1 week agoHouston Astros second baseman
Jose Altuve (side) has returned to second base and is hitting leadoff on Friday in the series opener against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels and rookie left-hander
Samuel Aldegheri. Altuve injured his side in the game on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics and sat out of the series finale against the division rivals on Thursday before returning to start the weekend series in Anaheim. Fantasy managers will want to get the 34-year-old All-Star back into all starting lineups, especially against a young hurler without much experience. Altuve has been excellent for the Astros and fantasy managers all year and enters Friday's game with a .302/.357/.450 slash line, .806 OPS, 19 homers, 62 RBI, 20 steals and 86 runs scored in 576 at-bats as a contributor across all categories. He's been even better in September with a .389 average, a homer, four doubles and five RBI in nine games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
1 week agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Jasson Dominguez is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Fantasy managers don't need to worry as this appears to be a routine rest day for Dominguez. Instead, the Yankees have decided to give
Alex Verdugo the start in left field. The left-handed slugger has hit well against Boston this season with 13 knocks in 43 plate appearances. Verdugo appears to be a strong fantasy option for Friday's slate.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Tanner Houck (shoulder) has been scratched ahead of his scheduled start against the New York Yankees on Friday. The right-hander is reportedly dealing with right shoulder fatigue. Houck was given eight days of rest to overcome this issue, but it doesn't look like that was enough. It wouldn't be shocking to see Houck end up landing on the injured list. In his place,
Richard Fitts will take the ball on four days rest on Friday. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help with Fitts unlikely to have success against the tough Yanks lineup.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Chris Cotillo
1 week agoCleveland Guardians outfielder
Steven Kwan (undisclosed) has been scratched ahead of Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It sounds like Kwan is being pulled from the game due to body fatigue. This should be a minor issue that only keeps Kwan out for a day or two. In the meantime,
Daniel Schneemann will play left field and bat leadoff against right-hander
Zack Littell. Schneemann hasn't been much of a fantasy option with a .227 batting average and 21 RBI on the season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoDetroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that left-hander
Tarik Skubal's right hand checked out fine and he will start the third game in the upcoming series versus the division-rival Kansas City Royals next Wednesday. Skubal, one of the front-runners for the American League Cy Young in 2024, bruised his right (non-throwing) hand in his last outing on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies, but he still managed to throw six innings, allowing an earned run with no walks and six strikeouts in a no-decision. The matchup is a difficult one against the rising Royals next week, but Skubal has been matchup-proof all year and needs to be locked into starting lineups next week. The 27-year-old lefty has been lights-out in a breakout year, going 16-4 with a league-leading 2.50 ERA (2.56 FIP) while also leading the league with 214 strikeouts in 180 innings over 29 starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit News - Chris McCosky
1 week agoChicago White Sox outfielder
Gavin Sheets will retreat to the bench on Friday against the Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field with a left-hander on the mound. With Sheets starting on the pine, rookie
Bryan Ramos will serve as the team's designated hitter and will bat leadoff against A's rookie left-hander
Brady Basso. Sheets, who hits from the left side, has hit only .203 (15-for-74) with one of his eight home runs and 23 strikeouts in 82 plate appearances against southpaws this year. Ramos, who hits from the right side, has only had 60 plate appearances in his first 19 major-league games in 2024 and is slashing .211/.233/.298 with a .532 OPS, one homer, two doubles, four RBI and 11 strikeouts. He's in a favorable lineup spot against an inexperienced pitcher, but it's hard to recommend White Sox hitters as viable sleepers for DFS lineups.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoAtlanta Braves infielder/outfielder
Whit Merrifield (foot) is back at second base and is hitting ninth on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Landon Knack at Truist Park. Despite fracturing his left foot on Sept. 6 when he fouled a ball off of it, Merrifield has avoided the injured list and will return to Atlanta's lineup after missing the last five games. The 35-year-old veteran should see most of the starts at second base moving forward, barring a setback with his foot, as long as
Ozzie Albies (wrist) remains on the IL. Even though Merrifield's playing time is on the rise with the Braves late in the year, he doesn't really move the fantasy needle outside of NL-only leagues. The three-time All-Star is hitting .243/.359/.342 with a homer, four doubles, two triples, three RBI and five steals in 34 games since joining the Braves midseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoWashington Nationals shortstop
CJ Abrams (shoulder) has been scratched from the lineup on Friday against the division-rival Miami Marlins at Nationals Park due to a sore left shoulder after a diving play on Thursday night. With Abrams out, everyone in the batting order moves up a slot, with rookie outfielder
Dylan Crews starting in right field and batting leadoff against Marlins right-hander
Edward Cabrera.
