2 days agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez will retreat to the bench on Sunday for the series finale against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Martinez didn't make his 2024 debut with the Mets until Friday night after signing with the club late in spring training and then suffering a back injury while getting ramped up at extended spring training. The 36-year-old veteran right-handed went 3-for-8 in his first two games with an RBI, but he also struck out five times. The Mets plan on easing Martinez back into the fold, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's on the bench in only his third game back. With Martinez starting on the bench,
DJ Stewart will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat cleanup against Cardinals right-hander
Lance Lynn. The 30-year-old lefty hitter isn't a bad low-cost DFS option on Sunday in the cleanup spot. He's hitting .200 (9-for-45) on the year with three homers and 11 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
2 days agoDetroit Tigers shortstop
Javier Baez was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Kansas City Royals for undisclosed reasons.
Zach McKinstry is now starting in his place and will hit seventh in the batting order against Royals right-hander
Michael Wacha. Baez will start on the bench after starting the team's previous seven games. If he's dealing with an injury, we'll update you on condition when we get word. The 31-year-old free swinger has been a disappointment pretty much ever since he landed in Detroit in 2022 and he is off to another bad start in 2024, hitting .193/.233/.277 with only one home run, nine RBI, six stolen bases and 21 strikeouts in 90 plate appearances. McKinstry will be a poor sleeper option in DFS at shortstop. He's never faced Wacha in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
2 days agoJoe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. will start 15th in this week's race at Dover Motor Speedway, the Wurth 400. This marks the lowest start position of the year since Daytona and the third Dover race in a row where Truex will start outside the Top 10. Truex is one of the most accomplished drivers in the field at Dover with four wins, 19 top-10 finishes, and 1,064 laps led, which is the third-most of active drivers. Truex is also the defending winner of this week's cup race at DMS. After 10 races so far this year, Truex has nine top-15 finishes while leading in seven different Cup events. In practice, Truex ranked 13th in five-consecutive lap averages but fourth in 10 consecutive lap averages, displayed a car that's great on longer runs. With solid Place Differential upside and being one of the betting favorites at one of his best tracks, Truex is a driver all fantasy players should consider for DFS this week.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: Driveraverages.com
2 days agoTyler Reddick qualified fourth for this week's NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover. This is the highest starting position of his Cup career and just the second time Reddick will start in the Top 10 at the Delaware track. In five starts at Dover, Reddick has two top-10 finishes, including his best finish of seventh, which he collected in his first year driving for 23XI Racing. Reddick is one of the most consistent drivers so far this year, as he scored one win and is tied for the most top-10 finishes of all racers after 10 Cup events. In practice, Reddick displayed top-10 speeds in all eligible categories, including ranking seventh in five-consecutive lap averages. Despite little Place Differential upside, Reddick is a driver that can gain a quality finish regardless of track type as indicated by his 2024 consistency this season so far. Fantasy players should roster the driver of the No. 45 Toyota in tournament formats this week.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: Driveraverages.com
2 days agoIn qualifying for this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, Michael McDowell scored a starting position of eighth. McDowell's starting position this week is the highest of his Cup career at Dover and will be the sixth time he will start from the Top 10 this season. In 23 Cup starts at DMS, McDowell has three top-20 finishes, with his best finish being 17th, which he obtained in 2022. In 10 races so far this year, McDowell has three top-20 finishes, all being 11th or better. The driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford has also captured positive Place Differential thrice this year. In practice, only McDowell's single-lap and five-consecutive lap averages were ranked among the Top 10 fastest, showcasing how McDowell's car has takeoff speed early in a run. Fantasy players should not expect McDowell to remain in the Top 10, especially with his long-run practice speeds not being favorable. It is recommended to fade McDowell in all formats for this week's race at Dover, especially when his history at the site is unfavorable.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: Driveraverages.com
