Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ is out of the lineup on Saturday for the Cubs' tilt against the St. Louis Cardinals. Happ was also out of Chicago's lineup for last night's game before it got postponed. This is likely to simply be scheduled time off for the 29-year-old along with the fact that, with a healthy outfield, the Cubs have a bit of a logjam between Happ, Suzuki, Bellinger and a resurgent Tauchman. Happ had gone 4-11 in his last three games with three doubles so there shouldn't be any injury concerns here, rather just a mix of rest and the Cubs having a plethora of outfielders. Mike Tauchman will start in left field while Christopher Morel will start at DH. Expect Happ to make a return on Sunday against Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Stuart Fairchild is out of the lineup on Saturday. Fairchild, though not a platoon matchup, has not fared well against right-handers this season and has been much better against lefties. With Walker Buehler starting for the Dodgers today the Reds are finding it best to find a matchup against a left-handed reliever later in the game. Fairchild hit a solo shot off left-hander James Paxton on Friday, so there's no reason to worry about Fairchild's overall health and instead this is just a matchup play. Will Benson will man center field for the Reds on Saturday. Expect Fairchild back in the lineup soon, though he's not scheduled to face another left-handed starter until June 2nd when he faces Cubs starter Justin Steele.

From RotoBaller

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios was sharp on Saturday but still picked up the loss in Toronto's 2-1 loss to the Tigers. Berrios made just one real mistake on a 2-0 changeup to Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter that Carpenter hit just well enough to sneak out. Berrios didn't give up a single run after that and threw seven innings while recording five strikeouts and giving up seven hits. The 29-year-old lowered his ERA to 2.94 on the season. While his ERA is continuing to stay low, expected stats suggest Berrios has been a bit lucky this season. Fantasy managers and DFS players should take this into consideration if starting Berrios against a solid offense, though he should continue to cruise against subpar hitters. Berrios' next scheduled start is Friday when the Blue Jays will host the Pittsburgh Pirates.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter smashed a two-run shot off Toronto starter Jose Berrios in the first inning of the Tigers' 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday. Carpenter would also add on a single and go two-for-three on the day, but his first inning blast was all the Tigers needed to get past the Blue Jays. Carpenter increased his team-leading OPS to .916 and is second on the team in HR. The lefty has mainly been used as a platoon matchup against righties and fantasy managers should take that into account when inserting him into their lineups. Expect Carpenter to sit on Sunday vs Toronto lefty Yusei Kikuchi, but he'll be back in the lineup the next two days against Pittsburgh against standout rookies Jared Jones and Paul Skenes.

From RotoBaller

Colorado Rockies right-hander Dakota Hudson will look to get back into the win column on Saturday when he takes on the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. It hasn't been a great season overall for the former Cardinals rotation member as he sports a 5.89 ERA through nine starts and 44 1/3 innings of work on the 2024 campaign. The good news is Hudson has induced ground balls at a massive 58% clip, although he has long been a ground-ball pitcher with a 55.3% ground-ball rate for his career. He will take on a Phillies team that is tied for fourth with a .332 wOBA on the season.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Reese Olson was dominant against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, pitching into the 7th inning and picking up his first win of the season in the Tigers 2-1 victory. Olson gave up just three hits and recorded four strikeouts with his only blemish in the box score being three walks. The only run Olson gave up came in the 7th inning and was unearned. The 24-year-old lowered his ERA to 1.92, the lowest in a Tigers rotation that includes Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal. Fantasy managers in need of starting pitchers should look to take advantage of Olson's hot start and snag him off the waiver wire if available. Olson's next scheduled start will be next Friday at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Brock Stewart (shoulder) has been working on throwing plyo balls to build up for a potential rehab assignment. Stewart was placed on the IL in early May with right shoulder tendonitis. The 32-year-old had been one of Minnesota's more reliable relievers, sporting a miniscule 0.68 ERA and notching seven holds in 13 appearances. Stewart is unlikely to return to the majors any time soon and will need to start working off a mound before being able to be considered for a rehab assignment. Fantasy managers shouldn't need to worry about having Stewart on their radar for at least another month or so. Once he's able to complete a rehab assignment then he can be targeted on the waiver wire.

