1 week agoChicago Cubs catcher
Miguel Amaya will start Friday's contest on the bench at Wrigley Field against the Washington Nationals in the second game of a four-game series.
Christian Bethancourt will do the catching for right-hander
Jameson Taillon and will bat out of the nine-hole versus Nationals right-hander
Trevor Williams. In his first full big-league season, Amaya has slashed .227/.286/.347 with a below-average .633 OPS, seven home runs, 43 RBI, 29 runs scored, 22 walks and 60 strikeouts in 111 games played and 341 trips to the plate. The long season has apparently worn him down, too, as he's gone 5-for-37 (.135) with a double, triple, six RBI and five strikeouts in 15 games in the final month of the regular season. DFS gamers should be able to find better sleeper options at catcher than Bethancourt, who has hit .203 (26-for-128) on the year with five homers and 22 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoChicago Cubs third baseman
Isaac Paredes (hand) will retreat to the bench for Friday's game at Wrigley Field against the visiting Washington Nationals in the second game of the series.
Patrick Wisdom will draw the start at third base for the Cubbies and will hit eighth in the batting order versus Nationals right-hander
Trevor Williams. Although the injury doesn't appear serious, Paredes had his left hand spiked in Thursday's victory over Washington, and it's possible the team is giving him the day off on Friday because of that. He has struggled with the Cubs since being acquired at the trade deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays, as he's hit just .212 (33-for-156) with three homers, 23 RBI and 32 strikeouts in 45 games since the trade. Wisdom is a low-upside sleeper in DFS in the eight-hole on Friday. He has faced Williams six times in his career and has yet to pick up a hit.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoThe Chicago Cubs activated right-hander
Hayden Wesneski (forearm) from the 15-day injured list on Friday and designated right-hander
Shawn Armstrong for assignment in a corresponding move. Wesneski will return to Chicago's bullpen for the final stretch of the 2024 season over the next week and a half. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since late July with a strained right forearm and should slot into a middle-relief role for the Cubbies, leaving him with virtually zero fantasy appeal to close out the season. Wesneski made four minor-league rehab appearances with Triple-A Iowa before being activated and will return to a 3-6 record with a 3.94 ERA (4.73 FIP), a 1.20 WHIP and a 58:21 K:BB over 61 2/3 innings in 25 appearances (seven starts) in 2024 in his third year in the majors with Chicago.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
1 week agoSt. Louis Cardinals right-hander
Sonny Gray's (undisclosed) final start of the 2024 season is in jeopardy after he said he pitched through "lingering" soreness during his last start on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he allowed four earned runs on nine hits while walking none and striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings for a no-decision. It's unclear where exactly Gray's soreness is, but it puts his final start in jeopardy next week. We won't know for sure whether the 34-year-old will make his final start until after he attempts to throw a bullpen session this weekend. If Gray feels better during his bullpen session this weekend, his final start of the year would come next week at hitter-friendly Coors Field against the last-place Colorado Rockies. Gray hasn't been nearly as good as he was last year in Minnesota in his first year in St. Louis, posting a 3.84 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 203 K's in 28 starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
1 week agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Yusei Kikuchi pitched a solid game against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, allowing just one run over six innings. Kikuchi struck out nine and walked just one while allowing five hits. The lefty has been one of the best trade deadline acquisitions in baseball, as the Astros have gone 9-0 in games he has started since they got him from the Blue Jays. The lefty lines up for one final regular-season start against the Seattle Mariners, and he should be started across the board in fantasy. Consider him a solid fourth starter in fantasy heading into next season.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Blake Dunn had a game to remember on Thursday, hitting his first major league homer and swiping his first two major league bases in a 15-3 loss against the Atlanta Braves. Dunn hit the homer off
Chris Sale, so it wasn't a cheapy. The 26-year-old has mostly been a bench bat for the Reds in his brief major league time, so opportunities have been limited. He also hasn't hit well, but maybe this game will spark something. He won't matter for fantasy unless something big changes, but this was a nice little game for Dunn nonetheless.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoNew York Mets outfielder
Brandon Nimmo had a nice day at the dish on Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a homer, a double, and three RBI in a 10-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Nimmo took
