MLB News

Tylor Megill  • SP  •  Mets

Tylor Megill Being Called Up To Start On Friday

The New York Mets are calling up right-hander Tylor Megill from Triple-A Syracuse to make the start on Friday in the series opener versus the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Megill has the opportunity to stick around in New York's starting rotation for a couple turns with Paul Blackburn (hand) currently on the 15-day injured list. The 29-year-old Megill has an ERA over 5.00 in 10 appearances (nine starts) for the Mets this year, but he's also sporting a career-best 26.3% strikeout rate in 47 innings pitched. On the flip side, he has a walk rate over 10% and hasn't started a game in the big leagues since July 27, when he gave up four earned runs (three homers) in six innings in a loss to the Braves. However, with an excellent matchup on tap against the Pale Hose, we wouldn't blame fantasy managers in deeper leagues for taking a chance on Megill as a streaming option on Friday.
Aug 30   
Dedniel Núñez  • RP  •  Mets

Dedniel Nunez Lands On Injured List Again

The New York Mets placed right-handed reliever Dedniel Nunez (forearm) back on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 26) on Thursday with persistent forearm tightness. Nunez is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam as soon as Friday and will be eligible to come off the IL on Sept. 10. He initially landed on the IL with forearm tightness on July 26 and returned on Aug. 23. In the days since his return, Nunez hasn't been able to recover like he did earlier in the year and felt more discomfort anytime he tried to put spin on the ball while throwing before the game on Thursday. The Mets and Nunez are optimistic that he'll make a quick recovery. However, it's worrisome for a pitcher that has already had Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old has been a key member of New York's bullpen this year with a save, 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 48 K's in his 35 relief innings.
Aug 30   
Bobby Miller  • SP  •  Dodgers

Bobby Miller Dealing With Knee Issue

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Bobby Miller (knee) said he's been dealing with a left-knee issue, which is what he tweaked in the second inning of his outing on Thursday night against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium. Miller said he can manage his left knee the rest of the year. Despite battling a knee ailment, the 25-year-old made it through five innings in his start on Thursday against the O's and actually picked up just his second win of the year, allowing three earned runs on two hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out three. The former 29th overall pick in 2020 out of Louisville was demoted to the minors earlier this year after struggling in LA's starting rotation and he hasn't been much better since his return on Aug. 17, allowing 10 earned runs while walking four and fanning 13 in 15 2/3 innings over three starts. Rolling with an injured Miller down the stretch will be dicey for fantasy managers.
Aug 30   
Nick Lodolo  • SP  •  Reds

Nick Lodolo To Be In A Splint Until Sept. 9

Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (finger) will have his injured finger in a splint until Sept. 9. Lodolo is on the 15-day injured list yet again, this time with a sprained left middle finger. There's no exact timetable for his return, and the Reds haven't officially ruled him out for the rest of the 2024 season, but with time quickly running out, we'd be surprised if Lodolo took the mound for the Reds again this year, especially with Cincinnati out of playoff contention. Fantasy managers in need of pitching that are still in contention for a title should probably move on from Lodolo instead of waiting around. The 26-year-old southpaw is quickly developing a reputation for being injury-prone, although his high-strikeout upside remains intriguing for fantasy managers down the road. In a career-high 21 starts in 2024, he's gone 9-6 with a 4.76 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 122 K's over 115 1/3 frames.
Aug 30   
Hunter Greene  • SP  •  Reds

Hunter Greene Resumes Throwing

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that right-hander Hunter Greene (elbow) has resumed throwing as he prepares to return this season. There remains no timetable for Greene's return from the 15-day injured list, but the good news is the Reds are expecting the 25-year-old to return before the end of the regular season at the end of September. However, for fantasy purposes, Greene isn't going to have much time at all to make a difference for teams that are in the mix for a title. He was shut down several weeks ago with inflammation in his right elbow, so it's going to take him some time to ramp back up. Greene made his first All-Star squad in 2024 in his third year in the big leagues and has been excellent for fantasy managers with a 9-4 record, career-best 2.83 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP and a 162:53 K:BB in 143 1/3 innings over his 24 starts. Just don't expect much from him when/if he returns late in September.
Aug 30   
Vinnie Pasquantino  • 1B  •  Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino Diagnosed With Broken Thumb

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) was diagnosed with a broken right thumb after getting injured in a collision at first base late in Thursday night's loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, and further tests are scheduled on Friday. Pasquantino could return in six to eight weeks. With that timetable, Pasquantino's 2024 season is likely over unless the Royals make it to the playoffs and make a deep postseason run. In the 26-year-old left-handed slugger's absence, the Royals will most likely move catcher Salvador Perez over to first more often, with Freddy Fermin doing the catching. Their other options include calling up Nick Pratto or Nick Loftin to handle some first-base action as KC battles for the American League Central down the stretch. It's a big blow for the Royals, as Pasquantino had contributed a career-high 19 homers and 97 RBI in his 496 at-bats this year.
Aug 30   
Bryce Eldridge  • 1B  •  Giants