2 days agoDuring qualifying for this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, Joey Logano obtained a starting position of 13th. This start position is the highest of Logano's Cup career at Dover since 2022, when the Next-Gen car was introduced. In 27 starts at DMS, Logano has 15 top-10
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2 days agoSophomore Cup driver Noah Gragson will start fifth in this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. This is the highest start position for Gragson in a Cup Series race to date, and the first time he will start from the Top 5 in his career. While driving for Legacy Motor Club, Gragson scored a DNF in his only previous Cup start at Dover in 2023. In the Xfinity Series, however, Gragson has five top-10 finishes in seven Dover starts. With 10 races completed in the 2024 season so far, Gragson has seven top-20 finishes, with three inside the Top 10. In practice, Gragson ranked 11th in 10-consecutive lap averages, third in 15-consecutive lap averages, and was the only driver to run at least 20-consecutive laps. Considering his starting position, Gragson is a DFS risk with little Place Differential upside. With his car looking solid in practice however, Gragson could work as a sneaky tournament play where not many would roster him, especially as he is capable of placing in the Top 10.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: Driveraverages.com
2 days agoUros Medic scored a first-round knockout win over Tim Means on the main card opener of UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Medic was forced to defend takedowns from the get-go, but after getting to his feet, he landed an uppercut that dropped Means and Medic landed one punch to put him out cold. With the win, Medic is now 4-2 in the UFC and has won all four fights by knockout.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
2 days agoTim Means suffered a first-round knockout loss to Uros Medic in the main card opener of UFC Vegas 91. Means was grappling Medic early on, but just seconds later, Medic landed an uppercut that dropped Means, and one punch on the ground put him out. With the loss, Means is now 15-13 and one NC in the UFC and is now 1-4 in his last five fights.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
2 days agoAusten Lane suffered a second-round knockout loss to Jhonata Diniz on the main card of UFC Vegas 91. Lane was coming off a knockout loss to Justin Tafa after he had a No Contest in his debut against Tafa due to an eye poke. Entering the bout, Lane was the underdog, and after winning the first round, the former NFL player got caught with a massive punch that knocked him out cold. With the loss, Lane is now 0-2 and one NC in the UFC and could be fighting for his job next time out.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
2 days agoJhonata Diniz scored a second-round knockout over Austen Lane at UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Diniz was making his UFC debut after earning his contract after winning on the Contender Series. Diniz entered the bout as the betting favorite, and the kickboxer landed a massive punch that knocked Lane out. With the win, Diniz is 7-0 as a pro with all seven wins coming by knockout.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
2 days agoRyan Spann suffered a second-round TKO loss to Bogdan Guskov in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Spann entered the bout on a two-fight losing streak but was the betting favorite. The American had success in the first round, but in the second round, he was caught by a big shot that rocked him and Guskov finished him with ground-and-pound. With the loss, Spann is now 7-5 in the UFC and is now on a three-fight losing streak.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
2 days agoBogdan Guskov improved to 16-3 as a pro with a second-round TKO win over Ryan Spann in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 91. Guskov entered the bout as the underdog and after losing the opening round, he rallied in the second round and hurt Spann on the feet before landing ground-and-pound shots to get the TKO win. With the victory, Guskov is now 2-1 in the UFC and is on a two-fight winning streak. A top-10 opponent could be next for Guskov after UFC Vegas 91.
