


Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (knee) has returned to third base on Saturday against the visiting Chicago Cubs, which has allowed outfielder Masataka Yoshida to return to the lineup as the designated hitter against right-hander Ben Brown. Devers is hitting in the two-hole, while Tanaka is batting sixth for the BoSox. Devers missed five games with a knee injury recently but has been hot at the plate since returning, going 7-for-13 with a homer, double, two RBI and three runs scored in three games. He's a must-start anytime he's active. Tanaka, meanwhile, returns to the fold after missing the last four games, although he has appeared as a pinch-hitter. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter has essentially become a DH only for Boston and is hitting .233 (17-for-73) with two homers and 10 RBI to start the year.


Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer and utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa are both out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be Springer's first off day since April 19. The 34-year-old veteran has gone 7-for-28 with a home run since then to drop his season line to .228/.322/.356 with three home runs, five RBI, three stolen bases and 11 runs scored in 101 at-bats. With Springer sitting on Saturday, rookie Addison Barger will make just his third major-league start, playing in right field and batting ninth against Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow. Barger, the former sixth-round pick in 2018, has yet to get a hit in his first eight MLB at-bats and won't be a recommended DFS option in the nine-hole in a tough matchup.

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Gavin Lux and outfielder Josh Outman, who all hit left-handed, are out of Saturday's lineup against left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and the Toronto Blue Jays. Enrique Hernandez will play third and bat sixth, Miguel Rojas is at shortstop and hitting eighth, and rookie Andy Pages is in center field and will bat seventh for the Blue. Muncy is hitting a modest .258 (23-for-89) this year with five home runs and 18 RBI, but he's gone just 5-for-25 (.200) with one homer and 10 strikeouts against lefties. Lux has struggled in general, hitting .183 (13-for-71) and has yet to go deep. Outman's fantasy stock has really fallen as he's fallen into a platoon with Pages. Hernandez is the DFS play to consider with a .256 career average and 55 homers in 1,417 plate appearances against southpaws. He's also hitting .308 in 13 career at-bats against Kikuchi.



San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey blasted his third home run of the year in Friday's 3-0 win over the Pirates. It was Bailey's only hit in the game but it came at the right time. In a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the ninth, Pirates closer David Bednar walked the first batter he saw, then gave up a single, bringing Bailey to the plate. The 24-year-old deposited a four-seam fastball over the right field wall for the 3-0 walk-off win. Bailey is having a solid season at the plate thus far, slashing .297/.365/.516 with five doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in 75 plate appearances. For fantasy, however, those numbers don't really move the needle and he can be left to the waiver wire for now.


Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger smacked a grand slam in Friday's 6-1 win over the Diamondbacks. It was his lone hit on the day, but it was a big one that broke the game open. It came after starter Zac Gallen left the game and with Mariners up just 2-1. It was the 33-year-old's fourth home run of the year and he's now up to 18 RBI, although the batting average sits at just .244. There was hope the veteran would return to some semblance of his 2021 form with a return to Seattle but it hasn't come to fruition to this point. The good thing is it's a long season and so far he's still healthy. Regardless, until he shows signs of a breakout he's probably only worth a roster spot in deeper leagues.
