2 days agoNew York Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (Achilles), who just had his fifth-year option picked up, said he is "on pace for a good start to the season." The No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft suffered a torn Achilles in Week 5 of last seasonread more...
2 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that the team is hopeful that middle infielder Vaughn Grissom (hamstring, illness) will be able to make his season debut on Friday against the Minnesota Twins. Grissom was set to come off the injured list to make his 2024 debut on Tuesday, but he came down with the flu and had to be pushed back. The 23-year-old has yet to play in the big leagues this year, but when he joins the club, he's expected to be Boston's primary second baseman. The former 11th-round selection of the Atlanta Braves in 2019 has looked good at the plate the last two years in 64 games for the Braves, slashing .287/.339/.407 with five home runs, 27 RBI and five stolen bases. Pick him up off the waiver wire immediately if he's available in your fantasy league.Source: The Boston Globe - Alex Speier
2 days agoThe New York Giants signed defensive back David Long Jr. on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 26-year-old corner was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan, but New York will already be the fifth organization he has spent time with in his brief NFL career. In 2023 alone, he was on the Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers, and Green Bay Packers roster. Overall, he has racked up 97 tackles, one interception, and eight pass deflections in 63 games. Assuming he makes the 53-man active roster, he'll likely act as a depth option in New York's secondary which was a middle-of-the-pack unit in 2023.Source: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
2 days agoTampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that third baseman Isaac Paredes was out of the starting lineup in Wednesday's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers because his body and arm are "barking a little bit." The Rays have a scheduled off day on Thursday before beginning a weekend series on Friday at home against the visiting New York Mets, so we'd expect Paredes to be back in action then. If the 25-year-old Mexican infielder is back in there on Friday, fantasy baseball managers will want to get him back into their lineups in all formats. Paredes is currently slashing a strong .291/.358/.509 with an .867 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI and 14 runs scored in 110 at-bats. He had a career-high 31 long balls in 2023 and also drove in a career-high 98 runs.Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
2 days agoIn a media availability this week, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke on the team's current running back situation. "I think Jerome [Ford] has done a nice job. He had some really, really, really big moments for our football team and he made big plays for usread more...
2 days agoThe Boston Red Sox acquired infielder Zack Short from the New York Mets on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations. Short finds a new home in the American League after the Mets designated him for assignment recently. Because the 28-year-old utility infielder is out of minor-league options, he'll join Boston's big-league roster for the time being as infield depth. The former 17th-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2016 out of Sacred Heart University has the ability to play shortstop, second base and third base. Before being DFA'd, Short appeared in 10 games for the Mets this year and went 1-for-9 at the plate with two walks and four strikeouts. He's a career .172/.266/.304 hitter in four big-league seasons and is off the fantasy radar.Source: Boston Red Sox
2 days agoThe Boston Red Sox are expected to sign first baseman Dominic Smith after the Tampa Bay Rays released him from his minor-league contract on Wednesday. The Red Sox are short-handed at first base with injuries to Triston Casas (rib) and the recently signed Garrett Cooper (wrist), so they will take a flier on the 28-year-old, who can also play the outfield. Cooper is expected to be fine, though, and the Red Sox also have Bobby Dalbec capable of manning the cold corner, so Smith will probably just be a left-handed bench option at first base. Smith hit .254/.326/.366 with 12 home runs in 153 games with the Washington Nationals in 2023 and had gone 21-for-80 (.263) with two homers and 11 RBI at Triple-A Durham this year before being granted his release.Source: The Boston Globe - Pete Abraham
2 days agoA few days after selecting former Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears released Trenton Gill. Gill was a seventh-round selection by Chicago in the 2022 NFL Draft and started all 34 games over the last two seasons. He punted 133 times for an average of 46.1 yards per punt and pinned 38 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Taylor, the 2023 Ray Guy Award winner and unanimous All-American, became the highest-drafted punter (No. 122 overall) since 2019 when the 49ers selected Mitch Wishnowski (No. 110 overall).Source: Field Yates
2 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley has been awarded the NBA's 2023-24 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. This is the second time he has earned this honor in his career, as he was given the award during the 2018-2019 season as well. In the voting, the 36-year-old finished ahead of Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Conley's efforts helped Minnesota earn the third seed in the Western Conference this year. He will try to propel the Timberwolves to a deep playoff run as they prepare for a highly anticipated second-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets.Source: ESPN
