MLB News

Logan Gilbert  • SP  •  Mariners

Logan Gilbert Strikes Out Nine In Thursday's Victory

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert tossed 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball while striking out nine batters en route to earning his eighth victory of the summer on Thursday against the New York Yankees. This was a nice bounce-back outing for the 27-year-old, as he carried a 4.50 ERA across his previous three outings. Overall through his fourth season in the big leagues, Gilbert sits with a sold 3.24 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 36:207 BB:K. He has showcased excellent command with a near-perfect 4.6% walk rate and has generated whiffs at an above-average 30.8% rate. Gilbert is scheduled to close out his 2024 campaign with a divisional matchup against the Houston Astros next week.
2 hours ago   
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.  • 1B  •  Blue Jays

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Goes Deep Twice, Tallies Three Hits

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3-for-4 with two home runs, two RBI, and a stolen base in Thursday's victory over the Texas Rangers. The infielder launched two solo shots in the seventh and ninth innings. The 25-year-old has enjoyed an excellent bounce-back campaign after falling short over the past two seasons following his remarkable 2021 MVP campaign. This summer, Guerrero has held a stellar .322/.397/.553 slash line with 30 long balls and two swiped bags. His underlying metrics were remarkable, with a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 94.0 mph average exit velocity, suggesting he may have continued his development this summer. Guerrero should be one of the first corner infielders taken in drafts next spring due to his elite batting average and high-upside power production.
2 hours ago   
Andrés Giménez  • 2B  •  Guardians

Andres Gimenez Tallies Three Hits, Walks It Off On Thursday

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles on Thursday afternoon. Gimenez tallied his lone RBI in walk-off fashion as he scored Jose Ramirez on a ground ball to right field. The 26-year-old has been productive in the batter's box this month, carrying a .263/.291/.382 line with two home runs, three doubles, and five stolen bases. This season, the infielder has reached the 30-stolen base mark for the second-straight campaign while holding a modest .251 AVG. While his power production is inconsistent, fantasy managers should continue to count on the 26-year-old to be a threat on the basepaths.
2 hours ago   
Anthony Santander  • RF  •  Orioles

Anthony Santander Hits Walk-Off Home Run

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander went 1-for-3 with a two-run, walk-off shot and two walks on Thursday afternoon. Santander launched his 42nd long ball of the summer off San Francisco right-hander Ryan Walker to power the Orioles to a victory. Santander entered this game carrying a mere .100 AVG across his previous five games, so this could be a nice outing to build momentum. The 29-year-old switch-hitter has enjoyed his first 40-home run campaign this season while carrying a .238/.310/.511 line. Even though his batting average has not been stable, Santander has been one of the best power hitters in baseball this summer. Fantasy managers should continue to keep Santander locked into their starting lineups over the final week of the summer, given his high-power upside.
2 hours ago   
Matt Olson  • 1B  •  Braves

Matt Olson Launches Two Home Runs On Thursday

Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Thursday's victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The 30-year-old has begun to heat up at the plate and is carrying an impressive .317/.432/.567 line with nine extra-base hits and a 13:9 BB:K ratio since the start of the month. Overall, Olson has had a down year to his standards, tallying only 28 home runs compared to the 54 he hit last season. Under the hood, he still carries an above-average 12.2% barrel rate and 43.6% hard-hit rate, which suggests the power surge should continue throughout the rest of the season. Fantasy managers should always leave Olson in their starting lineup and could be worth a look in DFS formats while he enjoys this hot stretch.
2 hours ago   
Michael Harris II  • CF  •  Braves

Michael Harris II Goes Deep Twice On Thursday

Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II went 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and four RBI on Thursday afternoon to lead the Braves to a statement victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The 23-year-old hit his first long ball of the afternoon in the eighth inning and went deep again in the following frame. Harris has launched four home runs in his past three games and is riding a three-game home runs streak. Since returning from the IL on August 14, Harris has gone deep ten times with a .254 AVG and .493 SLG. The budding outfielder missed a majority of the campaign due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain but looks to be rounding into form as the Braves hope to claim one of the final wild card spots. Harris should remain locked into all starting lineups during the final week of the season.
3 hours ago   
Juan Soto  • RF  •  Yankees

Juan Soto To Undergo X-Rays, Considers Himself Day-To-Day

New York Yankees All-Star outfielder Juan Soto (knee) is set to undergo X-rays on his left knee, but manager Aaron Boone emphasized that the star outfielder should be fine, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Soto further noted that he will see how he feels on Friday before returning to the starting nine. On Thursday, Soto attempted to make a catch while crashing into the wall along foul territory. He was able to remain in the game, so the injury does not look to be too serious. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Yankees lineup over the weekend before putting Soto into their lineups, as he may be kept out of a few games for cautionary reasons. In his first season in the Bronx, Soto has exceeded all expectations by posting an incredible .286/.418/.575 slash line with 40 round-trippers.
3 hours ago   
Shohei Ohtani  • DH  •  Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani Establishes 50/50 Club

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases en route to becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and swipe 50 bags in a single season. This game was the culmination of the remarkable season the 30-year-old has had. Through his first season in Los Angeles, the two-time MVP winner has carried a stellar .293/.375/.624 slash line with 51 home runs and 51 stolen bases. Under the hood, he boasts an incredible 20.7% barrel rate, 59.3% hard-hit rate, and a 95.4 mph average exit velocity, which are the top marks in each statistic among qualified hitters. Despite only serving as a designated hitter this season, Ohtani has cemented himself as the front-runner for the NL MVP award after making history. Next season, Ohtani is expected to return to the mound as well and should be the consensus No. 1 pick in fantasy drafts next spring.
3 hours ago   
Kevin Gausman  • SP  •  Blue Jays

Kevin Gausman Expects To Make His Next Start

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (back) said his back tightened up on his last warm-up pitch before being pulled early in Thursday's start against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, but as of now, he isn't overly concerned and expects to make his final regular-season start next Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox. Regardless, the 33-year-old veteran will be a bit more risky for fantasy managers that are still playing for a championship next week against Boston. Before being pulled on Thursday, Gausman tossed five scoreless innings with one walk and six strikeouts to pick up his 13th victory of the season in the team's 4-0 win over Texas. He now has a 3.91 ERA and 1.22 WHIP on the season heading into the final week of the regular season. In two starts against Boston in 2024, Gausman has allowed nine runs (seven earned) while walking four and striking out nine in 11 2/3 innings pitched.
6 hours ago   
Luke Weaver  • RP  •  Yankees

Yankees Not Anointing Luke Weaver As The Closer

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that right-handed reliever Luke Weaver could close "a lot" of games but didn't exactly anoint him as the closer, saying "it may turn out that Luke comes into a spot in the sixth inning and gets four or five important outs when the game is on the line." Clay Holmes was recently demoted as the team's primary closer, and the 31-year-old Weaver has picked up two saves since then. In addition to his two saves, Weaver has been downright dominant with 16 strikeouts and only three walks in 7 1/3 scoreless innings since Holmes was demoted. He has been solid for the Yankees in 59 appearances out of their bullpen in his first full season with the Bronx, posting a 3.02 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 80 1/3 innings. With the way he's been pitching of late, Weaver is probably the best bet for save chances down the stretch and into the postseason in October.
6 hours ago   
Ozzie Albies  • 2B  •  Braves

