MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games – Page 457

April 8, 2025

Jonathan Quick Adds To His List Of Accolades With Rod Gilbert Mr. Ranger Award

There was one positive aspect to come out of the New York Rangers’ 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.

Before the start of the game, Jonathan Quick was named the winner of the Rod Gilbert Mr. Ranger Award.

The award recognizes the Rangers player “who best honors Rod’s legacy by exemplifying leadership qualities both on and off the ice and making a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.”

Quick now joins Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, and Adam Fox as players to win this award.

“It’s an honor. I know a lot of guys who’ve won it over the years and what they’ve meant to this organization and obviously what he’s meant to this organization and the legacy he’s left behind,” Quick said.

Since coming to the Rangers in 2023, Quick has been forced to adapt to an entirely new role as the backup goalie behind Igor Shesterkin which he’s taken in stride.

Not only has he taken it in stride, but the 39-year-old goalie is now one of the team’s most important and impactful leaders.

The Rangers management clearly valued Quick and rewarded him with a one-year, $1.55 million contract extension a few weeks ago.

Off of the ice through his time with the Rangers, Quick has gotten involved with the Garden of Dreams Foundation and helped spread awareness about the importance of mental health in athletes.

“Through your experiences and what you’re able to go through, you look forward to the opportunity to give back, so that definitely means a lot,” Quick said.

Even approaching 40-years-old, Quick’s presence and value are still priceless.

April 8, 2025

What we learned as Giants waste Roupp's strong start in loss to Reds

What we learned as Giants waste Roupp's strong start in loss to Reds originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants’ original City Connects weren’t at all popular when they were first released, but over time, Tuesday nights at Oracle Park came to be associated with winning. The creamsicles were 30-16 before getting retired last September.

The new version took the field for the first time on Tuesday, but it was another quiet night for the lineup and another loss to the Cincinnati Reds. After getting blanked 2-0 in the opener, the Giants fell 1-0 on Tuesday. The series loss is their first of the year, and they’ll try to avoid the sweep on Wednesday behind Justin Verlander.

Debutando nuevos uniformes 🟠🟣 pic.twitter.com/Vfzf8ZWkUT
— SF Gigantes (@SFGigantes) April 9, 2025

A night after getting overwhelmed by Hunter Greene, the Giants had just three hits in six innings against lefty Nick Lodolo. Trailing by a run, they got a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth, but the runner was quickly erased when Heliot Ramos bounced into a double play. Willy Adames followed with his third strikeout of the night and 15th of the season.

The Reds got a leadoff double from Gavin Lux in the top of the ninth, but Hayden Birdsong got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts that stranded Lux on third. In his third career relief appearance, Birdsong allowed just one hit over three innings, but it didn’t lead to a comeback.

Here are three observations from the Giants’ second consecutive shutout loss:

Much More Like It

Landen Roupp fought his command the first time out, but on Tuesday he looked just like the pitcher who spent all spring winning a rotation job. Roupp needed just 81 pitches to cruise through a career-high six innings. He scattered seven hits, struck out four and walked none.

Roupp got two strikeouts on his sinker and two on his curve, which is the norm for him, but his cutter was also a standout. It’s a pitch Roupp added in the offseason as a way to give lefties a different look and he threw 10 of them, eight of which were strikes.

First Of All

Casey Schmitt had a costly misplay in Houston, but it made sense. He was starting at first base for the first time in six years and had just a couple of days to prepare before games. Given an extra week, and a lot of extra coaching on this homestand, Schmitt looked much more comfortable Tuesday.

The biggest moment came in the fourth, when the Reds put two on with one out. Jose Trevino tried to put a squeeze down, but Schmitt charged it and made a perfect exchange and throw to the plate, preventing a run. The Giants always knew Schmitt had the hands and athleticism to handle first, but they were concerned that it might take some time for the natural third baseman to figure out where to be on every play. That wasn’t an issue Tuesday.

