4 days agoMinnesota Twins right-hander
Chris Paddack (forearm) faced live hitters on Monday and plans to throw again on Thursday, with a decision point possibly coming after that this weekend as to whether the team will activate him from the 15-day injured list. The 28-year-old has been out since late July with a strained right forearm, though, so he would almost certainly return in a relief role for Minnesota at the tail end of the regular season. The Twins are currently on the outside looking in for a wild-card spot in the American League, so they have work to do this week if Paddack wants to pitch at all in the postseason. Before his injury earlier this year, Paddack was inconsistent as a starter for the Twins, posting a 4.99 ERA (4.18 FIP), a 1.39 WHIP and a 79:21 K:BB in his 17 starts covering 88 1/3 innings pitched. He also had a career-low 20.6% strikeout rate.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
4 days agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Max Kepler (hip, knee) isn't expected to return from the 10-day injured list in the regular season, which ends this Sunday, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. Knee tendinitis sent Kepler to the IL at the beginning of the month, and he also received a cortisone injection for his hip pain last week. If the Twins secure a spot in the postseason this week, the 31-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder could rejoin them for a playoff run in October. The Twins probably aren't banking on Kepler being a big part of their offense if they are playing in October, though, as he battled injuries all year long and has hit a very mediocre .253/.302/.380 with only eight home runs, 42 RBI and 43 runs scored in 368 at-bats over 399 plate appearances. Since the All-Star break, Kepler has hit .246 (30-for-122) with two homers, 10 RBI and 28 K's in 33 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
4 days agoAtlanta Braves right-hander
Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) threw a side session on Tuesday, and it sounds like there's a chance he could be activated off the 15-day injured list to work as a reliever or starter in the final week of the regular season as the Braves try to secure the final wild-card spot in the National League. Lopez is eligible to come off the 15-day IL on Thursday as he works his way back from inflammation in his right shoulder. It would be a pretty big surprise if the 30-year-old returned in a starting role this weekend despite the fact that he's been excellent for Atlanta this year with an 8-5 record, 2.03 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings over his 24 starts in a return to a starting role in 2024. If Lopez does start this weekend against the Kansas City Royals, he'll surely be on a limited pitch count.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
4 days agoThe Washington Nationals placed rookie infielder
Andres Chaparro on the paternity list on Tuesday and recalled outfielder
Stone Garrett from Triple-A Rochester in a corresponding move. Chaparro will almost certainly be away from the team for the entire three-game series against the Kansas City Royals this week before returning to the club for the final series of the season this weekend against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old has hit just .215 (26-for-121) with four home runs, 12 doubles, 15 RBI, one steal, seven walks and 24 strikeouts in 132 trips to the plate in his first 33 major-league games for the Nats in 2024.
Juan Yepez is making the start at first in D.C. on Tuesday against Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans and could play regularly this series with Chaparro away from the team to welcome a child into his family.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato
4 days agoCincinnati Reds right-hander
Jakob Junis (personal) has been scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field due to personal reasons and is now expected to start on Wednesday. Right-hander
Carson Spiers will make a spot start on Tuesday in Cleveland as a result. Junis will now have an extra day of rest before facing the Guardians on the road in the final week of the 2024 regular season. The 32-year-old has been great all year, but especially of late, allowing only three earned runs on eight hits while walking just one and fanning 15 over 19 2/3 innings in his last four starts against the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves. Junis has only thrown 62 innings in 2024 due to injury, but he's posted a nice 2.61 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 23 outings (five starts) when healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Charlie Goldsmith
4 days agoAtlanta Braves third baseman
Austin Riley (hand) will not return this season, according to manager Brian Snitker. Riley's hand simply was not healing fast enough after he had a CT scan on Monday. Even if the Braves sneak into the postseason in a wild-card spot, Riley will not be able to help them out in October. It's a big blow to a team that basically needs to win each game this week to have a shot at getting into the playoffs. The 27-year-old right-handed slugger is out with a fractured hand and will finish a disappointing year after making the All-Star squad in both 2022 and 2023. In 110 games played in 2024, he slashed .256/.322/.461 with a .783 OPS, 19 home run, 56 RBI and 63 runs scored. Riley had clubbed 30-plus homers in each of the previous three seasons. The slick-fielding
Gio Urshela should be Atlanta's primary third baseman the rest of the way.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Grant McAuley
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks catcher
Gabriel Moreno (groin) is doing the catching and is hitting eighth in the batting order on Tuesday versus the division-rival San Francisco Giants and right-hander
Logan Webb at Chase Field for the second game of the series. Moreno didn't play in the series-opening loss to the Giants on Monday after he was removed from Sunday's contest against the Milwaukee Brewers with left-groin tightness. The Diamondbacks need all hands on deck as they try to secure a wild-card spot in the National League in the final week of the regular season, so the 24-year-old backstop is back in action. The Venezuelan catcher has gone 6-for-15 (.400) with an RBI and four walks in six games since returning from the IL, but he faces a tough matchup against Webb on Tuesday. In 11 career at-bats against Webb, Moreno is hitting .364 with a .728 OPS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (back) remains out of the starting lineup for the opener of a huge divisional series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday. Rookie infielder
Luisangel Acuna will make yet another start at the 6 and will bat ninth against Braves right-hander
