8 hours agoColorado Rockies left-hander
Austin Gomber (shoulder) was scratched from his scheduled minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday night due to left-shoulder inflammation, according to general manager Bill Schmidt. It's bad news for a pitcher that began the 2025 season on the 15-day injured list with left-shoulder soreness that cropped up during spring training. Even if the 31-year-old southpaw isn't dealing with any structural damage in his left shoulder, this setback essentially assures that he won't make his season debut with the Rockies until some point in May. In his first rehab start with Albuquerque last Friday, Gomber went four innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out five. Gomber should remain on the waiver wire in most mixed fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Thomas Harding
8 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher
Zack Wheeler was excellent on the mound during Wednesday's start against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander had seemingly no issues outside of
Hunter Goodman's solo blast in the seventh inning. Wheeler tossed seven innings, allowing three hits, and striking out 10 batters in the 5-1 victory. To be fair, Wheeler did have a favorable matchup against the lowly Rockies lineup. He did what he needed to do and showed why he is the ace of this staff. We'll see if Wheeler has the same amount of success against a much stronger Atlanta Braves lineup in his next start.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
8 hours agoBoston Red Sox relief pitcher
Aroldis Chapman finally received a save opportunity as the team looked to end their four-game losing streak on Wednesday. The veteran southpaw was called upon to hold a three-run lead against the Baltimore Orioles tough lineup. It didn't go perfect for Chapman as he did walk one batter, but he also struck out one hitter as well. He eventually earned his first save of the season and fantasy managers are hopeful for many more to come. The organization said coming into the season that Chapman would be the primary closer, but they also wouldn't be afraid to use him earlier in the game if needed. That being said, Chapman might not get all the save chances in Boston, but he's still worth rostering in most leagues where saves matter.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 hours agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet showed that he earned every bit of that extension he received during Wednesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. On Monday, Crochet signed a six-year, $170 million deal with Boston. It's already paying off for the Red Sox as Crochet tossed eight scoreless innings against the O's on Wednesday. The southpaw allowed four hits, one walk, and struck out eight batters in a strong outing against a tough lineup. His next outing will come against the Toronto Blue Jays, so we'll see if he can keep the good times rolling next Monday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
8 hours agoBoston Red Sox designated hitter
Rafael Devers has been in a horrible slump to begin the season. He was hitless coming into Wednesday's game. Devers also became the first player in MLB history to strike out at the plate 15 times over the first five games of the season. Devers finally delivered at the plate with a run-scoring double in the fifth inning. He'd finish his day with two hits and an RBI in what ended up being a 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Devers is too talented at the plate to continue being in this slump for too long. Hopefully fantasy managers will get many more two-hit performances from Devers soon.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
9 hours agoMiami Marlins infielder
Xavier Edwards came ready to hit at the plate during Wednesday's game against the New York Mets. Coming into this game, Edwards was 1-for-11 over his last three games, but made up for it on Wednesday. Edwards went 4-for-6 at the plate with one RBI and one steal in what ended up being a 6-5 loss in 11 innings. The speedy infielder hasn't been off to an ideal start to the season, but hopefully this four-hit performance will help him get back on track. Fantasy managers should stick with him as his speed alone should make Edwards worth rostering.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
9 hours agoNew York Mets first baseman
Pete Alonso came up clutch for his team during Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins. Alonso kicked off the game with an RBI double in the first inning. It only got better from there as Alonso blasted a clutch game-tying three-run home run in the eighth inning that would send the game to extra innings. He finished his day 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI in the 6-5 win in 11 innings. The Mets offense hasn't been great to start the season, but Alonso has been solid with two homers and eight RBI in six games.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
10 hours agoThe San Diego Padres rewarded young outfielder
Jackson Merrill with a nine-year, $135 million contract extension on Wednesday morning, and then he proceeded to go 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a run scored and a strikeout in the 5-2 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians at Petco Park. Merrill's second home run of the 2025 campaign came off right-hander
Ben Lively and extended the Padres' lead to 4-0 at the time. The 21-year-old seems to be finding barrels every time he swings the lumber in the early going of just his second MLB season, as he entered Wednesday's contest against Cleveland with eight hits in 20 at-bats with six RBI in six games played. In a strong Padres lineup, Merrill's fantasy arrow is pointing firmly up. He was an All-Star and won a Silver slugger award as a rookie in 2023, when he slashed an impressive .292/.326/.500 with 24 homers, 16 steals and 90 RBI in 593 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoSeattle Mariners right-hander
Luis Castillo was finally able to beat the Detroit Tigers for the first time in his career on Wednesday in the team's 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park while also picking up his first win of the 2025 campaign. The 32-year-old veteran allowed two earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out five in seven innings of work. One of the two runs he allowed on the day came on a solo home run to infielder
Trey Sweeney. Castillo lost his first outing of the year against the division-rival A's last week, but he gave up just two runs while striking out four in five innings. While he displayed a drop in strikeout rate in 2024 and may no longer be a fantasy ace, his first two outings of 2025 remind us that he's still fantasy relevant in all formats. Castillo is lined up to make his third start of the year next week against the Houston Astros.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki had himself a day in the team's 10-2 victory over the hosting Athletics in Sacramento on Wednesday, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, a career-high five RBI, two runs scored, a walk and a strikeout. Suzuki is now tied for the major-league lead in RBI with 11 after entering the day with a league-leading 16 strikeouts in eight games played. The 30-year-old outfielder got off to a slow start in 2025 by going 2-for-21 through his first five contests, but he's since gone deep four times with 11 RBI in his last four games to completely flip the switch in the early going. Although durability has been a bit of an issue early on in Suzuki's MLB career, he's managed 20-plus homers in the last two seasons and also stole a career-high 16 bags in 2024. If he's able to make more contact in 2025, a breakout could be coming.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates right-handed reliever
Dennis Santana was handed the first save chance for the Pirates on Wednesday against the hosting Tampa Bay Rays since they demoted former closer
David Bednar to the minors this week, and Santana capitalized by closing the door to earn his first save of 2025. The 28-year-old didn't allow a hit while walking one in his fourth appearance of the season.
