Seattle Mariners outfielder Dylan Moore (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. This move isn't a surprise, considering he was expected to miss up to four weeks because of an oblique strain. The 30-year-old appeared in 104 games in 2022, ending the season with a miserable .224 average in 205 at-bats. That said, Moore isn't anticipated to have a routine spot in the lineup this season, so fantasy managers should distance themselves from him even more.
San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. filled up the score sheet on Thursday, leading the Dads to a 10-1 drubbing of the Miami Marlins. Tatis went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs scored, four RBI, and a stolen base. This game likely felt good for Tatis, as he has slumped in May with a .229/.286/.450 slash line, although he has managed seven homers and five steals to keep fantasy managers happy. His statcast page is still very red, and his xWOBA (.347) is quite a bit higher than his actual WOBA (.319), so expect him to heat up soon. He should still be considered a top-five fantasy player rest of season.
New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer delivered a strong showing on Thursday in a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Scherzer went seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. He also added nine strikeouts to his line, and it could have been more considering he had 22 swinging strikes on 101 pitches. His fastball was working in this one, generating 15 swinging strikes and a 49% CSW on its own. Mad Max now has a 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 48:14 K:BB ratio in 47 IP. He has allowed less than two earned runs in six of his eight starts this season and appears on track to turn in another ace-level fantasy season.
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman was dominant in Thursday's start against the Milwaukee Brewers, leading the Jays to a 3-1 win. Gausman threw 6 shutout innings, allowing five hits and two walks while fanning 11. He had 16 swinging strikes on 115 pitches, including nine on his devastating splitter. He also hit 99.3 mph on a heater, his highest pitch velocity since 2016. This outing lowers his ERA to 2.76 and his WHIP to 1.12, and he now has a 100:18 K:BB ratio in 75 IP. All signs point toward him being a fantasy ace for the rest of the season.
Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly finished off a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, earning his 11th save in the process. Pressly allowed just a hit while striking out one in his inning of work. It was a nice bounceback for the righty, who had just blown his first save of the season on Monday. His ERA now sits at 3.09 and his WHIP at a stellar 0.90. He will see the majority of save opportunities for a good Houston team and is a top-tier closer in fantasy.
New York Mets right-handed pitcher Drew Smith recorded his second save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. The save was of the unconventional variety, as Brooks Raley recorded two outs in the ninth but allowed a baserunner, prompting the Mets to turn to the righty. Smith got Drew Ellis to fly out to earn the one-out save. Adam Ottavino and David Robertson were both presumably unavailable in this one given they worked the previous two days. Throw all of this together and it makes it pretty clear that this was a one-off for Smith, who is unlikely to see many save opportunities.
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jordan Romano allowed a run but managed to pick up his 13th save of the season in a 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out one in his inning of work. The 30-year-old now holds a 3.27 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 28 strikeouts in 22 IP. He has now converted 13 of 16 save opportunities and will continue to work in a traditional closer role for the Blue Jays. Given the team context and his relative success, Romano is one of the elite closers in fantasy baseball.
Colorado Rockies reliever Pierce Johnson (0-2) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out one over 2/3 of an inning during Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was tagged with the loss and charged with his first blown save of the season. The 32-year-old surrendered a double to Ketel Marte and allowed a walk-off base hit to Corbin Carroll. Johnson owns a 6.85 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings. Johnson has struggled recently and could be losing his grip on Colorado's closer gig. The Rockies could turn to Daniel Bard or Brad Hand for future save opportunities if Johnson continues to struggle.
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (foot) was removed from Thursday's game against Cleveland Guardians early after re-aggravating his plantar fasciitis. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before exiting. The 28-year-old had been dealing with a foot injury and re-aggravated it during Thursday's game. He is considered day-to-day for now. Correa was replaced in the lineup by Willi Castro. Correa has struggled this season, slashing .207/.299/.372 with six home runs, 24 RBI, and 15 runs over 50 games. Castro would see an uptick in playing time if Correa were to miss any additional games.
Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler was removed from Thursday's game against the Cleveland Guardians with a possible injury. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI before being removed from the game. The 30-year-old was replaced in right field by Joey Gallo. It's unclear if Kepler re-aggravated an existing hamstring injury as he was recently activated from the injured list on May 29. Kepler is slashing .198/.275/.397 with six home runs, 15 RBI, and one run over 32 games. Kepler is considered day-to-day, and the Twins will provide an update after the game.
The Cleveland Guardians placed right-hander Cal Quantrill (shoulder) will be placed on the 15-day injured list Friday due to right shoulder inflammation. The 28-year-old received an injection Thursday and will be shut down for the next few days. He's struggled this season, owning a 5.61 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and a 34:20 K: BB across 59 1/3 innings in 2023. Aaron Civale (oblique) was activated from the injured list in a corresponding move. Civale will start Friday against the Twins. The 27-year-old owns a 2.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and an 8:2 K: BB over 12 2/3 innings in 2023.
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