4 mins agoCleveland Guardians first baseman
Josh Naylor went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout in Thursday's 3-2 loss on the road to the Chicago White Sox in the first game of their series. It was Naylor's 10th home run of the season and also the third time he's cleared the fences in his last eight games. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger appears to be heating up now that we're in May with a .259 average (7-for-27). As long as Naylor stays healthy this year, he should easily surpass his career-high of 20 home runs, which was set back in 2022. The former 12th overall pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015 is now slashing a strong .277/.364/.562 with a .926 OPS, 10 long balls, 29 RBI, two stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 130 at-bats for Cleveland. He's a must-start in all fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
8 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers infielder
Joey Ortiz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, his third of the season, in the team's 7-1 win over the visiting division-rival St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. Ortiz has homered in his last two games played and has gone 3-for-11 with the two home runs, a triple, two RBI and two runs scored in four games since the calendar flipped to May. The 25-year-old former fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of New Mexico State is hitting .267 (20-for-75) on the year with just 10 RBI and nine runs scored, but he's been a strong option for the Brewers at third against right-handers, as he's hitting .327 (18-for-55) against them with all three of his homers and all 10 of his RBI. On the strong side of a platoon at the hot corner, Ortiz is at least worth rostering in NL-only fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers first baseman
Rhys Hoskins went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in the team's 7-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, his second game in a row leaving the yard. Hoskins now has eight long balls on the year, but he's still hitting a weak .220/.322/.455 in his first year in Milwaukee through 123 at-bats. Still, the 31-year-old has been healthy and has contributed power and RBI (21) in a strong Brewers lineup as their starting first baseman. His back-to-back games with homers could be a sign that he's starting to heat up in the month of May, although he's gone just 4-for-26 (.154) with three walks and eight strikeouts in seven games since the calendar flipped from April. Even if Hoskins doesn't start hitting for average, he should continue to be a solid source of power for fantasy managers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
24 mins agoThe Carolina Panthers released veteran running back
Tarik Cohen, who was attempting a comeback from a series of injuries that derailed his time as a Pro Bowl return man with the Chicago Bears. Cohen hasn't played in a regular-season game in the NFL since 2020, and it remains to be seen if he'll latch on with another club this offseason. The 28-year-old was a former fourth-round pick in 2017 by the Bears out of North Carolina A&T. He was never much of a ball-carrier at 5-foot-6, 181 pounds, but he excelled as a returner and as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Cohen suffered an ACL tear in Week 3 of 2020 and also tore his Achilles in May of 2022. He spent most of last year on Carolina's practice squad but missed two months with a hamstring injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
59 mins agoJacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said that wide receiver
Gabe Davis (knee) is working through an injury, so the team hasn't been able to see much from him yet after adding him in free agency this offseason. Davis missed the postseason last year with the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury that he suffered in the Week 18 season finale against the Miami Dolphins, and apparently it's still an issue. While we don't expect the injury to keep him from participating in training camp or being ready for the start of the 2024 season, it's bad news for a player looking to learn a new offense in Jacksonville. The 25-year-old is another strong offensive situation in Jacksonville, but he'll face competition for targets from
Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas and tight end
Evan Engram, likely making him a boom/bust fantasy option yet again.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Florida Times-Union - Demetrius Harvey
1 hour agoWhen asked who would be calling the team's offensive plays in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson remained non-committal. "Don't play a game until September. So, we've got some time," Pederson said. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor was responsible for calling most of the team's plays in a disappointing 2023 season, so Pederson is seriously considering taking back those duties in 2024. A lot of the team's offensive struggles in the second half of last year had to do with the fact that quarterback
Trevor Lawrence was playing injured, and that they were missing one of their top receivers in
Christian Kirk. The Jaguars finished with 339.5 total yards per game (13th in the league) and 22.2 points per game (tied for 13th).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Juston W. Lewis
1 hour agoThe New York Giants signed No. 6 overall pick, wide receiver
Malik Nabers, to his rookie deal on Friday. The deal is a four-year, $29,207,750 fully guaranteed deal that includes an $18,062,000 signing bonus and a fifth-year team option. The Giants passed on adding competition for quarterback
