1 week agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Dylan Cease took a one-hitter into the ninth inning of Wednesday's 4-0 victory over the Astros, allowing one more hit before being pulled in favor of a lefty-lefty matchup with reliever
Tanner Scott against
Yordan Alvarez. Cease's final line was no runs on two hits and no walks while striking out five over eight-and-two-thirds innings pitched on the way to earning his 14th win of the season. The 28-year-old now has 16 quality starts in 32 games started this season, posting a strong 3.42 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts in 184 1/3 IP (10.7 K/9). He'll take on the Dodgers in his next start with potential division race implications next Wednesday in L.A.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 week agoSan Diego Padres third baseman
Manny Machado hit a pair of solo home runs in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Astros, giving him 29 on the season. One more home run would give him 30 for the third straight season and would be the eighth time in his career. The multi-hit performance marked the third consecutive game with at least two hits and the eighth time in his last 11 games, going 17-for-45 (.378) with six home runs, 18 RBI, and seven runs scored over that stretch. The veteran is a big reason the Padres own the top Wild Card spot and are just 3.5 games behind the Dodgers for the division lead, amassing a .279-29-104-74-9 line with a .346 wOBA and 126 wRC+ on the season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 week agoNew York Mets shortstop
Luisangel Acuna went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored in Wednesday's 10-0 win over the Nationals. It was the second home run of the 22-year-old's career, homering in back-to-back games now for the big league club. He's shown well so far in limited action, going 7-for-15 (.467) with three extra-base hits, four RBI, and five runs scored. We have yet to see his speed put on display though after stealing 40 bases in 131 games at Triple-A this season before his call-up. He should get at least one more start while
Francisco Lindor deals with his back problem, but it remains to be seen if he'll stick with the team once Lindor returns. Acuna's speed could be an asset off the bench in tight games down the stretch as the Mets push for a playoff berth.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 week agoToronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette was scratched from Wednesday's lineup after taking a ground ball off his middle finger in pregame warmups. The 26-year-old will have x-rays with the results expected Thursday. For now, he's considered day-to-day. The 2x All-Star had just returned from the IL, playing in just one game before this new injury. Bichette was having an uncharacteristically poor season as it was, slashing just .225/.277/.322 with four home runs in 81 games, compared to a career .290/.332/.466 slashline while averaging 24 home runs from 2021-23. Look for an update on his status sometime Thursday prior to the Jays' afternoon matchup with the Rangers.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Hazel Mae
2 weeks agoMinnesota Twins starting pitcher
Bailey Ober was excellent over seven innings on Wednesday, allowing two earned runs on four hits and no walks while striking out a career-high 12 batters in a 5-4 loss to the Guardians, although Ober did not factor into the decision. The two runs the righty allowed both came on solo shots from the Guardians'
Josh Naylor. It was a nice bounceback game for the 29-year-old after getting roughed up for five runs his last time out. The outing was the 18th quality start in 30 games started this season, and he'll draw a favorable matchup at home his next time out versus the Marlins next Tuesday.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoCleveland Guardians first baseman
Josh Naylor blasted a pair of solo home runs off of Twins starter
Bailey Ober during a 2-for-4 day at the plate in Wednesday's 5-4 win over Minnesota. The left-handed hitter recorded two RBI and scored three times in the contest, bringing his season line to .245-31-105-81-6. This season marks the first time the 27-year-old has surpassed the 30-homer and 100 RBI threshold in his career. The former first-round draft pick will look to keep rolling Thursday against the Twins'
Simeon Woods Richardson who he is 2-for-4 off of in his career.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Spencer Schwellenbach held the Reds to just one run over six innings in Wednesday's 7-1 victory. The 24-year-old allowed five hits and two walks while striking out five batters on the way to earning his seventh win of the season. The outing marked the 10th straight start in which the righty allowed three runs or less, and he lowered his season-long ERA to 3.61 with a 1.10 WHIP. The youngster will take on the Mets at home in his next start on Tuesday of next week.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoAtlanta Braves designated hitter
