In The Field
1B Triston Casas (ribs) is swinging a bat off a tee at lower intensities. He has experienced a setback during his recovery so the Red Sox and Casas are taking his recovery slowly so that he doesn't have another setback. OF Taylor Ward (back) and C Logan O'Hoppe were out of the Angels lineup on Wednesday. OF Hunter Renfroe does not have a fractured toe after it was initially reported that he did. The Royals have not updated his return timetable but he is eligible to return on June 21. OF Andrew Benintendi (Achilles) was activated on Wednesday but was not in the lineup. He returned to the lineup on Thursday. He has been dreadful this year (.194 AVG with 4 HR, 13 R, 18 RBI, and 2 SB). He is not providing value in any category despite playing regularly. There are better options on the waiver wire. OF Randy Arozarena (hamstring) was out of the Rays lineup on Wednesday for the second day in a row. He has been a disappointment this year so far (.174 AVG with 8 HR, 28 R, 20 RBI, and 7 SB). The power and speed have been there but the batting average has been a major sinkhole. The biggest culprit has been a career-low .209 BABIP so we should see positive regression over the course of the year. To see improvement he is going to need to hit the ball harder (Barrel% 7% down from 12% in 2023 and 39% Hardhit down from 48% in 2023). Getting healthy will help tremendously. C Yainer Diaz (finger) missed three straight games but returned on Friday. This is good news because Diaz has gotten red hot in June (.320 AVG with 4 HR). OF Kyle Tucker did not return to the lineup on Friday as he is recovering from his shin injury. He hasn't been able to resume baseball activities. The Astros will continue to platoon OF Trey Cabbage against RHP and OF Chas McCormick against LHP. Both will lose fantasy value as soon as Tucker returns. SS Corey Seager (hamstring) returned to the Rangers lineup on Wednesday as the DH after missing four straight games. Seager is hitting .274 with 14 HR, 30 R, 33 RBI, and 0 SB. He continues to make elite contact (17% K, 16% Barrels, and 48% Hardhit). 2B Brandon Drury (hamstring) started his rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Salt Lake. He is expected to return soon. 2B Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) has started baseball activities which is a good sign. SS Javier Baez has been placed on the 10-day IL with lumbar spine inflammation. Baez is struggling once again (.183 AVG with 1 HR, 15 R, 25 RBI, and 6 SB). His decline was predictable given his approach at the plate but being this bad in Detroit has been a surprise. OF Tyler O'Neill missed three straight games but returned to the Red Sox lineup on Wednesday. He struggled in May (.151 AVG with 2 HR) but has turned it around in June (.455 AVG) albeit in a small sample (4 GP). Orioles top prospect SS Jackson Holliday was placed on the 7-day IL with right elbow inflammation. He's hit .252/.418/.429 with 5 HR in 40 GP since being demoted. He is going to need to prove that he is healthy and get hot again before the Orioles even consider giving him another chance. 3B Josh Jung took live BP on Thursday. He is going to do another live BP session before starting his rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock. Jung should be back before the end of June. SS Corey Seager (hamstring) was not in the Rangers lineup on Thursday but returned on Friday. OF Tommy Pham was activated off the 10-day IL on Friday. He hit leadoff and played right field. He was hitting .280 with 3 HR, 19 R, 12 RBI, and 3 SB in 33 GP prior to the injury. OF Eloy Jimenez (hamstring) was cleared to start a rehab assignment. He is going to start with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League White Sox on Thursday. He is expected back at some point next week. 1B Ty France is expected to return when first eligible on Tuesday. France is hitting .251 with 7 HR, 21 R, 27 RBI, and 0 SB. 2B Jorge Polanco (hamstring) is also close to starting a rehab assignment which means he could be back soon as well. He has struggled mightily this year (.195 AVG with 5 HR, 15 R, 14 RBI, and 1 SB). C Salvador Perez was removed from Friday's game early due to right knee discomfort. OF Max Kepler is dealing with a sore elbow and was not in the Twins lineup on Saturday. He is considered day-to-day. 3B Jose Ramirez was placed on the paternity list on Saturday and is expected to miss the weekend series against the Blue Jays and return to the Guardians lineup on Tuesday. SS Bo Bichette was not in the Blue Jays lineup on Saturday due to right calf soreness. It has been bothering him for a few days so the team decided to give him a break. Bichette has been one of the biggest disappointments this year (.237 AVG with 4 HR, 22 R, 28 RBI, and 4 SB). The Astros cut 1B Jose Abreu on Friday which opens up the first base position. They cannot call up 1B Joey Loperfido because they just sent him down. 1B Jon Singleton is going to play first base on most nights in the interim with Mauricio Dubon getting some starts against LHP. GM Dana Brown said that Loperfido could also work his way into playing time there as well.
