New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto said on Thursday that he would give his blessing to contract talks during the season if the Yankees want to approach his agent, Scott Boras, about a long-term contract. Owner Hal Steinbrenner said he'd consider such a tactic for the three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger, who is just 25 years old. "We'd like to see him here for the rest of his career. I don't think there's any doubt in that," Steinbrenner said. Soto is currently hitting a strong .302 with nine homers, 34 RBI and a .920 OPS in his first 45 games in pinstripes. Neither Steinbrenner nor Boras typically do in-season contract extensions, but the Yankees are willing to make an exception with such a special player. If the two sides don't reach an extension before free agency this winter, Soto will be a highly sought-after free agent.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) will resume baseball activities on Monday, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk. The plan is for Hayes to play catch and field ground balls on Monday and then swing the bat on Tuesday. The 27-year-old landed on the injured list with a back injury that doesn't sound too serious, so as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, Hayes could be back with the Pirates before the calendar flips to June. Until Hayes is able to return, expect the Pirates to continue to lean on Jared Triolo at the hot corner. Triolo is hitting ninth for the Bucs on Friday against Chicago Cubs veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Before his injury, Hayes was hitting a modest .240/.322/.318 with only one home run and 11 RBI in 34 games played.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever Julian Merryweather (ribs, shoulder) will start throwing in Arizona on Monday. Merryweather still has a long ways to go to get up to speed, but it's a good sign that he's ready to resume throwing. The 32-year-old veteran was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his ribs in early April and is currently on the 60-day injured list, meaning he's not eligible to return until early June. Given the severity of his injury and the fact that he's starting his throwing program next week, Merryweather is unlikely to be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible. The former fifth-round pick by Cleveland in 2014 out of Oklahoma Baptist has a 3.29 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, two saves and 104 K's in 76 2/3 relief innings for the Cubs the last two years and will be a useful high-leverage arm out of their bullpen when he's ready to come back.

From RotoBaller

The Chicago Cubs placed right-hander Colten Brewer (back) on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a lower-back injury and recalled right-handed pitcher Porter Hodge from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Brewer last pitched against the Pittsburgh Pirates last Sunday. In a middle-relief role for the Cubs this year, the 31-year-old has been solid for the team, posting a 3.09 ERA (3.20 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with four walks and 12 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. In six years in the big leagues, Brewer has a 4.78 ERA (5.06 FIP) and 1.70 WHIP with a very mediocre 20.2% strikeout rate and 12.7% walk rate. Hodge, 23, was a 13th-round pick by the Cubs in 2019 and will be making his big-league debut when he enters a game out of the Cubs' bullpen.

From RotoBaller

Oakland Athletics outfielder Miguel Andujar (knee) went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI while serving as the designated hitter in his first minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday evening. Andujar didn't play the entire game, but it was a good first test for the 29-year-old as he attempts to return from a knee injury that has sidelined him all year to this point. Andujar was swinging the bat well in spring training with the A's before injuring his knee, so it looks like he picked up where he left off. Because of the long layoff, the A's are going to make sure he gets enough at-bats in the minors before he makes his 2024 debut. Andujar's role with the A's is to be determined, but he could at least be worth considering in AL-only leagues.

From RotoBaller

The Detroit Tigers currently have no plans to bench struggling shortstop Javier Baez. "He's going to play, a lot," manager A.J. Hinch said. The two-time All-Star in his prime, Baez is hitting just .167 with a homer, five walks and 27 strikeouts in 37 games this year. The 31-year-old has been worth minus-one defensive runs saved at shortstop and has been the worst player in baseball when his offensive struggles are added in. His OPS has dropped in each of his three seasons in Detroit, from .671 in 2022 to .593 last year and to .422 so far in 2024. The 11-year MLB veteran had 31 extra-base hits in 136 games last year but has just five extra-base hits this year, putting him on pace for 18 extra-base hits in 2024. The return of Gio Urshela from the injured list could take some starts away from Baez at shortstop. Until Baez shows some signs of turning it around, he's basically unplayable in all fantasy formats.

