RADIO
Brett Gardner is Out on Sunday
2 days agoNew York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner (knee) is out of the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Gardner is dealing with a nagging knee issue, so he'll sit this one out. Mike Tauchman will play left field and bat ninth versus righty German Marquez. Tauchman has been crushing the ball lately, but batting ninth isn't going to help his fantasy value.Source: Gary Phillips
Paul Goldschmidt Absent on Sunday
2 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (rest) is out of the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. This appears to be a routine day off for the veteran slugger. Rangel Ravelo will cover first base and bat third versus righty Anthony DeSclafani. Ravelo is in a favorable part of the batting order, but doesn't have much upside with the bat.Source: MLB.com
Trinity Benson Working With Broncos First Team
2 days agoDenver Broncos rookie wide receiver Trinity Benson worked with the team's first-team offense in 11-on-11 drills on Saturday, a move that suggests the speedy slot receiver could make Denver's roster. The East Central University graduate has used in both the receiving and the run game in college, and with the depth in Denver's receiving corps unsettled after Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton, there may be room for Benson to sneak up and claim some snaps. We'll have to see how his preseason performances look, but the Broncos coaching staff clearly likes what they're seeing from the undrafted free agent.Source: 9 News - Mike Klis
Zack Greinke Pitches Well in D-Backs Loss
2 days agoArizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke had another strong start on Saturday, but a shaky effort by the bullpen cost him the win. For the second time in his last three starts, Greinke pitched seven innings with nine strikeouts, as he allowed two runs on six hits and a walk against Milwaukee. There really isn't much to be said about Greinke that owners don't already know — he continues to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the game and he should be started every time out.Source: MLB.com
Ronald Acuna Notches Two Stolen Bases In Saturday's Loss
2 days agoAtlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna was 2-for-4 with a run scored, a walk, and two stolen bases in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Washington Nationals. The 21-year-old is enjoying a productive season at the plate, slashing .293/.375/.503 with 23 home runs, 56 RBI, 76 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. Acuna is one of the best young talents in baseball, and he is gifted offensively. He is one of the most valuable players in any dynasty/keeper formats. Lock him into your lineups every day and reap the rewards.Source: MLB.com
Khris Davis Notches Two RBI In Win Over Twins
2 days agoOakland Athletics designated hitter Khris Davis was 1-for-4 with two RBI during a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. The 31-year-old is in the midst of a lengthy cold spell, slashing .227/.303/.336 over his last 30 games with three home runs and 16 RBI. Davis has hit at least 40 HRs and 100 RBI over each of the past three seasons, but his work is cut out for him this year. He is carrying a .236 average with 16 HRs and 50 RBI through 305 at-bats. Davis could be a sneaky buy-low option for the second half of the season as he tends to finish a campaign on a high note.Source: MLB.com
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Drills Grand Slam In Win Over Tigers
2 days agoToronto Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 2-for-4 with a grand slam during Saturday's 7-5 win over the Detroit Tigers. The 20-year-old phenom has had a scuffling start to his MLB career, so the big blast was a welcomed contribution. Guerrero is slashing .249/.324/.405 with nine home runs, 31 RBI, and 34 runs scored through 257 at-bats. Despite the occasional cold streak, Guerrero remains one of the most valuable players in keeper/dynasty formats. The patient owners will reap the rewards eventually.Source: MLB.com
Ken Giles Picks Up 14th Save on Saturday
2 days agoToronto Blue Jays closer Ken Giles slammed the door on the Tigers, by striking out the side on 17 pitches, for his 14th save of the season in a 7-5 win. Despite missing some time due to a nerve inflammation, the 28-year-old has been one of the best closers in baseball in 2019, with a 1.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 57/10 K/BB ratio over 33 innings. Giles will have interest from several suitors as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, and his fantasy value resulting in a trade will depend on the landing spot of a contending team.Source: MLB.com
Rafael Devers Blasts 20th Home Run on Saturday
