1 week agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Rob Refsnyder (wrist) was unavailable during the team's four-game series against the division-rival New York Yankees in the Bronx last weekend due to right-wrist soreness, and while the soreness isn't completely gone, he is available this week during the series in Tampa against the division-rival Rays. The Rays are starting three right-handers in the series, so the right-handed-hitting Refsnyder will most likely be used off the bench. The 33-year-old was scratched from the lineup last Thursday in the series opener against the Yanks and hasn't had an at-bat since Sept. 10 against the Orioles. Refsnyder is mostly valuable in deeper fantasy leagues for outfield depth and is a nice DFS sleeper target when the Red Sox face left-handers. He's hitting .284/.361/.472 on the year with an .833 OPS, 11 homers and 40 RBI in his 271 at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Bryan Mata (elbow, lat) injured his right hamstring in spring training and started the season on the injured list. He went on four separate rehab assignments, but each of them ended with a setback, most of them arm-related. "He came out of his last one a little bit sore so we're back to, not step one, but we're running out of time," manager Alex Cora. "Pretty unlikely [he will pitch for Boston this season]." The hope was that Mata, who was once the team's top pitching prospect, would at least make his major-league debut in 2024, as the 25-year-old is out of options. It's been a frustrating year for the Venezuelan hurler as he tries to make his way to the big leagues for the first time. Mata pitched at four different levels of the minors in 2024 but threw only 22 2/3 innings over 11 outings (seven starts), giving up 12 runs (11 earned) while walking nine and fanning 20 hitters.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced following Tuesday's 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field that right-hander
Tanner Houck (shoulder) would start on Wednesday night. Houck, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 4 due to right-shoulder fatigue, was supposed to return last Friday to face the division-rival New York Yankees in the Bronx, but he was scratched less than an hour before first pitch. He has a career-low 21.1% strikeout rate in 2024 but also a career-best 6.6% walk rate. Despite the lack of strikeouts, the 28-year-old has been solid for the Red Sox and fantasy managers when healthy this year, going 8-10 with a 3.24 ERA (3.34 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP and a career-high 150 strikeouts in 28 starts (169 2/3 innings) as a first-time All-Star. He has been lights-out facing the Rays twice this year, giving up just three runs (one earned) while walking four and striking out 12 in 12 2/3 frames.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1
week
agoColorado
Rockies
third
baseman
Ryan
McMahon
and
outfielders
Charlie
Blackmon
and
Nolan
Jones
are
all
out
of
the
lineup
for
Wednesday's
series
finale
at
Coors
Field
against
the
division-rival
Arizona
read more...
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Alek Thomas (oblique) was reinstated from the seven-day minor-league injured list at Triple-A Reno on Tuesday. In his return to the field with the Aces on Tuesday, Thomas went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. The 24-year-old has been out of action for the past month with a strained right oblique but is working his way back and could be able to rejoin the big-league roster before the end of the regular season at the end of September. If Thomas does rejoin the D-backs and they make the postseason, he'll likely be a bench player and potential late-game replacement for his defense in center field. Thomas has played in a career-low 37 games in Arizona in 2024 in his third year in the majors and has hit just .191 (18-for-94) with three homers, 17 RBI and four steals.
Jake McCarthy has essentially taken over for Thomas at the big-league level.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks veteran outfielder
Randal Grichuk (lower body) is back in the starting lineup as the designated hitter and is batting third for Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival Colorado Rockies and left-hander
Austin Gomber at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Grichuk will return to the lineup after he was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to lower-body tightness, and he sat out each of the last two games of the series against his old team before returning on Wednesday. The 33-year-old has been a platoon player for the Snakes in 2024 and has hit an impressive .288/.344/.508 with an .852 OPS, 10 home runs and 41 RBI in his 97 games played. He's been a lefty killer as well, hitting .305 (47-for-154) with half of his 10 homers against southpaws, making him an attractive DFS play on Wednesday at Coors Field.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoChicago White Sox left-hander
Jared Shuster will serve as the team's opener on Wednesday in the series finale against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium in what will be a bullpen game for the Pale Hose. Shuster has appeared in 36 games for the White Sox in 2024, but only three of those outings have been starts. The 26-year-old former 25th overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2020 out of Wake Forest has posted a 4.54 ERA (4.69 FIP) and a 1.50 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 29 walks in 67 1/3 total innings, so he hasn't exactly been dominant in his second year in the big leagues. His last start actually came recently on Sept. 9, when he allowed three earned runs with no walks and five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Cleveland Guardians. Shuster has not gone over three innings of work since July 26 and should be avoided as a fantasy streamer, even in the good matchup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - LaMond Pope
1
week
agoOakland
Athletics
outfielders
JJ
Bleday
and
Seth
Brown
and
infielder
Max
Schuemann
are
all
out
of
the
starting
lineup
in
Wednesday's
series
finale
against
the
Chicago
Cubs
at
Wrigley
Field
with
a
left-hander
read more...
