3 mins agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This appears to be a routine rest day for the young slugger against left-hander
Steven Matz. The 23-year-old is off to a slow start to the season, but fantasy managers shouldn't lose hope. Possibly a rest day will help Carroll get back on track.
Randal Grichuk,
Jake McCarthy, and
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. will cover the outfield during Tuesday's game.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
8 mins agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (shoulder) has been placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. The right-hander is dealing with a shoulder strain, but reportedly won't need surgery, according to manager Torey Lovullo. The D-Backs have not given a timetable on Kelly's possible return to the mound. It sounds like the organization plans to have Kelly undergo further testing before they decide on what to do. Southpaw
Tommy Henry has been recalled from the minors and figures to slide into the open spot in the starting rotation.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Friedman
13 mins agoThe Texas Rangers have signed starting pitcher
Johnny Cueto to a minor-league contract on Tuesday. The 38-year-old lands a deal with the defending World Series champions after a rough year with the Miami Marlins. Cueto posted a 6.02 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 39/15 K/BB ratio over 52 1/3 innings with the Marlins last season. It's uncertain what Cueto still has left in the tank, but he'll at least be additional depth for the organization. Cueto has plenty of experience but is unlikely to offer any kind of fantasy value.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
20 mins agoWashington Nationals catcher
Keibert Ruiz (illness) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday. Ruiz landed on the injured list last week with influenza. Barring any setbacks, Ruiz should be ready to return to the Nats lineup at some point later this week. Until then,
Riley Adams and
Drew Millas figure to split up the playing time behind the plate.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Golden
24 mins agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is set to make his season debut against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. The 31-year-old appears to be ready to pitch after missing time due to right shoulder soreness. Walker isn't an excellent fantasy option, but he could be worth a look in deeper mixed leagues. He has shown in the past that he has the skills to be a viable option in the big leagues. Fantasy managers who are in need of pitching help should keep an eye on Walker.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Todd Zolecki
28 mins agoNew York Yankees infielder
DJ LeMahieu (foot) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Tuesday. It sounds like the plan is for LeMahieu to play four games in the minors before possibly returning to the Yankees roster. The veteran slugger has been sidelined all season due to a fractured foot. The Yankees could certainly use LeMahieu's help given their current struggles at the plate. Fantasy managers should wait patiently as it sounds like LeMahieu should be back soon.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Bryan Hoch
34 mins agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan Mountcastle (knee) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. The right-handed slugger will miss his second game in a row due to knee soreness. That means,
Ryan O'Hearn will cover first base and bat third on Tuesday. It doesn't sound like this issue will force Mountcastle to miss significant time. For now, fantasy managers should consider him as day-to-day.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
39 mins agoBaltimore Orioles rookie outfielder
Heston Kjerstad will make his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday. The rookie outfielder is in right field and batting eighth during his O's debut. It's nice to see the O's giving Kjerstad a legitimate look after he tore the cover off the ball in Triple-A. Kjerstad hit 10 home runs with 30 RBI in 21 games before his promotion. He should be a strong fantasy contributor as long as he gets regular at-bats in Baltimore.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
1 hour 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
1 hour 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
1 hour 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
1 hour 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
2 hours 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
2 hours 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
2 hours 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
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