1 week agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers (shoulders) remains out of the starting lineup on Thursday for the series finale at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Rookie
Nick Sogard will make the start at the hot corner and will bat eighth against Blue Jays right-hander
Bowden Francis. Devers has been battling through issues in both of his shoulders for much of the year and will now miss his third straight game as a result. However, the Red Sox expect him back for Friday's series opener in Detroit against the Tigers, so fantasy managers shouldn't have to wait much longer to get him back. Devers is one of the best hitters in the game, but he has had a down month in August, going 21-for-88 (.239) with four home runs, seven doubles, 11 RBI, 11 walks and 25 strikeouts in 22 games played. Hopefully, the time off this week will get him back on track when he returns this weekend.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
1 week agoThe Philadelphia Phillies will be moving right-hander
Taijuan Walker to the bullpen, according to manager Rob Thomson. The Phillies will call someone up from the minors to make the start next Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, and there's a good chance it will be
Tyler Phillips. The Phillies have seen enough after Walker allowed six earned runs on 13 hits with one walk and no strikeouts in six innings in a blowout loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday. The 32-year-old veteran is now 3-6 with a rough 6.50 ERA (6.30 FIP), a 1.64 WHIP, 53 strikeouts and 29 walks in 70 2/3 innings over his 14 starts in 2024. Walker's 16.8% walk rate is the lowest of his career and it's the third year it's been in decline. Phillips made his MLB debut earlier this year and hasn't been much better with a 5.50 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with a 6.8 K/9 in 36 innings over seven outings (six starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
1
week
agoThe
Boston
Red
Sox
placed
middle
infielder
David
Hamilton
(finger)
on
the
10-day
injured
list
on
Thursday
with
a
left
index-finger
fracture
and
recalled
infielder/outfielder
Nick
Sogard
from
Triple-A
Worcester
in
a
corresponding
move.
Hamilton
suffered
the
injury
read more...
1 week agoMilwaukee Brewers left-hander
Hoby Milner (shoulder) said he's experienced similar left-shoulder impingements at least a half-dozen times before, including earlier this year, and that they usually clear up with a modest rest period. Milner expects to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday with High-A Wisconsin, and if that goes well, he would pitch again the following Sunday. The 33-year-old southpaw reliever could rejoin Milwaukee's bullpen early next week if he doesn't suffer any setbacks in two rehab appearances this weekend. He has been away from the team since the middle of the month due to his shoulder ailment. The former seventh-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 out of Texas has a bloated 4.92 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with a save and 52 K's in 53 innings over 51 outings (one start) in his fourth year with the Brew Crew.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoThe St. Louis Cardinals are placing veteran outfielder
Tommy Pham on waivers on Thursday, according to team sources. The move comes just ahead of the league's postseason eligibility deadline of Sept. 1. Pham is eligible to play for the Cards until he is claimed by another team. If he's not claimed, he'll remain with St. Louis. If a team doesn't claim him ahead of Sunday's deadline, he will not be eligible to play in the playoffs with a new team. Entering play Thursday, the Cardinals had less than a one percent chance of making the postseason, according to FanGraphs. The Cardinals could gain some financial relief with the move, and it also suggests they could move to some younger talent in the final month in September. Since joining St. Louis, Pham has been operating in a platoon role and has hit just .206 (14-for-68) with two homers, 12 RBI and 16 K's in 23 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Katie Woo
1 week agoThe Houston Astros officially signed free-agent outfielder
Jason Heyward to a one-year deal on Thursday and designated pitcher
Janson Junk for assignment in a corresponding move to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. The Astros continue to look for platoon help in right field with
Kyle Tucker (shin) still out, especially after they optioned
Chas McCormick to the minors on Thursday. Tucker is expected back at some point in September, but until then, the 35-year-old Heyward could see ample playing time in right field against right-handed pitchers in Houston. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues can leave Heyward to the waiver wire, but he could be an interesting short-term flier in AL-only leagues. The Los Angeles Dodgers cut Heyward recently after he hit just .208/.289/.393 with a .682 OPS, six homers and 28 RBI in 173 at-bats this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
1 week agoThe Los Angeles Angels are calling up top pitching prospect
Caden Dana to make his major-league debut with a start on Sunday against the division-rival Seattle Mariners, according to a source. The 20-year-old gets his first big-league promotion after going 9-7 with a 2.52 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with 147 strikeouts and 39 walks in 135 2/3 innings in his 23 starts this year with Double-A Rocket City. The future is now for the last-place Angels, as they are also calling up left-hander
Samuel Aldegheri from Rocket City to make his MLB debut on Friday. Both pitchers are skipping the Triple-A level entirely. Dana is worth a pickup in most fantasy formats for pitchers looking for strikeouts late in the season, and he'll be facing a Seattle club that leads the majors in K's this year. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder is very polished for his age and has drawn comparisons to
Noah Syndergaard.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher
1 week agoThe Los Angeles Angels are calling up left-handed pitching prospect
Samuel Aldegheri from Double-A Rocket City, according to sources. The 22-year-old southpaw will be the first pitcher born and raised in Italy to play in the major leagues, and he is expected to make his big-league debut on Friday against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. The Angels acquired Aldegheri from the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline at the end of July in the deal that sent reliever
