MLB News

Yainer Diaz  • C  •  Astros

Yainer Diaz Resting On Wednesday

Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz is receiving a breather in the series finale on Wednesday versus the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. With Diaz on the bench, Victor Caratini is behind the plate and is catching rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti while batting fifth against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker. It's a normal day of rest for Diaz in the matinee affair after a night game. The 25-year-old is in the midst of a second straight strong season for the Astros, slashing .297/.323/.456 with 16 home runs, 72 RBI and 57 runs scored in a career-high 121 games as the team's primary catcher. His power has been down a bit this year, but fantasy managers can't really complain at a shallow position. Caratini has hit a solid .273 (45-for-165) in a backup role but has limited power (six homers). He's also hitting .143 in seven career at-bats against Walker.
Aug 28   
J.T. Realmuto  • C  •  Phillies

J.T. Realmuto Sitting Out Of Series Finale

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park. Garrett Stubbs will do the catching for right-hander Taijuan Walker and will bat ninth against Astros rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti. It's just a normal day of rest for Realmuto in a day game after a night contest. The veteran catcher has hit .273 (27-for-99) in 27 games since returning from knee surgery on July 20, but it's come with just three home runs in 110 plate appearances, with two of the homers coming in the same game on Aug. 24. It appears Realmuto's knee surgery has sapped him of his power, and he's sitting at only 10 dingers after reaching the 20-homer mark for the second straight season in 2023. Stubbs will be a low-upside catching option for DFS lineups on Wednesday.
Aug 28   
Jack Leiter  • SP  •  Rangers

Jack Leiter Expected To Stay In Rotation

The Texas Rangers have recalled right-handed pitching prospect Jack Leiter from Triple-A Round Rock in order to have him start on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, and they also "intend to give him some runway" in the rotation for the final month of the season in September. It makes sense with veteran Max Scherzer (shoulder) now looking unlikely to return, plus the Rangers aren't in the mix for a playoff spot. The 24-year-old Leiter, who is ranked as Texas' No. 4 prospect on MLB Pipeline, has been much better at Round Rock this year than he was in his first three big-league starts earlier in 2024. In those three starts, he surrendered 19 runs (17 earned) while walking six and fanning seven in just 9 1/3 innings. His matchup against Chicago doesn't get any better, but until Leiter shows better command in the majors, he'll be a shaky fantasy streaming option.
Aug 28   
Max Scherzer  • SP  •  Rangers

Max Scherzer's Return Not On The Horizon

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said that it's "going to take a while" for right-hander Max Scherzer (shoulder) to build his arm back up after he resumes throwing. It's been a season full of injuries for Scherzer, and he's only been able to make eight starts total. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer finally appears to be breaking down after an incredibly dominant career. He was scheduled for a minor-league rehab start last Friday before being pushed back indefinitely. The fact that Scherzer has yet to resume throwing is a concern, and with just a month left in the season for a Rangers team that won't be sniffing the postseason, the most likely outcome is that he'll be shut down eventually. Even if Scherzer returns in late September, he might make one or two starts for fantasy managers, at the most.
Aug 28   
Weston Wilson  • 2B  •  Phillies

Weston Wilson Back From Paternity Leave

The Philadelphia Phillies reinstated infielder/outfielder Weston Wilson from the paternity list on Wednesday and optioned infielder Buddy Kennedy to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after Tuesday night's game in a corresponding move. It remains to be seen if Wilson will immediately jump back into the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park. The 29-year-old ended up only missing two days for the birth of his child. Now that he's back, he'll mostly serve in a platoon role in the outfield for Philadelphia when the team faces a left-handed pitcher, limiting his fantasy appeal to NL-only leagues. He's a fine sleeper target in DFS against southpaws and has hit an impressive .353 overall (18-for-51) with only three home runs and seven RBI on the season. Wilson has gone 12-for-25 (.480) with two of his three homers against lefties in 2024.
Aug 28   
Michael Lorenzen  • SP  •  Royals

Michael Lorenzen Placed On 15-Day Injured List

The Kansas City Royals placed right-hander Michael Lorenzen (hamstring) on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with a left-hamstring strain and recalled right-hander Steven Cruz from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. While covering first base in his start on Tuesday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians, Lorenzen strained his hammy and now will not be able to return until mid-September. The 32-year-old veteran has been excellent in his five starts since being acquired from the Texas Rangers, going 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA (4.20 FIP), 1.15 WHIP and a 17:10 K:BB in 24 1/3 innings for KC. But with his injury, he's now only probably going to make several more starts in 2024. With Lorenzen on the shelf, Alec Marsh is the most likely candidate to jump into the Royals' starting rotation over the next several weeks.
Aug 28   
Lane Thomas  • RF  •  Guardians