Schmitt nails the runner at the plate ‼ pic.twitter.com/mmn5RfGQzx
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 9, 2025

Schmitt also picked up his first two hits of the year, a double down the left field line and a single to right that was the first hit off Lodolo’s changeup this season.

On The Board

Schmitt wasn’t the only one who put a batting average on the scoreboard. Sam Huff was hitless in his first 10 plate appearances of the year, but he lined a single through the right side of the infield in the third inning and then singled again to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Huff also made a strong throw down to second in the fourth inning to keep Christian Encarnacion-Strand from swiping a bag.

The Giants need their backup catcher to keep it up, because they’re having a hard time finding breaks for Patrick Bailey. The starting catcher has appeared in all 11 games this season, never getting a full day off. He has entered all four of Huff’s starts in the late innings, and he did so Tuesday.

After Huff’s second hit, Christian Koss took over as a pinch-runner. Bailey was behind the plate for the top of the ninth.

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April 8, 2025

Francisco Lindor is the best at getting better at the plate throughout the game — he explains why

Francisco Lindoris thinking about a game against the Miami Marlins about a week ago. In the first at-bat against Sandy Alcántara — the Cy Young award-winner who returned to the mound this season after missing a year — Lindor got ahead 2-1 before Alcántara induced a weak ground out.

“Then, the next at bat, there’s a guy on third base and I had a better game plan against him and [knew] how the ball was moving,” Lindor said, “ended up getting a base hit.”

Pregame, he’d prepared to face Alcántara, of course. Watched tape, maybe even took some swings against a robotic replication of the ace’s arsenal using the Trajekt Arc machine. But there are some things you can’t learn until you actually step into the batter's box against a pitcher on a particular day.

“The way the ball moves,” Lindor said. “How the weather is, and how does that affect his outing. Whether he can locate certain pitches or is his fastball not the same way. Also, you learn the umpire. You understand the catcher a little bit more. Then you see how the infield is playing you. There’s a lot. Yeah, you could study film, but until you’re in the moment, doesn’t really mean that it’s going to go how you studied.”

The single scored a run, though the Mets went on to lose, 4-2. If he had gotten a chance to face Alcántara a third time in that game, the numbers show Lindor could have done even more damage

Hitters, as a monolith, do better facing pitchers a third time in the game. Historically, that phenomenon has been framed as a pitcher problem — the “times through the order penalty.” In fact, rarely do starters get the chance to face an order the third time through because of how entrenched that understanding has become in the modern game. Alcántara, for instance, has allowed a .603 OPS to opposing hitters the first time he faces them in a game and .718 if he’s left in to face them a third time.

There’s far less research done on the “times through the order” boost that batters enjoy. But a recent article in Baseball Prospectus looked at just that — and specifically whether improving as the game goes on is a skill that certain hitters excel at. What the researchers found was that there is “stickiness” to that ability — which is to say, the guys who are good at it, stay good at it year over year — and that, last year, no one was better at it than Lindor. His expected wOBA improved .027 points from the first time facing a pitcher in a game to the third time.

“It makes sense, it makes sense,” Lindor said when he was told this superlative on Monday. He does feel more comfortable as the game goes along. Still, he was a little surprised. “I know I’m good at getting better. I know I'm good at gathering the information and then making it better. But I never think of like, I'm the best, I'm the best, I'm the best. My confidence doesn’t work like that.”

Apr 5, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a game winning sacrifice fly in the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

His president of baseball operations, David Stearns, however, was not surprised.

“It doesn't surprise me that he would do well on that list,” Stearns said Monday. He hadn’t seen the research but was intrigued by the concept. “[Lindor] is such an intelligent player, and I think he understands very quickly what many pitchers are trying to do to him on that given day. And so just the incremental data gain that he gets from (an) at-bat or from pitch to pitch, it does not surprise me that maybe it benefits him a little bit more than it would benefit another player.”

Lindor said he always watches back his at-bats on the dugout iPads as soon as he can. “But I’m not watching to see sequences because I remember sequences. I'm watching to see if I made the right decisions [on swings],” he said. “Because I can hit anybody. But if I’m not making the right decision, most likely won’t be successful.”

