1 week agoHouston Astros closer
Josh Hader got back on track in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Mariners, earning a four-out save. Hader came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning up by one with two outs and runners on first and third. He got the third out with a strikeout and stayed in to pitch the ninth, delivering a 1-2-3 inning with two more strikeouts. The 30-year-old closed the door on an American League West division title, just one outing after yielding four runs while recording just one out. Hader has not performed as well as he had earlier in his career, but he has still racked up 34 saves with a 3.60 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and a 13.37 K/9 rate in 70 innings of work. Given his job security and strong offense backing him, he should remain a high-end fantasy option for the foreseeable future.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (back) did not play in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the Braves but did appear in the on-deck circle, per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Lindor swung a bat in an indoor cage for most of the game in case he was needed. The 30-year-old has not played since September 15 due to a back injury. Manager
Carlos Mendoza said that "he was good enough to play today," and described Lindor as "in play" to start on Wednesday. Lindor's return would be a huge boost for fantasy managers and the Mets in the final days of the season, as he has put up a .271/.342/.494 slash line with 31 home runs, 103 runs scored, 86 RBI, and 27 stolen bases in 670 plate appearances.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo - MLB.om
1 week agoOakland Athletics outfielder
Esteury Ruiz (knee, wrist) underwent arthroscopic right-knee surgery on Tuesday in Texas, the team announced. Ruiz was already ruled out for the remainder of the 2024 season due to a strained left wrist, and now he'll be rehabbing a knee procedure this offseason on top of it. The 25-year-old speedster specifically had a patella tendon debridement and chondroplasty done to his knee. After stealing a league-high 67 bases in his first year in Oakland in 2023, Ruiz was a massive disappointment for fantasy managers hoping to lock down stolen bases by taking him in drafts. Ruiz only played in 29 games at the major-league level in 2024 and hit .200/.270/.382 with a .652 OPS, two homers, two doubles, a triple, eight RBI and five stolen bases in 65 plate appearances. The A's sent him down to the minors early in the year and he was never able to recover.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
1
week
agoChicago
Cubs
first
baseman
Michael
Busch
(arm)
left
Tuesday's
contest
early
at
Citizens
Bank
Park
against
the
Philadelphia
Phillies
in
the
bottom
of
the
second
inning
after
being
hit
in
the
arm
by
a
pitch
in
the
second
frame.
Busch
stayed
in
to
read more...
1 week agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers called up pitching prospect
Edgardo Henriquez from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, according to sources. Henriquez had been on the Dodgers' radar for pitching help at the big-league level despite starting the 2024 season at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. His fastball has been clocked at up to 104 mph this year, so he could become an option out of the bullpen to close out the final week of the regular season and for the playoffs in October when they're looking for a key late-inning punchout. The 22-year-old Venezuelan right-hander has posted a 2.72 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 88 strikeouts and 29 walks in 53 innings over 43 appearances (five starts) at four minor-league levels in 2024. The team's No. 15 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, obviously has swing-and-miss stuff at all levels, but his command could get him in trouble quickly.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
1 week agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (toe) is in "a holding pattern," and there are currently no plans for him to face live hitters. "I'll pitch when I can pitch," Kershaw said. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer threw a 30-pitch bullpen session last Friday, but the fact that there are no plans for him to progress to the next step of his throwing progression likely means that he isn't going to be an option for LA's pitching staff once the playoffs begin. There's a good chance the Dodgers will have a first-round bye, but even then, Kershaw needs more time to build his arm up. Kershaw's injured big left toe -- he was dealing with a bone spur in it -- isn't 100% healed and he hasn't started a big-league game since Aug. 30. After recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Kershaw has managed to make only seven starts in 2024 for the Blue.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett
1 week agoHouston Astros outfielder/designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (knee) said he's able to put more weight on his leg on Tuesday but still isn't able to turn his knee at all. Alvarez said he's hoping to get some at-bats this weekend in the final series of the regular season against the Cleveland Guardians, but that will be contingent on the swelling in his knee. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger was diagnosed with a right-knee sprain after undergoing an MRI exam on Monday. It's the worst possible time for the Astros to lose one of the best all-around hitters in baseball with the playoffs beginning next week. If he is unable to get some at-bats this weekend against the Guardians, there's no guarantee that Alvarez will be ready to go for the start of the postseason.
