3 mins agoPhiladelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott is out of the starting lineup Thursday versus the Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Luis L. Ortiz. While the Phillies gave several regulars a breather on Wednesday following a playoff-clinching win on Tuesday, Stott hit leadoff and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Wednesday evening. He will get his rare breather on Thursday as he's hitting .279 with 15 home runs, 31 stolen bases, and a .745 OPS across 631 plate appearances on the season. However, Stott is also hitting just .249 with a .722 OPS since the All-Star break after hitting .301 with a .760 OPS in the season's first half. Edmundo Sosa will take over at second base and hit eighth versus Ortiz on Thursday in Philadelphia.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

9 mins agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is among a host of Phillies regulars to get back into the starting lineup Thursday after the club rested several regulars Wednesday following a playoff-clinching victory on Tuesday. Schwarber joins Trea Turner, Alex Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, and Nick Castellanos as everyday players back in action on Thursday versus Pirates right-hander Luis L. Ortiz. The veteran has put forth one of the more unique seasons in MLB history in 2023, hitting just .196 but also launching 45 home runs, nearly matching his 47 singles on the campaign. He still boasts a big-time 17.6% BB%, .812 OPS, and a 118 wRC+ across his 156 appearances on the season.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

21 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is once again sitting out of the starting lineup Thursday versus the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Corbin Burnes. The 2022 NL MVP did not take part in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Brewers and will be on the bench again Thursday, although a specific reason for his absence has not been released. Of course, the Cardinals could be opting to give young players playing time in the final week of a wildly disappointing season that has them sitting in last place in the NL Central at 69-89. For the season, Goldschmidt has hit .267 with 25 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and an .806 OPS across 152 games played.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

29 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is back in the starting lineup Thursday afternoon versus the St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Dakota Hudson. Yelich did not appear in Wednesday's narrow 3-2 win over the Cardinals but will return to his familiar leadoff spot while manning left field on Thursday. The 31-year-old is enjoying his best season since his NL MVP runner-up season in 2019 here in 2023, hitting .275 with 19 home runs, 27 stolen bases, and an .810 OPS across 141 appearances on the campaign. His matchup on Thursday is a solid one as he has hit .291 with an .874 OPS versus right-handed pitching while Hudson has allowed a .299 average and an .817 OPS to left-handed hitters this season.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 hours agoMinnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the team will use right-hander Pablo Lopez for Game 1 of the wild-card series next week, with right-hander Sonny Gray getting the ball in Game 2. The Twins' opponent hasn't been finalized, but it's likely to be one of either the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros or Seattle Mariners. Lopez has been solid for the Twins all year, going 11-8 with a 3.66 ERA (3.33 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, 48 walks and a career-high 234 strikeouts in 32 starts covering a career-high 194 innings pitched in his first year in Minnesota as a first-time All-Star. The 27-year-old has posted a 3.68 ERA with 38 strikeouts and only five walks in his five starts (29 1/3 frames) down the stretch in five September starts.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park

2 hours agoMinnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (foot) is feeling better but will not travel with the team to Colorado for the final series of the regular season this weekend against the Rockies. Correa will work out at Target Field with the group that will stay back before the postseason starts next week, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. The 29-year-old has been battling plantar fasciitis for most of the year and will rest up for the playoffs, so fantasy managers will officially not have Correa for the final four games of the regular season, and it remains to be seen how effective he'll be for Minnesota once the postseason starts. Correa will finish his second season for the Twins with a disappointing .230/.312/.399 slash line, 18 home runs, 29 doubles, two triples, 65 RBI and 60 runs scored in 135 games (580 plate appearances).--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park

2 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks rookie right-hander Bryce Jarvis is serving as the opener for the series finale in Chicago against the White Sox on Thursday. It will be Jarvis' first "start" of his career after making nine relief appearances in his first major-league season in 2023. In those nine appearances, the 25-year-old has been solid for the Snakes, posting a 2.45 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and eight strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings. Jarvis made 16 starts on the farm for Triple-A Reno before being called up, but since he's been strictly a reliever since he got to the big leagues, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to go more than a few innings as the team's opener in this one. The matchup against Chicago is a great one, but those still competing for a fantasy title should look elsewhere.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-hander Ryan Yarbrough will make the start on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. It will be Yarbrough's second start for the Dodgers and ninth total in 2023. In 24 appearances (eight starts) for the Dodgers and Kansas City Royals this year, the 31-year-old southpaw has gone 8-6 with a 3.78 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, two saves and 65 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings pitched. He should be able to provide the Blue with around three or four innings in a solid matchup, albeit at hitter-friendly Coors Field. In his 10 outings for LA since being acquired in a trade from the Royals, he's posted a 3.12 ERA (3.58 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, two saves and 36 K's in 34 2/3 innings of work.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

