5
days
agoArizona
Diamondbacks
catcher
Gabriel
Moreno
and
outfielder
Jake
McCarthy
are
not
in
the
starting
nine
when
the
Diamondbacks
continue
a
series
in
the
Bronx
against
the
New
York
Yankees.
Moreno
has
only
taken
a
seat
once
read more...
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks second baseman
Ketel Marte is getting his first day off in the campaign on Thursday evening when the Diamondbacks continue a series against the New York Yankees. On Wednesday, Marte went 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks after signing a six-year $116.5 million extension. Through six games this season, Marte has posted a strong .292/.433/.375 slash line with two doubles with a 6:4 BB:K. Last season, the 31-year-old enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career as he posted a stellar .292/.372/.560 slash line with 23 doubles, 36 home runs, seven swiped bags. With Marte sitting out on Thursday, the Diamondbacks will give
Garrett Hampson the nod at the keystone. Hampson is worth a look as a low-risk value play in DFS facing New York right-hander
Carlos Carrasco.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoHouston Astros outfielder
Jake Meyers is out of the starting nine for the third-straight contest on Thursday evening. Meyers has been kept on the bench for the past three contests after starting three of the first four games of the campaign in center field. Instead, the Astros will give
Mauricio Dubon the starting nod in center field. Through his first 10 at-bats of the campaign, Meyers has tallied two hits and added an RBI. He has struck out four times. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he is dealing with an injury. Last season, Meyers appeared in a career-high 148 contests in Houston and held a .219/.286/.360 slash line with 13 long balls and 11 stolen bases. Dubon is not worth targeting in DFS this afternoon, facing
Joe Ryan, who allowed just one run in his first start of the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoHouston Astros right-handed pitcher
Luis Garcia (elbow) is dealing with inflammation in his right elbow. According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Garcia will be shut down from throwing and will be reevaluated in four weeks. This is not a good sign for Garcia as he is working his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in May 2023. Garcia was also dealing with elbow soreness earlier in camp. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status, but this recent setback could push Garcia's timeline further back. As a result, the 28-year-old may not be an option until the second half of the campaign. In 2023, Garcia logged just 27 innings with a 4.00 ERA. During the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, Garcia logged a total of 312 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.60 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. While he remains out,
Hayden Wesneski should continue to see starting opportunities.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Brian McTaggart
5 days agoThe Athletics have activated third baseman
Brett Harris (oblique) from the 10-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. Harris has been dealing with this minor injury throughout March but is now cleared to return to a full-time role with Las Vegas. Harris has already appeared in three rehab games at the level but will now officially be cleared from injury. Harris tallied one hit in each contest during these three rehab games and added two RBI. Last season, the Gonzaga product made his MLB debut and posted a .146/.276/.262 slash line with three doubles and three long balls across 36 contests. Harris drew walks at an elite 13.8 percent rate during this stint but generated a low .274 xwOBA. He should eventually push for a return to the big leagues later in the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: A's Communications
5 days agoHouston Astros catcher
Yainer Diaz is not in the starting nine when the Astros travel to Minnesota to face the Twins on Thursday afternoon. Diaz has been behind the dish in each of the past three contests but will cede duties to
Victor Caratini this afternoon. Caratini will bat in the six-hole. Over his past three contests, Diaz tallied just one hit across 11 at-bats and struck out twice through five total games. Diaz has tallied just two hits and held a 1:4 BB:K. Fantasy managers should expect Diaz to return to the starting nine on Saturday afternoon when they continue this three-game set against the Twins. Caratini has seen four at-bats and tallied one hit. He is best to leave out of your DFS lineup this afternoon facing Minnesota right-hander
Joe Ryan, who allowed one run across five innings in his last start.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoNew York Yankees left-hander
Carlos Rodon (forearm) underwent X-rays, which thankfully came back negative, after taking a line 115.5 mph line drive off his right forearm off the bat of second baseman
Ketel Marte in Wednesday's loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Bronx. Despite that and the fact that the 32-year-old's fastball velocity was noticeably down on a cold night at Yankee Stadium, Rodon was able to retire the last 10 batters he faced. He ultimately allowed four earned runs on three hits while walking four and striking out five over six innings on 96 pitches. Rodon didn't look nearly as dominant as he did on Opening Day last Thursday against the Brewers when he struck out seven and gave up just one run in 5 1/3 innings, but the biggest takeaway from Wednesday is that he should be fine physically going into his third start of 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
5 days agoKansas City Royals outfielder
Drew Waters went 4-for-5 at the plate and hit for the cycle during their victory over Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday. Waters led the Omaha offense in this contest as he tallied five RBI, which was highlighted by a three-run inside-the-park home run. Waters was competing for a depth role in the Kansas outfield during spring training but was unable to win a spot on the roster. This was a nice breakout outing for the 26-year-old as he did not tally a hit in each of his first two contests of the Triple-A regular season. Last summer, Waters appeared in just seven games for the Royals and tallied just three hits. Through 334 career games at Triple-A, Water has posted a solid .269/.352/.447 slash line. He is worth monitoring in AL-only formats as he could eventually earn a spot in the Kansas City outfield later in the season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoSeattle Mariners catching prospect
Harry Ford had a productive evening at the plate on Wednesday as he went 1-for-2 with two walks. He tallied an RBI single in the second frame, crossed home plate three times, and even swiped a bag. Throughout his first three contests at the top level of the minor leagues, the 22-year-old backstop has held a .333/.538/.333 line. He has tallied at least one hit in each contest and has held a strong 4:1 BB:K. Last season, Ford had some growing pains at Double-A as he posted a modest .249/.377/.367 slash line across 116 contests. He tallied 26 doubles, seven long balls, and swiped 35 bags. This was a sharp decline from the .257/.410/.430 line he held during the 2023 season at High-A. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Ford's progression as he could be in the mix for a second-half MLB debut if he continues to produce with the Tacoma Rainiers.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoMinnesota Twins catcher
Christian Vazquez will retreat to the bench for Thursday's contest against the visiting Houston Astros at Target Field.
