• Receiving another start
    Black is scheduled to start Saturday's game against the Reds in San Francisco.

    Advice: Black was touched up for five earned runs on eight hits and three walks over 4.1 innings in his MLB debut versus the Phillies on Monday, but he'll get at least one more chance to prove he belongs in the San Francisco rotation. The matchup with a Reds offense that ranks in the bottom five of the majors this season with an 80 wRC+ is a far more favorable one than the potent Phillies lineup he faced Monday, and Black will also have the luxury of taking the hill in the pitcher-friendly confines of Oracle Park. Rotowire.com Today, 7:11 am
     
  • Homers in second straight
    Hoskins went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's win over the Cardinals.

    Advice: Hoskins increased Milwaukee's lead to three runs in the bottom of the first with a two-run shot off Sonny Gray, giving the first baseman his eighth home run of the season. He's also homered in back-to-back games now, though Hoskins is still batting just .154 for the month and hasn't recorded multiple hits since April 26 against the Yankees. Rotowire.com Today, 6:52 am
     
  • Three hits, two RBI in win
    Garcia went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's win over the Angels.

    Advice: Garcia singled in the top of the third before coming around to score on a Vinnie Pasquantino home run and later added two doubles to give him his first three-hit performance of the season. The third baseman has now hit safely in four consecutive games and in six of eight games to open this month, tallying four RBI and four runs scored over that latter stretch. However, he hasn't stolen a base since April 30. Rotowire.com Today, 6:51 am
  • No longer starting Friday
    Taillon won't start Friday in Pittsburgh, as the Cubs list Javier Assad as the starter for the series opener versus the Pirates, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

    Advice: The Cubs had previously listed Taillon as their probable starter for Friday, so the late change perhaps hints that the right-hander may be tending to an injury. The decision to have Assad take the hill for the series opener wouldn't seem to be the result of any dissatisfaction with Taillon's performance, as the 32-year-old has opened his second season with the Cubs with a 3-0 record, 1.13 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 24 innings. Justin Steele will take the hill on four days' rest to start Saturday, while the Cubs are listing their starter for Sunday's series finale as "TBA." More clarity on the Cubs' plans for Sunday -- as well as when Taillon might next pitch -- should come prior to Friday's contest, when manager Craig Counsell meets with the media. Rotowire.com Today, 6:37 am
  • Homer, three RBI in win
    Pasquantino went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, three RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's win over the Angels.

    Advice: Pasquantino jumped on a hanging four-seamer with two outs in the top of the third and crushed it into the stands for his fifth home run of the season, and his first this month. The first baseman would also add a sacrifice fly in the contest, marking the third time in his last five games in which he's tallied multiple RBI. Pasquantino is on an absolute tear right now, registering three multi-hit games in a row, with at least one extra-base hit in each of those performances. He's now batting .429 in May with 11 RBI, six runs scored and six extra-base hits. Rotowire.com Today, 6:34 am
  • Big day at plate
    Blanco went 3-for-3 with a double, a two-run home run and four runs scored in Thursday's win over the Angels.

    Advice: Blanco kicked off a four-run inning for Kansas City with his first home run of the season and then led off the fifth with an infield single before eventually coming around to score a second time. The outfielder reached base four times in the contest while also swiping two bags and scoring a season-high four runs. Furthermore, it marked Blanco's first three-hit performance of the campaign and he's now batting .500 through six games in May with two RBI, six runs scored and five stolen bases. Rotowire.com Today, 6:33 am
  • Showing improvement
    Rodgers went 1-for-4 with a run scored Thursday against the Giants.

    Advice: Rodgers played his part in a seven-run fourth inning for Colorado by reaching base on a single and coming around to score. It was an otherwise unremarkable game, but he has at least one hit in 11 of his last 13 starts. He's hit .313 with five RBI and six runs scored in that span. Rodgers still has a poor .632 OPS for the season, but he has shown signs of life at the plate of late. Rotowire.com Today, 6:25 am
  • Two extra-base hits
    Tovar went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Giants.

    Advice: Tovar has been struggling to hit for power across the last few weeks, as he had only three extra-base hits (all doubles) across his last 21 starts entering Thursday's game. He managed to end that drought against the Giants, as he tallied both a double and a triple in the fourth inning when the Rockies batted around. For the season, Tovar has a decent .714 OPS, though that's come with a relatively empty three homers and three stolen bases. Rotowire.com Today, 6:19 am
  • Heads back to minors
    The Rangers optioned Leiter to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday.

    Advice: Leiter was up as the 27th man during Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Athletics and got rocked for six runs (four earned) over four innings. Because he was the designated 27th man, the 15-day rule doesn't apply to Leiter, who remains an option to make a start next week versus the Guardians. Rotowire.com Today, 6:17 am