Bryce Eldridge Stays Hot With Two Long Balls On Thursday

San Francisco Giants outfield prospect Bryce Eldridge stayed hot at the plate by going 3-for-3 with a double and two home runs in the second game of a doubleheader on Thursday evening. Since the start of the month, the former 16th-overall selection in last year's draft has been carrying a strong .371/.472/.775 line with seven doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 24 RBI, and an 18:22 BB:K ratio. Since joining High-A at the start of July, Eldridge has posted a strong .329/.437/.605 line through his first 46 games. The James Madison HS product remains the top prospect in the Giant system and should be in contention to spend most of next summer in the upper levels of the minor leagues if he continues this current production.
Aug 30   
Chandler Simpson  • SS  •  Rays

Chandler Simpson Extends Hitting Streak To Seven Games, Swipes Two Bags

Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson went 1-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases on Thursday evening to extend his current hitting streak to seven games. During this stretch, the 23-year-old has swiped eight bags while hitting for an excellent .370 AVG. The Georgia Tech product has established itself as one of, if not the best, base stealers in the minor leagues as he sits with an eye-catching 94 stolen bases this season, split between High and Double-A. Since joining Double-A Montgomery at the start of June, Simpson has carried a stellar .356/.405/.420 line with 100 total hits across a 68-game stint. Simpson currently sits as the No.5 prospect in the Tampa Bay system on MLB.com and could contend to make his major league debut sometime next summer.
Aug 30   
Lazaro Montes  • RF  •  Mariners

Lazaro Montes Hits Two Home Runs On Thursday

Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes went 3-for-4 with two round-trippers and four RBI in the opening game of a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. This was another stellar outing for the budding superstar, as he is currently carrying an excellent .413/.500/.698 line with five home runs and three stolen bases since the start of the month. Montes was promoted to High-A at the beginning of July and has held a steady .268/.369/.415 slash line through his first 43 games. His recent surge suggests that he may continue to turn the corner and progress further. Earlier this summer at Single-A Modesto, the 19-year-old posted a .309/.411/.527 line with 13 home runs across 65 games. Montes remains one of the top prospects in the sport and should remain stashed in all dynasty and keeper formats, even though he is still several seasons away from his major league debut.
Aug 30   
Samuel Basallo  • C  •  Orioles

Samuel Basallo Launches First Triple-A Long Ball

Baltimore Orioles catching/first base prospect Samuel Basallo launched his first home run at Triple-A on Thursday evening. Since joining Triple-A Norfolk, the top prospect has tallied only two hits across his first 14 at-bats and holds a 1:7 BB:K ratio. Earlier this summer at Double-A Bowie, the 20-year-old posted a stellar .289/.355/.465 line with 16 home runs, 55 RBI, and 22 doubles. Since making his Single-A debut in 2023, the backstop has progressed through the minor leagues very quickly and should have a good chance of reaching the majors next season. MLB.com ranks Basallo as the No.2 best prospect in Baltimore and the 10th best in the sport.
Aug 30   
Aaron Civale  • SP  •  Brewers

Aaron Civale Dominates Giants In Shutout Win

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Aaron Civale was brilliant Thursday, shutting down the San Francisco Giants in a 6-0 victory. Civale allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out seven in this one. Although the results in this one were good, Civale has been mediocre for most of the season, including his time with both Tampa and Milwaukee. He is certainly capable of a dominant start like this one, but he is hard to trust in fantasy given his 4.59 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. Consider him a streaming option against easy matchups.
Aug 30   
Bowden Francis  • SP  •  Blue Jays

Bowden Francis Dominates Red Sox On Thursday

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis continued his ridiculous run with seven more shutout innings, this time against the Boston Red Sox. Francis once again allowed just one hit while striking out five and walking none. It's been an incredible stretch for the 28-year-old, who has come out of nowhere to become a must-roster pitcher in fantasy. He now has four consecutive outings where he has allowed one run or less over seven-plus innings, and over those four starts he has allowed just six combined hits. If he is still out there in a shallow league, go get him as quickly as possible.
Aug 30   
Derek Hill  • CF  •  Marlins

Derek Hill Homers Twice

Miami Marlins outfielder Derek Hill had a nice game on Thursday, going 3-for-6 with a pair of homers in a 12-8 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Hill tacked on a pair of runs and three RBI to round out his line. The 28-year-old has found a place in the everyday lineup for the Marlins since being acquired by them at the trade deadline, and he's at least been able to provide some power and speed. He has four homers and three steals on the month, but his batting average has remained low. He isn't a terrible deep-league option for those in need of some power or speed, but he doesn't have much appeal outside of that.
Aug 30   
Vinnie Pasquantino  • 1B  •  Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino Injures His Hand On Thursday

