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Ben Rolfe has written 778 articles so far, you can find them below.
Ian Kennedy Terrible Thursday
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Ian Kennedy had a start to forget on Thursday. Kennedy had his worst start of 2018, giving up nine earned runs in four innings, including three home runs. Prior to this start, Kennedy had a 2.92 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 37 innings. This start continued Kennedy's bad history in... Read More
Ian Kennedy Has Terrible History In Baltimore
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Ian Kennedy will start Thursday in Camden Yards. Kennedy has been solid to start 2018, he currently has a 2.92 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 37 innings. However, Kennedy has really struggled in his two starts in Baltimore, giving up 11 earned runs in just 9 2/3 innings. Those stats... Read More
Adeiny Hechavarria Out Wednesday With Eye Injury
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria will miss Wednesday's game after being hit in the eye Tuesday. Hechavarria is a relatively low owned fantasy option, meaning the impact of his loss is limited to AL-only and deep mixed leagues. Utility infielder Daniel Robertson will start at shortstop and bat ninth Wednesday. Robertson has cooled off... Read More
Rougned Odor Aiming To Return Friday
Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor (hamstring) could be activated from the disabled list Friday. Odor will have been out over a month, having injured himself on April 10. With Drew Robinson on the DL, Odor will likely slot back in as the everyday second baseman. Isaiah Kiner-Falefa is the most likely candidate for the... Read More
Robinson Chirinos Scratched, Carlos Perez Starting
Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos was scratched from the lineup Wednesday with a sore left wrist. Catcher Carlos Perez will take his place behind the plate and hit ninth. Perez has yet to register a hit in his six at-bats since joining the Rangers. In addition, Perez actually has reverse platoon splits and is worse... Read More
Mike Moustakas Hits Two Home Runs Tuesday
Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas had a great day Tuesday. Moustakas went 3-for-6 with two home runs and three RBI. Moustakas now has 10 home runs in 150 plate appearances this season, and is on pace to match last season. Perhaps more impressively, Moustakas is hitting .300 in 2018, a career high. Previously... Read More
Blake Snell Facing A New Opponent Tuesday
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell faces an opponent he has never faced previously Monday. Despite any track record against the Atlanta Braves, Snell is still a pitcher we would look to use on Monday. The reason is that this game is in Tampa Bay, and Snell has a significantly better record at home... Read More
Drew Robinson Hits The Disabled List
Texas Rangers utility player Drew Robinson was placed on the disabled list Monday with a sore hip. Robinson was initially in Monday's lineup but was later scratched. Robinson was offering little value with the bat, hitting .175 with one home run and one steal in 89 plate appearances. The Rangers called up Eliezer Alvarez from... Read More
Adrian Beltre Almost Ready To Return
Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre (hamstring) should return during the current Detroit series. Prior to the injury, Beltre was hitting .310 with one home run. Initially, the Rangers will be cautious with Beltre, but it should not be long until he finds himself back in the lineup regularly. With both Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Renato... Read More
Chris Archer An Intriguing Start Sunday
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer faces the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday. Archer has struggled this season, with a 6.05 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. However, Archer has a good history against the Blue Jays. In 148 1/3 innings against Toronto, Archer has 161 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA. Archer is... Read More
Andrew Kitteridge Starting Friday
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Andrew Kitteridge will make a spot start Friday. This will be Kitteridge's third start of the season but his first in almost a month. In his previous two starts, both against Boston, Kitteridge has combined for just 5 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and three earned runs. Kitteridge starting means... Read More
Mike Moustakas Back At Third Base Wednesday
Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (forearm) was back playing third base Wednesday after sitting out Tuesday. Moustakas was initially set to play at first base, but after pre-game work he was moved to third. Moustakas is performing extremely well so far in 2018. In 123 plate appearances, he has hit eight home runs... Read More
Elvis Andrus Likely To Return Mid-June
Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (elbow) is likely to take close to eight weeks to return from the disabled list. The initial prediction was a six- to eight-week absence, but it appears it will be closer to the second half of that time frame. Prior to the injury, Andrus was hitting .327 with two home... Read More
Ryan Yarbrough Scheduled to Start Friday
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Yarbrough is scheduled to make his second start of the season Friday, facing the Toronto Blue Jays at home. However, if the need arises Wednesday, he could still be used in relief. So far in 2018, Yarbrough has made seven appearances for the Rays, striking out 16 in 19 1/3... Read More
Kyle Lohse Assigned to Triple-A Omaha
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kyle Lohse has been assigned to Triple-A Omaha. Lohse will be hoping to do what Clay Buchholz could not and earn a spot in the Royals rotation. The 39-year-old most recently had a four-year spell of fantasy relevance from 2011 to 2014 with the Cardinals and Brewers. However, his lack... Read More
Omar Narvaez, Leurys Garcia Starting Wednesday
The Chicago White Sox will give starts to catcher Omar Narvaez and center fielder Leurys Garcia on Wednesday. Of the two, Garcia has the most DFS value. He is hitting .259 with five steals in 2018. Garcia is hitting fifth on Wednesday and should have a good opportunity to get some RBI. Narvaez, on the... Read More
Indians Changing Up Lineup Wednesday
The Cleveland Indians are using their hitting depth Wednesday. Outfielders Rajai Davis and Brandon Guyer, third baseman Erik Gonzalez and catcher Roberto Perez are all in the lineup. Of the four, Davis has the most DFS value on Wednesday. Davis is a career .281 hitter against left-handed pitching and is hitting in the leadoff spot.... Read More
Juan Centeno Starting Wednesday
Texas Rangers catcher Juan Centeno will get the start behind the plate on Wednesday, as regular starter Robinson Chirinos receives a day off. Centeno, a career .226 hitter, is hitting just .176 so far in 35 plate appearances. In 282 career PAs, he is hitting just .216 against right-handed pitchers and has just five home... Read More
John Hicks Playing First Base Wednesday
Detroit Tigers catcher/first baseman John Hicks will get the start at first base on Wednesday. With Miguel Cabrera still out of the lineup, Hicks will get a chance at home against Tampa Bay Rays left-handed pitcher Blake Snell. Hicks has struggled to make regular contact this season, hitting .179 in 30 plate appearances. Hicks does... Read More
Joey Wendle Playing Second On Wednesday
Tampa Bays Rays second baseman Joey Wendle is in the lineup Wednesday. Wendle will get the start at the expense of Daniel Robertson with the Rays facing a right-handed pitcher. Wendle, a left-handed hitter, is hitting .300 with one home run and two steals in 67 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers in 2018. Even against... Read More
Lucas Duda Sitting, Drew Butera Playing Wednesday
The Kansas City Royals will take the opportunity Wednesday to get catcher Salvador Perez some time at designated hitter. This means that first baseman Lucas Duda will sit, with catcher Drew Butera taking Perez's place behind the dish. Butera is hitting just .176 this season, and has yet to hit a home run. Butera is... Read More
Blake Snell Looking To Stay Hot Wednesday
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell will be looking to continue his good start to the season Wednesday. Snell faces off against the Tigers, who rank 18th in runs scored and 27th in home runs. On the season, Snell has a 2.52 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings. Snell has managed to... Read More
Danny Duffy Facing A Tough Matchup Wednesday
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy will be a tough pitcher to start Wednesday. Duffy has had a roller coaster 2018, with his two good starts having been sandwiched between four bad ones. Duffy’s start on Wednesday will be in Boston against a team that has been extremely good this season. In his previous... Read More
Jorge Soler Continues Hot Streak
Kansas City Royals outfielder Jorge Soler continued his hot streak at the plate Tuesday. He hit a home run and had three RBI in his latest two-hit performance. Soler has now improved his batting average to an impressive .306, with it having been as low as .207 on April 12. Soler has cut his strikeout... Read More
Kelvin Herrera Blows Save Tuesday
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Kelvin Herrera blew his first save of the season Tuesday. Herrera ended up taking the win but that will only offer a little satisfaction to him. Herrera surrendered his first home run of the season to Eduardo Nunez in the bottom of the 12th inning. That was also the first... Read More
Keone Kela Implodes Tuesday
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Keone Kela had a disastrous outing Tuesday. Coming in with the Rangers ahead by four, Kela gave up four runs to surrender the lead. This will not count as a blown save on the stat sheet, but for the Rangers it will feel like one. This is Kela's second rough outing... Read More
Clay Buchholz Released By Royals
The Kansas City Royals released starting pitcher Clay Buchholz on Tuesday. Buchholz had not been impressive enough in his time at Triple-A to earn a place in the major league rotation. In 11 1/3 innings, Buchholz struck out just four hitters. With there not appearing to be any major upside to moving Buchholz to the... Read More
Martin Perez Has No Timetable For Return
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez has inflammation in his right arm. The left-handed pitcher has been placed on the 10-day disabled list and will receive "treatment and rest." The Rangers have not put a timetable on his return. Perez injured his elbow after falling when startled by a bull on his ranch in Venezuela,... Read More
Tim Lincecum Heads To Extended Spring Training
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Tim Lincecum (blister) will start pitching in extended spring training games this weekend. This does not count as Lincecum beginning a rehab assignment and the Rangers can take their time with him. Lincecum was placed on the 60-day disabled list earlier in the season and is therefore unable to be activated... Read More
Rougned Odor At Least A Week Away
Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor (hamstring) is at least another week from returning. Odor will be hoping to hit 30 home runs and steal close to 15 bases for a third season in a row, although with the lost time he might struggle to put up those numbers this season. After hitting .204 last... Read More
