1 week agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Ryan Pepiot (undisclosed) left his start early on Thursday but does not have an injury designation, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The right-hander logged only two innings of work against the Guardians before departing. Pepiot ran into some trouble, as he served up four hits, two walks, and two earned runs while only striking out one. However, since Aug. 16, Pepiot has carried a strong 2.81 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding the 27-year-old, as he may be on another strict pitch count in his next start. In his first season in Tampa Bay, the former Dodger sits with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP through 113 innings of work.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks shortstop prospect
Jordan Lawlar is set to be promoted to Triple-A Reno, according to MLB Pipeline. The top prospect in the Arizona system has battled a hamstring injury for most of the summer but will now return to the top level of the minor leagues. Across 15 games across the Rookie League and Double-A this summer, the No.7 ranked prospect in baseball has held a .304/.403/.482 slash line with five doubles and one round-tripper. Last summer at Triple-A Reno, the former sixth-overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft posted a stellar .358/.438/.612 line with five home runs. While the 22-year-old has had a disappointing season, he could make a strong case to open the 2025 campaign in the big leagues if he could have a strong finish at the top level of the minors.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB Pipeline
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitching prospect
Yilber Diaz is set to rejoin the major-league roster, according to Jesse Friedman of PHNX Sports. In a corresponding move, the Diamondbacks will option right-handed pitcher
Slade Cecconi to Triple-A. The 24-year-old got a brief look at the major leagues earlier this summer and held a modest 4.05 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and an 8:14 BB:K ratio across 20 innings. In his past 28 1/3 innings at Triple-A Reno, Diaz has posted a solid 3.18 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 9:35 BB:K ratio. The No.6 ranked prospect in the Arizona system could be worth a flier in deeper leagues as he has flashed strikeout upside in the past.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Friedman
1 week agoWith a left-hander on the mound, Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter
Masataka Yoshida will retreat to the bench on Thursday against the division-rival New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Tyler O'Neill will serve as the DH and will bat cleanup against Yankees left-hander
Nestor Cortes. O'Neill has hit .167 with an RBI in just six career at-bats against Cortes. However, O'Neill comes in riding high after hitting a walk-off home run to beat the division-rival Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. He's also hitting .313 (10-for-32) with five homers and nine RBI in nine games in the month of September. Needless to say, O'Neill is attractive for DFS lineups. The contact-based Yoshida is hitting just .200 (17-for-85) with only two of his nine home runs on the year against left-handed pitchers and is hitless in his four career at-bats against Cortes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
1 week agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Wilyer Abreu will retreat to the bench for Thursday's series opener in the Bronx against the division-rival New York Yankees.
Rob Refsnyder will make the start in right field for the BoSox and will hit third against Yankees left-hander
Nestor Cortes. Refnsyder will definitely be a sleeper to take a look at for DFS lineups on Thursday. He's hit .500 with a 1.188 OPS and an RBI in 16 career at-bats against Cortes and has hit .304 (38-for-125) on the year against southpaws, with eight of his 11 home runs coming against them. Abreu, 25, has struggled against lefties this year, slashing .177/.236/.275 with only one of his 15 homers coming against them in 51 at-bats. The Venezuelan outfielder is hitting .265 (93-for-351) overall in his first full season in the big leagues with 15 homers, 55 RBI and seven steals for Boston in 392 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
1 week agoBoston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas is sitting out on Thursday in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium against the division-rival New York Yankees with left-hander
Nestor Cortes making the start.
Connor Wong will make the start at first base and hit sixth, with
Danny Jansen behind the plate and batting eighth. Wong is hitting .333 with an RBI against Cortes in nine career at-bats, while Jansen hasn't found similar success with a .143 average in just seven career at-bats. Casas missed the majority of the 2024 regular season due to a rib-cage injury. Since returning from the injured list on Aug. 16, he's hit .247 (20-for-81) with only two home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, nine walks and 33 strikeouts. The 24-year-old lefty slugger has hit .222 (10-for-45) with only two of his eight home runs on the season against left-handers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
1 week agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jose Siri and infielder
Taylor Walls will both start Thursday's game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on the bench.
Jonny DeLuca will start in center field and bat eighth for the Rays, with
Jose Caballero starting at shortstop and hitting sixth against Guardians right-hander
Gavin Williams. DeLuca is hitless in two career at-bats against Williams, while Caballero is hitless in his only at-bat against Williams. Siri could see more time on the bench moving forward if he can't break out of his recent slump soon. The 29-year-old Dominican is hitting .184 (69-for-374) on the year and is 1-for-24 (.042) with two walks and 11 K's in eight games in September. Walls has played in only 72 games this year due to injuries and is hitting a similarly weak .179/.287/.242 with a homer, 13 RBI and 14 stolen bases.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
1 week agoMinnesota Twins outfield prospect
Emmanuel Rodriguez (thumb) was placed on Triple-A St. Paul's injured list with a right-thumb sprain. Rodriguez, the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been limited to 47 games in the minors and 209 plate appearances this year due to injuries. In those 47 games in the Florida Complex League and with Single-A Fort Myers, Double-A Wichita and St. Paul, the 21-year-old has hit .280/.459/.567 with a 1.026 OPS, nine home runs, 27 RBI and nine stolen bases. His thumb injury initially cropped up in April, and he just hasn't been able to get over it all year. There's no denying Rodriguez's production and his intrigue due to a left-handed swing that produces plenty of raw power, but he has missed out on key developmental time this year. Still, if he can stay healthy in 2025, Rodriguez could be on the fast track to making his MLB debut.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Bobby Nightengale
1 week agoInitial X-rays on Detroit Tigers left-hander
Tarik Skubal's right hand came back negative after he was hit on his non-throwing hand by a comebacker in the sixth inning on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Comerica Park in a 4-2 loss, according to manager A.J. Hinch. Skubal will go for additional tests. The 27-year-old southpaw finished his outing after being hit in the hand and allowed only one earned run on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out six in the no-decision. It's unclear if the Tigers would have sent Skubal back out for the seventh inning against Colorado, if not for his hand injury. Skubal has been a first-time All-Star in 2024 and has had a Cy Young-caliber campaign, as he entered Thursday's contest with a 16-4 record while leading the league with a 2.53 ERA and 2.54 FIP with a career-high 208 K's in 174 innings over 28 starts. He should be able to make his next start.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jason Beck
1 week agoFor the second straight day, Miami Marlins rookie outfielder
Griffin Conine will start on the bench on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals and left-hander
Mitchell Parker at Nationals Park.
