2 years agoChicago White Sox starting pitcher
Lance Lynn picked up the win Thursday after tossing 6 1/3 innings against the Cleveland Guardians, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out six and walking one. It was his fourth win in a row and seventh of the year across 18 starts. Lynn doesn't have the ERA fantasy managers were hoping for, posting a 3.99 mark, but his 1.07 WHIP and 113:16 strikeout-to-walk numbers are dominant. Fantasy managers should continue playing the 35-year-old veteran in every league.
--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 years agoChicago White Sox outfielder/first baseman
Andrew Vaughn joined in on the fun when his team clubbed five home runs in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians, going 1-for-3 with a solo homer of his own. It was his 16th this season, and he now has 69 RBI and 57 runs over 119 games. Vaughn has more power than he's shown thus far in his career, but the sophomore has displayed his hitting ability, batting .290. There hasn't been much talk of the 24-year-old, but his numbers look good in any fantasy lineup.
--Spencer Seguin - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 years agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates designated right-hander
Tyler Beede for assignment on Thursday and recalled left-hander
Eric Stout from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move. The Pirates also designated left-hander
Dillon Peters for assignment after he was returned from his minor league rehab assignment. In 31 appearances (five starts) for the Pirates and San Francisco Giants this year, Beede has posted a 5.14 ERA (4.99 FIP), a 1.63 WHIP, 39 strikeouts and 29 walks in 61 1/3 innings. All five of his starts have come with Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old allowed 30 earned runs on 57 hits (six homers surrendered) while walking 23 and striking out 35 in his 51 2/3 frames for the Bucs.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pirates Twitter
2 years agoHouston Astros outfielder
Yordan Alvarez (hand) is back in left field and is hitting third on Thursday against the Oakland Athletics and right-hander
James Kaprielian. Alvarez shot down reports on Wednesday that he was held out of the lineup due to more hand soreness. The 25-year-old left-handed slugger is a must-start in fantasy, so he should be returned to starting lineups everywhere on Thursday. Alvarez is currently slashing .295/.403/.598 with a 1.000 OPS, 33 home runs, 84 RBI, 84 runs scored and one stolen base in 410 at-bats for the Astros. The next home run he hits will set a new career-high.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press
2 years agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Shane Baz (elbow) is throwing and seems to be doing just fine in his recovery from an elbow injury, but he will not pitch in games again this year. Baz had resumed throwing late last month, but the Rays will not rush the 23-year-old back this year, even for a potential postseason run. In his first two big-league seasons, Baz has only made nine starts, going 3-2 with a 4.02 ERA (4.30 FIP), a 1.12 WHIP and a 48:12 K:BB in 40 1/3 innings. The Rays and fantasy managers will be hoping that he's fully healthy way ahead of spring training next year as he looks to lay claim to a starting rotation spot.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
2 years agoLos Angeles Dodgers infielder
Gavin Lux (back) will get live at-bats at Camelback Ranch in Arizona on Thursday and will rejoin the Dodgers on Friday. He's expected to play in the series against the division-rival San Francisco Giants this weekend. The 24-year-old hasn't played for the Dodgers since Sept. 1 due to a back injury, but he's nearing his return to the major-league lineup. With Lux injured recently,
Chris Taylor has seen most of the playing time at the keystone in LA, with
Joey Gallo getting more at-bats in left field. In 369 at-bats for the Dodgers in 2022, Lux is slashing a strong .293/.368/.428 with six home runs, 42 RBI, 62 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 418 plate appearances and 115 games in his fourth big-league campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett
2 years agoCincinnati Reds outfielder
Jake Fraley (head) is back in the starting lineup on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander
Miles Mikolas, serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup. It's the first time that Fraley will return to the lineup since being drilled in the head by a pitch in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. The 27-year-old was quickly able to pass through the league's concussion protocol and is in a great spot to produce some counting stats on Thursday. He's been much better against right-handed pitchers this year, too, hitting .263 (36-for-137) with nine of his 10 home runs and 20 RBI in 52 games. Fraley has just four hits in 26 at-bats against lefties.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press
2 years agoHouston Astros second baseman
Jose Altuve is not in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Oakland Athletics. It appears to just be a normal day of rest for the everyday second baseman, but fantasy managers must act accordingly. The 32-year-old veteran has been swinging a hot bat in the month of September, going 16-for-49 (.327) with two home runs, four RBI, 10 runs scored and five stolen bases in 12 games. Altuve remains a must-start whenever he's in the lineup. Veteran utility man
Aledmys Diaz is starting at second base and is hitting second on Thursday against A's right-hander
James Kaprielian. Diaz has some DFS sleeper potential in the two-hole, and he's hitting .283 (13-for-46) with a homer, seven RBI and four runs scored in his last 13 games, dating back to Aug. 1.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press
2 years agoMiami Marlins infielder
Joey Wendle (core) is not in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies in the series finale. Wendle is dealing with a minor right core issue and is expected to return to the lineup at some point this weekend. He last played on Monday. With Wendle still sideline, rookie
Jordan Groshans is making his third start at the keystone on Thursday and will hit eighth in the batting order against Phillies right-hander
Noah Syndergaard. Groshans will be making only his third major-league start after recently being called up from the minors. So far, he's gone 3-for-6 with three singles. The 22-year-old has become a hit-over-power prospect, but he's worth adding in deeper leagues if he continues to play regularly to close out the 2022 season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
2 years agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman
Rhys Hoskins (hand) is not in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Miami Marlins. Hoskins was forced from Wednesday's game early after being hit by a pitch in the hand, but thankfully X-rays came back negative and he's just dealing with a contusion. There's a chance that the 29-year-old slugger could be right back in the lineup on Friday for the start of a big series against the Atlanta Braves. With Hoskins on the bench Thursday,
Alec Bohm will move across the diamond to first base and hit fifth, while
Edmundo Sosa is manning the hot corner and batting ninth in the order against Marlins right-hander
Pablo Lopez.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press
2 years agoToronto Blue Jays catcher
Alejandro Kirk (hip) is dealing with some left hip tightness, which is why he's out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Toronto thinks Kirk could be available off the bench, though, so he's considered day-to-day. Fantasy managers need to act accordingly and move Kirk to their benches for Thursday's action. The 23-year-old has been great with the bat this year, slashing .295/.379/.432 with an .811 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI and 56 runs scored in 424 at-bats. His hip injury could explain a recent cold stretch at the plate. In his absence,
Gabriel Moreno will get the start behind the dish and will hit eighth against Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan. Moreno is hitting .276 (16-for-58) in 2022, but he's still searching for his first home run in his rookie season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Ben Nicholson-Smith
2 years agoBoston Red Sox rookie starting pitcher
Brayan Bello took the loss on Wednesday in the 5-3 defeat at the hands of the division-rival New York Yankees. Bello allowed three unearned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out six in five innings pitched. The 23-year-old Dominican didn't receive any help behind him, as the Red Sox made two errors that led to the three unearned tallies on his line. Bello is now 1-6 in his first 10 major-league outings (eight starts). He also carries a 5.10 ERA (2.76 FIP), a 1.70 WHIP, 42 strikeouts and 21 walks in 42 1/3 innings. Since July 29, he's allowed just 10 earned runs while walking 13 and striking out 33 in 30 1/3 frames over five starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 years agoChicago Cubs left-hander
Drew Smyly picked up his seventh win of the season on Wednesday in a 6-3 victory over the New York Mets. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits while walking one and striking out five in his five innings pitched. The 33-year-old southpaw's one earned run came on a solo shot in the third inning. Smyly is 7-8 on the season with a 3.48 ERA (4.30 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP, 89 strikeouts and 26 walks in 103 1/3 innings over 21 starts in his first season in Chicago. He was roughed up to the tune of seven earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings on Sept. 3 against the Cardinals, but otherwise he hasn't given up more than two earned runs in a start since July 30 against San Francisco.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 years agoMinnesota Twins starting pitcher
Sonny Gray was on his game on Wednesday in the 7-0 shutout win over the Kansas City Royals. Gray threw seven shutout innings and allowed only three hits, walking one and striking out eight in the process. The 32-year-old veteran right-hander now sits with an 8-4 record, 2.91 ERA (3.29 FIP), 1.10 WHIP, 116 strikeouts and 35 walks in 117 2/3 innings over 23 starts in his first season in Minnesota. He's been especially good in his last 10 outings, going 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA (3.06 FIP), 59 strikeouts and 18 walks in 54 2/3 innings pitched. Fantasy managers should continue to roll him out there in their starting lineups when he takes the rubber next.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 years agoChicago Cubs rookie right-hander
Hayden Wesneski isn't slated to start any of the team's upcoming games against the Colorado Rockies this weekend, so he'll remain in the bullpen for now. The Cubs have right-hander
Marcus Stroman, left-hander
Wade Miley and right-hander
Javier Assad lined up for the three-game set. Wesneski is viewed as a starter in the long term, but so far his first two big-league appearances have come in relief, and he's allowed three earned runs on six hits (two home runs) while walking two and fanning 11 in 8 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old was impressing in his MLB debut, throwing five shutout innings and striking out eight against the Reds. Wesneski is the Cubs' No. 12 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, but he won't have a ton of fantasy appeal unless he's in Chicago's rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SB Nation - Al Yellon
RADIO
