May 15, 2025
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Nick Martinez threw seven shutout frames and earned the win in a 7-1 victory over the White Sox on Thursday. He allowed two hits and struck out three. This was a nice rebound after allowing 10 hits in his previous outing, and this was his fourth straight start of at least six innings pitched. The veteran now has a 3.66 ERA on the season with 40 strikeouts and 11 walks in 51 ⅔ innings. He won't blow you away with strikeout totals, but he's proven to be an innings-eater with decent enough ratios to be rostered in fantasy. He's lined up for a nice matchup in his next time out against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 15, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Landon Knack is the front-runner to be the Dodgers' fifth starter, according to manager Dave Roberts. Despite posting a 5.89 ERA and 1.53 WHIP this season, he will get the opportunity to stick in the rotation with
Roki Sasaki landing on the injured list. His one good start of the season came on May 7 when he threw five shutout innings against the Marlins, and he'll look to find that level of success again in his next start, which will likely be against the Diamondbacks.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: Matthew Moreno
May 15, 2025
Athletics outfielder
JJ Bleday is out of Thursday's lineup against the Dodgers.
Seth Brown is starting in center field instead. This is just a rare day off for the 27-year-old, who has played in 41 of the A's 43 games this season. He is slashing .216/.308/.399 with six home runs, 18 RBI, and 26 runs on the year. He remains a fine option in five-outfielder leagues thanks to his everyday playing time and counting stat accumulation.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May
15,
2025
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
catcher
Will
Smith
will
take
the
day
off
for
Thursday's
series
finale
against
the
visiting
Athletics.
Top
prospect
Dalton
Rushing
will
do
the
catching
for
right-handed
read more...
May 15, 2025
Houston Astros designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (hand) remains on the 10-day injured list and is out of the team's starting lineup for Thursday's divisional contest against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Catcher
Victor Caratini will serve as the DH and will hit sixth against Rangers right-hander
Jacob deGrom. Although Alvarez was able to hit in the batting cage before Thursday's game, the Astros will keep the 27-year-old All-Star on the IL for another day as a precaution. He should be able to return to Houston's starting lineup at some point this weekend during the four-game set against Texas, though. When he does return, fantasy managers are hoping that the muscle strain in his hand is in the rearview mirror and he can start producing at the plate after a rough start with a .210/.306/.340 slash line in his first 100 at-bats in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 15, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher
Dalton Rushing will make his big league debut against the Athletics on Thursday. Rushing was called up on Wednesday, but didn't enter the contest. The 24-year-old will be behind the plate and bat seventh versus right-hander
Osvaldo Bido on Thursday. Rushing is a top prospect, but isn't likely to have a ton of fantasy value right away. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already said that Rushing is likely only going to start twice a week.
Will Smith remains the primary catcher in Los Angeles, but he'll receive an off day on Thursday. Fantasy managers in deep leagues can take a look at Rushing, but he won't be a great option right away.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 15, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe made his return to the lineup during Thursday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Lowe has been sidelined since injuring his oblique on Opening Day. He returned with a bang during Thursday's game. He finished the day going 3-for-5 with two singles and a solo home run off right-hander
Kevin Gausman in the fifth inning. When healthy, Lowe has the ability to be a legitimate threat in this lineup. That being said, Lowe is worth rostering in most 12-team formats going forward.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 15, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Cam Smith is out of the starting lineup once again ahead of Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers. Smith finds himself on the bench for the second straight game after starting four straight games prior to this. The right-handed slugger has struggled early with a .214/.313/.347 slash line with three homers and 11 RBI this season. Possibly, the Astros send Smith back to Triple-A if they decide he isn't going to play everyday. For now,
Zach Dezenzo will start in right field and bat seventh versus right-hander
Jacob deGrom on Thursday. Smith isn't worth rostering in most formats at the moment until he gets back on track.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 15, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays infielder
Brandon Lowe has been off to a slow start this season, but put together a nice game on Thursday. Lowe kicked off the scoring with a two-run home run off right-hander
Kevin Gausman in the opening frame. The left-handed slugger would strike again in the ninth inning as he blasted another two-run homer to help add on some insurance runs. He finished the day 3-for-5 with two homers, a double, and four RBI in the win. Lowe isn't a great fantasy option, but is worth a look in deep leagues because of his power ability.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
