MLB News

Brendan White  • RP  •  Tigers

Brendan White To Throw A Bullpen On Tuesday

Detroit Tigers right-hander Brendan White (elbow), who is dealing with a right radial nerve injury in his elbow, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. White had a hydro-dissection surgery on his elbow last month, and this is the first time that he will be throwing off a mound. The 25-year-old has already been ruled out for the rest of the season, so he won't be able to help the Tigers if they somehow secure the final wild-card spot in the American League for the playoffs. White is now hoping to be setback-free as he enters the offseason so that he'll be fully ready to go for spring training next February and the start of the 2025 season next spring. The former 26th-round pick in 2019 out of Siena College made his big-league debut last year with Detroit and had a 5.09 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and a 44:15 K:BB in 40 2/3 frames over 33 outings (two starts).
2 hours ago   
Ketel Marte  • 2B  •  Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks Trying To Keep Ketel Marte Healthy

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo explained that second baseman Ketel Marte (ankle), who was recently on the injured list with an ankle injury, had been in the "red zone" for a day off before being omitted from the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival San Francisco Giants. Lovullo called the decision "preventative" as Marte has been grinding at less than 100% after returning from a left-ankle sprain. Arizona has been balancing working players back from injury while also trying to keep their foot on the gas pedal in a tight playoff race. Marte, who is having a career year at the plate in 2024, is expected to be full-go the rest of the way through the end of the regular season on Sunday. He has homered in three straight games as well, so fantasy managers will want him back in their starting lineups on Tuesday.
3 hours ago   
Matt Vierling  • 3B  •  Tigers  |  Jace Jung  • 2B  •  Tigers

Jace Jung, Matt Vierling Out On Tuesday

Detroit Tigers rookie infielder Jace Jung and infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling are both on the bench for Tuesday's contest at Comerica Park versus the Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Ryan Pepiot. Jung has lost serious playing time of late, as he hasn't started in seven of the team's last 10 games. The younger brother of Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung has struggled at the plate in his first 31 big-league games this year, going 19-for-76 (.250) with no homers, five doubles, three RBI, 13 walks and 28 strikeouts in 89 plate appearances. Zach McKinstry is starting at third and batting seventh, while Parker Meadows is in center field and hitting leadoff against Pepiot. In just five career at-bats against Pepiot, Meadows has a homer and an RBI. McKinstry has yet to face Pepiot in his career. Vierling has hit .238 (15-for-63) with a homer, two doubles and six RBI in 19 games in September.
3 hours ago   
Josh Lowe  • RF  •  Rays  |  Jonathan Aranda  • 1B  •  Rays

Jonathan Aranda, Josh Lowe Sitting Against Tigers

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda and outfielder Josh Lowe are out of the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park with a left-hander on the mound. Brandon Lowe will start at first base and bat second, with Jonny DeLuca manning right field and hitting third for the Rays versus Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal. Skubal is one of the best all-around pitchers in the game, so DFS managers will probably be looking to fade both Lowe and DeLuca on Tuesday. Aranda has gone deep in three straight games but will get a day off with a tough southpaw on the mound. Since being called back up on Aug. 30, he has hit .274 (17-for-62) with five homers, four doubles and 10 RBI in 20 games. Josh Lowe has hit just .227 (10-for-44) with none of his 10 home runs and 16 strikeouts in 49 plate appearances against lefties in 2024.
3 hours ago   
Matt Chapman  • 3B  •  Giants

Matt Chapman Hits Inside-The-Park Home Run Monday

San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman continued his strong offensive second half in Monday's 6-3 win over the Diamondbacks. Chapman went 2-for-4 with a triple, a two-run, inside-the-park home run, three RBI, a walk, and two strikeouts. The 31-year-old hit a third-inning Eduardo Rodriguez fastball off the center-field wall, which ricocheted back into center field and allowed him to scamper around the bases for his 27th homer of the season. Chapman has put together an impressive second half after a lackluster first half, slashing .275/.354/.565 with 14 HR, 35 RBI, and six stolen bases in 200 at-bats. Chapman provided high-end power earlier in his career, and his second half has shown that he still has the ability to do so.
14 hours ago   
Ryan Walker  • RP  •  Giants

Ryan Walker Earns 10th Save Of Season Monday

San Francisco Giants closer Ryan Walker continued his excellent season in Monday's 6-3 win over the Diamondbacks, picking up his 10th save. Walker came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by three and turned in a 1-2-3 performance with no strikeouts. The 28-year-old has had an outstanding season, compiling a 9-4 record while converting 10 of 14 save opportunities with 21 holds to go with a 1.94 ERA, an 11.28 K/9 rate, and a 1.94 BB/9 rate in 79 innings of work. He has served as a reliable fantasy closer since taking over the closer's role from Camilo Doval, who pitched the eighth inning in this game. Fantasy managers will need to see how spring plays out prior to the 2025 season, but Walker could be a fantasy target in all leagues if named the team's closer and will be a target at least in saves-plus-holds leagues.
14 hours ago   
Hunter Brown  • SP  •  Astros