1 week agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Juan Soto had a milestone game for several reasons in Tuesday's 11-2 win over the Mariners. Soto went 2-for-2 with a double, a two-run home run, and two walks. The 25-year-old lined a fourth-inning
Bryan Woo fastball over the center-field wall for his 40th HR of the season and the 200th of his career. Not only did he become the eighth player to reach 200 HR before turning 26 years old, but Soto's homer in T-Mobile Park completed his quest to hit a HR in all 30 current MLB ballparks. Soto is having a career power season, slashing .287/.417/.576 with 120 runs scored, 103 RBI, and five stolen bases in 671 plate appearances. He has been a high-end fantasy player throughout his career and has fit in perfectly with a strong Yankees lineup. Despite being a free agent at the end of this season, Soto will continue to be a top fantasy pick regardless of where he lands.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Bryan Hoch - MLB.com
1 week agoNew York Mets shortstop prospect
Luisangel Acuna had a milestone evening in Tuesday's 10-1 win over the Nationals. The 22-year-old went 3-for-4 with a single, a double, a solo home run, and two RBI. Acuna crushed an eighth-inning
Joe La Sorsa offering deep to left-center field for his first big-league long ball. Acuna, who is the Mets' No. 12 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has hit .455 with an .818 slugging percentage in his first four games. His numbers with Triple-A Syracuse weren't so stellar that fantasy managers should be placing their trust in him at the end of this season, but they should certainly keep an eye on him for the rest of September.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoCincinnati Reds utilityman
Spencer Steer had a solid offensive game in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Braves. Steer went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk, and a strikeout. The 26-year-old lined a seventh-inning
Pierce Johnson curveball into the left-center seats to put the Reds up for good. Steer has provided useful counting stats this season but has not provided the batting average, slashing .232/.327/.419 with 20 HR, 74 runs scored, 91 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 621 plate appearances. His low average may impact his perceived fantasy value next season, but his power-speed combination and multi-position eligibility make him a useful option.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoOakland Athletics catcher
Shea Langeliers continued to flex his muscles in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Cubs. Langeliers went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a two-run HR. The 26-year-old drilled a first-inning
Jordan Wicks fastball into the left-center seats to plate two and got Wicks again deep to left field in the fifth inning. Langeliers has provided expected fantasy value this season, slashing .220/.280/.448 with 28 HR, 54 runs scored, 74 RBI, and four stolen bases in 500 plate appearances. He won't help fantasy managers in batting average, but catcher is such a weak position that Langeliers' power contributions make up for it.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Ian Happ continued his strong offensive September in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Athletics. Happ went 3-for-5 with a single and a pair of solo home runs. The 30-year-old took
Mitch Spence deep to right field in the third inning and lined a ninth-inning, 103-mph
Mason Miller fastball just over the left-field wall for his 25th home run of the season. Happ has put together his best offensive month in September, slashing .308/.357/.446 with two homers, nine RBI, and two stolen bases in 65 at-bats. The Cubs have been one of baseball's hottest lineups lately, so Happ could be a bat that fantasy managers could lean on to finish the season on a high note.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoKansas City Royals shortstop
Bobby Witt Jr. had a historic evening in Tuesday's 3-1 extra-inning loss to the Tigers. Witt Jr. went 0-for-2 with three walks, a strikeout, and his 30th stolen base of the season. The 24-year-old now has 32 home runs and 30 stolen bases this season, his second consecutive season with at least 30 HR and 30 stolen bases. Only six shortstops in MLB history have ever recorded a 30-30 season and Witt Jr. is now the only shortstop to record multiple 30-30 seasons. He has provided everything for fantasy managers this season, slashing .331/.386/.598 with 123 runs scored and 108 RBI in 671 plate appearances. Witt Jr. has cemented himself as a top fantasy pick for the foreseeable future.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Anne Rogers - MLB.com
1 week agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Blake Snell continued his stellar second half in Tuesday's 10-0 win over the Orioles. Snell pitched six innings, allowing just one hit and two walks with 12 strikeouts. The 31-year-old was barely startable for fantasy managers in the first half of the season but has been outstanding in the second half. He now owns a 4-0 record with a 1.59 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP, and 94 strikeouts in 11 second-half starts and 62 1/3 IP. Snell will face another tough matchup in his next start at the Royals, but fantasy managers should have him in their rotation for his final few starts of the season.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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