Thu Apr 18 | 21:15 | Alex Cobb Now Dealing With Shoulder Irritation | Alex Cobb | SP | Orioles | Free Agent |
The San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday that starting pitcher Alex Cobb (hip, shoulder) is now dealing with mild shoulder irritation amid his recovery from offseason surgery on his left hip. Cobb says his arm is just still a little "cranky" as he ramps back up, but he doesn't believe his timetable has changed much. It's still yet another minor setback for Cobb, who just resumed throwing on Monday following a brief shutdown due to a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. The 36-year-old right-hander was an All-Star in 2023 and should still be able to return at some point in the month of May. Until Cobb is ready to re-enter San Fran's rotation, swingman Jordan Hicks should remain locked in as a starter for the Giants. Hicks features a 1.57 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 18:6 K:BB through 23 innings (four starts) and is a must-roster fantasy player ahead of Sunday's scheduled start versus the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks. |
Source: Alex Pavlovic - NBC Sports Bay Area | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 21:05 | Cubs Activate Jameson Taillon For Friday's Start | Jameson Taillon | SP | Pirates | Free Agent |
The Chicago Cubs activated starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (back) from the 15-day injured list on Thursday, optioning right-hander Hayden Wesneski to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Taillon was set to make his 2024 regular-season debut before Thursday's series opener versus the Miami Marlins was postponed, so he'll instead get the ball in Friday's contest against Miami. While the Cubs hope the 32-year-old right-hander gives their rotation a lift in the absence of ace Justin Steele (hamstring), he isn't the most attractive option from a fantasy perspective after recording a career-worst 4.84 ERA with just 140 strikeouts over 154 1/3 innings (30 appearances) during his debut season in the Windy City last year. Friday still presents a good matchup at home against the 4-15 Marlins, however, and Taillon's 0.54 ERA in 16 2/3 career frames (three starts) versus the Fish is his best mark against any specific club. |
Source: Chicago Cubs on X | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 18:56 | Patrick Wisdom Activated From Injured List | Patrick Wisdom | 3B | Cardinals | Free Agent |
Chicago Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom (back) was activated off of the 10-day injured list on Thursday evening. The 32-year-old slugger recently embarked on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa and will be back with the big club ahead of Friday's series opener against the Miami Marlins. Wisdom is a boom-or-bust bat that combines serious home run power with undesirable strikeout numbers. The Cubs infield is already crowded with Christopher Morel and the recently surging Michael Busch, so it is unclear exactly where Wisdom fits in. He would have slightly more value if he found an everyday role, but until then, he is a waiver-wire option for fantasy managers needing power in deeper leagues. |
Source: Chicago Cubs | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 18:46 | Francisco Lindor Trying To Bust Early Slump | Francisco Lindor | SS | Indians | Free Agent |
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had a dreadful start to the 2024 season, but signs of life are finally starting to show. The 30-year-old kicked off his campaign mired in a remarkable 1-for-31 slump. Thankfully, since April 7 he has managed to bat .261 with one home run, eight runs scored and a 5/3 BB/K. His production is still a far cry from the 31 homer, 31 stolen base season he produced in 2023, but Lindor is simply too talented to not turn things around. Fantasy managers should expect him to hit a true hot streak soon. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 18:34 | Tyler O'Neill Hopes To Return When First Eligible | Tyler O'Neill | LF | Cardinals | Free Agent |
Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (concussion) told reporters on Thursday that he hopes to be activated off of the 7-day injured list on Tuesday when he is first eligible. O'Neill was diagnosed with a concussion on Thursday and admitted he has been dealing with dizziness and lightheadedness, but he still seemed confident about a quick return. There is no guarantee that O'Neill will be back for Tuesday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians as head injuries are notoriously finicky. Nevertheless, it seems like fantasy managers will not have to wait too long to get one of the hottest early hitters back in their lineups. He should remain rostered in all formats until that time. |
Source: Gabrielle Starr | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 18:16 | Aroldis Chapman Tagged With Two-Game Suspension | Aroldis Chapman | RP | Yankees | Free Agent |
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Aroldis Chapman was hit with a two-game suspension and fine for his actions during Monday's game against the New York Mets. The veteran fireballer got into an altercation with one of the umpires and was ejected from the game in the eighth inning. Chapman is permitted to appeal the suspension, but there is no word yet whether he will. The 36-year-old has pitched well in a set-up role this season, although he was tagged with the loss on Monday after giving up three runs. He is worth rostering in any leagues that track holds as a scoring category as he has five holds and one save through nine appearances in 2024. |
Source: Jon Heyman | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 17:12 | Robert Stephenson To Undergo Elbow Surgery | Robert Stephenson | SP | Reds | Free Agent |
It was announced on Wednesday night that Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson (elbow) would miss the rest of the 2024 season, and now we know why. The Angels revealed on Thursday that Stephenson will undergo elbow surgery, although the exact nature of the elbow surgery isn't known. If it's Tommy John surgery, the 31-year-old probably won't be able to return until next summer at some point. The Halos signed Stephenson in the offseason hoping that he could be a strong late-inning bridge to closer Carlos Estevez, but instead, Stephenson wasn't able to appear in a single big-league game in 2024. The former 27th overall pick in 2011 by the Cincinnati Reds had one of the best cut fastballs in baseball in 2023. |
