2 years agoHouston Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. won his third game of the season on Friday when his club defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-3. He pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking one. McCullers missed the first four and a half months of the year with a forearm injury but has been decent in his five starts since returning. The right-hander owns a stellar 2.20 ERA, albeit with a 1.33 WHIP, 21.7% strikeout rate, and 12.5% walk rate. Playing for the Astros alone makes him relevant in just about every league, and hopefully, he can progress back to the pitcher who posted a 27.0 K% last season.--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino (lat) said he might need another minor league rehab start before he's activated from the injured list to rejoin the starting rotation in New York. In his two rehab starts for Double-A Somerset so far, Severino has a 3.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in six innings pitched. The 28-year-old right-hander only threw 45 pitches in his last outing, so perhaps the Yankees want him to get a little more stretched out before he returns to the big leagues. The Yankees could use all the help they can get down the stretch as they try to hold onto the division lead in the American League East. Before his injury, Severino was 5-3 with a 3.45 ERA (4.03 FIP), a 1.07 WHIP, 95 K's and 25 walks in 86 innings over his 16 starts.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Marly Rivera

2 years agoNew York Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (leg) will start a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Sunday. Chapman said he expects to have another rehab outing after that and then expects to be activated from the injured list on the team's upcoming road trip. The 34-year-old left-hander threw a bullpen session on Friday. Barring a setback on Sunday or Monday, Chapman could rejoin the team for the start of their series next Tuesday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Chapman has struggled this year to the tune of a 4.70 ERA (4.78 FIP) and a 1.43 WHIP while earning nine saves and striking out 35 in 30 2/3 innings pitched. Clay Holmes is cemented in as the team's closer, so Chapman is likely to return in a setup role when he returns from the injured list.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Marly Rivera

2 years agoNew York Mets right-hander Tylor Megill (shoulder) threw a scoreless inning and didn't allow a hit while striking out one and walking none in his latest minor league rehab outing on Friday for Triple-A Syracuse. Megill hasn't allowed a single run in four relief innings on his rehab assignment, striking out eight in the process. When the Mets deem that he's ready to return from the injured list, he'll return in a relief role to close out the regular season. As a result, he can be left to the waiver wire to close out the 2022 campaign. Before his injury, the 27-year-old was 4-2 with a 5.01 ERA (3.60 FIP), a 1.21 WHIP, 47 strikeouts and 11 walks in 41 1/3 innings over nine starts in his second major league season.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com

2 years agoNew York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (foot) and third baseman Josh Donaldson are back in the starting lineup on Saturday against Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Corey Kluber. Stanton is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second after missing the last four games after he fouled a ball off his foot on Monday. Fantasy managers will want to get the power-hitting right-hander back into their lineups immediately. Donaldson was reinstated from the paternity list and will return to the lineup after missing the last three games following the birth of his child. He's starting at third base and hitting cleanup for the struggling Bombers. Hopefully for the Yankees, the return of both Stanton and Donaldson can get them going offensively.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press

2 years agoBraves shortstop Dansby Swanson reached base twice on Friday, going 1-for-4 with a walk, a home run, and two RBI during the 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners. The big fly was his 19th of the year but just his fourth since the All-Star break. And after posting a .833 OPS with 14 SBs in the first half, Swanson owns just a .700 mark with three steals since. Across 138 games this year, the former first overall pick's slashing .284/.340/.448 with 90 runs and 82 RBI. The overall numbers are still valuable, so fantasy managers can keep starting Swanson, hoping he turns things around.--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoPhiladelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was perfect in Friday's 5-3 victory over the Washington Nationals, going 3-for-3 with a home run, a hit-by-pitch, a run, and two RBI. The backstop's having one of the best fantasy seasons of his career, slashing .273/.344/.464 with 16 HRs, 64 runs, 73 RBI, and a career-high 17 SBs. Realmuto's always been fast for a catcher, but his increased aggressiveness on the basepaths has been wonderful for fantasy managers. The 31-year-old stands out as the best catcher in roto leagues.--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoLos Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is on a tear, as he hit his fifth home run in five days on Friday. He was 1-for-4 overall, and his homer was a two-run shot. Not only has Trout gone deep for five straight games, but across his last 15 contests, the superstar is batting .317 with nine bombs and a 1.169 OPS. Even though the 31-year-old missed over a month of baseball with a back and rib injury, he's having a sensational year, slashing .277/.366/.619 with 33 HRs, 69 runs, 64 RBI, and one stolen base over 98 games. Trout's been one of the best all-around fantasy players during his career, and that hasn't changed this season.--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoBaltimore Orioles right-hander Dillon Tate got the final four outs of Friday's 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox. He pitched 1.1 clean innings, allowing one hit and striking out a single batter to earn his fourth save of the season. Tate's having his best season in the big leagues, posting a 2.66 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with a 21.7% strikeout rate and 14 holds. With closer Felix Bautista unavailable due to arm fatigue, the 28-year-old looks to be the replacement until Bautista's back. Fantasy managers hunting for saves can add Tate and hope he's the ninth inning man for as long as possible.--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin (forearm) is expected to throw a bullpen session on Sunday. This will mark the first time Gonsolin will throw off the mound since landing on the injured list with a forearm strain at the end of August. If all goes well, the 28-year-old could head off on a rehab assignment after Sunday's session. Gonsolin has a 16-1 record, 2.10 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 116 strikeouts over 128 1/3 innings of work in 2022.--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya on Twitter

2 years agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander Brusdar Graterol (elbow) is expected to throw a bullpen session on Sunday. This will mark the first time the reliever has thrown off of the mound since landing on the injured list with inflammation in his pitching elbow at the beginning of September. Graterol could be in line to be activated in the middle of the month if he continues to show progress. Graterol has a 2-3 record, 3.02 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, three saves, and 39 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings of work in 2022.--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya on Twitter

2 years agoLos Angeles Dodgers infielder Gavin Lux (back) is unlikely to return to action until the Arizona Diamondbacks series next week, at the earliest. Lux hasn't played in a week and needed to go for a cortisone shot on Saturday. The 24-year-old's sore back has been doing better since but he is still going to be out at least until Tuesday. Lux is hitting .293 with six homers, 62 runs, 42 RBI, and seven steals on the season.--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: Jack Harris on Twitter

2 years agoTampa Bay Rays left-hander Brendan McKay (elbow) will go in for Tommy John surgery next week, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. McKay threw just one pitch in a rehab start for Triple-A Durham in late August after recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome earlier in the season. The once highly-prized prospect hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2019. McKay is likely to miss all of the 2023 season with a 2024 return to the field the most likely timeframe for his recovery.--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin on Twitter

2 years agoHouston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (calf) threw a 30-pitch bullpen Friday, and pitching coach Josh Miller reported that "everything went well" during the session. Verlander has been progressing nicely after hurting his calf in a start two weeks ago and expects to return to the Astros rotation before the season is over. That being said, there is no concrete timeline and the team is likely to wait until they are sure Verlander is healthy, considering their current position in the standings. Still, Verlander can do a lot of good for fantasy managers in a small number of starts, so he should be kept around in hopes he returns soon.--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Brian McTaggart

2 years agoTampa Bay Rays right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow (elbow) is set for another rehab start on Tuesday with Triple-A Durham after his first rehab outing went well. He only threw one inning in said start, but managed two strikeouts and came out of it feeling good. He will likely throw multiple innings in his next start as he gets stretched out to return to the Rays late in the season. He likely doesn't hold much value, as his rehab will be long after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he could be worth a stream in the final week if truly needed. He will definitely help the Rays out in the postseason though, granted they make it there.--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin