5 mins agoTexas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (hernia) is starting at shortstop and batting second on Opening Day on Thursday versus left-hander Justin Steele and the visiting Chicago Cubs. It was uncertain earlier this spring if the two-time World Series MVP would be ready for Opening Day, but those concerns were mostly put to rest when he started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 in Monday's exhibition game at Globe Life Field against the Boston Red Sox. The 29-year-old missed most of spring training after having sports-hernia surgery in the offseason, but all that matters now is that he's available for fantasy managers in Game 1 of the 2024 season. Seager is a must-start on a daily basis in single-year fantasy leagues, but don't be surprised if he gets off to a slow start given his lack of spring training activity.Source: Texas Rangers
8 mins agoWashington Nationals third baseman Nick Senzel (finger) was a late scratch on Opening Day on Thursday against his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, on the road after he injured a finger while taking grounders during batting practice. With Senzel out, Ildemaro Vargas will now make the start at the hot corner while batting eighth against Reds right-hander Frankie Montas. It's not the start that Senzel was hoping for in his first year in D.C., and there's no word on the severity of his finger injury or if he'll have to miss more time beyond Thursday's game. The 28-year-old former second overall pick of the Reds in 2016 out of Tennessee was a first-round bust in his five years in Cincy, mostly due to injuries. He's hoping to bounce back with the Nats after hitting .239/.302/.369 in his first 377 big-league games.Source: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
12 mins agoPittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz is hitting sixth on Opening Day on Thursday against the Miami Marlins and left-hander Jesus Luzardo. Cruz is probably going to hit leadoff for the Bucs against right-handed pitchers, but he's going to start in the six-hole on Opening Day against a southpaw. It's not what fantasy managers really want to see and isn't good for his DFS value to kick things off. Instead of the 25-year-old atop the batting order on Thursday, it will be outfielder Connor Joe in that spot for Pittsburgh. The 2023 season was a lost one for Cruz after he fractured his ankle on April 9, but there's still plenty to like from this emerging shortstop talent because of his power/speed profile at an unorthodox 6-foot-7, 215 pounds at the 6.Source: Pittsburgh PG - Jason Mackey
1 hour agoSt. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II is slotted to bat eighth on Opening Day on Thursday on the road as he faces up against Tyler Glasnow and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Scott was named to the major-league roster earlier this week as a result of Dylan Carlson (shoulder) being placed on the injured list. The 23-year-old swiped 94 bags across the minor leagues last season and could become a valuable contributor to fantasy teams on his speed alone. Scott should be viewed as an everyday player for the foreseeable future, as Carlson, Lars Nootbaar (ribs) and Tommy Edman (wrist) are all battling injuries.Source: St. Louis Cardinals
1 hour agoHouston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman will be batting cleanup on Opening Day as he faces southpaw Nestor Cortes and the New York Yankees. Bregman was a popular target in drafts this offseason with an ADP of 59.0. The 29-year-old has been a staple in the Houston lineup for several seasons and should once again be counted on to produce as a strong source of counting stats and great on-base skills. Bregman is an excellent play in DFS, as he should see ample opportunities to be on the score sheet.Source: Houston Astros
2 hours agoKansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia is slotted in the lead-off spot as he faces the Minnesota Twins and Pablo Lopez on Opening Day. This is a promising sign for the young 24-year-old as he will have plenty of opportunities to score as Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez are batting behind him. Garcia is also a threat on the base paths, as he stole 23 bases last season. The right-handed bat is a contrarian option in DFS option today, as he should see a decent number of at-bats and might not be a popular play due to his pitching matchup.Source: Kansas City Royals
2 hours agoFirst baseman Mike Ford officially signed a deal with the Cincinnati Reds after agreeing to a minor-league deal earlier this offseason. Ford is slotted to be in a bench role while Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jeimer Candelario hold down first and third base, respectively. The veteran could slot into the lineup to provide injury relief throughout the season, but he is not expected to be a major fantasy contributor.Source: Jon Heyman