Nasim Nunez slots in at the 6 in D.C. and will hit in the nine-hole. Fantasy managers should consider Abrams to be day-to-day for now and check back on Saturday to see if he is available to play against the Fish. The rookie Nunez has handled himself well in his first 37 big-league games in 2024 by hitting .345 (10-for-29), but he has yet to clear the fences and will have limited DFS appeal at the bottom of Washington's batting order.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Mark Zuckerman
1 week agoToronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho will start on the bench for Friday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Rogers Centre. With Varsho out, rookie
Joey Loperfido is in center field and is batting ninth, and
Nathan Lukes is starting in left field and will hit out of the two-hole versus Cardinals right-hander
Erick Fedde. Neither Loperfido nor Lukes have ever faced Fedde before. Varsho is sitting against a right-hander because he has just four hits in his last 27 at-bats (.148) with a homer, double, two RBI, two walks and 11 strikeouts. He has double digits in homers (18) and steals (10) in 136 games in his second year in Toronto but is also hitting just .214 (98-for-459) with a .293 on-base percentage. Lukes is the better DFS sleeper because of his lineup position, and he's hit an impressive .357 (10-for-28) in eight games for the Blue Jays this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez and outfielder
Starling Marte will both start on the bench on Friday for the contest against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander
Aaron Nola at Citizens Bank Park. Outfielder
Jesse Winker will serve as the DH for the Mets and hit fifth, while
Tyrone Taylor makes the start in right field and hits seventh against Nola. It's a tough matchup for the entire Mets batting order. Winker is hitting just .182 with a home run and two RBI in 22 career at-bats versus Nola, while Taylor has hit .375 with an RBI, albeit in just eight at-bats in his career against Nola. Martinez could use a day off, as the 37-year-old has struggled so far in September, going 3-for-21 (.143) with four RBI. Marte has also struggled since coming off the injured list back on Aug. 18, going 12-for-56 (.214) with three doubles and four RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoAs expected, Philadelphia Phillies catcher
J.T. Realmuto (knee) is catching and batting fifth for the Phillies on Friday against the division-rival New York Mets and left-hander
Jose Quintana at Citizens Bank Park. Realmuto fouled a ball off his left knee and hasn't played for the Phillies since Sept. 6. The 33-year-old veteran backstop is obviously feeling better now, though, and will be ready for a crucial divisional series this weekend in Philly. Realmuto missed time earlier this summer after having minor knee surgery as well, and it appears to have sapped him of a lot of power. The three-time All-Star has only 12 long balls on the year and has driven in 40 while slashing .266/.322/.425 in 86 total games. Still, Realmuto needs to be returned to all fantasy lineups. In 14 career at-bats against Quintana, he's hitting .286 with a .912 OPS, a homer and an RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder/designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber (elbow) is serving as the DH and is batting in his customary leadoff spot on Friday against the division-rival New York Mets and left-hander
Jose Quintana at Citizens Bank Park. Schwarber injured his elbow during Tuesday's game while diving back into first base and was subsequently scratched from Wednesday's lineup as a result. But after a scheduled day off on Thursday, the 31-year-old is ready to roll for a crucial series this weekend against the Mets. Not only is Schwarber a must-start in all fantasy leagues when he's in the Phillies' lineup, but he has a career .333 average and an .889 OPS with a homer and four RBI in 18 at-bats against Quintana. The two-time All-Star swings and misses a lot, but he's also leading the league with 98 walks and has hit 35 homers and driven in 95 in 134 games in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoMilwaukee Brewers left-hander
DL Hall is listed as the team's probable start for Sunday's game at Chase Field against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sunday's outing will be Hall's seven start of the year and his first since Aug. 30, when he was excellent by tossing seven shutout innings with a walk and five strikeouts to beat the Cincinnati Reds. Since being called up when rosters expanded earlier this month, Hall has appeared out of the bullpen twice for the Brew Crew, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless frames with three walks and seven punchouts against the Cardinals and Giants. Hall has a 4.01 ERA and 1.54 WHIP on the year with 34 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings over his eight appearances in the big leagues this year. Against a Diamondbacks in the thick of the playoff hunt, Hall will be a shaky fantasy streaming option, albeit with upside as well.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoKansas City Royals right-hander
Michael Lorenzen (hamstring) has had his minor-league rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Omaha, and he'll start for the Storm Chasers on Friday. Lorenzen made his first rehab start for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday and allowed three runs in just 1 2/3 innings of work. Whether the 32-year-old veteran returns to KC's starting rotation after his rehab start on Friday will likely depend on how he fares and how many pitches he's able to throw. Lorenzen has been sidelined since late August due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. He has a weak 17.7% strikeout in his time with the Royals and Texas Rangers this year, but he posted a 1.85 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in his five starts (24 1/3 innings) since the Royals acquired him at the trade deadline. At best, Lorenzen might have a couple starts as a fantasy streamer to close out the year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
1 week agoCleveland Guardians right-hander
Ben Lively (thigh) is listed as the team's probably starter for Sunday's contest against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Lively won't have to miss a start after taking a comebacker off his right thigh his last time out against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in the second inning. The 32-year-old exited with only a bruise and ended up being a disappointing fantasy streamer in an excellent matchup. He'll be looking to bounce back on Sunday after allowing 10 earned runs on 17 hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out only eight in 10 1/3 innings over his last three starts. Fantasy managers will certainly be hoping for more depth out of Lively, as he hasn't gone over 4 1/3 innings since Aug. 24 against the Texas Rangers. In his lone start against Tampa in 2024, Lively took a loss, giving up two earned runs on two walks and seven K's in 5 1/3 frames.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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