Brandon Nimmo was 10th last year in wOBA improvement from the first to third time facing a pitcher in a single game. And Juan Soto — then on the Yankees but, of course, now sharing a clubhouse, lineup, and any intel gathered mid-at-bat with the rest of the Mets — was third.

“On Soto,” Stearns said, “I would imagine you could look at almost analytic offensively over the last couple years, and he would rate pretty well.”

April 8, 2025

Mariners’ Victor Robles will miss at least 12 weeks with a dislocated left shoulder

SEATTLE— Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles will miss at least 12 weeks after dislocating his left shoulder while catching a foul ball, general manager Justin Hollander said.

Robles, who was batting .273 with three doubles as the Mariners’ leadoff man, was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Imaging revealed the dislocation caused a small fracture in a bone in the shoulder, and Hollander said it appeared the injury would heal without surgery. If no surgery is required, the fracture should heal in about six weeks, and then another six weeks of rehabilitation would be necessary.

The Mariners were playing at San Francisco when Robles made a long dash to chase down a fly ball. The right fielder went over the low railing in foul territory to make the catch, fell over the wall and crashed into the netting in the process. Robles appeared to be in immediate pain, flipping the ball away with his right hand and grabbing at his left arm.

The 27-year-old Robles has played in 87 games with the Mariners since he signed as a free agent in June after the Washington Nationals released him. Since then, he’s batting .319 with 44 runs, 23 doubles, four homers, 29 RBIs and 16 walks and is 33 for 34 on stolen-base attempts.

April 8, 2025

Carlos Carrasco roughed up, Yankees' bats held at bay by Tarik Skubal in 5-0 loss to Tigers

The Yankees fell to the Detroit Tigers by a score of 5-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Comerica Park.

Here are the key takeaways...

-Cody Bellinger was out of the lineup once again after missing Friday and Saturday with back issues. This time around, though, Bellinger was out due to food poisoning, with Aaron Boone telling reporters before the game that Bellinger was up all night after eating some questionable chicken wings.

-The wheels fell off for Carlos Carrasco in the bottom of the fourth inning. After allowing a run in the second, Carrasco was victimized by the long ball in the fourth, as Spencer Torkelson, Zach McKinstry, and Dillon Dingler all hit solo home runs.

Carrasco lasted 4.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out three and walking one.

-The Yankees had a chance to get to reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal early, as Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice both singled throughout the game. But the Yankees failed to score in that inning, as Aaron Judge (strikeout), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (groundout), and Anthony Volpe (strikeout) all failed to bring the runners home.

Skubal was able to settle in, and he was nails from that point on, retiring 16 straight hitters after those first-inning singles. The Yankees put a pair of runners on in the sixth inning on hits from Goldschmidt and Judge, but the lefty got out of the jam by getting Chisholm to pop out to third.

Skubal went 6.0 shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out six without a walk.

-Right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton was activated off the 15-day IL before the game, and he made his season debut in the bottom of the seventh inning. It was a successful return to action for Hamilton, as he struck out two while allowing one hit in a scoreless inning.

-The lone bright spot offensively for the Yankees was Goldschmidt, who recorded his third three-hit game of the season. Judge also had a pair of hits in an otherwise quiet day for the Bombers. As a team, the Yankees had six hits on the afternoon, all singles.

Game MVP

Skubal, who looked like the reigning Cy Young winner after two shaky starts to begin his season.

Upcoming schedule

The Yankees close out their chilly series in Detroit on Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 PM.

Max Fried will face Jack Flaherty.

April 8, 2025

The Mets have a solid start, and the bullpen rocks | The Mets Pod

Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are back with a new episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, as the Mets are off to a nice start, with positive signs, and plus pitching.