2 days agoBoston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers went 2-for-4 to go along with two RBI, three runs scored, a triple, and his 20th home run of the season. The 22-year-old continues his sensational season with totals of 20 home runs, 75 RBI, 77 runs scored and eight stolen bases while slashing .324/.378/.569 through 96 games. Devers has shown no signs of slowing down and fantasy owners are enjoying a breakout season by one of the games best young talents at third base.Source: MLB.com
Jackie Bradley Jr. Drives In Six Runs on Saturday
2 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. had a big night at the plate during Saturday's 17-6 win over the Orioles, going 2-for-5 with two home runs, six RBI and two runs scored. The 29-year-old got started with a three-run shot in the second inning and followed that up with another three-run blast in the fourth inning. Bradley Jr.'s overall numbers are up to 11 home runs, 37 RBI, 39 runs, seven stolen bases, a .232 batting average and .735 OPS, making him an option strictly for deep AL only formats.Source: MLB.com
Mookie Betts Extends Hitting Streak on Saturday
2 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts went 3-for-6 with a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a double in Saturday's 17-6 win over the Orioles. Betts has bumped his batting average from .273 up to .287 since coming out of the All-Star Break, while recording a hit in each contest to go along with 11 runs scored. The 26-year-old is batting .452 over the past week and is capable of putting up a monster second half to follow up his 2018 American League MVP campaign, and should be starting in all fantasy formats going forward.Source: MLB.com
Rick Porcello Earns Win Despite Allowing 6 Runs
2 days agoBoston Red Sox starter Rick Porcello allowed 11 hits and six earned runs over five innings in Saturday's 17-6 win over the Orioles, picking up his eighth win of the season. The 30-year-old added four strikeouts and a walk on 99 pitches as his ERA jumps to 5.61 while allowing four or more runs in each of his last five outings. Porcello has been far from best as of late and is not a recommended option for mixed leagues at the moment, especially with his next start scheduled coming against the red-hot Yankees.Source: MLB.com
Adrian Morejon Making Debut Sunday At Wrigley
2 days agoSan Diego Padres left-handed pitcher Adrian Morejon will start Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. Initial reports indicated baseball’s No. 49 prospect would work out of the bullpen, but instead he’ll make his big league debut in a start at Wrigley Field. The 20-year-old was posting a 4.25 ERA and 11.0 K/9 in 16 Double-A starts and possesses sharp mechanics and a mid-90s heater. If Morejon sticks in the rotation, he should become immediately relevant in standard leagues and remains a top-tier asset in dynasty.Source: Twitter - Padres
Adam Plutko Takes a Tough Loss on Saturday
2 days agoCleveland Indians starting pitcher Adam Plutko took a tough loss on Saturday, tossing seven innings while allowing just one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out four and threw 103 pitches. One of the hits Plutko allowed was a solo home run to Hunter Dozier in what ended up being a 1-0 win for Kansas City. Plutko's record dropped to 3-2 but his ERA fell to 4.81. He's a streaming option at best but does not need to be owned in any shallow formats.Source: MLB.com
Tommy Edman Gets Three Hits on Saturday
2 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals third baseman Tommy Edman had a strong game on Saturday, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a single. Edman started out hot, then cooled down significantly, but now looks like he's heating up again. He'll take a .275/.301/.513 slash line into Sunday's game.Source: MLB.com
Miles Mikolas Takes a Loss Despite a Quality Start
2 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas picked up a quality start on Saturday but ended up with the loss. He tossed six innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out four, allowed a home run, and threw 91 pitches. Mikolas actually got through six scoreless innings, but the Cardinals sent him back out for the seventh and the Reds scored three runs. His record drops to 6-10 and his ERA moves to 4.17.Source: MLB.com
Geno Smith Gets Compliments In Camp
2 days agoThe battle to be the backup quarterback rages this offseason for the Seattle Seahawks, but Geno Smith is getting a lot of compliments from the coaching staff so far. Head coach Pete Carroll made specific mention of Smith's comfort with handling the huddle and making adjustments at the line, and he compared Smith's savvy to that of longtime backup Tarvaris Jackson. That's high praise from the coach since it's incredibly rare that a backup QB is held in high a regard as Jackson was, but Smith has to win his competition with Paxton Lynch first. Lynch signed with Seattle early in the offseason, but the coaching staff hasn't made any indications about who is winning the job yet. For now, it looks to be a battle that will go on throughout all of training camp.Source: John Boyle
