3 mins agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Tanner Houck spun a complete-game shutout in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over the visiting Cleveland Guardians, going the distance on just 94 pitches while giving up only three singles. This one wrapped up in just one hour and 49 minutes, which should give you an idea as to just how efficient Houck was on Wednesday. He threw 69 pitches for strikes and fanned nine on his way to posting his third win of the 2024 season. The 27-year-old right-hander is thriving in a starting role for the BoSox thus far, boasting a 1.35 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with a sparkling 28:2 K:BB covering 26 2/3 frames (four starts) to this point. Houck will square off with these same Guardians at Progressive Field sometime next week. In 14 innings against Cleveland since 2022, he now has a strong 1.93 ERA with 13 punchouts.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
10 mins agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez fanned 10 Colorado Rockies en route to his first win of the 2024 campaign on Wednesday, firing six scoreless innings on five hits and one walk in the 7-6 victory. Spotted to an early four-run lead, Sanchez mostly cruised through Colorado's lineup on Wednesday.
Brenton Doyle reached on
Alec Bohm's fielding error in the opening frame, so
Ezequiel Tovar's score went down as an unearned run. The 27-year-old southpaw will take a strong 2.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 25:8 K:BB across 21 1/3 frames (four starts) into his next appearance that's slated for Tuesday at the Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds, which is a tough matchup for fantasy purposes.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
17 mins agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
Bryce Miller shut down the Cincinnati Reds while tallying a win in Wednesday's 5-1 victory, tossing six innings of one-run ball on one hit with seven strikeouts. Reds star
Elly De La Cruz may have taken Miller deep in the second inning, but the hurler was perfect for his other five frames otherwise. Following the 25-year-old former top prospect's brilliant day on the mound, he sports a shiny 1.85 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 24:7 K:BB over 24 1/3 frames (four starts). Miller's next start lines up for next Wednesday on the road against the defending-champion Texas Rangers, who torched him for 13 runs in seven innings last season. Fantasy managers in season-long leagues will have a difficult decision to make for that one, but Miller might be throwing too well to sit right now.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
22 mins agoMinnesota Twins outfield prospect
Gabriel Gonzalez went 3-for-3 on Wednesday for High-A Cedar Rapids. Two of the hits were doubles, he walked once, drove in two, scored twice, and stole two bases. Despite the big day at the plate, his batting average stands at .250 on the young season, but hopefully this breakout game is a sign of things to come for MLB's 72nd overall prospect. The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect hit .348 in Single-A over 73 games in 2023, but just .215 in 43 games at High-A. On the plus side he hit nine home runs at each stop, totaling 18, and he's still only 20 years old so there's time to grow into more power.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
25 mins agoChicago White Sox starting pitcher
Erick Fedde recorded the win in the second game of Wednesday's twin bill against the division-rival Kansas City Royals, striking out five over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the 2-1 victory. Fedde gave up three hits and three walks, and the ChiSox scratched a run during the fourth inning to help get Fedde his first win of the 2024 season. The 31-year-old right-hander has a solid 3.10 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 19:5 K:BB across 20 1/3 innings (four starts) so far this year. Fedde's next start is scheduled to come at Target Field on Tuesday against ace
Pablo Lopez and the Minnesota Twins, when he'll be worthy of streaming consideration in fantasy baseball versus an injury-riddled offense that's scored the third-fewest runs (58) in baseball through 17 games.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
33 mins agoPhiladelphia Phillies designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber bashed two home runs to help complete a series sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, gathering three RBI in the 7-6 win. In a four-run first inning against Rockies right-hander
Ryan Feltner, Schwarber homered to deep right before greeting
Peter Lambert in the sixth frame with a two-run blast to make a 7-1 ballgame. Fantasy managers who drafted the 31-year-old three-true-outcomes slugger probably know the deal already; Schwarber is hitting just .230 (17-for-44) but is making up for it with five homers, nine RBI, 13 runs scored and 10 walks in his first 19 games of the season. A big weekend could be in store for Schwarber, as he'll get a three-game series at home against a Chicago White Sox club that holds the seventh-worst ERA (4.46) and sixth-worst WHIP (1.40) in the major leagues this year. He did go hitless in 10 at-bats against Chicago last year, though.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Yahoo Sports
44 mins agoToronto Blue Jays relief pitcher
Chad Green (shoulder) was unavailable during Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the division-rival New York Yankees due to shoulder soreness he felt following Monday's appearance against the Yankees. Manager John Schneider hopes Green is good to go by Friday for the start of a three-game weekend set on the road against the San Diego Padres. The 32-year-old right-hander picked up two saves and helped bridge the gap until
Jordan Romano and
Erik Swanson were able to rejoin Toronto's bullpen on Tuesday, and he has a strong 2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while striking out seven batters and walking two over 7 2/3 innings during the 2024 regular season. With that said, Green doesn't hold a whole lot of fantasy appeal at the moment outside of leagues that weigh holds.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Keegan Matheson - MLB.com
48 mins agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect
Josue De Paula went 0-for-4 on Tuesday for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, bringing his season average down to .176. While he started the season with a six-game hit streak, none were multi-hit efforts and he's yet to hit his first home run of the 2024 campaign. De Paula had a solid 2023 in which he finished with a .284 average, stole 14 bases, and had a strong 13.5% BB%, but it hasn't carried over to 2024 thus far. At just 18 years old, he's the Dodgers' fourth-ranked prospect and 95th overall per MLB.com. The lefty has had some lofty comparisons so hopefully he can get going. For dynasty purposes, if he lives up to his comps then managers are sitting on a gold mine, although it will be some time till we see him in L.A.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
52 mins agoThe Los Angeles Angels announced on Wednesday that relief pitcher
Robert Stephenson (shoulder, elbow) will miss the rest of the 2024 season due to an elbow injury, and they'll have more details on his setback on Thursday. Working his way back from discomfort in his right shoulder, Stephenson was removed from his first rehab minor-league appearance on Sunday after facing just one hitter and feeling something in his right elbow. The hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Halos after notching a 2.35 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, and 60:8 K:BB over 38 1/3 innings with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, and it's worth noting he dealt with inflammation in his right elbow in 2023.
