the series.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoEdmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard helped lift the team to a 7-4 Game 1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, notching four assists. Two of Bouchard's assists came on the powerplay, which was his bread and butter throughout the regular season. He is a huge part of why the team was so successful with the man advantage this year and should play a big role during the playoffs as well. His breakout has transformed the Oilers into an even more dangerous team this year, one that might be capable of going all the way.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoEdmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid came up big in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, notching five assists in a 7-4 win. McDavid was in top form on Monday, providing two even-strength assists and three more on the powerplay. The Oilers looked unstoppable offensively in this one, with McDavid playing a huge role in that. If they can continue playing this well it is going to be hard to stop them from going on a long playoff run.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoEdmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman went off for three goals and an assist in a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of their first-round series. Hyman opened the scoring in the first period and added another in the second and third for his first career playoff hat trick. The 31-year-old just continues to get better with age, and it looks like he won't be slowing down from his 54-goal regular season. Playing with Connor McDavid also helps and could lead to many more goals during this playoff run for Hyman.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoSeattle Mariners shortstop prospect
Ryan Bliss went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and a walk for Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday. He also drove in a run and scored once. The 24-year-old is having a decent season so far at the plate, going
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1 day agoToronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored the game-winning goal and added a pair of assists in a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of their first-round series. Matthews dominated this one, adding eight shots and six hits to round out his stat line. He was sprung on a breakaway by Max Domi late in the third and put a sweet move on Boston goalie Linus Ullmark before tucking away the tie-breaking goal. If the Leafs are going to go far in the playoffs for once, they'll need Matthews to continue to be the game-breaker that he was in this game.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoDetroit Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal put forth another excellent performance in Monday's 7-1 win over the Rays. Skubal pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks with nine strikeouts. The 27-year-old has been every bit as good as fantasy managers had hoped for, going 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA, a 10.62 K/9 rate, and a 1.52 BB/9 rate in five starts. He will look to continue his hot streak in his next scheduled start against the Royals.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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