Hunter Brown Takes Tough Loss In Monday's Quality Start

Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown continued his strong second half in Monday's 6-1 loss to the Mariners. Brown pitched six innings, allowing one run on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. However, the Astros could not figure Bryce Miller out and provided little run support. The 26-year-old has figured things out in the second half after a mediocre first half and is now 4-3 with a 2.26 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts in 12 starts and 71 2/3 IP. Assuming the Astros continue to use a six-man rotation to end the season, Brown will finish the 2024 regular season with an 11-9 record, a 3.49 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and a 9.48 K/9 rate in 30 starts and 170 IP. This is a big improvement from his 2023 numbers and fantasy managers may have the opportunity to see him pitch more in the playoffs.
14 hours ago   
Tanner Houck  • SP  •  Red Sox

Tanner Houck Tosses Five Scoreless In Monday's Win

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck turned in a nice start in Monday's 4-1 win over the Blue Jays. Houck pitched five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk with no strikeouts. The 28-year-old's season has been a tale of two halves. His first half performance earned him All-Star honors, but his second half has resulted in a 1-4 record with a 4.23 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 11 starts and 61 2/3 IP. Houck is currently in line for a favorable matchup to end the season against the Rays. His final impression could sway how fantasy managers feel about him for the 2025 season.
15 hours ago   
Aaron Nola  • SP  •  Phillies

Aaron Nola Earns Win In Division-Clinching Game Monday

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola came up clutch in Monday's 6-2 win over the Cubs, sealing the National League East division title. Nola pitched six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. The 31-year-old has been a solid fantasy option overall this season, going 13-8 with a 3.52 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and an 8.80 K/9 rate in 32 starts and 194 1/3 IP. He has turned in some inconsistent starts throughout the season and his strikeout rate has declined over each of the last four seasons. However, Nola has turned in good numbers overall in a rebound season. He is currently in line to start the final game of the season at the Nationals, but fantasy managers should keep an eye out for news as the game gets closer. They should ensure that Nola will still make the start, given that the Phillies have now won their division.
15 hours ago   
Bryce Miller  • SP  •  Mariners

Bryce Miller Fires Seven Scoreless Innings Monday

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller continued his dominant second half in Monday's 6-1 win over the Astros. Miller pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with five strikeouts. The 26-year-old now has a stellar 2.94 ERA through 31 starts and 180 1/3 IP this season. This has been fueled by his 12 second-half starts, which have resulted in a 5-1 record with a 1.89 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and 73 strikeouts in 71 1/3 IP. He is slated to start the final game of the season against the Athletics, so fantasy managers should hopefully have one more opportunity for him to provide them with excellent results as the Mariners push for a playoff spot.
15 hours ago   
Tanner Banks  • RP  •  Phillies

Tanner Banks To Start On Tuesday

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that left-hander Tanner Banks will make the start for Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park instead of right-hander Taijuan Walker after the club locked up the National League East title on Monday night for the first time since 2011. Walker and Kolby Allard are expected to pitch at some point on Tuesday after Banks. The Phillies will most likely be resting a lot of their regulars on Tuesday against the Cubbies after winning the division title and celebrating late into the evening. The 32-year-old Banks will most likely work just an inning or two on Tuesday as the opener before giving way to either Walker or Allard. He's posted a 3.78 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 75 strikeouts in 69 innings in 2024, with both of his saves coming with the White Sox. Banks has allowed seven earned runs with 20 K's and nine walks in 21 relief innings for the Phillies.
15 hours ago   
Yordan Alvarez  • LF  •  Astros

Yordan Alvarez Diagnosed With Knee Sprain

After undergoing an MRI exam on Monday, Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) was diagnosed with a right-knee sprain. Alvarez did not play in the series-opening loss to the division-rival Seattle Mariners on Monday and will not be available for the entire series. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger was removed from Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels when he injured his right knee on a slide. While it's not great Houston won't have one of the best hitters in MLB available for their crucial series against the M's, the Astros' primary objective will be to have Alvarez ready to go for the start of the playoffs next week. It wouldn't be a surprise if Alvarez is also unavailable this weekend against the Cleveland Guardians. The left-handed hitting Jason Heyward made the start in left field on Monday and should see more run until Alvarez is able to return.
16 hours ago   
Ryne Nelson  • SP  •  Diamondbacks