Ozzie Albies To Return On Friday

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) will return from the 10-day injured list on Friday in time for the team's series opener in Miami against the division-rival Marlins. Because Albies was still dealing with discomfort in his wrist when swinging from the left side, the switch-hitting infielder is going to hit exclusively from the right side upon his return to the big leagues. The 27-year-old is recovered from a fractured left wrist that he suffered at the end of July. Because of all the time that Albies has missed and the fact that he isn't 100 percent, the Braves could choose to ease him into the lineup and could even have him platoon at the keystone with Whit Merrifield as the team looks to get back into a wild-card spot in the National League. Albies was hitting .258/.310/.407 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight steals in 361 at-bats before injuries his wrist this summer.
6 hours ago   
Luis García Jr.  • 2B  •  Nationals

Luis Garcia Jr. Sitting Again On Thursday

Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (wrist) is out of the starting lineup again on Thursday at Wrigley Field for the contest against the hosting Chicago Cubs. Darren Baker is manning second base for the Nats and will hit eighth against Cubs right-hander Javier Assad. This will be Garcia's second straight game on the bench due to wrist discomfort, although it's not considered a very serious injury. Fantasy managers should consider the 24-year-old to be day-to-day. Garcia is in the midst of a career season, as he enters Thursday's action slashing .280/.319/.440 with a .759 OPS, 16 home runs, 25 RBI and 21 stolen bases in his 132 games played. He would surely like to return soon to finish off his strong 2024 season the right way. Baker, 25, will be playing in just his sixth major-league game on Thursday. He's gone 2-for-5 so far with a double and two strikeouts for the Nats.
6 hours ago   
Willy Adames  • SS  •  Brewers

Willy Adames To Sit Out His First Game Of The Year

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames is not in the starting lineup for the first time all year on Thursday at American Family Field against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Adames is taking the night off after three straight hitless, multi-strikeout games. It ends his bid to become the first Brewers player since Prince Fielder to start all 162 games in a season. The Brewers clinched the National League Central title on Wednesday, so they are going to give the 29-year-old Adames the day off for Thursday's series opener against Arizona. Joey Ortiz will start at the 6 and hit seventh against D-backs right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Adames has already set career-highs in 2024 in homers (32), RBI (109), stolen bases (18) and runs scored (87) in 152 games played. However, he's gone just 11-for-61 (.180) with five homers, two doubles, 14 RBI and 20 strikeouts in 16 games in September.
6 hours ago   
Oneil Cruz  • SS  •  Pirates

Oneil Cruz Back In Action For Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop/outfielder Oneil Cruz (ankle) is starting in center field and is hitting third for the Bucs on Thursday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Erick Fedde at Busch Stadium. Cruz has been out of the starting lineup since Sunday, when he left the contest against the Kansas City Royals early due to discomfort in his left ankle. The 25-year-old's ankle injury was never considered to be serious, and he got a pinch-hit appearance in Tuesday's game. Cruz is fading down the stretch after just being moved to center field full time in Pittsburgh, but he's on the cusp of his first 20-20 season in his fourth year in the big leagues. In 14 games in September, he's gone 9-for-49 (.184) with a homer, three doubles, six RBI and 17 strikeouts in 56 plate appearances. In three career at-bats against Fedde, Cruz has a homer and one RBI.
7 hours ago   
Junior Caminero  • SS  •  Rays

Junior Caminero Not Playing Against Red Sox

Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Junior Caminero is getting a day of rest on Thursday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. This will be Caminero's second day off since the Rays called him up in the middle of last month. Caminero came up for just seven games to make his major-league debut last year. He's had a little more run in the big leagues in 2024 after dealing with some injuries in the minors earlier this year. In his 34 games played for Tampa this year, he is hitting .248/.312/.411 with a .723 OPS, four home runs, seven doubles, a triple, 14 RBI and two steals in 141 plate appearances. The 21-year-old Dominican is a big part of the team's future and should be a lineup regular from Day 1 in 2025. With Caminero out on Thursday, Jose Caballero is at third and batting sixth, while Taylor Walls starts at short and bats eighth against Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello.
7 hours ago   
Kevin Gausman  • SP  •  Blue Jays

Kevin Gausman Injured On Thursday

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (back) was removed from Thursday's game early against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field due to lower-back tightness. Before leaving, Gausman at least had a nice day on the mound, throwing five scoreless innings while walking one and striking out six to leave in line for the win. It's unclear how serious the 33-year-old's injury is, but with the season winding down and the Blue Jays not having anything to play for, they will not be rushing Gausman back to the starting rotation. If his injury isn't serious, he's scheduled to toe the rubber again next Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox. After coming in third in the American League Cy Young voting in 2023, Gausman has taken a step back in 2024, entering Thursday's start with a 4.02 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 153 strikeouts and 52 walks in 170 innings over 29 starts.
7 hours ago   
Francisco Lindor  • SS  •  Mets

Francisco Lindor Still Absent On Thursday

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (back) remains absent from the team's starting lineup for Thursday's contest at Citi Field against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. Shortstop prospect Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee), will make another start at the 6 in New York and will bat ninth against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker. Lindor is now missing his fourth straight start due to a nagging back injury, but he said earlier this week he only hoped to miss around two to five days, so there's a chance he'll be back for the Mets this weekend in a pivotal divisional series. The 30-year-old resumed baseball activities on Wednesday and should be considered day-to-day. The 22-year-old Acuna has gone 7-for-15 with two homers, a double and four RBI in his first five MLB games and has quickly become a popular DFS sleeper.
8 hours ago   
Luis Castillo  • SP  •  Mariners  |  Luis Castillo  • RP

No Definitive Timeline On Luis Castillo

Seattle Mariners interim manager Dan Wilson said he didn't have a definitive timeline on right-hander Luis Castillo (hamstring) and if he'd be able to be activated from the 15-day injured list when he's eligible next Tuesday. "Progressing as he should be ... I think as far as we know right now, he's doing well," Wilson said. Castillo was placed on the IL on Tuesday due to a Grade 2 left-hamstring strain, but it remains to be seen if he'll be able to rejoin the team's starting rotation before the end of the 2024 regular season. He has already received a platelet-rich plasma injection. At best, Castillo might make two more starts for the Mariners the rest of the way as they look to secure a wild-card spot in the American League. The three-time All-Star hasn't been as dominant this year, but he's still been useful in all fantasy formats with a 3.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 175 strikeouts and 47 walks in his 175 1/3 innings over 30 starts.
8 hours ago   
Dylan Floro  • RP

Diamondbacks Release Dylan Floro

The Arizona Diamondbacks released right-handed reliever Dylan Floro earlier this week. Floro has been released after passing through waivers unclaimed after the D-backs designated him for assignment on Sunday. The 33-year-old veteran began the year with the Washington Nationals and ended up making only 15 appearances in relief for Arizona. In his 16 1/3 innings for the Snakes, he was way too hittable, allowing 17 earned runs on 23 hits (four homers) while walking four and striking out only eight. Overall this year, he has posted a 3.80 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and a 48:17 K:BB in his 68 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Nats and D-backs. Arizona acquired Floro at the trade deadline in late July from the Nationals, but he didn't work out as a relief arm for them. In Floro's nine-year MLB career, he has a 3.49 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP and 32 saves in 402 2/3 innings pitched.
8 hours ago   
Ryan Mountcastle  • 1B  •  Orioles

Ryan Mountcastle To Start His Rehab Assignment Soon

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk later this week/weekend. Barring a setback with his sprained left wrist, Mountcastle should be able to come off the 10-day injured list to rejoin the major-league roster by the end of the regular season at the end of September. The 27-year-old right-handed slugger has been out since late August and could be eased back into first-base duties later this month as the O's look to have him firing on all cylinders for the start of the postseason in October. Mountcastle isn't a good bet to suddenly discover his power stroke after his wrist injury. He has disappointed in his fifth season in Baltimore in 2024, hitting .265/.305/.425 with a .730 OPS, 13 home runs and 61 RBI in 118 games as the team's primary first baseman.
9 hours ago   
LEGEND