22 hours agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan Mountcastle hit his first home run of the season on Sunday afternoon in Baltimore. His solo shot in the second inning gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead at the time, but the O's ultimately lost 7-6 in extra innings to split the rain-shortened two-game series with the Blue Jays. Mountcastle finished the day 2-for-4 and is hitting .271 in his first 15 games, matching his batting average from last season. This was his first home run of the season, and he now has four RBI to go with eight runs scored and a .300 wOBA. His barrel rate and hard-hit rate are up this year, per Statcast, and that could result in positive regression as the season continues if he keeps hitting the ball so well. Next up for Mountcastle and the Orioles is a three-game home series against the Guardians, which begins Tuesday after a scheduled off-day Monday.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
22 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers catcher
William Contreras connected on a two-run home run in the first inning off of Diamondbacks right-hander
Zac Gallen, but the Brew Crew dropped the series finale in Arizona by a score of 5-2. Contreras went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the defeat and is now hitting .222 (12-for-54) with a pair of doubles, three home runs, and a .329 wOBA through his first 15 games. The 27-year-old catcher is one of the most reliable bats at the position, although his hard-hit rate and barrel rate have dipped in the early part of the season. Hopefully, Sunday's home run is the start of a turnaround in that trend. After a 3-3 road trip last week, Contreras and the Brewers are back home to start this week with a three-game series against the Tigers that begins on Monday night in Milwaukee.
--Zach Thompson - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
23 hours agoWhen Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin started on the second row in Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol, most people expected one or the other to dominate and overtake front-row starters Alex Bowman and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. It turned out to be Larson, who led over 400 laps for the second consecutive Bristol race, but Hamlin ran in the top five for the entire race (except for pit stop exchanges) and eventually finished second. He never had anything for Larson but was also never really challenged for second in the second half of the race after Bowman's engine failure. Although he failed to win his third race in a row, he gained 19 points on William Byron in the championship and now trails him by a mere 30 points.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
23 hours agoDespite blowing his qualifying lap after expecting to win the pole, William Byron recovered from 26th to finish sixth at Bristol, which would've been called a good points day in the Latford points system era. It doesn't matter as much in today's playoff points system where wins and stage wins are vastly more important, but making the most out of bad situations will help him in his quest to win the regular season championship and max out the regular season playoff points. Since Byron tends to have a history of being hot in the first third of the season before fading in the second third, having a strong cushion now will likely help him in the summer races at tracks where he doesn't tend to run as well.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
23 hours agoIn a virtual repeat of last year's Bristol Night Race, Alex Bowman won the pole for Sunday's race at Bristol before Kyle Larson passed him early in Stage 1 and led the rest of the race, with the exception of pit-stop exchanges. The difference is Bowman had an engine failure in Sunday's race. However, Bowman's race was still very strong, as he ran in the top five for nearly the entirety of the first 285 laps and was running third when his engine went sour. He tried to nurse it home but eventually retired from the race after 343 laps. Although Bowman has now had a pretty unlucky season, he still sits 46 points above the playoff cut line and he's shown more speed this year than he has at any point since his injury at Texas in 2022. He's already passed his laps-led total from each of the past two years.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
23 hours agoAlthough A.J. Allmendinger famously won an Xfinity race at Bristol in 2021 while crashing across the finish line with Austin Cindric, his Cup Series performances there had never been too strong until Sunday. Allmendinger quietly earned a ninth-place finish at a track where he had only ever earned two top-10s in his previous 25 starts. Although he started eighth, he fell out of the top 10 early in Stage 1 and ran just outside the top 10 for most of the event (with the exception of earning one stage point in Stage 1). He didn't finally break into the top 10 until Lap 432, but he remained there for the rest of the race and was one of only two drivers along with Ross Chastain to finish on the lead lap without driving for a top-tier team. The finish moves him into unexpected playoff contention, as he sits a mere two points behind Kyle Busch for the final transfer spot.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
1 day agoMarlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers saw the ball well this weekend. In Miami's three-game series against Washington, Stowers went 7-for-13 with four runs scored and six RBI. Three of those runs came in Sunday's 11-4 win over the Nationals. Stowers also had three hits and two RBI in the game. Stowers is off to a surprisingly good start in 2025. Through 14 games played, he is hitting .314 with one home run, 10 RBI, eight runs, and a stolen base. Stowers is a recent adopter of the torpedo bat, making the change during last week's series in Atlanta. Stowers has recorded a hit in all but one game since. After a day off on Monday, the Marlins will host the Diamondbacks for three games.
