MLB Player News

Kieboom was hitting a modest .256/.362/.411 in 44 games in Triple-A, but he’s off to a 4-for-10 start with three extra-base hits in the majors. We wouldn’t suggest betting on him at this point, but it’d sure be a great thing for the Nationals rebuild if he could put together a nice September.

Marmol listed the complete outfield alignment as Brendan Donovan in left field, Siani in center, and Lars Nootbaar in right field. He also said he considers Alec Burleson to be “an everyday player and wants him in the lineup as much as possible,” likely as a DH or as a corner outfielder. Burleson is starting on Monday as the designated hitter. However, Tommy Edman is also beginning his rehab assignment on Tuesday, so his return would seemingly muddy the waters since one of these four players would likely have to sit if Edman were to return to the lineup.

Adon will take DJ Herz’s spot on the active roster, but it’s unclear if he will take his spot in the rotation. Adon has been mainly a starting pitcher in the minors this season but has also made five appearances out of the bullpen, so the Nationals could use him in that role and have Jackson Rutledge start in Herz’s place on Friday. Adon has a 5.55 ERA in 60 innings at Triple-A this season and is off all fantasy radars.

Herz had a rough start in his last game out against the Cardinals and has a 5.17 ERA in seven starts on the year, but the move is surprising because he flashed clear upside with two double-digit strikeout games in those seven starts. With the Nationals not contending this season, it made sense for them to see what they have in Herz and have him adjust to major league hitting, but it seems like they’d rather have Joan Adon in the starting rotation for the time being. Herz will likely get another chance this summer, but it’s unclear when that will be.

Bryce Harper was able to run the bases at “close to 100 percent” on Saturday and that was “the final step in his recovery.” The Phillies now just need to determine if “close to 100 percent” is enough to activate their star. Obviously, the series against the Dodgers is a big one, but the Phillies have a commanding lead in the NL East and a series with Oakland following this one against Los Angeles. With the All-Star break looming, the team could just decide to ensure Harper is fully healthy for the second part of the season. We likely won’t know for sure until Tuesday, which makes it tough for some fantasy managers in weekly lineup lock leagues.

It’s likely just a routine day off for Santana, but it’s notable because Jose Miranda has shifted to first base, Trevor Larnach is at designated hitter, and Matt Wallner has entered the lineup in left field. Given that Santana is hitting 11-for-44 (.250) over the last two weeks with no home runs and just two RBI, there is a chance for Wallner to carve out more playing time if he can get hot.

With Lars Nootbaar coming off the IL, the Cardinals decided to send the 25-year-old Fermín back to the minors. He could provide infield depth for the team later in the season but figures to remain off the fantasy radar.

Nootbaar played 13 games on his rehab assignment, including five at Triple-A, where he went just 3-for-17. Injuries have hampered the potential breakout for Nootbaar this season, but he should return to an everyday role in center field with Michael Siani shifting back to the bench. Jose Fermin was sent to the minors in a corresponding move.

Paddack was placed on the IL on June 25th with arm fatigue and was quick to make public remarks that there was no injury to worry about. With David Festa struggling in his first two MLB starts, the Twins will activate Paddack from the IL on Monday in time to start against the White Sox. Given that Paddack is coming off two weeks of rest and has a 5.29 ERA in 15 starts this season, he’s a risky bet even in a plus matchup. Josh Winder was sent to the minors in a corresponding move.

Houck was recently named to the All-Star team after posting a 2.68 ERA in the first half of the season. While some of that success can obviously be attributed to improved command and a better attack plan against lefties, Houck also mentioned two changes that he and pitching coach Andrew Bailey made this offseason. Houck moved his lifting day up but also moved his mid-week bullpen session up a day, according to Bailey, “Just gives them an extra 24 hours to recover, to maximize that recovery process, to really take inventory on the body and where it’s at...Being as far away removed from the highest workload event (pitching-wise) is probably the safest bet. And then that way, we can take an honest look at what can we get done today that sets us up for a competition.” Houck also mentioned that those bullpens now feature fewer pitches since his mechanics feel a lot better this year and he’s now just focused on refining during those sessions. All of those changes seem to have worked for the 28-year-old, who is emerging as a legit front-of-the-rotation arm in Boston.

The Phillies have not gotten much from their left field spot in 2024, which Brandon Marsh has regularly occupied. On the year, the Phillies rank 26th in OPS among left fielders this season, which Rooker would likely improve. He would also add another big power bat with some swing-and-miss in his game but could make the Phillies lineup even deeper for a playoff run. It would obviously be a big boost to his fantasy value if he were traded to Philadelphia.