1 week agoPittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bailey Falter (8-7) was excellent on Wednesday night, as his team beat the Miami Marlins 3-1. Falter pitched 7 1/3 innings, only gave up two hits, and walked three while striking out five. The 27-year-old also recorded his eighth win of the season. Falter has been a consistent starter for the Pirates almost all season, except when he missed a couple of turns in the rotation because of a tricep injury in July. In 25 starts, Falter has pitched to a 4.20 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He has certainly increased his fantasy value and draft stock heading into 2025. Falter will look to build on Wednesday's performance in his next start on Wednesday on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals.Source: MLB.com
1 week agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher Martin Perez has been placed on the paternity leave list on Wednesday. The left-hander can miss up to three games as he spends time with his family. The assumption is that Perez will be back in time to take the mound for his scheduled start on Friday. He has been solid since joining the Padres roster. Perez has a 2.84 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across seven starts in San Diego. He'll be a decent streaming option assuming he's back in time to make his next start.Source: San Diego Padres
1 week agoUpdating a previous report, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (hamstring) was forced to exit early during Wednesday's start against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander was pulled in the fifth inning due to right-hamstring cramping. It sounds like a minor issue, and the team is hopeful that Kelly can make his next start against the Colorado Rockies. Before exiting, Kelly gave up three earned runs over just four innings of work. For now, fantasy managers should consider Kelly as day-to-day.Source: Nick Piecoro
1 week agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (ankle) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. This is good news after Hernandez missed four games due to an ankle issue. It was uncertain if he was truly day-to-day or going to be placed on the injured list. Hernandez appears good to go and he'll cover left field and bat cleanup against Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks. Hernandez is crushing lefties to the tune of a .299 batting average with 10 home runs and 26 RBI this season. Fantasy managers should make sure to get him back in their lineups ahead of Wednesday's contest.Source: mlb.com
1 week agoSan Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano has been optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday. The Padres were carrying three catchers with Elias Diaz and Kyle Higashioka also on the roster. Campusano was the odd man out which isn't shocking given his performance this season. He's hitting .227 with eight home runs and 40 RBI in 91 games. At one point, Campusano was viewed as the catcher of the future in San Diego. It's uncertain if that's still the case, but for now fantasy managers can go ahead and move on from him.Source: San Diego Padres
1 week agoSan Diego Padres outfielder Brandon Lockridge has been recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday. The 27-year-old was acquired by the team at the trade deadline in the move that sent Enyel De Los Santos to the New York Yankees. This could end up being a nice addition for the Padres. Lockridge is slashing .306/.410/.397 with two home runs and 46 steals in Triple-A this season. He might not be an everyday starter at the MLB level, but he could be a solid contributor. The Padres will likely use him as depth and a defensive replacement or pinch-runner. Fantasy managers can continue to ignore Lockridge.Source: San Diego Padres
1 week agoMinnesota Twins infielder Jose Miranda heads to the bench ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. This is a much-needed day off for Miranda who has started in each of the last 10 games. The 26-year-old is in the middle of a breakout campaign. Through 115 games, Miranda is hitting .295 with nine home runs and 49 RBI in 2024. He has moved around from first base, third base, and the designated hitter spot this season. Carlos Santana moves first base while Trevor Larnach serves as the designated hitter and bats cleanup versus right-hander Jack Kochanowicz on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should expect Miranda to be back in the lineup after this game.Source: mlb.com
1 week agoTampa Bay Rays right-handed reliever Edwin Uceta is being suspended for three games and fined for intentionally hitting Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos in the eighth inning of the game on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Uceta has the right to appeal MLB's ruling, which would allow him to continue pitching until the appeal is heard. Manager Kevin Cash was also suspended for the contest in Philly on Wednesday. If the 26-year-old Uceta accepts the ban, he'll miss the next three games and won't be eligible to pitch again for the Rays until Saturday in Cleveland against the Guardians. In his first year with the Rays in 2024, Uceta has gone 2-0 with a tidy 1.49 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, his first two career saves, a career-high 51 strikeouts and only six walks in 36 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
1 week agoBoston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton (calf) told WEEI's Rob Bradford on Wednesday that he plans to retire this offseason. Paxton has decided to call it quits after finishing the 2024 season on the 60-day injured list with Boston due to a partial tear in his right calf. The 35-year-old Canadian southpaw has had trouble staying healthy in recent years and won't attempt a comeback. He began the year pitching in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting rotation and even won nine games, but he was eventually cut after posting a 4.43 ERA (4.99 FIP) with a 1.45 WHIP and a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate in 18 starts. Paxton made only three starts in Boston before injuring his calf. Paxton entered the big leagues in 2013 with the Seattle Mariners and spent six seasons with them before bouncing around with the Yankees, M's, Red Sox and Dodgers in 11 total seasons.Source: WEEI - Rob Bradford
