-
Charlie Morton SP | ATL
Braves' Charlie Morton: Walks four in no-decision
Morton allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out eight over five innings in a no-decision versus the Cubs on Tuesday.
Morton's last two starts have been against the Cubs, and both outings have seen him battle some control issues -- he walked seven batters over eight innings in those games. Tuesday's road outing was better than his start last Wednesday in Atlanta, but it still doesn't inspire a ton of confidence. The veteran right-hander is now at a 3.35 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 52:21 K:BB over 51 innings through nine starts this season. Morton's next start is projected to be at home versus the Nationals.
-
Nico Hoerner 2B | CHC
Cubs' Nico Hoerner: Walk-off hit in return
Hoerner went 1-for-5 with one RBI in Tuesday's 4-3 extra-inning win over Atlanta.
Hoerner had a relatively unimpressive return after missing over a week with a hamstring issue, but he made up for it with a one-out, walk-off single in the 10th inning. The infielder is slashing .267/.357/.385 with two home runs, 13 RBI, 25 runs scored and five stolen bases over 185 plate appearances. Hoerner's return will likely mean less playing time for Nick Madrigal moving forward, assuming Hoerner doesn't suffer a setback with his hamstring.
-
Javier Assad RP | CHC
Cubs' Javier Assad: Takes step back Tuesday
Assad allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and five walks while striking out four over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus Atlanta on Tuesday.
Assad gave up a two-run home run to Orlando Arcia in the second inning and a solo shot to Michael Harris in the fourth. The five walks were also a season high, and it was the fourth time this season Assad has issued three or more free passes. For the season, he's at a 1.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 46:20 K:BB through 53 innings across 10 starts. He's had little trouble with the long ball this year, so it's safe to assume he'll continue to find success in run prevention if he can keep the ball down. The right-hander is projected for a road start in St. Louis his next time out.
-
Mike Tauchman CF | NYM
Cubs' Mike Tauchman: Productive from leadoff spot
Tauchman went 2-for-5 with two RBI in Tuesday's 4-3, extra-inning win over Atlanta.
Tauchman served as the leadoff hitter and DH in this one, and he continued his solid play, pushing his average to .262 and his OPS to .789. The veteran is seeing regular time at DH and in right field, with Seiya Suzuki also in the mix for both spots. Tauchman isn't the most exciting fantasy option, but he's worth a look in deeper formats given his role and production.
-
Dansby Swanson SS | CHC
Cubs' Dansby Swanson: Records two hits in return
Swanson (knee) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 4-3, extra-inning win over Atlanta.
Swanson was activated from the 10-day injured list Monday night and he made his return to the lineup Tuesday after missing two weeks. The shortstop hit the ground running against his former team, though he's been off to a slow start overall with just a .218 batting average across 38 games. Swanson should still see regular playing time moving forward despite his struggles, and he's talented enough to heat up in a hurry.
-
Luke Little RP | KC
Cubs' Luke Little: Earns first MLB win
Little (1-0) tossed a scoreless 10th inning out of the bullpen to pick up the win in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over Atlanta.
Little was the sixth Chicago pitcher to enter the contest, and the lefty was effective despite starting his frame with a runner on second. This was the 23-year-old's first win in the majors in his 21st career appearance. Little is still a fairly low-leverage reliever at this point, which leaves him with limited fantasy appeal.
-
Bryce Harper 1B | PHI
Phillies' Bryce Harper: Homers Tuesday
Harper went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Rangers.
Harper led off the fourth inning with a double before coming around to score on an Alec Bohm single, giving the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Harper would then extend the lead to 3-1 in the fourth with a 422-foot solo blast off Jacob Latz, his 11th long ball of the year. After a sluggish start to the year, the 31-year-old Harper has been on fire in May, batting .359 with five home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.111 OPS in 17 games. He's boosted his slash line to .280/.388/.537 through 196 plate appearances this season.
-
Jose Alvarado RP | PHI
Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Locks down ninth save
Alvarado earned the save in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Rangers, allowing one hit while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Rangers got the tying run to the plate with one out in the ninth after an error and a Leody Taveras base hit. However, Alvarado would proceed to strike out Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, picking up his ninth save in a 5-2 win. While the Phillies have utilized a modified committee approach to the ninth inning, the left-handed Alvarado has established himself as their preferred closing option. His ERA sits at 3.54 with a 1.03 WHIP and 20:7 K:BB across 20.1 innings.
-
Ranger Suarez SP | BOS
Phillies' Ranger Suarez: Improves to 9-0
Suarez (9-0) earned the win Tuesday over the Rangers, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out 10 over seven innings.
Suarez was stellar again Tuesday, holding Texas to a lone run on a Marcus Semien double in the third inning while recording a season-high 10 strikeouts. The 28-year-old southpaw has been a revelation for the Phillies this season -- his ERA is down to a sparkling 1.36 with a 0.79 WHIP and 49:9 K:BB and he boasts an MLB-high nine wins across 10 starts (66 innings). Suarez will look to keep rolling in his next outing, currently scheduled for this weekend in Colorado.
-
Yasmani Grandal C | PIT
Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Removed with groin injury
Grandal was removed from Tuesday's game against the Giants due to left groin discomfort, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
After going hitless in his first three at-bats of the night, Grandal doubled and came around to score during Pittsburgh's ninth-inning rally, but he was unable to catch in the top of the 10th inning. The severity of his injury isn't immediately apparent, but the Pirates should have more information on the veteran backstop's injury before the start of Wednesday's game.