Jason Heyward is going to benefit from extra playing time in the outfield in Houston with Alvarez dinged up.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
1 week agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (back) had a bone scan of his back on Monday that confirmed he doesn't have any structural damage. Lindor said he could pinch hit as soon as Tuesday's series opener against the division-rival Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. The bad news, though, is that Lindor is still feeling discomfort and was wearing a heavy heat wrap around his back while doing some running before the game on Tuesday. The 30-year-old missed his eighth straight game on Tuesday due to a back injury but is still hoping to return at some point in the final week of the regular season to try and get his team into the playoffs next month. Lindor is having a fantastic season in 2024, but this is the worst possible time for New York to be without its best player. Rookie
Luisangel Acuna has looked great early on since his call-up, but the Mets would surely prefer if Lindor could overcome his back injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
1 week agoTexas Rangers infielder
Ezequiel Duran is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Oakland Athletics. Duran will get a breather after going 6-for-13 at the plate over the weekend series against the Seattle Mariners. The 25-year-old is hitting .253 with three home runs and 20 RBI over 89 games this season.
Jonathan Ornelas will cover the hot corner and bat ninth versus right-hander
Mitch Spence on Tuesday. The rookie infielder hasn't done much in his short time with the team and can be avoided for fantasy purposes.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoOakland Athletics infielder
Darell Hernaiz has been recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. Hernaiz was optioned towards the end of August after struggling with a .193 batting average across 44 games with the A's. The 23-year-old was hitting better in the minors, so the A's are ready to give him another look. Hernaiz will cover third base and bat ninth versus right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi on Tuesday. Fantasy managers can ignore Hernaiz, but it's nice to see the A's giving their young hitters more chances.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder
Austin Hays (kidney) has been activated off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday. This was expected to happen after Hays missed about a month of action due to a kidney infection. He'll cover left field and bat sixth against left-hander
Justin Steele on Tuesday. Hays has been on a tear at the plate against left-handed pitching this season. He's hitting .350 with one home run and eight RBI across 48 games versus the southpaw. That being said, Hays is looking like a viable fantasy option for Tuesday's slate.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoLos Angeles Dodgers third baseman
Max Muncy (side) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the San Diego Padres. The left-handed slugger was scratched from Sunday's game due to soreness in his side. The Dodgers had a scheduled off day on Monday, which appears to have been enough for Muncy to get fully healthy. He'll cover third base and bat sixth versus right-hander
Michael King. Muncy has been limited to 68 games this season, but he does have 15 home runs to his name. His ability to go deep gives him viable fantasy value.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoColorado Rockies catcher
Hunter Goodman is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Goodman will get a night off after recording only one hit over the weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies are hopeful that Goodman can be a key piece to this offense long term. However, the 24-year-old has struggled to the tune of a .190 batting average with 13 home runs and 36 RBI in 68 games.
Jacob Stallings will do the catching and bat seventh versus right-hander
Michael McGreevy. Stallings is having a surprisingly solid season at the plate with a .261 batting average and nine home runs with 36 RBI across 79 contests.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Nolan Jones is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This appears to be a routine rest day for the young slugger who has been in a slump at the plate lately. Jones is hitting .209 with three home runs and 25 RBI in 74 games this season.
Sam Hilliard will cover left field and bat sixth while
Jordan Beck takes over right field against right-hander
Michael McGreevy. Hilliard could be a low-end streaming option as he's posted a .254 batting average with nine long balls this season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 week agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Ian Happ (back) has returned to left field and will bat leadoff on Tuesday in Game 2 of the series at Citizens Bank Park against the Philadelphia Phillies and left-handed opener
Tanner Banks. Happ is returning to the lineup after missing the last two games due to tightness in his lower back, but apparently he's feeling good enough to go on Tuesday. The 30-year-old switch-hitter has hit .250 (35-for-140) with seven of his 25 home runs on the year against southpaw pitchers. He's batting .284 (23-for-81) with two home runs, a double, a triple, nine RBI and two stolen bases in 19 games in the month of September, but he's also gone hitless in three of his last four games before sitting out a few games with his back injury. Happ will be a nice DFS target against a Phillies team expected to be hungover on Tuesday after celebrating winning the National League East on Monday night.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Cubs
RADIO
