2 years agoThe tentative plan is for Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander (calf) to return to the starting rotation on Friday against the Oakland Athletics, but manager Dusty Baker said it's not finalized yet. Verlander has already thrown multiple bullpen sessions without any setbacks and appears rearing to rejoin the rotation for the stretch run in September. The 39-year-old two-time Cy Young winner continues to be one of the best starting pitchers in fantasy despite his age, as he's gone 16-3 with a league-leading 1.84 ERA (2.71 FIP), a league-leading 0.85 WHIP, 154 strikeouts and only 26 walks in 152 innings over 24 starts. Verlander will be a no-brainer must-start against Oakland if he does indeed make his return on Friday.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Chronicle - Chandler Rome

2 years agoUpdating a previous report, Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand) is dealing with hand soreness, according to skipper Dusty Baker, and the team is holding Alvarez out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers as a precaution. Baker said that it's something that Alvarez will have to manage over the last six weeks of the season. It's not exactly what fantasy managers want to hear, but the good news is that it doesn't appear to be a very serious issue. The 25-year-old left-handed slugger is a must-start fantasy commodity whenever he's in the lineup. In 410 at-bats this year, Alvarez is slashing .295/.403/.598 with a 1.000 OPS, a career-high-tying 33 home runs, 84 RBI, 84 runs scored and a stolen base in 118 games.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Houston Chronicle - Chandler Rome

2 years agoBoston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck (back) underwent surgery to fix a disc issue in his lower back on Sept. 6 and won't return this season. He was moved to the 60-day injured list on Sept. 4. Houck is expected to make a full recovery in time for spring training next year, and he's already feeling better. "Oh, I definitely can feel the difference," Houck said. "Before, my leg was on fire. I described it as fire ants were running up and down my leg. I have no more side effects, no more anything. I feel completely back to normal. I already told [manager Alex Cora] I'd pitch tonight if they let me, but I don't think that'll happen." Before his injury, the 26-year-old was having a fine season, converting eight of his nine save chances while posting a 3.15 ERA in 32 outings.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoBoston Red Sox second baseman Trevor Story (heel) could return to the starting lineup either Wednesday or Friday after he left Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles early with left heel pain. "I don't think this is something that's going to take longer than a few days," said manager Alex Cora. "We'll push for tomorrow. If it doesn't happen, we'll be ready for Friday." If Story doesn't return for the final game of a two-game set against the division-rival New York Yankees on Wednesday, he's likely to be back on Friday for the series opener against the Kansas City Royals. Story has been swinging the bat well this month, going 10-for-35 (.286) with a homer, eight RBI, two runs scored and a steal in nine games played.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (shoulder) threw three innings of live batting practice at Fenway Park on Tuesday, which likely puts him in line to make a minor league rehab start next, perhaps as soon as this weekend. "Everything feels good. I feel ready to go," Eovaldi said. "This time, we're just trying to make sure we don't skip these steps and we dot our I's and cross our T's." The 32-year-old hard-throwing right-hander is nearing a return to Boston's starting rotation, but he's quickly running out of time to make a difference for his fantasy managers down the stretch. In 18 starts for the BoSox this year, Eovaldi is 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA (4.50 FIP), a 1.26 WHIP and a 96:18 K:BB in 99 2/3 innings thrown.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoCincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (head) is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fraley was forced from the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday against the Pirates after he was hit in the helmet by a fastball from Manny Banuelos. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter didn't play in Game 2 and remains out on Wednesday, but the good news is he hasn't displayed any concussion symptoms. Consider Fraley to be day-to-day for now. With Fraley out again on Wednesday, TJ Friedl will get the start in left field and will bat leadoff against Pirates right-hander Roansy Contreras. Friedl, who also bats from the left side, has been better against lefties in a small sample size this year, but five of his six homers have come against right-handers.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press

2 years agoNew York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (oblique) will make a minor league rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, according to the team. The three-time Cy Young winner missed his last scheduled start due to discomfort in his left oblique after being sidelined more than a month earlier this year with a left oblique injury. Barring any setbacks in his outing on Wednesday, the 38-year-old right-hander should return to the Mets starting rotation next week. When healthy, Scherzer continues to be lights-out, going 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA in 20 starts in his first season with the Mets in 2022. When he returns next week, he'll be a must-start for fantasy managers, likely against the Milwaukee Brewers.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Syracuse Post-Standard - Nate Mink

