29 mins agoThe Chicago Cubs designated outfielder
Garrett Cooper for assignment on Tuesday, according to a source. Cooper wasn't exactly slumping at the plate, but the Cubs think he's expendable in order to bring up first base prospect
Matt Mervis as another right-handed bat. The 33-year-old Cooper was hitting .270/.341/.432 with a home run, double, triple, six RBI and three runs scored in 41 trips to the plate and 12 games for the Cubs before getting DFA'd. He had walked four times and struck out 13 times. For now, Mervis is likely to see most of his time as the team's designated hitter, at least until outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) is able to return from the injured list. Mervis is worth a pickup in NL-only leagues for now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FanSided - Robert Murray
36 mins agoChicago Cubs first base prospect
Matt Mervis was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and is serving as the designated hitter and batting eighth in his season debut for the Cubs against the Houston Astros and right-hander
J.P. France. The Cubs' No. 13 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, could see regular playing time at DH in Chicago, at least until outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) returns from the injured list. The 26-year-old Mervis was taken in the 39th round by the Washington Nationals in 2016. He hit .167 (15-for-90) with three home runs and 11 RBI in his first 27 major-league games in 2023 and had gone 19-for-66 (.288) with five homers and 13 RBI in 18 games for Iowa this year before his call-up. Mervis is hitless in his two career at-bats against France.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
41 mins agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Ian Happ (hamstring) is back in left field and is hitting second for the Cubs on Tuesday against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander
J.P. France. Happ tweaked his hamstring last Friday and sat out Saturday and Sunday. But after the team's scheduled off day on Monday, the 29-year-old switch-hitter is ready to return to Chicago's starting lineup. Happ will be looking to bust out of a recent slump that has seen him record just four hits in his last 35 at-bats now that he's healthy again. Overall this year, he's hitting .240/.352/.360 with a home run, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored in his first 75 at-bats. In his two career at-bats against France, Happ has two hits and an RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
47 mins agoChicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) went through some fielding practice on Tuesday before the team's game against the visiting Houston Astros. Steele suffered his strained left hamstring while fielding a ball on Opening Day before landing on the injured list, so the Cubs want to make sure he's good before he throws in an extended spring training game this Friday. The 28-year-old will return to a spot in Chicago's rotation, but he's going to need at least a short minor-league rehab assignment before that happens. Steele is worth stashing in an injured-list spot in most fantasy leagues after going 16-5 with a career-best 3.06 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 36 walks and a career-high 176 strikeouts in 173 1/3 innings in 30 starts for the Cubbies in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Maddie Lee
52 mins agoThe Chicago Cubs placed pitchers
Kyle Hendricks (back) and
Drew Smyly (hip) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and recalled infielder
Matt Mervis, right-hander
Hayden Wesneski and left-hander
Luke Little from Triple-A Iowa in corresponding moves. The 34-year-old Hendricks has been downright bad so far in 2024, posting a 12.00 ERA in his first five starts, but hopefully his back injury was mostly to blame. If left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) is able to return from his IL stint before Hendricks does, which is likely, Hendricks could find himself out of a rotation spot when he's ready to return. With Hendricks out, Wesneski is a candidate to fill his rotation spot until Steele is able to return. Little will give the Cubs another left-handed arm out of the bullpen to replace Smyly.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
59 mins agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is giving third baseman
Rafael Devers (knee) one more day to rest his knee on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians and said Devers will serve as the designated hitter on Wednesday. Devers was originally set to return to Tuesday's lineup, but the Red Sox are being cautious since he hasn't played since suffering a bone bruise on his left knee on April 17.