On The Mound
Chase Silseth (elbow) struggled with control in his most recent rehab start (5 BB) with Triple-A Salt Lake. He was expected to be activated this weekend but the Angels may want to give him another rehab start so that he can have some success instead of coming off a rough start and jumping right back into facing major league hitters. Gerrit Cole made his third rehab start on Friday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (4.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 10 K). This could be his final rehab start or the Yankees could decide to give him one more to fully build up his pitch count. There was a lot of talk about who would be removed from the Yankees rotation when Cole returns but the injury to Clarke Schmidt cleared that difficult situation up. Luis Gil is a full go in the rotation until the Yankees decide to put some type of pitch or innings limit on him considering he threw just 4 IP last year in the minors. Bryan Woo had an MRI done on his right elbow/forearm after he was scratched from his latest start. The MRI came back clean so he will jump back into the Mariners rotation where he has been excellent in a small sample (6 GS, 1.07 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, and 19% K:BB). He is still a high risk for injury given that he has already missed time for this injury and experienced continued soreness during his rehab but all we can do as fantasy owners is have him active when he is healthy and be prepared to move on if he hits the IL. Yariel Rodriguez (back) struck out ten in his latest rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo. The Blue Jays decided he needed another rehab start on Sunday before returning. Gavin Williams (elbow) is expected to make his next rehab start on Saturday. He is scheduled to throw 4 IP and 65 pitches. He is likely going to need at least one more start so that he can go more than 75 pitches once he makes his season debut for the Guardians. Ben Lively (undisclosed) is expected to make his next start after experiencing tightness in his last start. Jack Flaherty (back) had an injection in his back to relieve the tightness and soreness that he has been experiencing. He was able to start on Saturday (5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, and 6 K). Flaherty has been awesome so far this year (3.01 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 30% K:BB). Alek Manoah had internal brace surgery on his right elbow and not Tommy John surgery. It will likely be a quicker recovery but a huge blow for him as he had seemed to finally turn it around (3.70 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 18% K:BB). Dean Kremer (triceps) is going to start a rehab assignment on Sunday with Triple-A Norfolk. He is expected to throw four innings and depending on how it goes it could be his only rehab start before returning to the Orioles rotation. Tyler Mahle (elbow) threw a 30-40 pitch live batting practice session on Thursday. The plan is for him to take a week off and then throw another live BP session before starting a rehab assignment. This means that he won't be fantasy-viable until after the All-Star break. Jeffrey Springs (elbow) threw 2 IP in his latest rehab outing with Triple-A Durham. He averaged 92.1 mph with his fastball as he struck out three in those 2 IP. Kyle Bradish went 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 4 K in his start on Friday while averaging 95.8 mph which is up 1.5 mph from his season average of 94 mph. This would normally all be good signs but he reported issues with his elbow so he is going to have tests done to see what is causing these issues. He missed the beginning of the season with a UCL injury so this is not good. He was placed on the 15-day IL on Saturday. Justin Verlander was scratched from his start on Saturday due to neck discomfort. The hope is that he will be able to make his next start but a trip to the injured list has not been ruled out. Max Scherzer was expected to make his last rehab start on Saturday before making his return to the Rangers rotation. He went 4.2 IP with 8 K.