--Dan Stephens - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Pete Crow-Armstrong went off on Sunday night in the Cubs' game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 23-year-old hit two home runs in the game and a triple, tallying 11 total bases in Chicago's 4-2 win. PCA's first dinger came on the second pitch he saw from
Tyler Glasnow when he led off the third inning. The second was served up by reliever
Blake Treinen in the seventh inning and gave the Cubs the lead. PCA is hitting just .229 so far, but he is an everyday fixture in the Cubs' lineup thanks to his elite defensive skills in center field. On the season, he has 13 runs scored and is near the top of the leaderboard in stolen bases with six. The Cubs next face the Padres in San Diego, followed by a home set against the Diamondbacks.
--Dan Stephens - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoMariners catcher
Cal Raleigh hit a two-run home run in his first at-bat on Sunday, propelling Seattle to a 3-1 victory over Texas. It was Raleigh's third consecutive game with a home run, all during the Mariners' weekend set against the Rangers. In the series, Raleigh went 4-for-10, three home runs, five runs scored, and five RBI. The 28-year-old backstop is living up to his reputation as a power-first, contact-second hitter. Raleigh's five home runs so far lead all catchers in the category (he is tied with
Logan O'Hoppe), but he is hitting just .220. Fantasy managers taking on Raleigh will be grateful for the power he provides so long as they have the complementary pieces to offset the damage he can do to a team's batting average. The Mariners kick off a three-game series against the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday.
--Dan Stephens - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoMariners ace
Logan Gilbert hung around for five innings on Sunday, striking out seven Rangers on his way to his first win of the season. Rangers outfielder
Dustin Harris tagged Gilbert for a home run in the second inning, Gilbert's third longball allowed in 2025, but that was the only run he gave up on Sunday. He also gave up just two other hits. Gilbert has thrown fewer than six innings in three of his four starts this year, but thanks to a league-leading 38.5% K%, he ranks second in strikeouts with 32. Through four starts, Gilbert has a 1-1 record, 32 K, 2.38 ERA, and 0.66 WHIP. The 27-year-old is expected to next take the mound against the Blue Jays in Toronto on April 19.
--Dan Stephens - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoPhillies ace
Zack Wheeler had another down day on Sunday and ultimately was handed his first loss of the season. Wheeler went six full innings against the Cardinals, allowing seven hits, one walk, and four earned runs in the 89-pitch outing. He recorded just three strikeouts, his lowest game total of the season and his fewest since recording a pair in a four-inning outing on May 12 of last season. Wheeler allowed 11 baserunners and five earned runs in his previous start, against the Braves. Through four starts in the young season, Wheeler is 1-1 with 28 strikeouts, a 4.07 ERA, and 1.07 WHIP. Wheeler should be able to right the ship in his next start. He is slated to face the Marlins at home on April 18.
--Dan Stephens - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoRoyals catcher
Salvador Perez hit his second home run of the year on Sunday, contributing to Kansas City's eventual 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Perez came to the plate in the fourth inning with
Vinnie Pasquantino already on first and tagged a hanging breaker from pitcher
Ben Lively for the Royals' first runs of the game. It wound up as Perez's only hit of the game. Perez went 3-for-11 with today's home run and three total RBI in the series against Cleveland. Perez was drafted as a top-five catcher, but so far he has turned in a .213 batting average and nine RBI. It is too early in the season for fantasy managers to turn their backs on one of MLB's most productive backstops. Up next for Perez is a three-game set against the Yankees, followed by four games against the Tigers.
