11 hours agoNew York Mets third baseman
Mark Vientos got the scoring going for the Mets in Friday's 6-4 win over the Reds with a two-run home run in the first inning, then finished it off with a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate, giving him four multi-hit games in his last five and eight of his last 13. The former second-round draft pick has gone into full breakout mode in 2024 since he arrived for good in May, slashing .289/.342/.563 with 20 doubles, 24 home runs, and 62 RBI in just 91 games. Despite being a zero in the stolen base department, he's greatly increased his fantasy stock for 2025.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
12 hours agoHouston Astros outfielder
Yordan Alvarez blasted a pair of three-run home runs in a 2-for-4 effort during Friday's 8-0 win over the Diamondbacks, giving him six RBI on the day. The 27-year-old is up to 32 home runs on the season and has driven in 79, along with 89 runs scored, and six stolen bases. It was the 3x All-Star's third multi-homer game in his last nine games and he's coming off a month in which he recorded a .382/.481/.697 slashline. Alvarez is hitting .310 now on the season with a .406 wOBA and 170 wRC+, making him one of the top options for fantasy again in 2024.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
12 hours agoSan Diego Padres third baseman
Manny Machado went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs in Friday's 5-1 win over the Giants, tying the franchise record for most home runs with 163 for San Diego in his career. The home runs represented numbers 24 and 25 this year, and he also collected three RBI in the contest, scored twice, and stole a base. The 32-year-old has been hitting well lately, going 20-for-59 (.339) over the last two weeks (14 games) with five home runs and has now put together a .274-25-89-69-9 line with a .338 wOBA and 121 wRC+ for the season. Fantasy managers will hope he remains hot heading into the fantasy baseball playoffs.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
19
hours
agoUpdating
a
previous
report,
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
manager
Dave
Roberts
said
that
outfielder
Teoscar
Hernandez
(foot)
is
"not
doing
great"
after
leaving
Friday
night's
game
at
Dodger
Stadium
against
the
Cleveland
Guardians
when
he
was
hit
on
the
left
foot
by
a
pitch.
X-rays
read more...
20
hours
agoSan
Diego
Padres
rookie
outfielder
Jackson
Merrill
(knee)
fouled
a
ball
off
his
leg
(just
above
his
knee)
in
Friday
night's
win
over
the
division-rival
San
Francisco
Giants
at
Petco
Park
and
was
replaced
in
center
field
by
Tylerread more...
20 hours agoBoston Red Sox right-handed closer
Kenley Jansen (lat) said after Friday night's 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park that he's dealing with a lat issue. Jansen last pitched on Wednesday, when he allowed four earned runs on one hit while walking three and striking out one in one-third of an inning versus the New York Mets. The veteran closer was apparently unavailable on Friday night, which is why
Josh Winckowski entered with a two-run lead in the ninth to pitch a clean inning to earn the first save of his career. The 36-year-old Jansen said he won't pitch again until he's past the lat issue, but it's anyone's guess when that might be, and he could very well require a trip to the injured list. It's unclear how Boston might approach the ninth inning if Jansen misses extended time, but Winckowski and
Chris Martin could be the top options for fantasy managers still scrounging for saves.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Julian McWilliams
20 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals third baseman
Nolan Arenado (shoulder) left Friday's game early with left-shoulder soreness in an eventual 6-1 loss at Busch Stadium to the visiting Seattle Mariners. Arenado went 1-for-3 with a strikeout in the contest before being replaced by pinch-hitter
Matt Carpenter in the ninth inning. Until we know more on the severity of Arenado's shoulder injury, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back to see if he's able to play on Saturday. However, it would be wise to expect the 33-year-old to miss at least one game. If Arenado requires a stint on the injured list, there's a chance we may not see him for the rest of the 2024 season, while
Jose Fermin would be the favorite to pick up regular starts at third. Arenado, an eight-time All-Star, has had a down year in his fourth season in St. Louis with just 15 home runs and 64 RBI in 134 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Derrick Goold
22 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez (ankle) was forced from Friday night's contest early at Dodger Stadium in the first inning against the visiting Cleveland Guardians when he was hit by a pitch on his left ankle. Hernandez appeared to be in a lot of pain and limped to first base before being replaced by pinch-runner
Chris Taylor, who also replaced Hernandez in left field. The Dodgers announced that Hernandez left with a left-foot contusion, which implies that it's not a serious injury, although he's likely to undergo further testing. For now, fantasy managers should consider the 31-year-old to be day-to-day, but check back for further updates. Hernandez entered Friday's game with 28 homers, 87 RBI, 10 steals and a .266/.330/.488 slash line with an .818 OPS, so the Dodgers can ill-afford to lose him for any stretch of time as the playoffs near.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Juan Toribio
22 hours agoBaltimore Orioles running back
Ramon Urias (ankle) is progressing with his sprained right ankle but has yet to resume baseball activities. However, Urias is confident that he can play before the regular season ends at the end of September. The 30-year-old veteran infielder suffered a sprained ankle on Aug. 31 and landed on the 10-day injured list. With
Jordan Westburg (hand) still also on the IL, the Orioles have been forced to mix and match at the hot corner with rookie
Coby Mayo,
Emmanuel Rivera and
Nick Maton. Mayo has the most upside of the trio as one of the team's top prospects, but he's struggled in his first 23 big-league at-bats with just two hits, three runs scored, three walks and 13 strikeouts in nine games played entering Friday. Depending on when Westburg returns, Urias could become the top option at the hot corner if he returns before the postseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: BaltimoreBaseball.com - Rich Dubroff
22 hours agoAtlanta Braves switch-hitting second baseman
Ozzie Albies (wrist) isn't feeling great while swinging from the left side right now, according to manager Brian Snitker. However, Albies is doing well swinging from the right side as he recovers from a fractured left wrist. It remains to be seen if the Braves will be comfortable bringing the 27-year-old back to the big-league roster in the middle of September as they try to hang onto the final wild-card spot in the National League. Albies last played for the Braves on July 21 and could struggle at the plate when he returns to the majors, especially if he's unavailable to hit from the left side. Utility man
Whit Merrifield (foot) has seen more action at the keystone in Atlanta of late with Albies still out, but he fouled a ball off his foot on Friday and could miss some time.