Jaron Brown Could See Bump In Usage
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaron Brown filled a red-zone niche for the team last year, but head coach Pete Carroll seems to already be scheming for him in 2019. Carroll told reporters that he felt the team had "underused" him last season and expects to get more out of his this year. Brown only caught 14 passes last year, five for touchdowns, but he's still incredibly fast. With D.K. Metcalf in the mix, Brown could see more utilization in a dual deep threat type of set, and fantasy owners shouldn't forget that Russell Wilson is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league on deep balls. If Carroll is telling the truth about the team's plans, Brown could be a surprise star in Seattle.Source: John Boyle
David Moore Competing For No. 2 WR Spot
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks wide receiver David Moore burst onto the scene in 2018 by making a host of acrobatic, highlight-reel catches to announce his presence. Unfortunately, he slowed down with time, and it turned out that his acrobatics covered up for the fact that he struggled to get open on a consistent basis. His highs have been outstanding and stick in peoples' minds, but he also fades into the background during most games. Entering camp in 2019, Moore will be competing against Jaron Brown and D.K. Metcalf to try to lock up the No. 2 spot in the wide receiver pecking order. His competition is talented, but all three receivers have their warts. If Moore can improve his ability to get separation on a regular basis, he could easily run away from the others (metaphorically speaking).Source: John Boyle
Tyler Lockett Becomes No. 1 WR In Seattle
2 days agoThe Seattle Seahawks see big things in wide receiver Tyler Lockett, even if he's not very large. With the retirement of their steady No. 1 receiver Doug Baldwin over the offseason, Seattle will be trying to fill big shoes in the passing game. It all begins with Lockett. Lockett had a breakout season in 2018 as Baldwin dealt with injuries that would eventually end his career, and it looks like the torch can be passed in most ways. Both are small, quick receivers who run excellent routes and have steady hands, so the feel of the offense shouldn't change dramatically. The real question will be how much use Lockett will get, even if he is the go-to guy. Seattle is notorious for spreading the ball around and not letting Russell Wilson do too much of the work, but there's no clear-cut No. 2 receiver behind Lockett, so he will likely see the vast majority of the looks, especially on third down.Source: John Boyle
Marqise Lee May Open Season As Reserve
3 days agoAfter missing all of the 2018 season with a torn ACL tear, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee is expected to be ready for the start of the 2019 season. But Jaguars.com writer John Oehser says that Lee being in the team's starting lineup in Week 1 is a "longshot," as he'll need to spend most of training camp and the preseason getting up to speed, and while Lee will likely be available Week 1, the team will likely bring him along slowly. Lee and Dede Westbrook are the receivers to own in Jacksonville, but there's a lot of uncertainty in this crowded receiving corps, making Lee a fairly risky fantasy option.Source: Jaguars.com - John Oehser
Charlie Blackmon Stuck In July Slump
3 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon has been in a prolonged slump, something very uncharacteristic for the ninth-year veteran who holds a .303 career batting average. In the month of July (48 at-bats), Blackmon is hitting .167/.216/.208 with no home runs and just three RBI. His K/BB ratio is 14/3 over that stretch as he is clearly not seeing the ball well right now. Despite the slump, Blackmon has been one of the top fantasy assets on the season, hitting .313/.360/.591 with 20 homers, 59 RBI, 70 runs scored, and two steals. He reaps the rewards of being a leadoff hitter at Coors Field, which once again ranks at the top of the park factor rankings. His advanced hitting metrics also remain very solid. It seems safe to assume that Blackmon will break out of this slump sooner rather than later, and fantasy owners would be wise to hold on to him and continue starting him for the time being.Source: MLB.com
Yuli Gurriel Slugging .915 In July
3 days agoHouston Astros infielder Yuli Gurriel smacked his 17th home run of the season in the Astros 4-3 win over the Rangers. Gurriel is suddenly one home run shy of his career high and continues his torrid streak of hitting. Gurriel now has 12 home runs over his last 20 games and has hits in 19 of those contests. It truly has been a remarkable stretch for the 35-year-old, who is slashing .390/.429/.915 in the month of July with four doubles, nine home runs, 15 runs scored and 20 runs batted in over his last 59 at-bats. If available, Gurriel needs to be picked up and played in all fantasy formats right now.Source: Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez Continues To Shine
