Philadelphia Phillies DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

The Baltimore Orioles placed outfielder Austin Hays (calf) on the 10-day injured list on Monday, retroactive to Sunday. After leaving Saturday's win over the Kansas City Royals, Hays needs to miss some additional time with a strained left calf. The 28-year-old left fielder was already trending down due to a feeble .111/.200/.111 triple-slash line with just two RBI over 45 at-bats (19 games) as well as the emergence of former top prospect Colton Cowser for the O's, so fantasy managers shouldn't feel inclined to stash Hays while he's sidelined. Cowser's playing time in left field becomes even more solidified in the absence of Hays. Hitting .373 (19-for-51) with five home runs, six doubles, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases to this point, Cowser is a player with five-category upside in Baltimore's potent lineup for the foreseeable future.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed first baseman Bryce Harper on the paternity list on Monday before their series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. In a corresponding move, the team recalled infielder Kody Clemens from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Harper will miss between one and three games for the Phillies this week, which makes him tough to roll with in weekly fantasy leagues. The most likely scenario is that we see the 31-year-old former All-Star back in action for the series finale in Cincinnati on Thursday. The seven-time All-Star has started off the 2024 campaign by hitting .241/.330/.443 with four home runs, four doubles, 14 RBI, one stolen base and 10 runs scored in his first 21 games. Be prepared to be without him for the next couple of days.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Spencer Turnbull will head to the bullpen after Wednesday's start against the Cincinnati Reds. Turnbull has had a solid start to the season with an ERA of 1.23 in 22 innings pitched. He has allowed three runs through four games with 10 hits, 22 strikeouts, and seven walks. The return of Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is expected to happen during this weekend's series against the San Diego Padres. This will allow the Phillies to monitor Turnball with his move to the bullpen. With having pitched less than 57 innings since 2019, the Phillies would like to keep their pitching rotation safe and healthy. Turnbull should be held onto in deep-leagues while adding Walker. He went 15-6 in 2023 with a 4.38 ERA in 31 starts, adding a nice depth to rosters.

Philadelphia Phillies starter Aaron Nola allowed two runs on four hits across eight innings of work during Sunday's 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. He struck out seven batters while walking one. It was an impressive outing for the 30-year-old as the only damage against him came off of an Eloy Jimenez blast in the first inning. Nola has now allowed two runs or fewer in four straight appearances after a shaky outing to kick off the campaign. He brings a 3-1 record, 3.16 ERA and 26/10 K/BB into his next projected start against the San Diego Padres. Nola is a must-start fantasy option while he is rolling like this.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber went 1-for-1 with a home run, two RBI, three runs scored, and three walks during Sunday's 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. It was an impressive day at the plate for the Phillies and Schwarber was no exception. The 31-year-old is now slashing .217/.327/.434 with six homers, 11 RBI and one stolen base through 22 games. At this point, fantasy managers know what Schwarber brings to the table. He strikes out a ton and will hurt your ratios, but he can homer in bunches and will deliver solid counting stats across the board. A series at the hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati is up next.