Ryan Jeffers will do the catching for right-hander
Joe Ryan and will bat eighth against right-hander
Hunter Brown. Vazquez and Jeffers continue to alternate playing time behind the dish for the Twins early on in 2025, which makes the 34-year-old veteran unattractive to fantasy managers outside of two-catcher or AL-only leagues. The Puerto Rican backstop has played in three games so far and is hitless in his 10 plate appearances with no walks and a strikeout. Meanwhile, Jeffers has gone 4-for-15 with an RBI, run scored, two walks and two strikeouts in four games. Jeffers offers slightly more offensive upside, but neither catcher should excite fantasy managers all that much. Jeffers has two hits in 10 career at-bats versus Brown.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoMinnesota Twins third baseman
Jose Miranda is on the bench for the second straight day on Thursday against the visiting Houston Astros at Target Field.
Willi Castro is making the start at the hot corner and will hit sixth versus Astros right-hander
Hunter Brown. Miranda has an opportunity for regular playing time at third base early on in 2025 due to
Royce Lewis' (hamstring) latest injury, but so far he hasn't taken advantage by going 3-for-18 with two RBI, a run scored, no walks and six strikeouts in his first five games played. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican infielder may need to pick it up at the plate soon in order to keep Castro from spelling him more often at third. Castro, who also hails from Puerto Rico, is 5-for-20 early on with a homer and three RBI. He's faced Brown eight times in his MLB career and is hitting .625 against him with one RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 days agoChicago White Sox third base prospect
Chase Meidroth went 2-for-4 with his second home run of the campaign during Tuesday's loss to the Norfolk Tides. Meidroth wasted little time as he went deep in the opening frame off Cameron Weston. Later in the contest, he knocked a single for his second hit of the evening. Through the early part of the Triple-A regular season, Meidroth has enjoyed a strong start, as he has only gone hitless in one game. Through five games, the former fourth-round selection has posted a solid .294/.478/.647 slash line. Meidroth was included in the package that sent budding ace
Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox during the winter. Last season, Meidroth held a .293/.437/.400 line through 122 games with Triple-A Worcester and should be in the mix for an MLB debut on the Southside early in the campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora described right-handers
Brayan Bello (shoulder) and
Lucas Giolito (hamstring) as "not close" to coming off the injured list to rejoin the team's starting rotation given their need to have a spring training-like buildup. It sounds like both pitchers will need at least a couple more minor-league rehab starts. In their first rehab starts with Triple-A Worcester this week, Bello reached 47 pitches and Giolito reached 51 pitches. Bello is scheduled to make a second start with the WooSox on Sunday, with Giolito likely to return to the mound on Monday or Tuesday. Both pitchers came down with their respective injuries in spring training, but barring a setback on their rehab assignments, they could rejoin Boston's rotation by late April. In the meantime,
Richard Fitts and
Sean Newcomb will hold down the fort at the back end of the rotation in Boston.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Alex Speier
5 days agoBaltimore Orioles pitching prospect Michael Forret is opening the campaign at the Double-A level. Forret is considered the No. 2 pitching prospect in the Baltimore system, only behind
Chayce McDermott, according to MLB Pipeline. The Orioles drafted Forret in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, and he is already receiving the call to move to the upper levels of the minor leagues. Last summer, the 20-year-old made his professional debut at Low-A. Across 39 2/3 innings, Forret posted a solid 3.18 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP. He struck out 49 batters and served up 13 free passes. He then moved up to High-A Aberdeen, where he logged 60 innings to the tune of a 4.35 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 70 punchouts at this level and allowed 29 walks. Dynasty managers should continue to monitor Forret's development as he could find himself rising on prospect boards throughout the summer.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 days agoBoston Red Sox catcher
Connor Wong will take a seat for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Carlos Narvaez will do the catching for right-hander
Tanner Houck and will hit eighth in the batting order versus veteran right-hander
Charlie Morton. Wong could use the day off, as the 28-year-old has just one hit in his first 21 plate appearances over six games in 2025 with a steal, two walks and six punchouts. This will be only Narvaez's second game of the early season and just his eighth total game in the majors after debuting with the New York Yankees in 2024. He's gone 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and a strikeout so far this year and should be avoided in DFS formats on Thursday. Narvaez has never faced Morton.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
RADIO
