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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Potential 'major difference-makers' among pickups to target
Hopefully there is something for everyone among the 11 names tabbed for consideration this week. Managers are encouraged to consider grabbing multiple players who work primarily in a platoon role. And there are also a couple players, Addison Barger and Eury Pérez, who could be major difference-makers this summer. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Addison Barger, 3B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays, 40% Barger has started to turn elite skills into production, having hit .385 with four homers in 26 at-bats since May 28. The 25-year-old's Statcast page is covered in red, as he ranks among the top 15% of hitters in key stats such as average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, xBA and xSLG. He also has an absolute cannon of an arm that allows him to excel at third base or in right field. The Blue Jays have a clear need for another impact bat in their lineup, and the combination of skills and opportunity makes Barger the most exciting position player who is currently available in most leagues. Advertisement Michael Busch, 1B, Chicago Cubs, 49% Busch is the perfect player for default Yahoo formats. The slugger rarely plays against left-handers, which makes it easy for managers to stream him between their lineup and bench. Busch has been so good against righties (.952 OPS) that he ranks 11th among first basemen in both RBI and home runs. And his managers have received that production while also getting additional stats on his days off. Those in shallow leagues who are dedicated to monitoring their daily lineup should pick him up. Hyeseong Kim, 2B/SS, Los Angeles Dodgers, 15% Kim has less of a track record and a much different skill set than Busch, but there are otherwise plenty of similarities between the two. The rookie has been in the majors a little over a month, and in that time he has established himself as a game-changing player against right-handers (.994 OPS). He has also proven to be impactful on the basepaths (five steals). Kim doesn't start against southpaws, which means that managers can get all of his production and more by moving him to the bench when the Dodgers do the same. He's a great fit in categories leagues. Parker Meadows, OF, Detroit Tigers, 26% Meadows is the third consecutive player in this article who has plenty of value despite being platooned by his team. The outfielder recently returned from a season-opening stint on the IL, and he immediately took over as Detroit's leadoff hitter against right-handers. Hitting atop a lineup that ranks 4th in runs scored should allow Meadows to accumulate plenty of counting stats, and he also has a balanced skill set that will lead to some homers and steals. Finally, Meadows has a lifetime .728 OPS against left-handers, which should earn him some opportunities in those matchups. Willi Castro, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Minnesota Twins, 42% Castro got off to a slow start this season and then spent about three weeks on the IL. But since returning exactly one month ago, he has been a balanced contributor who has hit .278 with 5 homers, 2 steals and 18 runs scored. The 28-year-old does not have a high ceiling, but he contributes in a variety of ways and is among the easiest players to fit into a lineup thanks to his four-position eligibility. Advertisement Brett Baty, 2B/3B, New York Mets, 14% Baty has fared well of late, batting .260 with a .795 OPS since the beginning of May. His effective play has led to a full-time role, which puts Baty in terrific position to thrive this weekend when the Mets work at hitter-friendly Coors Field against a team with a 5.93 home ERA. Managers in all formats should strive to have some shares of New York's lineup until Sunday night. Eury Pérez, SP, Miami Marlins, 42% Pérez is set to return from April 2024 Tommy John surgery on Monday, and he will immediately become the most talented pitcher who is available in the majority of Yahoo leagues. The youngster was outstanding as a 20-year-old in his rookie season, logging a 3.15 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and a 10.6 K/9 rate. Sure, there is risk involved with someone who is coming off such a long layoff, but Pérez has the upside of a mixed-league ace. Michael Wacha, SP, Kansas City Royals, 50% With a 2.88 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, Wacha has been as effective as any full-time starter who remains widely available in Yahoo leagues. The veteran is the best pitcher to stream this weekend, as he is scheduled to start tomorrow against a 20-43 White Sox team that ranks 26th in runs scored. Griffin Canning, SP, New York Mets, 41% Canning bounced back from a pair of subpar outings when he struck out seven across six shutout innings against the high-scoring Dodgers. The right-hander walks too many batters (10.4%), but he minimizes the damage by getting his share of strikeouts and ground balls. Although Canning isn't effective enough to be recommended for long-term use, he will be one of the top available two-start hurlers next week when he will make a pair of appearances at his pitcher-friendly home park. Advertisement Ryne Nelson, SP/RP, Arizona Diamondbacks, 6% Nelson is an interesting dart throw in deeper leagues, as an injury to Corbin Burnes has opened a rotation spot for the 27-year-old, who logged a 3.23 ERA and a 67:14 K:BB ratio while working almost exclusively as a starter during the second half of last season. Nelson has been effective while mostly pitching in relief this year (3.43 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 35:11 K:BB ratio) and could be a permanent rotation member from this point forward. Daniel Palencia, RP, Chicago Cubs, 46% Palencia's roster rate has slowly climbed, but there is still a long way to go for someone who has established himself as the full-time closer for one of baseball's best teams. Palencia has pitched well this season (1.74 ERA, 0.77 WHIP) and will be a top-15 reliever as long as he holds his current role.
