
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen pitched himself into a no-decision Monday against the division-rival Colorado Rockies. Gallen struck out 10 hitters, which was great, but he labored through five innings, giving up three runs and scattering eight hits. This start for Gallen came at Coors Field, so it's encouraging to see he was still able to strike out 10 hitters in the thin-air conditions of Denver. He is tentatively scheduled to face the St. Louis Cardinals' average offense on Sunday afternoon. Gallen should always be started, regardless of the opponent.

The Kansas City Royals have signed starting pitcher Zach Davies to a minor-league contract on Monday. The former Arizona Diamondback had a 2023 season he would like to forget, pitching to an even 7.00 ERA in only 82 1/3 innings, striking out only 72 batters, and giving up 39 walks. This move by the Royals is clearly a depth move, as the rotation is solid with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Brady Singer, Michael Wacha, and Alec Marsh leading the way. Look for Davies to begin ramping up in the minors and be a potential replacement in the rotation if any of those five guys struggles or gets injured.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Gregory Soto earned his first save of the season in Monday's 5-3 extra-innings win over the Cardinals. Soto came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th inning up by two with an automatic runner on second. He got the first out on a fly-out, allowed a single, and ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts. It was the 29-year-old's first save opportunity this season, but he has served as a closer in the past and has yet to allow a run this season with five strikeouts and no walks in 3 2/3 innings pitched. The Phillies have yet to see consistent results from their end-of-game bullpen options, so fantasy managers should keep an eye out to see if Soto finds himself in more high-leverage opportunities.


Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman blew his second save of the season but earned his first win in Monday's 5-3 extra-innings win over the Cardinals. Hoffman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by two. He got the first out on a strikeout, allowed a walk and a double, got the second out on an RBI sacrifice fly, allowed a game-tying RBI single, and finally got the third out on a groundout. The Phillies would go ahead in the top half of the inning and Gregory Soto closed the door in the bottom half to end the game. Despite the blown saves, Hoffman has pitched well overall with a 3.38 ERA, seven strikeouts, and three walks in 5 1/3 IP. The Phillies' back-of-the-rotation has been a mess, so their usage should be monitored to see if a preferred closer emerges.


Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull looked sharp once again in Monday's 5-3 extra-innings win over the Cardinals. Turnbull pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk with six strikeouts. He also hit a batter. The 31-year-old has yet to allow a run in his first two starts and has 13 strikeouts and just one walk in 13 IP. Turnbull is currently rostered in 25% of leagues, but that could start to rise if he continues to pitch well. He will face a test in his next projected start against a strong Pirates lineup.