2 days agoBoston Red Sox first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper (wrist) is dealing with a bruise and is going to be OK after being hit by a pitch on his right wrist in Tuesday's game against the visiting San Francisco Giants. Cooper was recently scooped up by Boston as a replacement at first base for the injured Triston Casas (rib). The veteran right-handed slugger went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and the hit-by-pitch in his first game with the Red Sox on Tuesday. He began the 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs and is now hitting .256 (10-for-39) on the year with a home run, six RBI and three runs scored in his first 13 games played. It remains to be seen if he'll be back in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Giants, but between the injuries to Casas and Masataka Yoshida (hand), Cooper should have a regular role in Beantown in the short-term.Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
2 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (hand) is going on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. Yoshida underwent an MRI on his left hand after jamming it in Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs, and apparently the results were serious enough to require giving him at least 10 days off. The Japanese left-handed slugger hasn't shown much power in his season plus of action in the big leagues, but he makes consistent contact as Boston's primary designated hitter. Before his injury, he was hitting .275/.348/.388 with two home runs, 11 RBI and 12 runs scored. Recently signed Garrett Cooper (wrist) and Bobby Dalbec figure to be the biggest beneficiaries of Yoshida's injury as possible replacements at DH for Boston moving forward.Source: WEEI - Rob Bradford
2 days agoThe New Orleans Saints signed free-agent cornerback Will Harris on Wednesday, according to NFL.com. Harris spent the first five seasons of his professional career with the Detroit Lions after being selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Through the first 81 games (40 starts) of his career, Harris has racked up 246 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and 14 pass deflections. Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, and second-round rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry form a strong two-deep depth chart at cornerback, but Harrison also has experience as a safety. He could be a primary backup for Jordan Howden or Tyrann Mathieu if he makes the team's 53-man roster.Source: NFL.com
2 days agoMiami Marlins shortstop Tim Anderson (thumb) has been scratched from Wednesday's lineup against the visiting Colorado Rockies as a precautionary measure due to a mild left-thumb sprain that he suffered in Monday's game. Vidal Brujan will get another start at the 6 for the Fish and will hit eighth in the batting order against Rockies right-hander Dakota Hudson. Anderson remains day-to-day and could be back as earlier as the series finale against the Rockies on Thursday. The 30-year-old two-time All-Star is still reeling from a terrible year in his final season in 2023 with the Chicago White Sox. He's gone 21-for-95 (.221) with no home runs, five RBI and three steals in his first 29 games for Miami. Brujan is a light-hitting switch-hitter who also hasn't homered in 2024 in 40 at-bats.Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is considered questionable for Thursday's game versus the New York Knicks because of a left-knee injury. This injury designation has become the norm for the superstar big man, but he has not missed a single game in this series. The 76ers have a ton of momentum heading into Game 6 after their thrilling victory on Tuesday, however, they still face elimination and will need Embiid to be at his best to keep their season alive again. Despite his field-goal percentage being lower by more than 9% compared to the regular season, he has still posted dominant numbers during this postseason, with averages of 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. The official word on his playing status will come on Thursday.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoThe Minnesota Twins announced that outfielder Byron Buxton (knee) left Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox with right-knee soreness after he came up limping after attempting to steal second base in the second inning. He was thrown out easily and gingerly walked off the field. Willi Castro moved to center field, while Jose Miranda entered the contest to play third base. The 30-year-old has had surgery on his right knee twice, so this certainly is daunting news for a player with an extremely long injury history. There's a good chance Buxton will land on the injured list, but we'll wait for more news on the severity of the injury. Before leaving, Buxton singled in his only at-bat. If Buxton ends up missing extended time, Manuel Margot may be the biggest beneficiary in Minnesota's outfield.Source: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
2 days agoMiami Heat guard Duncan Robinson (back) will play in Wednesday's contest against the Boston Celtics. The sharpshooter has continued to play through a back injury, and Miami will need everyone to step up as they face elimination in Game 5. Robinson has not made much of an impact in this series, playing less than 10 minutes in both of the previous two games. However, the Heat continue to struggle with injuries, as Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip) are all unavailable to play, which could lead to a bigger role for Robinson.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoMiami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (foot) will suit up for Wednesday's game versus the Boston Celtics. The 27-year-old is listed on the injury report because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, however, he will be able to play through the ailment as Miami hopes to keep their season alive in Game 5. The Heat are facing elimination against a talented Celtics team, and it is likely Highsmith will play a larger role since Miami is missing key players such as Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip). Highsmith could be a sneaky play for DFS managers for Wednesday's game, as he has seen at least 19 minutes in every matchup of this series.