--Dan Stephens - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher
Ryan Pressly picked up his fourth save of the season on Sunday, slamming the door on the Dodgers in a 4-2 win. He pitched a scoreless ninth with one strikeout and no hits or walks. It was his first save since April 4th, which was the last time the Cubs found themselves in a save situation. After giving up runs in each of his first two appearances of the year, Pressly has managed to avoid any earned runs in his five games since. He holds a 3.38 ERA on the season and looks locked in as the Cubs full-time closer.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Hayden Wesneski shined on Sunday, punching out 10 in a 7-3 win over the Angels. He allowed three runs on five hits and no walks in six innings. His sweeper was his most effective pitch in the outing, inducing seven whiffs on 13 swings. This was his third straight good start to begin the year, as he's yet to give up more than three runs in a start. He has looked like a new pitcher since joining the Astros and is a solid option off of the waiver wire.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoHouston Astros third baseman
Isaac Paredes homered for the third game in a row on Sunday, blasting a three-run shot in a 7-3 win over the Angels. He's now collected at least one hit in seven of his last eight games, with three being multi-hit performances. After a very slow start to the year, he's raised his slash line to .276/.382/.448. All three of his home runs have been pulled into the Crawford Boxes in left, and he's starting to show signs of the breakout that many were expecting.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoBoston Red Sox shortstop
Trevor Story carried the offense on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and three RBI in a 3-1 win over the White Sox. It was his third home run of the season, and he's now slashing .308/.328/.477 on the year. He's also shown great success on the base paths, collecting six steals thus far. He's struggled to stay healthy over the past few years, but he clearly still has that 20-20 upside that made him an elite shortstop for all those years in Colorado. He's worth an add in fantasy leagues as a solid middle infield option.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Michael King blanked the Rockies on Sunday, pitching nine scoreless innings while striking out eight. It was the first complete game shutout of his career, and it looks like he is settling into 2025 as an ace-caliber pitcher after breaking out last season. Through four starts on the year, he has a 2.42 ERA with 24 strikeouts through 22 ⅓ innings. He'll be looking to top the 200 strikeout mark for the second year in a row, and is currently lined up to make his next start against the Astros later this week.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoPhiladelphia 76ers guard
Jared McCain (knee) is progressing toward a return to the court, recently stating he's been doing "a little jumping" without pain. The 2024 No. 16 overall pick had a fantastic inaugural year, averaging 23.8 points and 4.3 assists in eight starts. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in December, resulting in surgery. Without question, McCain has untapped potential. However, if
Joel Embiid (knee),
Tyrese Maxey (finger), and
Paul George (adductor, knee) are healthy, McCain could have a tough time holding a consistent role in the rotation.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1
day
agoPhiladelphia
76ers
guard/forward
Quentin
Grimes
will
be
a
restricted
free
agent
this
offseason.
However,
it
appears
he
wants
to
stay
in
Philly.
"I'm
very
comfortable
here,"
said
Maxey
while
speaking
after
Sunday's
122-102
loss
to
the
Chicago
Bulls.
"I
could
definitely
see
myself
read more...
1 day agoPhiladelphia 76ers guard
Tyrese Maxey (finger) is "progressing well." However, the 24-year-old indicated he'll need "about another month" before resuming basketball drills. He had a quality 2024-25 campaign, averaging a career-high 26.3 points with 6.1 assists. His three-point shooting took a dip. Yet, Maxey made up for it by increasing his contributions on the defensive end by amassing nearly two steals per contest. Unfortunately, he was limited to 52 games, mostly due to a finger injury that prematurely ended his season in March. Without question, Maxey is one of the best players in the NBA. But it remains to be seen if he can stay as productive and involved offensively if
Joel Embiid (knee) and
Paul George (adductor, knee) can collectively remain on the floor.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Derek Bodney
1 day agoToronto Blue Jays relief pitcher
Jeff Hoffman entered the game in a 6-6 tie in the ninth inning. He worked a scoreless ninth inning and earned himself another trip out to the mound in the bottom of the 10th. Hoffman had little issues in this one as he stranded the ghost runner and earned himself the victory. The Baltimore Orioles only managed one hit off Hoffman as he struck out four batters over his two innings of work. Hoffman is looking legit early in the season and clearly isn't afraid of pitching multiple innings. The right-hander is a must-have fantasy option going forward.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoSan Francisco Giants relief pitcher
Ryan Walker was called upon to hold a one-run lead against the New York Yankees on Sunday. It wasn't easy as Walker threw 18 pitches to earn his fourth save of the season. He didn't allow any baserunners and stuck out one batter as well. It appears the Giants have a lockdown closer on their hands. When healthy, Walker is one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball. The Giants have been playing winning baseball which has given Walker plenty of save chances. That being said, Walker needs to be rostered in basically all fantasy formats right now.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoMinnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton decided to bring his power swing with him for this series against the Detroit Tigers. On Sunday, Buxton started off the scoring with a solo home run off right-hander
