April 25, 2025
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher
Cole Ragans (groin) was forced to exit early from Thursday's start against the Colorado Rockies. On Friday, Royals' manager Matt Quatraro announced that Ragans is dealing with a mild groin strain. He continued by saying that Ragans feels better, but the team will monitor him over the next few days. It's unclear at the moment if Ragans will be able to take the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. It sounds like he might be able to avoid a trip to the injured list, but that all depends on how the next few days go for Ragans. Fantasy managers will need to monitor his status over the next couple of days.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jaylon Thompson
April 25, 2025
Colorado Rockies center fielder
Brenton Doyle (personal) is out of Friday's starting lineup against the visiting Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field due to personal reasons, according to The Denver Post's Patrick Saunders. With Doyle out,
Mickey Moniak is in center field and will hit sixth against Reds left-hander
Andrew Abbott. It's worth noting that Doyle was recently on the bereavement list, but he was activated earlier this week and went 1-for-6 with a run scored and a stolen base in the team's doubleheader on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals. The 26-year-old also missed some time with a quadriceps injury and hadn't played since April 16. When he's in the lineup, Doyle is a must-start fantasy player with the ability to contribute in all categories. Moniak has a hit in two career at-bats against Abbott, but we'd suggest passing on him in a lefty-lefty matchup for DFS purposes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Denver Post - Patrick Saunders
April 25, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher
Will Smith (wrist) is back behind the plate to catch right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and is hitting sixth against the Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander
Paul Skenes for Friday's series opener at Dodger Stadium. Smith injured his left wrist in the loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and sat out of the series finale on Wednesday, but after an additional day off on Thursday, he's good to go on Friday. While those setting DFS lineups on Friday evening shouldn't consider Smith's matchup against Skenes to be an attractive one, the 30-year-old veteran should be returned to lineups in single-year fantasy formats. Smith comes into Friday's action hitting a robust .350/.453/.567 with a 1.02 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI and eight runs scored in 60 at-bats. In three career at-bats against Skenes, he has one hit.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 25, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever
Erik Swanson (elbow) threw 16 pitches and recorded four outs in an extended spring game on Friday, while righty
Ryan Burr (shoulder) is scheduled to throw off a mound on Saturday, according to Sportsnet's Shi Dividi. Swanson is attempting to recover from carpal tunnel in his right elbow, but he appears to be making good progress and could be back with the Blue Jays as soon as next week once he begins an official rehab assignment. Burr is recovering from right-shoulder inflammation that dates back to the start of spring training, but he resumed throwing bullpen sessions on April 12 and could be cleared to go on a short rehab assignment sooner than later. Both Swanson and Burr will bolster Toronto's bullpen when they are ready, but they aren't really on the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
April 25, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho (shoulder) will serve as the designated hitter for Triple-A Buffalo on Friday night as he continues his minor-league rehab assignment, and he's expected to rejoin the Blue Jays no later than next Tuesday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. It's still possible he'll come off the 10-day injured list to make his 2025 debut this weekend in the Bronx against the division-rival New York Yankees, too. So far in five rehab games with Single-A Dunedin and Buffalo, the 28-year-old has gone 2-for-18 with two RBI and six strikeouts. Varsho is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and could be eased into outfield duties upon his return to the majors, but when healthy, he's an everyday player for the team. Although he does have 38 homers, 119 RBI and 26 steals in his two seasons in Toronto, he's hit a disappointing .217 with a below-average .686 OPS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
April 25, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer (thumb) threw 27 pitches off the mound on Friday in what manager John Schneider called a "step in the right direction." There's still no timetable for when Scherzer might be able to return to Toronto's starting rotation, but it's good news overall after he's had multiple setbacks with his right thumb. The 40-year-old three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star made just one start before landing on the injured list with his thumb injury, and he required multiple injections in order to deal with the discomfort. Hopefully now he'll eventually be able to build up his arm and go on a minor-league rehab assignment in the near future. The future Hall of Famer can still be valuable in fantasy, but injuries have become a major problem in the last several seasons. In his lone start against the Orioles on March 29, he allowed two earned runs in just three innings of work.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
April 25, 2025
Seattle Mariners outfielder
Randy Arozarena is getting his first game off of the season for Friday's series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins at T-Mobile Park. With Arozarena out,
Miles Mastrobuoni will man left field in Seattle and bat seventh against Marlins right-hander
Cal Quantrill. In his first 25 games of his first season with the M's, Arozarena has gone 18-for-90 (.200) with four home runs, six doubles, 17 RBI, a league-leading eight stolen bases, 11 runs scored, 19 walks and 31 strikeouts. It's a good time for the 30-year-old to get his first breather of the year, as he's gone 4-for-24 (.167) with three walks and 12 K's in his last six games. Arozarena isn't going to provide fantasy managers with help in the average department, but his power/speed combination remains valuable in all formats. Mastrobuoni has never faced Quantrill and is hitting .258 (8-for-31) in the early going with no homers and no RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 25, 2025
The contest between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians on Friday at Progressive Field has been postponed due to inclement weather. Nothing is official yet, but we'd expect the game to be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Saturday. Fantasy managers will want to remove any players from these two teams that may have already been in their starting lineups. Right-hander
Ben Lively was scheduled to start in Friday's series opener for the Guardians, with Red Sox right-hander
Tanner Houck opposing him. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Houck and Lively, but we'd expect them both to take the ball for one of the games of their doubleheader.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 25, 2025
The Detroit Tigers announced that their game on Friday night at Comerica Park against the visiting Baltimore Orioles has been postponed due to inclement weather. The contest will be made up as the second game of a split doubleheader on Saturday. Fantasy managers will obviously want to pull any players from these two teams from their starting lineups on Friday. Right-hander
Casey Mize was scheduled to take the ball for the Tigers to open the series, while right-hander
Brandon Young was the scheduled starter for Baltimore. Although nothing is official just yet, we'd expect both Mize and Young to be pushed back to one of the two games on Saturday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
April
25,
2025
Houston
Astros
catcher
Yainer
Diaz
will
get
the
day
off
on
Friday
for
the
series
opener
in
Kansas
City
against
the
Royals.
