Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball

  • Freddie Freeman swats three-run homer in win
    Freddie Freeman walloped a three-run homer on Thursday in the Dodgers’ win over the Pirates.

    Advice: Freeman followed singles by Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani in the opening frame with a no-doubter down the right-field line off Pirates starter Bailey Falter. The 34-year-old first baseman has gone deep twice in his last four contests and is up to eight big flies on the year to go along with a .294 batting average and 38 RBI through 64 games. Rotoworld Thursday, 6:52 pm
     
  • Lopez allows two in no-decision Thursday
    Reynoldo Lopez allowed two runs in six innings and got a no-decision in the Braves’ 5-2 victory over the Nationals on Thursday.



    Advice: Lopez gave up six hits, walked one and struck out seven. CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas hit back-to-back home runs off him in the sixth inning. The home runs Lopez allowed were his third and fourth of the season (0.57 HR/9). Only Ranger Suarez and Luis Gil have a lower ERA than Lopez’ 1.85 (min. 50 innings), though his xFIP is significantly higher at 3.71. He has eight quality starts but he’s only won three of his 11 starts this year. The 30-year-old right-hander is set to face the Orioles on the road next week.

    Rotoworld Thursday, 5:56 pm
     
  • Homers twice in loss
    Rutschman went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three total RBI in Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays.

    Advice: Rutschman was responsible for the Orioles' first three runs Thursday, launching a solo shot off Yusei Kikuchi in the sixth inning before adding a two-run homer off Zach Pop in the eighth. Rutschman came into the day with just one home run in his previous 17 contests, though he's now hit safely in 10 straight games, going 15-for-42 (.357) in that span. The 26-year-old backstop is slashing .307/.345/.490 through 258 plate appearances this season with 12 homers, 43 RBI and 34 runs scored. Rotowire.com Thursday, 2:52 pm
     
  • Playing catch
    Manager Brian Snitker said Thursday that Minter (hip) has been playing catch with no issues and will pitch an inning at some point next week, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

    Advice: The team has not yet determined whether or not Minter's next step will come during live batting practice or in a minor-league rehab game. Either way, it seems likely that the 30-year-old southpaw will be able to return to Atlanta's bullpen when eligible in mid-June. Rotowire.com Thursday, 2:44 pm
    A.J. MinterATL - RP
    1:05 pm @WSH
    Player Note
    IL15
     
  • Adley Rutschman homers twice in loss to Blue Jays
    Adley Rutschman homered twice while driving in three runs during a 6-5 loss for the Orioles to the Blue Jays on Thursday.

    Advice: Rutschman was responsible for the only run the Orioles scored off Yusei Kikuchi with a solo blast, and he swatted a two-run blast off Zack Pop in the eighth. The 26-year-old backstop has gone deep 12 times in 2024 while plating 43 runs over 241 at-bats. Rotoworld Thursday, 12:37 pm
     
  • Could be available this weekend
    Munoz (back) played catch prior to Thursday's game in Oakland, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports.

    Advice: Drayer adds that Munoz was seen giving fist bumps to others afterward, which would seem to indicate things went well. Munoz had to be removed from an appearance Thursday versus the Athletics, but there's optimism he can avoid the injured list and could be available to pitch this weekend in Kansas City, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Rotowire.com Thursday, 11:28 am
     
  • Swipes bag in loss
    Freeman went 1-for-5 with a stolen base and a run against Pittsburgh in a loss Wednesday.

    Advice: Freeman has been much less active on the basepaths this season -- he's attempted just four steals (with three successes) after going 23-for-24 last year. That 2023 performance was likely an aberration, as the 23 thefts were 10 more than his previous career-high mark. Freeman's other numbers are mostly down so far this season as well, but he's still been quite productive with a .294/.397/.476 slash line, seven homers, 17 doubles, 35 RBI and and 36 runs through 63 contests. Rotowire.com Thursday, 11:00 am
     
  • Andrés Muñoz will likely avoid an IL stint
    According to The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude, Andrés Muñoz (back) is “determined to pitch through his back strain” and will likely avoid an IL stint.

    Advice: The Mariners’ closer has been pitching through the strain since the second game of the season, which may explain why he has had some “off nights” during the 2024 season. However, he has also pitched to a 1.73 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 26 innings, so it hasn’t been impacting him too much. “I’ve been here before,” said Munoz. “I’ve felt like this before, so I know we can manage that and be ready to go. ... I am 100% [with] this team.” Rotoworld Thursday, 10:17 am
     
  • Still in holding pattern
    Munoz (back) said Wednesday that he's feeling better and remains optimistic he'll avoid a stint on the injured list, MLB.com reports.

    Advice: The results of the right-hander's MRI are still pending, but Munoz appears confident the flareup of a lower-back issue that caused his removal from Tuesday's appearance is temporary. Munoz revealed Wednesday he had actually been dealing with his back strain since the second game of the season and has been managing it with treatment and other pain-management remedies. Consequently, the collision with the Athletics' Max Schuemann in Tuesday's game wasn't the actual culprit, as Munoz added that he had already been feeling back tightness when warming up in the bullpen that night. Munoz's MRI results could be the ultimate determining factor in whether he avoids an IL stint, with those results likely to be available at some point Thursday. Rotowire.com Thursday, 9:10 am