Connor and Joe look at the starters who have been solid, the relievers who have been superb, and the lineup which has been uneven but showing off potential pop – including heroics from Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso. Later, the guys go Down on the Farm to check in on the return to the mound of pitching prospect Matt Allan, do another round of The Scoreboard bets, and answer Mailbag questions about Alonso’s contract, the future at second base, and the potential big league future for Double-A pitching prospect Nolan McLean.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

April 8, 2025

Cody Bellinger out of Yankees lineup with suspected food poisoning

DETROIT — Cody Bellinger was scratched from the New York Yankees lineup against the Detroit Tigers with a suspected case of food poisoning.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Bellinger started dealing with an upset stomach after the Yankees lost 6-2 to the Tigers to start a three-game series.

“I think he had some wings, maybe,” Boone told reporters.

Bellinger was at Comerica Park and Boone said he might be available later in the game.

Bellinger is hitting .233 with one homer and six RBIs in eight games this season.

April 8, 2025

Injured Phillies starter Ranger Suarez feeling good enough to skip a step

Injured Phillies starter Ranger Suarez feeling good enough to skip a step originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

ATLANTA — Big doings in the Phillies’ rotation, which is off to an impressive start despite missing one of its members.

Ranger Suarez, recovering from a back injury, was supposed to throw a simulated game on Thursday but feels good enough to skip that step. He’ll instead begin a rehab assignment with a start Thursday in Clearwater. Suarez will throw three innings as long as his pitch count isn’t too high.

The next day, Andrew Painter will make his long-awaited return to the mound. Painter is scheduled for two innings and 35 pitches on Friday with Clearwater. The Phillies’ top prospect will spend most or all of the first half of the season in the minor leagues getting reacclimated to pitching regularly.

Painter will likely stay in the two-inning, 35-pitch range for a little while, not just because the Phillies want to exercise caution but to preserve as many innings as possible for him to help in the major leagues after the All-Star break.

Suarez pitched just five innings in spring training games with one other short outing on the back fields, so he’ll need a multi-start ramp-up before the Phillies activate him from the injured list. A pitcher’s rehab assignment can last up to 30 days and for Suarez, that clock will begin on Thursday.

In the interim, Taijuan Walker is filling his spot in the rotation. The Phillies could not have asked for a better first start from Walker after a brutal 2024 — he put just four Rockies on base over six scoreless innings in a win at home last week. The Braves at Truist Park will be a more challenging matchup for him on Wednesday night.

Sosa starts in left

Edmundo Sosa started in the outfield for the first time in his career Tuesday night, playing left field against Braves lefty Chris Sale.

Sosa is 11-for-20 (.550) on the season and the Phillies have been trying to think of ways to keep his bat in the lineup. They played him a good bit in left field during spring training and he also played an inning of center on Saturday against the Dodgers, staying in the game after pinch-hitting for Brandon Marsh in the eighth inning.

One little piece of additional versatility can go a long way. Sosa being able to stay in center at the end of Saturday’s game allowed manager Rob Thomson to save Johan Rojas in case he was needed as a pinch-runner for Nick Castellanos or Alec Bohm. It didn’t matter that day, but it might matter at some point over the 162-game grind.

April 8, 2025

Boston's Jarren Duran says he opened up about suicide attempt to ‘reach those who feel alone’

BOSTON — EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

___

Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran said he went public about his 2022 suicide attempt to “reach those who feel alone.”

Duran said in an episode of the Netflix series “The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox” that he tried to kill himself after struggling early in his baseball career. In a statement released through the team after the episode aired, Duran said: “Talking about this wasn’t easy, but it felt important.”

“I knew that if I was going to share this, I had to be real about it,” he said. “A few years ago, I found myself in a dark place, but I’m still here, and I’m so lucky I am. And if my story can help even one person, then it was worth telling.”

A seventh-round draft choice who was an All-Star last season, Duran was one of baseball’s top hitting prospects when he was called up to the major leagues in 2021. But he struggled early, and spent much of his first two seasons shuttling the majors and minors.

Duran said in the documentary that the expectations of the fans and media wore on him, and at times he felt players were treated like “zoo animals.” But he was even harder on himself.