1 week agoMinnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Willi Castro (illness) is starting in left field and is batting sixth for Minnesota on Wednesday at Target Field against the visiting Los Angeles Angels and right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. Castro was feeling so bad that he was taken out of Monday's game early and also had the day off on Tuesday. The 27-year-old utility man will return on Wednesday, though, and has a good enough matchup to consider him as a sleeper in DFS lineups. However, fantasy managers also need to consider the fact that he has only one hit in 21 at-bats (.048) with two walks and eight strikeouts in eight games since the calendar flipped to September. Overall, the Puerto Rican switch-hitter has been a first-time All-Star in 2024 and enters the day with a .246/.329/.389 slash line with a career-high 11 home runs, a career-high 52 RBI and 13 steals in 142 games.Source: MLB.com
1 week agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday at Fenway Park against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Jimenez finds himself on the bench again in favor of Anthony Santander, who is serving as the DH and batting third against Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta. Austin Slater is in right field and is batting seventh for the O's. Jimenez, 27, continues to see infrequent playing time in Baltimore towards the end of the season. He's now played in 29 games in Baltimore since being acquired in late July by the Chicago White Sox, and he's slashed a mediocre .253/.293/.345 with only one home run, five RBI and seven RBI in his 92 plate appearances. Without frequent playing time in Baltimore, it's hard to recommend holding Jimenez in most mixed fantasy leagues.Source: Baltimore Orioles
1 week agoAtlanta Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez's (shoulder) MRI exam came back clean for any structural damage, and he's just dealing with inflammation, according to manager Brian Snitker. The Braves will let Lopez take a few days off before starting a throwing program. His progress in the throwing program will determine when he can return from the 15-day injured list. Atlanta is hoping the 30-year-old can return once his 15-day stint on the IL is up, but even if that comes to pass, there's a good chance that the Braves have him return in a relief role. Lopez was excellent for the Braves in the first half on his way to making his first All-Star team, but he's slowed down in the second half and has gone over 100 innings pitched in 2024 in a return to a full-time starting role for the first time since 2019. Having him healthy for a potential playoff run has to be Atlanta's top priority right now.Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Justin Toscano
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (undisclosed) was forced to leave his outing early on Wednesday at Chase Field against the Texas Rangers with a trainer in the fifth inning. The injury didn't appear to be arm-related for Kelly, but he has dealt with cramping issues in the past. We'll pass along any updates on Kelly's condition when they become available. Before leaving with a trainer, the 35-year-old veteran allowed three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out three, so it clearly has not been a great day for him. As long as Kelly's exit wasn't actually arm-related, he could make his next scheduled start. Injuries have limited him to only 10 starts in 2024, and he entered his outing on Wednesday with a 4.08 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. Losing Kelly for an extended period of time could make him unavailable for a potential postseason run.Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
1 week agoKansas City Royals infielder Paul DeJong is out of the team's starting lineup on Wednesday for a contest against the New York Yankees in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium. With DeJong on the bench, Maikel Garcia will start at third base and bat eighth against Yankees right-hander Luis Gil. DeJong could find himself riding the pine more often moving forward due to a recent slump offensively. So far in six games in September, he has gone 3-for-19 (.158) with no homers, an RBI, no walks and six strikeouts. The 31-year-old veteran was acquired from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline at the end of July and has been better with KC, though, batting .244 (22-for-90) with six home runs and 15 RBI. In deeper leagues, fantasy managers will want to keep DeJong on their benches until he pulls out of his slump with the Royals in a midst of a run for a wild-card spot in the American League.Source: Kansas City Royals
1 week agoOakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (illness) is back in right field and is batting leadoff for the A's on Wednesday against the division-rival Houston Astros and right-hander Hunter Brown at Minute Maid Park. Butler was under the weather on Monday but is feeling better on Tuesday and will return atop Oakland's batting order. The 24-year-old former sixth-round selection in 2018 is having a breakout campaign in just his second year in the majors and in his first full season in the big leagues. He comes into Wednesday's game slashing .270/.324/.523 with an .847 OPS, 21 home runs, 54 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 110 games played. Butler's second half has been more impressive, as he's hit .328/.368/.638 with a 1.006 OPS, 12 homers, 29 RBI and eight stolen bases in 46 games. Get him back into your lineups on Wednesday now that he's feeling better.Source: MLB.com