In The Bullpen
Andres Munoz received an injection in his back to try to relieve the lingering soreness. Both an MRI and bone scan came back clean so he is considered day-to-day. Munoz has been excellent this year (1.67 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 28% K:BB) so the Marines and fantasy owners will be happy to see him back on the mound. Jordan Romano (elbow) played catch from 90 ft. on Friday. He started throwing on Monday so he appears to be progressing. Yimi Garcia picked up a save and a win this week as he has taken over the closer's role while Romano has been out. Craig Kimbrel saved two games this week and has turned it around since the beginning of May. Kenley Jansen has gotten many save chances (10 for 11) this year but he did pick up a save and a win this week. Michael Kopech blew both his save chances this week but snuck away with a win on Thursday. He has held onto his job despite struggling (4.91 ERA and 1.50 WHIP). Shelby Miller blew two save chances this week as it looked like he might sneak the job away from Jason Foley. Jhoan Duran did not record a save but did pick up two wins and now has 2 wins and 10 saves on the year to go along with a 3.66 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. Mason Miller looked human this week blowing a save and taking a loss with no saves. Ryne Stanek had an excellent week filling in for Andres Munoz with 2 SV and 1 W.
Players to add this week:
SS David Hamilton (BOS)- David Hamilton has carved out an everyday role with the Red Sox and has taken advantage of it. He is hitting .281 with 4 HR, 22 R, 11 RBI, and 14 SB. While the power and batting average aren't likely to stick given his strikeout rate (26% K) and lack of hard contact (5% Barrels). The one thing that will stick is his speed. Hamilton stole 57 bases in 103 GP last year in Triple-A. Play him while he is hot and his BABIP is high (.366).
SP Hunter Brown (HOU)-Hunter Brown has been terrible this year with a 5.00 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. The good news is that since the beginning of May he has a 2.58 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 20% K:BB. He has been a different pitcher. He also gets the best possible matchup this week against the White Sox and their struggling offense.
SP Drew Thorpe (CWS)-Drew Thorpe made his major league debut this week (5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, and 4 K). He had a 1.35 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 17% K:BB through 11 GS at Triple-A. Thorpe has an excellent changeup and good slider but his fastball is not good. The good news is that he doesn't throw it often and is going to succeed by throwing his offspeed pitches more often. His next start will come on the road against the Tigers. Thorpe doesn't have elite upside but he has enough to be a serviceable back-end starter.
1B Jon Singleton (HOU)- Jon Singleton is going to get the first crack at the Astros first base job after the Astros released 1B Jose Abreu. Singleton is hitting .213 with 5 HR, 20 R, 14 RBI, and 0 SB through 174 PA. He has solid plate skills (13% BB and 26% K) and hits the ball hard enough (8% Barrels and 41% Hardhit). Singleton could use a more aggressive approach because his 37% swing rate is well below the league average of 47%. He is going to be put in a good spot to succeed so it is worth taking a shot to see if he can stick.
SS Paul DeJong (CWS)- Paul DeJong is playing regularly for the White Sox. He is hitting .237 with 13 HR, 28 R, 28 RBI, and 2 SB. He has an aggressive approach (32% K and 4% BB) which will hurt his batting average but he is hitting the ball hard (11% Barrels and 45% Hardhit) which supports his power output (.237 ISO and 13 HR). He is a power-only play.
1B Andrew Vaughn (CWS)- Andrew Vaughn is hitting .224 with 8 HR, 24 R, 25 RBI, and 1 SB. He has good plate skills (23% K and 6% BB) and hits the ball hard (9% Barrels and 45% Hardhit) which makes his .266 BABIP a candidate for regression. This is exactly what is happening in June (.333 AVG with 4 HR, 10 R, 6 RBI, and 0 SB).
1B Spencer Horwitz (TOR)- Spencer Horwitz is playing regularly at second base for the Blue Jays and is their current leadoff man. The lineup is not as good as it once was but batting leadoff is a great spot for counting stats and more at-bats. Horwitz is hitting .368 with 0 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, and 0 SB. He was hitting .335 with 4 HR, 41 R, 38 RBI, and 3 SB in Triple-A. Horwitz is going to hit for average with a little bit of power and speed. It is not an elite profile but one that has value in deeper mixed leagues.
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