Paul Blackburn Holds Marlins In Check, Earns Third Win: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn went seven innings in Saturday's 20-4 victory, holding the Marlins to just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three on his way to earning his third win of the season. Blackburn began the season with three straight quality starts where he didn't allow a single run, then had a three-game rough patch before getting back on track Saturday. The 30-year-old now has a 3-1 record with a 3.00 ERA and 1.02 WHIP through seven starts. The righty's FIP, xFIP, and SIERA are all below 4.00 which suggests he's pitched as well as it seems, and with Oakland being more competitive than expected to this point, Blackburn could continue to be solid pitching depth for fantasy as long as he's selectively deployed. However, you'll need to look elsewhere for strikeouts with just 31 in 42 IP and a 12.7% K-BB%. - as of Sun, 05 May 2024 10:32:01

Brent Rooker Homers Twice, Drives In Five Saturday: Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker homered twice in Saturday's 20-4 rout of the Miami Marlins, going 3-for-4 with five RBI in the contest. Rooker also got on base once via the walk. The 29-year-old has some serious pop in his bat, blasting 30 home runs a season ago in just 137 games, and has eight through 22 games played this year while posting an elite 20.5% Barrel%. The former 35th overall draft pick is even hitting for average as of late, going 9-for-24 (.375) with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI, five runs scored, and four walks over his last seven games. - as of Sun, 05 May 2024 10:14:01

Nolan Arenado With A Home Run, Three RBI Saturday: St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado reached base five times in five plate appearances in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the White Sox. The veteran went 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run, two singles, and two walks, raising his season slashline to .296/.362/.408. The 33-year-old is having a solid season overall, although somewhat underwhelming based on the Arenado we've grown accustomed to. The 8x All-Star has seen his home run, RBI, and run totals drop in consecutive years now. With a 1.9% Barrel% this season, a career-low by far, the home runs may come few and far between, just like this last one. Saturday's home run was Arenado's first since April 12. He should remain a solid fantasy contributor nonetheless, so you're still using him in season-long formats. - as of Sun, 05 May 2024 09:53:01

Kevin Gausman Earns Second Win Of The Season: Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman earned his second win of the season in Saturday's 6-4 victory over the Nationals. The veteran went five-and-a-third innings, allowing no runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight. After a bumpy start to the season, this was Gausman's fourth straight start of allowing one earned run or less. The 33-year-old now sports a 3.78 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 16.0% K-BB%. The 2x All-Star's next start currently lines up next weekend at home against the Twins, the hottest team in baseball and winners of 12 straight. - as of Sun, 05 May 2024 09:21:04

Jameson Taillon Fans Seven, Improves To 3-0: Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon picked up his third win of the season in Saturday's 6-5 victory over the Brewers. Taillon fired six innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. The 32-year-old has been superb since coming off the IL, posting a 1.13 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 5:16 BB:K over four starts. With a FIP of 3.53, SIERA of 4.30, and a career ERA of 3.93, it seems some regression may be in the offing, so deploy the veteran with caution. The former first-round draft pick's next start lines up with a fading Pirates team next Friday in Pittsburgh. - as of Sun, 05 May 2024 08:56:01

Anthony Rizzo With A Home Run, Three RBI Saturday: New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit his sixth home run of the season in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Tigers, a three-run shot off Detroit starter Casey Mize. Rizzo also had a single, finishing the day 2-for-4 and bringing his batting average to .263. The 3x All-Star has collected at least one RBI in three straight games now, bringing his season total to 20, and has also scored 16 times. With a .338 wOBA and 122 wRC+, the veteran is having a solid season thus far. He'll have a difficult matchup in Sunday's series finale, facing off with LHP Tarik Skubal, although Rizzo is 1-for-3 with a double and no strikeouts against the southpaw in his career. - as of Sun, 05 May 2024 08:32:14