Carlos Estevez to the Phils. Aldegheri is the team's No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has made only six starts at the Double-A levels of the Angels and Phillies, but he has fanned 134 hitters while walking 41 in 95 1/3 innings over 19 total starts in the minors in 2024. He's primarily a fastball-slider pitcher that could stick in the Angels' rotation beyond his start on Friday. Aldegheri will be a pretty risky streamer in his debut.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 week agoOakland Athletics rookie shortstop
Jacob Wilson and catcher
Shea Langeliers are sitting out of Thursday's contest against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Nick Allen will get the nod at shortstop for the A's and will hit in the nine-hole, while
Kyle McCann will do the catching for rookie right-hander
J.T. Ginn in his first big-league start against Reds right-hander
Julian Aguiar. Wilson will get a day off after recently returning from the injured list due to a hamstring strain. The 22-year-old has gone 1-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored in his second and third big-league games this week. The team's top prospect will get the rest of the season as the club's starting shortstop and is worth rostering in most fantasy leagues. Langeliers needs one homer to set a new career-high in that category with 23 in his second full MLB season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Oakland A's
1 week agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (shoulder), who won't pitch in the majors this year after undergoing shoulder surgery last October, will be a notable addition to the team's traveling party this weekend in Cincinnati and will throw another bullpen after throwing his first bullpen session of 15 pitches this Tuesday at American Family Field before the series opener against the San Francisco Giants. His next session is scheduled for Friday or Saturday at Great American Ball Park, depending on the weather. These are early days in Woodruff's recovery as he makes a bid to return to the form that produced a 3.10 ERA over his first seven seasons in Milwaukee. The 31-year-old is signed for 2025 and has a mutual option for 2026. If healthy next year, he'll be rostered in all fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoTampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said on Wednesday that right-hander
Zack Littell (shoulder) is progressing well and that he threw a "simulated live session," so there is hope that he can be penciled back into the starting rotation sometime during the upcoming homestand that runs from Friday, Aug. 30, through Thursday, Sept. 5. Cash said Littell, who last pitched on Aug. 14 due to right-shoulder fatigue, is not likely to need a minor-league rehab assignment before coming off the 15-day injured list. The 28-year-old will be in play in deep-mixed leagues when he's back. Although he didn't go beyond 5 1/3 innings in any of his three August starts, he gave up just five runs (three earned) while walking four and striking out 11 in 15 2/3 innings. Littell has a nice 4.7% walk rate and a 21.1% strikeout rate in 2024, which is his highest mark since 2021.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoTampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that right-hander
Shane Baz (illness), who was scratched from his start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels due to the flu, was feeling better and threw on Wednesday. The plan is for Baz to throw a bullpen session on Thursday and be slotted back into the starting rotation on Saturday at Tropicana Field against the San Diego Padres. It won't be a great matchup for the former first-rounder in his return from an illness. The 25-year-old has only made eight starts in 2024 after returning from Tommy John surgery, but he's been serviceable in those eight starts, going 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched for the Rays. His last outing was his best, going 7 2/3 shutout innings with three walks and four strikeouts on Aug. 20 against the Oakland Athletics.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox left-handed reliever
Cam Booser (elbow) is recovering from left-elbow inflammation and will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Thursday. Booser could return to the major-league bullpen soon after that, barring any setbacks. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw has been on the shelf with elbow inflammation since the middle of August but is nearing a return and should finish out the year with the Red Sox. In his first year in the big leagues in 2024, Booser has made 41 appearances out of Boston's bullpen, going 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA (3.34 FIP), a 1.24 WHIP, his first career save, 42 strikeouts and 13 walks in 42 frames. When he's back in the big leagues, fantasy managers can continue to ignore him everywhere.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoBoston Red Sox right-handed reliever
Luis Garcia (shoulder), who has a 10.32 ERA in 11 appearances since joining the Red Sox, was placed on the 15-day injured list before the team's game on Tuesday with right-shoulder inflammation. Manager Alex Cora said the injury isn't season-ending, though, but there was no immediate word on the severity of the injury. "Just get treatment and see where we're at in the upcoming days and just go from there," Cora said. The 37-year-old veteran could probably use the time off after joining Boston in a trade from the Los Angeles Angels at the end of July. The Dominican hurler has gone 5-1 overall this year with a 5.07 ERA (4.19 FIP), a 1.33 WHIP, a career-high four saves, 51 strikeouts and 15 walks in 55 innings. Garcia had more fantasy intrigue in deeper leagues when he was in Anaheim.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder/designated hitter
Joc Pederson and rookie catcher
Adrian Del Castillo are both out for Thursday's series finale against the visiting New York Mets at Chase Field.
Randal Grichuk is serving as Arizona's DH and is in the two-hole, while
Jose Herrera is doing the catching and batting ninth against Mets left-hander
David Peterson. It should be no surprise that Pederson is sitting, as he has seen only 36 plate appearances all year against southpaws, going 6-for-27 (.222) against them with only one of his 21 homers. Del Castillo has been a revelation since taking over for the injured
Gabriel Moreno behind the plate, batting .354 (17-for-48) with three homers and 14 RBI in his first 14 big-league games. Grichuk might be worth a look in DFS lineups; he's hit .429 with a .929 OPS in seven career at-bats against Peterson.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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