Kyle Stowers is starting in left field for the Fish and is batting sixth against Parker. Conine, the son of former big-leaguer Jeff Conine, bats from the left side and is currently in a platoon in the Miami outfielder after being called up from the minors recently. In his first 44 big-league at-bats, the 27-year-old has 11 hits (.250 average) with a home run, four RBI and eight runs scored in 15 games played. Conine was a former second-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018 out of Duke and hit .268/.350/.475 with an .825 OPS, 19 home runs and 68 RBI with Triple-A Jacksonville before his promotion to the Marlins. Miami is giving plenty of youngsters some run down the stretch in another lost season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Will Benson (finger) was forced to leave Thursday's game early against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals when his fingers were hit while trying to bunt. X-rays came back negative on Benson, though, and he was diagnosed with a bruised left middle finger. Before exiting the eventual 6-1 loss, Benson was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. He was replaced by pinch-hitter
Amed Rosario and was eventually replaced in left field by
Jake Fraley. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider Benson day-to-day, but don't be surprised if he's not available for Friday's series opener in Minnesota against the Twins at Target Field. The 26-year-old former 14th overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2016 has a modest power/speed combination as a platoon player in Cincy with 14 homers and 14 stolen bases, but his .191 average (62-for-325) has been a real drag.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Gordon Wittenmyer
1 week agoMiami Marlins middle infielder
Xavier Edwards and outfielder
Jesus Sanchez are out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Edwards will start out on the bench for the third straight game, and it remains to be seen if he's being bothered by a back injury that recently caused him to go on the injured list.
Otto Lopez is starting at shortstop and batting leadoff, while
David Hensley is in right field for the Fish and batting seventh against Nationals left-hander
Mitchell Parker. Lopez is hitless in his three career at-bats against Parker, but he also comes into this one riding a six-game hitting streak in which he's gone 11-for-24 (.458) with a homer, three doubles and four RBI. Sanchez, who hits from the left side, is batting just .146 (13-for-89) against lefties in 2024 with only two of his 17 home runs.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoThe Toronto Blue Jays claimed right-hander
Brett de Geus off waivers from the Miami Marlins on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo. de Geus will give the Blue Jays some extra relief depth in the minors for the rest of the 2024 season. The 26-year-old former 33rd-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017 out of Cabrillo College has appeared in 11 combined games in relief for the Seattle Mariners and Marlins this year, allowing six earned runs (five earned) on 11 hits while walking two and striking out six in nine innings pitched. de Geus made his major-league debut in 2021 with the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks but didn't resurface in the majors until this year. In his 59 relief innings in the big leagues, he has a 7.17 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with 47 K's and 27 walks in 58 appearances out of the bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
1 week agoThe Cleveland Guardians placed right-hander
Alex Cobb (finger) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday and recalled reliever
Andrew Walters from the minors in a corresponding move. Cobb was scratched from his scheduled start last weekend due to a blister on his right pitching hand and he'll now miss the next couple of weeks. At this point, Cleveland is probably just hoping to have the 36-year-old healthy for the postseason, where he'll likely be a long reliever if he's even on the roster after making only three starts in 2024 due to injuries. Walters, the team's No. 22 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was the team's second-round pick in 2023. He has a 2.32 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 50 innings in the minors this year with Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. With Cobb now back on the IL, both
Joey Cantillo and
Ben Lively should stick in Cleveland's rotation down the stretch.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Zack Meisel
1 week agoCleveland Guardians rookie first baseman/outfielder
Jhonkensy Noel is out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. With Noel back on the bench after starting each of the last three games,
Will Brennan will make the start in right field and will bat seventh against Rays right-hander
Ryan Pepiot. Noel does have 13 home runs in his first 55 big-league games with Cleveland this year, but he's also hitting only .232 (35-for-151) and has 55 strikeouts in 169 plate appearances. The Dominican slugger has really struggled of late, too, as he doesn't have a hit since Sept. 2. In nine games in September, Noel has gone 2-for-23 (.087) with a double, two RBI and 10 strikeouts. The left-handed-hitting Brennan has not recorded a hit in only three career at-bats against Pepiot and should be considered a low-upside DFS sleeper.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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