--Cole SheltonSource: UFC
2 days agoMinnesota Twins first baseman
Carlos Santana went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored in Saturday's 16-5 win over the Angels. The veteran was also hit by a pitch in the contest. The 38-year-old is experiencing a power surge of late, with all three of Santana's home runs coming in the last three games. The former All-Star hit 24 home runs last season, so the pop is certainly still there, but even after the recent resurgence, he's still slashing a paltry .181/.269/.325 on the year and is probably best left on the waiver wire.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Max Kepler hit his first home run of the season in Saturday's 16-5 blowout win over the Angels. The 31-year-old was 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored in the contest. Since returning from injury just over a week ago, Kepler has gone 8-for-19 (.421) with seven RBI, four runs scored, and a 2:2 BB:K over six games. After blasting 24 home runs last season, fantasy managers were hoping for more from the lefty, but hopefully they'll start coming in bunches as he's still putting the bat on the ball at an above-average rate (81.1% Contact%). His HR/FB% has taken a step back though, just 5.6% compared to 16.1% from last season, and a Barrel% of 6.5% compared to last season's 12.2%. If you are buying into the hot streak he's on over the past week, the outfielder is available in 85% of Yahoo leagues.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoPittsburgh Pirates closer
David Bednar picked up his fifth save of the season in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Giants. It wasn't without drama though. A day after allowing a walk, two hits, and three earned runs to the Giants, Bednar gave up a two-run home run to
Jorge Soler to lead off the bottom of the tenth inning to bring the Giants within a run. The 29-year-old was able to strike out three of the next four batters to preserve the win. This season has not gone at all to plan for the Pirates closer who was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023. Bednar's ERA has swelled to 11.70 with a 1.60 WHIP and three blown save opportunities to go along with his five saves. His job doesn't seem to be in jeopardy at this point, but the Pirates and fantasy managers alike would relish some clean innings going forward.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoKyle Larson has some work to do at Dover this weekend if he wants to end up in victory lane because the No. 5 Chevrolet was just mediocre during qualifying on Saturday. Larson will roll off of the starting grid from 21st when this weekend's Würth 400 goes green, although it is fully expected that "Yung Money" will be able to race his way to the front. All sportsbooks still have Larson as the favorite to win this race, with most coming in at the +450 range. Larson has a series-best 8.6 average finish here at Dover over 15 career starts with one win, which came back in the 2019 season. He's priced at a very steep $11,500 on DraftKings this weekend, which can make it difficult to fit him into a lineup, but Larson has the potential of being the highest-scoring driver on the slate between his race-winning possibility as well as the Place Differential upside.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
2 days agoDover Motor Speedway is one of the best tracks on the circuit for Chase Elliott, as the Hendrick Motorsports driver has posted top-five finishes there in 10 of his 13 career starts, including two wins (in 2018 and 2022). That statistic alone should make Chase a solid DFS pick, but when you add in the fact that he qualified 29th for this weekend's Würth 400, he becomes a must play in DFS. The Place Differential potential alone make Elliott one of the strongest options on this weekend's slate, and his $9,900 salary on DraftKings is very palatable. Use Chase early and often when building your DraftKings lineups for Dover.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
2 days agoPittsburgh Pirates third baseman
Ke'Bryan Hayes went 2-for-5 with his first home run of the season in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Giants. The home run was a solo shot that came off of Giants lefty reliever
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2 days agoIt's not very often that we talk about Alex Bowman as a sure-fire top-five threat, but that's starting to be the case at Dover Motor Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has posted top-five finishes in five of his last six starts at "The Monster Mile," including a win back in the 2021 race. He has also had a driver rating over 100 in five of the last six races here. This weekend, Bowman looks to keep the good times rolling, as he qualified ninth for Sunday's Würth 400 race. The No. 48 Chevrolet wasn't blazing fast in practice, but Bowman was a respectable 15th-fastest in ten-lap average. In terms of DFS playability, Bowman is priced at $9,300 on DraftKings this weekend, so he's going to have to post at least a top-five finish (and likely add some dominator points) to make it into the optimal lineup. He should be considered an option in large tournament formats only.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
2 days agoDover Motor Speedway has been a very good race track for Chris Buescher recently, as he has the fourth-best average running position (7.83) at this track over the last two races in the Next Gen car. A bit part of that has been because Buescher has qualified well at "The Monster Mile," but that is not the case this weekend. The No. 17 Ford will roll off the grid from the 18th starting spot on Sunday, so it will take some work for Buescher to get up toward the front. However, that starting position makes the Roush-Fenway Keselowski Racing driver a nice candidate for Place Differential FPTS on DraftKings, especially at his very palatable $8,000 salary. Buescher has top 10 upside at Dover this weekend and should be used accordingly in DFS lineups.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Win The Race
