6 months agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder/designated hitter
Andrew McCutchen is out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the New York Yankees in the Bronx. With McCutchen out,
Bryan Reynolds is serving as the DH and batting second, while
Billy Cook makes the start in left field and is hitting in the nine-hole against Yankees right-hander
Luis Gil. McCutchen could use a day off with the season about to wrap up, as he's gone hitless in his last 11 at-bats with four strikeouts in three games played. The five-time All-Star and former MVP is batting only .232 (104-for-448) in his 16th year in the league, but he has reached the 20-homer mark for the first time since 2021 and has provided 50 RBI in his 120 games played for the Bucs. Reynolds clubbed two homers at Yankee Stadium on Friday night and will be a popular DFS pick against Gil, even though he has never faced him in his career. Cook has gone 9-for-41 (.220) with two homers in his first 14 MLB games this year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
6 months agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder/designated hitter
Andrew McCutchen will get a day of rest on Saturday at Great American Ball Park against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. With McCutchen on the bench to start,
Oneil Cruz will serve as the DH and bat third, while
Billy Cook draws into the lineup in center field and will hit in the nine-hole against Reds rookie right-hander
Rhett Lowder. Believe it or not, but McCutchen has returned to the 20-homer mark this year for the first time since 2021 at 37 years old. The former MVP is hitting .238 (102-for-429) through 115 games, though, and doesn't provide much else for fantasy managers these days. Cruz is a must-start in fantasy and just reached the 20-20 mark for the first time in his career by homering on Friday night. Cook will be playing in only his 10th MLB game on Saturday. He's gone 5-for-27 with a homer, double, five RBI and 12 K's through nine games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
6 months agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder
Andrew McCutchen is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The veteran slugger has started in six of the last seven contests. That being said, it's not shocking to see McCutchen getting a rest day with the Pirates having little incentive to win with their season basically over. In his place,
Joey Bart will serve as the designated hitter and bat third versus right-hander
Andre Pallante. Bart is in the middle of a breakout season with a .267 batting average and 13 home runs with 43 RBI in 71 games this season. He has a favorable matchup here for fantasy managers looking for a streaming option or DFS help.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: mlb.com
6 months agoPittsburgh Pirates outfielder/designated hitter
Andrew McCutchen (knee) is back as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup for the Bucs on Friday against the Washington Nationals and rookie left-hander
DJ Herz at PNC Park. McCutchen missed the last two games dur go lingering soreness in his knee, which has already landed him on the injured list this year, but he's feeling better now and is ready to go for the weekend. The 37-year-old former MVP is obviously no longer the player he was in his prime when he was an All-Star for five straight seasons from 2011-15 with the Pirates, but he can still provide serviceable numbers in deeper fantasy leagues when he's healthy. Since Aug. 2, he's hitting .333 (15-for-45) with five home runs, two doubles and 16 RBI in 13 games played. McCutchen has never faced Herz in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
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