3 days agoHouston Astros first baseman Yordan Alvarez hit his 10th home run of the season in the Astros 4-3 win over the Rangers. The rookie needed only 107 at-bats to reach double-digit home runs as he continues to be one of the bigger offensive surprises of the season in the American League. Alvarez has missed a game or two over the past few weeks due to a lingering knee injury but is slashing .340/.392/.638 in the month of July with three home runs, five doubles and 11 runs batted in through 11 games played. Alvarez is absolutely worth a fantasy look in all formats and has played only one game this season with a batting average below .300.Source: Houston Astros
Jose Altuve Hitting .394 Over Last Seven Games
3 days agoHouston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve went 2-for-4 with a home run in the Astros 4-3 win over the Rangers. For the first time in over a year, Altuve is flashing the type of elite production that made him an MVP two seasons ago. Over his last seven games, Altuve is slashing .394/.412/.667 with two home runs, three doubles and eight runs batted in. He's hitting .328 in July, spanning 64 at-bats, and is hitting the ball with authority to all fields. Altuve is a player trending upwards for this weekend's DFS tournament action.Source: Houston Astros
Roberto Osuna Earns Fourth Save This Month
3 days agoHouston Astros closer Roberto Osuna earned his 21st save of the season in the Astros 4-3 win over the Rangers on Friday. Osuna has now converted on each of his past four chances and has a 2.70 ERA during that span. Osuna had blown two saves in the month of June but remains one of the top closing options in the game. Osuna has allowed only 28 hits all season through 40 2/3 innings pitched this season and should see plenty of save chances on a first-place team moving forward.Source: Houston Astros
Justin Verlander Tied For AL-Lead With 12th Win
3 days agoHouston Astros starter Justin Verlander struck out 12 hitters through six strong innings as the Astros beat the Rangers 4-3 on Friday. Verlander (12-4) made it through six innings for the 19th time in 21 starts this season and now is tied for the American League lead in wins. The veteran's ERA continues to hover just under three but continues to post a sparkling WHIP of 0.84 and has 172 strikeouts through only 138 2/3 innings. He will be a must-start when he takes the mound next week.Source: Houston Astros
Matt Harvey Released By Angels
3 days agoLos Angeles Angels starter Matt Harvey has been designated for assignment and will be released. Harvey returned to the rotation on July 13, tossing 5 2/3 innings of one-run baseball to beat the Mariners. But Harvey really struggled in his next start as the Astros tagged him for six runs on seven hits through six innings. The Angels are making a push right now and, despite the desperate need for starting pitching, have run out of patience with 'The Dark Knight'. The Angels gave Harvey 11 million this season but the former All-Star is currently 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP with 13 home runs allowed through only 59 2/3 innings pitched. The right-handed pitcher has a history of success in the majors but it is hard to envision a team giving him a chance right now.Source: Los Angeles Angels
Luis Urias Recalled on Saturday
3 days agoSan Diego Padres infielder Luis Urias has been recalled and is in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Urias has been crushing the ball, hitting .315/.398/.600 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in the minors this season. He hasn't done much during his short time in the majors, but should get more playing time as the season goes on. He'll bat seventh and play second base versus lefty Jose Quintana on Saturday. Urias is worth looking at in mixed leagues, but he might not have much value unless he starts regularly.Source: MLB.com
Bucks Sign Kyle Korver
3 days agoThe Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agent guard Kyle Korver to a one-year deal. The veteran sharpshooter is a career 42.9 percent shooter from deep and gives the Bucks an important deep threat to help space the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Korver will likely be decent minutes off the bench, though at his age he's unlikely to be more than a spot up shooter. He'll have fantasy value in certain builds and can be a cheap source of three-pointers, though his lack of activity in other areas of the game severely limits his upside.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