Ryne Nelson To Throw Bullpen Session On Tuesday

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson (shoulder) will throw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, according to manager Torey Lovullo. If Nelson's bullpen goes well on Tuesday, it sounds like he could make his return this weekend for the final regular-season series at Chase Field against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Lovullo said that whether Nelson returns as a starter or reliever depends on what pitch count the team feels he can safely reach. At this point in the year with less than a week until the postseason, it's likely that the 26-year-old will be brought back for a relief role if Arizona gets into the playoffs as a wild-card team in the National League. Nelson was put on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 14 with right-shoulder inflammation. He's been a back-end starter for Arizona with a career-best 5.5% walk rate, a 20.1% K rate and a 4.33 ERA in 27 outings (25 starts) in his third MLB season.
17 hours ago   
Orelvis Martinez  • SS  •  Blue Jays

Orelvis Martinez Sent To Minors After Serving Suspension

The Toronto Blue Jays optioned infield prospect Orelvis Martinez to the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday after he finished serving his 80-game suspension. Martinez will now return to the team's spring training complex to close out the year after being suspended for 80 games due to performance-enhancing substances. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, made his big-league debut this year but played in just one game. In 74 games at Triple-A Buffalo, he hit .267/.346/.523 with an .869 OPS, 17 home runs, 49 RBI and 54 runs scored in 319 plate appearances. The 22-year-old Dominican will likely stick at either second or third base at the next level and has great power despite his shorter stature. Martinez has already shown impressive improvement in the plate-discipline department and seems likely to have a regular role in the big leagues in 2025 for a team looking for more offense.
18 hours ago   
Yordan Alvarez  • LF  •  Astros

Yordan Alvarez Has MRI Exam

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) had an MRI exam on Monday afternoon after X-rays on Sunday showed "inflammation" in his knee, according to manager Joe Espada. The skipper said that Alvarez woke up on Monday morning "pretty sore." The 27-year-old left-handed slugger was removed from Sunday's game early against the Los Angeles Angels due to discomfort in his right knee after a slide. He was not in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park and should be considered day-to-day until further notice. The Astros would be dealt a huge blow if Alvarez, one of the best hitters in the game, isn't ready for the start of the playoffs next week, so he may not play much, if at all, the rest of the week. Jason Heyward got the start in left field for the Astros on Monday against the M's.
18 hours ago   
Charlie Blackmon  • DH  •  Rockies

Charlie Blackmon Announces His Retirement

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Monday. Blackmon has decided to hang up his cleats at the conclusion of the 2024 season after an iconic 14-year career with the Rockies. Blackmon represented Colorado in four All-Star games and also won two Silver Slugger awards. Chuck Nazty is 38 years old but hit homers in back-to-back games over the weekend against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and has 11 homers and 48 RBI in 118 at-bats this year. Blackmon is the team's career leader in triples with 67, and his 1,797 hits, 2,942 total bases, 333 doubles and 1,618 games played rank second in team history only to Hall of Famer Todd Helton. During the bearded outfielder's six-year prime from 2014-19, he hit .306 with a 120 OPS-plus, 163 home runs and 472 RBI. Blackmon was aided by Coors Field, but it definitely didn't define his greatness.
18 hours ago   
Mike Yastrzemski  • RF  •  Giants

Mike Yastrzemski Sitting Against Southpaw

San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It looks like the Giants will play matchups here and give Yastrzemski a day off against left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. In his place, Heliot Ramos will cover right field and bat leadoff on Monday. Ramos is crushing left-handed pitching with a .369 batting average with nine home runs and 23 RBI in 54 games against left-handers this season. Ramos is looking like a strong fantasy option for Monday's slate.
20 hours ago   
Patrick Bailey  • C  •  Giants

Patrick Bailey Absent On Monday

San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This appears to be a routine rest day for Bailey after he started in three of the last four games. Curt Casali will do the catching and bat ninth versus left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on Monday. The veteran catcher is hitting under .200 on the season and can be avoided for fantasy purposes. The assumption is that Bailey will be back in the lineup following Monday's contest.
20 hours ago   
Gabriel Moreno  • C  •  Diamondbacks

Gabriel Moreno Could Return On Tuesday

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (groin) appears to have avoided a major injury after exiting early during Sunday's game. It looks like Moreno had a setback with a groin injury that he suffered last month. Luckily, the MRI came back clean and Moreno should be able to rejoin the lineup on Tuesday. That is great news for the D-Backs who thought they might be without Moreno for the rest of the regular season. Jose Herrera will do the catching and bat ninth versus right-hander Hayden Birdsong. Herrera is hitting .221 with 13 RBI on the season, so he'll be an avoidable fantasy option for Monday's slate.
20 hours ago   
Austin Hays  • LF  •  Phillies

Austin Hays To Be Activated On Tuesday

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Austin Hays (kidney) is expected to be activated off the 10-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. It appears Hays is almost ready to play after missing nearly a month of action due to a kidney infection. He'll rest on Monday after playing in rehab contests over the weekend. Hays is hitting .254 with one home run and five RBI over 19 games since being traded to the Phillies at the trade deadline. Fantasy managers should be able to get him back in their lineups on Tuesday.
20 hours ago   
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