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoSan Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday for the series finale against the visiting Cincinnati Reds. It will be just the second time this year that Bogaerts will open the game on the bench for the Friars after starting each of the team's last 16 games. Tyler Wade will get the start at the keystone and will hit in the nine-hole against Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft. Wade will be one to avoid in DFS contests on Wednesday's slate of action. The 31-year-old Bogaerts isn't in danger of losing playing time as the Padres' regular second baseman, but he has done very little for fantasy managers in 2024, hitting .217 (28-for-129) with only two home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 32 games this year.Source: San Diego Padres
2 days agoCincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) is missing yet again from the team's starting lineup in the series finale against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Encarnacion-Strand is missing his fourth straight game after being hit by a pitch on his left hand. With a scheduled off day coming on Thursday, hopefully the 24-year-old will be able to return on Friday for a series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. On top of his injury, CES has hit just .196/.222/.314 with two home runs and 16 RBI in his first 102 at-bats of the season. Jeimer Candelario is at first base on Wednesday and is batting seventh, while Santiago Espinal gets the start at third and hits sixth against Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove. Neither Candelario nor Espinal have ever faced Musgrove in their careers.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Michael Taylor are not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. With both players out, Bryan Reynolds will serve as the designated hitter and bat second, while Jack Suwinski will cover center field and hit eighth against A's right-hander Ross Stripling. Connor Joe is manning left field and batting third in the order. The veteran McCutchen has gotten off to a slow start in 2024, hitting just .190 (15-for-79) with three home runs, seven RBI and one steal. Taylor has been a bit better with a .253 average (19-for-75), but he has yet to go deep with six RBI and three stolen bases. Reynolds is a daily must-start in season-long fantasy leagues, while Joe is a nice low-cost DFS play with an average just under .300 in his first 89 at-bats in 2024.Source: Pittsburgh Pirates
2 days agoOakland Athletics outfielder/designated hitter Brent Rooker will take a seat on the bench on Wednesday versus the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Catcher Shea Langeliers will move to designated hitter and will bat cleanup, while Kyle McCann will do the catching while hitting seventh against Pirates right-hander Quinn Priester. The 29-year-old Rooker will get the day off after starting in each of the team's last 11 games since coming off the 10-day injured list on April 19. In those 11 contests, he's gone 8-for-38 (.211) with three home runs, two doubles, eight RBI and a stolen base. Rooker has five dingers so far in 2024 and has added 13 RBI in his 68 at-bats. Langeliers is hitting just .176 (16-for-91) but does have six long balls, which makes him attractive in DFS at the weak catcher position while in the cleanup spot against a young pitcher.Source: Oakland A's Communications
2 days agoKansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe will retreat to the bench on Wednesday as the team faces the Toronto Blue Jays. Adam Frazier will get the nod in right field for the Royals and will hit eighth against Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt. Renfroe has gone 1-for-12 in the last four games to drop his season line to a weak .150/.218/.268 in 80 at-bats. The 32-year-old veteran right-handed slugger has added just two home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs scored for the Royals and could lose playing time moving forward unless he turns it around soon. Frazier hasn't been much better at all, though, and should be avoided in DFS formats on Wednesday. The left-handed batter is hitting .185 (12-for-65) with no homers, five RBI and one stolen base.Source: Kansas City Royals
2 days agoBuffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that quarterback Josh Allen really liked wide receiver Keon Coleman before the team selected him in the second round of this year's draft at No. 33 overall. Coleman said that after he was drafted, Allen texted him to say, "You're the guy that I wanted." The 20-year-old big-bodied wideout from Florida State was as impressive as any of the team's top pass-catchers in this year's draft with his ability to make tough, contested catches down the field. That will be useful when working with Allen and his gunslinging ways, but Coleman's weakness is that he doesn't generate much separation from defensive backs. Outside of his 11 touchdowns in 2023, Coleman had just 7.3 yards per target and isn't a burner. Despite his weaknesses, he should have plenty of opportunity in Buffalo in his rookie season.Source: Sirius XM NFL Radio
