Fantasy Baseball News

Andres Munoz threw a scoreless ninth inning to save a 4-3 win over the Rangers on Thursday.

Fantasy Impact: Munoz only needed eight pitches to send the Rangers down in order in the win. The veteran reliever has now converted three of his four save chances while posting a 2.89 ERA across 9 1/3 innings of work this year.

Justin Lawrence tossed a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 9-8 win over the Padres on Thursday. He struck out one while not allowing a baserunner in the frame.

Fantasy Impact: Lawrence picked up his second save of the season in the outing. Overall, Lawrence has compiled a 5.59 ERA and 10 strikeouts across 10 outings in 2024.

Luzardo has been scratched from his start today with and will undergo testing for elbow discomfort. (Source: Jon Heyman on X)

Fantasy Impact: Luzardo was scheduled to face the Nationals today but will sit this one as he has experienced discomfort in his elbow. The testing should reveal the severity of the injury.

Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez is on the bench for Friday's contest versus the Royals. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Perez went 0-for-3 with a walk in Wednesday's series finale with the Rays but will begin a series with the Royals on the bench Friday. The rookie has been excellent since his big-league promotion, hitting .269 with two triples, two stolen bases, and an .807 OPS across his first 29 trips to the plate.

Tigers infielder Buddy Kennedy will return to the bench for Friday's series opener with the Royals. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Kennedy singled, scored a run, and knocked in a run across four trips to the plate in Wednesday's series finale with the Rays but will begin a three-game set with the Royals on the bench. He has only made 10 MLB trips to the plate this season but has homered and stolen a base while hitting .286 in that time.

Tigers catcher Jake Rogers is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Royals. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Rogers went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Wednesday's series finale but continues to rotate in and out of the lineup with Carson Kelly on Friday. Rogers is off to a slow start, hitting just .133 with one homer and a .420 OPS across 50 plate appearances.

Tigers catcher Carson Kelly is back in the starting lineup Friday versus the Royals. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Kelly sat out of Wednesday's series finale with the Rays but the rotation between him and Jake Rogers continues on Friday. Kelly has largely scuffled this season, hitting just .203 with a homer and a .534 OPS across 46 trips to the plate.

Tigers infielder Colt Keith is back in the starting lineup Friday versus the Royals. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: Keith got a breather in Wednesday's series finale with the Rays but will return and man the keystone on Friday. It's been a tough go for the rookie so far, hitting just .165 without a homer across his first 85 big-league plate appearances.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter is back in the starting lineup Friday versus the Royals. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: The slugger sat out of Wednesday's series finale with the Rays but returns to DH Friday against right-hander Seth Lugo. Carpenter is off to another strong start, hitting .289 with three homers and an .859 OPS across 82 trips to the plate.

Albies (toe) has been activated from the 10-day IL Friday (Source: Braves on X)

Fantasy Impact: Albies has recovered from a fractured right big toe and was able to miss only 10 days. He will join the Braves for their series at home against the Guardians. David Fletcher had been playing second base but was sent down to Triple-A Thursday.

Evan Phillips delivered a flawless performance, securing his seventh save of the season in the Dodgers' narrow 2-1 victory over the Nationals.

Fantasy Impact: He threw 14 pitches over a clean inning, allowing no hits or walks and striking out two batters. This outing further cements Phillips's role as a reliable closer for the Dodgers, lowering his ERA to an impressive 0.84. With a solid 11.0 K/9 rate and a WHIP of 1.13, he continues to be a valuable asset in fantasy leagues, especially given his consistent save opportunities and lack of blown saves. Phillips's ability to maintain low scoring and high strikeout numbers should keep him high on the radar for fantasy managers looking for steady relief options.

Dakota Hudson was hit hard, allowing six earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out four over just 3.1 innings in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Rockies.

Fantasy Impact: This performance continues a troubling trend for Hudson, whose season ERA ballooned to 6.57 and WHIP worsened to 1.78. With a low strikeout rate of 5.8 K/9 and a high FIP of 5.25, his ability to contribute positively in fantasy formats is becoming increasingly doubtful. Fantasy managers should consider other options, as Hudson's high ERA and WHIP are damaging to any team's pitching stats.

Chase Anderson had a rough outing, allowing five earned runs and three walks while giving up three hits in just 1.2 innings as the Red Sox fell to the Guardians 6-4.

