RADIO
Blue Jays Turn to Jeff Hoffman for Another Save, Re-Entering Must-Roster Territory?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman handled a save situation for the second consecutive game on Saturday. He struck out all three batters he faced, requiring just 13 pitches (nine strikes). Hoffman had a shaky start to the season, but he has bounced back with 3.2 scoreless innings across his last four contests. During that span, he has allowed one hit, zero walks, and six strikeouts. Although Hoffman has a 5.32 ERA so far, his 2.18 xFIP suggests that he has been incredibly unlucky, and better results should await him in the near future. He's been hit hard for 1.23 HR/9, but he has flashed elite control with 15.14 K/9 and 3.27 BB/9. Now that he has saves in back-to-back appearances, bringing his season total to four, Hoffman has returned to the fantasy radar as a high-strikeout reliever with consistent save upside. There's plenty of waiver wire appeal here, as the veteran reliever is available in 48% of leagues at this point.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Taylor Opts Out of Retirement, Placed on Injured List
Los Angeles Angels minor league outfielder Chris Taylor (forearm) has reversed a previous decision about his retirement. Taylor reportedly retired on Friday, but he changed his mind one day later. Now, Taylor is unretired, and instead, he has been placed on the minor league injured list with a left forearm fracture. It's a perplexing turn of events for the veteran, who evidently decided he wasn't ready to hang up his cleats quite yet. Across 32 Triple-A games this year, the 35-year-old owns a .255/.382/.321 slash line with three steals, a 15.2% walk rate, a 26.5% strikeout rate, and 86 wRC+. Taylor, who previously won a World Series with the Dodgers, will look to get healthy and return to his role as an organizational depth piece for the Angels.
Source: Rhett Bollinger
Source: Rhett Bollinger
Jake Irvin Exits Early on Saturday With Undisclosed Injury
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin (undisclosed) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's start against the Atlanta Braves. This is a shame because Irvin was dealing before making his exit from the contest. He took the mound to warm up for the sixth inning, but didn't look right and eventually exited with the trainer. Before that, Irvin tossed five hitless innings, allowing one walk while striking out seven batters. The Nationals should give an update on his status following Saturday's contest. This was Irvin's second straight strong outing, so hopefully he won't be forced to miss time from this injury.
Source: Mark Zuckerman
Source: Mark Zuckerman
Garrett Mitchell Remains Absent on Saturday
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell (back) is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mitchell made an early exit from Wednesday's game due to back tightness. He hasn't been back in the lineup since then, so fantasy managers might start getting anxious. He's still considered day-to-day, so fantasy managers should check back for another update on Sunday. Jake Bauers will cover left field and bat sixth versus right-hander Roki Sasaki on Saturday. Mitchell remains strictly a deep league option at the moment.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is Placed on 10-day Injured List
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Saturday. He was removed from Friday's game due to hamstring tightness and now heads to the shelf with a left hamstring strain. The exact timetable for his return is unknown, but hamstring issues do have a tendency to linger. Jorge Barrosa and Tim Tawa are the favorites to see increased playing time while Gurriel is sidelined. In a corresponding move, infielder Tommy Troy has been called up from Triple-A Reno. Troy could be someone worth keeping an eye on in deep leagues.
Source: Jody Jackson
Source: Jody Jackson
Tommy Troy is Heading to the Big Leagues
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Tommy Troy is receiving the call to the big leagues. The 24-year-old has reportedly been called up after a strong showing in the minor leagues. Through 44 games, Troy was slashing .307/.397/.449 with three home runs and 28 RBI with Triple-A Reno this season. This is a well-deserved call-up after Troy put together strong numbers at Double-A and Triple-A last season as well. Troy is a player who can do a little bit of everything at the plate. He has 15-homer power with enough speed to steal around 20 bases and isn't afraid to draw a walk as well. He's certainly worth a look in deep leagues, assuming he's going to get regular playing time in Arizona.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
Yordan Alvarez Exits Early with Back Spasms
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (back) was forced to make an early exit from Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Alvarez showed discomfort when swinging the bat in the on-deck circle during the sixth inning. He was ultimately pulled from the contest due to back spasms. He finished Saturday's game going 0-for-2 at the plate with a run scored and a walk. The Astros have already said that Alvarez won't play on Sunday, that it was his scheduled rest day anyway. This appears to be a day-to-day type of issue, so fantasy managers shouldn't be too alarmed. Fantasy managers will need to check back for an update on his status ahead of Monday's series opener against the Texas Rangers.
Source: Brian McTaggart
Source: Brian McTaggart
Mets Expect "A Lot" From Jonah Tong
New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong pitched well during his season debut against the Miami Marlins on Friday. Tong tossed three scoreless innings with two strikeouts in what ended up being a loss for the Mets. The team hasn't officially announced its rotation past this weekend, but Tong has earned a longer look at the big league level. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza recently mentioned in a presser that the organization expects a lot from Tong. The 22-year-old is currently working in a bulk-type role right now, but figures to move into the starting rotation at some point. It's clear that Tong isn't going away anytime soon, and his value should be on the rise after a solid debut on Friday.