Spencer Schwellenbach. Lindor continues to deal with a nagging back issue and will miss his eighth straight start as a result. The 30-year-old received an injection in his back recently and hopes to return to the lineup soon to help the Mets try and secure a wild-card spot in the National League. Lindor has had an MVP-like season in 2024, so not having his bat in the lineup at this crucial point in the season is bad news for the Mets. Acuna hasn't looked like a rookie in his nine games played since debuting on Sept. 14, going 11-for-29 (.379) with three homers, two doubles, a triple and six RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoBoston Red Sox infielder
Kristian Campbell was named the 2024 Minor-League Player of the Year on Tuesday. Campbell is considered Boston's No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he earns the honors despite finishing the year on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Worcester with a left-lat strain. The 22-year-old began the year at High-A Greenville before being promoted to Double-A Portland and then Worcester. At all three levels combined, he hit .330/.439/.558 with a .997 OPS, 20 home runs, 32 doubles, three triples, 77 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 94 runs scored in 115 games over 517 plate appearances. The 6-foot-3, 191-pounder bats right-handed has always excelled at making contact but is now starting to develop more power as well. Campbell can play short, second and the outfield, but he's likely to stick at the keystone at the next level, potentially as early as 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball America
4 days agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates designated first baseman
Rowdy Tellez and outfielder
Michael Taylor for assignment on Tuesday and recalled infielder
Liover Peguero and outfielder
Joshua Palacios from Triple-A Indianapolis in corresponding moves. The Pirates have decided to move on from a couple of veterans with the end of the 2024 regular season quickly approaching on Sunday. The 29-year-old Tellez has really struggled of late and will finish his season with a .243/.299/.392 slash line, a below-average .691 OPS, 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 131 games played for the Bucs.
Connor Joe and
Billy Cook figure to split first-base duties the rest of the week. Taylor, 33, hit a lowly .193/.253/.290 with five home runs, 21 RBI and 12 stolen bases in a reserve role in Pittsburgh.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
4 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that they released veteran right-handed reliever
Craig Kimbrel after recently designating him for assignment. Kimbrel opened the 2024 season as the Orioles' closer and saved 23 games for the second straight season, but the nine-time All-Star also struggled to a 5.33 ERA (4.18 FIP) and a 1.36 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and 31 walks in 52 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Since the All-Star break, he posted an 11.50 ERA (7.44 FIP) with 21 strikeouts and 17 walks in 18 innings over 19 appearances to convince the Orioles to move on. The 15-year MLB veteran is 36 years old and is nearing the end of his career, but he should be able to latch on with another organization for the 2025 campaign if he wants to continue pitching. At this point, though, it's unlikely that Kimbrel will be used as a primary closer if he continues his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
4 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles reinstated infielder
Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned outfielder/designated hitter
Eloy Jimenez to Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The O's haven't released their lineup for Tuesday's contest against the division-rival New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Mountcastle is eased back into the fold as he returns from a left-wrist sprain that has kept him out for the past month. Before his injury, though, the 27-year-old right-handed hitter was the team's primary first baseman. Mountcastle's power has been down again this year, and he was in a 3-for-22 slump at the plate before his injury. In addition to that, he had six strikeouts in 11 minor-league rehab at-bats before his return on Tuesday. It could take him a while to get back in a groove at the plate.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
4 days agoThe Baltimore Orioles optioned outfielder/designated hitter
Eloy Jimenez to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday to make room on the roster for infielder
Ryan Mountcastle (wrist), who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Jimenez had to accept the optional assignment due to his service time. Jimenez had a part-time role in Baltimore since they acquired him from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline at the end of July, and he didn't do much for the O's in 33 games, batting .232 (22-for-95) with only one home run, five doubles, seven RBI, four walks and 23 strikeouts in 100 trips to the plate. It's been all downhill since Jimenez burst onto the scene with a career-high 31 homers and 79 RBI in 122 games for the White Sox in his rookie campaign in 2019, and he's played in over 100 games just once since then. It remains to be seen if Jimenez will rejoin the big-league club for the postseason next week.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
4 days agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Brendan White (elbow), who is dealing with a right radial nerve injury in his elbow, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. White had a hydro-dissection surgery on his elbow last month, and this is the first time that he will be throwing off a mound. The 25-year-old has already been ruled out for the rest of the season, so he won't be able to help the Tigers if they somehow secure the final wild-card spot in the American League for the playoffs. White is now hoping to be setback-free as he enters the offseason so that he'll be fully ready to go for spring training next February and the start of the 2025 season next spring. The former 26th-round pick in 2019 out of Siena College made his big-league debut last year with Detroit and had a 5.09 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and a 44:15 K:BB in 40 2/3 frames over 33 outings (two starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
4 days agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo explained that second baseman
Ketel Marte (ankle), who was recently on the injured list with an ankle injury, had been in the "red zone" for a day off before being omitted from the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Lovullo called the decision "preventative" as Marte has been grinding at less than 100% after returning from a left-ankle sprain. Arizona has been balancing working players back from injury while also trying to keep their foot on the gas pedal in a tight playoff race. Marte, who is having a career year at the plate in 2024, is expected to be full-go the rest of the way through the end of the regular season on Sunday. He has homered in three straight games as well, so fantasy managers will want him back in their starting lineups on Tuesday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
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