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Last Night in Baseball: Red Sox win on the shortest walk-off homer... ever?
There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves. That's why we're here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days' games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: The shortest walk-off homer maybe ever? It's difficult to know, given how measurements over time have worked and records have been kept, just how long the longest home run in MLB history was, or just how short we're talking when we say shortest long ball. We do know about the Statcast era, though, from 2015 onward, and at least we know where the fences have historically been kept at MLB ballparks, too. Which means that we definitely just saw the shortest walk-off home run of the Statcast era per MLB, at minimum, and possibly the shortest walk-off homer ever. Ceddanne Rafaela came up in the bottom of the ninth inning, with the Red Sox and Angels tied 9-9. Boston had already dropped the first two games of the series to Los Angeles — 7-6 and 4-3 — as their tumble down the standings continued. Rafaela would ensure the slide at least temporarily halted with one swing of the bat: 308 feet later, the Red Sox had won. The right field foul pole at Fenway, nicknamed "Pesky's Pole" owing to former shortstop Johnny Pesky wrapping a few around the pole in his day, sits 302 feet from home plate. There aren't a lot of homers hit there annually, despite the short distance, given that the right field wall begins to take a sharp angle backward to the point that Fenway, historically and in the present, is a poor place for lefties to hit homers. Dead center is 389 feet, the furthest point of the field is 420 feet out, and the midpoint of the fence in right is 380 feet. All of this means it's actually as tough to hit a homer from the left side of the plate as it is for righties who have to contend with the 37-foot wall out in left field keeping them from hitting anything but towering fly balls over the fence. There's that tiny spot tucked away near the Pesky's Pole, though, where a ball can just, whoops, home run, and Rafaela found it at the best possible time. This was the third homer Rafaela hit against the Angels in the series, with the other two going over the aforementioned Monster in left. More majestic homers they might have been, but this little one certainly counted for more. Both in the moment, and possibly historically, too. The Rockies swept the Marlins! It's okay if you want to read that in Russ Hodges' "The Giants win the pennant!" voice, given the achievement certainly feels as monumental as Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World" with how Colorado's season has gone outside of this series. But they did it! The Rockies faced the Marlins in three games, and they won all three. They're still on pace for a record 131 losses, and the Marlins are now on pace for an even 100 defeats owing to these defeats, but that's something to worry about later. Right now, the Rockies have not only won their first season series of the year, but earned their first sweep, too, and can go for their fourth win in a row on Friday against the… oh. The Mets. Holders of the best record in the National League, and looking to take three of four from the NL West-leading Dodgers on Thursday. Listen, the important thing is that no one can take those wins away from you, Colorado, they are in the bank. Hey, that's still the basepath, it counts Wyatt Langford faced a dilemma as he ran down to first base. The problem? The Rangers' left fielder had hit a ground ball to short, and was likely to be out at first until José Caballero's throw was off target enough to pull Jonathan Aranda off of the bag. Aranda was still in Langford's path, however, and while he was on the ground, that was going to be a problem. Langford couldn't go left, he couldn't go right, but he could go over. And so he did. Beautiful form, just splendidly done. It's worth pointing out, too, that Langford was aware enough of what he was doing here as to make sure he landed on the bag with the front part of his foot, taking pressure off of both his ankle and his knee, and so that he could also easily bound past first base as if he had done it by running through the standard way. Aranda couldn't quite get the tag high enough from his position on the ground to nab Langford mid-hurdle, so instead, the Rangers got a baserunner. Sure, the Rangers ended up losing to the Rays in the end, 5-4, but hey: hurdles. Alonso, take a bow The aforementioned Mets already took two of the first three games of their four-game set with the Dodgers, but Wednesday's victory also gave them the season series over Los Angeles. And they can thank their pitching for that — starting pitcher Griffin Canning and the bullpen combined for nine 1-run innings with 10 strikeouts, one walk, and just six hits — but also Pete Alonso. Alonso went deep not once , but twice . The first shot was enough to give the Mets the W, as the two-run homer put them up 3-0. The second one was just for emphasis, as it gave the Mets a 6-0 lead in the eighth inning. Alonso drove in five of New York's six runs on the night, and they'd end up winning 6-1. Meanwhile… You flinched, Dodgers! Now you have to marry your mother-in-law! Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Boston Red Sox Ceddanne Rafaela Major League Baseball recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
