
Oakland Athletics closerMason Millerwas back on the mound Saturday, two days after his dust-up against the Colorado Rockies (five runs, three earned runs), which saw his ERA balloon from 0.89 to 2.05. If there were any lingering doubts from that last outing, they were immediately put to rest as Miller secured his 10th save after being handed a two-run lead. Facing the middle of a dangerous Astros offense, Miller made short work of the Houston bats, striking out the side needing only 15 pitches. Miller possesses one of the best young arms in all of baseball. Unfortunately, his upside is limited while closing games in Oakland. If he can keep this up (45 Ks in 23 innings), Miller looks to be one of the more coveted assets potentially available at the trade deadline.

Baltimore Orioles infielderJordan Westburglaunched a solo home run in the eighth inning to help seal the comeback victory on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. Trailing 3-0 in the game, the Baltimore bats exploded for a five-run inning capped off by Westburg's solo shot with two outs. While the Orioles were held in check most of the afternoon, Westburg kept the O's offense rolling, going 3-for-4 along with the HR, RBI, and run scored. Westburg was having a rough week at the plate, coming into the game with a .154 average over the last seven days before his Memorial Day Weekend bash. Overall, this year, Westburg has enjoyed a rotisserie-friendly sophomore season and is now up to a .285 batting average with eight homers and 31 RBI in 48 games; the power is a very nice surprise after only three home runs in 68 games in 2023.

Baltimore Orioles reliever Cionel Perez stepped up in a big way on Saturday, securing his first save of the season. Craig Kimbreltook a breather after registering saves in both prior games against the White Sox. This had the Orioles calling upon Prez to protect a two-run lead thanks to a fireworks-filled eighth inning, which saw Baltimore score five runs. Against the bottom third of the lowly Chicago batting order, Prez wasted no time, striking out one and needing only 10 pitches to close out Baltimore's third straight victory. The 28-year-old owns a 5.06 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 9:6 K: BB across 10 2/3 innings in 2024. Fantasy managers searching for saves can add Perez in deep-league formats.


Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout (knee) said before Saturday's game that he's feeling better and his rehab is going to plan. He underwent surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee in early May. The 32-year-old has been on the elliptical and the bike. His next step will be the treadmill. Trout has not begun baseball activities but is progressing. There is no official timetable for his return, but he is expected to return later in the season. He slashed .220/.325/.541 with 10 home runs, 14 RBI, 17 runs, and six stolen bases over 29 games before landing on the injured list. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Trout on their rosters in all leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani (hamstring) is dealing with a right hamstring contusion after getting hit there with a pickoff throw during the team's last homestand. The injury is something the Dodgers are managing. According to Roberts, the Dodgers have put a "governor" on him and to not exert a total effort when running the bases for now. Ohtani hasn't missed any games and doesn't sound like he will miss any time in the near future. The 29-year-old is slashing .338/.406/.628 with 13 home runs, 35 RBI, 39 runs, and 13 stolen bases over 52 games in 2024. The hamstring issue isn't slowing Ohtani down, and fantasy managers should continue to roll with him in all league formats.