Source: Bally Sports West - Erica Weston | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 16:36 | Rafael Devers Has A Bone Bruise, Expected To Avoid Injured List | Rafael Devers | 3B | Red Sox | Free Agent |
Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers' (knee) MRI exam showed only a bone bruise, and the Red Sox don't expect him to need a trip to the injured list. Devers was pulled from Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians early with left-knee discomfort and served as the club's designated hitter on Wednesday and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts before being held out for the series finale on Thursday while he had an MRI exam. There's thankfully nothing structurally wrong with the 27-year-old's knee, but fantasy managers will need to check back on Friday to see if he's back in there for the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Devers has started slow in 2024 and is currently hitting just .188 (9-for-48) with two homers and five RBI. |
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 16:13 | Mike Trout Goes Hitless But Steals Two Bases | Mike Trout | CF | Angels | Free Agent |
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout went hitless in three at-bats with a strikeout in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, he still managed to do some damage on the basepaths with a walk, a run scored and two stolen bases. Trout is already up to five stolen bases on the season, which ties the amount of steals he had in the previous three seasons combined. This was also his first multi-steal game since May of 2018. As long as he stays healthy, the three-time MVP could once again be a big threat in the stolen-base department for fantasy managers. In addition to his five stolen bases, Trout is now hitting .270 with a 1.019 OPS, a league-leading eight home runs, 11 RBI and 13 runs scored. The 32-year-old appears to be back after a frustrating injury-riddled season in 2023. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 16:06 | Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Sitting Out Thursday | Lourdes Gurriel | 2B | Blue Jays | Free Agent |
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is not in the team's starting lineup for the start of a series on Thursday against the division-rival San Francisco Giants on the road. The 30-year-old will take a seat for a day of rest, with outfielder Jake McCarthy playing left field and batting ninth and Randal Grichuk in right field and hitting eighth versus Giants right-hander Logan Webb. McCarthy is hitting .375 with an RBI in 16 career at-bats against Webb but will have limited DFS upside in the nine-hole. Meanwhile, Grichuk has one hit in his 10 career at-bats against Webb. Gurriel has five home runs and 20 RBI already this year in 18 games played, but he has just one hit (a homer) in his last 16 at-bats over four games, so he could use a little breather here. |
Source: MLB.com | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 15:13 | Ian Happ Goes Hitless Wednesday | Ian Happ | CF | Cubs | Free Agent |
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ's hitting struggles continued Wednesday as he went hitless. Happ had five plate appearances with only one walk. This makes it six games out of his last 10 where he has not recorded a hit. After a solid start to the season, the Chicago Cubs outfielder has hit a wall. He is now batting .247 (18-for-73) on the season with 14 runs, 12 RBI, and one homer. Happ will have a favorable matchup on Thursday evening with left-hander A.J. Pukon the mound for Miami. |
Source: ESPN.com | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 13:05 | Red Sox Place Tyler O'Neill On Seven-Day Injured List | Tyler O'Neill | LF | Cardinals | Free Agent |
The Boston Red Sox on Thursday placed outfielder Tyler O'Neill (head) on the seven-day injured list (retroactive to April 16) and reinstated outfielder Rob Refsnyder (toe) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. O'Neill had cleared the league's concussion protocol after colliding with third baseman Rafael Devers in the outfield on Monday, but he hadn't played since and required eight stitches to close up a cut on his forehead. It's a bummer for O'Neill's fantasy managers that he wasn't able to return this weekend, but based on the fact that he had cleared concussion protocols this week, his stay on the seven-day IL should be a short one. Keep him stashed everywhere after his hot start to the year. Refsnyder isn't on the fantasy radar in mixed leagues and will serve as outfield depth behind Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu. UPDATE: O'Neill has been diagnosed with a mild concussion. |
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 12:16 | Nick Pivetta To Throw Bullpen On Saturday | Nick Pivetta | SP | Phillies | Free Agent |
Boston Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta (elbow) is throwing at 120 feet on Thursday and Friday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. Pivetta is on the 15-day injured list due to a right-elbow sprain, and while he's making progress in his throwing program, he still has a ways to go and will eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to Boston's starting rotation. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't expect the 31-year-old to make it back before the calendar flips to May, but Pivetta should be stashed after looking excellent in his first two starts of 2024. He allowed just one earned run on eight hits (one home run) while walking one and striking out 13 in 11 innings pitched for a 0.82 ERA. |
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 12:11 | Tyler O'Neill Out Again Thursday | Tyler O'Neill | LF | Cardinals | Free Agent |
Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (head) remains out of the lineup on Thursday in the series finale against the Cleveland Guardians. O'Neill has passed the league's concussion protocols after colliding with third baseman Rafael Devers in the outfield on Monday but needed stitches for a cut on his head and hasn't played since. The 28-year-old should be able to avoid going on the seven-day concussion list and he could even return to the lineup as early as Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jarren Duran is starting in left field again and batting leadoff, while Wilyer Abreu is in right and hitting third against Guardians right-hander Carlos Carrasco. Fantasy managers are hoping O'Neill can return as soon as possible, as so far he's hitting .313 (15-for-48) with seven home runs, eight RBI and one stolen base. |
Source: MLB.com - Ian Browne | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 12:06 | Logan O'Hoppe, Aaron Hicks Out Against Rays | Aaron Hicks | CF | Yankees | Free Agent |
| | | Logan O'Hoppe | | | Free Agent |
Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe and outfielder Aaron Hicks will both start on the bench for Thursday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays. It's not surprise that O'Hoppe is out for the day game following a night game. Matt Thaiss is doing the catching and batting fifth, while Mickey Moniak is in right field and batting sixth against Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot. Neither Thaiss nor Moniak have faced Pepiot in their careers. O'Hoppe has been very hot to start the year, going 18-for-53 (.340) with two home runs and seven RBI in his first 16 games, while Hicks has been the opposite, going 7-for-44 (.159) with a homer and four RBI in his first 13 games with the Halos. Hicks has started just one of the team's last four games and is losing fantasy value quickly in AL-only leagues. |
Source: Orange County Register - Jeff Fletcher | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 11:48 | Rafael Devers Will Undergo MRI On Knee | Rafael Devers | 3B | Red Sox | Free Agent |
Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers will undergo an MRI on his left knee after he felt discomfort. Devers was pulled from the game on Tuesday but gave it a go as designated hitter on Wednesday. Manager Alex Cora states that the MRI is precautionary in nature to make sure the knee is structurally sound. Devers is not in the lineup Thursday, so we'll await to see the results of the MRI to get a better understanding of the injury and whether or not he'll be able to play this weekend. The 2x All-Star is off to a slow start at the plate, hitting just .188 with two home runs, five RBI, and five runs scored through 13 games. On the bright side he's got a 9:10 BB:K, with three of those strikeouts coming on Wednesday alone. |
Source: The Springfield Republican - Christopher Smith | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 11:31 | Clay Holmes Records Seventh Save Wednesday | Clay Holmes | SP | Pirates | Free Agent |
New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes notched his seventh save of the season in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Blue Jays, tying him for the league lead in all of baseball. Holmes allowed one hit but did not allow a run, a feat he's managed in all of his appearances so far this season, resulting in a perfect 0.00 ERA. The 31-year-old also has a 1.11 WHIP, although he isn't striking out many batters at just 15.4%. As long as he's locking down saves though, fantasy managers won't mind. After two straight 20+ save campaigns with New York, Holmes appears well on his way to 20+ again and is a top option at closer. |
Source: ESPN | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 11:16 | Juan Soto Cranks Fourth Home Run | Juan Soto | RF | Nationals | Free Agent |
New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto hit his fourth home run of the season on Wednesday as part of a late-game 6-4 comeback win over the Blue Jays. Soto reached base in all five plate appearances with a single, a double, a home run, and two walks. The superstar also drove in two and scored once. The offseason acquisition has helped the Yankees to a 13-6 start despite Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres hitting around .200 and not having ace Gerrit Cole on the mound. Through 19 games, Soto is slashing .352/.478/.577 with four HR, 17 RBI, 12 runs scored, and an astonishing (even for Soto's standards)18:11 BB:K. |
Source: ESPN | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 10:17 | Joc Pederson Homers In Second Straight Game | Joc Pederson | CF | Dodgers | Free Agent |
Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Joc Pederson homered for the second straight game in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Cubs. Pederson came on to pinch hit in the sixth for Blaze Alexander, lining out to first in his initial at-bat before homering in the next at-bat in the bottom of the ninth off of lefty Drew Smyly. Pederson is off to a solid start this season, hitting .333 (11-for-33) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, and seven runs scored. Last season, Pederson saw an increase in his BB% by 3.7% over the prior year, up to 13.4%, and it appears he's brought the keen eye into 2024, having walked nine times while striking out just once. The result is a superb .467 OBP thus far. |
Source: ESPN | RotoBaller.com |
Thu Apr 18 | 01:13 | Trea Turner Extends Hitting Streak To Seven Games | Trea Turner | SS | Nationals | Free Agent |
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner extended his hitting streak to seven games as his team held on for a 7-6 win over the Colorado Rockies, going 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored. Turner went back-to-back with teammate Kyle Schwarber with a long ball as the Phils ambushed Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner for four runs in the first inning, later doubling to lead off the fifth and scoring a run during the frame. The 32-year-old fantasy superstar is off to a much better start than that of his Philly debut season in 2023, now slashing a potent .329/.386/.487 with two big flies, six RBI, 12 runs scored, and seven stolen bases through 19 outings in 2024 following Wednesday's three-hit attack. Turner looks to stay hot during an upcoming weekend series at home versus the Chicago White Sox. In six games against Chicago since 2022, Turner is hitting .292 with two homers, four RBI, and three thefts across 22 at-bats. |
Source: ESPN.com | RotoBaller.com |