From RotoBaller

Miami Marlins right-hander Sixto Sanchez will look to get straightened out on Saturday when he takes the mound against the hosting Arizona Diamondbacks. The 25-year-old former top prospect surrendered four earned runs across four innings of work in his last start against the New York Mets and has yet to reach five innings of work on the season, although his season entails five starts and seven bullpen outings as he works his way up as a starter in a depleted Marlins rotation. All told, Sanchez sports a 6.41 ERA on the season but his 5.05 SIERA at least suggests some positive regression moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene will look to keep the good times rolling when he takes the bump for a Saturday contest against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Greene has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts and has tossed 13 1/3 innings of four-run ball over his last two outings with 13 strikeouts against just three walks in that time. For the season, the former second-overall pick has pitched to a 3.22 ERA and a 27% K% across 10 starts and 58 2/3 innings of work while his four-seam fastball sits at a tidy 98.1 mph clip. He has his hands full against a Dodgers club that ranks second in baseball with a .337 wOBA on the season.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Royals right-hander Brady Singer will aim to stay consistent when he takes on the hosting Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. The 27-year-old has allowed just one earned run in four of his last five outings and two earned runs or fewer in eight of his 10 starts on the season. Add it up and Singer has tossed a 2.70 ERA across 10 starts and 56 2/3 innings of work on the season while going 4-2 in the process. It's a nice bounceback for the righty as Singer scuffled to a 5.52 ERA and a diminished 18.9% K% in 2023. The punchouts have jumped to a healthy 26.1% clip in the 2024 campaign, the highest single-season mark of his career. The Rays have some swing and miss in their game as they sit 24th with a 24.2% K% on the season.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Rays first basement Yandy Diaz is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's contest against the visiting Kansas City Royals. Diaz doubled as part of an 8-1 loss on Friday out of the leadoff spot but will take a seat to begin the weekend tilt. Jonathan Aranda will take over at first base and hit out of the cleanup spot on Saturday. It's been a solid yet unspectacular season for the 32-year-old on the heels of a massive 2023 campaign. Diaz is hitting .255 with four homers and a .683 OPS across 51 games on the season, numbers that are well below his .330 average and 22 homers alongside a .932 OPS in an even 600 plate appearances a season ago. The Rays sit at 25-27 entering Saturday's contest.

From RotoBaller

New York Yankees infielder Jon Berti (leg) exited Friday's game early due to a lower leg injury. Berti collapsed in serious pain after grounding out in the ninth inning and was eventually helped off the field. This is not a good sign as this injury could be quite serious as he could not put any pressure on his left leg. If Berti were to miss any time, Jahmai Jones should be expected to take over the utility role in the Yankees lineup. Across the 17 games he appeared in this season, the 34-year-old has posted a solid .273 AVG with four stolen bases and one home run. Jones has posted a .250 AVG with one home run and should remain on all waiver wires for the foreseeable future.

From RotoBaller

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jon Gray (groin) is expected to return shortly after his minimum stint on the 15-day injured list. Gray left his most recent start on May 21 against Philadelphia with a groin strain. The 32-year-old performed quite well through his first ten starts with a 2.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP and tallied 56 punchouts in 57 innings. Gray currently sports an above-average 44.8% ground ball rate and 7.4% barrel rate, which suggests that his strong start to the season could be sustainable. Gray is rostered in 54% of all Yahoo leagues and is worth adding if available in your league, as he should continue to provide stable ratios and solid strikeout numbers over the course of the season.

From RotoBaller

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jose Urena (ankle) was removed early from his start on Friday due to swelling in his right ankle. Urena was hit by a comebacker early in the game, and swelling began to increase as soon as he took the mound in the sixth inning. Texas Manager Bruce Bochy expressed that he was not concerned with the injury and that Urena would undergo further testing on Saturday. As of now, the 32-year-old should be expected to make his next start on Friday, May 31, against the Miami Marlins. Urena should only be rostered in deeper AL-only formats as he currently holds a 3.53 ERA and 1.27 WHIP and has tallied only 30 punchouts in 43 innings this season. He should be expected to remain in the rotation for the foreseeable future but could shift to the bullpen once Max Scherzer (back), Nathan Eovaldi (groin), and Jon Gray (groin) all return from injuries.

From RotoBaller

Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (hamstring) tallied a hit, a run, and a walk in his first rehab game on Friday evening while serving as the designated hitter for Triple-A Round Rock. He hit three balls over 100 mph, including his single, which is a great sign. Langford is expected to rejoin the major league roster on Tuesday when the Rangers open a two-game World Series rematch as they host the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, Langford should be expected to start at least one game in the outfield before being activated off the injured list. The former number four overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft struggled through his first 31 games in the majors with a .224/.295/.293 line. Despite the slow start, the former Florida Gator should remain a lineup lock going forward and could become a very valuable fantasy asset once he finds his footing.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jorge Soler and shortstop Macro Luciano are not in Saturday's lineup. Soler has started in every game since returning from the injured list with an injured shoulder and has performed well with a .267/.333/.467 line highlighted by a solo shot on Friday evening. Luciano has started at shortstop over the past seven games and posted a stellar .429/.500/.619 line. As a result, Patrick Bailey will serve as the designated hitter and bat third on Saturday afternoon, and Brett Wisely will serve as the shortstop and bat in the nine-hole. Bailey is worth a look in DFS as he enters Saturday with a strong .301/.352/.495 line with four long balls and two stolen bases. He will face Luis Severino, who enters Saturday with a 3.48 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco Giants outfielder/first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring in the ninth inning on Friday evening and will be getting a day off to recover on Saturday. As a result, Wilmer Flores will play first base and bat in the fifth hole. Wade Jr. has been one of the best all-around hitters throughout the young part of the season. He is currently placed in the top 98th and 96th percentile with a .416 xwOBA and .312 xBA, respectively. In addition, he currently holds a 20.4% walk rate, which is the best in baseball. This injury does not seem serious, so Wade Jr. could rejoin the starting lineup on Sunday. Flores is probably best to fade this afternoon in DFS as he enters Saturday with a poor.215 AVG and .207 xBA as he will face Luis Severino who has allowed just one run or less in four in just under half of his starts this season.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (back) is being held out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays after injuring his back on Friday night in the series opener. Massey left Friday's 8-1 win in the sixth inning with lower-back tightness and will be held out as a precaution for the second game of the series. Fantasy managers should consider the 26-year-old second baseman to be day-to-day for now. The good news is that he went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run before departing. Veteran Adam Frazier is starting at the keystone on Saturday and is hitting sixth against Rays right-hander Aaron Civale. Massey is in the midst of a fine season so far, batting .294 (30-for-102) with six home runs, 23 RBI and 17 runs scored for the upstart Royals. Check back on Sunday to see if he's in the starting lineup.

From RotoBaller

When asked if relief pitcher Edwin Diaz could receive a ninth-inning opportunity on Saturday against the visiting San Francisco Giants, New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, "He's our closer." However, Mendoza also referred to Diaz as "one of our options" and said "we'll piece it together." This comes after the skipper recently said last Sunday that Diaz's bullpen role would be more "fluid" given his recent struggles. The 30-year-old flamethrower allowed a season-high four earned runs on four hits (one homer) in just one-third of an inning last weekend but struck out two in a scoreless inning on Friday against the Giants for his second hold of the year. Diaz has already blown three saves in 2024 and hasn't recorded a save since May 6, but the Mets could work him back into the role if he can settle down and stack a few more good outings together.

From RotoBaller

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Jared Koenig is serving as the opener against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday for the second straight day. Koenig will be followed by starter Colin Rea this time around. Koenig joins Zack Greinke as the only Brewers pitchers to start consecutive games. In his "start" in Friday's series opener in Beantown, Koenig allowed a hit and a walk and struck out one in two-thirds of an inning before giving way to right-hander Bryse Wilson. The 30-year-old southpaw won't go very long again in Saturday's contest and isn't a realistic fantasy streaming option. Rea, meanwhile, will still be worth considering as a deep-league streamer despite not actually starting this game. In his nine starts for the Brew Crew this year, he's gone 3-2 with a solid 4.07 ERA (4.67 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP while walking 17 and striking out 35 in 48 2/3 innings.

From RotoBaller