Esteury Ruiz Sustains Wrist Injury On Saturday: Oakland A's outfielder Esteury Ruiz (wrist) exited Saturday's game against the Miami Marlins after injuring his wrist while diving for a hit in the sixth inning. He left the game with the trainers and was replaced by Seth Brown. Ruiz is considered day-to-day and will undergo further evaluation on his injured wrist. The 25-year-old went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI before exiting. He was starting to heat up at the plate, hitting .300 (3-for-10) with three runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases over his last five games. Brown would see an uptick in playing time if Ruiz were to miss any games. The 31-year-old is off the fantasy radar in most formats after slashing .180/.232/.281 across 31 games in 2024. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 23:56:02

George Kirby Undergoes MRI On Knee, Optimistic To Make Next Start: Seattle Mariners George Kirby (knee) had an MRI on his right knee on Saturday as a precaution. Mariners manager Scott Servais is optimistic Kirby won't miss any time and will make his next start Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. The 26-year-old was pulled from Friday's outing against the Houston Astros after just 88 pitches. Kirby's knee injury doesn't sound serious, and the MRI results should confirm the severity of his issue. He owns a 3.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 41:4 K: BB across 38 1/3 innings in 2024. Fantasy managers should continue to roll with Kirby as long as he's cleared for his next scheduled start on Thursday. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 23:41:01

Christian Scott Stellar In Mets Debut: New York Mets top pitching prospect Christian Scott allowed one run on five hits and a walk while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He did not factor into the decision. Scott was promoted to majors on Saturday after posting a 3.20 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and 36:6 K: BB over 25 1/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse in 2024. The 24-year-old struggled in the first inning, allowing a run on three hits. He bounced back the rest away and retired 11 hitters in a row. Scott threw 94 pitches, landing 67 for strikes. The Mets rookie will look to build off his stellar debut in his next start on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. Scott has tremendous fantasy upside and should be added in all league formats. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 23:24:02

John Means Throws Seven Scoreless Innings In Season Debut: Baltimore Orioles left-hander John Means (1-0) allowed three hits and no walks while striking out eight over seven scoreless innings in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Means started the season on the injured list after having a setback on his surgically repaired left elbow. Means picked up his first victory of the season. He completed a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk and made his 2024 debut on Saturday against the Reds. He was stellar in Saturday's win, blanking the Reds over seven innings on 85 pitches. The 31-year-old owned a 2.66 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and a 10:4 K: BB across 23 2/3 innings in 2023. Means will look to build on Saturday's performance at his next start on Friday against the Seattle Mariners. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 23:11:01

Dylan Carlson Set To Return Sunday: St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Pedro Pags will be optioned to Memphis as the corresponding move. Carlson recently completed a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis and is set to make his season debut on Sunday. The 25-year-old missed the start of the season due to a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. He slashed .219/.318/.333 with five home runs, 27 RBI, 27 runs, and three stolen bases over 255 plate appearances in 2023. With Tommy Edman (wrist) sidelined and Jordan Walker in Triple-A Memphis, Carlson has a clear path for playing time and is a speculative add in deep-league formats. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 22:58:01

Yennier Cano Notches First Save Of The Season: Baltimore Orioles reliever Yennier Cano allowed a walk while striking out one over 2/3 innings in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Craig Kimbrel entered the game in the ninth inning to protect a one-run lead. Kimbrel was pulled from the save situation after he allowed one run on two hits and one walk while striking out one batter in one-third of an inning. Cano replaced Kimbrel and retired two of the three batters he faced to notch his first save of the season. Kimbrel has been dealing with a back tightness and has blown back-to-back saves. The Orioles could turn to Cano for saves while Kimbrel is struggling. Cano owns a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers searching for saves should add Cano in all league formats. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 22:48:01

Steven Kwan Will Undergo An MRI On Injured Hamstring Sunday: Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (hamstring) will undergo an MRI on Sunday. Kwan initially injured his hamstring during Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels while trying to make a play in the outfield. "A hamstring is always concerning, especially with my history," said Kwan. "It's not something to be optimistic about." The Guardians will have a timetable and if an injured stint is needed once the MRI results are in. The 26-year-old is slashing .353/.407/.496 with three home runs and three stolen bases over 32 games in 2024. Gabriel Arias replaced Kwan in the game and would see an uptick in at-bats if he were to miss any time. Arias is on the radar in deep leagues after slashing .250/.271/.382 with a home run, nine runs, eight RBI, and three steals over 21 games this season. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 22:35:01

