2 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Sam Hilliard has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A. Hilliard was designated for assignment shortly before Opening Day when the Rockies claimed outfielder
Mickey Moniak off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. Last season, Hilliard spent 58 games with the Rockies. Across this stint, Hilliard held a .239/.305/.507 slash line with five doubles and 10 long balls. He generated a modest .215 xBA but flashed upside power as he generated an elite 14.8 percent barrel rate and a 52.3 percent hard-hit rate. He also placed in the 88th percentile in sprint speed and swiped five bags. In 65 games with Triple-A last season, Hilliard held a strong .288/.374/.542 slash line with 14 home runs and 13 stolen bases. He is worth monitoring in NL-only leagues as he should be in the mix to return to the majors later in the summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Colorado Rockies
2 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner (back), who was out of the starting lineup for the third straight day on Monday against the Colorado Rockies due to back spasms, appeared as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and walked before scoring the go-ahead run in the 6-1 victory in the team's home opener. Turner is expected to miss another game on Tuesday against Colorado, but he's clearly feeling better and is expected to return to the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest. The 31-year-old veteran is still searching for his first hit of the 2025 season after going hitless in his first six plate appearance with two walks, a strikeout and a run scored in just two games (one start). Fantasy managers will want to check back later on Tuesday to see if he's back in there, but most likely he won't be available again until Wednesday's game.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoFirst baseman
Dominic Smith is returning to the New York Yankees on a minor league contract. Smith opted out of his previous minor league deal with the Yankees in March but will return to the Bronx after not finding another suitor. Fantasy managers should expect the 29-year-old to report to Triple-A and provide first base and outfield depth. Last season, Smith appeared in 93 MLB contests, with most of his time in Boston. Across this stint, the 29-year-old posted a .233/.313/.378 slash line with 22 doubles and six home runs. During the 2023 campaign, he spent the entire campaign with the Washington Nationals and held a .254/.326/.366 slash line. In 275 career games at Triple-A, Smith has posted a strong .293/.360/.455 slash line. He should be in the mix to return to the big leagues if the Yankees need additional depth at first base or in the outfield.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Max Goodman
2 days agoVeteran right-hander
Lance Lynn announced his retirement from professional baseball on his wife's podcast on Tuesday, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Lynn was hoping to continue his playing career in 2025 and was even reportedly discussing a deal with the Chicago Cubs, but apparently nothing has come to fruition and he will instead hang up his cleats after 13 years in the big leagues. The 37-year-old was originally drafted in the first round (39th overall) in 2008 out of the University of Mississippi. Seven of his 13 MLB campaigns came in St. Louis, including his last in 2024 in which he went 7-4 with a 3.84 ERA (4.31 FIP) and 1.34 WHIP with 109 strikeouts and 44 walks in 117 1/3 innings over 23 starts. The two-time All-Star will finish his major-league career with a 143-99 record, 3.74 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 23.7% strikeout rate in 2,006 1/3 regular-season innings. He won a World Series ring with St. Louis in 2011.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
2 days agoThe Los Angeles Angels have designated right-handed pitcher
Michael Petersen for assignment. This transaction opened a spot for left-handed pitcher
Jake Eder, whom the Angels acquired from the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations on Monday. Last season, Petersen made his MLB debut and logged 19 2/3 innings in the majors. He posted a 5.95 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP. He tallied just 14 punchouts and served up a high 11 free passes. He spent most of his 2024 season with Triple-A Oklahoma City and posted a stellar 1.64 ERA with a 0.76 WHIP. He tallied 10 saves and held an 8:44 BB:K. Through the early part of the 2025 Triple-A campaign, Petersen tossed one 1/3 inning with Triple-A Salt Lake and allowed two earned runs. Given his success at Triple-A last summer, he may draw interest on waivers.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Angels PR
2 days agoThe New York Yankees announced on Tuesday that they placed right-hander
Devin Williams on the paternity list before their game in the Bronx against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. The team also signed right-handed reliever
Adam Ottavino to a major-league contract and added him to the active roster. To clear space on the 40-man roster, right-hander
JT Brubaker (rib) was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Williams will be away from the Yankees for anywhere from one to three days, so act accordingly with your fantasy lineups. In the meantime, the best bet to fill in for a save chance for the Yankees will be right-hander
Luke Weaver. To open his first year with the Yanks, Williams picked up a save on Opening Day last Thursday against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, but he also allowed an earned run while walking one and striking out two.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Yankees
2 days agoThe Athletics have optioned left-handed pitcher
Hogan Harris to Triple-A Las Vegas. Harris tallied just one out in the majors during the opening week of the campaign. In a corresponding move, the Athletics claimed left-handed
Angel Perdomo on waivers. Last season, the 28-year-old logged 72 1/3 innings in the major leagues and posted a 2.86 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP. He tallied 61 punchouts and served up a high 33 free passes. He generated a modest 5.04 xERA with a .260 xBA, which suggests he will likely see some regression during the 2025 regular season. Across 142 career innings at the Triple-A level, the southpaw posted a high 6.40 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP. During this stint, he served up 94 walks. Fantasy managers should expect Harris to likely return to the majors as a relief option later in the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Martin Gallegos
2 days agoArizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher
Yu-Min Lin is set to attend extended spring training as he his still ramping up his workload. Lin was unable to participate during most of spring training as he had to return to Taiwan for a military obligation. As a result, the Diamondbacks are opting to slowly increase his workload before the minor league regular season begins to pick up. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression, but he will likely report to Triple-A Reno when he is cleared to return to game action. Last season, the southpaw spent most of his season at Double-A Amarillo, where he posted a 4.28 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP across 94 2/3 innings. Last summer, he logged just four 2/3 innings at Triple-A. If the 21-year-old progresses well at Triple-A, he could push for an MLB debut in the second half of the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 days agoArizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect
Joe Elbis (undisclosed) will begin the 2025 campaign on the injured list at the Double-A level. The team did not specify the extent of his injury. Fantasy managers should monitor his status, but should expect him to miss potentially the first few weeks of the Double-A regular season. Last season, the 22-year-old spent most of his 2024 campaign at High-A before earning a look at Double-A. Across 90 1/3 innings at High-A (16 starts), the right-hander posted a strong 2.79 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP. He tallied 75 punchouts. At Double-A, Elbis held a high 4.60 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP across 45 innings of work. He held a modest 18:37 BB:K. When he is cleared to return, fantasy managers should expect Elbis to begin his 2025 season at Double-A Amarillo.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
2 days agoSeattle Mariners outfielder
Randy Arozarena connected on a solo home run in the second inning, which started Seattle's comeback against Detroit that ultimately fell just short. Arozarena's second homer of the season came in his first at-bat of the game, and he later added a walk in the third inning and a double in the seventh inning. The Mariners trailed 6-0 before they even came to the plate on Monday and came back to make it close before losing, 9-6. Arozarena is 3-for-16 (.188) after his two hits on Monday, with four walks and six strikeouts. Since each of his hits have been for extra bases, he has a .438 ISO and .405 wOBA despite his low batting average.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 days agoSeattle Mariners first baseman
Luke Raley picked up his first home run of the 2025 season on Monday night at home against the Tigers. His long ball came in the fourth inning of impressive rookie
Jackson Jobe, and at that point, the solo shot cut the Tigers' lead to 8-3. Ultimately, Detroit held on to win 9-6, and Raley finished the night 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. In the early going this season, Raley is 2-for-8 (.250) with three walks and three strikeouts. He typically hits in the heart of the order when he's in the lineup, but he has not started in either of the Mariners' two games against left-handed starting pitchers. He does provide home run potential, but he isn't quite mixed-league material given his role in a platoon at first for the M's.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 days agoChicago Cubs first baseman
Michael Busch connected on his first home run of the season on Monday night against the Athletics. He finished 3-for-6 with two runs scored, a hit-by-pitch, and four RBI. The Cubs cleanup hitter got the 18-run onslaught started early with a two-run blast to right-center in the first inning off of
Joey Estes. The 27-year-old has been locked in as the Cubs' cleanup hitter in the early going this season and has gone 7-for-24 (.292) with a .363 wOBA. He should continue to put up good run-production numbers as long as Chicago's offense is clicking on all cylinders. He hit 21 home runs in 152 games last season with a .336 wOBA, and he looks to be on roughly the same trajectory in the early part of the season.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 days agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Kyle Tucker kept on rolling as the Cubs traveled from Phoenix to Sacramento to continue their season-opening road trip. Tucker went 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles, a home run, four runs scored, and three RBI in the Cubs' 18-run outburst against the Athletics. Time will tell if this big game indicates that Sutter Health Park will be a very hitter-friendly or if it was just that the Cubs had a great matchup against
Joey Estes and the Athletics' bullpen. Either way, Tucker is off to a great start with the Cubs, with three home runs in his last three games. He has gone 10-for-31 overall this season, giving him a .323 batting average and .473 wOBA in the early going, backed up by an impressive 26.9% barrel rate, per StatCast.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 days agoChicago Cubs catcher
Carson Kelly went a perfect 4-for-4 on Monday night in Sacramento, hitting for the cycle with a single, a double, a triple, and a home run. He finished with three runs scored, five RBI and a pair of walks as well, as his Cubs rolled to an 18-3 win over the Athletics in Sacramento. Kelly was making his third start of the season, as he continues to share time behind the plate with
Miguel Amaya. The 30-year-old veteran is now 5-for-10 (.500) with an unsustainable .671 wOBA on the season after Monday's monster performance. He and Amaya have both looked good at the plate in the early going and remain affordable DFS streaming options whenever they're in Chicago's lineup.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
3 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet has made just one start for the Red Sox, but the team made a long-term commitment to the 25-year-old lefty by agreeing to a six-year contract extension worth $170 million, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal begins next season and will keep Crochet spinning for the Sox through at least 2030, when there is an opt-out in the deal. Crochet moved from the bullpen to the rotation last year for the White Sox and had a breakout year with a 3.58 ERA, 2.69 FIP, and 12.8 K/9. The Red Sox acquired him this past offseason in a deal for multiple prospects, including catcher
Kyle Teel. Boston views Crochet as the ace of their rotation for many years to come, and this deal keeps him from hitting the open market as a free agent after this season.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
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