MLB News

Robert Suarez • RP • Braves

Robert Suarez Stays Sharp on Friday, Emerging as Elite Short-Term Closer

Atlanta Braves right-handed reliever Robert Suarez converted his third save of the season on Friday at Truist Park in the 5-3 victory over the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. Suarez wasn't perfect in the outing, walking one, giving up a hit, and striking a batter. The 35-year-old veteran is an elite short-term closing option for fantasy managers with right-hander Raisel Iglesias (shoulder) currently on the 15-day injured list. Since Iglesias went on the shelf, Suarez has converted back-to-back save chances for the Braves. He will be Atlanta's primary option for saves for however long Iglesias is sidelined, making him a prime waiver-wire pickup this week. In Yahoo leagues, Suarez is currently rostered in 70% of leagues. The hard-throwing Venezuelan reliever is a two-time All-Star and has plenty of experience closing out games, having recorded a whopping 76 saves with the San Diego Padres from 2024 to 2025. If you need saves and Suarez is available, he's a no-brainer pickup ASAP.

4 hours ago

Bryce Miller • SP • Mariners

Bryce Miller Punches Out Six in Rehab Start on Friday

Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (oblique) appears to be nearing a return to Seattle's starting rotation. The 27-year-old hurler looked good in his latest minor-league rehab start with High-A Everett on Friday night, going three shutout innings while giving up just one hit, walking one, and striking out six batters. Miller allowed just two baserunners and threw 35 of his 47 pitches for strikes in his second rehab appearance as he works his way back from an oblique injury that put him on the 15-day injured list before the start of the 2026 regular season. He still needs to build up his pitch count a bit more, but after another couple of rehab starts, he should be reinstated from the IL and rejoin the M's rotation in May. In his first rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma, Miller gave up three earned runs in 1 2/3 innings while walking one and striking out two. The former fourth-rounder in 2021 went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 171 strikeouts in 2024 in a breakout campaign before posting an ERA over 5.00 and being limited to 18 starts last year due to injuries. Miller is only rostered in 27% of Yahoo leagues, but that number should go up considerably once he's closer to making his 2026 debut.

4 hours ago

Carlos Rodón • SP • Yankees

Carlos Rodon Looks Good in First Rehab Start on Friday

New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) looked strong in his first minor-league rehab start with High-A Hudson Valley on Friday, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, walking one, and striking out four batters. It was the first time that Rodon had pitched in a game since having surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow last October. While on the rehab trail, the 33-year-old veteran southpaw also tweaked his hamstring, but that injury is in the rearview mirror, and Rodon is nearing his 2026 season debut in the Yankees' starting rotation. He managed to throw 43 of his 65 pitches for strikes on Friday night. Rodon is expected to make two more rehab starts before being reinstated from the 15-day injured list. The three-time All-Star had his finest season in the Bronx in 2025, going 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA (3.78 FIP), 1.05 WHIP, and 203:73 K:BB in 195 1/3 innings across 33 starts. Rodon should not be floating around on the waiver wire, and if he is, grab him immediately. He's rostered in 86% of Yahoo leagues.

4 hours ago

Eugenio Suárez • 3B • Reds

Eugenio Suarez Heading to the Injured List With Oblique Strain

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said on Friday that third baseman Eugenio Suarez (oblique) is going on the injured list with a low-grade oblique strain, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Goldsmith adds that Suarez will hopefully be down for five or six days before potentially building back up. The Reds said that the 34-year-old veteran was dealing with mid-back pain when he was scratched from the lineup before Friday's game. Even though Suarez's oblique strain is classified as a low-grade injury, there's a good chance he'll miss more than the minimum 10 days on the IL. While Suarez is away, the left-handed-hitting Nathaniel Lowe will most likely see most of the playing time as the Reds' designated hitter against right-handed pitching. When healthy, Suarez is a solid source of power in his return to the Reds this year. Before his injury, he was hitting .231/.300/.363 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 100 plate appearances across 25 games played.