Victor
Caratini
will
replace
him
behind
the
plate
and
read more...
April 25, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera (knee) is making good progress from a bone bruise in his left knee and is hoping to go on a minor-league rehab assignment next week. Depending on when Herrera actually begins his rehab assignment, he might need only a handful of games before he's activated from the injured list and rejoins the Cardinals as their primary catcher. The 24-year-old broke out of the gates strong in 2025 by going 8-for-21 in a small sample size, but with four home runs, 11 RBI and six runs scored. The native of Panama won't be able to sustain that kind of offensive production all year long, but he's going to play regularly and gives fantasy managers upside at a weak position. When Herrera is back with the big-league club,
Pedro Pages will revert to a backup role. Pages is currently hitting .250 (15-for-60) with one homer and 10 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Jim Hayes
April 25, 2025
Kansas City Royals catcher
Salvador Perez will take a seat for the first time this season for Friday's series opener against the visiting Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium.
Freddy Fermin is doing the catching for right-hander
Seth Lugo and will hit eighth against Astros right-hander
Hayden Wesneski. It makes sense for the Royals to rest Perez for the first time all year after he played in both games of a doubleheader on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies. The 34-year-old veteran backstop did have a big day on Thursday, going 5-for-8 with four doubles, four RBI and three runs scored in the team's two victories, but overall he's gotten off to a slow start at the plate in 2025. Perez is currently slashing .220/.271/.360 with two homers and 14 RBI in 26 games. Hopefully his big day on Thursday will lead to more offensive production going forward.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 25, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman
Brendan Donovan (rib) is back at second base and is hitting third for Friday's series opener at Busch Stadium against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Chad Patrick. Donovan will return to the lineup after missing the last two games earlier this week after one of his ribs popped out of place. It sounds playful, but the 28-year-old utility man is ready to go for the weekend series against Milwaukee and should be returned to fantasy lineups. Although the German infielder/outfielder has never faced Patrick, he's been one of the most productive hitters through the first month of the 2025 season. Donovan enters Friday's game slashing .356/.392/.533 with a .925 OPS, three homers, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored and three stolen bases. He's not going to give you much power, but fantasy managers need to ride his hot streak while it lasts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 25, 2025
Baltimore Orioles third base prospect
Coby Mayo has gotten going after a 3-for-24 (.125) start to the season, now 16-for-54 (.296) over the last 14 contests, including five doubles, a triple, and three home runs with a 10:16 BB:K over that stretch. Mayo had a brief, disappointing stint with the O's last year, going 4-for-41 (.098) in his 17-game audition. The results should be better the next time around, which should happen around midseason, so long as he continues to hit. The 6-foot-4 slugger offers a big-time power stroke with a solid eye, so he could be an impactful fantasy contributor once he's a mainstay in the big leagues. The Orioles' second-ranked prospect could be a stash candidate in deep leagues if it looks like he's getting closer to a promotion.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
April 25, 2025
Chicago Cubs catching prospect
Moises Ballesteros continues to rake against Triple-A pitching, currently riding an 11-game hit streak, which includes six multi-hit performances. The diminutive backstop now has a staggering .377/.430/.558 slash line over the first 19 games of the season, but it's just the most recent impressive display of hitting that he's put on at every stop in the minor leagues as he's climbed the ladder. Still only 21 years old, the left-handed slugger has outshone more advanced competition at every turn and has nothing left to prove offensively in the minors. If not for
Carson Kelly's renaissance for the Cubs, we may have already seen Ballesteros in the big leagues, but it is just a matter of time now. Managers in deep leagues and two-catcher formats need to keep an eye on any rumblings of a promotion, as the Venezuelan could provide an instant offensive boost upon his debut.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
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