Everything that happens in and around MLB has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy baseball perspective. From lineup changes to minor league call-ups to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy baseball.
Our fantasy baseball buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around MLB.
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June 2: Tuesday's news to know
By Todd Zola
The full schedule gets started at 6:40 p.m. ET with a pair of contests. The evening ends with two West Coast games beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET.
Josh Naylor is questionable for tonight's interleague matchup between the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets in the Pacific Northwest. He left Monday night's series opener in the eighth inning because of back spasms. Naylor's power is down, though he broke a 20-game homerless streak with his sixth long ball last night. However, the third-percentile sprint speed runner continues to exhibit remarkable instincts, with 12 steals in 14 attempts. If he can't play tonight, Patrick Wisdom is the likely substitute.
Chandler Simpson suffered a bizarre injury Monday night when his helmet fell off and bounced up to hit him in the lip while diving into second base. He exited the contest between the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers but is expected to play tonight. In contrast to Naylor, Simpson has 97th percentile sprint speed but has only two more steals, totaling 14 while being caught eight times.
The Tigers anticipate the return of Gleyber Torres for tonight's tilt with the Rays. He was with the club last night but wasn't activated from the injured list. Torres has been out almost a month with a left oblique strain and spent the weekend on rehab with Triple-A Toledo.
After initially being written into the Los Angeles lineup last night, Zach Neto missed his second straight game with whiplash, stemming from a Saturday slide into the catcher while trying to score. Oswald Peraza is the likely replacement if Neto remains sidelined tonight in Anaheim against the Colorado Rockies. Peraza is batting .333/.338/.511 over his last 49 plate appearances, spanning 12 games.
The Washington Nationals are expected to have Dylan Crews back for tonight's home affair with the Miami Marlins after he missed the last two games with a bruised hand after being hit by a pitch on Saturday. He entered the game as a pinch runner in last night's 7-3 loss. Crews is batting only .220/.256/.317 with one steal in 11 games since debuting last month.
The Cincinnati Reds indicated that SS Elly De La Cruz is expected to miss two to four weeks with a hamstring sprain. He was placed on the 10-day IL yesterday, his first visit of his career. In a corresponding move, the club promoted top prospect Edwin Arroyo and installed him at second base with Matt McLain sliding over to shortstop. Arroyo was batting .323/.383/.562 for Triple-A Louisville. The 22-year-old was also 9-for-9 stealing bases.
The Reds scratched Chase Burns from last night's start against the Kansas City Royals with an illness. Lyon Richardson started in what was a bullpen game in Cincinnati's 9-2 loss. It's unclear when Burns will return to the rotation.
Be sure to check out the latest fantasy lineup advice as well as the MLB betting tips for Tuesday.
June 1: Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) placed on the injured list, Edwin Arroyo set to debut
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
Elly De La Cruz's hamstring issue, one he suffered when he came up hobbling while rounding first base on a fifth-inning single on Sunday, indeed is serious enough to cost him a trip to the injured list. The Cincinnati Reds placed the star shortstop on the 10-day IL on Monday, and manager Terry Francona said the injury is between a Grade 1 and 2 strain, meaning De La Cruz could miss two or more weeks.
Losing De La Cruz is a big hit to rotisserie league managers, as he's the No. 10 name on our Player Rater. That's not to downplay the impact in ESPN standard points leagues, however, as the shortstop's 151 fantasy points scored are 34th among hitters and 58th overall. De La Cruz's 29.6% strikeout rate, which had him on pace for 212 strikeouts (that would've been his second year of 200-plus in the past three seasons), is the primary differentiator in his fantasy value by league type. He had otherwise been in the midst of a stellar season, and was riding career highs in terms of underlying stats like Statcast's Barrel rate (15.0%) and average exit velocity (94.2 mph).
The silver lining to De La Cruz's IL placement is that the Reds recalled one of their top prospects, Edwin Arroyo, from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move. Arroyo, who was acquired in the 2022 trade deadline deal with Seattle for Luis Castillo, had slipped somewhat in terms of prospect ranking over his first three seasons in the Reds' organization, but was off to a great start to the year for the Bats. Arroyo's .323/.383/.562 hitting rates would all set single-season minor league bests, and he was hitting for much more power than before, with 11 home runs in 53 games.
Though Arroyo played the bulk of his minor league games at shortstop, both this season and previously, he'll earn the start at second base for his big-league debut on Monday. That could signal the team either breaking him in as a longer-term utilityman, or their intent to acclimate him to a regular second base role with Matt McLain -- he's their Monday shortstop -- ticketed for utility work. Either way, Arroyo is a worthwhile short-term pickup regardless of format, thanks to his speed, contact ability and improved power production, which should play well at the Reds' homer-friendly home ballpark. His upside is great enough that he's worth the add to see just what he can offer.
June 1: Monday's news to know
By Todd Zola
The first day of June begins with a nine-game schedule. All of the games will be under the lights, with the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers getting things started at 6:40 p.m. at Tropicana Field.
The Tigers are set to activate Ty Madden from the 15-day IL to start tonight's contest. He required just a bit more than the minimum absence due to a right forearm contusion.
Maikel Garcia is questionable for the Kansas City Royals' road date with the Cincinnati Reds. He missed yesterday's game thanks to a hamstring strain and is set for re-evaluation today. Nick Loftin filled in at third base while Carter Jensen took over the leadoff spot.
Elly De La Cruz's status for tonight has been made clear as the team has officially placed him on the 10-day IL. He hurt his hamstring running to first base yesterday and underwent imaging this morning prior to Cincinnati's matchup with the Royals.
Zach Neto returned to the Los Angeles Angels lineup yesterday after being removed from Saturday's game due to whiplash. He has struggled over the first two months of the season, especially in the stolen base department. After swiping 56 bases in 75 tries over the previous two seasons, he's gone only 8-for-14 so far this year.
The New York Mets have essentially switched the roles of Sean Manaea and David Peterson, with Manaea stepping in as "primary pitcher" while Peterson joins the bullpen. Manaea is set to follow Austin Warren in tonight's road affair with the Seattle Mariners.