1 day 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
1 day 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
1 day agoWith the Atlanta Braves looking to shake things up on Wednesday against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium after starting the year 0-6, second baseman
Ozzie Albies will move up to the leadoff spot to face left-hander
Blake Snell. It will be Albies' first time batting leadoff in the early going for the struggling Braves, but he could occupy the spot more often moving forward with outfielder
Jurickson Profar suspended 80 games for PEDs. Like most of the rest of the Braves hitters so far in 2025, the switch-hitting Albies has been cold at the plate early on, as the three-time All-Star heads into Wednesday's contest with a .136 average (3-for-22) with a homer, three RBI, two walks and three strikeouts in 24 trips to the plate over six games. Albies has hit .143 in his career against Snell in a small sample size of seven at-bats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Freddy Peralta certainly pitched well enough to get a win on Wednesday against the visiting Kansas City Royals at American Family Field, but instead he picked up a no-decision in a 3-2 extra-innings win despite allowed just one earned run on two hits while walking none and striking out eight in eight innings of work. The 28-year-old Dominican allowed his only run in the second inning and then retired the last 19 batters that he faced in his second outing of 2025. Peralta's eight innings pitched tied a career high, and he's looked excellent in the early going in 2025, as he now sports a 2.08 ERA with 16 strikeouts and only one walk in 13 innings pitched. He's essentially a must-start in fantasy lineups when he takes the ball, but he could be more volatile in his next scheduled outing in Colorado against the Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio had a nice day on Wednesday in the team's 3-2 extra-inning win over the visiting Kansas City Royals at American Family Field. Chourio finished the team's second win of the year by going 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a double, two RBI, a run scored and a strikeout to raise his early-season average to .286 and his OPS to .786. The 21-year-old outfielder put the Brewers on the board early with a solo shot off lefty starter
Cole Ragans in the first inning, and he also tied the game up in the bottom of the 10th frame with his double. Fantasy managers might have been a little worried after Chourio went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts on Opening Day last Thursday against the New York Yankees, but he has quickly turned things around in the early going and now has four extra-base hits and four RBI in six games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoAtlanta Braves outfielder
Michael Harris II is retreating to the bench on Wednesday versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium with a left-hander on the mound.
Eli White will make the start in center field and will bat ninth for the Braves against southpaw
Blake Snell. It will be Harris' first day off of the season after starting the first six games (all losses) and going just 3-for-23 with one home run, an RBI, a run scored, no walks and eight strikeouts. The 24-year-old could be pressing at the plate early on given the team's rough start to the year, but hopefully he can pick things up this weekend against the division-rival Miami Marlins in Atlanta after another day off on Thursday. White is hitless in just one career at-bat against Snell and should be avoided in DFS lineups in the series finale against Snell and the undefeated Dodgers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoBaltimore Orioles shortstop
Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) will play on Wednesday for Triple-A Norfolk and is expected to see seven to nine innings on defense, and then the Orioles will make a decision on whether to activate him from the 10-day injured list for Thursday or wait a day. The O's play a day game on Thursday versus the division-rival Boston Red Sox, which complicates things a bit for travel purposes, so the 23-year-old might not make his 2025 debut until Friday at Camden Yards. Henderson has gone 5-for-16 with two home runs in four minor-league rehab games as he recovers from a right intercostal strain that he suffered in spring training. It sounds like he's doing just fine, and manager Brandon Hyde has already said that Henderson will immediately return to playing every day as the team's leadoff hitter after he's activated. Fantasy managers are hoping he can pick up where he left off last year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
1 day agoPittsburgh Pirates right-hander
Paul Skenes picked up his first win of the 2025 season on Wednesday in a 4-2 victory of the hosting Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Skenes went seven innings in the outing, allowing just one unearned run on three hits while walking none and striking out six. While it wasn't the dominant outing we're already used to seeing from last year's National League Rookie of the Year, his fantasy managers won't complain about it at all. After picking up a no-decision last Thursday on Opening Day versus the Miami Marlins -- he allowed two runs while striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings -- the hard-throwing 22-year-old phenom now has a strong 1.46 ERA as he heads into his third outing of the year, which is expected to come next Tuesday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. Skenes is a must-start every time out in fantasy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoAlthough he only went five innings and picked up a no-decision in Wednesday's 3-2 extra-innings loss to the hosting Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field, Kansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans had a strong day on the bump for his fantasy managers. Ragans allowed only one earned run on five hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10. The only run he gave up came in the first inning on a solo shot by Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio. The former first-rounder hasn't been all that efficient in his first two starts of the 2025 season and has gone just 10 total innings, but he's generating plenty of swings and misses and now has 13 strikeouts. The 27-year-old southpaw should be considered a must-start in his next scheduled outing at Kauffman Stadium against the division-rival Minnesota Twins.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoArizona Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman
Ketel Marte agreed to a six-year, $116 million contract extension on Wednesday, sources tell ESPN's Jesse Rogers. Marte was already under contract through the 2028 season, but his new extension will start this season, and it includes a player option in 2031 for $11.5 million. With escalators, the deal could be worth up to $149.5 million. Marte also receives a five-team no-trade clause. He will be a 10/5 player in 2026 and can veto any trade at that point. The 31-year-old Dominican switch-hitter is one of the best second baseman in the game, both on offense and defense, and is coming off a career year in 2024 in which he slashed .292/.372/.560 with a .932 OPS and career-highs in home runs (36) and RBI (95) in 136 games played. Marte heads into Wednesday's game in New York with six hits in his first 26 plate appearances in 2025 with two doubles in five games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
1 day agoSt. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera had himself a day in Wednesday's 12-5 win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels at Busch Stadium to avoid a three-game sweep. Herrera went 3-for-4 with three home runs, six RBI, three runs scored, a walk and a strikeout to become the first Cardinals catcher in franchise history to hit three homers in a game. The 24-year-old backstop will split playing time behind the dish with
Pedro Pages in St. Louis, but it's clear that he's the much better bat and should be in the starting lineup more often than not. The Red Birds could also use him frequently as the designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup on days that he doesn't catch. The Panama native is off to an excellent start to the 2025 season, as he came into Wednesday's game hitting .364 (4-for-11 with two doubles and two RBI in four games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Brayan Bello (shoulder) is still on track to make another minor-league rehab start for the Triple-A Worcester WooSox on Sunday, according to MassLive's Christopher Smith. In his first rehab start for the WooSox on Tuesday, Bello struggled, allowing four earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five in 2 1/3 innings of work while throwing 47 pitches. The good news is he didn't have any setbacks with his right shoulder, and he'll look to increase his pitch count this weekend. If he emerges from Sunday's outing healthy, the 25-year-old could be activated from the 15-day injured list to make his 2025 debut late next week. When Bello does return, lefty
Sean Newcomb will likely be the odd-man out of Boston's rotation. Bello won't be able to take the next step for fantasy managers until he lowers his walk rate.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
1 day agoSources tell MLB insider Mike Rodriguez that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Dominican second baseman
Ketel Marte are working on a long-term contract extension worth over $100 million. Marte is currently under contract through the 2028 campaign, but getting an extension done now could keep the 31-year-old veteran in the desert for the rest of his career by adding multiple years onto his current contract. He's coming off a career year in 2024 in which he hit .292/.372/.560 with 36 home runs and 95 RBI to make the All-Star team and win the National League Silver Slugger award at second base. In addition to his offensive exploits, he was great on defense at the keystone and finished third in NL MVP voting. Marte is off to a solid start in 2025, too, going 6-for-22 with two doubles in five games heading into Wednesday's contest in New York. He's a must-start in all fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Mike Rodriguez
1 day agoNew York Mets right-hander
Frankie Montas (lat) has resumed throwing and has played catch from 60 feet, according to manager
Carlos Mendoza. Montas has finally started a throwing program since he suffered a high-grade right-lat strain at the start of spring training in the middle of February. Because of the long layoff and the fact that he has to completely build up his arm, the 32-year-old veteran hurler should be expected to miss at least the first month of the season, and possibly more. He was better after being traded to the Brewers last year, but Montas was still very inconsistent overall in 2024 and finished with a 4.84 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 148 strikeouts and 66 walks in 150 2/3 innings over 30 starts with Milwaukee and Cincinnati. Especially since he hasn't shown a ton of strikeout upside in his career, Montas should be on the waiver wire in 12-team mixed fantasy leagues for the time being.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
1 day agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner (back) is back at shortstop and is hitting leadoff on Wednesday against the visiting Colorado Rockies and left-hander
Kyle Freeland at Citizens Bank Park. It will be only Turner's second start of the season while battling lower-back spasms, but he entered late in the game as a pinch-hitter on Monday and appears to be fine moving forward, so fantasy managers should be looking to get him back in their starting lineups. The 31-year-old three-time All-Star and former National League batting champion has gone 0-for-4 so far with a run scored, two walks and a strikeout in his six plate appearances. Although he's hit only .212 in 33 career at-bats against Freeland in his career, Turner does have a .763 OPS with two home runs and four RBI against the southpaw.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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