May 14, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Oneil Cruz (back) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the New York Mets. Cruz is set to miss his fourth game in a row due to back soreness that he suffered over the weekend. It doesn't sound like the Pirates want to place him on the injured list, but they might be forced to if he doesn't start getting better. In his absence,
Ji Hwan Bae will cover center field and bat eighth versus right-hander
Clay Holmes. The Pirates are off on Thursday, so fantasy managers will need to check back on Friday for another update on Cruz.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb
May 14, 2025
Chicago Cubs catcher
Moises Ballesteros is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins. Ballesteros will head to the bench after going 0-for-4 during his MLB debut on Tuesday. The rookie catcher is likely out of the lineup due to the fact the Cubs are facing left-hander
Ryan Weathers in this one. Ballesteros figures to see regular playing time at designated hitter against right-handed pitching.
Carson Kelly will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup versus Weathers on Wednesday. Ballesteros should be back in the lineup after this one and is worth an add in deep leagues.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 14, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Harrison Bader (groin) was removed from Game 2 of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles early with left-groin tightness, the team announced. Bader was removed in the third inning after grounding out. He also had an injury scare in the Game 1 win at Camden Yards during a sliding catch in the outfield.
DaShawn Keirsey Jr. replaced Bader in center field. Before leaving, the 30-year-old went 1-for-2 with a single and an RBI in Game 2. It's unclear exactly how serious Bader's groin injury is, but it's a good bet that he won't be active for the series finale in Baltimore on Thursday. His next chance to return would be for Friday's series opener versus the Milwaukee Brewers. Bader entered the day hitting a nice .298/.387/.462 with an .848 OPS, four home runs, 17 RBI, 16 runs and four steals in his 104 at-bats in his first year in Minnesota.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Minnesota Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
May 14, 2025
The Los Angeles Angels announced on Wednesday that right-handed reliever
Ben Joyce (shoulder) is expected to miss the rest of the 2025 season after having surgery to fix his right shoulder on Wednesday morning. It's a blow for the hard-throwing right-hander and for an already weak Angels bullpen. The 24-year-old former third-round pick in 2022 out of Tennessee was shut down earlier in May with more right-shoulder issues and will now undergo surgery. There's no timetable on when Joyce will be able to return, but fantasy managers shouldn't automatically expect him to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. In his five appearances out of the bullpen before his injury in 2025, Joyce allowed four runs (three earned) while walking one and striking out one in 4 1/3 innings. Depending on his health, Joyce has the stuff to be the team's closer of the future.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Angels PR
May 14, 2025
Texas Rangers infielder/outfielder
Josh Smith (back) is starting at shortstop and is batting leadoff in Wednesday's contest at home against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander
Antonio Senzatela. A sore lower back had kept Smith out of the lineup for the first two games of the series against Colorado, but he'll be back in there on Wednesday and will be a nice low-cost DFS sleeper out of the leadoff spot against the worst team in baseball. The 27-year-old utility man will also see his fantasy stock in deeper formats increase in the short term with
Corey Seager (hamstring) going back on the injured list on Tuesday. Smith has limited power and speed, but he's currently slashing an impressive .310/.389/.466 with an .855 OPS, four homers, 10 RBI, 18 runs and four steals in 116 at-bats. He has never faced Senzatela in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 14, 2025
The Miami Marlins announced on Wednesday that they reinstated left-hander
Ryan Weathers (forearm) from the 15-day injured list and optioned left-hander
Anthony Veneziano to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. Weathers will be making his first start of 2025 on Wednesday versus Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 25-year-old southpaw will be quite risky in starting fantasy lineups in his first start of the year against a Cubs offense that ranks fourth in all of baseball with a .768 OPS, but Weathers should be plucked off the waiver wire in any formats where he's still available. He had a sharp 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 minor-league rehab innings, but he only threw 57 pitches during his final rehab start and will probably be on a short leash on Wednesday. Injuries have held Weathers back early in his career, but he looked good in 2024 with career-best strikeout and walk rates.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Miami Marlins
May
14,
2025
Cincinnati
Reds
outfielder
TJ
Friedl
(wrist)
is
not
in
the
team's
starting
lineup
on
Wednesday
against
the
visiting
Chicago
White
Sox
at
Great
American
Ball
Park
after
suffering
a
right-wrist
bone
bruise
when
he
fell
on
read more...