2 hours agoMinnesota Twins second baseman Edouard Julien will have to wait to make his 2024 debut as Kyle Farmer will man second base. The left-handed bat looks to be on the strong side of a platoon role for now as the Twins are facing southpaw Cole Ragans today. However, with the talent that Julien flashed last season, he may be able to play himself out of it as the season progresses.Source: Twitter
2 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds (back) was dealing with back discomfort earlier in the week but is confirmed to be starting in the Opening Day lineup on Thursday against the Miami Marlins and left-hander Jesus Luzardo, batting in the two-hole. The switch-hitter was held out of the final three games of spring training. Reynolds will look to have another successful fantasy season, as he hit 27 home runs with a .263 batting average last year.Source: Twitter
2 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder Connor Joe will man right field and will be leading off for the Pirates Opening Day game on Thursday against the Miami Marlins. Joe will get the call as the Pirates face southpaw Jesus Luzardo. If the 31-year-old can get off to a hot start, he could be the everyday leadoff man against left-handed pitchers this year.Source: Pittsburgh Pirates
3 hours agoMinnesota Twins infielder Kyle Farmer, not Edouard Julien, is starting at second base and batting seventh on Opening Day on Thursday with the team facing left-hander Cole Ragans and the Kansas City Royals. In addition to Julien starting on the bench, which was common last year against lefties, too, Alex Kirilloff and Matt Waller will also grab pine on Opening Day. Farmer hit .290/.352/.430 against left-handers last year in 128 plate appearances, but it came with only two home runs and 16 RBI. In total in 120 games in his first year in Minnesota last year, Farmer slashed .256/.317/.408 with 11 home runs and 46 RBI in 369 trips to the plate. He'll be a low-upside DFS sleeper in fantasy lineups to kick the 2024 season off.Source: MLB.com
4 hours agoThe Toronto Blue Jays don't expect to be without closer Jordan Romano (elbow) for an extended period as he recovers from right-elbow inflammation that sidelined him for the final couple weeks of spring training. Once he's cleared to start throwing off a mound, Romano is expected to make a quick transition back to the majors after opening the year on the injured list, along with fellow reliever Erik Swanson (forearm). More patience will be required for Swanson. In their absences, Chad Green and Yimi Garcia are expected to split the Blue Jays' closing duties until Romano returns. Romano will be eligible to come off the IL on April 9, so fantasy managers need to keep him stashed in all formats and hope for a quick return.Source: Toronto Star - Gregor Chisholm
4 hours agoThe New York Yankees officially placed right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Thursday with right-elbow inflammation. Cole has avoided structural damage in his right elbow, but he's still expected to miss at least one to two months. It remains to be seen if last year's American League Cy Young winner will be able to start a throwing program in a couple of weeks as he slowly begins to build his arm back up. The 33-year-old needs to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues because he's one of the very best arms in all of baseball when he's healthy, but there's really no telling how much he'll pitch in 2024 or how effective he'll be if he does. And of course the Yankees aren't going to rush their ace back too soon.Source: Yankees PR Department
4 hours agoCincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz will hit sixth on Thursday on Opening Day versus the Washington Nationals and right-hander Josiah Gray. Cruz had been hitting mostly second for the Reds in spring training action, but outfielder Will Benson will be slotted there for the first regular season game in 2024. It's not exactly what De La Cruz's fantasy managers were hoping for, but it's also just Game 1 of 162 this year. For DFS purposes on Thursday, it makes the intriguing 22-year-old shortstop less attractive towards the bottom of the lineup. De La Cruz's tantalizing power/speed combination makes him one of the top young position-player prospects in baseball, at a premium position no less. With a hot streak at the plate, he could easily supplant Benson in the two-hole for the Reds sooner than later.Source: MLB.com
4 hours agoThe San Francisco Giants optioned shortstop Marco Luciano and catcher Blake Sabol to Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday. Many folks expected Luciano to open the year as San Fran's starting shortstop, but instead he'll open the year in the minors after missing some time with an injury in spring training. Veteran Nick Ahmed will open the 2024 season as the Giants' starter at the 6. The 22-year-old Luciano should still be considered the team's best long-term option at shortstop, but it remains to be seen when they'll deem him ready to return to the majors. Sabol, 26, is currently the Giants' No. 3 catcher behind Patrick Bailey and Joey Bart, so he'll bide his time on the farm until the team needs another catcher at the big-league level.Source: The Athletic - Melissa Lockard