12 mins agoMiami Marlins left-hander
Josh Simpson (elbow) will have surgery on Tuesday to fix ulnar-nerve neuritis in his left elbow. He's expected to miss three months before returning to play. The 26-year-old southpaw reliever will attempt to return in the second half of the 2024 season. The team's No. 26 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, suffered the injury in spring training and was trying to rehab it, but in the end, surgery was necessary. The former 32nd-round selection in 2019 out of Columbia University had a 4.42 ERA and 1.55 WHIP with 27 walks and 66 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings pitched over 28 relief appearances with Single-A Jupiter and Triple-A Jacksonville in 2023. Simpson gets a lot of whiffs, but he's also seen his walk rate rise in recent seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
18 mins agoThe Chicago Cubs are calling up first baseman
Matt Mervis and right-hander
Hayden Wesneski from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. Wesneski has to replace an injured player for the Cubs since he hasn't been down in the minors for 10 days yet after previously being optioned. Mervis will join the Cubs after hitting .288 with five home runs in his first 82 plate appearances at Iowa and could see some at-bats with Chicago as their designated hitter if outfielder
Ian Happ (hamstring) is forced to the injured list. Wesneski made his first appearance of the year in the majors on April 17 against the Arizona Diamondbacks out of the bullpen and picked up a win by tossing four scoreless innings with no walks and two strikeouts. It's unclear what role he's going to have this time around.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Des Moines Register - Tommy Birch
23 mins agoThe Texas Rangers optioned pitching prospect
Owen White to Triple-A Round Rock on Monday and activated pitcher
Jonathan Hernandez (lat) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. White, the team's No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was with the Rangers' big-league club for the first time in his career for a few days, but he didn't make a single appearance and will now head back to the minors to continue his development. The 24-year-old has been slowed by injuries early in his career. He pitched in the All-Star Futures game but didn't look too good in the second half of 2023 when he was promoted to Triple-A. White allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in just 12 1/3 innings with seven walks and 11 strikeouts in his first three starts for Round Rock, so he's going to need to turn it around on the farm if he wants another call-up to the big leagues later this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
29 mins agoArizona Diamondbacks third baseman
Eugenio Suarez's plate vision was displayed in Monday's 5-3 loss against the St. Luis Cardinals. Suarez went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run, finally connecting at the plate after going hitless in back-to-back games over the weekend against the Giants. He is 21-for-85 (.247) with five doubles, two homers, 16 RBI, 16 runs, eight walks and 24 strikeouts through 23 games. The season has had ups and downs for the third baseman and with his recent slump, the matchup against St. Luis favors him. With the favorable matchups for this week, Suarez is a strong stash option with upside across all formats.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
38 mins agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander
Tristan Beck (arm) has been cleared to increase his conditioning, but he isn't expected to resume throwing until May as he recovers from an upper right-arm aneurysm. He is scheduled to see Dr. Jason Lee for another follow-up exam at Stanford on May 1. The 27-year-old felt his hand go cold after throwing some bullpen sessions early in spring training, prompting the Giants to send him back to San Francisco to be evaluated by team doctors on Feb. 27. Beck was moved to the 60-day injured list on March 3 and underwent surgery at Stanford the next day to address the issue. Beck is hoping to return at some point in 2024, but that's unlikely to happen until the second half of the season. And if Beck does return this year, there's no guarantee he'll have a spot in the rotation waiting for him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
41 mins agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Bryce Elder came out strong in Monday's 3-0 win against the Miami Marlins. Elder struck out four and allowed eight hits while allowing no runs in 6 ⅔ innings pitched in his first start of the season. The 24-year-old started three games in the minors this season and recorded a 3.31 ERA while allowing 14 hits (one homer), six runs, five walks and 18 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings pitched. He makes for a solid streaming option and a great roster spot if he can solidify his position in the starting rotation for Atlanta.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
51 mins agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander
Alex Cobb (hip, shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list on April 20, so he won't be eligible to return until May 27. Cobb was progressing well in his rehab from offseason hip surgery, but he hit another minor setback when he felt mild shoulder irritation before throwing a bullpen session on April 16. He "felt OK" when he resumed throwing but saw team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki as a precaution on April 18, according to manager Bob Melvin. Cobb said the imaging on his shoulder came back clean, and he's currently throwing out to 75 feet on flat ground. The 36-year-old also had a "baby setback" when he was briefly shut down with a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. Cobb should have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's healthy, but he can stay on the waiver wire for now in most mixed leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
58 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher
Keynan Middleton (forearm) has been on a two days on, one day off throwing program and has been stretched out so far to 110 feet. He's not throwing off a mound yet, though. Meanwhile,