A leaping catch, happy tears, and a win: How TJ Friedl saved the Reds
Associated Press CINCINNATI (AP) — In what has been a frustrating first season with the Cincinnati Reds, manager Terry Francona was able to shed some happy tears Tuesday night courtesy of a game-saving catch. TJ Friedl made a leaping grab in center field for the final out to rob pinch-hitter Jake Bauers of a tying home run in the Reds' 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. 'We couldn't tell if Friedl caught it. We were just kinda goin' on his body language,' Francona said. 'That was certainly a nice feeling. You may have seen a grown man cry.' The Reds appeared to lock up the win when Caleb Durbin hit a grounder to Elly De La Cruz, but the shortstop's throw to first base was high and sailed into the camera well for an error, allowing Durbin to reach second base. Bauers got ahead in the count 2-1 before he got the barrel on a fastball by Emilio Pagan. According to MLB's Statcast, the ball had a 95% hit probability, but Friedl did a nice job of tracking it and timed his jump perfectly to help the Reds snap a three-game losing streak. 'I knew it was hit well off the bat. I think it was probably when I was coming close to the warning track that I thought, I could have a chance at this,' Friedl said. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy brought in Bauers because of his experience in late-game situations. It almost resulted in the third pinch-hit homer of his career. 'It's hard to get it out of here in center when it gets later in the evening. It was such a line drive I knew it was going to be close,' Murphy said after the Brewers had their eight-game winning streak snapped. 'It was a great play by Friedl. You play to the last pitch and he made it.' It was the second time in three years Friedl made a homer-saving catch in center at Great American Ball Park. The previous time came against the club Francona managed for 11 seasons, when Friedl robbed Cleveland's Ramón Laureano of a two-run shot during the third inning on Aug. 16, 2023. Friedl and the other Reds outfielders worked on making plays at the wall before Monday's series opener against Milwaukee. When he robbed Laureano, they practiced it before that game, too. 'Maybe we should work on it a lot,' Friedl said. Francona wasn't the only one relieved. Pagán thought he made a great pitch to Bauers. 'I didn't realize he hit it so well. I turned around and saw that TJ was making a sprint. The way this game works, you prepare and do the right things,' Pagán said. The win improved the Reds' record to 30-32 with a chance to snap a string of 11 consecutive series losses to the Brewers. Cincinnati is nine games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and four back in the wild-card race. Whether Friedl's heroics can serve as a catalyst for a win streak remains to be seen. 'Your guess is as good as mine. We're just going to continue to go out every day and control what we can control and play our game. And then we'll see what ends up,' Friedl said. 'It's a long season, so we're going to continue to go out there and play the best baseball.' ___ AP MLB: recommended
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A leaping catch, happy tears, and a win: How TJ Friedl saved the Reds
CINCINNATI (AP) — In what has been a frustrating first season with the Cincinnati Reds, manager Terry Francona was able to shed some happy tears Tuesday night courtesy of a game-saving catch. TJ Friedl made a leaping grab in center field for the final out to rob pinch-hitter Jake Bauers of a tying home run in the Reds' 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Advertisement 'We couldn't tell if Friedl caught it. We were just kinda goin' on his body language,' Francona said. 'That was certainly a nice feeling. You may have seen a grown man cry.' The Reds appeared to lock up the win when Caleb Durbin hit a grounder to Elly De La Cruz, but the shortstop's throw to first base was high and sailed into the camera well for an error, allowing Durbin to reach second base. Bauers got ahead in the count 2-1 before he got the barrel on a fastball by Emilio Pagán. According to MLB's Statcast, the ball had a 95% hit probability, but Friedl did a nice job of tracking it and timed his jump perfectly to help the Reds snap a three-game losing streak. 'I knew it was hit well off the bat. I think it was probably when I was coming close to the warning track that I thought, I could have a chance at this,' Friedl said. Advertisement Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy brought in Bauers because of his experience in late-game situations. It almost resulted in the third pinch-hit homer of his career. 'It's hard to get it out of here in center when it gets later in the evening. It was such a line drive I knew it was going to be close,' Murphy said after the Brewers had their eight-game winning streak snapped. 