Luke Williams figures to be the next man up.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Justin Toscano
22 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals veteran right-hander
Lance Lynn (knee) will come off the 15-day injured list to start for the Cardinals next Wednesday at Busch Stadium against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. Lynn will return to the big leagues for the final couple weeks of the 2024 regular season and will be in play as a deep-league streamer with limited upside for several start to finish out September. He was able to get up to 80 pitches in a minor-league rehab start last Sunday in which he allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. Lynn should be limited from a pitch-count perspective, but he just doesn't offer much upside at all at this point of his career and hasn't pitched for St. Louis since the end of July. On the flip side, Lynn has been great in his two starts against Cincy in 2024, allowing only three runs (one earned) on seven hits while walking four and striking out 11 in 12 innings pitched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Katie Woo
22 hours agoAtlanta Braves infielder/outfielder
Whit Merrifield (foot) was pulled from Friday's contest early at Truist Park against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays after fouling a ball off his left foot. Before being replaced at second base by
Luke Williams, Merrifield was hitless in his two at-bats with a walk in the eventual 3-1 win. The 35-year-old veteran was returning on Friday for the first time after missing the team's previous two contests after being hit in the head by a pitch earlier this week. Merrifield has dealt with some unlucky injuries in his short tenure with the Braves, and it's unclear how serious his latest foot ailment is. Consider him day-to-day for now. He's been slightly better since joining the Braves recently but is really only relevant in very deep-mixed and NL-only leagues for his speed. In 265 total at-bats in 2024 with Atlanta and Philly, Merrifield has slashed a weak .219/.312/.317 with four home runs, 14 RBI and 16 steals.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Justin Toscano
22 hours agoLos Angeles Angels outfielder
Jo Adell (oblique) left Friday night's contest early at Globe Life Field against the division-rival Texas Rangers with left-oblique irritation, according to the team. Before being replaced in right field by
Kevin Pillar, Adell was hitless in his only at-bat of the contest with a strikeout in the second inning. The fact that the 25-year-old right-handed slugger was pulled immediately doesn't bode well for Adell's chances of returning in short order. And given where we are at in the season with only a few weeks left for the out-of-contention Angels, Adell could very well be shut down for the rest of the 2024 season. The former 10th overall pick in 2017 delivered his first 20-homer season this year while also adding 62 RBI and 15 stolen bases, but he's hitting just over .208 with a .281 and below-average .684 OPS.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Bally Sports West - Erica Weston
22 hours agoNew York Mets infielder/outfielder
Jeff McNeil (wrist) left Friday's contest early against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field early due to a right-wrist contusion after he was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning. McNeil will undergo testing on Saturday, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect the former National League batting champion to play on Saturday. The left-handed hitter was 0-for-1 in the eventual extra-innings win over Cincy before being replaced by pinch-hitter
Harrison Bader. Veteran
Jose Iglesias eventually filled in at second base. The 32-year-old two-time All-Star was never a power hitter and this year has been a drain on fantasy managers' batting average as well despite hitting a league-high .326 in 2022. McNeil came into Friday hitting just .239 with 12 homers and 44 RBI in 128 games. If he's forced to miss additional time, Iglesias will probably pick up more starts at second base.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Mike Puma
23 hours agoColorado Rockies first baseman
Michael Toglia crushed his 23rd home run of the season and added a late game double in the Rockies 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Toglia's three-run shot off
Frankie Montas ended up being a game winner for the Rockies. Toglia's OPS improved to .793 as he continues to be a low average, high power type of hitter for the Rockies. The switch-hitter has taken advantage of consistent playing time thanks to multiple injury stints from
Kris Bryant and the Rockies' demotion of
Elehuris Montero, clearing the way for Toglia to be the everyday first baseman for Colorado. Fantasy managers who need help at first base should snag up Toglia as soon as possible as his .362 xwOBA ranks in the 89th percentile, making him a must own. He'll look to continue crushing balls on Saturday when the Rockies face off against Brewers scheduled starter
Tobias Myers.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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