Fantasy Impact: Anderson was thrust into the rotation with all the injuries to Red Sox starters. With his ERA now exceeding 5.52 and a strikeout rate that remains less than ideal, Anderson's reliability as a fantasy option is becoming increasingly questionable. His inability to suppress runs in critical moments, coupled with a low strikeout-to-walk ratio, might make fantasy managers think twice before slotting him into their lineups, especially in leagues that penalize heavily for earned runs and walks.

Randy Vasquez struggled mightily in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Rockies, allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two over just 2.2 innings.

Fantasy Impact: This performance did little to inspire confidence, especially considering it ballooned his ERA to 5.87 and WHIP to 1.83 through his first two starts this season. With a low strikeout rate and a concerning FIP, Vasquez's ability to be a reliable fantasy option is in serious doubt. Fantasy managers should be wary of using him in their lineups, as his current form suggests more turbulent outings may be on the horizon unless he can make significant adjustments.

Trevor Megill tossed a perfect inning to notch his first save of the season in the Brewers' 7-5 win over the Pirates.

Fantasy Impact: Despite not recording any strikeouts, Megill was effective, keeping the Pirates at bay to secure the victory. This performance should slightly bolster his fantasy relevance, especially in formats that value saves plus holds. His season ERA now impressively stands at 1.59, and with a WHIP of 1.06 through five appearances. He remains a solid option in deeper leagues or as a streaming candidate in daily formats, however, his moderate strikeout rate (7.9 K/9) might limit his upside compared to other high-strikeout relievers.

Freddy Peralta had a rough outing, allowing five earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out five over 4.2 innings in Thursday's 7-5 win against the Pirates.

Fantasy Impact: This performance was a stark contrast to his strong start to the season, where he boasts a 3.18 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP even after the rough outing. The five earned runs and five walks are both season highs for Peralta, potentially signaling issues with his control or mechanics in this game. Despite the Brewers pulling off a win, Peralta's fantasy managers might be concerned about his ability to maintain his excellent early-season form. This game could be a blip on the radar, but it's worth monitoring his next few starts for any patterns of inconsistency.

Nick Martinez endured a tough outing on Thursday with six innings pitched, five runs, 11 hits, and just three strikeouts in a 5-0 loss to the Phillies.

Fantasy Impact: He allowed five earned runs on 11 hits and struck out three over six innings, absorbing the loss. This performance has certainly not helped his already bloated ERA, which now sits uncomfortably at 5.48 for the season. Despite a solid strikeout-to-walk ratio and decent FIP (3.32), Martinez's high BABIP and WHIP are red flags for fantasy managers. His inability to limit hits continues to undermine his starts, making him a risky play in most fantasy formats. Moving forward, unless he can find a way to reduce the number of hits allowed, Martinez will remain a volatile option best suited for deeper leagues or as a streaming consideration in favorable matchups.

Mitch Keller allowed four earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over five innings in Thursday's 7-5 loss to the Brewers.

Fantasy Impact: This outing nudged his ERA up to 5.14 and WHIP to 1.49 through six starts this season, reflecting ongoing struggles in maintaining control and limiting base runners. Despite a decent strikeout rate of 8.2 K/9, his BABIP of .333 suggests some bad luck but also points to potential issues with pitch quality or defense behind him. Keller's fantasy managers should be wary as his high ERA and WHIP are damaging, though his strikeout abilities still offer some value in formats that heavily reward strikeouts. He'll look for better results next time out against the Athletics.

Emmanuel Clase delivered a pristine inning to notch his eighth save of the season, helping the Guardians edge out the Red Sox 6-4 on Thursday.

Fantasy Impact: He threw 12 pitches, allowed no hits or walks, and struck out one batter. Clase's performance continues to bolster his already impressive season stats, maintaining a stellar 0.69 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. His consistent ability to close games, evidenced by his high strikeout-to-walk ratio and low BABIP, makes him an invaluable asset in fantasy leagues, especially those that reward saves and WHIP. Given his current form, fantasy managers should consider him a top-tier option in all formats, particularly in leagues that heavily weigh relief pitching metrics.

Triston McKenzie navigated through a rocky start against the Red Sox, allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over four innings in Thursday's 6-4 victory.

Fantasy Impact: Despite the decent strikeout numbers, McKenzie's short outing and continued struggles with control and efficiency are concerning. His season ERA now sits at an inflated 4.91 with a WHIP of 1.68, both metrics painting a picture of a pitcher who frequently finds himself in jams. The high FIP of 5.60 suggests underlying issues that could lead to more rough outings if not addressed. Fantasy managers should be wary of relying too heavily on McKenzie, as his current form does not inspire confidence for consistent fantasy production.