'It was a great play by Friedl. You play to the last pitch and he made it.' It was the second time in three years Friedl made a homer-saving catch in center at Great American Ball Park. The previous time came against the club Francona managed for 11 seasons, when Friedl robbed Cleveland's Ramón Laureano of a two-run shot during the third inning on Aug. 16, 2023. Friedl and the other Reds outfielders worked on making plays at the wall before Monday's series opener against Milwaukee. When he robbed Laureano, they practiced it before that game, too. Advertisement 'Maybe we should work on it a lot,' Friedl said. Francona wasn't the only one relieved. Pagán thought he made a great pitch to Bauers. 'I didn't realize he hit it so well. I turned around and saw that TJ was making a sprint. The way this game works, you prepare and do the right things,' Pagán said. The win improved the Reds' record to 30-32 with a chance to snap a string of 11 consecutive series losses to the Brewers. Cincinnati is nine games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and four back in the wild-card race. Whether Friedl's heroics can serve as a catalyst for a win streak remains to be seen. Advertisement 'Your guess is as good as mine. We're just going to continue to go out every day and control what we can control and play our game. And then we'll see what ends up,' Friedl said. 'It's a long season, so we're going to continue to go out there and play the best baseball.' ___ AP MLB: Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A leaping catch, happy tears, and a win: How TJ Friedl saved the Reds
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, left, and TJ Friedl, right, celebrate at the conclusion of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl reacts after catching a fly ball at the wall to end the game in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl catches a fly ball at the wall to end the game in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl celebrates at the conclusion of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl celebrates at the conclusion of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, left, and TJ Friedl, right, celebrate at the conclusion of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl reacts after catching a fly ball at the wall to end the game in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl catches a fly ball at the wall to end the game in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl celebrates at the conclusion of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) CINCINNATI (AP) — In what has been a frustrating first season with the Cincinnati Reds, manager Terry Francona was able to shed some happy tears Tuesday night courtesy of a game-saving catch. TJ Friedl made a leaping grab in center field for the final out to rob pinch-hitter Jake Bauers of a tying home run in the Reds' 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Advertisement 'We couldn't tell if Friedl caught it. We were just kinda goin' on his body language,' Francona said. 'That was certainly a nice feeling. You may have seen a grown man cry.' The Reds appeared to lock up the win when Caleb Durbin hit a grounder to Elly De La Cruz, but the shortstop's throw to first base was high and sailed into the camera well for an error, allowing Durbin to reach second base. Bauers got ahead in the count 2-1 before he got the barrel on a fastball by Emilio Pagán. According to MLB's Statcast, the ball had a 95% hit probability, but Friedl did a nice job of tracking it and timed his jump perfectly to help the Reds snap a three-game losing streak. 'I knew it was hit well off the bat. I think it was probably when I was coming close to the warning track that I thought, I could have a chance at this,' Friedl said. Advertisement Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy brought in Bauers because of his experience in late-game situations. It almost resulted in the third pinch-hit homer of his career. 'It's hard to get it out of here in center when it gets later in the evening. It was such a line drive I knew it was going to be close,' Murphy said after the Brewers had their eight-game winning streak snapped. 'It was a great play by Friedl. You play to the last pitch and he made it.' It was the second time in three years Friedl made a homer-saving catch in center at Great American Ball Park. The previous time came against the club Francona managed for 11 seasons, when Friedl robbed Cleveland's Ramón Laureano of a two-run shot during the third inning on Aug. 16, 2023. Friedl and the other Reds outfielders worked on making plays at the wall before Monday's series opener against Milwaukee. When he robbed Laureano, they practiced it before that game, too. Advertisement 'Maybe we should work on it a lot,' Friedl said. Francona wasn't the only one relieved. Pagán thought he made a great pitch to Bauers. 'I didn't realize he hit it so well. I turned around and saw that TJ was making a sprint. The way this game works, you prepare and do the right things,' Pagán said. The win improved the Reds' record to 30-32 with a chance to snap a string of 11 consecutive series losses to the Brewers. Cincinnati is nine games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and four back in the wild-card race. Whether Friedl's heroics can serve as a catalyst for a win streak remains to be seen. Advertisement 'Your guess is as good as mine. We're just going to continue to go out every day and control what we can control and play our game. And then we'll see what ends up,' Friedl said. 'It's a long season, so we're going to continue to go out there and play the best baseball.' ___ AP MLB:
