• Max Kepler dealing with elbow soreness
    Max Kepler is day-to-day with elbow soreness.

    Advice: Kepler managed to stay in Friday’s extra-inning marathon against the Athletics, eventually delivering the game-winning hit, after being hit by a pitch in the elbow earlier in the contest. He’ll benefit from Saturday’s rainout by getting some extra time to rest and recover. It’s possible he’ll be ready for the opening contest of Sunday’s doubleheader at Target Field. Rotoworld Today, 11:45 am
    Max KeplerMIN - OF
    W, 3-2 @WSH
     
  • Nursing injured elbow
    Kepler is absent from Saturday's lineup against the Athletics due to a sore elbow, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

    Advice: Kepler was hit by a pitch on the elbow Friday and according to manager Rocco Baldelli, the outfielder is sore while dealing with some stiffness. Baldelli said that Kepler will probably "need a day or two," but the injury isn't considered to be a long-term concern. Rotowire.com Today, 10:01 am
    Max KeplerMIN - OF
    W, 3-2 @WSH
     
  • Breather Saturday
    Kepler is not in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Athletics.

    Advice: Kepler will take a seat after he went 4-for-7 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored over the first two games of the series. Trevor Larnach will slide over to right field while Austin Martin enters the lineup in left field and bats ninth against Oakland. Rotowire.com Today, 8:48 am
    Max KeplerMIN - OF
    W, 3-2 @WSH
     
  • Stays hot Friday
    Merrill went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-1 loss to the Mets.

    Advice: The 21-year-old went yard for the third time in the last two games, accounting for all of the Padres' offense on the night with a fifth-inning shot off Sean Manaea. Merrill seems to have flipped a switch in June -- over the last nine games, he's batting .353 (12-for-34) with four doubles, three homers, two steals, five RBI, six runs and an impressive 8.3 percent strikeout rate. Rotowire.com Today, 7:40 am
     
  • Heating up
    Candelario went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI in Friday's 6-5 win over the Brewers.

    Advice: Candelario belted a two-run home run in the fifth inning to help the Reds overcome a sloppy day in the field (five errors) and on the mound (eight walks). The home run was his third in the last two games and sixth during the month of June. After an inconsistent first two months, Candelario's bat is heating up this month. He's batting .346 (18-for-52) with nine extra-base hits, 13 RBI, two steals and eight runs over 12 contests. Rotowire.com Today, 6:33 am
     
  • Experiencing general tightness
    Smith was not in the starting lineup Friday due to what manager Bruce Bochy referred to as "general tightness," Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

    Advice: It's the same condition that led to Smith being held out of Tuesday's starting lineup. He eventually entered Friday's game as a pinch hitter, popping out in the ninth inning. With Corey Seager not playing the field yet as he battles a hamstring, Ezequiel Duran started at shortstop. Rotowire.com Today, 6:04 am
    Josh SmithTEX - 3B,SS,OF
    L, 4-11 @PHI
     
  • Homers, drives in four
    Kepler went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in Friday's win over Oakland.

    Advice: Kepler did most of his damage with a three-run shot in the sixth inning but later delivered a clutch walk-off single in the 10th. He entered Friday's game with a .398 OPS in 11 games this month and the home run was his first since May 22. Kepler is now slashing .263/.326/.433 with 19 extra-base knocks and 27 RBI through 190 plate appearances. Rotowire.com Today, 5:02 am
    Max KeplerMIN - OF
    W, 3-2 @WSH
     
  • Notches win Friday
    Duran (2-2) allowed a walk over two scoreless innings Friday. He struck out one and earned a win over Oakland.

    Advice: Duran kept the Athletics off the board in the ninth and 10th frames as the Twins eventually delivered the walk-off win. He's 2-0 with a hold over his last three outings since coughing up three runs against the Pirates on June 8. The 26-year-old righty has not picked up a save since June 2. For the season, Duran's ERA is down to 3.66 with a 17:8 K:BB and 10 saves through 19.2 innings. Rotowire.com Today, 4:57 am
  • Jeimer Candelario homers in win over Brewers
    Jeimer Candelario delivered a two-run homer and a double Friday as the Reds edged the Brewers 6-5.

    Advice: Not a bad followup to his two-homer game Wednesday. Candelario has 12 homers, eight of which have come in his last 19 games. Those who weighed dropping him a few weeks ago have been rewarded for their patience. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:25 pm