Lane Thomas Retreats To The Bench

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas and shortstop Brayan Rocchio are both starting on the bench for Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Rookie Jhonkensy Noel will start in right field and bat seventh, while Daniel Schneemann will play shortstop and hit eighth for the Guards against Royals veteran right-hander Michael Wacha. Thomas hasn't really impressed Cleveland since they acquired him from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline in late July, as he's gone 11-for-76 (.145) with four doubles, three RBI and 34 strikeouts in 25 games so far. Since Aug. 21, he's gone 4-for-21 (.191) with a double, two RBI and 10 strikeouts in eight games played. Six of Noel's 12 home runs in his rookie season have come in the month of August, while he's hitting .255 (14-for-55) overall in the month in 19 games played.
Aug 28   
Maikel Garcia  • 3B  •  Royals

Maikel Garcia Taking A Seat In Series Finale

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia is not in the starting lineup in Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Paul DeJong will get the start at the hot corner and will bat sixth against Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee. Garcia will head to the bench after starting each of the team's last five games while going 6-for-19 with a homer, double and two stolen bases. The 24-year-old's playing time against right-handers has dwindled some in the second half of the season, though, since the acquisition of DeJong. Garcia is hitting .239/.287/.347 on the year with seven home runs, 52 RBI and a career-high 32 stolen bases in 129 games in his second full year in the big leagues. He's obviously been useful in all fantasy leagues for his speed, but he also isn't guaranteed a starting spot anymore when the team faces a righty.
Aug 28   
Bobby Witt Jr.  • SS  •  Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. In The Lineup On Wednesday

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (finger) is starting at shortstop and hitting in the two-hole on Wednesday versus the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and right-hander Tanner Bibee at Progressive Field for the series finale with sole possession of the American League Central lead on the line. Witt was hit on the right middle finger in Tuesday's win during a hit-by-pitch in the seventh inning, but strength tests checked out fine, according to manager Matt Quatraro. The All-Star shortstop stayed in the game and seemed OK, and post-game X-rays came back negative. The 24-year-old is in the running for AL MVP this year with how amazing he's been. The matchup isn't great on Wednesday, but Witt is a must-start in all single-year fantasy formats. He currently leads the league in batting average (.346), runs (113) and hits (183) while homering 27 times, driving in 94 and stealing 27 bases in 133 games.
Aug 28   
Oneil Cruz  • SS  •  Pirates

Oneil Cruz Making First Start In Center Field

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz is making his first career start in center field and will bat third on Wednesday against the division-rival Chicago Cubs and right-hander Kyle Hendricks at PNC Park. With Cruz in the outfield, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is at short and batting leadoff. The Pirates mentioned earlier this week that they were going to ease Cruz into center-field duties earlier this week, with this being the first start of his professional career in that spot. Pittsburgh will roll with Kiner-Falefa and Nick Gonzales up the middle the rest of the way. On days Cruz doesn't play in center, he will be the designated hitter. Already a must-start in all fantasy formats, Cruz's value will only go up with more positional flexibility heading into the 2025 season. In his career against Hendricks in five at-bats, he's hitting .200 with a homer and an RBI.
Aug 28   
Luisangel Acuña  • SS  •  Mets

Luisangel Acuna Fills Stat Sheet For Triple-A Syracuse

New York Mets shortstop prospect Luisangel Acuna did a little bit of everything on Tuesday night for Triple-A Syracuse, recording a home run as one of his four hits to go with three RBI and two stolen bases. It was the 11th multi-hit, multi-steal game in the minors for the 22-year-old shortstop who was traded to the Mets in the Max Scherzer deal. Acuna is hitting .263/.307/.673 at Triple-A this season with seven homers, 46 RBI, and 34 stolen bases. The Mets' No. 12 prospect is the younger brother of Ronald Acuna, Jr. He offers a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade speed. There is a lot of upside with Acuna and fantasy managers could see that soon if he is called up when rosters expand in September or at some point next season.
Aug 28   
Yilber Diaz  • SP  •  Diamondbacks

Yilber Diaz Dazzles In Latest Triple-A Outing

Arizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect Yilber Diaz was electric in his latest start for Triple-A Reno on Tuesday as he racked up 13 strikeouts for the second time this season with Reno. Diaz allowed four hits and did not issue a walk as he allowed just one run in 6 2/3 innings. Since returning to Reno in August, the right-hander has been lights out with a 2-1 record and 2.82 ERA in four starts with 29 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings, while issuing just four free passes. Diaz made four starts with Arizona in the major leagues and went 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He showed promise while pitching for the Diamondbacks and has been excellent in Triple-A all season. He could get another shot in Arizona when rosters expand.
Aug 28   
Gino Groover  • 3B  •  Diamondbacks