“I couldn’t deal with telling myself how much I sucked every day,” he said. “I was already hearing it from fans. And what they said to me, (it’s not like) I haven’t told myself 10 times worse in the mirror. That was a really tough time for me. I didn’t even want to be here anymore.”

Director Greg Whiteley then asked, “When you say, ‘here,’ you mean ‘here with the Red Sox’ or ‘here on planet Earth’?”

“Probably both,” Duran said. He then described his suicide attempt.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Duran’s decision to tell his story will save lives. Team President Sam Kennedy called it “an act of courage that reaches far beyond baseball.”

“By opening up, he’s showing others who may be struggling that they’re not alone and that asking for help isn’t just OK, it’s essential,” Kennedy said. “Every member of this organization continues to stand with him. He has our deepest admiration, he’s always had our full support, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him as part of our team.”

Duran’s Parents, Octavio and Dena Duran, said in a statement that they only recently learned the depths of their son’s mental health struggle.

“It was heartbreaking to hear,” they said. “We are beyond grateful that he is still here, that he has found the courage to keep going, and that he is using his voice to help others. If his story can help even one person, then it was worth sharing. We are incredibly proud of the man he is today and love him more than words can say. We will always be in his corner.”

Jarren Duran said that he wanted to turn his attention back to the baseball season. He has six hits in his last four games, with two doubles after the details of his comments in the documentary were reported.

“Right now, my focus is on the field,” he said in his statement. “We have a postseason to chase, and that’s where my head is. I’ve shared what I needed to share, and I appreciate everyone’s understanding that my focus right now is on baseball and helping my team win a World Series.

“I am grateful for the tremendous support I’ve received. If you’re struggling, please know there’s help. You can call a friend, a trusted person, your doctor, or an organization like Samaritans. And, if you’re in immediate danger, call 988.”

April 8, 2025

Reds at Giants prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 8

Its Tuesday, April 8 and it is Game 2 in the three-game series between the Reds (4-7) and the Giants (8-2) in San Francisco.

Nick Lodolo is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Landen Roupp for San Francisco.

The Reds took the series opener 2-0 last night. Hunter Greene was excellent going 8.2 shutout innings allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out seven. Blake Dunn drove in both runs for Cincinnati. Logan Web through seven shutout innings for the Giants.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Reds at Giants

Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 9:45PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, NBCSBA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Reds at the Giants

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Reds (+101), Giants (-120)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Giants

Pitching matchup for April 8, 2025: Nick Lodolo vs. Landen Roupp
- Reds: Nick Lodolo (1-1, 1.42 ERA)
  Last outing: 4/3 at Milwaukee - 6.2IP, 0ER, 4H, 0BB, 4Ks
- Giants: Landen Roupp (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
  Last outing: 4/2 at Houston - 4IP, 3ER, 4H, 4BB, 8Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Giants

The Reds are 6-5 on the Run Line this season
The Giants 7-game win streak was stopped last night
The Giants are 7-3 on the Run Line this season

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Giants

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Reds and the Giants:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

April 8, 2025

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Ben Rice, Hayden Wesneski and slugging prospects making noise

This early part of the season is the most crucial for waiver wire pick-ups.

First, because adding a player now gives them practically the entire season to accumulate stats and help your team. Also, because we are in a sweet-spot where we have the opportunity to learn a lot about fringey players very quickly.

Important pieces of data like playing time trends, new skill growth, and player adjustments are only just beginning to form and spotting any of them first will give you a huge advantage over the rest of your league.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge lead Top 300 rest of season ranks

Hunter Greene is on the rise and Rockies call-up Zac Veen enters the Top 300.

Matthew Pouliot,

Matthew Pouliot,

Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.

If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire pieceon Sunday.

Ben Rice, 1B Yankees

(35% Rostered on Yahoo)

Few players in the league are swinging it better than Rice is right now. In nine games this season, he has a 1.175 OPS with two homers, two doubles, and a triple, and two stolen bases. Those counting stats are supported by a ridiculous 30% barrel rate and 70% hard-hit rate.