Logan O'Hoppe Removed From Saturday's Game With Hand Contusion: Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe (hand) was removed from Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians with a right-hand contusion. The 24-year-old took a foul tip off his right hand during the fourth inning. He initially stayed in the game before being replaced in the bottom of the fifth inning. O'Hoppe went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before exiting. X-rays came back negative on O'Hoppe's hand. He is considered day-to-day and will likely get the day off Sunday in the series finale against Cleveland. Matt Thaiss would see an uptick in playing time if O'Hoppe were to miss any time. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 22:21:02

Wyatt Langford Exits Early With Hamstring Tightness: Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) was removed from Saturday's game against the Kansas City Royals in the fifth inning due to right hamstring tightness. He slowed up while trying to run out a tapper in front of home plate. The Rangers rookie went 0-for-3 before being replaced by Travis Jankowski in the fifth inning. Langford is considered day-to-day and will undergo further evaluation after the game to determine the severity of the injury. Jankowski would see an uptick in playing if Langford were to miss any games and is a speculative add in deep-league formats. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 22:10:01

Alec Bohm Removed From Saturday's Game With Hip Tightness: Philadelphia Phillies infielder Alec Bohm (hip) was removed from Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants with right hip tightness. The Phillies announced that the move was precautionary. The 27-year-old went 1-for-1 with an RBI, an HBP, and two runs scored before being removed. He extended his hitting streak to 17 games. It's worth noting that the Phillies were up eight runs, and there were rainy conditions before Whit Merrifield replaced Bohm in the bottom of the third inning. He is slashing .364/.435/.579 with four home runs, 32 RBI, 18 runs, and a stolen base over 34 games in 2024. Bohm is considered day-to-day. Merrifield would see an uptick in playing time if Bohm were to miss any games. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 21:53:01

Jared Jones Is Spectacular Saturday Afternoon: Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander Jared Jones pitched a gem on Saturday afternoon against the Colorado Rockies. Jones went seven strong innings, adding ten strikeouts, surrendering only one hit and zero walks. Unfortunately, the Pirates bats did not score a run until the bottom of the ninth, giving the win to closer David Bednar instead of Jones. Jones continues to be electric with 62 strikeouts in 48 innings to go with two wins, a 2.63 ERA and a minuscule .78 WHIP. Those who gambled in drafting Jones look prescient at this point as he shows no signs of slowing down. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 19:00:04

Clay Holmes Earns 11th Save Saturday Afternoon: New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes earned his 11th save Saturday afternoon in a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Holmes got four outs, two via strikeout, and remained unscored upon in 2024. Holmes also has a win to go along with his 0.00 ERA and 0.92 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings. The save ties him for the MLB lead with the St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Helsley. Continue to deploy Holmes in all leagues that have a saves category, even if you do not get the high volume of strikeouts you may like in a closer. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 18:55:02

Pablo Lopez Earns Third Win Saturday Afternoon With Six Strong Innings: The Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez earned his third win with six strong innings on Saturday afternoon over the Boston Red Sox. Lopez had eight strikeouts and a walk while surrendering one run, one walk, and five hits. Lopez lowered his ERA from 4.83 to 4.30 with the solid outing. Lopez now has 45 strikeouts in 38 innings this season. Many fantasy players drafted Lopez as their staff ace this spring. Lopez is right at his career norms with a 29.4K% and 5.6 BB%, so we can expect Lopez to continue to provide worry-free innings in 2024. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 18:46:01

Cole Sands Collects Second Save On Saturday: Minnesota Twins right-hander Cole Sands earned his second save of the season on Saturday afternoon in a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Sands pitched a spotless ninth and added a strikeout in relief of usual closer Jhoan Duran, who was called upon to face the heart of the Red Sox order in the eighth inning. That left the save opportunity for Sands. With the usual setup men Brock Stewart and Justin Topa out with injuries, Sands could see himself in a higher leverage role in the short-term with lefty Caleb Thielbar and should earn holds and the occasional vulture save. - as of Sat, 04 May 2024 18:37:01