From RotoBaller

The Houston Astros are calling up left-hander Parker Mushinski from the minors before Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, according to a source. Shawn Dubin threw three innings on Thursday, so he's the most likely candidate to be optioned down to the farm in a corresponding move. Mushinski, 28, will give the Astros a fresh arm out of their bullpen but is not at all on the fantasy radar. The former seventh-round pick in 2017 out of Texas Tech has allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits while walking three and striking out two in his four relief innings in the big leagues so far this year. In his three years in the majors, Mushinski has a 5.88 ERA and 1.54 WHIP while walking 10 and striking out 25 in 26 innings out of the bullpen.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (knee) is taking live batting practice against left-handers Drew Smyly (hip) and Jordan Wicks (forearm) on Friday. Swanson is ramping up his baseball activities this week after being put on the 10-day injured list last week with a right-knee injury. The 30-year-old's injury isn't believed to be all that serious, so he certainly has a chance to come off the IL when he's eligible on Saturday. The Cubs could really use him back, as middle infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is missing his fourth straight game on Friday versus the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates with a left-hamstring ailment. Until one of Swanson or Hoerner can return, Miles Mastrobuoni will continue manning the 6 in Chicago. Swanson's fantasy managers will be hoping he can pick things up when he returns, as he was hitting just .209 (27-for-129) with four homers, 12 RBI and four steals before his injury.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Michael Taylor will take a seat on the bench on Friday for the start of a series at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Taylor will retreat to the bench after starting the last four games while going 2-for-13 with a double, two runs scored and five strikeouts to drop his season slash line to a weak .222/.271/.287. The 33-year-old veteran outfielder has added only one home run, eight RBI, three stolen bases and 12 runs scored for the Bucs through a month and a half of the season. Jack Suwinski is getting the start in center field and is batting sixth, while Connor Joe will be in right field while hitting cleanup against Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Both Joe and Suwinski are worth a look as DFS sleepers in the outfield on Friday against a pitcher who currently holds an 0-3 record and 10.04 ERA.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs middle infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Miles Mastrobuoni will get another start at the 6 and will hit sixth, with Nick Madrigal once again manning the keystone and hitting seventh against baseball's top prospect in right-hander Paul Skenes. Dansby Swanson (knee) is on the injured list with knee soreness, so Chicago's middle infield is thinned out at this time. The 27-year-old Hoerner is day-to-day with left-hamstring tightness but has now missed his fourth straight game. If he's unable to rejoin the Cubs' lineup this weekend, he could join Swanson on the IL. DFS gamers can probably find better options at shortstop and second base than Mastrobuoni and Madrigal, who are both light-hitting utility infielders.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki is being rested on Friday and will start Friday's series opener against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on the bench. It appears to be a regular day of rest for Suzuki, who recently came back from a stint on the injured list due to an oblique injury. The 29-year-old has gone just 6-for-26 since coming back, but he was able to go deep in the team's last game on Wednesday against the Braves. Even after the rough stretch at the plate in May, the Japanese outfielder is still slashing a strong .282/.344/.482 with four home runs, 15 RBI and 16 runs scored in 85 at-bats for the Cubbies in 2024. Suzuki is a must-start in fantasy when he's in the lineup. With Suzuki out, Cody Bellinger is in right field and is batting second, while rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong will start in center field and bat eighth against Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes.

From RotoBaller

After riding the bench for the past nine games, Los Angeles Dodgers utilityman Chris Taylor drew the start on Thursday versus the Cincinnati Reds. Taylor picked up a single in his four at-bats, but he has struggled mightily this season with five hits in 60 at-bats to go along with five RBI and a stolen base. The veteran has had a brutal start to his 2024 season and the Dodgers will have a tough decision to make ahead of Friday's contest versus the Arizona Diamondbacks with outfielder Jason Heyward (back) expected to return. Taylor has helped fantasy managers in the past, but in 2024, the versatile Taylor can be left on the waiver wire in all formats.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Cubs starting pitching prospect Cade Horton was recently promoted to Triple-A Iowa but has struggled since his call-up. Through three starts with Triple-A, the 22-year-old has an 8.25 ERA and, 1.67 WHIP with a mediocre 9:14 BB:K ratio. However, Horton began the season with Double-A Tennessee and dominated with a 1.10 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 2:18 BB:K ratio. Horton is considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball and the second-best prospect in the Cubs system, only behind Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is already in the major leagues. Horton should be expected to contend for a position on the major league roster later in the summer but first, he has to work through these struggles at Triple-A. He should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and will be worth stashing in redraft formats later this summer.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow tossed five innings in Thursday's loss versus the Cincinnati Reds. Glasnow struggled in the first inning with Will Benson hitting his sixth homer of the season to open up the frame and then Tyler Stephenson hitting a RBI double later in the inning. Glasnow's final line was six hits, four runs, one walk with eight strikeouts. The four runs were the most the right-hander has allowed this season and managers shouldn't worry about him have a rough outing. Glasnow will look ahead to Tuesday's start against the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks where he can look to get back on track. He remains a must-start in all matchups.

From RotoBaller

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso went 1-for-4 with a walk, two runs and a solo home run in Thursday's extra innings victory against the Philadelphia Phillies. Alonso's homer would come off Taijuan Walker in the top of the first inning and was his 10th of the season. Alonso has shown his power this season with 23 RBI to go along with his 10 homers, but he hasn't helped managers in the batting average department at .226 on the season. The upcoming free-agent continues to supply managers with plenty of strong power numbers and even with a low batting average, he offers managers plenty of value. Alonso will look to keep the power stroke going on Friday versus Jesus Luzardo to kick off a three-game series with the Miami Marlins on the road.

From RotoBaller

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Cooper Criswell struggled against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. Criswell only last 3 2/3 innings and allowed four hits, five runs (three earned), two walks and three strikeouts. It was the worst performance of the season for Criswell and he still owns a solid 2.76 ERA with the rough performance. With starting pitcher Garrett Whitlock (oblique) due back as early as next week, Criswell is likely to shift to a swingman role moving forward. Despite his good overall numbers, Criswell is unlikely to help much in the fantasy community and can be avoided in most formats.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (toe) left Wednesday's start after being hit by a liner on the foot, but he is feeling encouraged about making his next start. Matt Gelb of The Athletic has reported that Walker's toe is not broken. He also notes that it is no sure thing that Walker will make his next start, but the club will see how the right-hander is feeling on Friday. Walker got a late start to the season after dealing with shoulder pain and is 3-0 with a 4.91 ERA over his first four starts of the season. More should be known on his status on Friday, but it does not seem like a long-term injury. If Walker were to miss his next start, Spencer Turnbull would likely draw the spot start.

From RotoBaller

Colorado Rockies outfield prospect Robert Calaz has been off to a great start to the season in the Rookie League and is making a case to be promotion to Single-A. On Thursday, the 18-year-old went 3-5 at the plate with a home run and a triple. This brings him to an incredible .406/.500/.875 slash line through nine games this season. Calaz has now tallied multiple hits in five games and has only gone hitless in two of them. He spent time in the Rookie League last season, logging 43 games with a .325/.423/.561 line. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the eleventh overall prospect in the Rockies system but does not expect him to reach the major leagues in several years. Calaz remains a name to monitor in dynasty leagues as he could develop into one of Colorado's best young bats.

From RotoBaller

New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana picked up a no-decision in Thursday's contest versus the division rival Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran lefty tossed 5 1/3 frames and allowed four hits, two runs, no walks and struck out four on the evening. Quintana is who he is at this point in his career and that is an innings eater. With an ugly 5.21 ERA over his first nine starts, the 35-year-old can be avoided in a tough matchup versus the Cleveland Guardians and should remain on the waiver wire in all formats moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Thursday's victory versus the Boston Red Sox. The home run was the second of the season for Lowe. The outfielder began his season on the injured list with an oblique injury, but has hit .294 with a pair of homers and three RBI in his first 34 at-bats since being activated on May 6. Lowe has consistently hit second or third this season for the Rays and should have plenty of opportunities to put up power numbers. He also is capable of stealing bases with 32 in 2023. The 26-year-old offers help across the board and should be rostered in most formats moving forward.

From RotoBaller