2 days agoToronto Blue Jays outfielder
Joey Loperfido (hip) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers. The 25-year-old has been out of the lineup since suffering a groin injury during Saturday's contest. It appears the rookie outfielder is ready to go and will cover center field and bat eighth versus left-hander
Cody Bradford on Wednesday. Loperfido doesn't face left-handed pitching very often, but does have decent results in a small sample size. He's not a great DFS option for Wednesday, but fantasy managers in season-long formats can get him back in their lineups.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers third baseman
Max Muncy will out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins. This is a much-needed day off for Muncy who has started in each of the last 10 games. The Dodgers also face a left-hander in
Ryan Weathers, so probably not a bad time to give Muncy a day off. In his place,
Kike Hernandez will cover third base and bat eighth versus Weathers. Hernandez has been quiet at the plate with a .214 batting average in 116 games this season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 days agoHouston Astros outfielder
Kyle Tucker is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres. The Astros have been extremely careful with Tucker since his return from a shin fracture. He has already been absent from the lineup a handful of times since returning a few weeks ago. The good news is that Tucker has moved back to the outfield after being limited to the designated hitter spot when he first returned. In his absence,
Jason Heyward will cover right field and bat seventh versus right-hander
Dylan Cease. Heyward is slashing .235/.278/.441 with six RBI since joining the Astros roster in late-August. He'll be an avoidable streaming option against a elite arm in Cease.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 days agoSan Diego Padres catcher
Kyle Higashioka is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. This appears to be a routine rest day for Higashioka who has played in each of the last four games. In his absence,
Elias Diaz will do the catching and bat eighth versus left-hander
Framber Valdez. Diaz is having a decent season with the bat, but has only one hit in 10 plate appearances with the Padres. He'll be an avoidable streaming option against a tough southpaw on Wednesday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 days agoSan Diego Padres infielder
Luis Arraez (knee) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. Arraez suffered a knee injury during Monday's contest, but he was back in the lineup on Tuesday. Possibly, Arraez suffered a setback or this is a routine rest day against a tough left-handed pitcher. It's worth noting that Arraez had started in each of the last 15 games prior to Wednesday's contest.
Jake Cronenworth will cover second base and bat seventh versus lefty
Framber Valdez. Cronenworth is hitting under .200 against left-handers this season, so he can be avoided as a streaming option on Wednesday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
2 days agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher
Yennier Cano (forearm) battled right forearm tightness but was available to pitch last night. The 30-year-old has not pitched since September 11, and this minor injury could have been the primary reason. However, fantasy managers should expect the elite reliever to make his next appearance sometime this week. The right-hander has once again operated as the primary set-up man in Baltimore this summer and has held a strong 2.78 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. Under the hood, he boasts a 5.5% barrel rate and a 65.1% ground-ball rate, which are among the best marks in the sport. Fantasy managers in holds leagues should slot Cano back in their lineup down the stretch, as Cano should return to his eighth-inning role very soon.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Matt Weyrich
2 days agoNew York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (back) remains out of the starting nine for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. DiComo noted that manager
Carlos Mendoza expressed that the starting infielder remains "day-to-day." The 30-year-old has been battling a lingering back injury that has kept him out of the lineup for the past three games. As a result, top prospect
Luisangel Acuna has served as the temporary shortstop in Queens and has performed quite well, holding a .455/.455/.818 line with a double and a home run across four games. Acuna will get another start later Wednesday evening and will bat in the nine-hole against Nationals southpaw
DJ Herz. Acuna is worth a look as a temporary middle infield replacement down the stretch in all leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo
2 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Clayton Kershaw (toe) was seen throwing off a mound on Wednesday, according to David Vassegh of SportsNet LA. The 36-year-old has been sidelined since late August due to a bone spur in his toe and is already starting to make significant progress in his recovery. The team has expressed that they do not expect the three-time Cy Young winner to return in the regular season but hope he will be available in October. Kershaw underwent offseason elbow surgery and missed a majority of the 2024 season before returning in late July. Through 30 innings this season, he has held a 4.50 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Kershaw would bring a much-needed boost to a decimated Dodger rotation in the playoffs.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: David Vassegh