Colin Holderman pitched the eighth frame in the 4-2 victory and allowed a run. While things could change quickly in the back end of Pittsburgh's bullpen, Santana has to be considered the favorite for most of the team's save opportunities moving forward, so fantasy managers scrounging for saves in deeper leagues should take notice. After struggling to begin last year with the Yankees, Santana altered his approach and showed much better control in Pittsburgh.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-handers
Tony Gonsolin (back) and
Evan Phillips (shoulder) are both scheduled to begin minor-league rehab assignments with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday. Gonsolin is scheduled to start on Thursday and pitch around two innings. Gonsolin is recovering from a back injury that he suffered in early March while lifting weights, but both he and Phillips are getting close to rejoining the big-league roster in the month of April. Given L.A.'s stacked starting rotation, though, it's unclear if the 30-year-old Gonsolin will serve as a starter or long reliever for the Blue when he's cleared to be activated. Phillips, 30, didn't pitch at all during spring training due to a right-shoulder injury that had been bothering him since the World Series last October. He led the Dodgers in saves the last two years but has lost considerable fantasy value after the team added
Tanner Scott and
Kirby Yates to the bullpen in the offseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Alex Freedman
11 hours agoToronto Blue Jays outfielder
George Springer went 1-for-3 with a solo home run (his first of the year), a walk and two strikeouts as the designated hitter in Wednesday's 4-2 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals at Rogers Centre. Not many fantasy managers were probably expecting the 35-year-old veteran to start the 2025 season as hot as he has. Through seven games played, Springer is now 9-for-21 with three extra-base hits and a 1.187 OPS. His homer came in the fourth inning off left-hander
MacKenzie Gore. While Springer has shown clear signs of decline in Toronto the last couple of years, he's still a lineup regular for the Jays and is proving that he can still go on useful runs for fantasy managers. While he's hot, keep riding him into a weekend series against the New York Mets.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
11 hours agoBoston Red Sox third baseman
Alex Bregman said he used a torpedo bat in the batting cages and on the field during batting practice on Wednesday before the game in Baltimore against the division-rival Orioles, but he's unsure yet if he'll use it in the game. Bregman is batting third against Orioles right-hander
Zach Eflin. The 31-year-old veteran could be looking to get his bat going early on in his first year in Boston after a number of high-profile MLB players have seen rousing success, especially in the power department, while using torpedo bats so far this season. In his first five contests with the BoSox heading into Wednesday's contest, Bregman has gone 5-for-22 with a stolen base, one walk and five strikeouts in 23 plate appearances. If Bregman does start using the torpedo bat in games, fantasy managers will be hoping it will lead to more power for the two-time All-Star.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
12 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers first baseman
Freddie Freeman (ankle) will miss his third straight game on Wednesday evening at Dodger Stadium against the winless Atlanta Braves. With Freeman out again after aggravating his right-ankle injury during a slip in the shower on Sunday,
Enrique Hernandez will make another start at the cold corner and will hit eighth against Braves right-hander
Bryce Elder. The Dodgers have the day off on Thursday, so the earliest we'll see the 35-year-old Freeman again for the Blue will be for Friday's series opener in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Fantasy managers will want to check back then to see if Freeman is feeling good enough to play. Kike has gone just 2-for-15 in the early going through four games for L.A., but both of his hits have gone over the fence and he's driven in four runs. Hernandez will be a boom/bust DFS power option on Wednesday against a pitcher he's never faced.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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