Pablo Reyes is getting the start at third for Boston on Tuesday and is hitting ninth against Guardians right-hander
Ben Lively. Reyes, 30, should be avoided in DFS, especially in the nine-hole for the Red Sox. The Dominican infielder has eight hits in 46 at-bats (.174 average) with no homers and four RBI this year. Reyes has hit eight home runs, drove in 53 and stolen 12 bases in his six years in the majors.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
1 hour agoUpdating a previous report, Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (rib) has been diagnosed with a left-rib fracture and will be out "a while." Casas hurt himself swinging last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and was put on the 10-day injured list on Sunday. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is obviously going to miss well beyond 10 days while on the IL, but there's no exact firm timetable for when he might be able to rejoin the Red Sox as their everyday first baseman. Until he's able to return,
Bobby Dalbec figures to see most of the playing time at the cold corner in Boston, but
Pablo Reyes and
Rob Refsnyder could also factor in if Dalbec continues to struggle at the plate. He currently has just one hit in his first 30 at-bats in 2024 with three walks and 18 strikeouts in 14 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Ian Browne
2 hours agoNew York Yankees right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) got out to 120 feet on flat ground in his throwing program on Tuesday, which is typically as far out as pitchers will go before getting on the mound as they rehab. With that said, Cole isn't sure when he will advance to throwing off a mound. He will take the day off on Wednesday and go from there as he ramps up his throwing progression. If the 33-year-old reigning American League Cy Young winner feels good later this week, manager Aaron Boone said he could star throwing off a mound next week. Fantasy managers in all formats need to keep Cole stashed in an injured-list spot as he attempts to come back from nerve irritation in his right elbow, but he still has a ways to go.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Greg Joyce
2 hours agoDetroit Tigers first baseman
Spencer Torkelson is getting his first day off of the season on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Torkelson made it 23 games before getting his first day of rest in 2024, and he's currently hitting .231/.311/.319 with a league-leading eight doubles, no home runs, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored in 104 plate appearances.
Mark Canha is getting the start at first base and will hit third for the Tigers, while
Riley Greene is the designated hitter and batting leadoff against Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot. It's pretty concerning that Torkelson, the former first overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State, has yet to clear the bases so far this year. Neither Canha nor Greene have faced Pepiot in their careers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Tobias Myers is making his major-league debut on Tuesday and is starting on the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. Myers was called up by the Brew Crew last week for pitching depth, but he never got into a game, so this will be the 25-year-old's big-league debut. Before his call-up to Milwaukee, he posted a strong 1.62 ERA with 22 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 2/3 innings at Triple-A Nashville. Given all of the injuries to the team's starters, Myers has a real shot to stick in the Brewers' rotation for a little bit if he impresses the club on Tuesday. He was originally drafted in the sixth round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2016 and has gone 5-20 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in his four seasons at Triple-A.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Brewers
2 hours agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley (illness) and second baseman
Jonathan India (illness) are both still out on Tuesday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies due to illnesses. Fraley has been out of the starting lineup since last Friday, while
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2 hours agoThe Texas Rangers activated catcher
Jonah Heim from the bereavement list on Tuesday and optioned catcher
Sam Huff to Triple-A Round Rock after Sunday's game in a corresponding move. Heim will be back behind the dish to catch right-hander
Dane Dunning on Tuesday while hitting eighth in the batting order against the visiting Seattle Mariners and right-hander
Logan Gilbert. The left-handed-hitting backstop has a .300 average with a home run and four RBI in 20 career at-bats against Gilbert, so fantasy managers will surely want to get him back into their starting lineups right away. Heim has been decent at the plate to start the year, too, going 19-for-72 (.264) with three home runs, 15 RBI, one stolen base and seven runs scored in 18 games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
2 hours agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (concussion) was activated from the seven-day injured list on Tuesday and is serving as the designated hitter and batting third in the order against the Cleveland Guardians and right-hander
Ben Lively. In a corresponding move, the Red Sox placed catcher
Tyler Heineman (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 22) with a right-hamstring strain. O'Neill missed the minimum time on the IL after suffering a mild concussion during a collision with third baseman
Rafael Devers last week. Fantasy managers should be ecstatic to get the 28-year-old outfielder back into their lineups, as he had a 1.21 OPS and seven home runs in his first 61 plate appearances before his head injury. O'Neill has never faced Lively in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Pete Abraham
2 hours agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers (knee) remains absent from the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the hosting Cleveland Guardians.
Pablo Reyes is getting the start at the hot corner and will hit in the nine-hole against Guardians right-hander
Ben Lively, making him a poor sleeper option for DFS lineups. The Red Sox were hoping the Devers could return on Tuesday after a scheduled off day on Monday, but that won't be the case. The 27-year-old could need a trip to the injured list now that he'll be missing his fifth straight game after suffering a bone bruise on his left knee. It's a gamble if you've already inserted him into your weekly fantasy lineup. On top of his injury, Devers is just 9-for-48 (.188) so far in 2024 with two home runs and five RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
3 hours agoThe Cincinnati Reds have activated left-handed reliever
Sam Moll (shoulder) from the injured list on Tuesday. Moll began the season on the injured list due to a shoulder impingement. The left-hander went 2-3 with a 3.03 ERA last season with the Reds in 70 games, including one start. By activating Moll, Cincinnati optioned right-handed pitcher
Casey Legumina.
--Cole SheltonSource: MLB
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