MLB Player News

Before Anthony Santander homered off David Robertson in the eighth, he hit balls 393 and 371 feet off Heaney. Both of those turned into outs, however, even though the latter was meant to be a homer in 15 ballparks. Heaney earned his third win in 19 starts this year and fourth overall. He has a 2.60 ERA since picking up the first of those on May 28. Before that, he was 0-6 with a 4.69 ERA.

Snelling’s dynasty stock cratered when his command took a step backwards upon reaching Double-A back in 2023 when he was still a member of the Padres’ system. The 21-year-old southpaw, who is still relatively raw as a pitcher relative to his peers, turned things around after being shipped to Miami at last year’s trade deadline and has gotten off on the right foot this season. He’s a pitching prospect who could rise significantly in the coming months if he continues missing bats in the upper minors.

The top-overall pick from last year’s MLB Draft got on-base four times in his season debut. The 22-year-old projects as an all-around impact fantasy contributor once he ascends to the big leagues, especially since he’ll be doing so at one of the thinnest position groups in the landscape. There’s a chance Cleveland’s front office decides he’s ready by midseason.

This is getting ridiculous. Kurtz, who also recorded a 107.9 mph ground out on Friday night, has posted four multi-hit performances through six games to open the minor-league season and is batting .462 (12-for-26) with three homers and 11 RBI during that span. The 22-year-old’s ability to control the strike zone with above-average plate skills and top-of-the-scale raw power make him a potential fantasy force once he reaches the majors. He’s worthy of a speculative stash in deeper mixed leagues on the chance that the Athletics decide he’s ready at some point in the coming weeks.

The more important development from Friday’s contest is that Neto got through six innings at shortstop, his first defensive appearance since kicking off a minor-league rehab assignment earlier this week. The 24-year-old shortstop is likely going to need at least another week or two of rehab games to get back up to speed, but he’s trending towards making it back to Los Angeles for his season debut by mid-to-late April.

It’s an extremely encouraging sign after Rushing was lifted from a game earlier this week after taking a foul tip to the catcher’s mask. The 24-year-old backstop is talented enough to help the Dodgers right now, but he’ll have to wait for an everyday opportunity to open up before he gets his shot. He graded out as the 33rd-ranked prospect (162nd overall) in Rotoworld’s latest dynasty rankings update.

Simpson’s game-changing exploits on the bases continue to blow up social media as his latest feat on Friday involved beating out a seventh-inning grounder directly to opposing first baseman Collin Price. The 24-year-old speedster is hitting .321 (9-for-28) with four steals through six games. It’s only a matter of time before he’s making waves in the big leagues with his immense talent. He’ll make an impact in the stolen base and runs scored departments as a top-of-the-order threat, but it’s an open question how his offensive skillset will immediately translate with the leap from the upper minors to the big leagues. He’s worthy of a speculative stash in deeper mixed leagues as a potential midseason call-up candidate.

It sounds like a precautionary exit since Angels manager Ron Washington told reporters afterwards that he doesn’t expect Zeferjahn to require a trip to the injured list. He’ll likely get a few days off to recover before rejoining the club’s high-leverage mix.

Angels manager Ron Washington told reporters late Friday that Moncada will likely avoid a trip to the injured list, but will be held out of Saturday’s lineup. The 29-year-old third baseman has been dealing with the lingering thumb issue since the late stages of spring training. He’ll presumably undergo further evaluation and testing this weekend if the irritation persists, but it doesn’t appear that he’s facing an extended absence.

One of the most under-appreciated athletes of his era, regardless of the sport, Ramírez continues to marvel. His first solo blast gave the Guardians an early lead in the opening frame, his second tied the game back up in the fifth, and his last tacked on a much needed insurance run in the ninth before the Angels rallied late. All in all, the three combined to travel nearly 1,200 feet cumulatively and marked the second three-homer performance of Ramírez’s illustrious career. It also tied him with legends Jim Thome and Albert Belle for the most multi-homer games in Cleveland’s history. He will be looked back upon as one of the most productive players of this generation when his career is said and done.

It seems as if Clase has carried his postseason struggles into this new year. He’s now allowed three earned runs this season across just four innings. He only let in five runs all of last season! His velocity and stuff still look good so there’s no cause for concern, just a harsh reminder of the fickle nature of relief pitchers from year to year. Also, he threw 27 pitches in this game and many of them came under high stress which could make him unavailable for the next couple of days.