He’s not only producing like one of the league’s best power hitters, but also doing everything under the hood that you’d expect one to.

While this level of immediate success seems like a bit of a shock, Rice showed the clear signs of a breakout last season.

He raked in the upper minors and was the most unlucky player in the league last season based on the difference between his wOBA and xwOBA. At the same time, he made excellent swing decisions, showed off plus power metrics, and pulled the vast majority of his fly balls.

Then, this spring, Rice came to camp stronger and with some swing tweaks. David Adler wrote a fantastic piece for MLB.com going through the subtle changes Rice made – mainly opening his stance – that have allowed him to dramatically increase his bat speed and turn on the ball more effectively.

Last season, Rice’s average bat speed was 71.4 mph which was just a hair below league average. So far this year, it’s at 74.3 mph which is up there with the league’s elite power hitters.

With that, Aaron Boone has regularly moved Rice up to the top of the Yankees’ lineup. He’s hit either first or second in each of the last five games he has started and seems like a fixture there.

The one thing still holding Rice back is his occasional off-day against left-handed pitchers. He started and hit second this past Saturday against lefty Bailey Falter. Then, he was on the bench Sunday against lefty Andrew Heaney while Trent Grisham manned center field and Aaron Judge took a day as the designated hitter.

Grisham and Rice are each hot at the plate right now, so Boone is trying to find ways to keep them both in the lineup. With that, one each of Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Jasson Dominguez have sat in the Yankees’ last five games.

In the end, Rice is too good of a hitter to meaningfully lose playing time to Grisham. The caveat is that Grisham is the Yankees’ best center fielder and he’s played there five games in a row.

Still, it’s worth assuming the talent wins out and eventually. If so, Rice will wind up as a sure-fire, everyday player that has a genuine shot to hit 30 home runs this season. This will be your last opportunity to add him.

Hayden Wesneski, SP Astros

(17% Rostered on Yahoo)

Twice traded – first from the Yankees to the Cubs for Scott Effross and then as the third, forgotten piece from the Cubs to the Astros for Kyle Tucker – Wesneski finally looks like he’s breaking out in Houston.

He’d bounced back and forth between the rotation and bullpen over the last few seasons in Chicago mostly because he was a more effective reliever. Here are his career splits entering this season in the rotation vs. the bullpen.

Role	IP	ERA	K%	BB%
as SP	109	4.21	20.6	5.8
as RP	81	3.56	26.4	10

The main reason he was less effective as a starter was because he struggled to face left-handed hitters. They had an .818 OPS against him as a starter with the Cubs compared to .633 for righties. That’s like the difference between the 2024 versions of Anthony Santander and Sal Frelick at the plate.

When he was working out of the bullpen, that dropped to a much more palatable .683 OPS against lefties. Wesneski was able to throw his middling fastball a bit harder as a reliever and feature his patented sweeper more often against the lefties since he was only facing each hitter one time. He also threw just enough cutters and changeups to get them out. It worked out fine.

Now, back in the rotation with the Astros, he’s shown an increased willingness to throw both that cutter and change against lefties plus a new curveball.

The usage rates on both his cutter and changeup against lefties have nearly doubled since last season and mixing that curveball in even 9% of the time has added a valuable wrinkle. There’s a decent chance his usage of that curveball could climb as he gets more comfortable with it. It’s very slow coming in around 78 mph and has missed plenty of bats in a very, very small sample.

Plus, Spencer Arrighetti’s recent thumb injury guarantees Wesneski a rotation spot for at least the next few months. Put it all together and he’s a worthwhile starting pitcher to take a flier on.

Roman Anthony, OF Red Sox / Nick Kurtz, 1B Athletics

(28% Rostered Yahoo / 7% Rostered Yahoo)

It’s officially stash season. Both Kurtz and Anthony are tearing up Triple-A over the first week of the minor league season and could be in the major leagues soon.

