2 years agoTampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks picked up his fifth save of the season in Monday's 4-3 win over the Red Sox. Fairbanks got the call to close things out with a one-run lead. He allowed a leadoff single, got the first out on a strikeout, and then got the second out on a force at second but the hitter advanced to second on a throwing error. Despite the error, Fairbanks was able to strand the tying run at second by striking out Xander Bogaerts to end the game. Fairbanks has been one of the Rays' strong bullpen arms this season, compiling a 1.53 ERA and 13.25 K/9 rate in 17 2/3 innings pitched. This makes him worth a look in deep roto leagues, but the Rays' committee use of their bullpen limits his fantasy value.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoMilwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams picked up his 10th save of the season in Monday's 6-4 win over the Rockies. Williams came into the game in the eighth inning up by two with two outs and the bases loaded. He induced a groundout to end the inning and stayed in to pitch the ninth. He allowed a leadoff walk, got the first out on a strikeout, and then induced a groundball double play to end the game. Williams hasn't necessarily served as the closer since Josh Hader was traded to the Padres, but he has been the team's go-to arm in high-leverage situations and is now 6-3 with 25 holds, only one blown save, a 1.72 ERA, and a 13.76 K/9 rate. Regardless of the lack of an official title, Williams is a top fantasy reliever down the stretch.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoHouston Astros general manager James Click said Monday that he is hopeful closer Ryan Pressly (neck) will return from the injured list Tuesday, per Fox 26's Mark Berman. Pressly has been sidelined with neck stiffness/spasms since August 22. Rafael Montero has been filling in nicely at the end of games for the Astros, but Pressly's 29 saves, 3.11 ERA, and 10.99 K/9 rate will be gladly welcomed back by both the team and fantasy managers. Fantasy managers should keep an eye out for the official transaction before making any roster moves.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Mark Berman - Twitter.com

2 years agoHouston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown made a very strong impression in Monday's 1-0 win over the Rangers. Making his big-league debut, the 24-year-old pitched 6 shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk with five strikeouts to earn the win. It is unknown what Brown's role will be with the team for the rest of the season, but it will likely depend on the health of Justin Verlander (calf), who is eligible to return from the 15-day injured list on September 13. This would mean potentially at least one more start for Brown, likely at the Tigers. It may be risky for fantasy managers to trust an unproven player in the playoffs, but Brown would get a great matchup, making him an intriguing option.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoHouston Astros relief pitcher Rafael Montero picked up his 12th save of the season in Monday's 1-0 win over the Rangers. Montero came in to pitch the ninth inning up by one and delivered a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. Montero has served as a solid fill-in closer while Ryan Pressly (neck) has been on the injured list with neck stiffness and has now converted all but two save opportunities this season with a 2.54 ERA. Pressly is expected to return to the team early this week, which will hurt Montero's fantasy value. That being said, he may still see a few saves down the stretch and will still be worth a roster spot in roto leagues for fantasy managers chasing saves.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoToronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette had a massive day at the plate in Monday's doubleheader against the Orioles. Bichette went 3-for-5 with three singles, two RBI, and a strikeout in Game One's 7-3 win and 3-for-5 with three home runs, five RBI, and a strikeout in Game Two's 8-4 win. The big games helped boost the 24-year-old's season stats to a .272/.315/.451 slash line with 21 HR, 78 RBI, and nine steals. While Bichette has been a solid fantasy player, he hasn't delivered quite as much as fantasy players had hoped, although there are still a few more weeks in the season for him to contribute.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoDetroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Monday that starting pitcher Joey Wentz will start on Friday at the Royals and that the team expects him to make several more starts through the rest of the season, per MLB's Adrian Garro. The 24-year-old lefty got called up in May and made two starts, posting a bloated 8.10 ERA in the small sample. However, he has been a solid starter at Triple-A Toledo, going 2-2 with a 3.17 ERA and a 9.87 K/9 rate in 48 1/3 innings pitched. The Royals do present a good matchup, but Wentz's previous couple of starts make him difficult to trust, especially this late in the season.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Garro - Twitter.com

2 years agoThe Boston Red Sox and utility man Enrique Hernandez reached a one-year, $10 million contract extension Monday, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. Hernandez had a strong 2021 season but has struggled this season, slashing .219/.283/.354 with six home runs and 37 RBI. This could partly be due to a hip-flexor injury, which caused him to miss more than two months. Hernandez was due to be a free agent at the end of this season, but his defensive flexibility (he has mostly played outfield in 2022) will remain with the Red Sox through 2023. Despite that position flexibility, Hernandez's lack of offensive production has limited his fantasy value this season.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan - ESPN.com

2 years agoWashington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas was what the team needed from the leadoff spot, going 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, a double, a run, and two RBI in Monday's 6-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite reaching base three times, the 27-year-old hasn't been much of an on-base machine, producing a .246 AVG and .304 OBP. Fantasy managers would have hoped that hitting near the top of the order for most of the season would make for decent counting stats, but Thomas has just 51 runs and 46 RBI across 120 games. He's hit 15 HRs and stolen five bases this season, but it doesn't make up for the poor production in the other categories enough to be relevant in standard leagues.--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoLos Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts said that infielder Gavin Lux (back) won't play in this week's series against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Lux is still recovering from a cortisone injection that he received on Saturday. It means that the 24-year-old won't return until the start of another series against the San Diego Padres on Friday, at the earliest. The Dodgers have the National League West locked up, so they won't push Lux in the final month of the regular season. Mookie Betts is making a start at the keystone on Monday and is hitting leadoff against Giants right-hander Logan Webb. Lux is having a fine season at the dish in 2022, slashing .293/.368/.428 with six home runs, 42 RBI, 62 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 369 at-bats.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SoCal News Group - Bill Plunkett

2 years agoTampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco (hand, wrist) left his minor league rehab game early on Monday with Triple-A Durham after manager Kevin Cash said Franco "felt it a little bit" in his second at-bat. The team will see how his right hand feels on Tuesday. The good news is that he's not going for X-rays, so at least initially the team doesn't think it's a serious setback. Still, this is not good news after Franco already had his rehab assignment stopped due to hand/wrist soreness. The 21-year-old Dominican hasn't played for the Rays since July 9 and is running out of time to make an impact for fantasy managers in September. The Rays are just hoping to get him back healthy so he can be their starting shortstop for a playoff run.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin

2 years agoThe Toronto Blue Jays activated relief pitcher Julian Merryweather (oblique) from the 60-day injured list on Monday and optioned Casey Lawrence to the minors in a corresponding move. The Blue Jays also designated catcher Zack Collins for assignment. Merryweather has been away from the team since June 13 with a left oblique strain and had been on a lengthy minor league rehab assignment, but he'll now be available out of the bullpen for the stretch run in September. In 10 2/3 innings on his rehab assignment, the 30-year-old right-hander allowed no earned runs on three hits while walking five and striking out 15. Merryweather will work in middle relief in his return to the team and won't be on the fantasy radar.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SI.com - Mitch Bannon

2 years agoThe Baltimore Orioles claimed right-hander Jake Reed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. The Dodgers designated Reed for assignment on Friday to make room for reliever Blake Treinen on the active roster. The 29-year-old has made 10 relief appearances for the Dodgers and New York Mets in 2022, allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits (two homers given up) while walking seven and striking out eight in 11 innings. He made 10 relief appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma and was much better, giving up one run on eight hits while walking three and striking out 11 in 10 1/3 innings pitched. There's a good chance that Baltimore will send Reed to Triple-A Norfolk to close out the 2022 campaign.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dodgers Twitter

2 years agoThe Texas Rangers designated left-hander Dallas Keuchel for assignment on Sunday and released him on Monday. Left-hander John King was called up from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday in a corresponding move. It's the third time that Keuchel has been designated for assignment this year, failing to latch on earlier this season with the Chicago White Sox and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 34-year-old veteran southpaw surrendered 14 earned runs on 18 hits while walking four and striking out seven in just two starts for Texas, and he has an embarrassing 9.20 ERA and 2.06 WHIP in 14 overall starts in the big leagues in 2022. The two-time All-Star has fallen off a cliff in recent seasons and may not resurface again.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Trade Rumors - Mark Polishuk

2 years agoThe Texas Rangers recalled catcher Sam Huff from Triple-A Round Rock on Monday and optioned catcher Meibrys Viloria to Round Rock in a corresponding move. In 30 games for the Rangers earlier this year, Huff went 20-for-77 (.260) with a homer, five RBI and five runs scored. With Viloria being sent down to the farm, Huff will provide depth behind starter Jonah Heim. The 24-year-old Huff has only played in 40 major league games in two seasons, hitting a combined .287 (31-for-108) with four long balls, nine RBI, 10 runs scored and one stolen base in 115 plate appearances. He can be avoided for now in fantasy leagues.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rangers PR