5 hours ago

Roman Anthony • RF • Red Sox

Roman Anthony Still Out With Back Injury on Saturday

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (back) will miss a fourth straight game on Saturday on the road in Baltimore against the division-rival Orioles, according to MLB.com. Jarren Duran is in left field again and will hit sixth against Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers. Anthony felt upper-back tightness after a swing in Tuesday's game against the New York Yankees and hasn't played since. The Red Sox were optimistic that Anthony would return for the series opener at Camden Yards on Friday, but they have decided to give him a couple more days off. The injury wasn't considered serious initially, but if the young left-handed-hitting outfielder misses the entire series in Baltimore, Boston might consider placing him on the injured list. With Duran sidelined this week, Andruw Monasterio has seen additional starts as the team's designated hitter. One of the top prospects in all of baseball before making his MLB debut last year, Anthony is off to a slow start in 2026, hitting .225 (18-for-80) with a homer, four RBI, 11 runs, and two stolen bases in his first 22 games played. Check back on Sunday to see if Anthony is ready to return to the field.

5 hours ago

Bryan Baker • RP • Rays

Rays Turn to Bryan Baker to Close Friday's Game, Emerging as Must-Roster Pitcher

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Bryan Baker pitched a scoreless ninth inning en route to earning the save during Friday's win over the Minnesota Twins. Trevor Martin had allowed a home run, single, and double to open the ninth, creating a situation where the tying run was on deck for the Twins. That's why they turned to Baker, and he effectively slammed the door by getting three straight outs without allowing a run to score. This isn't exactly uncharted territory for the veteran righty, who is now up to five saves across seven situations in 2026. In fact, each of his last seven outings has been a save opportunity. He currently owns an impressive 2.43 xERA with 9.64 K/9, 2.89 BB/9, and a 48% ground ball rate across 9.1 innings of work. He has also gotten his fastball up to a career-high average velocity of 97 mph. All signs point to Baker being the Rays' go-to closer moving forward. As a result, he's an intriguing fantasy baseball waiver wire target, given his potential to accrue saves.

5 hours ago

Lucas Erceg • RP • Royals

Lucas Erceg Bounces Back, Earns Sixth Save on Friday

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Lucas Erceg worked around a walk to deliver a scoreless ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. He finished with one walk, zero hits, zero runs, and two strikeouts over one inning, and he earned the save after preserving the Royals' three-run lead. It was a much-needed bounce-back game from Erceg, who had allowed four runs and five walks over his previous 2.2 innings of work. The 30-year-old is now up to six saves this season after taking over the primary closer role from Carlos Estevez (ankle). Walks have been an issue for the righty (6.97 BB/9), but his ground ball rate is up to 64.7%, and he still hasn't allowed a home run. As it stands, Erceg ranks as the #32 reliever in RotoBaller expert Nick Mariano's latest rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings. He's an intriguing waiver wire target, given that he doesn't face much competition for saves at the moment.

5 hours ago

Corbin Martin • RP • Cubs

Corbin Martin Earns Save for Cubs, the New Temporary Closer?

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Corbin Martin has emerged as a potential temporary closer solution for the organization. Martin faced the minimum three batters while preserving a two-run lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning on Friday. He struck out one batter over a perfect inning of work, earning his first save of the season. Moving forward, we could expect to see Martin get more high-leverage situations, including save opportunities. Primary closer Daniel Palencia (lat) is on the IL, so Chicago has adopted a closer-by-committee approach. Martin seems to be trending up more than other Cubs closer candidates, such as Ben Brown, Riley Martin, and Jacob Webb. The team is riding a 10-game winning streak, so there should be more save opportunities coming for Martin in the near future. He has waiver wire appeal as a short-term closer option in fantasy baseball.

5 hours ago

Tanner Scott • RP • Dodgers

Tanner Scott Takes Loss on Friday, in Danger of Losing Primary Ninth-Inning Job?

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott allowed two runs over two-thirds of an inning of work during Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs. He entered in the ninth inning with the score tied at four apiece, and Chicago wasted no time doing damage. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the inning with a single, and Dansby Swanson slugged a two-run homer two pitches later. Scott settled in to get two outs, but by the time he exited, the Cubs led 6-4. That score held for the rest of the game, and he was charged with his first loss of the season. Scott is walking batters at a career-low rate of 0.79 BB/9, but he also has a career-low strikeout rate of 7.15 K/9. This suggests that he's pitching to more contact, which falls in line with his concerning 1.59 HR/9 rate. It's been a lot of loud contact, too, as his ground ball rate has fallen to a career-low 32.3% mark. With Edwin Diaz (elbow) on the IL and Scott struggling, manager Dave Roberts could start turning to someone else in the ninth inning. Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia are early candidates to take ninth-inning work from Scott.

5 hours ago

Brad Keller • RP • Phillies

Brad Keller a Short-Term Solution for Saves in Fantasy Baseball

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Brad Keller has emerged as a potential short-term solution for high-end production in fantasy baseball. Manager Rob Thomson said that Keller will earn the bulk of the team's save situations while Jhoan Duran (left oblique strain) is sidelined. With save opportunities on the way, Keller has the potential to accrue fantasy points as a short-term replacement option. Adding Keller doesn't come without some risk, though. He's up to a 4.78 FIP, and his 7.84 K/9 rate is nearly two units lower than last year. He also struggled in a high-leverage situation on Thursday as he surrendered a solo home run to Seiya Suzuki during a tied game in the ninth inning. With that being said, the Phillies remain committed to giving him leverage work, and we're encouraged by his 56.7% ground ball rate, 2.61 BB/9, and 2.58 xERA. He has additional upside greater than his current ranking as the #41 closer in RotoBaller's latest rest-of-season rankings.

5 hours ago

José Berríos • SP • Blue Jays

Jose Berrios to Make Rehab Start on Tuesday

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday. If all goes well, Berrios could be back with Toronto after this start. The right-hander has already made two rehab starts and appears to be trending in the right direction. He threw four scoreless innings during his most recent outing on Wednesday. Berrios has been sidelined all season due to an elbow issue. Depending on when he returns, Berrios could be an interesting streaming option given the injuries in the Blue Jays' rotation right now. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update after his outing on Tuesday.

17 hours ago

Giancarlo Stanton • DH • Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton Exits With Leg Tightness on Friday

New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (leg) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the Houston Astros. Stanton appeared to have suffered a leg injury while running the bases in the sixth inning. After visiting with the training staff, Stanton was pulled out of the contest due to right lower-leg tightness. He'll finish this game 1-for-3 at the plate with a single and an RBI. This will hopefully be something that will only keep Stanton sidelined for a day or two. Randal Grichuk could see increased playing time if Stanton is forced out of the lineup. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on his status.

17 hours ago

Addison Barger • 3B • Blue Jays

Addison Barger is Ramping Up Baseball Activities

Toronto Blue Jays infielder/outfielder Addison Barger (ankle) is beginning to ramp up his baseball activities, according to Arden Zwelling. Barger is currently working his way back after spraining both his ankles. The plan is for Barger to begin running the bases and facing live pitching. Once he completes those tasks, Barger will be sent on a minor league rehab assignment for multiple games. It sounds like the 26-year-old is making progress, but is still a few weeks away from returning. The Jays didn't give an exact timetable, but sometime in early May would make sense for his return.

17 hours ago

Edwin Uceta • RP • Rays

Edwin Uceta is Transferred to 60-Day Injured List

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Edwin Uceta (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day Injured List on Friday. Uceta has been sidelined since the beginning of the season due to a shoulder impingement. He recently suffered a setback while attempting to return, which will get him moved from the 15-day to the 60-day IL. This move opens up a 40-man roster spot, but also means that Uceta won't be eligible to return until late May. The Rays have already filled the roster spot by acquiring right-hander Casey Legumina from the Seattle Mariners on Friday. Uceta could be in the mix for saves once he returns, but fantasy managers won't see that happen for another month or so.

17 hours ago

Caleb Thielbar • RP • Cubs

Caleb Thielbar Heads to the Injured List With Hamstring Injury

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Friday. This is a tough break for the Cubs, who are down multiple key bullpen arms right now. Thielbar suffered a left hamstring strain during Thursday's win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Given all the injuries, Ben Brown could be next in line for closer responsibility with the Cubs not having many healthy arms right now. In a corresponding move, right-hander Vince Velasquez was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. He figures to take over Brown's multi-inning role, with Brown likely shifting to a high-leverage role.

18 hours ago

Tatsuya Imai • SP • Astros

Tatsuya Imai "Looked Good" in Friday's Bullpen Session

Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (arm) threw a bullpen session on Friday and "looked good," manager Joe Espada told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Imai's next step will be to start a minor-league rehab assignment. The first-year MLB player tossed 45 pitches during his bullpen on Friday. The 27-year-old Japanese native has had a rude awakening to the big leagues, posting a 7.27 ERA and 2.08 WHIP with 13 walks and 11 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings in his first two starts in the United States before landing on the 15-day injured list on April 13 with right-arm fatigue. Imai is still adjusting to life in the States, and he'll still need at least several rehab starts before the Astros feel comfortable reinserting him into their starting lineup. If the rest of his 2026 season looks anything like the beginning of his tenure with the Astros, fantasy managers could be in for a roller-coaster ride. Imai needs to show better control of his pitches first if he wants to turn things around. He's currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.

21 hours ago

JR Ritchie • SP • Braves

JR Ritchie to Remain in Big Leagues With the Braves

Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect JR Ritchie will remain with the big-league club for now because "we wanted him to be an option in the picture moving forward," manager Walt Weiss told Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Richie will get more chances after looking great in his major-league debut on Thursday against the Washington Nationals, in which he allowed two earned runs over seven innings with seven strikeouts and two walks for his first major-league win. The team's No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will remain with Atlanta for now, but it's unclear if that will be in a starting or relief role. It might all depend on when right-hander Spencer Strider (oblique) comes off the 15-day injured list to make his season debut. At the very least, Ritchie deserves to be stashed in dynasty/keeper and NL-only leagues for his upside if he stays in Atlanta's starting rotation. He's currently rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues.

21 hours ago

Willi Castro • LF • Rockies

Willi Castro Absent From Lineup for Series Opener Against Mets

Colorado Rockies infielder Willi Castro (knee) is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the New York Mets at Citi Field, per MLB.com. Tyler Freeman will make the start at second base for Colorado and will bat cleanup against Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta. Castro is considered day-to-day right now after being pulled from Thursday's loss to the San Diego Padres early with right-knee soreness. The 29-year-old switch-hitting Puerto Rican super-utility man might find himself on the bench more often in Denver, even when he's healthy, since both Edouard Julien and Freeman have been swinging the bat better in the early going. In his first year with the Rockies, Castro is off to a .246/.316/.348 start with a .664 OPS, one home run, nine RBI, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Freeman has yet to homer in his 41 at-bats, but he's gone 12-for-41 (.293) at the plate with seven RBI, two runs, and two steals. He should be considered a DFS sleeper out of the cleanup spot on Friday against Peralta.

21 hours ago

Michael Harris II • CF • Braves

Michael Harris II Scratched on Friday Against Phillies

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said that outfielder Michael Harris II (quadriceps) has been scratched from the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Braves removed Harris from Thursday's win over the Washington Nationals early as a precaution with left-quadriceps tightness, and now he'll miss another game. Weiss said that Harris remains day-to-day, and the team doesn't expect him to have to land on the 10-day injured list. Eli White will take over again for Harris in center field on Friday and will bat ninth for the Braves versus Phillies rookie right-hander Andrew Painter. Harris' fantasy managers are hoping his minor quad injury doesn't interrupt his hot hitting at the plate of late. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter has gone 13-for-23 (.565) with four home runs, two doubles, nine RBI, and six runs scored in his last seven games, dating back to April 17. Check back on Saturday for Game 2 of the series against the Phillies to see if Harris is reinserted into the starting nine.

22 hours ago

Eugenio Suárez • 3B • Reds

Eugenio Suarez Scratched on Friday With Mid-Back Pain

Cincinnati Reds third baseman/designated hitter Eugenio Suarez (back) has been scratched from the starting lineup on Friday for the game against the Detroit Tigers due to mid-back pain, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat sixth against Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez. Although Lowe has plenty of experience in his career against Valdez -- he's hit .269 against him with an .867 OPS, one home run, and three RBI in 26 at-bats -- fantasy managers in DFS will probably want to fade him in the lefty-lefty matchup. For now, we'll consider Suarez day-to-day. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if he's available to play in Game 2 of the series. The 34-year-old Venezuelan veteran has hit .231 (21-for-91) so far in his return to Cincy in 2026 with three homers, 11 RBI, and 10 runs scored in his first 25 games. Make sure you remove Suarez from your starting lineups on Friday.

22 hours ago

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