Anthony hit two home runs on Triple-A opening day and has a .500 slugging percentage over seven games so far. He has had a bit of a strikeout problem though with a 34.4 strikeout rate.

Also notable, he has started three of his seven games with the Woo Sox in center field. If there’s anywhere for him to make an impact with the Red Sox right now defensively, it is in centerfield.

Ceddanne Rafaela is Boston’s primary center fielder and he’s had an ice cold start to the season at the plate. Recently, he’s given way to super-rookie Kristian Campbell for a spot start out there in order to let David Hamilton get some run at second base.

It’s not good news for Rafaela that the Red Sox want the soft-hitting Hamilton to get at-bats over him. If the Red Sox trust Anthony in center field, it will make him a much better candidate to be called up sooner.

Kurtz is also lacing the ball at Triple-A with four home runs and an obscene 1.342 OPS in just eight games.

Only drafted last June, he’s yet to hit a speed bump at any minor league level and is much more polished than Anthony having spent three years at Wake Forest, playing in the Arizona Fall League this past year, and being a year older than him. Also, he hasn’t run into any strikeout or swing-and-miss issues yet.

Yet, similarly to Anthony, he doesn’t have the smoothest entry point to the Athletics’ major league roster. Kurtz has never played anywhere besides first base as a professional. Tyler Soderstrom hit his fifth and sixth home runs of the young season last night and is ensconced at the A’s first baseman in the midst of what could be a breakout season.

That means for Kurtz to have a spot at either first base or designated hitter, the A’s would have to move slugger Brent Rooker from DH to the corner outfield. He’s been open to that move, but the team seems reluctant. He started just 13 games in the outfield last season and none were after May 30th.

The other interesting caveat for both Anthony and Kurtz is MLB’s new PPI program. PPI stands for ‘Prospect Promotion Incentive’ which is the program the league office installed after the 2022 lockout where teams can earn draft picks after the first round if eligible rookies factors in for a major award.

The promotion deadline for rookies to be eligible for PPI is two weeks after opening day, or this coming Thursday. The Red Sox cleared a 40-man roster spot with their trade of Quinn Priester and were aggressive with promoting Kristian Campbell. The A’s were similarly aggressive with Jacob Wilson last season.

Either Anthony or Kurtz could make their major league debuts this week and you won’t want to miss the opportunity to have them on your teams if so.

April 8, 2025

Mets' Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil on verge of rehab assignments

The Mets are closer to getting two key lineup cogs back.

Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeilboth took batting practice on the field on Tuesday for the first time since suffering their respective injuries.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said soon after Alvarez and McNeil hit that both players are set for rehab assignments.

Alvarez will begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday with A-ball St. Lucie, while the plan for McNeil is for him to get live at-bats in Florida before beginning a rehab assignment this weekend.

Alvarez, who is working his way back from surgery on a broken hamate bone in his left hand, resumed baseball activities long before Tuesday, and has been receiving throws with his left (catching) hand.

McNeil, nearing a return from a low-grade oblique strain, has been working out on the field regularly in recent days. After hitting on Tuesday, he took grounders at second base.

Speaking on March 12 soon after he suffered his injury, Alvarez said he could possibly return in as little as six weeks, noting that his goal was to make it back "as quick as possible."

With Alvarez set for a rehab assignment, he seems to be on track to return right around that six-week goal or possibly earlier.

A return before the end of April seems likely for McNeil, whose bat has been sorely missed at second base with Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña struggling.

McNeil had a down season in 2024, but finished strong,slashing .289/.376/.548 in 157 plate appearances over his last 43 regular season games in 2024.

April 8, 2025

Orioles' Zach Eflin leaves game with shoulder fatigue after six strong innings

PHOENIX — Zach Eflin’s great night on the mound had a sour ending after the Baltimore Orioles right-hander left a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with shoulder fatigue.

Eflin gave up just one run on four hits over six innings but his velocity dipped in the sixth. The 30-year-old mentioned the fatigue to manager Brandon Hyde between innings, which was enough to shut him down for the evening.