May 14, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays catcher
Alejandro Kirk (head) is back behind the plate and is batting sixth on Wednesday against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander
Ryan Pepiot at Rogers Centre. Kirk was hit by a bat while catching on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners and was held out for Tuesday's series opener against Tampa despite clearing concussion testing. The 26-year-old has helped fantasy managers with a strong batting average (.286) by going 34-for-119 this year, but the Mexican backstop is lacking in counting stats with only two home runs, 13 RBI and six runs scored as Toronto's primary catcher. Still, you can't discount how hot Kirk has been in May, going 13-for-31 (.419) with a double and three RBI in eight games played. He has never faced Pepiot in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May
14,
2025
The
Detroit
Tigers
optioned
third
base
prospect
Jace
Jung
to
Triple-A
Toledo
on
Wednesday
and
recalled
outfielder
Akil
Baddoo
from
Toledo
in
a
corresponding
move,
according
to
the
Detroit
Free
Press'
read more...
May 14, 2025
Detroit Tigers first baseman/designated hitter
Spencer Torkelson is getting a breather in Wednesday's game against the visiting Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Torkelson will take only his second day off of the season despite clubbing his 11th home run in the extra-inning win over Boston on Tuesday night. The former first overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State is currently hitting a career-best .240 (37-for-154) and ranks first among all MLB first basemen so far in 2025 with his 11 long balls. He's also added 34 RBI in his 43 games played and has earned everyday playing time for the first-place Tigers. Expect him to be back in action after Thursday's off day for Friday's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Kerry Carpenter is serving as the DH and is batting leadoff on Wednesday, with
Colt Keith at first and hitting third against Red Sox right-hander
Hunter Dobbins.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 14, 2025
Houston Astros infield/outfield prospect
Shay Whitcomb went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI, and two runs scored on Wednesday for Triple-A Sugar Land. The 26-year-old has been on a tear recently, with five home runs in his last three games and four straight multi-hit performances. With 13 home runs, he stands alone atop the minor league home run leaderboard, and with a .277/.362/.613 slash line, it shouldn't be long before he gets another shot in the majors. In 20 games in the big leagues last year, the right-handed hitter had better-than-league-average strikeout and walk rates along with a solid 83.3 percent contact rate, but it didn't translate to production as he hit .220 (.278 xBA) with a .272 wOBA (.342 xwOBA) and 76 wRC+. Look for the results to be a bit better next time he gets a chance, and the 6-foot-1 slugger would be worthy of a roster spot in most 12-team leagues when that happens.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
May 14, 2025
Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect
Chayce McDermott is being called up from Triple-A Norfolk to make a spot start in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the visiting Minnesota Twins. It will be McDermott's second major-league start after making his big-league debut on July 24 of last year, when he allowed three earned runs with two walks and three strikeouts in four innings in a no-decision against the Miami Marlins. The 26-year-old is considered the team's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he's thrown only 9 2/3 innings for the Tides in the minors due to a strained right lat that sidelined him to begin the 2025 campaign. McDermott went four innings and threw 65 pitches in his last start for Norfolk, so fantasy managers should expect him to have a short leash in his first MLB appearance this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
May 14, 2025
Seattle Mariners shortstop
J.P. Crawford (undisclosed) has been scratched from the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting New York Yankees at T-Mobile Park, according to Seattle Sports' Shannon Drayer. It's unclear why exactly Crawford is being scratched, but Drayer notes that he looked fine in the clubhouse and was seen playing catch early.
Leo Rivas is drawing into the starting lineup at shortstop and will hit ninth against Yankees right-hander
Will Warren.
Miles Mastrobuoni is also hitting out of the leadoff spot. Fantasy managers need to pull Crawford from their starting lineups on Wednesday and check back for an update on a possible injury or illness that he may be dealing with. The 30-year-old Crawford has hit a solid .271 in 140 at-bats this year but with just three homers, 18 RBI, 18 runs and two steals.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Seattle Sports - Shannon Drayer
May
14,
2025
The
Athletic's
Fabian
Ardaya
reports
that
the
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
are
calling
up
prized
catching
prospect
Dalton
Rushing
from
Triple-A
Oklahoma
City
on
Wednesday,
according
to
sources.
Rushing
will
get
his
first
big-league
promotion
after
tearing
read more...
May 14, 2025
New York Mets outfielder
Juan Soto will get his first day off of the season on Wednesday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates with a left-hander on the mound.
Jose Azocar will replace him in right field and will bat ninth against Pirates left-hander
Bailey Falter. Given all the expectations surrounding Soto, the 26-year-old Dominican has been a disappointment from a fantasy standpoint with a .255 average (40-for-157), but he still has a .380 on-base percentage and .845 OPS in 192 plate appearances, adding eight home runs, 20 RBI and 31 runs scored. He's been heating up of late, too, going 13-for-45 (.289) with five home runs, two doubles, an RBI and 10 runs scored in 12 games in the month of May. Azocar has five hits in his first 17 at-bats with the Mets this year but will be a low-upside DFS option in the nine-hole for the Mets against a pitcher he has never faced.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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