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hand) suffered a hand injury during a collision at first base late in Thursday's loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park and is going for X-rays. "I can't say for sure because he is still over there getting X-rays. All I know is he said it was hurting him, so we took him out," manager Matt Quatraro said. Reliever Lucas Erceg (hand) was also injured on the same play and was removed. Pasquantino went 0-for-4 in the game and was replaced at first by catcher Salvador Perez. Fantasy managers will want to check back for updates on the 26-year-old on Friday and may want to brace for a potential injured-list stint. At this time of the year, a serious enough injury could cost Pasquantino the rest of the season. The Pasquatch has already contributed career-highs in homers (19), RBI (97) and runs scored (64) in 130 games in 2024 in his third year in the big leagues.
Aug 30   
Brendan Rodgers  • 2B  •  Rockies

Brendan Rodgers Swats Pair Of Homers

Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers went 3-for-5 with two homers in a 12-8 loss against the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Rodgers collected three runs and three RBI to provide a solid overall line. The 28-year-old has had a rollercoaster August, going 20-for-51 (.392) with three homers and 10 RBI in the first 13 games of the month, then going 7-for-39 (.179) with no homers and one RBI in his last 10 games coming into this one. He probably lies somewhere in between, but for fantasy purposes he should probably only be used when the Rockies have a full slate of home games on the schedule.
Aug 30   
JJ Bleday  • CF  •  Athletics

JJ Bleday Smacks Five Hits Thursday

Oakland Athletics outfielder JJ Bleday had a monster day at the dish on Thursday, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, three runs scored, and an RBI. Bleday has had a productive season for the Athletics, swatting 19 homers with a .789 OPS. Unfortunately, he doesn't steal bases and has had trouble getting counting stats while hitting in a mediocre Oakland lineup. If the A's can get some hitting help in the offseason, Bleday could be a decent sleeper option for fantasy next year. For this year, though, he remains a deep league option with streamer appeal in standard formats.
Aug 30   
Nathan Eovaldi  • SP  •  Rangers

Nathan Eovaldi Spins Seven Shutout Innings, Strikes Out 10

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi dominated the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, throwing seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win. Eovaldi was almost untouchable in this one, as he allowed just one hit and two walks while punching out 10. The 34-year-old needed a start like this after surrendering three or more runs in each of his last five starts. Although there have been a few rough stretches, Eovaldi's overall numbers are very solid, as he's pitched to a 3.60 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 138 strikeouts over 140 IP. Fantasy managers should be very happy with that production given the low draft cost, and he should remain a solid starter for the rest of the season.
Aug 30   
Lawrence Butler  • RF  •  Athletics

Lawrence Butler Smashes Three Homers

Oakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler went off on Thursday, going 3-for-4 with three home runs and four RBI. Butler hit his 17th homer in the second inning, his 18th in the fourth, and his 19th in the ninth, which also happened to be a game-tying homer. The 24-year-old now has five homers in his past three games, a stretch that has his fantasy owners breathing a sigh of relief after a slump in early August. Although there may be some ups and downs, Butler should be a solid fantasy asset down the stretch and should be owned in all formats.
Aug 30   
Lucas Erceg  • RP  •  Royals

Lucas Erceg Leaves Early With Hand Injury

Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg (hand) was removed from his appearance early on Thursday against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park after taking a comebacker off his throwing hand. First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (undisclosed) was actually injured on the same play during a collision at first base and was also pulled from the game. Erceg tried to field a comebacker with his bare hand on the play. The 29-year-old will surely undergo testing on his hand to determine the severity of the injury. He ended up allowing three earned runs on two hits while walking one in just one-third of an inning to get hit with a blown save (his fifth) and his fifth loss of the year. Coming into Thursday, Erceg had taken over closing duties in KC after being acquired from the A's in a deadline trade and had five saves with a 0.68 ERA in his 12 appearances. If he misses time, James McArthur is likely to get another shot in the closer's role.
Aug 30   
Freddie Freeman  • 1B  •  Dodgers

Freddie Freeman To Return On Friday

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that first baseman Freddie Freeman (finger) will be back in the starting lineup for the start of a huge series on Friday versus the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Freeman, who suffered a hairline fracture in his finger back on Aug. 17, has been held out of the last three games. It's no secret that the 34-year-old left-handed-hitting All-Star isn't 100% and might not be for the rest of the season. He's gone just 3-for-23 (.130) with two doubles, an RBI, two walks and seven strikeouts in six games since his injury, and it will be interesting to see how well he fares at the plate moving forward. If Freeman needs more rest days down the stretch, utility man Enrique Hernandez is the top option to replace him at the cold corner after doing so the last few days. Unless Freeman starts really struggling, fantasy managers should get him back in their lineups on Friday.
Aug 30   
LEGEND
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