The Orioles beat the Diamondbacks 5-1. Eflin threw 73 pitches.

“We’re going to get some tests done, and hopefully, keeping our fingers crossed, everything’s OK there,” Hyde said. “Because he was absolutely cruising and so efficient.

“We’re hoping for the best tomorrow.”

Eflin said he was “pretty optimistic” the issue wouldn’t be a long-term setback. He is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA through three starts this season.

The Orioles already have lost key reliever Albert Suarez for a couple of months after the right-hander was moved to the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury.

Eflin was 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA over nine starts for the Orioles last season after being acquired at the trade deadline in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.

April 8, 2025

Cubs’ Kyle Tucker says he’s not sure how Vladimir Guerrero Jr. deal affects his future

CHICAGO — Kyle Tucker was well aware of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s massive contract. He just wasn’t sure how it would impact him.

A day after Guerrero agreed to a 14-year, $500 million contract with Toronto that begins in 2026, Tucker insisted he is focusing more on the immediate future than whether he will remain with the Chicago Cubs after this season.

“I’m sure he loves playing in Toronto,” Tucker said before a 7-0 win over Texas. “It’s great for him. I mean, everyone’s a little different. Right now, I’m here to play this year. I’m excited to get out again and play tonight, just kind of see where everything goes after that.”

Guerrero’s contract, which is pending a physical, sets a high bar for other players with expiring deals, such as Tucker. It’s the third largest in total dollars behind outfielder Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets that started this season and two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers that began last year and is heavily deferred.

Guerrero, the son of a Hall of Famer, is playing on a one-year, $28.5 million contract after avoiding arbitration. The four-time All-Star had said he wouldn’t negotiate a long-term deal once he reported to spring training. But talks with his agent continued.

Tucker was asked if he had set a deadline for the Cubs.

“I haven’t thought about it that much,” he said. “I’m just trying to come out here and play. ... I’m just here to play baseball. I just let the other stuff fall where it is and see what happens.”

The Cubs acquired the well-rounded Tucker from Houston in December, hoping the three-time All-Star and one-time Gold Glove outfielder can lift a team that finished with an 83-79 record each of the past two years. But it’s not clear if this will be a long-term arrangement.

Tucker avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $16.5 million contract. He figures to be in for a huge deal, whether he agrees to one with the Cubs or signs with another team.

Tucker is off to a good start in Chicago. He is batting .327 with five homers and National League-leading 16 RBIs after going 2 for 5 and driving in a run against Texas.

Tucker took National League Player of the Week honors following an impressive performance against the Athletics and San Diego Padres. He combined to go 9 for 23 with three homers and eight RBIs as the Cubs won five of six games.

“It’s been fun watching Kyle kind of at the peak of who he is as an offensive player,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s just so locked in from pitch one and ready to do damage, and at the same time spitting on the stuff he doesn’t want to swing at. It’s been fun to watch. He’s had a great week, no doubt about it.”

Tucker is enjoying his time with the Cubs. He called the atmosphere at Wrigley Field “spectacular” and said fans “come out and support their team no matter what.”

“It’s been great ever since I’ve been over here,” Tucker said. “Everyone’s been super nice and helpful and everything. The hospitality’s been great. ... I just here to play some baseball and see what happens after that.”

April 8, 2025

Boston's Connor Wong fractures pinky after being hit on a catcher’s interference

BOSTON — Red Sox catcher Connor Wong fractured his left pinky after being called for catcher’s interference in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Wong was called for the interference when George Springer’s bat hit his glove with two outs in the first.

Manager Alex Cora and a trainer came out of the dugout to check on Wong. He took a few warmup pitches from starter Richard Fitts and stayed in the game for the rest of the inning. He was replaced by Carlos Narvaez in the second.

“He has a small fracture on the pinky area, so he’s going on the IL,” Cora said after Boston’s 6-2 loss. “How long, we don’t know. Late swing got him good. We’re going to have to make a move.”