Casey Mize in the first inning. He would later double in the sixth inning as the Twins would eventually get the 5-1 victory. He finished his day 2-for-4 with a homer, double, and two runs scored. Buxton doesn't have a pretty slash line, but he finished with two homers and three RBI during this weekend series with the Tigers. Fantasy managers who have Buxton rostered might want to stick with him a little longer.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoKansas City Royals relief pitcher
Carlos Estevez was asked to hold a two-run lead in the final frame against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. Estevez gave up a hit, but didn't have any problems after that as he recorded three strikeouts and notched his fifth save of the season. The right-hander has done a nice job lately and has locked himself in as the primary closer in Kansas City. He already has five saves, so it looks like he's going to be busy at the back-end of the bullpen. Estevez should be rostered in most fantasy formats where saves matter.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoCincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Hunter Greene has been nearly perfect on the mound over his last few starts. On Sunday, Greene made easy work of the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup. He gave up a double and a walk in the first inning, but escaped without any damage. After that, Greene gave up a hit in the second inning and then retired the next 17 batters he faced. He finished his day with eight strikeouts while allowing two hits over seven innings of work. Greene has now thrown 18.2 innings without allowing a run. He'll take his 0.98 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, with 31 strikeouts into his next start against the Baltimore Orioles. Green is on an elite run right now and needs to be rostered and started in all fantasy formats.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder
Jung Hoo Lee showed off his power ability during Sunday's game against the New York Yankees. He smacked a 406-foot homer off left-hander
Carlos Rodon in the fourth inning. Lee wasn't done, though, as he crushed another home run off Rodon in the sixth inning. He finished his day 2-for-4 with two homers and four RBI in the win over the Yankees. Lee now has three homers, 11 RBI, and three steals through April. He figures to remain in the middle of the order all season long. Fantasy managers in need of some help should consider adding Lee to their roster.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoKansas City Royals starting pitcher
Cole Ragans had his swing-and-miss stuff going during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. The left-hander was electric as he struck out 10 batters while allowing one run on four hits over 7 2/3 innings in the win. Ragans has now posted three straight outings with 10 strikeouts or more. He gave up three runs in his season opener, but has allowed one run in each of his last three starts. He's a must-start fantasy option as he takes a 2.28 ERA into his next start versus the Detroit Tigers.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
1 day agoEdmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed) won't play in Sunday's contest against the Winnipeg Jets and could be done for the rest of the season, including the playoffs. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman has reported that the Oilers are preparing for the possibility that Ekholm will not return this year. Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said that Ekholm is seeking to get a second opinion on his injury. "Right now, it doesn't look like Mattias will be joining us immediately," Knoblauch said. Ekholm has had several stints on the sidelines during the second half of the season. He has finished the regular-season campaign with 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists), 143 shots, and 95 blocks in 65 games. Cam Dineen, who was recalled from the AHL on Saturday, is likely to take over Ekholm's spot in the lineup on Sunday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet
1 day agoEdmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (undisclosed) will not play on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. The 32-year-old was injured in Friday's win over the San Jose Sharks and will miss at least one game. Hyman joins Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (illness) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) on the sidelines, which opens up another top-six spot in the Oilers attack. Adam Henrique is set to continue as the second-line center, while veteran Corey Perry, who scored a power-play goal in Friday's contest, may experience additional usage.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Daniel Nugent-Bowman
1 day agoWashington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (illness) will return to action on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has missed two games due to illness and was initially regarded as a game-time decision. Chychrun may see increased usage on Sunday with John Carlson (rest) out of the lineup. The 27-year-old has enjoyed an impressive first year in Washington, registering a career-high 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists) in 72 games with a plus-19 rating. Alexander Alexeyev will make way for Chychrun in the lineup.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sammi Silber
RADIO