Gino Groover Goes Deep Twice At High-A

Arizona Diamondbacks third base prospect Gino Groover crushed two homers on Tuesday night for High-A Hillsboro. It was the second multi-homer game of August for the 22-year-old out of N.C. State. Groover has had a productive month with four homers and 15 RBI while recording a .266 batting average. This season, between two levels, Groover is hitting .257/.352/.407 with five homers and 24 RBI in 45 games. A broken wrist shortened his season but he is starting to produce at a high level. The Diamondbacks' No. 9 prospect possesses a 60-grade hit tool to go with 50-grade power. So this should be a big-league bat in a few years and a potential fantasy contributor at third base.
Aug 28   
Bryce Eldridge  • 1B  •  Giants

Bryce Eldridge Crushing High-A In August

San Francisco Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge is red-hot in August after hitting his 18th homer of the season on Tuesday night for High-A Eugene. The 19-year-old first baseman is slashing .346/.448/.654 this month with six homers and 19 RBI. The Giants expect big things out of the young first-base prospect and have to be thrilled with his production this year at just 19 years old. The power potential is off the charts for Eldridge and his massive production this month is a sign of that. This could be a future middle-of-the-order bat for the Giants who could be a mainstay in San Francisco for years to come. He is still a ways away, but Giants' fans and fantasy managers alike have to be eagerly awaiting his big-league arrival.
Aug 28   
Max Clark  • CF  •  Tigers

Max Clark Racks Up Five RBI

Detroit Tigers top prospect Max Clark went 3-for-5 with five RBI on Tuesday night for High-A West Michigan. The outfielder tied his career-high with five RBI. The 19-year-old has adjusted quickly since his promotion to High-A, hitting .297/.388/.495 with two homers and 16 RBI in 25 games with West Michigan. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Clark is coming into his own this season and showing off a glimpse of his massive potential. With his sweet left-handed swing, Clark offers plenty of pop in his bat and has great speed as evidenced by his 29 total stolen bases this season. The future is bright for this youngster.
Aug 28   
Kerry Carpenter  • RF  •  Tigers

Kerry Carpenter Homers, Records Three RBI

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter had a big day at the plate on Tuesday as his team beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2. Carpenter went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a two-run home run in the sixth inning off of Angels starter Johnny Cueto. Carpenter has had a productive and consistent 2024 season up until this point. However, he has been very hot lately. In his last seven games, he is slashing .320/.393/.600 with two homers and six RBI. The 26-year-old is available in 18% of Yahoo! leagues and may be worth claiming if you need some power down the stretch.
Aug 28   
Calvin Faucher  • RP  •  Marlins

Calvin Faucher Records Fourth Save

Miami Marlins relief pitcher Calvin Faucher recorded the save in Tuesday's 9-8 win against the Colorado Rockies. Faucher came into the game and had a perfect ninth inning, allowing no baserunners and striking out the side. This marks Faucher's fourth save of the season (in five opportunities). Coming out of the Marlins' bullpen, Faucher has been used in multiple roles and has been quite effective overall. In 49 games (49 2/3 IP), he has a 3.44 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts. Faucher is available in 85% of Yahoo! leagues, so he may be worth adding if you need saves down the stretch.
Aug 28   
Dansby Swanson  • SS  •  Cubs

Dansby Swanson Hits Three-Run Homer Tuesday

One day after hitting a grand slam, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson struck again in Tuesday's 9-5 win over the Pirates. Swanson went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run and two walks. The 30-year-old crushed a fourth-inning Jared Jones fastball into the right-center seats for his 12th long ball of the season. Swanson has had a disappointing season from a fantasy perspective. The good news is that he has put together a strong August, slashing .276/.356/.474 with three HR and seven stolen bases in 76 at-bats. Fantasy managers who held onto Swanson all season long have been rewarded lately just as the fantasy playoffs are approaching.
Aug 28   
Seiya Suzuki  • RF  •  Cubs

Seiya Suzuki Hits 19th Homer Of Season Tuesday

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki continued to end August on a high note in Tuesday's 9-5 win over the Pirates. Suzuki, who played designated hitter, went 2-for-4 with a single, a two-run home run, a walk, and a strikeout. The 30-year-old lined a fourth-inning Jared Jones fastball to the opposite field, putting it over the right-field wall for his 19th long ball of the season. Despite a mostly poor offensive August, Suzuki owns a solid .276/.348/.494 slash line with 62 runs scored, 63 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in 465 plate appearances. Hopefully, he can continue to get things going down the stretch.
Aug 28   
Dylan Crews  • CF  •  Nationals

Dylan Crews Records First MLB Hit

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews made his long-awaited MLB debut on Monday but didn't record his first hit until Tuesday, when his team beat the New York Yankees 4-2. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a run. Crews is currently ranked as the third-best prospect in baseball (MLB Pipeline), and his call-up has been expected for a few weeks now. The 22-year-old has tremendous potential and power that can immediately impact ball games. Crews has a ton of fantasy upside and should be added in all formats, as he is rostered only in 35% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.
Aug 28   
LEGEND
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