2 days agoCincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Brandon Williamson (elbow) suffered a full UCL tear and will need Tommy John surgery, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Williamson has battled injuries all summer and just made his 2024 debut earlier in September. Through this small stint, the 26-year-old held a 3.77 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP across 14 1/3 innings of work. The TCU product made his MLB debut last season and posted a 4.46 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP across 117 frames. The former second-round selection should be expected to miss the entire 2025 campaign and will now set his sights on returning in the 2026 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Sheldon
2 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher
Lance Lynn (knee) was placed on the 15-day IL earlier on Wednesday due to right knee inflation and will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2024 season. In a corresponding move, the Cardinals promoted their No.10 ranked prospect,
Michael McGreevy, from Triple-A Memphis. Through his first season in St. Louis, the 37-year-old held a 3.84 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP with a 44:109 BB:K ratio. After struggling through the first half of the summer with a 4.96 ERA, Lynn settled down in the second half with a much-improved 1.29 ERA. McGreevy made one appearance in the big leagues earlier this summer, back in July, where he tossed seven innings of one-run ball. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to how McGreevy performs over the final week of the season as he could contend for a spot in the rotation next spring.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Cardinals
2 days agoMilwaukee Brewers pitcher
Colin Rea was deployed in a long-relief role on Monday and could be shifting to a permanent role in the bullpen, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. In addition, McCalvy noted that Rea does not appear among the probable starting pitchers in their weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since the start of August, Rea has held a 6.05 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 4:33 BB:K ratio across 38 2/3 innings of work as a starter. Under the hood, the 34-year-old holds a 9.2% barrel rate and a 41.8% hard-hit rate, which place him in the bottom 21st and 23rd percentile among qualified pitchers, respectively. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Milwaukee rotation this weekend, as it could suggest who will be deployed as a starter in October.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Adam McCalvy
2 days agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher
Jorge Lopez (groin) was activated from the injured list on Wednesday, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. The 31-year-old has been sidelined since the beginning of September and should return to a high-leverage role in the Cubs bullpen. Before the injury, Lopez carried a strong 2.42 ERA and 1.21 WHIP since the beginning of July and tallied two saves in August. However, while he was sidelined,
Porter Hodge emerged as the ninth-inning option in the Northside and has tallied four saves since August 20. Fantasy managers looking to bolster their save count should look to add Lopez this weekend, as he could be in the mix for ninth-inning duties across the final week of the regular season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Maddie Lee
2 days agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher
Craig Kimbrel has been designated for assignment, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Kimbrel has carried a rough 13.94 ERA, 2.23 WHIP, and a 9:12 BB:K ratio since August 11 and has taken two losses during this period. In addition, he has not recorded a save since July 7 after tallying 23 through most of the first half. While he has still been able to generate strikeouts at an elite 31.5% rate, he has given up hard contact at a very high rate, with a 10.6% barrel rate and a 43.1% hard-hit rate. 29-year-old
Seranthony Dominguez has established himself as the go-to option in the ninth inning in Baltimore, as he has tallied nine saves across his past 12 1/3 frames of work. Kimbrel will now be a free agent and could eventually find a new home on a team looking to add a veteran piece to their bullpen.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
2 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect
Michael McGreevy is set to join the major league roster this afternoon, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. McGreevy got a brief taste of the major leagues earlier this summer as he allowed just one run across seven innings. At Triple-A this season, the No.10 ranked prospect in the St. Louis system has held a 4.02 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP through 150 innings of work. Woo further reported that the prospect is expected to be deployed in a long relief role for now but could eventually find his way into the starting rotation over the final week of the season. McGreevy could be a favorable streaming candidate if he were to make a start next week.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Katie Woo
2 days agoNew York Mets rookie starting pitcher
Christian Scott (elbow) is set to undergo a hybrid operation that combines a traditional Tommy John ligament replacement with an internal-brace procedure, according to Nate Heisler of the MLBAPA. The 25-year-old was placed on the 15-day IL back in July due to a UCL sprain and was not ruled out of returning later this summer. Unfortunately, the Florida product will now be sidelined for an extended period, and potentially all of the 2025 season, depending on the recovery timeline. Scott opened the season at Triple-A and held a strong 2.76 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 12:55 BB:K ratio across 42 innings of work before moving up to the majors. In the big leagues, Scott struggled with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. The right-hander remains one of the better young arms in the Mets system and should continue to be stashed in all dynasty formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Nate Heisler
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