2 days agoRoss Chastain has been one of the fastest drivers at Dover Motor Speedway in the Next Gen era, and that looks to be the case once again this weekend. On Saturday, Chastain was seventh-fastest in practice but he went out and qualified 22nd for Sunday's Würth 400 race--a bit of a disappointment. In the two races at Dover with this Next Gen car, Chastain has the best average running position (4.05), the third-most fastest lap percentage (12.01%), and the best average finish (2.50). With his Place Differential upside this weekend, along with his recent track history, Chastain is sure to be a decently popular DraftKings pick even at his $10,200 salary. The upside is definitely there for Ross to be a big DFS value play this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Win The Race
2 days agoJosh Berry isn't a household name, but he's on his way to being one at Dover Motor Speedway. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver simply has a knack for this track, as he has finished first or second in all three of his Xfinity starts here while also adding a top-10 result in the Cup Series last year while filling in for Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Chevrolet. This weekend, Berry qualified 12th for the Würth 400 and ranked eighth-fastest in ten-lap average during practice. When you put everything together, Berry definitely is a dark horse for a top-10 finish this weekend. At $7,300 on DraftKings, Berry is a tournament play for sure, and could be the missing piece you need to take down a GPP.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Speedway Digest
2 days agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Bryan Reynolds blasted an extra-inning go-ahead two-run home run in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Giants. The switch-hitter went 2-for-5 in the game with the home run breaking a 1-1 tie in the top of the tenth inning. The home run came off of the Giants' LHP
Taylor Rogers and was the first home run of the year that Reynolds has hit off of a lefty with his other three coming off righties. The 29-year-old is having a solid season thus far, posting a .264/.372/.418 slash line with four home runs, 17 RBI, 11 runs scored, two stolen bases, and a strong 14.7% BB% through 28 games.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
Bryan Woo pitched three-and-a-third innings for Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday, allowing two hits while striking out six batters and walking none. That marks his second straight strong rehab performance, with two hits, zero earned runs, no walks, and eleven strikeouts in all (six-and-a-third IP). The 24-year-old is expected to make one more start for Tacoma before being evaluated to determine whether or not he's ready to rejoin the Mariners' rotation. Woo is coming off a solid 2023 MLB debut and became somewhat of a fantasy sleeper in the offseason with some additional hype building in the spring after the righty posted an 11:1 K:BB over three Cactus League starts. Managers who held onto Woo should slot him back into their lineups upon his return, and he's rostered in just 65% of Yahoo leagues, so those in need of pitching help would be wise to pick him up off the waiver wire where available.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 days agoIn this week's NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, the Wurth 400, William Byron nabbed a starting spot of third through qualifying. This will be just the third time Byron obtained a top-3 starting position at Dover in his Cup career and the fourth time he
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2 days agoRichard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch nabbed his first pole of the season at Dover Motor Speedway for the Wurth 400. This marks the second year in a row Busch has collected the pole at Dover and his fourth overall at the site. In 35 races at DMS,
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2 days agoFor this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney scored a starting position of second. This will be Blaney's first front row start at Dover and his second overall of the year. Historically, DMS is not one of Blaney's strongest tracks, as he only has three
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2 days agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jose Siri was removed from Saturday's game against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning due to lack of hustle. According to Rays manager Kevin Cash, Siri was pulled out of the game because he disliked how he went after an
Eloy Jimenez double in the second inning.
Niko Goodrum replaced him for defense in the third inning. Siri went 0-for-1 with a strikeout before being removed. Cash also said he considers the issue over, with no carryover. Siri could be back in the lineup in the series finale. The 28-year-old struggled this season, slashing .179/.270/.269 with a home run, six RBI, nine runs, and six stolen bases over 26 games. Siri is mainly an option in deep leagues until he can turn things around at the plate.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
2 days agoNew York Yankees utility player
Jon Berti (groin) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Sunday. Berti was placed on the injured list two weeks ago with a left groin strain. The 34-year-old will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday and could be activated from the injured list as soon as next week. He is slashing .211/.250/.211 with an RBI and two runs scored over six games in 2024. Berti qualifies at second base, third base, shortstop, and outfield in most leagues but is mainly a fantasy option in AL-Only or deep-league formats when he returns from the injured list.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Bryan Hoch
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