1 week agoToronto Blue Jays first baseman
Spencer Horwitz will head to the bench ahead of Wednesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. The left-handed slugger will get a much-needed day off after starting in 11 straight games. The 26-year-old holds a .268 batting average with 12 home runs and 38 RBI across 94 games this season.
Alejandro Kirk will slide over from catcher and serve as the designated hitter against right-hander
Richard Fitts on Wednesday. Kirk has seen his power numbers take a dip this season, but he has knocked in 51 runs across 100 games in 2024.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox infielder
Vaughn Grissom is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Grissom will head to the bench after starting in each of the last three games. He collected four hits with two RBI during that stretch of play. It seems that the Red Sox are going to rotate different players at second base down the stretch of the season.
Enmanuel Valdez will cover second base and bat ninth against right-hander
Kevin Gausman on Wednesday. Valdez has struggled to the tune of a .219 batting average with six home runs and 28 RBI this season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoBaltimore Orioles right-handed starting pitcher
Grayson Rodriguez (lat) won't make a return to the mound this season, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The right-hander has been working his way back from a strained lat muscle that he suffered in the end of July. It doesn't sound like he suffered a setback, but more that the team just ran out of time to get him ready to pitch. The Orioles were hopeful to at least have Rodriguez available out of the bullpen during a postseason run. That won't happen as Rodriguez will finish the season with a 3.86 ERA across 20 starts.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Danielle Allentuck
1 week agoChicago Cubs first baseman
Michael Busch (triceps) is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's clash against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Busch was hit on his triceps by a pitch during Tuesday's contest and left the game early. As a result, he'll take the day off on Wednesday and should be considered day-to-day. With a scheduled day off on Thursday, the 26-year-old should have a good chance of returning for the final series of the year this weekend at Wrigley Field versus the division-rival Cincinnati Reds.
Cody Bellinger is starting at first base and is batting cleanup for the Cubs, with rookie
Kevin Alcantara starting in right field and batting ninth in his big-league debut against Phillies left-hander
Cristopher Sanchez. In his first full season in 2024 with the Cubs, Busch has reached the 20-homer mark while batting .252/.335/.446 with a .780 OPS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Cubs
1 week agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (ankle) is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday versus the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. A sprained ankle caused Suzuki to come out of Tuesday's game early. The Cubs have a scheduled day off on Thursday, so fantasy managers will want to check back to see if he's available to play again for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. With the Cubs out of playoff contention and only four games remaining in their season, it's quite possible we won't see Suzuki again in 2024. Rookie outfielder
Kevin Alcantara, who was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, will start in right field and bat in the nine-hole in his major-league debut against Phillies left-hander
Cristopher Sanchez.
Patrick Wisdom is also serving as the designated hitter and is batting fifth for the Cubbies.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Cubs
1 week agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (back) was listed in the team's starting lineup at shortstop while batting leadoff on Wednesday against the division-rival Atlanta Braves and left-hander
Chris Sale before the contest was postponed due to inclement weather. Thursday's series finale between the two teams battling for two of the remaining National League wild-card spots was also shut down, so the Mets and Braves will have to wrap this series up with a doubleheader on Monday. Lindor and the Mets will now have two days off before facing the Milwaukee Brewers on the road on Friday. As long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks the next two days, Lindor should be available to the Mets to close out the regular season. The 30-year-old has missed the team's last eight games due to a nagging back injury but is on the cusp of a return.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
1 week agoThe big divisional clash between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and Thursday at Truist Park have been postponed due to inclement weather. The Braves defeated the Mets on Tuesday night to inch closer to the final wild-card spot in the National League, and they entered Wednesday's action just a half game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. Left-hander
David Peterson was scheduled to toe the rubber for the Mets on Wednesday while being opposed by Braves veteran southpaw
Chris Sale. On Thursday, left-hander
Sean Manaea was scheduled to start for the Mets, with left-hander
Max Fried going for the Braves. Sale and Fried will now pitch this weekend against the Kansas City Royals, while Peterson and Manaea will face the Milwaukee Brewers next. Atlanta and New York will finish these two games with a doubleheader on Monday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Joel Sherman
1 week agoCincinnati Reds second baseman
Jonathan India (concussion) is in the league's concussion protocol after being hit in the head by a pitch on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians and is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest at Progressive Field.