Daniel Jones in this year's NFL draft and instead gave Jones big-time receiving help with perhaps the most explosive and athletic wideout in this year's strong class of receivers. The 20-year-old from LSU will immediately slot in as New York's No. 1 pass-catcher in 2024. He was wildly productive for the Tigers and should be heavily targeted as he transitions to the NFL, but he won't turn 21 until later this summer and could struggle for consistency if Jones continues to struggle as a passer. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues shouldn't be relying too heavily on Nabers in his rookie season in a Giants offense that has had its share of problems with Jones leading them.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
1 hour agoChicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus officially named rookie quarterback
Caleb Williams as the team's starting QB on Friday at rookie minicamp. Everyone already knew that Williams would be Chicago's starting signal-caller when they selected him first overall in last month's NFL draft
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1 hour agoNursulton Ruziboev (34-8-2) is set to face Joaquin Buckley in the co-main event of UFC St. Louis on Saturday. Ruziboev is on a 10-fight win streak and has won both of his fights in the UFC, defeating Brunno Ferreira and Sedriques Dumas. For this fight, Ruziboev will drop to welterweight. DraftKings sees Ruziboev as the underdog with a salary of $7,500. Throughout his UFC career (two bouts), he averages 101.2 fantasy points per contest.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
1 hour agoFresh off the biggest win of his career over Vicente Luque, Joaquin Buckley is set for a bout against Nursulton Ruziboev. The fight was a short-notice booking for both men. Buckley has looked great since moving down to welterweight and has defeated Andre Fialho, Alex Morono, and Luque. DraftKings sees Buckley as the favorite with a salary of $8,700. Throughout his UFC career (12 bouts), he averages 66.9 fantasy points per contest. Buckley thoroughly deserved a high-profile name after knocking out Luque but instead received someone just as dangerous.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
1 hour agoOn the main card of UFC St. Louis, a light-heavyweight bout is set between Carlos Ulberg and Alonzo Menifield. Ulberg was set to take on former title challenger Dominick Reyes in January before Ulberg was forced to withdraw due to an injury. The fight was rescheduled but fell through again, only this time, it was Reyes who was forced to withdraw. Menifield steeped up to face Ulberg but Menifield needed more time to prepare, so the fight was moved to 11th May. DraftKings sees Ulberg as the favorite with a salary of $9,300. Throughout his UFC career (six bouts), he averages 90.5 fantasy points per contest. If Ulberg wins this fight, he will extend his win streak to six.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
2 hours agoAlonzo Menifield (15-3-1) will be looking to defend his spot in the rankings as he takes on Carlos Ulberg on the main card of UFC St. Louis. Menifield has been looking great since 2022, winning four of his past five fights. DraftKings sees Menifield as the underdog with a salary of $6,900. Throughout his UFC career of 12 bouts, he averages 76.0 fantasy points per contest. He may not be the best technician, but he has the ability to threaten Ulberg with his power and ability to close the distance suddenly.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
2 hours agoA featherweight bout pitting Sean Woodson against Alex Caceres is set for UFC St. Louis on Saturday. Woodson (11-1-1) will enter the Octagon on a four-fight unbeaten streak, most recently winning via split decision against Charles Jourdain at UFC 297. DraftKings sees Woodson as the favorite with a salary of $9,100. Throughout his UFC career of seven bouts, he averages 76.0 fantasy points per contest. Much like his opponent, Woodson boasts a commendable striking defense at 58%.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
2 hours agoAlex Caceres (21-14) is set to face off against Sean Woodson on the main card of UFC St. Louis on Saturday. Caceres continues to look great up until he faces the upper echelon. In his last two fights, he defeated Daniel Pineda to earn a "Fight of the Night" bonus, and then, he lost to Giga Chikadze by a unanimous decision. He had won seven of the previous eight bouts, with two "Fight of the Night" bonuses. DraftKings sees Caceres as the underdog with a salary of $7,100. Throughout his UFC career (29 bouts), he averages 55.9 fantasy points per contest. This should be a very fun scrap between two lanky strikers.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
2 hours agoThe Washington Wizards are reportedly going to start their search to fill the head coaching vacancy within the next week or so. Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports that the team's front-runner is Brian Keefe who took over as the team's interim head coach this past season once Wes Unseld was fired. Keefe had an 8-31 record this year, but the players reportedly gave him rave reviews for his communication skills, holding players accountable, and keeping egos in check, according to Robbins. According to some speculation, other coaches that would seemingly make their interview list would be Royal Ivey from Houston, Chris Quinn from Miami, and Sean Sweeney from Dallas.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Josh Robbins
2 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals first baseman/designated hitter
