Fantasy Baseball News

The Red Sox placed Tyler O’Neill on the 7-Day Injured List, retroactive to April 16. (Source: Jen McCaffrey on X)

Fantasy Impact: Tyler O'Neill was forced to leave the game after colliding with Rafael Devers on a play in the outfield on April 15th. It was reported that O'Neill had cleared the concussion protocol, but will nonetheless be placed on the 7-day IL. Boston reinstated Rob Refsnyder from the 10-Day IL to fill O'Neill's spot on the active roster. Refsnyder has hit .333/.385/.667/1.051 in 4 games at Triple-A.

Steven Kwan is missing from the lineup for the Cleveland Guardians against the Boston Red Sox Thursday. (Source: Cleveland Guardians on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Kwan will receive the afternoon off for routine rest, with David Fry starting in left field and batting second for manager Stephen Vogt against the Red Sox Thursday.

Matt Vierling is in the starting lineup for the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers Thursday. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Vierling is back after missing the last two games, starting in center field and batting fifth Thursday.

Zach McKinstry is out of the lineup for the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers Thursday. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: McKinstry will receive the afternoon off for manager AJ Hinch, with Gio Urshela returning to the lineup to start at this base and bat seventh against the Rangers Thursday.

Carson Kelly returns to the lineup for the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers Thursday. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Kelly is back after sitting out Wednesday’s contest for manager AJ Hinch, starting behind the plate at catcher and batting ninth against the Rangers Thursday.

Jake Rogers is missing from the lineup for the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers Thursday. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Rogers will take a seat on the bench for rest reasons, with Carson Kelly starting behind the plate at catcher and batting ninth against the Rangers Thursday.

Gio Urshela is back in the lineup for the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers Thursday. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Urshela returns after sitting out for general rest Wednesday, starting at third base and batting seventh against the Rangers for manager AJ Hinch Thursday.

Rafael Devers (knee) is set to undergo a precautionary MRI Thursday. (Source: Ian Browne on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Devers is set to undergo an MRI on his left knee, more for peace of mind per manager Alex Cora. Fantasy managers should expect the team to update his status soon. Devers is not in the lineup Thursday.

Parker Meadows is not in the lineup for the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers Thursday. (Source: Detroit Tigers on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Meadows will sit out for rest purposes, with Matt Vierling starting in center field and batting fifth for manager AJ Hinch against the Rangers Thursday.

Isaac Paredes is out of the lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Paredes will receive the afternoon off for rest reasons, with Curtis Mead filling in at third base and batting seventh against the Angels for manager Kevin Cash Thursday.

Randy Arozarena is missing from the lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Arozarena will take a seat in the bench for general rest, with Harold Ramirez starting in left field and batting cleanup against the Angels Thursday.

Logan O’Hoppe is not in the lineup for the Los Angeles Angels against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: O’Hoppe will take a seat on the bench for Thursday’s contest, with Matt Thiass filling in behind the plate at catcher for manager Ron Washington against the Rays Thursday.

Tanner Houck dazzled on Wednesday, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out nine in a 2-0 victory over the Guardians.

Fantasy Impact: This performance not only highlights his dominance but also solidifies his role as a key starter in fantasy lineups. With a season ERA now at an impressive 1.35 and a WHIP of 0.90, Houck continues to exceed expectations. His exceptional strikeout-to-walk ratio of 14.00 and a FIP of 2.09 suggest sustainable success, making him a must-start in all formats. Fantasy managers should view Houck as a high-end pitching option, especially given his ability to limit walks and consistently rack up strikeouts.

Connor Wong went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI in the Red Sox's 2-0 win over the Guardians.

Fantasy Impact: His performance included a crucial home run that contributed significantly to the team's victory. Wong's batting average remains impressive at .382 through 11 games, underscoring his potential value in fantasy lineups, especially for a catcher. His power surge, with three homers already, suggests an upward trend in his slugging capabilities.

Ben Lively delivered a solid performance but couldn't avoid the loss in Wednesday's 2-0 defeat to the Red Sox.

Fantasy Impact: He allowed two earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out seven over five innings. Despite the loss, Lively's outing was a promising display of control and strikeout ability, maintaining a strong start to the season with a 3.60 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. His high strikeout rate (12.6 K/9) and favorable WHIP are encouraging signs for fantasy managers, suggesting potential for high fantasy value if he can sustain these metrics.

Reid Detmers delivered a solid performance, allowing just one earned run on seven hits and one walk while striking out four over 5.1 innings in the Angels' 5-4 victory over the Rays on Wednesday.

Fantasy Impact: Despite not factoring into the decision, Detmers continued to demonstrate why he's a must-start in fantasy lineups. With a sparkling 1.19 ERA and 0.97 WHIP through his first four starts, his ability to suppress runs while maintaining a high strikeout rate (11.9 K/9) makes him a valuable asset in all formats. His consistent performance, underscored by a stellar 1.67 FIP and 4.29 K/BB ratio, suggests sustained success. Fantasy managers should continue to deploy Detmers with confidence, expecting him to be a key contributor in strikeouts and ERA.

Mike Trout went 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI in the Angels' 5-4 win against the Rays.

Fantasy Impact: His performance was highlighted by his eighth homer of the season, contributing significantly to the team's narrow victory. Despite striking out twice, Trout's power at the plate continues to make him a valuable asset in fantasy lineups. With a solid .282 batting average and a .430 wOBA through 18 games, he remains a top-tier fantasy outfielder. His consistent power-hitting ability, coupled with a reasonable strikeout rate, should keep him highly relevant in all fantasy formats.

Zack Littell delivered a mixed performance, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven over 5.2 innings in the Rays' 5-4 loss to the Angels on Wednesday.

Fantasy Impact: Despite not factoring into the decision, Littell's outing was a decent display of control, as he did not issue any walks. His season ERA slightly rose to 2.14, but his ability to maintain a high strikeout rate and a solid 4.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio continues to make him a valuable asset in fantasy leagues. The lack of walks in this game is a positive takeaway, although the eight hits allowed indicate some vulnerability.

Amed Rosario went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the Rays' 5-4 loss to the Angels.

Fantasy Impact: His performance included a crucial homer that contributed significantly to the Rays' offense, though it wasn't enough to secure the win. Rosario's season batting average now sits at an impressive .328 through 16 games, underscoring his consistent contribution at the plate. With a solid .359 wOBA and maintaining a relatively low strikeout rate of 0.136, Rosario continues to prove his worth as a valuable fantasy asset. His ability to connect with the ball paired with his moderate power and speed makes him a reliable option in most fantasy formats.

Jose Alvarado notched a save in a tight 7-6 victory over the Rockies.

Fantasy Impact: He allowed one hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning of work. Despite a rocky start to the season with a 5.40 ERA, Alvarado's performance in this game could hint at a turnaround, especially considering his solid WHIP of 1.20 and a promising 9.7 K/9 rate. His ability to close games without issuing walks, as seen in this outing, adds a layer of reliability for fantasy managers looking for saves. However, his high ERA still warrants caution. Fantasy managers should monitor if his FIP of 3.26, significantly lower than his ERA, indicates better performances ahead.