Taijuan Walker deep in the third with a runner on and then doubled in a run in the fourth. Despite this solid effort, the 31-year-old has been struggling since July, posting OPS's of .607, .684, and .610 in the three months since. The Mets will hope Nimmo can turn things around heading into the postseason, but for fantasy managers Nimmo isn't a must-start option outside of points leagues.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Shane McClanahan (elbow) is nearing the end of his rehab program and will be a full go for the 2025 season. McClanahan had Tommy John surgery in August of 2023 and took his rehab slow to ensure he was ready to go for next season. The 27-year-old says that he is feeling as good as he did before getting injured and is ready for a big season in 2025. Shane O Mac is one of the best in the game when healthy, and he is likely to be drafted relatively highly for a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. If he is out there in any keeper leagues, this is a good time to go out and get him.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
1 week agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Taijuan Walker had a miserable outing against the New York Mets on Thursday, surrendering eight runs in just 3 ⅓ IP. Walker gave up six hits, including four homers, and also walked three. The 32-year-old veteran just doesn't have it this year, pitching to an abysmal 6.91 ERA and 1.67 WHIP while being relegated to the bullpen at times. He shouldn't have a spot in the Phillies rotation come playoffs and will be hard-pressed to start for them next year unless he can find some of what he's lost.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Zack Littell continued his impressive stretch on Thursday, shutting out the Boston Red Sox for seven innings and earning his eighth win in a 2-0 victory. Littell was completely dominant in this one, allowing just one hit and walking no one while punching out seven. This makes three straight outings where the 28-year-old hasn't given up a run or allowed more than three hits. It's been a good campaign overall for Littell, and he could earn himself a spot in Tampa's 2025 rotation with the way he's pitched. The righty has one start left this year against the feisty Detroit Tigers, and fantasy managers who are in a pickle certainly could do worse than Littell.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoWashington Nationals shortstop
CJ Abrams was seeing the ball well on Thursday, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two stolen bases in a 7-6 loss against the Chicago Cubs. Abrams reached the 30-steal mark with his two swipes as he continues to be one of the game's premiere thieves. While his power and speed numbers remain very good, Abrams has struggled tremendously in the second half, with an OPS of .572 in July, .569 in August, and .656 in September coming into this one. He should remain a solid fantasy option in 2025, but managers should be aware that prolonged slumps are likely with Abrams.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Brandon Pfaadt turned in one of his best outings of the year on Thursday, limiting the Milwaukee Brewers to one run over seven innings. Pfaadt struck out 12, walked none, and allowed just two hits. His dominance in this one came out of nowhere, as he had allowed at least three earned runs in his last six starts and was just destroyed by the Brewers last Saturday, where he allowed eight runs in just 1 ⅔ IP. If any fantasy managers did have them in their lineups for some reason, it turned out to be a great decision. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that many did. The 25-year-old lines up for one last start next week against the San Francisco Giants. Fantasy managers should be wary of this one good start, but consider Pfaadt as a high-risk option next week.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher
Logan Gilbert tossed 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball while striking out nine batters en route to earning his eighth victory of the summer on Thursday against the New York Yankees. This was a nice bounce-back outing for the 27-year-old, as he carried a 4.50 ERA across his previous three outings. Overall through his fourth season in the big leagues, Gilbert sits with a sold 3.24 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 36:207 BB:K. He has showcased excellent command with a near-perfect 4.6% walk rate and has generated whiffs at an above-average 30.8% rate. Gilbert is scheduled to close out his 2024 campaign with a divisional matchup against the Houston Astros next week.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoToronto Blue Jays first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3-for-4 with two home runs, two RBI, and a stolen base in Thursday's victory over the Texas Rangers. The infielder launched two solo shots in the seventh and ninth innings. The 25-year-old has enjoyed an excellent bounce-back campaign after falling short over the past two seasons following his remarkable 2021 MVP campaign. This summer, Guerrero has held a stellar .322/.397/.553 slash line with 30 long balls and two swiped bags. His underlying metrics were remarkable, with a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 94.0 mph average exit velocity, suggesting he may have continued his development this summer. Guerrero should be one of the first corner infielders taken in drafts next spring due to his elite batting average and high-upside power production.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoCleveland Guardians second baseman
Andres Gimenez went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles on Thursday afternoon. Gimenez tallied his lone RBI in walk-off fashion as he scored
Jose Ramirez on a ground ball to right field. The 26-year-old has been productive in the batter's box this month, carrying a .263/.291/.382 line with two home runs, three doubles, and five stolen bases. This season, the infielder has reached the 30-stolen base mark for the second-straight campaign while holding a modest .251 AVG. While his power production is inconsistent, fantasy managers should continue to count on the 26-year-old to be a threat on the basepaths.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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