Drew Rom (biceps) did some plyometric work but didn't respond well late last week and hasn't made any progress from his injury. Middleton should be cleared to throw off a mound again soon and could then move to a short minor-league rehab assignment after that if all goes well. The 30-year-old hasn't pitched since getting hurt on March 7 during spring training, but when healthy, he could have some fantasy value in leagues that count holds. He'll be one of the team's primary setup men in front of closer
Ryan Helsley.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
1 hour agoSt. Louis Cardinals designated hitter
Matt Carpenter (oblique) received a platelet-rich injection on Monday for his strained right oblique, according to manager Oliver Marmol. The plan is for Carpenter to have three days of no activity followed by hitting coach thrown batting practice and then machine work before they look at getting him live at-bats. The 38-year-old veteran had three hits in 10 at-bats over three games at the beginning of the season before getting hurt and landing on the injured list. When healthy, Carpenter will strictly be a bench bat and a DH option for the Cards when they are facing right-handed pitching. In 76 games with the San Diego Padres in 2023, he slashed a miserable .176/.322/.319 with five home runs and 31 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Lynn Worthy
1 hour agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Dylan Carlson (shoulder) has taken swings, including some in the cage off batting practice tosses, and has gone through defensive work that includes throwing. However, he's still feeling some pain on the follow-through of his right-handed swing, but throwing has gone better than expected. There remains no timetable for his 2024 debut, but he's making progress and could start a minor-league rehab assignment in a few days. The 25-year-old is making slow progress and appears to be ahead of
Tommy Edman (wrist) in his rehab, so he could be set for a starting role in center field when he's able to come off the injured list. The switch-hitting former 33rd overall pick in 2016 has disappointed in recent seasons, and injuries haven't helped his cause. When Edman is ready, Carlson figures to be a fourth outfielder in St. Louis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
1 hour agoWashington Nationals right-hander
Josiah Gray (elbow, forearm) played catch up to 60 feet for two days in a row late last week, according to manager Dave Martinez. Gray was put on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 6) after an MRI exam showed a right elbow/forearm flexor strain before his scheduled April 9 start against the San Francisco Giants. He is 0-2 on the year with a 14.04 ERA in two starts, so he may have already been dropped in a lot of fantasy leagues after he landed on the IL. The 26-year-old is without a clear timetable to return and has plenty of steps to go through before the Nationals will seriously consider activating him from the IL and throwing him back into their starting rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 hour agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Victor Robles (hamstring) will travel with the team as he continues to rehab a left-hamstring strain, which he suffered running from first to third base on April 3. Robles is throwing and hitting without pain and has regained full range of motion. Manager Dave Martinez hopes he will begin running drills soon. Robles had returned to full health during spring training after back spasms limited him to 36 games in 2023. It's good news that the 26-year-old is making progress, but when he's ready to rejoin the big-league roster, he's probably going to need to produce to continue playing regularly, especially given the fact that Washington has several big-name prospects that are itching to make their major-league debuts.
Jacob Young has been serving as Washington's center fielder with Robles out and has gone 11-for-42 (.262) with no homers, two RBI and six steals in 15 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 hour agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers struggled in Monday's 3-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Weathers went for 5 2/3 innings pitched while allowing six hits, one homer, and three runs while walking three batters and only striking out one. The 24-year-old moves to 2-2 on the season with a 3.16 ERA, an 8.1 K/9 rate, and a 4.1 BB/9 rate through five games. The Marlins played it safe in his previous start against the San Francisco Giants where they pulled him due to cramping in his left hand. While it wasn't a huge concern before, fantasy managers will want to watch him in his next start versus the Washington Nationals to see if the left-hand cramping is an issue.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 hour agoAn MRI exam that Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (rib) underwent on Monday confirmed the expectation that he's going to miss a significant amount of time with his injury. Casas was placed on the 10-day injured list, but it's basically a foregone conclusion that he'll miss much more time than that. The former 26th overall pick in 2018 out of high school needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for now, as he had already cleared the fences six times while driving in 10 in his first 78 at-bats of the 2024 season while hitting .244 (19-for-78). Until Casas is able to return, the Red Sox will move forward with some combination of
Bobby Dalbec,
Pablo Reyes and
Rob Refsnyder at first base in Beantown. With none of the trio likely to see consistent playing time, they aren't very attractive in mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Julian McWilliams
2 hours agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Keaton Winn had a strong performance in Monday's 5-2 win over the New York Mets. Winn pitched well through six innings with six strikeouts while allowing just four hits, one homer, and one batter walked. After a rough start to the season, the Giants pitcher has mellowed out and secured two-straight wins, bringing his season record to 2-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 7.39 K/9 rate through his first five starts. He is a pitcher to keep stashed across all formats, with a nice matchup versus the Pirates in his next start.
--Shaun Evans - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
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