2 days agoCarolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), who was the first RB taken in this year's NFL draft in the second round (46th overall), is on track to be ready to participate in training camp this summer. The 20-year-old tore his ACL in November, but the injury didn't come with additional ligament damage. Brooks has already resumed running. The Texas Longhorn alum racked up 1,139 rushing yards and also had 286 receiving yards in 11 games in his final collegiate season in 2023 before tearing his ACL. He'll enter a crowded backfield in Carolina alongside Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. The Panthers plan to utilize all three RBs in 2024, but given Sanders' struggles last year, Brooks will have the opportunity to leapfrog him on the RB depth chart eventually if his knee holds up. Still, Brooks will be more of a dynasty/keeper asset in fantasy in 2024.Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
2 days agoThe Denver Broncos have informed quarterback Zach Wilson and his representatives that they won't pick up his fifth-year option, according to sources. The Broncos acquired the New York Jets' former second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft early last week and then selected QB Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in this year's draft. Wilson's option would have been for a guaranteed $22.408 million in 2025. The Jets will pay a significant portion of Wilson's $1.055 million base salary in 2024, and he's now headed for free agency next spring. Wilson, Nix and Jarrett Stidham, who started the final two games in 2023 when the team benched Russell Wilson, will compete for the starting job in Denver in training camp this summer. It's a fresh start for Wilson, but he has not looked like a starter in his first three years in the league with a 57% completion rate, 25 interceptions and 23 touchdowns.Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Legwold
2 days agoThe Indianapolis Colts posted a video of quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) throwing at offseason spring practices, and he appears to be fully healthy after needing season-ending shoulder surgery in his rookie season in 2023. The 21-year-old is expected to be ready to take part in organized team activities in May and June, although the Colts could choose to ease him in. The former fourth overall pick last year out of Florida played in just four games in 2023 due to a head injury and his shoulder ailment, but he flashed high-end QB1 upside in that small sample size by throwing for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while also picking up 136 rushing yards and four touchdowns. There's obvious injury risk involved because of his propensity to take off and run, but fantasy managers can't deny the upside.Source: The Athletic - James Boyd
2 days agoThe San Francisco 49ers were engaged in trade talks involving wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel leading up to the draft, but the team elected not to trade either of their star receivers, with all signs pointing toward both being on the 2024 roster. Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the assumption was that he'd be the odd man out after the team paid Samuel and other star players. Samuel still has two years left on the deal he signed before the 2022 season. San Fran has been to at least the NFC Championship game in four of the last five seasons, and losing Aiyuk or Samuel would almost certainly make the team worse in 2024. The 49ers can afford to keep both this year, but an Aiyuk extension would likely reduce his $14.124 million salary cap number for 2024. Samuel's fantasy value would have likely taken a hit with a move out of the Bay Area.Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
2 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder Jose Siri has been hit with a three-game suspension from Major League Baseball for his role in Tuesday night's benches-clearing incident with the Milwaukee Brewers. Siri will appeal his suspension, but he's out of Wednesday's lineup anyway due to some minor soreness in his left thigh as a result of getting hit by a pitch on Tuesday. The 28-year-old was intentionally hit by a pitch from right-hander Freddy Peralta in the sixth inning before getting in a dust-up with reliever Abner Uribe in the eighth inning after he grounded out. Uribe threw the first punch before Siri retaliated. After a scheduled off day for the Rays on Thursday, Siri should return to the starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the New York Mets while his appeal is heard.Source: Bally Sports Florida - Ryan Bass
2 days agoAfter the Milwaukee Brewers' benches-clearing brawl against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, pitchers Freddy Peralta (five games) and Abner Uribe (six games) and manager Pat Murphy (two games) have been suspended. Both Peralta and Uribe are appealing their suspensions and won't have to sit out immediately for the series finale against Tampa on Wednesday. Peralta is being suspended for intentionally throwing at Rays outfielder Jose Siri. The 27-year-old was ejected as a result. Since he's appealing, he should be able to make his next scheduled start on Sunday versus the Chicago Cubs. Uribe incited the benches-clearing incident when he threw a punch at Siri after he grounded out in the eighth inning. The 23-year-old reliever has three saves on the year but also a 6.75 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 13 appearances for Milwaukee.Source: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
2 days agoThe Detroit Tigers optioned right-hander Matt Manning back to Triple-A Toledo after the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. Manning served as the team's 27th man for the doubleheader and picked up a no-decision when he allowed four earned runs on seven hits (one home run) while walking two and striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings against St. Louis. He's now made three spot starts for Detroit this year. The 26-year-old threw 5 2/3 shutout innings in his first appearance but has now allowed eight earned runs in his last two outings despite striking out 14. We'll likely see Manning again at some point, and if any of the Tigers' regular starters are injured, he'll be the first to take their rotation spot.Source: Tigers PR