May 15, 2025
Three-time All-Star infielder
Matt Carpenter officially announced his retirement on Sports Spectrum's Get in the Game podcast with former teammate Scott Linebrink on Wednesday. "I had quite a thrill being able to don the St. Louis Cardinals logo for many years," Carpenter said. The 39-year-old left-handed hitter spent 14 years in the big leagues, with 12 of them coming with the St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted him in the 13th round in 2009 out of TCU. He will finish his MLB career with three trips to the All-Star game and a Silver Slugger award while slashing .259/.366/.449 with an .814 OPS, 179 home runs, 659 RBI and 28 stolen bases in 1,511 regular-season games played. Carpenter made all three of his All-Star appearances in a four-year span from 2013-16, and he finished fourth in the National League All-Star voting back in 2013.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sports Spectrum
May 15, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Yu Darvish (elbow) made his first minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A El Paso and worked four innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out four. Although Darvish was hit with the loss for the Chihuahuas against Triple-A Las Vegas, all in all, it was a solid first rehab outing for the 38-year-old veteran. He was sitting at 94.5 mph on the radar gun with his four-seam fastball as he works his way back from inflammation in his right elbow that he began experiencing in spring training in mid-March. Darvish is expected to need a couple more rehab outings before he's a candidate to come off the injured list, meaning he could make his 2025 debut for the Friars by the end of May. When healthy, the Japanese All-Star will be an option for the back end of fantasy rotations in mixed leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
May 15, 2025
Minnesota Twins right-hander
Chris Paddack was the latest starting pitcher to shut down the Baltimore Orioles in Thursday's series finale at Camden Yards in a 4-0 shutout victory. Paddack picked up his second win of the season by tossing seven shutout innings with three hits allowed, one walk and three strikeouts. With the strong effort, Paddack lowered his ERA on the season to 4.05 through nine starts. In the process, the Twins stayed hot by sweeping the struggling O's and winning their 11th straight game after a slow start in April. Fantasy managers would have liked more punchouts from Paddack, but they'll take the strong start nonetheless. Keep in mind that nine of the 23 runs that Paddack has allowed so far in 2025 came in his first start back on March 31 against the Chicago White Sox. He's allowed four earned runs in 19 1/3 innings over three starts in May.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 15, 2025
Atlanta Braves right-hander
AJ Smith-Shawver continued to look good in his start in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Washington Nationals. Smith-Shawver picked up his third win of the year by allowing an unearned run on two hits while walking two and striking out six in six solid innings of work at Truist Park in the 5-2 win. The 22-year-old has quickly become a must-start in fantasy in 2025 in his third season in the big leagues dropping his ERA on the year to 2.33. In 19 2/3 innings in the month of May, he has allowed just one earned run with a 0.47 ERA. Smith-Shawver is lined up for a rematch against the Nationals on the road in D.C. early next week, where he should be in all starting fantasy lineups as one of the best rising young arms in baseball.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 15, 2025
Chicago White Sox outfielder
Andrew Benintendi (calf) will be re-evaluated in a week or two. "If it's up to me, I'd be back right now," Benintendi said on Wednesday. "But there's obviously a long way to go, so there's certain steps I've got to take." Benintendi was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 7 with a left-calf strain and has a ways to go before rejoining the big-league roster. When the 30-year-old is cleared to resume baseball activities, he'll eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment as well, so we may not see him again until early June. The former seventh overall pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2015 out of Arkansas still has some power (five homers in 85 at-bats) but he does little else for fantasy managers and is likely on the waiver wire in most mixed leagues.
Michael Taylor should continue to see extra playing time in Chicago until Benintendi is ready to return.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
May 15, 2025
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that right-hander
Spencer Strider (hamstring) will come off the 15-day injured list and start during next week's series against the division-rival Washington Nationals that starts next Monday. There was some concern that Strider's velocity was down in the low-90s during his simulated game on Wednesday, but the 26-year-old said he was more focused on throwing strikes and working on his secondary pitches, so it's really nothing to be concerned about. Strider will have a solid matchup for just his second start of the season against the Nats in D.C., but the Braves could choose to ease him back into the starting rotation since he didn't go on a minor-league rehab start. He threw 65 total pitches during his sim game on Wednesday. An All-Star in 2023, Strider should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 680 The Fan
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