Marcell Ozuna went 3-for-4 in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Reds, collecting his 38th home run of the season, smacking two doubles, driving in two, and scoring twice as well. The home run ended a remarkable 26-game homerless drought for the 33-year-old. Even still, the veteran slugger has put together a strong season for the Braves, posting a .306-38-100-92-0 line. The final month of the season has been the most productive for the 3x All-Star throughout his career, slashing .294/.364/.522 during that time, so he may be heating back up again at just the right time for fantasy managers navigating the fantasy playoffs.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoArizona Diamondbacks designated hitter
Randal Grichuk (lower body) returned to the lineup Wednesday and went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run in the 9-4 win over the Rockies, recording an RBI and two runs scored in the contest. It was the third time the 33-year-old has homered in his last four games, going 7-for-12 (.583) with six extra-base hits, eight RBI, and five runs over that stretch. Both of his hits came off of left-handed starter
Austin Gomber. Grichuk has excelled against LHP this season, slashing .314/.377/.526 against them (156 AB) versus .250/.284/.524 against RHP (84 AB). For the season, the veteran owns a respectable .292-11-42-37-0 line overall in just 98 games.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Corbin Carroll belted a pair of home runs in Wednesday's 9-4 win over the Rockies, walking once, driving in three runs, and scoring three times in the contest as well. The two round-trippers got him over the 20-homer threshold, giving him his second consecutive 20/20 season in his young career. The 24-year-old hit .212 with five home runs and 18 steals in 93 games prior to the All-Star break, but since then he's flipped a switch, hitting .274 with 16 home runs and 11 steals in 52 games. The reigning N.L. Rookie of the Year has turned it on at the right time for fantasy managers and now owns a .235-21-70-115-29 line on the season with a .329 wOBA and 110 wRC+.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Bobby Miller has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The 25-year-old has been awful this season, but the Dodgers decided to give him another chance against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. That didn't go well as Miller gave up four runs over two innings of work in the loss. The right-hander has allowed 17 earned runs this month and increased his ERA to 8.52 after his latest outing. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Joe Kelly has been activated from the 15-day injured list. He figures to resume his role as a late-inning reliever.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
2 weeks agoToronto Blue Jays outfielder
Joey Loperfido (hip) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers. The 25-year-old has been out of the lineup since suffering a groin injury during Saturday's contest. It appears the rookie outfielder is ready to go and will cover center field and bat eighth versus left-hander
Cody Bradford on Wednesday. Loperfido doesn't face left-handed pitching very often, but does have decent results in a small sample size. He's not a great DFS option for Wednesday, but fantasy managers in season-long formats can get him back in their lineups.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers third baseman
Max Muncy will out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins. This is a much-needed day off for Muncy who has started in each of the last 10 games. The Dodgers also face a left-hander in
Ryan Weathers, so probably not a bad time to give Muncy a day off. In his place,
Kike Hernandez will cover third base and bat eighth versus Weathers. Hernandez has been quiet at the plate with a .214 batting average in 116 games this season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 weeks agoHouston Astros outfielder
Kyle Tucker is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres. The Astros have been extremely careful with Tucker since his return from a shin fracture. He has already been absent from the lineup a handful of times since returning a few weeks ago. The good news is that Tucker has moved back to the outfield after being limited to the designated hitter spot when he first returned. In his absence,
Jason Heyward will cover right field and bat seventh versus right-hander
Dylan Cease. Heyward is slashing .235/.278/.441 with six RBI since joining the Astros roster in late-August. He'll be an avoidable streaming option against a elite arm in Cease.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 weeks agoSan Diego Padres catcher
Kyle Higashioka is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. This appears to be a routine rest day for Higashioka who has played in each of the last four games. In his absence,
Elias Diaz will do the catching and bat eighth versus left-hander
Framber Valdez. Diaz is having a decent season with the bat, but has only one hit in 10 plate appearances with the Padres. He'll be an avoidable streaming option against a tough southpaw on Wednesday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
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