Matt Carpenter (oblique) will serve as the DH for Triple-A Memphis on Friday on his minor-league rehab assignment, and he said if everything goes well, he will join the Cardinals in Milwaukee on Saturday for their weekend series against the division-rival Brewers. In five rehab games on the farm, the 38-year-old veteran left-handed hitter has gone 4-for-17 with two home runs, so he appears to be swinging the bat well. He has been sidelined since early April with a right-oblique strain. When he's back in St. Louis, he's merely going to be a lefty bat off the bench who can occasional start as the DH against right-handed pitching. The three-time All-Star should only be rostered in deep NL-only fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rob Rains
2 hours agoThe New York Yankees have transferred the minor-league rehab assignment of infielder
Oswald Peraza (shoulder) from Single-A Tampa to Double-A Somerset. Peraza is moving to Double-A after going 2-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and two walks in two games at Tampa. He's working his way back from a shoulder injury that he suffered in late February during spring training, so his rehab assignment isn't going to be a short one. But when the 23-year-old is ready to return, he could see decent playing time at the hot corner in the Bronx, depending on whether
DJ LeMahieu is back from the injured list by then. The Venezuelan infielder has looked good in the minors but has yet to make his mark in the majors yet in the last two years, slashing .216/.298/.306 with three home runs, 16 RBI and six stolen bases in 70 total games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yankees PR Department
2 hours agoThe Phoenix Suns seem to have completed their search for a new head coach in record time. After firing former head coach not even 24 hours before, Shams Charania has reported that the team is planning on hiring former Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer. He has eight years of head coaching experience split between his time with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. During his tenure in Milwaukee, Budenholzer boasted a 271-120 record in the regular season and 39-26 in the playoffs. He also coached the team to a ring in 2020-21 which was the franchise's first championship since 1970-71. Along with this move, the Suns will be shifting lead assistant coach David Fizdale to a front office position.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
2 hours agoColorado Rockies left-hander
Lucas Gilbreath (elbow, shoulder), who has been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, was pitching in the first game of his minor-league rehab assignment on April 23, when he felt discomfort at the back of his shoulder and was shut down and moved to the 60-day injured list. Gilbreath pinpointed the injury to his "teres major, in the armpit, almost -- not the labrum, and the rotator cuff in general is in really good shape." He's currently in a rest period for an injury that isn't considered major, but it's nevertheless a setback as he tries to return from Tommy John surgery. It's a tough development for the 28-year-old southpaw, but he still could return to Colorado's bullpen this year. Gilbreath didn't pitch at all in 2023 and won't be an option in fantasy once he does return.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoColorado Rockies first baseman/outfielder
Kris Bryant (back) played catch and did some light running in the outfield on Thursday. He also took infield practice at first base on Wednesday and hit in the batting cages on Tuesday and Wednesday. Manager Bud Black said that Bryant "most likely" will need a minor-league rehab assignment before he returns to the Rockies. The 32-year-old former MVP is recovering from disc and arthritis issues in his lower back and could need a lengthy rehab assignment, considering he hasn't played in a game since April 13. In a best-case scenario, he might be back in Colorado at the end of May, but that might be a little optimistic. The four-time All-Star is having trouble staying healthy on the wrong side of 30 and was just 7-for-47 (.149) with a homer and six RBI this year before he went down with his back injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoTexas Rangers pitching prospect
Jack Leiter was sent back to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday after making his second major-league start in Game 2 of the team's doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. The 24-year-old right-hander from Vanderbilt got rocked for the second straight time in a spot start, giving up six runs (four earned) in just four innings of work against the suddenly explosive A's offense. The team's No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, looks a bit overmatched at the big-league level right now, so he'll go back to the farm to work on things as he waits for his next call-up. With Texas' starting rotation banged up right now, Leiter's next MLB chance could come sooner than later. The good news is that the former second overall pick has looked better at Round Rock, posting a 2.84 ERA and 0.91 WHIP with eight walks and 37 K's in 25 1/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoChicago Cubs right-hander
Jameson Taillon will no longer take the ball on Friday for the series opener against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, with
Javier Assad now lined up for the start. There has been no information given as to why Taillon has been pushed back, but he could be dealing with an injury. Left-hander
Justin Steele is set to make his third start of the year on Saturday, but the Cubs have listed their starter for Sunday's game as TBA. The 32-year-old Taillon has been stellar so far early on this season, so his fantasy managers would hate to see him dealing with an injury. So far, he's gone 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 24 innings of work. When we get an update on Taillon, we'll pass it along, but for now, make sure to remove him from your starting fantasy lineups on Friday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Maddie Lee
