29 mins 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

43 mins 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

56 mins 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

1 hour 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

1 hour 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

1 hour 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

1 hour 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

1 hour 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

13 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

14 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

15 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

15 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola won't pitch again in the 2023 regular season, with his next start coming in Game 2 of the wild-card series a week from Wednesday. Right-hander Zack Wheeler will get the nod in Game 1. The team's Game 3 starter will depend on how the first two games of the series go, according to manager Rob Thomson. It will most likely be left-hander Ranger Suarez for Game 3, unless the Phillies need him out of the bullpen before then. The Phillies are locked into the top wild-card spot and will give Nola some extra rest before the start of the postseason. Nola struck out 200-plus batters for the fifth time in his career in 2023, but he also had a 4.46 ERA (4.03 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP in 193 2/3 innings over his 32 starts.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Inquirer - Scott Lauber

15 hours agoAtlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. stole his 70th base of the season as part of Wednesday night's 6-5 extra-innings win over the visiting Chicago Cubs. The favorite to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award continued his historic season in which he has also slugged 41 home runs while also leading the big leagues with a hefty 146 runs scored on the campaign. Acuna swiped second base twice on the evening and also went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Following yet another impressive outing, Acuna is now hitting .336 with a 1.010 OPS across 155 games on the season while aiming for his first career NL MVP.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

15 hours agoNew York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole was absolutely dominant in a complete-game shutout over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night. The AL Cy Young favorite tossed nine innings of shutout ball while allowing just two hits and zero walks alongside five strikeouts. With the outing, the 33-year-old lowered his ERA to 2.63 across his 33 starts on the season, 15 of which have put him in the win column. He managed to put a dent into the Blue Jays' playoff chances in the process as he has now tossed an eye-popping 28 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball against the Blue Jays this season across four starts. Cole should be able to cruise to his first career Cy Young Award in 2023.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

15 hours agoTampa Bay Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow was on his game Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox as he kept his club's AL East hopes alive as part of a 5-0 shutout win. The right-hander lasted only five innings but allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out nine Red Sox hitters across 70 pitches thrown on the evening, 45 of which went for strikes. Glasnow lowered his ERA to 3.53 in the outing while he has punched out 162 hitters across his 120 innings of work, leading him to a healthy 1.08 WHIP on the campaign. Glasnow appears lined up to start the first game of the club's postseason, which will come on extended rest. The Rays still trail the Baltimore Orioles by 2.5 games for the stop spot in the AL East with four games to go.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com