Carlos Estevez will be leaned on for ninth-inning work in Anaheim's bullpen for the remainder of the year, and he's converted three of his first four saves while giving up only two runs with a 5:0 K:BB in six innings.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Fletcher - The Orange County Register
1 hour agoPhiladelphia Phillies third base prospect
Aidan Miller had four hits for Single-A Clearwater on Wednesday. It was his fourth multi-hit game in his last six, and he's now batting .359 with four doubles, two home runs, nine RBI, eleven runs scored, and five stolen bases. At just 19 years old, he's the Phillies' top-ranked offensive prospect and ranks 56th overall per MLB.com. He's not going to see the inside of Citizens Bank Park this season, but for dynasty managers he offers big-time power and clearly has the speed to steal some bases.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoChicago Cubs outfield prospect
Owen Caissie hit his first home run of 2024 as part of a two-hit day on Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa. He also walked once. Caissie got off to a hot start with six hits in his first two games but has cooled considerably since, going 6-for-41 (.146) through Sunday. Over the last two games he's 3-for-6 with a triple, a home run, an RBI, three runs scored, and three walks. It may take an injury or trade though to get the call to the big league club, as the Cubs already called up fellow outfield prospect
Alexander Canario this week as a right-handed platoon bat instead of Caissie's left-handed bat. The Cubs also have their top-ranked prospect in the minors as well in Pete-Crow Armstrong, so there's a logjam in the outfield. Should Caissie get the call he'd likely at least hold his own, as he posted a strong .333-2-11-9-2 line in spring training for the Cubs this year.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoToronto Blue Jays infield prospect
Orelvis Martinez launched a 469-foot grand slam on Wednesday for Triple-A Buffalo. It was the only hit he had in the game, but it was a big one as it put the Bisons ahead in extra-innings and extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The 22-year-old is making his best case for a promotion, hitting .296 with six doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored over 14 games in 2024.
Bo Bichette has him blocked at shortstop though, so he'd have to play third or second base. Wherever he ends up, he'll bring plenty of pop with his 60-grade power.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 hours agoMiami Marlins outfield prospect
Victor Mesa Jr. had his second straight three-hit game and second straight game with a home run for Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday. After starting the season 4-for-22 (.181) with no home runs, the 22-year-old has gone 10-for-21 (.476) with three home runs over his last five games. Last season the lefty hit just .242 in 123 games at Double-A but he belted 18 home runs as a 21-year-old. In 2024, the Marlins' top-ranked offensive prospect is hitting .387 with three doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, and six runs scored. Per MLB.com, Mesa Jr. has an ETA of 2025, however, if the Marlins continue on their current path of futility it could make sense to get him some big league at-bats this season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
3 hours agoToronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho belted two home runs in Wednesday's game versus the division-rival New York Yankees, but it wasn't enough as his team fell 6-4. Varsho's first homer was a two-run shot that went 373 feet to right center field to score
Davis Schneider in the second inning, and his second blast traveled 392 feet to give the Jays a temporary 3-1 lead during the seventh frame. The 27-year-old converted catcher had a strong spring training, and he's offering plenty of power with four round-trippers and eight RBI in 55 at-bats to begin the 2024 season. Even so, he's only batting .218 across 19 outings and will likely need to pick it up in the speed department (one stolen base) to overcome hitting in the lower part of Toronto's order. Varsho has a three-game series against the San Diego Padres starting on Friday, and in 21 games against San Diego since 2022, Varsho is batting just .147 with three bombs.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 hours agoOakland Athletics outfielder
Esteury Ruiz went yard in his first start from the leadoff spot since March in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, smashing a two-run jack in the third inning and also stealing a base. Ruiz's homer was a 412-foot two-run shot that brought
Max Schuemann around to score. The A's surprisingly sent the American League's 2023 stolen base leader to the minor leagues following only three games to start the 2024 season, but Ruiz is swiftly demanding the attention of fantasy managers after tearing it up in the minors. The speedy 25-year-old center fielder is now batting .357 (5-for-14) with two taters, four RBI, five runs scored, and two swipes in just six outings in the major leagues. He'll look to stay hot during a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians beginning on Friday. Across nine career games against Cleveland, Ruiz is hitting .333 (10-for-30) with five extra-base hits, six RBI, and four pilfers.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
RADIO