3 hours agoColorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin remained red-hot in front of goal Thursday night in Game 2 against the Stars, scoring his ninth postseason goal in a 5-3 defeat. He joined Pat LaFontaine as just the second player in league history to score in each of his team's first seven games of a postseason campaign. The Russian forward leads the goal-scoring charts with Edmonton's Zach Hyman, who has scored nine times in six games. Nichushkin's work in these playoffs includes one assist, as he sits among six Avalanche players who have averaged at least a point per game in seven contests. More success appears to be guaranteed for Nichushkin & Co., with Colorado averaging a whopping 5.00 goals per game in the playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 hours agoDallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen had a productive outing with two power-play goals in Thursday's Game 2 victory over Colorado. He had the Stars' first and third goals in a 5-3 win, joining Brian Glynn as the second blue-liner in franchise history with multiple power-play goals in a playoff game. Heiskanen boasts three goals in total and eight points in nine games this postseason. The Finnish rearguard has been a terrific performer in the playoffs throughout his career, as he has collected 53 points (13 goals, 40 assists) in 75 postseason games -- only Cale Makar (77) and Victor Hedman (69) have scored more points among defensemen since Heiskanen made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in 2019.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 hours agoDallas Stars center Roope Hintz produced his second career four-point postseason game as the team tied the Western Conference semifinals series against Colorado in Game 2 with a 5-3 victory. Hintz finally got things clicking in the offensive zone after posting only one point through his first eight appearances this postseason. He scored Dallas' second goal and had three assists, including two on the power play. Hintz will head into Saturday's Game 3 boasting the third-most three-point efforts in the playoffs among Finnish players. He moved past Sebastian Aho on Thursday with his seventh such game and now trails only Esa Tikkanen (10) and Jari Kurri (28).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov factored in both goals in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Rangers. He helped Jake Guentzel get the scoring started with his sixth assist of the 2024 playoffs and sent the game past regulation with only 1:36 left to play in the third period, scoring his second postseason goal. The Russian forward posted his third multi-point performance of this year's playoffs. He's averaging a point per game through eight contests, and the Hurricanes will need another big effort from Svechnikov in Saturday's Game 4 as the team faces early elimination.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 hours agoNew York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin provided the game-winning goal as the team grabbed a 3-0 series lead against Carolina on Thursday with a 3-2 overtime win. The Russian star also collected an assist in the contest for his third multi-point effort in four games. Panarin has exploded for eight points over a four-game stretch after posting only one point through his first three postseason appearances this year. It was a worrying start from him, but Panarin has now begun to replicate his regular-season form, which resulted in a career-high 120 points.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 hours agoNew York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck contributed two assists in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win against Carolina to register his third consecutive multi-point outing. He helped Alexis Lafreniere get his third postseason goal in the third period and was also among the helpers when Artemi Panarin finished the game with 1:43 played in overtime. Trocheck has shown off incredible form in the postseason, notching five goals and seven assists. Only Edmonton's Connor McDavid (13) has more points than him, despite Trocheck playing in only seven games. He had scored in five consecutive games before coming up empty-handed with four efforts on goal Thursday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 hours agoNew York Rangers center Filip Chytil made his long-awaited return to the lineup in Game 3 against the Hurricanes on Thursday, logging 12:02 of ice time in a 3-2 overtime win. After missing six months with a head injury, Chytil had a quiet outing on the offensive front with zero points and one shot on goal but registered two hits. He skated on the third line with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. The Rangers have enjoyed a perfect 7-0 start to the postseason and should be even stronger now with Chytil, who had six points in 10 regular-season appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 hours agoOklahoma City Thunder guard
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander couldn't pull out a win over the other candidate who was up for the NBA MVP award this year. He did, however, put up the most points out of anyone who played in Game 2. He ended with 33 points on 13-for-24 shooting from the floor and 1-for-3 from three. On top of that, Gilgeous-Alexander chipped in 12 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, two blocks, and two turnovers. In the midst of the third playoff run in his career, Gilgeous-Alexander has seen increases in almost every stat across the board except for three-point shooting.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
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