2 years agoThe Los Angeles Angels placed infielder Andrew Velazquez (knee) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a right meniscus tear and recalled infielder Michael Stefanic from Triple-A Salt Lake in a corresponding move. Velazquez tore his meniscus in the game on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians and will miss the rest of the 2022 season. Barring any setbacks over the winter, the 28-year-old should be just fine for the start of next year. In a career-high 125 games (349 plate appearances) in his first year in Anaheim, Velazquez slashed just .196/.236/.304 with nine home runs, 28 RBI, 37 runs scored and 17 stolen bases.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Angels PR

2 years agoCincinnati Reds rookie right-hander Hunter Greene (shoulder) is lined up to return from the injured list to start one of the games of a doubleheader on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Greene landed on the 15-day injured list in early August with a right shoulder strain, but he made three minor league rehab starts for Triple-A Louisville and looked good, allowing two earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out 15 in seven innings pitched. The 23-year-old built up to 66 pitches in his final rehab outing, although Cincy is unlikely to push him too much to close out the 2022 regular season. Greene has lots of strikeout upside, but he's gone 4-12 with a 5.26 ERA (4.96 FIP), a 1.29 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings in 20 starts in his first big-league season this year.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Bobby Nightengale

2 years agoCleveland Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie's start has been pushed back from Thursday to Friday against the Minnesota Twins. Rookie Hunter Gaddis will be recalled from the minors to start against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. It's unclear as of now why the Guardians made the decision to move McKenzie back a day. The 25-year-old right-hander has been very good for Cleveland and fantasy managers in 2022, posting a 3.05 ERA (3.87 FIP), a 0.97 WHIP, 159 strikeouts and 43 walks in 165 1/3 innings over his 27 outings (26 starts) in his third MLB season. Gaddis, 24, will be making just his second major-league start on Thursday. In his first start on Aug. 5 against the Houston Astros, he allowed eight earned runs on seven hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out two in just 3 1/3 innings.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mandy Bell

2 years agoHouston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez is not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. It will just be a routine day of rest for the 25-year-old slugger, but fantasy managers need to act accordingly. Alvarez has been hot so far in the month of September, going 10-for-33 (.303) with two home runs, four RBI and six runs scored in nine games played. He'll need to be returned to all starting lineups when he's back in Houston's lineup. Trey Mancini is starting in left field on Wednesday and is hitting sixth against Tigers left-hander Joey Wentz. Mancini has really struggled since being traded to Houston, going 21-for-106 (.198) with seven homers, 20 RBI and 14 runs scored in 33 games. He also hasn't been quite as good against lefties in 2022, hitting .248 (38-for-153) with only three of his 17 home runs against them.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press

2 years agoSan Diego Padres relief pitcher Josh Hader picked up his 32nd save of the season in Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Mariners. Hader came in to pitch the ninth inning up by two. He struck the first two hitters out, allowed a single, and got the final out on another strikeout. Hader has been able to get back on the right track after a rough patch and has now converted all but three save opportunities with a 5.98 ERA, 15.05 K/9 rate, and 4.12 BB/9 rate. Fantasy managers may not feel the most comfortable with Hader at this time, but his recent history of being one of baseball's top closers makes his upside too great to sit.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoMiami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara fell to 12-8 in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Phillies. Alcantara pitched 7 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits (including a two-run home run) and a walk with four strikeouts. The 27-year-old has been one of fantasy's top starters overall this season, but he has been more pedestrian in the second half, posting a 3.64 ERA in eight starts since August. Regardless, Alcantara is too good for fantasy managers to not start, and he will have a good chance to turn in another strong start this weekend at the Nationals.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoPhiladelphia Phillies relief pitcher David Robertson picked up his 20th save of the season in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Marlins. The veteran came in to shut things out with a one-run lead and did just that, delivering a 1-2-3 ninth inning with no strikeouts. Robertson has had a resurgent season with the Cubs and Phillies, converting 20 of 27 save opportunities with a 2.34 ERA, an 11.71 K/9 rate, and a 4.37 BB/9 rate. The walks have been an issue, but Robertson has been a solid source of saves for fantasy managers so far this season and should continue to be down the stretch.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoBaltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista picked up his 13th save of the season in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Nationals. Bautista entered to pitch the ninth inning up by one. He allowed a leadoff walk and got the first two outs on a strikeout and flyout. The tying run advanced to second on a stolen base, but Bautista ended things there with another strikeout. It was nice to see the big flamethrower back for the O's, as he had missed several games with arm fatigue. Bautista has emerged as a solid fantasy closer, converting all but one save opportunity with a 1.60 ERA and an 11.90 K/9 rate. He should continue to be a strong fantasy option down the stretch as the O's compete for a playoff spot.--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com