3 hours agoNew York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had an incredible day on Wednesday in the doubleheader against the visiting Miami Marlins, going a combined 4-for-7 with three home runs, six RBI and two walks in the two games. With the three home runs, Lindor has reached the 30-homer mark for the fourth time in his career and for the first time since 2019, when he was still with the Cleveland Guardians. The 29-year-old All-Star got off to a slow start in 2023, but he's now put up his first 30-homer, 30-stolen base campaign and is four RBI short of reaching 100 RBI for the second straight season with the Mets.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

3 hours agoThe Atlanta Braves recalled right-handed rookie AJ Smith-Shawver from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday and optioned rookie right-hander Darius Vines to Gwinnett in a corresponding move after his start on Wednesday night. Smith-Shawver will make his fifth major-league start on Thursday as the Braves go for the sweep of the Chicago Cubs. In his first five big-league appearances, Smith-Shawver has allowed 13 runs (11 earned) on 17 hits (seven home runs) while walking 10 and striking out 18 in 21 2/3 innings pitched. Walks and homers have been an issue for the 20-year-old, and we wouldn't recommend streaming him in fantasy lineups against a Cubs team fighting for their playoff lives with just four games remaining.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Braves Twitter

3 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (shoulder) is in left field and is batting sixth against the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Touki Toussaint on Thursday. Gurriel is right back in there after being scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup due to left-shoulder tightness that he experienced while taking batting practice. The 29-year-old has been a consistent producer all year and will be a boost for an Arizona club trying to secure one of the final two wild-card spots in the National League before the end of the regular season this Sunday. Gurriel is hitting .262 (140-for-535) with 24 homers, 81 RBI, four stolen bases and 65 runs scored on the year and should be returned to fantasy lineups in a good matchup on Thursday.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

3 hours agoMinnesota Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco is getting the day off on Thursday against the visiting Oakland Athletics. With Polanco starting on the bench, Donovan Solano will man the keystone and will hit third in the order against A's right-hander Luis Medina. Willi Castro is starting at third base and is hitting in the two-hole for the Twins. Due to injuries, Polanco has played in only 78 games for Minnesota this year, and he's hitting .258/.339/.461 with an .800 OPS, 14 home runs, 18 doubles, 48 RBI, four stolen bases and 38 runs scored in 336 trips to the plate. The 30-year-old Dominican switch-hitter has gone 18-for-71 (.254) with four home runs, four doubles, 12 RBI, a stolen base and 14 runs scored in his 18 starts in September.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

14 hours agoColorado Rockies outfielder/first baseman Kris Bryant (illness) has been absent from the lineup of late for the Rockies because he's been sick. Bryant played in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, but it's the only time he's been in the lineup in the last four contests for Colorado. Since returning from a long stint on the injured list on Sept. 11, Bryant has gone just 9-for-50 (.180) with two home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, 17 strikeouts and nine runs scored in 13 games (12 starts). The 31-year-old former Rookie of the Year and MVP has rarely been healthy since signing with the Rockies before the 2022 season and has hit .239 (70-for-293) with 10 homers, 31 RBI and 36 runs scored in only 78 games in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Denver Gazette - Luke Zahlmann

16 hours agoMinnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) and outfielder/designated hitter Byron Buxton (knee) took part in simulated game action at Target Field on Wednesday. Lewis hit a home run. Neither Lewis nor Buxton are going to help fantasy managers from here on out, but the Twins could get them both back for the playoffs. Lewis suffered mild left-hamstring strain last Tuesday and is eligible to come off the injured list on Sunday, the final day of the regular season. The 24-year-old has missed plenty of time with injuries in 2023, but when he's been on the field, he's been great, and the Twins would love to have his bat in the lineup for the postseason. Buxton suffered a setback with patellar tendinitis in his right knee in early September while on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 29-year-old hasn't really been healthy all year and may not be on Minnesota's playoff roster.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park

16 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (shoulder) was scratched from Wednesday's win over the Chicago White Sox after feeling tightness in his left shoulder while taking batting practice. Gurriel said after Wednesday's game that he was feeling much better and he could return to the series finale on Thursday in Chicago. The 29-year-old's injury isn't too serious, the D-backs may only be without him for one game as they try to secure one of the final wild-card spots in the National League in the final week of the regular season. In his first season in the desert, Gurriel has been very valuable to the Snakes and fantasy managers, slashing .262/.311/.467 with a career-high 24 home runs, 34 doubles, two triples, 81 RBI, four stolen bases and 65 runs scored in 141 games.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert