2 years agoLos Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher David Price (wrist) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday. It was the first time Price has thrown off a mound since he landed on the injured list on Sept. 4 with left wrist inflammation. Despite dealing with wrist problems for a while before that, the 37-year-old southpaw has gone 2-0 with a solid 2.58 ERA (3.84 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP, one save and 37 strikeouts in 38 1/3 relief innings for the Blue this year. Barring a setback, Price expects to return from the injured list before the end of the regular season, so they should have him available as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen for the postseason.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett

2 years agoColorado Rockies shortstop prospect Ezequiel Tovar is being promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday, and the hope is that he finishes the 2022 season with the Rockies. Tovar just finished a rehab assignment after going on the injured list in July with hip and groin injuries. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, hit .318/.386/.546 with a .932 OPS, 13 home runs, 47 RBI, 39 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 295 plate appearances over 66 games for Double-A Hartford before being promoted. The 21-year-old is one of the best defenders at the 6 in the minor leagues already, and he has also shown improved power this year as his frame matures and he gets stronger. For now, Tovar is only a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Thomas Harding

2 years agoMinnesota Twins second baseman Luis Arraez (hamstring) is not in the starting lineup on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals. Arraez was forced to leave Wednesday's game early with hamstring tightness, but he's considered day-to-day after an MRI exam showed no structural damage. He won't start on Thursday, but he could be available off the bench and could be back in the starting lineup as soon as Friday. With Arraez starting on the bench, Jermaine Palacios will start at the keystone and hit eighth, while Kyle Garlick is serving as the designated hitter and is batting leadoff against Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch. Garlick profiles as a deep sleeper in DFS. He's hitting .254 (18-for-71) and has hit six of his nine home runs against southpaws in 2022.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press

2 years agoMinnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler (leg) remains out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals. Kepler is dealing with a right leg contusion and will now miss his third straight game this week. Fantasy managers should continue to consider him day-to-day for now. The 29-year-old German native is batting just .227/.318/.348 on the season with nine home runs, 43 RBI, 54 runs scored and three stolen bases in his 388 at-bats. Jake Cave is getting the nod in right field on Thursday and will hit ninth in the batting order against Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch. DFS gamers should be able to find better options than Cave. He's hit just .196 (18-for-92) on the year with three home runs.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press

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