Source: Brandyn Pokrass
Source: Brandyn Pokrass
Ryan Waldschmidt Logs Another Stolen Base, Quickly Becoming a Must-Add
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Waldschmidt is hitting .500 (7-for-14) with two doubles, three walks, and three stolen bases over his last five games. He has yet to hit a home run, but overall, the 23-year-old is slashing .326/.396/.419 with six RBI and four stolen bases in 48 plate appearances. He has the potential to be a five-category contributor and slashed .302/.415/.491 with 12 home runs, 25 steals, 14% BB rate, and 20% strikeout rate in 100 games between Double-A and Triple-A last summer. Waldschmidt is only rostered in 15% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues and is quickly becoming a player to add in most formats as he continues to swing a hot bat.
Source: MLB
Source: MLB
Louis Varland Earns Seventh Save, Remains a Must-Start Reliever
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Louis Varland notched his seventh save of the season after striking out three over two scoreless innings in Friday's 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. With runners on first and second base, Varland entered the game in the eighth inning and was able to escape the jam. He retired all six batters he faced en route to his seventh save. The 28-year-old has been excellent this season, posting a 0.65 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 40:9 K:BB, and is 7-for-7 in save opportunities. The 28-year-old is the primary closer for the Blue Jays and is emerging as a must-start reliever in all leagues. Varland is currently rostered in 69% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues, but expect that number to rise as he continues to be one of the more reliable relievers in fantasy baseball so far.
Source: MLB
Source: MLB
Garrett Crochet Set to Throw Live BP on Tuesday
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) will face live hitters on Tuesday, according to Red Sox manager Chad Tracy. It will be the first time Crochet will pitch live batting practice since landing on the injured list with left-shoulder inflammation. He threw a bullpen session on Saturday, and if all goes well on Tuesday, the southpaw could begin a rehab assignment shortly after. The 26-year-old has been on the injured list since April 25. Before going on the IL, he struggled to start the season, posting a 6.30 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 30 innings. Fantasy managers should continue to stash the Red Sox ace as he works his way back from the shoulder injury and could return to Boston's as well as fantasy managers' rotations soon.
Source: Tim Healy of the Boston Globe
Source: Tim Healy of the Boston Globe
Rico Garcia Works in Sixth Inning, Not Expected to Fully Claim Closer Role?
Baltimore Orioles reliever Rico Garcia struck out one over two-thirds of an inning to earn the hold in Friday's 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. Garcia replaced Chris Bassit during the sixth inning and retired both batters he faced. The Orioles called on Anthony Nunez for the ninth inning to close out Friday's game. Nunez struck out two over a scoreless inning to pick up his third save of the season. Garcia has been used in high-leverage situations but has not notched a save since May 10. The 32-year-old has been great this season, posting a 0.84 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 21 1/3 frames. Injured closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) is expected to return at the end of May and will regain his role as Baltimore's primary closer when he returns. Garcia should be rostered in leagues that reward holds, but fantasy managers should not count on Garcia for saves for the time being.
Source: MLB
Source: MLB
Casey Mize Becoming a Must-Add Pitcher in All Leagues?
Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize has been outstanding this season, posting a 2-3 record along with a 2.47 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 43:11 K:BB across 43 2/3 innings. Mize was recently activated from the injured list after missing a few weeks with an adductor strain. The 29-year-old allowed two runs and no walks on four hits while striking out four across 6 2/3 innings and took the loss in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Guardians. Mize has only allowed more than two earned runs in each start just once this season. His K% has increased about three percent from 22.2% in 2025 to 25.1% this season, while his xERA has dipped from 3.66 to 2.71. Mize is rostered in 61% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues, but should be rostered in all formats with the way he has pitched this year.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
Kodai Senga Throws 58 Pitches in First Rehab Start
New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (back) threw 58 pitches on Friday in his first rehab start for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in just over three innings pitched, while his fastball topped out at 97 miles per hour on the radar gun. In addition to the fastball, he also threw his forkball, cutter, and sweeper at least 10 times each. Overall, this was a positive outing for the 33-year-old, who last pitched in a game on April 26 against the Colorado Rockies. The team does not yet know how many more rehab starts he will need, but he can remain on the assignment only until June 20, when his 30-day rehab window closes. He has struggled to begin the year, allowing 20 earned runs in just 20 innings pitched. When he returns, he should provide the Mets with some much-needed stability in their rotation.
Source: Brian Murphy
Source: Brian Murphy
Max Scherzer Throws Another Bullpen
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (forearm) continued to make progress in his recovery on Friday, throwing a 30-pitch bullpen session at Rogers Centre. The 41-year-old has now thrown multiple bullpen sessions, with each one featuring a larger workload than the last. It remains unclear what the next steps are for Scherzer, as the team will need to decide whether he is ready to face hitters. If that does in fact happen, a brief rehab assignment could soon follow. The veteran has dealt with numerous injuries over the past few seasons, some of which have shown recurring signs. As a result, both he and the team would be wise to take their time with his ailing forearm.
Source: Arden Zwelling
Source: Arden Zwelling