Santiago Espinal will instead get the start at the keystone and will bat seventh versus Guardians right-hander
Andrew Walters. Even though India said he was fine after Tuesday's game, it's really no surprise that he's not in the lineup a day later, and it's possible the 27-year-old doesn't play again in 2024 with the regular season ending this Sunday. For now, fantasy managers should consider the former first-rounder to be day-to-day. If India cannot return for the final series of the season this weekend against the division-rival Chicago Cubs, expect to see Espinal make more starts at second.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cincinnati Reds
1 week agoThe Minnesota Twins placed outfielder
Matt Wallner (oblique) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a left-oblique strain that he suffered in Tuesday's contest against the Miami Marlins. Wallner said he still feels the same pain on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, the Twins recalled outfielder
Austin Martin from Triple-A St. Paul. Minnesota will now be without Wallner the rest of the week as they attempt to get into the playoffs, and he'll also likely be unavailable for the wild-card round next week if the Twins are playing in October. The Twins' outfield from left to right, respectively, on Wednesday against Miami will be
Willi Castro,
Byron Buxton and
Trevor Larnach. Wallner, 26, had a career-best .894 OPS in 2024 in his third year in the big leagues, contributing 13 home runs, 37 RBI and 26 runs scored in 75 games in a part-time role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
1 week agoOakland Athletics right-hander
Ross Stripling (back) faced hitters in a live batting practice session on Tuesday, and the A's hope to activate him off the injured list in time for their final series of the 2024 regular season against the division-rival Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park, which starts this Friday and runs through Sunday. The 34-year-old will likely be available out of the team's bullpen this weekend in the final series of the regular season, but fantasy managers should stay away in all formats if they are still playing for something. Stripling has been injured for a good chunk of his first season with the A's and hasn't been good when he's been available, sporting a 2-11 record, 6.08 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 49 strikeouts and 21 walks in 84 1/3 innings pitched over his 21 appearances (14 starts). He hasn't pitched since Sept. 8 and hasn't started a game for the A's since Aug. 6.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoThe Chicago Cubs recalled outfield prospect
Kevin Alcantara from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and optioned outfielder
Miles Mastrobuoni to the Arizona Complex League in a corresponding move. Alcantara, the team's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, earned the late-season call-up after batting a combined .278/.353/.428 with a .781 OPS, 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 14 stolen bases and 61 runs scored in 111 total games with Iowa and Double-A Tennessee this year. The 22-year-old outfielder is extremely athletic for his size (6-foot-6, 188 pounds). He hits from the right side and also throws right-handed. Alcantara could get a little run to close out the Cubs' 2024 season this weekend, especially if
Seiya Suzuki (ankle) is unable to return. Alcantara can get long with his swing because of his size, but if he can shorten his swing down, he has easy 30-homer power at the next level.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
1 week agoToronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette (finger) will have surgery on Wednesday to put a pin in his injured right middle finger. Bichette's fracture was a bit "displaced," according to manager John Schneider, so this surgery is expected to help the bone set. The 26-year-old will now begin his recovery this offseason as he looks to bounce back from what was an extremely disappointing showing in 2024. Bichette was forced to the injured list two separate times with calf injuries and then fractured his finger upon returning late in the year. The two-time All-Star was limited to only 81 games this year and finished with a disappointing .225/.277/.322 slash line with a career-worst .598 OPS, four home runs, 31 RBI and five stolen bases in his 336 plate appearances. Bichette's finger should be completely healed by the start of spring training in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks right-handed reliever
Paul Sewald (neck) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session at Chase Field on Monday and is scheduled to throw again on either Thursday or Friday, making it unlikely that he would be activated from the injured list before the final few games or two of the regular season. "Paul's got a disk problem in his neck," manager Torey Lovullo said. "It's causing some problems with his left side, his left shoulder, so he can't go out there at full strength and compete. We made the decision, along with his input, to just step away and heal up and get strong." Sewald was put on the IL (retroactive to Sept. 12), which would mean that the first day he could be activated would be this Friday. With Sewald on the shelf,
Justin Martinez has stepped into the closer's role for the Snakes. It's unclear if Sewald will be available to the team if they get into the postseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Ryne Nelson (shoulder) threw 16 pitches in an abbreviated bullpen session on Sept. 21 and threw 28 pitches in a similar session on Tuesday. Nelson experienced shoulder discomfort during a throwing session on Sept. 14 and was put on the 15-day injured list. The Diamondbacks are hopeful that he will be ready to return when his IL stint is up, which would allow him to be a part of the playoff roster if the team secures a wild-card spot in the National League. Manager Torey Lovullo said the team is undecided on whether Nelson could return to the starting rotation or be used as a multi-inning reliever in the short-term. The 26-year-old will likely be used in relief whenever he returns. Entering play on Wednesday, Arizona is in the final wild-card spot in the NL but is only up by half a game over the Atlanta Braves.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoThe Cleveland Guardians activated outfielder
Steven Kwan (back) from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, and he is starting in left field and batting leadoff against Cincinnati Reds right-hander
Jakob Junis at Progressive Field. The Guardians have to be happy to get one of their best hitters back in the lineup at the tail end of the regular season before the playoffs kick off next week. The 27-year-old has been sidelined with inflammation in his back since the middle of September. He has hit a strong .291/.364/.419 with a .783 OPS, 13 home runs, 43 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 475 at-bats in 2024, but Kwan hasn't looked as good since the All-Star break. He is currently riding a four-game hitting streak, but he also went 6-for-36 (.167) with two RBI, nine walks and eight strikeouts in 10 games in the month of September before going on the IL.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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